Fourthly, The last symptom of spiritual life that is in the Saints, is this: Though they be overcome with much corruptions, yet you shall find this ever in them, They do not lose the savour and relish of the most spiritual Ministry, and the Word, as others do: Wicked men they are so defiled with their corruptions, that that takes away all their relish and taste of spiritual things: They cannot relish a spiritual Ministry more than a filthy one; but, now take one that ever had any true godliness in him, though he be very foully fallen, perhaps into some gross sins, yet he is able to taste the word in some degree, he can taste a difference between Ministry and Ministry; yea, between Company and Company, between the spirit of one Man, and the spirit of another; I say, he doth not wholly lose his savour, but still he hath some kind of savour, to taste a difference between that that is spiritual, and carnal, and especially in the Ministry of the word; he finds some savour in that; for if ever he was converted, it was a spiritual work of the word that did convert him, and there is some seed of it doth remain in his heart, hence is that of the Holy Ghost by the Apostle Saint Peter, 1 Epist. C 1. ver. last. The word of the Lord endureth for ever; and •his is the word which by the Gospel is preached •o you: Now this word of the Lord, he doth ⟨p. 48⟩not mean here the very Book and Letter of the word of God; but he means the word of God upon the hearts of the godly; for so you shall find he speaks of it in the 23. v. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever: For all flesh is as Grass, and all the glory, that is, all works of nature and common gifts, they vanish, but the word of God endureth forever: that is, the word of God upon the hearts •f the Saints: There is a spiritual seed, and efficacy of the word of God that first did beget the soul, that doth abide for ever: There is none falls off so, but hath some seed of the Spiritualness of Gods Word that doth abide in their hearts, that doth enable them to savour Gods Word—Thus you see their spot is not deadly: O! that if any of you that have godliness, and have fallen foully from God, that you would but consider of these things: Are there such seeds of life remaining in you? you are those that do yet belong to him;
Fourthly, The last symptom of spiritual life that is in the Saints, is this: Though they be overcome with much corruptions, yet you shall find this ever in them, They do not lose the savour and relish of the most spiritual Ministry, and the Word, as others do: Wicked men they are so defil'd with their corruptions, that that takes away all their relish and tast of spiritual things: They cannot relish a spiritual Ministry more than a filthy one; but, now take one that ever had any true godliness in him, though he be very foully fallen, perhaps into some gross sins, yet he is able to taste the word in some degree, he can taste a difference between Ministry and Ministry; yea, between Company and Company, between the spirit of one Man, and the spirit of another; I say, he doth not wholly lose his savour, but still he hath some kind of savour, to taste a difference between that that is spiritual, and carnal, and especially in the Ministry of the word; he finds some savour in that; for if ever he was converted, it was a spiritual work of the word that did convert him, and there is some seed of it doth remain in his heart, hence is that of the Holy Ghost by the Apostle Saint Peter, 1 Epist. C 1. ver. last. The word of the Lord endureth for ever; and •his is the word which by the Gospel is preached •o you: Now this word of the Lord, he doth ⟨p. 48⟩not mean here the very Book and Letter of the word of God; but he means the word of God upon the hearts of the godly; for so you shall find he speaks of it in the 23. v. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever: For all flesh is as Grass, and all the glory, that is, all works of nature and common gifts, they vanish, but the word of God endureth forever: that is, the word of God upon the hearts •f the Saints: There is a spiritual seed, and efficacy of the word of God that first did beget the soul, that doth abide for ever: There is none falls off so, but hath some seed of the Spiritualness of Gods Word that doth abide in their hearts, that doth enable them to savour Gods Word—Thus you see their spot is not deadly: O! that if any of you that have godliness, and have fallen foully from God, that you would but consider of these things: Are there such seeds of life remaining in you? you are those that do yet belong to him;
