Four Godly and Learned Treatises, Doctrine 2 (1 of 2)

Four Godly and Learned Treatises · Doctrine 2 (1 of 2)

p. 51AN Elegant and lively description, of Spirituall DEATH and LIFE.

IOHN 5.25.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, that the houre is comming and now is, when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God, and they that heare shall live.

THE Occasion of these words was this: when as Christ had affirmed to the Iewes, that God was his Father, and the Iewes went about to kil him for it, ve. 18. He proves what he had said by this argument: He that is able to give life to the dead is God, or the Sonne of God; But I am able to give life to the dead; (The houre is comming and now is, when the dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God, and those that heare it shall live;) Therefore I am the Sonne of God. In briefe, these words shew Christs Divinity by the effects of it, that he can quicken the dead.

p. 52In these words we may consider these parts.

21First, the subject on which Christ doth exercise his Divinitie; and that is, on dead men; The dead shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of God, and shall live. Secondly, the instrument by which he doth it, and that is, by his Word; which is not meant onelyonly the bare preaching and hearing of the Word; but such an inward, commanding, powerfull, operative word, that makes men doe that which is commanded them: Such a word was spoken to Lazarus being dead, Lazarus come forth; and he did it. This word commands men, and makes them to obey it.

3Thirdly, the time when he will exercise his divinity; the houre is comming, and now is; that is, the time shall come when as it shall bee abundantly revealed, the fruit of the Gospell shall appeare more plentifully and fully hereafter, but yet it is now beginning to appeare; there is now some small fruit of it. 4Lastly, It is affirmed with an asseveration or oath; Verily Verily I say unto you: And these are the parts of this Text.

Out of these words I purpose to shew you these three things.

1First, What the estate of all men is out of Christ.

2Secondly, what we gaine by Christ.

3Thirdly, What we must doe for Christ.

1First, we will shew you what your state is p. 53out of Christ, for this will make you to prize him more. And the point for this is,

That every man out of Christ is in a state of death, or dead man: that is,Doct. 1. All men how ever they are borne living, yet they are still dead men: without the living Spirit the root is dead. Hence are these places of Scripture, Gen. 2.17. The day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death. Mat. 8.22. Let the dead bury their dead. Ephes. 2.1. You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sinnes. Eph. 5.14. Awake thou that sleepest, stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. The meaning is, that all men are spiritually dead. This will be of some moment, to shew you that you are dead without Christ. Yee account it a gastly sight to see many dead men lie together, it affects you much: but to see a multitude of dead men walke and stand before us, that affects us not. The naturall death is but a picture or shadow of death, but this spirituall death, is death indeed: As it is said spiritually of Christs flesh, Ioh. 6.55. That it is meate indeed. Now that you may know what this death is, I will shew you,

1First of all, what this death is.

2Secondly, how many kinds of this death there are.

3Thirdly, the symptomes and signes of this death.

4Fourthly, the degrees of this death.What this spirituall death is

For the first; what this death is; it consists p. 541in two things. First, in death there is a privation of life: then a man is dead, when as the soule is separated from the body: so a man is spiritually dead, when as the soule is separated from the quickning spirit of Grace, and righteousnesse:Rom. 7.1….Rom 7:1 This is all our cases, In us there dwels no good, there is no Spirit of life within us: the Soule is so out of order, that the spirit is weary of it and forsakes it. When the body growes distempered and unfit for the Soule to use, then the Soule leaves it. Even as when the instrument is quite out of tune, a man layes it aside; whiles it is in tune he plaies on it: So a man dwels in a house as long as it is habitable and fit to dwell in, but when it becomes unhabitable he departs: so, as long as the body is a fit organ for the soule, it keepes it; when it becomes unfit, it leaves it. Even so the holy Ghost lives in the soule of man, as long as it is in good temper, but being distempered by sinne, the holy Ghost removes. You may see it in Adam ▪ as soone as hee did eate of the forbidden fruite, the holy Ghost left him, and he lost his Originall righteounes.

1Secondly, in this death as there is a privation, so there is also a positive evill quality wrought in the soule, whereby it is not onelyonly void of goodnesse, but made ill. In the naturall death when a man dyes, there is another forme left in the body; so in this spirituall death, there is an evill habit, left in p. 55the soules of men: This you may see Heb. 9.14. where the workes you doe before regeneration, are called, Dead workes: there would be a contradiction in calling them dead workes, if there were not another positive evill forme in man, beside the absence of the quickning Spirit,Rom. 7.18. Chap. 8.1.4. to 10.Rom 7:18 which forme is called Flesh in the Scriptures.

Obiect.But it may be objected, that sinne is a meere privation of good, that it is a Non-ens; therefore flesh cannot bee said to be an operative qualitie and forme of sinne.

Answ.To this I answer, that though all sinne be a meere privation, yet it is in an operative subject, and thence it comes to passe that sinne is fruitfull in evill workes. As for example, take an Horse and put out his eyes, as long as hee stands still there is no error; but if he begins to runne once, he runnes amisse, and the longer hee runnes, the further hee is out of the way wherein he should goe; and all this because he wants his eyes, which should direct him: So it is with sinne, though in its selfe it be but a meere privation, yet it is seated in the soule, which is alwayes active: Anima nunquam otiosa; The goodnesse that should inlighten it is taken away, and there is a positive evill qualitie put into it, that leades us on to evill.

Consider farther whence this death proceeds, the originall of it, is the understanding & mind of man, which is primū vivens, & ultimum p. 56moriens. That which lives first and dies last. The cause of life is the understanding inlightened to see the truth; when the affections are right, and the understanding straight, then we live; when it is darkened, all goes out of order. Ioh. 1.4. speaking of Christ, it is said, that in him there was life, and the life was the light of men: he was life because hee was light, he did inliven men, because he did inlighten them. therefore Ephe. 5.4. the Apostle speakes thus to men; Awake thou that sleepest, stand up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light: because light is the beginning of spirituall life. Therefore it is said, Iames 1.18. Of his owne will begot he them, by the word of truth: that is, the word rectifies the understanding and opinion, which is the first thing in this spirituall birth: and Ephe 4.22.24. Put off the old man which is corrupt, according to the deceitfull lusts thereof; and put on the new man, which after God is created in holinesse, and perfect righteousnesse. The old man is corrupt according to the deceitfull lusts: that which is here called deceitfull lusts, &c. in the Originall, signifies, lusts proceeding from error, and holinesse proceeding from truth; Lust proceeds from error, in mistaking things; for lust is nothing else but affection misplaced, proceeding from error: and that holinesse in which God delighteth, in which his Image consists, comes from truth. When Adam was alive, hee judged aright, because p. 57then the wheeles and affections of his soule were right: Being dead by reason of his fall, he lost his sight, hee saw no beauty in the wayes of God; and this is the case of all unregenerate men: but when the Spirit rectifies the judgement and convinceth men of sinn… and righteousnesse, then they beginne to revive. To be dead is to have the understanding darkned, the judgement erronious: to be alive is to have the understanding inlightened, and the judgement rectified; And thus much for the first, what this death is.

We come now to the kindes of this death,The kindes of Spirituall death. which are three.

1First, there is a death of guiltinesse: one that is guiltie of any offence that is death by the Law, is said to be but a dead man. So every one by nature is a dead man, bound over to death though he be not executed.

2Secondly, there is a death in sinne that is opposite to the life of sanctification, Ephe. 2.1. You hath he quickned, who were dead in trespasses and sinnes: and there is a death for sinne that is contrary to the life of Glory.

3Thirdly, there is a death that is opposite to the life of joy: in hell there is a life, man is not quite extinguished, but yet men in hell are said to be dead, because they have no joy. This death consists in the separating of God from the soule; when God is separated from the soule; then man dies this death of sorrow. p. 58God joynes himselfe to the soules of good and bad: to those that are not sanctified, he joynes himselfe in a common manner, and thence it is, they have common joy, common comfort, common civility; to the godly he joynes himselfe in an extraordinary manner, by which they have extraordinary joy: now when God is separated from the soule, then comes a perfect death; see it in the separation of God from Christs humanity. God withdrawing himselfe from him but for a time,Mat. 27.46.Matt 27:46 he crieth out, My God my God, why hast thou forsaken mee; As God withdrawes himselfe more or lesse, so is our joy, our sorrow more or lesse. Thus much for the kinds of this death.

The symptomes of Spirituall death.Wee proceed now to the Symptomes or signes of this death, and they are foure.

The first is this; men are said to bee dead when they understand nothing, when as there is no reason exstant in them, when they see no more than dead men. The life is nought else but the soule acted: then a man is said to live when the understanding part is acted. So man is spiritually dead when as his understanding is darkened, when as hee sees or understands nothing of Gods wayes,1 Cor. 2.14.1 Cor 2:14 because they are spirituall▪ and he carnall.

Obiect.But it may bee objected: men understand things belonging to faith and repentance, carnall men not yet sanctified have some understanding of these.

p. 59Answ.I answer, that they may understand the materials belonging to godlinesse as well as others, but yet they relish them not, they see them not with a spirituall eye. Tit. 1.16. They are to every good worke reprobate; they cannot judge aright of any good workes, as to like, approve and love them, to see a beauty in them as they are good: Rom. 8.7. the wisdome of the flesh is enmitie with God, for it is not subiect to the Law of God, the Greeke word is foreign; the meaning is not that they understand it not, but they like it not, they relish it not, they tast it not; they thinke of Gods wayes, that they are but folly, 1 Cor. 2.14. They are at enmity with them, they count them drosse.

2The second symptome of death is, want of motion: where there is no motion, there is death. All men naturally want this motion, they cannot judge or doe any good thing by nature: they may doe the opus operatum, but they cannot doe it in an holy manner; their prayers, their hearing, receiving of the Sacrament, and the like, are dead workes without faith the principall of life, how ever they may be faire in other mens eyes.

3The third signe of a naturall death, is sencelesnesse; so men are spiritually dead, when they are not affected with Gods judgements, when they have hard hearts which cannot repent, Rom. 2.5. when they have hearts as hard as a stone, Ezek. 36.27. or when they are affected with p. 60them onelyonly as naturall men apprehend evill; not from a quickning Spirit, but from a selfe-love.

4Lastly, in naturall death, there is a losse of that vigor, that beauty in the face and countenance, which is in living men: So in men that are spiritually dead, there is no beauty, no vigor, they have death in their faces: they may have painted beauty, which may be like the living, (as he said: pictum putavi esse verum, & verum putavi esse pictum:) they may be much alike, yet they hauehave not that livelinesse and beauty as living men have,Psal. 96.6. Psal. 110.3.Ps 96:6Ps 110:3 Gods beauty (the beauty of holinesse) is not found in them.

Obiect.But it may bee objected, they have many excellencies in them, they know much, they excell in morall vertues.

Answ.I answer, they may have excellencies, as a dead man may have Iewels and chaines about him, yet they are dead: they have them, but yet they are as Iewels of gold in a Swines snoute;Prov 11.2…. 2 Pet. 2.22.Prov 11:22 Pet 2:22 they are as Swine, their good things make them not men; they are beautifull, yet they are but dead men; as the evill workes of good men make them not bad men: so the good workes of evill men, make them not good. Thus much for the signes of this Death.

14The degrees of Spirituall death.We come now to the degrees of this death, in all these deathes there are degrees: First in the death of guilt, if you have had more meanes, the guilt is greater, if you make no p. 61use of them.Rom. 2.12.13, 14, 15, 16Rom 2:12Rom 2:13Rom 2:14Rom 2:15Rom 2:16 The Gentiles they shall onelyonly be condemned for breaking the Law of nature, because they knew no other Law; The Iewes they shall be condemned for sinning against the Law of nature, and the Law of Moses, they had a double Law, and shall be condemned for the breach of it; Christians having a treble Law, the Gospell, the Law of nature, the morrall Law, shall be condemned for all three,; and among all Christians, such as have had more meanes, and better education, the greater shall their punishment be.

2Secondly, in the death opposite to the life of sanctification, there are degrees. Now yee must know that there are no degrees in the privative part of death, but they are onelyonly in the positive. The lowest step in this second death is to have enmity to the wayes of God, Rom. 1.30. Heb. 10.29. Acts 5.39.Rom 1:30Heb 10:29Acts 5:39being fighters against God, and enemies to the Saints; this is the lowest step. The second degree is, when as men are not so active that way, but yet are dead in pleasures, ambition,1 Tim. 5.6.1 Tim 5:6 covetousnesse, and the like. There is a generation of men which trouble not themselves to oppose God and the Saints, but give themselves to pleasures, and like those Widowes, 1 Tim. 5.6. are dead in pleasures, while they are alive. The last step in this death, is the death of Civility. Civill men come nearer the Saints of God than others, they come within a step or two of heaven, and yet are shut out;Mar. 12.34.Mark 12:34 they are p. 62not farre from them the kingdome of Heaven, as Christ said to the young man; yet they misse of it as well as others.

3Thirdly, for the death that is opposite to the life of joy, the degrees of it are more sensible: Some have legall terrors, the beginnings of eternall death;Rom. 14.17.Rom 14:17 others have peace of conscience, and ioy in the holy Ghost, the beginning of eternall life. And thus much for the degrees of these deaths.

Obiect.Now hearing that all are dead in trespasses and sinnes, yee may object; If wee bee dead, why doe you preach unto us? If we be dead, we understand not, wee move not, we are not capable of what you say.

Answ. 1.To this I answer, First, there is a great difference betweene this spirituall death, and naturall death.

1For first, those who are naturally dead, understand nothing at all; but in those who are spiritually dead, there is a life of understanding, by which they themselves may know that they are dead; men who are naturally dead, cannot know they are dead.

2Secondly, those who are spiritually dead, may understand the wayes of life: though they relish them not, yet they may heare and receive them, which those who are naturally dead cannot doe.

3Thirdly, those who are spiritually dead, may come to the meanes, to the poole in p. 63which the Spirit breathes the breath of life; whereas naturally dead men cannot come to the meanes of life.

Answ. 2.Secondly I answer, that though yee are dead, yet hearing may breed life, the word can doe it. There was an end why Christ spake to Lazarus, that was dead, Lazarus come forth, because his word wrought life;Ioh. 11.43.44.John 11:43John 11:44 therefore though yee are dead, yet because the word can worke life in you, our preaching is not in vaine.

3Lastly, this death is a voluntary death. Men who are naturally dead cannot put life into themselves; no more can those who are spiritually dead when they have made themselves dead. Men die this death in a free manner; I cannot better expresse it, than by this similitude. A man that is about to commit the act of murther or treason, his friends perswade him not to doe it, for if hee doth, hee is but a dead man; yet notwithstanding he will do it; we say of such a one that hee is a dead man willingly. So wee tell men, if they doe thus and thus, that they goe downe to the Chambers of death, yet they will doe it. Hence is that Ezek. 18.31. Why will ye die, O ye house of Israel? implying that this spirituall death in sinne, is a voluntary death.

Obiect.But ye will object, men are not quite dead, there are some reliques of Gods Image still left in them; how are they then dead?

p. 64Answ.To this I answer, that there is a double Image of God; first a naturall, standing in the naturall frame of the soule, as to be immortall, immateriall; So there is understanding, will and reason, and some sparkes of life left in us, as the remainder of a stately building that is ruinated: but yet there are no sparkes of the living Image of God left in us the spirituall Image of God consisting in holinesse and true righteousnesse, Ephes. 4.24.Eph 4:24remaines not; the Papists indeed deny it, but how will they answer the rule of the Fathers: that Supernaturalia dona sunt penitus ablata, naturalia quassata; that supernaturall gifts are utterly taken away, no sparkes of them remaine.

Obiect.But it will be objected, that though men by nature have nothing left, yet there is now an universall ability and grace, an universall sufficiency given unto them.

1Answ.To this I answer, that that which they call universall grace, is the same thing that nature is, but they put another tearme upon it; it is found in nature, and common to all wherever it is, therefore it cannot be grace. For in grace there is alwayes something that is peculiar.

2Secondly, if there should bee an universall grace, the Saints would be no more beholding to God, than other men; if God give all alike to all, it should not bee God, but themselves that put the difference.

3Thirdly, if there were that generall sufficiency, p. 65it would take away all election: there might then be prescience, but no election, no predestination to death or life.

4Fourthly, if there were a generall grace, what is the reason that Paul made it such matter of difficulty to answer that question of election, Rom. 9. If Aristotle and other Heathen, if every one have such a generall sufficiency, Paul would not have made such a scrupulous answer,Rom. 11.33.Rom 11:33 and have cried out of the depth.

5Fithly, there is no such universall ability, because that which is borne of flesh is flesh, Ioh. 3.5.6.John 3:5John 3:6and that which is borne of the Spirit is Spirit; we are all borne of the flesh, and cannot therefore have this spirituall sufficiency.

Obiect.But yet there are some spirituall gifts in men.

Answ.I answer, that we cannot have these spirituall gifts if we are not borne of the Spirit; that which is borne of the flesh is flesh. Not Bellarmine himselfe, nor any man else will say that all are borne of the Spirit. It is our Saviours owne speech. Iohn 15.2. Every branch in me not bearing fruite, he taketh away, and it is cast out, and withered; that is, as the branch not being in the root, bringeth forth no fruit, so men as long as they are not ingrafted into Christ, bring forth no buds, no fruite at all; they may heare the word, but they cannot make use of it, they cannot doe it without the Spirit, and p. 66that is free: it breatheth where it listeth: cōpare Iohn 3.8. the Spirit breatheth where it listeth, with Iohn 6.44. No man can come unto mee unlesse the Father draw him, that is, not as a sheepe is lead with a bough; for Christ doth not say, no man will come, but, no man can come except the Father draw him; compell him as it were by force, not perswade him by intreatie: that is, unlesse he changeth, and taketh away his wolvish will.

Obiect.But it will be objected, that God drawes every man.

Answ.I answer, that the context concludes against this. For Christ doth bring this in, to shew the reason, why many did not receive his Doctrine; and hee concludes with this, that men therefore doe not receive it, because God doth not draw them: None can come unto me except the Father draw him.

Obiect.I will answer one objection more and so conclude: If we are dead, to what end is the Law given, why are wee commanded to doe thus and thus, if we be dead?

Answ.To this I answer, that the Law is given to this end, to shew us our weaknesse, and to leade us unto Christ: it is not giuen us to keepe exactly, for that is impossible: it was impossible to keepe it through the weaknesse of the flesh, Rom. 8.3. the Law was therefore given that wee might know our weaknesse; not that we should keepe it, but that Christs righteousnesse might bee fulfilled p. 67in us by faith. Gal. 3.24. the Law is our schoolemasted to bring us to Christ, that we might be iustified through faith, that is the end of …he Law.

Obiect.But it will be objected: that in as much as we are commanded to doe things impossible, mans nature is destroyed, for man is a free creature. Secondly, the command implies an absurdity, an impossibility, to bid a man doe that which hee cannot doe; to bid a man that is in a deepe Well, bound hand and foote, to come out himselfe is foolish; yee may blame him for falling in, it is absurd to bid him come out.

Answ.To this I answer, that there is a difference betweene the externall binding, and the bonds wherewith a man is fettered by sinne; There is an externall impediment, which a man cannot remove, as when he is fettered in the well; but there is no externall impediment, when as men are bound in the chaines of sin. When wee command you to doe thus and thus, all the businesse is with the wil, we rather say men will not, than they cannot come. There is liberty when as a man hath eligibile or non eligibile; when hee hath a thing in his owne choise, when there is no impediment, when hee may argue both wayes: If a man out of the perversnesse of his nature doth it not, it is not compulsory, but free; a beasts action is not free because hee cannot reason on both sides, but p. 68man when hee considers arguments on both sides, when hee can say, doe not doe such a thing, but doe such a thing; when he can conceive arguments on both sides, he is free; there is no such externall impediment in him, as to bid one in darkensse, to doe a thing of the light, or one bound hand and foote in a pit, to come out; since the chiefe impediment here, is in the depraved wils of men, which God doth rectifie and change by his grace and Spirit, through the use of meanes.

If then every man out of Christ bee in an estate of death,Vse 1. let every man examine himselfe, and consider whether he be a dead man or no; this is the great quere or question in this mutability and incertaintie of things. Let us make the life to come sure; our life is uncertaine here; but have we this spirituall life, are we living men? then wee are happy: but are we dead? then he that is not partaker of the first resurrection, shall not be partaker of the second. It is too late to begin to live, when we are dying, certainely the time of our naturall death is a time of spending, not of getting or inquiring after life: If yee deferre this search while yee are in health, when ye lie on your deaths bed, when ye shall see heaven and hell immediately presented unto you, this question will hold you solicitous, and then you shall see that this spirituall life, is the life indeed. The time of this naturall life, is p. 69not long; the candle burnes not long if it burne out; yet it is oftner blowne out than burnt out; men oftner fall downe than come down from the tree of life: this Tabernacle is often throwne downe before it fals downe, therefore in this short life make your selves sure of eternall life.

Now there are two things which hinder this search and inquirie after spirituall life.

1The first is a false opinion; men thinke themselves in the wayes of life, being in the wayes of death; they thinke there is a greater latitude in the Gospell than there is.

2The second is, men are not at leasure; there are millions of businesses in their heads, so that they cannot hearken to the whisperings of conscience; they have no spare time to be wise unto salvation; It will be our wisdome therefore to consider our end, Deut. 32.29. To helpe you therefore in this Quere, whether you are dead or alive? 1Consider first, if ever you have beene dead. 2Secondly, if ye have beene dead, whether yee are made alive.

1First, I say, consider whether yee have beene dead or no; I meane, whether sin hath beene made alive in you, that you might die▪ Rom. 7.9.10 I was alive without the Law once, but when the Commandement came, sinne revived, and I died; that is, the Commandement awakens my sinnes, and they being aalive I died; sinne when it affrights not a p. 70mans conscience, then hee is dead; when it wounds the conscience, then hee is alive. The Law being brought to the soule by the Spirit, yee see the rectitude of the Commandement, and your owne obliquity and crookednesse; then sinne is alive and ye die. Peter preaching to the Iewes, Acts 2. recites to them their sinne in crucifying the Lord of glory, which sinne was made alive, and pricked them at their hearts. Sinne was dead in David, till Nathan and the Law came unto him, afterward hee lived and was humbled. Luke 5. Peter seeing Christs Divinitie by the draught of Fishes, cries out, Depart from mee Lord, for I am a sinfull man; hee had sinnes in him before, but they were dead; then they were made alive. Paul, hee had sinnes that were dead in him, but when the outward light (which was but a tipe of his light within) did shine about him, then he dies, and his sinnes were made alive: So Iosephs brethren had sinnes, but they were not made alive till they were put in prison, Gen. 42.21.22.Gen 42:21Gen 42:22then their sinne in selling their brother Ioseph lived, and they died. Hath sinne ever beene alive in you by the commandement to slay you? that is, hath it bred such an apprehension in you, as of death; (not a sigh or two for a day, that is no slaying of you, but ye must apprehend sinne as death, as one that is to bee executed forthwith apprehends death, so must you apprehend sinne) then p. 71it is a signe, that there is life within you.

2Secondly, 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; Who ever is in Christ, 2 Cor. 5.17.2 Cor 5:17is a new creature; it works a generall change from death to life; it makes all our actions to bee vigorous, like the actions of living men, Old things passe away, all things become new, it makes men lead a new life: If old acquaintance and lusts would draw us away, we answer that we are dead, that we live no moe to these, that now we have not our owne wills: Christ lives in us and workes in us, Gal. 2.20. It is not I that live, but Christ lives in me. The same mind will bee in us that was in Christ Iesus, Phil. 2.5. Now if ye desire to know whether Christ live in you or no, or whether you are in an estate of death; you must see whether you have these two things which are in every one in whom Christ liveth: first see whether you live to him: He died that we should not live to our selve, 2 Cor. 5.15.2 Cor 5:15but to him alone. In morall things the end and principle are all one. Before Christ lived in you, all you did was from your selves, ye were your owne principle and end: but Christ living in you, there is another end; ye eye Christ, ye looke to him, all that ye doe is done in sinceritie, it is done for him and from him.

p. 72Quest.But how can Christ be the end of our callings, eating, drinking, and recreations?

Answ.I answer, that of every action Christ must be the end, yee must doe as a man in a journey; though every step he treades he thinkes not of his journeies end, yet the generall aime of every step must be for that end, and that causeth every step: so in all yee doe, the generall end must be Christ.

2Secondly, if Christ live in you, your hearts cleave to him, as to the Principle of life, as the child to the dug, or the element to its naturall place. What ever our life is, we cleave to it: Some place their life in their credit, take away it, and they die: others in riches; take away them, and they perish. What ever is your god, if it be taken away, you perish. Therefore Iohn. 6.68. When Christ demanded of the twelve, whether they would likewise goe away; Peter makes this answer; Lord, whither shall we goe? thou hast the words of eternall life.

3Thirdly, ye may know, what life ye liue, by the food that feedes it. Oyle feeds the Lampe, fuel the fire. If your life be fed with the duties of obedience, then yee live. If ye keepe my Commandements, yee shall live in them, saith Christ: you shall live in them as in your proper element, as the Fish in the water; every motion out of it, is to death. There are two sorts of men to whom this triall doth belong.

p. 73The first are those, who have a name they live and yet are dead, like the Church of Sardis, Rev. 3.1.

2The second to whom this belongeth, are those who are dead indeed.

1The first of these, are like the Angels that take bodies, and doe actions; they are not truly 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 bodies but onelyonly in appearance whereby they are distinguished from bodies that truly live.

1First, Angels that take assumed bodies, eate and drinke, and are not nourished:The characters of thos… that are spiritually dead. 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 reade, but they turne it not into flesh and bloud, 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 yet they grow not, because there is an Atrophy in their bodies. We preach to men, yet they are the same this yeare as 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 wit, that it makes use p. 74of 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 you will, he thrives not, hee is still on the losing hand; so these men, prosperity, adversitie, 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.

2Secondly, the motion of the Spirits that take assumed bodies, is not from any inward principall, nor 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 and the influence continues, they move. When they are sicke 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. p. 75These men have golden outsides, they seeme to have the Kings stampe upon their actions, yet they are but counterfeit; they pay God in counterfeit coine, not in currant mony; their actions have a forme of religion, 2 Tim. 3.5.2 Tim 3:5but yet the power is wanting; all they doe is but a meere formality; their Prayers, their Sabbath 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 workes, they may bee deceived with them for a time, but when death comes, they shall finde them to be but dead. Remigius a Iudge of Loraigne tells this story, that the divell in those parts did use to give money to Witches, which did appeare to be good coine, seemed to be currant money at first; but being laid up a while, it then appeared to be nothing but dried leaves: so the divell deceives men now, he makes them to doe outward actions, which have a faire shew, but when they need them, they then appeare as they are, to be nothing but dead leaves, because the principle of life is wanting.

A third propertie of assumed bodies is this, that they are taken up onelyonly for a time, and then are laid downe againe, as the Spirits that take them listed: so in these men which seeme to live, there is an inconstancy and mutability p. 76in their lives, they lay downe their religion as occasion serves. If that they did was done in respect to God, it would bee alwayes the same, their company and occasions would not alter it; but because it is not done in respect to God, therefore as their company and occasions are mutable, so is their religion.Iude 12.Jude 1:12 They are as inconstant as Clouds without raine, that are quickly scattered; like wandring Stars,Hosea 6.4.Hos 6:4 or like the morning dew, that is soone dried up. The Saints have an inequalitie in their lives, yet they never die againe; they may be sickly,2 Iude 12.Jude 1:12 but these men are twice dead, trees plucked up by the rootes, that never grow againe: The Saints may bee as sheepe soyled with a fall, but they can never become Wolves againe, but these men they turne Wolves againe, so did Pharoah and Saul. The Saints have their Turbida intervalla, their ebbing and flowing, their full and their waine; but yet all these cloudings doe but obscure their graces not extinguish them: the darkenesse of the night extinguisheth not the light of the Stars, but covers it; so doe these cloudings but only cover the graces of the Saints. All the goodnesse of other men that seeme to live, are but Lucida intervlla, they are good but by fits, when as those that live are bad but by fits, Nullum fictum est diuturnum, their goodnes is but counterfeit, therefore it lasts not, it holds not out.

p. 774Another distinguisher of these walking Ghosts from living, is this: the actions they doe, they doe them not as living men do, they make apparitions onelyonly and vanish. Those men that have nothing but civility, it quickly vanisheth, they are like the Church of Sardis, Reve. 3.1. that had a name shee lived, and yet was dead: their workes are not perfect throughout, they were but linsey-wolsey, they were not thorow paced in the wayes of God, but shuffell; they graspe at both, and comprehend neither; they doe many things, but not all. As the young man that came to Christ, Christ looked on him, and loved him; what distinguished him? one thing was wanting,Mar. 10.21.Mark 10:21 his workes were not perfect, his heart was set upon his wealth, he would doe any thing else, his heart was not weaned or divorced from it. Saul had a name to live, but yet his workes were not perfect, when Samuel came not, 1 Sam. 13.8.9.10.1 Sam 13:81 Sam 13:91 Sam 13:10then hee was discovered; that was but his triall, he would not rest in God. Herod did many things, yet he was not perfect,Mar. 6.20.Mark 6:20 hee would not leave his incest; so all that have but a forme of religion they are Wolves though they have a sheepish outside, they are not perfect, ye shall know them by their workes.

But what workes are those that we cannot see them doe?Quest.

Answ.I answer, they may be exact in the first, yet faile in the second Table, and those that practise p. 78the duties of the second Table, faile in the duties of the first. If men be exact in the duties of both Tables, their religion is pure and undefiled, Iam. 1.27. If they faile in the duties of one table, to make their religion pure, is to mend in the other. These civill men wrong no man, yet they content themselves with a bare formalitie; this is not pure Religion: we say this is pure Religion, if yee bee fervent in prayer, and content not your selves with formality of Religion without the power.

5Lastly, these walking ghosts, doe but shew themselves to men, they company not with them; yee see them and heare no more of them. Ye shall know living men▪ by their companying and loving of the Saints; as sheepe and doves they are never out of company, and keepe no other company but their owne. Yee shall finde in others these differences.

1First, either they delight not in all the Saints; We must love all the Saints, this particle all, is put in all Pauls Epistles; these love not all the Saints.Ephe. 1.15. Col. 1.4. 2 Thes. 1.3.Eph 1:15Col 1:42 Thess 1:3

2Secondly, if they love all the Saints, yet they love not the Saints onelyonly, yee must love none but the Saints. If yee love the Saints because they are Saints, then those who are not Saints, ye doe not love; that is, yee love none with the love of friendship, and intimate p. 79familiaritie but the Saints; yet love them with a love of pitty, and we all faile in this love.

3Thirdly, they doe not love those that excell in vertue. If your hearts be not right,Psal. 16.….Ps 16 ye dislike all those that goe beyond you in holinesse, and practise.

4Lastly, though they make a shew, they love them, yet they doe not shew the effects of their loves to them. And thus much for the helpes and discovery of the first sort of men, that have a name they live, and yet are dead.

2The second sort of men to whom this use is directed, are those who are quite dead;The markes and signes of those wh… are spiritually dead. yee shall know them by these markes or Symptomes.

1First, yee shall finde coldnes… in them; in death there is no heate: so their prayers and performances are cold, they are dead, wanting fervency.

Obiect.But the Saints want heate as well as others, they also are cold.

Answ.I answer, though sometimes they want it, yet they are quickly made hot againe, because there is life in them; as Charcole is quickly kindled, because it hath beene in the fire, so the Saints are soone kindled, brcause they had fire in thē before. Others are as greene wood, or rather as matter that is not combustible, as the Adamant, that will not bee made hot with fire; Living men, admonitions and the p. 80fire of good company will heate againe, so wil it not the others.

Secondly, ye shall know them by their stifnesse and hardnesse. It is a signe of death to be inflexible: Wicked men are as hard as flint to Gods commandes, but as soft as waxe to that which humors them. Are yee tractable? Do you delight in your owne wayes, and yet continue the same men, keepe the same company? Doe yee abide still in the same place, or goe on in the same tract? then ye are dead: In many things you may be tractable, but the maine is, whether yee are flexible in those things that are connaturall unto you. These deale with us as Iohanan did with Ieremiah, Ier. 42. He said he would goe downe into Egypt, hee would doe any thing, that God should hid him, whether it were good or bad; but when Ieremy had told him and the people that they must not goe downe into Egypt, then they say that he spake falsely, God did not send him with such a message: If Gods will had suted with his, hee would have done what hee would have had him to doe: your triall is when you must offer up your Isaacke, when you must part with those things that are most sweete unto you.

3Thirdly, dead men are sencelesse, like Idols that the Psalmist speakes of: they have eyes and see not, Psal. 115.4.5. Psal. 135.15.16.Ps 115:4Ps 115:5Ps 135:15Ps 135:16eares and heare not, mouthes and speake not, feet and walke not, they have sences to discerne, but there is yet an inward eye, they p. 81want; they see no beauty in the wayes of God; therefore they thinke there is no such matter, because they have eyes and see it not, they have mouthes and taste it not, they relish it not, they smell no sweet savour from the graces of the Saints, when as the graces of the Saints have a sweet savour, like an ointment powred out, Cant. 1.2. So for feeling, they feele not, they are not sencible of the judgements or threatnings; the Law nor the Gospell move them not, they have hard and insensible hearts; the more insencible they are, it is a signe, they are more dead: the more sencible wee are of the threatnings or promises, the more life is in us.

Lastly, dead men are speechlesse;Mat. 12.34.Matt 12:34 there is no breath in them. Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. The drie and empty channell drives not the mill, but a full streame sets it on worke. If the heart bee full of life, the tongue is full of good speeches, Prov. 10. The words of the righteous are as fined silver, because there is a treasure within them; but the words of the wicked are nothing worth, because their hearts are evill. As it is said of evill men, that their tongues are set on fire of hell; so the tongues of the righteous are set on fire by heaven. Esay 19.18. they speake the language of Canaan. In hypocrites there is loquacity as blasing meteors, and in Saints there is sometimes an indisposition by reason of some sinnes, p. 82which make them like to springs that are dammed up with stones and mudde. Yet judge not of them by such fits, but take them as they are in their ordinary course; the mouth speaketh out of the abundance of the heart. Every man is delighted in some genious operations, in things that are sutable to him; if there be aboundance of life, aboundance of grace within a man, he delights to speake of it: as all men are severally disposed, such are their speeches. Now all these are privative signes of death, I will adde one more that is positive.

5Fiftly, looke what life a man lives, he drawes to him the things that nourish it, and expelleth that which hinders it. If a man bee alive to sinne, he drawes that which is sinfull, but holinesse and the meanes of grace, he expels as contrary to him: What doth satisfie his lusts, that he doth; he may doe good for a time, but he is quickly sicke of it.

Obiect.But I doe much good, I abstaine from much evill, may some men say.

Answ.To this I answer, that if one member lives, it is a signe the whole body lives; so if one mortall sinne live in you, it is a signe you are dead. Truth of grace cannot stand with one mortall sinne unrepented, unsubdued: one disease kils a man as well as an hundred; so one living lust kils you: Doth any lust live and reigne in you, it kils you.

Obiect.But what is it to live and to reigne?

p. 83Answ.I answer, when a man ceaseth to maintaine warre with his lust, and resists it not; when a man layes downe the weapons, when he seeth his lust is naturall to him, and therefore yeelds unto it, then it reignes in him. There is no man that lives the life of grace, but hee hath this propertie, that hee strives against all sinne to the utmost, not in shew, but in sinceritie; he strives against the occasions of sinne though they foile him; hee still maintaines warre against them, and so they live, and reigne not in him.

2. If every man out of Christ be in an estate of death, let us not deferre repentance,Vse 2. but doe it whilst wee may. Repentance makes a dead man to be a living man: What is it that makes you deferre repentance? Yee thinke yee can change your courses, and sorrow when you list, therefore ye deferre it. If men be dead, and repentance puts as it were a new soule into them, makes them to passe from death to life, then it is not so easie a thing. Suppose yee had Ezekiahs warning, Esay 38.1.Isa 38:1is it in your power to make your selves live? No, it is beyond your power; God onelyonly can doe it. Every man lies before God, as that clod of earth, out of which Adam was made. God must breathe life into him, else hee continues dead. God doth not breathe life into all, He quickens whom hee will. Ioh. 5.21.John 5:21It is your wisdome therefore to waite on him in his Ordinances: if ye have good motions p. 84begun in you, presse them forwards, they are ofsprings of life. Thinke seriously, am I dead or alive? If dead, why then say, its not in my power to quicken me, its onelyonly in God to doe it, and he doth this but in few, those whom he quickneth are but as grapes after the Vintage, Ier. 3.14. Esay 17.6.Jer 3:14Isa 17:6or as the Olives after the beating; how then shall I bee in the number? Give your selves no rest; know that it is God that breatheth, and then depend on him. Make that use of the doctrine of election, with care and more solicitude to looke to your selves. God workes both the will and the deede of his good pleasure, Phil. 2.13.Phil 2:13worke out therefore your salvation with feare and trembling. If repentance bee a passage from death to life, if it bee such a change, then labour for to get it. The Spirit doth not alwayes strive with men;Gen. 6.3.Gen 6:3 yee are not alwayes the same, yee will sticke in the sand, grow worse and worse, if yee grow not better and better. No more power have you to change your selves, than the Blackmore hath to change his skinne, Ier. 13.23.Jer 13:23or the Leopard his spots; the time will come, when you shall say as Spira did: O how doe I desire faith, would God I had but one drop of it; and for ought wee know he had it not.

Thirdly, learne from hence to judge aright of naturall men;Vse 3. for all the excellency they have, yet they are but dead men; If a man be dead, wee doe not regard his beauty; all p. 85excellencies in naturall men, are but dead. It is a hinderance in the wayes of God, to over-valew outward excellencies, and to despise others that want these trappings: let us say, for all these excellencies, yet he is but a dead man, wee know none after the flesh any more, 2 Cor. 5.16. Againe for your delight in them, know that this death differs from naturall death, for these dead men are active, and ready to corrupt others, they have an influence, that doth dead those, who are conversant with them, sinne communicates as well as grace. Nothing so great a quench-cole, as the company of bad men: there is an operative vertue in them to quench mens zeale, as the droppings of water will quench the fire, though they cannot wholly extinguish it being once kindled.

Fourthly, if all out of Christ are dead,Vse 4. learne to judge of the Ordinances of God, and the meanes of salvation, let us not undervalue nor over-value them; the Ordinances cannot bring life of themselves, no, 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 therfore be fixed on Christ, beseech him to put life into you, and pray to God for a blessing on the meanes: the Ordinances p. 86are but dead Trunkes, as Pens without Inke, or Conduit-pipes without water. Learne then that God doth convey life by the Ordinances, that they themselves cannot give life, therefore doe not over-valew them. Yet know withall, that God doth not worke but by his Ordinances; the spirit breathes not in Taverns or Play-houses, but in the Church assemblies. Act. 10.44. 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, do not over-value them, but yet neglect them not: neglect not the Sacrament, ye know not what ye do when ye neglect to receive it, ye think that yee ate and drink your own damnation, 1 Cor. 11.29.1 Cor 11:29if ye receive it unreverently; Absence from it is a sinne as well as the remisse and negligent receiving of it. Sicknesse 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,Levit. 23.29.30.Lev 23:29Lev 23:30 he that came not to the Passeover, must bee cut off from the children of Israel; the p. 87same Equitie 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 so strong in faith as ye need it not? To bee absent from the Word, yee thinke it a sinne: so it is to be absent from the Sacrament; nothing can excuse you. If a master bid his servant do 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 commiting any grosse sinnes; the unfitnesse will not excuse you. If a man hath an occasion to ride a journey, if he misse one day, hee will take the next: so ye if ye misse the Sacrament once, be sure to take it the next time▪ It is **The Sacrament is administred twice every Terme, and sometimes thrice.devided here, that so if ye 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 chiefest part of God worship; therefore give it the chiefest respect. Now from hence see the necessitie 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 point, that all men out of Christ are in a state of death.

p. 88We come now to the second, which 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 ye receive by being in Christ; we cannot goe throughout all particulars, but we 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 greatest 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 2.4. Beyond experience, God himselfe threatens death to Adam, as the greatest evill; The day that thou eatest of it, thou shalt die the death. Gen. 3.3. 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 nourishing 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, he 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.

p. 891First, that there is such a life as this.

2Secondly, 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,That there is a spirituall life. Matth. 13 55.Matt 13:55 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,1 Cor. 10. & 11.1 Cor 10 under the base elements of Bread and Wine; he hides the wisdome of God, under the foolishnesse of preaching:1 Cor. 1.21.1 Cor 1:21 he hides those whom the world is not worthy of, under sheepes Skinnes, and Goates Skinnes, Heb. 11. yea, Col. 3.3. Our lives are hid with Christ in God.

But from whom is this life hidden?Quest.

Answ.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 it hidden?

Answ.I answer, that it is hidden: First,Quest. 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.

2Secondly, it is hidden with a base outside, 2. Cor. 6.10. 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:Eay 53.2. and so have the Saints being conformable to him; they are like other men for their outsides.

3Thirdly, it is hidden with mis-reports, thus Christ himselfe was hidden; he was counted p. 90a wine-bibber, Luke 7.34. Matth. 9.34.Luke 7:34Matt 9:34a friend of Publicans and sinners; one casting out divels by Belzebub: and therefore he became a stumbling blocke unto many.Esay 8.14.Isa 8:14 The Saints are likewise mis-represented, 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 wayes of God, Act. 13.10. that is, they make them seeme crooked, though they are straight, notwithstanding, they pervert them, as a crooked, or false glasse, perverts 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, and yet is straight in it selfe.

Quest.But in what is it hidden?

Answ.I answer, that it is hidden in Christ, as in the fountaine,Col. 3.3.Col 3:3 as in the heart and soule, as in the subject wherein it dwels. Men what ever they professe, beleeve not this, that there is such a life, 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 be as hard to beleeve them, as you will be to beleeve that there is such a life; Wee will therefore say something, without the Scriptures, to perswade you that there is such a life as this.

First, there is a life which the foule and spirits lives; as the Angels they move, act, and understand; though they eate not; there p. 91is therefore a life, besides this common life.

2Secondly, 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 or seated in the body, as other faculties are: the visive facultie must have an eye to see, the hearing facultie 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 onelyonly useth those things that are presented to it by the phansie. 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 p. 92are said to be, where they worke, because they hauehave no bodies as we have, to make them bee locally there: so the soule it also lives, where it is occupied; as if it be occupied about heavenly things,Phil. 3.20.Phil 3:20 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 the 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.

1First, yee 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; therefore they have a retired and inward life at home.

2Secondly, 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. Thes. 3.8.

p. 933Thirdly, they care not what they lose to get advantage to God; they are content to be despised, contemned, to suffer Torments, Heb 11.37.Heb 11:37imprisonments 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. We 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 our readinesse to bee exposed to death; all which shewes, that there are some that leade an other life.

Obiect.But it will be objected, that the superstitious, and those of another religion, will suffer death as well as the Saints: and morall 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 proue not the point sufficiently.

Answ.I answer, that it is true, that superstition doth worke much like Religion, morall 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 he sees, therefore a living man that doth see, doth but p. 94as hee: 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 holynesse, therefore true holinesse doth them not: They may be 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.

1First, 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 spheare; the one doth it from grace, the other from delusion: the outward acts are alike, but the inward principles differ.

2Secondly, morrall vertue and Christian holinesse differ in working, the last is done of a sudden. 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 habits by frequent acts and education, they are moulded to it by little and little.

3Thirdly, in morrall men the change is never generall, there is no new birth in them; but in the Saints, All things are new, 2. Cor. 5.17.18.

p. 954Fourthly, morallitie doth never change nature, but grace doth: the most wilde man in a country, the unlikeliest man of all others, Religion makes him a Lambe of a Lion, though it were unprobable.

5Fifthly, what did mortall 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.

6Lastly, 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 propensivenesse, connaturally, and readily; so doth not the other. Those who have onelyonly common grace, doe all from respects and by-ends, their holinesse is but by flashes and by 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 downewards, which moves faster and faster, till it falles to the Center, where it would be.

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 p. 96not 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 hypocrisie. These reasons may prepare and confirme, but they cannot perswade; we must therefore beleeve that there is such a life. Iohn 3, Christ treates of this, that there is such a life; he tels Nicodemus, that hee 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 be beleeved, that there is such a life: sense beleeves it not, yet it is easier to beleeve it, because it is wrought on earth; others 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 be beleeved. And thus much for the first part of the doctrine; that there is such a life.

2For the second, what this life is; yee may know one Contrary by another;What spirituall life is. wee have shewed already what death that is contrary to it, is, by which yee may partly perceive, what this life is; yet wee will give you some other signes how to know it. This life is a reall life, as reall as the other, though it consist not in eating and drinking, as the other doth; it is a life of faith, it is not p. 97seene, yet it is as reall as the common life, as will appeare by comparing it with the common life.

1First, 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, 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 realitie in this life as well as in the naturall life.

2Secondly, 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 chearish it: so in this life of grace, there in an appetite; those that live it, they are carried to the things that helpe them, they hunger after the Word, and that which build… them up; they abhorre sinne and lust that would destroy them.

3Thirdly, as in the naturall life, so in this, there is a taste, a palate, that helps this appetite. Rom. 12.2. Be 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 bee able to discerne of it, as the touchstone discernes of gold, or the taste and palate of meates.

4Fourthly, as in the other life there is hunger and thirst, so is there in this; men who live it are sensible of paines, and refreshings, they p. 98are sensible of sinne, judgements and threatnings, which others are not, being hard and dead.

5Fiftly, as the other life is fed with food, so is this: the food which a man eats is not presently turned into flesh and bloud that nourisheth; but there is a nutritive facultie, that nourisheth and turnes all we eate into nourishment: So the Saints who live this life have a nutritive facultie, 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 eflectuall power, working in every part, increase, and edifie themselves in love.

6Lastly, as this common life hath beside other things that maintaine it, some other indowm…nts 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,Psal. 91.9.Ps 91:9 company, habitation, (God is our habitation from everlasting) with the same realitie, though not with the same visibility, and so exposed to sence as the other. The cause of this life is the holy Ghost, Ioh. 6.63.John 6:63who is to the soule, as the soule is to the body; hee is the cause of it: the end of it,Rom. 11.36.Rom 11:36 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 realitie in your actions tending to God, when he is your aime, then ye live this life.

p. 99If this bee the condition of all that are in Christ, to live and bee quickned,Vse 1. see what is expected from you to whom this talent is committed; every excellency is a talent, it must not lie dead, but bee improved for our masters use: the sinne is great if ye 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. Bee exhorted then to live this life: some live much in a short time; some never live this life at all; one man may live more in one day, than another man in an 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 hee that is occupied about riches or honours, is dead: all that time that men are occupied about riches and their estates, about credit, honours, and the like, making them their end, is a time of death: yee have lived no longer than yee have acted duties of new obedience. If you summe 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 matter; so if you consider your lives, and see how long yee p. 100have lived in death, bungling out your time; you will see that yee have lived but little in a long time; therfore now be doing something; redeeme the time;Ephes. 5.16.Eph 5:16 bee busie 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, bee not blowne out. So did Christ, so did Moses, so did Paul, making the Gospell to abound from Ierusalem to Illyricum:Exod. 3. &c. Rom. 15.19.20. Act. 13.36.Exod 3Rom 15:19Rom 15:20Acts 13:36 so did David, the text saith, that he served his time; hee did not idle it out, that is, hee lived not as his owne master, but hee did doe all to God, as to a master: All the worthies of the Church have lived thus: and not onelyonly they, but poore Christians likewise are still doing, they serve God and men, they are usefull, they are the men that live. Those who spend their time in sports, in gaming, in businesse, in serving wealth and honour, in morall discourses, in Histories, in hearing and telling of newes,Act. 17.21.Acts 17:21 as the Athenians did: these are dead men, they doe not live: As we say of Trees, that if they bring not forth fruit, they are dead; so what ever men doe if they bring not forth fruit, if they glorifie not God, they are dead. See what a price is put into 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: p. 101take therefore the Apostles exhortation, Gal. 6. While yee have time doe good: life is but an acting, yee then live when ye are doing good▪ We see how many men fall from the Tree of life, as leaves in Autumne; the candle of this life is quickly blowne out: have therefore a better life in store, bee not alwayes building, never inhabiting, alwayes beginning, never finishing; Stultitiae semper incipit vivere; folly alwayes beginns to live: It is the fault of most men, they are alwayes beginning, and neuer goe on. L…t us take therefore the Apostles counsell, 1 Pet. 4.3. Thinke it sufficient that we have walked formerly, as we have done; the time which remaines, let us reckon it precious, and bestow it to better purpose.

Secondly, if every one that is in Christ,Vse 2. be in an happy estate of life; then let men from hence know their state and condition, let them often reflect on their priviledges, behaving themselves as men, that prize them, and bestowing their time as well as may bee; let as few rivulets runne out of this streame as you can. Wee pray,Matth. 6.10.Matt 6:10 that wee may doe Gods Will on earth, as perfect as the Angels doe it in heaven; wee should therefore practise this as we pray for: their life is without interruption, they are in communion with God; let us then be alwayes doing, having our thoughts above; let not cares and businesse call us off; but let us comfort our selves in God, acting that p. 102which is for his glory: wherefore prize this life, esteeme it much, know what ye have by Christ, and consider the excellency of this life above all others. 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.

1Answ.First, it is an eternall life. Ioh. 6. Your fathers did eate Manna and died, but hee that eateth of this bread, shall die 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 Ioh. 4. Those that drinke of this water shall thirst againe, that is, those that live another life than this, shall die and thirst; but those that live this life, shall never die. 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 mindes and intends, it is in potestate honorantis, there is no constancy in it, it is brickle. If a man lives in wealth, sets his minde on it: Why riches take their wings and fly away, Pro. 23. and then their life is ended. So if a man lives in pleasure and musicke, they passe away, and then he is dead; those who live in these things p. 103suffer many sicknesses and many deaths, as their hearts are more intent upon them.Quest. But it may be wee may not minde these things? Yes, as if we minded thē not, as a man that hears a tale, and hath his mind elsewhere,1 Cor. 7.29.30.1 Cor 7:291 Cor 7:30 or as a man that baits at an Inne, his minde being somewhere else; If yee mind them, ye die in them; he that minds the best things, never dies, because there is no change in them. God is alwayes the same; his favour and love is constant; see therefore that yee prize them. As a time that is infinitely long, exceeds that which is a but a span long in quantity, so doth this life exceed the naturall life, in perpetuity, and excelles all other lives in excellencie.

2Secondly, this life is a life indeed; as that that feeds it is meate indeed; the other is not so:Ioh. 6.55.John 6:55 looke upon all the comforts of this present life, they are not such indeed; take wealth, pleasures, honours and the like; wealth is but a false treasure: Luke 16.11. it is called the unrighteous Mammon, the false treasure; (Et 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: p. 104the riches the comforts of this life, and onelyonly these are riches and 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 taste sweetnesse indeed in them. One that is weary, being refreshed with sleepe finds sweetnesse and ease; but it is another refreshing, that those finde who have beene weary and heavie laden with sinne, Matth. 11.28.Matt 11:28and are n…w 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 we have in Christ, that we are Sonnes of God, and heires of Heaven, Rom. ….16. 1 Ioh. 3.1.2.17.1 John 3:11 John 3:21 John 3:17this 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 bloud are meate and drinke indeed; that remission of sinnes, and peace of conscience, are comforts indeed, peace indeed; they are such now, though ye thinke not so; yee shall then know, that this life is life indeed.

Thirdly, this life of grace is a prevailing life, swallowing up the other 2 Cor. 5.4. the Apostle p. 105desired death: not to be uncloathed, but to be cloathed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life; that is, desiring death, I desire not 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; I desire a life to swallow up this life; not as a Gulfe swallowes that which is cast into it, or as fire swallowes up the wood, by consuming it, but a life that swallowes it up, as perfection swallowes up imperfection, as the perfecting of a picture swallowes up the rude draught, as perfect skill swallowes up bungling, or as manhood swallowes up childhood, not extinguishing it, but drowning or rather perfecting it that it is not seene. The life of grace being perfect, swallowes up imperfection; he that lives the life of grace, hath the imperfections of this naturall life swallowed up: For example; before wee live this life▪ we magnifie riches, honours, and Gugaes; but the list of grace comming, wee have other kindes of comforts then: as a man that is to be made a Prince, contemnes the things hee before admired. The weakenesses we are subject to, are swallowed up in this life: al sicknesse and trouble ar swallowed up in this: so are all our frailties, and imperfections. This should teach us to set a high prize upon this life of grace; that we dye no more if we live it; that it is a life indeed, that it swallowes up this other life; compare it p. 106with other lives, it far excels thē all: this therefore should move us to desire and seeke it.

Secondly, this life of grace must needes be more excellent than the common life, because it makes a man a better man, much better than he was, this puts man into a better condition: elevates and puts him into a condition equall to the Angels, and beyond in some respects. That yee may understand this, yee must know that every thing is made better, by mingling it with things that are better than it selfe, as Silver being mixed with Gold, Water with Wine, are made better than they were before. There are two things required to make a thing better. First, that that thing with which it is mixed, be of a better nature than the thing it selfe. Secondly, that there be a good union. Nothing puts so high a degree of excellency into us as this, that we are united unto God; this uniting to God is the chiefest good. Secondly, this union betwixt God and us is a perfect union. There are many unions; as first there is a relative union, such as is betweene man and wife. Secondly there are artificiall and natural unions, as when two peeces of bords are put together, so that one touch the other: so when graine, and graine of another sort are mixed together; there is a nearer union than this, when as water and water are mixed together: nearer than this, is the union that is betwixt the soule and the body, Such a p. 107union as this, is there betweene us and Christ: we are in him, as the branches in the vine, Ioh. 15.1.2.John 15:1John 15:2wee are incorporated and knit to him, this puts us into an higher degree of excellency: silver mixed with gold is better▪ yet if we could take the spirits out of gold, and make silver take the nature and quality of it, it would be much better. Wee put on the Spirit and quality of Christ, when as we live this life▪ Lusts which are most contrary to this life, puts us below men, and makes us worse than Beasts; this life puts us beyond men, and makes us equall with Angels. All men desire some excellency which is done by adding something to them; some desire wealth, some learning, some honour. Consider then if yee live this life, yee goe beyond all others: nothing beyond Gods Image; nothing better to be united to than God: let this set the life of grace at a high rate in your affections; men do it not, and therefore they despise religion in its selfe, and in those in whom it appeares.

3Thirdly, yee have this advantage in this life of grace, it addes liberty to you, it makes you to doe those things that otherwise yee could not doe: it makes yee to pray, to repent, to beleeve, and to doe those things without which there is no salvation: looke on Christ. There are but few that can doe this: there are few that can delight in God, relish the word in its purity, take pleasure in the company p. 108of the Saints: comfort themselves in the Lord their God; this life gives liberty, which is an addition of some perfection: it makes us to do things, that we could not doe before, and to doe them in another manner. A man having gotten an Art, hath liberty to doe those things which before he could not: as one that hath gotten the Art of logicke or geometry, can doe that which before he could not doe: as one in health hath liberty to doe that which he could not doe being sicke: water being hot, hath liberty to hea…e, which it could not before. There is no liberty to doe holy actions, but this liberty of the life of Grace: the Spirit of life addes liberty to doe the actions of life. 2 Cor. 3.17. Where the Spirit of God is, there is liberty, to doe things which before we could not; as one having an Art can doe things that hee could not doe before: This, though you prise it not, whiles your mountaine is strong, yet the time will come when yee will need liberty to pray, repent, and trust in God; and then ye will find the preciousnesse of it: this then sets a price upon this life of Grace, and should make you to desire it.

Vse. 3.Thirdly, if it be a happy condition, and the priviledge of those who are in Christ, that there is such a life for them; let this …each men to seeke, to live this life of grace, to get it if they have it not; to confirme it if they have it; to abstaine from lust, the sicknesse p. 109of the soule, and the meanes to quench this life: take heede of estranging your selves from God, who is the principle of this life, take heed of dejections of mind, the cloudings that damp this life. This life is to be active, to act much in the wayes of God; when a man is cheerefull and vigorous, he lives a life of nature; so he that hath a quicke and nimble sence, and is forward and busy in good workes, lives most this life of grace: He that rejoyceth most in God, hath most comforts, most life; Take heed of the contraries. Idlenesse, sencelessenesse, and barrennesse are contrary to life; take heed of them; take heed of sadnesse that rusts the wheeles of the soule, whereas joy doth oyle them. Doe all to further this life; avoid all that hinders it. Labour now to bee translated from death to life; that which hinders us, is, that we thinke we are in a state of life, when we are not. Now yee may know whether ye are alive or no, by seeing whether yee are dead or no; But because yee may be certaine whether ye are alive or not; I will give you some positive signes of life to know it.

1First, ye are translated from death to life, yee are living men if ye love the Brethren, 1 Ioh. 3.14. If a man be a living man, he lives in another element than he did before; Every living man converseth with those of the same kind,Signes of spirituall life. as every creature doth; Sheepe with Sheepe, Lyons with Lyons, Doves with Doves; so p. 110living men will converse with living men. Not loving the brethren, wee are in a state of death. Every creature must have an element to live in; a new life must have a new element: evill men out of their companies are as Fish out of the water. Every life hath likewise a taste and appetite; a new life hath a new taste and judgement. Pro. 29.27. An unjuste man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way, is an abomination to the wicked: that is, one hates the thing that the other loves: he that is alive, the things which before he loved, he now hates: he abhors the things, that evill men delight in. That which is a dogs meate, is a sheepes poyson, as the proverb is: so that which wicked men delight in, is as odious as poyson to the just. To judge this life by; see what your company and delights are, nothing can be lesse dissembled than company. In his company man doth speake out of the abundance of the heart, he then bewrayes himselfe what he is: there is no dead man, no living man but he is inward with the like: no signe so much poynted at in the Scripture, as this, Yee are translated from death to life, if yee love the brethren, 1 Ioh. 3.14. and Ioh. 13.35. By this shall all men know that yee are my disciples, if yee love one another: this rule will not deceive you.

2Secondly, yee may know whether yee live this life, if ye contend for it: that life which p. 111a man lives, for it he will contend; he will let any thing goe rather than it. If yee live this life of grace, yee will maintaine it: and yee can doe no otherwise: 1 Iohn. 3.9. Hee that is borne of God cannot sinne: to be borne of God, is to leade a new life; he that lives a new life, admits not the things which tend to the destruction of it: Compare this with the 1. Pet. 2.11. Abstaine from fleshly lusts, which fight against the soule: hee that is borne of God sinnes not; that is, hee yeelds not to sinne with his good will, but struggles against it; as one in health strives against sickenesse, resists the disease, and maintaines a warre against it.

Object.But yet the best are foyled:

Answ.Tis true, yet they strive, they never yeeld; they maintaine a warre: and this they doe not onelyonly by discourse, but there is a naturall instinct that puts them forwards: they may be cast backe, yet they returne againe: they may have a sickenesse, that takes away sence: they may swound and be astonished for a time, yet after they contend for life: Every evill man contends for his life: he leades his life in some lust or other, from which if he be drawne hee returnes againe; as a thing that is lifted from the earth, will fall downe to it againe: he reckons the wayes of God hard, and opposite to him: The wisedome of the Spirit is enmity to the flesh: neyther can it be subiect to the Law p. 112of God, Rom. 8. it cannot but resists it. Every creature labours to mainetaine its being: so evill men continuing in sinne, strive naturally against all that would bring them out of this life of sinne: So the Saints they live a life of grace, and labour to maintaine it. Iohn. 6.68▪ Christ asking his Disciples whether they also would goe away? Peter made this answer, Lord whither shall wee goe? thou hast the words of eternall life; that is, whiles we conceive thee to be the principle and fountaine of this life, we cannot depart from thee. The Saints wil let go friends and life, and all for this life. Count therefore of others and judge of your selves, by contesting for this life: strive to mainetaine it, let all goe rather than it.

Thirdly, yee may know whether yee have this life in you or not, by the fruites of it, as the tree is knowne by its fruites. If the word turne the flocke into its owne nature, ye know it by the fruites. Gal. 5.25. If ye live in the Spirit, ye will also walke in the Spirit; that is, if ye professe your selves holy men, shew it by walking in the Spirit: holy men will bee doing that which is good. This is the surest triall, our workes will not deceive us: other things which consist in imagination may. 1 Ioh. 3.10. In this the Children of God are manifest and the children of the Divill: who doth not righteousnes is not of God, he that is of God doth not unrighteousnesse. Consider then what your walke and p. 113your actions are, and by them ye shall know this life.

Obiect.But how shall we know whether we walke in the Spirit or no?

Answ.I answere first, that there are many by-walkes, and if ye walke but in one of them, yee walke in the flesh, and not in the Spirit. Iam. 1.26. If any man seeme to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his owne heart, this mans religion is vaine: that is, hee that makes this sinne his trade, and walkes ordinarily in it, his religion is vaine. Secondly, yee may know it by the guides yee follow. Evill men they follow three guides. Ephe. 2.3. they follow first the world, secondly, the Divill, thirdly, the flesh. Holy men have three contrary guides, first, the renewed part within: secondly, the holy Ghost; thirdly, the course of the Saints. Goe ye the broad way? oportet Sanctos vadere per diverticula, the Saints doe not so: Follow yee the streame? fulfill yee the will of flesh, or of the Spirit? what are your actions? Ephe. 4.17. I charge you that you henceforth walke not as the Gentiles doe in the vanity of their mindes: that is, holy men may have vanity in their mindes, yet they walke not in it as others doe: evill men may have other thoughts; yet they walke in the vanity of their mindes; and albeit that evill men walke not in all the waies of sin, yet they are dead: there is but one way to hit the marke, p. 114but there are a thousand by-wayes: a holy man may stumble in the wayes of God, and have some foyles, but he leades not his life in sinne, he strives against it: hee that leades his life in any knowne sinne, not resisting it, and will doe it, and not crosse himselfe in it, is dead; his religion is vaine.

Obiect.But what actions are there, that holy men doe, but that wicked men and others doe them?

Answ.I answere; that there is no good actions we doe but they may be dead workes: as men may pray, and keepe the Sabbath, yet they may be but dead workes: they may doe them for a shew, yet they are dead. A shaddow hath all the liniaments of a body, yet it wants life; so the workes of hypocrites, they want life; consider therefore, whether your workes are living workes; you may know it by these three signes.

1First, if they proceed from the fountaine of life, they are not dead workes; compare Gal. 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 that proceeds not 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 p. 115are never so specious, they are but dead works. It is no matter whether ye pray or not, whether ye receive the Sacrament, keepe the Sabbaths or not, they helpe not a jot unlesse they come from the principle of life, a new creature.

2Secondly, consider the manner of their working: they will bee done with quicknesse and vivacity: Men doe 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.

3Thirdly, ye may know them by their end; looke ye 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 ye bring forth fruites to your selves and not to God, ye are but empty Vines, God accepts you not.

4Fourthly, this life is discovered by your behaviour to the meanes of life, when they are brought unto you: when there is no sound, no voyce, there is no distinction twixt a deafe, and a hearing man: where there is no light▪ there is no difference twixt a seeing man, and a blind: but the light differs them. So p. 116when as the sound and light of the Gospel comes,Act. 17.30.Acts 17:30 then men are tryed: In times of ignorance, God regards not men so much, but now in the time of the Gospell, see if it be powerfull, and whether you set your selves about holy duties. Matth. 3.10. Now is the Axe laide 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 be dead, till it withers▪ no man will cut downe a tree in winter, because hee 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 laide to the roote of the tree with them; it is a signe they are dead, if they profit not by it.

15Fiftly, yee may know whether yee have this life by the food it is fed with; severall lives are fed with severall foode. Now the foode of this new life of grace is double▪ first, the word; secondly, good workes. First, the word, 1 Pet. 2.2.5. 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 ye are alive as you p. 117professe your selves to be, you shall know it by your behaviour to that which doth nourish your life. First, ye will long after the word, as the Child doth after the Teate. If the Child be hungry, neither 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; Either they will live where the word is, or they will bring the word home to them; they will bring themselves to it, or it to them. 2Secondly, 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. 3Thirdly, they desire it, that they may grow thereby: many desire it to know it onelyonly: if ye desire it as new borne babes, it will make you better and better; you will grow by it: Many heare, but as men having an Atrophy in their bodies, they grow not, no fruite comes thereby. 4Fourthly, they taste a sweeenesse in the word above others:Matth. 13.20. Mark…. 6.20.Matt 13:20 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,Psal. 19.10.Ps 19:10 that the pure word is sweeter to them than Hony or the Hony Combe. Iob he esteemed the word more than his appointed food, Iob. 23.12. p. 118The second food of this life i… good works, 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 he 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 ye 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 ye are in a state of death: the Law must goe before the Gospel, to prepare its way, Math. 3.2.Matt 3:2as Iohn Baptist was before Christ: ye must be brought to their case in the 2 Act. 37. Who were pricked at the heart; ye must be brought unto the case of the Iayl…, Act. 16. Luk▪ 15.16.17.Acts 16Luke 15:16Luke 15:17and of Paule: to the case of the Prodigall, that you may know your estate: then yee will come home and not before. 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 terror, 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 p. 119whilst 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. Math. 25.Matt 25We 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 judgements 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, in such cases as these, thinking themselves to be in be…ter estate than 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 sinne: he that shee now lived with, was not her husband; so God told Adam, thou hast eaten of the forbidden fruite, Gen. 3. If yee are guilty of any grosse sinnes, as drunkennesse, covetousnesse p. 120pride, ambition, and the like, consider them. Consider your other sinnes, minoris infami…, not minoris culp… ▪ as neglecting of holy duties, misspending the time, inordinate 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 these on your consciences yee cannot …eare them. I desire not by this to burthen you, but to unburthen you of your corruptions.