A80611:20
Christ the fountain of lifeChrist the fountaine of life
Christ the fountain of life: or, Sundry choice sermons on part of the fifth chapter of the first Epistle of St. John. Preached by that learned judicious divine, and faithful minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. John Cotton B.D. now preacher at Boston in New-England. Published according to Order.Christ the fountaine of life: or, Sundry choyce sermons on part of the fift chapter of the first Epistle of St. John. Preached by that learned judicious divine, and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. John Cotton B.D. now preacher at Boston in New-England. Published according to Order.
London: printed by Robert Ibbitson, 1651
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1And besides, should we dye for our sins our selves, our death would not free us from the punishment, for we are not able to overcome death, but should for ever sink under it: If there had been a Law that could have given us life, then we might have lived by it, but there is no such Law as can give us spiritual life. David speaks in the name of Christ, Psal. 22.29. It is the speech of our Saviour, or of David in his name, No Man can keep alive his own soul. It is beyond the power of the creature to keep alive his own soul, no not so much as natural life, Psal. 49.7.9. No man can give a ransom for the soul of his brother; no man is able to ransom, or redeem his own life or another's; yea (which is much) Adam in innocency, was taught to look for the preservation of his innocent nature out of himself, for to that end did God give him the tree of life, Gen. 2.9 the tree of life grows not in Adam, but in the Garden▪ Now he that was to eat of the tree, called the tree of life, he was taught from thence, that the maintenance and continuance of that life which he then lived (a life of grace and glory) was not to be expected from his own strength, but from something without himself: The tree of life was a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, the second person in Trinity, 1 Joh. 3.4. Now if Adam could not keep alive his own soul but by that tree, how much less Adam fallen and corrupted, being now become unable to keep that Law which in innocency he might have kept?
1And besides, should we dye for our sinnes our selves, our death would not free us from the punishment, for we are not able to overcome death, but should for ever sinke under it: If there had been a Law that could have given us life, then wee might have lived by it, but there is no such Law as can give us spirituall life. David speakes in the name of Christ, Psal. 22.29. It is the speech of our Saviour, or of David in his name, No Man can keepe alive his owne soule. It is beyond the power of the creature to keep alive his own soule, no not so much as naturall life,