(Owen. The Glory of Christ, Part 2. File 3)
(... continued from File 2)
4. Remember that the Scripture confines you unto the present
day, without the least intimation that you shall have either another
day, or another tender of grace and mercy in any day, 2 Cor. 6: 2;
Heb. 3: 7, 13; 12: 15. Take care lest you come short of the grace of
God, miss of it by missing your opportunity. Redeem the time, or you
are lost for ever.
5. As unto the pretence of your occasions and business, there
is a ready way to disappoint the craft of Satan in that pretence, -
namely, to mix thoughts of Christ and the renovation of your
resolutions either to come or to cleave unto him with all your
occasions. Let nothing put it utterly out of your minds; make it
familiar unto you, and you will beat Satan out of that stronghold,
Prov. 7: 4. However, shake yourselves out of this dust, or
destruction lies at the door.
Fourthly, It is the language of the hearts of some, that if
they give up themselves unto a compliance with this exhortation, and
go seriously about this duty, they must relinquish and renounce all
their lusts and pleasures; yea, much of their converse and society,
wherein they find so much present satisfaction, as that they know
not how to part with them. If they might retain their old ways, at
least some of them, it were another matter; but this total
relinquishment of all is very severe.
Ans. 1. The Jesuits, preaching and painting of Christ among
some of the Indians, concealed from them his cross and sufferings,
telling them only of his present glory and power; so as they
pretended to win them over to faith in him, hiding from them that
whereby they might be discouraged; and so preached a false Christ
unto them, one of their own framing. We dare do no such thing for
all the world; we can here use no condescension, no compliance, no
composition with respect unto any sin or lust; we have no commission
to grant that request of Lot, "Is it not a little one? let it be
spared;" nor to come to Naaman's terms, "God be merciful to me in
this thing; in all others I will be obedient." Wherefore, -
2. We must here be peremptory with you, whatever be the event;
if you are discouraged by it, we cannot help it. Cursed be the man
that shall encourage you to come to Christ with hopes of indulgence
unto any one sin whatever. I speak not this as though you could at
once absolutely and perfectly leave all sin, in the root and
branches of it; but only you are to do it in heart and resolution,
engaging unto a universal mortification of all sin, as by grace from
above you shall be enabled; but your choice must be absolute,
without reserves, as to love, interest, and design; - God or the
world, - Christ or Belial, - holiness or sin; there is no medium, no
terms of composition, 2 Cor. 6: 15-18.
As unto what you pretend of your pleasures, the truth is, you
never yet had any real pleasure, nor do know what it is. How easy
were it to declare the folly, vanity, bitterness, poison of those
things which you have esteemed your pleasures! Here alone - namely,
in Christ, and a participation of him - are true pleasures and
durable riches to be obtained; pleasure of the same nature with, and
such as, like pleasant streams, flow down into the ocean of eternal
pleasures above. A few moments in these joys are to be preferred
above the longest continuance in the cursed pleasures of this world.
See Prov. 3: 13-18.
Fifthly, It will be said by some, that they do not see those
who profess themselves to be believers, to be so much better than
they are, as that you need to press us so earnestly to so great a
change; we know not why we should not be accounted believers
already, as well as they. I shall in a few words, as well as I am
able, lay this stumbling-block out of the way, though I confess, at
this day, it is weighty and cumbersome. And I say, -
1. Among them that profess themselves to be believers, there
are many false, corrupt hypocrites; and it is no wonder that on
various occasions they lay the stumbling-block of their iniquities
before the faces of others; but they shall bear their own burden and
judgement.
2. It is acknowledged, it must be bewailed, that some whom we
have reason to judge to be true believers, yet, through their
unfortified pride, or covetousness, or carelessness in their
conversation, or vain attire and conformity to the world, or
forwardness, do give just occasion of offence. We confess that God
is displeased herewith, Christ and the Gospel dishonoured, and many
that are weak are wounded, and others discouraged. But as for you,
this is not your rule, - this is not proposed unto you; but that
word only is so that will never fail you.
3. The world does not know, nor is able to make a right
judgement of believers; nor do you so, for it is the spiritual man
alone that discerneth the things of God. Their infirmities are
visible to all, - their graces invisible; the King's daughter is
glorious within. And when you are able to make a right judgement of
them, you will desire no greater advancement than to be of their
society, Ps. 16: 3.
These few instances of the pretences wherewith unbelief covers
its deformity, and hides that destruction wherewith it is
accompanied, may suffice unto our present purpose; they are
multiplied in the minds of men, impregnated by the suggestions of
Satan on their darkness and folly. A little spiritual wisdom will
rend the veil of them all, and expose unbelief acting in enmity
against Christ under them. But what has been spoken may suffice to
answer the necessity of the preceding exhortation on this occasion.
Chapter 2.
The Way and Means of the Recovery of Spiritual Decays, and of
Obtaining Fresh Springs of Grace.
The application of the same truth, in the second place, belongs
unto relievers, especially such as have made any long profession of
walking in the ways of God and the gospel. And that which I design
herein, is to manifest, that a steady spiritual view of the glory of
Christ by faith, will give them a gracious revival from inward
decays, and fresh springs of grace, even in their latter days. A
truth this is, as we shall see, confirmed by Scripture, with the
joyful experience of multitudes of believers, and is of great
importance unto all that are so.
There are two things which those who, after a long profession
of the gospel, are entering into the confines of eternity do long
for and desire. The one is, that all their breaches may be repaired,
their decays recovered, their backsliding healed; for unto these
things they have been less or more obnoxious in the course of their
walking before God. The other is, that they may have fresh springs
of spiritual life, and vigorous acting of all divine graces, in
spiritual-mindedness, holiness, and fruitfulness, unto the praise of
God, the honour of the gospel, and the increase of their own peace
and joy. These things they value more than all the world, and all
that is in it; about these things are their thoughts and
contrivances exercised night and day. Those with whom it is
otherwise, whatever they pretend, are in the dark unto themselves
and their own condition; for it is in the nature of this grace to
grow and increase unto the end. As rivers, the nearer they come unto
the ocean whither they tend, the more they increase their waters,
and speed their streams; so will grace flow more freely and fully in
its near approaches to the ocean of glory. That is not saving which
does not so.
An experience hereof - I mean of the thriving of grace towards
the end of our course - is that alone which can support us under the
troubles and temptations of life, which we have to conflict withal.
So the apostle tells us, that this is our great relief in all our
distresses and afflictions, "for which cause we faint not; but
though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by
day," 2 Cor. 4: 16. If it be so, that in the daily decays of the
outward man, in all the approaches of its dissolution, we have
inward spiritual revivals and renovation, we shall not faint in what
we undergo. And without such continual renovations, we shall faint
in our distresses, whatever other things we may have, or whatever we
pretend unto the contrary.
And ordinarily it is so, in the holy, wise providence of God,
that afflictions and troubles increase with age. It is so, in an
especial manner, with ministers of the gospel; they have many of
them a share in the lot of Peter, which our Lord Jesus Christ
declared unto him, John 21: 18, "When thou wast young, thou girdedst
thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be
old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird
thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not." Besides those
natural distemper and infirmities which accompany the decays of
life, troubles of life, and in their affairs, do usually grow upon
them, when they look for nothing less, but were ready to say with
Job, "We shall die in our nest," Job 29: 18. So was it with Jacob,
after all his hard labour and travail to provide for his family,
such things fell out in it in his old age as had almost broken his
heart. And oft times both persecutions and public dangers do befall
them at the same season. Whilst the outward man is thus perishing,
we need great supportment, that we faint not. And this is only to be
had in an experience of daily spiritual renovations in the inner
man.
The excellency of this mercy the Psalmist expresseth in a
heavenly manner, Ps. 92: 12-15, "The righteous shall flourish like
the palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be
planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our
God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be
fat and flourishing; to show that the LOBD is upright: he is my
rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him."
The promise in the 12th verse respects the times of the
Messiah, or of the New Testament; for so it is prophesied of him,
"In his days the righteous shall flourish," Ps. 72: 7, - namely,
through the abundance of grace that should be administered from his
fulness, as John 1: 16; Col. 1: 19. And herein consists the glory of
the gospel, and not in outward prosperity or external ornaments of
divine worship. The flourishing of the righteous, I say, in grace
and holiness is the glory of the office of Christ and of the gospel.
Where this is not, there is no glory in the profession of our
religion. The glory of kings is in the wealth and peace of their
subjects; and the glory of Christ is in the grace and holiness of
his subjects.
This flourishing is compared to the palm-tree, and the growth
of the cedar. The palm-tree is of the greatest verdure, beauty, and
fruitfulness, and the cedar of the greatest and longest growth of
any trees. So are the righteous compared to the palm-tree for the
beauty of profession and fruitfulness in obedience; and unto the
cedar for a continual, constant growth and increase in grace. Thus
it is with all that are righteous, unless it be from their own
sinful neglect, as it is with many in this day. They are hereon
rather like the shrubs and heaths in the wilderness, which see not
when good comes, than like the palm-tree or the cedars of Lebanon.
And hereby do men what lies in them to obscure the glory of Christ
and his kingdom, as well as disquiet their own souls.
The words that follow, verse 13, "Those that be planted in the
house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God," are not
distinctive of some from other, as though some only of the
nourishing righteous were so planted; but they are descriptive of
them all, with an addition of the way and means whereby they are
caused so to grow and flourish. And this is, their implantation in
the house of the Lord; - that is, in the church, which is the seat
of all the means of spiritual life, both as unto growth and
flourishing, which God is pleased to grant unto believers. To be
planted in the house of the Lord, is to be fixed and rooted in the
grace communicated by the ordinances of divine worship. Unless we
are planted in the house of the Lord, we cannot flourish in his
courts. See Ps. 1: 3. Unless we are partakers of the grace
administered in the ordinances, we cannot flourish in a fruitful
profession. The outward participation of them is common unto
hypocrites, that bear some leaves, but neither grow like the cedar
nor bear fruit like the palm-tree. So the apostle prays for
believers, that Christ may dwell in their hearts by faith, that they
may be "rooted and grounded in love," Eph. 3: 17, - "rooted, built
up, and established," Col. 2: 7. The want hereof is the cause that
we have so many fruitless professors; they have entered the courts
of God by profession, but were never planted in his house by faith
and love. Let us not deceive ourselves herein; - we may be entered
into the church, and made partakers of the outward privileges of it,
and not be so planted in it as to flourish in grace and
fruitfulness.
That which on this occasion I principally intend, is the grace
and privilege expressed, verse 14, "They shall still bring forth
fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing." There be three
things which constitute a spiritual state, or belong to the life of
God. 1. That believers be fat; that is, by the heavenly juice, sap,
or fatness of the true olive, of Christ himself, as Rom. 11: 17.
This is the principle of spiritual life and grace derived from him.
When this abounds in them, so as to give them strength and vigour in
the exercise of grace, to keep them from decays and withering, they
are said to be fat; which, in the Scripture phrase, is strong and
healthy. 2. That they flourish in the greenness (as the word is) and
verdure of profession; for vigorous grace will produce a flourishing
profession. 3. That they still bring forth fruit in all duties of
holy obedience. All these are promised unto them even in old age.
Even trees, when they grow old (the palm and the cedar), are
apt to lose of their juice and verdure: and men in old age are
subject unto all sorts of decays, both outward and inward. It is a
rare thing to see a man in old age naturally vigorous, healthy, and
strong; and would it were not more rare to see any spiritually so at
the same season! But this is here promised unto believers as an
especial grace and privilege, beyond what can be represented in the
growth or fruit-bearing of plants and trees.
The grace intended is, that when believers are under all sorts
of bodily and natural decays, and, it may be, have been overtaken
with spiritual decays also, there is provision made in the covenant
to render them fat, flourishing, and fruitful, - vigorous in the
power of internal grace, and flourishing in the expression of it in
all duties of obedience; which is that which we now inquire after.
Blessed be God for this good word of his grace, that he has
given us such encouragement against all the decays and temptations
of old age which we have to conflict withal!
And the Psalmist, in the next words, declares the greatness of
this privilege: "To show that the LORD is upright; he is my rock,
and there is no unrighteousness in him." Consider the oppositions
that lie against the flourishing of believers in old age, the
difficulties of it, the temptations that must be conquered, the
acting of the mind above its natural abilities which are decayed the
weariness that is apt to befall us in a long spiritual conflict, the
cries of the flesh to be spared, and we shall see it to be an
evidence of the faithfulness, power, and righteousness of God in
covenant; - nothing else could produce this mighty effect. So the
prophet, treating of the same promise, Hos. 14: 4-8, closes his
discourse with that blessed remark, verse 9, "Who is wise, and he
shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for
the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them."
Spiritual wisdom will make us to see that the faithfulness and power
of God are exerted in this work of preserving believers flourishing
and fruitful unto the end.
Having laid the foundation of this illustrious testimony, I
shall farther declare and confirm my intention, so to make way for
the application of the truth under consideration unto this case, -
manifesting that the way whereby we may be made partakers of this
grace, is by a steady view of the glory of Christ, as proposed to us
in the Gospel.
There is a latter spring in the year, a spring in autumn; it
is, indeed, for the most part, but faint and weak, - yet is it such
as the husbandman cannot spare. And it is an evident sign of barren
ground, when it does not put forth afresh towards the end of the
year. God, the good husband man, looks for the same from us,
especially if we had a summer's drought in spiritual decays; as the
Psalmist complains, Ps. 32: 4. Had we not had a latter spring the
last year, the land had greatly suffered under the drought of the
summer. And if we have had such a drought in the course of our
profession by spiritual decays, as God, the good husband man, looks
for a latter spring in us, even in old age, in the vigorous acting
of grace and fruitful obedience; so without it we can neither have
peace nor joy in our own souls. If a man, therefore, has made a
great appearance of religion in his former or younger days, and when
he is growing into age becomes dead, cold, worldly, selfish, - if he
have no fresh springs of spiritual life in him, it is an evidence
that he has a barren heart, that was never really fruitful to God. I
know that many stand in need of being excited by such warning unto a
diligent consideration of their state and condition.
It is true, that the latter spring does not bring forth the
same fruit with the former. There is no more required in it but that
the ground evidence itself to be in good heart, and put forth that
which is proper unto the season. It may be, such graces as were
active and vigorous in men at their first conversion unto God, as
were carried in a stream of warm, natural affections, may not so
eminently abound in the latter spring of old age; but those which
are proper for the season - as namely, spirituality,
heavenly-mindedness, weanedness from the world, readiness for the
cross and death - are necessary, even in old age, to evidence that
we have a living principle of grace, and to show thereby that God is
upright; He is our rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.
What is farther to be insisted one shall be reduced unto these
four heads: -
I. That the constitution of spiritual life is such as is meet
to thrive, grow, and increase unto the end, and will do so, unless
it be from the default of them in whom it is.
II. That notwithstanding this nature and constitution of
spiritual life, yet believers are subject unto many decays, partly
gradual, and partly by surprisals in temptation, whereby the growth
of it is obstructed, unto the dishonour of the gospel and the loss
of their own peace with joy.
III. I shall show that such at present is the condition of many
professors, - namely that they are visibly fallen under spiritual
decays, and do not evidence any interest in the blessed promise
insisted on.
IV. On the confirmation of these things, our inquiry will be,
how such persons may be delivered from such decays, and by what
means they may obtain the grace here promised, of spiritual
flourishing in old age, both in the strengthening of the inward
principle of life and abounding in fruits of obedience, which are to
the praise of God by Jesus Christ; and then we shall make
application unto this case of that truth which is the subject of the
preceding discourse.
I. The constitution of spiritual life is such as is meet to
grow and increase unto the end. Hereby it does distinguish itself
from that faith which is temporary; for there is a temporary faith,
which will both flourish for a season and bring forth some fruit;
but it is not in its nature and constitution to abide, to grow and
increase, but rather to decay and wither. It is described by our
Lord Jesus Christ, Matt. 13: 20, 21. Either some great temptation
extinguishes it, or it decays insensibly, until the mind wherein it
was do manifest itself to be utterly barren. And, therefore, whoever
is sensible of any spiritual decays, he is called unto a severe
trial and examination of himself, as unto the nature of the
principle of his profession and obedience; for such decays do rather
argue a principle of temporary faith only, unto which they are
proper and natural, than that whose nature it is to thrive and grow
to the end, whereon those that have it shall, as it is in the
promise, still bring forth fruit, and, without their own great
guilt, be always freed from such decays.
That this spiritual life is in its nature and constitution such
as will abide, thrive, and grow to the end, is three ways testified
unto in the Scripture.
1. In that it is compared unto things of the most infallible
increase and progress; for besides that its growth is frequently
likened unto that of plants and trees well watered, and in a
fruitful soil, which fail not to spring, unless it be from some
external violence; it is likewise compared unto such things as whose
progress is absolutely infallible, Prov. 4: 18, "The path of the
just is, as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the
perfect day." The path of the just is his covenant-walk before God,
as it is frequently called in the Scripture, Ps. 119: 35,105; Isa.
26: 7; Ps. 23: 3; Matt. 3: 3; Heb. 12: 13; and it compriseth the
principle, profession, and fruits of it. This, saith the wise man,
is as the shining light; that is, the morning light. And wherein is
it so? Why, as that goes on by degrees, and shineth more and more
unto the high noon (though it may be interrupted sometimes by clouds
and storms); so is this path of the just, - it goes on and
increaseth unto the high noon, the perfect day of glory. It is in
its nature so to do, though it may sometimes meet with obstructions,
as we shall see afterward; and so does the morning light also.
There is no visible difference, as unto light, between the
light of the morning and the light of the evening; yea, this latter
sometimes, from gleams of the setting sun, seems to be more glorious
than the other. But herein they differ: the first goes on gradually
unto more light, until it comes to perfection; the other gradually
gives place unto darkness, until it comes to be midnight. So is it
as unto the light of the just and of the hypocrite, and so is it as
unto their paths. At first setting out they may seem alike and
equal; yea, convictions and spiritual gifts acted with corrupt ends
in some hypocrites, may for a time give a greater lustre of
profession than the grace of others sincerely converted unto God may
attain unto. But herein they discover their different natures: the
one increaseth and goes on constantly, though it may be sometimes
but faintly; the other decays, grows dim, gives place to darkness
and crooked walking.
This, then, is the nature of the path of the just; and where it
is otherwise with us in our walk before God, we can have no evidence
that we are in that path, or that we have a living, growing
principle of spiritual life in us. And it is fit that professors of
all sorts should be minded of these things; for we may see not a few
of them under visible decays, without any sincere endeavours after a
recovery, who yet please themselves that the root of the matter is
in them. It is so, if love of the world, conformity unto it,
negligence in holy duties, and coldness in spiritual love, be an
evidence of such decays. But let none deceive their own souls;
wherever there is a living principle of grace, it will be thriving
and growing unto the end. And if it fall under obstructions, and
thereby into decays for a season, it will give no rest or quietness
unto the soul wherein it is, but will labour continually for a
recovery. Peace in a spiritually-decaying condition, is a
soul-ruining security; better be under terror on the account of
surprisal into some sin, than be in peace under evident decays of
spiritual life.
And, by the way, this comparing of the path of the just unto
the morning light minds me of what I have seen more than once. That
light has sometimes cheerfully appeared unto the world, when, after
a little season, by reason of clouds, tempests, and storms, it has
given place again to darkness, like that of the night; but it has
not so been lost and buried like the evening light. After a while it
has recovered itself unto a greater lustre than before, manifesting
that it increased in itself whilst it was eclipsed as to us. So has
it been with not a few at their first conversion unto God: great
darkness and trouble have, by the efficacy of temptation and
injections of Satan, possessed their minds; but the grace which they
have receded, being as the morning light, has after a while
disentangled itself, and given evidence that it was so far from
being extinguished, as that it grew and thrived under all those
clouds and darkness; for the light of the just does in the issue
always increase by temptations, as that of the hypocrite is
constantly impaired by them.
Again, as it is as the morning light, than which nothing has a
more assured progress; so it is called by our Saviour "living
water," John 4: 10, yea, "a well of water, springing up into
everlasting life," verse 14. It is an indeficient spring, - not a
pool or pond, though never so large, which may be dried up. Many
such pools of light, gifts, and profession, have we seen utterly
dried up, when they have come into age, or been ensnared by the
temptations of the world. And we may see others every day under
dangerous decays; their countenances are changed, and they have lost
that oil which makes the face of a believer to shine, - namely, the
oil of love, meekness, self denial, and spirituality of converse;
and instead thereof, there is spread upon them the fulsome ointment
of pride, self-love, earthly-mindedness, which increaseth on them
more and more. But where this principle of spiritual life is, it is
as the morning light, as an indeficient spring that never fails, nor
can do so, until it issue in eternal life. And sundry other ways
there are whereby the same truth is asserted in the Scripture.
2. There are sundry divine promises given unto believers that
so it shall be, or to secure them of such supplies of grace as shall
cause their spiritual life to grow, increase, and flourish unto the
end; such as that in the psalm which we have considered. For these
promises are the means whereby this spiritual life is originally
communicated unto us, and whereby it is preserved in us; by them are
we made partakers of this divine nature, 2 Pet. 1: 4; and through
them is it continued in us. Now [as to] promises of this nature, -
namely, that by the dispensation of the Spirit of Christ, and
supplies of his grace, our spiritual life shall flourish, and be
made fruitful to the end, - I shall briefly call over one of them
only at present, which is recorded, Isa. 44: 3, 4, "I will pour
water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I
will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine
offspring: and they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows
by the water-courses."
Although this promise may have respect unto the gracious
dealing of God with the people of the Jews after their return from
the captivity, yet has it so only as it was typical of the
redemption of the church by Jesus Christ; but it belongs properly to
the times of the gospel, when the righteous were to flourish, and it
is a promise of the new covenant, as is manifest in that it is not
only given unto believers, but is also extended unto their seed and
offspring; which is an assured signature of new covenant promises.
And here is, - 1. A supposition of what we are in ourselves, both
before and after our conversion unto God, - namely, as thirsty, dry,
and barren ground. We have nothing in ourselves, no radical moisture
to make us flourishing and fruitful. And as it is before, so it is
after conversion: "We are not sufficient of ourselves; our
sufficiency is of God," 2 Cor. 3: 5. Being left to ourselves, we
should utterly wither and perish. But, - 2. Here is the blessed
relief which God in this case has provided; he will pour the
sanctifying water of his Spirit and the blessing of his grace upon
us. And this he will so do as to cause us to spring up as among the
grass, as willows by the water-courses. There is nothing of a more
eminent and almost visible growth than willows by the water-courses.
Such shall be the spiritual growth of believers under the influences
of these promises; that is, they shall be fat and flourishing, and
still bring forth fruit. And other promises of the same nature there
are many; but we must observe three things concerning them, that we
may be satisfied in their accomplishment. As, -
(1.) The promises of the new covenant, as unto the first
communication of grace unto the elect, are absolute and
unconditional; they are the executive conveyances of God's immutable
purposes and decrees. And what should be the condition of the
communication of the first grace unto us? Nothing that is not grace
can be so. If it be said that this also is of God in us, which is
the condition of the communication of the first saving grace unto
us, then I would know whether that be bestowed upon us without any
condition. If it be, then that is the first grace, as being
absolutely free; if it be not, then what is the condition whereon it
is bestowed? concerning which the same inquiry must be made, - and
so for ever. But this is the glory of covenant promises, that, as
unto the communication of the grace of conversion and sanctification
unto the elect, they are absolutely free and unconditionate. But, -
(2.) The promises which respect the growth, degrees, and
measures of this grace in believers are not so. There are many
duties required of us, that these promises may be accomplished
towards us and in us; yea, watchful diligence in universal gospel
obedience is expected from us unto this end. See 2 Pet. 1: 4-10.
This is the ordinary method of the communication of all supplies of
grace to make us spiritually flourish and be fruitful, - namely,
that we be found in the diligent exercise of what we have received.
God does sometimes deal otherwise, in a way of sovereignty, and
surpriseth men with healing grace in the midst of their decays and
backsliding; as Isa. 57: 17, 18. So has many a poor soul been
delivered from going down into the pit. The good shepherd will go
out of his way to save a wandering sheep; but this is the ordinary
method.
(3.) Notwithstanding these blessed promises of growth,
flourishing, and fruitfulness, if we are negligent in the due
improvement of the grace which we have received, and the discharge
of the duties required of us, we may fall into decays, and be kept
in a low, unthrifty state all our days. And this is the principal
ground of the discrepancy between the glory and beauty of the
church, as represented in the promises of the Gospel, and as
exemplified in the lives and walking of professors, - they do not
live up unto the condition of their accomplishment in them; howbeit,
in God's way and time they shall be all fulfilled. We have,
therefore, innumerable blessed promises concerning the thriving,
growing, and flourishing of the principle of spiritual life in us,
even in old age and until death; but the grace promised unto this
end will not befall us whilst we are asleep in spiritual sloth and
security. Fervent prayer, the exercise of all grace received, with
watchfulness unto all holy duties, are required hereunto.
3. God has secured the growth of this spiritual life, by the
provision of food for it, whereby it may be strengthened and
increased; for life must be preserved by food. And this in our case
is the Word of God, with all other ordinances of divine worship
which depend thereon, 1 Pet. 2: 2, 3. Whatever the state of this
life be, - whether in its beginning, its progress, its decays, -
there is suitable nourishment provided for it in the good Word of
God's grace. If men will neglect their daily food that is provided
for them, it is no wonder if they be weak and thriftless. And if
believers are not earnest in their desires after this food, - if
they are not diligent in providing of it, attending unto it, - much
more if, through corruptions and temptations, they count it, in the
preaching of it, light and common food, which they do not value, -
it is no wonder if they fall into spiritual decays; but God has
herein provided for our growth even unto old age.
And this is the first thing which was proposed unto
confirmation, namely, that the constitution and nature of spiritual
life is such as to be in deficient, so as to thrive and grow even in
old age, and unto the end.
(continued in file 4... )
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file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/epl-09: owgch2-3.txt