An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

With thee is the fountain of lives, the well,¹ or the vein of lives (Psal. 36.9.) The Psalmist alludes, either first to waters which flow from a fountain, and so doth life from God. Or, secondly, To metals, With thee is the vein of lives; as all mineral veins, the veins of gold and silver, of lead and iron, &c. lie (as it were) in bank, in the bosom and bowels of the earth: so doth life in God. There is not the lest vein of this quick-silver, in all the world, but comes from him. Or, thirdly, The Psalmist alludeth to the veins of the body, which as so many rivers and rivulets, derive their blood from tha• red-sea the liver. God hath a sea of life in himself, and all that live are filled with life from him. This is one of his royal titles, The living God; He is, The living God, not only subjectivè, because he liveth, but effectivè, because he enliveneth and quickeneth all living creatures, From him we receive life and breath (Act. 17.25.) In him we live, and move, and have our being, vers. 28. In him we live, &c. that is, by him, or through him, as the same Apostle teacheth (Rom. 11.36.) The same power giveth us being, and maintains it. This is true,² yet the context carrieth the preposition [In] further. For the Apostle having asserted, vers. 27. He is not far from every one of us; subjoins this as a proof, For in him we live &c. implying, That man is, in a sense, contained in, or invested with God. The divine nature cannot be circumscribed with any thing, yet circumscribeth all things: For which Paul refers the Athenians to Heathen Poets, who ⟨p. 522⟩spake this truth in a carnal language, yet such as might be spiritualized by a sanctified understanding. The result of which is, That God is the author and conservator of our lives. This glory is given also unto Christ, who is called, The Prince of life, because he hath life at command, The Son quickeneth whom he will. Christ hath the power, not only of natural, but of spiritual and eternal life, He is the Prince of lives. Job speaks in the language of Princes, Thou hast granted &c. As they make out grants of lands and offices, so God makes a grant of life. The civil godship of Kings and Magistrates appears much in this, that they can grant a forfeited life, either by reprieve for a time, or by pardon for ever. It is ordinary with men, to grant others leases for their lives, but they cannot grant them life.