Seco)idly, Men may do the same things, come to church, receive the sacra- went. The one may have base, low ends, the other higher ends ; nay, higher ends in civil actions than another in spiritual actions. For he doth holy actions with a carnal end ; and the other having spiritual life, by virtue of that life carrieth his calling in the duties of it in a spiritual manner. I beseech you, therefore, let us examine our life of Jesus by the carriage of our souls towards Jesus ; he never suffers us to rest in subordinate things. I might be very large on this point, but I will name no more.
Consider what setteth you on work in all things you do. There be things we call duro/Mara, ' things that be moved by art.' One would think they moved themselves ; but they be moved by a weight, that is not seen presently, as in clocks and such like. In all frames of art that move, one would think it is from themselves, but there is no principle of life in them ; an external thing, a weight without, sets all the wheels a going. But in living creatures that have princii")les of life within them, something within them guideth their life and sets them a-going. So a Christian and another man, he that hath the life of Christ, from the life within him, he is set on work with his actions. The other man moveth to the same thing, but he moveth from an extrane[ous] principle. There is something or other that swayeth his course and biasseth his actions, which is outward and not spiritual : either freedom from outward troubles, or to hold correspondency with others. I beseech you, look to our motives and to our aims in all our actions, for these will best distinguish.
But that is not the life mainly intended by the apostle, but the life that is with- him, flowing and having influence from Jesus, specialty in hard conditions. ' The life of Jesus is manifested then.' That is, both the inward frame it sheweth itself then, and likewise the power that comes from Christ.
Now, how doth it appear that a man is upheld in every condition by a divine virtue, besides his inward frame of soul ?
Beloved, when the state of spirit he is in is contrary to the outward con- dition and above it. When if a man looks to ordinary courses such a man * Qu. ' within ' ?— Ed.
2 CORINTHIANS CHAP. IV, VER. 10, 423
should sink ; and when he doth not, and that from supernatural principles and strength, that argueth there is a power in him above nature and above his own. As for a man in restraint, to have his soul at liberty ; for a man disgraced in the world, to have a bold spirit to God-ward ; for a man weak in outward shew, to have strong courage, forcible courage, that all the enemies of truth cannot daunt ; when a man is pining away, and is nothing but skin and bones, yet to have a heavenly soul that is in heaven before its time, and altogether in heavenly conversation ; when the outward man is in great pain, and all confidence is to be cast away in regard of outward hopes, yet he is strong, and assures himself of a better condition afterward, and the very faith and hope, casting anchor in heaven, though they be not seen or felt, yet there is that power in spiritual things, laid hold on by faith, waited on by hope, that it supports a soul in such a condition ; so that if it were not for these heavenly suppoi'ts, by the Spirit of God, it would sink. If thou wouldst have the life of Jesus manifested, compare thy condition and thy strength. When a man can master all conditions, when a man can master imprisonment, disgrace, restraint, weakness, anything, from considerations above nature, and strength together with consideration ; for the Spirit worketh not only by reason, but by an inward strength, it sheweth there is something in a man above nature, that there is in him a life of Jesus. When nothing shall stand between a man and heaven, neither fears of great ones, nor frowns, nor hopes of preferment ; when nothing below can stand in a man's way to heaven, but he will break through all by an invincible courage, it argueth he hath a frame of spirit above his own. There is not only a frame of grace, but a spirit of strength, to carry him through all conditions whatsoever. As St Paul, ' I am able to do all things through Chiist that strengthens me,' Philip, iv. 13. ' I have learned to \vant and to abound,' to do all things through Christ that strengthens me, that supplieth me with perpetual strength from above.
Beloved, in a Christian, especially in evil times, there is more than a man, there is more than a holy man, there is something that floweth from this head, Christ, that doth administer supplies of comfort, and of peace, and of joy, and of friends, whereby he is carried through all. By these and such like particularities, we may discern whether there be the life of Jesus manifested in us or no.