Fifthly, All Men, the Elect as well as others,1 are under Condemnation before Grace, or actual Union with Christ, because it is positively said, that he that believeth not, is condemned; and the Wrath of God abideth upon him. The Law condemns him, let him be who he will,2 even every ⟨p. 20⟩Soul that believes not savingly in Jesus Christ; and it remains upon him because he believes not, or because he continues in the first Adam, in condemned Adam, and is not transplanted into the second Adam, Jesus Christ: Nay, and his Unbelief binds all his Sins, and the Sentence upon him; not believing is not the first Disease, but it is the refusing the Remedy. Those stung with fiery Serpents were mortally wounded, that was their Disease; and if any would not, did not look up to the Brazen Serpent, that was the reason they died, in respect of their refusing the Remedy; but their being stung was that which killed them. So 'tis Sin that is the breach of the Law of God, which is the Disease, and the Cause why Sinners perish; all are condemned already, and their refusing of Christ offered in the Gospel for their Cure, aggravates their Sin and Condemnation: and it leaves such that finally persist in Unbelief, incurable for ever.
Fifthly, All Men, the Elect as well as others,1 are under Condemnation before Grrce, or actual Union with Christ, because it is positively said, that he that believeth not, is condemned; and the Wrath of God abideth upon him. The Law condemns him, let him be who he will,2 even every ⟨p. 20⟩Soul that believes not savingly in Jesus Christ; and it remains upon him because he believes not, or because he continues in the first Adam, in condemned Adam, and is not transplanted into the second Adam, Jesus Christ: Nay, and his Unbelief binds all his Sins, and the Sentence upon him; not believing is not the first Disease, but it is the refusing the Remedy. Those stung with fiery Serpents were mortally wounded, that was their Disease; and if any would not, did not look up to the Brazen Serpent, that was the reason they died, in respect of their refusing the Remedy; but their being stung was that which kill'd them. So 'tis Sin that is the breach of the Law of God, which is the Disease, and the Cause why Sinners perish; all are condemned already, and their refusing of Christ offered in the Gospel for their Cure, aggravates their Sin and Condemnation: and it leaves such that finally persist in Unbelief, incurable for ever.
- 1Sinners that believe not, condemned already.
- 2Joh. 3.18. and 36.
