Secondly, you shall know them by their 1coldness; for coldness you know is a symptom of death. These good works, when they are done by a natural man, yet there is no life in them, there is no warmth, no vivacity and quickness in them; whereas you know it is said, Jam. 5. Praier if it be fervent prevails much: and Rom. 12. Be ye burning in spirit, serving the Lord; that is, all those duties that have not heat in them, that have not fire in them, God regards them not; the reason is this, because if no heat be there, then is none of his spirit there, and then you know our prayers are but the voice of our own spirits, the works that we do are but dead works, because they are ⟨p. 36⟩but the fruits and effects of dead flesh, if there be none of the holy Ghost there: Now if there be no heat there, I say, there is none of the spirit; for the spirit is as fire. Whence you know it is, that our Saviour saith, I will baptize you with the holy Ghost, and with fire, that is, I will baptize you with the holy Ghost, which is as fire. And therefore you shall find that holy men, have been usually described by the similitude of fire, as Chrysostom saith, that Peter was like a man made all of fire, walking among stubble; and to one that desired to know what kind of man Basil was, it is said there was presented in a dream, a pillar of fire, with this motto, Talis est Basilius, Such a one was Basil; and old Latimer when he was asked the reason, why there was so much preaching, and so little practising, he gave this reason, Deest ignis, fire is wanting: the same we may say in this case, there may be a performance, much performance, of many good duties, of prayer, of hearing, of receiving the Sacrament, of worshipping God, &c. but consider whether there be fire, consider whether they be not done without that liveliness, and that fervency, that the Spirit of God requires, whether they are either done without heat, or but half baked, as Hosea's cake was, and if so, they be but dead works: whereas true praying in secret between God and us, it is such as warms and quickens the heart, it is such as ⟨p. 37⟩brings the heart into a good frame of grace, and sets it right before God, and right hearing is such as kindles a fire in us, that in a great measure burns up the dross of sinful lusts and corrupt affections.
Secondly, you shall know them by their 1coldnesse; for coldnesse you know is a symptome of death. These good workes, when they are done by a naturall man, yet there is no life in them, there is no warmth, no vivacity and quicknesse in them; whereas you know it is said, Iam. 5. Praier if it be fervent prevailes much: and Rom. 12. Be yee burning in spirit, serning the Lord; that is, all those dueties that have not heate in them, that haue not fire in them, God regards them not; the reason is this, because if no heate bee there, then is none of his spirit there, and then you know our praiers are but the voyce of our owne spirits, the workes that we doe are but dead workes, because they are ⟨p. 36⟩but the fruits and effects of dead flesh, if there be none of the holy Ghost there: Now if there bee no heate there, I say, there is none of the spirit; for the spirit is as fire. Whence you know it is, that our Sauiour saith, I will baptize you with the holy Ghost, and with fire, that is, I will baptize you with the holy Ghost, which is as fire. And therefore you shall finde that holy men, have been usually described by the similitude of fire, as Chrysostome saith, that Peter was like a man made all of fire, walking among stubble; and to one that desired to know what kind of man Basil was, it is said there was presented in a dreame, a pillar of fire, with this motto, Talis est Basilius, Such a one was Basil; and old Latimer when he was asked the reason, why there was so much preaching, and so little practising, hee gave this reason, Deest ignis, fire is wanting: the same wee may say in this case, there may bee a performance, much performance, of many good dueties, of praier, of hearing, of receiving the Sacrament, of worshipping God, &c. but consider whether there bee fire, consider whether they bee not done without that livelinesse, and that fervency, that the Spirit of God requires, whether they are either done without heate, or but halfe baked, as Hosea's cake was, and if so, they be but dead workes: whereas true praying in secret betweene God and us, it is such as warmes and quickens the heart, it is such as ⟨p. 37⟩brings the heart into a good frame of grace, and sets it right before God, and right hearing is such as kindles a fire in us, that in a great measure burnes up the drosse of sinnefull lusts and corrupt affections.
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