of chrija in all Beleevers. I I Oh ! (faies he) that my poor foul may be comforted ; for I am one that am of a troubled fpirit : Well, but why would you becomforted ? I would therefore be comforted, That 1 might ferve God thebetter. Here his own comfort isat the begining of the a&ion, but God is at the utmott- end. Take a wicked man, (I fay) and though he cloth and move, and work towards God ; yet he wants a fuper- natural perfeEtion, he is not united to Chrift by theSpirit, he does not aEt, and move towards God as his utmott-end. But now, every godly, gracious mancloth, and therefore He, and He alone is the livingman, that hath this Spiritu- al life, that is in this (late of life. Isall a Civil mans Civility nothing ? and are all Moral Ver- Zug. toes nothing ? are all thefe thengoodfor nothing ? Yes, they are in themfelves good, and they aregood for Anfir. fonithing,but they are not good tomake a man fpiritually alive. if a man come and offer you a brafs fix-pence, or a brafs {billing; and you fay, No, it will not go : and if he reply and fay to ye, But though it be braffe, is it good for nothing ? You will fay, Yes,'tis good for fomthing, brafs Is good for fomthing , but 'tis not good for money, it will not go for pay, it will not pay your debt,'tis not sufficient to fetch you out of prifon ; it will not make you alive,'tis not good for this. Sonow fay I : Doye ask whether thefe, be good for nothing ? I fay,Yes, theyaregood, all moral venues are in themfelves good ; but they are not good for topay your debt , theyare not good to make you alive, they can never make you fpirituallyalive ; 'tis only grace, and union with jefus Chrift by theSpirit, that muff make a manalive,Spiritually alive; and this only the Saints and peopleof God have ; and therefore theyonly are the living men, every Child of God is a living man , and none elfe. If this be fo : What abundance ofcomfort is here, unto Al'PlYcd all the Saints and people of God !Heonly lives, (compara- tively) that lives this fpiritual life ; the Saints and people of God they are alive. Doeft thou therefore beleeve 2 ? art F. thou
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