Helps to Stir Up to Christian Duties, Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Shewing ſome Meanes to attaine a ſtirring heart in duties.
NOw for our further help and light in ſo needfull a point, I would lay downe ſome few helps and meanes by which we might the better attaine unto this ſtirringneſſe of heart:
Firſt, we ſhould endevor the removing of al thoſe lets and hindrances,The removing of all thoſe impediments which damp and dead the heart. which doe any way dampe and dead the heart, keepe it under, and lay bolts and fetters upon it. Such are,
1. Idleneſſe, ſlothfulneſſe, and careleſſe miſ-ſpending our time, incogitancy, letting the mind drive, as a Boat or Ship that hath none to guide it, but it floats up and downe uncertainely; ſo living without a calling, and the like.
2. Barrenneſſe, and unfruitfulneſſe in our Chriſtian courſe.
3. Luſts, and paſſions, and ſuch like ſinfull diſtempers, which are the ſickneſſes of the ſoule, and keepe it in a low and weake eſtate.
4. Unneceſſary ſadneſſe, and unchecrefulneſſe.
5. Vaine feares of what may befall us in regard of our Chriſtian profeſſion.
6. The diſſwaſion of worldlymen, carnal friends, and kindred, which ſay, Why cannot you content your ſelfe to doe as others doe,Vulgar ſpeeches againſt the earneſſ…. profeſſion of Religion. but you muſt make all the Towne and Countrey to talk of you, in being ſo ſtrict and preciſe, in running after Sermons, and in ſaying as many praiers as would ſerve two or three beſides, there is a reaſon in all things, and enough is enough. Thus our Saviours kindred dealt with him, who ſeeing him wonderfull earneſt, and painfull in Preaching to the people, came to lay hold of him, thinking he had bintMark. 3… 20 21. beſides himſelfe.
7. Worldly cares, and multitude of worldly buſineſſe, whichuMat. 13.22 choakes the heart.
8. Sinfull pleaſures, too much carnall mirth, or abuſing of lawfull things, which mightily*Anima diſperſa fit minor. weaken, intenerate, and emaſculate the Spirit, and draw out the vigour and vivacity of it.
9. Conſorting much with Civil and Carnal company, theſe are as a continuall dropping, which inſenſibly cooles the lively operations of the Soule: A good man amongſt ſuch, is like a ſheepe amongſt the briars, he will come away a loſer, do what he can.
10. Reſting in thy preſent condition, contenting thy ſelfe with the beginnings of Grace, and with that meaſure thou haſt.
11. Diſcouragements in thy ſelfe at thy owne weakneſſes and inabilities for want of parts and gifts. For this God was angry with Moſes, who pleaded his inability to goe on Gods errand: conſider what the Lord ſaid to him,xExo. 44.10 Who hath made mans mouth? or who maketh the dumbe or deafe? or ſeeing or blind? have not I the Lord? Who hath given thee that which thou haſt? Who can increaſe it? Who alſo will expect no more then he gives.
Secondly, ſeeke this of God by earneſt prayer,Earneſt praier to God. Iam. 1.19 from whom comes every good and perfect gift. Let thy heart follow the Lord with unceſſant requeſts, leave him not till hee anſwer thee in this great ſuit of giving thee a ſtirring heart. Iabez, in they1 Chr. 4.10 firſt of the Chronicles, makes this prayer to God, ſaying, O that thou wouldst bleſſe mee indeed, and enlarge my coaſt! and God granted him that which he requested: So doe thou ſay, O that thou wouldſt bleſſe me indeed, and enlarge my heart. This is a bleſſing indeed, if God would bee ſo gracious to thee as to grant thy requeſt. ThuszPſal. 143.11 & …0.11 David often prayeth, that God would quicken him, and unite his hart to feare the Name of God. aCant. 1.4Draw me (ſaith the Church in the Canticles) and wee will runne after thee. Theſe are the breathings of a faithfull ſoule, and thus ſhouldſt thou doe: if thou hadſt but one requeſt to make, next to the ſalvation of thy ſoule, this, O this ſhould bee it, That God would give thee a ſtirring heart: for without this, heaven it ſelfe would not be heaven; and with this, a very dungeon would ſeeme a corner of heaven. In all thy prayers therefore, put up one petition for this, that God would keepe this Holy fire upon the hearth of thy heart all thy dayes.
Thirdly, we muſt renew ourbPſ 119.116 purpoſes and promiſes often,Often to renew our former promiſes and purpoſes. wee muſt lay more bonds and engagements upon our ſelves, more Vowes and Reſolutions,cPſ. 132.2.8 Pſa. 137, 5, 6 and charge our ſelves with them, and to doe it ſolemnly with Prayer and Faſting if need require, to bind our ſelves, the more ſtrongly to our duties: even that wee will ſtand on the Lords ſide, and give up our ſelves more for the publike good; and for this end wee ſhould often commune and reaſon with our owne harts, chiding and reproaching our ſelves for our dulneſſe, and dejection of Spirit. Why art thou caſt down, O my ſoule (ſaithdPſa. 42.5, 6 David;) As if hee ſhould have ſaid, O my God, I doe lye downe overthrowne in the ſtrength of my minde, and I am aſhamed of my ſelfe for it: My ſoule hope thou in God, I will yet praiſe him more, I will remember him, and all his promiſes and mercies, and cleave unto them with more faith, and greater confidence than ever yet I have done.
Fourthly, wee ſhould often ſet before us the examples of Gods Saints and ſervants,To ſet before us the examples of Gods ſervants, who have exceeded this way who have exceeded the common meaſure in their zeale and earneſtneſſe. As the Apoſtle ſaith of thee1 Theſ. ….7 2 Theſ. 1.3, 4 Theſſalonians, That they were patternes to all them which beleeved in Macedonia and Achaia, and propounds them in their rare faith and patience with glorying.fLuk. 7.44 Seest thou this Woman (ſaith our Saviour to Simon) compare her love to mee with thine, and bee aſhamed. So alſo let us looke upon ſuch who are now living, who excell in this grace; prize them highly, rejoyce in their ſociety, reſort unto them as to thegPſal. 16.2 moſt excellent upon the earth. When wee want fire, wee uſe to goe to our neighbours, and to light our Candle at anothers flame. Seeke them out, though it coſt thee much travell and paines, they will abundantly recompence all thy labour.hLuk. 24.32 Did not our hearts burne within us, ſay the two Diſciples when they travelled together, and talked with our Saviour. O the communion of Saints! what a bleſſing is folded up in it, and goes along with it! How doe the ſparks flye abroad? and how are our cold and dull hearts quickned and enflamed thereby? How doe Gods ſervants many times part from each other, bleſſing God in their hearts, that ever they ſaw the faces, or heard the voyces each of other, having got ſuch courage and ſtrength one by another.
Laſtly, the carefull and frequent exerciſe of that grace we have in any kinde,The frequent exerciſe of that grace we have. helpes much to ſtirre up the heart. Every act intends the habit, and the more the acts of grace are iterated and repeated, the more the grace is intended and enlarged, the more ſpreading, ſtrong, and active it growes. The more wee lay forth our ſelves, dreſſe, and tend to every grace and gift beſtowed, the greater is the increaſe and fruit of them.Simile. As it is in a tree planted, and plaſhed againſt a wall, the more it is ſpread, and laied forth in the branches, even to the leaſt twigge, the more warmth and vigour it gets from the Sun-beames, and the more fruit it beareth. Thus when every grace is exerciſed, and put to the beſt uſe and advantage, it muſt needs make a ſtirring and a fruitful Chriſtian. And as men get warmth into their hands by rubbing them, and as the wax is made fit for the ſeale by chafing it; ſoiQuomodo ſine exercitio doctrinae, aut ſine uſu profectus? Res omnis proprius ac domeſticis exercitiis augetur. Amb. offic. 1. cap. 5. exerciſe of grace helpes to warme and kindle the heart, and makes it fit for many Divine and heavenly impreſſions to bee put upon it. Thus fervent prayer kindles the heart, increaſeth that grace by the often exerciſe of it, ſtirres up other graces in us, and ſhakes off all heavineſſe and drowſineſſe of ſoule.kExo. 24.39 When Moſes had beene long with God in the holy Mount, there was a brightneſſe and ſhining put upon his face. So our converſing much with God by prayer puts a greater light, and brightneſſe upon the ſoule.
Thus he that edifies another, edifies himſelfe, and whilſt he is imparting what grace hee hath to others, it growes in his owne heart, as thelMat. 14.19.20. bread did in the Diſciples hands, whilſt they were diſtributing it to the poore hungry people. The more alſo wee put forth the fruits of Chriſtian love towards others? the more loving it makes us; by giving we become more liberall, and by ſhewing mercy on the diſtreſſed, more pittifull; beſides that great comfort and refreſhing of heart which followes upon well-doing.
FINIS.
End of the text · Henry Whitfield, Helps to Stir Up to Christian Duties (1634)