Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

A Fourth Benefit is this, That he giveth life to those in whom he dwelleth, that is he maketh them living men; ¹he liveth in every man in whom he dwelleth as the vine in the branches. That is all the actions and properties of life we draw from him, all the sense we have is from him, in him we live, move, and have our being, and this is a great Benefit. For the worst living thing, is better then the best dead thing, and amongst lives, the life of grace which Christ giveth is the best life; because it cometh nearest to the life of God, and Angels: And they have only this life, in whom Christ dwelleth, for the most living men are but ghosts whilst they are alive: now when Christ cometh into their hearts; he putteth life into them, he makes them living men. Again those that are in Christ: though they have some root of life continually in them, yet they are often, dead, and dull, and indisposed to do any holy duty: It is Christ now that quickeneth them, and maketh them ready to every good work. All the motions, all the fruits of life in your selves, are but the budding and putting forth of the spirit; ⟨p. 131⟩therefore all such blossoms are precious, and they should be nourished in you: you should not let them wither for want of sap, and that you may have from Christ, for it is he that quickeneth every man, by his Spirit; That look as the old Adam maketh sin active in every one that is born of him, so the second Adam communicateth grace and life to those that are ingrafted into him by faith. Therefore he is called a quickening spirit: even as a man liveth when the soul is conjoined to the body, so the soul liveth, when Christ is conjoined to it: Look upon all the living Saints, the reason why they live among such a multitude of dead men, is because Christ is in them; if you see one more holy then another, more active, more nimble in the ways of Gods commandments then another, it is because Christ dwelleth more in him then in another: if you find your selves more ready, and more strong to perform any duty, it is because Christ helpeth and quickeneth you, for he is your life. In a word, all the life you have is derived from his inhabitation, and dwelling in you, And this is the fourth Benefit that we receive from Christ, he makes us living men.

A Fourth Benefit is this, That he giveth life to those in whom he dwelleth, that is he maketh them living men;