A80611:596
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.
Secondly, if you pray for them you shall have comfort restored to them, and to your selves with them, and though for the present you might seem to procure hurt to your selves, and no good to them, yet pray, and pray heartily, and use the best means you can, and you will surely find the comfort and benefit of it; may not this be a notable encouragement to you this way, that God should be pleased to make thee an Instrument of life to thy brother, when he is a dead man in Gods sight; a dead man will be stiff, and cold, and putrefy, and yet even such a man if thou prayest for him, thou shalt give him life to his soul.
Secondly, if you pray for them you shall have comfort restored to them, and to your selves with them, and though for the present you might seeme to procure hurt to your selves, and no good to them, yet pray, and pray heartily, and use the best meanes you can, and you will surely finde the comfort and benefit of it; may not this be a notable encouragement to you this way, that God should be pleased to make thee an Instrument of life to thy brother, when he is a dead man in Gods sight; a dead man will be stiffe, and cold, and putrifie, and yet even such a man if thou prayest for him, thou shalt give him life to his soule.
Object. You say, But doth not many a man pray for his brethren, and yet is not heard and accepted, did not Abraham pray for Ishmael? And what think you of Samuel's prayer for Saul, and yet saith God, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, 1 Sam. 17.6. I have cast him off, mourn no more for him; so that sometimes a man may pray for his brethren, and that earnestly, and yet his prayers fall to the ground in vain?
Object. You say, But doth not many a man pray for his brethren, and yet is not heard and accepted, did not Abraham pray for Ishmael? And what think you of Samuels prayer for Saul, and yet saith God, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, 1 Sam. 17.6. I have cast him off, mourne no more for him; so that sometimes a man may pray for his brethren, and that earnestly, and yet his prayers fall to the ground in vaine?