iii. 17, 19.  So that the believer is to commit by faith the work to Christ, and leave the stress of all the business on him who is their life.  Yet the believer must not think he is to do nothing, or to lay aside the means of ordinances, but using these diligently, would in them commit the matter to Christ, and by faith roll the whole work on him, expecting, upon the ground of his relations, engagements, promises, beginnings, &c., that he will certainly perfect the work, (Phil. i. 6,) and take it well off their hands, and be well pleased with them for putting the work in his hands, and leaving it on him “who is made of God to us sanctification.”

CAUTIONS.

As in the former part, so here it will not be amiss to give a few words of caution, for preventing of mistakes.

1.  We would beware of thinking that perfection can be attained here:  the perfect man and measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ is but coming, and till then the body will be a perfecting and edifying, through the work of the ministry, Eph. iv. 12, 13.  Believers must not think of sitting down on any measure of grace which they attain to here; but they must be growing in grace, going from strength to strength, till they appear in the upper Zion with the apostle, Phil. iii. 13.  “Forgetting those things that are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, they must press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”  It must then be a dreadful delusion for any to think that they can reach to such a degree of perfection here, as not to stand in need of the ordinance any more.  Let all believers live in the constant conviction of their shortcoming, and be humbled, and so work out their salvation with fear and trembling.

2.  Nor should every believer expect one and the same measure of holiness, nor can it be expected with reason that all shall advance here to the same height of sanctity; for every part of the body hath its own measure, and an effectual working in that measure:  and so every joint of the body supplieth less or more, according to its proportion, and contributeth to the increase of the body, and to the edifying of itself in love, as the apostle clearly sheweth, Eph. iv. 16.  As in the natural body the diversity of functions and uses of the members requireth diversity of furniture and strength, so in the mystical body of Christ the members have not all alike measure, but each hath his proper distinct measure, according to his place and usefulness in the body.  Believers then would learn much sobriety here and submission, knowing that God may dispense his graces as he will, and give them to each member in what measure he thinketh good:  only they would take heed, that their poverty and leanness be not occasioned through their own carelessness and negligence, in not plying the means of grace with that faithfulness and single dependence on Christ that they ought.