Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	believe_v	live_v	resurrection_n	4,221	5	9.2871	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A40055	Foure pious, godly, and learned treatises the first, leads us to the gate of true happinesse : the second, is for instruction, letting us to know what Christ suffer'd for us, that we might enjoy him : the third, is helps and cautions, that we may the better avoid sin : the fourth, brings us to be seekers and suers to God for those things that be above, Collo. 3 / by a late faithfull and godly minister of Jesus Christ ; now since his death recommended to all the people of God, by Mr. John Goodwin.	Late faithfull and godly minister of Jesus Christ.; Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1652 (1652)	Wing F1665A; ESTC R40246	109,790	246

when a man dies Simile the soule of a man and the body of a man continue still but there is no life because the soule is not united to the body so I say there may be a spirituall death though there bee the Spirit of God and the Soule if the spirit be not united to the soule that is the first thing Secondly where the Spirit of God is as a consequent of the other there followes the faculties and acts of life the habituall presence of all the graces of the Spirit band the actuall exercise of them In these two consists the nature of this life These things premised I come to shew the necessary conjunction of this spirituall life that I have explained in the kind and nature of it with spirituall death If wee be dead with Christ wee beleeve that wee shall also live with him Which Hupotheticall proposition or supposition affords us this Catagoricall Position that Those that are dead with Christ shall live with him For when the Apostle saith If wee be dead with Christ we beleeve that wee shall also live with him This is supposed as much as if he had said in effect They that are dead with Christ shall live with him Or They that are dead to sinne shall live the life of grace Looke as it was with Christ so it is with the members of Christ as hee being dead rose againe and could not choose but rise againe Act. 2. As it is said Act. 2. the chaines of death the cords of death could not hold him So it is with every member of Christ hee that is dead with Christ must needes live with Christ Death cannot hold him not death in sinne The Apostle affirmes as much in this Chapter verse 5. For as wee are planted into the likenesse of his death so wee shall be also into the likenesse of his resurrection If wee be planted with Christ into his death there is our death with Christ we shall be also in his Resurrection there is the conjunction and connexion of our life with Christ where the Apostle not only averres the truth of the former proposition but withall insinuates the reason of it those that are planted with Christ into the similitude of his death shall also into the similitude of his Resurrection Why because they are planted with Christ As a Plant that is grafted into a stocke it partakes of the whole vertue of the stocke so every member of Christ hee that by faith is grafted into Christ and made partaker of the vertue of Christs death to the mortification of sinne that man also is made partaker of the vertue of his Resurrection to the reviving and quickening of him to a new life of grace The ground of it is this First to whomsoever Christ communicates himselfe hee communicates himselfe wholly to whomsoever hee imparts the vertue of his death for the killing of sinne to him hee imparts the vertue of his Resurrection to revive and quicken him to a new life of grace If wee be planted with Christ into the similitude of his death wee shall be also into the similitude of his Resurrection because wee are planted with him Every plant partakes of the whole vertue of the roote and by consequent wee partake as well of the quickening vertue of Christ to raise us to the life of grace as of his crucifying vertue to kill sinne The second reason is from the insufficiencie of the one without the other If wee be dead with Christ we beleeve that wee shall also live with him Why because death with Christ is insufficient unlesse wee live with Christ Philosophie saith that nature doth nothing in vaine much lesse doth Christ the God of Nature Now as in Christ it was in vaine for him to die for us unlesse hee had risen againe so it is in vaine and ineffectuall for the members of Christ to die to sin if they be not quickened to the life of grace The reason is this that death to sinne indeed defaceth the Image of sinne but it doth not renew in us the Image of God Now it is the Image of God that makes us fit and capable of eternall life It is true the righteousnesse of Christ gives us title to eternall life but our owne inherent righteousnesse qualifies us and disposeth and makes us fit and capable of it for without holinesse no man shall see God Flesh and bloud shall not enter into the kingdome of God By mortifying of sinne wee cease to be sinners by mortifying of sinne wee have the Image of Satan defaced but the Image of God is not renewed in us therefore besides our death with Christ there is required our life with Christ that so besides the defacing of Satans Image wee may have the Image of God renewed that wee may be capable of eternall life and be qualified and disposed and made fit to partake of the inheritance with the Saints in light The third Argument is drawne from the opposition betweene the life of sinne and the life of grace Philosophy tells us that in those opposites that are immediatly opposite that is such opposites where one must of necessitie be in the subject if one be removed the other of necessitie followes the subject Health and sicknesse are immediate objects a man must either bee sicke or well Now that which removes sicknesse restores health that that expells darknesse out of the Ayre it brings light Now the life of sinne and grace are thus opposite that that takes away the life of sinne then it must of necessitie bring with it the life of grace If Christ mortifie sinne in us and take away the life and vigour of sinne Christ of necessitie must bring into the same subject the life of grace because these are immediate objects hee that takes away the one must bring in the other as that that takes away sicknesse brings in health This shall suffice for the proofe of the point I come to make use of it Vse If wee be dead with Christ wee shall also live with him Those that are dead with Christ to sinne as Christ died for sinne those shall live the life of grace If it bee so if there be such a necessary connexion betweene these two then it followes backe againe that those that doe not live with Christ those are not dead with Christ For looke as it is betweene Faith and good Workes if good workes be necessarily joyned with Faith then where there are no good workes there is no faith So thus it followes if spirituall life the life of grace bee necessarily joyned with death to sinne then where there is no life of grace there is no death to sinne According to that of Saint Chrysostome S. Chrysost saith hee it is true indeed faith without workes is dead so it is true on the other side workes without faith is dead No man can performe good workes though hee may for substance yet not formaliter without Faith hee that hath not

Reas 4 It brings Gods judgements 182 Reas 5. It hurts the body 183 Reas 6. It hurts a mans state 184 Reas 7. It hurts the Common-wealth ibid. Reas 8. It wrongs the poore 185 Use To take heed of surfeiting ibid. Many wayes of surfeiting 186 Treatise 4. SEeking things aboue enforced 196 1. In respect of God 197 2. In respect of our selves 204 Things above what 209 Why so called 211 Seeking What. 212 Propos Those that are risen with Christ must seeke the things above 213 Conditions requisite in seeking 3. 214 Meanes of seeking 218 Signes of seeking 223 Use Exhortation to seeking 226 FINIS THE GATE TO HAPPINESSE ROM 6.8 Now if we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him THe aime and scope of the Apostle in this place Scope of the words is by the occasion of an objection proposed verse 1. to shew the necessary coherence of sanctification with justification The objection is this If where sinne hath abounded grace doth much more abound which the Apostle S. Paul affirmes in the former Chapter treating of free justification by grace then saith the carnalist let us continue in sinne that grace may abound this is the objection To this the Apostle answers two wayes First by way of detestation Secondly by way of confutation By way of detestation in the beginning of the second verse God forbid farre be it from such gracious premises to make so dangerous and pestilent an inference What saith he shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound God forbid Secondly by way of confutation and that by a double argument answerable to the two parts of Sanctification Mortification and Vivification both of them pregnant and full of sinewes to enforce and presse the cause and conclusion in hand The first argument is thus such as are dead to sinne with Christ they cannot wilfully and wilingly live and continue in sinne but such as are justified from their sinnes by Christ they are dead to sinne with Christ therefore such as are justified by Christ they cannot live and continue in sinne The Minor proposition the Apostle proves First by the efficacie of baptisme vers 4. and 5. and by conformitie to Christ in his crucifying and sufferings verse 6. The second argument as a consequent and dependent upon the former is thus Those that are quickned by Christ to a new life of grace they cannot willingly and wilfully continue in sinne but those that are justified by Christ are quickned to a new life of grace they cannot therefore willingly and wilfully continue in sinne The Minor proposition the Apostle proves thus those that are dead with Christ are quickned to a new life of grace Such as are justified by Christ are dead with Christ therefore they are quickned to a new life with Christ and therefore they cannot continue in sinne The Major proposition is in the words of the Text Now if wee be dead with Christ wee beleeve that we shall also live with him You see the Logicke and argumentation of the Apostle which words being a proposition and argument hupotheticall observe in them two parts First an Antecedent according to the law of such propositions And then a Consequent Or more properly one thing supposed and another thing inferred First the thing supposed in the former part of the verse that we are dead with Christ The other inferred in the latter part wee beleeve that we shall also live with him More particularly you may please to observe these foure parts First the method and order of the parts first we must be dead with Christ before we can live with him If wee be dead with Christ wee beleeve that wee shall also live with him Wee must first die with Christ before wee can live with him Secondly the inseparable connexion and conjunction and union of these two though the one goe before yet the other followes inseparably and unavoydably as Iacob tooke Esau by the heele In the latter part Now if we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him there is the conjunction of these two Thirdly the assurance of this connexion or conjunction if we be dead with Christ wee beleeve we shall live with him Fourthly and lastly the cause and ground as of the two former so of the latter both of our death with Christ and of our life with Christ it is Christ Christ is the cause of both If we be dead with Christ that is as Aquinas rightly interprets the place through or by the vertue of Christ Wee beleeve that wee shall also live with him or bee raised to the life of grace by the same vertue Thus you have the parts If wee be dead with Christ wee beleeve that we shall also live with him First of the order and method of the parts which is the first part or proposition Wee must first die with Christ before we can live with him To be dead with Christ To be dead with Christ what is in imitation or conformitie with Christ to be dead to sinne as Christ dyed for sinne So we are sayd to dye with Christ when we dye to sinne Now we are sayd to be dead to sinne when sinne is dead in us when the command and dominion of sinne is broken downe when the power and force of it is enfeebled when we doe what we can that sinne may not have any vigour or power or command no nor quiet being in us then sinne is sayd to be properly dead in us Now we must not conceive that as long as we live sinne will utterly and totally dye The reason is this S. Basil it is a comparison of St. Basil saith hee it is with sinne and with the corruption of nature as it is with the Ivie Simile and the wall when the Ivie is fastned and incorporated into the wall a man may cut the boughes and branches but hee can never roote it out except hee pull downe the wall As Ivie is to the wall so is sin and corruption to our nature it is so scrued and got into our nature that so long as we live so long as this house of clay stands wee cannot utterly roote it out wee may mortifie and kill it in some measure but when this house of clay shall be demolished and dissolved then sinne shall be utterly extinguished I say then we must not conceive sinne to be so dead as that it hath utterly no life in it but it is sayd to be dead in a double respect First it is dead Civilly Secondly it is dead Naturally It is a rule among Civillians he that is a servant is halfe a dead man The reason is because hee is no longer at his owne command but what he is he is that he is as hee is inspired and animated by the command of his master So sinne is said to bee dead because it is made a servant it is forced to undergoe the yoake to be subject to the

Spirit of grace therefore it is sayd to bee dead civilly Secondly it is sayd to bee dead naturally too the reason is this because howsoever there bee some life left in it yet it hath its deaths wound that wil cause it to die at the last In the meane while it is in the wane and languisheth away so that as a man that hath received a mortall wound he is a dead man the reason is because that wound will bring death at the last So we may say though sinne have some life in it yet it is dead naturally too the reason is this because by the death of Christ it hath received its deaths blow that it will never recover and so at the last it will altogether die As sinne is thus sayd to bee dead in us so we are sayd to be dead to sinne in a three sold respect You know death is nothing but the separation of the soule from the body the separation of that that is the principle of life Now looke what the soule is to the body the same is sinne in a sort in a naturall unregenerate man hee lives not so much by his soule as by his sinne his sinne is the life of his life it is that that enacts and enlivens and animates him therefore it is called the body of sinne why because sinne is in an unregenerate mans body as the soule is in the body it gives life to it A naturall man esteemes sinne as his soule and life so the members of his body are called the members of sinne the reason is because looke as in nature the members exercise their functions by the influence and vertue of the soule so an unregenerate man in the corrupt estate of depraved nature such a man his members worke as they are inabled and commanded by sinne that dwells in him Secondly we are sayd to be dead to sinne in respect of those antecedent convulsions and pangs that goe before death Ordinarily there is no death without pangs and convulsions Now as it is in naturall death so it is in this there is no part of crucifying and mortifying of sinne without paine and dolour therefore it is justly called death the mortifying of sinne wee are said to be dead to sinne when we mortifie sinne because it is with so much paine with convulsions and anguish So saith Peter Martyr The parting of a naturall man the foregoing of his sin it is not without much torment and anguish so in that respect it is said to be a death in regard of those convulsions and pangs that usually are the forerunners and harbingers of death Thirdly wee are dead to sinne in another respect for as a dead servant is no longer at the command of his Master let him command what hee will hee heares him not hee doth nothing So it is with a man that is dead to sin let sin command what it will he heares not hee listens not to the suggestions he practiseth not the commands of sinne he is as a dead man to sinne As a dead man performes not the offices of the living a dead servant doth not obey the commands of his master so it is with a man that is dead to sinne Let this be sufficient to be spoken for the meaning of that phrase If we be dead to sinne that is as Christ dyed for sinne Secondly saith the Apostle If wee be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him There is a twofold life Naturall Spirituall The naturall life is not here meant but the spirituall life that is principally the life of grace and consequently the life of glory The reason is this because the life of grace glory be not two lives but one and the selfe same life they differ onely in degrees Looke as the life of the child in the wombe is the same life that the child enjoyes when it comes to bee borne and brought to light in the world so the life of a Christian in this world it is in a manner the same that he lives in heaven onely I say it differs in degrees For looke as grace is nothing but glory begun so glory is nothing but grace consummate But if he meane the life of grace Quest why doth the Apostle say shall live If we be borne with Christ we shall live with him I answer briefly for two reasons First Answ to denote the time when wee shall enjoy this life perfectly that shall be hereafter When this naturall life shall have an end then wee shall enjoy that spirituall life perfectly therefore the Apostle reflects on that life respectively to that time and saith wee shall live the life of grace because then wee shall enjoy this life perfectly whereas here we have it but in some measure and degree with interruption Secondly it is sayd in the future we shall live to affirme the perpetuity of this life this life is not like the life of nature a fading and perishing life of its owne nature It is the observation of Tolet the Iesuite upon the place saith hee though the Apostle meane the life of grace as we see by the 11. Verse yet hee useth the future tense to shew that this life is a perpetuall life and such a life as hath no date nor period I say it is in the future tense to signifie that the life of grace once begunne it never hath date Well the words being cleared I come to speake of the first thing proposed the order and method of the Apostle in these words If we be dead with Christ wee beleeve that wee shall also live with him Wee must first die with Christ if wee Propos 1 will live with him We must first die with Christ if we will live with him For looke as it was with Christ so it shall bee with every member of Christ Christ first dyed before hee was raised to life hee was first brought low and humbled before he was exalted before he had his glory As it was with Christ so it must bee with every member of Christ hee must first die before he can live he must first have his Good Friday before hee have his Easter day hee must first die to sinne before he can live to God It is otherwise in the life of nature then it is in the life of grace there a man must live before he die but here hee must die before he can live So saith S. Paul Ephes 4.22.24 Ephe. 4.22.24 Put off concerning your conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the deceive able lusts look in Ver. 24. then saith he put on the new man which after God is created in holinesse and righteousnesse Then the Apostle here compares the life of grace to a new garment before wee can put on the white and pure Stole of Christs righteousnssse we must first put off the filthy ragges of our owne corruption put off concerning your conversation the old man which is corrupt according to the

our hearts faile us as the hearts of the Israelites in the report of the tenne spies Like the foolish builder in Luke 4. Luke 4. that was not able to goe on with his building because hee did not sit downe first and reckon what it would cost him Sixtly and lastly if wee must first die with Christ before we can live with him it serves for direction to teach us what order and methode to take to come to live with Christ He that will live with Christ must be sure to begin at the right end to die with Christ first he that will performe holy duties gracious actions that man must labour to crucifie and mortifie sinfull affections Sinfull affections are like weedes the Husbandman that desires his corne should thrive and live hee labours first to kill the weedes I say sinfull affections in the soule are like weedes in the ground or soyle if wee desire that grace should thrive and to performe gracious duties with content to our selves and to God we must labour to kill our lusts When wee find in our selves an unaptnesse and an indisposition to the performance of gracious duties suppose it bee to prayer to humble ourselves before God to heare the word of God c. let us then reflect on our selves and see what sinfull lusts there have gotten strength and labour to abate the power of that and then certainly wee shall live with Christ wee shall bee enabled to performe holy duties So saith the Apostle in the second place If wee bee dead with Christ wee beleeve that wee shall also live with him Which is the second thing I proposed in the beginning The connexion and conjunction of these two If wee bee dead with Christ wee shall also live with him Where first give me leave to remember you of what I formerly delivered in the unfolding of these words that the life that the Apostle here meanes when he saith If wee bee dead with Christ wee shall also live with him it is the same that in verse 4. hee calls Newnesse of life Therefore wee are buried with him by baptisme into death that as Christ was raised by the glory of the Father so wee should walke in newnesse of life I say the Apostle meanes here the life of Grace which in verse 4. hee calls newnesse of life And in verse 11. hee calls it living to God Likewise reckon yee your selves dead to sinne but alive to God Though secondarily and by consequent I deny not but that the Apostle meanes living with God in life eternall And the reason is as I shewed before that the difference of the life of grace and the life of glory it is not in Nature but in degrees Grace is Glory begun and glory is nothing but grace perfected As the childe in the wombe hath the same life that it enjoyes in the world only then it is in a further degree so the life that a Christian enjoyes in this world it is the same life in nature though it differ in degrees from that hee enjoyes in heaven The Apostle useth the future tense If we bee dead with Christ wee believe that wee shall live with him for these three reasons First to shew the order and Methode betweene this life and the former death because this life in nature though not in time is after our death with Christ As it is in nature the introducing of habites in nature is after the expelling of privations as the enlightning of the ayre in nature is after the dispelling of darknesse Secondly the Apostle useth the future tense because though the life of Grace bee here begunne yet it is not consumate till afterward in which respect the Apostle saith Wee beleeve that wee shall live with him Hee makes this life in respect of the complement and consummation an act of faith according to that in the Creed I beleeve the life everlasting Thirdly because the life of grace doth not fade as the naturall life perrisheth but it is an induring life As Christ being once raised he died no more verse 9. so every member of Christ he that is once quickned and raised with Christ from sinne hee dieth no more so saith Christ Ioh. 5.24 hee that beleeveth hath eternall life What hath every one that beleeveth life eternall Yes every one that beleeveth hath life eternall in hope and in the beginning of grace because hee hath that life for the present that doth not fade and perish but endure to eternitie Verily I say unto you hee that heareth my word and beleeveth in him that sent mee hath eternall life and shall not come into condemnation which expresseth the former Now what this life of grace is this spirituall life will appeare by comparing it with spirituall death It is the propertie of opposites being set together as to impugne and fight against the nature one of another so to discover the nature one of another Now spirituall death as the Naturall includes two things First a separation from the fountaine and principle of life And as a consequent of that a privation of the faculties and acts of life Looke what the soule is to the body the same is the Spirit of Christ to the Soule it is that that enlivens and quickens it so saith Christ Joh. 6.63 Ioh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickens Now looke as upon the parting of the soule from the body the body dies so upon the separation of the Spirit of God from the soule the soule dies So it was in Adam when by eating the forbidden fruit hee had cut off and separated himselfe from the fountaine and principle of life he died spiritually I say as when the Soule that enlivens and quickens the body when that is separated the body dies so the Spirit of Christ that enlivens and quickens the soule when that is separated from the soule the soule dies Secondly looke as upon the separation of the soule from the body there follows a deprivation of the faculties and acts of life so upon the separation of the Spirit of God from the Soule there followes a deprivation of the habits and acts of grace The gifts and habits of grace are as the faculties the acts and operations of grace are as the acts of those faculties and as upon the separation of the soule from the body there followes a deprivation of the faculties and acts of life so upon the separation of the Spirit of Christ from the Soule there followes a deprivation of the habites and acts of grace If it be so then spirituall life includes two things First the having of the Spring and fountaine of life the Spirit of God and an union of it to the soule Secondly the having the habites and acts of this spirituall life First the having of the principle of spirituall life the having the Spirit of God in our soules for it is not sufficient that there be a quickening Spirit unlesse it bee united to us For looke as

there is a desire to beget others as Christ saith When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren When thou hast spirituall life begotten in thee labour to beget it in others Wee see it exemplified in Ioh. 1.44 Joh. 1.44 no sooner had Christ called Philip but presently Philip calls Nathaniel No sooner had Christ by his Word begotten spirituall life in Philip but Philip indeavours to beget the same in Nathaniel This is the difference betweene a live and a dead coale a live coale can beget life in another coale and kindle the same fire in another but a dead coale cannot That man that hath spirituall life in him hee will improve all opportunities and occasions that are offered to beget others to a spirituall life The ground of it is hee findes a sweetnesse and a goodnesse in spirituall life and that is the reason out of love to his brethren and an indeavour to glorifie God he desires to beget others to this spirituall life This is the first use The Characters by which we may know whether wee have this life or no. Secondly if such as be dead with Christ shall live with him This should be an argument to perswade us to labour for death with Christ Can any prize be propounded better to a man then life what will not a man doe for life S. Austin in his 45. Epistle saith hee Wee see men indure death almost for life for the enjoying of it for a little while Shall men doe so for a naturall life shall not wee much more for a spirituall life If these bee necessarily joyned if he that is dead with Christ shall certainly live with him then this should bee an argument to perswade us to die with Christ that we may come to live with him And this the rather because by dying with Christ wee shall enjoy not onely a fading perishing naturall life but A Spirituall Eternall Life First a spirituall life in Ephes 1.4 Ephes 1.14 it is called the life of God because it resembleth the life of God Now that which is spirituall is more excellent than that which is naturall and corporall The ground of it is this because the nearer a thing approacheth to that which is more excellent the more excellent that must be Now the life spirituall as it approacheth more neare to the life of God the more excellent it must needes bee it must needs bee more excellent then the naturall life that is the first reason By dying with Christ we shall live with Christ not onely a naturall but a spirituall life such a life as approacheth nearer to God then the life of nature Secondly we shall enjoy a life not fading and momentary but an eternall life for as I sayd the difference betweene the life of grace and glory is not in the nature but in the degrees in whomsoever there is a sparke of true grace begun it will certainly hold out till it grow to a flame of immortality if like the fire upon the Altar it bee nourished with fuell so that a man that is once dead with Christ he shall not live onely a spirituall life for a while but an eternall life in this world and in the world to come and both these should be arguments to stirre us up to labour for this death with Christ because wee shall live with him not onely a spirituall life but such a spirituall life as is eternall So much for the second proposition Now I addresse my selfe to the third If we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him We beleeve Or we are perswaded or wee are assured saith Cardinall Caietane upon this place wee are undoubtedly assured The word in this place is a word of affiance and confidence As if he had sayd in more words thus not onely the thing is sure and certaine in it selfe that they that are dead with Christ shall live with him for so many things are sure and certaine in themselves and yet wee may remaine uncertaine of them The reason is because the assurance of them proceedes not so much from the certainty of the thing as from our apprehending and knowing that certainty It is not a thing onely sure in it selfe but it is a thing whereof they themselves are sure and certaine If we be dead with Christ we beleeve we are perswaded or assured that we shall live with Christ Which being so the conclusion is That the knowledge of a mans owne mortification doth seale up to a mans soule and conscience the assurance of his salvation Or thus They that are dead with Christ may beleeve or rest assured that they shall also live with him Not onely with the life of grace although as I heretofore proved from the scope and drift of the Apostle in this place this life the Apostle principally intends for this they actually doe they that are dead with Christ actually for the present live to God vers 11. but they shall live also the other life of glory they that are dead with Christ may be assured that they shall live with the life of glory not onely of grace here but of glory hereafter Where first that you may not mistake or misconsture me observe I doe not say that he that is dead with Christ or mortified is presently assured that hee shall live with Christ The reason is because a man may be mortified and yet not know that hee is mortified at some time Now our assurance springs not so much from our mortification as from the assurance and knowledge of our mortification In which respect it is ordinary for those that are babes in Christ and young beginners to make doubt and question of their title to heaven as the aged also in Christ sometimes may doe The reason is because though they be mortified in part yet because grace is weake it is almost undicernable in respect of the infinite masse of corruption In which respect it is with them as it is with the Marriners needle which though it be truly touched yet it takes not the North point at the first Simile but it first shakes and trembles and then is fixed So a man that is regenerate and mortified presently as soone as he is regenerate he is not assured of salvation but first shakes and trembles there is a kinde of spirituall palsey a trepedation in the soule The reason is not because of mortification it proceeds not from the nature of it but because mortification is weak therefore he cannot have great assurance for assurance comes from the long continuance and experience of the power and practise of mortification And as it is in young beginners in respect of the weakenesse of grace so it may be in a growne man in Christ in respect of the strength of temptation He that hath beene assured of his salvation by the evidence of his owne conscience and Gods Spirit that he hath the beginnings in truth and sinceritie of mortification yet he may have his

provided If wee adresse our selves to this who knowes if God will not graciously spare us and not afflict us or if it come wee shall have infinite comfort then when our dores shall bee shut up and we have no other comfort yet then our conscience will witnesse comfortably that notwithstanding wee die yet wee shall come where wee shall live for ever Oh then as the Apostle saith let us give all diligence to make our calling and election sure It is a matter of paines it is not easily gotten but it will abundantly recompence the paines If wee looke and finde our sinfull lusts mortified in part let not that satisfie us let us not rest there but goe further and proceed in the worke of mortification for looke as our mortification is so is our assurance the weaker our mortification is the weaker our assurance of salvation the stronger our mortification the better assurance wee have of salvation Thirdly if they that are dead with Vse 3 Christ may rest assured that they shall live with him then by the rule of contraries they that are not dead with Christ cannot assure themselves that they shall live with him If only he can be assured of salvation in whō sinfull lusts are mortified then hee in whom they are not mortified that man cannot bee assured of salvation Indeed hee may have a kinde of a wilde hope a presumptuous confidence but it is such as will faile him in the time of need Like to your Winter brookes or land-floods In the time of Winter when a man hath no use of water they flow abundantly but in Summer in the time of drought when men have need they are gone they are not to bee had So that assurance that a man hath as long as hee goes on in the practice of his sinfull lusts it is a wild deceitfull presumption such an assurance as will doe him no good when hee comes to need it I have read it was the manner of tryall that was used when there was a controversie of land whether it belonged to Ireland or to England they did take Snakes and Toades and poysonous Serpents and put there and if they lived there they concluded it belonged to England if they died they judged it belonged to Ireland the reason was because no venemous thing will live there I apply it thus sinfull lusts are like Snakes and Toades and venemous creatures looke what soule they live in if they live in a mans soule it is an argument that hee belongs not to heaven and wee know what place he belongs to then onely to hell if it dye in us we may assure our selves that wee belong to heaven Hee in whom sinne lives and his lusts continue unmortified that man cannot assure himselfe of salvation The reason is because all assurance comes from the promise of God God hath made no promise to men that continue and goe on in the service and obedience of their sinfull lusts hee threatens nothing but death and destruction to such If yee live after the flesh yee shall dye Rom. 8.13 Rom. 8.13 This shall suffice to have spoken of the third point the certainty of this connexion If we be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him Mortification seales up to a mans soule and conscience the assurance of salvation for they that are dead with Christ may rest assured and perswaded that they shall live with him I come to the fourth and last point The cause and ground of this death to sinne and this life to grace which is Christ If wee be dead with Christ we beleeve that we shall also live with him If we be dead with Christ that is if we be dead by the vertue and power of Christ then wee beleeve that wee shall also live by vertue and power of the same Christ The conclusion is this that As our death to sinne so our life to grace they both proceede from Christ If we be dead with Christ saith the Apostle that is if wee be dead by the vertue and power of Christ if sinne be dead in us then wee beleeve that wee shall also live with Christ the life of grace here and of glory hereafter by the power and vertue of the same Christ I say the point on which I shall insist is this that as our death to sinne so the life of Grace they both proceede from Christ Christ is the author and the producer of both So saith Saint Paul in Gal. 2.20 Gal. 2.20 saith the Apostle I am crucified with Christ yet notwithstanding I live yet not I but Christ liveth in mee and the life that I live in the flesh is by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himselfe for me Looke what the Apostle Paul speakes of himselfe the same may every Christian in whom sinne is dead and mortified and the life of grace wrought speake of himselfe saith the Apostle I am crucified with Christ that is sin is crucified in me sinfull lusts are crucified and mortified in me by the vertue of Christ so saith he I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me I live by the faith of the Son of God As I am crucified to sinne by Christ so I live by the vertue of Christ Phil. 3.8 9 10 So in Phillip 3.8 9 10. He desires so earnestly to be found in Christ that he contemned and undervalued all things but this that he might be found in Christ saith he I account all losse for the excellent knowledge of Christ for whom I suffer the losse of all things nay I account them not onely losse but dung that I may winne Christ and be found in him we see in verse 10. the reason that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his suffeings being made conformable to his death The reason why the Apostle desired to be found in Christ and why in comparison of this he accounted all things as drosse it was because he might bee made partaker of Christs death What is the fellowship of Christs death but to bee partaker of the Spirit of Christ that raised him from the dead that by the same Spirit of Christ hee might bee raysed from the death of sinne to the life of grace The reason of it is this because as our death to sinne so our life to grace are both the worke of grace from whom can wee expect the worke of grace but from him in whom is the fulnesse of grace so saith Saint Iohn Ioh 1.14 The Word was made flesh Ioh. 1.14 that is Christ and dwelt among us and wee saw his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of God full of grace and truth Our death to sin and our life to Christ are both the effects of Gods grace Now from whom can we have the effects of Gods grace but from him in whom alone is the fulnesse of grace The word was made manifest among us