Helps to Stir Up to Christian Duties, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. Shewing the grounds of this duty of ſtirring up our ſelves.
THus you have the explanation of thoſe two things propoſed; to wit; what it is to ſtirre up ones ſelfe; and ſecondly, about what it is mainly to bee exerciſed. Now follow ſome grounds and reaſons of the Point.
Reaſ. 1 This duty, as it is enjoyned, & commanded by God himſelfe, that we ſhould ſtir up our ſelves in what we do, that it be done with all our might,foreign, as the word is. with an harmonicall conſent of all parts of man, underſtanding, will, and all the faculties exiſting in the perſon of man, with the whole ſtrength; ſo it is moſt pleaſing unto God, as moſt agreeable to his nature, who is a Spirit infinitely active & ſtirring, and impatient of all dulneſſe and ſluggiſhneſſe. The oPſal. 68.17Angels are his Chariots, pPſal. 18.10he rides upon a Cherube, and doth flye; he comes alſo on the wings of the wind: qIſa. 19.1he rides on a ſwift cloud, which the racke wind drives, all which ſhadow out unto us the wonderfull activity of his nature: Who rIohn 4.24ſeekes therefore ſuch to worſhip him. Hence is David commended for his readineſſe to fulfill all theſActs 13.22 foreign. t2. Sam. 6.14wils of God, for ſo it is in the Originall. Thus he danced before the Lord with al his might; that is, with the might of his ſpirit.
Reaſ. 2 Our Saviour Chriſt, who gave himſelfe for us in the greatneſſe of his love, (u2 Cor. 5.14 even of his love that paſſeth knowledge,) and*Tit. 2.14 purchaſed us to be a peculiar people to himſelfe, did it to this end, that wee ſhould be zealous of good works. Zeale is an affection proper to Men, who having will, to which belongeth the choice of good, as the object of it, have two attendants theron, the Concupiſcible, and the Iraſcible part; the former moving towards the object, the latter encountring whatever difficulties hinder the attaining and enjoying of it;aCant. 8.6, 7 The coles thereof are coles of fire, which have a vehement flame, which many waters cannot quench, nor floods drowne. Hence, ſuch as are Chriſts, arebLuke 3.16 baptized with fire; that is, with the holy Ghoſt, who is like fire; not onelyonly in purging away their droſſe and corruptions, but mightily heating them, and ſtirring up ſtrong and ardent affections in them for God and his glory.
Reaſ. 3 Thirdly, wee ſhould put forth our ſelves in this duty, in regard of that wonderfull aptneſſe that is in the beſt to grow cold, and dull, and that inſenſibly; even as age, and yeares come on us and we feele it not, and as the duſt falls upon our clothes, and we perceive it not; ſo that, if one let himſelfe alone but a ſhort time, the minde will ſinke, and get downeward: wee muſt therefore ever and anon be winding it up, as we do our Clocks and Watches, and ſtill bee tending unto it by renuing our purpoſes, andcPſa. 132.4, 5 Pſal. 137.5, 6 tasking our ſelves to all duties, that the heart may bee kept in its due height, and this muſt be done often, the heart being not in that frame in the evening as it was in the morning: As an Inſtrument of Muſicke, though put never ſo well in tune over night, though it reſt untoucht by an externall hand, yet the ſtrings will fall and grow out of tune of themſelves; and thou ſhalt finde a few weekes will breed a great alteration in thee, which many moneths may not recover againe: ſuch wretched natures doe wee carry about us, which are ſuch great enemies to the worke of grace, that if wee looke not very narrowly unto it, a great dampe and chilliſhneſſe will fall upon our hearts, our prayers wil grow weaker and weaker, ſhorter and ſhorter, good purpoſes and reſolutions will quickly dye, goe out, and bee loſt in us. Happy is he that can ſay in a ſpirituall ſenſe (as it was ſaid of Moſes) that after long profeſſion of Religion,dDeut 34 7 his ſight is not waxed dimme, nor his Spirituall force and heat abated.