Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

You neglect this, and live as if you had not such grace wrought in you, as if you were not regenerate, as if you had not tasted of the powers of the world to come. I say it is a shame for you, therefore your business is now ¹to stir up your selves to this. And to help you in that, I will briefly name to you some helps.

1. 1Helps to exercise spiritual strength.

You must know that there is an essential power, whereby a man is strong and able, if he will put his strength to it, to do of himself. And besides this, there is a certain energy, an ability present, as of body or mind, ready ¹at every turn to do holy actions. Therefore if you ask how you shall do this; how you shall bring this habitual ⟨p. 220⟩power to this readiness and nimbleness? I say exercise your selves to godliness. Use makes perfect in other things: so in this, the more a man accustoms himself, the more his soul is ready to do every good action. As the hand gets a habit to play on the Lute, or in writing, or other things that are done with the hand, by often applying it self to the work: so the soul when it often applies it self to such actions, it turns it self into it, it gets readiness and nimbleness. Therefore be ready to do it upon all occasions with facility and delight, upon all sudden opportunities; It fashions a man, as it is said 2 Tim. 2. 21. as a vessel prepared to every good work. The ²meaning is this, that even as you see a vessel is fitted for such a turn, as a spoon, or a salt, or a cup, &c. as there are variety of vessels, so they are fitted for such a turn or use: so a Christian should be a vessel fitted for good works. Now this vessel is not fitted on the sudden, but is moulded every day more and more, and is brought to a better, and better fashion, and as it is fashioned more, so it is readier to its proper work.