“As you love your souls neglect not spiritual duties.”
–Henry Wilkinson, aka “Dean Harry”
If I asked you to list several spiritual duties, which ones first come to mind? Spiritual duties are spiritual practices. They are activities that contribute to spiritual formation. The Puritans called these practices by many names: duties, holy duties, ordinances (a term whose meaning shifted), and means. These terms reference the spiritual practices that a Christian should employ to grow in the Lord. They were to be used for growth but not depended upon for growth. The believer was only to trust Christ for growth. Thus, pastor John Trapp writes, “Let us…learn to be in duty in respect of performance, and yet out of duty in respect of dependence.” [John Trapp, A Commentary…upon…the New Testament, 450.] And again, and perhaps with greater clarity, Thomas Brooks noted, “Duties can never have too much diligence used about them, or too little confidence placed in them; they are good helps, but bad saviors; it is necessary we do them, but it is dangerous to rely upon them.” [Thomas Brooks, A Cabinet of Choice Jewels, 363.]
Are you ready now to list some of these spiritual or holy duties? Here is a partial and probably very familiar list: Bible reading, prayer, and participation in the Lord’s Supper. Here is another list of duties that may be less familiar: hearing (active listening to preaching), fasting, meditation, and corporate prayer. Finally, this last list may seem even less familiar: conference, observation or watchfulness, and recording or journaling. Do other practices come to mind? Some of these practices were of much more importance than others. An active prayer life was certainly more important than journaling. Hearing the gospel preached ranked right up there with baptism and the Lord’s Supper as one of the marks of a true church, but all of these practices could be used profitably to grow in the knowledge and grace of the Lord.
To ignore these practices was to stifle your growth. Henry Wilkinson warned, “Take away these [spiritual duties] you starve the soul. They are as necessary as meat and drink for the body. If you keep not time and touch with God in a constant, conscientious performance of duties, it’s evident you have no care of your souls. The soul hath need of all duties, prayer, reading, hearing, meditation, conference, these are pabula anime[food for the soul], and anime vehicula [means of conveyance for the soul]; they wing the soul, and make it soar aloft. As you love your souls neglect not spiritual duties.” [Henry Wilkinson, Three Decades of Sermons, 240. (italics mine)]
Believer, are you feeling the need for revitalization and spiritual renewal? Return to the intentional and disciplined use of the means of grace. Pray. Read the Bible. Fast from one meal with the intention of setting that time aside for prayer and meditation. Engage another believer in conference. May God bless you this week as you pursue him! See you Sunday at the property at 9:30 AM.
Privileged to serve,
Pastor Dale