3GS RECOVERY FROM SPIRITUAL DECAY.
God according to rule, as God requires of us. Our primitive love, — how is it decayed ! Value of the ordinances of Christ, and the society of Lis people for edification, — how cold are we grown in these things ! How little is the church society upon our hearts, which some of us remember when it was the very joy of our souls ! Truly we have reason to lift up our cry to God, that he would return and visit the churches, and pour out a new, fresh, reviving spirit upon them, that we fall not under the power of these decays till we come to forma- lity, and God withdraws himself from us, and leaves us; which he seems to be at the very point of doing.
Then, brethren^ let us remember our own church ; that God would in an especial manner revive the spirit of life, power, and holiness among us ; that he would be pleased to help the officers of the church to discharge their duty, and not suffer them to fall under any decay of grace or gifts, unfitting of them to the discharge of their office to the edification of the church ; that he would give them also to beware and take heed of formality as to the exercise of gifts in their admi- nistration ; and that he would take care of us, since we are apt to fall under these things. Let us pray that we may be acted by the Spirit of God, and enlivened by the grace of God, in all things we do.
Have any of us any particular occasions in reference to tempta- tions, trials, and troubles? — we may bear it upon our hearts to the Lord this day. This is much better than by multiplying a company of formal bills. The Lord help us to know the plague of our own hearts, and to be enabled to plead with the Lord, upon this oppor- tunity, for grace and mercy to help us in every time of need !
DISCOURSE IV.1
Question. How may we recover from a decay of the principle of grace ?
Answer. We have been speaking concerning the decay of the prin- ciple of grace ; and I will now offer you some 'few thoughts that may be applied unto our recovery from the decay of this principle. In doing which, I shall tell you no more than I think I have found myself.
If we would recover spiritual life, we must come as near as we can unto, and abide as much as we are able at, the well-head of life. 1 Delivered March 24, 1675-6.
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Christ is the spring of our spiritual life ; he is every way our life. It is in a derivation of life from Christ, and in conformity to him, that we must look for our spiritual life.
Before I mention how we should approach unto and lie at this well-head of life, let me observe to you this one thing, — that when there is a general contagious disease (the plague, or the like), every man will look to his health and safety with reference to other occa- sions, but will be most careful in regard to the general contagion. Now, if forsaking this spring of life be the plague of the age, and the plague of the place where we live, and the plague of Christians, we ought to be very careful lest this general contagion should reach us, more or less, one way or other. It is evident to me, — who have some advantage to consider things, as much as ordinary men, — that the apostasy, the cursed apostasy, that spreads itself over this nation, and whose fruits are in all ungodliness and uncleanness, consists in an apostasy from and forsaking the person of Christ. Some write of how little use the person of Christ is in religion ; — none, but to declare the doctrine of the gospel to us. Consider the preaching and talk of men. You have much preaching and discourse about virtue and vice; so it was among the philosophers of old: but Jesus Christ is laid aside, quite as a thing forgotten ; as if he was of no use, no con- sideration, in religion ; as if men knew not at all how to make any use of him, as to living to God.
This being the general plague, as is evident, of the apostasy of the day wherein we live, if we are wise, we shall consider very carefully whether we ourselves are not influenced more or less with it; as where there is a general temptation, it doth more or less try all men, the best of believers, and prevail more or less upon their spirits. I am afraid we have not, some of us, that love for Christ, that delight in him, nor do make that constant abode with him, as we have done. We have very much lost out of our faith and our affections him who is the life and centre, the glory and the power, of all spiritual life, and of all we have to do with God, — Jesus Christ himself. I brought it in only to let us know, that if we would revive our spiritual life (and, believe it, if any of us are not concerned in our spiritual decays, these are sapless things, and will be heard with as much weariness as spoken), we are to abide more at the well-head of life. It is the direction of our Lord Jesus Christ, " Abide in me : unless ye abide in me, ye can bring forth no fruit. And every such branch shall be so and so purged."