HOW TO MAKE USE OF CHRIST AS THE LIFE, WHEN THE BELIEVER IS SO SITTEN-UP
IN THE WAYS OF GOD, 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.
4. Through torturing of conscience, in light and smaller matters; for
this may provoke God to let conscience fall asleep, and so the soul
become more untender, and scruple little, at length, at great matters;
and thus deadness may come to a height, God ordering it so, for a
further punishment to them, for their untenderness and uncircumspectness.
5. Through their not stirring up themselves, and shaking off that spirit
of laziness and drowsiness, when it first seizeth upon them; but, with
the sluggard, yet another slumber, and another sleep, and a folding of
the hands to sleep.
6. Continuing in some known sin, and not repenting of it, may bring on
this distemper, as may be observed in David.
As to the _second_ particular, Christ is life to the soul in this case;
in that,
1. He keepeth possession of the soul; for the seed remaineth, the root
abideth fast in the ground; there is life still at the heart, though the
man make no motion, like one in a deep sleep, or in a swoon, yet life is
not away.
2. He in due time awakeneth, and rouseth up the soul, and so recovereth
it out of that condition, by some means or other, either by some alarm
of judgment and terror, as he did David; or dispensation of mercy and
tenderness, as he did Peter; and usually he recovereth the soul,
(1.) By discovering something of this condition, by giving so much sense
and knowledge, and sending so much light, as will let the soul see that
it is not well, and that it is under that distemper of lifelessness.
(2.) By the discovering the dreadfulness of such a condition, and how
hazardous it is to continue therein.
(3.) By putting the soul in mind, that he is the life and the
resurrection; and through the stirring up of grace, causing the soul to
look to him for quickening and outgate.
(4.) By raising up the soul at length out of that drowsiness, and
sluggish folding of the hands to sleep, and out of that deep security,
and putting it into a more lively, vigilant, and active frame.
As to the _third_, the believer that would make use of Christ, for a
recovery out of this condition, would mind those duties:
1. He would look to Christ, as the light of men, and the enlightener of
the blind; to the end, he may get a better and a more thorough discovery
of his condition; for it is half health here to be sensible of this
disease. The soul that is once brought to sense, is half recovered of
this fever and lethargy.
2. He would eye Christ as God, able to cause the dead and dry bones to
live, as Ezek. chap. xxvii.; and this will keep from despondency and
despair; yea, it will make the poor believer conceive hope, when he
seeth that his physician is God, to whom nothing is impossible.
3. He would look to him also, as head and husband, and life to the poor
soul that adhereth to him; and this will strengthen his hope and
expectation; for he will see that Christ is engaged (to speak so) in
point of honour, to quicken a poor dead and lifeless member; for the
life in the head is for the good of the whole body, and of every member
of the body, that is not quite cut off. And the good that is in the
husband is forthcoming for the relief of the poor wife, that hath not
yet got a bill of divorce. And Christ being life and the Life, he must
be appointed for the relief, the quickening and recovering from death of
such as are given to him, that they may be finally raised up at the last
day; he must present all his members lively in that day.
4. He would by faith wrap himself up in the promises, and lie before
this Sun of Righteousness, till the heat of his beams thaw his frozen
heart, and bring warmth into his cold and dead soul, and thus renew his
grips of him, accepting of him as the Life, and as his life. Christ
himself tells us, John xi. 40, that this is the Father's will, that hath
sent him, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, might
have everlasting life, and he will raise him up at the last day. Faith
closing with him, as it was the mean of life at first, so it will be the
mean of recovery out of a dead distemper afterwards.
5. He would mourn for such sins and provocations, as he discovereth in
himself to have caused and brought on this distemper. Repentance and
godly sorrow for such evils, as have sinned Christ and life away, is a
way to bring life back again.
6. He would be sure to harbour no known sin in his soul, but to set
himself against every known evil, as an enemy to the life and recovery
which he is seeking.
7. He must wait on Christ his life, in the appointed means; for that is
the will of the Lord, that he should be waited upon there, and sought
for there. There is little hopes of recovery for such as lay aside the
ordinances. Though the ordinances without him cannot revive or quicken a
poor soul, yet he hath condescended so far as to come with life to his
people in and through the ordinances, and hath appointed us to wait for
him there; we must be willing to accept of all his condescensions of
love, and seek and wait for him there, where he hath said he will be
found.
8. In going about those ordinances of life, he would beware of putting
them in Christ's room, _i.e._ he would beware of thinking that
ordinances will do his business; as some ignorantly do, who think that
by praying so often a-day, and reading so much, and hearing so much,
they shall recover their lost lively frame, when, alas! all the
ordinances, without him, signify nothing. They, without him, are cold
and lifeless, and can never bring heat and warmth to a cold soul. It is
he in the ordinances whom we are to seek, and from whom alone life is to
be expected, and none else.
9. Though life lieth not in the ordinances as separated from Christ, and
life is to be expected from him alone, yet he would beware of going
about the ordinances in a careless, superficial, and indifferent manner:
for this will argue little desire after life, and will bring on more
deadness. The ordinances then should be gone about seriously,
diligently, and with great carefulness, yea, with such earnestness as if
life were not about the ordinances at all. This is the right way of
going about the ordinances.
10. He must in all this wait with patience, without fretting or
quarrelling with him for his delaying to come. He must wait with much
humility. It becometh not him who hath, through his folly, sinned life
away, to quarrel now with God, because he restoreth him not again to
life at the first asking. He may be glad if at length, after long
seeking, waiting, and much diligence, he come and restore to him the joy
of salvation, and if he be not made to lie as bedrid all his days, for a
monument of folly in sinning away his life, strength, and legs as he
did.
11. He must beware of giving way to any thing that may increase or
continue this deadness; such as untenderness in his walk,
unwatchfulness, negligence, and carelessness; and especially he must
beware not to provoke God by sinning against light.
12. He would also beware of limiting the Lord to any set measure of life
and strength: for it becometh not beggars to be carvers, far less such
beggars as through folly have sinned away a good portion. It was not for
the prodigal to seek a new patrimony, after he had dilapidated the
former; it might suffice him to be made as a servant.
13. He would use well any small measure of life he getteth, for God and
his glory; getteth he but one talent, he should use it that he may gain
thereby: we say, use limbs and have limbs, use strength and have it.
This will be the way to get more.
14. He would be taking on the vows of the Lord, and that in the Lord, to
walk more watchful in time coming, charging all within and without not
to stir or provoke the Lord to depart further or to scare him from
coming to the soul.
As to the _last_ particular,
If it be inquired, 1. What can that soul do that is not sensible of this
deadness and weakness?
_Ans_. Though there be not any real sense and feeling of this condition,
yet there may be a suspicion that all is not right; and if this be, the
soul must look out to Christ for the life of sense and for a sight of
the provocations that have brought on that condition. He that is the
Life must recover the very beginnings of life; and when the soul winneth
to any real apprehension and sense of this deadness, it must follow the
course formerly prescribed for a recovery.
2. But it will be asked, how can a soul act faith in such a case? And if
it cannot act faith, how can it come to Christ and make use of him?
_Ans_. It is true, while the soul is in that case, it cannot act a
strong and lively faith; yet it can act a weak and a sickly faith; and a
weak faith and a sickly faith can lay hold on an enlivening Christ, and
so bring in more strength and life to the soul. If the soul be so weak
as that it cannot grip, yet it can look to him that can quicken the
dead and hath helped many a poor soul before out of a dead condition: or
if it cannot do so much as look, yet it may give an half-look, and lie
before him who waiteth to be gracious; and sustain itself if it can get
no more, with a maybe he shall come.
3. But further, it may be asked, what can the soul do, when, after all
this, it findeth no help or supply, but deadness remaining, yea, and it
may be, growing?
_Ans_. The soul in that case must lie at his door, waiting for his
salvation, and resolving, if no better may be, to die at his door, and
leave no approved means or commanded duty unessayed, that it may recover
its former vigour, activity and strength. And while the believer is
waiting thus, he is at his duty; and this may yield him peace, and he
may be sure that he shall never be ashamed, Psalm xxv. 3; lxix. 6. Isa.
1. 18.