Quote
J_Edwards said:
Quote
How are these things of any benefit to the non-elect? These things only add to their condemnation under the law.
Speratus, are you saying God's Word, the prayer of the faithful, and the communion of saints are not beneficial to others? Christians have no effective witness in the world? Are you saying the influence of Christ has no effect on the non-elect at all? How can God be sovereign if He has no influence on the non-elect? Your failure to see that the Holy Spirit can influence nothing besides redemption is indeed saddening.

The non-elect have many benefits both directly and indirectly by the works of saints and the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. Have you ever heard of Common Grace? Were the children of Israel influenced by being members of Covenant families, by being members of a Covenant nation (Duet 29:10-13; Joel 2:16)? As Jesus said to Zacchaeus upon his conversion (Luke 19:9), "To-day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham." When Zacchaeus believed, his household was incorporated into the covenant. Do you think this was without influence? What do you do with I Corinthians 7:14?

While indeed being members of the covenant and later rejecting this does have eternal and deepening consequences (Heb 10:29-31), being members (non-elect) of the Covenant has temporary benefit. Consider Lot’s wife?

Quote
Matthew 5:45 …. for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Do you think God is influenced to give the unregenerate earthly blessings by virtue of their hypocritical baptism, their false prayers, stopping of their ears to the preaching of the Word, and their false works? The Unregenerate should expect no earthly blessings from the Lord. They abide in eternal wrath and damnation.

Only when the Unregenerate despair of their work of baptism, the sinner's prayer, their ability to open their ears to preaching, and all of their works to fulfill your supposed covenant are they prepared to receive grace and earthly blessings from the Lord.