the Providences of God have very much appearance of contradiction to the Promises and are therefore most sadly cross to our hopes and expectations a gratious person if his Soul prosper and be kept in a gratious frame may by the eye of Faith foresee the good hand of God working even then for good unto him David in one of the saddest days that ever befell him as dark as it was with him had a glimmering of this 2 Sam. 16.12 Let Shimei alone said he let him curse it may be the Lord will look upon mine affliction and will requite me good for his cursing me this day I can tell you of one whose spiritual sight was clear in this matter One that when sad tydings were brought him that cut deep and went near his heart Well saith he I will go and bless God for that good which in due time I believe he will work out by the heavy burden now laid upon me He did believe there would Honey be found at the end of that Rod. These persons knew full well that all things that do befall the Lords Covenant people are either blessings in their own nature or are turned into blessings in the Issue Psal 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies He always hath and ever will so order all things as that they shall all work to bring electing love and glorifying love together This Jacob experienced Compare Gen. 42.36 Joseph is not and Simeon is not and will ye take Benjamin away All these things are against me with Gen. 48.16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the Lads And David did hope to find it so when his condition was very low and his spirit very much sunk and fallen Psal 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Thus ye have the first Particular that it is our duty every day Though we are sometimes called to Mourning yet we are always called to Thansgiving therefore we ought to resolve with David Psal 34.1 I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall continually be in my mouth 2. When the Soul is always habitually prepared and as the matter requires abounds in the actual performance of this duty it is in a prosperous and spiritually thriving frame This will appear if we enquire into the nature of Religious Thanksgiving For these three things we shall find necessarily required to the essence of it 1. A Cordial acknowledging of God alone as the Supreme cause and first mover in all the good we have of what kind soever it be by what hand soever it is conveyed unto us This is necessary for we shall never pay our Rent to him whom we do not acknowledge our Landlord We have cause to say of every thing the least thing we receive as Psal 118.23 This is the Lords doing 2. A real sensibleness that it is the Almighty goodness of God and that alone that sets his all-disposing Providence on work to give forth any thing the least thing unto us that may be any way useful unto us And this in conjunction with an humble sense of our own unworthiness to live in the thoughts of such a God who hath all the World to care for for our good even the least good Thus did Jacob Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant Gen. 33.5 The Children which God hath graciously given thy Servant 3. An hearty and humble resignation of our selves to live unto God because of his goodness unto us This is the Law of thankfulness and so far as a thankful heart lives under this Law so far he must be able to say as Paul did Phil. 1.21 To me to live is Christ These thing are essential to the acceptable discharge of this duty and so far as Men fail in any of them so far they come short in the due performance thereof And this being duly considered it is very evident that that work of praising God so as to give him the praises due unto his name as the expression is Psal 29.2 is so humbling so melting so self-abasing so God-exalting taking all from Self and giving all to God so heart-engaging and obliging that it cannot be otherwise but that the Soul doth prosper yea exceedingly prosper when it is faithful therein Read 2 Sam. 7. vers 10. to the end And 1 Chron. 29. from vers 10. to the end of the 19th And ye shall find in both those Chapters that David's heart was never more after Gods own heart nor ever did his Soul more eminently prosper then at that time when it was so warm in this duty And this would be farther taken notice of that we never read in all the Scripture so far as I can find that any whose Soul was not at least in a capacity of prospering whatever they might do formally did ever set themselves seriously about it We find Saul sometime sacrificing and now and then enquiring after God We read of Ahab humbling himself and walking in Sack-cloth but not a word of Praising God either by the one or by the other No marvel for pure need may drive a Man to his prayers As Jon. 1.5 Then the Mariners were afraid and cryed every Man to his God But it is pure Grace that makes a Man thankful as thankfulness hath been described in its Essential parts Formal thanksgivings are common and with some more common then formal prayers But neither the one nor the other signifie any thing with God Job 35.13 Surely God will not hear vanity neither will the Almighty regard it A mouthful of words is but a mouthful worth no more with God then a mouthful of wind It is certain there is no more real thankfulness then there is a real resignation of our selves to God to live unto him 2 Tim. 3.2 Vnthankful and unholy are conjoined Though they may be somewhat distinguished yet they are not divided Eph. 5.4 Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks Ye may collect from thence that a thankful Soul is a mortified Soul It is true we read that the Pharisee began with a Lord I thank thee Luk. 18.11 but he stumbled at the Threshold for read over all that he saith to the end and ye will find that he doth not so much praise God as commend himself I shall conclude this with Eph. 5.19 20 Speaking to your selves in Psalms Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ These two verses speak fully to that which I aim at for observe the connexion between them and ye will find the Apostle makes giving of thanks always for all things an effect
the life we live so far as it is gratious and it ought to be so in all things is more in Christ and from Christ and what we expect to receive from Christ then in and from our selves when we think with our selves as the Apostle said Gal. 2.20 Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Therefore interest Christ in all that ye do Look unto him for assistance in every thing Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me and for acceptance of all 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Let us go on thus leaning upon our Beloved The heart of Christ was much upon this that all that are in a state of Union with him should learn this and live under the actual consideration of it Joh. 15.4 5 Abide in me and I in you as the Branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the Vine ye are the Branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing And the more this is learned and accordingly reduced into practice the more the Soul will prosper It is worth our noting that true growth is noted by our growing in Christ Eph. 4.15 But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ 2 Pet. 3.18 But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ As if to grow in parts in duties or any thing else without growing in him were a swelling rather then a growth The swelling of the Leg or Arm is no good sign that the party grows stronger It is thus indeed whiles we are full of our own strength our Souls prosper not 1 Sam. 2.9 for by strength shall no Man prevail Therefore a prospering Soul though it hath and when it hath put on the whole Armour of God yet it is not to trust thereto but to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6.10 Certainly the more deeply this principle is engraven in our hearts and the more we act according to it the better it will be with us He that laboured more abundantly then they all that could say He had finished his course fought the good fight and kept the faith was he that said Not I but the grace of God that was with me 1 Cor. 15.10 Happy are those Souls and more happy they are like to be that are so trained up in a continual sensibleness of their own insufficiency as to what is spiritually good that still there is a looking up for more supplies that we may exercise what we have Phil. 1.19 and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ What Paul prayed for the Thessalonians 2 Thes 3.5 The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and the patient waiting for Christ i. e. into the exercise thereof A Soul that would prosper must pray for it self Yea and for that which Paul desired others to pray on his behalf Eph. 6.18 19 Praying alwaies with all Prayer and Supplication that utterance may be given unto me Paul had already a great gift of utterance and memory and had great experience of Gods presence with him in the exercise thereof having preached so well and so long now twenty five years together yet desires their prayers not only for the continuance of these gifts but also for the actual exercise of them so often as ever there was occasion of using them And no doubt Paul did pray thus for himself as often as he was to preach and as little doubt there is but that he did his work so much the better for it and with the better success Thus ye have what I have to say concerning the first thing proposed What concerns the prosperity of the Soul in general wherein it consists and when a Man may be said to prosper SERMON IV. I Now proceed more particularly to demonstrate that in truth and reality the Soul doth prosper according to the degree and measure wherein the Soul abounds in them 1. The Soul prospers when it is full of Praises to God So kept from day to day under the Law of thankfulness that it abounds in thanksgiving to God Col. 2.7 Abounding therein with thanksgiving It is possible some may think otherwise that this is no such great matter but let these following particulars be duely considered and I hope ye will acknowledge it to be as I say Consider then 1. Though it be true that there are some solemn Seasons which call for solemn Praises when God hath abounded in the expressions of his love to us and Fatherly care for us in some special favour bestowed upon us giving us to experience the truth of what David found Psal 31.7 I will rejoice and be glad in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble and known my Soul in adversity Though I say this be true yet we are under express obligation to make it part and a great part of our business every day Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of Praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his Name It was David's resolution to keep his heart under the power and authority of this Law Psal 145.2 Every day will I bless thee and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever 2. Though it be true likewise that there be some days when the Lord calls to mourning As Isa 22.12 Yet the saddest hours that the all-disposing Providence of the most wise God brings us into bring no discharge from this duty Neither need we look for it for these two duties are very well consistent together Otherwise we may be sure that God who gives a command sometimes to Mourn would never have given us a command alwaies to Rejoyce if these two had been contrary one to another And besides even in those daies when divine Dispensations call for mourning when things go most cross to our desires and affections yet we have matter of Thanksgiving if it were but for this That it is never so bad with us but it might be worse Paul acknowledgeth this to be a mercy that he had less cause of sorrow then he might have had Phil. 2.27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death but God had mercy on him and not on him only but on me also lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow Psal 118.18 19 The Lord hath chastened me sore but he hath not given me over unto death Open to me the gates of righteousness I will go in to them and I will praise the Lord. This needs not seem strange at all for even then when
is truth and is no lye Joh. 17.26 I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it This affords sweet refreshing nourishment I will instance only in two Cases 1. When many things are heard something at one time and something at another from the word And it may be something at this time which is not understood at least not so understood as that the heart is affected with it Here is relief to be had he can and undertakes to teach the heart Jer. 24.7 And I will give them an heart to know me for they shall return unto me with their whole heart Thus he taught David Psal 51.6 In the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom 2. When a Person walkes in darkness under many sad fears whether ever the foundation be well laid for Soul-prosperity whether ever he were brought into a state of Union with Christ so as to receive the first principles of Spiritual life from him Here from this Office of Christ which is to reveal his Father's mind in all things that we are concerned to know there is relief to be had Joh. 14.19 but ye see me They were in Christ their Union was begun but they did not know it but Christ undertakes so as they will leave it to him to take his own time that one day they shall know it Thus I have shewed you more largely then at first I intended That there needs no food for the Soul to feed upon so as to prosper but Christ alone For as all that is nourishing in the meat is for the health and well-fare of the Body so all that is in Christ is for the health and well-fare of the Soul I have very few words more to speak 4. Of the fourth and last Point Something by way of direction How to feed upon this food so as to receive that nourishment which our Souls stand in need of I shall only mention these four Particulars 1. We are to apply our selves to this Spiritual food with a Spiritual appetite Natural life desires Natural food Appetite unto it is called Hunger as it desires meat and Thirst as it desires drink So it ought to be where there is Spiritual life after this Spiritual food wherein we have both Spiritual meat and Spiritual drink Joh. 6.55 For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed And our appetite after it ought to be quick and strong We should be able to say as Isa 26.9 With my Soul have I desired thee in the night and with my Spirit will I seek thee early i. e. I have most affectionately desired thee in my most retired thoughts and so I resolve to do That 's the sense For when the Soul is said to do that which nothing else but the Soul can do it imports the strongest and highest actings of the Soul in doing it Now though that which hath been said already might be sufficient thus to quicken this appetite That there is no other food for our Souls but this That they must feed upon it or starve Yet I shall farther add this That we deliberately consider with our selves What work God requires of us every day and that we labour with our hearts to do it as we ought The work of every day is great in respect of the inward exercises of grace when not clothed with any outward duty As To live by faith To sanctifie God in our hearts To walk in the fear of the Lord And when we awake to be still with God setting the Lord always before us c. The external work of every day is great also The duties of Religion The duties of our particular Callings and Relations All these ought to be done so as to approve the sincerity of our hearts to God and find acceptance with his Majesty 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him The Apostle speaks of Epaphras that he laboured earnestly in his Prayers Col. 4.12 And we are required To do with our might whatsoever our hand findeth to do Eccles 9.10 Now hard labour gets a Man a stomach makes him both hungry and thirsty It will do so in a spiritual sense when we set our selves to make something of Religion To work and walk with God every day as we ought we shall be even constrained to cry out Who is sufficient for these things We shall see we need more spiritual food for the nourishing and strengthening of our Souls This will quicken our spiritual Appetite after Christ That we may be more and more strengthened in our inward Man by his Spirit Eph. 3.16 That we may be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6.10 2. That in applying our selves to this food we manage the matter for our Souls as discreet persons do in making provisions for their Families when the Market-day comes They consider whether there be Bread-corn enough in the House or whether any thing else that is necessary be wanting and so according to their ability they provide So ought we to do in this case we ought to consider what our Souls stand most in need of that they may prosper Some days we may find we most of all want strength against one corruption some days more strength against another Some days we stand in more need of one grace and sometimes of another suppose of Faith or Repentance Meekness or Patience and accordingly we ought to apply our selves to our spiritual food the Lord Jesus for nourishment and strength in that particular Christ expects this that we should be sensible of our particular wants We read Luk. 18.35 36. that a blind Man hearing that Christ passed by that way cryed out Have mercy upon me O Son of David And vers 40 41. Christ asks him what he would that he should do unto him Christ knew what he would desire but he would have him to particularize his wants Thus we ought to apply our selves to Christ with a sense of what we want in particular And because as I told you all in Christ is some way or other for our spiritual food both Christ in his Person and Christ in his Offices We should apply our selves to that in Christ which may most of all relieve our faith in seeking after that particular supply which for the present we see we need whether it be in his Person or in his Offices either as Priest or Prophet or King When we know there is such a thing in such a Cupboard when we go to it the next way to find what we seek for is to go to the Box wherein it is 3. What dispensation soever we are under what mercy soever we have received or are receiving what cross soever we are exercised withal or is likely to come upon us what Ordinances soever we address our felves to God in we may spread the matter before God and tell him our case and our dependence upon him and pray most for the
Creature loaden with many infirmities do it For the present I cannot think of any better way then this even in the spiritual out-goings and actings of the principle of godliness immediately upon God himself so as to compose our affections thoughts purposes desires resolutions and all the inward workings of our hearts in a suitable proportion to those glorious discoveries that God hath made of his name as infinitely holy wise just and gracious present every where seeing all things observing all things ordering all things according to the counsel of his own will The instance the Prophet Isaiah gives makes for this For when he had called them to their duty To sanctifie God in their hearts he directs them how to do it Let him be your fear and let him be your dread Thus the Prophet Habakkuk sanctified God's Name in his heart drawing in all his hopes and all his comforts into God alone resolving to rejoice in him when he had nothing else to rejoice in Hab. 3.17 18. according to Phil. 4.4 Rejoice in the Lord alway and again I say Rejoice This is that which is required in the first and great Commandment wherein indeed if we consider it well we shall find all the other Commands wrapt up for always before we do any thing amiss against God we either think amiss of God or think not of him at all Therefore as ever we desire our Souls should prosper let us be careful at all times in all places thus to sanctifie God's Name in our hearts And whatever our condition be how sad soever it be with us still both think well and speak well of God as such a God ought to be spoken of and thought of Satan hath baffled many eminent Persons when they have been under tryal with temptations contrary to this Jeremiah in his distress le ts fall such sad words as these Chap. 15.18 Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a lyar and as waters that fail And David being as we say under hatches said in his haste though upon second thoughts he call'd in his words again that he had served a hard Master and that all his exercising himself unto godliness had been in vain Psal 73.13.14 It concerns us therefore as we desire our Souls should prosper so to exercise the principles of godliness we have received that even when the dealings of God with us are most contrary to our desires and hopes to think of God according to that representation which he makes of himself Exod. 34.6 7 The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious c. We may observe that David when he acted like a Man after God's own heart did so Psal 119.68 Thou art good and doest good Yet how it was with him in his outward condition we see vers 61. The bands of the wicked have robbed me and vers 28. My Soul melteth for heaviness So Psal 31. aster he had expressed his sad condition vers 9 10 I am in trouble mine eye is consumed with grief My life is spent with grief and my years with sighing Yet he breaks out into admiration vers 19 O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee And yet he saw but little of it laid out upon him Psal 52.1 the goodness of God endureth continually This is the first way proposed wherein we ought to exercise our selves unto godliness 2. I proceed to the second thing proposed How these principles of godliness ought to be exercised as they are to be drawn forth and clothed as it were with the External duties of Religion or any thing else wherein the visible part of Religion so far as it may be made visible to Men doth consist And here note two things as to External duties of Religion 1. That we ought to exercise our selves in them all 2. That these principles of godliness ought to be exercised in them all 1. For the former Those that really mind as we all ought to mind the prosperity of our Souls must compass them all and take them all in in their walk though not all at once nor all it may be every day but all in their Season It is a dangerous yea a desperate thing To perform one duty that we may dispence with our selves in the neglect of another As to perform duties in conjunction with others and give our selves on that account a dispensation to neglect personal and private duties It is our duty as 1 Tim. 5.21 to do all things without partiality especially all things in Religion This I desire may be considered There is no Duty or Ordinance of Gods own appointment which he hath not blessed at one time or other to some one or other of his People so as sometimes they have found him in one when they have not found him in another As for instance God hath been found in Prayer private Prayer Psal 34.6 This poor man cried unto the Lord and he saved him out of all his troubles In praying with others Act. 4.31 And when they had prayed the place was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost In private reading of the word as the Eunuch Act. 8.27 28. In hearing the word Act. 2.37 1 Cor. 14.24 25. While the two Disciples that went to Emmaus were discoursing of Christ Christ himself drew near to them and went with them Luk. 24.15 And their hearts burned within them while he talked with them by the way and opened the Scriptures to them vers 32. So in singing 2 Chron. 20.22 And when they began to sing the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon c. That is He cut them off suddenly as when Men are cut off by their enemies that lye in ambush against them and so accomplished what was foretold vers 17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battel stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord. Memorable is that story of the Protestants of Mountaban in France who when they were besieged being compelled to take up Arms in their own defence always when they went out to fight went out singing of Psalms which was so terrible to the Enemy that in the end when they heard them singing which they usually began before the Portcullis was drawn up and the Gates opened their hearts failed them and away they would run crying out They come they come And as this is true that there is no duty but that at some time or other God hath been found in it by some or other so they have sometimes found him in one when they could not find him in another Cant. 3.1 compared with ver 4 She sought him in private duties and found him not then she went to the publick and found him whom her Soul loved Daniel was certainly a Man of much prayer Dan. 6.10 and no doubt found very frequently sensible acceptance with God but yet it seems God reserved the fullest
manifestation of his love to him till to his daily prayer he added extraordinary prayer with fasting Dan. 9.3 compared with vers 23. And it was so with Cornelius as ye may see Act. 10.39 Thus we see the encouragement is great to take up every duty in its Season Experience tells us that the efficacy of co-ordinate means is in conjunction As for the preservation of bodily health there must be both Food and Raiment and Rest and the use of Physick sometimes as the matter requireth no one of these is sufficient So it is here Let none think his Soul will prosper though he use this or that Duty if any one known to be a Duty be willingly neglected in the season thereof It is the policy of Satan to separate one duty from another that so we may not be uniform in our endeavours Few are so bad as to use no means at all and few are so faithful to God and their own Souls as conscienciously to use All. This half-doing proves many a Souls undoing Therefore as we desire that our Souls should prosper we should as Caleb follow fully after God And in all as Psal 63.8 Follow hard after God As thriving Children do suck and draw hard sometimes at one Breast and sometimes at another 2. As we ought to exercise our selves in them all so we ought to exercise the principles of godliness in them all A few words to this 1. In general thus The principles of godliness ought to be exercised in them all so far as God's gracious ends and purposes in and by them so far as they are revealed to us may be answered and attained I shall instance in these two 1. This God hath revealed as one great end to be carried on in and by them all that this holy and blessed name may be sanctified in them all Lev. 10.3 This is done when the inward frame of our hearts is such when we address our selves unto God as that God himself may thereby see that we believe him to be a great God a gracious God a God in all respects infinitely glorious This is due unto him Psal 89.7 God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him And this David resolves upon Psal 5.7 But as for me I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy Temple So far as our hearts attain this temper so far we answer God's end This is to serve him acceptably Heb. 12.28 2. This likewise God hath revealed as his intent and purpose that thereby he may communicate unto the people of his choice those spiritual gifts and graces whereby they may be enabled to that work he hath appointed them and be prepared for that happiness he hath promised them Exod. 20.24 In all places where I record my Name I will come unto thee and I will bless thee Psal 133.3 For there the Lord commanded the blessing and life for ever-more The attainment of this end should be so deeply engraven upon our hearts that as the Bee moves from one flower to another to gather materials for Honey So should we from one Duty to another for supplies of grace suitable to our present necessities This was David's end Psal 63.1 2 3 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee c. For this end principles of godliness should be exercised to attain the fore-mentioned end And if so we are so much the more likely to attain this end the more grace we bring in exercise to a duty the more grace we are like to receive in and by that duty Matth. 25.29 Vnto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance Thus in general 2. As we desire our Souls should prosper principles of grace should be exercised in all the fore-mentioned duties I will instance only in one and that is the duty of Prayer both because that is and ought to be our every days work We ought in every thing both great and small to make known our requests to God believing his universal Providence that as there is nothing so great that is above his Power so there is nothing so little that is below his Care This we are injoined Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God And also because the better this duty is performed the better all other duties will be performed It hath an influence upon them all and is often put for the whole worship of God Rom. 10.12 13 Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved And besides all the Providences of the day are sanctified by it 1 Tim. 4.5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and Prayer But then we must know this that if we desire prayer may be a sanctifying duty to us our hearts must be sanctified for it and grace must be exercised in it I shall not mention now what graces must be exercised but only in general so that the heart may be wrought off from all evil frames and composed and fixed the inward thought thereof gathered in and the affections raised so as feelingly and awfully believingly fervently and sincerely we may powre out our desires unto God and be able to say as Lam. 2.18 Their heart cryed unto the Lord. And Psal 119.145 I cryed with my whole heart hear me O Lord. This is one thing intended in that expression of Praying in the spirit Eph. 6.18 The spirit of a Man is an active thing and whatever it doth good or bad it doth to purpose Such gracious workings of the Soul in prayer are the very Soul of prayer and then the Soul prospers by prayer Jude vers 20 And ye Beloved building up your Souls in your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost Then are our Souls edified when we thus pray in the exercise of the graces of the Holy Ghost This is all I shall say to the former of the two last things proposed That in order to Soul-prosperity grace ought to be exercised in all the External Duties of Religion I now proceed to the latter As ever we desire our Souls should prosper the principles of godliness ought to be exercised in all other things wherein the visible part of Religion so far as it may be made visible to Men doth consist And here I shall only speak a little to three particulars 1. In all Providences It is seldom or never seen that any of the people of God continue in the same condition as to the things of this World any long time without some alteration more or less God is pleased many times to bestow many good things upon them which he never intended they should always enjoy Psal 102.10 Thou hast lifted me up and cast me down Now as we desire our Souls should prosper principles of godliness should
of the nature and efficacy of Christs Intercession and that with thought upon thought He appears in Heaven for us Heb 9.24 And who those are ye find Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them For what To give forth unto us and to apply what he hath purchased 1 Joh. 2.1 2. And we may be sure of it that his Intercession is as effectual and can no more be rejected then his satisfaction because both are acts of his Priestly Office SERMON XII I Now proceed to the third and last branch of the Use that hath been so long insisted upon To exhort those if there be any such and I have reason to hope there are some such whose Souls do prosper with whom it begins to be better with respect to the frame and temper of the hidden Man of the heart then it hath been To exhort them to give all diligence that it may continue so with them That they may not lose the things they have wrought but receive a full reward 2 Epist of John vers 8. But keep them in that holy frame whereinto the exercise of godliness hath brought them But before I shew what in order thereunto is our duty I shall premise five things to be considered 1. That an absolute settlement of the Soul in the same highth and degree of this spiritual prosperity that is by some attained s rarely if ever preserved for any long time together There is a tincture of that madness which Solomon speaks of Eccl. 9.3 yea also the heart of the Sons of Men is full of evil and madness is in their heart while they live that remains and always will remain in the hearts of the best when they are at best Paul found it so Rom 7.21 I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me And Mad-men seldom continue in any one temper any long time together Therefore as it is with Men in respect of their outward condition though all things may prosper with them and that for some considerable time together as it was with Job He had his months wherein the Candle of God did shine upon him and the secret of God was upon his Tabernacle when the Almighty was with him when his Children were about him Job 29.2 3 4. But in all these we know he underwent a great and sad change the clouds gathered upon him and darkned all his Sun-shine David found it so his fair weather as we use to say did not last always Psal 30.6 7. He thought himself setled in his Kingdom above danger of opposition but he found it otherwise God was offended with him hid away his face and then such troubles came upon him as he never dream'd of Even so it hath been with most thriving and growing Souls when they thought they could have said as David Psal 108.1 O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Yet they have found that even then it was with them but as with a Ship at Anchor which though it be not driven into the Maine nor split against the Rocks yet it is often tossed up and down and reels to and fro Many sad instances we have of this in the Scripture that the most gracious persons have not always kept their principles of godliness in exercise at the same height no not those wherein they have been most eminent Neither Abraham his Faith nor Moses his Meekness nor Job his Patience Even Abraham's Faith and Moses his Meekness and Job's Patience had their ebbings and flowings And at this day the more any Man studies his own heart the more he will tell you that in his own experience he finds it so for many such changes are wrought by the hand of the most high As in respect of our natural state Job 14.2 He cometh up as a flower and continueth not So very often in respect of his spiritual frame 2. As many have experienced strange and unexpected turns of Providence in respect of their outward condition So no less suddenly or unexpectedly have they experienced as great changes in their spiritual condition There are those no doubt can tell you That having been brought under the influences of divine grace and love so as they have found much inward longing after more and more enjoyment of God even then when they found much sweet delight in what they did enjoy and this joined with serious resolutions of keeping more close to God and have thereupon hoped that the worst had been past that it would never any more be with them as it had been Never should they live so they hoped at such a distance from God as they had done nor should their hearts wander from him as in times past Yet after all this very unexpectedly like an instrument in change of weather have they found themselves as we say out of tune again As those that dwell by the Sea-side do see that though the tide be now out and it be low water yet upon a sudden all is overflown again Besides experience we have sad instances of this in Scripture Jer. 20.13 Having in the words before professed his assurance of God's presence with him and protection of him he now rowseth up his Soul from his former damp't and dumpish condition to a high degree of lightsomeness of spirit praising God for his deliverance from the hands of Pashur and the rest of his Persecutors before he was delivered out of an hopeful expectation of it as if he had already received it But how long doth this last See ver 14 Cursed be the day wherein I was born A strange alteration and sudden down-fall from such an height of confidence in vers 12. and such a degree of comfort vers 13. to such a low dejection of spirit and strange distemper of mind as inconsiderately to curse the day of his birth those that brought his Father the report thereof A lively pattern this is of the truth of that which we are speaking of An instance not much unlike to this we find in Elijah Compare 1 King 18.18 where he told Ahab with so much resolution I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy Father's house with 1 King 19.3 when being threat'ned by Jezebel He arose and fled for his life What a sudden change was this He that durst say to Ahab's face Thou and thy Father's house have troubled Israel that could fetch down both Fire and Water from Heaven by his prayers that durst command the slaying of 450 Priests of Baal yet he shrinks at the threats of a Woman and wisheth to be rid of his life because he was afraid to lose it This was a strange turn in that holy Man's spirit But so it hath been and so it is that the pulse of a sick Man doth not more vary then the temper of the Soul of a sound and upright Man This day perhaps
under the greatest obligations that are imaginable to beware of Relapses So they ought with as great care and constancy to realize the presence of God with them day by day For it is without all controversie true that the exercise and so by consequence the growth and increase of the principles of godliness wherein Soul-prosperity specially consists is founded upon and preserved by the due consideratio … 〈◊〉 God's presence with us and his all sâ—eing eye upon us This is that which is specially comprehended in that expression of walking with God and walking before God And this is as specially to be observed That those that did so whilst they did so their Souls prospered We have it exemplified in Enoch Gen. 5.22 And he had this testimony that he pleased God Heb. 11.5 So Noah Gen. 6.9 Noah was a just Man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God So David Psal 26.3 I have walked in thy truth Psal 119.168 I have kept they precepts and thy testimonies for all my ways are before thee This was the best testimony that Solomon his Son could give of him when he was dead 1 King 3.6 Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my Father great mercy according as he walked before thee in truth and righteousness and in uprightness of heart with thee This is that which God gives in charge to Abraham and that upon this account Gen. 17.1 walk before me and be thou perfect As thou desirest and I know thou desirest to hold fast thine integrity Let me live in thy thoughts and see to it that thou so live so think so speak and so do as remembring thou art always in my sight This is that which hath a very great influence to draw as it were the draught of the Image of God day by day in our Souls in more and more lively colours For in the state of glory the glorified Saints that are with the Lord and always behold his face are like him and see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 Even so it is in the state of grace so far as this duty is conscientiously observed and discharged 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. It is true it is not said of Moses that his face did shine the first time that he had been with God in the Mount but when he had been with him the second time Exod. 34.29 This then is that we ought to have deeply engraven upon our hearts as ever we desire not to lose the things we have wrought to do as David did Psal 16.8 I have set the Lord always before my face Always that implies that we ought to make it our daily work what a Man does every day he is said to do Always And Always i. e. one day as well as another to our last day This is no more then is expresly required Prov. 23.17 Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long And 1 Pet. 1.17 pass the time of your sojourning here in fear It is the exercise of the fear of God which hath a very great influence upon Soul-prosperity 2 Cor. 7.1 perfecting holiness in the fear of God And it is this realizing the presence of God which hath the great influence into the exercise of the fear of God Hence it is that true child-like fear is said to be fearing before God that is out of an awful respect unto and due consideration of his All-seeing eye Eccl. 8.12 it shall be well with them that fear God that fear before him This is that then which above all other things ought not to be omitted for the very sinews of all heart-godliness are as it were cut in sunder so far as this is neglected For there is nothing left then which hath any power over the inward man the hidden man of the heart but it enjoys a lawless liberty as if there were none to observe it nor to judge it 3 Epist of John ver 11 Beloved follow not that which is evil but that which is good He that doeth good is of God but he that doeth evil hath not seen God Deut. 32.18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful and hast forgotten God that formed thee All their wickedness is charged upon that I shall say no more to this Second general Direction but only these Three things 1. That untill the Soul be spiritually alive to God and so in a capacity of prospering there is neither delight nor desire to entertain any thoughts of God Rom. 1.28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge They cast the notions of God out of their minds as of no use to them Psal 10.4 God is not in all his thoughts i.e. Not in his thoughts at all Job 21.14 They say to the Almighty Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Some say so in words at length and all of them say it in their hearts Thò God saith Wo unto you when I depart from you Hos 9.12 Yet they think it best when he departeth from them and the farther the better This frame of heart is the very blackness of Hellish darkness It speaks the very language of Satan Matth. 8.29 What have we to do with thee thou Jesus the Son of God art thou come to torment us before the time Thus it was of old Isa 30.11 Cause the holy one of Israel to cease from us 2. Though the Soul be alive to God yet so far as the Image of the old Adam is unmortified and any particular lust indulged so far God and the heart will be strangers Not only the beam but even such a moat in the eye will make such Souls to shun what they can the presence of God and the presence of those who they think will speak the mind of God unto them as Ahab did the presence of Micaiah 1 King 22.8 Such Souls are far from prospering This is the very image of old Adam Gen. 3.8 He heard the voice of God and hid himself from the presence of the Lord. 3. Even those whose Souls do live and in some measure may be said to prosper though they dare not omit any external duty of Religion yet they do too often and too easily slip over this without timely observation till they take a review of their hearts and then they see they have cause to say as Psal 36.11 Unite my heart to thee that I may fear before thee all the day long Or unite my heart within it self that it may not be diverted or distracted not carried this way and that way but that I may be able to say It is fixed it is fixed Thus I say it is and that too often with Souls that prosper according to their measure Therefore we ought to charge our selves with this duty and renew the charge from
I shall go up to the house of the Lord while he was sick and weak he could not do it 2. It very much indisposeth a Man for the solemn performance of the private Duties of Religion We have a clear instance of this Jam. 5.13 Is any afflicted Let him pray Is any sick Let him send for the Elders of the Church Is not sickness a great affliction It is Why then should not the sick pray Sickness and weakness indispose a person for the solemn performance of that duty 3. Persons subject to long continued weaknesses of body are often in much darkness of mind apt to question the grace of God in them and the love of God toward them For sickness and weakness indispose a Man's mind He cannot infer comfortable conclusions from his former experiences of God He is full of confusion like a skain of Silk that a Man can neither winde nor draw So it is with an infirm Man Psal 80.3 Heman when his life did draw nigh to the grave he saith His Soul was full of trouble It is a sad case a weak Body and a troubled Soul too Satan is very skilful at his work He knew this and therefore he reserved this as his last temptation for Job hoping that would stick to afflict his Body Now to Apply this 1. Let all such as God is pleased to bless with any competency of health and strength keep their hearts under the obligation that this lays upon them Deut. 8.16 The Lord gave them Manna to humble them We say Oh if we were fit for Mercy God would give it Thus Folks talk that never endeavour to be more fit If we should never have a Mercy till we were fit it would be long enough before we should have any God many times gives a Mercy first and makes a people humble afterward Well then considering that life and health and strength are given to every Man for the same end and purpose for which Paul improved them Phil. 1.21 To me to live is Christ Therefore we should every one of us while we are well set about doing of that which it will be very well if it be done before we are sick but 't is of absolute necessity to be done before we dye even what we have 2 Pet. 3.14 Give all diligence to be found in Christ Jesus in a state of union with him If a Man be not in Christ while he lives he cannot live to Christ nor shall he dye to Christ when he dyes Col. 1.27 Christ in us is the hope of glory Consider then 1. Though health and strength be a very great blessing yet it is a blessing quickly blasted Job observed it in his days Job 21.23 One dyes in his full-strength God gives him no warning at all Alas saith James what is a Man's life A vapour a little warm breath turned up and down in the nostrils when that is stopt a Man dyes 2. Consider this Say God should give us warning and do with us as he did with Jezabel cast us upon a bed of sickness and give us space to repent yet times of Bodily sickness and weakness are ill times to begin to look after a neglected Soul and to do neglected Duties Sicknesses and weaknesses bring a Man under many disadvantages of looking after Soul-concernments 2 Sam. 25.35 God smites Nabal he was sick ten days that was more time then many persons have yet he could no more repent then the very stone his heart dyed within him Therefore what we have Joh. 9.4 should be lay'd to heart The night will come when no Man can work Do the work that God calls to while it is called To day 2. If so be health and strength be so great a blessing then let all that do enjoy it take heed how they do any thing that may prejudice their health and do what God would have them do for the preservation of their health and not stick at any due charges suitable to what they are able to bear 1. Take heed of prejudicing your health They are very much to be blamed that will ride wind and weather to get money Matt. 6.25 The Body is more then Raiment Health and strength are better then riches Much more do they transgress that prejudice their health to gratifie a sensual lust For no Man ever yet hated his own flesh Eph. 5.29 I have read of one Theotinus who was very much given to drinking and had very sore eyes his Physitian told him he must either leave his drunkenness or lose his eyes Then saith he farewell sight He would rather lose his sight then leave his sin 2. Do what may be done to preserve health Therefore the Apostle saith to Timothy Drink no longer Water but use a little Wine for thy stomachs sake and thine often infirmities The poor Woman Mark 9. spent all she had upon the Physicians This is worth observation That we must so mind the wellfare of our Bodies for the preserving of health and strength when we have it and recovery of it when it is lost for the preservation of the health and well-fare of our Souls It is an hard matter to do those things out of obedience to God from a principle of grace which a principle of nature inclines a Man to Tit. 2.4 That they may teach the young Women to be sober to love their Husbands to love their Children Now for the Amplification of this wish 1. For the manner It was heartily Above all things Observe It is the duty of every gracious person to be hearty and real in his prayers desires and wishes for the prosperity of the people of God and for the health of those that are sick and weak The Apostle speaks to the praise of them Col. 1.4 That they loved all the Saints of God Ruth 4.11 The Elders said to Boaz The Lord bless thee and this Woman How heartily did the good Women bless God for their old neighbour Naomi Ruth 4.14 It is a rare thing to find such a spirit Corruption doth narrow and straighten Mens hearts Their eye is evil because God is good Corruption streightens but Grace enlargeth a Man's heart It is a brave spirit To rejoyce with them that rejoyce and to mourn with them that mourn Observe again Who it is that desires this so heartily It is John the beloved Disciple who pressed hearty love upon others 1 Joh. 3.18 And he expresseth it to Gaius Hence note Note It is the duty of every Minister to labour to exemplifie in his practice the Duties he presseth upon others The Prophet Hab. 2.4 speaking of those sad times in the captivity of Babylon saith The just shall live by faith But they might reply Can you do so your selves And he answers Yes Hab. 3.17 18 Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation 2. Consider the pattern measure and degree according to which John desires this outward prosperity might be
proportioned and that is his Soul-prosperity Surely this Gaius was a very rare Man It is hard to find such among all those that bear the honourable name of Christians How many are there Christians in profession and it may be according to some measure indeed and in truth who prosper in their Estates and prosper in their Bodies They are well and lively as David's Enemies were Psal 38.19 but they have poor lean withering Souls So that we may very well in the behalf of many invert the Apostle's wish and wish that their Souls might prosper as their Bodies prosper and as their Estates prosper If we should pray for some that their Bodies might be as their Souls are we should curse them instead of praying for them We must say let their Bodies be filled with noisome Diseases and let them pine away for so their Souls do But it was not so with Gaius Hence observe Note Though a person of a sickly and weak constitution be under many disadvantages yet under them all it is possible his Soul may thrive and prosper 2 Cor. 4.16 Though our outward Man perish yet our inward Man is renewed day by day Here take notice that when I say such a Man is under some disadvantages I mean in respect of the outward Duties of Religion but not as to the inward and spiritual Duties as living by Faith exercising the Love of God and the Fear of God and desires after the enjoyment of God Herein consists true Religion Wo be to that Man that hath no more Religion then can be seen Religion is not all Outside the Lining is the best part of it The Text bears the Doctrine mentioned in the first place thus John wisheth that Gaius might prosper in all things as his Soul prospered we must understand him in subordination to Soul-prosperity John wisheth that Gaius might prosper in all things so that his Soul might still prosper If Gaius's Soul had received prejudice John had wished him a great loss So that the observation is clear That of all prosperities Soul-prosperity is the most desirable prosperity SERMON II. I Now proceed to that Observation I first intended in the choice of the words But take notice first That the Text gives a fair and full occasion to speak to it though perhaps not discerned at first John ye see wisheth all prosperity to his friend Gaius but this must be understood in a way of subserviency to the prosperity of his Soul Otherwise he had wished him far more hurt then good If he had wished him any thing that in the least had been to the prejudice of his Soul It is then beyond all controversie That as he wished that he might prosper in all things as his Soul prospered he would be understood that his desire was That his Soul always might prosper Hence observe Doct. Of all prosperity the prosperity of the Soul is the most desirable prosperity For the Explication three things are to be spoken too 1. What the Soul is in its natural constitution and what it is in its unregenerate state by reason of Original corruption 2. Wherein the prosperity of the Soul consisteth and when it may be said to prosper 3. What are the Reasons whereby it may be made to appear that the prosperity of the Soul is the most desirable prosperity For the first of these there are two things to be taken into consideration and to be spoken to apart 1. What the Soul is in its natural constitution Ans It is hard to tell you for it is a thing which no Man ever saw But this I may say that it is that which the Scripture sometimes calls The Spirit of Man which is in him 1 Cor. 2.11 Sometimes and indeed most frequently The heart of Man Prov. 23.26 My Son give me thine heart The inward Man 2 Cor. 4.16 The hidden Man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.4 The Candle of the Lord Prov. 20.27 And this I may say farther That it is a most excellent piece of God's Workmanship and indeed well worth the tongue and pen of an Angel to describe it The Body of Man though it was of mean extraction made at first but of the Dust of the Earth and liable every moment when God will to tumble into the grave to rot and putrifie and to be resolved into its first original Dust thou art and unto Dust shalt thou return again Gen. 3.19 Yet that it is a very curious piece David speaking of his Body Psal 139. saith vers 13 14 That he was fearfully and wonderfully made When I think thereof saith he as I do sometimes it striketh me with astonishment yea with a dread and fear of the incomprehensible wisdom and power of God manifested therein This my Soul knows full well yet this is but the Case the Cabinet The Soul is the Jewel that is in it If that be as the Ring this is the Diamond in the Ring I shall not undertake an exact definition of it but only this description It is a Spiritual Immortal substance united to the Body yet existing when it is separated from the Body capable of doing more service unto God and of receiving more good from God then all the Creatures that ever God made the glorious Angels and the Human Nature of Christ only excepted I shall not insist upon the proof of the particulars of this description Some of them may possibly come to be spoken to hereafter Only for the present take notice that it is endued with three most excellent Faculties which will go far if no more should at any time be said in proving this to be so 1. With the faculty of Vnderstanding capable of knowing Good from Evil Truth from Falshood of knowing God in Christ the knowledge of whom is Eternal Life Job 32.8 There is a Spirit in Man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth him Vnderstanding Every Soul hath this faculty though this faculty in every Soul be not so furnished yet it is capable of the inspiration of the Almighty so as to know the truth as it is in Jesus and every truth as it ought to be known without which Man were no more capable of such knowledge then the Beasts of the field as Elihu expresseth himself Job 35.11 Who teacheth us more then the Beasts of the Earth and maketh us wiser then the Fowls of Heaven Therefore Nebuchadnezer upon the highest grounds of reason praiseth and magnifieth God for restoring his understanding unto him Dan. 4.34 2. Endued it is with the admirable faculty of Conscience which hath a power to make a Man stand in awe of God though he does not see him yea and of himself too when no Body knows where he is nor what he is doing For it taketh knowledge and can or at last day will bear witness what a Man hath thought or spoken or done even from his Cradle to his Grave So that no Man need to call for a Candle to see what he hath done in the dark
I resolve for this end to hear yea as I am commanded Isa 55.3 diligently to hear to hearken and to incline mine Ear And to make application to my self of what may be for my casting down and for my lifting up that according to the promise in that Text my Soul may live This do and Live SERMON VII HAving spoken something to the first Particular That every one ought to see it who desires that his Soul should prosper that he be Spiritually alive I now proceed to the second wherein two things are to observed That if indeed ye are spiritually alive then to see to it 1. That your Spiritual life be lively and prosper 2. That when it begins to be better than it hath been with you in the inward Man then to take heed that ye lofe not the things ye have wrought 2 Ep. of Joh. vers 8. I shall enter upon the former of these at present 1. To see to it that your Spiritual life be lively and prosper for therein the prosperity of your Souls consists And because every thing almost that I have to speak unto in handling this great and necessary Doctrine needs much enforcement because much neglected I shall before I come to the Directions speak something by way of argument to heighten your endeavours herein Consider then 1. A Soul that is alive to God though burdened with a weak Consumptive Body and with a considerable fullness of outward blessings both which many times are great disadvantages yet may prosper We see it exemplified in Gaius He was but of a weak and crasie Constitution that 's implyed in the Text. And he was withal a Man of some Estate in the World That 's implyed vers 6. Which have born witness of thy charity before the Church Yet neither the one nor the other hindered but that his Soul did prosper It was as John said for doubtless John was as far from giving flattering titles as Elihu said he was Job 32.22 2. Our Souls ought to be as dear unto us as the Soul of Gaius was to him If Gaius made Religion his business minding above all things that one thing which is necessary If he kept his heart above all keeping So that neither Corruption from within nor Temptation from without could set his Salvation-work backward If he laid up his treasure in Heaven valuing both the best things and the worst things of the World as something or as nothing unto him farther then as they might be improved to promote the Eternal well-fare of his Soul All which without doubt in a great measure he did and more then all this too otherwise he had never received this testimony from such a Man as John was which to his honour hath stood upon Record these 1600 years and shall do to the end of the World For as our Saviour said of Mary Matth. 26.13 So wherever this Epistle shall be read in the whole World this that Gaius did shall be told for a memorial of him That his Soul did prosper Therefore as our Saviour saith Luk. 10. We ought to go and do likewise For he was under no more obligation to do what he did then we are And our Souls ought to be as dear to us as his was to him 3. There is not one word to be found to the contrary in all the Scripture but that how short soever we come of this pattern at present yet if we set our selves to do as he did our Souls may prosper as much as ever his did Jesus Christ we are sure can make them prosper Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly 2 Cor. 9.8 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he were rich yet for our sakes he became poor that we by his poverty might be made rich Eph. 3.20 He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us Neither which is much to be observed doth he speak of his absolute power by which he is able to do more then he will do but of his Ordinary working power for so it is in the latter end of the verse According to his power that worketh in us So that we may conclude that he hath not out-acted the greatness of his power in or for the prospering of any Man's Soul but he can work as much again for another Eph. 4.10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things As he filled up the whole work of his Mediatorship which was to be done upon Earth So he ascended up to Heaven to fulfil what remains and that is for ever to fill even all the living members of his mystical Body with the Principles of Spiritual life so that every one shall receive according to his measure Eph. 4.7 But unto every of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Neither doth he tell any Man that he hath given him so much that he will give him no more No Man knows how great his measure may be The grace that Christ intends to give he gives not all at once so that a Man may hope his works may be best at last as was said of them Rev. 2.19 For 1. There is no particular grace though it be in the Soul at present but as smoaking Flax but it may by daily exercise and good usage grow to a great eminency 2. There is no Corruption though more deeply Rooted then others in a Man's natural Constitution but that in time by walking in the Spirit bringing it to the Law of Christ to the death of Christ and to the love of Christ and joining his own endeavours to the Spirit of Christ he may get an eminent victory over it and see it by degrees fall down before him 3. There is no particular duty how backward and indisposed soever he may be to it at present or hath been a long time heretofore against it but he may grow to an eminency in the practice of it 4. There is no one temptation of what kind soever or how often soever he hath been overcome by it but by taking to himself the whole armour of God and strengthening himself in the strength of the Lord which is every ones duty to do but he may so resist it and conquer it that the Devil shall fly before him 5. There is no condition how many snares soever it may be compassed about withal but through the exercise of grace it may be managed to such Spiritual advantage as may exceedingly promote Soul-prosperity 6. There are no doubts no fears no sinking discouragements arising from what spring soever but they may be answered and scattered as a mist before the Sun shining forth in its full strength By all this we see that it is as I have said That as there is no reason for any Man absolutely to conclude though
as ever we desire that our Souls should prosper and thrive as a watered Garden according to that promise Jer. 31.12 See that these waters have a free passage Let faith be exercised upon those truths which hold forth the freeness and riches of the grace of Christ For those are the truths the Prophet saw in his Vision represented by those waters And let this be in conjunction with the exercise of Repentance This is the way by the Spirit of grace working with these truths whereby Souls are healed and purged 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your Souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit These were the truths by obedience whereunto their Souls were purified This is the way whereby the Lord first begins to heal and purge the Soul For this I shall give you but one place of Scripture but it is a place to be taken notice of It is 2 Corinth 5.19 Wherein note three things 1. God intending according to his Eternal purpose to heal some sick quicken some dead save some lost Souls declares his purpose to do it by way of Reconciling them to himself This he will do before they shall be possessed of that Salvation he hath chosen them unto His method is first to purge their Souls mortifying that enmity that is in their hearts both against his ways and their own good and so to reduce them to terms of Reconciliation with himself and make them willing to be Reconciled unto him 2. How God will do this God was in Christ The Divine Nature assumed the Human Nature and so in and through Christ God-Man in one Person offers terms of Love and Peace to them as the most effectual way to prevail upon them and to bring their Souls about to him 3. But in what peculiar way will he more transcendently manifest this grace and mercy The Text tells us he will do it in not imputing their iniquities proposing and promising a full and everlasting pardon of all sin never to be called in if his terms be accepted of And the sinner being made willing to be Reconciled unto God Thus he subdues the heart conquering it by Love And thus the work of purging and cleansing the Soul is begun Luk. 7.47 Her sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much And as thus it is begun so upon a failure it is renewed and continued When a Soul that is Diseased and polluted is awakened to apply himself to Jesus Christ the Sun of Righteousness in the exercise of Faith and Repentance making way that the waters of the Sanctuary the Spirit of grace and the Gospel of grace may not be stopt in their course but have a free passage into the Soul the hope of Reconciliation with God is raised greatly and that stirs up the Soul to purifie himself 1 Joh. 3.3 Every one that hath this hope purifieth himself Observe that He purifies himself This is necessary For as Physick is most effectual to purge out corrupt humours when Nature works with it for it is to no purpose to give it to a dead Man and when Nature is quite spent in a sick Person it comes too late So it is here The Soul that thus applies it self to Christ will find his blood to be a healing purging sin-mortifying blood But in applying our selves thereunto our own thoughts and affections our own endeavours and resolutions against all occasions of sin against the first risings of sin and we must apply our selves to what mortifying means we find prescribed and have been found to be of use to others All these we must set on work and then the Spirit of God will work with us Rom. 8.13 if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live And doing thus we may be said To purge our selves as 2 Cor. 7.1 2 Tim. 1.21 If we do thus We shall be Vessels of honour fit for the Master's use That is our Souls shall prosper This is the first thing that I have to commend unto you as ye mind the well-fare and prosperity of your Souls to mind this There is another kind of Physick to be made use of as the matter requires and that is Cordials for the healing of a fainting Soul This may be spoken unto hereafter when I have first spoken unto what is most times to be made use of betwixt this of Purging and that of Cordials SERMON VIII 2. THe next thing that I shall take notice of as necessary for the health and well-fare of the Body which as the Lord shall enable me I shall apply to the point in hand is the observing of a good Diet with respect to the choice of meats such as by experience have been found best agreeable to the Nature and Constitution of the Body and in proportion suitable to the natural heat of our stomachs for Concoction and Digestion This is a great means of health especially for such as are naturally weak and infirm For usually as is our Food so is our Blood as is our Blood so are our Spirits and as are our Spirits so are our Bodies for health or sickness for strength or weakness Now as I told you what in a natural way is for the health and well-fare of the Body is in a spiritual way applicable to the health and well-fare of the Soul I shewed you that it was so in that which I spake last unto I am now to shew it is so in this In order hereunto we must take notice that as God hath provided and that with great variety Food and nourishment for the preservation of the Natural life of our Bodies So he hath for the preservation of the Spiritual life of our Soul and that suitable to the degree that our Souls have attained unto Heb 5.13 14 Milk for Babes Meat for strong Men. Food that endures to Eternal life Joh. 6.27 Such Food as is a Feast whereupon the Soul may feed and fare deliciously every day Isa 25.6 a Feast of fat things a Feast of Wine on the Lees c. This is a matter we are much concerned in That we know both our Priviledge and our Duty herein something must be said to each of these four Particulars 1. What that Food is which God hath provided for the health and prosperity of our Souls 2. What those Means are whereby that Food is conveyed unto us 3. Something by way of argument to quicken our Spiritual Appetite after it 4. Something by way of Direction how to feed upon it so as to receive that nourishment from it which our Souls stand in need of 1. For the first of these That Food which God hath provided for us is Jesus Christ himself but Jesus Christ especially as Crucified 1. This Food is Jesus Christ himself For the proof of this consider that Jesus Christ is said to be The tree of life Revel 2.7 And the Hidden Manna vers 17. Both which were Types of Christ 1. He is said to be The tree of life in
God bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness long-suffering c. That 's health when the whole Body thrives 2. It is such a principle as inclines the heart seriously to endeavour to submit to every known truth though contrary to former apprehensions Act. 11.18 When they heard these things they held their peace and glorified God c. Joh. 1.47 Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile Weigh it well and I suppose you will find the reason of it to be this why Christ so highly honours him Philip came and told him We have found the Messiah Nathaniel being possessed with prejudice argues against it Can any good thing come out of Galilee Come and see saith Philip and he did so He took the right way to be informed And notwithstanding his prejudice is glad to find out the truth and accordingly acknowledged it That Christ indeed was the Messiah This was a Man in whom the Heaven-born principle wrought according to its nature endeavouring to submit to every known truth 3. That every grace may be exercised in its season Herein as in all things else it willingly complies with the whole Will of God which when the principle is infused commands the exercise 1 Joh. 3.23 And this is his commandment that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another It is the exercise of faith and love that is there enjoyned 4. Every Corruption mortified Gal. 5.24 They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affection and lusts They are said To have done it because it is part of their every days work 5. Duties performed Of our general Calling what relates to the worship of God so as God may be served acceptably Heb. 12.28 Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear And Duties of our particular Calling and that with diligence The same principle that inclines To be fervent in Spirit in duties of worship inclines not to be slothful in the business of our Calling Rom. 12.11 And not only with diligence as some are They work hard but do not pray hard This is not diligence upon principles of Conscience But this Heaven-born principle we are speaking of inclines to diligence upon a Religious account that we may abide with God in our Calling 1 Cor. 7.24 Doing the work thereof heartily as unto the Lord Col. 3.23 6. Conversation rightly ordered When the root of it is in the heart but the fruits of it are to be expressed in our conversation Phil. 1.11 Being filled with the fruits of Righteousness which are by Jesus Christ c. Those that have this principle within have this character That they are upright in their conversation Psal 37.14 to slay such as be of upright conversation This is that which the Apostle means by walking with a right foot Gal. 2.14 Ordering our steps aright Prov. 4.26 Making even paths for our feet Heb. 12.13 That is that one action bear proportion to another and all good according to the rule Gal. 6.16 Not turning aside to any crooked path Psal 125.4 5. In order to this those that do indeed mind their Soul-prosperity will or should propound to themselves these three questions 1. An liceat May I do this and not sin 2. An deceat Is this becoming a Christian May I do this and not wrong my profession 3. An Expediat May I do this and not give offence to others This Heaven-born principle let it have its full liberty of working it will incline the heart to this And this is the way to order the conversation aright So as to inherit that promise Psal 50.23 To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God 7. Providences improved Psal 107.43 Whoso is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord. Puzled and astonished such a Soul may be sometimes at the strange dispensations of God but not offended so as to face about Still he holds on his way in the paths of Righteousness Mic. 6.9 The Lord's voice cryeth unto the City and the Man of wisdom shall see thy Name hear ye the rod and who hath appointed it 8 All this in the sight of God 2 Cor. 2.17 But as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ That God may be pleased 1 Thes 4.1 And we approve our selves to God 2 Cor. 5.9 2. It is impossible the Soul should prosper or be indeed in any capacity of prospering that is not clothed with it For where this Inner is not the other Outer garment is not It is so as I told you that this Garment of Righteousness wrought in us and that the Righteousness wrought for us are never separated the one from the other so that the Soul that is altogether destitute of it is in a Christless state naked and destitute of all spiritual clothing Rev. 3.17 God at first sent forth Man into the World compleatly apparelled with it being created in righteousness and true holiness but Satan by his subtilty stript him of it and he became naked Gen. 3.7 And thus he continues till by the powerful Word and Spirit of Christ his heart is made willing to come unto Christ to receive him rest upon him and abide in him Till then he is utterly destitute of all the materials of this garment Some indeed of whom there may be some hopes that they have obeyed the Call and are come to Christ are but poorly clad even half naked which is a sad sight But these have none at all they are naked all over though insensible of it They have no life at all nothing of this principle 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath not the Son hath not life 3. The better the Soul is clothed with this garment the more it doth and the better it will prosper For consider 1. The more we have of this Garment of Righteousness the more the Soul is brought into and preserved in its right temper The health of the Body consists much in its right constitution when it is not so oppressed with corrupt humours but that it can relish its ordinary food and can do that work that is to be done by God's appointment wherein it is set and is not indisposed by sickness or weakness Into such a right temper this righteousness when the principles of it are exercised doth bring the Soul This prevails against the ill humours the Soul is subject unto It prevails against those noisom lusts that war against the Soul as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 2.11 It is compared Eph. 6.14 to a Breast-plate which if it be good preserves the principal parts of the Body the Breast wherein the vital parts of Man are closely coucht together So this righteousness preserves the principal part of a Christian it keeps the Conscience pure the Soul undefiled so far as it is exercised it will keep a Man from his own
iniquity Psal 18.23 That which by nature he was more prone unto then to others 2. The more we have of it and the better we are clothed with it the more the Soul will be carried after God It raiseth the heart above all worldly enjoyments so that it cannot settle upon them as others do Psal 4.6 7 There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us When David's heart was brought into its right temper he could really and truly and â—â—th much warmth and strength of affection say Whom have I in Heaven but thee And there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73.25 26. 3. The more we have of it the more the Soul is fitted for Communion with God By the first principles of it a man is brought into a saving relation to God but by their exercise and increase of it it is fitted for a more sensible Communion with God There must be a suitableness between neighbours that enjoy Communion together Now the more we have of this the more suitableness there is in us to the holy nature of God 1 Joh. 1.7 But if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another 4. The more we are clothed with it the greater worth and excellency is put upon all natural and civil righteousness Every action so much as of this principle is exercised in it so much it turns to the wellfare and prosperity of the Soul Duties of the second Table are turned as it were into duties of the first as Heb. 13.16 To do good is a duty of the Second Table and Sacrifice whilest it was a part of God's worship a duty of the First But when in doing good to others we act upon principles of Religion and what we do to Man is out of â—â—ve to God and out of respect to his authority over us and to testifie our thankfulness for his goodness unto us it is through Christ acceptable to God as an act of Religion and so as advantageous to keep the Soul in a thriving prospering frame Jam. 1.27 Pure Religion before God and the Father is this to visit the Fatherless and Widows in their affliction 5. The more we have of it the better evidence we have for Heaven True though we had as much as any Man living it could not be our Plea for Heaven The honour of that is reserved to the righteousness which Christ hath wrought for us But it is our evidence 2 Tim. 4.7 8 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness And when we are under the apprehensions of death next unto the Righteousness of Christ this will be of greatest use unto us when all things else fail us Isa 38.3 Remember O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart 4. A few words of the last part Some Directions in reference to the well-clothing of our selves with and well using of this garment Consider 1. The desires of our Souls should be working still after this clothing There is a blessing promised to them that hunger and thirst after Righteousness Matth. 5.6 1. These desires ought to be unlimited Our desires should be stinted as to what is necessary and comely for the clothing of our Bodies but not so after this clothing for our Souls we should be filled with the fruits of righteousness as the phrase is Phil. 1.11 This is the most genuine property of this principle To desire as we are still under the command to grow 1 Pet. 2.1 2 That ye may grow thereby 2. These desires ought to be ruling desires Whatever in the World the Soul desires with greatest earnestness our desires after this Righteousness must rule it If desires after any thing else be prejudicial to these desires they ought to be mortified as irregular desires Yea a gracious heart will bless God if he cross them in it as heartily as ever David did 1 Sam. 25.32 33 Blessed be the Lord which hath sent thee this day to meet me And blessed be thy advice and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to shed blood Still maintaining that resolution that we ought not we cannot we dare not do any thing against this Righteousness but for it 2 Cor. 13.8 3. These desires ought to be constant and not as some as we say when they are in a good mood but as David saith Psal 119.20 My Soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times The righteousness of many is but like the morning dew Hos 6.4 2. This garment should be put on and worn every day otherwise the moths will eat it the corruption that is in the heart will spoil the beauty comeliness and usefulness of it Therefore though it was a vanity in that rich Man to cloth himself in Purple and fine Linnen every day yet it is our duty that our Souls be clothed every day with the best garments we have Luk. 1.75 That we should serve God In holiness and righteousness all the days of our life And then every day to our dying day that so they may be best at last For this garment is like the garments of the Children of Israel in the Wilderness which were never the worse for wearing no more is this For to him that useth well that which he hath more shall be given Matth. 25.29 3. If at any time there be any rent made in this garment it must be immediately stitcht up and mended else the rent will be made worse Thus understand me If there be any rent made in our humility by pride in our meekness by our passionate Distempers the like may be said of every piece of this garment of every particular grace this must be made up by humbling our selves before God applying our selves to Christ both for pardon and more supplies from his fullness So David when his faith failed in the exercise as he confesseth Psal 73.2 My feet were almost gone my steps had well-nigh slipt He had lost his standing by faith and judged by sense ver 2. For this immediately upon the discovery he humbles himself ver 21.22 Thus my heart was grieved so foolish was I And this made up the rent and then his heart was carried out as strongly after God as ever vers 25.26 Whom have I in Heaven but thee c. 4. By way of encouragement To get all we can and to preserve all we get and to make the best use of it every day consider 1. Though this garment be not such a covering as that garment of righteousness which Christ hath wrought for us for that covers from the guilt of sin yet this is a covering garment too 1. From that dis-respect which meanness of Birth or breeding which deformity of Body or a poor and low condition
some Communion with God some drawings nigh in holy duties some good hopes through grace of acceptance with God unto Eternal Life yet within a while overcome again with deadness and darkness strange flatness and coldness growing upon the face of the whole Soul again so as it is nothing the same it was Thus we see that though the state of grace be sure 2 Tim. 2.19 yet the workings of grace are variable The nature of it is unchangeable but the degrees of it are subject to many changes the operations of it to many alterations So that though the principles of godliness be always like themselves yet the most godly Souls that prosper most are not always like themselves 3. As there may be such a sad and sudden change in the most prosperous Soul that lives so that may be lost in such a change which will not be recovered but with very much difficulty A Ship may easily be born down the stream but it is hardly fetcht up again A Man may lose more strength in a few days sickness then can be recovered in many days I have read of Henry the First King of England a sober and temperate Prince that he surfeited with eating a Lamprey which cost him his life Thus one intemperate meal may overthrow the temperance of a Man's whole life for the same History saith of that King that he did seldom or never eat but when he was hungry or drink but when he was thirsty yet thus he came to his end Thus it may be in this matter which we are speaking of Even the Soul that mounts aloft by the supplies of grace as upon Eagles wings if spiritual drowsiness creep by degrees upon it and that it begins to dally with duties or to dally with sin it may cost much spiritual wrestling and striving with God much heart-humbling and mourning in the sight of God before it recovers its former height and heavenly temper If a Watch be let fall and receive a bruise it must be all taken asunder before it be brought to its former exactness and evenness of motion Read the 5 ch of the Canticles at the beginning there ye may perceive what hard work the Church had in seeking after Christ before she found him again We read of David's first days as his best days 2 Chron. 17.3 And though it may easily be proved that he recovered his former stature both in grace and comfort yet it may as easily be proved that he found it no easie matter to recover either the one or the other And this his 7 penitential Psalms do sufficiently prove 4. Yet for all this much may be done this way so as a prospering Soul may continue in its prosperous state more then the most careful Man in the World can do for the continuance of the prosperity of his worldly estate A Man may be looking to and taking care for the well managing of his estate and yet whilst his eye is upon it he may see it upon the wing and flying away from him as the Eagle towards Heaven far enough out of his reach See Job 1.14 Job's Servants with great care and diligence attended their Master's business for the securing his Cattel and improving his ground each of them according to their place and yet ye know how suddenly all was lost so that it came to be a Proverb As poor as Job But there is more certainty of God's prospering serious endeavours in minding Soul-prosperity For if the occasions of sin be watched against one day as well as another if the first risings of sin be checked and suppressed if grace be exercised suitable to the Providence of the day and Communion with God in the duties of Religion be made our great business of the day so far and so long as it is so so far and so long the Soul will continue to prosper And why all this may not be done one day as well as another no reason can be given The promise of the assistance of the spirit for all this is ready one day as well as another And God is a God hearing prayers for all this one day as well as another And therefore what is done one day may be done another It is said of Enoch Gen. 5.22 That though the age he lived in were very corrupt yet he walked with God and lived in some degree of eminency in the exercise of the principles of godliness above others of the Servants of God that were his contemporaries and he had this testimony the Spirit of God witnessing together with his Spirit That he pleased God Heb. 11.5 And it is well known that the blessed Apostle Paul as he began so he continued fighting a good fight finishing his course keeping the faith and living by faith to his dying day as he saith Gal. 2.20 2 Tim. 4.6 7 And though his outward condition was for the most part very low yet his spiritual condition was very thriving and flourishing though the one perished daily yet the other was renewed 2 Cor. 4.16 5. Our labours and endeavours how much soever we abound therein will not be in vain but be abundantly recompensed in the blessed fruits and effects thereof When a prospering Soul is carried on with a full gale in its holy course the precious influences of the Spirit of God in and by the Ordinances of God will be fixed and the word will be an abiding word and not like those human Ordinances the Apostle speaks of Col. 2.22 which perish in the using And as the matter requires the word which ye hear at one time will be brought to remembrance at another time as Joh. 14.26 and put the Sword of the Spirit into your hands so as to resist the assaults of Satan and discover a temptation in time of temptation before the heart be ensnared by it 2. To keep the heart humble and heaven-ward under a confluence of all worldly comforts To keep it calm and well-composed under all provocations from Men and afflictions from God so as to run with patience the race that is set before us holding on till our course be finished To be much above distracting fears in time of danger all of them being mightily subdued in the reverential fear and awe of God yea to have our thoughts of death full of comfort and our hopes of Eternal happiness full of well-grounded confidence To be able to live to God whilst we live and to dye to God when we dye These and many such like are the effects and blessed consequences of this so far as it prospers So as all such whose Souls do prosper see cause daily not only to bless their God but also as it is Isa 65.16 To bless themselves in their God whatever their condition be Therefore let not these consolations of God seem small unto us but engage us according as we are commanded Deut. 4.9 To keep our Souls diligently lest we forget the things which our eyes have seen and lose those things
day to day To set our selves under the actual consideration of God's All-seeing eye who hath absolute Soveraignty over us to whom alone we must stand or fall who can tell us all our thoughts and will render to every Man according to his works and therefore hath a Book of remembrance for those that think upon him and fear his name Mal. 3.16 And hath a bag for iniquity wherein he doth as it were seal up mens sins to bring them forth as Evidences and charge them upon every one as the matter requires And as God is said to have a Book and a Bag so he is said to have a Bottle Psal 56.8 Put my tears into thy bottle are they not in thy book This I say we should charge upon our hearts and renew this charge from day to day till we have some power over them For though it be true that God alone hath the Soveraignty over and is the great disposer of our hearts yet under him we may do much What Man is there whose conscience will not tell him if he consult with it that when his heart is flat and dead alienated from all serious thoughts of the presence of God with him that this is his own neglect his own willful neglect for he knows that when he hath a business to manage of any considerable concernment for his outward estate he can easily command his heart to think on it yea and cannot put it out of his mind when he would so that The abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep Eccl. 5.12 Therefore let us not neglect any longer to exercise that authority which God hath given us over our hearts if we desire our Souls should continue to prosper We must serve him in righteousness and holiness all our days and every day But all we do will come very far short not only of what it ought to be but of what it might be unless we do what we do before him as in his sight Luk. 1.75 Thus of the Second Direction 3. Spiritualize the Providences of every day I mean improve them to some spiritual advantage so as thereby some gracious impressions may be wrought upon your hearts that thereby the duties of the day may be better performed principles of godliness more seasonably exercised and the workings and stirrings of corruption more timely checkt and throughly mortified This will exceedingly help scarce any thing more to preserve the Soul in its thriving and prospering frame Consider then that every day in respect of the Providences of God it is filled up withal is either one of those two days mentioned Eccles 7.14 Either a day of Prosperity or a day of Adversity Or else like that day mentioned Zech. 14.6 Neither clear nor dark but mixt mercies given in one part of the day and crosses taking their turn in the other Now it hath been experienced to be a great means of promoting and preserving Soul-prosperity to spiritualize both the one and the other 1. If the day be a day of Prosperity i. e. if no evil befalls us but that according to the promise Psal 121.7 8 The Lord shall preserve thee from evil The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in When God blesseth the beginning and ending of what we undertake this hath enough in it to raise up in our hearts high thoughts of God that he should load us with benefits Psal 68.19 Such as may be very effectual to keep us under those obligations which his bounty and goodness lays upon us Thus it wrought in David Psal 116. He is reckoning up the mercies of God toward him Then ver 5. He exalteth God in his heart And ver 7. His Soul retires into God and takes up its rest and satisfaction in him alone And ver 9. He heightens his resolution Thus it was with David and thus it may be with us Especially when the thriving prospering Soul hath ground and reason enough to see the present mercies of what kind soever they be as having relation unto and being pledges of Eternal mercies This sweetens them and heightens them how little soever how common soever they be that they may say as David 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I and what is my father's house This makes them more heart-melting more heart-obliging then otherwise they would be or possibly can be to any Soul that is either dead in sin or in a dying withering languishing condition Six pence received only as a six pence doth not affect the heart like that which is received as an earnest of a greater Sum which shall certainly upon such a day be given to us so it is here when we can conclude that he who kept us this day from evil that it hath not grieved us as Jabes prayed 1 Chron. 4.10 and hath given us quiet and comfortable rest this night can and certainly will keep us by his mighty power through faith unto salvation and this night's rest is a pledge unto us of Eternal rest in those heavenly mansions above in our Father's house And this conclusion though no Man else can yet thriving and prospering Souls may make 2. If the day be a day of Adversity a day filled up with sad tidings or sad events yet the Providences of such a day may be spiritualized to the spiritual advantage of the Soul By a believing consideration from what hand they come as Job did ch 1. ver 21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away For what cause A man for the punishment of his sin Lam. 3.39 What God aims at therein sc our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness From what principle David believed that it was in faithfulness to the interest of his Soul that God afflicted him Psal 119.75 A believing consideration I say of these things in such a sad and dark day will conduce to preserve the Soul in a prospering frame By melting down the will into the will of God and by raising up the heart in the exercise of faith hope and patience quietly to wait for support under benefit by and in due time such a deliverance from them all as they shall be able to say to the praise of God's free grace truth and faithfulness as Jacob notwithstanding all his troubles in his life-time which were neither few nor small did on his Death-bed That the Lord delivered him from all evil Gen. 48.16 3. If the day be a mixt day as most days are some comforts some crosses some things going for us and some things against us these parti-coloured Providences may be spiritualized for our Souls advantage and be unto us as the side-wind to the Ship that best fills all the Sails variety of gracious principles may be exercised In such a day we find enough to humble us enough to make us thankful and thoughtful what to render unto the Lord. That it is no worse That it is so well as the King of Spain said when he heard of the miscarriage of
toward the mark As knowing that the Soul never prospers so much but it may prosper more for no Man knows when he hath all the grace he shall have And if we do not endeavour that we may prosper more things will not prosper long 2 Pet. 3.17 18 Beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness But grow in grace If If ye grow not ye will fall from your stedfastness which ye have attained unto 5. As we should realize the presence of God with us daily and keep our Souls under God's eye So put them over and their well-fare and prosperity into God's hands to preserve them We know that Job prospered in his outward estate so long as God kept up the hedge about him and all that he had Job 1.10 So it is with our Souls They and the gracious principles that are in them are preserved in and by his hand Jude v. 1. Sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Christ Jesus 2 Chron. 32.26 Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart When David's Soul was in a prospering frame see how he prays 1 Chro. 29.18 O Lord God keep this for ever in the imaginations of the thoughts of thy people i. e. That those gracious impressions might not wear off It is worth our observing that the Lord Jesus knew what extraordinary gifts and graces the Apostles were to receive yet all this would not do if God should let them go out of his hand Joh. 17.6 6 And lastly Because there will be remisness in observing this and what other Directions ye may have from the word whereby the well-fare of the Soul may be endangered as by Communing with our own hearts we shall find be sure that ever now and then as the matter requires we set time apart for more serious examination humiliation and renewing the exercise of repentance faith c. Such times are like scouring times which Vessels stand sometimes in need of though washed every day This is the way if there be any defect to set all things right again Rev. 2.5 Remember whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works Thus I have shewed you what the work is that prospering Souls have to do if they desire and they ought to desire it with all their might and all their strength that they may prosper still It is a work that never must be at an end while the Soul is in the Body I say no more to it but conclude with that 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall If any think that these Directions are too many I suppose that upon farther consideration those that do think so may see reason to think otherwise For so far as I can apprehend not one of them can be spared they one help another Those that understand nothing of a Watch may possibly wonder what need there should be of so many Wheels so near one another and that they will but hinder one another but those that have understanding in things of this nature do know that one Wheel helps forward another It is so here This is all I have to speak upon this branch of the Use I now proceed to a few words to each of those two Cases mentioned the last day 1. How a Man may manage the business of his calling and all his worldly affairs so as to promote his prosperity in the World and not prejudice but thereby farther his Soul-prosperity Ans 1. It is without question not only lawful but every Man's duty to be diligent in his calling and to manage it with honesty and integrity to his best advantage that he may prosper in the World in reference to those ends for which Callings were ordained That he may eat the labour of his hands Psal 128.1 and not eat his fingers ends as it is said of idle persons That with quietness he work and eat his own bread 2 Thes 3.12 And be helpful to others Eph. 4.28 Therefore he ought to be diligent to know the state of his flock and to look well to his herds Prov. 27.23.24 Not to leave all to the care of his servants Under this one particular a provident care over Mens estates in every other Calling is likewise injoined that so nothing be lost Joh. 6.12 2. But though this be true yet every one that desires that above all things his Soul may prosper ought not to make Religion a complement as too many do but his chief business The Lord Jesus owed and payed respect and subjection to his parents Luk. 2.57 Yet he declared that he must attend his heavenly Father's business ver 49. Thus David Psal 119.38 thy servant who is devoted to thy fear As a Scholar who devotes himself to his study makes learning his business So we ought to mind this one thing as most necessary Luke 10.42 It 's true it may be with a Christian that seriously minds the prosperity of his Soul as it is with Mariners at Sea they are bound for such a Coast but whilst they are sailing they may meet with a cross Wind which may drive them the quite contrary way but as soon as the storm is over they recover themselves and get into the right way wherein they Sailed before So a Christian one that is so indeed is bound for Heaven and the holy word of God is the Compass he sails by Yet a contrary wind of temptation blowing he may be driven back but he recovers himself again by the exercise of Faith and Repentance and sails on constantly toward his heavenly Port. Thus he that minds above all prosperities the prosperity of his Soul ought to make Religion his business he is devoted unto it To him to live is Christ Phil. 1.21 3. Both these being true That every Man hath or ought to have a Calling to follow which he ought with prudence providence and diligence to attend for the support of his outward estate according to the condition wherein God hath set him Every Man hath or ought to have a Calling to follow which he ought to manage with all his heart all his might and all his strength as that which is for the most desirable prosperity the prosperity of his Soul therefore he ought to manage the former in subordination to this God never intended them otherwise Still he would have us to abide with God in our Calling 1 Cor. 7.24 That a Man so drive his Trade for the World as not to hinder his Trade for Heaven His home-trade within doors his Shop his Ware-house his Working-house his Oxen or his Farm must not rob his Closet nor indispose him much less take him off from those private duties of Religion whereby Communion between God and his Soul may be preserved and increased Nor yet must his forreign Trade hinder him from walking as becomes the Gospel in all his converse with others but that he may as the matter requires shew forth the