might sail faster and safer to its designed port and is not this advantage Sixthly Sweeter relishes of heavenly things are to Believers the blessed issues of the world's bitterness Harsh Providences on earthly comforts make heavenly things the more pleasant Men sometimes engraff sweet fruit on crab-treestocks and God gives honey to his children at the top of the rod Psal 94. 19. The thorn is one of the most cursed and angry and crabbed weeds and yet out of it springs the Rose Rutherford The sweet-meats of this world do too often put Christians pallats out of taste to cure which doth the Lord dish out his daintiest meat with sowre sauce Heavenly things never relish better than when there is less sweetness in the creature What a value did David put upon spiritual things when stript of all Psal 63. 1. Gospel-comforts will not down with such as are choak'd with the world's delicacies but when once the Saints are emptied of the world by cross providences then is Christ precius is not this a help to Heavenly Traders O then the more crosses you meet with in the world the more haste do you make to your Crown Doth the world fly from you pursue Heaven the faster Doth gain fall then advance godliness And if your gettings from Earth be small let your layings out for Heaven be great And thus much for the third Branch of Exhortation 4th Advice to such as are fallen back in Religion Fourthly A word to such as have begun this Heavenly Trade and are fallen back This is the case of some and may be of more in this hour of Temptation and Apostasie There are some have begun in the Spirit and are now ending in the flesh who have made a fair shew seem'd to be somewhat and like blazing comets drew the eyes of admirers on them for a time and then fell down to the Earth Some that have left the very form others that have lost the power and life of godliness Many have laid down their Lamp but more have spent their Oil and are almost come to a snuff Some have shut up shop are quite gone and have taken their leave of Religion resolving to return no more unless safety credit and interest return with them Others yet stay keep open shop but have little goods decay daily and are upon the breaking hand a waste is on their interests they have lost their first love decay'd in spirituals faith hope love zeal delight in God and liveliness for him are quite lost as hath been demonstrated in the use of Lamentation The design of this head is only to offer some advice towards the recovery of decayed broken Traders In which as hitherto for better illustration I shall keep to the metaphor in the Text. Advice 1. My first Advice to such in order to their recovery is to be deeply affected with their evil case First Consider 't is no small change for a person that hath lived well been in reputation with God and men fared deliciously been used to the dainties of God's house and delicacies of his love have tasted the heavenly gift and the powers of the world to come now to be brought to penury and scarce meet with a sweet morsel from day to day to be put off with husks and dry bones and the crumbs that fall from their Lord's Table to stand at his door or to wait without for some scraps when the friends of Christ and Wisdom's thriving Merchants have their marrow and fat things this is a great change For such as were wont to have a place amongst them that stand by to converse with the Father of Spirits to be let into the Presence chamber and have the visits of the Comforter and spiritual fellowship of Saints Now to be laid aside and scarcely look'd upon with a divine glance from day to day no entercourse with God or fellowship with the Spirit from one Lord's day to another but to be only company for formalists and hypocrites and such as are without this is a great change O get thy heart deeply affected with it Secondly Think also how unlovely offensive and displeasing an object in the eyes of God a withered decayed Professor is his soul takes no pleasure in him Heb. 10. 38. He doth not care for the company of such they are a burden to him he loves no more to see them than men do dead corps in their houses and rotten trees in their garden he bethinks the place they stand in as cumbring the ground Luke 13. 7. he counts them unworthy of the Kingdom of God having put their hand to the Plough and then look back Luke 6. 62. Nothing more troubles his soul than a lukewarm temper that was once burning in love but now is neither hot nor cold such ride on the stomach of Christ and make him down-right sick till he hath vomited them out into the dunghill from whence they came and is not this matter of trouble to a sensible heart Rev. 3. 16. Thirdly Such have little desirableness in the eyes of men also Who cares to deal with broken Merchants or keep company with spend-thrifts that have wasted their estates and are come to nothing no more do gracious souls care for converse with backsliders Decayed Professors are like broken vessels in whom there is no pleasure and as a withered hand or broken bone in the body which hath lost both its usefulness and beauty A broken Trader in Religion is valued by none the men of the world cannot endure him because he hath been seemingly godly and Saints cannot love him because he is not really gracious Such like Absolom when hung by the hair lye between Heaven and Earth as unworthy of either and as a person held in a strait passage cannot go forward nor backward he cannot go far enough to keep pace with the prophane nor go back to fill up his place with the pious the Saints reject him the wicked will not receive him In such a pitiful case is a withered decayed soul he hath no comeliness in him for which he should be desired Fourthly They are the greatest losers of any who break in Religion for they not onely lose their own goods but others also their talents graces priviledges and experiences are their Lord's goods which they have wasted in riotous living they lose what they once had what they seemed to have or were fair for and they lose what they hope to have Luke 16. 1. Mat. 25. 29. 2 Epist Joh. v. 8. Gal. 3. 4. All their enjoyments tastes comforts frames experiences are lost All their profession faith love conscience are shipwrackt All their duties labours sufferings come to nothing if they are not recovered again to repentance Here men estimate their losses to be great from the quality variety or abundance of the things they lose all which are yet but temporal but the Treasures that Professors are in chase of and which they shall surely have if they be sincere and faithful to
THE Heavenly Trade OR THE Best Merchandizing The only way to live well IN IMPOVERISHING TIMES A Discourse occasioned from the decay of earthly Trades and visible wastes of Practical Piety in the day we live in offering Arguments and Counsels to all towards a speedy revival of dying Godliness and timely prevention of the dangerous issues thereof impending on us By BARTHOLOMEW ASHWOOD Minister of the Gospel Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life Joh. 6. 27. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added to you Matth. 6. 33. Ne nimium operae consumas in rebus levissimis fugax aetas vitreares valetudo non quibuslibet est impendenda quaedam despicienda sunt animus ad magna est erigendus Eras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isocrat London Printed for Samuel Lee near Pope's Head Alley over against the Church in Lombard-street 1678. To my honoured Friend Mr. Jeremy Holwey Merchant in BRISTOL SIR BOth Equity and Interest do give you a peculiar claim to this off-spring of my weak Labours it being born in your House and drawing its first breath in your famous City 'T was with you I had the occasion and from your Self the practical encouragement to treat on this Subject while under your roof I enjoyed for divers weeks the advantage of your converse and beheld in your expressions and conversation a fair display of this Heavenly Trade This cherished my hopes that a discourse of this nature might find or help to make more such Traders in your August and Merchandizing City A place among its many Ornaments made happy with Gospel enjoyments and the lovers of Truth and Peace 'T is Religion is the honour and prosperity of a People It lays their foundation with Agates and makes their borders of pleasant stones Isa 54. 'T is like the Crown of Solomon with which his Mother crowned him in the day of his espousals and in the day of the gladness of his heart Cant. 3. 11. This gives them Peace within their walls and Prosperity within their Palaces Psal 122. 7. It brings down a blessing on their Basket and Stores fills their Chambers with all precious and pleasant riches Prov. 24. 4. And decay in this Heavenly Trade is doubtless one reason of those wasts in mens earthly Trades There is no such way for men to thrive in their own interests as to be faithful to God's interest As 't was said of Caesar that by setting up Pompey's Image he established his own whereas a decay of Godliness brings a Moth on mens earthly Trades also Hos 5. 11 12 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the Commandment therefore will I be unto Ephraim a Moth and to the house of Judah as rottenness Gregory gives this reason why Dives was tormented in his Tongue because he talk'd much of Religion but practised little Verba legis in ore tenuit quae opere servare Contempsit We live in an age of much talking of God but of little walking with God Mens tongues are tipt with Heaven but their hearts and feet sunk into the World and are full of Pride Vanity and Deceit What was said of Diogenes Synopensis That in Opinion he was a Stoick but in Conversation an Epicure may be sadly reflected on many Professors in this Age who espouse strict Principles but lead loose Lives and only Treat for Heaven but Trade for Earth But Sir You have not so learned Christ or received this Spirit which is of the world but that which is of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. Your devotedness to the Lord making your earthly Interests subservient to things above with your Zeal Courage and Constancy in the way of God and natural care for the things of his Glory do bespeak you to be a Trader of another Countrey whose work and wages are above And certainly whatever men think a walking with God in his appointments and a conscientious care in every thing to please him will one day appear to be the greatest interest even in their eyes who now despise it neither is there at present any thing in the ways of God which Souls have cause to be ashamed of however cloathed with Calumny and Scorn by men nor can they who walk in them in Truth be deprived of any real interest by the utmost severity of those that would run them down And were there no other Argument to perswade men to the choice and persuit of Godliness this were sufficient even that relief gracious Souls find from a reflexion on their Vprightness to bear them up under their greatest sufferings yea that serenity peace and sweet acquiescence of Spirit which sincerity affords them under the most dreadful issues which divine pleasure may allot them here It must needs set Religion above all other Interests its Enemies themselves being Judges if they would be rational that the worst things of Holiness even then when Believers are under the saddest Circumstances are chosen and preferred by them above the best things of the world yea they are thought a good bargain when purchased with their greatest Sufferings Surely humour will not engage such who know the usefulness of earthly Comforts and have least reason to be prodigal of them to expose themselves and their dearest concerns in the world unto ruine but for what they are perswaded is far better Hebr. 10. 34. Nor can it be thought obstinacy or hypocrisie in those who know their own hearts and the terrors of the Lord to persist in those ways that would cost them their earthly All and lay them open to divine wrath too should they be false and disobedient Certainly did not prejudice and passion blind mens eyes the calm exercise of their own light would restrain them from such an uncharitable censure of those that desire to fear God though they walk in some ways different from their understanding while they labour to approve their integrity to God and men and are found faithful to that measure of light they have received But possibly this Piece may not fall into such hands or be permitted long under their eye My hopes at least my desires are that it may prosper with those who profess better things And if it shall please the Lord who sometimes uses clay and spittle and Goats hair and counts the things that are not as if they were to make this of any service to your Self and Family and unto those who profess his Name in your City for whom I have so high respect in the Lord it will abundantly compensate the labour and answer the design of him who is and desires to approve himself SIR Your Servant in Christ Jesus Barthol Ashwood TO THE READERS ESPECIALLY Those who are the more peculiar Objects of my Care Love and Labours NOtwithstanding the high Pretensions to Light and Wisdom in the Times we live in beyond some former Ages there is no small
who keepest up this Trade for Heaven and thrivest therein here hast thou marks of a Prosperous Trade in Godliness and several Doubts cleared up about thy Soul-thrivings with those Important Duties opened which this Peculiar Mercy calls for Gather out of this Garden what Physick or Food thou needest and Apply and Improve it praying for the Assistance of that Spirit that hath been frequently and solemnly begged both for the Forming and Blessing of this Discourse unto all that read it You who have been Hearers of this Subject though in somewhat different Expressions suited to your Capacity and Advantage in the Delivery of it have reason above others to Receive and Improve this Message Twice sent unto you But you Especially my dear Friends the Care of whose Souls is upon me for whose sake chiefly these Truths were at first Delivered and are now made Publick have the most obliging reasons to get them Copied out upon your Hearts and in your Lives To you Firstly more Especially yea most Affectionately was and is this Word of salvation fent and presented again to your View that you might have these things abiding with you and that they might live in your Eye which have founded in your Ear and be speaking to you when I shall be removed out of your sight and be beyond all Capacity to serve your precious and immortal Souls that when I can plead no more for God or with you I may in this be speaking to you and others in the behalf of Christ and glorious though despised Holiness This has been the prevailing Argument with me to discover my weakness to the World and expose my self to the censure or scorn of some I have the greatest reason to expect from you the Entertainment of these Truths who have chosen and received me in the Lord to declare the Gospel of his Son to you You also have known my Labours Infirmities and Afflictions with you and for your sake that for Twenty years space I have served you in the Gospel in reproach wants weaknesses dangers and sufferings neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I may finish my course with joy and the Ministery which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God yea being so affectionately desirous of you I have been willing to have imparted to you not the Gospel of God onely but also my own Soul Because you were dear unto me you know and have acknowledged the suitableness of this Subject unto your own Cases and how evidently the condition of most of you is opened here and suited by the convictions counsels reprehensions consolations of this discourse there are some among you that I am jealous of with a godly jealousie lest I should have laboured in vain for you and your minds be corrupted from the simplicity of the Gospel through the temptations of this present world I have often cried aloud in your ears against the sin and have warned you of the danger of an earthly spirit and conversation and do tell you now even weeping that such are enemies to the Cross of Christ who mind earthly things until you are crucified to the world you have no saving benefit of the cross of Christ or can ever behold the face of God in heaven until you are redeemed from the earth all your Profession Parts Duties and Enjoyments will be but so many Witnesses against you if after all you are lovers of this present World Coveting to be rich will also make your Souls poor and deprive you of the refreshments of his presence and consolations of his blessed spirit and will be a manifest evidence that you have little of those pleasures that are from above 'T was faid of pious Mr. Bain That he sought not great matters in the World being taken up with comforts and griefs to which the World was a stranger The more a Soul converses in heaven and lives upon the first fruits of the other world the less will he be taken with things below when Abraham came to live by faith and in a view of that City whose Maker and Builder is God the Plains of Sodom and Spoils of Canaan were to him but mean things I never cared much for the world saith one since I came to know better things You have tasted that the Lord is gracious you have fed on the fat things of his house and have found a day in his Courts better than a thousand elsewhere and must be self-condemned if you prefer not God above Ten thousand Worlds and count the enjoyment of himself riches enough yea if you esteem not the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt 'T was a brave speech of that noble Galeatius when he had left his Honour Interest and Relations for Christ and the Gospel sake I have saith he riches honour and joy enough while in this Cottage I may live in the Church of God enjoy his Word and People and have time to converse with God by holy meditation and with my Friends about Gods great goodness to me in my Conversion cursed for ever be that Religion which weds men to the World and divorces them from God There are others of you I fear fallen back in your spiritual state former days were better than now and the shadow gone back some degrees upon the Dial of your hearts who it may be have left your first love have lost your spiritual taste more dead to the things of God Cold and Formal in Duty possibly you have hid your face from God and he hath compassed himself with a cloud before you You have neglected your walks with God and he hath with-held converse with you For the recovery of such from whence they have fallen to their first love and labours is part of this Discourse framed hear what the Spirit saith therein Attend and Obey those Counsels return to your first love and do your first works least the Lord take the Candlestick out of his place and leave you in that wilderness into which you wander Some of you who are fearers of God yet walk in darkness and see no light have your continual Exercises and frequent Complaints that he who should have comforted your souls is removed far from you My Advice to you is to walk in the light when you sit in darkness and wait for the light when the even shadows are upon you 'T is but a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry the Son of righteousness is upon his journey towards you and 't will not be long ere it be risen upon you Are there any of you who have better days does your Bow abide in strength are your Affections warm towards your Beloved and your hearts sometimes burn within you while he is talking to you in his Word Do you long for his Appearance and delight in his Presence and press hard after him in his Appointments Do you love the Word
duty and providence calls them too and with the Chymist are to extract some good from every thing they deal with and like the Bee gather Honey from weeds yet this good they get from persons and things is not in them but conveyed through them from the great Purchaser with whom they deal good from every thing to these heavenly Traders and Heirs of Salvation is made over in the propromise All things shall work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose Rom. 8. 28. and shall in due time through these Conduits be emptied out to Believers by the hand of Jesus So that it is properly and strictly but with one great Merchant those Traders have to do with for the goods they lay out or take in all other things and persons are but ways and instruments of his appointment through which it shall be delivered and this makes Wisdom's Trade so good that the advantage of it is not depending on those secondary Agents they have to do with but upon one that is more excellent both great and good able and faithful to answer both his promises and the expectations of those that deal with him As to his Quality and personal Grandeur he is above all and over all King of Kings and Lord of Lords He hath a vesture on his thigh whereon is written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. He is the Majesty on high the Glory of Heaven and Earth he hath Angels to worship him Thrones and Principalities under him all creatures in Heaven and in Earth to serve him O! how honourable is it to deal with him to whom Kings and Potentates pay their tribute and to whom Men and Angels yield their homage It 's taking with Men to converse with those that are above them and to manage concerns with Persons of Honour and Greatness but here 's one Souls that offers to trade with you from whom all creatures receive their glory Yea his Goodness answers his Greatness and sweetly tempers his personal converse for the encouragement of the meanest Soul that hath occasions with him Greatness without Goodness rather checks than relieves the hopes of those that are beneath it but such is the sweetness of Christ's nature as that his Glory doth but render his Goodness the more amiable and his Goodness represents his Glory the more desirable he values no man by his own worth nor despises any for their low estate the meanest Soul hath as easy access to him and as gracious a reception as persons of highest reputation with men I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Isa 57. 15. He is of a sweet and gracious temper of a free and generous spirit good to all especially to those that seek him this renders persons desirable who would choose to deal with men of ugly natures and churlish dispositions affability and sweetness do strongly invite men to converse with such and none like to Jesus for excellent goodness and loving kindness for pitty and bounty goodness is his nature mercy his delight he takes pleasure in doing good none that trade with him but he will see them to be the better for it He is also able as well as good Some men have excellent natures but straitned capacities they are willing to do good beyond their power but it is not so with the Saints friend He hath all power in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18. and can do what-ever pleaseth him he hath all creatures at his command all the treasures of Heaven at his dispose he is infinitely rich and hath all that good that Souls can need or desire he hath goods of all kinds of supply his Customers with it is not so with men no Merchant can furnish his Traders with every thing they need but one sells this ware another that here men sail to one Countrey for one Commodity and to another Countrey for other Wares they ransack Nature's treasures by Sea and Land borrow something from every Nation that hath a peculiar excellency to make up their supplies and furnish all their occasions and pleasures but the Lord Jesus hath all that in him and at his dispose which you need he can supply all your wants having all fulness dwelling in him Phil. 4. 19. He hath that in him which your Souls want and the command of that you need for your Bodies also He can give you the desires of your heart Psal 37. 4. He is able to make all grace abound towards you that you always having all-sufficiency in all things may abound in every good work 2 Cor. 9. 8. Here 's no less than five All 's that flow from the ability of Christ to Believers All grace abounding in them All sufficiency enjoy'd by them All ways in All things for All good works Did Souls but believe the all-sufficiency of Christ they would not so perplex their spirits when in wants with what shall I eat and with what shall I be clothed and how shall I get this and the other mercy I want when all is offered to Wisdom's Merchants freely for godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come and these promises are in the hand of Jesus for all that come to God by him All things are delivered to me of the Father Matt. 11. 27. The Lord Jesus is not only able to give you all that you ask according to his will having all things delivered to him for that end but he can keep it for you and secure it to your use I am perswaded that he is able to keep that good thing I have committed to him against that day 2 Tim. 1. 12. This all-sufficiency of Christ is argument enough to new-Covenant-federates for a calm and quiet dependance on him and holy walking before him Gen. 17. 1. And that which is exceeding pleasing to Traders also he is faithful as well as able he is one of his word that makes good all his promises to a tittle to those that by Faith deal with him The holy one of Israel cannot lie or alter the word that is gone out of his mouth hath he said and shall he not do it hath he spoken and shall he not make it good Numb 23. 19. and Rev. 1. 5. He is the faithful witness faithful is his name And he that sate upon the Throne was called faithful and true Rev. 19. 11. And faithfulness is his nature in comparison of whom every man is a liar Let God be true and every man a liar Rom. 3. 4. If the Lord Jesus were not faithfull to his word and undertaking the Father would not have trusted him with all the concerns of his glory and people in the world neither had he been a fit person for the Elect to have committed unto him their souls and all
seven years service consumed with drought in the day and frost in the night and his sleep departed from his eyes Thus have I been twenty years in thy house I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters and six years for thy cattel and thou hast changed my wages ten times Gen. 31. 40 41. And yet all this he could bear to enjoy the object of his love So 't is with earthly minded men all their capacities are engaged about earthly things their chiefest strength is laid out about their Trades callings and businesses in the world seldom minding soul-concerns little employed in religious duties now and then hear read pray as may stand with interest cold sleighty formal sleepy in duty but all life when about the world ready to complain prayer is too long preaching tedious too much time spent in duty what need this waste Matth. 26. 8. All seems lost to flesh and blood which is spent on Christ and his service Mr. Trap But all too little for the world weary themselves for very vanity stick at nothing that will help them to their desired interests undergo any hardships turn the back on any duties adventure health reputation the displeasure of God with all their spiritual mercies yea and the eternal welfare of their souls also rather than lose an advantage in the world This is the spirit of too many this day Men that seem to be somewhat bid fair for salvation with the young man in the Gospel like the terms well come up to every thing but this cannot part with the world for Christ come up to every thing onely with Naaman must be pardoned in this that they have a Rimmon to bow to 2 Kings 5. 18. In every thing else they will consent to follow Christ but in this they must be spared when their farms their merchandise and profit calls for them then the concerns of Christ and their souls must stand by and affections like a flood run over all that lies in their way take no notice what Scripture or Conscience say deaf to all arguments that thwart interest This is the case of a worldly heart his chiefest strength is laid out about earthly things these must be followed and sought after whatever becomes of the soul and spiritual things What is that so great hope saith Seneca what so great necessity that stoops man who was made upright to contemplate Heaven and buries and drowns him in the deeps of the Earth to get out that gold which is not got with less danger than 't is kept Sen A little strength for duty will serve the turn but a great deal of time care and labour must the world have Surely the world rules that heart that comes and goes at its bidding and can leave all to follow it c Quae tanta spes fuit quae tanta necessitas hominem ad sidera erectum incurvavit defodit in fundum telluris intime mersit ut erueret aurum non minore periculo quaerendum quam possidendum Sen. at the command of interest You will judge him another man's servant who whatever he is doing will leave it all when his Master calls him and follow him Let men think what they will God hath no part for the present in that soul that can do more to enjoy the world than God and counts any thing more necessary than to converse with obey and serve him Fourthly The delight and pleasure men take in earthly things declare that their hearts are let out upon them Where the heart is there will the delights be d Cordis vita est amor Love is is the very life of the soul Alsted Theol. natur p. 613. When Jonathan's heart was knit with the heart of David 1 Sam. 18. 1. as an evidence of it Chap. 19. 2 Jonathan Saul's Son delighted much in David e Delectatio sit quies quaedam appetitus considerata presentia boni delectantis quod appetitui satisfacit Aqui. 12. 9. 31. 1. 2. M. Delight is the rest of desire in the fruition of that good the heart is set upon which satisfies the desire Reynolds of the Passions Cap. 19. Pag. 197. One calls it the Sabbath of our thoughts and that sweet tranquillity of mind which we receive from the presence and fruition of that good whereunto our desires have carried us If then mens delights in the world exceed their pleasure in God 't is a sign the world is their chiefest good Wicked men delight in their abominations and that proves their ways to be of choice Isa 63. 3 They have chosen their own ways and their soul delighteth in their abominations Try thy heart by thy pleasure what is sweetest to thy taste God or the World What is most delightful to thee to wait on God though with the loss of the world or to pursue the world with the want of God Men cheat their own Souls when they say the enjoyment of God is better than the world and yet for every trifle and smallest advantage can upon choice baulk the enjoyment of God in his appointments and cannot adventure the least loss and prejudice to their interest though it were for the nearest fellowship with God certainly that which is the Souls greatest pleasure that will it make after when left to its liberty Canst thou leave the snow of Lebanon for the waters of Assyria Pass by a walk in Christ's gallery to sit down and solace thy self on the dunghil-comforts of this life then are not thy chiefest delights in God Psal 27. 4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his temple If the beholding of God in Ordinances be thy delight it will be the one thing in thy desires and endeavours also all other things are nothing to that If thy chiefest pleasure be in God then nothing but a conviction of duty can make thee upon choice decline an opportunity of waiting on God and even then also when obedience to God sets thy hand to the world delight in God will engage thy longings after him and make thy greatest comforts thou art then pursuing a weight and a burden to thy soul because they stand between thy heart and communion with God Thy affections will be like the Kine that drew the Ark to Bethshemesh that lowed after their Calves as they went 1 Sam. 16. 12. When thou art constrained to draw in the Cart of thy duty-employments even then will thy desires belowing after the comfort of thy relation-interest in God How is it soul speak Is not a good Fair and Bargain sweeter to thee and doth more affect thy heart than a sermon and a duty Dost thou not use to follow the world with thy back on fellowship with God and Saints and not the least regret in thy spirit or cloud on thy comforts if so thy heart is
press you down and the sin that doth so easily beset you Heb. 12. 1. If you will set your affections on things above you must first take them off from things beneath Col. 3. 2. He that sets his face towards Heaven must turn his back upon the world Phil. 3. 13. Forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forth unto those things that are before The world is one of those things Christians must leave behind them if ever they think to reach Heaven b Debebamus magno animo contemnere vitam mundum pleno pectore anhelare ad futuram gloriam aeternae vitae Luther in Gen. We should saith Luther with a certain greatness of mind contemn this life and world and with a large heart breathe after the future glory of an Eternal Life Till you are brought to a contempt of this world and can count it as dross and dung you can never value Heaven or pursue things above with an even and uninterrupted heart That soul which designs to make Religion its work must be ready to attend it at all times and to have the heart composed and fitted to all the instructions that lead to it which an earthly heart cannot do A light and mutable spirit now for God and then for the world is unfit for this great employment He that puts his hand to the plough and looks back is unmeet for the Kingdom of God Luke 9. 62. And such is a heart under the command of earthly things 't is never stedfast with God the things of this world fill the soul with wind and make it light and trifling about the things of God The heart of man is like that Jewel I have read of that one gave to Alexander that while it was kept bright weighed down the choicest gold and most precious stones but if once it fell into the dust and took rust it was lighter than a feather And so is the heart if it falls into the dusty things of this world The Church cloathed with the Sun hath the Moon under her feet Rev. 12. 1. The more a soul is filled with the pure knowledge of God and shining in its conversation the more it is lifted up above the world The nearer Heaven the farther from Earth The more separate from the world saies Mr. Greenhill on Ezek. 3. 23. the more fit for communion with God Ezekiel must leave his house and go into the plain and there the Lord will talk with him The King's daughter must forget her own people and her Father's house ere the King would greatly desire her beauty Psal 45. 10 11. And Abraham must leave his Countrey and pleasant habitation before he could get into a way of frequent communion with God and so must a soul in heart and affections sit loose from the ensnaring things of this world if ever he thinks to drive this Heavenly Trade c Tanto magis adhaeret Deo quilibet quanto minus diligit proprium By so much the more saith Augustine doth any one cleave to God as he ceases from loving his own interests Direct 6. You must resolve on this also To submit to all the instructions the Lord Jesus gives you to go thorough all the labours and bear all the burdens that this Heavenly Trade calls you to every Art and Calling have their principles and rules by the knowledge and obedience of which they are attain'd to and so hath Religion And as Piety is the highest and noblest profession so are its principles more pure and mysterious and with greatest difficulty attainable Acquired knowledge furnishes men with light sufficient for all earthly undertakings but to this Heavenly Trade both infused and acquired understanding is needful both rules and an eye to discern them must be given if ever this Art be obtained For this end the Lord Jesus is given for a light of the Gentiles to open the blind eyes that they may see Isa 42. 6 7. and for a Prophet to teach and instruct them the way they should go and to hear and obey him as such is the absolute duty of all that have given themselves up to his conduct and government Acts 3. 22. A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you He hath undertaken to inwise them that obey him and to shew them what they must do Acts 9. 6. And if they go on to know they shall know the Lord if they sit at his feet and hear his Word Deut. 33. 3. he will shine out to them and send out a fiery Law for them In order to which instruction your duty is to hear him to watch daily at his gates and to wait at the posts of his house Prov. 8. 34. when he calls say with Samuel Speak Lord for thy servant heareth 1 Sam. 3. 10. And whatsoever he saith said the Mother of our Lord unto you do it John 2. 5. Slight no directions stick at no difficulties in comporting with his pleasure 't is for the life of your souls obedience is so necessary in the Disciples of Christ as that without it no true knowledge can be attained here John 7. 17. if any man doth his will he shall know the Doctrine nor salvation hereafter Heb. 5. 9. he became the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him His yoke is easie and his burden is light Prov. 8. 5 6. Prov. 3. 17. He enjoyns you nothing but what is needful profitable excellent and pleasant Hear and your souls shall live Isa 53. 3. Shall the servants of men come go do this or that when they are bidden Matt. 8. 8. Yea shall the Devil's slaves do the greatest drudgeries run most desperate adventures throw themselves from pinacles yea damn their souls at his bidding and the servants of Christ so disobedient when 't is for their own concerns their mercies and advantages are wrapt up in it and that to so rational and easie injunctions The consideration of this prevailed with a Heathen to obedience when against his inclination 2 King 5. 13. His servants came near and said My Father if the Prophet had bid thee do some great thing would'st thou not have done it seeing it is for thy life and health how much rather then when he saith to thee wash and be clean If his commands seem grievous let love sweeten them If his yoke seem heavy let his rest at the end of it render it easie when duties seem burdensom to flesh and blood his burdens heavy losses for the Gospel's sake great think thus better smart once than ever to undergo troubles in the way than at the end to have my bad things here rather than be tormented hereafter Luke 16. 25. and what pains and hardships will men undergo for gold that perisheth 1 Pet. 1. 7. yea for counters that cheat them and shall not I for an inheritance that fadeth not reserved in
and powerfully administred Be much in reading the Scriptures and such help 〈◊〉 the Lord gives you for your instruction and quickening 1 Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all V. 15. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hisce te exerceto jugiter constanter vehementer Buc. Be thou in them as the words are that is exercise thy self with these continually constantly and with all thy might let not a day pass without reading meditation and secret prayer that the inner-man may have all the recruits that are needful and b Whilest thou dost not follow the directing light of the Spirit thou shalt never have the quickening cherishing beams of it Culver appointed for its strengthening Your bodies can better want their appointed food than your souls their daily bread The want of constant feeding and sound digestion of spiritual provisions is one cause of that soul-leanness and spiritual languishing that abounds every where this day Thirdly If you will keep up a Heavenly Spirit be much in communion with the Father of Spirits Fellowship with God puts a stamp of Heaven upon the soul and leaves an impress of the Divine Nature on it 2 Cor. 3. 18. But 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 by the Spirit of the Lord. Views of God though but through the glass of Ordinances have an assimulating virtue and do transform the mind into his own likeness When Moses was taken up into a nearness to God he gets some abiding beams of his glory upon him and comes off with divine shines on his countenance Exod. 34. 35. When the Lord Jesus was got on to a high Mountain apart and had more near fellowship with Heaven 't is said He was transfigured and his face did shine Nearness to God does wonderfully warm and quicken the heart as approaches of the Sun do the body With thee is the fountain of life in thy light shall we see light Psal 36. 9. As the being of spiritual Life lies in union with-God in Christ by faith so is its well being maintained by communion with him in the Spirit who supplies the soul with quickenings as the fountain doth the vessel that 's put under it with waters God is in himself the Essential Life and to his people the fountain of Life c Tu Domine es vita per essentiam sons vitae per communionem a te omnis vita effluit ac incessanter proflait Jo. Paul Palant Thou Lord saith one art life by thy Essence and the fountain of Life by communion from thee all Life flows out and runs down uncessantly In fellowship the Lord Jesus lets out Himself Love and Spirit and this attracts the heart after God and strengthens the soul's motions after him Every act of fellowship with Christ here saith Mr. Reyner is a step Heaven-ward By it the heart is raised after God sweetly refreshed and strengthened with spiritual strength To live in fellowship with God saies the same Authour is to live at the highest rate under Heaven next to Heaven yea as in a corner of Heaven to live in the highest Region of Christianity 't is the Life of Paradise an Evangelical yea Angelical and Coelestial Life in comparison whereof the most men and women are dead Communion with God does wonderfully nourish the Heavenly Spirit and fatten the spiritual part of Believers Such saith Reyner suck a honey-comb eat fat things full of marrow and drink wine on the lees well refined spiced wine O Christians press after nearness to God in Ordinances and Duties rest not in highest priviledges without spiritual converse with God in them and communications of his Love and Life through them Fourthly Cherish heavenly motions in your hearts and be tender of all the breathings of the Spirit upon you It may be the Lord comes in upon the heart with some Spiritual Light or Life in a Sermon or in a Duty or when alone stirring up thy desires and warming thy affections making some offers of grace and help to thy dull and languishing soul take heed now how thou slightest or stiflest these this is one step to the quenching of the Spirit and impeding its gracious assistance and vital operations on thy soul 1 Thes 5. vers 19. Quench not the Spirit He that will kindle a fire gathers up every little coal and makes the most of the least spark The shavings of gold are gold and the smallest breathings of the Spirit are to be highly prized He that checks the first motions of the Spirit may never meet with the second and he that slights the least gifts of grace may forever miss of its larger doles O to what a height might grace come in thy soul if every stirring of it were improved God despises not the day of thy small things how unreasonable is it thou should'st overlook his The Lord Jesus Christians doth nourish and cherish the least good that is in you Ephes 5. 29. O be tender of whatever communications come from him to you This will abundantly help on the enlivenings and enlargements of this Heavenly Spirit Fifthly Dwell much in the meditation of Heaven this will heavenlize your spirit 'T was this made the Apostles persons of such heavenly spirits they did often look to things above 1 Cor. 4 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen No affliction could discourage them from owning and professing Christ nor earthly comforts allure their desires and delights from Christ and that which so strongly guarded their hearts from either of these dangers was a firm perswasion of an interest in future glory and a diligent observing eye upon this glory a levelling look at this mark does wonderfully raise the heart towards it and put in a new spirit and life into the soul strongly engaging all its attempts towards the enjoyment of it Frequent contemplations of Heaven do much wean the heart from this Earth If thou remembrest thou art not of this world earthly things shall onely be admitted into the Court of the Temple not into the heart which is the Holy of Holies Burg. on 17. Joh. How contemptibly did those Worthies of old look on this world when once they got sights of Heaven Heb. 11. They counted themselves strangers and pilgrims on the Earth were not mindful of their own Country went out from it would no more return to it sought an heavenly Countrey were perswaded of those great and glorious things above and embraced them laid hold of them by faith and made after them and that which did so powerfully work over their spirits to these things above was their believing sights of them V. 13. These all died in the faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off that is the things
promised viz. heavenly things of which Canaan was a type So a Tria participia refero ad promissionis rem significatam Patriam Coelestem quam unice desiderabant Paraeus refers the participles here to the things signified of the promise that heavenly Country which they onely desired Things nearest Heaven saith one take least care of the Earth The Fowls of the Air neither plow nor sow The glory of the world seems little to one that dwells much on the believing views of Heaven 'T is said of Fulgentius That when he beheld the splendour and joy of Rome the glory of the Roman Nobility the triumphant pomp of King Theodorick he was so far from being taken with it that it raised up his desires after heavenly joys the more saying How beautiful may the Coelestial Jerusalem be when terrestrial Rome so glittereth If such honour be given to lovers of vanity what glory shall be imparted to the Saints who are lovers and followers of truth Serious thoughts of Heaven will inflame the desires after it Our Conversation is in Heaven saith Paul whence also we look for the Saviour who shall change our vile bodies into the likeness of his glorious body Phil. 3. 20. We wait hope for and expect Heaven to be where this blessed Countrey is the breadth and length of which we now look into by faith If your thoughts be much on Heaven your longings will be much for Heaven I have read of one being in his journey towards Jerusalem thought he saw famous Cities in his way and met with many friendly entertainments yet would often say I must not stay here this is not Jerusalem So will thy heart say if thou conversest much in Heaven now when thou meetest with the most desirable comforts of this life yet this is not Heaven my affections must not stay here Allow time every day to take some turns in the upper world and to get thy heart held in the galleries above where are the sweetest delicacies and most delighting views to take thy heart and sublimate thy affections to these pure and eternal things Sixthly If you would keep up a Heavenly Spirit be much exercised in heavenly actions As is mens employments they are mostly versed about so usually is their spirit Actions strengthen habits Men that are much taken up about earthly things are earthly-minded their spirits being tinctured with the things they have much to do with Such are heavenly actions to gracious souls they draw forth and exercise their graces use makes men ready and adapts their spirits to their work The Apostle makes this an evidence of strength in grace that such are much in the exercise of it Heb. 5. 14. Strong meat belongeth to them who are of full age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil The more you are conversant about holy things the stronger will be the bent of your spirit to them the more facile and pleasant will Religion be and the indisposition of your spirit to it more abated Prov. 10. 29. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright The more you walk in it the less weary will you be the more pleasure will you find in it and the more propense will your spirit be to it This is the first work in Wisdom's Merchandise to get and keep up a Heavenly Spirit Secondly Another piece of your Heavenly Trade is to secure your interest in heavenly things This is part of mens business in the world to secure their interest in the things they have they mark their goods and brand their cattel and set their names on the things they have that their interest in them might be known And this is the great concern of Wisdom's Merchants also to make good their claim to and prove their propriety in the things of Heaven and Glory These are worth the securing being things of infinite moment and eternal duration other things are not O what folly is it to strive for shadows and lose the substance to get and secure Houses Lands and Reputation for your Children and to lose your souls As he that complained when he was to dye That he must burn in Hell for ever for geting an estate for his Son and neglecting his own soul What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul Matth. 16. 24. To make all things else sure and leave God Grace and Glory to an uncertainty As Caesar Borgia bewail'd when too late saying when he was near death I have endeavoured to secure me against every danger but death and having never thought of death must now dye Things eternal will then appear the greatest when men come to dye then an interest in God pardon and salvation will be valued beyond ten thousand worlds And is it not worth the looking after now And what can compensate the loss of that soul who miscarries in his All and hath nothing left but the tormenting sense of what he hath lost and the intolerable burden of what he hath found as the fruit of his often cautioned folly 'T is a dreadful thing to be disappointed of salvation-hopes What if thou should'st miss of glory at last and thy end should be to be cut off and to have thy portion with Hypocrites in that Lake which burns with fire and brimstone where the worm never dieth and the fire is never quenched Mark 9. 44. How could'st thou bear if when thou thinkest to enter into the joy of the Lord then in a moment to be thrust into the place of torment and when thou dreamest of carrying up into Abraham's bosome where is eternal pleasures to fall into the hands of God who is a consuming fire this is fearful And yet this may be thy case Think how possible nay how easy 't is for men to be deceiv'd in lesser matters and that they who have had the highest confidences of a future blessedness have been mistaken at last and all their hopes have expir'd as a falling Meteor and come to nothing Job 27. 8. For what is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained much when God taketh away his soul Men may think themselves to be something and yet be nothing Gal. 6. 2. Come with confidence to the Bridegroom's doors and demand an entrance as the foolish Virgins did and yet rejected Mat. 25. 11 12. Afterward came also the other Virgins that is when the door was shut saying Lord Lord open to us but he answered and said verily I say unto you I know you not They may seem to have some reason for their claim and produce evidences of their hope and yet be turned away as workers of iniquity Mat. 7. 22 23. Lord have we not prophesied in thy name have cast out Devils and in thy name have done many wonderful works And then will I profess to them I never knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquity The heart is deep and deceitful
to the Lord Jesus A flock of Sheep whereof every one beareth twins and not one is barren Cant. 4. 12 13 14 16. Ch. 4. 2. 'T is compared to the Palm-tree the Cedar the Vine the Fig-tree a green Olive plants famous for flourishing growth clusters of fruit constant fruitfulness 't is said of the Fig-tree it bears fruit all the year long and in many places they shall always find green figs on it Such is the Spouse of Christ compared with the world and hypocrites fruitful and flourishing A good tree bringeth forth good fruit Mat. 7. 17. The root of the righteous yieldeth fruit Prov. 12. 12. Where-ever the grace of God is received in truth there it brings forth fruit Col. 1. 6. As sin brings forth fruit unto death so doth grace unto life Rom. 6. 22. No sooner doth the Lord Jesus espouse a Soul but he heals it of its barrenness He maketh the barren Woman to keep house Psal 113. 9. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away Joh. 15. 2. A barren Christian is a monster in Religion no living member of Christ's body indeed there are Winter-seasons when fruit may not appear but even then 't is in the seed and sap and there is a preparative for fruit which appears in the season but to be always without the fruits of the Spirit love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance Gal. 5. 22 23. is a sign of one that never had marriage-union and intimate communion with Jesus Christ but is the certain mark of a fruitless Fig-tree in danger of cutting down and the character of that ground which is cursed and nigh to burning Luke 13. 7. 9. Heb. 6. 8. Souls try your state 't is for your lives your All depends upon your marriage-union with Christ Had you never any special acquaintance with Christ Have you no conjugal love to Christ Cannot you consent to leave all for Christ Do you usually live and stay on other things for life and salvation and not on Christ Have you been ever barren souls that never brought forth the fruits of the Spirit unto God then were you never married to Christ nor have any true title to heavenly treasures Mark 2. Secondly your interest in heavenly things is known by the naturalness and supremacy of your love to them Where the treasure is there will the heart be Mat. 6. 21. If heavenly things be yours your heart is there worldly men have the World set in their hearts Eccl. 3. 11. Their heart is but the World copied out so heavenly souls have Heaven set in their hearts which are but the counterpane of Heaven every thing hath a natural love to his own the World will love his own Joh. 15. 19. No man ever hated his own flesh Eph. 5. 29. What affections have brute beasts for their young and will venture their lives to defend and maintain them 'T is storied of the Storks when the Town of Delph in the low Countreys was on fire and the Storks perceived the fire to come near their nests they endeavoured to carry away their young but when they could not remove them they flutter'd over them with their wings covering them from the flames till they all perished together Belg. Com. wealth So strong is natural affection to its interest and the natural issues of it self much stronger should gracious affections be to their interests O how I love thy Law saith David 't is my meditation all the day long Psal 119. 97. Whence came this affection it was from his interest in those great and lovely truths Psal 119. 111. Thy testimonies have I chosen as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart Souls risen with Christ and born to the inheritance above will set their affections on things above Col. 3. 1 2. Where is thy heart Christian in Heaven or Earth what things are dearest to thee and sweetest to thy taste canst thou prize the light of God's countenance better than life had'st thou rather be a door-keeper in God's House than dwell in the Pavilions of this World Is a little of Heaven better than a great deal of Earth and can thy heart consent to be at any loss in the World to enjoy God in his Ordinances and to be enriched with spiritual blessings in heavenly places Then heavenly things are thine Mark 3. Thirdly if heavenly things be yours it will appear by your heart-cares for them and vigorous pursuits of them how careful are men of their interests to secure and enlarge them Phil. 2. 21. All men seek their own If the things of Heaven be yours your greatest care will be to get and keep them when Kish thought his Son Saul was lost he left caring for the Asses sorrowing for him saying What shall I do for my Son 1 Sam. 10. 2 Christians if heavenly things be yours they will lie nearer your hearts than all the World besides the sense or fear of losing them will more trouble you than all losses besides the world relations creature-comforts will be forgotten when you apprehend a death on your heavenly interests you will do more and part with more to get Heaven than the World and dearest comforts of it Many will pretend desires for Heaven as the young man in the Gospel but Christ will say to them as to his Hearers Mat. 5. 47. What do you more than others Souls you would have Christ here and Heaven hereafter but what do you for it what do you more than hypocrites and common professors whose portion is in this life can you leave the world for God can you deny your self for the pleasing of Christ and part with your right eye and right hand throw away your Idols of gold and silver the world and fleshly lusts and honour God with your time strength and substance Can you let your Plough stand still to follow God's and stick at no pains and hardships to enjoy the least spiritual good Then are heavenly things yours Mark 4. Fourthly Then are you interested in Heavenly Treasures when your hearts and spirits are suited to them when the Lord hath let in a heavenly tincture on your hearts and inlaid your spirits with heavenliness and a mind that answers to heavenly things as face answers face in the water When God intends men for Heaven he doth in time fit them for it and where he gives a title to mercy he gives a capacity also where he makes over the riches of glory he makes that soul a vessel fit for glory Men do not purchase Pearls for Swine and build Schools for brute beasts God did not make the Heavens for fishes and the Sea for beasts but suited every creature to its element They that are his Adoption are his new Creation also Ephes 2. 10. and when they are designed to a blessed end they are principled for it and have a disposition put into them to move towards it They that are set apart for Heaven hereafter do
God and secur'd your All in his hands Rule 3. Thirdly Keep your earthly business within the bounds of due time He that hath allotted you your work hath allotted you your time for it it consists not with man's state relation and interest to be arbitrary in any thing but to walk by rule There is a time for every thing under the Sun Eccles 3. 1. A time for every purpose and for every work verse 17. Job 7. 1. As there is an appointed time to man on earth so there is an appointed time to man for earthly things He that hath set bounds to the world hath not left worldly employments without bounds but hath fixed mens earthly affairs within their proper season Psal 104. 23. Man goeth forth to his work and to his labour until the evening The Psalmist acknowledges here the power and providence of God in setting bounds to his creatures bounds to the Sun and Moon Verse 19. He appointed the Moon for seasons and the Sun knoweth his going down Bounds to the day and night Verse 20. Thou makest darkness and it is night he limits the labours of wild beasts and men the beasts have their preyingtime confined to the night Verse 20. 22. And it is night wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth the Sun riseth they gather themselves together and lay them down in their dens Men have their working-time allotted in the day Man goeth forth to his work and labour until the evening that is to the end of their working-day which consisted among the Jews of twelve hours John 11. 9. Are there not twelve hours in the day the usual time for men to dispatch their earthly work in The Lord would not p Providentia ergo Dei noluit sic prolixam operandi continuationem ut hominum vires nimium atteret sed modum constituit saith Musculus have mens labours drawn out so far as to wear out their strength but hath set bounds to it As the Lord would not have the world to take up mens hearts so he would not have it to eat out their time or encroach on these seasons that are due to greater concerns God Nature Grace thy own soul and the spiritual good of others have their claims as well as thy earthly calings to this little inch of this time O consume not thy precious day on things that are temporal and neglect thy opportunities for things eternal do not enslave thy body beyond thy beasts which have their times of rest nor exhaust that strength which better things call for upon an empty perishing world Excessive labours beyond their due time do argue either too much desire of these things or too little faith in God and are reprov'd by the Lord as the vanity and practice of them who are not his beloved ones Psal 127. 2. 'T is lamentable to see such as would be thought the heirs of Heaven so excessively taken up in enlarging their possessions on earth engrossing all their time early and late about their earthly affairs leaving nothing but a few unserviceable minutes for God and their souls O Christians Keep the stream of your earthly affections and labours within the banks of allowed time rob not God of his time of special service nor nature of her time of needful rest and refreshment nor thy own or others souls of time for their spiritual concerns for such poor perishing things Shew charity to thy redeemed body make it not a drudge to thy earthly lusts Man is too noble a creature to be a vassal to this world 'T is a sad spectacle to see the Nazarites of Heaven like Sampson with their heads shaven and their eyes pluckt out to grind in the world's mill till they pluck down the house about their ears Judg. 16. 21. How do men macerate their bodies and starve their souls onely to help them with supplies in their passage to the grave and all the while neglect the work of God and their souls leaving the reliques of their wasted strength and the world's refuse for the service of an immortal God This is not to follow earthly things by heavenly Rule Rule 4. Fourthly Be diligent in the use of your working time take heed you waste it not upon impertinencies or by needless diversions or by idleness and unfaithfulness in your work this is a sin against both Law and Gospel which requires diligence and faithfulness in mens earthly callings Labour and calling-work was man's duty before his fall Gen. 2. 15 The Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it And after the fall painful labour was injoyn'd and inflicted as a punishment of his sin Gen. 3. 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread until thou return to the ground This duty of bodily labour in mens Callings is of equal sanction and regard with the duties of Gods Worship being inserted in a positive Law and as that which is necessary to the sanctifying of God in Sabbaths Exod. 29. 9 10 Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but on the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work The injunction of working in six days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Mayer is given in the same commanding terms in the Original that the injunction of not working in the seventh is and the same reason is given for both the one is taken from Gods resting on the seventh day and the other from his working the six days So that not to labour faithfully in thy Calling the six days is a breach of the fourth command as well as the working on the Sabbath-day Not as if the six days labour were to exclude all religious Worship of God on either of these days when the Lord calls to it by extraordinary Providences as to mourning or rejoycing or by ordinary tenders of Gospel-mercy in Week-day Lectures or the like for this would cross his other commands Preaching in season and out of season and labouring for the bread that endures to eternal life This diligent labour doth not exclude private worship every day and publick worship on week-days so far as it consists with faithfulness in mens Callings for which time must be redeemed Eph. 5. 16. but it requires diligent attendance on mens Callings on the week-days as opposed to sloath and sinful waste of time without which God is not duely served on the Sabbath This diligence in mens Callings is also required in the Gospel 1 Thess 3. 10. Idleness is a Gospel-scandal and renders Christians worthy to be abstained from as not obeying the Word of God and such must not eat 1 Thess 4. 11. such are unprofitable servants who improve not their talents for God and the good of others Matth. 25. 30. and are worse than Infidels who do not by diligence in their Calling provide for their own 1 Tim. 5. 8. Rule 5. Fifthly while your hands
may be truly gracious and yet live uncomfortably in his Soul and in the wayes of God but he that thrives in Godliness hath larger incomes of sweetness and peace and makes many a merry meal on the review of his integrity and the grace of God in and towards him Psal 112. 2. Seventhly Layings up as well as layings out bespeaks good Trading when men fill their bags and enlarge their possessions turn Purchasers and begin to join house to house and field to field then they manifestly shew their thrivings So when Souls thrive in their Heavenly Trade they begin to lay up for Heaven and to be preparing for another world they lay up Treasure in Heaven Mat. 6. 21. get bags that wax not old weak Christians are all for their comforts here how they may maintain their peace and pleasure in the way but strong Christians thriving Souls they have their thoughts upon their journeys end and to make provisions for their future state Bread and Water contents them here Gen. 28. 20. a little spending Money in the way to help them home is all they indent for But their chiefest care is to lay up for Heaven When shall I provide for mine own house saith Jacob Gen. 30. 30 So the thriving Christian is thoughtful about his house in Heaven to make all the provisions he can for that he will lay up in store a good foundation to lay hold on eternal life 1 Tim. 6. 19. he is for securing all he can for Heaven and for such works as will follow him he will turn all he may into moveables that he may transmit them into his Countrey The interests of this world are stak'd down to the earth and cannot be removed but thriving Christians are for such goods as they can knock up and carry with them to their own home They strive to pray hear think speak do suffer and all for eternity their affections are gone before to Heaven while their bodies are imprison'd in the World As 't is said of the Athenians when besieged by Sylla their hearts were with him without the walls whiles their bodies were forc'd to serve within a Animos extra moenia corpora necessitati servientes intra muros habuerint Paterc So 't is with enriched Christians the World is a Prison to them a strange Countrey where they have been sent to trade and when they have fill'd their sacks and got all they can they long to depart into their own Countrey By these things Christians may you know what kind of Trade you drive for Heaven and what share you have in this great engagement to thanksgiving Object All this makes against me and confirms my just fears that I am a stranger to spiritual thrivings I now see 't is a pittiful Trade I drive in godliness I profess hear pray perform duties enjoy priviledges but am never the better O how may I write lost labour on all my performances I need no greater proof than these evidences nor other judge than my own conscience to convince my languishing soul of daily wastes and poverty in my heavenly Trade What shall I do to get my case mended and once attain to true thrivings in this holy Calling Sol. There are four things which usually make men thriving in their earthly Trades which do also contribute to prosperity in this heavenly Merchandise 1 A provident care 2 A diligent hand 3 A secret trade 4 A divine blessing First Men that are thriving in the World are provident and careful to prevent their dangers to secure their interests and proportion means to their advantage And so must Christians that think ever to flourish in godliness what losses and miscarriages in Religion might a provident care prevent were temptations way-laid and corruptions timely guarded against souls might escape many surprisals of sin and abatements in grace Never think to prosper in holiness till you are provident to prevent its weaknings and contribute all you may towards its strength and enlargement One enjoys a good frame of soul much peace and joy in believing and for want of watchfulness loseth all again Another hath got a little power over his corruptions for a time and for want of a provident care to avoid ensnaring occasions is overcome again Another hath a choice advantage put into his hand for spiritual good but not exercising a timely care and preparation to improve it miscarries in all his hopes and labours and by these changes and interruptions their spiritual welfare is impeded Go learn of the Ant she provideth her meat in Summer Prov. 6. 6 8. Be wise as Serpents they decline danger as soon as seen and guard their noblest part though with the hazard of their All Matth. 19. 16. Walk circumspectly as wise Eph. 5. 15. O how happy might Christians be were they as provident for their souls as they are for their bodies and did exercise their reason care and fore-sight to further their spiritual interests and without this provident care never think to prosper in this heavenly Merchandise Take heed of grace-wasting sins of any secret lust allowed or sweet morsel rouled under your tongue that will prove a moth in your spiritual estate and keep you low in your heavenly interests Souls under some perplexing lust are like Israel under the prevailing hand of Midian against them Judg. 6. 3 4 6. When Israel had sown the Midianites came up and the Amalekites and the children of the East and they encamped against them and destroyed the encrease of the earth and left no sustenance for Israel neither Sheep nor Ox nor Ass and Israel was greatly impoverished So 't is with such no sooner have they got any mercy frame experience hope or soul-advantage but presently a prevailing lust riseth up and destroys all Cry unto the Lord as Israel did until he deliver you from every iniquity make no peace with any corruption never let it rest till wholly destroyed if you think to prosper in your souls and conversations Be provident also to take all advantages for godliness watching your opportunities for every duty keeping every soul-market and fair and taking the best season to lay out grace and get in profit Prov. 8. 34. Be careful to get some good from every thing and to keep and save what you have and this will tend to soul-thriving Acts 2. 46. Secondly A diligent hand tends to thriving men that prosper in the World take pains and follow their employments rising early sitting up late neglecting no business that may help on to profiting So must you that intend to thrive in Religion you must make it your business you must be labourers in God's Vineyard Joh. 6. 27. and workmen indeed that need not be ashamed 2 Tim. 2. 15. Christians for the most part are too slothful in their spiritual business to have their profiting appear it will cost you more striving to enter into the strait-gate and get ground in the narrow way that leads to life more blows must pass
for Heaven the greater regard you have from God the more of his presence is with you his delight in you and blessing upon you the Spouses growth and fruitfulness was much taking upon the heart of Christ How fair and how pleasant art thou O Love for delights Cant. 7. 6 7. This thy stature is like to a Palm-tree and thy breasts to clusters of grapes The Palm-tree is an emblem of growth and fruitfulness the more it is opprest the more it grows and no tree more fruitful 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alway having leaves Naturalists say 't is never without leaves and fruit when some fruit is ripe as Pliny tells us other fruit is growing It hath leaves in the highest branches wherever the sweet sap comes saith Alsted 'T is a tree that 's exceeding profitable some reckon three hundred and sixty advantages that this Palm-tree yields o In fructuum jam maturorum locum alii fructus eodem in loco eadem parte statim succedunt Plin. and hence the Egyptians make it a symbole of the solar year which consists of three hundred sixty five daies and its fruit is wonderfully restorative and nourishing repairing the decayed strength and radical moisture of man's body Alsted Theol. Nat. and therefore a fit metaphor to express the Church's fruitfulness in which the Lord Jesus takes such great delight he gets up early to the Vineyard to see if the Vine flourish whether the tender grape appear and the Pomegranate bud forth Cant. 7. 12. So delightful is the view of a flourishing people unto Christ The more you thrive in grace the more will you have of Christ's company and that 's honourable Eighthly The greater Trade you drive for Heaven the more useful you are while on Earth the larger capacities you have to do good to others and to serve your generation which is a blessed thing 'T is more blessed to give than to receive Acts 20. 35. 1 Tim. 6. 17 18. Charge them that are rich in this world that they do good that they be rich in good works that they be ready to distribute willing to communicate The richer you are in grace the more able you are to do good and not only able but the more willing also The reason Christians have no more heart to do good and to communicate is their soul-poverty they are not rich in grace they have but little spiritual Treasure little grace to communicate their hands are shut because their hearts are empty but the more divine treasure you have the more ready will you be to do good and to lay out both your outward and inward riches O how useful may rich men be in the places where they live if God give them hearts to do it and how helpful may such be in this day of soul-wants who are encreased with spiritual goods there are many impoverished souls this day who are ready to perish for want of light peace and comfort perplexed with doubts darkness and distressing fears and have none to help them O how refreshing in such a day of soul-exigences would it be to have some rich neighbours among them some prosperous Jobs Who with-hold not the poor from their desire nor cause the eyes of the Widow to fail Job 31. 16 17 19. Who would draw forth their soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul Isa 58. 10. Who could not eat their morsel alone or see the poor to perish for want of clothing To be eyes to the blind and feet to the lame Job 29. 15. To speak a word in season to him that is weary and to comfort others with the same comforts they have received of God Christians make haste to be rich in grace that ye may be rich in good works that ye may cast in much into the Lord's treasury Mark 12. 41. and out of your abundance cast into the offerings of God Luke 21. 4. Then should the blessing of the poor that was ready to perish come upon you Job 29. 13. and the fruit of well-doing be your savoury meat on which the Lord would daily feed you Ninthly The greater Trade you drive for Heaven now the greater will your estate in Heaven be hereafter 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge will give me at that day and not to me only but to all that love his appearing To me who have run my race finish'd my course and kept the faith To me who have wrought hard in the Vineyard and traded diligently for Heaven in the World For me yea for all such as enlarge their heavenly Trade is laid up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Parents do Portions for their children saith Zanchy a Crown of righteousness glory sutable to their improvements of grace called a Crown to note its excellency and of righteousness to note its equity It shall bear a proportion to all that grace labours and faithfulness that is in Saints and infinitely beyond it A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. God will not leave out the least item of the Saints right in the great day of righteousness A cup of cold water a little meal to the Prophet Elisha a mite in the treasury a desire to build God's house all shall be remembred in that day Mercy gives the Crown but Justice fits it for the overcomer's head God crowns saith Beda p Dona sua coronat non merita tua Donavit haec tempore misericordiae coronabit illa tempore judicii Beda in loc his own gifts not thy merits He first gives grace in the time of mercy and then crowns it in the day of Judgment And is not this argument enough yea constraint on an ingenious heart to labour after the greatest latitude of holiness Is not Heaven enough to requite all thy duties and hardships on earth What 's enough saith one if Rome be counted little q Quid fatis est si Roma parum So what can be counted great if Heaven be small and not price enough for all thy holy strivings and utmost progress in the way of life O attend your proficiency in this heavenly Trade your hearts and hands can never be too deep in the concerns of this upper World in this you can never be too covetous 1 Cor. 12. 31. Covet earnestly the best gifts r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 modis omnibus studio precibus consequi annitimini Take heed of putting stands and limits to your holiness the course of all unsanctified souls In this only is it lawful to remove the ancient bounds and enlarge your spiritual inheritance as far as possible Reaching forth to the things that are before and pressing forward to the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3. 13 14. Nothing undoes Professors like to stinting their measures of holiness and contenting themselves with present attainments if they can get to
renders Christ precious to Believers is that in their union with him is laid the foundation of their right to and evidence of their hope of glory Quatenus est in illis eatenus habent spem gloriae Dav. and assurance of their future and eternal enjoyment of himself and all his treasure laid up in glory There 's no other way to have a right to glory but by union with Christ who hath purchased glory onely for those that are his and have this spiritual union with him Hence 't is that the Lord Jesus Christ is called a better hope John 17. 21 to 27. Heb. 7. 19. For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by which we draw near to God That is the Lord Jesus in his Priestly Office of which the Ceremonial Law was a forerunner did bring in a ground of better hope in opening the way to God in grace and glory All right to glory is through him who is the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. and hath the disposal of it to whom he pleases John 17. 2. even to all the Father hath given him to be his and to these he gives eternal life John 10. 28. They that have union with Christ cannot perish being members of his body flesh and bones should a soul that hath received Christ here miss of glory hereafter then would a member of Christ perish and his body in Heaven be maimed and imperfect which cannot be his Church being the fulness of him who filleth all in all Eph. 1. v. 21. And Christ hath past his word for it they shall not perish John 10. 28. Not one of them is lost who are truly in Christ John 17. 10. They are his servants and shall be where he is John 12. 26. His Spouse which shall be ever with him Try then your union with Christ Have you received him into your hearts by faith Are you one Spirit with him having the same mind in you that was in Christ Jesus you would be holy as he is holy nothing short of compleat oneness with Christ can content you Indeed you have carnal desires within the borders of your souls that crave for satisfaction and sometimes will have it whether you will or no but there is another Law in your mind warring against this Law in your members that cannot rest till you arrive more to his likeness who is your life righteousness and glory Are you implanted into Christ's death and resurrection brought into some conformity to him And do you live upon him as the branch upon the root for all your grace and supply and stay upon him as the stone upon the foundation for your support in grace unto glory as your onely Lord and Righteousness Then are your hopes for glory sure speeding hopes Secondly Truth of grace secures your hopes of glory it being the earnest seal and first fruits of glory 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts Grace is God's seal for glory and what greater security can there be 'T is his earnest-penny which is never taken away as a pledge may be but secures the whole summe yea 't is part of pay Grace is that seed of God which remaineth in him 1 John 3. 9. and secures the soul's state against final Apostacy through its union with the Spirit dwelling in him Rom. 8. 11. Prove your truth of grace though never so weak and you will prove your title to glory Doth your grace owe its being to the fulness of Christ John 1 16. owning its derivation thence and dependance there Doth your grace spread it self into every part and faculty of your soul wholly sanctified throughout 1 Thes 5. 23. Cannot your grace mingle with sin or own the least appearance of evil Rev. 2. 2. but hath according to its measure an irreconcilable enmity against every known sin Gal. 5. 17. Cannot your grace rest in any measures short of perfection but hath desires and endeavours after more and more grace 1 Pet. 2. 3. Hath your grace pure and ultimate designs for Divine Glory aiming in every thing Phil. 1. 20 21. that Christ may be magnified John 3. 30. and self annihilated then is your grace true grace and will in time turn to glory Thirdly Your mortifiedness to the world will be a good proof of your title to Heaven The heirs of Glory are chosen out of the world are not of the world John 15. 19. Redeemed from the earth Rev. 14. 3. They have not received the spirit of this world but the Spirit that is of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. and are crucified to it Gal. 6. 14. dead to the desires pleasures and interests of this world Col. 3. 1 2. Dead men have no favour or delight in things no more have they who are dead to this world any acquiescing pleasure in earthly things which can no more satisfie a heavenly soul than dung can feed a living man Christians try how your hearts stand affected to earthly things are these great in your eye amiable to your affections attractive on your desires prevalent on your wills beyond the things of Heaven then are your hopes of Heaven unwarrantable by any Divine evidence and will at last leave your names written on the earth Fourthly Your hopes for Heaven if right will be active lively hopes 1 Pet. 1. 3. Who hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead Hopes that put life in your affections i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est vivificam scilicet quae vivificat Metonymia Effecti Piscat and spirits and makes you vigorous after holiness and the way to glory Ephes 2. 10. Right hopes for Heaven will make you run in the way to Heaven and put you on all manner of holy conversation Paul's hopes for Heaven put him on labours and strivings after perfect holiness 2 Cor. 5. 8 9. Phil. 3. 12 13 14. Try your hopes do they quicken you to duty or leave you dead You have no heart to the waies of God or delight in approaching to him his commands are grievous to you this bespeaks unsound and frail hopes for Heaven which will at last deceive you But sure hopes for Heaven are back'd with suitable labours for Heaven Fifthly If your hopes be right for Heaven then will your conversation be in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. But our conversation is in Heaven whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body You will be taken up about heavenly things and driving on heavenly concerns You will be maintaining entercourse in Heaven and keeping up your converses with God you will be often taking journeys to Heaven in your contemplations and desires your business will be much in Heaven and your occasions thither frequent though you live on Earth yet you will converse in Heaven As Dr.
God the more shall you receive from him 2 Cor. 9. 6. who will certainly repay it The greater your sufferings are for God the greater will your rejoycings be with him They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Ps 126. 5. Look what disproportion there is between the Seed-time and Harvest far greater is there between the Saints sufferings sorrows and triumphing joy Their sorrow lies within the compass of a short night their joy begins with that morning which hath no evening to follow it Psal 30. 5. Their tears will scarcely fill a bottel but their pleasures are so vast an Ocean as that they cannot be received but must be entred into Mat. 25. 21. Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. Yea the present consolations of the Saints oft-times abound in their sufferings The ringing of my chains hath been sweet musick in my ears said Guy de Bres all my former discourses were but as a blind man's of colours in respect of my present feeling O what a precious comforter is a good conscience How unspeakable then are those rejoycings when all tears shall be wiped off when sorrow and mourning shall fly away Mat. 5. 10 11 12. The more your losses are for Christ on earth the greater will be your gain in Heaven Heb. 10. 34. And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that you have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Men can never bring their goods to a better Market than to have them spoil'd for the sake of Christ your goods you lose for Christ are capable of being spoil'd your goods you shall receive in Heaven are above all injury the very bags wax not old much less the treasure time will mar your best interests here Alas what is a little old goods moth-eaten garments rusty silver subject to change compared with that substance whose duration is as long as eternity and whose extension is as large as immensity and such is God in Christ the Saints eternal treasure Mat. 19. 29. And in the World to come life eternal Carnal reason judges them the greatest fools that dare to be undone for their profession whereas divine truth reckons such the mad men who to escape them that can but kill the body durst encounter him who can damn both soul and body in Hell Mat. 10. 28. And to lay a foundation of a few days safety upon the ruines of themselves and others How dangerous said Mr. Cooper is their estate who cannot rise but with the fall of many Et quantulum sit illud propter quod nos reliquisti How poor are those things saith he for which you have left us whereas the Saints losses for Christ are their greatest gain while the things they part with are but temporal but those they gain are eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. Lastly The more souls you help to Heaven the more treasure you prepare for Heaven Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise the margin hath it they that be teachers shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever As nothing doth sink a person deeper into Hell than to have the blood of souls upon its head and to become the occasion of others perishing Jer. 2. 34. So it wonderfully greatens a persons own blessedness in Heaven to be the means of getting others to be blessed also 1 Thes 2. 19. For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing are not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming for ye are our glory and joy Lastly Lay up preparations for glory Glory is a great thing O what a change doth Heaven make upon a Believer's state We shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15. 51. from corruption to incorruption from sin to spotless purity from imperfection to pefection from darkness to knowledg from faith to fight from espousals to a marriage-day and what preparations do such a change call for What if death should surprise you and take you in your old clothes 't is not your daily garments no not your best rayments are good enough for your marriage-day your attire must be all new when you solemnize your eternal nuptials to the King of Glory O what manner of persons should you be who look for new Heavens and a new Earth If a Paul be not sufficient to carry a love-token to Christ's Spouse here on earth 2 Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient for these things Who then are fit to lie in the Bridegroom's arms to all eternity Few think what a change must be before the Saints can get to Heaven 1 Cor. 15. 50. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven neither doth corruption inherit incorruption If so much preparation-work must be dispatch'd before an Esther could be fit for the embraces of an earthly King Esth 2. 12. six months for purifying with oyl of Myrrh and six months with sweet Odors and with other things How much sanctification-work is needful to meeten a soul for the immediate enjoyment of God in glory and how unready are the most of souls for such a change O Believers hasten about your preparations for Heaven seeing you have no fixation on earth and know not what hour your Lord will come In order to which take these six directions First Get your hearts more loose from this present world men that change places knock up and take abroad things they must carry with them Your hearts Christians are the principal things you must take with you to Heaven it may be you have gone to God in duties many a time and left your hearts behind you but you cannot go to God in glory except your hearts be with you And O what a difficult work is it to go the heart upon choice loose from every thing below God! and till this be done there 's no getting to Heaven Things fastened to the free-hold they say cannot be removed how then can that heart get to glory that is nailed down to the world and things below Be daily loosening your hearts from the world estates houses lands trades friends relations and every thing below for you may not have time to get them off without loss when death comes you must leave them all shortly and you know not how soon to go to better friends and interests these have been snares and spears to your souls and have given you many a wound and still hinder your speeding to glory and why should you be loth to part with them O Christians if you are willing to be with Christ you will give your hearts warning to be gone from these tabernacles and to take their leave of this world daily Secondly Press after more maturity in your graces the more ripe the more fit for gathering Joel 3. 13. Tamar must tarry a Widow till Selah be grown Gen. 38. 11. and your
marriage-day must be delayed till you come to a full age The Saints must be as a shock of corn that cometh in in its season Job 5. 25. Ripen a pace in your graces if you would get to glory Get your faith hope patience and every grace encreased daily especially your love to God that 's the grace shall abide in glory 1 Cor. 13. 8. Faith and Hope are the soul's helps and companions in the way but Love will be an eternal inhabitant with you Get purer deeper rooted stronger more enlarged love to Jesus Christ every day till you be downright sick for him this will make your life a death without his presence here and your death to be life in being with him for ever 'T was love to Christ made Ignatius so dead to all things below a Vita sine Christo mors est Ignat. and so longing to be with Christ 'T is storied of him that when he was dead and his heart taken out they saw the name of Jesus written in it in letters of Gold The more love to God the more fit for God for God is love b Non est in me incendium quidpiam amans D. Ludov. Rub. Thirdly Get and keep the testimony of a good conscience that may witness for you in the day of Christ when you die you are to have a trial for your life your inheritance your All and you had need have your witness firm and ready Now there are two great witnesses you will need in that day to clear your title the witness of Conscience and the Spirit have the one on your side and you will not want the other Get your consciences sprinkled with the blood of Christ and purged from dead works by the Spirit of Christ that it may be able to appear for you in that day The blood of Christ will put words into the mouth of conscience for you to plead the general issue and the benefit of pardoning grace wherein you have been transgressors enlightned conscience will accuse you that you have sinned and besprinkled conscience will plead for you that you are pardoned and purged conscience will testify for you that you are changed and that you hate the evil you have done and love the holiness you have neglected O of what wonderful use will the testimony of a good conscience be when you stand at the Bar of God! Get it true to you now and sure for you then Fourthly Maintain more constant walks with God daily this will fit you for your eternal fellowship with him Converse with God is begun acquaintance here and in Heaven is perfect friendship and perpetual fellowship It will much fit you for Heaven hereafter to begin the work of Heaven here which lies in maintain'd intercourse with him Through these gallery-walks with God do the Saints pass into the Presence-Chamber and sit down with him for ever Communion with God now is Heaven begun such are fittest for his presence in glory who are train'd up in his company here Fifthly If you would prepare for Heaven dispatch your work on Earth Heaven is a state of rest and rest follows the finishing of labour Heb. 4. 9. Rev. 4. 13. Paul must end his fight finish his course and keep the faith before he can reach the Crown 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. In the grave there 's no wisdom device or work this is your only time for labour while you are in the Vineyard O how much work is behind with most which will make a departure terrible to an awakened conscience Haste about your neglected work you have it may be much work to do with others in your families with your relations possibly there are some souls in their graves and you have not done what you might to bring them forth dead Husband Wife Children Servants for whom you must do more or cannot comfortably appear before God O hasten about this work that you may give up your account with joy There 's soul-work to be done to get corruptions subdued graces strengthned your accounts stated evidences cleared and lamps trimmed which must be attended with utmost vigour If you would get home finish your work Lastly Be alwaies ready waiting for the coming of the Lord Luke 12. 35 36. Let your loins be girt about and your lights burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the Wedding that when he cometh and knocketh they may open to him immediately 2 Pet. 3. 12. Looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God Not only be waiting for your change but longing after it as persons that are ready for a desired journey think the time long ere they go Why are the wheels of his Chariot so long a coming Judg. 5. 28. The Spirit and the Bride say come Rev. 22. 17. With the Virgins go out to meet him Mat. 25. 1. If you knew the welcome that abideth for you when you come home ye would hasten your pace Rutherf The more ready you are for the coming of Christ the more will you long for his appearance and the more grateful will his approach be The uncertainty of that time when the Lord Jesus shall appear and the unseasonableness of that surprisal for preparation-work should put Christians on continual readiness lest coming in an hour they know not of they be found unfit to enter in and the door be shut Mat. 25. 10. O how dreadful will a miscarriage be at last All the hopes labours and comfort of your life depend upon your final safety and happy conclusion of your day 'T is a great thing to live a sanctified and die a saved soul O how few imagine the difficulty of being a Christian indeed and the infinite concern of securing an immortal soul and a sure title to the unsearchable riches of the other world O the folly and madness of rational creatures to make every thing sure but salvation and to spend their time and strength about the many things of a perishing life and lose the better part Whoever thou art that castest thine eye upon this discourse thou wilt one day find Religion to be thy chiefest interest when thou comest to take thy farewel of a vain deceitful world and seest all thy Lovers for whom thou hast sleighted thy precious soul thy Soverign Lord and dying Redeemer to prove miserable comforters not able to afford one drop of balm to heal or cordial to chear thy fainting heart and affrighted conscience When thou seest pale death deliver thee a summons to appear before the holy God and to give an account of thy Stewardship when thou seest the Books opened and such a fearful charge against thy guilty conscience which thou canst not deny or answer then wilt thou find godliness in the power of it to be the greatest gain and would'st give ten thousand worlds for such an evidence as Hezekiah and Paul had when within view of death and eternity And is not Religion as
measure of Soul darkness fallen upon us in this Evening-part of our Gospel-day Isa 42. 19 20. Who is blind but my servant or deaf as my messenger that I sent who is blind as he that is perfect and blind as the Lords servant seeing many things but thou observest not opening the ear but he heareth not Were not a Veil on mens minds could it possibly be that CHRIST should be so little precious in this Day of revelation and Land of visions in which we live Was there ever a Nation in the World to whom Christ hath been so unveiled and manifestly held forth Crucified before their eyes and yet not to know the Day of their visitation and the things of their peace be-speaks shameful Ignorance Is not this a manifest Evidence of mens Darkness and folly to be fondly taken with Airy Notions and vain Speculations and all the while neglect that Wisdome which maketh wise to salvation to leave the Fire of the Sanctuary and sit down by Sparks of their own kindling That having a Kingdom before them which cannot be shaken and an Inheritance that fadeth not away reserved in the heavens they should turn again to the beggarly Elements of this world loathing their Manna and Angels food and longing again for the Onyons and Garlick they had vomited up to leave tried Gold for that which perisheth to let Heaven drop out of their hands and hugg the World in their hearts to neglect that Merchandise which brings in unsearchable riches and drive a Trade for such Goods whose fashion passeth away Do plainly argue Ignorance and folly Are not the silver streams of Jordan better than the muddy waters of Assyria and our Rock above the worldlings Sandy bottoms they themselves being Judges and yet to lose those pleasant streams for that filthy puddle is folly indeed Will Eagles stoop to Flies Can Souls who have ascended into the light of the Lord and seen the things that differ and had acquaintance with things above upon choice come down again and prey upon the Carrion Comforts and Interests of a dying World O no. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments or a Bride her Attire Oh foolish people and unwise to be unmindful of the Rock that begat them to leave the Snow of Lebanon to let down such a gainful Trade as Holiness is that they may pursue a Soul-cheating starving damning World demonstrates folly and madness in such as have the knowledge or hopes of better things are ye so foolish having begun in the spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh Gal. 3. 3. To obviate or retrieve this folly is the design of this ensuing Discourse which comes not in the gawdy Dress of curious Art or in the Excellency of mans wisdom but in the plainness and demonstration of the truth as it is in Jesus I am not ignorant that Books have their Fashions as well as men and Discourses that come not forth in the Modish Garb laced with Elegancy and stuffed with Lofty strains scarce meet with a Look except of Scorn and Contempt from the Wits of this Day But I love not to follow them who darken counsel by words and by their sublime Speculations and abstruse Notions lead men into Clouds of their own creating and while they shew Themselves lose their Readers There are many tricks and devices saith Mr. Dod that some men use in Preaching which we may apply also to Writing but it seldom does good the pure Gospel and that Preaching which the World counts foolishness is that which works most kindly Christ's own Weapons are the fittest for his own service and when there is least of man in Gods work then usually does there most of God appear The business of this Book is not to feed thy Curiosity but to find out thy Conscience and the likeliest way to That is through the plains of Intelligible truth I cannot expect that Discourse should lead others towards Heaven that has not its self drained and refined from Earth Expect not in this any thing that may please thy carnal mind but what may profit thy teachable and obedient Soul and before thou ascendest the Throne to judge it take the Balance of the Sanctuary and weigh it Be advised to go beyond such Readers who onely view the Title read the Epistle glance a little on the Book and if they find not something singular and pleasing their curious Fancy lay it aside this shews a full Stomach but an empty Soul and is a Practice that overturns the Writers pains and the Readers profit be perswaded to read it throughly and impartially and weigh it seriously and thou mayest find something that concerns either thy Understanding Affection Conscience or Conversation I have chosen to prosecute the Metaphor of Trading throughout this Discourse having a principal respect to that sort of persons in the design of this Book and the better to insinuate into the mind of ordinary Christians the knowledge of heavenly things of mens duties neglects and backsliding If thou art one who never madest a profession of God farther than blindness formality or superstition might lead thee and a stranger to this great pleasant and gainful Trade of Godliness here thou mayest find Arguments to perswade thee to this rational and necessary Undertaking in order to Life and Salvation Grace and Glory with Counsel and Instructions how thou mayest attain to this high and heavenly Calling If thou be one who drivest furiously after the World pursuing thy earthly Interest with greediness neglecting the things that concern thy peace and subjecting the Concerns of Heaven and thy immmortal Soul to the poor and perishing Trifles of this World here thou wilt find reasons to convince thee of that folly and helps to loosen thy heart from that ensaring Soul ruining bondage If thou meetest with Rebukes upon thy earthly Interests and crosses on thy Affairs and undertakings in the World this Book will help thee to find out the Cause of thy Disappointments and those consuming Moths on thy Estate and Instruct thee to get Honey out of these Rods good from these evils and how to Comport with Divine ends and thy own Advantages by such Dispensations Hast thou made a Profeossio of Godliness and formerly driven this Heavenly Trade to Advantage but art now fallen back and decay'd in thy Spiritual substance and become poor in thy Inward man and towards God here mayest thou find the Discoveries and Evidences of a back-sliding Soul with the Causes of it thou wilt also meet with Awakening Considerations to Affect and Afflict thy heart with the sense of thy evil Case Here also mayest thou know whether thy Decays are cureable and what course thou mayest take to get out of thy languishing estate Art thou one that doest profess this Heavenly Trade this Piece will tell thee what thy work is and wherein this Imployment lies what are the Important duties of Piety to be driven on every Day with Directions and Rules about it If thou art one
done so much for you Wait upon and walk in the light while you have it if Grace thinks it not much to spread a Table for you don't you think it much to spare time to sit down at it You that find so many things to do when God calls for your Company will shortly find that God hath other things to do than to mind you when you need his Cordials how glad would you be of enjoying time to hear the voice of peace when you are entring upon Eternity who are not at leisure now to hear Divine precepts while in the possession of time neglect not hearing praying seasons which are your Seed-time for Glory O that every day saith one were a Sabbath or a Fast-day for then I should be well Buy not your ease or earthly interest at so dear a rate as the loss of salvation time and helps Evidence your love to God by your valuation of his Presence in his Ordinances How can you long for the enjoyment of God in Heaven who care not for his company on Earth or his glorious appearances in his Sanctuary Stick at nothing that may yield him delight or give him glory how expensive soever it be on your dearest Comforts and Interests When one told Du Moulin in his sickness that he wronged himself by speaking so much 'T is true said he but I will die glorifying of God A Soul that supreamly loves God will count nothing too much to do part with or suffer that may bring him glory 7ly Rest not in your enjoyments of means without improvement of them What 's a full Table if thy Soul abide empty and frequent feeding if thy inner man languish 't is a time of dying and secret waste in most Christians O covet earnestly the best gifts that you may flourish in the Courts of God and grow as the Cedars of Lebanon that you may be throughly furnished to every good work and your profiting appear to all men Be deeply sensible of your little Fruit under great dressing and be humbled take heed of spiritual pride and puffings up in your apprehended Excellencies or Priviledges 't is the humble soul is the most thriving soul keep your Hearts pure and Lives unspotted As sound bodies so sincere souls are most growing pare off luxuriant branches as they sprout out and lay the Ax to the root of them every day keep up Faith in the Promises of Soul-prosperity to them that serve him in sincerity Psal 92. 12 13. and stay on Christ by Faith for help when you see nothing but Discouragements in your selves and when you are afraid to apply the Promises even then bless God for them These Promises said a doubting Soul are none of mine yet I am glad that God hath made them and for their sakes that shall partake of them Mr. White 8thly Neglect not secret transactions between God and your Souls to which I fear some of you may be too great strangers no wonder that Intimacy between God and Souls does fall when they are seldom together in retirements Oh take heed of passing by thy Closet or secret corners one day Matth 6. 6. or posting out of them before God and your Souls have some Converse together and be not onely constant in it but careful to please God in the spiritual performance of it Let not Custom or Formality deprive thee of the sweetness of that bread eaten in secret You are in this Book more fully called upon to these Duties of secret Prayer meditation heart-searching and watching-work to which I refer you 9ly Make conscience of every Duty you owe towards others in your Relations Places and Callings keep up Family duty or write Heathen upon thy doors that the World may know thee If you neglect Gods service he will not be your Sanctuary Prayerless houses have broken walls and doors and no defence against the least evil If you will not give God your breathings how can you think he will give you his blessings 'T is sad that any especially such whom God hath taken into his house should shut him out of their doors or give him such pitiful service as some do scarce ever reading the Scriptures in their Families from one Lords-day to another onely send him a little hasty fruit some short and shuffled prayers once a day no wonder that salvation come not to their houses or converting grace into their families but a flying Roll is over their habitations and the black marks of Ruine on their Children and Servants think it not strange that God makes thy pleasant Roses pricking Bryers and Thorns to thee who hast made them Spears and Swords to him Oh keep with God in every duty of his service your Relation Calling and Imployments Lastly in every condition walk with God and wait for God if he lead you in ways of mercy follow him in ways of duty If you have Comforts take heed of doting on or abusing of them when he sends you Afflictions receive them be not fainting nor froward under them but sanctifie God in them and by their hand return to him do not over-love your mercies or over-fear your troubles prepare for Changes but live upon Immutability and be setled under all your unsettlements count nothing strange but sin and nothing hard to bear but the absence or anger of a gracious God lose not your fears in times of peace neither cast away your confidence in the day of trouble let your Lamps be alwaies burning that you may see the way of your duty in the Night of your danger and how to get in Comfort in your Adversity and let your loins be girt that you may be ready both to do your work and to meet your wages and be alway looking and waiting for the coming of your Lord who will welcom you in the Acceptance of your Duties uncloath you of your sins and sufferings and crown your sincerity and faithfulness with a Come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you which is the longed for Fruit of all his Labours with you and the subject matter of his daily prayers for you who is in him that was and is and is to come Your Affectionate Labourer Fellow Servant and Brother Barthol Ashwood THE Heavenly Trade Opened and improved from Proverbs 3. 14. For the Merchandise of it is better than the Merchandise of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold THAT Religion is under a very great declension in the day and place wherein we live is too evident to serious observers but too little laid to heart or the prodigious effects which usually follow such expiring godliness duly trembled at The character of the last and perilous times hath over taken us men having a form of godliness but denying the power of it 2 Tim. 3 5. a Nos non eloquimur magna sâ—d vivimus Minut. Foel A lamp a name to live notions parts external priviledges and duties make up the Religion of the greatest part of professing
subject of this Heavenly Trade Let those be Judges who know the worth of things call in Wisdome's Lapidaries let God Saints and Angels speak in this matter their verdict will be Wisdome's wares weigh down all as to their innate excellency I shall onely propose three evidences to determine this case and they are of unquestionable verity and a sufficient proof of this truth They are 1 Scripture 2 Experience 3 Reason First The Scriptures will tell you there are no wares like heavenly wares Deut. 32. 32. Their Rock is not as our Rock even our enemies themselves being Judges His loving-kindness is better than life Psal 63. 3. And the light of his countenance than the encreases of corn and wine and oyl Psal 4. 6 6. The Law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver Psal 119. 72. Tryed faith much better than gold that perisheth 1 Pet. 1. 7. One day in God's Courts better than a thousand elsewhere Psa 84. 10. None in Heaven like to God nor any on earth in comparison of him Psal 73. 25. To make provision for the soul is the one thing needful to enjoy Christ and spiritual things is the better part that shall never be taken away Luk. 10. 42. The Kingdom of God is the chiefest thing to be sought for in the first place Matth. 6. 33. first in affection and first in time Multitude of testimonies might be produced from Scripture to attest this truth the Heavenly Trade is the best Trade no goods like heavenly goods what do you trade for here is it for more than life you plot you work for you gain no more here than meat drink rayment money land credit and the like which onely tend to life but the favour of God is better than life one gracious look one whisper of peace from God weighs down all those riches pleasures honours do not make a happy man or woman the Scripture never reports such blessed as have the abundance of these things but rather miserable and unhappy obnoxious to more snares and dangers but godliness makes a blessed man and pardon of sin a happy man in God's account Psal 1 1 2. and 32. 1. whose testimony is truth it self and to be relied on beyond all the grounds of blinded opinion and false hopes Secondly Experience assures men of this truth that heavenly things are the best things come to a Soul that hath tried both one who hath had all that the World could afford on the one hand and hath also experienced the favour of God and spiritual things and he will tell you of spiritual things as David did of Goliah's Sword There is none like them 1 Sam. 21. 9. And as Solomon of the vertuous Wife These things above excel them all Prov. 31. 29. And wisdom is much better than Gold and to get understanding rather to be chosen than Silver Prov. 16. 16. This was Solomon's experience who had the largest trial of any man he had Houses Vineyards Gardens Servants Silver Gold the peculiar treasures of Kings Greatness Pleasure Musick and whatsoever his eyes desired and upon all gives this verdict That wisdom excelleth folly as far as light excels darkness Eccles 24 13. Piety transcendeth Pravity Heaven the World Purity out-passeth Pleasures as Light doth Darkness When he speaks of things below he tells you These are all vanity and vexation of spirit he that labours for these labours for the wind Eccles 5. 16. and what he seeks finds not but when he speaks of wisdom and spiritual things he is as one that wants words to express their worth Wisdom is better than Rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it Prov. 8. 11. David was a man who had tried various conditions in the World he knew what trouble and comfort was what youth and age was what poverty and riches were he had pleasures honours treasures with the hearts of his people and command of a Kingdom and yet he tells you he had seen an end of all perfection and that the light of God's countenance was better than all and to be a door-keeper a mean place in the house of God was more eligible than to abide in the tents of wickedness Psal 119. 96. Ps 4. 6. and 84. 10. He chooses it as his one thing To dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Psal 27. 4. Moses knew what honour was and the pleasures of sin and yet upon choice preferr'd poverty with godliness on the side of truth before all the treasures of Egypt He refused to be called Pharaoh ' s Son rather choosing to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt Heb. 11. 24 25 26. He knew the Nobles of Egypt and grandeur of Pharaoh's Court and yet could value a poor persecuted people that own'd God and cleav'd to him beyond them all Happy art thou O Israel who is like to thee Deut. 33. 20. He counts God the none-such Who is like to thee O God Ex. 15. 11. and Religion the best interest Set your hearts unto all the words I testify for it is not a vain thing for you for it is your life Deut. 32. 46 47. Ask of Paul and he will tell you what the fruit of sin and driving furiously against Christ and his interest was when the Lord Jesus came to reckon with and to pay him off in the way to Damascus Act. 9. 3 4. whose blow he felt many years after in Conscience twitches now and then 1 Tim 1. 13 15. And upon the sense of that change Grace made on his heart and condition he tells you that whatever he counted gain before he saw now to be loss for Christ Phil. 3. 6 7 8 9 10. There was a time when he thought his letter-knowledg blind zeal birth-priviledges legal duties popular applause Rulers favour and protection by Power to be great things but now he alters his reckoning and values the knowledg of Christ and interest in him and grace derived from the power of his death and resurrection to be an excellency that stain'd all his former glory The Jaylor once thought it his greatest interest to swim with the stream and sail by the compass of the times he lived in to run down the ways and servants of the Lord Jesus to obey his warrant and secure the Saints feet in his stocks Act. 16. ver 24 to 34. but when once Grace takes him in hand and plucks him through the strait-gate of conscience terrors and repentance into a state of regeneration then he corrects his errors and sees it his chiefest concern to espouse Christ and to come over into the way of persecuted godliness then to believe in the Lord Jesus to be kind to his servants and to drive the Trade of
despised Christianity he thought upon most mature consideration to be worthy of his choice and pursuit What treasures more rich or precious said Agerius when a prisoner for Christ at Venice than everlasting life where be greater riches or dignities more honourable than in Heaven here droppeth the delectable dew here floweth the pleasant Nector here runneth the sweet milk here is plenty of all good things I have found a nest of honey in the entrals of a Lion in the deep dark Dungeon I have found a Paradise of pleasure where others do weep I do rejoyce when others do shake and tremble I do find plenty of strength and boldness in strait Bonds and cold Irons I have rest Fox Vol. 2. pag. 181. Come to sinners also when they lie under Conscience terrors and the armed troops of death and hell invade their guilty hearts and enquire their opinion concerning the goodness of their choice the advantage of that bargain they have made in parting with God for the World in rejecting Christ for the Flesh in turning their backs on holiness for the service of sin and their dejected countenances their gastly looks their unquiet jestures their cries and groans will soon tell you the sad resentment of their folly and bad Trade they have driven in the ways of sin and death Thirdly Nay Reason it self rightly exercised must needs grant that heavenly wares are the best wares upon a fourfold consideration 1 Of their Rarity 2 Their Price 3 Their worth 4 Their Duration First Heavenly things are rare and therefore excellent scarcity enhaunceth the price of things Diamonds and precious stones are dear because scarce and more rarely had plenty usually beats down the price of things when rarity makes them costly and such are Heavenly wares they are the greatest rarity in the world they are less known more hardly come by and seldomer enjoyed than any thing this earth affords there are few parts of the world where Wisdom's goods ever come How many Countries are there where the Gospel is not known or any sights of God or things eternal ever had but such as are discernable by the dini light of nature and of those coasts which this days spring hath visited to how few have the brightness of this light appeared few places have the mysteries of the Gospel opened or the deep things of God purely fully and powerfully preached It hath been the priviledge of this Nation above many to have a peculiar share of Gospel discoveries and truths more spiritually and practically disclosed and yet how few here or in other parts have any acquaintance with these glorious secrets or arrive to this excellency of the knowledge of Christ and Divine Mysteries what a veil is there on the minds of most under the purest administrations of the Gospel that seeing they see not understanding and yet not affected with the things they know the spiritual beauty and inward worth of them being hid from their eyes Most hearers like Balaam see heavenly goods with eyes half opened and hence it is they no more value and pursue them Could these poor beggarly dirty things of the world be so preferred in mens affections and embraces and so much time consumed upon them with neglect of God and things above if the worth of Wisdome's Treasures were truly known and believed no certainly we may without breach of charity complain Who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Isa 53. 1. They are rare in that they seldome appear in their own worth and excellency to the view of men few know and believe the worth of heavenly things They are also goods that few trade on It 's a rare thing to see men much vers'd about heavenly things and to drive a trade of godliness There are divers possibly that barter for some of Wisdome's goods for knowledge peace comfort parts external duties c. but few that carry on a full trade of godliness An Enoch a Noah a Caleb a Joshua a Job a David a Paul a Barnabas here and there one in their several ages that are thorough with God and universal in the duties of godliness heart purity godly simplicity universal holiness converse with God meditation on things above tenderness of conscience self-denyal mortifiedness to the world heavenly-mindedness spiritual converses are commodities that few deal about this day A thorough-paced Christian is the Phoenix of the place he lives in and more seldom seen than a sparkling Diamond in the dark night we live in few seek these goods in earnest as they do the world and their own things and fewer obtain them Phil. 2. 21. Few I fear do live in the daily exercise of their graces the warm breathings of their souls after God and spiritual things few that find the white stone that live in the view of their pardons and sensible enjoyment of divine grace and therefore these heavenly goods are rare things seldome discovered seldome known seldome pursued seldome enjoyed and being rare are excellent and desirable Secondly Heavenly things are the best because the most costly this argument will not hold in all things men may buy their desired comforts too dear and give more for the world pleasures and their particular goods than they are worth but none can be deceived in Wisdomes wares the glory of God the salvation of souls the enjoyment of grace and spiritual blessings cannot be too dearly obtained their price bespeaks the greatness of their worth they being realities and things excellent in their nature and use and if they are valuable according to their price they must needs be transcendent for the purchase of them cost God dear he hath been at the expence of eternal counsels of manifold wisdom of unknown love of the gift and blood of his own Son to procure these great things for Believers and it hath cost him mighty power and patience to fit Believers for them and maintaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with an honourable price 1 Pet. 1. 18. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aequale redemptionis pretium Gomar their enjoyment of them Ye are bought with a price not with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot He gave himself a ransome an equal price sufficient to purchase Believers to himself with grace and glory for them He so loved the world as to give his onely begotten Son to give him to death to the death of the Cross to unspeakable torments and all to procure these glorious and blessed treasures for Believers Joh. 3. 16. O costly wares O dear bought goods for which the pearl of price was sold and the treasures of Heaven emptied out And as these stand the purchaser dear so they are costly to the receiver also The preparation for an interest in these treasures is many times dear to Believers O the wounds and launcings the bleeding and heart-prickings the pangs throws
that is dear to them Men promise one thing and do another affirm a thing that is not and this undoes many the unfaithfulness of those they deal with but it is not so with Christ you may trust on his fidelity Heaven and Earth shall sooner fail than one tittle of all that he hath spoken And therefore excellent is that Trade which is carried on with so excellent a Jesus Reas 3. Thirdly Weigh the terms on which this Trade is offered unto souls and it will appear to be incomparably the best Trade For to such as will set upon this Trade 1 Goods to trade upon shall be freely given 2 Wisdome to manage them shall be fully imparted 3 A blessing on the due improvement of them shall be ensured 4 To him shall the glory of all be rendred First Wisdome's wares are freely tendered to all that will receive them without money and without price Come buy wine and milk without money and without price Isa 55. 1. To him that is a thirst will I give to drink of the waters of life freely Rev. 21. 6. Here Merchants cannot get or put off goods at that rate there 's no going to the world's markets without money or credit they that will have mens goods must pay for them and many times have deat bargains but the Lord Jesus imparts his treasures freely he paid dear for them they cost his heart blood but he spares them freely no silver or gold will pass in those bargains Simon Magus had his offered gold for the Holy Ghost thrown back with detestation and destruction to boot Acts 8. 18 19 20. The terms on which this trade is driven are free it cannot stand with the design of redemption grace which is to advance the praise of the glory of grace and to cut off all boasting that every mouth may be stopped to admit of any thing from fallen man that might look like a compensation of salvation mercies neither is there any thing beneath Christ's merits that can equalize the worth of heavenly things and alas what have they to part with who have lost themselves and to give to God who have nothing but what they receive from him It must needs therefore be altogether freely given whatever is received in order to salvation O blessed news to poor traders that their poverty is no bar to this employment the poorest may receive of Wisdome's wares as well as the rich seeing it is a free trade and whatever makes a difference on the creatures part is laid aside in the dispensation of spiritual mercies Here are no Monopolies or hard impositions upon this trade no restraint from setting up or selling out of Wisdome's goods in any parts of the world Cities have their enclosures Corporations their bars to keep out strangers from their priviledges but in this trade all persons be they who they will that will come over to Wisdome's Merchandise have right to carry on this work of godliness in all places whereever they are The heavenly trade is a free trade goods freely given and liberty to set up in all places and to all persons Secondly As goods to trade upon are freely given so wisdome to manage them shall be fully imparted This is a priviledge which sellers on earth will not afford you may have their goods at their price but not instructions how to dispose them to your advantage but this great Merchant in Heaven with his wares gives skill to use them I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way thou shouldest go Isa 48. 17. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasure then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God For the Lord giveth wisdome out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding He layeth up sound wisdome for the righteous Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgement and equity yea every good path Prov. 2. 4 5 6 9. The soul that seeketh for Wisdome's wares shall with it find instruction how to use them I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shouldest go I will guide thee with my eyes Psal 32. 8. He will be eyes to the blind and feet to the lame Job 29. 15. The Lord Jesus will find all in this heavenly trade goods and tools and skill and strength and all Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength Thirdly A blessing on the due improvement of these shall be ensured to all his traders The wayfaring man shall not erre Isa 35. 8. His workmen shall not labour in vain 1 Cor. 15. 58. For his blessing is upon his people Psal 3. 8. Thou shalt decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee and the light shall shine upon thy waies Job 22. 28. The book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein this is the heavenly trade to fulfill after God and such shall prosper for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success Josh 1. 8. No Merchant will undertake to make their dealers prosperous they must trade at great uncertainties and run the adventure as to the issue of all Blessings come not out of earthly shops but from a divine hand let come what will in the way Blessings will surely come at the end to those that cast out at Christ's biding and trade by his instruction in Wisdome's Merchandise let men curse let devils vex let North-winds blow and blow down too their earthly comforts yet God will bless them that fear him every one Psal 115. 13. He will bless them in life and bless them in death and is not this good trading to be sure of blessings in the way and blessedness at the end 1 Pet. 1. 9. Fourthly Another Condition in this Trade is That God shall have all the glory but they that trade with and for him shall have all the good that comes by it This is the head Rent which the great Lord reserves to himself and will not part with to another My glory will I not give to another Isa 48. 11. This is his great design in all works of his hands and gifts of grace that he may be glorified The people shall be all righteous the branch of my planting the work of my hand that I may be glorified This is God's great end in bestowing redemption mercies to have all the glory to himself who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will that we should be to the praise of his glory Ephes 1. 12. Christians the Rent must be the Lords the fruit shall be yours Whose keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof Prov. 27. 18. All the sweetness of the Vine is for those that possess it and the herbs of the earth for them by whom it is
concerns of another World and the welfare of their immortals Souls Is not this folly Poor Sinners let me reason a little with you if possible to recover your lost understanding come be your own judges Is it your interest think you to adventure your All for things that cannot abide with you when obtained nor satisfy you if they stay things that can but bring you to your Grave and accompany your bodies to the House of Mourhing and there leave you unless they shew you the way to Hell also Is it not madness to adventure your Souls for a trade pleasures and treasures of so short continuance and little advantage things that you will shortly be as weary of as now desirous and throw them to the Bats and Moles of the Earth that you may go into the Rocks to hide you from the fury of a Sin-avenging God Will you spend all upon time and lay up nothing for eternity Or is it rational to think that you should reap where you never sowed and possess the benefit of that Trade you never drove Gal. 6. 7 8. Can you think to reach Heaven hereafter and never walk one foot in the way to it here Certainly what men sow that they shall reap Can you imagine the things of Heaven to be so cheap as to be had without looking after Alas things far inferiour cannot be so easily obtained it may cost some of you many tuggings much sweat labour and expence to get but a little of this World and do you think to find this tried Gold without buying and digging for it and is it a wise bargain think you to purchase your desirable Comforts with the loss of your Souls and that you may gain but a little of the World to part with a possibility of having Heaven What will it profit you to get the World were you sure of every part of it and to lose your Souls Mat. 16. 26. And what if you miss of your hopes in this and fall short of Heaven too never have what you look'd for on Earth nor a place in Heaven neither will not your case be then dreadful O! foolish Souls that may be happy but will not that may get into such a course of life as would enrich you here and for ever but refuse it preferring a poor beggarly life before a rich and noble state choosing rather to trade with Devils than God to swap away your delightful time for doleful eternity your salvationprizes swinish pleasures O sad exchange for to be bewailed but not remedied What to barter away strength for weakness desires for emptiness labours for vanity hope for despair precious souls for perishing shadows an open door of grace for a shut door of glory mercy for misery earth for hell O fools in grain to let go such a bargain as being had would for ever make you and being lost may never be regained but in the room of it an eternity to repent your time of folly when tears and cries will be too late when mercy shall have no repentings for you bowels themselves no roulings over you nor everlasting arms any help for you Mat. 25. 10. This is your danger Sinners this may be your case who refuse wisdom's counsels choosing death rather than life you that would have none of Wisdom's wares nor work but have rather valued the Devil's Counters before Christ's Gold and the pleasures of sin that are but for a season before the treasures of grace and glory that are eternal walking after the flesh and serving divers lusts till your trading time for Heaven be almost over Alas Sinners there may be for any thing you know but few Merchandising hours left for you in this World it may be scarce a Sabbath more between some of you and hell in what a case then are you like to be who never set upon this heavenly Trade to this very day and should you now go out of this World strangers to this employment in what a doleful state will your Souls be for ever when you come to possess the eternal fruit of your bad bargain then could any lay their ears to Hell gates and listen at your cries they would hear such language as this from your trembling lips Folly Folly Woe Woe Eternity Eternity VSE II. Secondly This calls to mourning over the great decaies of this Heavenly Trade in the times and places wherein we live Loss of Trade is easily resented as an evil case a matter of trouble Men use to be affected with hard times when a death lies on their interests and their earthly concerns are at a loss and this is the case of most men this day all places are full of complaints about their affairs in the world there 's a moth in mens labours and dealings and it is easily seen and felt the heavy looks and heartless carriages of many do plainly demonstrate a sense of their temporal wastes and their mouths vent such-language The times are hard and the trade of the Nation gone But alas where are the mourners of Sion and who is afflicted at the decaies of godliness and death on this Heavenly Trade Though there is nothing more visible and lamentable than the faling back in Religion yet who laies it to heart and who is rightly affected with this important evil Now towards the cure of this insensibleness and to awaken our hearts to a due apprehensiveness of our evil case by reason of the decaies of godliness I shall 1 Lay down some symptomes evidencing it to be our case that there are real and great decaies of this Heavenly Trade in the time and places wherein we live 2 Shew why this should be for a lamentation First That this Heavenly Trade goes back and decaies is so evident that he is a stranger in our Israel and hath too much of a spirit unconcern'd in these matters who doth not plainly see Religion and the power of Godliness dying and languishing in most places and persons Now the better to evince this sad truth I shall proceed in a plain and familiar method keeping to the metaphor in the text and the usual symptomes of decay'd Trading Six things usually shew the decaies of earthly Trading all which are conclusive of the point in hand and discover bad times for piety and great wastes of Religion First When the price of things is much fal'n and the rates very low and goods are worth little or nothing then men say it 's bad trading So is it now in this Heavenly Trade the rate and value of divine things is much abated Wisdom's goods seem little worth to many There was a time when Heavenly Wares were highly prized the Word of God was precious to souls far better to Saints than thousands of gold and silver they could have parted with all the world to enjoy God in Ordinances estate ease credit were nothing to a place in God's house and one view of his countenance was better than life Oh how sweet were the words of
his mouth much sweeter than the honey and honey-comb Men could let their own ploughs stand still to set their hands to God's plough with Mary they could neglect any business to sit at Christ's feet Luke 10. 39. leave their appointed food and most pleasant delicacies for one draught of Sanctuary-waters yea but for one sip of divine sweetness they could break their rest leave all for Christ's company bear frowns threatenings losses sufferings with wonderful ease for some fellowship with God and his people they would not lose a praying or hearing hour whatever it cost them they would stick at no hardships price should never break between Christ and them subscribe any terms and count it a cheap bargain too if at any rate they might obtain grace and some spiritual good to their souls But alas now the case is altered few will bid much for the precious things of Sion even they that could have plucked out their eyes and have given them to the Messengers of Christ now think it too dear to pluck their hands out of their bosomes to open the door to Christ himself Now soulpriviledges are worth little or nothing Sermons society of Saints are scarce counted worth the parting with a little time ease business or friend to enjoy them A shop a market is better than the solemn Meeting with most few can step over a straw and forbear to gather a little stubble though it be to get the unsearchable treasure of Christ This is the sad temper of most Professours this day they have lost their estimation of Christ and spiritual things they do not value let men talk what they will God above the world Christ above rest one day in his Courts above a thousand elsewhere his precious Word above their appointed food most think it more adviseable to take seasons for the world than for Heaven rather to baulk many Sermons than lose a little profit and opportunity though but of very small advantage in the world Men are full and rich and have goods enough they think they know enough already have heard enough prayed enough they feel no want of nor see worth in spiritual things and therefore offer so little for soul-advantages and this bespeaks manifestly the decay of this Heavenly Trade Secondly Fewness of buyers argues bad trading Among men when Chapmen are scarce few take off any goods wares lie on mens hands and will not off then men say Trade is fal'n Thus it is in this Heavenly Trade there are few buyers of Wisdom's Wares choice goods lie on sellers hands and will not off may not the Lord Jesus complain as formerly Wisdom did Prov. 1. 24. I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hands and no man regarded you have set at nought all my counsels and would have none of my reproof And as the Servants of God in the parable Mat. 11. 17. We have piped unto you and ye have not danced we have mourned and ye have not lamented Markets are full in many places the Lord Jesus hath much goods exposed to sale and there are many Chapmen but few buyers persons come to Religious Assemblies and Sermons as many do to Fairs to see and be seen to gaze on goods but not to buy few will take Christ's wares on his own terms and come up to the selling-price God grace and glory are too dear for many mens money they like some goods but the price is too high some could be content to have Christ but to deny themselves take up their Cross leave all and follow Christ that they think is too dear and break for price Mat. 16. 24. Heaven is desirable at last but the world at present they could be content to take Heaven in reversion when the lease of their worldly interests is expired and to receive their portion there when all is gone here but to trade above now and transport their earthly treasures to Heaven while they enjoy them on earth that 's too hard for them such goods such overtures will not off persons will not receive the Word of God as the Word of God they will not take threatnings to fear them warnings to regard them promises to believe them precepts to obey them May not most Ministers complain Who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Isa 53. 1. Most like and commend sermons but few receive and obey them it 's lamentable to consider how little of a Sermon is carried away remembred and practised This is the sin of Professours and some that pass for more than ordinary and yet are guilty of this careless forgetful and unprofitable hearing persons entertain truths as they do their acquaintance when they meet them on the way shake hands and embrace them be exceeding glad to see them and then bid them farewel that 's the reason the Lord Jesus carries back so much goods from Markets his wares will not off men buy not And hence it is also that Christ turns back their duties he will not receive the goods of such neither and this makes bad trading for Heaven Thirdly Want of employment is a sign of bad trading When Trade is good every man's hand is full of work but when men are out of employment and have nothing to set their hand to but stand idle in the Market-place this shews a decay of Trade And is it not so with Wisdom's Labourers now Persons professing God were once active in Religion but are now grown slothful in spiritual business Where are the works of faith the labours of love the fruits of the spirit among Christians this day who is fervent in spirit Ephes 6. 18. who strives in prayer watching thereunto with all perseverance Joh. 6. 27. where are they that labour even unto weariness for the bread that endures Heb. 12. 1. running even unto fainting in the race that is set before them Rev. 7. 15. Serving God day and night in his Temple and being diligent that they may be found of him in peace 2 Pet. 3. 14. What Pharaoh charged on the Hebrews when attempting liberty to serve God may be with much more justice reflected on those that profess to serve God and though they may yet do not Ye are Idle ye are Idle and hence it is mens hearts go a whoring after the world and the flesh with the lusts thereof it is because they are slothful in spirit a death is upon their hearts and this causeth the work of God to cease Neh. 4. 11. It is but little work most do for God this day how cold dead formal slighty are many in duty doing the work of God deceitfully their own consciences being Judges Jer. 48. 10. few labour with their hearts before they come to hear in hearing and after hearing to get some soul-good by it Men are usually pleased with a Lamp though there be no oyl in it cannot be contented without some duty but well pleased with bare duty To be nothing in Religion
and grief Oh the distractions and distressing thoughts that straits commonly beget and no straits like to soul-straits Christians you your selves be my Judges Thirdly Neglect of Trading for Heaven will blast all other Trading and breed a moth to consume even your temporal substance When Israel began to let down their Heavenly Trade and to mind their own concerns and houses above God's presently God blasts their temporal interests he makes holes in their money-bags and blows upon their encrease All their tuggings in the world with neglect of God and his Worship came to nothing they sowed much and it brought in little looked for much and it came to little wrought hard earned great wages laid up money but it fell out again through some secret hole in their bags which divine jealousie opened consuming their substance to let them know that men may make more haste than good speed and they that reckon without God must reckon twice And may not this be one thing that cuts this Nation short in their outward interest this day because they have forsaken God neglected his service lost the power of godliness certainly though outward prosperity be no token of God's favour nor any Gospel-promise to his people yet when the Lord does fight against a people by successive rebukes and send in a secret mildew wasting and consumption on their interests and this becomes general and national it shews displeasure in God and should be laid to heart the want of which is set forth as an additional aggravation to such a peoples sin Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers did not he against whom we have sinned for they would not walk in his waies neither were they obedient unto his Laws Therefore he poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battel and hath set him on fire round about yet he knew not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart Isa 42. 24 25. It was the not walking in the way of God neglect of obedience and practical holiness a letting down the Heavenly Trade that brought those ruining judgments on Israel losses on their interests vers 21. They were robbed and spoiled firing their houses vers 25. It hath set him on fire round it burned him Now in this miserable case there was yet a greater judgement on them a strange stupefaction and insensibleness of spirit they did not see God's anger in it yet Yet he knew it not viz. Whence it came and who did all this they looked to Chaldeans and enemies but 't was God did it and yet they laid it not to heart they were not rightly affected with all these desolations and their near approach to ruine And is not this our case God hath warned us by his Word this many years threatened us by prodigious signs in Heaven and Earth begun to execute them already by Plague Sword and Fire dreadful wastes in the great City and many other places to the undoing of many families made a breach upon the Trade of the Nation to the impoverishing of the whole Land and yet we are as insensible as Pharaoh and the Egyptians were as if the Lord had sent the spirit of slumber upon us impoverished yet fell it not This should be for a lamentation Fourthly The decay of this Heavenly Trade if not cured is the ready and certain way to ruine The destruction of the poor is poverty Prov. 10. 15. Mens poverty fills them with consternation and dejecting fears and does also expose them to many evils and take down their external defence from injuries being made a prey to their oppressours The rich man's wealth is his strong City Prov. 18. 11. Rich men protect themselves from injuries their riches are Advocates for them to men but poor men lye open to all invasions when men grow poor every man treads upon them So is it when the Heavenly Trade decaies and soul-poverty springs out of its ruine then destruction makes haste to such places and persons For this the Lord Jesus threatens to take the Kingdom from a people because they bring not forth the fruit of it Matth. 21. 43. they did not render to God the fruit of all his dressings and waitings on them Barrenness and decaies in Religion uncured are a certain forerunner of Desolation Luke 13. 7 9. Before the Lord brought in that cruel Nation the Vandals on Africa the Christians in Spain were much degenerated from their former purity as Salvian complains and the power of godliness was much decayed he tells us they had nothing left but the name of Christianity to which their conversation was most unlike a Quid est in quo nobis de Christiano nomine blandiamur Cum utique hoc ipso magis per nomen sacratiffimum rei simus qui a sancto nomine discrepamus Salvi de Gubern lib. 3. pag. 95. What is it saith he to please our selves with the name of Christian when the very name does greaten our guilt in that we are so unlike to it Before the Massacre at Paris saith Mr. Clark in his Martyrol such a general stupidity seized upon the Protestants that their minds were very wavering and few there were that shewed themselves zealously bent to Religion but all both great and small were intent upon worldly matters building to themselves goodly Castles in the air It was observed by some that before the change of Religion and Martyrdom in Queen Mary's daies there was great unprofitableness under the Means of Grace What the issues of these great decaies in Religion may be amongst us we know not but such symptomes have usually foregone great changes and severe stroaks on such persons and places And is not this matter of lamentation Physitians use to cure a Lethargy by a Fever the one hath been our disease O that the other if no means else will do may be our cure Fifthly At the best decaies in this Heavenly Trade will render the Traders account heavy in the day of Christ Into what straits did the sense of an abused trust put the Prodigal Steward Luke 16. 13 He had been unfaithful in his place wasted his Masters goods and now was in danger of being turned out a reckoning was call'd for and he unable to render it and in perplexing thoughts how to give in his accounts and to secure his future welfare And this will be the case of such as are negligent and unfaithful in their Heavenly Trade it will expose them to soul-trouble one day how to answer it before God First or last God will call for an account how his goods have been improved He hath given you a stock to trade upon for him Light Grace Parts Capacities Gospel-priviledges and Opportunities Liberty Peace Experiences with many mercies and afflictions which are all your Lord's goods and must be accounted for upon the passing of which depends your eternal state or much of your soul's peace The Lord Jesus hath a double audit or accounting with
eyes and thy heart are not but for thy covetousness Jer. 22. 17. He maketh haste to be rich Prov. 28. 20. drives furiously after the world his heart is reconciled to all the means and waies that lead to it be they never so clashing with soul-advantages that man be he who he will is a friend to the world and an enemy to God let him make the highest profession possible So did Judas get into the Church of God so did Demas pray preach and so may hypocrites for a time yea make many prayers Isa 1. 15. Doth he profess love to God so did the Jews and yet their hearts went after their covetousness Ezek. 33. 31. Is he of a lovely spirit and unblameable conversation so was the young man in the Gospel his great desire was to inherit eternal life Mark 10. 17. that was his business to Christ he desired to know how he might be saved he seemed to be all for Heaven his life also was unblameable All these have I observed from my youth up verse 20. He was of a sweet lovely spirit 'T is said Jesus beholding him loved him verse 21. and yet could not part with the world for Christ had his heart knit to earthly things all the while and went away sorrowful he could not consent to sell all and give to the poor ver 22. no marks will serve that Soul's turn whose heart is glued to the World and cannot give up all to Christ's dispose God and the World cannot dwell in that Soul godliness and gain cannot keep house together where the grace of God comes in truth it teacheth men to deny worldly lusts Tit. 2. 11 12. He that hath no power to deny the cravings of a worldly heart never yet received the grace of God in truth Grace saith one may stand with some transient acts of naughtiness but never with covetousness Adams on the 2 Epist of Pet. p. 9. 16. Noah was once drunk with Wine but never with the World Lot twice Incestuous never Covetous Peter denied his Master thrice it was not the love of the World but the fear of the World brought him to it for he had denied the World before he denied his Master Once David was overcome with the Flesh never with the World Why did not these purge themselves from Adultery Anger Contention and the like because into these sins the infirmity of a Saint may fall but if once into Covetousness there is nothing of a Saint left not the very name Luther acknowledges there was scarce a sin to which he had not been tempted save to the sin of Covetousness The Lord Jesus tells us that his Disciples are not of this World some derive the word Holy from Earth and a privative 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 particle in that redemption from the earth is the great work of holiness All they that partake of the Cross of Christ are crucified to the World and the World to them Gal. 6. 14. Not a jot of the benefits of Christ are treasur'd up in that Soul where the God of this World dwells and if without Christ without hope thy case is desperate if thy heart be earthly under the ruling power of this World thou art yet in a graceless state and no grace no glory if thou mindest earthly things destruction is thy end Phil. 3. 19. If thou art one of this World whose heart is after thy covetousness thy portion is in this World Psal 17. 14. All thy Heaven is on this side the Grave For this ye know that no Whoremonger nor unclean person nor covetous man who is an Idolater hath any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God Eph. 5. 5. 'T is joyned with the most abominable sins Thievery Drunkenness Adultery Idolatry Extortion for which things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience Col. 3. 5. 6. The Scripture calls covetous men cursed children 2 Pet. 2. 14. An heart they have a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exercised as Wrestlers are who contend for victory with all their Might being train'd up to it by long exercise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exercised with covetous practices cursed children really cursed with a detestation such whom God abhorreth Psal 10. 3. And the wicked blesseth the covetous whom God abhorreth A woe is pronounced against them Hab. 2. 9. Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house that he may set his nest on high that he may be delivered from the power of evil One would think this a duty or at least very commendable to provide for our Family and get what we can for our children and to endeavour to secure our houses from any suffering and calamity but if this be mens end to set their nest on high to get great things for themselves and so to manage their affairs as to avoid all b Malum hic notatis quod homines vulgo pro malo habent quod fugit horret caro nimirum crucem humilitatem ac persequutionem sufferings for God there 's a dreadful woe hangs over their heads and disappointment of all their design in the issue for instead of honour they are brought to shame in the end Thou hast consulted shame to thy own house and sinned against thy own soul vers 10. They are unworthy of any society with men I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a Brother be a Fornicator or Covetous or an Idolater or a Railer or a Drunkard or an Extortioner with such a one no not to eat 1 Cor. 5. 11. and shall be cut off from communion with God to all eternity Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God be not deceived neither Fornicator nor Idolater nor Thieves nor Covetous nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 6. 9. 10. Secondly as thy state is dangerous if thou art one who lovest this present World so thy folly is great to set thy heart upon the World After thou hast been convinced of the evil of such a spirit and practice and hast felt the smart of it in thy own soul After thou hast been arraigned at the bar of thy Conscience and condemned in thy own heart for this Sin as every truly convinced Soul is if ever the spirit of bondage hath been at work in thy heart as thou hast confessed then hast thou found this sin more bitter than death to thee and now to return again to such courses as will break thy bones again and put thy soul to greater torture than ever as all relapses do this is folly indeed After thou hast chosen God for thy portion Christ for thy treasure Godliness for thy gain the inheritance with the Saints for thy Land a mansion in Heaven for thy house Christ's tried Gold for thy Money a conversation in Heaven for thy Trade the Father Son and Spirit for thy All here and for ever
as thou hast done or fearfully belied thy profession that after all this thou should'st turn again to these beggerly elements and exchange God for the world a Crown for crumbs a Throne for thorns a Dowry in Heaven for a dunghill on earth an eternal weight of Glory for a burden of thick clay fellowship with God for defiling converse with dirt and bespotting trash a Burgeship in Heaven for a name written in the earth is not this folly folly Not that one who had real interest in God things above can ever fully and finally forfeit them and lose them again for once in Christ and ever in Christ but those things thou did'st once seem to choose for thy chiefest interest and hast professed hopes of a certain title to these supreme treasures and now to sell thy hopes of God and Glory for that c Speciosa supplicia fortunae vomitus vomit thou had'st spewed up and mire thou had'st been washed from this is madness indeed After you have seen so often the vanity and uncertainty of these things below that they are empty and will not satisfie they cannot quench thy thirst or fill thy hungry soul cannot afford the least rest to thy weary heart but are still short of thy expectations thou lookest for peace and behold they give thee trouble thou thinkest to gather Roses and they prick thy fingers and when thou hopest to find rest in them and sayest Soul take thy ease in thy full bags and fair estate thy pleasant house near relations then they prove swords to pierce thee or briers to rend thee or at the best but wind that does but swell not nourish thee Thou hast also found them fading things that will not stay rare ripe fruit that soon rots a moth an East-wind take off all they are a pleasing gourd one day and withered the next Jonah 4. 7. God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day and it smote the gourd that it withered A sickness comes and takes away thy child and all the hopes of thy house perish with him Thy Customers break and thou art impoverished The fire burns down thy house and thou art undone Thy Heir it may be proves a Prodigal and all thy gatherings are scattered so uncertain empty perishing are these things and thou knowest them to be so and hast found them such and yet thy heart runs after them and with the Dog Mundus perit tu Mundana quaeris in the Fable thou leavest substance to catch at shadows neglecting unseen sure sweet satisfying and eternal things for things that are not and is not this madness The world perisheth and yet thou seekest after the things thereof Petrarch After you have found better things and tasted the sweetness of them you have experienced the light of God's countenance to be beyond all corn and wine and oyl his loving-kindness to be better than life a day in his Courts to be more eligible than a thousand elsewhere Psal 4. 6 7. O how sweet hath his Word been to thy taste sweeter than the honey and the honey-comb how often hath God cheered quickened and strengthened thy heart in thy approaches to him that thou hast said as David of Goliah's sword there is none like this And as the Disciples when with Christ in the Mount 't is good being here Lord evermore give me this bread and yet after all this that thou shouldest upon choice leave these for the world and prefer thy shop thy trade thy field house money before these divine and approved treasures This is madness After so many confessions of this sin before the Lord and his people and so many prayers and cries to God against it and for grace to subdue thy earthly heart with many promises and declared purposes to turn no more to this folly that thou shouldest so easily so speedily be reconciled to the world again and reassume thy affections to these old lovers after all this is madness and will exceedingly greaten thy guilt and torment when the Lord shall make inquisition for these things when thy convictions prayers and vows shall return as so many Serjeants upon thy back to arrest thy guilty conscience and as so many witnesses to prove God's charge against thee that at such a time and such a time in thy closet in the Congregation of the Lord's people in daies of humiliation and preparation-seasons on thy sick-bed under such a word and rod thy heart did melt over thy sin and thou didst solemnly renew thy Covenant against it and now to have thy prayers and tears and promises yea and God too against thee for thy Apostacy after such Lovers as thou thy self wilt loath another day and be ashamed to own in the presence of God Saints and Angels this is folly folly Now when God is punishing thee for this very sin by stripping thee of thy Idols and pouring out the vials of his wrath upon this Euphrates thy riches interest trade and earthly comforts over which thou hast carried away thy heart from him that now while the Rod is upon thy back thou should'st hold fast thine iniquity and refuse to return this is desperate and incorrigible folly And this is the practice of most this day God blows upon their trades and interests for following them and letting his house lie waste and yet they pursue them still The Lord takes out the bottom of their bags and yet they put in more money into them God smites men for the iniquity of their covetousness and yet they go on frowardly in the way of their heart Isa 57. 17. God is hedging up the way of men's Lovers and yet they break thorough to overtake them So it was with Israel God had hedg'd up her way made a wall that she should not find her paths and yet she followed after them Hos 2. 6. And she shall follow after her Lovers O incorrigible wickedness but saith God she shall not overtake them The Lord is plucking down mens bricks but they build with hewn stone the Sycamores are cut down but they change them into Cedars Isa 9. 10. Providence pulls away unduly pursued interests but men catch at them again This is daring wickedness and a telling God to his face they fear him not neither will they return Jer. 5. 3. Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved m Quid miserius misero non miserante seipsum Aug. What 's more miserable than a man in misery not pitying himself thou hast consumed but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder than a Rock they have refused to return This is our case and should it not be for a lamentation Lastly when nothing but ruine and destruction is before our eyes manifest danger of losing all even Interest Gospel Life and all that is dear to us seems to be a going and yet to pursue these things with neglect of our souls is madness beyond parallel and a dangerous
God You are also maintained by God and that obliges you to him 'T was the argument the Apostle urged to the Masters of Reason in that age why they should seek the Lord because 't was from him they had their subsistence Acts 17. 28. For in him we live and move and have our being If God maintains you 't is rational he should have the use of you 'T was the reason Moses used to prove God's right to Israels all Deut. 32. 9 to 15. The Lord's portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his inheritance why He found him in the desert Land in the waste howling wilderness he led him about he instructed him he kept him as the apple of his eye As an Eagle stirreth up her nest fluttereth over her young spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them beareth them on her wings so the Lord alone did lead him and there was no strange God with him And therefore no reason they should leave him for strangers He made him ride upon the high places of the earth that he might eat the increase of the field and he made him to suck honey out of the Rock and oyl out of the flinty Rock Butter of Kine and milk of Sheep with fat of Lambs and Rams of the breed of Bashan and Goats with the fat of kidnies of wheat and thou didst drink the pure blood of the Grape Mercies are cords and bands by which the Lord obligeth men to himself I drew them with cords of a man and with bands of love Hos 11. 4. All thy life sinner hath been full of these constraints of mercy and love to take the Lord to be thy God The Gospel of Grace which you profess to own and receive binds you to seek first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof Matth. 6. 33. to do the work of God to labour for that bread which endures to eternal life to work the works of God Joh. 6. 27 28. to be no more your own but the Lord's 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Cease to call or think your selves Christians tell the world you do not believe or hope to be saved by a crucified Christ or else come over to him and be disposed by his sacred Will This is your duty Arg. 4. Fourthly Weigh the unspeakable gain that will surely accrew to you if you set up this Trade of Godliness I have already shewn in the demonstration of this point the great profit that this Heavenly Trade will turn unto to all that deal thoroughly in it to which I advise you to cast back your eye and take three or four considerations more to convince your understandings that Religion is eligible on grounds of greatest interest For First Religion will maintain you in the hardest times So will not other Trades there may be seasons when earthly employments will turn to no accounts You have heard that riches profit not in the day of wrath and some of you have seen the time when they that work could yet scarcely eat but God's work is meat and drink when daily bread fails Joh. 4. 30. I have meat to eat that you know not of Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. God careth for the righteous and when the Lions lack and are hunger-bit they that fear the Lord shall want no good thing Psal 34. 10. They shall be sure to be provided for whoever wants God hath past his word for it All things are theirs by purchase who are Christ's by choice that is saith Piscator o Omnes res terrenae vestris usious vestrae saluti a Deo destinatae sunt All earthly things are designed of God for your use and the furtherance of your salvation Not as if the Saints had a right to other mens interests The Apostle doth not speak here saith Pareus of civil possessions but of that divine order by which all things ought to serve the good and advantage of the Church of God The Earth is the Lord's the fulness thereof all which is given into the hands of Christ for the good of his people And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Ephes 1. 22. The whole Earth is but God's Kitchin for the maintenance of his house and if he will feed his servants and slaves much more his children He gives to all their meat in due season and satisfies the desires of every living thing Much more will he care for and give food convenient to his living in Jerusalem Indeed Believers are not of the world and therefore have not their portions in the world they are the Heirs of Heaven and have no promise of more on Earth than will comfortably carry them home and suffice for the discharge of those offices assigned to them here They are Servants not Heirs who carry the cloak-bags in their journey Persons of grandeur bear no more about them than for present use Surely were earthly treasures good for heaven-born souls he that gives better things would not deny these But God knows enough is as good as a feast and so much the Saints shall have in their passage home No man sends his servants a journey but he allows them enough to carry them thorough and so will God to his If he maintains idlers and enemies much more will he feed his faithful servants and labourers He hath promised to supply all their wants Phil. 4. 19. and is able to make it good If he thinks it not much to give them a Crown he will not deny them Crumbs If God should let his work-men want his work would cease his own interest as well as his promise obliges him to look after such his Love Truth Glory with all his Attributes are concerned to maintain his people in his work and therefore nothing more sure than daily bread and sufficiency in all things to such as serve and obey him Secondly Godliness will secure you in dangerous times Prov. 3. 23. Thou shalt then walk in thy way safely and thy foot shall not stumble when thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid yea thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet v. 24. For the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken The way of duty is the way of safety whatever men think the greatest security is in the boldest Adventures for God if regular where his Sun does guide you there his shadow will cover you who shall harm you if you are followers of that which is good 1 Pet. 3. 13. Men may threaten you but cannot injure you they may spoil your estates imprison your bodies but cannot do you any real harm while men keep with God God will abide with them his presence shall fence them his favour shall shield them his Angels shall encamp about them all his Attributes shall guard and secure them God's people that cleave to him in
who can know it none but he who searcheth the deep things of God can reach this bottom and bring to light the hidden things thereof The work of grace is a secret full of mysteries that none can open and fully know but the eternal Spirit that formed it in the womb of a Believer's heart Seeming grace hath so near a resemblance to saving grace that it puzzles the most curious and searching eye if not enlighten'd with a beam from Heaven to discern the difference besides the slender measures of the Spirit that most have attained to in this life with the subtil insinuations the false representations and treacherous prevarications of that bloody and irreconcilable enemy of mankind all which conspire to put a cheat upon the professing Christian and render his Salvation exceeding doubtful And suppose thy state should be safe yet how perplexing and full of anxiety is it to have the least suspition of thy unsoundness To have the life of thy precious soul hang in suspence and to be unresolv'd in that great case whether thou must live or die to all eternity O! how tormenting and heart-sinking is this An awakened Soul that cannot rest in sin nor yet hope in grace or upon any Scripture-warrant come to a determination about his real interest in God and things eternal is like a troubled Sea that cannot rest Instruments of Musick cannot allay its disquietude no Creature-comforts can charm its heart to a peaceful composure who does in reallity but suspect his eternal welfare and but think he reads this hand-writing on the wall Mene mene tekel upharsin Thou art weighed in the balance and art found wanting Dan. 5. 25. 27. Nothing in all the World can be a Plaister broad enough for such a wound no Cordial can cheer that heart till Grace decides the controversy and assures the Soul of an unquestionable title to the Heir of all things and to the inheritance with the Saints in light And have you not reason then to be restless till your propriety in these glorious treasures be attested which though difficult yet is possible and feasible to all that follow Wisdom's counsel in order to it The eternal truth hath opened a way to the decision of this question whether I have eternal life or no and laid down certain marks of a Soul entitled to things above 1 Joh. 5. 13. These things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life Vers 12. 19. Chap. 3. 14. The Lord hath charged this to be the duty of all that profess their hopes of glory to make their Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. To examine themselves whether they be in the Faith 2 Cor. 13. 5. To prove their own work that they may have rejoycing in themselves Gal. 6. 4. which he would never have done were it impossible He hath also promised the Spirit to help them in this work and to lead them into all truth bearing witness with their spirits that they are the Lords Joh. 16. 13. Rom. 8. 16. And upon this very account exhorts them to holiness that they might not impede this sealing work of the Spirit Eph. 4. 30. And upon the arrival to this certainty hath ensured great consolation and advantage 2 Pet. 1. 8. 10 11. All which words signify nothing and reflect unrighteousness on the spirit of truth were not an evidence of right to these heavenly things obtainable Quest But how may I come to the knowledg of this desirable truth that Heavenly Treasures are surely mine and that I may make a warrantable claim to God to Christ and these things of the other World Sol. 1. First By your conjugal union with the Heir of Heaven All things in Heaven and Earth are Christ's he is the Heir of all things Heb. 1. 2. Hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things All things in Heaven and Earth are his by donation purchase and inheritance juridically conferred over to him in the new covenant and actually put into his hand upon the finishing of his meritorious work and victory over death Matt. 28. 18. All power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is given to me in Heaven and Earth Lawful power right priviledg and authority as the word imports and with this is the Lord Jesus invested and hath all things put into his hands and all creatures under his feet Heb. 2. 7 8. And all right to true riches is derived from him through union with him 1 Cor. 3. 21. 23. All things are yours and you are Christ's and Christ is God's If you are Christ's then all things are yours not else your title is founded on your marriage-relation to him Gal. 3. 29. And if you are Christ's then are you Abraham ' s seed and Heirs according to the promise A title to these glorious treasures is made over in the new covenant which covenant is confirm'd in Christ and made in him and through him to all that are his He is the way there 's no coming to these treasures but by him he is the door no entring into them but through him He is the treasury it self in whom all the riches of grace all the fulness of pleasures and satisfaction lies you must have the treasury before you can have the treasures the well it self before the waters are yours He that hath the Son hath life hath him by way of possession as an owner and proprietor If you have Christ you have all that is his his person and purchase go together Rebekah must consent to go and marry Isaac before she could be invested with that substance and wealth which was his This new covenant which interests a soul in the Lord Jesus and his unsearchable riches is a marriage-covenant Hos 2. 19 20. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgment and in loving-kindness and in mercies I will even betroth thee to me in faithfulness and thou shalt know the Lord. Ezek. 16. 8. I entred into covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou becamest mine this was a marriage-covenant Jer. 3. 14. Turn O back sliding children saith the Lord for I am married to you If you would see your title to heavenly treasures try your conjugal union to the Lord Jesus the Heir of Heaven Every relation to Christ is not a conjugal relation There is a general relation as dead branches to the tree Joh. 15. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away A person may be in Christ as the luxuriant branch or sucker is in the tree that sucks the sap of priviledges and gets some nourishment of frames and comforts but brings not forth fruit it sprouts out of the stock as proud-flesh grows on the wound but hath no right union with the root or nourishment from the head Such are obtruders and hang-bies which take
cannot consent really and considerately to part with all for Christ never yet came up to marriage-terms The treaty between Christ and that soul never went far enough for a conclusion and if it go no farther if thy soul cannot seal to this to part with all thy interests thy dearest comforts yea thy self for Christ the match must after all be broken and Christ and thee part at last yea part for ever O soul try thy heart in this here lies the knot the vertical point this is the most difficult of all Christ's proposals and that the soul is longest consenting to even the letting go all for Christ His person may please well enough his estate is desirable for a reversion but now to take leave of and to go with Christ this is the hard saying Persons would have Christ and the world too Christ and friends too Christ and reputation peace liberty pleasure and self too and if this will not be granted break the bargain but if ever Christ and you have closed and you are his and he yours you cannot count any thing too dear to part with for him or to let go at his bidding If Christ calls for Estate Husband Wife Children an Isaac a Benjamin a right Eye a right Hand all must go and you must part with them freely and chearfully as Abraham did with Isaac Gen. 22. 3. Abraham rose up early in the morning and sadled his Asses and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his Son and clave the wood for the burnt offering and went unto the place of which God had told him Not as Jacob did part with Benjamin by constraint and grudgingly Gen. 43. 11. If it must be so now do this c. He was almost starv'd before he would consent to part with Benjamin and when he did het lets him go last of all he parts with the best fruits of the Land Balm Honey Spices Myrrh Nuts Almonds double money any thing first at last Benjamin was screwed out too Many must have their comforts wrench'd out of their hands before they will let them go but this is not love to Christ A soul married to Christ will say with Mephibosheth concerning his Land Let Zibah take all for as much as my Lord the King is come again in peace to his own house 2 Sam. 19. 30. So let God take all my estate strength liberty comforts seeing the Lord Jesus is come home to my soul in peace Houses Lands Friends Credit Peace Life may be dear but Christ will be dearer if he and you are one flesh All Bavaria said George Carpenter is not so dear to me as my Wife and Children yet for Christ's sake I will forsake them chearfully Do you think me such a fool said Ogvier to one that tempted him with life and preferment that I should change eternal things for temporal Loss of goods is great saith Hooper but loss of God's grace and favour is greater Love is never throughly seen till it comes to parting O the tuggings holdings shifts and reasonings that men will have before they will part with that they dearly love Now it will appear saith Philpot what we love best for to that we love we will stick If Christ have most of your hearts you will let fall every thing out of your hands to hold fast Christ I have said Mr. Bale exil'd my self for ever from mine own native Countrey Kindred Friends Acquaintance which are the great delights of this life and am well contented for the sake of Christ .. Answ 4. Fourthly A Soul married to Christ stays and lives on Christ The Wife casts her self upon her Husband's love and care for her supplies and lives on his allowance for all her provisions 't is suspitious for a married Woman to be maintain'd by strangers and to live on other men for what she needs 't is the Husband's duty to provide for his own and to nourish and cherish his Wife as the Lord the Church Eph. 5. 29. and 't is the Wives duty to go to and rely on his faithfulness for it So 't is with the Soul that hath espoused Christ it is to live on Christ for all it needs they that take Christ aright take him for their All not for better or worse for richer or poorer as Women take their earthly Husbands for Christ is always best of all always exceeding rich and full of unsearchable treasures but to take him for their only and sufficient portion at all times and in all estates Lam. 3. 24. The Lord is my portion saith my Soul therefore will I trust in him Lord said Paulinus when his City Gold and Silver was taken away let not the loss of these things trouble me for thou art all and more than all these to me Shaw's Tombstone p. 33. Christ is the Believer's All in the way and God his All in All at the end It hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell and under him all things should be put 2 Col. 1. 19. Heb. 2. 8. And this is for the supply comfort and blessedness of those that are his Eph. 1. 23. Which is the body the fulness of him who filleth all in all Whatever Christ hath as Mediator is the Churches for her use and profit If men have plenty of liquors they fill their vessels with them if they have much riches they place them in their treasury so doth Christ dispose of his fulness for his Churches good hence 't is the Spouse of Christ comes leaning on her Beloved from the Wilderness Cant. 8. 5. and dares adventure her All on the love and sufficiency of her loving and lovely Lord she is full of failings but she lives on him for righteousness many are her weaknesses but she goes to Christ for strength Isa 45. 24. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength She is sensible of many wants but casts her self on the promise My God shall supply all your wants Phil. 4. 19. Her backslidings temptations dangers troubles and fears are many but she stays on the Lord Jesus whom she hath chosen for her only friend in Heaven and Earth and there she lays her self down in his bosome when wearied with difficulties and doubts and embarques her self in his faithfulness for all she stands in need of for life and godliness for grace and glory Answ 5. Fifthly Fruitfulness to Christ proves Marriage to Christ Hence the Spouse is set forth by metaphors that express fruitfulness a Garden not a wilderness a well watered Garden which is usually most fruitful where the Spices flow out where the Graces of the Spirit are more operative and abundant and Souls become more fruitful in manifested holiness An Orchard planted with choice and pleasant fruits Camphire Spikenard Saffron Calamus Cinamon with all trees of Frankincense Myrh and Aloes with all the chiefest Spices which signify the preciousness variety and abundance of grace and holiness in those who are savingly united
of debt we cannot merit Fourthly We have nothing to merit withal for we are not our own 1 Cor. 6. 19. Man hath nothing to give to God who is not his own but God's as all redeemed ones especially are Believers are his servants Rom. 14. 4. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant And a servant is not his own his time strength capacity work are his Masters so are the Saints duties the Lord's not by way of legal compact and requital of wages but by way of redemption right and purchase being bought out of the service of sin and Satan to his own use and the service of such is a due already upon a former score a debt of thankfulness and cannot merit a reward Beside what can they give to God who have nothing but what they receive from God 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him again for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Fifthly Were rewards due to any upon the account of his work then man had something to glory of in himself and might say of Heaven as Nebuchadnezzar did of Babylon Dan. 4. 30. Is not this great Babylon which I have built for the house of the Kingdom by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty So might such say when they come to Heaven Is not this the mansion I prepared and deserved by my duties and graces for my glory and blessedness For self-justiciaries though they are forced to say that their grace is given of God yet they boast of the improvements of this grace as theirs and glory is due to the improvement of grace they say and not to the bare grace or talent and though they are driven to confess Christ's merit yet they shuffle and say Christ merited for them that they might merit But that is contrary to the Gospel which tells us That 't is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. v. 16. And 't is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. And that no flesh should glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1. 29. And therefore God hath chosen the foolish weak and base things of this world and things that are not of purpose to prevent this self-glorying before him verse 17 18. And the Apostle makes this reason why Abraham was not justified by Works but by Faith cause then he would have something to glory in but this could not be Rom. 4. 2. If Abraham were justified by works he had something to glory in but not before God So that the Saints though they have a reward of their work yet it is not for their work 't is a reward not of debt but of grace yea of glorious grace according to your work Christians God will not give you a jot less than the utmost of what your love and faithfulness comes to Your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. He will not fail of any of his Promises or disappoint you of your expected end but will be better than your hopes You will say in that day of compensation Who hath begotten me all these Isa 49. 21. Whence is this to me Luk. 1. v. 43. When saw we thee an hungred Mat. 26. v. 37. Glory is a mighty thing infinitely above all your labours Christians Heaven will make amends for all your duties and losses and abundantly compensate and exceed all your expences for God in the world And have you not reason to set about the work of grace and drive on the employments of this Heavenly Trade Quest But what is this heavenly work which Wisdom's Merchants must be driving on every day Sol. I answer First in the general Heavenly work is that work which hath a heavenly Author and Principle a heavenly rule and a heavenly end work wrought of God by his Spirit Joh. 3. 21. Work done according to the will of God and by Scripture-rule Col. 4. 12. Work wrought for God and designed purely and ultimately to his glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. But more particularly heavenly works may be considered under these two heads First Such as are heavenly in the matter of them as well as manner and end Secondly Such works as though earthly in the matter of them yet are done in a heavenly manner and to an heavenly end First That 's heavenly work which is of a heavenly nature matter and manner and end as all those religious duties are which respect God our selves and others First Drive on that work every day which hath God himself for its first and more immediate object as all acts of religious worship both natural and instituted moral and positive Mat. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve This is due to God from all his rational and intelligent creatures both Men and Angels to worship him only with that reverential fear faith love hope and delight which is due to him as the Supreme Majesty of Heaven and Earth the great Creator and Conservator of all his creatures and to serve him with that subjection and obedience as their relation to God their Sovereign calls for This is the duty of all persons especially those that profess their owning of God and choice of him to be their God in Christ and peculiar treasure Deut. 13. 6. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God and serve him and swear by his name Christians to let out your hearts upon the world relations self and creatures is to rob God of his service and to commit Idolatry with the creature Think this when my heart runs out to things below God and my affections hope trust and delight get over their banks and break their due bounds and subordinacy to God when I fondly dote upon and take pleasure abstractively from God in any creatures then do I deal treacherously with my God I rob him and give his glory to another Isa 48. 11. O set habitually your hearts on God and let out your faith love hope fear desires and delighting pleasures on God every day yea all the day long as your chiefest good supreme Sovereign and last end Prov. 27. 17. Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Again external acts of divine worship are part of thy every days work which thou owest to God and to be duly and daily performed to him as to pray hear and read his sacred word These are that honour homage and service that is due to God every day especially morning and evening Prov. 8. 34. Deut. 6. 7. Exod. 30. 7. 1 Chron. 23. 30. Ezek. 46. 13 14 15. Amos 4. 4. 1 Chron. 16. 40. Psal 55. 17. This is the daily burnt-offering to be prepared for the Lord Exod. 29. 38 39. Morning and evening the vows that are to be daily performed Psal 61. 8. God's
cleanse his heart Jer. 4. 14. The heart is the nest where these Wasps fly out and trouble the soul the root that feeds these luxuriant branches briars and thorns that wound the conscience and the strong fort of Sion where these Jebusites hide themselves and issue out to prey upon the gracious soul Till these nests be spoiled the Ax laid to the root of the tree and this strong Tower attach'd and these blind and lame removed souls will never be freed from irruptions of sin in their thoughts and conversations This Christian is busie and hard work and part of thy daily employment in this Heavenly Trade to sweep wash drain and cleanse thy filthy heart by sound repentance and faith in the promises death and blood of Christ Heart-quickening work The heart is the primum mobile the great wheel in the watch that sets all a going if that stop all faculties are still A lively heart makes a diligent hand to rid away soul-work and a nimble foot to run in the waies of God's commands when the heart is quickened then every duty inward outward publick private goes on such a soul needs no spur to quicken it nor pully to draw it to its duties O what a burden are some to their Christian friends to keep them up and draw them on in the way of God and all because their hearts are dead and that liveliness which once seem'd to be in them is departed The spring that at first made them so active is weakened or broken the waters that set their Mills a going fail and that temporary love and common grace like standing pools having no fountain to maintain them are dried up by consuming lusts and scorching temptations so that now they wither in all their branches and become weak cold and indisposed to every work of God and their souls Some of these dangerous symptoms of decayed grace are found also in sincere souls for not looking after their hearts betimes and keeping them close to a quickening Jesus by a lively faith in the promises Christian mind this also every day to maintain thy spiritual life by fresh quickenings and reviving influences from the fountain of life on thy weak and dying heart making use of all instituted helps for soul-strengthening as hearing reading meditation holy conference and the like Heart-teaching and enlightening work A light head and a dark heart may dwell together and it seems to be the condition of too many under the Gospel this day A spiritual eye to look into the mystery of truth and believing affectionate discerning of excellent things is not easily found even while Christ is read a veil is on mens minds and their foolish heart is darkened And this is one reason souls walk not as children of light 't is because they are not light in the Lord Psal 40. 8. The Law of God is not within their hearts they have no inclination or power upon their hearts to do the will of God they know for want of this heart-knowledge Be earnest with God to beam over your hearts to make that the Hemisphere where the Sun of Righteousness may daily arise with healing in his wings Cry with David Psal 119. 36. Incline my heart to thy Law Let my heart lean and stay upon thy Law as a man doth upon a staff tobear him up Get a greater nearness in your hearts to truth that the Word may be wrought in and incorporated into your hearts that it may be a Goshen a Land of Vision and full of the understanding of the Lord. Heart-keeping and Heart-watching work The heart is bent to backsliding if it be not kept and held fast to the Lord and his waies 't is still turning aside and winding off from its proper duty The Lord complains of Israel Psal 78. 8. They did not set their heart aright and their spirit was not stedfast with God They did not prepare adapt dispose their heart to God neither was it constant and stedfast with him but on every occasion did start aside So false a thing is man's heart if not under a watchful eye and strong hand holding it fast to God Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence Keep it as under lock and key bolted against sin and bound by cords of love to every duty And what a hard province is this O the work that a child of God hath to keep his heart in order one moment to keep down sin to keep it from the power of corruption and prevalency of temptation to keep up grace in the heart to maintain its desires after God and things that are excellent to preserve its affections to things above to hold the thoughts on God and things eternal that they start not away to continue its integrity to perform its purposes to secure its frames experiences and enjoyments And he that will thus keep his heart must watch it constantly never have his eye off from it or suffer his jealousie concerning it to cease He must be alwaies making it over to the Lord Jesus for security and be still imploring help from Heaven faithfully following all the instructions he gives towards its securing This is heart-work and the first part of this heavenly work that concerns your selves Secondly You must carry on mortification-work every day Col. 3. 5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry The Apostle having assur'd the believing Colossians of their future happiness doth thence infer their duty and necessity to press after utmost holiness here as the way to this blessedness The first part of which holiness lies in this great work of mortification there is no greater motive for Believers putting off sin than well-grounded hopes of interest in Christ and glory if Heaven be yours hereafter holiness must be yours now There is no place for sin in Heaven nor unclean thing can enter there Then hasten away sin now that 's his Argument Mortify your members Get your selves rid of sin put to death weaken and destroy the whole body of sin with all the parts and issues of it the head and ruling power of sin had its mortal wound before vers 3. Ye are dead habitually dead to sin the world and self they have got their deaths-wound the stab is at the heart and can never be healed more but they are not actually dead more blood must run and spirits be spent and this monster be weakned every day Practical mortification is wanting and must be promoted daily This spiritual death to sin a Mors naturalis est pura privatio nec admittit in subjecto aliquid contrarii sed mortificatio spiritualis non est pura privatio nam dum corpus hoc mortale gestamus relinquitur aliquid de contrario fomite quod oppugnandum magis magisque mortificandum est Daven saith Davenant is not as the natural death for that 's a pure privation and admits of nothing
are about the world set a guard about your hearts The Believers heart is Christ's royal Fort secure that and all is safe If riches increase set not your hearts upon them Psal 62. 10. 't is the Nature of earthly things like a Malignant Disease to get to the heart O how hard is it to meddle with these and the heart not become earthy too when a gracious Soul hath been with God and got his heart warm'd quicken'd and drawn out to things above no sooner doth he return to the world but all is gone again such dangerous damps doth this earth send unto heavenly hearts secure thy heart with God every day make a new surrender of it to him before thou get into the snares of thy earthly business Set a vigilant watch upon thy heart every moment lest the things of the world steal in and take it captive Rule 6. Sixthly Attend your earthly affairs with a calm and quiet spirit whatever occurrence you meet with in the world let your spirits be composed and fixed on God wonder not at changes in an unsteddy world which is onely constant in unconstancy r Omnia versantur in perpetuo ascensa descensâ—â— Here have we no continuing City Heb. 13. 14. All things here are moving ascending or descending Things below are compared to the Moon Rev. 12. 1. which is never at a stay but hath its constant changes and like the Sea that ebbs and flows every day and as the fountain of the Sun which Pliny s Plin. Lib. 2. C. 103. writes of that the waters are extream cold and sweet at noon but boiling hot and bitter at midnight So mutable are the comforts of this world then going when they seem most likely to stay Man's condition in this world at the best is like the mountain Potosi over which there alwaies hangs a cloud even in the clearest day And as 't is written of a Meer or t Desc of Scotland Salt Marsh in Scotland called Pochlowland where there are tempestuous waves raging without wind yea in the greatest calm Christians be not troubled at the tides you see in these waters of Marah Riches make themselves wings and fly away Prov. 23. 5. Let none of these lower things trouble you when gone which cannot content you when present but one moment of time can make them cease to be yours There is but one daies difference u Vna dies interest inter magnam civitatem nullam Et quos faelices Cinthia vidit vidit miseros abitura dies saith Seneca upon the burning of a City between a great City and no City So there may be but one day nay but one hour between a Father and no Father a Husband and no Husband a man of pleasure and a man of sorrows a rich man and a poor man Set not that at your hearts which should be at your heels Men do not use to sigh look pale and cry when servants leave them Earthly things are no more they are given you as handmaids to wait on you not as a Spouse to lye in your bosoms as servants that come and go not as children that abide in the house for ever When thou hast lost an earthly comfort say A servant is gone from me to day Keep up a contentation of mind with the portion God gives you here Heb. 13. 5. Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with those things that you have Let them suffice you as 't is in the Greek count them enough If an Esau can be satisfied with his crumbs how much more should a Jacob with the childrens bread What this and Heaven too saith one A little of the world and much of Heaven will well agree I have enough and enough and enough said precious Mr. Ball who yet was very low in the world When the Earl of Leicester offered Mr. Cartwright the Provostship of Eaton Colledge saying 't was an hundred pound more than enough he answered the hundred pound more than enough was enough for him Psal 37. 16. A little that the righteous hath is better than the revenues of the wicked There are two diminutives in the Original a little little of the righteous man's let it be never so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little with righteousness it weight down all the abundance of the worldly man's interest be it more or less it is enough O thrice fools are we like new born Princes weeping in the cradle knowing not that there is a Kingdom before them Rutherford I have often thought on that providence concerning Israel in the wilderness Exod. 16. 8. He that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no lack Christian why so troubled about thy proportion of these things of the footstool as if your Father knew not what you wanted or cared not for you or could not maintain you You shall have enough to carry you to your graves and you can absolutely need no more And seekest thou great things for thy self seek them not for behold I will bring evil upon all flesh but thy life will I give thee as a prey in all places whither thou goest Jer. 45. 4 5. You know not what God is doing in the world Have you but little now you may shortly have less Be content with what you have A little in Bethel if it be but a pillow of stones with bread and water is better than the rich Plains of Sodom A piece of blest bread in Immanuel's Land is sweeter and will go farther than all the Garlick and Flesh-pots of Egypt than a great deal of unsanctified comforts A small portion of the world with soul-advantage is better than a great estate with spiritual losses and temptations God can multiply a few loaves make the barrel of meal and cruse of oyl to hold out and your cloaths not to wax old rather than you shall want enough to carry you through your wilderness if you will be believing and obedient Be contented with the talent God gives you to trade upon Have others more than you envy them not a When a man grows rich saith Mr. Dod he does but go out of a little boat into a greater barge but he is still on the Sea they have the more to reckon for and it may be they need more or they can bear more than you That saith one would sink a small vessel which is but an ordinary burden to a great ship Some can better manage a large estate with less trouble and temptation than others Possibly that would puff up thy heart with pride and catch thy feet in snares that never stirs anothers affections to whom God hath given a braver spirit or greater mortifiedness to this world Subscribe to God's wisdom and pleasure believe his promises wonder at his mercy be thankfull for what you have above many see your All in God and hope to be shortly with him and you cannot but be content with your allowance in the
world Rule 7. Seventhly Follow your duty but cast your care on God abide in your callings but live above them 1 Pet. 5. 17. Casting all your care on God for he careth for you Depend not on your wisdom labour or success in your employments but upon the promise love and care of God for you If the Lord blesseth your substance don't you bless your selves in it See an emptiness in all your abundance and shortness in these to answer your many wants God can soon make a hole in your money-bags blow on your encrease turn your prosperity into contempt and make your expected comforts as the dream of a night vision Live not on large barns but on the full breasts of promises for the good of what you do enjoy or for the supply of what you want The poor Christian hath the keeping of his purse in his Father's hand the rich in his own hand If sight fail live by faith Faith assures you of the good issue of all difficulties in your way and gets advantage from the worst condition and sweetness to mingle with every bitter providence you meet with It may be thou hast a great family and little to live on lyest in debt and hast nothing to pay it hadst a little th' other day but the Caterpiller and the Cankerworm hath devour'd it this loss and th' other stroak hath wasted it In this case thy duty is to live on God by faith for a sanctified fruit of his hand upon thee and for making up this lack by his abundance When thou canst see no way out of thy perplexing trouble let thine eye be unto God for help 2 Chron. 20. 12. 2 Chron. 25. 8. Go not out of God's way for relief He that wounds must heal he onely that casteth down can raise up Deut. 32. 30. Neither faint thou in the day of adversity or way of thy duty Prov. 24. 10. Prov. 16. 3. but commit thy way to the Lord and he will bring it to pass Psal 37. 5. Mat. 6. v. 25. 1 Cor. 7. 32. Phil. 4. 6. Take heed of carking cares and fretful vexings these cannot lessen thy trouble but will greaten thy sins a provident care is thy duty but a distrustful vexing care both thy sin and affliction Rule 8. Eightly In all your labours pray for a blessing If you would live well you must beg as well as work add duty to thy diligence prayer to thy provident care calling on God to thy calling in the world As every creature so every condition and work is sanctified by the word and prayer 1 Tim. 4. 15. In every undertaking seek to God for counsel Prov. 3. 6. In all thy waies acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Christians should not set upon the smallest matters without enquiring the will of God not to go to this or that place to buy or sell to do this or that work without seeking to God for direction Jam. 4. 13 14 15. Our journeys saith one must not be undertaken without asking God's leave Dr. Mant. on Jam. This would evidence a life of dependance on God and bring all thy affairs under divine care and blessing Abraham's servant begins his journey with prayer Gen. 24. 12. 27. and concluded it with praise Gen. 28. 20. And so Jacob Israel's folly in concluding with the Gibeonites contrary to the command of God was laid on their not asking counsel of God Josh 9. 14. The men took of their victuals and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. O the snares and disadvantages men are exposed to in their earthly concerns for not taking counsel from God and engaging his hand and blessing with them Prayer will further your work sweeten your pains and difficulties in it and secure the comfort and good of it When you want mercy seek God for it when you receive mercy see God in it and return praise to God for it Rule 9. Ninthly Though you live in the World yet be dead to the World Heaven-born souls though in the World yet are not of the World but chosen out of it Joh. 15. 19. and crucified to it Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is crucified to me and I unto the World This crucifiedness to the World * Se mundum cum omni suo fastu pompa gloria aspernari contemnere quasi rem nihili vanam mortuam saith Paraeus signifies the contempt and despising of this World he intimates hereby that the World with all its scorn pride pomp and glory are despised by him as a nothing empty dead thing A soul crucified to the World sees nothing lovely and desirable in this World but God his Word and Works there 's nothing in earthly things that can be taking with spiritual hearts if God be not enjoyed in them all the glory of the World is no more to them than a dead carkass if the love of God breath not through it on their hearts nay the very Garden of the Lord is a Wilderness to them if the Rose of Sharon be not in it A mortified Saint wonders that a rational immortal Soul can see such worth in riches pleasures honours and poor perishing things of this life which to him are nothing he can easily part with all at the Lord's bidding And he feels no such evil neither in the bad things of this World as to make men startle at them wants losses reproaches torments for Christ lose their frightfulness to them whose hearts love to the Lord Jesus hath reconciled unto the bitterest affliction that can befall them for his sake If Christ stand and do not perish saith Luther what matter is it if Wife and Children perish If liberty estate life and all go so he stay Such should thy heart be in pursuit of these things as one that is dead to the World and sits loose from all its glory and above all its threatnings content to have or not to have to use or want to enjoy or be denied or deprived of it as God pleaseth Rule 10. Lastly Do all your work within the view of death judgment and eternity transact the employments of every day as dying persons who are leaving this World and liable to a remove every moment How would frequent and serious thoughts of a near approaching end wonderfully check mens greedy pursuits of this World and help to keep their actions in a consistency with their accounts King Philip would have it proclaim'd before him every morning Remember that thou art mortal And when falling upon the Sand he afterward saw the print of his body said O how litle a parcel of earth will hold us when we are dead who ambitiously seek after the World while we are living When Severus was old he called for an Urn or Pitcher in which the ashes of a dead person were put and looking a while on it said a Tu virum capies quem orbis
terrae non capit Lips Wilt thou contain that man whom the whole World cannot contain Alas what will the whole World be to thee when thou comest to die let it seem no more to thee now who art dying every day do every thing as strangers and pilgrims here Heb. 11. 9. 13. and as if you heard a voice every day saying Awake and come to judgment Jerome thought whatever he did he still heard that voice Surgite mortui venite ad judicium Arise ye dead and come to judgment When you are travelling to this Market and the other Fair think Sure I am journeying to the grave and I know not what dust I shall shortly be shovell'd into when you are about your work think I am hastening to eternity and shortly these hands must rot in the grave When you promise your selves great things as the fruit of your labours and hope for this gain and the other comfort say Death may come between me and my enjoyments and crop off the hopes of all my labours What can be great to him that accounts the World nothing or long to him that counts his life but a span Mr. Dod When thou findest thy heart running out too greedily after this World ready to lye cheat oppress undermine others to greaten thy interest think on this For all these things God will bring thee to judgment and render to thee according to all thy works Secondly Then do you your earthly work in an heavenly manner when you do it with an heavenly heart As is the heart so is the action in God's account the Lord was much pleased that it was in David's heart to build him an House though he never did it 1 Kin. 8. 18. and displeased with all that Israel did in his service because their heart was not right with him Psal 78. 37. Israel did many good works they sought him they returned and enquired early after God they remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer ver 34 35. but all this was nothing in God's esteem because their heart was not upright in it they had an earthly carnal selfish backsliding heart in all they did If thy heart be heavenly though thy work be earthly yet it puts an excellency on it but if thy work be heavenly and thy heart earthly God doth reject and despise it the heart is the root of every action and if the root be good the fruit will be good also Mat. 12. 33. Rom. 11. 16. If the fountain be sweet the streams will be sweet also and if thy heart be heavenly thy work is heavenly A heavenly heart like the Bee turns all it doth to heavenly uses when the Lord Jesus had put his hand upon the Spouses heart and left some myrrh upon her bowels presently her hands dropped myrrh and her fingers sweet smelling myrrh Cant. 5. 4 5. A heavenly heart perfumes thy earthly work and makes it wonderfully taking with the heart of Christ Quest How might I know when my heart is heavenly in my earthly work Sol. First A heavenly heart is a heart enlightned to see heavenly things a heart beam'd over with heavenly light to discern things invisible An earthly heart is a dark heart it sees nothing in God his Word and Works so as to draw up his heart to Heaven an earthly heart sees nothing but earth in heavenly things and an heavenly heart sees Heaven in earthly things The Patriarchs saw the heavenly City in their earthly Countrey Heb. 11. 13 14 16. They saw the promises that is the things promised afar off and confessed that they were strangers on earth they sought a Countrey desired a better Countrey that is an heavenly and all that as the product of their heavenly sight they saw heavenly things in earthly Abraham had an heavenly eye to see Christ's day Joh. 8. 5 6. and Moses a heavenly eye to see him who is invisible Heb. 11. 27. A heavenly heart doth not only see heavenly things but sees an infinite worth and excellency in them it sees them to be the best things it sees a greater glory and desirableness in things above in one glance of his eye in one day within his Courts in one hours communion with him than in all the World besides Mary saw more advantage in sitting at Christ's feet than in the many things Martha's heart was taken up about Luke 10. 41 42. Cursed be that man saith the noble Marquess Galeacius that accounts not one hours communion with Christ above all the World Secondly A heavenly heart is a heart that savours heavenly things Rom. 8. 5. Nothing goes down so sweet with a heavenly heart as heavenly things every thing rejoyces in its like An earthly heart delights in earthly things the Merchant in his Trade the Husband-man in his Field Houses Husbandry and fruits of the earth the voluptuous man in his pleasures as he that sold his City for a draught of water crying out when he had done O that for so short a pleasure of a King I should be made a Slave The proud man in his greatness Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the Kingdom Dan. 4. 30. So doth the heavenly heart relish greatest sweetness in heavenly things How sweet are thy words to my taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth Psal 119. 103. His fruit was sweet to my taste his mouth is most sweet Cant. 2. 3. and 5. 16. My meditation of him shall be sweet Psal 104. 34. We took sweet counsel together Psal 55. 14. We talked of the mysteries of godliness saith Ainsworth of the exercises of Religion saith another which I suppose the Prophet meaneth by going into the House of God as companions consulting as it were how they might prepare themselves to his service Thirdly A heavenly heart is a heart that longs and desires after heavenly things Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none that I can desire on Earth in comparison of thee Psal 73. 25. When shall I come and appear before God My soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is to see thy power and glory as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Psal 43. 2. Psal 63. 1 2. My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God Psal 84. 2. Desires are the natural motions of the heart and the best character and truest lineaments saith one y Reynold's Treatise of Passion that can be drawn of the minds of men Practices may be overrul'd by ends but desires are alwaies genuine and natural Hence good men have had most confidence in approving themselves to God by their affections and the inward longings of their souls after him as being the purest and most unfeigned issues of love and such as have least proximity and danger from forein and secular ends It is an unquestionable
evidence of souls risen with Christ and receiving the stamp of Heaven on the heart to set their affections on things above Heavenly desires are the natural breathings of a gracious heart which can as well live without them as a man without breathing a cessation of spiritual desires argues soul-swooning or spiritual death Fourthly A heavenly heart is known by its heavenly thoughts it will be much thinking of heavenly things As is the heart so are the thoughts usually For as he thinketh so is he Prov. 23. 7. The thoughts are the first-born of the heart and strength of the soul and as natural issues of the mind as beams are of the Sun if the heart be evil the thoughts will be evil if the heart be good the thoughts will ordinarily be good Matth. 15. 19. further than corruptions or temptations hinder Jer. 4. v. 14. If your hearts be heavenly so will your designed habitual and well-pleasing thoughts be They that are spiritual will mind the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 5. Try your hearts by your ordinary quiet and delightful thoughts Are vain earthly thoughts your trouble and holy thoughts your delight Fifthly A heavenly heart will be full of heavenly projects such a heart will be driving designs for Heaven his consultations enquiries and studies will be how to carry on and promote heavenly interests Titus 3. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum ratione concilio exerceri the word is might study devise and beat their brains how they might do good That 's the temper of earthly hearts also they will be plotting and contriving waies and means how to advance earthly interests Phil. 3. 19. Who mind earthly things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zanchy whose thoughts are in the earth as the Syriack renders it that is they are wholly taken up about earthly things So 't is with a heavenly heart it is taken up about the things of Heaven it laies holy plots how to keep down the world and corruption in the soul and how to make the most of all it hath and doth for Heaven to secure his interest and enlarge his possession above So far as the heart is heavenly so far is it designing for Heaven Sixthly A heavenly heart is acted and influenced by heavenly motives and arguments there is nothing sways more with a heavenly spirit than reasons drawn from heavenly things heavenly pleasures heavenly honours heavenly treasures will do more with a heavenly heart than any arguments drawn from things of this life The nature of the heart is much known by the motives that are most potent with it A carnal heart is byassed by carnal things Who will shew us any good Psal 4. 6. But a spiritual heart with spiritual things Lord lift up thou the light of thy countenance upon us Lot will choose the plains of Sodom but Abraham will prefer walks with God though in a Wilderness David values his lot by what it hath of God in it and counts that most pleasant and rich which helps him to most of God Psal 16. 5 6. Tell an heavenly heart how he may be rich great and comfortable in the World and it signifies nothing but tell him how he may pitch his Tent nearest to the Ark and enjoy most of God how he may keep peace and holiness within and order his conversation aright to please God and you will sooner win such a heart than by all the choicest proposals of this life Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way Psal 119. 9. Who shall abide in thy tabernacle Psal 15. 1. Who will rise up for me against evil doers Psal 94. 16. How might I do to get a better heart to be more rich towards God Oh that one would give me drink of the waters of the Well of Bethlehem 2 Sam. 23. 15. How might I do for some fore-tastes of the rivers of pleasure at the right-hand of God and to eat of the tree of life in the mid'st of the Paradise of God Rev. 2. 7. These are the most taking things with an heavenly soul his choice his delights and transcendent interests lie on the other side of this World even within the borders of Immanuel's Land Seventhly A heavenly heart is a heart that lives upon heavenly things and is maintained by provisions fetch'd from Heaven nourished up in the words of Faith 1 Tim. 4. 6. desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 3. My meat and drink is to do the will of him that sent me Joh. 4. 34. Earthly hearts are maintained by earthly comforts like the Crows they live on carrion but heavenly hearts live upon heavenly things they feed on the finest Wheat and like the Indian Bird Vle malim that lives upon the dew and of the juice of Flowers and Roses heavenly souls prosper best on heavenly pulse and water Give me understanding and I shall live Psal 119. 144. Eightly A heavenly heart walks by heavenly Rules 't is led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 14. All the threatnings of men cannot upon choice bow him from his path-way of duty Dan. 6. 10. nor the reason or allurements of men draw him with full consent into the way of sin ch 3. 18. Whatever comes of it he is at a point to keep the commands of God Psal 119. 106. It chuses to be governed by heavenly Laws And we will walk in his paths Isa 2. 3. As for me and my house we will serve the Lrrd Josh 24. 15. Such a soul is easily perswaded by the evidence of truth and will hear what the Spirit saies A little child shall lead him Isa 61. 6. Thirdly Then are earthly things done in an heavenly manner when done to heavenly ends and purposes to obey please and honour God when a person can approve his heart to an all-seeing eye that the great and chief end for which he takes up this or that calling sets on any employment is in subordinacy to these great ends not to please men to gratifie his own lusts to grow great in the world to enjoy pleasure ease reputation and interest here but out of obedience to the Maker Redeemer and Governour of this world that God in all things might have his will and glory 1 Pet. 4. 11. This is the ultimate end of all Gods works and should be of man's also All employments run out of their proper chanel if they tend not to this Ocean of divine glory As God is the Alpha so he must be the Omega of every action the first cause must be the last end God hath made all things for himself Prov. 16. 4. To him belongs the issues as from death so of life Psal 68. 20. Nothing is further good than it answers God's end earthly ends spoil heavenly work and heavenly ends puts an excellency on earthly
in this heavenly Trade Religion is much advanc'd by a spiritual improvement of mens talk and converses this way did the searers of God keep alive Religion in evil times when other helps were wanting Mal. 3. 16. Prov. 10. 21. By this souls come to be fed and nourished in their holy Faith 1 Tim. 4. 6. A great deal of good or hurt comes by mens discourses O the mischief Christians do to each other by their vain carnal and earthly communications when they come together Evil communications corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15. 33. Whose word doth eat as doth a canker 2 Tim. 2. 17. This way does Satan put off much of his wares even by Wisdom's Merchants making them to weaken cool deaden and corrupt one anothers spirits stir up feed and strengthen each others corruptions become temptations and provocations to one another to sin by their sinful corruptions 'T is sad to think how the work of God ceases and the work of Satan prospers this way Persons come warm sometimes from a Sermon and are soon cool'd by impertinent and vain discourses come from secret duty when their hearts are quickned and raised and presently deadned again by spirit-quenching discourses O how many labours of the Saints and Servants of Christ and how many strivings of the Spirit are overturned and come to nothing by vain and rotten discourses no wonder the Apostle tells us The tongue is a fire a world of iniquity it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature and is set on fire of hell Jam. 3. 6. Through the organ of an unsanctified tongue doth Satan shoot his fire-balls of temptation into the hearts of hearers are you afraid of that fire which burns down your houses beware of that fire that burns down souls to hell 'T is no small part of a Christian's wisdom to speak a word in season and to order as his conversation so his converses to edification When the Apostle presses the Ephesians to wisdom Eph. 5. 17. the next thing he advises to is holy conference ver 19. by mens language are they known of what Countrey they are so are persons discover'd whether Citizens of Heaven or the World by their ordinary and desir'd language 'T is said of Augustine he went not so willingly to a feast as to a conference to reduce any that erred He that is of the Earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth he that cometh from Heaven is above all and what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth Joh. 3. 31. He will be speaking of heavenly things which he learnt of God A good man out of the abundance of his heart bringeth out good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh The tongue is but the index and bucket of the heart that tells men what things are within and draws out of those deeps to others men use to find out what metals are hid in the earth by the colour of the sand which the waters wash away from the mountains if the streams be low the spring is weak an empty heart yields empty discourses By your words you shall be justified or condemned The tongue of the just is as choice silver Prov. 10. 20. in that it is enriching to those that are near it The tongue of the wise is health Prov. 12. 18. It sendeth out sound and wholsome words to the strengthning of hearers 't is said of the Spouse that her lips did drop as the honey-comb honey and milk are under her tongue Cant. 4. 11. And the roof of her mouth like the best Wine that goeth down sweetly causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak Cant. 7. 9. This doubtless is one reason of the little thrivings of Christians in communion this day 't is from their barren and carnal communications this starves Religion both in thy own soul and in those thou conversest with 't is not maintained by gracious converses and soul-edifying discourses Christians lay this to heart how can you bear the charge of all that decay in godliness this day upon your non-improvement of this part of your heavenly Trade Lastly Then do you carry on the heavenly Trade when you improve every thing to heavenly advantages getting good from every thing you meet with do or enjoy 'T is so in earthly Trades all men seek their gain from their quarters Isa 56. 11. endeavour to turn every thing to some profit And so should heavenly Traders be getting some spiritual good from every thing that comes under their hand and in their way if ever they intend to thrive this comports with the great design of God in all his administrations to his people which is to do them good Who fed thee in the Wilderness with Manna which thy Fathers knew not that he might humble thee and that he might prove thee to do thee good at the latter end Deut. 8. 16. To this end are his providences directed The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him Ezra 8. 22. And this leads to the accomplishment of the promises towards Believers I will set mine eyes upon them for good Jer. 24. 6. I will not turn away from them to do them good Jer. 32. 40. All their occurrences are brought under a promise of working for good All things the best and worst things of providence shall work for good to them that love God Rom. 8. 28. And why is this but that gracious souls should be expecting good from every thing every affliction as well as mercy that doth befall them and be comporting in all their capacities with this design of God by an improvement of all to this great end of soul-advantage What more good O Lord was the usual saying of a godly man when the Lord brought any new affliction upon him with which he was much exercised and from which he ever got some spiritual advantage For this end are gracious souls made capable to use their mercies to bear and improve their afflictions to some spiritual good they have a principle of grace planted in their hearts and of divine light into their minds and have received rules and instructions of purpose that they might be able to reach this end They are made men of wisdom for this end that they might hear God in affliction Mic. 6. 9. and see God in mercies and are skill'd in divine Chymistry that they might extract the spirit of providences and good of every condition duty and mercy 'T was said of pious Mr. Dod that he used to turn Earth into Heaven by a wise and spiritual improvement of all earthly affairs A blessed metamorphosis and an argument of excellent skill and high attainment in this heavenly Trade to turn Copper and Brass into Gold and to convert every thing the worst things to some good This Christians is your priviledg duty and interest so to manage every affair condition occurrence and experience as to help on your soul-enrichings There
much of the world take heed of puffings up the more you have the more you owe the more you have of Earth the less you may have of Heaven The poor in the world may be rich in faith and the rich in the world may be oft-times poor in faith If God give you much here be fearful lest he give you your All here When one offered Luther much gold he protested God should not put him off with these things 'T is said of Gregory the Great he could never read these words Son remember thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things without horrour and astonishment lest having such dignities he should be excluded his portion in Heaven Have you little in the world you have the less to reckon for you have the lesser temptations the fewer bryars and thorns to go through Are you mean in reputation you are so much the safer and the more beneath envy 'T is more to you said Mr. Rutherford to the Lord-Keeper to win Heaven being ships of great burden and in the main Sea than for little vessels that are not so much in the mercy and reverence of the storm Are you low in the world the more reason you have to lie low in your own spirits a Prince's heart and a beggar's purse do not well agree Are you in want make more use of Christ's fulness 'T is blessed misery that brings souls to Christ for mercy Had it not been for affliction Christ would have had but little company whiles in the world The whole need not the Physician the sick the blind the deaf dumb and possessed of Devils might bless God for their maladies which were the occasions of bringing them to the Physician of their souls as well as bodies 'T was well for the poor Canaanite that her daughter was ill for by that means she was put upon seeking crumbs and while she asked for them got the childrens bread to boot Matth. 15. 27 28. Fifthly Get good from your Callings and Employments in the world by preserving a sense of the snares and dangers that lie in the management of them If men would take a strict survey of their Calling-carriages and be true to their observations they must needs confess there are many evils they are guilty of in the management of them every day either idleness or excess of labours deceitfulness earthliness lying cheating selfishness covetousness carnal-mindedness vain discourses multitude of words murmuring unthankfulness with many other sins of omission and commission which they are exposed to in the pursuit of their Employments Now when the experience and sense of this do keep them more humble and watchful against the occasions and appearances of such evils when this helps to break and melt the heart before the Lord in prayer fly to Christ in the sense of their weaknesses and inability to hold up under their temptations for all their help and grace to stand Ephes 5. 15 16. And when they labour to keep a tender spirit in all their dealings and a holy jealousie of their hearts in every thing they do exercising self-denyal and mortifiedness to the world and things below then they get profit from their Callings Prov. 41. 3. Psal 141. 3. When they make their particular Callings to comport with and subserve their general when mens businesses in the world do not unfit them for but are helpful in their religious duties to keep their hearts in a meetness for spiritual service even while they are in their earthly Employments maintaining a walk with God in them then they get good from their earthly Callings Ephes 6. 18. Titus 3. 1. Sometimes God blesseth your Callings and makes your basket and store to encrease then to be enlarg'd in thankfulness and preserve the memory of God's goodness is not onely your duty but will sweeten the enjoyment of your mercies With my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two bands Gen. 32. 10. To love him more and serve him better with more chearfulness and gladness of heart this is profiting by your Callings Sometimes God blasts your labours and crosseth your hopes makes a breach upon your Trade follows you with losses one after another In this case to look to the hand of God to search out God's end in all to get good by it to be the more weaned from the world and to cease from earthly stays is a profitable use of your Callings Sixthly Be getting some good from your company you reside amongst meet or converse with The Lord offers and souls may get much good this way O the mercies that God deals out through mens company 'T was well for Rahab that ever the spies came to her house for by that means she obtained the salvation of her self and family What a mercy 't was to the woman of Samaria when she came to the Well that she found Christ there who instead of filing her pitcher with perishing water by this means got her heart filled with the waters of life John 4. 15 What good did the Disciples get by company in the way to Emmaus who by that means had their cold hearts warmed their weak faith strengthened Luke 25. 15. to the 32. Others have had company fatal to them Had it not been for Potiphar's house Joseph might have escaped temptation to uncleanness Gen. 39. 7. And had it not been for Pharaoh's house he had not learn'd to swear by the life of Pharaoh Gen. 42. 15. As long as Peter kept with the Disciples he was faithful and couragious but when once he fell into evil company and got into the High Priest's Hall he presently fell into that fearful sin of denying his Lord and Master Luke 22. 55. When they sate down together Peter sate down amongst them Christians beware what company you come into for the peace and welfare if not the life of your souls is much concerned in it Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Ephes 5. 11. Prov. 1. 15. chap. 4. 14 15. Chuse not wicked company for advantage sake as Lot did with the loss of his goods and hazard of his life and a dreadfull fall to boot Gen. 19. 15. 36. Advantage was his end why he chose the Plains of Sodom but loss was the issue of his choice So Balaam for Balacks goods run himself into those temptations that cost him his life Gen. 31. 8. Go not into wicked company except duty call you if you have God's warrant you have his protection and if by providence or in the way of obedience you meet with evil men be good with them The Sun saith Diogenes visits kennels and is not defiled either by taking an occasion to do them good as the Israelitish Maid did to her Master Naaman directing him to the Prophet Elisha for cure 2 King 5. 2 3. Or by putting a stop to their sin as David did Psal 75. 4 5. I said unto the fools deal not foolishly and to the
that strive with him shall perish there is no contending with God bow we must or break return or be ruined Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings Isa 1. 16. Get washt away your blood by sound Repentance get into Christ's blood by saving Faith set upon a thorough reformation personal family publick each one in his place help to carry out the uncleanness of thy heart hand house and land to the Brook Kidron 2 Chron. 29. 16. Get tradingsins removed if you would have trading mercies enjoy'd Take every man his Censer and stand in the gap pour out strong cries for returning-mercy that the Lord would cease from his fierce wrath and turn again and heal our Land and bless our substance accept the work of our hand and dwell in our Land Counsel 5. Fifthly Get advantage from decaies in your Earthly Trade to further your Heavenly Trade gather materials from your earthly ruines for your heavenly building Christians there 's a great deal of good you may get from these evil things in the world to quicken your pursuit after the things of Heaven First By your earthly losses you may be convinced of the vanity and uncertainty of all things below God Men are apt to take up too much pleasure in their booths till God sends a devouring worm and consumes them and to sit down under their shadows with great delight and therefore doth God make them like shadows to fly away what expectations do men raise from their swelling-comforts thinking their mountains are made so strong they shall not be moved till the Lord by some levelling providence soon corrects their fond opinion and what dependencies do we usually take up on those uncertainties leaning so hard on our reeds till they break under us and send splinters into the arm which staies upon them O the contentment pleasure profit men fancy to be in creatures friends relations honours estates before by some killing stroak they see themselves to be deceived What mercy is it then to meet with disappointments in these groundless hopes that we may come to see before it be too late what poor empty perishing things all the wares of this lower world are This way David came to have his errour seasonably corrected And Solomon by a serious review of past enjoyments comes to see that all was vanity and vexation of spirit Eccles 2. 1. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew they are disquieted in vain he heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather them Psal 39. 6. Secondly Divine rebukes on mens earthly interests help them to a discovery of those sins that procure them Deut. 31. 17. Afflictions are Christ's clay and spittle to open his peoples eyes and to bring them to see those evils that have brought those deaths upon their comforts and breed those worms that have destroyed their substance Times of correction are times of instruction Job 36. 8 9. When Jacob's Sons were cut short of their provisions reduced to great distress and plunged in sore dangers then they thought upon their sin and wrong done to their brother Joseph Gen. 42. 21. Then they said one to another verily we are guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us Whence one hath this note Affliction is a dark condition yet it brings much light into the soul Men come to read their miscarriages best by the fire-light of affliction then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God 2 Chron. 33. 13. Now the soul comes to see his abuse of these mercies he hath lost his inordinate love to them and wandrings from God and this helps to after-wisdom and greater freedom from these entanglements for the time to come which is no small advantage to future godliness Thirdly By this loss of earthly things the soul comes to see a necessity of looking after and ensuring better treasures Heb. 13. 14. Here have we no continuing City but we seek one that is to come Uncertainties on Earth should put souls the more to look after Heaven The Prodigal never thought of returning till all was gone Luke 15. 14. to verse 18. The Steward never considered how to secure his future state till goods were wasted and Stewardship in danger of removal Luke 16. 1 2 3 4. Think of swiming ashore said Mr. Rutherford after a shipwrack 'T is a mercy in this stormy Sea to get a second wind for none of the Saints get a first This is advantage indeed when having nothing you seek to enjoy all things and when the world flies from you to pursue Heaven the faster Could a Heathen say I never gain'd mere than when I lost all because his shipwrack became the occasion of obtaining knowledge and will not you Christians by your earthly losses be provoked to make after heavenly interests Fourthly Losses in the world have an advantage through grace to loosen the heart from the world Afflictions on mens estates are like wormwood on the breast that tends to wean the hearts of God's children from them Love of the world hath been the sin of this Age and the shipwrack of worldly things is the likeliest way to cure it this disease is best conquered by fasting Absence of Lovers is sometimes the way to starve affections and poverty with distress is God's usual method to chastise mens wanton affections to this world Afflictions when sanctified are Sanctuary-fire to purge away the dross of our affections Mal. 3. 3. 5ly Soul-enlargement is another fruit of sanctified straits and so a help to the heavenly trade Christians are never fit to make any speed in the way to Heaven until their hearts be enlarged Psal 119. 32. Enlargements in the world are oft-times bonds to the soul He that hath most of the Earth hath usually least liberty for Heaven When the Lord cuts short the interest of his people he doth but knock off golden fetters from their feet that he may bring their soul out of prison Afflicting Providences are God's dieting his racers that they may be more long-breath'd and swift in their run towards glory O how imprison'd are redeemed souls in the many things of this world they cannot have time to pray read hear confer for the entangling-affairs of this life till God by some deaths upon their employments sets them at liberty Removes of worldly treasures are but the taking off of a heavy cloak-bag from the shoulders of Sion's Travellers that they may the more comfortably travel to their journeys end Good souls whiles crouded with earthly businesses are like persons in the midst of a thicket and thorny grove when they would be going forward one briar hangs in their skirts and another thorn stops their way so that when God takes off their interests he doth but cut out a way for his children to pass the more comfortably and swiftly through the brakes of this world and lighten the vessel that it
the Sun and water in the Fountain for the use of man The Father hath laid up all that grace that Believers need here and for ever in the Lord Jesus as in a Treasury or Trustee's hand for their use or made it over to him not onely as a deed of gift but as a purchase which he hath bought by his blood for the good and use of his children 'T is his fulness right and interest but for their use and advantage but so as the property and disposal be still his Fal'n man hath for ever forfeited his credit with God since his first defection to become any more the disposer of his interests and inheritance or be intrusted again with his own portion God deals with saved souls as parents do with prodigal children secures their estates in the hand of a Feoffee Believers Treasures are laid up in Christ that so grace as well as glory sanctification and salvation may be sure to them and not liable to forfeiture or loss to be disposed of and parted with by them as they please but be certainly and eternally theirs that so they may come to Christ for all they need as heirs under age who have no more in hand than what they want but must come to their Overseers for all they have use of and not only as such but as Stewards also that must be accountable for what they have and how they bestow it Poor decay'd souls Would you recover your losses and renew your Trade then you must come to Christ's fulness and be beholding to his free grace for all you need Do you want grace for your duties places tryals sufferings come to Christ's fulness for your supplies send to him by the hand of prayer an intimation of all your wants Make known your requests to him Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God Cease not from following God in the Name of Christ with requests till the Spirit meet you with returns The Lord Jesus hath ordained his people to receive their supplies sallaries and stipends from Heaven in the Court of Requests Matth. 7. 7. Ask and you shall receive All things whatever you shall ask in prayer believing you shall receive Matt. 21. 22. Seek it by prayer receive it by faith Go to Christ in the promises for all you want judging him faithful who hath promised Heb. 11. 11. God's Word is as good as present pay and shall be fulfilled by him who cannot lye to all that by faith receive it and wait for its performance All his promises are in Christ Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. Who came down from Heaven to confirm them with his blood and is returned to Heaven to fulfil them by his intercession Heb. 7. 25. You may boldly adventure on divine assurance and shall not be asham'd if you sincerely roll on Christ in his Word Be well acquainted with the promises clear up your interest in them by believing and expect their fulfilling through Christ It may be thy graces are low thy corruptions high guilt heavy fears many refuge fails thy prayers not answered no good news from Heaven or Earth thou prayest hopest waitest but no answer in this case nothing but firm reliance on divine faithfulness can keep thy head above water Are you in wants go to that promise My God shall supply all your wants Phil. 4. 19. God will give grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84. v. 11. Do you find changes in your spirits and frames and condition See that word Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established believe his Prophets and you shall prosper 2 Chron. 20. 20. Are corruptions high apply that word He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities Mic. 7. 19. Sin shall have no dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under grace Rom. 6. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Titus 2. 14. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Joh. 3. 8. I will save her that halteth Zeph. 3. 19. When thou seest nothing but witherings and dyings in thy soul apply these promises So wilt thou recover me and make me to live Isa 38. 16. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree he shall grow like the Cedars of Lebanon Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God thy shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Psal 92. 11 12 13 14. I will be as the dew to Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon they that dwell under his shadow shall return and shall revive as the corn Hos 14. 5 6 7. They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength Isa 40. 31. In these and such like promises as in wagons sent of purpose to fetch you go over to your Joseph and get them laden with the riches of his Kingdom that you may be relieved and carried on in your Trading for Heaven improving these not as yours but as your Lord's goods That 's the first Trade upon Christ's Stock Secondly Follow his instructions be guided by his order in the management of your Heavenly Trade Take Letters of Advice from your Creditour how to lay out his moneys and how to dispose of his goods Prov. 3. 5. Lean not to your own understanding which is the most close and subtil kind of Idolatry saith Cartwright Seek not after your own heart and your own eyes after which ye use to go a whoring Numb 15. 39. Man is mightily propense since his first defection from God to take the Scepter into his own hand and to become the governour of his own waies But this God cannot bear as being inconsistent with his Supremacy and that State also into which man is by grace redeemed which is an absolute devotedness unto God 2 Cor. 8. 5. Ye have likewise chosen the Lord to be your Law-giver and King if you are his and are now upon your own consent determinable by his pleasure in every thing you do The rectitude of every action lies in a conformity to his will who is your Lord and Soveraign And as the eyes of a Handmaid wait on her Mistress so should Believers on Christ for direction in all they do Psal 122. 3. Christians your former irregularities in the prosecution of your Heavenly Trade have almost lost you and cast you back O be more observant of Divine Instructions for the future follow your advice walk by Rule As you have received how you ought to walk and to please God so abound more and more 1 Thes 4. 1. Beg Wisdom of God to know his Will in every thing to do that which is well-pleasing in his
which you shall be received into glory Fifthly They are the sure way to blessing here Luke 6. 38. Give and it shall be given to you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom for with the same measure that ye mete withall it shall be measured to you again Intimating that giving to the poor is but lending to the Lord as hath been shewed and it shall be surely repaid in this life either in kind or in value in such things as they need yea oft-times in the same coin and that to sufficient requital good measure amplified by three metaphors pressed down shaken together and running over that is saith e Ita illis benefacturum ut sensari sint se esse remuneratos Scultetus God will so bles them that they shall be sensible they are sufficiently repaid 2 Cor. 9. 6. Deut. 15. 10 11. Mat. 10. 41 42. Psal 41. 12. Prov. 11. 24. Job was a man of great Charity Job 29. 12 13. a man of great prosperity in the world v. 6 7. and though for the tryal of his faith he was stript of all for a season yet did the Lord after all turn his water into wine chap. 42. 10. Rahab entertained the spies and saved her self and family from ruine by it The Shunamite the Widow of Zarephath got by laying out acts of Charity to the Prophet Tiberius the second was a person of great liberality to the poor 't is said of him that whatever Justinus his predecessour had contracted by covetousness Tiberius freely distributed to the poor And when Sophia Justine's Widow reproved him for his excess of Charity he replies g Confido in Domino quod non deerit pecunia fisco nostro quamdiu pauperes Eleemosynam inde accepturi sunt Est enim is thesaurus ingens de quo Dowinus dixit Matth. 6. 10. Theatr. Hisior Thcoret Tract I trust in the Lord that our Exchequer shall never want money while the poor are maintained out of it Neither did his expectations fail for as the same Author reports he found a vast treasure in his Palace hidden under the pavement which could scarce be emptied for divers daies Thus God blessed his bountiful hand Mr. Gouge in his Surest and Safest Way of Thriving a book worth your getting and to which I refer you gives many modern instances of this great truth I shall for their sakes who have not the Book mention this one concerning the pious and imitable resolution of Mr. John Walter Citizen of London who having a sufficient estate to maintain his Charge resolv'd what further estate God should entrust him with to bestow the same on charitable uses after which vow he found his estate wonderfully encreasing A worthy president to such as have enough to live comfortably upon to put bounds to their further purchases and entitle their surplusage to the service of Christ and refreshments of his Saints a course men will one day find more gainful than to joyn house to house and field to field 'T is the best way saith Chrysologus for a rich man to make the bellies of the poor his barn to succour the fatherless and needy and thereby to lay up treasures in Heaven Gregory the Great was so devoted to Charity that all what he had seem'd to be the common granary of the Church 'T is said of Cyprian he was the blind man's eyes the lame man's legs the naked man's garment he was a man of so great Charity Mr. Fox the Author of the Acts and Monuments never denied to give to any that asked for Jesus sake Augustine sold the Ornaments of the Church to relieve the poor And Bazil in a time of great famine sold his Land and other goods to maintain the poor A Duke being asked by some Ambassadors whether he could shew them some hunting-dogs gathered a great many poor people together and shewing them to the Ambassador said These be the Dogs I daily keep and with which I use to hunt after Heaven O that Christians would have other games in chase than that which perishes in the using and lay out their estates to better advantage than what appropriating them to self-interest can afford Feed the hungry cloathe the naked give to him that lacketh seeing such blessed encouragements do attend this Christian duty Fifthly If you have good trading in grace then lay up for glory If you are Wisdom's Merchants Heaven is your Country and home the place of your rest and eternal residence The world is a strange Countrey to you a spot of ground where you are set for a while to trade in to get commodities for your Countrey and sent into it as Jacob was to Syria to provide for his own house and then to return into his Countrey Gen. 30. 30. This is not your rest Mich. 2. 10. Christians you are not sent hither to take root in the Earth or with the Raven let out of the Ark to build your nests in the world or with the fool in the Gospel to take your rest in your full barns and encreased goods but as Joseph was sent before into Egypt to make provision for his own Countrey and as Solomon's ships were sent to Tarshish to transport what materials were useful for the House of God and his own house All that you are allowed here is but as factorage for present maintenance Some viands and refreshments in the way but your great business is to get such goods as will vend in your own Countrey Remember you are all this while left here to fill your sacks for your own home where your kindred and habitation lies Your Father's house and your own mansions your treasures pleasures crowns thrones and all that you are like to have for ever lies in your City above whose maker and builder is God We know but little of Christ's love saith Mr. Cooper till all be perfected and spread before us in Heaven O lay up for Heaven treasure up all you can for the other world whither you are going Especially lay up these four things for Heaven 1 Hopes for Glory 2 Desires for Glory 3 Treasures for Glory 4 Preparations for Glory First Lay up sound Hopes for Heaven 1 Pet. 1. 13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ Sure hopes of Heaven are of wonderful use to quicken a soul's dispatches for Heaven Acts 26. 7. Vnto which promise our twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night hope h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnibus viribus toto animo A Lapide to come 'T was their hopes to enjoy those great and glorious things in the promise that did put them on such diligence in those waies that lead to it to strive in every duty that seem'd to have an eye to this glory they did stretch out their hand to take hold of eternal life