Troy Manning

During one of my multiple trips across Pennsylvania this past fall, I took the time to stop by The Banner of Truth Trust in Carlisle, PA, to see what kind of deals they had in their scratch/dent section. I noticed William Gurnall’s The Christian in Complete Armour for half price–$24. I quickly snatched it up and have profited from reading portions of it this Christmas. I wanted to pass on some of these blessings in a blog post.

Beginning on p. 234, he shares how a Christian can determine if he is in a state of declining grace–i.e., if he is backsliding. Before guiding the Christian in this exercise, he shows them what marks are not an indication of this declination.

1. Christian, do not judge grace to be fallen weaker, because thy sense of corruption is grown stronger. Often, we can think that an increased awareness of our sinfulness is a sign that we are not experiencing the grace of God as fully, but Gurnall counters this with this point.  He says, If it be thus, thou hast rather a comfortable sign of grace growing than decaying.
2. Take heed thou thinkest not grace decays, because thy comfort withdraws. Sometimes God does not give a felt sense of His grace, but this does not mean that His grace is not evident. Some graces thrive best, like some flowers, in the shade, such as humility, dependence on God, &c.
3. Take heed thou dost not mistake, and think thy grace decays, when may be it is only thy temptations increase, and not thy grace that decreases. I’ve found my temptations to be greater now that I’m in missionary service, but Gurnall has encouraged me by his counsel. Temptation lies not in the same heaviness alway upon the Christian’s shoulder.

Now he counsels the Christian on how to conclude that grace is declining. First, in reference to temptations to sin…

1. When thou art not so wakeful to discover the encroachings of sin upon thee as formerly. It’s so easy to get desensitized to sin and not even realize it.
2. When a temptation to sin is discovered, and thou findest thy heart shut up that thou does not pray against it, or not with that zeal and holy indignation, as formerly upon such occasions… 
3. When the arguments prevailing most with thee to resist temptations to sin, or to mourn for sin committed, are more carnal and less evangelical than formerly.

Second, in reference to the duties of God’s worship…

1. If thy heart doth not prompt thee with that forwardness and readiness as formerly to hold communion with God in any duty. He adds, Nature cannot but decay if appetite to food go away. A craving soul is the thriving soul; such a child that will not let his mother rest, but is frequently crying for the breast.
2. When thou declinest in thy care to perform duties in a spiritual sort, and to preserve the sense of those more inward failings, which in duty none but thyself can check thee of. Gurnall’s next sentence really convicted me: It is not frequency of duty, but spirituality in duty, [that] causeth thriving…
3. When a Christian gets little spiritual nourishment from communion with God, to what it hath done. He adds, Dost thou hear and pray, and get no more strength to hold by a promise, no more power over, or brokenness of heart under, thy usual corruptions?

Third, in reference to the frame of thy heart in worldly employments…

1. When thy worldly occasions do not leave thee in so free and spiritual a disposition, to return into the presence of God as formerly.
2. When thy diligence in thy particular calling is more selfish.
3. When thou canst not bear the disappointment of thy carnal ends in thy particular calling, as thou hast done. Here’s a sentence to help make this point more understandable: The time was thou couldst retire thyself into God, and make up all thou didst want elsewhere in him; but now thou art not so well satisfied with thy estate, rank, and condition.

Now he gives guidance on how to recover from a state of declining grace. First, he gives three duties…

1. Thou art to renew thy repentance. The following words were particularly helpful for me: … 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.
2. When thou hast renewed thy repentance, forget not, delay not then, to renew thy faith on the promise for pardon. I really needed to hear this point, because my focus is often too much upon my sin, and that depresses me. He adds, … if faith come not presently with its restorative, the poor creature will never get heart, or recover his strength.
3. Back both these with a daily endeavour to mortify those lusts which most prevail over thy grace.

Then he gives the second duty… to apply thyself to the use of those means which God hath appointed for the strengthening [of] grace…

1. I shall send thee to the Word of God.
2. From the word go to meditation. He gave some counsel in this section that has been particularly helpful for me and has been a great deterrent from sin recently. How can he be thankful that seldom thinks what he receives? or patient when God afflicts, that wants one of the most powerful arguments to pacify 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?
3. From meditation go to prayer.
4. To all the former, join fellowship and communion with the saints thou livest amongst.

I realize I have given only the highlights of Gurnall’s words in this section, but hopefully they are a blessing. Gurnall’s book is full of rich treasures for the soul, so I would encourage you to pick up a copy yourself. But beware, it’s 1200 pages long!!