A80611:272
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.
So then you see seven combinations of graces that are in the life of holiness, and all of singular use in this kind.
So then you see seven combinations of graces that are in the life of holinesse, and all of singular use in this kind.
Eighthly, the last virtue is a single one, and that is love of enemies.1 I say unto you, love your enemies, Matth. 5.44. that you may be the children of your heavenly Father. Love your enemies. This very grace whereby we do love our enemies, ⟨p. 121⟩it hath a contrary work to nature, for naturally, this we shall find to be the frame of our hearts, towards our enemies, we are cold and undisposed to do any good office unto them, very hard and cold, and frozen towards them: Those who are our enemies, we take no pleasure in them, but now in such a case as this, the love of a Christian will come and warm the heart, and thaw this cold frostiness that is in our souls; whereas before a man was cold toward his Enemies, his heart now begins to reflect upon him in pity and compassion; and instead of hardness, his heart now melts and is made soft within him, to see what ill measures it could have put upon its enemies. But on the contrary side, the same hatred in a man that is towards his enemies, it makes a man of an hot distemper, with boiling in heat of wrath against his enemies, he is all upon it to do him any harm, his heart is full of hot and bitter wrath; so as that love which was as heat and fire to thaw and warm, cold and hard hearts, when it comes to the fire of wrath, it is as it were cold water, and allays that heat and bitterness, and harshness, which else our hearts are subject to.
Eightly, the last vertue is a single one, and that is love of enemyes.1