Possibly a man may see a greater beauty in the things of the world, after conversion, than ever he saw before. As now, in the case of the law. While a man is in the state of nature, then he is under the law; but when a man is converted and drawn to Christ, then he is free from the law: and then when he is freed from the law, he sees a greater excellency in the law, than ever he saw before conversion; for then says he, Now I see that the commandment is holy, just and good. Indeed, as to the point of justification, he sees a greater emptiness in the law than ever he did before; but as to the point of rule of life, he sees a greater beauty in the law than ever he did before. So Paul did, as ye read in the viith of the Romans. So in this case: though as to the point of satisfaction, a man after he is converted sees less in the creature than ever he did before; yet as to the point of Christ's purchase, looking upon the creature as the purchase of Jesus Christ, Christ hath purchased these for me, he sees a greater beauty in them now than ever before; for, says he, Christ hath purchased these, and all these are mine in Christ, and Christ hath paid for me; Christ is mine, and I am Christ's, and these are mine, and all is Christ's. Though as to the matter of satisfaction, his soul cannot be satisfied, he sees less in the world than ever he did before; yet as to the matter of Christ's purchase, a man after his conversion may see a greater beauty in the things of the world than ever he did before.

Only here, I remember the story of Anselmo: walking abroad in the fields, he saw a shepherd's boy that had taken a bird, and having tied a stone unto the leg of the bird, the bird offered to fly and mount up, but still the stone at her heel pulled the bird back again; whereupon Anselmo falls a weeping: Thus, saith he within himself, it is with men, they sometimes offer to mount up to God in good purpose, but then they have some earthly business at their heel, and that makes them fall down again; they purpose and purpose, and offer and offer to mount up to God, but there is a stone at the heel, some earthly business at the heel, and so they fall down to the earth again. So if it be with you now, if you have a stone at your heel, a calling at your heel, an employment at your heel, an earthly business at your heel; yet every day you are mourning and lamenting over it, and

saying, Oh! what a clog have I at my heel, what a stone have I at my heel! Oh, Lord, when shall I come to heaven, that I may be freed from this clog at my heel? I say, if you mourn and lament over this clog that you have at your heel, it rather argues that you are alive than dead; and therefore take in all the comfort that hath been spoken concerning this truth: the saints and people of God, are in a most comfortable state upon this account.

But you will say unto me, Is there nothing in this doctrine but comfort? Is there no duty that this doctrine calls for at our hands? Suppose now that I be alive, spiritually alive; that indeed I am not the painted child, but I am the living child of God, and made partaker of this spiritual life; what is my duty now that does flow from hence?

I answer, Surely you will be thankful for your life. If your outward and momentary life were given you for a prey, you would be thankful: and will ye not be thankful for this life, this spiritual life, this pleasant life, this eternal life, that never shall be taken from you?

But there are three things I will propound to you in particular.

1. If we be alive indeed, and made partakers of this spiritual life, why then should we not live at an higher rate than the world do, which have none of this life? The beast lives at an higher rate than the plant or the herb does; why? because it hath an higher life than the plant or herb hath. Man, as man, lives at an higher rate than the beast does; why? because man, as man, hath an higher life than the beast hath. And if a man have this spiritual life, he hath a life that is higher than the men of the world's life is: and therefore, if we be alive, and made partaker of this spiritual life, why should we not live at an higher rate? why should I not say to my own soul thus, and speak it often, Oh, my soul, wherein dost thou live at an higher rate than civil men do? thou hast a higher life, thou sayest, why dost thou not then live at an higher rate?

2. If we be alive indeed, and made partakers of this spiritual life, why should our hearts run after the things of the world, so as to feed on them as our meat, to be satisfied with them? Every life lives upon some meat that maintains it, and is suitable to it. The herb hath one kind of life, and it

hath a meat that suits to it. The beasts have another life, and they have a meat that does suit to that life. Man hath another life, different from the beast, and therefore he hath a meat that doth suit to his life. Now this spiritual life, it is another kind of life than the natural life of man is, and therefore it must have a meat that does suit with it, meat that the world knows not of. Says our Saviour, "I have meat to eat that you know not of," John iv. 32. This life of grace, it is a hidden life; and therefore the meat thereof that it lives upon, it is an hidden meat. Then, if you are alive indeed, and have this spiritual life, why do you live upon these outward things, and why should our hearts run out after these outward things, so as to live upon them, and make them, as it were, our meat, for the satisfaction of our souls, to live upon?

3. If we be alive indeed, and made partakers of this spiritual life, why is our communion and fellowship together no more living? Why no more living fellowship and communion? Why is our conference no more warm and living? A living coal warms, ye know. There is this difference between a living coal and a dead coal: take a dead coal, and though it be never so great or small, it sullies and blacks, more or less, but it warms not. But take your living coal, which hath fire in it, and though it be never so great or small it does warm in proportion, more or less it warms. And if we be as living coals, why then is our conference and communion together no more warming? When ye go into wicked and ungodly company, there ye meet with dead coals, and there ye are sullied and dirtied and blacked by them. I say, If ye indeed be living coals, why is your conference no more warm and living? Oh, what sad times are we now fallen into. Heretofore, some four or six or ten years ago, ye should not come into a christian's company, but you should have some heart-warming conference, that you should bless God for many years after. As it is said of Junius, he came into a poor countryman's house, and he spake so feelingly of Christ, that he thought it was not knowledge only that would serve a man's turn, and thereupon he thought of his own condition, and was turned to God. And we read of the martyrs in the primitive times, when they met together, they would speak much of the kingdom, the kingdom, the

kingdom of heaven; insomuch, as their accusers, their enemies, and persecutors, charged them, that they aimed at the empire and the kingdom; whereas they were speaking of a heavenly kingdom, and not of an earthly kingdom. But, I say, they were always speaking of the kingdom, the kingdom. And so heretofore, in former times, when christians did meet together, then they would speak of the kingdom, and something that would warm their hearts together, that they might be the better all the year after. But now, when we are met together, either our speech is about news, or some dispute in point of religion, or some other thing; yea, though it be upon the Lord's day. But if you be living coals, where is your living conference, and your heart-warming communion? Certainly, if you be alive in Christ indeed, and made partaker of this spiritual life, you will live at a higher rate than the men of the world do.

Is there nothing in all this doctrine, concerning those that are dead in sins, and not made alive; hath this doctrine nothing to say to them?

Yes, it hath very much to say to them, only I am loth to be the messenger of death to any one of your souls? But, if this doctrine be true, that every godly man is a living man, and in the state of life, and none else: How many poor dead souls may this doctrine find in congregations! It is said, that when the Egyptians found their first-born dead in their families, there was a great cry through Egypt, a great cry in every family. And were men as sensible of their souls as they are of their bodies, oh, what a great cry might there be in divers of your families! One crying out, and saying, Oh, Lord, I have a dead child, whose soul is dead: another, Oh, Lord, I have a dead servant in my family: another, Oh, Lord, I have a dead wife in my family, whose soul is dead: another, I have a dead husband, a dead friend. I say, were men and women as sensible of their souls as they are of their bodies, what crying, what a great cry this morning might there be found in this congregation! But I choose rather to exhort ye in the name of the Lord, for to get this same spiritual life that now I have been speaking of; above all getting to get this spiritual life. Ye see into what sad times you are fallen. Who knows how long he shall live? Who knows how long he shall be the owner of his estate, liberty, or life?

The kingdom is full of blood; and there is a blood-thirsty disposition that runs through the kingdom: and if you and I have our lives taken from us, and we have not a better life, what a sad condition shall we be in. Wherefore I beseech ye in the Lord, labour to get another life, this spiritual life, that shall never be taken from you; and the Lord give you hearts to do it.

But you will say, How should that be done?

I answer, Come unto Jesus Christ: whatever thou beest, man or woman, now come unto Jesus Christ. Says the Lord Christ, "They will not come unto me that they may have life," John v. 40. There are three things that keep men from coming to Christ: one thing is, men's negligence; men think they can repent afterward, and they may have Christ afterward, and so for the present they neglect coming to Jesus Christ. Sometimes, nay always, unbelief keeps men off from coming to Jesus Christ. soul together, so unbelief keeps a man from coming to Jesus Christ. And another thing is, unwillingness to part with all for Jesus Christ. The young man ye have read of in the gospel, went away sorrowful when Christ said to him, Go and sell all, to come to Christ: so he did not come to Christ upon that account. And so, when we come to men and women, and say, You must come to Christ, and leave all your former company; Nay, say they, I can have Christ better cheap, upon better terms; and I cannot leave my company, and my merry meetings: and so they come not to Christ. But I beseech you in the Lord, come unto Jesus Christ; oh, whatever thou hast been, come unto Jesus Christ that you may have life.

For as faith brings Christ and the

I know many will say, I have been long dead in my trespasses and sins, and I fear there is no hope of life for me.

Now mark what I say to that, and so I will end all. There are three mentioned in the gospel whom Christ raised from the dead. One a maid that lay in her father's house, and Christ came in and took her by the hand, and said unto her, Arise. Another was a young man, that was carried out of his father's house, and was laid out upon the hearse; and Christ came, and said unto him, Arise. And the third was Lazarus, that had been four days dead, and stank again; and Christ speaks to Lazarus, and he comes forth. And these