Some complain greatly of their state and condition; none so dead, so dull and stupid as they; they know not whether they have any spark of heavenly life left in them. Some make weak and faint endeavours for a recovery, which are like the attempts of a man in a dream, wherein he seems to use great endeavours without any success. Some put themselves unto multiplied duties. Howbeit, the generality of professors seem to be in a pining, thriftless condition. And the reason of it is because they will not sincerely and constantly make use of the only remedy and relief; like a man that will rather choose to pine away in his sickness with some useless, transient refreshments, than apply himself unto a known and approved remedy, because, it may be, the use of it is unsuited unto some of his present occasions. Now this (remedy) is to live in the exercise of faith in Christ Jesus. This Himself assures us of John xv:4,5: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing.”
There is a twofold coming unto Christ by believing. The first is that we may have life; that is, a spring and principle of spiritual life communicated unto us from Him; for He is “our life,” Col. iii:4, and “because He liveth, we live also,” John xiv:19. Yea, it is not so much we that live, as He that liveth in us, Gal. ii: 19, 20. And unbelief is a not coming unto Him, that we may have life, John v:40. But, secondly, there is also a coming unto Him by believers in the actual exercise of faith, that they may “have this life more abundantly,” John x:10; that is, such supplies of grace as may keep their souls in a healthy, vigorous acting of all the powers of spiritual life. And as He reproacheth some that they would not come unto Him that they might have life, so He may justly reprove us all, that we do not so come unto Him in the actual exercise of faith, as that we might have this life more abundantly.
When the Lord Christ is near us, and we do behold His glory, He will frequently communicate spiritual refreshment in peace, consolation and joy unto our souls. We shall not only hereby have our graces excited with respect unto Him as their object, but be made sensible of His actings towards us in the communications of Himself and His love unto us. When the Sun of Righteousness ariseth on any soul, or makes any near approach thereunto, it shall find “healing under His wings;” His beams of grace shall convey by His Spirit holy spiritual refreshment thereunto. For He is present with us by His Spirit, and these are His fruits and effects, as He is the Comforter, suited unto His office, as He is promised unto us.
Many love to walk in a very careless, unwise profession. So long as they can hold out in the performance of outward duties, they are very regardless of the greatest evangelical privileges—of those things which are the marrow of divine promises, and of all real endeavours of a vital communion with Christ. Such are spiritual peace, refreshing consolations, ineffable joys, and the blessed composure of assurance. Without some taste and experience of these things, profession is heartless, lifeless, useless; and religion itself a dead carcass without an animating soul. The peace which some enjoy is a mere stupidity. They judge not these things to be real which are the substance of Christ’s present reward, and a renunciation whereof would deprive the Church of its principal supportments and encouragements in all its sufferings. It is a great evidence of the power of unbelief, when we can satisfy ourselves without an experience in our own hearts of the great things, in this kind of joy, peace, consolation, assurance, that are promised in the Gospel. For how can it be supposed that we do indeed believe the promises of things future—namely, of heaven, immortality, and glory, the faith whereof is the foundation of all religion—when we do not believe the promises of the present reward in these spiritual privileges? And how shall we be thought to believe them when we do not endeavour after an experience of the things themselves in our own souls, but are even contented without them? But herein men deceive themselves. They would very desirously have evangelical joy, peace, and assurance, to countenance them in their evil frames and careless walking. And some have attempted to reconcile these things unto the ruin of their souls. But it will not be. Without the diligent exercise of the grace of obedience, we shall never enjoy the grace of consolation. But we must speak somewhat of these things afterward.
It is peculiarly in the view of the glory of Christ, in His approaches unto us, and abiding with us, that we are made partakers of evangelical peace, consolation, joy and assurance. These are a part of the royal train of His graces, of the reward wherewith He is accompanied. “His reward is with Him.” Wherever He is graciously present with any, these things are never wanting in a due measure and degree, unless it be by their own fault, or for their trial. In these things doth He give the Church of His loves, Cant. vii:12. “For if any man,” saith He, “love Me, I will love him, and will manifest Myself unto him,” John xiv:21; “yea, I and the Father will come unto him, and make our abode with him,” verse 23; and that so as to “sup with him,” Rev. iii:20, which, on his part, can be only by the communication of those spiritual refreshments. The only inquiry is, by what way and means do we receive them? Now, I say this is in and by our beholding of the glory of Christ by faith, 1 Peter i:8,9. Let that glory be rightly stated, as before laid down; the glory of His Person, His office, His condescension, exaltation, love, and grace; let faith be fixed in a view and contemplation of it, mix itself with it, as represented in the glass of the Gospel, meditate upon it, embrace it—and virtue will proceed from Christ, communicating spiritual supernatural refreshment and joy unto our souls. Yea, in ordinary cases, it is impossible that believers should have a real prospect of this glory at any time, but that it will in some measure affect their hearts with a sense of His love, which is the spring of all consolation in them. In the exercise of faith on the discoveries of the glory of Christ made unto us in the Gospel, no man shall ever totally want such intimations of His love; yea, such effusions of it in his heart as shall be a living spring of those spiritual refreshments, John iv:14; Rom. v:5. When, therefore, we lose these things as unto a sense of them in our souls, it is evident that the Lord Christ is withdrawn, and that we do not behold His glory.