Christ the fountain of lifeChrist the fountaine of life

Again further, how do you find your heart affected with the duties of Gods worship? Do you come to duties marvellous unwillingly, that if you could avoid it you would not keep such duties in your house, and if it must needs be, you put it upon any body rather then upon your self; you may be a living Christian, but your heart is in a dead frame at that time, and if it be always so with you, you never did truly live, but if you find your spirits, at least your hearts coming on most willingly to Christian duties, that you perform them like Free-will offerings, not free, so as without warrant from Gods Word, but free in respect of grace. Do but observe thus much, it may be you may come off freely before God, because he hath given you spiritual gifts, and you can quit your selves well in the performance of them, and that makes you come the more boldly; but consider, if the more willingly you come to Christian duties, the more trembling your heart ⟨p. 124⟩goes about them; the more the soul is prepared, the more it fears before the Lord, and the more lowly the spirit is, and awful in the sight of God, if a man can serve the Lord with joy, and trembling together, then the service you perform to God is heavenly, and spiritual, and lively, and such as in which you live, they come from a living heart, and the sacrifice is lively and acceptable, and argues you have life, and therein you have Christ the God of peace, but if a man have only fear in a duty, but no joy; or joy, but no fear; his heart is not in a good frame, we must bring a better frame of heart before God then so, before we can say that we have the life of sanctification.

Againe further, how doe you finde your heart affected with the duties of Gods worship? Doe you come to duties marvellous unwillingly, that if you could avoyd it you would not keep such duties in your house, and if it must needs be, you put it upon any body rather then upon your selfe; you may be a living Christian, but your heart is in a dead frame at that time, and if it be alwayes so with you, you never did truly live, but if you finde your spirits, at least your hearts comming on most willingly to Christian duties, that you performe them like Free-will offerings, not free, so as without warrant from Gods Word, but free in respect of grace. Doe but observe thus much, it may be you may come off freely before God, because hee hath given you spirituall gifts, and you can quit your selves well in the performance of them, and that makes you come the more boldly; but consider, if the more willingly you come to Christian duties, the more trembling your heart