sinne as death as one that is to be executed forthwith apprehends death so must you apprehend sinne then it is a signe that there is life within you Secondly are yee made alive againe Is there such a change in you as if yee were other creatures as if yee lived an other life Where this life is it works an alteration and a change gives us another being makes us to bee no more the same men whoever is in Christ is a new creature it workes a generall change from death to life it makes all our actions to be rigorous like the actions of living men Old â—hings passe away all things become new it makes men leade a new life If old aquaintance â—nd lustes would draw us away we answer â—hat we are dead that we live no moe to these â—hat now we have not our owne wills Christ â—ives in us and workes in us Gal. 2.20 It is not that live but Christ lives in me The same mind â—ill be in us that was in Christ Iesus Phil. 2.5 â—ow if ye desire to know whether Christ live â—n you or no or whether you are in an estate â—f death you must see whether you have these â—wo things which are in every one in whom â—hrist liveth first see whether you live to him â—e died that we should not live to our selves but him alone In morall things the end and prinâ—â—ple are all one Before Christ lived in you 〈◊〉 you did was from your selves ye were your â—wne principle and end but Christ living in â—â—u there is another end ye eye Christ ye â—â—oke to him all that ye doe is done in sinceriâ—â— it is done for him and from him But how can Christ bee the end of our calâ—â—â—gs eating drinking and recreations I answer that of every action Christ must be â—â—e end yee must doe as a man in a journey â—â—ough every 〈◊〉 treaâ—es he thinkes not of 〈◊〉 journeys end yet the generall ayme of 〈…〉 must be for that â—nd and that causeth every step so in all yee doe the generaâ— end must be Christ. Secondly if Christ live in you your hearâ— cleave to him as to the Principle of life the child to the dug or the element to its natâ—rall place What ever our life is wee cleave it Some place their life in their credit take â—way it and they dye others in riches take â—way them and they perish What ever is yoâ—â— god if it be taken away you perish Therforâ— Iohn 6.68 when Christ demaunds of the twelâ—â— whether they would likewise goe away Petâ—â— makes this answer Lord whither shall we gâ—â— thou hast the words of eternall life Thirdly ye may know what life ye live the food that feeds it Oyle feeds the Lamp fuell the fire If your life be fed with the dutiâ— of obedience then ye live If yee keepe 〈◊〉 Commandements yee shall live in them saiâ—â— Christ you shall live in them as in your prâ—per element as the Fish in the water eveâ—â— motion out of it is to death There are twâ— sorts of men to whom this triall doth bâ—long The first are those who have a name they lâ—â—â— and yet are dead like the Church of Sardis Râ—â—â— 3.1 The second to whom this belongeth are thâ—â— who are dead indeed The first of these are like the Angels tâ—â—â— take bodies and doe actions they are not tâ—â—â— living men though they appeare to be Now the signes that Characterise these dead men from those that are truly living are five taken from the signes of the fained life in the Spirits that have true bodies but onely in appearing whereby they are distinguished from bodies that truly live First Angels that take Assumed bodies eate and drinke and are not nourished as the Angels that came to Lot and Abraham and had created bodies So these dead men doe all the actions that living men doe they heare they pray they read but they turne it not into flesh and blood because there is no life in them they are not the stronger for hearing or any thing they doe they thrive not as those that have the Boulimia they eate and drinke not because there is an Atrophy in their bodies Wee preach to men yet they are the same this yeare they were the last they have a name to live and yet they live not they turne not the meanes to flesh and nourishment it is a signe of a living man that he growes That which is said of a good will that it makes use of every thing may be said of grace It turnes all the passages of Gods providence into nourishment stormes as well as faire gales helpe a living man to the haven Affliction prosperity all put him on and helpe him forwards Take one not having this life doe what yee will hee thrives not as an unthrift put him to what trade yee will he thrives not hee is still on the losing hand so these men prosperity adversity helpe them not put any thing to a dead man to doe he doth it not so these men the Word and Sacrament helpes them not because they are dead Secondly the motions of the Spirits that take Assumed bodies is not from any inward principall not from the motion of life within so the actions of men that are not alive are not from the principles of life they are not vitall motions but as in other actions the Wheeles goe as long as the spring is up that moves them so the actions of men that are dead as long as the springs are up the influence continues they move When they are sick and apprehend death then they will doe many things but these being gone their goodnesse is ended whilst they deepely apprehend some accident they will be good that being gone and forgotten their goodnesse ends Many whiles they have good acquaintance and are in good company will be good but when they are gone their goodnesse ceaseth These men have golden outsides they seeme to have the Kings stamp upon their actions yet they are but counterfaite they pay God in counterfaite Coyne not in currant mony their actions have a forme of religion but yet the power is wanting all they doe is but a meere formality their Prayers their Sabath keeping are but in shew those actions and duties that have most power and life in them they doe least of all relish they tast them not because they have no life in them In generall all the actions that men wanting life doe they are but dead works they may bee deceived with them for a time but when death comes they shall finde them to be but dead Remigius a judge of Laurence tels this story that the Divell in those parts did use to give money to Witches which did appeare to bee good coyne seemed to be currant money at first but being laid up a while it then appeared to be nothing but dryed leaves so the Divell deceives men now hee makes them to do outward actions which have a
idle it out that is hee lived not as his owne master but he did doe it all to God as to a master All the worthyes of the Church have lived thus and not onely they but poore Christians they are still doing they serve God and men they are usefull these are the men that live Those who spend their time in sports in gaming in businesse in serving wealth and honour those who spend their time in morrall discourses in histories in hearing and telling of newes as the Athenians did these are dead they doe not live as we say of Trees that if they bring not forth fruit they are dead whatever men doe if they bring not forth fruite they are dead if they glorifie not God they are dead See what a price is in your hands see what yee have done and mend whiles yee may bestow not your price amisse There are many Talents yet none like this of life take therefore the exhortation Gal. 6. while yee have time doe good life is but an acting yee then live when yee are doing good see how many men fall from the Tree of life as leaves in Autumne the candle of the life is quickly blowne out have therefore a better life in store bee not alwayes beginning alwaies building never inhabiting alwayes beginning never finishing Stultitia semper incipit vivere folly alwayes beginns to live men are alwayes beginning and never goe on 1 Pet. 4.3 Thinke it sufficient that you have walked formerly as yee have done the time which remaines let us reckon it precious and bestow it to better purpose If every one in Christ be in an happy estate of life then let men from hence know their state and condition often reflect on their priviledges behaving themselves as men prising them bestowing their time as well as may be let as few riuulets runne out of this streame as you can Wee pray that we may doe Gods will on earth as perfect as the Angels doe it in heaven we should therefore practise this as we pray for their life is without interruption they are in communion with God let us then bâ— doing having our thoughts above let us still be doing let not cares and businesse call us off but let us comfort our selves in God acting that which is for his glory prize this life esteeme it much know what yee have by Christ and consider the excellency of this life That yee may know the excellency of this life consider it comparatively with this other life that we live It hath three properties wherein it differs from and excells this common life which we all live First it is an eternall life Ioh 6. Your fathers did eate manna and dyed but he that eateth of this bread shall dye no more but he shall live for ever that is this is the advantage that yee have by the life that I shall give you those that did eate Manna the food of Angels died and Iohn 4. those that drinke of this water shall thirst againe that is those that live another life than this shall dye and thirst but those that live this life never dye To live this life is when the soule lives in the object there is a living in the subject yet this spirituall life is when the soule lives in the object when as it is set on God Take men that live other lives yee shall see that their lives are short A man living in honour that being the thing he minds and intends it is in potestate honorantis there is no constancy in it it is brickle If a man lives in wealth sets his mind on it Why riches take their wings and fly away Pro. 23. and then their life is ended So if a man lives in pleasures and musicke they passe away and then he is dead those who live in these things suffer many sicknesses and many deaths as his heart is more intent upon them But may we may not minde them Yes as if we minded them not as a man may heare a tale and have his minde elsewhere or as a man that baits at an Inne his mind is somewhere else If yee minde them yee dye in them hee that minds the best things there is no change in them God is alwayes the same so his favour and love is constant see therefore that yee prize them As a long time that is infinitely long exceeds one that is a span long in quantity so doth this life exceed the naturall life in perpetuity and excelles all other lives in excellencie Secondly this life is a life indeed as that that feeds it is meate indeed the other is not so see all the comforts of this life they are not so indeed take wealth pleasures honours and the like wealth is but a false treasure Luk. 16.11 it is called the unrighteous mammon the false treasure Falsus Hector non est Hector in comparison of the true treasure it is nothing Therefore Salomon Pro. 23.5 speaking of riches saith Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not these riches are nothing So for honours all praise among men is nothing it is but vaine glory and vaine because it is empty and hath nothing in it so the pleasures of this life are but sad pleasures the heart is sad at the bottome the comforts of this life and onely these are comforts indeed the actions of this life are actions indeed In eating and drinking there is sweetnesse but when we feed on the promises by faith then we tast sweetnesse indeed in them One that is weary being refreshed with sleepe finds sweetnesse and ease but it is another refreshing that these finde who have bin weary and heavy laden with sinne and are now refreshed this brings comfort to the soule So to thinke of houses wife children and lands to consider all the actions that wee have done under the Sunne and all that we have passed thorow is pleasant but to thinke of the priviledges wee have in Christ that we are heires of Heaven Sonnes of God this is comfort indeed especially to thinke of the good workes wee have done what good prayers wee have made what good duties wee have performed these are actions indeed and bring comfort indeed All the actions of this life are actions indeed this life is a life indeed in death you shall finde it so that Christs body and blood are meate and drinke indeed that remission of sinnes peace of conscience are comforts indeed peace indeed they are such though now yee thinke not so yee shall then know that this life is a life indeed Thirdly this life of grace is a prevailing life swallowing up the other 2 Cor. 4.4 the Apostle desired death not to be uncloathed but to be cloathed upon that mortality might be swallowed up of life that is desiring death I doe not desire to be deprived of the comforts of this life then I were unwise I would not put off my cloathes but to be cloathed with a better suite
in such cases as these thinking themselves to bee in better estate then they are Consider your sinnes and apply them Consider your particular sinnes actio est singularium Consider your particular sinnes your particular actions these will worke upon you This course Peter tooke with the Iewes Act. 2. yee have crucified the Lord of life so Christ told Paul that he was a persecutor Act. 9. so Iohn 4. he told the woman of Samaria her particular sinnes he that shee now lived with was not her husband so God told Adam thou hast eaten of the forbidden fruit Gen. 3. If yee have committed any grosse sinnes as drunkennesse covetousnesse pride ambition and the like consider them Consider your other sinnes minoris infamiae not minoris culpae as neglecting of holy duties mispending the time gaming overly performing of holy duties unprofitable hearing keeping of bad company profaning of the Sabbath and the like Consider then the terrors of God and hell know with what a God you have to deale and what a burthen sin is if God charge those on the consciences yee cannot beare them I desire not by this to burthen you but to unburthen you of your corruptions Now seeing this life is so excellent I will adde certaine motives to make you to desire it First it is a happy life and it must needs be so because it is the life of God and Angels it is that life which wee shall live hereafter yee may live this naturall life and want happinesse This life of grace and the life of glory differ onely in degrees they differ not in kind the competent judges of this are the Saints who have tryed both Heb. 11.15.16 If they had beene mindfull of that countrey from which they came they had liberty to have returned but now they desire a better countrey that is an heavenly In a Heard of Swine if some stray away from the rest and returne not againe it is a signe they have found a better pasture so when men leave their companions and returne no more it is a signe they have found some better things Conceive not then of this life as many doe to be onely a privation or a melancholy thing nothing but a meere mortification this is a life it hath its comforts eating recreations and delights yee loose not your pleasures if yee live it but change them for advantage hee that leads this life dies as the corne doth from a seede it growes up into many stalkes hee gaines by this bargaine Christ doth make an hard bargaine with none hee that deales with him gaines a hundred fold If yee part with wealth yee have spirituall treasures for it if you part with your pleasures yee have joy in the holy Ghost have yee crosses yee are sanctified in that which is better loose yee this life yee have eternall life Secondly this life of grace hath that which every man seekes it hath much pleasure Prov. 3.17 All her wayes are wayes of pleasure Those that walke in the waies of God are full of pleasure this life brings a double pleasure first the reward of it second the comfort in performing the actions of it Every good worke as the Hebrew proverbe is hath meate in its mouth the living of this life hath a reward sufficient in its selfe as appeares by this All pleasures follow some actions and therefore men desire life because it is a continuance of action so men delight in new things because as long as they are new the intention remaines The actions of this life are full of change those actions that are perfect there is pleasure following them as beauty followes a good constitution or as flame the fire The actions of this life are perfect actions the perfectest actions have the most perfect delight the actions of this life are most perfect actions therefore they have most perfect delight because they are the actions of the best facultie about the best object All actions have the denomination of their perfection from their objects these are actions of the soule they are occupied about God therefore they are the best and highest actions He that lives about the best object greatest content doth follow he that lives this life lives about the best object therefore all the waies of it are waies of pleasure There is more comfort and more Assiduity of consolation in this life then in any other life In other lives every one according to his humour hath his delights but yet they are not permanent because hee delighteth in transitory things but hee that lives the life of grace delights in things that are truly delightfull at all times other delights are but delights at some times in some places they are not alwaies so but hee that lives the life of grace pitcheth on those that are alwayes so Prov. 14.15 A good conscience is a continuall feast Other comforts may faile a man may fall into affliction riches and pleasures may be taken away then the dayes are evill but a good conscience is a continuall feast that is be his case what it will his comfort is never interrupted All other comforts are about sence or things of this life which are subject to alteration but this life and the comforts of it admit no change A man being sicke he cannot do actions of health they are restrained so one in prison is not at liberty to doe what he would but the actions of this life are assiduous they cannot be interrupted yee may pray continually rejoyce evermore yee may alwayes have communion with God Thirdly this life is a life that is least indigent of all others it needeth least Take a man that leades any other life hee needs many things Luk 10.41.42 this is shadowed in that of Martha and Mary Martha busies herselfe about many things she wanted many but Mary had one thing that was profitable for all things removes all evils brings all happinesse and that is Godlinesse which is profitable for all things 1 Tim. 4.8 Fourthly the comforts of this life are pure comforts Psal. 18.26 I walke purely with those that walke purely This is not onely to be understood of the consolations of grace but also of common blessings being the fruits of this life there is no sorrow with them there is a pure comfort without any mixture of sorrow God giving these blessings in mercy they are free from mixture of discomfort but being not the fruits of this life of grace being reached by sinne and sinfull meanes or God giving them in his providence not in his mercy there is sorrow in them yee may have riches honours friends and all outward things and yet they are not pure blessings because Gods blessings is not mingled with them Lastly it is a life most capacious of comforts yee may give all the faculties of the soule comfort Every creature according as his life is feeles more or lesse comfort Plants as they feele no hurt so they feele no sweetnesse beasts that have a sensible
drinkes my blood shall live As flesh gives life to the body so the Sonne gives it to the soule To eate the flesh of Christ is to prize him to desire and long after him which is after the spirit of bondage to eate him is to take him to come to him to have him your God In these stands the eating of Christ. First in prising of him exceedingly to part with any thing for him to take his Crosse with all losses Secondly to eate him is to beleve him to be yours and you his this eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ expresseth our relative union with him and then followes our reall union the Spirit immediately gives this he that doth the first shall have the second But how shall we doe to beleeve this I answer yee see the old Adam communicated corruption to all his posterity because they were borne of him so these who are borne of the new Adam that is these who take him and beleeve in him have grace communicated to them by him this new birth makes you as capable of Christ as the other doth of the first Adam why then shall not the second Adam communicate grace as well as the other doth corruption The philosophers were all deceived in this poynt from whence corruption should come but wee know that it came from Adam and so doth grace come from Christ. To get this life let us seeke it in him let us beleeve more let us be humbled more repent more and take Christ more take him on any condition prize him set him at the highest rate hold him fast As in the actions of mariage those who are to marry will not part upon any condition they take one another for richer for poorer for better for worse after this manner must wee take Christ the more yee take Christ thus the more yee have the Sonne and so yee live more the life of grace All grant that this life comes by the Spirit and there is no way to get the Spirit but by the Sonne Yee must first eate ere yee can be nourished yee must fixe your eyes on his passion as the wife doth fixe her eyes on her husband yee must seeke this life from the Spirit ultimately but yee must first have the Sonne and then yee have life He must have the Sonne that will have this life hee must be ingraffed into Christ as the branches are into the roote get Christ and then this life shall abound in you The fourth meanes to get and increase this life is communion of Saints The mouth of the righteous is a well spring of life Prov. 10.20 they put life into those that have it not and increase it in those in whom it is Ephe. 4.24 their speeches minister grace to the hearers they edifie them hearing of the word of life and talking of the fountaine of life puts life into men The health of the body doth not communicate it selfe to others it is otherwise in the life of the soule the life of it makes others to live more as Iron sharpens Iron so one holy man doth another See it by the contrary In evill men who are dead there is an aptnesse to dead others their words are as continuall droppings to put out this life their tongues are set on fire of hell Iame. 2.6 The tongue of good men is a cole fetched from the Altar they have fire within thē When two lie together they keepe one another warme there is action and redaction this is powerfull meanes to get and increase this life The tongue of the righteous if full of life it is powerfull to make men live Gal. 2.14 Paul speaking to Peter saith why compellest thou the Gentiles to live after the manner of the Iewes he used not outward compulsion his example and life was a compulsion The company which wee keepe compell us to doe as they doe evill company they are the Divels snares they doe as brambles keepe us in and fetter us the sutablenesse of evill companions drawes out our secret corruption He that resolves to live this life must resolve to withdraw himselfe from evill company who are a strong temptation unto evill There is a difference betweene leading our selves into temptation and being led into it when you leade your selves into temptation as you do when as you rush into evill company you are out of the pale of Gods protection If yee touch pitch yee cannot but bee defiled with it wherefore make your company good this is an effectuall and powerfull meanes to beget this life in you Saul being among the Prophets changeth his spirit and became a Prophet one that goeth fast makes those that goe with him to mend their pace Act. 11.23.33 it is said of Barnabas being a good man and full of the holy Ghost and of faith that hee added much people unto the Lord. Which manner of speaking shewes that the speeches of those who are full of faith helpe to breed faith that if men be full of the Spirit they quicken the Spirit Evill company deads men they are the trunkes through which the Divell speakes and this deading is done in an insensible manner and then most of all where it is least perceived Evill company poysons men a man turning his opinion which company can doe is most of all poysoned when as hee thinks that he hath least hurt The last meanes to get and increase this life is that which is mentioned in the text and that is the hearing of the voyce of the Sonne of God this will beget and increase this life that is if when wee speake to your eares he speake to your hearts then yee live Yee have two teachers the one is he that speakes to you the other is Christ. Heb. 8.11 They shall no more teach one another for they shall all be taught of God There are two sheapheards the one is hee that feeds you the other is the great sheapheard of the sheepe there are two great voyces the one speaking outwardly to the eare the other when as Christ speakes effectually to the heart When Christ speakes inwardly to the heart then men live and not before This is such a speech as Christ spake to Lazarus Lazarus come forth and he came his speaking puts life into us Now what is this inward speaking of life to the heart It is nothing else but to perswade fully and every way to convince us that it is best to take Christ to set to an holy course to leade a new life There is a speaking that comes neare this life and is not it that is when as men heare and understand the way and apprehend the things of God but practise them not Here is a proximity to this life yet it is not this life Let a man come so neare as that he thinkes he acts it yet he is dead if he act it not when he acts it then he is made a living man and then hee
us by his Spirit that is the cheefest in knowledge have not seene with their eyes or heard with their eares but those that heare the voyce of the Sonne of God have an experimental knowledge which others have not This experimentall saving knowledge hath triall 1 Ioh. 2.13 I write unto you fathers because you have knowne him that was from the beginning expound this with the 33. of Ezekiell 33. When this commeth to passe then shall yee know that a Prophet hath beene amongst you that is when I shall doe this they shall know experimentally that there was a Prophet amongst them 1 Ioh. 5.49 wee know that we are of God that is wee know it experimentally they can say of this as it is said in the 1 of Ioh. 1.1 That which we have heard that which we have seene with our eyes that which wee have looked upon and our hands have handled of the words of life declare we unto you David takes it as peculiar to himselfe Psal. 9.10 They that know thy name will trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seeke thee that is they that experimentally know thee will trust in thee for thou never faylest them that trust thee they know it by experience 1 Pet. 2.3 Desire the sincere milke of the word that you may grow thereby if yee have tasted that the Lord is gracious We find in the Saints a longing after God they desire him which others doe not thus did David moreover they have assurance of salvation which others have not and this assurance comes from hence optima demonstratio est a sensibus the best demonstration is from sence as he that feeles the fire hot knowes it best tasting breeds longing assurance from experience breeds certainty Fourthly effectuall knowledge that is bred by the voyce of the Sonne of God makes men approve and justifie the wayes of God makes them to relish them this followes the other when men have tryed them they approve them Ioh. 6.63 The Spirit quickens the word profiteth nothing the words then that I speake they are Spirit and life Christ having spoken that his body was meate indeed many were offended at it then hee said The Spirit doth quicken that is yee accept not my words because yee have not the Spirit yee have but flesh that is a common knowledge my words are spirituall and you are carnall therefore they doe not relish you These words are otherwise interpreted by some that is these materials profit nothing without the Spirit but the other is undoubtedly the meaning for so it is through the Scripture the Spirit profits that is saving knowledge wrought by the Spirit men not having it doe not approve it It cannot be otherwise where the voyce of Christ doth sound effectually there they justifie this Wisedome is justified of her children Luk. 7.35 Rom. 10.15 How beautifull are the feete of them that preach the Gospel of peace that is they see such beauty in the wayes of God that they are beautifull to them they are vile to others The Scripture often toucheth this that when as there is but a common knowledge men relish not the word Rom. 8. they tast not the word the spirituall part of the word crossing them is bitter to them 2 Cor. 2.15 The word is compared to a sweet savour to many it is not so to some it is the savour of death to death it is a savour diffused through the house they abhorre it and being guilty of death it leades them to death In others it is the savour of life that is they smell a sweetnesse in it it brings them to life to heaven the word being powerfully taught there comes a savour some smell sweetnesse in it others otherwise Luk. 2.35 When Christ shall come the hearts of many shall be opened to approve or disapprove him therefore he is the fall and rising of many so when he came some said he was a good man others that he was a divell some said that the Apostles were good some that they were bad See how yee approve the word in its selfe and as it is expressed in mens lives Fiftly if it bee a right knowledge it breeds holy affections the other doth not this followes the other If men justifie the Word then they affect it It s a generall rule that all full perswasions draw on affections let it bee but a perswasion in habit it stirres as the habit is 1 Thes. 1.6 My word was to you not in word but in power because it did worke in you joy in the holy Ghost Ier. 23.29 comparing the word of true and false Prophets together My word is as fire saith God and as the hammer that breaketh the stone it is the powerfull word of it stirres your affections Luke the last Christ speaking to the Disciples that went with him to Emmaus their hearts burned within them they were full of holy affections Consider if yee have those holy affections Holy affections in the Scripture are ascribed to this knowledge every where where men heare they know aright Psal. 112.1 Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord that delighteth greatly in his commandements Psal. 1.2 Blessed are they that delight in the Law of the Lord See whether there be holy affections in you Felix did tremble at the Word so the second ground received the Word with joy but not with holy joy But how shall we distinguish them I answer that if your joy bee holy joy afflictions will not put it out if your joy bee carnall joy persecution puts it out but joy in the holy Ghost is not put out by the contrary Sixtly that knowledge which is lively brings forth action it is powerfull in mens actions it is active and mighty in operation Heb. 4. It workes in mens hearts and lives mightily to overcome all contraries Esa. 6.10 Make the heart of this people fat make their eares heavy and shut their eyes least they see with their eyes and heare with their eares and understand with their hearts and convert and bee healed that is Let them have such a common knowledge as civill men and hypocrites have and no more least seeing aright they understand with their hearts and be converted and they bee healed Seeing with their eyes is meant seeing with this knowledge which if they see with their hearts will bee wrought on their hearts being wrought on they are converted then they are healed This followes on the other Let the affections be stirred they are the immediate principles of action what one affâ—cts hee doth these are tyed all on one string flashy affections flashy actions Ioh. 6.45 They shall all bee taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth to mee that is every one that heareth this true voyce of the Sonne of God comes to mee that is they breed actions whereby they come to me See if your knowledge bee operative Iam. 1.22 distinguishing of hearers he saith
Christ are dead learne to judge of the Ordinances of God and the meanes of salvation let us not undervalue nor overvalue them the Ordinances cannot bring life not the Word nor Sacraments If yee are sicke and send for the Minister hee cannot quicken you the Ordinance is but a creature and cannot give life If we speake to the eare and Christ speake not to the heart it is nothing Let your eyes bee fixed on Christ beseech him to put life into you pray to God for a blessing the Ordinances are but dead Trunkes as Pens without Inke Conduit pipes without water Learne then that God doth convay life by the Ordinances that they themselves cannot give life therefore doe not overvalew them Yet know withall that God doth worke but by his Ordinances the Spirit breathes not in Taverns nor Playhouses but in the Church assemblies Act. 10. whiles Peter was preaching to Cornelius and his family the Spirit fell upon them so the Spirit fell on others by laying the Apostles hands on them the Ordinances are the Vehiculum of the Spirit give what is just to them and no more give them neither too little nor too much Neglect not the Sacrament ye know not what yee doe when yee neglect it yee thinke that yee eate and drinke your owne damnation if yee receive it unreverently Absence from it is a sinne as well as the remisse and negligent receiving of it Sickenesse and death yee feare why then doe you neglect the Sacrament why doe you receive it unworthily Whence are those Epidemicall diseases amongst us the cause of them is from hence that yee neglect the Sacrament that yee receive it unworthily 1. Cor. 11.30 For this cause many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe Consider the danger of neglecting the Sacrament he that came not to the Passeover must be cut off from the children of Israel the same Equity remaines still in the Sacrament the cause of that was because he was to come up with the rest to remember the death of the first borne of Egypt and the redemption from their bondage hee being passed over thereby It is now the same sinne to neglect the Sacrament the Equity still remaines Are yee to strong in faith as yee need it not To bee absent from the word yee thinke it a sinne so is it to bee absent from the Sacrament nothing can excuse you If a master bid his servant doe a thing and he goes and is drunken so that he cannot doe it will it excuse him If you have made your selves unfit to receive the Sacrament by committing any grosse sinnes the unfitnesse will not excuse you If a man hath occasion to ride a journey if he misse one day he will take the next so ye if yee misse the Sacrament once be sure to take it the next time It is devided here that so if yee misse once yee may receive it the next time take heed therefore how yee neglect it The end of the Sacrament is to worship God to set forth Christs death it is the cheifest part of Gods worship therefore give it the cheifest respect Now from hence see the necessity of this life of grace how can yee come to the Sacrament if yee are dead men Labour therefore for this life of grace And thus much for the first poynt that all men out of Christ are in a state of death We come now to the second and that is this That all in Christ are in a state of life Our scope is to shew you what you are out of Christ and what benefits yee receive by being in Christ we cannot goe throughout all particulars but wee will take the greatest life and death the one the greatest good the other the greatest evill All in Christ are living men this is the great benefit because death is the greatest evill therefore by the rule of contraries life must be the greatest good Farther men prize nothing so much as life this experience sheweth and Sathan himselfe could tell that skinne for skinne and all that a man hath he will give for his life Iob. 1. Beyond experience God himselfe threatens death to Adam as the greatest evill The day that thou eatest of it thou shalt dye the death Gen. 3. Now all that live this life are living men and have all things pertaining to life 2. Pet. 1.2 they have all that pertaines to life and godlinesse that is all things necessary for the nourishment and cherishing of them life were else unhappy take beasts and plants they having all belonging to their life are happy and they are said to live take any naturall life when as a man hath food and rayment and recreation hee is said to live A man lives when he hath life and all that appertaines unto it I will divide this Doctrine into two parts and I will shew you two things First that there is such a life as this Secondly what this life is First that there is such a life as this It is needfull to shew you that there is such a life because it is a hidden life God hides these spirituall things as he hid Christ under a Carpenters sonne so he hides the glorious mysteries of the Sacrament under the base elements of Bread and Wine he hides the wisedome of God under the foolishnesse of preaching he hides those whom the world is not worthy of under sheepes Skinnes and Goates Skinnes Heb. 11. Col. 3.3 Our lives are hid with Christ in God But from whom is this hidden I answer that it is hidden from naturall men as Colours from a blind man they are there and he sees them not But with what is this hidden I answer that it is hidden First with this naturall life wee see it not because wee have this life it is hid as the Sap in the roote or water in the spring Secondly it is hidden with a base outside 2. Cor. 6. The Saints are as poore as despised as having nothing Christ had a base outside there was no forme or beauty in him that wee should desire him and so have the Saints being conformable to him they are like other men for their outsides Thirdly it is hidden with mis-reports thus Christ himselfe was hidden he was counted a wine-bibber a friend of Publicans and sinners one casting out divels by Belzebub and therefore hee became a stumbling blocke unto many The Saints are likewise misrepresented they are evill spoken of they are presented to mens understanding otherwise than they are There are a generation of men that pervert the strait waies of God Act. 13.10 that is they make them seeme crooked though they are straight notwithstanding they pervert them as a crooked as a false glasse doth pervert a face that is beautifull representing it in another shape or as a sticke that is halfe in the water and halfe out seemes to be crooked yet it is straight in it selfe But in what is it hidden
I answer that it is hidden in Christ as in the fountaine as in the heart and soule as in the subject wherein it dwels Men what ever they professe beleeve not this because it is a hidden life what course then shall wee take to make you beleeve it The Scriptures you will not deny yet you will bee as hard to beleeve them as you will be to beleeve there is such a life We will therefore say something without the Scriptures to perswade you that there is such a life as this First there is a life of the soule that it lives as the Angels they move act and understand though they eate not there is therefore a life besides this common life Secondly consider the matter of the soule then yee shall see that the soule lives such a life as Angels doe The soules of good men leade such a life as good Angels doe the soules of bad men such a life as bad Angels The life of beasts depends on the compacture and Temperature of the substance as the Harmony doth upon the true extent of every string With the soule of man it is otherwise the soule lives first and then causeth the body to live it is otherwise in beasts their soules and bodies live together Besides it is certaine that the soule shall live when as the body is laid aside then it lives another life from the body therefore it lives another life in the body The higher faculties of the soule the Vnderstanding and Will are not placed and seated in the body as other faculties are the visive faculty must have an eye to see the hearing faculty must have an eare to heare and so the rest of the faculties must have their organs but the Vnderstanding hath no such organ it onely useth those things that are presented to it by the phansy Our sight feeling and hearing perish when their organs perish but the superior faculties of the soule weare not away but the elder the body is the younger they are The soule lives now in the object now in the subject it lives in the things it is occupied about as the Angels are said to be where they worke because they have no bodies as we have to make them be locally there so the soule it also lives where it is occupied as if it be occupied about heavenly things then wee are said to have our conversation in heaven Take the understanding and faculties of reason they sway not men but the Ideaes truthes and opinions that dwell in this understanding sway men There are three lives in man there is the life of plants of Beasts or sence and the life of reason I may adde a fourth and that is this spirituall life which is an higher life of the soule Where there is an evill life there is death but where there is a good life there is this spirituall life See it in the effects for these are but speculations First ye see by experience that there is a generation of men that live not a common life delight not in vaine pleasures sports and honors there is no life without some delights their delights and life is not in outward things abroad they have a retired and inward life at home Secondly there are no Acts but for some end there are men who make not themselves their end if they did they might then take other courses going with the streame If then they make not themselves their end then they make God their end they live not to themselves but to the Lord 1. Thessalo 3.8 Thirdly they care not what they lose to get advantage to God they are content to be despised contemned to suffer Torments imprisonments and death they are content to doe that which is the ruine of their lives which they would not doe had they not a more speciall life within them 2 Cor. 4.11 Wee which live are alwayes given up to death for Iesus sake that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our mortall flesh That is for this cause God suffered his Children to be in danger that men might know that they live an other life and have other comforts this appeares by their readinesse to be exposed to death all which shewes that there are some that leade an other life But it will be objected that the superstitious and those of another religion will suffer death as well as the Saints and morrall philosophers are retired as well as the Saints and those who have but common graces live this life as well as the Saints therefore these experiences prove not the poynt sufficiently I answer that it is true that superstition doth worke much like religion morrall vertue doth many things like true holinesse and Common grace doth much like true grace yet it is no good Argument to say that because a dreaming man dreames that hee sees therefore a living man that doth see doth but as he A picture is like a living man yet it followes not that a living man is dead because the picture is dead it is no Argument to say that because morrall vertue doth many things like true holinesse therefore true holinesse doth them not They may bee like in many things yet not in all things the cause of all deceit is because we cannot discerne of things alike therefore I will shew you how these differ First superstition makes men suffer much as well as true religion yet they doe it out of a false opinion the other from faith the one doe it being helped by the holy Ghost the other have a supernaturall helpe from Sathan that extendeth nature beyond his speare the one doth it from grace the other from delusion the outward acts are alike but the inward principles differ Secondly morrall vertue and Christian holinesse differ in working the last is done of a suddaine A man is made a living man suddainely though there are some previous dispositions yet the soule is suddenly infused after this manner the Saints passe from death to life Others have their actions by frequent acts and education they are moulded to it by little and little Thirdly in morrall men the change is never generall there is no new birth in them but in the Saints all things are new Fourthly morallity doth never change nature but grace doth the most wilde man in a countrey the unlikeliest man of all others religion makes him a Lambe of a Lyon though it were unprobable Fiftly what did morrall men they went by divers wayes to the same center themselves were their end Epicures thought one way the best the Stoicks another but the Saints seeke a happinesse in denying themselves which helpes to perfect them Lastly common and true grace have many things alike yet they differ in this true grace doth things as a man doth naturall living actions as a man eates and drinkes with willingnesse and propensnesse connaturally and readily so doth not the other Those who have onely common grace doe all from respects and by-ends
their holinesse is but by flashes and fits it continues not they are like violent motions quicke in the beginning and slower in the end the higher they goe the weaker they are But the motions and actions of the godly are as a stone falling downwards which moves faster and faster till it falles to the Center where it would bee Now we have done all this there is not yet sufficient said to make it sufficiently appeare that there is such a life of grace these and an hundred other Arguments and reasons will not make naturall men beleeve that many men live other lives than they But when they see the life of holinesse blase in their eyes they say it is but guilded over it is but hypocrisy These reasons may prepare and confirme but they cannot perswade we must therefore beleeve that there is such a life Iohn 3. Christ treats of this that there is such a life he tels Nicodemus that he must live it and be borne againe He wonders at it how it can be Christ therefore concludes in the 12. verse If I have told you earthly things and yee beleeve not how shall yee beleeve if I tell you of heavenly things that is it must bee beleeved that there is such a life sense beleeves it not yet it is easier to beleeve it because it is wrought on earth other things are harder than this to beleeve because they are wrought in heaven though this be wrought on earth yet it is hard to beleeve and must bee beleeved And thus much for the first part of the doctrine that there is such a life For the second what this life is yee may know one Contrary by another wee have shewed already what death that is contrary to it is by which yee may partly perceive what this life is yet we will give you some other signes how to know it This life is a reall life as reall as the other though this life doth not consist in eating and drinking as the other doth it is a life of faith it is not seene yet it is as reall as the common life as it appeares by comparing it with the cōmon life First in this common life of nature there must be temper of body disposition of instruments so in this life of grace there is a frame of heart and a composition of soule on which it doth depend there are humors and ingredients of this life and they are the things yee know there is a reality in this life as well as in the naturall life Secondly as the naturall life hath a temper of body hath divers mixtures so it abhorrs things that are hurtfull to it and desires things that cherish it so in this life of grace there is an appetite those that live they are carried to the things that helpe them they doe hunger after the word and that that builds them up they abhorre sinne and lust that would destroy them Thirdly as in the naturall life so in this there is a taste and palate that helps this appetite Rom. 12.2 Bee yee changed by the renewing of your minde that yee may prove what is that good and perfect and acceptable will of God that is that yee may be able to discerne of it as the touchstone discernes of Gold or the taste and palate of meates Fourthly as in the other life there is hunger and thirst so is there in this men are sensible of paines and refreshings they are sensible of sinne judgement and threatnings which others are not being hard and dead Fiftly as the other life is fed with food so is this the food which a man eates is not presently turned into flesh and bloud that nourisheth but there is a nutritive faculty that nourisheth and turnes all wee eate into nourishment So the Saints they turne all the passages of Gods providence into nourishment they assimulate and turne all things to a good use there is a living and vitall faculty in them that sets them forwards Ephe 4.16 They being knit to Christ according to the effectuall power working in every part increase and edifye themselves in love Lastly as this common life hath beside other things that maintaine it some other indowments to helpe it out as company recreation riches and the like so hath this spirituall life it hath riches and friends it hath its heritage company habitation God is our habitation from everlasting with the same reality though not with the same visibility and so exposed to sence as the other The cause of this life is the holy Ghost who is to the soule as the soule is to the body he is the cause of it the end of all of it is the Lord all is done to God No other life is so this life is of God through God and for God when you finde such a reality in your actions tending to God when he is your ayme then yee live this life If this bee the condition of all that are in Christ to live and be quickned see what is expected from you to whom this talent is cōmitted every excellency is a talent it must not lye dead but be improved for our masters use the sinne is great if yee doe it not the neglect being of a greater thing the sinne is greater God sets a proportionable account on his benefits and expects a severe account from us if wee use them not Be exhorted then to live this life some live much in a short time Some never live this life one man may live more in one day than another man in a hundred for to live is nothing but to be stirring and doing 1 Tim. 5.6 those who live in pleasures are dead whilst they live so he that is occupied about riches or honors is dead all that time that men are occupied about riches and their estates about credit honors and the like making them their end that is a time of death yee have lived no longer than yee have acted duties of new obedience If you sommon up your lives according to this computation to how short a reckoning will they come A wise man speakes more in a few words than a foole doth in a multitude one peece of Gold hath more worth than a hundred peeces of Brasse as we say of an empty oration that there is a flood of words but a drop of water so if you consider your lives and see how long yee have lived in death bungling out the time you will see that yee have lived but little in a long time therefore now bee doing something redeeme the time be busy in doing or receiving good be still devising to doe something for God and to put it in execution spend your fat and sweetnesse for God and man weare out not rust out flame out not smother out burne out be not blowne out So did Christ so did Moses so did Paul making the Gospel to abound from Ierusalem to Illyricum so did David the text saith that he served his time he did not
5.6 In Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love with Gal. 6.15 In Christ Iesus neither Circumcision availes any thing neither uncircumcision but a new creature all not proceeding from a new heart and from faith which worketh by love is nothing this is the roote of all when all our actions come from faith which workes by love else though they are never so pretious they are but dead works It is no matter whether yee pray or not whether yee recive the Sacrament keepe the Sabbaths or not they helpe not a jot unlesse they come from the principle of life a new creature Secondly consider the manner of their working they will bee done with quicknesse and vivacity Men do them as living actions with all propensnesse and readinesse with much connaturalnesse with much fervency and zeale when they are done in a perfunctory manner they are dead workes Thirdly yee may know them by their end looke yee to Christ doe yee all in sincerity to him or no or to your selves if yee doe then they are gracious workes and proceed from grace they are living actions and not dead they issue from a right principle ayming at God and not at your selves Hosea 10.1 Israel is an empty vine he bringeth forth fruite to himselfe If you bring forth â—ruits to your selves and not to God yee are but empty Vines God accepts you not Fourthly this life is discovered by your behaviour to the meanes of life when they are brought unto you when there is no sound or no voyce there is no distinction twixt a deafe and a hearing man so where there is no light there is no difference twixt a seeing man a blind but the light differs them So when as the light of the Gospel shines then men are tryed In times of ignorance God regards not men so much but now in time of the Gospel see if it be powerfull and whether you set your selves about holy duties Matth. 3.10 Now is the Axe laid to the roote of the tree that is since Iohns comming there is a distinguishment twixt living and dead trees A tree is not discovered to bee dead till it wither no man will cut downe a tree in winter because he knowes not then whether it be dead or no the Spring distinguisheth the dead and living trees in the winter they are all alike The Spring is the powerfull preaching of the word if men spring not then if they come not in they are dead Those whose education hath beene good those who live under a powerfull Ministry now is the Axe laid to the roote of the tree with them it is a signe they are dead if they profit not by it Fiftly yee may know whether yee have this life by the food it is fed with severall lives are fed with severall foode Now the food of this new life of grace is double first the word secondly good workes First the word 1 Pet. 2.25 As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby if so bee that you have tasted that the Lord is gracious that is if yee are alive as you professe your selves to bee you shall know it by your behaviour to that which doth nourish your life First yee will long after the word as the child doth after the Teate If the child be hungry neyther apples nor rattles nor any thing else can quiet him but the Teate So nothing can quiet these but the word Others may have excuses they will have none Eyther they will live where the word is or they will bring it home to them they will bring themselves to it or it to them Secondly they desire the sincere milke of the word many things may be mingled with the word that doe please the wit yet those who live the life of grace desire the sincere word the pure word without any mixture Thirdly they desire it that they may grow thereby many desire it to know it onely if ye desire it as new borne babes it will make you better better many heare but as men having an Atrophy in their bodies they grow not no fruite comes thereby Fourthly they taste a sweetnesse in the word above others the second ground received the word with joy and Herod heard Iohn Baptist with gladnesse but where there is true grace they goe farther they delight in the word it is sweeter to them than the hony few can say so in good earnest that the pure word is sweeter to them than Hony or the Hony Combe Iob hee esteemed the word more than his appointed food Iob. 23.12 The second food of this life is good workes Ioh. 4.32.33.34 is the place out of which I collect this where Christ being asked of his Disciples to eate said that hee had other meate that they knew not of then said they hath any man brought him ought to eate Hee saith unto them My meate is to doe the will of him that sent me and to finish his worke Doe you good workes with such a desire as men eate and drinke doe you hunger and thirst after them desiring for to doe them Then yee are alive Hypocrites may doe much but it is not their meate and drinke to doe it examine therefore your selves by these signes whether you are alive or dead This is the preaching of the law to shew you the narrow differences of life and death The first step to life is to know that yee are in a state of death the Law must goe before the Gospel Iohn Baptest before Christ yee must bee brought to their case in the 2 Act. 37. who were pricked at the hearts yee must bee brought unto the case of the Iaylor and of Paul to the case of the Prodigall that you may know your estate then yee come home Our end is to preach life and comfort to you not damnation Rom. 15.4 All Scripture is written for our comfort now there are many things in the Scripture that tend to discomfort and terrors yet their end is comfort as Physicke is sharpe for the time yet the end is health Wee desire not to exclude any but to bring you in whilst you have time the market is then hard to make when yee lye on your death beds labour to know it in time your death is a time of spending not of getting it was too late for the foolish Virgins to buy oyle when they were to attend the bride-groome We desire not to affright you with false feares but to admonish you that you be not deceived I finde this sentence Be not deceived prefixed before many places of Scripture where Gods judgement are denounced as 1 Cor. 6.9 Be not deceived neither fornicators Idolaters Adulterers c. shall inherit the kingdome of God and Eph. 5.6 Be not deceived with vaine words for because of these things commeth the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience to shew that men are apt to deceive themselves
soule feele more evill and good a man that lives a naturall life not knowing the life of grace is sensible of more good and evill than sensible beasts hee apprehends Heaven and Hell but a man that lives the life of grace is more capacious of comfort here you may suffer your faculties to runne out to the utmost If yee desire wealth or pleasures your affections must not runne out yee must hold them in else they drawne you into perdition pierce you thorow with many sorrowes If yee affect heavenly Treasures if yee affect praise with God yee may be as covetous of them as you will Thirdly let this move you to seeke this life of grace because it is the most excellent thing of all others All other things are subordinate to it the utmost end is still most excellent the end of warre is for peace therefore peace is better than it yee plow for harvest therefore harvest is best the end of all actions is for this life of grace Why labour yee for foode but to maintaine life why live ye but to serve your soules Prudence is a steward to this holy life as the steward provides for the family that the master bee not troubled with those meaner things so prudence is a steward that the soule may be occupied about things that are agreeable to it that it may have its conversation in heaven and with God Pervert this order it destroyes the creature Beasts living the life of sence it doth perfect them for that is their utmost end man having reason living as a beast destroyes himselfe because that is not his end hee that perfects himselfe as a beast destroyes himselfe as a man perfectio mentis est perfectio hōinis Let this stirre us up to live this life it is the utmost end of all To be Lawyers Physitions and other callings helpe us in the living of this life yet they are subordinate to it drowne not your selves in subordinate things if yee doe it it is your destruction therefore pitch on the principall Fourthly that which is best in the end I take end now in an other sence is to be chosen above all things else that is well which ends well In this life of grace yee have this advantage which yee have no where else Eccles. 7.4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning that is this life disposeth us to thinke of death the end of all which to doe is wisedome Deut. 32.29 O that they were wise then would they consider their latter end In other things the beginning is good the end is bitter but the actions of the life of grace are sweet yee fare the better for them the very remembrance of them is sweet and the reward of them comes not long after All other things are called perishing meates Iohn 6.27 there is a parable in it that is they are as perishing meats that are sweet in the palate yet they passe away but this indures unto eternall life it continues The worst thing in this life yee never repent of as it is said of sorrow for sinnes that it is sorrow never to be repented of but the best things that yee doe in the other life yee repent of All other things that yee doe they may bee sweet for the present yet as it is said of drunkennesse Prov. 23.32 so may it bee said of them that they bite like a Serpent and sting like an Adder though they seeme sweet The strange woman is sweet yet Prov. 5.4 her end is bitter as wormewood sharpe as a two-edged sword goods evill gotten are sweet for the present yet their mouthes shall be filled with gravell that got them But on the other side the end of all the actions of this life is good as it is said of Iob that his latter end was more than his beginning Iob 42.12 Psal. 37.37 Marke the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace If a man being to dye and having ended his daies should put all his honours wealth and pleasures into one ballance and all his good workes all his faithfull prayers all the actions of the life of grace into another he would find them to be best The bad man doth as the Silkeworme doth winding up himselfe into his ill workes he perisheth the other winding up himselfe in his gracious actions enters into salvation Fiftly choose this life before all others because God is pleased with it it being like himselfe as the creature is pleased with that which is like it God is a Spirit and will bee worshipped in Spirit and truth hee is a living God and doth delight in a living man wee our selves delight not in dead men no more doth God therefore Rom. 12.1 we are exhorted to give up our soules and bodies a living sacrifice to God God regards not dead bodies bee yee living sacrifices which is the act of your will acting the duties of this life This is called walking with God which is to bee in his presence to goe his way and to maintaine communion with him this is when as men doe audire et reddere voces when there is naturall delight when as they are in presence one with another and therefore walking with God and pleasing of God are used promiscuously for one and the same thing For Heb. 11.5 it is said of Enoch that he walked with God and Gen. 5.22 It is said that he pleased God But you will say what benefit is this I answer that it is great God disposeth of all things in the world is it not wisedome then to have him your friend Gen. 28.9 Iacob being to take his journey Isaack said unto him God all-sufficient be with thee God is all-sufficient if yee have him yee have all In the creature there is no such thing there is nothing but vanity in them they are but as candles as Starres to the Sunne God is all-sufficient all the happinesse of the creature makes not men happy All men seeke happinesse yet they never finde it without having God All happinesse is in Gods favour In outward happinesse you must have other compounded things Christ rebuked thē that counted her happy in the creatures saying Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the Paps that gave thee sucke No saith Christ these will not make a man happy but blessed are they which heare the word of God and keepe it having God yee have all things God disposeth all things and giveth the comfortable fruition of them Yee may have all outward things and yet want comfort Gods curse makes all miserable though yee have all that the creature affords therefore give your selves no rest till yee have got this life without which he delights not in you Adam losing Gods Image was not happy because God was gone from him yet hee had all the creatures which he had before This life of grace brings us to that state that Adam was in at first this restors
to bee blessed that doth meditate in the Law of God day and night Your knowledge being brought to action helpes you much often hearing of the word which puts you in remembrance addes to your life though it hinders you in other things Those who have not the word to heare live not under preaching Ministers who will not be at the cost to get them or live where they are not are much to blame and live not this life Simon Magus sinned in thinking that the holy Ghost might be bought with mony doe not they also sinne who doe lesse than hee that will not give mony for to have the Gospel brought unto them There is the like fault when as men may have the word and come not to it If they come to it though it addeth not to their knowledge yet it helpeth their acting and life Those who neglect the constant reading of the word who are not constant in private prayer those who neglect the speaking and talking of good things they neglect this life That Arabian proverbe Shut up the five windowes that the house may be full of light will be of good use here that is the five senses being shut up the fuller of light shall wee bee the not stopping up of them makes men ignorant cares and businesses possessing mens minds there is no roome left for better things Let your minds be still plodding on that which may further you in grace and truth It is ignorance that makes men strangers from the life of God Ephe. 4.18 and this is not an ignorance that proceedeth from want of knowledge but from the badnesse of your hearts hard hearts makes men ignorant why doe men heare and yet are ignorant but because their hearts are hardned they regard not the word and so they grow not in knowledge The second meanes to get this life is to bee much in doing be much in doing in acting the duties of new obedience the more yee are occupied the more yee live else deadnesse doth possesse you be still praying and meditating those revive you those are the coales that keepe the heart warme this life like water is apt to grow cold But I must be full of life ere I can doe actions I answer that one begets the other action begets life and life begets action as health produceth exercise and exercise procureth health But I am indisposed and unfit for such actions I answer that if yee are indisposed the more need you had to be doing else you are more unexcusable the way to get heate is to bee acting as motion doth bring life to a benummed member so doth it to the soule be awaked be stirring this will revive you againe Christians hearts are awaked when as they themselves sleepe if they stirre them up there will be more life in them Rom. 2.13 They beginning to languish their medicine is to rise up and be doing Gal. 5.16 Walke in the spirit those who have the Spirit stand not still as one that cannot stirre this acting helpes the Spirit first by inlarging and intending life Secondly by preventing that which increaseth death the more wee walke in the wayes of life the more we prevent the way that leades to the Chambers of death Be doing if not one thing yet another In the steppings out of your callings be doing reading and praying Conferring and talking of good things the neglect of this is the cause why there are so many dwarfes in grace Men content themselves with morning and evening duties and it is well if they doe them but doe you the actions of life more constantly and abundantly It is the corruption of our nature that wee are not doing life is maintained by the actions of life habits are maintained by actions that are sutable to them We live in the commandements by well doing as the creature doth by food Good actions maintaine life it receives strength from well-doing set your selves to pray doe holy duties still pray doe more and more the more yee doe the more life increaseth The third meanes to get this life is to get faith Faith helpes this life it is a life of faith and it makes us to live this life by three wayes First it gives a reality to the priviledges of life makes you see they are so indeed therefore yee act yee beleeve that God is such a God that yee have such priviledges that yee are heires of all things If yee thinke that God is such a one as he is in wisedome power and mercy yee intend them and live the life of grace If yee doubt and question with Atheists if these bee dreames then yee intend them not He that beleeves saith let me have God sure the other saith let me have that I touch and feele but the imaginary things resting in faith and hope I care not for the more yee beleeve these things the more yee are occupied about them Secondly faith drawes you on to action this life is the acting of the duties of new obedience Faith and a perswasion further other things as if one be perswaded that such a thing will hurt him it produceth an action of the will abstinence if a man bee perswaded that he shall dye without the Physition hee sends for him So in all other actions perswasion is that which sets a man on worke So in spirituall actions if we are perswaded that such a sinne committed will not make our bodies sicke but our soules wee will not doe it if wee are perswaded our soules shall fare the better if we doe such a thing this makes us to doe it being perswaded we shall have a recompence of reward it produceth action and the more action the more life Thirdly faith doth it by fitting us for Christ from whom our life comes 1 Ioh. 5.12 he that hath the Sonne hath life First the Sonne of God infuseth life into him to whom hee is conjoyned the conjunction betwixt Christ and us is but relative and betweene the king and the subject when the subjects resolve to take such an one for their king they are conjoyned to him so when a woman resolves to take such a man for her husband shee is conjoyned to him The action of taking Christ is to take him as a Lord to serve him as a Saviour to have all comfort by him hee that hath the Son in the relative union shall have him in the reall union the Sonne will quicken you as the soule doth the body A Chrian hath the life of the Sonne of God Gal. 2.21 I live yet not I but Christ lives in me all that I doe Christ doth it in me all that the body doth the soule doth it the body lives not but the soule lives in it After that manner Christ lives in us not a good thought or affection not any resolution or motion of the soule but comes for Christ being united to Christ by faith he lives in us Ioh. 6.33 he that eates my flesh and