Christ the fountain of lifeChrist the fountaine of life

Again, examine thy breath, whether doest thou breath or no? Doest thou smell a good savour in Gods Word, when thou doest read, or hear it? And doest thou smell a sweet savour in the conference of Christian men? or doth it stink in thy nostrils? if it be sweet to thee it is well: Doest thou pray to God with some kind of panting after him, and thy spirit is fit to faint within thee, and thou canst sit down and bemoan thy self to God, that thou hast so lost thy self, then there is breath in thee; or canst thou bring out a word to edify thy brethren, it is well; but if there be no breath in thee it is an evident sign thou art dead, or at least in a deep sleep, if thou hast no ability to pray, and can relish no ordinance of God, and have no kind of aptness to edify another, then either there is ⟨p. 157⟩no life in thee, or else it is much benumbed, and therefore either no life, or none that is extant in thee; And so how dost thou find thy warm affections stand to the Word? hast thou a stomach to the Word? And hast thou not so much profit by it, as to see thou doest not profit and art ashamed of it; but if not, there is no life in thee. And if thou lovest to be disjoined from thy brethren, & you are never better then when you are falling off, and sitting loose from your brethren, if you love to be asunder, there is no life in you, no life of Religion there, for Religion desires to preserve it self, and love is a principal work of Religion, above all things have fervent love among your selves. A man had rather cover a multitude of wicked practises, then loose the fervency of his love one towards another. And if therefore the Devil throw brands among you, and you fall asunder; one Christian hangs here and another there, in the end while you lye so a sunder the fire goes out; and men may bid one another good night, and then may you all take your pleasure in sin, the truth is, then all the life of Religion goes out, and every business in the Family draws away, and so rests till all the life be lost. And therefore if you see men are willing to sit loose, and fall off one from another, then there is an end of the life and power of godliness; a bidding of Religion good night. And no more profit to be had while such distempers of soul doth last. But if you see that men come together, as in that ancient famous Vision, Ezek. 37.

Againe, examine thy breath, whether doest thou breath or no? Doest thou smell a good savour in Gods Word, when thou doest read, or heare it? And doest thou smell a sweet savour in the conference of Christian men? or doth it stinke in thy nostrils? if it be sweet to thee it is well: Doest thou pray to God with some kinde of panting after him, and thy spirit is fit to faint within thee, and thou canst sit downe and bemoane thy selfe to God, that thou hast so lost thy selfe, then there is breath in thee; or canst thou bring out a word to edifie thy brethren, it is well; but if there be no breath in thee it is an evident signe thou art dead, or at least in a deep sleep, if thou hast no ability to pray, and can relish no ordinance of God, and have no kinde of aptnesse to edifie another, then either there is