Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

Objection. Then it is impossible for us to be saved. Answer, It is so, while you are in that state. But if you would be out of that dreadful condition, hasten out of that state. If a murderer be under sentence of death, so long as he lives within the kingdom, the laws will reach his life; but if he can make his escape, and get over the sea, into the dominions of another prince, our laws cannot reach him there This is what we would have you to do: flee out of the kingdom of darkness, into the kingdom of God s dear Son; out of the dominion of the law, into the dominion of grace; then all the curses of the law, or covenant of works, shall never be able to reach you.

Motive 2. O ye children of wrath your state is wretched, for ye have lost God; and that is an unspeakable loss. Ye are without God in the world, Eph. ii. 12. Whatever you may call yours, you cannot call God yours. If we look to the earth▪ perhaps you can tell us, that land, that house▪ or that herd of cattle, is yours: But let us look upward to heaven, is that God, that grace, that glory yours? Truly, you have neither part nor lot in that matter. When Nebuchadnezzar talks of cities and kingdoms, O how big does he speak! Great Babylon that I have built,—my power,—my majesty! but he tells a poor tale, when he comes to speak of God, saying, Your God, Dan. ii. 47. and iv. 30. Alas! sinner, whatever thou hast, God is gone from thee. O the misery of a godless soul! Hast thou lost God? Then, (1.) The sap and substance of all that thou hast in the world, is gone. The godless man, have what he will, is one that hath not, Mat xxv 29. I defy the unregenerate man to attain to soul-satisfaction, whatever he possesseth; since God is not his God. All his days he eateth in darkness: in every condition, there is a secret dissatisfaction haunts his heart like a ghost: the soul wants something, tho' perhaps it knoweth not what it is: and so it will be always, till the soul return to God, the fountain of satisfaction. (2.) Thou canst do nothing to purpose for thyself; for God is gone, his soul is departed from thee,