Dead and dark seasons

(J. C. Philpot, "REVIEWS")

All Christians, even the most eminent servants
of God, have their dead and dark seasons--when
the life of God seems sunk to so low an ebb as to
be hardly visible--so hidden is the stream by the
mud-banks of their fallen nature.

By these very dark and dead seasons, the people
of God are instructed. They see and feel what 'the
flesh' really is--how alienated from the life of God;
they learn in whom all their strength and sufficiency
lie; they are taught that in them, that is, in their flesh,
dwells no good thing; that no exertions of their own
can maintain in strength and vigor the life of God; and
that all they are, and have--all they believe, know, feel,
and enjoy--with all their ability, usefulness, gifts, and
grace--flow from the pure, sovereign grace--the rich, free,
undeserved, yet unceasing goodness and mercy of God!

They learn in this hard school of painful experience, their
emptiness and nothingness--and that without Christ they
can do nothing. They thus become clothed with humility,
that rare, yet lovely garb; cease from their own strength
and wisdom; and learn experimentally that Christ is, and
ever must be, all in all to them, and all in all in them.