Personal Declension and Revival of Religion in the Soul

by Octavius Winslow

Practical, biblical counsel for those who have lost their decisive commitment to the Lord.

Genres: Theology, Christian Living, Christian, Faith, Spirituality

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1841

About the author

Octavius Winslow (1 August 1808 – 5 March 1878), also known as "The Pilgrim's Companion", was a prominent 19th-century evangelical preacher in England and America. A Baptist minister for most of his life and contemporary of Charles Spurgeon and J. C. Ryle, he seceded to the Anglican church in his last decade.

Reviews

[Olamide OPEYEMI · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this book with a great measure of trembling in my spirit. Could not just drop it. The wordings are clearly spirit-given and it pierces straight to the heart of the reader. I look forward to several other reading of this work. I believe it has the blessing of heaven to bend men's heart.

[Vincent Lemieux · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t understand why no ones ever mentioned this book to me before... This book is outstanding! Winslow’s style of writing is Puritan like. This one is clearly in my top 10 now.

This book is so full of truths, God, Christ, the Spirit, wounds, healings, hopes, self-abasement...

Backsliding in the soul is a constant and often subtile danger we all face. This book is my #1 on the subject.

[Chad Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took quite a while for me to finish this because it is difficult to read through tears. I did not know the depths of my own weariness before picking this up. This book is saturated with Scripture and it’s exposition is piercing. It wounds with the intention of healing, much like a skilled surgeon, or a faithful friend. In a way, it is both timeless and timely. A true gift to the church from the good Mr. Winslow. It is now in my top two of all the works that I’ve read and will become one of my most recommended.

[Bookman143 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books, I believe, that can change your life. Has the love in your heart grown cold? Has your prayer life decreased or diminished? Have you wandered away from the Lord? Octavius Winslow has bracing, edifying, and encouraging words for the backslider. This book is true meat, indeed. It is cold, pure water from mountain streams. Read and be refreshed. Come back to your First Love. Amazing. Backslidden or not, your heart will overflow in worship.

[Josh Anders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thankful for this book. Something about how these 17th & 18th century authors write is so special when dealing with topics of prayer, the Christian life, and in this case, personal declension. The most striking chapter to me was Winslow’s analysis on the connection between declension and prayer. For Winslow, the health of your walk with God is directly connected with your prayer life with Him. How often do you pray? How selfish are your prayers? Are you praying things glorifying to Him or just nonsense?

This book is a great read for anyone struggling in faith or just spiritually weary

[Parker Bentley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This work by Octavius Winslow is so rich. As the name suggests, he writes about the decline of religion in the soul (life) of the believer, and focuses on key areas where decline is seen (prayer, love, faith). He diagnoses the causes of decline and provides biblical remedies to his readers. Winslow consistently reminds his readers that salvation belongs to the Triune God, and that apart from Christ you can do nothing. It’s such a helpful book for examining your own heart and spiritual condition.

[Israel Villavicencio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente libro! Lo recomiendo a todos los que caen en la mentira de creer que ya tienen muchos años en el cristianismo y pierden la pasión por el evangelio.
Este libro nos lleva al corazón mismo de Cristo y su obra en la cruz. Nos confronta en nuestra relación con Dios. Es un excelente material y recordatorio con un hermoso mensaje.

[Nathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Must-read for every Christian. Sets Christ fourth wonderfully. Really ministered to me as I read it and providentially used.

[Dakota · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top 10 book. Perfect balance of conviction and grace. Can’t believe this book isn’t wider known.

[Bob O'Bannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Octavius Winslow lived in the 19th century, putting him technically outside the category of “Puritan,” but this book reads just as you would expect from a great Puritan work: profound spiritual insight, theological and yet utterly practical, and passionately Christ-centered.

The purpose of the book is to alert the reader to the “incipient” (in its early stages) signs of spiritual declension in areas like love, faith, prayer and doctrine, in order to prevent one from slowly drifting away from Jesus. “No child of God ever recedes into a state of inward declension and outward backsliding, but by slow and gradual steps.” (p.3).

An example of Winslow’s insight into the human heart is in the chapter on faith. He makes the point that the person whose faith is declining into constant doubt has more of a problem with pride than humility. “The moment a believer looks at his unworthiness more than at the righteousness of Christ – supposes that there is not a sufficiency of merit in Jesus to supply the absence of all merit in himself before God, what is it but a setting up his sinfulness and unworthiness above the infinite worth, fullness, and sufficiency of Christ’s atonement and righteousness?” (p.82).

As with all writings in the Puritan style, there are no punches pulled. The person with a tender conscience should be careful, because you will not finish this book without feeling deep conviction in your soul. But Winslow concludes with a chapter on the Father, Son and Holy Spirit working together as the keeper of His people, and assures us early in the book that “whatever be the departure of a backsliding child of God, it is recoverable: not a step has he lost but may be retraced; not a grace has decayed but may be restored; not a joy has fled but may be won back.” (p.22).

NOTE — the version of the book I read was Banner of Truth’s 2021 reprinting, not the one pictured here on Goodreads.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely phenomenal! Like most Puritan books I’ve read thus far, this is highly recommended. For those who are wrestling with in dwelling sin, lukewarmness or often doubt your salvation, dig yourself into this book, and as a result further into Scripture as well, and be convicted, encouraged and spurred on to greater love for Christ, awareness of your wretched heart and the glorious redemption found in a Savior who both saves and holds us! Don’t let the slow pace keep you from gleaning from the nuggets within…it’s 9 chapters, so take 9 months to read it (like I did!) and find just how much you find yourself smiling and rejoicing at the end!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very thorough Christian book on sin in a believer's life and how to prevent backsliding. It was a little hard for me to get into at first but about a third of the way in it really started making sense to me. This would be a very helpful book for any Christian that is struggling with compromise, doubt, and depression. There is a big emphasis on the importance of prayer and returning to God. Octavius Winslow wrote this very well and I learned a lot.

[Timothy S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read. It challenged me, spiritually, in many areas. I also understood more about the Christian life after having read it. All Christians will have periods of spiritual decline in their life. This book is there to help those in spiritual decline to regain their closeness to God. This book is also good for those who are not yet in spiritual decline as it will build a wall against spiritual decline and it will strengthen your walk with Christ.

[Doug Adamson · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot of good material in this book (I saved 12 typed pages of quotes) but it was, at times, a bit of a slog. There was also a good bit of repetition of themes and thoughts. It is not written in a modern style of writing. It can be, at times, overly rhetorical. But, if one is willing to put the effort in and, perhaps, take in smaller chunks, there is much benefit for the reader.

[Ted · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author is one of my favorites. I can't undermine the importance of understanding the natural Christian inclination to backsliding, and how important it is that we deal with this at the source, our sinful rotten hearts.

[Matthew Prydden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful stuff on the fall and rise of spiritual life in the Christian's relation with God.

[Benjamin Cervantes · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the intro and chapter 1, you know what Octavius is talking about and if he's talking to you. What's the answer? Prayer. TRUE prayer.

[Keller Hackbusch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful read! Challenging heart examination with encouraging heart medicine. Will read again!

[Josiah Cedeño · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll probably re-read this many times over the years. So good

[Juan Sebastian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente libro! Muy devocional y desafiante. Al mismo tiempo muy alentador y ayuda a dar bases para reavivar la llama espiritual .

[Stephen P · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book that helps the reader to identify the areas and causes of a decline in spirituality and a closeness to God in the life of the Christian. Being written in the 19th Century, the writer uses that writing style which makes for long paragraphs and complex sentences - more so than that with which the contemporary reader is likely familiar. Nevertheless, the book is worth the effort.

[Roger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the 19th century language this book is full of vocal truths and convicting passage. I read a chapter a week before church for several weeks and was always challenged in my preaching.

[Cameron Borders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Balm for the Soul.

[Crazycalvinist O'flaherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

ExcellentO