6. Thou sayest thou art modest, and thinkest meanly of thy self; I, but how is this grace coupled? for God sends them two and two together, as he did his Disciples, to balance one another. Hast thou withal a lofty spirit in the ways of God, an heart lift up to heavenly things? Why, such a spirit hath life. The most modest should be most magnanimous.

6. Thou sayst thou art modest, and thinkest meanly of thy selfe; I, but how is this grace coupled? for God sends them two and two together, as he did his Disciples, to ballance one another. Hast thou withall a lofty spirit in the wayes of God, an heart lift up to heavenly things? Why, such a spirit hath life. The most modest should be most magnanimous.

7. Look at worldly business, Canst thou be diligent in thy calling? Why, this God requires. But how stands thy heart? Art thou busy in the world, and yet thy heart dead to the world? This is a sign of true spiritual life.

7. Look at worldly businesse, Canst thou be diligent in thy calling? Why, this God requires. But how stands thy heart? Art thou busie in the world, and yet thy heart dead to the world? This is a signe of true spirituall life.

8. If we find our hearts so abounding in love, that like fire it thaws our cold frozen affections; and again, like water, can cool our hot passionate spirits; why, this love is a fruit of faith, and a sign of life; its a sign our sins are forgiven us, if we have hearts forgiving others.

8. If we finde our hearts so abounding in love, that like fire it thawes our cold frozen affections; and again, like water, can cool our hot passionate spirits; why, this love is a fruit of faith, and a signe of life; its a signe our sins are forgiven us, if we have hearts forgiving others.

1. Motion.

When a creature is able to move it self in its place, to those duties of this or that life, its said to live. If a thing move not but by others, its not alive; or if it move out of its place, its not alive, as a stone thrown up moves downward, and fire moves upward; but this is not properly life, but rather a desire of rest; and for things that move, they move according to the life they have; as, a tree a vegetative life, a beast a sensitive life, a man a rational life; but if a man have a spiritual motion in his proper place its a sign of spiritual life; sometimes a man reacheth out of his place, reaching to higher matters, and more ambitious thoughts then his calling leads to, those move not from an inward principle of grace, but from levity of heart; so the Pharisees, they moved to holy duties, but it was for credit, others for profit, for loaves, John 6.26. Its one thing to move to spiritual duties out of an inward inclination and affection to them, another thing to move out of levity or desire of eminency; it is one thing to move to them out of love, another thing to move to them out of respect, or credit, or profit. Why, this is but as the moving of a stone out of its natural gravity. Absalom had a marvellous affection to reign, and oh that he were King, every one should have justice, 2 Sam. 15.13. But he was now out of his place, and therefore the thing he did, was but to attempt the cutting off his Fathers life; but that is life properly that moves in its place.

When a creature is able to move it selfe in its place, to those duties of this or that life, its said to live. If a thing move not but by others, its not alive; or if it move out of its place, its not alive, as a stone thrown up moves downward, and fire moves upward; but this is not properly life, but rather a desire of rest; and for things that move, they move according to the life they have; as, a tree a vegetative life, a beast a sensitive life, a man a rationall life; but if a man have a spirituall motion in his proper place its a signe of spirituall life; sometimes a man reacheth out of his place, reaching to higher matters, and more ambitious thoughts then his calling leads to, those move not from an inward principle of grace, but from levity of heart; so the Pharisees, they moved to holy duties, but it was for credit, others for profit, for loaves, John 6.26. Its one thing to move to spirituall duties out of an inward inclination and affection to them, another thing to move out of levity or desire of eminency; it is one thing to move to them out of love, another thing to move to them out of respect, or credit, or profit. Why, this is but as the moving of a stone out of its naturall gravity. Absolom had a marvellous affection to reign, and oh that he were King, every one should have justice,

Again, a man may move in his place, and yet by an outward principle, as a clock moves by the weight that hangs on it: so a man may move to some duties of Religion by the weight of the Law, or authority hanging on him. Again, Jehu may move in his calling very busily, and yet have no spiritual life; so it must be inquired whether the duty a man doth be spiritual or no. And a duty is spiritual,

Again, a man may move in his place, and yet by an outward principle, as a clock moves by the weight that hangs on it: so a man may move to some duties of Religion by the weight of the Law, or authority hanging on him. Again, Jehu may move in his calling very busily, and yet have no spirituall life; so it must be inquired whether the duty a man doth be spirituall or no. And a duty is spirituall,

1. When we are sensible of our insufficiency, and therefore depend upon Christ, that thorough him we may do all things.

1. When we are sensible of our insufficiency, and therefore depend upon Christ, that thorough him we may doe all things.

2. When we have respect to the Word of God as our rule.

3. When we do all for the glory of God, Gal. 2.20. The life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God. So far a man lives, as he denies his own sufficiency, and depends on Christ for assistance, and hath respect to Gods commandments as his rule, Psal. 119.6. and aims at the glory of God as his end. Zech. 7.5, 6. When ye fasted, did ye fast unto me at all? Did ye it to bring any service or glory to me? Did ye it not for your selves, for your own safety and deliverance? Why, if we go upon such principles, we want life, till we be in Christ we detain all the graces we have in unrighteousness, to magnify our selves, to bring about our own ends.

3. When we doe all for the glory of God, Gal. 2.20. The life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God. So far a man lives, as he denies his own sufficiency, and depends on Christ for assistance, and hath respect to Gods commandements as his rule, Psal. 119.6. and aimes at the glory of God as his end. Zech. 7.5, 6. When ye fasted, did ye fast unto me at all? Did ye it to bring any service or glory to me? Did ye it not for your selves, for your own safety and deliverance? Why, if we goe upon such principles, we want life, till we be in Christ we detain all the graces we have in unrighteousnesse, to magnifie our selves, to bring about our own ends.

Obj. May not a good Christian have his heart so dead that he is unfit for prayer, or hearing, or any holy duty, that he is unwilling to pray at all or to receive the Sacrament at all? Will you say such a soul is dead, because unfit for motion?

Answ. True, there may fall such a deadness on the heart of a Christian, as whereby he may be both unable and unwilling to good duties, to which God usually leaves us, when we go about things in our own strength, and grow self-sure; but when by this God hath schooled us, and taught us thereby that all our life is hid in Christ; why, in this case God is wont to make us sensible of this sinful disloyalty, and that in us dwells no good thing, that we of our selves are unable to do any good duty, and for this distemper we mourn and grieve heartily. Why, this very sense of deadness is an act of spiritual life, which in time will work him to a farther dependence on Christ, and to be more heedful of Gods Wo•d, and by how much the more we strive thus, so much the more life we have.

Answ. True, there may fall such a deadnesse on the heart of a Christian, as whereby he may be both unable and unwilling to good duties, to which God usually leaves us, when we go about things in our own strength, and grow selfe-sure; but when by this God hath schooled us, and taught us thereby that all our life is hid in Christ; why, in this case God is wont to make us sensible of this sinfull disloyalty, and that in us dwells no good thing, that we of our selves are unable to doe any good duty, and for this distemper we mourn and grieve heartily. Why, this very sence of deadnesse is an act of spirituall life, which in time will work him to a farther dependence on Christ, and to be more heedfull of Gods Wo•d, and by how much the more we strive thus, so much the more life we have.

A second effect of life is feeding. This sign Christ gives, John 6.54. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life. This is not meant of the Sacrament, for it was not then instituted, but of Christ himself; but when God hath instituted ordinances, this is a sure sign of life, if in every ordinance we partake in, we feed on Christ, on his blood; he that feeds not, lives not, he that forbears his meat, and forbears it long, he cannot live. Indeed, for a time a mans stomach may be so distempered, that he cannot eat, but he recovers himself and falls to his food.

A second effect of life is feeding. This signe Christ gives, John 6.54. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternall life. This is not meant of the Sacrament, for it was not then instituted, but of Christ himselfe; but when God hath instituted ordinances, this is a sure signe of life, if in every ordinance we partake in, we feed on Christ, on his blood; he that feeds not, lives not, he that forbears his meat, and forbears it long, he cannot live. Indeed, for a time a mans stomach may be so distempered, that he cannot eat, but he recovers himselfe and falls to his food.

Q. How shall we know whether we feed on Christ?

A. 1. Do you find an inward longing after Christ in every ordinance, that nothing will satisfy your soul but Christ, he is a sweet savour to you; as an hungry man, give him silver and gold never so much, he is not satisfied unless he have meat? It was an argument of life in the Spouse, that she sought Christ diligently in every ordinance, and her soul was grieved because she found him not. If a man therefore come to the ordinances, and it never troubles him though he go home without Christ, this man feeds not on Christ.

A. 1. Doe you finde an inward longing after Christ in every ordinance, that nothing will satisfie your soul but Christ, he is a sweet savour to you; as an hungry man, give him silver and gold never so much, he is not satisfied unlesse he have meat? It was an argument of life in the Spouse, that she sought Christ diligently in every ordinance, and her soul was grieved because she found him not. If a man therefore come to the ordinances, and it never troubles him though he goe home without Christ, this man feeds not on Christ.

2. Feeding implies a finding of sweetness and relish in our meat: So consider, how do you find Christ, is he a sweet savour to you? Do you find comfort and strength in him, 2 Cor. 2.15, 16. Why, its a sign of life that you relish your meat well; nay, its a sign of health, for a sick man cannot relish his meat; and if a Christian find no relish in the ordinances, he complains of it as his sickness, and looks up to God for help against it.

2. Feeding implies a finding of sweetnesse and relish in our meat: So consider, how doe you finde Christ, is he a sweet savour to you? Doe you finde comfort and strength in him, 2 Cor. 2.15, 16. Why, its a signe of life that you relish your meat well; nay, its a signe of health, for a sick man cannot relish his meat; and if a Christian finde no relish in the ordinances, he complains of it as his sicknesse, and looks up to God for help against it.