custom is and he knows its for his profit to apply false comfort to hypocrites when God hath terrified and wounded them not to tempt them to unbelief I mean still about the matter of their salvation except when he gets them at a dead lift as in the hour of death or in some great extremity wherein he hopes to push them headlong into desperation because then he should minister occasion of seeking that precious faith of which himself is as much afraid as the Lion of fire and consequently should be divided against himself his own enemy But the doubts of a sound Christian come principally from Satan yet not without the help of natural ignorance and infidelity by means whereof he hath great advantage to work whose policy is when he cannot keep the child of God from grace then by aggravating his sin and unworthiness by extenuating or hiding from his eyes the good things God hath given him to hold and deter him from beleiving to make him if it were possible wholly to cast away his hope or else to languish in an heavy uncomfortableness greatly displeasing and dishonourable to God But how may one know that his doubts are from Satan 1. If after a diligent privy search in the closet of his soul he finds such signs of faith as certainly declare its there present though the comfort of it be not presently felt and discerned as namely a turning of the streame and bent of the thoughts and affections after heavenly things an ingenuous and lovely melting of the heart into sorrow for offending to the Lord strong desires of honouring and pleasing God with resolutions of cleaving to and following him though he should never receive comfort from him an hearty hatred of joyned with a serious strife against secret hypocrisie and carnal ends in well-doing and the like 2. If he feel that the spirit in the ministry of the Word fights against his doubts sweetly perswades and draws him to believe comforteth and rejoyceth his heart not beatting and battering down his confidence as ordinarily it doth the hypocrites but bettering and strengthening it for hereby it appears that his doubts are the enemies of Gods Word and Spirit and therefore not the eccho of the word nor the just verdict of conscience speaking from the word but the voice of Satan Secondly a believer finding doubts in himself is exceedingly grieved for them bewails want of Faith as his greatest misery willingly accuseth and condemneth himself for these pangs and qualms of unbelief as for greatest sins they are very burthensome to him chiefly because they rob God of his glory and make him less cheerful in rendring unto the Lord praises and other obedience But the hypocrites doubts trouble him and he wisheth to be rid of them only because they are attended with inward disquietness terrours fears of the Lords judgments not because they are sins against God whereof this is a sufflcient proof that if he enjoy a kind of peace and perswasion that he is the Child of God though his evil heart full of infidelity secretly deny or call into question an hundred things in divinity one after another he relents not he is not troubled tush these are but flitting motions nor worthy check or controlement Thirdly doubts drive a true believer first to God by earnest requests for the discovering and diminishing of his unbelief strengthening of his faith then into himself by a more exact and impartial scrutiny of his own Conscience and estate they quicken him unweariedly and constantly to go forward in resisting and subduing them in seeking and lamenting after Christ and never to sit down till God have brought his heart into the harbour of a stablished assurance till he see feel and as it were handle eternal life in himself till he know Christ and all the treasures of grace and glory in Christ as undoubtedly to be his own as his apparel money house lands till the Holy Ghost have signed sealed and delivered the heavenly inheritance in the Court of conscience in a word till he have gotten such a faith as can glory in God insult over Hell Death Devil Sin the Curse of the Law and out-wrestle all difficulties but the unsound Christian either builds himself a Castle of imaginary assurance upon the sand of false grounds or lies under his doubts irrecoverably giving over seeking before he receive a sound certain and satisfactory answer from the Lord either out of sloth or despair of obtaining or because he hath learned the strongest faith is subject to some faintings and therefore judgeth it needless to strive any longer or labour for more faith seeing that which he hath will serve his turn and it s no otherwise with him than it is with a true Christian Thirdly We must hence be admonished not to disdain or condemn such Christians as sometimes bewray some feebleness of faith in word or work Thou seest or hearest thy brother is impatient in affliction fears poverty shrinks at the approach of persecution or death is discouraged by reproaches and slanders not so zealous and valiant in maintaining Gods glory and cause as it were to be wished for fear of the wrath of Man omits some necessary good defiles himself with the doing of some evil do not now think or say such a one is a faithless temporizer take heed of such judgment lest thou be judged seeing the truly faithful have done as much thou shalt do well to be sparing in thy censures till thou canst shew a persect faith Fourthly Vse 4 see the reason why sometimes the lives of very godly men are blemished with some faults Alas the tree is imperfect therefore the fruits must needs be so for nothing can give that it hath not Though the godly by the grace of God may be free from notorious sins yet they cannot obey perfectly because they believe but in part Why then do carnal men if they spie but a spot in a godly mans face a frailty in his conversation though it be but a moat in comparison of their beams Why do they presently cry out These that make so much profession are naught they are naught all of them they are dissemblers they are not what they seem c. Absurd unreasonable men do you expect they should be perfectly holy when they are but imperfectly faithful If one of your children have a slow or unseemly pace by reason of lameness or debility in some member you think he is rather to be pitied than upbraided If you will not learn to judge mercifully of the godly when they fall and to impute their slips rather to the imperfection of their condition than the hypocrisie of their hearts and naughtiness of their disposition you shall but prove your selves to be haters of your brethren and he that hates his brother is a murtherer 1 John 3.15 and no murtherer hath eternal life abiding in him Fifthly hence we are taught Vse 5 that believers must not trust to the strength of
enterprizing nothing without leave or warrant from him 2. By a godly life and fruitfulness in a Christian course 3. By upholding and setting forward his Gospel to the utmost of his power For the Gospel is Christs chariot wherein he rideth through the world to conquer his enemies and gather his Church if the Gospel run and prevail his glory is inlarged if the Gospel be stopped his glory is hindred 4. By willing undergoing any thing for his sake These are the things which we must remember and do that Christ may be glorified in us in the doing of which we shall not be a little helped by accustoming our selves every day yea often in the day to call our own hearts to account and enquire what glory hath redounded to Christ this day this hour from my thoughts my speeches my actions that so far as we find our selves barren and defective this way we may take shame to our selves and turning our feet into the way of Gods testimonies with râ—â—ewed care and redoubled resolution set upon this greatest and most honourable Work of honouring the Lord. Secondly doct 2 observe that a good Christian desires the Lord may be glorified by others A good man is not content to honour God in his own person but he heartily wisheth and prayeth that others may do it as well as himself So did David Psa 67.3 4. and Paul Eph 3.21 For First Reas 1 The zeal of God burns in his breast the love of Christ constraines him he knows that God most highly esteemes and loves his own glory that this being the last end of all his counsels and works must needs be more worthy and excellent than all creatures in regeneration he puts on the image of God by which he is inclined and enabled to will what God willeth to love what the Lord loveth and in the same manner according to his measure therefore he cannot but desire the inlargement of his glory in the world and the communication of that grace to many by which they may be effectually taught and moved to glorifie him Secondly He loves the souls of men Reas 2 and heartily desires their welfare temporal eternal now he knows that this task of glorifying God is both at tended with much present sweetness and comfort and will certainly bring a most glorious reward life everlasting Wherefore that Christian love of others which the Holy Ghost hath kindled in his heart makes him seriously defire that they may be sharers in so excellent and matchless a gain and consequently join with him in the means leading to it namely the study and care of honouring the Lord. First then this reproves two sorts 1. Those that hinder and deter men from glorifying God such I mean who discerning in others holy forwardness in religion love of godliness and godly persons tenderness of conscience care to depart from evil and shun the society of sinners snub ad discourage them by threatnings reproaches commandments punishments This is a fearful thing though men see it not it s manifest fighting against God and playing the part of Elymas who is therefore called the child of the Devil and an enemy to all righteousness Judge in your selves can he be the child of God who neither gives him his due honour nor suffers then that would As we stand affected to the glouy of God and the means of it so are we affected towards God himself He that cannot endure the light of piety in the life of his child servant kinsman neighbour by which God is glorified would banish God out of the world if it were in his power He that destroys the Temple of God 1 Co. 3.17 him shall God destroy he that quencheth the fire of Gods grace in others shall burn in the fire nevar to be quenched 2. Those that draw or thrust others forward to such courses as dishonour God provoke and perswade them to swearing riot drunkenness wantonness revenge c. for shame let not such men any longer call themselves sons and servants of the living God Should I hear a man in secret conference with another command or councel him to set a fire on his neighbours Corn Barn or Dwelling house might I not safely conclude this is no friend but a very dangerous and bitter enemy of his neighbour Is it not enough that by thy personal sins thou frettest yea breakest the very heart of God every hour except also thou hire and procure helpers as if thou couldst not easily satisfie thy self in heaping injuries upon him and loading him with contumelies Tell me vile hell-hound do men thus to their friends Go now and if thou hast lost all forehead deny thy self to be the Lords enemy I tell thee thou art a flat hater of the holy One of Israel or the Devil is none Secondly Vse 2 by this doctrine we may examine our selves and judge what manner of Christians we are Doth it sting yea cut thee to the heart to see Christ so slenderly known and honoured in the world so many professing him who in their works deny him calling him Lord Lord when by their lives he is blasphemed Doth it grieve thee to see that in every place where thou commest the most are no better than walking tombs moving sepulchers unmeet for the Lords use and service Do these things lye nearer thy heart than thy personal crosses and injuries Canst thou pour out prayen even as for thine own soul for those who belonging to God run forward in wickedness that they may be reclaimed to glorifie him in the day of visitation and for the called that they may be made more zealous of his gloâ—y shew forth the vertues of him who â—ath brought them out of darkness into his â—arvellous light Answer me is it thus â—ith thee no doubt a portion of Pauls â—pirit rests upon thee But if the spiriâ—ual condition of others affect thee â—ot if thy spirit be not stirred when the â—ord Jesus is crucified afresh by Oaths â—nd blasphemies his Sabbaths polluâ—ed his word despised if thy heart tells â—ee thou carest but little what become â—f Gods glory how often or by whom â—e be wronged so thy self be not touâ—hed what become of other mens souls whether they sink or swim if these â—hings wring no sighs no prayeas from â—hee in secret though thou hast a name to â—ve thon art dead Thirdly Vse 3 here is matter of instructiâ—n We see here what 's the reason why â—he godly desire and seek the Reformaâ—â—on of sinners You shall sometimes â—ear a wicked fellow if a servant of God but reach him the helping hand of Christian admonition to pull him out of his sin fall a suming and exclaiming what hath he to do with use let him look to himself he is more busie than needs he shall not answer for me c. But stay a little as David said to Eliab Is there not a cause Thy brother hath received mercy from the Lord and therefore cannot but shew mercy to thy
of his Spirit To blow upon the garden of our hearts that the spices thereof may flow forth 4. Improving Song 4.16 and blowing up grace by spiritual exercises of reading singing meditation conference private communication of gifts 5. Evacuation purging out by renewed repentance such matter as might cause an oppilation of those passages in which grace should flow unto us for Christ to whom we are joyned as members if we be believers is an head full of the holy Ghost full of grace truth if we defire to receive abundantly of his fulness we must take heed the nerve of faith and pipes of Gods ordinances be not stopped or made ineffectual in us by our worldliness deadness of spirit lusts or some known corruption too indulgently handled 6. Laying our hearts low before the Lord in humiliation and humility For the low valleys because they receive most dew and rain into their bosoms are most fruitful so the humble heart the broken spirit is of all others a subject most capable of the spirit and shall be most plentifully watered with the showres of grace because the God of all grace and goodness hath promised to dwell in such a spirit Do you now see the way Walk in it that you may find rest to your souls Do you know these things Blessed are you if you do them And therefore still suffer the word of exhortation in the use of these means propound this mark to your selves To be filled with the holy Ghost with wisdom and understanding with all riches of full assurance with all might patience and long sufferance with joy and peace in believing to be full of good works of mercy and good fruits of thankfulness and Gods praiset all the day Oh spare no pains for storing up abundance of grace as David said of his children the fruit of the womb happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them so may I much more truly say of the fruits of the spirit happy is the man that hath his heart full of this treasure here only covetousness yea violence is lawful and holy Say not within your selves this is an hard doctrine and impossible What we cannot be perfect here such thoughts are prompted by Satan to make you lazie and rob you of your crown The Apostle Paul was not ignorant of this yet He forgat the things that were behind and stretched himself unto the things before yea laboured if it were possible to attain to the resurrection of the dead So that though we cannot reach an entire and compleat perfection yet we may and must grow still more and more perfect and though our attainments shall never in this life overtake and equal our desires yet as he that shoots at the noon-Sun though he be sure he shall never hit the mark is sure to shoot higher than he that aims at a bush so if we desire and aim at the highest pitch of grace vve shall be sure to outstrip our fellows and attain such a measure as shall make our profession both comfortable to our own souls exemplary to our brethren and glorious in the eyes of strangers And thus much touching this branch of Pauls prayer for though I perceive there is one point more couched in it which have not been handled yet for brevity I will refer and reserve it to be wrapt up as well it may in the conclusion of the next member which now remaineth to be opened wherein a second thing is craved by the Apostle as a necessary and more special means of making them worthy their calling The words are and the work of faith with power where consider 1. The blessing asked which is fulfilling the work of faith By work of faith may either be meant the exercise operations fruits of faith faith stirring acting labouring producing such works as are proper to her or faith as it is Gods work in man the grace or habit of faith wrought by God in our hearts I take this latter sense the difference is not great and this includes the other 2. The efficient cause of it Gods power For so I understand those last words with power that is by his own Almighty power joyning them to the word fulfil rather than to faith which worketh powerfully in believers The meaning then is as if the Apostle had said But above all other graces we make suit unto God for the perfecting of that blessed and singular work of faith which his grace hath begun in you and that by the strength of his own right hand who is omnipotent and all-sufficient The instructions to be gathered from these words follow whereof the first is this The best faith hath wants doct 1 Understand it of faith in the sons of men in this world It s plain in our text The Apostle witnesseth in his former Epistle that this people received the word with much assurance that their faith to Godward was spread abroad in other places In this very Chapter he hath given thanks to God that their faith grew exceedingly yet here he tels us they have need to be prayed for that God would perfect their faith A cloud of witnesses doth further confirm it Abrahams faith did â—imp and halt a little when he hearkned â—o the counsel of Sarah in going in to Hagar for he consented to the use of unlawful means for bringing about Gods purpose likewise when through fear he sained Sarah to be his sister weakness appeared in Sarahs faith when she laughed at the promise of a son in Jacobs vvhen tidings of Esaus coming did so affright and distress him though he had a promise of Gods presence and protection in that journey in Davids when in his haste and fear he said I am câ—st out of thy sight all men are liars when he fained himself mad in Peters when being afraid of his skin in the high Priests hall he denied his Master And no marvel for first if knowledge be imperfect in all Christians confidence cannot be perfect in any How can the heart desire or cleave unto this or that further than the mind apprehends it as true and good I cannot rest upon a man believing he will do this or that for me further than I know him The measure of faith in the will depends upon and sollows the measure of light in the understanding 〈◊〉 mean in respect of latitude not intension or in intrinsecal vigour for otherwise I know there may be great faith where there is but small knowledge as in many Martyrs A man may know more than he believes so do many wicked men in the Church but he cannot believe more than he knows Now its certain that we know but in part for neither do we apprehend the whole object of knowledge that is the whole body of divine truth my meaning is vve know not all things to be known vve are still ignorant of many things neither do we see those things which now we know so fully clearly distinctly as vve should and
shall in the life to come If therefore we know but imperfectly we must needs trust imperfectly Experience in our selves and other Christians may partly teach us the necessity of this consequence Do we not perceive this to be or have been one special cause of the failing of our faith that either vve know not this or that promise or were not sufficiently acquainted with the faithfulness and goodness of the promiser or did not so evidently behold the good things God had begun in us as from them we could conclude our selves to be heirs of the promise Secondly there are many enemies which oppugn a Christians faith from without Satan by his temptations sometimes more subtil sometimes more violent in his own bosom carnal vvisdom and reason natural slowness or untowardness of heart to that which is good inordinate affections and passions for grace doth not wholly expel and root out these Canaanites though it brings and keeps them under the yoke of the spirit Novv these sometimes dim the light of faith by raising mists and fogs of objections and doubts sometimes cast her into a slumber sometimes as it vvere by a sudden vehement blow astonish her and in a vvord by many means hinder the efficacy and working of faith No marvel therefore if sometimes the best faith stagger and waver This doctrine confuteth 1. The Papists vvho to the end they may vvith more probability maintain and perswade the possibility of fulfilling the Law in this life teach that faith and charity are perfect in this life 2. Some in our Church at home vvho hold that a man never doubts after he is a true believer It seems these men think faith to be like certain little bones in mans head of vvhich the Doctors of nature vvrite that they are of the same bigness in an old man and in a child 3. Our common people and silly ignorants vvho brag their belief is so strong as nothing can shake it no company can hurt no Devil prevail against them they never sound in themselves any want or vveakness of faith they never distrusted God in all their lives they can believe as stedfastly as they lift From their own vvords their faith is evinced to be nothing but an idle sancy for the child of God seels such craziness in his faith as vvrings from him many deep sighs bitter cries dolorous complaints before his heavenly father who seeth in secret He who never groaned under sence and conscience of great infidelity is yet in the state of infidelity and death and hath no more true faith than the Devil But is it possible may some say that any man should be so deceived and mistaken object as to perswade himself he is rich in faith vvhen he hath none at all I answer answ Yes very easily For 1. the heart is naturally very full of strong presumption vvhich these men because of the ignorance that is in them not being able to distinguish from saith do therefore take and rest in the one instead of the other 2. Being full of darkness destitute of spiritual light they see not that mighty mass that sink that sea of unbelief vvhich is in them they knovv not what infidelity is nor what are the proper symptomes and effects of it and therefore though it be continually stirring yea ruling in them and breaking out so as others may discern it yet they see it not themselves because they know not themselves nor what is in them as one bodily blind or going into a dark night without a candle into a room cannot discern what filth and baggage is â—n it 3. All unconverted are in a deep and deadly sleep for repentance is called awaking therefore we need not think it strange or impossible they should dream of great riches when they have nothing of eating and drinking while their souls are empty 4. The Devil will do his best to keep such from doubting for fear of losing them for well he knows that to doubt one hath gone wrong is a step to returning and to fear ones heart is faithless and graceless a step to believing Secondly Let the child of God take heed of numbring himself among unbelievers and concluding that he is void of faith because sometimes he finds his heart trembling and shaken with doubtings and fears Indeed Satan will encounter a Christian with this sophistry Thou hast experience oâ— much wavering thou art not stedfast and rooted in faith therefore thou art not found in the faith but vve must ansvver the tempter boldly If this reason be good all the generation of the just must be condemned none of vvhich vvere exempted and priviledged from knovving vveaknesses and failings of faith If it be objected object Christ prayed for every believer as vvell as for Peter that his faith should not fail I ansvver sol faith may be said to fail either in regard of habit vvhen it s utterly lost and extinguished and this failing doth not shall not befall a true believer according to our Saviours prayer and the true meaning of it or in regard of act and operation vvhen in time of danger some grievous fall or temptation it fainteth svvouneth vvorketh not or but very vveakly and in this sense and manner the best mans faith may fail as Peters did for his denial proceeded from such a cause as strength or lively povverful vvorking of faith expelleth viz. predominancy of carnal fear neither did our Lord Jesus pray that his elect might be preserved from it If it be objected again object Abraham believed without staggering I answer 1. True sol when God promised Isaac but it doth not hence follow that he never at any time staggered 2. This example teacheth what a strong faith ordinarily can do and what every Christian should labour to do but not that every one who reacheth not Abrahams measure is an hypocrite I speak this for the comfort of true believers not to nuzzle up any in their doubts if any man shall hence take occasion to please himself in a floating uncertainty hanging between hope and fear and neglecting to try or labour for more strength of faith because he hears the best faith hath weaknesses he perverts and wrests the word of God to his own destruction But may some man say seeing a good Christian may be troubled quest and tossed with doubts shall not I conclude I am the child of God and in an happy case if I feel doubtings Take heed of this deceit answ A right believer may doubt and he may doubt that never was believer The difference between them is this First The doubts of a wicked man touching his salvation are caused or confirmed by the light and power of Gods word rightly divided and applied discovering his unsoundness and so convincing his conscience that its forced to give sentence against him and roundly to tell him he is not qualifred like one that shall inherit the promises and enjoy the salvation of God they come not from Satan ordinarily for his
these things bringeth out their host by number and calleth all by their names by the greatness of his might who can do what he will and hinder what he pleaseth who never fainteth nor is weary hath undertaken to finish their faith by that effectual working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself As soon shall God fail as the Faith of the Elect utterly fail till the Almighty be overcome they can never perish Thirdly Vse 3 Believers who complain of weakness of faith are here taught to follow the Lord with importunate and earnest requests that he would by his out-stretched Arm uphold them in believing to the end and accomplish their faith by the same power whereby he first brought them to Faith Do we sometimes feel our selves so near swouning that we are ready with David to cry out My flesh and my heart faileth me let us cry unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of Faith Heb. 12.2 that he would strengthen us and perfect that which he hath wrought in us Let us look up unto him Joel 3.16 Ps 68.35 who is the strength of the children of Israel who gives strength to his people power to them that are faint and to them that have no might increaseth strength let us lay hold upon his strength who is the God of all Power the rock of our hearts and of our faith the worker of all our works in us and for us who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us to him be glory for ever and ever Amen Fourthly It seemes to me Vse 4 we may rightly conclude from this point that Faith shall not cease in the life to come For that which God will accomplish shall not be abolished else God should perfect and accomplish a most excellent Habit in vain and to no purpose which standeth not with his Wisdom Because the assertion may seem strange and new though indeed it hath worthy Authors these reasons may further confirm it 1. Were it not harsh and absurd to say the glorified Saints have no confidence in God 2. No Man can doubt that the spirits of just and perfect Men now in Heaven do believe and wait for the redemption of their bodies therefore faith and sight are not so opposed as they cannot stand together 3. If there shall be a word in Heaven then faith but there shall be a word not this written or printed Bible but the substance of that Doctrine which is contained in the Bible and consequently all those Promises which speak of the Eternity of that glorious Estate reserved for Believers in Heaven shall be written in their hearts So that if any ask what use shall there be of Faith when now they enjoy the Lords promised Salvation I Answer they shall believe that God will perpetuat and continue those joys and pleasures that blessed condition to them for ever and ever 4. I suppose this is found Doctrine which hath hitherto gone for currant among our Divines unless 〈◊〉 that late Controversie whether fai◠or repentance hath precedency ◠have received some affront Faith is the root foundation original of holiness Doth the root wither when the tree and branches flourish more than ever 5. In the day of Judgment the Lord shall pronounce all the sins of the righteous eternally forgiven the sentence of absolution remission shall be openly and fully declared and confirmed as Divines teach Shall they not believe what Christ speaketh 6. Why may we not say that as the godly in this world believe things past as the creation the incarnation death resurection of Christ so shall they in the life to come These arguments sway me to this opinion as most probable that Faith in God is an eternal gift abiding in the Heavens tho some Operations of it shall cease in Heaven whereof there shall be no number The matter is not of such weight that I would contend with any man about it Let the Prophet judge and instruct him better if he err who in points of this nature suspecteth his own judgment as much as any other and is more desirous to learn than to teach Lastly from this instruction its easie to gather that we must seek unto and rest upon God as well for the finishing as beginning of our salvation Should the beginning be Gods work the accomplishment ours so wise an Apostle would not have spent nor by his own example taught us to spend so many prayers for it This is to be marked as meeting with the Papists they will have God lay the foundation of mans salvation by Predestination redemption free remission of sins but afterwards they will not be much beholden to him they can now perfect the building themselves for they can merit increase of justice and eternal life so that in effect they say to God as a man sometimes to his neighbour when he would have this or that work done do but set me in and I shall do well enough But that doctrine which suffereth us not with the Apostle to pray while we live Lord accomplish in us weak and worthless Vessels by thine own power the work of faith and all the good pleasure of thy goodness is not from heaven but from men and the Devil Hitherto we have unfolded the special requests which the Apostle made unto God for the Thessalonians There now remaineth only the end why or for which he thus intercedeth with God and moveth him for the forenamed blessings and its double 1. Principal respecting Christ 2. Subordinate respecting the Thessalonians themselves The former is set down in these words that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you that is that Christ himself by this means may be honoured in you and by you in this present world As if he should say I do the rather beg these things for you because they mainly tend to the promoting of the glory of Christ among the sons of men which thing I am sure your souls earnestly wish and desire Observe from these words to instructions First doct 1 that the scope of Christians must be the glorifying of Christ The Apostle testifieth of himself in another place that he desired nothing more than that Christ might be magnified in his frail body Phil. 1.20 whether by life or death and professeth that he made this the only end of his life the mark at which he aimed in his whole Ministry all his actions and passions to bring glory to Christ For so I expound those words for to me to live is Christ and generally of all true believers he saith elsewhere Whether we live we live unto the Lord or whether we die we die unto the Lord. And good reason For First Reas 1 Christ is the Author both of their being and conservation From him they have I se and sustentation natural and spiritual Col. 1.16 For by him all things were created do subsist