Chapter 2. The Best of Saints Subject to Decline in Their Graces, and Why We Are to Endeavor a Recovery of Decays in Grace

THe second observable in the exhortation is taken from the verbe, which the Apostle useth, [illegible], 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 has 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,

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 show 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 Uriah? was it not shot through, and that holy man fearfully wounded? who lay almost a year (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 has 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 distress, 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 honor 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 child 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 has from the world, who are trusted with nothing like this.

Secondly, he that declines in grace, and labors 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 show our love to one another? the very next words will direct us, And this is love, that we walk after his Commandments. Indeed we show 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 souls withal, and findes them work for many years to untie? If you wert a Christian you wouldest grow. Right Saints go from strength to streugth, and you goest from strength to weakness. They go up the hill to Zion, every Ordinance and Providence is a step that bears them nearer Heaven; but you goest down the hill, and are further from your salvation then when you did first believe (as you thoughtest;) and does it stand wirh your wisdom, Christian, to put a staffe into the devls hand, an argument into his mouth, to dispute against your salvation with? If you held an estate by the life of a child, which upon the death of it should all go away from you, that child 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 (whch 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, you can 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 does. 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 does 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.

The second noteworthy feature in this exhortation comes from the verb the apostle uses — a word that means not only 'to take' but 'to take again,' to recover something that has been lost, or to re-assume something that has been set aside for a time. The apostle was writing to the saints at Ephesus, many of whom were not being called to put on this armor for the first time through conversion — the initial work of faith had no doubt already taken place in most of them. With their situation in mind, and with all believers in view to the end of the world, he has a further meaning: that they should fasten this armor more tightly where it hangs loose, and recover what they have let fall in any duty or allowed to decay in any grace. The teaching, then, is this.

The Christian should take special care to repair his damaged armor and recover his declining graces. This armor can be battered — and sad examples could be given for each individual piece. Was not Jacob's belt of truth and sincerity unbuckled when he used that deceitful plan to obtain the blessing? He was not the straightforward man in that moment, but the schemer — though he might just as well have waited for God's timing. He was repaid in kind: he deceived his father, and did not Laban deceive him, giving him Leah instead of Rachel? What of David's breastplate of righteousness in the matter of Uriah? Was it not shot through, and that holy man terribly wounded? He lay nearly a year — as far as we can tell from Scripture — before he came to himself enough to be thoroughly aware of his sin, until Nathan, a faithful surgeon, was sent to probe the wound and clean out the dead flesh that had grown over it. And Jonah — otherwise a holy prophet — when God called him to go to Nineveh, his shoes were missing, so to speak: the readiness and willingness of heart with which he should have been equipped from the first word of the call. Good Hezekiah — we see how close his helmet of hope came to being knocked from his head. He tells us himself what his thoughts were in the day of his distress: that he would not see the Lord in the land of the living, convinced that God would not relent until, like a lion, He had broken all his bones and at last finished him off. Even Abraham — famous for his faith — had his seasons of unbelief and fearful doubts passing over his otherwise valiant heart. In all such cases, the Christian's duty is to get his armor repaired as quickly as possible. A battered helmet is almost no helmet at all in the moment it is needed. Grace in decay is like a man whose legs have been taken out from under him by illness — if no means are taken to recover it, little service will come from it and little comfort will be received from it. This is why Christ gave the church at Ephesus — to whom Paul wrote this letter — the counsel to remember from where she had fallen, to repent, and to do her first works again. How many people does a declining Christian wrong all at once?

First, he wrongs God, and that in a serious way, because God counts on receiving more honor from His saints' graces than from all the other gifts His creatures use in the world. In a certain sense, God can better endure the open sins of the world than the decay of His saints' graces. The worldly, by wasting their gifts, rob Him only of His outward goods. But the Christian, by letting his grace decline, robs God of the glory that should flow to Him from that person's faith, zeal, patience, self-denial, and sincerity. Suppose a master entrusted one servant with his money and another with his child. Would he not be far more grieved to see his dear child neglected or nearly killed through carelessness than to have his money stolen through the other's negligence? Grace is the new creature — the birth of the Spirit. When this comes to harm through a Christian's careless walk, it must surely wound God's heart far more deeply than the wrongs done to Him by the world, which has been entrusted with nothing like this.

Second, the one who declines in grace and does not labor to repair it wrongs his fellow believers, who have a share in one another's grace. A person who fails to seek healing for a wound in one member wrongs the whole body. We are told to love one another (2 John 5). But how is that love to be shown? The very next words tell us: 'And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments.' We show little love to our brothers and sisters by sinning — which is sure either to entangle them or to grieve them. And how declining grace and rising sin can coexist in a person is a puzzle to anyone who understands what both of those things are.

Third, the Christian wrongs himself by not working to repair his damaged armor and recover his declining grace. In doing so he loses the evidence of his inheritance — or at least so obscures it that he can no longer see it clearly. A declining Christian is almost inevitably a doubting Christian, because the common mark of a hypocrite is to wear away and waste like a post driven into the ground — which rots in place, while true grace, like a tree, grows. Is this not the very knot the devil ties many poor souls in, giving them years of work to untie it? 'If you were a Christian, you would be growing. True saints go from strength to strength — but you go from strength to weakness. They climb the hill toward Zion; every ordinance and providence is a step that carries them closer to heaven. But you are going downhill, further from your salvation than when you first believed' — or so you feel. And does it reflect good wisdom, Christian, to put a weapon in the devil's hand — an argument in his mouth to use against your salvation? If you held an estate that depended on the life of a child — one that would be forfeit if the child died — that child would certainly be well looked after. His head would not ache without you rushing to the physician for advice. Now then: what is the evidence for that glorious estate you hope for? Is it not Christ within you? Is not this new creature — rightly called 'Christ' for its likeness to Him — the young heir of heaven's glory? And when that is sick or weak, is it not time to use every available means for its recovery? While in this condition, you can neither live nor die comfortably. You cannot live well. A person with a wasting disease takes little joy in life — he finds no sweetness in his food, no delight in his work, as a healthy person does. How sweet the promise is to an active and vigorous faith! How light the yoke of the command to the Christian whose conscience is not chafed with guilt and whose strength is not weakened by temptation! But the Christian in a declining state — he cannot taste the promise. Every command is a weight, every duty a burden. He goes through life in pain, like someone with a dislocated foot, however pleasant the road. He is as unfit to die as he is to live. Such a person welcomes news of death as little as a tenant who is behind on rent welcomes the news that the landlord is coming. This is what moved David to pray: 'Spare me a little, that I may recover my strength.'

Having shown why the Christian should work to recover his declining graces, it is now necessary to offer some practical guidance.

First, direction on how to assess the declining state of grace, so that a person does not make a false judgment about himself in this matter.

Second, direction on how, once a decline in grace is recognized, a person may recover it.