LASTLY, In what respect may they be said to be driven away in their wickedness? Ans. (1.) In respect of their being driven away in their sinful unconverted state. Having lived enemies to God, they die in a state of enmity to him: for none are brought into the eternal state of consummate happiness, but by the way of the state of grace, or begun recovery in this life. The child that is dead in the womb, is born dead, and is cast out of the womb into the grave: so he who is dead, while he liveth, or is spiritually dead, is cast forth of the womb of time, in the same state of death, into the pit of utter misery. O miserable death, to die in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity! it had been incomparably better for such as die thus, that they had never been born. (2.) In regard they die sinning, acting wickedly against God. in contradiction to the divine law: for they can do nothing but sin while they live. So death takes them in the very act of sinning; violently draws them from the embraces of their lusts, and drives them away to the tribunal to receive their sentence. It is a remarkable expression, Job xxxvi. 14. They […] in youth: the marginal reading […], their soul dieth in youth; their lusts being lively their desires vigorous, and expectations big, as is common in youth. And their life is […] unclean: or, and the company (•r herd) of th•• dieth among the Sodomites, i. e. is taken away in the […] of their sin and wickedness▪ as the Sodomites were, Gen. ••x. Luke vi•. ••, •9. (3) In as much ⟨p. 231⟩as they are driven away, loaded with the guilt of all their sins▪ this is the winding sheet, that shall lie down with them in the dust. Job xx. 11. Their works follow them into the other world: they go away with the yoke of their transgressions wreathed about their neck. Guilt is a bad companion in life, but how terrible will it be in drain! it lies now, perhaps, like cold brimstone on their bottom'• consciences; but, when death opens the way for sparks of divine vengeance, like fire, to fall upon it; it will make dreadful stone in the conscience, in which the soul will be as it were wrapped up for ever. Lastly, The wicked are driven away in their wickedness, in so far as they die under the absolute power of their wickedness. While there is hope, there is some restraint on the worst of men:
LASTLY, In what respect may they be said to be driven away in their wickedness? Ans. (1.) In respect of their being driven away in their sinful unconverted state. Having lived enemies to God, they die in a state of enmity to him: for none are brought into the eternal state of consummate happiness, but by the way of the state of grace, or begun recovery in this life. The child that is dead in the womb, is born dead, and is cast out of the womb into the grave: so he who is dead, while he liveth, or is spiritually dead, is cast forth of the womb of time, in the same state of death, into the pit of utter misery. O miserable death, to die in the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity! it had been incomparably better for such as die thus, that they had never been born. (2.) In regard they die sinning, acting wickedly against God. in contradiction to the divine law: for they can do nothing but sin while they live. So death takes them in the very act of sinning; violently draws them from the embraces of their lusts, and drives them away to the tribunal to receive their sentence. It is a remarkable expression, Job xxxvi. 14. They 〈…〉 in youth: the marginal reading 〈…〉, their soul dieth in youth; their lusts being lively their desires vigorous, and expectations big, as is common in youth. And their life is 〈…〉 unclean: or, and the company (•r herd) of th•• dieth among the Sodomites, i. e. is taken away in the 〈…〉 of their sin and wickedness▪ as the Sodomites were, Gen. ••x. Luke vi•. ••, •9. (3) In as much ⟨p. 231⟩as they are driven away, loaded with the guilt of all their sins▪ this is the winding sheet, that shall ly down with them in the dust. Job xx. 11. Their works follow them into the other world: they go away with the yoke of their transgressions wreathed about their neck. Guilt is a bad companion in life, but how terrible will it be in drain! it lies now, perhaps, like cold brimstone on their bottom'• consciences; but, when death opens the way for sparks of divine vengeance, like fire, to fall upon it; it will make dreadful stone in the conscience, in which the soul will be as it were wrapt up for ever. Lastly, The wicked are driven away in their wickedness, in so far as they die under the absolute power of their wickedness. While there is hope, there is some restraint on the worst of men:
