The Christians in Complete Armor, Religious treatise · Introduction 5 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. A cautionary direction from what we may not, as alſo from what we may judge our graces to be in a declination.
Queſt. FIrſt of the firſt, How may a Christian judge whether grace be declining in him or no?
Anſw. Firſt, I ſhall reſolve this negatively, and ſhew by what he is not to judge his grace to decline.
Secondly, poſitively, by what he may certainly conclude a decay of grace.
Firſt, negatively, and that in ſeveral particulars.
Friſt, Chriſtian, do not judge grace to be fallen weaker, becauſe thy ſenſe of corruption is grown ſtronger: This oft lies at the bottome of poor ſouls complaints in this caſe O they never felt pride, hypocriſie and other corruptions ſo haunt them as now; none knows how they are vexed with theſe, and the like beſides themſelves. Now let me ask thee who makeſt this ſad moane, whether thou doeſt not think theſe corruptions were in thee before thou didſt thus feel them? how oft haſt thou prayed as formally, and not been troubled? how oft haſt thou ſtood chatting with the ſame luſts, and thy ſoule hath not been laid low before the Lord with ſuch abaſement of thy ſelf as now? deal faithfully between God and thy ſoule, and tell not a lie for God by bearing falſe witneſſe againſt thy ſelf. If it be thus, thou haſt rather a comfortable ſigne of grace growing then decaying. Sin cannot be on the getting hand, if the ſenſe of ſin grow quick; this is the concomitant of a thriving ſoul, none ſo full of complaints of their own hearts as ſuch; the leaſt ſin goes now to their very ſoules, which makes them think viler of themſelves then ever▪ but it is not the increaſe of ſin in them, but the advance of their love to Chriſt makes them judge ſo: when the Sun ſhines with ſome power, and the year gets up, we obſerve, though we may have froſts and ſnow, yet they do not lie long, but are ſoon diſſolved by the Sun, O 'tis a ſweet ſigne that the love of Chriſt ſhines with a force upon thy ſoule, that no corruptions can lie long in thy boſome, but they melt into ſorrow and bitter complaints. That is the decaying ſoul where ſinne lies bound up and frozen, little ſenſe of, or ſorrow for it appears.
Secondly, Take heed thou thinkeſt not grace decayes, becauſe thy comfort withdrawes. The influence of the Sun comes where the light of it is not to be found, yea, is mighty, as appears in thoſe mines of gold and ſilver, which are concocted by the ſame. And ſo may the actings of grace be vigourous in thee, when leaſt under the ſhines of his countenance. Did ever faith triumph more then in our Saviour, crying, My God, my God; here faith was at its meridian, when it was midnight in reſpect of joy. Poſſibly thou comeſt from an Ordinance, and bringeſt not home with thee thoſe ſheaves of comfort thou uſeſt to do, and therefore conclude grace acted not in thee as formerly. Truly if thou haſt nothing elſe to go by, thou mayeſt wrong the grace of God in thee exceedingly. Becauſe thy comfort is extrinſecal to thy duty, a boon which God may give or not, yea, doth give to the weak, and deny to the ſtrong. The traveller may go as faſt, and rid as much ground, when the Sun doth not ſhine, as when it doth; though (indeed he goes not ſo merrily on his journey) nay, ſomtimes he makes the more haſt; the warm Sun makes him ſometime to lie down and loyter, but when dark and cold he puts on with more ſpeed. Some graces thrive beſt (like ſome flowers) in the ſhade, ſuch as humility, dependance on God, &c,
Thirdly, take heed thou doeſt not miſtake, and think thy grace decayes, when may be it is only thy temptations increaſe, and not thy grace decreaſe. If you ſhould hear a man ſay, becauſe he cannot to day run ſo faſt, when a hundred weight is on his back, as he could yeſterday without any ſuch a burden, that therefore he was grown weaker, you would ſoon tell him where his miſtake lies. Temptation lies not in the ſame heavineſſe alway upon the Chriſtians ſhoulder; obſerve therefore whether Satan is not more then ordinary let looſe to aſſault thee, whether thy temptations come not with more force and violence then ever; poſſibly, though thou doeſt not with the ſame facility overcome theſe, as thou haſt done leſſe, yet grace may act ſtronger in conflicting with the greater, then in overcoming the leſſe. The ſame ſhip, that when lightly ballaſted, and favoured with the winde goes mounting, at another time deeply laden, and going againſt winde and tide, may move with a ſlow pace, and yet they in the ſhip take more pains to make it ſail thus, then they did when it went faſter.
Secondly, poſitively, how thou mayeſt conclude that grace is declining; and that in a threefold reſpect.
Firſt, in reference to temptations to ſin.
Secondly, in reference to the duties of Gods worſhip.
Thirdly, the frame of thy heart in worldly employments.
Firſt, in reference to ſin, and that is threefold.
Firſt, when thou art not ſo wakeful to diſcover the encroachings of ſin upon thee as formerly; at one time we finde Davids heart ſmote him, when he but rent the skirt of Sauls garment: at another time when his eye glanced on Bathſheba, he takes no ſuch notice of the ſnare Satan had him in, and ſo is led from one ſin to another, which plainly ſhewed that grace in him was duplicate page duplicate page heavy-eyed, and his heart not in ſo holy a frame as it had been. If an enemy comes up to the gates, and the ſentinel not ſo much as give an alarm to the City of his approach, it ſhewes he is off his guard, either fallen aſleep, or worſe: If grace were awake, and thy conſcience had not contracted ſome hardneſſe, it would do its office.
Secondly, when a temptation to ſin is diſcovered, and thou findeſt thy heart ſhut up that thou doeſt not pray againſt it, or not with that zeal and holy indignation, as formerly upon ſuch occaſions; it is a bad ſigne, that luſt hath got an advantage of thy grace, that thou canſt not readily betake thy ſelfe to thy armes. Thy affections are bribed, and this makes thee ſo cold a Suitour at the throne of grace, for helpe againſt thine enemy.
Thirdly, when the arguments prevailing moſt with thee to reſiſt temptations to ſin, or to mourn for ſin committed, are more carnal and leſſe Evangelical then formerly: may be thou remembreſt when thy love to Chriſt would have ſpit fire on the face of Satan tempting thee to ſuch a ſin; but now that holy fire is ſo abated, that if there were not ſome other carnal motives to make the vote full, it would hazard to be carried for it, rather then againſt it; and ſo in mourning for a ſin there is poſſibly now ſome ſlaviſh arguments, (like an onion in the eye, which makes thee weep, rather then pure ingenuity ariſing from love to God whom thou haſt offended, this ſpeaks a ſad decay, and the more mixture there is of ſuch carnal arguments, either in the reſiſting of, or mourning for ſin, the greater the declination of grace is. Davids natural heat ſure was much decayed, when he needed ſo many cloathes to be laid on him, and he yet feel ſo little heat, the time was he would have ſweat with fewer. I am afraid, many their love to Chriſt will be found (in theſe declining times) to have loſt ſo much of its youthful vigour, that what would formerly have put them into a holy fury, and burning zeal againſt ſome ſins, (ſuch as Sabbath-breaking, pride of apparel, neglect of family-duties, &c.) hath now much ado to keep any heat at all in them againſt the ſame.
Secondly, in point of duties of worſhip.
Firſt, if thy heart doth not prompt thee with that forwardneſſe and readineſſe as formerly, to hold communion with God in any duty; poſſibly thou knoweſt the time when thy heart echoed back to the motions of Gods Spirit, bidding thee, Seek his face; Thy face, Lord, will I ſeek; yea, thou didſt long as much till a Sabbath or Sermon-ſeaſon came, as the carnal wretch doth till it be gone; but now thy pulſe doth not beat ſo quick a march to the Ordinances publick or ſecret; nature cannot but decay, if appetite to food go away; a craving ſoule is the thriving ſoule, ſuch a childe that will not let his mother reſt, but is frequently crying for the breaſt.
Secondly, when thou declineſt in thy care to performe duties in a ſpiritual ſort, and to preſerve the ſenſe of thoſe more inward failings, which in duty none but thy ſelf can check thee of. It is not frequency of duty, but ſpirituality in duty cauſeth thriving, and therefore neglect in this point ſoon brings grace into a conſumptive poſture. Poſſibly, ſoul, the time was thou wert not ſatisfied with praying, but thou didſt watch thy heart ſtrictly, (as a man would every piece in a ſumme of money he payes, leſt he ſhould wrong his friend with any braſſe or uncurrant coin) thou wouldeſt have God not only have duty, but duty ſtamp't with that faith which makes it currant, have that zeal and ſincerity which makes it Goſpel-weight; but now thou art more careleſs and formal, O look to it (poor ſoul) thou wilt, if thou continue thus careleſſe, melt in thy ſpiritual eſtate apace. Such dealings will ſpoil thy trade with heaven. God will not take off theſe ſlighty duties at thy hands.
Thirdly, when a Chriſtian gets little ſpiritual nouriſhment from communion with God, to what it hath done. The time hath been (may be) thou couldeſt ſhew what came of thy praying, hearing and faſting; but now the caſe is altered. There is a double ſtrength communion with God imparts to a ſoule in a healthful diſpoſition, ſtrength to faith, and ſtrength for our obediential walking; doeſt thou hear and pray, and get no more ſtrength to hold by a promiſe, no more power over, or brokenneſſe of heart under thy uſual corruptions? what? come down the Mount and break the Tables of Gods Law, aſſoon as thou art off the place? as deep in thy paſſion, as uneven in thy courſe as before? there is a ſure decay of that inward heat which ſhould and would (if in its right temper) ſuck ſome nouriſhment from theſe.
Thirdly, by thy behaviour in thy worldly employments.
Firſt, when thy worldly occaſions do not leave thee in ſo free and ſpiritual a diſpoſition, to return into the preſence of God as formerly; may be thou couldeſt have come from thy ſhop and family-employments to thy cloſet, and finde that they have kept thee in frame, yea, may be delivered thee up in a better frame for thoſe duties, but now 'tis otherwiſe, thou canſt not ſo ſhake them off, but they cleave to thy ſpirit, and give an earthly ſavour to thy praying and hearing; thou haſt reaſon to bewail it; when nature decayes men, go more ſtooping, and 'tis a ſigne ſome ſuch decay is in thee, that thou canſt not as thou uſeſt, lift up thy heart from earthly to ſpiritual duties. They were intended as helps againſt temptation, and therefore when they prove ſnares to us there is a diſtemper on us. If we waxe worſe after ſleep, the body is not right, becauſe the nature of ſleep is to refreſh; if exerciſe indiſpoſeth for work, the reaſon is in our bodies: So here.
Secondly, when thy diligence in thy particular calling is more ſelfiſh; poſſibly thou haſt wrought in thy ſhop, and ſet cloſe at thy ſtudy, in obedience to the command chiefly; thy carnal intereſts have ſwayed but little with thee, but now thou tradeſt more for thy ſelf, and leſſe for God. O have a care of this.
Thirdly, when thou canſt not bear the diſappointment of thy carnal ends in thy particular calling, as thou haſt done; thou workeſt and getteſt little of the world, thou preacheſt and art not much eſteemed, and thou knoweſt not well how to brook theſe. The time was thou couldeſt retire thy ſelf into God, and make up all thou didſt want elſewhere in him; but now thou art not ſo well ſatisfied with thy eſtate, rank and condition; thy heart is fingering for more of theſe then God allowes thee; this ſhews declining; children are harder to be pleaſed, and old men, (whoſe decay of nature makes them more froward, and in a manner children the ſecond time) then others; labour therefore to recover thy decaying grace, and as this lock grows, ſo thy ſtrength with it will, to acquieſce in the diſpoſure of Gods Providence.