Ambrose - BT200 A42 1658

Chap.s .Sect.4 49 1 obey him, and follow the Lamb which way foever he goes! doft thou ad: from principles of grace in newne!fc of life and holine!fe of converfation? doft thon walk anfwerably to the commands ofJefus Chrift, or at leaft is there in thee an earneft endeavour fo to walke~ and is it the forrow of thy foul, when thou obferveft thy fatlings? and \toft thou rejoycejn fpirit when thou art led by the Spirit_? why then here's another ground of hope, that vertue is gone out ofChrifl:s life into thy foul. 4· IfChrifts life be mine, then I live, Jet not I but Chrift liveth Gal.:.. 1.o, in me. Pau/fpeaks out this evidence, I am crucified with Chrift, neverthelef[e I live, &c. he conjoynes the death of Chrift, and the life ofChrift in one and the fame foul ; q. d. no man -knows the benefit of Chrifts death, but he that feeles the vertue of Chrifts life; there•s no a!furance ofChrifts dying for us, but as we feele Chrift living in us; if the power of Chril.l:s death morrifie my lufts, then the vertue of Chrifts life will quicken my foul : but what meanes he by this, I live, yet not I, but Chrift livrth in me? it feems fome paradoxe, I live,yet not I : but a right interpretation reconciles all ; as this; I live to God, and not unto my felfe, I live to Chri!l , and not unto the world ; I live according ro the will of God, and not after my own lu£1:, and fancy; or (as fome would have it) I live under grace,and not under the law, q. d. Sometimes I lived wholly under the law, which made me a perfecutor of the Church of qod, which wrought in me all manner ofconcupifcence, and flew me, and then I found my felfe to be de11d in fin, but now I have embraced.Chrift, andlamnomore theman lwM: now Ifeele Chrift qulc,lt,/hing, ruling, guiding, 11nd jfrrngtbening me by his Spirit, now-Jli:Je JPiritually and holily ; not o.f my frlfe, but from another ; The very whole of Chrifl:ians is from Chri£1:, Chrift is both fountaine filling, and life-quickening, I live, yet not I, but Chrift liveth in · me. Chrifts life hath an influence, infuflon, tranfmiffion into our felves in reference to fpirituallife: look as the heavens by an influence into the earth do quicken and enliven the earth, at'ld make all the feeds and roots hidden in the earth to revive and puc forth themfelves, fo there is an influence that goes forth from the Sun ofrighteoufnelfe into th,e fouls of men, reviving and quickning them, and making them of dead to become living, ana of barren to become fruitful; to}Oufba/1 the Sun of righteoufneffe Mac.f.h Rr r z. a-rife

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