9.  Though life lieth not in the ordinances as separated from Christ, and life is to be expected from him alone, yet he would beware of going about the ordinances in a careless, superficial, and indifferent manner:  for this will argue little desire after life, and will bring on more deadness.  The ordinances then should be gone about seriously, diligently, and with great carefulness, yea, with such earnestness as if life were not about the ordinances at all.  This is the right way of going about the ordinances.

10.  He must in all this wait with patience, without fretting or quarrelling with him for his delaying to come.  He must wait with much humility.  It becometh not him who hath, through his folly, sinned life away, to quarrel now with God, because he restoreth him not again to life at the first asking.  He may be glad if at length, after long seeking, waiting, and much diligence, he come and restore to him the joy of salvation, and if he be not made to lie as bedrid all his days, for a monument of folly in sinning away his life, strength, and legs as he did.

11.  He must beware of giving way to any thing that may increase or continue this deadness; such as untenderness in his walk, unwatchfulness, negligence, and carelessness; and especially he must beware not to provoke God by sinning against light.

12.  He would also beware of limiting the Lord to any set measure of life and strength:  for it becometh not beggars to be carvers, far less such beggars as through folly have sinned away a good portion.  It was not for the prodigal to seek a new patrimony, after he had dilapidated the former; it might suffice him to be made as a servant.

13.  He would use well any small measure of life he getteth, for God and his glory; getteth he but one talent, he should use it that he may gain thereby:  we say, use limbs and have limbs, use strength and have it.  This will be the way to get more.

14.  He would be taking on the vows of the Lord, and that in the Lord, to walk more watchful in time coming, charging all within and without not to stir or provoke the Lord to depart further or to scare him from coming to the soul.

As to the last particular,

If it be inquired, 1.  What can that soul do that is not sensible of this deadness and weakness?

Ans.  Though there be not any real sense and feeling of this condition, yet there may be a suspicion that all is not right; and if this be, the soul must look out to Christ for the life of sense and for a sight of the provocations that have brought on that condition.  He that is the Life must recover the very beginnings of life; and when the soul winneth to any real apprehension and sense of this deadness, it must follow the course formerly prescribed for a recovery.

2.  But it will be asked, how can a soul act faith in such a case?  And if it cannot act faith, how can it come to Christ and make use of him?