The Christians in Complete Armor, Religious treatise · Introduction 5 · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. The beſt of Saints ſubject to decline in their graces, and why we are to endeavour a recovery of decayes in grace.
THe ſecond obſervable in the exhortation is taken from the verbe, which the Apoſtle uſeth, foreign, which ſignifies not only to take, but to take again, or recover a thing which we have loſt, or re-aſſume a thing which for the preſent we have left. Now the Apoſtle writing to the Saints at Epheſus, who (at leaſt many of them) were not now to put on this Armour by a Converſion, (or the firſt work of faith, which no doubt had already paſt upon many among them) he in regard of them and believers to the end of the world hath a further meaning, i. e. that they would put on more cloſe where this armour hangs looſe, and they would recover where they have let fall any duty, or decayed in any grace. So that the Note is,
Doct.That the Chriſtian ſhould have an eſpecial care to repaire his broken Armour to recover his decaying graces. This Armour may be battered; I might ſhew ſad examples in the ſeveral pieces. Was not Jacobs girdle of truth and ſincerity unbuckled, when he uſed that ſinful policy to get the bleſſing? he was not the plain man then, but the ſubplantour; but he had as good have ſtayed Gods time: he was paid home in his own kinde. He puts a cheat on his father, and did not Laban put a cheat on him, giving Leah for Rachel? What ſay you to Davids breaſt-plate of righteouſneſſe in the matter of Ʋriah? was it not ſhot through, and that holy man fearfully wounded? who lay almoſt a yeare (for ought we reade of him,) before he came to himſelf, ſo far as to be thoroughly ſenſible of his ſin, till Nathan a faithful Chirurgion was ſent to ſearch the wound, and clear it of that dead fleſh, which had growne over it? And Jonah, (otherwiſe a holy Prophet) when God wou'd ſend him on an errand to Ni neveh, he hath his ſhoes to ſeek, I mean that preparation and readineſſe with which his minde ſhould have been ſhod, to have gone at the firſt call. Good Hezikiah we finde how near his helmet of hope was of being beaten off his head, who tells us himſelf what his thoughts were in the day of his diſtreſſe, that he ſhould not ſee the Lord in the land of the living, expecting that God would never let go his hold, till like a Lion he had broke his bones, and at laſt made an end of him. Even Abraham himſelfe, famous for faith, yet had his fits of unbelief and diſtruſtful qualms coming over his valiant heart; now in this caſe the Chriſtians care ſhould be to get his armour ſpeedily repaired. A battered helmet is next to no helmet in point of preſent uſe; grace in a decay, is like a man pull'd off his legs by ſickneſſe; if ſome meanes be not uſed to recover it, little ſervice will be done by it, or comfort received from it. Therefore Chriſt gives this Church of Epheſus (to whom Paul wrote this Epiſtle) this counſel, To remember from whence ſhe was fallen, to repent and do her firſt works, How many does a declining Chriſtian wrong at once?
Firſt, he wrongs God, and that in a high degree, becauſe God reckons upon more honour to be paid him in by his Saints grace, then by all other talents which his creatures have to trade with in the world. He can in ſome ſenſe better bear the open ſins of the world, then the decayes of his Saints graces; they by abuſing their talents rob him but of his oyle, flaxe and wool: But the Chriſtian by the other, bereaves him of the glory which ſhould be paid him from his faith, zeal, patience, ſelf-denial, ſincerity and the reſt. Suppoſe a Maſter ſhould truſt one ſervant with his mony, and another with his child to be look't to; would he not be more diſpleaſed to ſee his dear childe hurt, or almoſt kill'd by the negligence of the one, then his money ſtollen by the careleſneſſe of the other? Grace is the new creature, the birth of the Spirit, when this comes to any harme by the Chriſtians careleſſe walking it muſt needs go nearer the heart of God, then the wrong he hath from the world, who are truſted with nothing like this.
Secondly, he that declines in grace, and labours not to repair it, he wrongs his brethren who have a ſhare in one anothers grace; he wrongs his whole body that ſeeks not cure for a wound in any member. We are bid to love one another, 2 epiſt. of John 5. v. but how ſhall we ſhew our love to one another? the very next words will direct us, And this is love, that we walk after his Commandments. Indeed we ſhew little love to our brethren by ſinning, whereby we are ſure either to enſnare them or grieve them; and how to let grace go down, and ſin not go up is a riddle to any that know what they both are.
Thirdly, the Chriſtian wrongs himſelf in not endeavouring to repaire his broken armour, and recover his declining grace. By this he loſes the evidence of his inheritance, at leaſt ſo blots it that it cannot be ſo clearly perceived by him. A declining Chriſtian muſt needs be a doubting Chriſtian, becauſe the common ſymptome of an hypocrite, is to wear and waſte like a ſtake ſet in the ground, (which rots, while true grace like the tree grows.) Is not this the knot which the devil poſeth many poor ſoules withal, and findes them work for many yeares to untie? If thou wert a Chriſtian thou wouldeſt grow. Right Saints go from ſtrength to ſtreugth, and thou goeſt from ſtrength to weakneſſe. They go up the hill to Zion, every Ordinance and Providence is a ſtep that bears them nearer Heaven; but thou goeſt down the hill, and art further from thy ſalvation then when thou didſt firſt believe (as thou thoughteſt;) and doth it ſtand wirh thy wiſdom, Chriſtian, to put a ſtaffe into the dev…ls hand, an argument into his mouth, to diſpute againſt thy ſalvation with? If you held an eſtate by the life of a childe, which upon the death of it ſhould all go away from you, that childe I warrant you ſhould be well look't unto; his head ſhould not ake, but you would poſt to the Phyſician for counſel; I pray what is your evidence for that glorious eſtate you hope for? Is it not Chriſt within you? Is not this new creature (wh…ch may well be call'd Chriſt for its likeneſſe to him) the young heire of Heavens glory? and when that is ſick or weak, is it not time to uſe all meanes for its recovery? while thus, thou canſt neither live nor die comfortably. Not live; a man in a conſumption has little joy of his life, he neither findes ſweetneſſe in his meat, nor delight in his work, as a healthfu… man doth. O how ſweet is the promiſe to faith when active and vigourous? how eaſie the yoke of the Command to the Chriſtian, when his conſcience is not gall'd with guilt, nor hi ſtrength enfeebled by temptation? but the Chriſtian in a declining condition, he taſtes not the promiſe, every command is grievous, and every duty burdenſome to him: he goes in pain like one whoſe foot is out of joynt, though the way be never ſo pleaſant. And he is as unfit to die as he is to live, ſuch a one can like no more to hear the newes of death, then a tenant that wants his rent doth to hear of the quarter-day. This made David beg time of God; Spare me a little, that I may recover my ſtrength.
Having ſhewen you why the Chriſtian ſhould endeavour to recover his declining graces, it will be very requiſite to give a word of counſel to the Chriſtian.
Firſt, to direct him how to judge of the declining ſtate of grace, that he may not paſſe a falſe judgement upon himſelf therein.
Secondly, to direct him when he findes grace to be in a declination, how he may recover it.