1Christ is the fountain, and faith the means of life. The power and original of life is entirely reserved to the Lord and Prince of life, the Light and Life of men, the Author of eternal salvation: But faith is the radical ⟨p. 201⟩band on our part, whereby we are tied unto Christ, and live in him. The body hath it soul which inclines it; and so hath the soul its soul whereby it lives, and that is Christ the quickening spirit. 2Take away the soul from the body, and earth becomes earth: sever Christ and the soul, what is it but a dead carrion? The members die if they be separated from the Head, live so long as they be conjoined to it:3 Christ is to his Church and every living member of it, what the natural Head is to the natural members. And so we live primarily and properly by Christ as by the soul and Head; by faith secondarily, as by the Spirits, the band of soul and body, or by Nerves and sinews, the ties of the Head and Members. Look as the leg or arm lives by proper sinews, uniting them to the Head: so doth every believer live in Christ by a well-rooted, sovereign, particular faith, whereby he receiveth Christ, and is made one with him. Thus saith he himself, Who is the truth and the life, 4I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, 5though he were dead, yet shall he live; and, I am the bread of life, 6he that believeth in me shall never hunger; and again, As the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself. Thus speak the holy Scriptures of him, In it was life, and that life was the light of men; 7When Christ who is your life shall appear; Our hands have handled the word of life. For the life was manifested, 8and we have scene it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us. And this is the testimony of those three heavenly and earthly witnesses, That God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son; 9He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son, hath not life. Whatsoever grace we want, it is to be received from Christ,10 Who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption: and whatsoever grace is in Christ for us, it is made ours by ⟨p. 202⟩faith. And so we find in divers passages of Scripture, that he that hath faith, 11hath the Son, and eternal life in him.
1Christ is the fountaine, and faith the meanes of life. The power and originall of life is intirely reserued to the Lord and Prince of life, the Light and Life of men, the Author of eternall saluation: But faith is the radicall ⟨p. 201⟩band on our part, whereby wee are tied vnto Christ, and liue in him. The bodie hath it soule which enclines it; and so hath the soule its soule whereby it liues, and that is Christ the quickning spirit. 2Take away the soule from the bodie, and earth becomes earth: seuer Christ and the soule, what is it but a dead carrion? The members die if they bee seperated from the Head, liue so long as they be conioyned to it:3 Christ is to his Church and euery liuing member of it, what the naturall Head is to the naturall members. And so we liue primarily and properly by Christ as by the soule and Head; by faith secondarily, as by the Spirits, the band of soule and body, or by Nerues and sinewes, the ties of the Head and Members. Looke as the leg or arme liues by proper sinewes, vniting them to the Head: so doth euery belieuer liue in Christ by a wel-rooted, soueraigne, particular faith, whereby he receiueth Christ, and is made one with him. Thus saith hee himselfe, Who is the truth and the life, 4I am the resurrection, and the life: he that belieueth in me, 5though he were dead, yet shall he liue; and, I am the bread of life, 6hee that belieueth in me shall neuer hunger; and againe, As the Father hath life in himselfe, so hath hee giuen to the Son to haue life in himself. Thus speak the holy Scriptures of him, In it was life, and that life was the light of men; 7When Christ who is your life shall appeare; Our hands haue handled the word of life. For the life was manifested, 8and we haue scene it, and beare witnesse, and shew vnto you that eternall life which was with the Father, and was manifested vnto vs. And this is the testimonie of those three heauenly and earthly witnesses, That God hath giuen to vs eternall life, and this life is in his Sonne;
- 1Christ is the fountain of life and faith the mean. Act. 2.15. John 1.4. Psal. 36.9. Heb. 5.9.Christ is the fountaine of life and faith the meane. Act. 2.15. Iohn 1.4. Psal. 36.9. Heb. 5.9.
- 21. Cor. 15.45.
- 3Ephes. 1.22, 23. & 4.16.
- 4John 14.6.Iohn 14.6.
- 5John 11.25.Iohn 11.25.
- 6John 6.35. John 5.26.Iohn 6.35. Iohn 5.26.
- 7John 1.4. Col. 3.4.
