long as Hel is Hel and God is God Section 10. How we should stirre up our selves in sanctifying the Lords day IN sanctifying the Lords day it is our duty to stirre up our selves both in longing for it before it comes and highly prizing it when it is come n Isa 58.23 making it the ioy and reioycing of our hearts It is recorded of the godly Jewes before our Saviours time that they called the Sabbath o Wemes Christ Syn. p. 76. Desiderium dierum the desire of dayes the most desired day Every moment of this day should bee precious as having Gods blessing more immediately annexed unto it and unto all those duties performed in it having as it were his Image and Superscription more lively portrayed and engraven upon it and therefore to be improued by us to our uttermost in all the parts and duties of that day Section 11. How wee are to stirre up our selves in our partaking of the Sacraments IN the use of the Sacraments it is our duty to stir up our selves 1. In regard of the Sacrament of Baptisme How to stir up our serve to make use of our baptisme to our selves and our children both to our selves and our children and that in these respects 1. By calling to minde what wee and our children are by nature children of wrath both wee and they all of us like still-borne children borne p Ephes 2.3 dead in trespasses and sinnes q Ezec. 16.6 weltring in the blood of the sins of our first parents empty of all grace prone to all wickednesse though as then not able to put it forth in outward Act no more then young Vipers or then the Cubs of wild beasts which yet when wee grow up to ripenesse and strength are ready to breake forth to doe any mischiefe if wee be not restrayned 2. By interesting our selves and our children in the Covenant of Promise whereof Baptisme is the Seale This is done by dedicating and resigning up our selves and them to be Gods people as Hee in the Covenant r Gen. 17.7 offereth himselfe to bee a God to us and ours and withall praying for our selves and them that we and they might Å¿ Gen. 17.18 live in his sight How should it provoke us to wrestle with God to convey a Covenant and Sacrament of life unto our children since wee have conveyed to them nothing but sinne and wrath and the fruit of both which is death 2. By growing up our selves and training up our children to keepe the Covenant on our parts that the Lord may delight to t Gen. 8.19 bring the blessing of the Covenant upon us and ours 3. By walking in the purity of Gods Ordinances with a pure and an honest heart for want of the former Gods wrath burst forth against Gedeons children Iudg. 8 27. and against Eli and his 1 Sam. 3.13 For want of the latter against Amaziah 2 Chron 2 5.2 which David sought to prevent by giving his sonne Salomon better counsell 1 Chr. 28.9 2. In receiving the Lords Supper How to stir up ourselves in the right use of the Lords Supper it is our duty to stir up our selves 1. By considering the great need we stand in of such an Ordinance what need Christ to be dispenced to us as Bread to strengthen us and Wine to quicken us if we were not of our selves weake and dull and even starved creatures without him 2. u 1 Cor. 11.28 By examining and searching out the feeblenesse of our best graces and the strength of our manifold corruptions that so as by searching into the sores and wounds of the body the body is payned and grieved so by searching into the sores and wounds of our soules our hearts may be inwardly pricked and afflicted 3. By reforming our selves and our families before wee come to partake in this Supper For if wee bee uncircumcised our selves we discovenant our selves and them as on the contrary if the Master of the Family bee a true beleever the Covenant is made with him and his houshold Therefore when Zacheus was converted Christ sayd This day is Salvation come to this house Luke 19.9 for as much as hee also is the Sonne of Abraham And hence wee read in the Acts when the master of a Family was turned to the faith that he was baptized and his whole houshold and therefore also it lyes upon us not to leave them at home so nor to bring them with us uncircumcised so farre as it lyes in us to use the means for their good Exod. 12.48 Christ was carefull to a 1 Ioh. 13 8 10. wash his Disciples feet to purifie their hearts against the Sacrament Such new wine as Christ is would bee put into new bottles 4. By beholding Christ in the Sacrament as it were crucified before our eyes that we might mourne the more seriously in remembrance of the sins by which we have pierced b Zac. 12.10 him 5. By admiring at the wonderfull goodnesse of God to our soules who when we were as c 2 Sam. 9.8 with 19.28 dead dogge as Mephibosheth said to David yet the Lord is pleased to set us at his owne Table to feed us with the Body and Blood of his owne Sonne and thereby to make us one body and spirit with his Sonne giving him to us and us to him that wee might partake in all the precious blessings hee hath purchased for us both for this life and for a better and therefore we are to feed upon him with faith and exceeding joy for all his abundant goodnesse to us herein 6. By setting up Christ whole Christ in our hearts as our King Priest and Prophet that he being received into us may rule us and teach us and pacifie us and purifie us and f Gal. 2.20 live our whole life in us Lastly by cleaving the more to our brethren in al love and deare affection whom wee see to communicate with us in the same Christ 1 Cor. 10.17 2 Cor. 12.13 and called of God to partake in the same Table with us Section 12. How to stirre up our selves in laying hold on the Promises IT is our duty to stirre up our selves to conceive confidence in our hearts in taking hold of God as hee hath offered himselfe in his Covenant Promises the speciall thing mentioned here in the Text and a point of great use through the whole course of our lives on which I shal a little more insist opening the phrase what it is to take hold on God and shewing how the Scripture calleth for this duty The phrase is put for the Act of beleeving which because it is to bee performed by the whole man and all the powers of it and is the great Act of all others and includes all others therefore it is set forth to us in Scripture by all the severall Acts of each member or faculty in a man So elsewhere it is called Seeing 1 Pet. 2.3 performing
minds that wee cannot lift them up to divine and spirituall things May it not be said in a spirituall sense of most of our hearts and houses as the q Isa 47.14 Prophet speakes there is not a cole to warme it Vse 4 How should this humble and ashame us how should wee bewaile this wretched luskishnesse and sluggishnes of our spirits this indisposition this unactivenesse and unzealousnesse if it were possible with teares of blood The godly are wont to esteeme of life not according to that they find in their body but their soule when that wants a heavenly disposition to spirituall things they lament over it as a dead soule since herein stands the life of it to be stirring and active in our duties of love and obedience r Isa 38 15â—.16 O Lord by these things men live and in all these things is the life of my spirit saith that good King Hezekiah Let us view our selves in the severall relations wee stand towards others whether Magistrate Minister Parent Master of a Family Friend or Neighbour c. and then let us but stand a while and think what good might have beene done which now hath been fore-slowed in our owne hearts in our families and abroad if in our first setting out in our Christian race wee had thus bestirred our selves now that time is past and gone and spilt like water on the ground which can no more bee gathered up againe What prayers and Sermons have beene lost c. what sinne and evill might have beene avoyded what sinne might have beene restrained by us the guilt of which now stickes upon us But more especially should it abase us and throw us downe in our selves and make us blush within our selves that wee have bin so vilely wanting to the Lord and his grace that we have not stirred up our selves according to the grace given and abilities bestowed upon us in that wee have not done that which we might have done and was in our power to do both in regard of resisting sins and temptations and performing duties of piety and mercy Whether a man may do more then he doth with that ability which he hath Quest But here it may be demanded Whether a man may doe more than he doth with that ability which he hath Answ 1 For the answering of this question I shall lay downe these severall positions First it is granted that an unregenerate man can do no good Spirituall without grace Å¿ Mat. 12.33 the tree must be good before the fruit can be good As t Iohn 15.4 the branch beareth not fruit but in the Vine Iohn 15.4 Secondly Yet a naturall man may doe more then he doth towards the attainment of a better state and to the good of other men they might use meanes as Hearing reading prayer as it is an outward action so giving to the poore c. Thirdly a regenerate Christian as in his first regeneration he is only passive God infusing new habits of grace new qualities into every faculty so after regeneration hee cannot doe u Rom. 7.15 Gal. 5.17 all the good he would nor when he would nor as hee would Fourthly A regenerate Christian after grace received standeth in need not onely of generall ayd * It is Gods free grace his voluntary influence which habituateth and fitteth al our faculties which animate thus unto a heavenly being which giveth us both the strength and first act whereby we are qualified to work and which con curreth with us in astu secundo to all those works which we set ourselves about As an instrument even when it hath an edge cutteth nothing till it be assisted and moved by the hand of the artificer so a Christian when he hath a will and an habituall fitnesse to worke yet is able to doe nothing without a constant supply and assistance and eoncomitancy of the grace of Christ exciting moving and applying that habituall power unto particular Actions E. R. but of supply of new grace to put forth every spirituall act of grace partly for the working out of his owne salvation and partly for the more spirituall and lively performance and accomplishment of the worke it selfe Hee standeth in need of 1. Preparing grace that whereby God prepared the heart of Titus to receive Pauls exhortation 2 Cor. 8.17 By this grace the hearts of Gods people are prepared to pray Psal 10.17 2. Exciting or awakening or quickning grace Isa 30.4 in the latter end of the verse Hee wakeneth morning by morning hee wakeneth my eare to heare as the learned So Psal 143.11 3. Assisting and strengthning grace 1 Pet. 5.10 4. Enlarging grace Psal 119.32 5. Directing grace 2 Thes 3.5 6. Protecting or preserving grace keeping off prevailing interruptions Esay 27.3 7. Perfecting grace 1 Pet. 5.10 Fifthly Though a regenerate Christian cannot by his owne abilities excite or prepare or enlarge his owne heart to any Spirituall duty yet by the grace he hath received he may and ought to use the meanes which God hath appointed for the stirring up of the heart towards God for 1. Hee may walke in a conscionable care not to live in any knowne sinne or after the flesh for to live after the flesh deadeth and dulleth the Spirit Rom. 8.13 2. He may abstaine from the constant abundant use of sensuall comforts for such though lawfull will secretly choake the heart of a Christian as they did Salomons 3. Hee may diligently use the holy Ordinances of God especially the hearing of the Word where it is Preached with power in the use whereof a regenerate Christian by grace received exceedeth a naturall man in that a naturall man can onely heare but not upon a right ground nor for a right end but a regenerate Christian by grace received may heare in obedience to Gods ordinances and for his edification seeking and waiting upon God for a blessing Cant. 3.1 4. He may discerne the dulnesse and deadnesse of his owne heart to all spirituall duties and may * Isa 63.17 complaine thereof unto God in prayer Isa 63.17 Sixtly for want of the use of these means he may justly be said not to prepare his owne heart 2 Chron. 12.14 not to stir up himselfe to take hold of God as in the Text and so therby to x Ephe. 4.30 grieve the holy spirit of God y 2 Cor. 6.1 and to receive the grace of God in vaine and therfore may justly be reproved hereof and complained of as in the Text. Besides this the constant experience of all the children of God wil beare them witnesse that there be no sinnes that lye more heavy upon them or under which they doe more deepely grone and mourne than their walking unworthy of those precious mercies and graces they have received z Verum heu mihi studium ellud meum et zelus si hoc nomine dignus est adeo remissus languidus fuit ut innu mera mihi ad munus meum preclarè
SOME HELPES TO STIRRE UP TO CHRISTIAN DVTIES Wherein is explained the Nature of the Dnty of stirring vp our selves Instances are given in the most necessary Christian Duties Some Questions about this Subiect are profitabâ—y resolved By Henry Whitfeld B D. â—reacher of Gods Word at Ockley in Surrey The second Edition Corrected and enlarged LONDON Printed for Jâ—hn Bartlet and are to be sold at his Shop at the Gilt-Cup in Cheape-side 1â—34 TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE ROBERT GREVIL Lord BROOKE of Beauchamp-Court encrease of Grace Right Honourable COnsidering how hard a thing it is by reason of that fraile and corrupted nature we carry about with us to profit by praise and finding moreover a Vt quisquis est laude dignissimus ita minime lib enteâ— suas audite solet laudes Buchol that the more deserving and worthy any are of it the lesse desirous they are to heare it Iudging your Lordship to be of the same minde I resolved not to detaine you with matter of that nature neither indeed dare J give b Iob 32.22 flattering Titles fearing the secret reproofe and stroke of God in my owne Conscience I have adventured to addresse this Dedication to your Lordship partly for the shrowding and sheltring this little Booke under your Honours name and protection which I humbly crave and partly because J deemed your Lordship a fit patron of it the Lord having added this to al his other favors as to give you a hart stirred up in duties of his Service Honour which is the subiect of this Treatise I conceived also some hopes that you might see something in it whereby you might be farther provoked and stirred up in the earnest Love and open profession of the Truth wherof you have given abundant Testimony before many witnesses which this Treatise cals for and gives some light unto Blessed be the Divine Maiesty who notwithstanding the great severity of that Sentence in Holy Writ 1 Cor. 1.20 That not many wise men after the Flesh not many mighty not many Noble are called hath in your fresh and florishing times amidst the confluences of many worldly blessings and contentments looked upon you and made choice of you for himself to doe him service and hath taught you to esteeme the world as it is when he hath passed by so many of high birth and of great ranke and quality who are mightily enthralled and lye prostrate adoring the seeming felicities of this present world What remains then but that you advance forward and doe still more Nobly worthily improving those singular endowments bestowed on you to the best advantage of the giver of them Thus shall the Lord still goe on to performe his promise 1. Sam. 2.30 That such as honour him he will honour The truth and comfort of which I doubt not but your Lordship hath already found and felt the greater more excellent part of which remaines to be fulfilled to you when your earthly honour is layed in the dust and your soule advanced to that hoped for perfection For the full accomplishment whereof hee shall ever pray who rests Your Lordships to be commanded in all Christian Service Henry Whitfeld The Epistle to the READER Christian Reader OVr spirituall life being the most choyce and precious treasure that we carry about us in these our earthen vessels in the lively sense and operations of which consists the very life of our lives and the the height of our comfort and solace here below How needfull is it that we consider of all meanes and wayes by which this life may be preserved and inlarged that we may have it in more abundance And this we should the rather doe both in regard of those inward annoyances which flowing from our corrupt nature doe cause many faintings and decayings even in the best as also in regard of those evils which comming from without and breaking in upon this life do wondrously waste weaken and hinder the operations of it Now as it fares with our naturall life that stirring and exercise proves specially helpefull for the preservation of it so that which makes our spirituall life more lively and fils it with stronger spirits and activenesse is the exercising of the severall powers and faculties of it the severall gifts and graces of it in all those acts and wayes in which it is to put forth it selfe The serious thought of which hath caused me Christian Reader to make this Eslay and to come to thy helpe in what I might in this short discourse following The matter I know is necessary and of generall use for all Gods people though the manner of handling of it will not be found so notionall accurate or judicious yet finding none as I could call to minde that had travelled in this Subject I thought my weaknesses in this kinde might bee sheltered under my desire of a more generall good I considered also I had many of my Christian friends and neerest kindred farre removed from mee who being part of my care I was willing to put somewhat into their hands which might not onely bee as a pledge of my love to them and some direction for them but might also by Gods blessing have somewhat in it to quicken them up in their Christian course I saw my glasse running out apace and I knew it would bee a griefe of heart unto me if either they or I had beene called for hence before I had left with them some proofe of my care and love which I conceived might best be effected this way I viewed also the way and course of many professours of Religion even of such as are counted of the forwarder sort where I found much sloth lukewarmenesse and backsliding I thought if I could throw but a sparke into the heart of any such who did know what a fire it might kindle In many also though well minded there is plainly to be seene a lownesse and flatnesse of spirit together with a contentednesse to goe an easie and ordinary pace in their Duties and performances Now if I could but a little heighten the affections desires and endevours of such and cause them somewhat to advance and put forward it would bee abundant recompence for what-ever paines I could bestow in this kind I found also I had a dull and sluggish heart of my owne which by this meanes might haply be quickned up and that thus setting rules and lawes to my selfe what I had written might be of further use for me for the time to come Some fruit also and acceptance I found amongst such where I preached over these Notes in a shorter manner All which layed together have now prevailed with me to doe that which I never intended to do viz. to give way to the publishing of them and bringing them into a more open light What-ever I have done I offer it unto thy view and submit it to thy loving censure hoping that if thou gaine ought by what is written thou wilt remember him
lye much with himselfe A Christian hath of all others the greatest businesse and this lies in many places in heaven in the Church in the Family in the Closet c. and though God set him his worke and give abilities to doe it yet in regard of the transacting and perfecting this worke it hath speciall and primary relation to a mans selfe and specially to that part of a mans sâ—lfe which wee call the Inner man as his minde and thoughts wil and affections and Conscience God being a Spirit with whom our principal businesse lieth and the service being Spirituall in which we are to addresse our selves unto him it s the ordering and managing of our spirits that lyeth upon us as the chiefest of our imployment See it in some Instances First in the great businesse of Repentance and turning to God we shall finde this in Scripture to be called a Luk. 24 1â— A comming to a mans selfe To make this farther to appeare let us take the whole order and course of this worke It pleaseth the Lord at some time of a mans life such an one whom he purposeth to save by the Ministery of the Word together with the helpe of the Spirit to meet in his way to Hell where there is discovered unto him the vilenesse and horriblenesse of his sinnes and the fearefull estate the sinner is cast into by reason of these The conscience is now a wakened the books are opened hee sees sinne clearely and is convinced of them so that he cannot shift hee cannot deny them his thoughts also beginne to be troubled and to beat one against another with unsavory perturbations finding all is not well he goes alone by himselfe begins to search reads his sinnes as in a story his conscience tels him I am sent unto thee with heavy tydings and one messenger followes another to tell him of his lost and condemned estate b Dan. 5.27 To thee be it spoken thou art weighed in the ballance and found too light these be thy sinnes and these will be thy sorrowes Being thus perplexed he begins to cast about and to consider what way hee were best to take to extricate and unwind himselfe out of these Mazes and Labyrinths of sinne and misery He lookes upward and sees heaven shut against him he lookes downward and findes hell opened for him he lookes round about him and sees no helpe in any creature men or Angels he lookes into himselfe and findes innumerable sinnes coÌ„passing him about which stare upon him and having every one as it were a chain in their hands they are binding him hand and foot to cast him into utter darknesse Being cast into these great streights such thoughts beginne to rise in his minde God being mercifull to him Is there not mercy with the most High Will hee cast off any poore sinner that comes unto him And therfore resolves and saith Sure c Luk 15.18 I will arise and goe and I will say to the Lord I have sinned against heaven and before thee who can tell but the Lord may shew mercy to as great a sinner as I am He comes therfore and casts himselfe downe before the Throne of grace and saith d Iob 7.20 What shall I say unto thee O thou preserver of men I have no arguments to plead no excuses to make no reasons to defend my selfe withall my sighes are my best Apologies and my teares are my best arguments O that thou wouldest pitty O that thou wouldst spare O that thou wouldst have mercy upon a poore worme a wretched and forlorne sinner Thus all alone he humbleth himselfe hee e Psal 32.5 confesseth his sinnes and spreadeth them before the Lord f Eze. 20.43 loathing himselfe in his owne sight g Luk. 15.21 accuseth himselfe h 1 Cor. 11.31 iudgeth himselfe worthy to be destroied He now beholds i Iohn 3.14 Christ lifted up to him as the brazen Serpent in the wildernesse which he sees with his own eyes embraceth with the armes of his owne faith applyes him to himselfe for his owne everlasting comfort And thus his sinnes pursue him to the Sacrifice of Christ to this City of refuge giving him no rest till Christ speake peace to his soule and all this is done by a man with himselfe Secondly as it is thus in regard of Initiall Repentance so is it in regard of renewed Repentance when a man falls into sinne after calling to get up againe and recover the businesse lies with a mans k Psal 4.4 selfe Thus we l 1 Kin. 8.47 read in 1 King 8.47 When Gods people are carryed captive into their Enemies Land the promise is that yet if they shall bethinke themselves and repent and make supplications c. then God would heare them He speakes it of renewed Repentance of them who are already Gods people and this hee cals a bethinking themselves or a bringing backe a mans heart a going downe into a mans selfe and answerable to this is the other expression in the same Chapter ver 36. When they shall know every man that is particularly the soare and plague of his owne heart Thus also Levit. 16.29 the children of Israel were to afflict their soules and to make bitter to themselves the remembrance of former sinnes they were m Eze. 16.62 63 36.31 voluntarily to cast themselves into heavinesse so Peter n Luk. 22.32 went out by himselfe and wept bitterly As it is with a man in times of taking Physicke to recover health hee betakes himselfe to his chamber takes the potion prescribed and is contented to be pained and made sicke So in this Repentance which is Spirituall Physicke the worke lyes by ones selfe as it is in Zach. 12.11 They went apart the Land shall mourne every Family apart and their wives apart Thus wee see it in the businesse of Repentance It is the same also in the work of Mortification How doth it lye with a mans selfe as the severall phrases in Scripture pointing to this import when a man is to o Grandis virtutis est tecum pugnare quotidie etinclusum hostem centum oculis observare Hieron ad Fur. fall out with himselfe and to have great p 2 Cor. 7.11 indignation against himselfe to q Gal. 5.24 crucifie his lusts and corruptions to r Mat. 18.8 cut off as it were the parts and members of ones owne body as to pull out our eyes to cut off foot or hand to Å¿ 1 Cor. 9.27 keepe under the body to t Mat. 8.34 deny a mans selfe all which seeme terrible and bloody words to corrupt nature and carnal reason yet about this must a Christian be exercised and that by himselfe Againe when feares and doubts rise in that great and weighty matter whether we have any part or right in Christ or no this question must be resolved by u 2 Cor. 13.5 proving and trying a mans owne selfe by a private search
their carnal mirth making them grow mellancholicke and mopish and so expose them to the scorne of the world or their companions and carnall friends 5. In some it is from worldlinesse and earthly-mindednesse they will not afford so much time being carried along with such great intention and vehemency of Spirit they cannot be at i As if a sicke man should say I have no leisure to be cured leisure for this businesse But canst thou be at leisure to eat drinke and sleepe Canst thou finde a time to looke upon thy Cattell corne and bagges To laugh and be merry nay to lye sweare drinke c. Be thou assured that so continuing God will not be at leisure to forgive thee thy sins or save thy soule Vse 2 Try therefore what businesse hath beene dispatched this way with thy selfe about thy Spirituall estate what peace procured what occasions of sinne prevented what corruptions mastered what watch kept what reckonings cast up what doubts cleared what graces increased what duties practised what temptations resisted what provision made for aeternity what time thou hast spent by thy selfe about these things be ashamed for thy failings and blesse God hartily for any time spent or thoughts had or progresse made about these things Vse 3 Bee exhorted to set thy selfe to this worke thy hand to this plough study thy selfe read thy selfe reason much with thy selfe and converse frequently with thy selfe consult and advise with thy selfe about thy Spirituall estate be ever ready to returne into thy selfe upon all occasions what ever befals thee comforts or crosses mercies or miseries When fallen into any sinne traverse quickly those k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 1.22 false reasonings of thy hart which drew thee into it Say to thy selfe how came this to passe As Absolon said to Thamar when shee came weeping with dust upon her head l 2 Sam. 13.20 Hath Ammon bin with thee So Hath Satan beene with thee Hath passion over-born thee Hath Pride swelled thee Have worldly cares choked thee c. How came this about To move us further to this duty take these few helps Motives 1. This of all other actions of life is the most Noble and tends most to the perfecting of the soule which is the most excellent part this perfects a man as hee is a Christian Other thoughts and discourses of thy Spirit may perfect thee as a man a Scholler a states-man and Common-wealths man c. but this as a Christian This being the most noble worke and businesse of the minde puts a lustre and beauty upon the soule This is the speciall part of wisdome and makes a man the wisest man All other thoughts and actions without this returning into a mans selfe m Ier. 17.11 Pro. 5.13 14 leave a man at last in the midst of folly and misery 2. This makes the soundest and most setled Christian sound in heart in judgment and life the neglect of this causeth so many errours both in life and judgement 3. This keepes the soule and conscience in a quiet and peaceable state sweet cleane and comfortable as often sweeping keepes the house cleane and often reckoning keepes long friends This will make thee rejoyce in thy owne bosome and the n Pro. 14.10 shranger from this worke shall not meddle with thy ioy Otherwise the soule must needs be a loathsome place and a cage for every uncleane lust and sinfull vanitie CHAP. V. About this Christian Duty of stirring up our selues and what it is to stirre up ones selfe in Christian duties NOne that stirre up themselves This is the second Duty neglected they did not stirre up themselves to take hold on God there was a neglect of the very indevour after it which is here charged upon them whence we have the Observation lying plaine before us It is our duty seriously to excite and stirre up our selves in all exercises of piety and Godlinesse with all intention of spirit to our uttermost For the further opening of the point two things are to be explained 1. What it is to stirre up ones selfe 2. The things about which this duty is to bee conversant and exercised For the first to stirre vp a mans selfe hath these two things in it 1. The awaking of our selves the shaking off that dulnesse and drowsinesse which cleaves to us To this the Apostle hath reference Rom. 13.11 o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Excitari Expergisci It is high time to awake out of sleepe he speaks to such as were already converted Now this awakening is a freeing of our grace from the oppression it was under by worldly cares carnall feares or some sinfull lusts which cause a neglect of universall piety and the workes of the light and day of regeneration unto which wee had our new Creation The Beleevers in their p Ferventior esse solet qui rem primùm aggreditur first setting out are commonly more earnest and fervent in following God calling them the first apprehensions and sense of their blessed change affect more which may bee gathered from the reproofe of the Church of Ephesus in the losse of their first love and calling her to remember from whence she was fallen to do her first works Rev 2.4 5. That seemes to be like it Ier. 2.2 I remember for thy sake the kindnesse of thy youth though that doth more principally declare the kindnesse of God in taking that people to himselfe before all other as an argument of conviction that for no cause against all obligations of duty they contrary to their first beginnings forsooke the Lord As in processe of time men grow colder in their affections to him at least though they utterly forsake him not the Prophet therefore cals upon them and useth divers arguments in the verses following to put them upon the duties enjoyned them Though Gods children are called out of the world yet they have much of the world in them still and therewith are miserably enthralled many times so that we need awaking and stirring up In which respect it is that the Lord hath provided as well goads to pricke forward the dull as nailes to fasten them that are inconstant Eccles 12.11 See also for this these following Scriptures 1 Cor. 15.34 Revel 3.2 Heb. 10.24 The second thing in the stirring up a mans selfe is not onely the awaking up of our selves but the setting aworke that grace bestowed together with the employing of our faculties in their sanctification to their uttermost abilities This may appeare by Saint Paul his exhortation to Timothy I put thee in remembrance that thou stirre up the gift of God that is in thee as if he should have said Considering thou hast an unfained faith and because of my great affection to thee whereby I am carefull of thee I with great confidence put thee in remembrance that thou q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 1.6 Sicut ignis indiget lignis ita gratia alacritate
life And how should this fire us and put life and spirit into us who serve a better master and have better work to doe c Turpâ— est impios diabolâ— tam strenué servire nos Christo pro sanguinis pretio nihil rependere Cyp. lib. de opere et elemosy Why should not we do more for God and his honor than any in the world should doe for themselves or to promote Satans kingdome Let us resolve therefore with the Prophet d Mich. 4.5 Micah All people saith he will walke every one in the Name of his Grd Zach. 10.12 and we will walke in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever Secondly let it move us to consider how our blessed Savior Looke upon our Saviour how he stirred up himselfe in the great businesse of our Salvation in the great businesse of our Salvation stirred up himselfe and put forth himselfe to his e Heb. 7.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uttermost for us he stirred up all his strength left nothing undone bare as much as hee could beare f Phil 2.7 Scipsum exmanivis went as low as he could go downe to the grave even to hell it selfe in paines and anguish of Spirit did what possibly he could doe which should fill us with strong desires and endevours to enforce our selves to our uttermost for so g Quid nos pro Domino tam bâ—no facere conveniet cum ille pro malis Servis tanâ—a seceret Salv. kinde a Redeemer as we have found him to be to love his person to prize his merits to obey his will to delight in his Ordinances to love his children to doe what wee may to advance his honour and service to h Gen. 3.15 tread hard upon the Divels head and to be professed enemies to his kingdome all our dayes Lastly this stirringnesse of heart The certainty and fulnesse of the reward as it is accompanied with much sweet peace and inward comfort and rest of heart and as it brings a good report and esteeme in the Churches of Christ causing one Christian of what degree calling and condition soever hee be to excell another and appeare higher even as Saul did amongst the people so it is attended with certainty and fulnesse of reward and that according to the quality of our worke as there hath bin more grace in it more reverence zeale fervency more faith and resting upon God so shall the h 2 Tim. 4.7 8 reward be more plenteous and abundant The more faithfull service wee have done the more welcome shall wee bee to him when hee cals for us As a faithfull Embassadour is welcomed home by his Prince and as a Factor that hath done his master good service in a farre Countrey is gladly received by him O when the faithfull soule being carried on Angels wings shall first set footing on the glorious pavement of heaven and the Lord shall say Welcome my deare and faithfull servant thou hast beene a good servant unto me i Mat. 25.23 Enter into the ioy of thy Lord this speech shall bee of more infinite refreshing then if ten thousand worlds and the glory of them had beene given unto it for what could bee spoken more by the Creator what could be desired more by the Creature This their faithfulnesse also with how much the more stirringnesse and advantage to the Lords honour it hath beene managed and discharged by so much the k Rev. 3.21 neerer in place it brings us to the Lord As Davids Worthies were admitted to have the nearest place about his person How many thousands are there of Saints at this day l Rev. 7.9.14 15. standing before the Throne of God with Palmes in their hands and Crownes on their heads who in this world have beene the Lords Worthies who have fought his battels and lifted up his Name to their uttermost Speake O ye blessed soules departed whether this bee not your glory and your joy that you have had your harts stirred for the Lord and if you were upon the earth againe whether you would not doe if it were possible a thousand times more for him that for such weake services such poore and imperfect performances hath rewarded you with the favours and joyes of eternitie m Rev. 15 3 O who would not feare and serve thee O Lord thou King of Saints glorifie thy name who makest all thy servants n Rev. 1.6 Kings and affordest them everlasting Communion with thy selfe It matters not deare brethren what wee are in this world how shunned despised and o 1 Cor. 5.13 made the off-scouring of all things nay though every one that meets us should spit in our faces revile and trample upon us if by this meanes any honour might redound to the Name of the Lord it is enough for us to bee happy when wee dye and to be set safe over that p Luk. 16.26 gulfe that parts Hell Heaven and to q Iob 33 26 see the face of God with ioy to all eternity O Eternity Eternity blessed Eternity this makes abundant amends for all though wee should live here thousands of yeers and in them all doe and suffer r Fredericke Danvile and Francis Rebezies after they had returned from the Torture to their fellowes in prison reioyced together comforted themselves with the meditation of the life to come and contempt of this world singing Psalmes together till it was day Eox. Act. Mon vol. 2. p. 160. hard things How should this fill our hearts with great thoughts our hands with all advantages how should wee with great courage goe forth to meet al opportunities What a spur should this put upon all our endevours How should we thinke our selves happy that ever we were borne that the Lord hath done us this honour as to put us into his service and that hee hath conferred upon sinners and poore wormes such as thou and I are Å¿ 1 Cor. 2.9 Such things as neither eye hath seene eare hath heard nor have at any time entredento the heart of man to conceive 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