The Excellency of Holy Courage in Evil Times, Chapter 18
CHAP. 18. A fourth Ʋſe. To be reſtleſs till we get our ſelves into a good frame.
USE, 4.
A Fourth Uſe is this: If it be ſo that Gods people are in ſuch a different frame of ſpirit; ſomtime they are afraid, and their hearts are down; at other times they have a ſpirit of courage, and fitneſs for any ſervice that God wil have them to do: This ſhould teach us when our hearts are down, and not in that fitneſs we deſire, to be reſtleſs till we get our ſelves in a good frame: Somtime the Godly have their hearts in a good frame, and therefore it is poſſible to be had, and we ſhould never be in reſt til we had got it.
Queſt. But how ſhall we get up our hearts when they are not in a frame fit for ſervice?
Anſw. Firſt, Be ſenſible of the evil of an unſerviceable heart, ſo as to be humbled before God for the want of it, and be more ſenſible of the evil of that, than ſenſible of the evil of want of peace and comfort: Many when they find their hearts down, and not in that degree fit for ſervice that they deſire, they are troubled for it, but the reaſon is becauſe their hearts being down, there ariſe doubts of their condition, and their peace is hindred, and they cannot have comfort in it, but they are not ſo much troubled becauſe they are unſerviceable, and want hearts fitted for duty, and that is the reaſon why their hearts are kept down: Now this ſhould be our care, to be more ſenſible of the unſerviceableneſs of our hearts, than of the unpeaceableneſs of our hearts.
Secondly, Obſerve which way the ſtrength of your ſpirit is let out, and labor to recal your hearts from that; as thus: If the ſtrength of a mans ſpirit be not for God, it is let out to ſomwhat elſe, it is alwaies working ſome way or other; if it be not let out to ſome one particular object, it is ſcattered and divided into divers objects. Now if your ſtrength be not let out for God, call your hearts to an account, where is the ſtrength of my heart? which way runs it? If it can be diſcerned which way the ſtrength of your heart is let out, whether to any creature, or any luſt, that ſhould be your care to get it off.
Thirdly, When you come to preſent your ſelves before God in his Ordinances, come with hearts panting after ſtrength: as when you come to the Word, Prayer, or Sacraments, bethink your ſelves beforehand, I come before the Lord that I may get this dull heart of mine quickned in ſuch and ſuch a particular, I find my heart unſerviceable in ſuch a particular. Now my heart preſents it ſelf before God, and pants after God to be fitted for ſervice in ſuch a particular; it is much may be done when we come to the preſence of God panting for help from God in ſuch particulars.
Fourthly, Obſerve the beginnings of Gods coming into your hearts, and acknowledg them, and improve them, and follow them, many times God is coming into the heart, and becauſe God comes not in fully as much as they would at firſt, they take no notice of the beginnings of the work of God to imbrace them, and improve them: There are a great many ſparks have fallen upon your hearts, if they had been gathered together, they might have been a flame by this time, but becauſe God did not come in with a flame all together, they did not regard that; you ſaid, what can a ſpark do upon my heart? if you had improved that little you might have had more by this time.
Fiftly, Labor to recall all thoſe ſoul quickning Truths that ever you have felt working upon your hearts: there was a time my heart was more lively, I can remember ſince God did come in with his truth, and work mightily upon my heart, labor to recal thoſe truths, and ſet them freſh before your hearts, with as much power as poſſibly you can, and keep your hearts in view of them continually, and by meditation chafe them into your hearts; though the fleſh be benummed, yet if it be rubbed, and exerciſed, there will come ſtrength, and ſo thoſe ſoul quickning Truths that you have found before have quickned your hearts, if you preſent them afreſh before the heart, and chafe them by meditation, they wil get ſome ſtrength and life into the heart.
Laſtly, Look into the preſent condition you are in, and exerciſe the duties ſutable to your preſent condition.