heaven, and of God and Christ. But, 3. Life hath ufually growth; even fo this life is a growing life, this well of water fprings up to everlasting life. Let a painter draw the figure of grapes ever fo artificially, yet they may be feen and difcerned from natural grapes, because they grow not: Thus the painted hypocrite may look well, but never grows. A man that hath this divine life, is ufually growing; if not upwardly in holiness, yet downward in humility: if not fenfibly in outward fruitfulness, yet infenfibly in inward fighs and fobs, because of his unfruitfulness, and in pantings of foul towards perfection; he that hath clean hands waxeth stronger and stronger. Indeed a winter-time may put the believer far back, and interrupt the growth, but a fummer reviving will make up all again. 4. Life hath appetite and fenfe; even fo this life imports fpiritual appetite and fpiritual fenfe. There is tite after ipiritual food: Many pamper their bodies and starve their fouls; but he that thus lives, hath a hunger and thirst after righteoufnefs, and like new born babes, defires, &c. The doctrine of the gospel is his life; For a man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word, &c. He hath an appetite after these words of grace, and draws water out of thefe wells of falvation with joy. Many are the fecret longings and pantings of the living foul after the living God, who is his life: And as life feeks its own prefervation continually, fo does the living foul in the living God, in whom only his life, is hid, There is fenfe allo; here life is fenfible of whatfoever is an enemy to it, and refifts it; the more life, the more fenfe; and the more fenfe, the more refiftance: Even fo they that live this life unto God, they feel corruption; and they fight against it, For

appe

the

the fpirit lufts against the flesh, and the flesh against the fpirit; they groan under the weight of corruption, which they feel, and reckon themselves wretched on the account thereof: O wretched man that I am, &c. They that have no feeling of fin, no fighting againft it, do not look like thefe that have this life. They who have fpiritual fenfes, at least who have them exercifed, have the feeing eye; they fee the evil of fin, they fee the beauty of holiness, they see the glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrift; they fee God in his ordinances; they fee an internal glory in the external administration of ordinances which others not feeing, they think very little of these things: also they fee God in his providences, in judgments they fee a juft God, and in mercies they fee a merciful God, and themselves lefs than the leaft of all his mercies. They have the hearing ear; they hear the voice of God in the word, and rod; they fmell the favour of his name, which is as ointment poured forth; they tafte his goodness, and feel his power: And thus you fee what may be imported in its being called a life in general.

T

FOURTHLY, what is imported in its being called a living unto God; what is this living unto God? I have faid several things about it already; but this living unto God, more particularly may import these four things following, 1. The believer's living unto God, imports, his living fuitably to the relations that God ftands in to him, and he unto God, as being his God in Chrift Jefus; and fo it is a living to him as our Redeemer, both by price and power, as these that are not our own, but bought with a price; and therefore glorifying the Lord in our fouls and bodies which are his. It is a living

to

to God, as our head: God in Chrift, is the believer's head; and fo to live to him as our head, is to live as members of fuch a head, drawing fpiritual virtue, light, life, and comfort from him as the head. It is a living to God as our husband, Thy Maker is thy bufband; and fo to live to him in this relation, is to live reverently, lovingly, affectionately, with fubmiffion and fubjection to our husband, as becomes the spouse of fuch a glorious husband. It is a living to God as our heavenly father, depending on him as children on their father; Wilt thou not from this time tall me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth? Jer. iii. 4. It is a living to God as our Judge, Lawgiver and King; and fo it is a living as thofe that are accountable to, and as we shall answer at the tribunal of this Judge. It is a fitting at the feet, and receiving the law from the mouth of this Lawgiver; and it is a yielding the tribute of praise, obedience and fubjection to this King. In a word, it is a living to God as the object of our worship and adoration; loving him as the Lord our God with all our heart, foul, mind, and ftrength. Thus, I fay, to live to God, is to live fuitably to all these relations he stands in to us. 2. The believer's living unto God, imports his living fuitably to these privileges and favours that he receives from God. Hath he enlightened us in the knowledge of himself? Then, to live to him, is to walk as children of light, and not as those that are yet in darkness and ignorance. Hath he called us effectually? Then, to live to him, is to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called. Hath he given us grace? Then, to live to him, is to live, not as graceless, but as gracious perfons; not as thofe that are in a state of nature, but in a state of grace. Hath he pardoned our

fins, juftified our perfons, and brought us into peace with himself? Then to live to him, is to ftand faft in the liberty wherewith he hath made us free Hath he renewed and fanctified us? Then, to live to him, is to live as renewed and fanctified perfons, whofe lufts are mortified, and whofe fouls are transformed into the image of God. Hath he poured in the promife into our hearts by the Spirit? Then, to live to him fuitably thereto, is, hav-, ing these promises, to cleanfe ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and of the fpirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Hath he made us heirs of glory? Then to live to him, is to live as candidates for heaven, as pilgrims and ftrangers, abftaining from fleshly lufts, travelling to the other world, having our affections and converfation in heaven. 3. The believer's living unto God, imports his living in communion with him, and comfortable enjoyment of him: In communion with him, in the conftant contemplation of him, fanctifying the Lord in our hearts; in a conftant affection to him, having his love fhed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost; and in a conftant dependance on him, receiving all from him by faith, and returning all to him in duty and gratitude. It is a living in the comfortable enjoyment of him, as all our portion and happiness, all our falvation and defire, renouncing all things in heaven and earth as our portion, but a God in Chrift alone, faying, Whom bave I in beaven but thee? &c. 4. The believer's living unto God, imports his living in conformity to God; and indeed, fo far as we enjoy God, fo far will we be conform to him. As it will be in glory, we shall be like him, for we fhall fee him as he

is ;

so it is in grace here, the more the foul fees

and

and enjoys him, the more is he like unto him beholding his glory, we are changed into the fame image, &c. And fo this living unto God, is a living in conformity to God's nature, being holy as he is holy, perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect? Is he a perfect God? Then, to live to him, is to go on to perfection, Heb. vi. 1. It is a living in conformity to his way of living. God's way of living is a holy, juft, good, faithful, merciful way, having a general good-will to all, and a fpecial good-will to fome; and fo ought our way to be. It is a living in conformity to God's end; God's great end which he fets before himself, is the glory of his name, the honour of his Son, the advancement of Chrift's kingdom, the ruin of Satan's kingdom, and in all, the praife of his rich and free grace; and furely we live to God, when we have thefe ends alfo, which are God's ends. It is a living in conformity to his law as a rule, which is the tranfcript of his communicable nature, for our practice; If ye love me, keep my commandments; We do not love him, if we do not fo. These then that live to him, they do from love as well as conscience, obey him. These things might be greatly enlarged however thus you fee in fhort, what it is to live unto God. We are telling, and you are hearing, what this life is; but O that we could live this life as well as fpeak and hear of it; Look to the Lord, that he may make you know it to your experience. It is called a living to God, 1. Because it hath the spirit of God for the principle of it. 2. Because it hath the word of God for the rule of it. 3. Because it hath the love of God for the motive of it. And, 4. Because it hath the glory of God for the ultimate end of it. FOURTH