_Ans._ It may be they prejudge themselves of that lively frame they might enjoy, and so wrong themselves:
1. In not exercising faith on Christ, and drawing life from him and through him. The life which they live should be by faith, Gal. ii. 20.
How then can such as do not eat become fat? by faith we feed on Christ.
2. In not watching, but giving way to security, and thereby encouraging and strengthening the adversary, as we see in David; when they stand not on their watch-tower, they invite Satan to set on; and he is vigilant enough, and knoweth how to take his advantage, and to improve his opportunity.
3. In giving way to laziness and not stirring up themselves, as we see in the bride, Cant. iii. 1; v. 3; when they stir not up the grace of G.o.d which is in them, how can they be lively? If grace be laid by, it will contract rust. The best way to keep grace lively, is to keep it in exercise, how little soever it be.
4. By their rashness, walking without fear, as is to be observed in Peter, when he slipped so foully. When through their want of circ.u.mspection, they precipitate themselves into danger, and cast themselves among their enemies" hands, is it any wonder, that it go not with them as they would; and that they provoke G.o.d to leave them to themselves; that they may know what they are, and learn afterwards not to tempt the Lord, and to walk more circ.u.mspectly?
5. By leaning too much to their attainments, and not looking out for new influences of grace and life. Hereby they provoke G.o.d to let them know to their expense, that for as great a length as they are come, they must live by faith, and be quickened by new influences from the Spirit of life.
6. So they may wrong themselves through their ignorance of Christ, and of the way of making use of him; and if they, through unacquaintedness with Christ and the right way of improving the fulness that is in him, miss the fruit and advantage which otherwise they might have, they can only blame themselves.
7. They may also prejudge themselves by their self-love, self-esteem, self-seeking, self-pleasing, &c., which piece and piece will draw them off Christ, and cause them forget the way of sucking life from him, who is the fountain of life.
8. When they give way to small sins, they open a door to greater; and they lose thereby their tenderness, and so provoke the Lord to withdraw; and this is another way, whereby they prejudge themselves of that benefit of liveliness, which they might otherwise have.
9. So also by worldly-mindedness, which alienateth their mind from G.o.d; and,
10. By their impatience, and fretting, and repining against G.o.d, and his wise dispensations, they also prejudge and wrong themselves; for while they are in that mood, they cannot with due composedness of Spirit, go to Christ, and draw life from him through faith.
_Obj._ 3. But is there not even some of those who are most tender, that complain of their deadness and shortcomings?
_Ans._ 1. It may be that they complain without cause; and that they have more cause of rejoicing, and of blessing the Lord for what he hath done to them, than of complaining.
2. Their complaining will not prove the want of life, but rather the contrary. For when they complain most, they must be most sensible if their complaints be real, and not merely for a fashion; and sense is a manifest evidence of life.
3. It would be remembered, that the Lord can make their failings and shortcomings contribute to the furthering of their life, as we see it did in Peter.
4. It would also be remembered, that Christ doth not distribute and give out of this life to all his members and followers, in a like measure; but to some more, and to others less, according as he seeth it meet and convenient, both for his own glory and their good, He hath more service for some than for others; and some he will employ in greater and more difficult work, which will call for more life; and others he will employ in common work, which will not call for such an eminent degree of life.
5. And upon the same account, he may think it good to give to the same person a larger measure of grace at one time than at another.
6. And that for wise reasons and n.o.ble ends; as,
(1.) That all may see how absolute he is in his dispensations; a sovereign that doth with his own what he will, and will not give an account of any of his ways or communications to us.
(2.) That we may learn submission, and quietly to stoop before him, whatever measure he be pleased to dispense towards us.
(3.) That we may learn to depend upon him more closely all along; in all our ways to acknowledge him.
(4.) That we may learn to exercise patience, which must have its perfect work, in waiting upon him as a great king. This is his glory, and it is the testifying of our homage to him.
(5.) He will train us up so as to be well contented and satisfied, if he bring us home at length, though not with such a convoy of the graces of his Spirit as we would wish.
(6.) That we may see and read our daily obligation to Christ our life, and the daily need we have of his keeping our life in, by fresh gales of his Spirit, and new heavenly influences.
(7.) And that getting new proofs of his kindness and faithfulness, we may give him new songs of praise daily, and so express our thankfulness to him, which will tend to set forth his glory.
VIII. This may point out unto believers, several duties to which they are called. We shall name some few of many; as,
1. That they should rejoice, and be comforted in the thoughts of this, that they have such a complete Mediator, one that is thoroughly furnished, and made all things for them; not only the Way, and the Truth, but the Life also.
2. The thoughts of this should also stir up the wondering at the wisdom, graciousness, and goodness of G.o.d; and to thankfulness for providing such an all-sufficient way for them.
3. This should also encourage them under all temptations, faintings, backsets, and fits of deadness that they fall into, that there is one who is the Life; and that he whom their soul hath chosen is the Life, and so fully able to quicken and enliven them.
4. This should teach them humility, and not to be proud of any thing they have or do; for it is he, who is the Life, who keepeth them in life, and helpeth them to any duty; yea, it is life that worketh all in them.
5. And likewise it should teach them to acknowledge him, to whom they are obliged for any thing they do, for any life they have, or any acts or fruits of life that appear in them; and to be thankful to him therefor.
6. And mainly, they should here read their obligation and duty, to improve this advantage, and to draw life out of this fountain, and so live by this life; act and do all in and through this life; and so be quickened by this life, in all their fits of deadness; and for this cause would keep those things in mind:
(1.) That they should live in a constant conviction of their own weakness, deadness, and inability to do any acts of life of themselves; and far less to recover themselves out of any distemper and fit of deadness which they fall into.
(2.) That they should live in the faith of this, that there is life enough in him, who is the Life, to do their business. They should be persuaded of his all-sufficiency.
(3.) That he is not only an all-sufficient deliverer, able to deliver a soul that is, as it were, rotting in the grave, and to cause the dead to hear his voice and live; but also most willing and ready to answer them in all their necessities, according to wisdom, and as he seeth it for his glory, and their soul"s advantage. The faith of this is necessary, and will be very encouraging.
(4.) That they should go to him, how dead-like soever their condition be, and by faith roll their dead case upon him, who is the Life.
(5.) That they should pray upon the promises of grace and influence, even out of the belly of h.e.l.l, or of the grave, with Jonah, chap. ii. 2; for he is faithful and true, and tender-hearted, and will hear and give a good answer at length.
(6.) That in the exercise of faith and prayer, they should wait with patience, till he be pleased to come, and breathe upon the dry bones, and till the Sun of Righteousness arise on their souls with healing in his wings.
But of this more particularly in the following cases, which now we come to speak a little unto, of purpose to clear more fully how the believer is to make use of Christ as the Life, when he is under some one distemper or other, that calleth for life and quickening from Christ the Life. We cannot handle distinctly all the particular cases which maybe brought under this head; it will suffice, for clearing of this great duty, to speak to some few.
CHAPTER XXI.
HOW TO MAKE USE OF CHRIST AS THE LIFE, WHEN THE BELIEVER IS SO SITTEN-UP IN THE WAYS OF G.o.d, THAT HE CAN DO NOTHING.
Sometimes the believer is under such a distemper of weakness and deadness, that there is almost no commanded duty that he can go about; his heart and all is so dead, that he cannot so much as groan under that deadness. Yea, he may be under such a decay, that little or no difference will be observed betwixt him and others that are yet in nature; and be not only unable to go actively and lively about commanded duties, yea, or to wrestle from under that deadness; but also be so dead, that he shall scarce have any effectual desire or longing to be out of that condition. Now, in speaking to the use-making of Christ for quickening in this dead case, we shall do those things:
1. For clearing of the case, we shall show how probably it is brought on. 2. How Christ is life to the soul in such a case as this. 3. How the believer is to make use of Christ for the life, in this case; and, 4.
Further clear the matter, by answering a question or two.
As to the _first_, such a distemper as this may be brought upon the soul,
1. Through some strong and violent temptation from without, meeting with some evil disposition of the heart within, and so surprising and overpowering the poor soul, as we see in David and Peter.
2. Through the cunning and sleight of Satan, stealing the believer, that is not watchful enough, insensibly off his feet, and singing him asleep by degrees.
3. Through carelessness, in not adverting at first to the beginnings and first degrees of this deadness and upsitting, when the heart beginneth to grow formal and superficial in duties, and to be satisfied with a perfunctorious performance, without life and sense.