The Spirit of Bondage and Adoption, Treatise 2 · Chapter 43
CHAP. XLIII. A Caſe, Whether (inſtead of growing) a real Saint may not decay in the actings of ſome graces, and yet either the univerſal habit of the new Creature, or the ſame very graces grow more habitually ſtrong in him?
Obj. BUt I was once more quick and lively then I am now, and therefore I find ſenſible decayes of what good I once thought I had. Now true grace, where ever it is, will be ever growing. The path of the Juſt is like the morning light, which ſhineth more and more until perfect day, Prov. 4. 18.
Anſ. I ſhall ſatisfie this Doubt by anſwering two Queſtions.
Queſt. 1. Whether a Saint may not decay (in ſtead of growing) in the actings of ſome grace which appeared more viſibly in him before? whiles yet he growes in the habit?
Queſt. 2. How a man may know that he growes in grace, when he is under ſuch ſenſible decayes?
Anſw. To the firſt I anſwer.
1 The graces of Gods Saints in the actings and operations of them, are not alwayes alike high. So wee ſee in the holy men of God throughout the whole current of the Word. The faith of Abraham, how high was it upon the Mount, when he would have Sacrificed his Son? but how low, Gen. 22. 1. &c. Heb. 11. 17. 1 Sam. 20. 2when he cowardly denies his wife? David one while dares fight with a Goliah, and another, throwes his Gauntlet, and challenges a whole Army; another while he quakes and 1 Sam. 16. Pſal. 27. 3trembles through diſtruſt, and cryes out, I ſhall one day periſh by the hand of Saul. One while 1 Sam. 27. 1.Peter is ſo valiant that he drawes a ſword in Chriſts defence, and that againſt a whole Band of men, and follows him into the High Priests Hall; a little after, a ſilly maid daſheth his faith out of countenance.
(1) The truth is, the continued high actings of ſome graces are not fit for a mortal condition, and thoſe that wiſh them ſuch, Job 4. 19.are unmindful that they dwel in Tabernacles of clay, and that their foundation is laid in the duſt.
Such is holy joy, which if kept up perpetually to the height of ecſtaſie, muſt needs over-ſpread the ſpirits, and diſſolve nature.
(2) Some Graces are of a mighty uniting nature, and bind the ſoul to the Object ſo, that it can mind nothing elſe during their impreſſions. Such are faith and love. Now God hath other graces to be acted; and works to be done by us, wherein we may glorifie him; and therefore allowes them their time alſo. Nay, a godly man is deſcribed by this, that he is a tree that brings forth fruit in the ſeaſon proper to it, Pſ. 1. 4.
3. All the graces of Gods Saints, are, now and then, aſſaulted with ſtronger temptations, and powerfuller corruptions then at other times. And grace that will act high, when 'tis free from oppoſition, or under ſlender oppoſition, will not act ſo under greater. That ſtrength that will bear a hundred weight, will appear little or none at all when it comes to lift a thouſand.
4. It may bee thy condition is altered, and thy grace is yet unacquainted with the way of managing a new condition. As an able ſcholar put out of his way of ſtudy, may be out-gone by a meaner, becauſe thoſe ſtudies to which he is diſuſed muſt needes bee entertained ſtrangely, and 'twill be ſome time ere he can get their familiar acquaintance. Here the fault is not in the abilities of the man, but in the newneſſe of the imployment: ſo in point of grace; a very gracious man, and one who in ſome conditions and imployments, is excellent; in others is to ſeeke, not for a toole to work with, but for skil to manage it. As a tradeſman when hee changeth his trade, loſeth not his skil of dealing in the world; but is unacquainted with the myſterie of putting it forth to preſent ſervice.
5. Many times God ſuffers decayes, and not only ſo, but inflicts them as chaſtiſements, upon his deareſt people, that hee may make them,
1. Humble. So hee uſeth ſickneſſes of body to mind us that wee are men, and our breath is in his hand, and his onelyonly. So in our graces, wee are apt to bee lifted up with high actings of grace, and in ſuch elevations wee deſpiſe our weake brethren, and cenſure them, if they walke not up even with us, or if they faile, eſpecially in any groſſer way, wee forget (againſt the rule) that wee alſo may be tempted.Gal. 6. 1.
2. Dependent, not only upon publique ordinances (where God hath promiſed his eſpecial quickening p…eſence, and where the Saints have uſed to find recovering remedies under ſpiritual decaies:) but alſo, on private communion, even with weaker brethren, and principally upon himſelf in the uſe of both, Pſal. 30. 6.
3. Wathfull: leſt the ſtrength, and luſtre, and glory of our graces be loſt through our default; leſt the Divel throw in diverſions from unneceſſary things, to coole and abate our zeale in thoſe that are more neceſſary, and momentous, leſt the world and its allurements inveigle us into its embraces, and (like Sampſon in Delilahs lap) we loſe our ſtrength by our dalliances: Laſtly, leſt by the miſemploying gracious opportunies wee ſuffer our graces to ſtarve for want of that food that ſhould ſuſtain them, our ſtrength is maintained by watchfulneſſe, Rev. 3. 2.
(6.) Oftentimes a contemptible temptation foyls a ſtrong grace, for want of preparation & managing it in a regular way, drawing ſt…ength in from God, &c. Souldiers ſay, 'tis not good to deſpiſe an enemy, be he never ſo ſmal, and contemptible; ſuch many times do much miſchiefe by being neglected.
(7) Many times decays may not be the abatements of the actings of grace, but of our own over-actings. It may be, I may have had more ſeeming zeal formerly then now I ſeem to have. But was not my zeal more raſh, heady▪ & inconſiderate, more mixed with ſelfe &c. and ſo heightened by its imperfections and blemiſhes? If ſo, to continue it ſo, were to grow in ſinne, rather then grace. So my faith in ſome of its preceding actings might poſſibly make too bold with God, depending on him beſides the rule of his word, and (it may be) occaſioned by a neglect of means, &c. there might be much of preſumption in it. Now (it may be) I truſt God, and am as zealous for him as formerly, but thoſe graces act more regularly, and not with ſo much diſorder and diſtemper as formerly. So in repentance, and godly ſorrow for ſinne, many times worldly and ſelfiſh conſiderations mix with it, to heighten it; many times the ſhame and diſgrace that accompanies ſinne, the afflictions and croſſes that attend it, may bee ſome of thoſe things, whoſe influence may heighten it. &c.
2. The habits of grace may not only ſtand at their former pitch, their bow may not only abide in ſtrength, but may grow more radicated, and be more ſtrengthened and diſpoſed for more operations under the moſt ſenſible decays of the actings and operations of them. As many times in the winter, a mans hands and feet may be benummed with cold, when his ſtomack and intrals are moſt hot. Now to underſtand this, you muſt know,
1. That there is an univerſal habit of grace (allow me the expreſſion) which is called the new man, the new creature, &c. And this univerſal habit of grace is like the habitual life and heate that is in the heart of a living body. There are alſo ſpecial habits of ſuch and ſuch particular graces, which ſymbolize with the heat and life which is in the particular members of the body.
2. Now, as in the natural body, if the heart be ſtrengthened in a diſeaſe, though the out moſt members languiſh, the patient is in a hopefull way of recovery, and never the nearer death for loſing the fleſh off his ribs and face: ſo if the heart of grace, the main frame of grace in the ſoul, be ſtrengthened, the decayes in ſome actings of particula graces matter not much.
3. The increaſe of any one particular grace ſtrengtheneth, and ſo farre improveth (in a ſort) the general habit of grace, though other particular graces increaſe not. As the addition of a bucket of water to the Thames, makes the whole body and bulke of waters ſo much the bigger. And the tree is greater by the growth of one branch. A man is more gracious by the growth of humility, meekneſs, though (it may be) he is not more believing, &c.
4. There are particular habits of grace, and they (in themſelves) never decay, but they may be obſtructed and clogged as to their operations. Indeed, no gracious habit can properly be ſaid to grow or decay, but only with reſpect to the acts that flow from it. For the nature of theſe divine qualities is not as that of moral habits, which are gotten by acts, and loſt by the diſuſe of them: theſe, being infuſed of God, and never to bee loſt, cannot decay, for then were they to bee loſt alſo; all corruptibleneſſe tending to corruption. That Souldier, that may be beaten from his firſt ground, if the aſſault bee followed, may be routed, and utterly beaten out of the field. Now that theſe things are ſo, appears; becauſe do but remove the obſtructions, and grace in ſuch perſons will act as vigorouſly as ever it did. Samſons ſtrength appeared not to be abated by his binding; for when he was looſe, hee laid the Philiſtines heaps upon heaps, as ever hee did before.
5. Thou mayſt be ſtrongeſt many times in that particular grace where thou thinkeſt thou art weakeſt. As that part of a garriſon may be beſt lined with men, where the bulwark is loweſt. So the poor man that cryed out, Lord, help my unbelief, had then a greater faith, then he was aware of. And the poor woman of Canaan, when ſhe dared not claim a childs portion, but ranks her ſelf with the dogges, yet relying ſtill on Chriſt for an anſwer of grace, was ſo eminent in faith, that Chriſt himſelf admires her for it, Mat. 15. 28. O woman, great is thy faith.
There is a myſtery of godlineſſe in this which is not eaſily underſtood but by thoſe that have their ſpiritual ſenſes exerciſed, by frequent combats and conflicts.