mility, and not to be proud of any thing
they have or do; for it is he, who is the Life, who keepeth them in
life, and helpeth them to any duty; yea, it is life that worketh all in
them.

5. And likewise it should teach them to acknowledge him, to whom they
are obliged for any thing they do, for any life they have, or any acts
or fruits of life that appear in them; and to be thankful to him
therefor.

6. And mainly, they should here read their obligation and duty, to
improve this advantage, and to draw life out of this fountain, and so
live by this life; act and do all in and through this life; and so be
quickened by this life, in all their fits of deadness; and for this
cause would keep those things in mind:

(1.) That they should live in a constant conviction of their own
weakness, deadness, and inability to do any acts of life of themselves;
and far less to recover themselves out of any distemper and fit of
deadness which they fall into.

(2.) That they should live in the faith of this, that there is life
enough in him, who is the Life, to do their business. They should be
persuaded of his all-sufficiency.

(3.) That he is not only an all-sufficient deliverer, able to deliver a
soul that is, as it were, rotting in the grave, and to cause the dead to
hear his voice and live; but also most willing and ready to answer them
in all their necessities, according to wisdom, and as he seeth it for
his glory, and their soul's advantage. The faith of this is necessary,
and will be very encouraging.

(4.) That they should go to him, how dead-like soever their condition
be, and by faith roll their dead case upon him, who is the Life.

(5.) That they should pray upon the promises of grace and influence,
even out of the belly of hell, or of the grave, with Jonah, chap. ii. 2;
for he is faithful and true, and tender-hearted, and will hear and give
a good answer at length.

(6.) That in the exercise of faith and prayer, they should wait with
patience, till he be pleased to come, and breathe upon the dry bones,
and till the Sun of Righteousness arise on their souls with healing in
his wings.

But of this more particularly in the following cases, which now we come
to speak a little unto, of purpose to clear more fully how the believer
is to make use of Christ as the Life, when he is under some one
distemper or other, that calleth for life and quickening from Christ the
Life. We cannot handle distinctly all the particular ca