[3.] ^Yhere there is life there is an appetite joined with it, an earnest desire after that which may feed, maintain, and support this life. What makes the brute-creatures to run to the teats of the dam as soon as they are born, but instinct of nature ? Appetite is the immediate effect of hfe. \Yhere there is life it must have some supports ; it hath its tastes and relishes ; as 1 Peter ii, 2, ' As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.' I say, where there is a new birth there will be an appetite after spiritual unmixed milk. The new nature hath its proper supports ; and there will be something relished and savoured besides meats, drinks, and bodily pleasures, and such things as gratify the animal life. As Jesus Christ said, John iv. 32, ' I have meat to eat that ye know not of ; ' so spiritual life hath inward consolations, it hath hidden manna, whereby it is supported and maintained — 'Meat that perisheth not,' John vi. 27. Painted fire needs no fuel ; those that do not live they have no appetite, there is no need of nourishment. But where there is life there will be a desire, an appetite that carrieth us to that which is food to the soul, to Christ Jesus especially, and to the ordinances in which he is exhibited to us. And therefore, where there is no desire to meet with God in these ordinances, where Christ may be food to our souls, it is to be feared there is no life. "Wicked men may desire ordinances some- times, but not to strengthen the spiritual life, but out of carnal ends and reasons. They are loth to be left out of the worship that is in esteem in the place where they live ; as the Pharisees submitted to John's baptism, though they hated the Lord Christ ; it was then in esteem ; therefore he calls them ' a generation of vipers,' Mat. iii. 7. And partly because they trust in the work wrought. There is some- what to pacify natural conscience by the bare external performance of a duty; ami carnal men rest in the sacraments or visible ordinances. It is natural to us to be led by sensible things ; and the external action being easy, they choke their consciences with these things. How usual is it in this sense to see many that tear the bond, yet prize the seal : that is to say, they contemn the bond of the covenant, and the duty of the covenant, yet dote upon the Lord's supper, which is a seal of it. But a true appetite desires these ordinances, that we may meet with God in them. This is a sign of life.
[4.] Where there is life there will be growth; especially in vegetables, there life is always growing and increasing till they come to their full stature ; so do the children of God grow in grace. Our Lord himself, though he had the Spirit without measure, yet ' he grew in wisdom and favour with God,' Luke ii. 40 ; not in show, but in reality ; he grew in wisdom as he grew in stature. Though his human nature in his infancy was taken into the unity of his divine person, yet the capacity of his human nature was enlarged by degrees, for his human nature was still to carry a proportion with ours ; and therefore he grew in wisdom and in favour with God. And so all that are Christ's, they grow. ' The trees planted in the courts of God flourish there,' Ps. xcii. l3. There is more room made for the new nature by degrees to exert and put forth itself. Corruption is still a-dying, and they grow more
202 SERMONS UPON 2 CORINTHIANS V. [SeR. XXIX.
Immble, more lioly, more solid, more rational, more wise in the spiritual life, more resolved for God, more heavenly-minded, that they may be at more liberty for God. They may lose somewhat in liveliness of gifts and vigour of affections (for these things come and go), but they are more spiritual, and more steadfast, and more solid, and seriously set to seek after God ; as an old tree, that puts forth fewer leaves and blossoms, but is more deeply rooted. But now hypocrites do not grow beyond their first blaze ; yea, they wither every day, lose their zeal and their forwardness, out of carnal ease or affection to'pleasures, honours, or greatness of the world ; they lose the seeming grace that they had before.
[o.] Where there is life there are vital operations, for life is active and stirring. So spiritual life hath its operations ; it cannot well be hid, it will bewray itself in a zealous and in a constant and uniform ]n-actice of godliness. They are idols that have feet, and walk not : Eev. iii. 1, Some only 'have a name to live, and are dead.' They that make a naked profession, but are not excited to live, and bring forth fruit to God, ' they have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof; ' 2 Tim. iii. 5, that is, the power that should change their hearts, and direct and order all their actions. They that are governed by the Spirit, they feel this power ; they are enabled to bring forth the fruits of righteousness to the praise and glory of God. Look, as a worldly man, by virtue of the worldly spirit that is in him, is dexterous in all his affairs — his worldly principle puts a life into him, Luke xvi. 9 ; their employment is suitable to their life ; so a spiritual man, that hath not the spirit of the world, or a disposition that makes him eager upon worldly things, but the Spirit of God dwelling and working in him, here is not the S2)here of his activity ; his cares, thoughts, and endeavours are turned into another channel ; he is quickened and raised to new- ness of life, Kom. vi. 4. The man is more earnest, more thoroughly set for heaven, and the worldly life is more overruled and mastered in him, and the heavenly and divine life prevails in him, and sets him a- w'ork more and more. Thus I have, by comparing these two lives, a little showed you what is that life that we have by Christ ; it is a life that flows from regeneration ; that is begun by union with Christ ; that begets a sense, so that a christian feels the annoyances of those things that are inconvenient and contrary to this life ; and begets an appetite after the supports that should maintain it, and discovers itself by growth ; this life is increased in them more and more ; and also it discovers itself by its activity, by making them fruitful towards God. Thus you see wherein they agree.