made against it, which it prevails over. There is plentiful provision
general end, in calling on believers to avoid it.
1. It appears to be a work of great power from the provision that is made against it, which it prevails over. There is plentiful provision made in the covenant of grace, not only to prevent backsliding, but also for their continuance towards perfection; as, -
(1.) The word itself and all the ordinances of the gospel are appointed and given to us for this, Ephesians 4:11-15. The purpose of giving gospel officers to the church is also the purpose of giving the ordinances to be administered by them; for they are given "for the work of the ministry," - that is, to administer the ordinances of the gospel. Now, what are these ends? They are to prevent decays and backsliding in the saints, to carry them on to perfection; so it is said, verse 12. In general, it is for the "perfecting of the saints," carrying on the work of grace in them, and the work of holiness and obedience by them; or for the edifying of the body of Christ, building them up in an increase of faith and love, of every true member of the mystical body. But how far are they appointed to carry them on, to build them up? has it bounds fixed to its work? does it carry them so far, and then leave them? "No," says the apostle, verse 13. The word of the gospel, and its ordinances, are designed for our assistance, until the whole work of faith and obedience is complete. It is appointed to perfect that faith, knowledge, and growth in grace and holiness, which is allotted to us in this world. But what if oppositions lie in the way, Satan and his instruments working with great subtlety? Why, verse 14, these ordinances are designed for our deliverance from all their assaults, so that "speaking the truth in love, we may grow up to him in all things who is the head, even Christ Jesus." This is the use of all gospel ordinances, the chief end for which they were given and appointed of God, - to preserve believers from all decays of faith and obedience, and to carry them towards perfection. These are means which God, the good husbandman, uses to cause the vine to thrive and bring forth fruit. Briefly, the word is milk and strong meat, to nourish and strengthen of all sorts and all degrees of believers. It has both seed and water in it, and manuring with it, to make them fruitful. The
ordinance of the supper is appointed to strengthen our faith, in the remembrance of the death of the Lord, and the exercise of love one towards another. The communion of saints is for to edify each other in faith, love, and obedience.
(2.) God continually calls us to make use of the means appointed. He shows them to us, as the angel showed the water-spring to Hagar. Commands, exhortations, promises, threatenings, are multiplied to this purpose; Hebrews 2:1. He is continually saying to us, "Why will you die? why will you wither and decay? Come to the pastures provided for you, and your souls shall live." If we see a lamb run from the fold into the wilderness, we wonder not if it is torn by wild beasts. If we see a sheep leaving its green pastures, to abide in barren heaths, we count it no marvel, if we see him lean and ready to perish; but if we find lambs wounded in the fold, we wonder at the boldness of the beasts of prey that dared set on them there. If we see sheep pining in full pastures, we judge them to be diseased. It is indeed no marvel that poor creatures who forsake their own mercies, and run away from the fold of Christ, are torn with divers lusts, and pine away with hunger; but to see men living under all the means of spiritual thriving, yet not to be fat and flourishing, argues some powerful distemper, whose poisonous qualities hinder the efficacy of the means they enjoy. This is indwelling sin. It is so powerful, so poisonous, that it can bring leanness on the souls of men in the midst of all means of growth and flourishing. It may well make us tremble, to see men living under the gospel, with preaching, praying, administration of sacraments, and yet grow colder every day in zeal for God, more selfish and worldly, even declining as to the degrees of holiness which they had attained to.
(3.) Together with the provision of outward means of spiritual growth, there are also supplies of grace continually provided for the saints from their head, Christ. He is the head of all the saints; and he is a living head, and such a living head that he tells us that "because he lives we shall live also," John 14:19. He communicates spiritual life to all that are His. In him is the fountain of our life; which is therefore said to be "hid with him in God," Colossians 3:3. And this life he gives
to his saints by quickening them by his Spirit, Romans 8:11; and he continues it to them by the supplies of living grace which he communicates to them. From these two, his quickening us, and continually giving out supplies of life to us, he is said to live in us: Galatians 2:20, "I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me;" - "The spiritual life which I have is not my own; not from myself was it begun, not by myself is it maintained, but it is solely the work of Christ: so that it is not I that live, but he lives in me, the whole of my life being from him alone." Neither does this living head communicate only a bare life to believers, that they should merely live and no more, a poor, weak, dying life, as it were; but he gives out enough to afford them a strong, thriving, flourishing life, John 10:10. He comes not only that his sheep "may have life," but that "they may have it more abundantly;" so as that they may flourish, be fat and fruitful. Thus is it with the whole body of Christ, Ephesians 4:15, 16, whereby it "grows up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by what every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, makes increase of the body to the edifying of itself in love." The end of all communications of grace and supplies of life from this living and blessed head, is the increase of the whole body and every member of it, and the edifying of itself in love. His treasures of grace are unsearchable; his stores inexhaustible; his life, the fountain of ours, full and eternal; his heart bounteous and large; his hand open and liberal: so that there is no doubt but that he communicates supplies of grace for their increase in holiness abundantly to all his saints. Whence, then, is it that they do not all flourish accordingly? As you may see it often in a natural body, so is it here. Though the seat and rise of the blood and spirits in head and heart be sound, yet there may be a withering member in the body that intercepts the influences of life to it, so that though the heart and head perform their office, giving no less supplies to that than they do to any other member, yet the effect is merely to keep it from perishing, - it grows weaker every day. The withering of any member in Christ's mystical body is not for the want of his communication of grace for an abundant life, but from the interception that is made of the efficacy of it, by the opposition of
indwelling sin. So where lust grows strong, a great deal of grace will only keep the soul alive, and not give it any fruitfulness at all. Often Christ gives very much grace where not many of its effects appear. It spends its strength in withstanding the assaults of corruption, so that it cannot put forth its strength towards fruitfulness. As a medicine, that is fit both to check evil humours, and to strengthen nature, if the evil humour is strong, spends its whole strength in subduing it, contributing less to the relief of nature than it would do, if it met not with such opposition; so is it with the eye-salve and the healing grace which we have abundantly from the wings of the Sun of Righteousness. It is forced often to put forth its virtue to oppose lusts and corruptions. That is why the soul receives not that strengthening to fruitfulness which otherwise it might receive. How healthy and flourishing, how fruitful in holiness, might many a soul be by that grace which is continually communicated to it from Christ, which now, is only not dead, but weak and useless! And this is clear evidence of the power of indwelling sin, that it can give such a check to the mighty power of grace, so that despite the blessed and continual supplies that we receive from our Head, yet many believers decline habitually, as to where they were before, and their last ways do not agree with their first. This makes the vineyard in the "very fruitful hill" to bring forth wild grapes; this makes trees barren in fertile fields.
(4.) Besides the continual supplies of grace that are communicated to believers, which causes them to thirst no more as to a total lack, there is also a readiness in the Lord Christ to help the souls of his, as they have need. The apostle tells us that he is "a merciful High Priest," and "able" (that is, ready, prepared, and willing) "to help those who are tempted," Hebrews 2:18; and so we are invited to "come with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need," - that is, grace sufficient and suitable to any temptation we may be under. Our merciful High Priest is ready to give out this seasonable grace over and above the constant supplies of the Spirit. Besides the never-failing springs of ordinary covenant grace, he has also refreshing showers for times of drought; and this is to the advantage of the saints for their growth in grace. But despite all
these, such is the power of indwelling sin, so great its deceitfulness, so many its wiles, that many of them for whose growth all this provision is made yet go back, as to their walking with God. Samson's strength showed itself when he brake seven new sticks and seven new cords, wherewith he was bound, as burning tow and as thread. The malaise which is so stubborn that the most sovereign remedies can not prevail against it, ought to be taken good note of. Such is this indwelling sin if not watched over. It breaks all the cords made to bind it; it blunts the instruments appointed to root it up; it resists all healing medicines, though never so sovereign; and is therefore of great power. Besides, believers have innumerable obligations, from the love, the command of God, to grow in grace, to press forward towards perfection, as they have abundant means provided for them so to do. To do so is the greatest advantage, sweetness, contentment to them in the world. It is the burden of their souls, that they do not so do, that they are not more holy, more zealous, useful; they desire it above life itself. They know it is their duty to watch against this enemy, to fight against it, to pray against it; and so they do. They more desire his destruction than the enjoyment of all this world and all that it can afford. And yet, despite all this, such is the subtlety, and, and fury, and boldness of this adversary, that it frequently brings them down. Hence it is with believers sometimes as it is with men at sea. They have a fair wind, all night long; they ply their tackling, attend their business, and consider how they proceed in their voyage. In the morning coming to measure what progress they have had, they find that they have gone backwards. A swift tide has frustrated all their labours, and rendered the wind in their sails almost useless; they have borne up against the stream, but have made no progress. So is it with believers. They have a good gale of supplies of the Spirit from above; they attend duties diligently, pray constantly, hear attentively, and omit nothing that may carry them on their voyage towards eternity; but after a while, coming seriously to consider, by the examination of their hearts and ways, what progress they have made, they find that all their assistance and duties have not been able to bear them up against some strong tide or current of indwelling sin. They have not been driven on rocks, - it has preserved them from gross sins: but they have lost in their spiritual
frame, or gone backwards, and are entangled in decays. Now, because we want to prevent this power of sin; and, because of all the effects that it produces, there is none more dangerous than that it prevails on many to an decline from their former ways, despite all the sweetness their souls have found in them; - I shall consider how, and through what assistance, it prevails, that we may better watch against it.