The truly blessed man

A. In one word, it is a state of Condemnation. We read, Joh. 3.18. He that believes not, is Condemned already: By which we are given to understand how it is with all men by nature: all the World stand Condemned before God, and there is not one clear of it, till by Faith in Christ they come to receive a discharge. Now they come under this Condemnation, by the Imputation of Sin to them: for Condemnation hath a respect to punishment, and that always presumes a fault that hath merited it: and hence, in a fair process, the fault is first charged and proved, and there-upon the Sentence passeth. Now this must needs be a miserable state, if we Consider,

1. That if God impute Sin to any, he will condemn them for it; the Righteousness of God as a ⟨p. 89⟩Lawgiver and Judge calls for this. God cannot behold Iniquity in any, without detestation of it, Hab. 1.13. And the Sanction of the Law, by which he testifieth this detestation of his, is that which he hath bound himself unto. As therefore God will charge none but Guilty Sinners, and such as he will convince of Sin and Guilt, so he will doom them accordingly, for in this his Relative Justice manifests it self.

1. That if God impute Sin to any, he will condemn them for it; the Righteousness of God as a ⟨p. 89⟩Lawgiver and Judge calls for this. God cannot behold Iniquity in any, without detestation of it, Hab. 1.13. And the Sanction of the Law, by which he testifyeth this detestation of his, is that which he hath bound himself unto. As therefore God will charge none but Guilty Sinners, and such as he will convince of Sin and Guilt, so he will doom them accordingly, for in this his Relative Justice manifests it self.