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Christ the Fountain of Life · John Cotton

Christ the Fountain of Life, Sermon 10

SERMON X.

1 JOHN 5.12.

He that hath the Son, hath life, and he that hath not the Son, hath not life.

WE are now in the next place to ſee how we may diſcerne life by the properties, and adjuncts of it; you heard before of the effects of life, now of the properties and qualities of this life, by diſcerning of which we may know that we have life.

There be three properties or qualities of life.Three properties of life. 1. Warmth

Firſt, where ever there is life, there is ſome warmth, 2 King. 9.34. when the Prophet had laine upon the childe, and had done ſo ſeven times, at length the breath of the childe began to wax warme, a ſigne that life was a reſtoring, and thereby the Prophet diſcerned that life began to returne into the body of the childe, becauſe warmth returned; and ſo is the preſence of the Spirit of grace, and the union of it with the ſoule and body of a man, it makes a man fervent, and warme; Fervent in ſpirit. Rom. 12.11 and therefore it is that it is reſembled unto fire, Matth. 3.11 The Holy Ghoſt ſhall come downe upon you, as it were with fiery tongues, and ſhall warme and heate you, with whatever duties God ſhall call you to, 1 Theſ. 5.19. Quench not the Spirit; now quenching belongs to fire, a ſigne therefore that the ſpirit is of a fervent nature, ſo farre forth as it is capable of any quenching and deſtroying by the Sons of men, and 2 Tim. 1.6. Stirre up the gifts of grace in you; as if yee ſtirred up the embers of the fire, ſo ſtirre up, and kindle the gifts of God which is in you, blow them up into a kindling flame, ſo that all theſe things expreſſe thus much: That ſince the Spirit of life which is in Chriſt Jeſus and from him, communicated to his Members is a ſpirit of heat, therefore whereſoever there is warmth there is life, if no warmth, nor heat, there is no life; and as our ſpirits begin to wax warme, ſo we grow to life in Chriſtianity. Notable is that expreſſion in Luke 24.22. Did not our hearts burne within us, while he talked with us of the Scriptures? to ſhew you, that there is a power in the Word, to convey ſuch a meaſure of the Spirit of grace to the Hearers, as that their hearts begin to glow within them, and to convey ſome heat and warmth into them, when the Word is powerfully applyed to the ſoule.

For the further opening of this point, you ſhall ſee it in ſome things principally, which are ever found in ſome meaſure in the ſpirits of Chriſtian men that have any life in Chriſt.

First, that which is wonderfull, and is indeed no where found but in them, their very knowledge is warme,Knowledge warme which in all other men is cold; knowledge is but an empty ſpeculation, brings forth no great matter of heat; but in a Chriſtian, his knowledge is full of heat, Zeale muſt be according to knowledge, knowledge is no knowledge without zeal, and zeale is but a wilde-fire without knowledge, Rom. 10.2. So if Chriſtians have a knowledge of God, but no zeale, there is no ſaving life in that knowledge, it is not the knowledge of Gods people. Notable is that ſpeech of our Saviour, Joh. 5.35. (ſpeaking of John) He was a burning and a ſhining light, not only a ſhining light to give cleare inſtruction in the knowledge of the Meſſiah, and the true meaning of the Law, but withall a burning light; Joh. 5.3. expounde…ſo as that he had a notable power when Hypocrites came before him to burne them up, Mat. 3.12. And ſo where ever he came he did not only ſhew them what they ſhould doe, what ſhall we Publicans doe, and what ſhal we Souldiers doe? Luk. 3.3. to 15. but he did burne up not only thoſe who were profeſſed enemies to the wayes of grace, but all thoſe that he found in Hypocriſie he burnt them all up where ever he came, and if he did not finde out their luſts, he would kindle a fire in them; he warmed Herod in ſuch ſort, as that he was conſtrained to doe many things, according to Johns Miniſtery, Mark 6. and ſo ſhall you finde it in all the Servants of God, that according to their life, if there be true life, there is true burning, though ſometimes their burning is not ſo ſtrong as their life, yet there is heat and fervency of ſpirit mixed with their knowledge, that if they know the Will of God they are inflamed, and their knowledge of Chriſt will not ſuffer them to be barren and unfruitfull, 2 Pet. 3.18. So that the knowledge which a Chriſtian man hath is ſuch, as by which he will doe what he ought to doe; if he ſee ſinne in his brother he will not ſuffer it to lye there, Levit. 19.17. If he ſee any thing amiſſe in his brother that he ſees not in himſelfe, he will be helpfull to him; where the Spirit of grace is lively, they will not ſuffer their brethren to reſt in ſinne, much leſſe themſelves; and therefore this is the warmth of this knowledge, it both burnes up their owne luſts like chaffe, and all the ſinfull diſtempers that we ſee in the lives and wayes of our Brethren; this is one part of the heat of a Chriſtian ſoule, that his knowledge is a warme knowledge; Look what he knowes he thinkes he muſt doe, whereas another man knowes many things, but he doth them not; but a Chriſtian, if he know it to be the Will of God he muſt doe it. And that is the reaſon why Gods ſervants are many times counted very buſie, as indeed the fire is ever very buſily working, no creature in the houſe ſo buſie as the fire is; and ſo the knowledge of Gods people makes them to be ſo buſie in doing, and therein they expreſſe the life of Chriſt.

Secondly,2. Where there is life there is breath. where ever is true life there is this warmth, a warmth in their breath, both in the Naturall and Spirituall body; in this Naturall body, while we live it is warme, and ſo long as we live we breath more or leſſe, it is but for a little time, if at all, breath be intercepted, it may be in ſome ſuddaine fits, but ordinarily if it tarry long it is a ſigne of death; but if there be life there is breathing, and that breathing is warme, ſome warme breath comes from him that is alive. And truely ſo ſhall you finde it in your ſpirituall life.

If there be any true life in the heart of a Chriſtian ſoule, there is alwayes ſome kind of warm breathing, there is ſome meaſures of warmth in his prayers; the prayers of an hypocrite ir alwayes but lip-labour, and accordingly luſt labor, the words vaniſh away in the aire, but there is ever more or leſſe ſome kind of warmth-in the prayers of Gods ſervants, according to what the Apoſtle ſpeakes, Rom. 8.26. even then when we know not what to pray for, nor how to pray as we ought then the ſpirit helpes our infirmities, that when we ſometimes cannot bring out a word to God, the heart is ful ſometimes of anguiſh, and diſcouragement in reſpect of inward deſertions, or temptations, and outward afflictions, but yet though in ſuch a caſe we be not able to tel what to pray for, yet there is ever in a Chriſtian ſoule ſomething that makes him ſeeke to God, and the very ſighs of ſuch a ſoule, come from ome warmeth of ſpirit within him. The ſcalding ſighs and deep groanes of the ſoule, they come from a ſpirit of life, and warmth in Chriſt Jeſus: Therefore though it be true, there be many cold prayers, that Gods ſervants do put up, yet there is ſome kind of ſighs and groans that ſprings from them, which argues ſome heat and life in them.

And ſo is it, As they breath thus to God-ward, ſo doe they breath one to another; ſo that if they ſpeake of the things of God, they ſpeake not of God, and his Word lightly, and wantonly, or looſely, as thoſe that have no affection to them; but if they ſpeak of the Word of God, of his threatnings, promiſes, or of any of his commandements, or any of the workes of his providence, they ſpeake not of them coldly, as thoſe that took no pleaſure in them, but if they ſpeake of any of the things of God, they ſpeake with ſome reverence, and deſire after them, and ſettling a confirmation in them: they have love to the word, and rejoyce in it, and ſtand in awe, and in feare of it, and they exerciſe their hearts and wits about it, when at any time they ſpeak of the things of God, ſo that there is ſome kind of warmth in the expreſſion of a Chirſtian in ſome ſavoury affection, whereby he eſteemes of the things of God, above what is found in an hypocrite.

Thirdly,Spiritual warmth digeſteth Gods Ordinances. There is a certaine kind of warmth, by which the ſoule doth not only affect the Ordinances of God, but by which it doth in ſome meaſure digeſt them; there is no living man wanting ſome ſuch meaſure of heat as makes him able to digeſt ſome kind of dyet, though not alwayes ſtrong meate, eſpecially, if he be in any meaſure of health, and that is no ſmall meaſure of heate, Pſal. 119.20. the very longing deſire, it alwayes hath to Gods Judgements, was it that even made his ſoule to breake within him, and ſo to pant after Gods Word, and his preſence in his Ordinances, Pſalm. 42.1. there was a kind of panting, and longing, and eager deſire after God, by which it comes to paſſe that the ſoule of a Chriſtian cloſes with God in his Ordinances, and turnes them into nouriſhment within himſelfe, and ſo is more ſtrongly, and inwardly bent towards God in the ways of his grace, whereas a dead ſpirit is flat, and hath no affection to the word, no affection to Gods preſence, no liſt to the things of this nature.

Fourthly, things that are warm put them, together and they are the more warm,4. Spiritual warmth heateth others. but put cold clogs, and peeces of wood together, and they are never a whit the warmer, but if you take but two or three of them things that are well kindled, and they will ſet all a fire that comes nigh them, though ready before to goe out for want of ſupply, if you lay two or three warme brands together, they will kindle one another. And truly ſo it is among Chriſtians, take you a Chriſtian, that hath this ſpirituall warmth in him, though almoſt benumbed for want of good company, and good conference, and breathing forth of Gods ſpirit and grace in the ſoule. Yet if he meet with two or three like himſelfe, they preſntly begin to kindle one another; And the breath of ſuch Chriſtians, is like bellows, to blow up ſparkes ſavoury and ſweet expreſſions of their hearts, and edifie themſelves by their mutuall fellowſhip one with another.

Yea, and ſometimes they grow ſo warme by this means, as that they are fit to admoniſh one another, to exhort, and to comfort, and if need require, to rebuke one another, as occaſion ſerves, 1 Pet. 4.8. Have fervent love one to another, above all things have fervent love among your ſelves, this is a ſpeciall thing: love among Chriſtians, by which love they ſo kindle one another, to ſuch deep reſpects to God, and the wayes of his grace, and ſo burne one out of another, much ſinfull folly and frailety which will be in them, that are ſo looſe one to another, and raiſeth them up to that power of godlineſſe, which ſometimes they had grown up unto, and now almoſt loſt for want of often joyning together, for by ſo doing, they do what they can to put out the fire; when Satan means to put out the light and life of Religion, out of both Church and Commonwealth, hee layes one Chriſtian in one corner, and another in another, that they ſhall, when they liſt, go to bed, and ſleep, and then a lazy ſpirit ſhall come upon them, and ſo they lye, till they be dead in treſpaſſes and ſins: But above all things, have fervent love among your ſelves, forſake not the fellowſhip you have one with another, as the manner of ſome is, Heb. 10.25, 26. Love covereth a multitude of ſins. So as that though there was much evill in Chriſtians before, yet their very lying together, doth burn out all that ſuperfluity of naughty ſtuffe that hangs about the ſervants of God, 1 Pet. 1.22. ſee that ye love one another with a pure heart, and fervency of ſpirit.

This warmth in Chriſtians, it is found in theſe foure things. And thus you ſee the properties of this life.

Queſt. You ſay, but if this were always found in Chriſtian men, how comes it to paſſe then, that the ſervants of God do many times finde their hearts ſo cold in their prayers, and appetite ſo little to the word, and ſo unprofitable under it? How ſhould a man heare ſo much and profit ſo little, if a man aid digeſt the word? and is it not a common complaint of Chriſtians? how much they hear and how little they profit? Yea, and will not ſome Chriſtians ſay, he profits nothing at all, no not any thing? And is it ſo many times, that Chriſtians come together, and they are little edification one to another, very little profit? ſit together, and talke of matters, that little edifie, but rather corrupt the ſpirits one of another? how is it then that you ſay, where ever there is life there is heat? ſo ſuch as makes them more lively in Chriſtian duties?

And it might be objected, that Luke 24.32. Did not our hearts burn within us, &c. A ſign that till he came to them, and came into conference with them, and did rub them up, they were very cold hearted, and dull ſpirited, and went on their way with much darkneſſe of ſoule, without life and ſtrength of ſoule, until he came to put life into their ſpirits?

Anſw. It is true, many times, Gods ſervants, are very cold and benumbed, and a cold ſpirit growes upon them exceedingly,) ſo as that they ſcarce feele any life breathing in their knowledge, or prayers, or appetites to the Word, or love to their Brethren, little warmth in any of theſe, partly through want of ſupplying the life of Gods grace, with fit nouriſhment, whereby the heart ſhould grow warme. As naturall fire, if it be not ſupplyed with new fewell it will goe out, and partly ſometimes, by pouring cold water upon it; which is as much as in us lyes to dampe the fire. And we doe power cold water upon this life of grace, when we admit of any ſinfull luſts in our ſoules, thoſe do marvellouſly eate out all that life, and heate of ſpirit that ſometimes we had in our hearts, and ſometimes by an exceſſive uſe of worldly things, which without a very ſpiritual mind doth clog the ſoule, as much as if you ſhould throw cold water upon a fire, it will damp it very much; ſo is this caſe, men ſometimes walke in worldly buſineſſes, with worldly affections; and ſometimes give leave to diſtempered luſts, and ſometimes neglect to put any fewell to the fire of grace, but as ſoone as ever they find the heart well warmed with ſome good Sermon, or a good Prayer, or Conference, or the like, they thinke this fire wil never goe out, and ſo they begin to neglect it, and ſo either the fire goes quit out, or elſe is ſo damped, as that you can diſcerne no life, no ſavour or power of Religion there: And therefore ſuch a thing may befall Gods ſervants, they may grow dul hearted one way or other, as you have heard. But yet thus much let me ſay, though this ſometimes do befal the ſpirits of Gods people, yet even then, when they want burning and chafeing, and stirring up, there is ſomething in them, that argues ſome life, and where is ſome life, there is ſome heat, ſo much life as there is, ſo much heat is there, ſo much as you take away of your Chriſtian heat, ſo much life you take away: And therefore for theſe two Diſciples, that went to Emaius. It is ſaid, when they were talking one with another, they were talking of Jeſus Chriſt, and upon all the things that befell him in his paſſion. And ſaid Chriſt to them, ver. 17. What manner of communication is this, and what is the matter that you are thus ſad? what was it, that made them ſad? was it not an affection of griefe for all the evills done to their Saviour, that was life of grace, and ſome heate there was in them that their ſpirits ſhould be ſo troubled, to ſee their Elders and Princes, and all the people to cry out ſo bitterly againſt the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and not to leave him till they had crucified him, there was ſome ſad expreſſion came from them, upon that occaſion. And ſo, though it left the outward man ſad, yet there was ſomething in the heart; though full of doubting through unbeleife, what this Chriſt was, and what this would come to, we hoped this was he that ſhould redeem Iſrael, &c. then Chriſt began to put a little warmth into them, by ſaying, ought not Chriſt to ſuffer theſe things? v. 24, 25. and ſo he opens to them the Scriptures ſpoken of himſelfe, and theſe words put new life into them, and did blow up the ſpirit and heat of that decaying life, which was overwhelmed with griefe and care, their hearts was heated yet. So that take you a Chriſtian man when he is even in the moſt diſordered framelook how much he hath loſt of his ſpiritual heat, ſo much of his true life; if he have left to be warm, ſo much life hath he loſt, and if his warmth be ſmoothered, his life is ſmoothered for the preſent.

And even as life will ſhew it ſelfe, in the very ſad face of the heart, and dejection of ſpirit that they fall into, and ſometimes in the deepe ſighs and groans of the heart, which in ſuch a caſe it ſometimes will breake forth into. So a Chriſtian ſoule when his heate is moſt damped, there is a ſad face in his ſpirit, that he diſcerns all is not well with him, his ſpirit is benumbed, & his heart in his own thoughts is frozen within him. It is a burden to him, and a matter of ſadneſſe to his ſpirit, and therefore hee doth expreſſe himſelfe ſometimes with many ſad and deep ſighs and groanes, about his forlorne and loſt eſtate, and yet ſometimes you ſhall have his heart, even then when his heart is moſt cold (which is worſe then the former) for you ſhall ſometimes have a Chriſtian ſoule, not onelyonly not affected with ſadneſſe,… this. when his life is ſmothered within him, but vaniſh away in much empty carnall delights, and contentments, and rejoycing in thoſe comforts which have no life at all in them. A Chriſtian man that hath his life ſo deaded, may come not onelyonly to have nothing left, but ſadneſſe of heart to behold it, but hee may looſe his ſadneſſe too, and even that vaniſh away in outward rejoycing, ſo as no life in his heart, in a manner, is left. Peter when he had denyed his Maſter, his heart was much oppreſſed within him, he was pricked and wounded with anguiſh in his ſoul, but there was ſome life in that. But what was it with David after his committing of uncleanneſſe nine or ten months together? he pleaſeth himſelfe in his pleaſures, and delights, and contentments which his royalty put upon him, and made Vriah drunke, and did eate and drink himſelfe liberally with him: and in the end put him to death, and that very ſleightly, and when he heares of it, makes no matter of it, but the ſword devoures one, as well as another: and had not his pulſe beating in him, no warme breath comes from him, but an empty flouriſh, and outward joyallity as if he had ſung all care away, and all fear of God out of his heart. As if there was no ſpirituall affection left in his heart of the eſtate of the whole Church of God, whereas his poore ſervant could ſay unto him, ſhall I goe home and ſollace my ſelf with my wife and children, the caſe ſtanding with the Church ſo as it doth, he would not do ſo, a word that one would have thought, would have warmed a good mans heart, but he was not warmed with it, nor with any lively affection, not any beating of his pulſe to Chriſtianity, nothing ſtirring, but a ſwounding of the whole man, that he that had ſeen David in ſuch a caſe, and had never known him before, he might have written in his forehead, a man forſaken of God and void of all feare of his name, had he ſeen him in this caſe, Where was then Davids life all this while? It was a fearefull condition, and of all we read in the Scripture, none ſo farre forſaken, whoſe whole ſpirit was ſo farre benumbed as Davids then was? and yet truly life there was ſtil in him; I doubt not though all this while you ſhal ſee that either David prayed not all this while, and that hath been the caſe ſometimes of right godly men, that have ſometimes not of three yeares together made a private Prayer in their Cloſets, have been content to come to duties in the Family, & cauſe others to perform duties, but for their own parts further then a form of religion, or ſhame, or ſatisfying of conſcience forces them, they let all reſt, no affection at all to the duty; they know God tooke no pleaſure in ſuch a ſoule while they lived in ſuch a courſe, and ſo would they lye many moneths, and yeares, and all that while not ſo much as lift up a private prayer to God; and this is a far worſe caſe then the other, and yet even this ſometimes befalls them, when as ſinfull luſts have ſo diſtempered the life of Chriſt in them; there is ſtill an habit of grace in the ſoule, but yet ſcarce any life of Religion putting forth it ſelfe, but ſtill where warmth is removed, ſo much life from holy duties is taken away.

And another anſwer to this poynt is, that even as you ſee it is by the Almighty power of God that there may be fire, and not heat, as you ſee in the fiery Furnace, whereinto the three Children was caſt, though it was made exceeding hot, yet it had not power to hurt an haire of their heads, nor to ſwinge a lap of their Garments, the power of the ſire was propended by the mighty power of God; as there is this power in God concerning materiall fire, ſo is there a marvellous helliſh and Devilliſh power in ſinne, though not an Almighty power, yet very like to an Almighty power, that that which hath a mighty worke of God, by the Almighty power of his grace in the hearts of the Servants of God the work of an Almighty power.

There is ſuch a venemous power in ſin as that it will ſuſspend all acts of grace,Power of ſinne. not ſo much as ſhew any act of grace in a Chriſtian ſoule, but the ſoule and all the graces in it ſhall lye as the body of a man in a ſwound, not any breathing, or ſight, or hearing, or motion, nothing to ſhew of any ſpirituall life; that if he ſhould continue ſo, you would conclude he were dead, only this kind of life of grace is there, you ſhall have thus much life in him: There is a kinde of unliſtineſſe and heavineſſe of ſoule, to act wickedneſſe with all that ſtrength and power, which ſometimes a godly man, while he was carnall, did reach forth his heart and hand unto, a kind of frame of ſpirit in a Chriſtian when it is at the worſt, though it can ſolace it ſelfe very farre in ſinne, and goes on hardening its heart in its owne way, moſt deſperately, and frowardly, yet notwithſtanding there was alwaies ſomething in his heart, that will not ſuffer his ſoule to breake out, with all that ſtrength of the ſpirit of wickedneſſe, as it did when it was carnall, and the reaſon of that is becauſe of that ſpeech, Gal 5.17. there is fleſh and ſpirit in that ſoule, ſo as neither can the ſpirit doe what it would, nor the fleſh what it would; take a Chriſtian when he is moſt ſtrong, and he cannot ſo glorifie God, nor ſo edifie his brethren as hee would, by reaſon of the body of ſinne; there is alwaies in the beſt of a Chriſtian, ſomething like the ſpots in the Moone, ſome darkneſſe in it, not a Chriſtian man; but when he is moſt lively in grace, but he hath ſome darkneſſe in his beſt performances; ſo when corruption is moſt ſtrong, and grace moſt feeble and weake; as in the former, corruption will weaken the beſt performances, ſo here corruption cannot carry a Chriſtian man to doe all that wickedneſſe, which elſe he would breake forth into; nor with that ſtrength and vigour which elſe he would put forth in it though he doe rejoyce in his wickedneſſe,Note this. and beare it out; yea out-face his very conſcience, and out-ſtare the very light of the graces of God within him, and goe on pleaſing himſelfe in the hardneſſe of his owne heart, yet there is ſomething in the bottome that keeps poſſeſſion for God, and makes him goe about it bunglingly, it becomes him not, he cannot ſet it forth with a grace; David in his worſt, comes not off with full power of wickedneſſe, which elſe his corrupt heart would willingly break forth into, were it not for the Spirit of grace that moves ſlowly in ſuch caſes as theſe be, ſo that ſtill the caſe ſtands cleare; how much life, ſo much warmth, and that warmth will expreſſe it ſelfe if any life be there at all.

So that take a ſurvey of your owne eſtates, by this meanes you would know whether you have Chriſt or no, whether you have life, or no? If you have the life of grace, there is ſome ſpirituall warmth in thy ſoule, ſome heat in thy ſoule; doe but conſider then the knowledge that is within thee: Is thy knowledge ſuch as lets thee alone, and only puffes thee up, and makes thee to thinke goodly of thy ſelfe, if that be all the worke of thy knowledge, thou art a dead-hearted Chriſtian; if it cauſe thee to vaniſh away in empty contemplation, and thou therefore talkeſt, that thou mayeſt let others ſee thou haſt knowledge as well as others; and if it be dead, and cold, and empty, and vaniſh away in empty notion, and ſpeculation, and dead conference, then thy knowledge is barren in goodneſſe, and that is an argument of no life in thy ſoule; but if there be any truth of life in thy ſoule, thy knowledge is warme and lively, thy knowledge that is in thee hath ſome zeale, and that ſets an edge upon it, and makes it ſerviceable to God and thy brethren. I know not better how to expreſſe it, then from Revel, 1.14, 15. in the deſcription of our bleſſed Saviour, His eyes were as a flame of fire. It is true, the eye is lightſome, but it doth not burne, they are not hot, but the eyes of Chriſt is as a flaming heat; and the meaning is, Chriſt is deſcribed juſt according to the ſtate of the Church, to whom Iohn was to write, as he had feet of braſſe; when he writes to a Church, that though burned in the fire, yet the more you burne it, the leſſe it waſts, and the more pure it is, and by degrees the more bright; ſo where he ſpeakes to a Church in perſecution, and it is not conſumed, then Chriſt hath feet like braſſe; but if he write to a Church of Thyatira, a Church of a warme ſpirit, then, thus faith he that hath eyes like a flame of fire, Revel. 2.9. meaning the knowledge that that Church had, which was full of zeale as wel as of light, and according to the meaſure of its knowledge, ſo it grew more in grace, and therefore the workes were more at the laſt then at the firſt. As their knowledge growes, ſo growes their zeal; ſo that if thou haſt that life in Chriſt which accompanies ſalvation, thy eyes are like a flame of fire, full of burning light, as well as brightſome knowledge. Is thy knowledge ſuch as ſuffers thee to ſit downe barren, and though thou knoweſt that thou oughteſt to doe this and that, yet thou doeſt it not, then there is no heate and warmth in thy knowledge; but if there be true life and warmth in thy ſpirit, thy knowledge ſtirres thee up to be doing, and ſtirres up others to be doing alſo, and thy knowledge will not ſuffer thee to let them alone; juſt as Peter and Iohn ſometimes ſaid to the high Prieſts, We cannot but ſpeake that which we know, and have ſeene, and heard, Acts 4.18, 19, 20. And therefore though they threatned them is perrill of life, to ſpeake no more in Chriſts name, yet ſay they, that which we know to be the Truth of God, that we muſt needs ſpeake; as Ieremie ſpeakes, chap. 20. I could not forbeare: The light that was in him was a glowing, and warme heate, and the Word of God in him, was as a mighty fire; and it will not ſuffer him to reſt, and he muſt alſo ſtir up others. So then, examine whether there be any heate in thy knowledge, if thy knowledge be not according to zeale, it will but aggravate thy condemnation.

Againe, examine thy breath, whether doeſt thou breath or no? Doeſt thou ſmell a good ſavour in Gods Word, when thou doeſt read, or heare it? And doeſt thou ſmell a ſweet ſavour in the conference of Chriſtian men? or doth it ſtinke in thy noſtrils? if it be ſweet to thee it is well: Doeſt thou pray to God with ſome kinde of panting after him, and thy ſpirit is fit to faint within thee, and thou canſt ſit downe and bemoane thy ſelfe to God, that thou haſt ſo loſt thy ſelfe, then there is breath in thee; or canſt thou bring out a word to edifie thy brethren, it is well; but if there be no breath in thee it is an evident ſigne thou art dead, or at leaſt in a deep ſleep, if thou haſt no ability to pray, and can reliſh no ordinance of God, and have no kinde of aptneſſe to edifie another, then either there is no life in thee, or elſe it is much benumbed, and therefore either no life, or none that is extant in thee; And ſo how doſt thou find thy warm affections ſtand to the Word? haſt thou a ſtomach to the Word? And haſt thou not ſo much profit by it, as to ſee thou doeſt not profit and art aſhamed of it; but if not, there is no life in thee. And if thou loveſt to be diſjoyned from thy brethren, & you are never better then when you are falling off, and ſitting looſe from your brethren, if you love to be aſunder, there is no life in you, no life of Religion there, for Religion deſires to preſerve it ſelfe, and love is a principall worke of Religion, above all things have fervent love among your ſelves. A man had rather cover a multitude of wicked practiſes, then looſe the fervency of his love one towards another. And if therefore the Devill throw brands among you, and you fal aſunder; one Chriſtian hangs here and another there, in the end while you lye ſo a ſunder the fire goes out; and men may bid one another good night, and then may you all take your pleaſure in ſin, the truth is, then all the life of Religion goes out, and every buſineſſe in the Family drawes away, and ſo reſts till all the life be loſt. And therefore if you ſee men are willing to ſit looſe, and fall off one from another, then there is an end of the life and power of godlineſſe; a bidding of Religion good night. And no more profit to be had while ſuch diſtempers of ſoule doth laſt. But if you ſee that men come together, as in that ancient famous Viſion, Ezek. 37. every bone finds out his fellow and joynes with him, and then there was a noiſe and a ſhaking, if you ſee bones gather, bone to his bone, then at the next prophecying fleſh will come, and ſinewes, and the next propheſie, will breath life into them, ſo if men begin to annex themſelves one unto another, as living brands; If one begin to ſeek out another, and to draw together, and to lye cloſe together, if bone begin to gather to his bone, then there is hope of an Hoſt of armed men to ſtand up for God, in good ways; then there wil be life, and ſtrength, and power of godlineſſe; elſe make account of it, that in very truth there is no life; no power of Religion, where there is no reliſhing, no cloſing one with another, if therefore you ſee men cloſing together, and warming one another, in the wayes of Gods grace, and there is ſome ſence of your owne unprofitableneſſe under the Word, and if you can digeſt it, turne it into edification of your ſelfe and others, then there is true life in you, and having life you have Chriſt, and in him you have life in aboundance.

There are two properties more of life,

Where there is any life, there is ſome kind of plyableneſſe,Pliablenes of ſpirit. whereas dead carcaſſes are cold and ſtiffe, and unſavoury though never ſo ſweet before, this is a certain truth, the more you keep a dead corps above ground, the more it ſtinkes and is unſavoury; It ſhoots out at length, and you may ſooner breake him then bend him any way, but while he is alive you may bend him which way you will; now therefore conſider thus much, if there be any truth of grace in you, you are gentle and eaſie to be intreated, Jam. 3.17. but if not,Jam. 3.17 expounded. then you are of a ſtiffe ſpirit, inflexible and implacable, for to be gentle, and eaſie, is the true nature of life; but if not, then have you loſt your life; then either you never had life, or elſe it is a ſwound, and ſo evapoured that there is no bending or bowing of it, but they are fit to be buryed as a dead carcaſſe.

Queſt. What is this plyableneſſe, and eaſineſſe to be entreated, and on the contrary this ſtiffeneſſe?

Anſw. There is Foure things in eaſineſſe to bee intreated.

Firſt, Eaſie to be pleaſed, 1 Pet. 3.18. any thing that you doe about them, is pleaſing to them, that is poynt of gentleneſſe; and a gracious man in whom is the life and power of godlineſſe, he is eaſie to be pleaſed. If you go about any thing, with any tollerable indeavour to give him content, he is not hard to be pleaſed; and if not eaſie to pleaſe, there is little grace; or dangerous to be none at all, if you have much a do to bow or bend them to comply with them that asketh and thing of them, there is a dead heart in ſuch a ſpirit.

Secondly, A man that is eaſie to be intreated and gentle, if he be offended he is easie to be intreated, Rom. 1.31. It is a ſigne a man is of a reprobate ſence, when hee is implacable and ſtiffe; when life is gone, a man is ſtiffe, not eaſie to be intreated.

Thirdly, If ſo be that hee have offended another man, he is eaſie to yeeld, and to acknowledge that he is in a wrong, Eccleſ. 10.4. There is in a living Chriſtian an aptneſſe to yeeld when he is in a wrong. If a man be in a wrong, and will not ſee his errour, will not ſee the evil hee hath done in Gods ſight, his ſtiffeneſſe is a ſigne of his dead-heartedneſſe; So much ſtiffeneſſe here, ſo much deadneſſe in his heart, and ſo much nearneſſe to the chambers of death: For a living Chriſtian if he have offended he is willing to yeeld, and will acknowledge himſelfe a failer, and promiſe amendment.

Fourthly, He is willing to deny himſelfe, of his owne right, even upon equall eaſie termes, to prevent an offence that may grow, and he ſtands upon equall termes, leaſt an offence ſhould ariſe, he yeelds and denies himſelfe, 1 Theſ. 2.6, 7. So Abraham yeelded to Lot, though he had not offended him, yet hee condiſcended to his inferiour, and if any, Lot ſhal be the chooſer, Gen. 13.8. This gentleneſſe of ſpirit argues life of Chriſt in the holy ſervants of God. Abraham was not ſtiffe, but gentle and eaſie to be pleaſed, when he was offended. Now therefore art thou eaſie to be pleaſed, eaſily intreated to paſſe by a wrong? And if thou haſt offended another, thou wilt acknowledge it, and art eaſily willing to deny thy ſelfe to prevent offence, then thou art not ſtiffe; but art living Chriſtian; but if men be ſtiffe in ſpirit, hard to be pleaſed, and froward, no man can give him content; as Naballs ſervants ſaid of him: And of we have offended hard to be intreated, and will by no meanes ſee it, or acknowledge it; and by no meanes yeeld, but turne our ſelves to endleſſe devices, and if we ſtand upon our owne ends, and wee will have our owne to the utmoſt farthing, and why ſhould we bend; then truly we are cold, and little power and life breathing in us.

The laſt property of life is this.So much ſweetness ſo much life. The body while it is alive, is ſweet and ſavoury, but ſo ſoon as ever it begins to ſmell, it muſt be buryed, it cannot be kept above ground, every living Chriſtian is a ſweet ſavour to God, a Cor. 2.13. and Col. 4.4, 5, 6. Let your ſpeech be ſavoury, ſeaſoned as with ſalt; And the Apoſtle ſaith, let no unſavoury or corrupt communication proceed out of your mouthes, How then doe you finde your owne ſpirits? doe you breath ſavoury and ſweet? and doth your conference yeeld edification? and is it all wel-pleaſing to God, what ever you doe? doth it ſavour wel in the noſtrils of God, and your brethren? If the dutys you perform be ſo, it is ſigne you are living in Gods ſight: But if your ſpeeches be prophane, conference unſavoury, and carnal, ſo much as we looſe our ſweetneſſe ſo much we looſe our life, when a Chriſtian carries himſelfe ſerviceably, and amiably, then we live, and in having life we have Chriſt.