A80611:276
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.
that ever we have so displeased God, the more God hath been merciful to us, the more are we shamed of ourselves, & inwardly grieve for our shameless carriages.
that ever we have so displeased God, the more God hath been mercifull to us, the more are we shamed of ourselves, & inwardly grieve for our shamelesse carriages.
If therefore you only find joy in hearing, that may deceive you, it is not the shortness of the continuance that argues the unsoundness of the joy, but the want of this combination that will argue the falsehood of it; if God yoke not spiritual joy with spiritual mourning, then suspect your joy, for it doth not accompany salvation unto life. And in very deed, this you shall find to be true, the joy of living souls in Christ, though that oftentimes be soon gone, yet it leaves this spirit of mourning, which keeps possession for it, and that many times for a long time; and you may read your comfort in the sorrow that it hath left behind, for there is as much cause of comfort in this sorrow, as in the joy when you had it; when you see your souls can mourn unfeignedly, for that you see so good a God to such a wretch; this very comfortable sorrow that is left in thy heart, is an undoubted pledge that it is not a vanishing joy, the power and work of it lasts long, and will abide in the soul for ever; a man will in such a case mourn for his sin while he lives. If you have therefore found your joy mixed with sorrow it is right, else it is but a fading, hypocritical, and false joy.
If therefore you only finde joy in hearing, that may deceive you, it is not the shortnesse of the continuance that argues the unsoundnesse of the joy, but the want of this combination that will argue the falshood of it; if God yoake not spirituall joy with spirituall mourning, then suspect your joy, for it doth not accompany salvation unto life. And in very deed, this you shall find to be true, the joy of living soules in Christ, though that oftentimes bee soon gone, yet it leaves this spirit of mourning, which keeps possession for it, and that many times for a long time; and you may read your comfort in the sorrow that it hath left behind, for there is as much cause of comfort in this sorrow, as in the joy when you had it; when you see your soules can mourne unfeignedly, for that you see so good a God to such a wretch; this very comfortable sorrow that is left in thy heart, is an undoubted pledge that it is not a vanishing joy, the power and work of it lasts long, and wil abide in the soule for ever; a man will in such a case mourne for his sin while he lives. If you have therefore found your joy mixed with sorrow it is right, else it is but a fading, hypocriticall, and false joy.