of Spirituali Death andLife. $5 excellencies in na turall men, arebut dead. It is a hinderance in the wayes ofGod, to over- 'valew outward excellencies, and to defpifè others that want thefe trappings:let us fay, for all thefe excellencies,yet he is but adead man, wee knew none after thefeJh any more, 2 Cor.5, 16. Againe for your delight in them, know that this death differs from naturall death, for thefe dead men are ai`îive, and ready to corrupt others, they have an influence, that cloth dead thofe, who are converfant with them, finne communicatesas well as grace. Nothing fogreata quench.cole, as the com- panyofhad men: there is anoperative vertue in them ro quenchmens zeale, as the drop. pings ofwater will quench the fire, though they cannot wholly extinguifh it being once kindled. Fourthly, if all out of Chriíl are dead, yf .. learne to judge of the Ordinances of God, and the meanesof falvation , let us not un- dervaluenor over-value them ; the Ordinan- ces cannot bring life efthemfelves, no,not the Word, nor Sacraments ; .I If yeeareficke and fend for the Minitler, bee cannot quicken you; the Ordinance is but a creature, and cannot give life. Ifwe fpeaketo the eare, and Chris fpeakenot to the heart, it is nothing : Let your eyes therforc be fixed onChrift,be- leech him to put life into you, and pray to God for a bleffing on the meanes : the Ordi- nances
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