; that they may know what they are, and learn afterwards not
to tempt the Lord, and to walk more circumspectly?

5. By leaning too much to their attainments, and not looking out for new
influences of grace and life. Hereby they provoke God to let them know
to their expense, that for as great a length as they are come, they must
live by faith, and be quickened by new influences from the Spirit of
life.

6. So they may wrong themselves through their ignorance of Christ, and
of the way of making use of him; and if they, through unacquaintedness
with Christ and the right way of improving the fulness that is in him,
miss the fruit and advantage which otherwise they might have, they can
only blame themselves.

7. They may also prejudge themselves by their self-love, self-esteem,
self-seeking, self-pleasing, &c., which piece and piece will draw them
off Christ, and cause them forget the way of sucking life from him, who
is the fountain of life.

8. When they give way to small sins, they open a door to greater; and
they lose thereby their tenderness, and so provoke the Lord to withdraw;
and this is another way, whereby they prejudge themselves of that
benefit of liveliness, which they might otherwise have.

9. So also by worldly-mindedness, which alienateth their mind from God;
and,

10. By their impatience, and fretting, and repining against God, and his
wise dispensations, they also prejudge and wrong themselves; for while
they are in that mood, they cannot with due composedness of Spirit, go
to Christ, and draw life from him through faith.

_Obj._ 3. But is there not even some of those who are most tender, that
complain of their deadness and shortcomings?

_Ans._ 1. It may be that they complain without cause; and that they have
more cause of rejoicing, and of blessing the Lord for what he hath done
to them, than of complaining.

2. Their complaining will not prove the want of life, but rather the
contrary. For when they complain most, they must be most sensible if
their complaints be real, and not merely for a fashion; and sense is a
manifest evidence of life.

3. It would be remembered, that the Lord can make their failings and
shortcomings contribute to the furthering of their life, as we see it
did in Peter.

4. It would also be remembered, that Christ doth not distribute and give
out of this life to all his members and followers, in a like measure;
but to some more, and to others less, according as he seeth