2. That it is a better and more excellent life than that he formerly
2. That it is a better and more excellent life than that he formerly lived; as if he had said, Now, since I have seen the misery of my former natural estate, and the excellency of a spiritual life by faith in the Son of God, I esteem my former life to have been wretched, not worthy of the name of life, compared with that which I live now, as being founded in a better root than the 'first Adam.'
3. The spring of this life is the Son of God. God is life naturally, and we have life no otherwise than from him who quickeneth all things.
4. The conveyance of this spiritual life is by faith. Water springs not without a conduit to carry and spread it. The sun warms not without beams, and the liver conveys not blood without veins. So faith is that vessel which conveys this spiritual life, that conduit wherein all spiritual graces run, for the framing and working of spiritual life, conveying all, to pitch upon those excellencies of the Son of God.
5. The object and root of this spiritual life is, faith in the Son of God, loving him, and giving himself for him.
So there is a life besides the natural life, and the root of it is Christ, who is our life. Life is the best thing in the world, most esteemed of us; as the devil said concerning Job, 'Skin for skin, and all that a man hath will he give for his life,' Job 2:4. Life is the foundation of all comforts; life is the vigour proceeding from soul and body, So the spiritual life is nothing else but that excellent vigour, and strong connected strength of the soul and body renewed, grounded on supernatural reasons, which makes it follow the directions of the word, over-master the flesh, and so by degrees be transformed into the image of Christ, consisting in holiness and righteousness.
Doct. The first point then is, that there is a better life than a natural life, because there is somewhat in a man which aspires and looks to a