Christ the fountain of lifeChrist the fountaine of life

Answ. It is true, many times, Gods servants, are very cold and benumbed, and a cold spirit grows upon them exceedingly,) so as that they scarce feel any life breathing in their knowledge, or prayers, or appetites to the Word, or love to their Brethren, little warmth in any of these, partly through want of supplying the life of Gods grace, with fit nourishment, whereby the heart should grow warm. As natural fire, if it be not supplied with new fuel it will go out, and partly sometimes, by pouring cold water upon it; which is as much as in us lies to damp the fire. And we do power cold water upon this life of grace, when we admit of any sinful lusts in our souls, those do marvellously eat out all that life, and heat of spirit that sometimes we had in our hearts, and sometimes by an excessive use of worldly things, which without a very spiritual mind doth clog the soul, as much as if you should throw cold water upon a fire, it will damp it very much; so is this case, men sometimes walk in worldly businesses, with worldly affections; and sometimes give leave to distempered lusts, and sometimes neglect to put any fuel to the fire of grace, but as soon as ever they find the heart well warmed with some good Sermon, or a good Prayer, or Conference, or the like, they think this fire will never go out, and so they begin to neglect it, and so either the fire goes quit out, or else is so damped, as that you can discern no life, no savour or power of Religion there: And therefore such a thing may befall Gods servants, they may grow dull hearted one way or other, as you have heard. But yet thus much let me say, though this sometimes do befall the spirits of Gods people, yet even then, when they want burning and chafing, and stirring up, there is something in them, that argues some life, and where is some life, there is some heat, so much life as there is, so much heat is there, so much ⟨p. 151⟩as you take away of your Christian heat, so much life you take away: And therefore for these two Disciples, that went to Emaius. It is said, when they were talking one with another, they were talking of Jesus Christ, and upon all the things that befell him in his passion. And said Christ to them, ver. 17. What manner of communication is this, and what is the matter that you are thus sad? what was it, that made them sad?

Answ. It is true, many times, Gods servants, are very cold and benumbed, and a cold spirit growes upon them exceedingly,) so as that they scarce feele any life breathing in their knowledge, or prayers, or appetites to the Word, or love to their Brethren, little warmth in any of these, partly through want of supplying the life of Gods grace, with fit nourishment, whereby the heart should grow warme. As naturall fire, if it be not supplyed with new fewell it will goe out, and partly sometimes, by pouring cold water upon it; which is as much as in us lyes to dampe the fire. And we doe power cold water upon this life of grace, when we admit of any sinfull lusts in our soules, those do marvellously eate out all that life, and heate of spirit that sometimes we had in our hearts, and sometimes by an excessive use of worldly things, which without a very spiritual mind doth clog the soule, as much as if you should throw cold water upon a fire, it will damp it very much; so is this case, men sometimes walke in worldly businesses, with worldly affections; and sometimes give leave to distempered lusts, and sometimes neglect to put any fewell to the fire of grace, but as soone as ever they find the heart well warmed with some good Sermon, or a good Prayer, or Conference, or the like, they thinke this fire wil never goe out, and so they begin to neglect it, and so either the fire goes quit out, or else is so damped, as that you can discerne no life, no savour or power of Religion there: And therefore such a thing may befall Gods servants, they may grow dul hearted one way or other, as you have heard. But yet thus much let me say, though this sometimes do befal the spirits of Gods people, yet even then, when they want burning and chafeing, and stirring up, there is something in them, that argues some life, and where is some life, there is some heat, so much life as there is, so much heat is there, so much