The Decrease of Grace.
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If Satan cannot prevent the birth of graces—he will labour to be the death of graces. It is very common to see a professing Christian lose his first love, and to fall from his first works. His love that was formerly an ascending flame, is now like a little spark almost suffocated with the earth. His godly sorrow, which was once a swelling torrent, like Jordon overflowing its banks, is now dried up like Job's summer brook. His proceedings against sin were once furious, like the march of Jehu against Ahab; but now, like Samson—he can sleep in Delilah's lap, while she steals away his strength! Before he would not give rest to his eyes, until God had given rest to his soul; but now he can lie down with sin in his bosom, and wounds in his conscience! At first, hiszeal consumed him—but now his declensions have eaten up his zeal.
How is your excellency, O Christian, departed from you! How is your crown fallen from your head! What a dangerous breach have you made—for the entrance of sin and sorrow! Temptations wreck you and leave you wounded: your graces that were once like the worthies of David, who could break through an army of enemies to bring him water, are now like the soldiers that followed Saul, they are with you trembling. You have potent enemies—but impotent graces. You are often assaulted—but easily conquered. As your glorious sun is setting—so are dismal clouds arising. You are decreasing in your graces, and God is declining in his favour's. You leave off communing with saints—and God leaves off communing with you. You offer your sacrifices without the fire of zeal—and He answers your coldness with the fire of wrath.
In a word, your heart has no delight in God—and God's soul has no delight in you. And as there is bad news from heaven—so there is awful news from conscience. What trembling of heart! What astonishment of soul! What disputes against mercy! What questionings of salvation will your wounded conscience and bleeding spirit adopt! What flashes of lightning! What claps of thunder will break out upon your soul, when the hot pangs of death shall follow the cold and chill scruples of salvation!