Sprague on Keeping the Heart

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William B. Sprague, in his introductory essay on devotion to D.A. Harsha’s The Christian’s Present For All Seasons: Containing the Devotional Thoughts of Eminent Divines, From Joseph Hall to William Jay (1866) speaks to the nature of true devotion, impediments to the spiritual life, and the necessity of “keeping the heart with all diligence.” He writes:

As the heart, being the fountain of all moral action, gives complexion to the life, so the devotional habits of an individual will be determined by his devotional feelings.

Speaking generally, he adds:

The spirit of devotion may be regarded as an epitome of the Christian graces — these graces are combined in the exercises of this spirit; and more than that, they react with a quickening power upon the spirit itself. The truly devout Christian bows with reverence before the Divine perfections; takes counsel of the word and providence of God for intimations of the Divine will; laments the prevalence of indwelling sin; relies on the merits of Christ and the power and grace of the Holy Spirit; and prays for an increasing conformity to the precepts of the Gospel, and for the universal prevalence of truth and righteousness. And with these exercises are identified humility, trust, submission, charity, zeal in doing good, — every thing that elevates human character, and constitutes the appropriate preparation for Heaven.

But that indwelling sin, and the unhealthy influences of worldliness around us, all make it incumbent upon believers, says Sprague, to watch against that which wars against our souls, and to “avail ourselves of helps within our reach” for the preservation of holiness, which is the life of the soul.

One of these is to be found in the careful keeping of the heart. He who keeps his heart with all diligence will not only be secure against the inroads of temptation, but will be sure also to keep a conscience in a good degree void of offence; and this will render an approach to the throne of grace easy and pleasant to him. So too there will be associated with this a deep sense of dependence; for it is impossible that one should explore diligently and habitually his own heart, without realizing that the sanctifying work that is to be carried forward there, can never proceed independently of an influence from on high, — an influence not to be hoped for except in answer to fervent prayer. Indeed, the very exercise of keeping the heart not only serves to keep alive a devotional spirit, by direct ministration, but that spirit may be regarded as its primary element — the two essentially coexist, and inhere in each other.

For a good Sabbath read, the rest of Sprague’s excellent essay on devotion, which precedes a most fascinating and edifying collection of Puritan-minded spiritual nuggets wisely extracted, may be found here. How important it is indeed to “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23).

A word of consolation from Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen

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Almost 300 years ago, a collection of sermons by the Dutch-American Reformed minister Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen was published. The timing of this publication (1721) predates the First Great Awakening, yet reflects very much its spirit and emphasis on experimental piety.

Frelinghuysen, Theodorus Jacobus photo.jpg

Today’s post extracts an encouraging word from one those sermons: The Christian’s Encouragement in the Spiritual Conflict. Frelinghuysen took as his text Luke 22:31-32: “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

Remakkable and full of consolation for the children of God are the words of David: “Though the righteous fall he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.” (Ps. 37 : 24.) A righteous or just person is not one who is perfect, for such an one is not to be found among the children of Adam, and perfection is the prerogative of the second Adam alone; but he is one who has fled for refuge to the grace of God, and is justified by the faith of Christ. All men still sin, even the righteous; "We all offend in many things,” is the inspired observation of James; "A just man falleth seven times," that is, frequently, is that of Solomon, Prov. 21 : 16; falleth into miseries and difficulties, or (as the pious also do) into sins and imperfections, 1 Cor. 10:11, 12: "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." When the righteous falls either into misery or sin, he is not utterly cast down: "He riseth up again," said Solomon; by a new repentance he is raised up and helped out of his situation, "for the Lord upholdeth his hand;" he raises him up, and strengthens him after the inward man; so that he falls indeed, but does not fall away. Of this we have many instances, as that of David ; he fell and was not cast away, but arose again, Ps. 51, and of Peter, who fell grievously, but was not cast away; for the Lord upheld him, or which is the same, prayed for him, as is taught in the words of our text.

Do you struggle and fall, dear Christian? Then you are in good company with all of your fellow-believers and indeed the best known of all saints. Praise God that Christ is your refuge, and that, indeed, he prays for you, that your strength fail not. When we fall, Christ is He who lifts us up. Be encouraged then, dear saint, for He has promised never to leave or forsake you who put your trust in Him (Deut. 31:6).

Read the full sermon, and others, by Frelinghuysen here, or pick up a copy edited by Joel R. Beeke, titled Forerunner of the Great Awakening: Sermons by Theodorus Jacobus Frelinghuysen (1691-1747) here. There is great encouragement to be found today in this message from a sermon that was preached three centuries ago.

Resolutions of C.W. Grafton

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Known as a “country preacher,” Cornelius Washington Grafton (1846-1934), was a long-serving faithful pastor (see the link to the Log College Press edition of his A Forty-Three Year Pastorate in a Country Church here and below) at Union Church Presbyterian Church in Jefferson County, Mississippi. Appended to the end of an August 1871 sermon we find written by Rev. Grafton his personal resolve to live a godly life. It is recorded by his biographer Allen Cabaniss in Life and Thought of a Country Preacher (1942), pp. 111-112:

As a member of the redeemed family of God and a traveller to eternity it is my desire to live above the world, devoted heart and soul to the service of God. To this end I would use every lawful means and employ every agency that I may be a good workman in the great vineyard. I would make every faculty of my body, mind, and spirit and my whole life, domestic, social, and public, subordinate to the same end and flow in that channel whose end is perfect peace. The body and mind with all their members, thoughts, and affections must be controlled and yield implicitly to well-regulated laws. With good motives the following are presented for my own consideration and conduct.

The body being the medium through which the mind operates, a mere instrument, should be taught implicit obedience to the will. Hence all the avenues of ingress and egress must be closely guarded and strictly watched that no enemy may come in and none of its powers withdrawn. An enemy coming in will poison and defile — its power withdrawn, it is left weakened, and in either case disqualified from performing its functions as a ready servant.

All those natural propensities, half-physical and half-mental, which act through the mind, must be held with an iron grasp and chained under the power of reason. Otherwise the body as the instrument will take the government, and the will and reason will totter from their thrones. Semper vigilate. In vitii primordia bellum gerito.

The law of analogy is found to prevail in the world of mind as well as in matter. As the body and soul must be governed, so must the mind. The will, the motive power, must sway the mind as well as the body, and any triumph of the faculties over the will weakens the mental discipline. Hence all the avenues leading to the mind must be closely guarded, or the enemy will come in and poison and defile.

In the province of the sentiments reason must control all except the sentiment of love. Nothing must rise superior to the divine passion, yet prayer must be made that this passion sanctified may not run counter to reason, but that each to the other may be a mutual help. Reason must rule all the faculties, but love may sit upon her head and pour over her the sweetest incense and perfume all her acts. Esto perpetua dulcis sententia.

In domestic life let my heart never indulge a drop of bitterness for my faithful love. My heart is her home. Let her dwell there in peace and happiness and preserve it pure. Avoid the slightest symptom or approach to infidelity in the solemn betrothals, and let me never indulge one thought or feeling which would stain her bright name and bring pain to her love. In the future I will inscribe in the sanctum of our chamber Parvulum Coelum and in feeling and affection make it a reality. Deus salvator, gratium habeamus.

Te Deum laudemus. Tibi laus, gloria, honorque mortalium et immortalium, Pater noster, hinc atque in sempiterno, …

Here we have the resolutions of a Southern Presbyterian pastor who strived to keep body and mind under that he would not be disqualified as a servant of Christ (1 Cor. 9:27), and aimed to keep all his thoughts captive to God’s glory (2 Cor. 10:5). In this way, his heart was to be the home of divine love, that is, a small heaven, while on his earthly journey to heaven above. May it be so with each of us who are also travellers to eternity.

Samuel Miller on Spiritual Weapons for the Christian Soldier

In an 1826 sermon delivered at the Second Presbyterian Church in Baltimore, Maryland, on the occasion of the installation of John Breckinridge in the pastoral office there, titled Christian Weapons Not Carnal, But Spiritual (based on the text from 2 Corinthians 10:4: "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds"), Samuel Miller explains both the defensive and offensive spiritual weapons that Christians have at their disposal in the spiritual warfare that all saints must face in this earthly pilgrimage. 

After first discussing the carnal weapons which Miller says the Apostle means to exclude from the Christian's armament, he delineates the Christian's defensive spiritual weapons from Ephesians 6. 

The same apostle who penned our text, in the sixth chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians, speaks at large of the christian armour; describing its several parts, and showing the use of each. In that place it served his purpose to speak chiefly, though not exclusively, of the christian's DEFENSIVE ARMOUR; such as the girdle of truth, the breast-plate of righteousness, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation; which belong to all believers. 

But in the passage before us, he had occasion to refer partictularly to the weapons of CHRISTIAN MINISTERS, and more especially to those of the OFFENSIVE kind; or those which are important, not merely for the protection and defence of their own persons; but also for attacking and vanquishing the enemies of their Master.

The offensive spiritual weapons at the disposal or Christians, or Christian ministers, for overcoming the spiritual forces that wage war against the Church, according to Miller, include the following:

  • The Christian's "grand weapon" is the WORD OF GOD, which is the "sword of the Spirit" spoken of in Ephesian 6;
  • The RIGHT ADMINISTRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS, whereby "the 'sacramental host' of God's people are embodied and arrayed, in the sight of the enemy's camp; and an epitome of their religion, as it were, addressed to the senses of every beholder";
  • The HOLY DISCIPLINE OF THE CHURCH is the outworking of the keys of the kingdom given to Christ's ambassadors;
  • FERVENT, IMPORTUNATE PRAYER is one of the most powerful tools in the arsenal of every believer, whereby God is called upon to act and to defend his own cause, while saints are thereby strengthened; and
  • HOLY EXAMPLE, as Miller says: "It was long ago enjoined by the Saviour himself — Let your light shine before men, that others, seeing your good works, may glorify your Father in heaven." Thus have many enemies of Christ been converted from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light after seeing the faithful example of believers and martyrs. 

    The whole sermon by MIller was a fitting word for one beginning the pastoral ministry, and remains a powerful exposition of what is meant by carnal and spiritual weapons. This division between defensive and offensive spiritual weapons is a good one for believers to keep in mind since we have need of both to protect ourselves from the evil one, and to do what we can, by the grace of God, and the power of His Spirit, to advance the work of the kingdom of Christ on earth.