But you will say, " How shall we do so ? how shall we abide, more than we have done, at this well-head of life V
1. We are to abide at the well-head of life by a frequency of the acts of faith upon the person of Christ. Faith is that grace, not only
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370 RECOVERY FROM SPIRITUAL DECAY.
whereby we are implanted into Christ, but whereby we also abide in him. If so, methinks the frequent actings of faith upon the person of Christ are a drawing near to the well-head of life. And though we are to put forth the vigour, the earnestness, the watchfulness of our hearts unto obedience ; yet a ceasing to continue in the acting of faith upon the person of Christ, even under the vigour of our own endea- vours by those general, outward desires of walking with God and living to him, will weaken us, and we shall find ourselves losers by it. Do you all understand me ? I am not teaching the wise and more knowing of the flock ; I would speak unto the meanest. I say, suppose we should resolve with great earnestness, diligence, watchful- ness, to abide in duties, in inward duties, to watch over our hearts, which is required of us ; yet, if in our so doing we are taken off thereby from frequent actings of faith upon Christ, as the spring of our life, we shall decay under all our endeavours, watchfulness, and multipli- cation of duties. Wherefore, my brethren, let me give you this advice, — that you would night and day, upon your beds, in your ways, upon all occasions, have the exercise of faith upon the person of Christ; faith working by a view of him as represented in the gospel, by trust in him, and by invocation of him, — that he may be continually nigh unto you. And you cannot have him nigh unto you, unless you make yourselves, by these actings of faith, through his grace, continually nigh unto him : so you will abide at the well-head.
I could show you those excellent advantages that we should have by continually being near to Christ, who is the overflowing spring of grace, and from whence it will issue out to us, if we abide with him, be nigh to him, and keep up to this well-head.
2. Abide with him in love. Oh, the warm affections for Christ which some of you can witness concerningyourselves, — that your hearts have been filled withal towards Christ, when you have been under his call to believe on him ! And it is a marvellous way of abiding with Christ, to abide with him by love ; which is called " cleaving to God and Christ:" it is the affection of adhesion, and gives a sense of union,
" How, then, shall we get our hearts to abide with Christ by love ? "
This is a subject that if I were to preach upon, how many things would presently offer themselves to us, from the excellency of his person, from the excellency of his love, from our necessity of him, the advantages and benefits we have by him, and his kindness to- wards us ! All these things, and many more, would quickly present themselves unto us.
But I will name but one thing, and I name it the rather, because I heard it mentioned in prayer since I came in : Labour to have your hearts filled with a love to Jesus Christ, as there is in him made a
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representation of all divine excellencies. This was God's glorious design. It is not to be separated from his design of glorifying him- self in the work of redemption ; for a great part of God's glorious design in the incarnation of Christ, was in him to represent himself unto us, " who is the image of the invisible God, the express image of his person." Now, if you do but consider Christ as God is glori- ously represented unto you in him, you will find him the most proper object for divine love, — for that love which is wrought in your hearts by the Holy Ghost, — for that love that hath sweetness, complacency, satisfaction in it. Then, let us remember that we exercise our minds to consider Christ, as all the lovely properties of the divine nature and counsels of his will, as to love and grace, are manifested by Christ.
If we would abide at the well-head of life, we must abide in these things; and let love be excited to Christ under this especial conside- ration,— as he who represents the supreme object of your love, God himself, in all the glorious properties of his nature.
3. Add meditation hereunto ; study Christ more, and all the things of Christ ; delight more in the hearing and preaching of Christ. He is our best friend; let not the difficulties of the mystery of his person and grace deter you. There are wonderful things of the counsels of heaven, and of the glory of the holy God, in the person of Christ as the head of the church ; if you would be found inquiring into them, an unsearchable treasure of divine wisdom, grace, and love is laid up in Christ: therefore meditate upon them more. Let me assure you this will prove the best expedient for the recovery of our spiritual life. And I will abide by this doctrine to eternity, that without it we shall never recover spiritual life to the glory of God in Christ.