The excellency of holy courage in evil times by Jeremiah Burroughs

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 hindered, 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.

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 labour to recall your hearts from that; as thus: If the strength of a mans spirit be not for God, it is let out to somewhat else, it is always 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.