over them at sometimes more than at other times When it is well with the new Creation within Christians can keep the Devil at a Bay and Stand when it is otherwise he prevails immediately we are disarmed and his Darts pierce and enter There is some ground to suspect that David's Heart was not in so good a frame as usually sometime before his foul Fall 2 Sam. 11. As to Peter it is plain his vain-self-confidence gave Satan an opportunity to sift him as he did 3. How doth the Grace of God help in a decayed state 1. Grace helps in preserving Life at the Root There is some witness for God kept up I sleep but my heart waketh saith the Bride Song 5.2 It is well all was not asleep The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak saith meek Jesus in his Agony in the Garden to the three distempered Disciples Matth. 26.41 These same three sleep in the Mount of Transfiguration Luke 9.32 and in the Garden of Agony Paul found this Witness preserv'd in his Captivity to the Law in his Members Rom. 7.23 2. Grace helps under a decayed State by making a secret growth downward A growth that the Believer cannot feel in himself and that others cannot quickly perceave yet it is a real growth and will in God's due time appear We commonly value most that growth in Grace that hath fair Blossoms and Fruit appearing to our comfort and to the Lord's Praise before others And it is indeed desirable and to be studied Matth. 5.16 John 15.8 But there is a growth that may be carried on in the Root only in the rooting Grace of a Christian As in clearer Discoveries of in-dwelling sin in the Heart and in more self-diffidence and self-distrust Paul had this Fruit. 2 Cor. 1.8,9 It is a sad thing that many Christians are so fond of themselves of the good that is in them that the Lord seeth that nothing is so fit to cure them of this as leaving them to themselves And when this leaving of them to themselves hath brought them to a discovery of themselves and that discovery hath wrought a distrust of themselves and that distrust hath taught them Faith in God then the Lord hath reached his end on them and will change his way with them 3. Grace can revive the decayed state of a Believer Psal 23.3 He restoreth my Soul He reneweth their strength Isa 40.31 Psal 103.5 Thy youth is renewed like the Eagles This is impossible in Nature and as to our Bodies but as to our Souls and the work of God in them it is what is promised and often done Old people may and do often in their Folly and Vanity counterfeit Youth but all their Arts cannot make themselves one hour younger But the Lord can renew the youth of the new Creature and make it better with him than ever it was David prays for it Psal 51.10 Create in me a clean Heart O God and renew a right Spirit within me Peter got a new Conversion Luke 22.32 They both had been converted and renewed before but they fell under a sad decay and needed this restoring Grace and got it So much of the second time of need I proceed to a third not so common 3. A time of special Enjoyments is a time of special need of God's helping Grace You may think it strange but it is true that they that receave most of the Lord 's gracious bounty stand in most need of Grace to guide it well Concerning this season I would speak in five Particulars 1. Mast Christians know what those Enjoyments are by experience although it various measures It is very suspicious that that Person is an Hypocrite that is always in the same frame let them pretend it to be never so good The true Christians Sky is never long clear and without Clouds change of weather and ways is usually found by Travellers to Heaven It is to be suspected that he is not right who hath no changes Psal 55.19 These special Enjoyments are of several sorts 1. There is some special nearness to God enjoyed by Christians at some times We are not at all to be offended at but rather confirmed by the Reproaches of the Ungodly that are utter strangers to such Enjoyments and cannot endure nor understand the Scripture Names of such Blessings that they themselves are unacquainted with What is more frequent in the Word than this nearness to God What is better known in the Experience of Saints than this nearness He makes gracious Approaches to Mens Spirits and causeth them to approach to him Psal 65.4 they find it good for them Psal 73.28 The first gracious change wrought in a Soul is by bringing a distant sinner near to God Eph. 2.13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ Whenever the Virtue of that Blood came upon you by the Spirit of Christ God came near to you and you were brought near to God But besides this nearness that is begun in the first Application of Grace and changeth their State there is more nearness given by the Lord and enjoyed by his people for the cheering of their Hearts and bettering of their Frame Exercised Christians are able to give a distinct account of their having of this nearness at some times and of their want of it at othe times How much of both are in the Psalm of David And such as can understand the nearness to and distance from God so frequently mentioned there as only the Psalmists sense of God's favourable or cross Providence towards him in outward things are to be pitied for their ungodly lgnorance and despised for their expounding the Words of a man after God's heart according to the carnal Sentiments of their own 2. There are Effusions of the Spirit spoke of in the Word and found by Christians which are special Enjoyments Sometimes they are found in the performance of spiritual Duties of Worship sometimes in the exercise of grace Grace should be acted in all Duties of Worship but it may be and should be acted out of any formal Duty You should never pray but there should be acting of Faith and Love on Christ But God be thanked you may act Faith and Love when ye do not pray when you are about no setled spiritual Duty of Worship there is a being in the 〈◊〉 of the Lord all the day long Prov. 23.17 A walking up and down in the name of the Lord. Zech. 10.12 A doing of every thing in the name of the Lord Jesus Col. 3.17 Every Believer hath the Spirit of Christ If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 But there are some singular Powrings out of this Spirit promised and bestowed and well known by Believers and they are precious Enjoyments This spirit the world cannot receave because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you as