Thirdly and lastly, let us be exhorted to live this life of grace, that is, to do the duties of obedience, 1wherewith this life is nourished and maintained: for so the Lord saith, He that keeps my Commandments shall live in them; even as the flame lives in the oil, or as the creature lives by its food: so a man lives by keeping the Commandments of God, that is, this spiritual life, this life of grace, it is maintained by doing the Commandments: whereas on the other side, every motion out of the ways of Gods Commandments, and into sin, is like the motion of the fish out of the water, every motion is a motion to death. And O that we ⟨p. 54⟩could think of sin, of every sin, as a motion to death, and of every good action as a putting on towards life; that we could think this life of grace, to be far more excellent than the life of nature, or the life of sinful lusts, and pleasures, and delights! for so it is. Surely that life which God and Angels live, must needs be the most excellent, and the fullest of joy; and this life they live. To encourage us to it, let us but consider, how God interlaceth this life of grace with the life of joy, and of peace and outward prosperity; as you see in diverse examples. Gideon, as long as he did the actions of this life, you know how he prospered, but when he set up a golden Ephod, after which the people went awhoring, it was the destruction of him and his house. Solomon, how glorious was his rising! as a bright morning without clouds, and so he continued to the evening of his life; but then when he began to suffer rebellions in his Kingdom against God in matters of Religion, (as it is said he set up Ashtaroth, the abomination of the Zydonians, and Milcom, the abomination of the Antorites, &c.) then God stirred up rebellions against him, then it is said that Hadad, & Rhesin, and Jeroboam his own servant, lift up his hand against him; for, saith the Text, he stirred them up for that cause: So that as long as Solomon did the actions of this life, God prospered him continually in a high degree; and when he fell from it, he fell from ⟨p. 55⟩that peace which he had. so God interlaceth this life of grace, with the life of joy, and peace, and outward prosperity. The like you see in his some Rehoboam for three years, when he sought the Lord, saith the Text, and did the actions of this life, 2 Chron. 11.
Thirdly and lastly, let us be exhorted to live this life of grace, that is, to doe the duties of obedience, 1wherewith this life is nourished and maintained: for so the Lord saith, He that keepes my Commandements shall live in them; even as the flame lives in the oyle, or as the creature lives by its food: so a man lives by keeping the Commandements of God, that is, this spirituall life, this life of grace, it is maintained by doing the Commandements: whereas on the other side, everie motion out of the wayes of Gods Commandements, and into sinne, is like the motion of the fish out of the water, everie motion is a motion to death. And O that wee ⟨p. 54⟩could thinke of sinne, of everie sinne, as a motion to death, and of every good action as a putting on towards life; that wee could thinke this life of grace, to bee farre more excellent than the life of nature, or the life of sinfull lusts, and pleasures, and delights! for so it is. Surely that life which God and Angels live, must needs bee the most excellent, and the fullest of joy; and this life they live. To incourage us to it, let us but consider, how God interlaceth this life of grace with the life of joy, and of peace and outward prosperitie; as you see in diuerse examples. Gideon, as long as he did the actions of this life, you know how hee prospered, but when hee set up a golden Ephod, after which the people went awhoring, it was the destruction of him and his house. Salomon, how glorious was his rising! as a bright morning without clouds, and so hee continued to the evening of his life; but then when hee began to suffer rebellions in his Kingdome against God in matters of Religon, (as it is said he set up Ashtaroth, the abomination of the Zydonians, and Milcom, the abomination of the Antorites, &c.) then God stirred up rebellions against him, then it is said that Hadad, & Rhesin, and Ieroboam his own servant, lift up his hand against him; for, saith the Text, he stirred them up for that cause: So that as long as Salomon did the actions of this life, God prospered him continually in a high degree; and when he fell from it, hee fell from ⟨p. 55⟩that peace which hee had. so God interlaceth this life of grace, with the life of joy, and peace, and outward prosperitie. The like you see in his some Rehobeam for three yeeres, when hee sought the Lord, saith the Text, and did the actions of this life, 2 Chron. 11.
- 1Use. 3.Vse. 3.
