receive.

Finally. How dreadful is the condition of those who are not in covenant
with God! It is degraded. Man was in covenant with God at first. With
all accepted moral beings, and these alone, He deals by way of covenant.
Thus, after some manner, he dealt with angels in glory. Thus he dealt
with man unfallen. Thus he deals with sinners redeemed. For sustaining
the dignity of a covenant relation to him, inanimate and unintelligent
creation are not adapted; but for not standing in that, they are not
dishonoured. Angels in light, acquiescing in God's law, were at least
virtually in covenant with him. Some of them proudly sinned, and fell
from their high confederation. They took counsel together thereafter,
but it was against the Lord. In hell they appear his foes combined in
everlasting league against him, but delivered over forever to the
terrors of his wrath. To their case alone, that of the wicked even on
earth can be compared. But the case of rebellious sinners here, is, if
possible, more revolting. Sinners under condemnation receive outward
good here, designed to lead them to repentance. All the good diffused
around, comes through the arrangements of a gracious covenant. They
receive temporal good themselves indirectly from a covenant on which
they will not take hold. They despise the word of him who ordained that
good the most extensive should come to sinners through that covenant.
Their degradation is extreme. Attempting to go in opposition to all the
arrangements of the Most High, and yet kept in the enjoyment of some
good, and in the prospect of the greatest, they are an anomaly in the
universe. They confederate with one another, but against God. They will
not take Him into their counsels. They are, therefore, destitute of his
favour, and of all the honour of co-operating with him. The change to
which, by sin, they subjected themselves, is more humbling than that
produced on any other class of creatures, even on fallen angels
themselves; for these resist not offers of mercy. The inanimate creation
responds to God's command. He enjoins, and it obeys. There the Divine
mandate has the sure counterpart of obedience. In the world of unfallen
intelligences, the word of the Lord is fulfilled willingly by all. In
the world of perdition, however, it is set at nought. But on earth,
where benefits are dispensed, it is spurned by the wicked also. The
twofold curse of a broken law and covenant pursues sinners, yet they are