Christ the Way and the Truth and the Life, Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII. How to make use of Christ as the Life, when the soul is dead, as to duty.
SOmetime the beleever will be under such … distemper, as that he will be as unfit & unable for dischargeing of any commanded duty, as a dead man, or one in a swoon, is to work or go a journay: & it were good to know how Christ should be made use of, as the Life, to the end the diseased soul may be delivered from this: for this cause, we shall consider those foure things,
1. See what are the several steps & degrees of this distemper.
2. Consider whence it cometh, or what are the causes or occasions thereof.
3. Consider how Christ is life to the soul, in such a dead case: &
4. Point out the way of the souls usemaking of Christ, that would be delivered herefrom.
As to the first. This distemper cometh-on by several steps & degrees: it will be sufficient to mention some of the maine & most remarkable steps; such as,
1. There is a falling from our watchfulnesse & tendernesse: & when we leave our watchtour, we invite & encourage Satan to set upon us; as was said before.
2. There is going about duty but in a lazie way, when we love & seek after carnal ease, and seek out wayes of doing the duty, so as may be least troublesome to the flesh; as the Spouse did, Cant. 3: 1. when she sought her beloved upon her bed.
3. There is a lying by, & not stirring up ourselves to an active way of going about duty, of which the Prophet complaineth, Esai. 64: 7. when he sayeth, there is none that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee.
4. There is a giving way to spiritual drouzinesse, & upsitting in duties, & in the wayes of God. I sleep (said the Spouse Cant. 5: 2, 3.) & I have put off my coat &c. She knew she was not right, but was drousie, & yet she did not shake it off, but composed herself for it, tooke off her coat, & washed her feet, & so lay downe to sleep.
5. There is a satisfaction and contentment with his condition, as thinking we are pretty well; at least, for that time; and thus was the spouse in that forementioned place led away, she was so far from being dissatisfied with her condition, that she rather expresseth her contentment therewith.
6. There may be such a love to such a condition, & such a satisfaction in it, as that they may shift every thing, that hath a tendency to rouze them up out of that sluggish lazinesse, as not loving to be awakened out of their sleep. So we see the Bride shift… & putteth off Christ's call & invitation to her, to arise & open to Him.
7. Yea, there is a defending of that condition, as, at least, tollerable & none of the worste; a justifying of it; or, at least, a pleading for themselves & excuseing the matter, & covering over their neglect of duty with faire pretexts, as the Spouse did, when she answered Christ's call, with this, that she had washed her feet & might not defile them agine.
8. Yea further, there is a pleading for this case, by alledging an impossibility to get it helped, … matters now stand; or at least, they will muster up insuperable-like difficulties, in their own way of doing duty, as the sluggard will say, that there is a lyon in the way: & the Spouse alledged she could not put on her coat againe.
9. Yea, it way come yet higher, even to a peremptour refuseing to set about the duty: for what else can be read out of the Brides carriage▪ than that she would not rise, and open to her beloved?
10. There is also a desperate laying the duty aside, as supposeing it impossible to be gote done, and so a resolute laying of it by as hopelesse, and as a businesse, they need not trouble themselves with …l, because they will not get it throughed.
11. And hence floweth an utter indisposition, & unfitnesse for duty.
12. Yea, and in some it may came to this hieght that the thoughts of going about any commanded duty, especially of worshipe, either in publick or Private; or their minting, and attempting to set about it, shall fill them with terrour and affrightment, that they shall be constrained to forbeare, yea to lay aside all thoughts of going about any such duty.
This is a very dead - like condition, what can be the causes or occasions thereof▪
I answere▪ (And this is the Second particular) Some, or all of those things may be considered, as …ving a hand in this.
1. No care to keep up a tender frame of heart, but growing slack, loose and carelesse, in going …bout christian duties, may bring - on such a dis…emper.
2. Slighting of challenges for omission of duties, or leaving duties over the belly of conscience, may make way for such an evil.
3. Giving way to carnality and formality in duties, is a ready meane to usher - in this evil: for …hen the soul turns carnal o… formal, in the discharge of duties, duties have not that spiritual luster, which they had, & the soul becometh the sooner wearyed of them, as seeing no such desireablnesse in them, …or advantage by them▪
4. When people drown themselves in the cares of the world, they occasion this deadnesse to themselves: for then duties not onelyonly are not gone about heartily, but they are looked on as a burden, and the man becometh weary of them; and from that he cometh to neglect them; and by continueing in the neglect of them, he contracteth an aversation of heart from them; & then an utter unfitnesse and indisposition, for dischargeing of them, followeth.
5. Satan hath an active hand here driveing-on with his crafts and wiles from one steppe to another.
6. The hand also of a Soveraigne God is to be observed here, giving way to this, yea and ordering matters in his justice and wisdome so, as such persons shall come under such an indisposition, and that for wise and holy ends, as 1. That by such a dispensation he may humble them; who possibly were puft up before, as thinking themselves fit enough to go about any duty, how difficult or hazardous soever, as Peter, who boasted so of his own strength, as he thought nothing to lay down his life for Christ, and to die with him; and yet at length came to that, that he could not, or durst not, speak the truth before a damsel. 2. That He may punish one spiritual sin with another. 3. To give warning to all to watch, and pray, and to worke out their salvation with fear and trembling, and not to be high minded but feare. 4. That thereby, in his just and righteous judgment▪ He may lay a stumbling block before some, to the breaking of their neck, when they shall, for …his cause reject and mock at all religion. 5. That He may give proof at length of his admirable skill recovering from such a distemper, that no flesh might have ground to despare, in the most dead condition. they can fall into. 6. And to show sometimes, what a Soveraigne dispensator of life He is, and how free He is in all his favours.
As to the third particular. How Christ is Life, in this case?
We answere. 1. By keeping possession of the believer, even when he seemeth to be most dead; …nd keeping life at the root, when there is neither frute appearing, nor flourishes, and hardly many grean leaves, to evidence life.
2. By blowing at the coal of grace in the soul, in his own time and way, and putting an end to the winter, and sending the time of the singing of the birds, a spring - time of life.
3. By looseing the bands, with which he was held fast formerly, enlargeing the heart with desires to go about the duty; so that now he willingly ris… up out of his bed of security, and cheerfully …aketh off his drousinesse, and sluggishnesse, and former unwillingnesse; and now with willingnesse, and cheerfulnesse he setteth about the duty.
4. By sending influences of life and strength into the soul, whereby the wheels of the soul are made to run with ease, being oyled with those divine influences.
5. And this he doth by touching the heart, and …akening it by his Spirit, as He raised th… Spouse out of her bed of security and leazinesse, by putting in his hand by the hole of the door, then were her bowels moved for Him, ant. 5: vers. 4. and thus He setteth faith on work againe, having the key of David to open the heart, Revel 3: vers. 7.
6. By giving a discovery of the evil of their former wayes and courses, He worketh up the heart to godly sorrow and remorse, for what is done, making their bowels move for grief and sorrow, that they should have so dishonoured and grieved Him.
7. By setting the soul thus on work to do, what formerly it neither could, nor would do; and thus He maketh the soul strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Epes. 6: 10. and able to run and not be weary, and to walk and not be faint, Esai. 40.
8. By discovering the great recompence of reward that is comeing, and the great help they have at hand, in the Covenant and promises thereof, and in Christ, their Head and Lord▪ He maketh the burden light, and the duty easie.
As to the Last particular viz. How a beleever in such a case should make use of Christ, as the Life, that he may be delivered therefrom?
When the poor beleever is any way sensible of this decay, and earnestly desireing to be from under that power of death, and in case to go about commanded duties, he would
1. Look to Christ for enlightened eyes, that he may get a more through discovery of the hazard & wreatchednesse of such a condition, that hereby being awakened and alarmed he may more willingly use the meanes of recovery, and be more willing to be at some paines to be delivered.
2. He would run to the blood of Jesus, to get the guilt of his by gone sinful wayes washen away, and bloted out; to the end he may obtaine the favour of God, and get his reconciled face shineing upon him againe.
3. He would eye Christ, as a Prince exalted to give repentance, that so his sorrow for his former sinful courses, may be kindely, spiritual, through and affecting the heart. He would cry to Christ, that He would put - in his hand by the hole of the door, that his bowels may become moved for Him.
4. He would also look to Him, as that good Shepherd, who will strengthen that which is sick, Ezech. 34: 16. And take notice also of his other Relations, and of his Obligations thereby, and by the Covenant of Redemption; and this will strengthen his hope.
5. He would lay hold on Christ as his Strength, whereby his feet may be made like hindes feet, and he may be made to walk upon his high places, Habb. 3: 19. and he would grippe to that promise, Esai. 41: 10▪ I will strengthen thee; and lay hold on Christ in it.
6. Having done thus, he would set about every commanded duty, in the strength of Jesus, looking to Him for help and supply, from whom cometh all his strength: and though he should not finde that help and assistance, which he expected, yet he would not be discouraged, but continue, and when he can do no more offer himself▪ as ready and willing to go about the duty, as if he had strength.
7. He would lye open to, and be ready to receive the influences of strength, which He, who is the Head, shall think good to give, in his own time manner and measure: and this taketh in those duties:
1. That they would carefully guaird against the evils formerly mentioned, which brought on this distemper; such as Carelesnesse, Untendernesse▪ Unwatchfulnesse, Lazynesse, carnal Security, Formality, and want of Seriousnesse, &c.
2. That they would beware of giving way to despondency, or of concludeing the matter hopelesse, and remedilesse: for that is both discourageing to the soul, and a tempting provocation of God.
3. That they should be exerciseing the grace of patient Waiting.
4. That they should be waiting, in the use of the appointed meanes, and thereby, as it were, rubbing the dead and cold member before the fire, till it gather warmth.
5. That they should be keeping all their sails …p, waiting for the gaile of the Spirit, that should make their shipe sail.
6. That they should be looking to Him alone, who hath promised that quickening Spirit; and patiently waiting his leasure, not limiting Him to any definite time.
7. That they should be cherishing and stirring up any small beginnings that are.
8. That they should be welcoming most cheerfully every motion of the Spirit, and improveing every advantage of that kinde, and stricking the yron when it is hote, and hold the wheels of the soul a going, when they are once put in motion, and so be loath to grieve the good and holy Spirit of God, Ephes. 4: vers. 30. or to quench his motions. 1 Thes. 5: vers. 19.
If these duties were honestly minded and gone about, in Him, and in His strength; none can tell, how soon there might be a change wrought in the soul.
But of it be asked what such can do, to whom the very thoughts of the duty, and aimeing at it is matter of terrour.
Ans. It may be something, if not much, of that may flow from such a bodyly distemper, as occasioneth the alteration of the body, upon the through apprehension of any thing, that is weighty and of moment, so as they cannot endure to be much affected with any thing: But leaving this to others, I would advise such a soul to those duties.
1. To be frequently seting to the duty, as for example of prayer, though that should raise the distemper of their body: for, through time that may weare away, or at least grow lesse; while as their giving way thereto will still make the duty the more and more terrible, and so render themselves the more unfit for it, and thus they shall gratifie Satan, who (it may be) may have a hand in that bodyly distemper too: when the poor soul is thus accustomed or habituated to the attempting of the duty, it will at length appeare not so terrible as it did; & so the body may become not so soon altered thereby, as it was.
2. When such an one can do no more, He would keep his love to the duty, and his desires after …t, fresh and lively: and would not suffer these quite to die out.
3. He would be much in the use of frequent ejaculations, and of short supplications darted up to God; for these will not make such an impression on the body, and so will not so occasion the raiseing and wakening of the bodyly distemper, as more solemne addresses to God in prayer would possibly do.
4. If he cannot go to Christ with confidence, to draw out of Him life and strength, according to his need; yet he may give a look to Him, though it were from a farre: and he may think of Him, and speak of Him frequently: and would narrowly observe every thing, that pointeth Him out, or bringeth any thing of Him to remembrance.
5. Such souls would not give way to despairing thoughts, as if their case were wholly helpelesse and hopelesse: for that is a reflecting upon the power & skill of Christ: and therefore is provoking and dishonourable to Him.
6. Let Christ, and all that is His, be precious alwayes and lovely unto them. And thus they would keep some room in their heart open for Him; till He should be pleased to come to them with salvation. And who can tell, how soon He may come?
But enough of this: there is a Fourth case of deadnesse to be spoken to; and that is this.