The Christians in Complete Armor, Religious treatise · Introduction 5 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. A word of counſel for the recovery of declining grace.
WE come now to give a few directions to the Chriſtian, how to recover decaying grace.
Enquire faithfully into the cauſe of thy declining. The Chriſtians armour decays two wayes; either by violent bartery, when the Chriſtian is overcome by temptations to ſin; or elſe by neglecting to forbiſh and ſcoure it with the uſe of thoſe means which are as oile, to keep it clean and bright. Now enquire, which of theſe have been the cauſe of thy decay. It is like both concurre.
Firſt, if thy grace be weakened by any blow, given it by any ſin committed by thee; there then lies a threefold duty upon thee towards the recovery of it.
Firſt, thou art to renew thy repentance. It is Chriſts counſel, Rev. 2.5. to Epheſus, Repent, and do thy firſt works; where it is not only commanded as a duty, but preſcribed as a means for her recovery; as if he had ſaid, Repent, that thou mayeſt do thy firſt works. So, Hoſea 14.2. The Lord ſets back-ſliding Iſrael about this work, bidding her take words and turn to the Lord; and, v. 4. he then tells her he'll take her in hand to recover her of her ſins, I will heale their back-ſlidings: a repenting ſoule is under promiſe of healing; and therefore (Chriſtian) go and ſearch thy heart, as thou wouldeſt do thy houſe, if ſome thief or murderer lay hid in it, to cut thy throat in the night; and when thou haſt found the ſin that has done thee the miſchief, then labour to fill thy heart with ſhame for it, and indignation againſt it, and ſo go big with ſorrow, and caſt it forth before the Lord in a heart-breaking confeſſion; better thou do this, then Satan do thy errand to God for thee.
Secondly, when thou haſt renewed thy repentance, forget not, delay not then to renew thy faith on the promiſe for pardon. Repentance that is like purging phyſick to evacuate the peccant humour; but if faith come not preſently with its reſtorative, the poor creature will never get heart, or recover his ſtrength. A ſoule may die of a fluxe of ſorrow as well as of ſin; faith hath an incarnating vertue, as they ſay of ſome ſtrengthening meats, it feeds upon the promiſe, and that is perfect, converting (or rather reſtoring) the ſoule, Pſal. 19.7. Though thou wert pined to skin and bones, all thy ſtrength waſted, yet faith would ſoon recruit thee, and enable every grace to perform its office chearfully. Faith ſucks peace from the promiſe, call'd peace in beleeving; from peace flowes joyes, Being juſtified by faith we have peace with God, Rom. 5.1. and, v. 2. We rejoyce in the hope of glory; and joy affords ſtrength: The joy of the Lord is our ſtrength.
Thirdly, back both theſe with a daily endeavour to mortifie thoſe luſts which moſt pevail over thy grace. Weeds cannot thrive, and the flowers alſo; when grace doth not act vigorouſly and freely, conclude it is oppreſt with ſome contrary luſt, which weighs down its ſpirits, and makes them lumpiſh; even as ſuperfluous humours do load the natural ſpirits in our bodies, that we have little joy to ſtir or go about any buſineſſe till they be evacuated; and therefore ply this work cloſe, it is not a dayes work or two in the yeare, (like Phyſick at ſpring and fall) nothing more vain, then to make a buſle, as the Papiſts do at their Lent; or as ſome unſound Profeſſours among our ſelves, who ſeem to beſtir themſelves before a Sacrament or day of Faſting, with a great noiſe of zeal, and then let thoſe very luſts live peaceably in them all the yeare after. No, this is child-play to do and undo; thou muſt mortifie daily thy luſts by the Spirit, Rom. 8.13. Follow but this work conſcionably in thy Chriſtian courſe, making it thy endeavour, (as conſtantly as the labouring man goes out every day to work in the field where his calling lies) to watch thy heart, and uſe all means for the diſcovery of ſin, and as it breaks forth to be humbled for it, and be chopping at the root of it with this axe of mortification; and thou ſhalt ſee by the bleſſing of God what a change for the better there will be in the conſtitution of thy grace; thou who art now ſo poor, ſo pale, that thou art afraid to ſee thy own face long in the glaſſe of thy own conſcience, ſhall then reflect with joy upon thy owne conſcience, and dare to converſe with thy ſelf without thoſe ſurprizals of horrour and feare, which before did appale thee; thy grace, though it ſhall not be thy rejoycing, yet it will be thy evidence for Chriſt, in whom it is: and lead thee in with boldneſſe to lay claim to him, while the looſe Chriſtian, whoſe grace is over-grown with luſts (for want of this weeding hook) ſhall ſtand trembling at the door, queſtioning whether his grace be true or no; and from that doubt of his welcome.
Secondly, if upon enquiry thou findeſt that thy Armour decays, rather for want of ſcouring, then by any blow from ſin preſumptuouſly committed, (as that is moſt common and ordinary, ruſt will ſoon ſpoil the beſt armour, and negligence give grace its bane, as well as groſſe ſins,) then apply thy ſelf to the uſe of thoſe means which God hath appointed for the ſtrengthening grace; if the fire goes out by taking off the wood, what way to preſerve it but by laying it on again?
Firſt, I ſhall ſend thee to the Word of God, be more frequently converſant with it. David tells us, where he renewed his ſpiritual life, and got his ſoul ſo oft into a heavenly heate, when grace in him began to chill. The Word (he tells us) quickened him. This was the Sunny bank he fate under. The Word draws forth the Chriſtians grace, by preſenting every one with an object ſuitable to act upon, this is of great power to rouſe them up; as the coming in of a friend, makes us (though ſleepy before) ſhake off all drowſineſſe to enjoy his company. Affections they are actuated when their object is before them; if we love a perſon, this is excited by ſight of him, or anything that mindes us of him; if we hate one our blood riſeth much more againſt him when before us. Now the Word bring the Chriſtian graces and their object together. Here love may delight her ſelf with the beholding Chriſt, who is ſet out to life there in all his love and lovelineſſe; here the Chriſtian may ſee his ſins in a glaſſe that will not flatter him; and can there any godly ſorrow be in the heart, any hatred of ſin, and not come forth, while the man is reading what they coſt Chriſt for him?
Secondly, from the Word go to meditation; this is as bellowes to the fire; that grace which lies chosk't and eaten up for want of exerciſe, will by this be cleared and break forth; while thou art muſing this fire will burne, and thy heart grow hot within thee, according to the nature of the ſubject thy thoughts dwell upon: reſolve therefore (Chriſtian) to encloſe ſome time from all worldly Suitours, wherein thou mayeſt every day (if poſſible) at leaſt take a view of the moſt remarkable occurrences that have paſt between God and thee; Firſt, ask thy ſoul what takings it hath had that day, what mercies heaven hath ſent into thee, and do not when thou haſt askt the queſtion, (like Pilate) go out; but ſtay till thy ſoul has made report of Gods gracious dealings to thee: and (if thou beeſt wiſe to obſerve, and faithful to relate them) thy conſcience muſt tell thee, that the cock was never turn'd, the breaſt of mercy never put up all the day, yea, while thou art viewing theſe freſh mercies, telling over this new coine, hot out of the mint of Gods bounty, ancient mercies they will come crowding in upon thee, and call for a place in thy thoughts, and tell thee what God hath done for thee moneths and years ago, (and indeed old debts ſhould not be paid laſt) give them (Chriſtian) all a hearing one time or another, and thou ſhalt ſee how they will work upon thy ingenious ſpirit. It is with the Chriſtian in this caſe, as with ſome Merchants ſervant that keeps his Maſters caſh, he tells his Maſter he hath a great ſumme of his by him, and deſires he would diſcharge him of it, and ſee how his accounts ſtand, but he can never finde him at leiſure. There is a great treaſure of mercy alwayes in the Chriſtians hands, and conſcience is oft calling the Chriſtian to take the account, and ſee what God has done for him, but ſeldom it is, he can finde time to tell his mercies over; and is it any wonder that ſuch ſhould go behinde-hand in their ſpiritual eſtate, who take no more notice what the gracious dealings of God are with them? how can he be thankful that ſeldome thinks what he receives? or patient when God afflicts, that wants one of the moſt powerful arguments to pacifie a mutinous ſpirit in trouble, and that is taken from the abundant good we receive at the hands of the Lord as well as a little evil? how can ſuch a ſoules love flame to God, that is kept at ſuch a diſtance from the mercies of God, which are fuel to it? and the like might be ſaid of all the other graces. Secondly, reflect upon thy ſelf, and beſtow a few ſerious thoughts upon thy own behaviour, what it hath been towards God and man all along the day. Ask thy ſoul, as Eliſha his ſervant, Whence comeſt thou, O my ſoul? where haſt thou been? what haſt thou done for God this day, and how? and when thou goeſt about this, look that thou neither beeſt taken off from a through ſearch, (as Jacob was by Rachels ſpecious excuſe) nor be found to cocker thy ſelf, (as Eli his ſons) when thou ſhalt upon enquiry take thy heart tardy in any part of thy duty; take heed what thou doeſt, for thou judgeſt for God, who receives the wrong by thy ſin, and therefore will do himſelf juſtice if thou wilt not.
Thirdly, from meditation go to prayer; indeed a ſoul in meditation is on his way to prayer; that duty leads the Chriſtian has to this, and this brings help to that; when the Chriſtian has done his utmoſt by meditation to excite his graces, and chaſe his ſpirit into ſome divine heat, he knows all this is but to lay the wood in order. The fire muſt come from above to kindle, and this muſt be fetch't by prayer. They ſay, ſtars have greateſt influences when they are in conjunction with the Sunne; then ſure the graces of a Saint ſhould never work more powerfully then in prayer, for then he is in the neareſt conjunction and communion with God. That Ordinance which hath ſuch power with God, muſt needs have a mighty influence on our ſelves. It will not let God reſt, but raiſeth him up to his peoples ſuccour, and is it any wonder if it be a means to rouſe up and excite the Chriſtians grace? how oft do we ſee a dark cloud upon Davids ſpirit at the beginning of his prayer, which by that time he is a little warme in his work, begins to clear up, and before he ends breaks forth into high actings of faith and acclamations of praiſe? Only here (Chriſtian) take heed of formal praying, this is as baneful to grace as not praying. A plaiſter, though proper and of ſoveraign vertue, yet if it be laid on cold may do more hurt then good.
Fourthly, to all the former joyne fellowſhip and communion with the Saints thou lived amongſt. No wonder to hear a houſe is robb'd that ſtands far from neighbours; he that walks in communion of Saints, he travels in company, he dwells in a City where one houſe keeps up another, to which Jeruſalem is compared. 'Tis obſervable concerning the houſe in whoſe ruines Jobs children were entombed, that a winde came from the wilderneſſe and ſmote the foure corners of it; it ſeems it ſtood alone; the devil knowes what he does in hindering this great Ordinance of communion of Saints; in doing this he hinders the progreſſe of grace, yea, brings that which Chriſtians have, into a declining waſting ſtate. The Apoſtle couples thoſe two duties cloſe together, to hold faſt our Profeſſion, and to conſider one another, and provoke unto love and to good works, Heb. 10.23, 24. Indeed it is a dangerous ſtep to Apoſtaſy, to forſake the communion of Saints; hence 'tis ſaid of Demas, he hath left us, and embraced the preſent world. O what miſchief has Satan done us in theſe few late years, in this one particular? what is become of this communion of Saints? where are there two or three to be found that can agree to walk together? thoſe that could formerly ſuffer together, cannot ſit together at their Fathers table, can hardly pray one with or one for another; the breath of one Chriſtian is ſtrange to another that once lay in his, boſome; —This is a lamentation, and ſhall be for a lamentation.