was full of good works Peter finds a great many about her Corps weeping and telling him what good she had done whilst among them and shewed him not her own Wardrobe but the Coats she had made for them Doubtless she that had so many Tears shed for her when she was dead had many prayers put up for her while she was alive Perhaps they were not like to find another Dorcas It might be then as it is now All seek their own none the things of Christ. All look after their own particular interest These are like to be as that wicked Prince 2 Chron. 21.20 who lived undesired and dyed unlamented What will persons say of such Psal 49.19 They will bless them while they live in hope to get something by them but when they dye farewel they They were good for none but themselves But it was not so with Gaius it was not so with Dorcas It is Calvin's note He thinks God raised Dorcas to life out of respect to the poor people 2. Observe our Translation I wish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is in the margent I pray And the word is indifferently rendred Act. 27.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They wished for day But 2 Cor. 13.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I pray God that ye do no evil and yet vers 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wish your perfection Paul's wishes were his Prayers Note That it is no inconsiderable part of a Christians wisdom to be wary and well advised in what they wish for Wishing is like Praying We find in Scripture that very much guilt hath been contracted and very much folly expressed by wild and extravagant wishes I shall instance in the miscarriages of good people this way Job wisheth that he had never been born chap. 3. Jeremy wisheth that either he had never been born or dyed by and by chap. 20. Jonah wisheth he were dead and as much under ground as he was above ground chap. 4.9 David wisheth that he had dyed for Absolom But the saddest wish is that of Joshua chap. 7. v. 9. He was at prayer but forgate himself sadly Would God saith he we had not come over Jordan He wisheth that God had never made good his Promise of their coming into the Land of Canaan There is much folly expressed hereby Many persons please themselves if they may have liberty of wishing That they might wish for what they would have and have what they wish for then they would be in a brave condition A fond and foolish conceit this is Eccles 6.12 Who knows what is good for himself in this life The words are spoken question-wise and we are to understand them negatively That is only good for us in this life which is improved in order to our Eternal life Now God can carry on that course to bring us to Eternal happiness which he hath chosen his people to by adversity as well as prosperity Therefore this is the duty and wisdom of the people of God to leave it with God as it is Psal 47.4 Thou shalt choose our inheritance for us Wisdom is required to make a good choice in any thing God is the only wise God he will choose well Note this farther In three things God hath set us bounds Bounds to our Faith what to believe Bounds to our Actions what to do And bounds to our Prayers what to desire and what to ask And why should our Wishes be unbounded since they are like Prayers Idle wishes are at least as bad as idle words which no man can give account of Matth. 12.36 Many have gotten their death and destruction by getting what they wisht for They wished they might dye in the Wilderness and they did so Num. 14. Farther John here wisheth That Gaius might prosper John's wish was a prayer to God for him From hence we may take this note Note The well-being and prosperity of every man's outward condition is wholly at God's disposing Psal 127.1 Except the Lord build the house c. It is neither the care of the Master nor the faithfulness of the Servants nor any thing else that can do any thing at all if God say Nay If God doth not make the house to grow as David useth the expression 2 Sam. 23.5 certainly it will wither The Estate the House the Family will decay and in time come to nothing I note this that we may be all stirred up to acknowledge God to be the Fountain and Spring of all outward Blessings whatsoever And accordingly 1. As we desire any thing should succeed that we take in hand relating to our worldly affairs engage God in all that he may work with us therein We have Warrant in every thing to make known our requests to God Phil. 4.6 In every thing be it never so small engage God to be with us therein and say as Abraham's Servant did Gen. 24.11 Lord send me good speed every day 2. As we desire to prosper so serve the Providence of God wait upon him and keep his ways and believe his promises David gives his Son this counsel Keep the charge of the Lord that thou mayest prosper and have good success 1 Kings 2.3 And he had so while he did so It is spoken of such a person Psal 1.3 Whatsoever he doth shall prosper It shall turn to good in order to the furtherance of the Soul's prosperity 3. When the Lord is pleased to bless the labour of our hands to make our going out and our coming in the beginning and ending of what we go about successful give God the praise Sacrifice not to your own Net as that worldly person Psal 49.18 who bless'd himself No give God the glory though the matter be never so small Ruth 2.18 19 20. Naomi being brought into a low condition though she had been a woman of fashion when her daughter-in-law had sped well in gleaning O blessed be the Lord saith she Truly this would be well thought of Psal 73.4 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee thy hearts desire When God hath given us our hearts desire we should delight our selves in the Lord And the Mercy of God should raise us up to rejoyce in the God of our Mercies This would make every days Mercies to reach our Souls 4. I wish that thou mayest prosper c. It was well with Gaius already He prospered with the best prosperity but John wisheth that he might be royally blessed That mercy might compass him about on every side Hence Observe That though it be a just and measured truth That that Man is a blessed Man whose Soul prospers in what outward condition soever he be yet outward prosperity Soul-prosperity going before is a superadded blessing and may be sought for at the hands of God with submission to the will of God for our selves and in the behalf of others It is without all controversie Though a Man's outward condition were as low as Job's in the Old Testament and as Lazarus's in the New
the Providences of God have very much appearance of contradiction to the Promises and are therefore most sadly cross to our hopes and expectations a gratious person if his Soul prosper and be kept in a gratious frame may by the eye of Faith foresee the good hand of God working even then for good unto him David in one of the saddest days that ever befell him as dark as it was with him had a glimmering of this 2 Sam. 16.12 Let Shimei alone said he let him curse it may be the Lord will look upon mine affliction and will requite me good for his cursing me this day I can tell you of one whose spiritual sight was clear in this matter One that when sad tydings were brought him that cut deep and went near his heart Well saith he I will go and bless God for that good which in due time I believe he will work out by the heavy burden now laid upon me He did believe there would Honey be found at the end of that Rod. These persons knew full well that all things that do befall the Lords Covenant people are either blessings in their own nature or are turned into blessings in the Issue Psal 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies He always hath and ever will so order all things as that they shall all work to bring electing love and glorifying love together This Jacob experienced Compare Gen. 42.36 Joseph is not and Simeon is not and will ye take Benjamin away All these things are against me with Gen. 48.16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the Lads And David did hope to find it so when his condition was very low and his spirit very much sunk and fallen Psal 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Thus ye have the first Particular that it is our duty every day Though we are sometimes called to Mourning yet we are always called to Thansgiving therefore we ought to resolve with David Psal 34.1 I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall continually be in my mouth 2. When the Soul is always habitually prepared and as the matter requires abounds in the actual performance of this duty it is in a prosperous and spiritually thriving frame This will appear if we enquire into the nature of Religious Thanksgiving For these three things we shall find necessarily required to the essence of it 1. A Cordial acknowledging of God alone as the Supreme cause and first mover in all the good we have of what kind soever it be by what hand soever it is conveyed unto us This is necessary for we shall never pay our Rent to him whom we do not acknowledge our Landlord We have cause to say of every thing the least thing we receive as Psal 118.23 This is the Lords doing 2. A real sensibleness that it is the Almighty goodness of God and that alone that sets his all-disposing Providence on work to give forth any thing the least thing unto us that may be any way useful unto us And this in conjunction with an humble sense of our own unworthiness to live in the thoughts of such a God who hath all the World to care for for our good even the least good Thus did Jacob Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant Gen. 33.5 The Children which God hath graciously given thy Servant 3. An hearty and humble resignation of our selves to live unto God because of his goodness unto us This is the Law of thankfulness and so far as a thankful heart lives under this Law so far he must be able to say as Paul did Phil. 1.21 To me to live is Christ These thing are essential to the acceptable discharge of this duty and so far as Men fail in any of them so far they come short in the due performance thereof And this being duly considered it is very evident that that work of praising God so as to give him the praises due unto his name as the expression is Psal 29.2 is so humbling so melting so self-abasing so God-exalting taking all from Self and giving all to God so heart-engaging and obliging that it cannot be otherwise but that the Soul doth prosper yea exceedingly prosper when it is faithful therein Read 2 Sam. 7. vers 10. to the end And 1 Chron. 29. from vers 10. to the end of the 19th And ye shall find in both those Chapters that David's heart was never more after Gods own heart nor ever did his Soul more eminently prosper then at that time when it was so warm in this duty And this would be farther taken notice of that we never read in all the Scripture so far as I can find that any whose Soul was not at least in a capacity of prospering whatever they might do formally did ever set themselves seriously about it We find Saul sometime sacrificing and now and then enquiring after God We read of Ahab humbling himself and walking in Sack-cloth but not a word of Praising God either by the one or by the other No marvel for pure need may drive a Man to his prayers As Jon. 1.5 Then the Mariners were afraid and cryed every Man to his God But it is pure Grace that makes a Man thankful as thankfulness hath been described in its Essential parts Formal thanksgivings are common and with some more common then formal prayers But neither the one nor the other signifie any thing with God Job 35.13 Surely God will not hear vanity neither will the Almighty regard it A mouthful of words is but a mouthful worth no more with God then a mouthful of wind It is certain there is no more real thankfulness then there is a real resignation of our selves to God to live unto him 2 Tim. 3.2 Vnthankful and unholy are conjoined Though they may be somewhat distinguished yet they are not divided Eph. 5.4 Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks Ye may collect from thence that a thankful Soul is a mortified Soul It is true we read that the Pharisee began with a Lord I thank thee Luk. 18.11 but he stumbled at the Threshold for read over all that he saith to the end and ye will find that he doth not so much praise God as commend himself I shall conclude this with Eph. 5.19 20 Speaking to your selves in Psalms Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ These two verses speak fully to that which I aim at for observe the connexion between them and ye will find the Apostle makes giving of thanks always for all things an effect
concerning Soul-prosperity are such things as are wrought in and laid up in the hidden Man of the heart yet these things are in the Soul as the Candle in the Lanthorn to shine forth in a holy and blameless conversation and in the constant performance of the visible part of Religion and that in conjunction with others as opportunity is offered For though frequency therein doth not infallibly prove that the Soul doth prosper yet in the neglect thereof the Soul never did nor will prosper We read Joh. 20.24 25. What a very bad frame did grow upon the Soul of Thomas by the neglect of one good meeting Whether it was out of too much fear of what mischief might befall him from the Council that condemned his Lord and Master or from too much care to settle his own private concernments it is hard to determine but certain it is that his Soul was thereby brought into a sad condition Therefore as we desire our Souls should prosper we should attend daily at the gates of Wisdom Prov. 8.34 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own Soul Prov. 15.32 It is no easie matter for a Man to prosper in the World Prov. 10.4 He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand So it is here therefore as Deut. 4.9 Keep thy Soul diligently lest thou forget SERMON V. I Now proceed to the third and last Particular The reasons for the confirming of the truth of the Proposition 1. The first is this Soul prosperity is so far all in all both to the prosperity of every Man 's outward condition in general and of the health and wellfare of the Body in particular that it is absolutely impossible that either the one or the other should truly and really prosper but in conjunction with Soul-prosperity There are two branches in this reason and if both of them be made good then the proposition is so far made good That of all prosperity Soul-prosperity is the most desirable prosperity And it is easie to make them both good by Scripture 1. That there is no true and real prosperity to any Man 's outward condition without Soul-prosperity This is true yet it must be granted that very many whose Souls are poor and blind and naked that lye dead yea rotting in the lusts of ungodliness do divide the good things of this World among them Their portion is made fat Psal 73.12 Insomuch that the Prophet Jeremy was astonished at it Jer. 12.1 Wherefore doth the way of the wicked prosper Wherefore are all they happy that deal very treacherously But this is far from true prosperity for all this while as their Persons so their Prosperity is under the curse of God Mal. 2.2 I will even send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessings That which was threat'ned of old Deut. 28.17 lyes sore and heavy upon such to this day though they neither see it nor fear it nor feel it Cursed is their Basket and cursed is their Store This will be demonstrated more fully under another head after I have made this good That outward prosperity truly so called and as it is a blessing depends wholly upon Soul-prosperity And that it doth so is evident by this That as all those so only those whose Souls do prosper are within the compass of the Promise of prospering in their outward condition The two first verses of the first Psalm give a fair character of a prospering Soul and the third verse gives the Promise That whatsoever such a Soul doth according to the rule of the Law wherein it delighteth shall prosper so far as is consistent with Soul-prosperity Beyond that the Promise cannot reach it neither doth any truly prosperous Soul desire it Here note two things 1. That this was most eminently made good in the Old Testament Where under that dark Dispensation of Spiritual Truths and Blessings the promises ran most upon externals The only-wise God saw it best of all so to encourage his then Infant Church as I may call it to their duty We read in Deut. 28. that after God had engaged himself upon serious minding their Soul prosperity in this and that and other particulars In vers 8. he engageth for all whatever in that kind could be desired assuring them that he would command a blessing upon them in all their Store-houses and in all that they should put their hand unto and accordingly this was made good Whilst Solomon kept the charge of the Lord all things went well with him 2 Chron. 7.11 It is said whatever he took in hand he prosperously effected Thus God always dealt with that Nation while Religion flourished and Soul-work prospered then all things prospered Hag. 2.19 God calls upon them there to observe that their outward prosperity should bear date from that day forward that they began to mind the good of their Souls In the Second of Jeremy God challengeth them to produce one instance at any time to the contrary but it was more then they could do There in vers 31. of that Chapter thus the Lord speaks unto them O generation have I been a barren wilderness unto you O generation Of what Nay that is not expressed but a void space is left that any thing might be written of them that was naught O generation of Vipers of Monsters that might have prospered and would not Well then thus far it is clear that Soul-prosperity had the promises of outward prosperity and under that Dispensation eminently made good 2. As it was eminently so then it is really so now even at this day All they whose Souls do prosper as they are Heirs of all those ancient promises so they have promises superadded of a later date 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable unto all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come Matth. 6.32 33 Your Heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and his Righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you And sometimes as Prov. 28.10 the upright shall have good things in possession A full share of outward blessings is given unto them suitable to persons of their condition beyond what once they could have expected or it may be did desire so that they have just cause thankfully to acknowledge as David did that their Cup runs over 3. When the only wise God sees it good either to preserve their Souls in or to bring them into a more prosperous frame then they are to exercise them with some straights and to keep them short yet even then they may say that which David saith Psal 23.6 even then when their Cup is low That the loving kindness of God follows them so far that what they have not they want not having learned to want being satisfied with that which they have of their own within Prov. 14.14 A good Man shall be satisfied from himself Experiencing the workings of the heart of God toward them
the great work next to the glorifying of his Father and therein he did glorifie his Father that was in his heart to accomplish in and by that mysterious work of his Incarnation in taking upon him Man's nature and for which he made himself of no reputation in the World for which he suffered so much and still doth so much by his intercession in Heaven to this day that as Isa 53.11 he might see the Travel of his own Soul and be satisfied in the complete and Eternal prosperity of all their Souls which God the Father gave unto him and for which he engaged himself John 6.38 39 40 For I came down from Heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me And this is the Fathers will which sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day In 1 Pet. 2.25 Christ is said to be the Shepherd of Souls Now a faithful Shepherd though he will be ready to do his Master what good service he can in any thing yet his chiefest care is for his Master's flock Such a faithful Shepherd is Jesus Christ he highly minds the meanest thing wherein any of his are concerned Satan to his own great vexation cannot overlook this Job 1.10 Hast thou not made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side And we know that when he was visibly in the World he was exceeding helpful to the Bodies of Men yet his chiefest care was over his peculiar flock as the Shepherd of Souls He laid down his Natural life to procure their Spiritual life That dead Souls might live and living Souls prosper That they might have life and live in abundance Joh. 10.10 11. For this end he ever lives to make intercession for those that come unto him that they might be saved to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 And as the effect of his intercession according to his promise Joh. 16.16 he sends the Spirit of Grace into their hearts to work in them all the graces that accompany Salvation And to abide in them to preserve what he hath wrought that in believing their Souls might be saved Heb. 10.39 And that they might receive the end of their Faith the Salvation of their Souls 1 Pet. 1.9 This is the first thing that Jesus Christ minded this most in our behalf that for this cause he came into the World to seek and to save lost Souls Luk. 19.10 2. This is the great end he aims to carry on by all his Ordinances The Law of God that is the whole Doctrine revealed in the word is for the Conversion of Souls Psal 19.7 And for Edification of Souls Act. 20.32 I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up The Sacraments are Spiritual Food for Souls 1 Cor. 10.3 4 And did all eat the same Spiritual meat And did all drink the same Spiritual drink Yea Excommunication that dreadful Ordinance so it be managed according to the mind of Christ for it is a delivering a Man to Satan yet it is with reserence to the good of his Soul 1 Cor. 5.5 To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus For this end he appointed the Ministry to be a standing Ordinance unto the end of the World that they might watch over Souls Heb. 13.17 This was that which the Apostles aimed at according to their Commission from Christ Paul saith That he was made all things to all Men that by all means he might save some 1 Cor. 9.22 In his removal from one place to another he aimed at the conveying of some Spiritual gift where ever he came for the good of Souls Rom. 1.11 For I long to see you that I may impart to you some Spiritual gift In all his prayers for those to whom he wished all the good that might be this was the great thing he desired in their behalf that their Souls might prosper Eph. 3.14 15 16 17 That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner Man That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith c. Gal. 6.18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your Spirit Prospering Souls were his joy and Crown Phil. 4.1 3. This was and is the great end of all his Providential Dispensations They are or may be all them either Food or Physick for the Soul Thriving in holiness as ye have heard is Soul-thriving Now this is the end that all comforting desirable Providences seem to drive on Obad. vers 17. But upon Mount Zion there shall be deliverance and there shall be holiness All afflicting saddening Providences are for the same purpose Heb. 12.10 God chasteneth us for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness Yea for this very cause it often goes very ill with many of those that live highly in the love of God in their outward condition that their spiritual condition may prosper and flourish Isa 27.9 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin Which is the sickness and otherwise would be the death of the Soul and its destruction Psal 119.71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes And therefore he acknowledgeth to the praise of the wisdom and rich grace of God that in very faithfulness to the interest of his Soul the hand of the Lord had been upon him so as it was Now lay all this together That this was the great end of Christ's Incarnation Death and Suffering and Intercession The great end for which all Ordinances and Providences are appointed to be subservient unto and it will evidently appear that this was and is above all things else most upon the heart of Christ in our behalf that our Souls might prosper therefore it ought to be most upon our hearts and it is most rational it should be so 3. It is every way most agreeable to the best and highest principles of reason with all possible diligence and seriousness to mind that the neglect whereof will be our utter undoing to all Eternity and bring both Body and Soul under the most absolute and unavoidable wo and misery that ever befell or possibly can befall any Creature that ever God made next unto the Devil himself That principle of self-preservation planted in the heart of Man by Nature if improved cannot but teach him this That it is most rational for him to mind that the neglect whereof would bring this ruine upon him Now what wo and misery is laid up for a neglected perishing unprospering Soul ye have fully expressed beyond what can be conceived in one verse Matth. 25.41 whereof I shall mention but these two particulars
strength of Christ to keep a stricter watch for the future The Soul at least begins to thrive 3. When though we let out our affections to this or that as sometimes we may lawfully do and in duty ought to do about the things of this life and what concerns us in our outward condition yet we can take them off again as the matter requires as when we are to address our selves to God in any act of worship This is hard work Moses was very angry as there was cause Exod. 32.19 c. But it was the morrow after before he prayed for them vers 30.31 But when we can do with our affections as Abraham did with his Servants Gen. 22. Leave them at the foot of the hill when we go to be with God in the Mount The more and oftener this is done the more and better the Soul prospers I shall conclude all that I have to say in this matter with this which every one of you that have any spiritual experience what it is to converse with God will acknowledge That the Soul prospers according to its Communion with God and Communion with God on our part is both preserved maintained and enjoyed by the well governing and exercising of sanctified affections of Love Fear Joy and Sorrow Trust and Desire These are the motions of the Will and the out-goings of the Heart As 1 Thes 2.8 Being affectionately desirous of you we were willing to have imparted unto you not the Gospel of God only but our own Soul because ye were dear unto us They are said also to be the Feet of the Soul Eccles 5.1 Keep thy foot when thou goest to the House of God i.e. See that thy heart be fixed and thy affections composed By these the Soul draws nigh to God in Christ closeth with him and abides in him from day to day And the more it doth so the more it prospers for God draws nigh to such Jam. 4.8 Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you And he never comes empty handed If the Father go out to meet the repenting returning Prodigal the poor young Man finds the affection of a Father Therefore what S. James speaks of bridling the tongue is true also of governing the affections He is a perfect Man he can bridle the whole Body And after this perfection we should strive as ever we desire that our Souls should prosper Thus much of the second Particular 3. The Soul prospers when the principles of spiritual life are so kept in exercise that in times of doubtful expectation we can cast upon all events with an humble resignation of all into the hands of God being willing to submit to his determination whatever it be And when the matter is out of doubt so as the evil which we feared and perhaps worse is actually upon us and a sentence of death and desolation is passed upon all Creature comforts we can then find rest and satisfaction in the exercise of faith on the promises of God Here two things are to be considered A little to each of them 1. When in times of doubtful expectation such as besides what any one of us may be in with respect to his own particular condition we are all of us in upon a publick account we can cast upon all events with an humble resignation of all into the hands of God and with a willing mind submit to his determination Thus it was with David 2 Sam. 15. If ye read the Chapter and consider the story ye will acknowledge it was a time of great sadness he could not but be full of fear of what might befall him God was now reckoning with him for his sin so he had reason to think His own Son and a great Body of his people were up in Arms against him He was at great uncertainties what God would do with him He fore cast what might be this way and that way and not being able to foresee the event he refers all to God's disposing leaving all his troubled thoughts fears and doubts with him vers 25 26. If not so then thus If so then so He is in either way at a point Here I am let him do saith he what he pleaseth This was a Heaven-born frame of Spirit to be able to perish and to be undone in his outward condition if God would have it so Such a Man may be beggared and butchered sooner then hurt Surely David's Soul now prospered for never was his Kingdom more shaken yet never was his heart more fixed It was not so with David at all times 1 Sam. 27.1 And David said in his heart I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul Psal 73.2 But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well-nigh slipt vers 13 Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocence He was upon the point of repenting that ever he had repented This is not to be marvelled at though it be to be lamented as if the Lord will I may shew in the Application of the point That it is a rare sight and seldom or never seen that any Man's Soul prosperity is always alike Thus much of the first Particular 2. When the matter is out of doubt and as bad or worse then what we feared is come upon us yet that Soul is in a prosperous frame that can even then in that dark and sad hour find sufficient satisfaction in the exercise of faith in the promises of God as Hab. 2.4 but the just shall live by his faith Then even then when the spirits of other Men in the like case with him fail and sink and even dye within them he is upheld in comfort When his faith is unto him like the Cork that is upon the Net though the Lead on the one side sink it down yet the Cork on the other side keeps it up When the eye of faith looks upward and sees the hand of the only-wise God in all that befalls him who makes every thing beautiful in his time a righteous God and can do no wrong a good God and will do no harm when faith believes all this that it is but to humble him and try him and to do him good in the latter end As Deut. 8.16 And sees love and faithfulness in all and hopes to find what David found and thankfully acknowledged Psal 119.75 I know that thy judgments are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me That in all the trouble that came upon him God was therein faithful to the interest of his Soul a thing which without much difficulty may be obtained of reason to bear up under all whilst we are perswaded that all is done in love and faithfulness for our good As for instance though it troubles a Man to be in a Town and forced to stay there when it is besieged by a potent Enemy yet the same Man can be content when need requires that his Physician should confine him
be so exercised as to bear all such changes so as to avoid the snares and temptations accompanying them To this height St. Paul attained that he could thus manage all conditions Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound c. Want or no want having nothing or possessing all things make no change of the frame of my heart So he saith I am instructed in every thing This is the excellency of the principles of godliness That though truths and falshood things morally good or morally evil are at such a distance that the same principles cannot turn to either side yet Poverty and Riches a full Estate and a poor and mean Estate liberty or restraint are not at such a distance but that the same gracious principle can apply it self to both the one and the other and may be exercised so as the Soul may prosper and may be spiritually a gainer both by the one and by the other And as we desire our Souls should prosper these principles ought to be exercised that we may find it so For so far as corruption mingles with the Providences we are under so far if there be any grace in the heart it will be so far from thriving that it will wither and decay It is observed that when things go well with a Man in his outward condition if corruption be not kept at a distance from it the Man will grow proud and passionate high and self conceited Earthy and Selfish impatient of being crossed in any thing having as he finds wit enough for every thing else and that therefore every one must stoop to him And so when things go cross and as the usual phrase is The World frowns upon him if his corruptions be not kept at a distance from his condition the Man will grow fretful discontented unthankful for what he hath envious at those with whom it is better then with himself And to speak all in a word sin will sit light when crosses fit heavy Therefore it is of absolute necessity that as ever we desire our Souls should prosper this with the uttermost of our care should be looked unto 1. That when the good hand of God is for us so as all our Goings out and Comings-in the beginning and ending of every thing we undertake succeeds well according to our desires that then these principles of grace ought to be exercised that nothing come betwixt Jesus Christ and our hearts but that the more we have of the World the more our hearts may be in Heaven As Jacob was then desirous to be in Heaven when God had given in the unexpected sight of his lost Son his best Son and that as great as he was good Gen. 46.30 And Israel said unto Joseph Now let me dye since I have seen thy face Jam. 1.10 Let the rich Man rejoice in that he is made low because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away when he is made low i. e. When his heart is low and meek humble and patient when his condition is full and high though perhaps not so in it self but as compared with others who had the same opportunities for the World that he had reckoning of all that he hath but as food that perisheth but as a flower that fadeth accounting this as the chiefest excellency of the plentifulness of his Estate that he hath a larger opportunity of doing good and of doing more for God then he could have had if his portion had been as little as once it was Thus to exercise grace To bear such full a cup without spilling argues not only the truth but also the strength of grace and is the way to make the Soul prosper as fast as the Estate 2. In all our civil converse with Men principles of godliness must be exercised with righteousness and sobriety Tit. 2.12 Yea with all courtesie and kindness 3 Epist of John v. 6. Gaius is exhorted in his kindness to the Brethren that travelled up and down about the affairs of the Gospel when he brought them onwards on their Journey to do it after a godly sort That which the Apostle presseth on aged Women is the duty of all both old and young Tit. 2.2 That the aged women be sober grave temperate Zech. 14.20 21 In that day shall be written upon the Bells of the horses Holiness to the Lord And every Pot in Jerusalem shall be holiness to the Lord. This was written upon the High-Priests Mitre as he was a type of the great High-Priest the Lord Jesus who was holy and undefiled That which Men are thereby taught is this That the meanest things of common use should be holily used In all we do we should act as persons consecrated to God that are not our own and therefore we ought to glorifie God with our Bodies and with our Spirits which are God's 1 Cor. 6.20 Even in our natural actions Whether we eat or drink or whatever we do we should do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Now I have told you already and I told you the truth that God is not glorified it will appear so one day but when the principles of godliness are exercised Neglect hereof even in these natural actions is charged upon Men as their sin Jude ver 12. That they did feed without fear 3. In all companys So as where ever we are we always keep our hearts under the awe of God Eph. 4.29 Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your mouth Col. 4.6 Let your speech be always with grace seasoned with Salt But of this more under another head in the next use of this Point SERMON XI I Come now to the third Particular The reasons why these principles of godliness ought to be stirred up So as to be set about and kept close to their proper work that they may bring forth their proper and peculiar fruit in due season and that in order to Soul-prosperity 1. This is that which specially falls under the authority of Command Observe it and you will find that when the Scripture speaks to professing Christians the principles are supposed to be infused and the exercise is specially required as Eph. 4.24 Put on the new Man saith the Apostle Not by Conversion that is supposed for he owns them as faithful Brethren in Christ Ch. 1. vers 1. But put them on for operation for exercise The new Creature the first day of its birth is a new Man It is born at once though it grows up by degrees and every particular principle of godliness is a member of this new Man Put them on so as ye may have them ready and nothing may be wanting when Providence calls for their exercise so that Your loins be girded about and your lights burning Luk. 12.35 Thus also Eph. 6.10 Put on the whole armour of God Be ready furnished to break through whatever snares and temptations ye may meet withal in running that race which God hath set
day to day To set our selves under the actual consideration of God's All-seeing eye who hath absolute Soveraignty over us to whom alone we must stand or fall who can tell us all our thoughts and will render to every Man according to his works and therefore hath a Book of remembrance for those that think upon him and fear his name Mal. 3.16 And hath a bag for iniquity wherein he doth as it were seal up mens sins to bring them forth as Evidences and charge them upon every one as the matter requires And as God is said to have a Book and a Bag so he is said to have a Bottle Psal 56.8 Put my tears into thy bottle are they not in thy book This I say we should charge upon our hearts and renew this charge from day to day till we have some power over them For though it be true that God alone hath the Soveraignty over and is the great disposer of our hearts yet under him we may do much What Man is there whose conscience will not tell him if he consult with it that when his heart is flat and dead alienated from all serious thoughts of the presence of God with him that this is his own neglect his own willful neglect for he knows that when he hath a business to manage of any considerable concernment for his outward estate he can easily command his heart to think on it yea and cannot put it out of his mind when he would so that The abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep Eccl. 5.12 Therefore let us not neglect any longer to exercise that authority which God hath given us over our hearts if we desire our Souls should continue to prosper We must serve him in righteousness and holiness all our days and every day But all we do will come very far short not only of what it ought to be but of what it might be unless we do what we do before him as in his sight Luk. 1.75 Thus of the Second Direction 3. Spiritualize the Providences of every day I mean improve them to some spiritual advantage so as thereby some gracious impressions may be wrought upon your hearts that thereby the duties of the day may be better performed principles of godliness more seasonably exercised and the workings and stirrings of corruption more timely checkt and throughly mortified This will exceedingly help scarce any thing more to preserve the Soul in its thriving and prospering frame Consider then that every day in respect of the Providences of God it is filled up withal is either one of those two days mentioned Eccles 7.14 Either a day of Prosperity or a day of Adversity Or else like that day mentioned Zech. 14.6 Neither clear nor dark but mixt mercies given in one part of the day and crosses taking their turn in the other Now it hath been experienced to be a great means of promoting and preserving Soul-prosperity to spiritualize both the one and the other 1. If the day be a day of Prosperity i. e. if no evil befalls us but that according to the promise Psal 121.7 8 The Lord shall preserve thee from evil The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in When God blesseth the beginning and ending of what we undertake this hath enough in it to raise up in our hearts high thoughts of God that he should load us with benefits Psal 68.19 Such as may be very effectual to keep us under those obligations which his bounty and goodness lays upon us Thus it wrought in David Psal 116. He is reckoning up the mercies of God toward him Then ver 5. He exalteth God in his heart And ver 7. His Soul retires into God and takes up its rest and satisfaction in him alone And ver 9. He heightens his resolution Thus it was with David and thus it may be with us Especially when the thriving prospering Soul hath ground and reason enough to see the present mercies of what kind soever they be as having relation unto and being pledges of Eternal mercies This sweetens them and heightens them how little soever how common soever they be that they may say as David 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I and what is my father's house This makes them more heart-melting more heart-obliging then otherwise they would be or possibly can be to any Soul that is either dead in sin or in a dying withering languishing condition Six pence received only as a six pence doth not affect the heart like that which is received as an earnest of a greater Sum which shall certainly upon such a day be given to us so it is here when we can conclude that he who kept us this day from evil that it hath not grieved us as Jabes prayed 1 Chron. 4.10 and hath given us quiet and comfortable rest this night can and certainly will keep us by his mighty power through faith unto salvation and this night's rest is a pledge unto us of Eternal rest in those heavenly mansions above in our Father's house And this conclusion though no Man else can yet thriving and prospering Souls may make 2. If the day be a day of Adversity a day filled up with sad tidings or sad events yet the Providences of such a day may be spiritualized to the spiritual advantage of the Soul By a believing consideration from what hand they come as Job did ch 1. ver 21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away For what cause A man for the punishment of his sin Lam. 3.39 What God aims at therein sc our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness From what principle David believed that it was in faithfulness to the interest of his Soul that God afflicted him Psal 119.75 A believing consideration I say of these things in such a sad and dark day will conduce to preserve the Soul in a prospering frame By melting down the will into the will of God and by raising up the heart in the exercise of faith hope and patience quietly to wait for support under benefit by and in due time such a deliverance from them all as they shall be able to say to the praise of God's free grace truth and faithfulness as Jacob notwithstanding all his troubles in his life-time which were neither few nor small did on his Death-bed That the Lord delivered him from all evil Gen. 48.16 3. If the day be a mixt day as most days are some comforts some crosses some things going for us and some things against us these parti-coloured Providences may be spiritualized for our Souls advantage and be unto us as the side-wind to the Ship that best fills all the Sails variety of gracious principles may be exercised In such a day we find enough to humble us enough to make us thankful and thoughtful what to render unto the Lord. That it is no worse That it is so well as the King of Spain said when he heard of the miscarriage of
his Fleet in Eighty eight whether he said so or no depends upon the credit of the Historian But I am sure the Prophet Jeremiah said Lam. 3.22 It is of the Lords mercy that we are afflicted and not consumed cast down but not cast off Look to that place once again Eccles 7.14 In the day of adversity consider What should we consider Why consider this and mark it well that both these days with all their fillings up are from the Lord. That it is he who thus sets the one against the other that we may see that his account will be so balanced that our receipts when they are least will balance our sufferings when they are most And that therefore we have enough to reason our selves both into a submission and into a thankful frame Job 2.9 10 Shall we receive good at the hands of God and shall we not receive evil And would not these think ye keep our Souls in a thriving and prospering frame It would sure 4. Besides all these we meet with daily passages in what we hear and see which though they do not immediately touch us yet may be thus spiritualized Every Creature of God is a Text for our hearts to raise some Doctrines some spiritual Meditations from We have a Proverb That there is never an outside but it hath an inside Understand it thus There is nothing that comes under our observation but there may be extracted from it some inference or other to employ our thoughts about and that to good purpose even to keep our Souls in their good frame For as a Bee can suck honey out of many a flower where a flye finds no such thing as wanting a principle for it So a prospering spiritualizing Soul may and therefore ought to endeavour to extract some good out of every thing even out of its own and other Mens failings as we may read Pro. 24.30 31 32 I went by the field of the slothful I looked upon it and received instruction Upon this ground among others the principles of godliness are called a partaking of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 For as God according to his infinite power and wisdom brings light out of darkness good out of evil Even so may the principles of godliness much more out of every good thing though of a very mean concernment And would not this help to preserve it in its prosperous frame It would sure That Man is like to thrive who gains by every thing he deals in And that Soul is like to continue to prosper which raiseth Earth into Heaven and fetcheth Heaven out of Earth as every one doth so far as he is faithful in the fore-mentioned particulars And besides it is one of the best helps that I know of to make improvement of that portion of our time which runs between one solemn duty and another which otherwise would lye upon our hands and be rendered useless as to Soul-concernments 4. Another great work which prospering Souls have to do in order to the preserving of themselves in a prospering frame is this To preserve a deep sense of their spiritual poverty when it is best with them in respect of Soul-prosperity The Apostle Paul from the first day after his conversion to the day of his dissolution for ought we read or have any appearance to suspect to the contrary did thrive and prosper in his spiritual estate His inward man was renewed daily 2 Cor. 4.16 Yet what he thought of himself we find by what he speaks of himself Rom. 7.23 24 I find another law in my members warring against the law of my mind O wretched Man that I am 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient to think any thing as of our selves Eph. 3.8 Vnto me who am the least of all Saints is this grace given This is as needful a direction as any of the rest For it is a hard matter to starve this sin of pride and self-exalting thoughts because it will feed almost upon any thing Nothing so good yea nothing so mean but pride will feed upon it Absolom was proud of his long locks he wore his hair so long that when he polled it it weighed about four pound in weight 2 Sam. 14.26 But I speak not now of this kind of pride but of that kind of pride which without special care may breed out of those excellent things which are found in prospering Souls as pride of gifts There is the root of that pride in a prospering Soul which Solomon speaks of Pro. 18.2 A fool hath no delight in understanding but that his heart may discover it self Of that in the Pharisee Luk. 18.11 God I thank thee I am not as other men are Joh. 7.49 This people which knoweth not the law are accursed Pride of Grace Though corruption that is in the heart hates the grace that is in the heart yet it is apt to be proud of it when it is taken notice of Grace cannot be proud but he that hath it may be proud of it As Paul was in danger of being lifted up and exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations which were given unto him 2 Cor. 12.7 Now which way soever pride works ye will find it like the wind sometimes at one door sometimes at another Resist it for God resisteth that Man that doth not resist it Jam. 4.6 He gives more grace to those that walk humbly with him but he resists the proud by abating and lessening what he had given So far as the heart begins to be lifted up so far it is naught how good soever it was before Hab. 2.4 Behold his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him Therefore whensoever the inward man begins to be renewed and that it begins to be better in the frame and temper of the heart then formerly Then watch and pray that ye do not fall into this temptation And consider when it is at best with us how much we come short of the holiness of that rule we ought to walk by and of the holiness of that God which is proposed for our pattern 1 Pet. 1.15 As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Let us compare our selves with that Rule and with that Pattern and the bright-shining beams of the Sun will not discover more motes in the Air then the holiness of God and his law would convince us of sin to be in us And when it is at best with us would make us to see reason to complain of our selves as Paul did Rom. 7.14 The law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin And to pray as Psal 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified And in the strength of Christ to resolve as Phil. 3.13 14 I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which are before I press
toward the mark As knowing that the Soul never prospers so much but it may prosper more for no Man knows when he hath all the grace he shall have And if we do not endeavour that we may prosper more things will not prosper long 2 Pet. 3.17 18 Beware lest ye also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness But grow in grace If If ye grow not ye will fall from your stedfastness which ye have attained unto 5. As we should realize the presence of God with us daily and keep our Souls under God's eye So put them over and their well-fare and prosperity into God's hands to preserve them We know that Job prospered in his outward estate so long as God kept up the hedge about him and all that he had Job 1.10 So it is with our Souls They and the gracious principles that are in them are preserved in and by his hand Jude v. 1. Sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Christ Jesus 2 Chron. 32.26 Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart When David's Soul was in a prospering frame see how he prays 1 Chro. 29.18 O Lord God keep this for ever in the imaginations of the thoughts of thy people i. e. That those gracious impressions might not wear off It is worth our observing that the Lord Jesus knew what extraordinary gifts and graces the Apostles were to receive yet all this would not do if God should let them go out of his hand Joh. 17.6 6 And lastly Because there will be remisness in observing this and what other Directions ye may have from the word whereby the well-fare of the Soul may be endangered as by Communing with our own hearts we shall find be sure that ever now and then as the matter requires we set time apart for more serious examination humiliation and renewing the exercise of repentance faith c. Such times are like scouring times which Vessels stand sometimes in need of though washed every day This is the way if there be any defect to set all things right again Rev. 2.5 Remember whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works Thus I have shewed you what the work is that prospering Souls have to do if they desire and they ought to desire it with all their might and all their strength that they may prosper still It is a work that never must be at an end while the Soul is in the Body I say no more to it but conclude with that 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall If any think that these Directions are too many I suppose that upon farther consideration those that do think so may see reason to think otherwise For so far as I can apprehend not one of them can be spared they one help another Those that understand nothing of a Watch may possibly wonder what need there should be of so many Wheels so near one another and that they will but hinder one another but those that have understanding in things of this nature do know that one Wheel helps forward another It is so here This is all I have to speak upon this branch of the Use I now proceed to a few words to each of those two Cases mentioned the last day 1. How a Man may manage the business of his calling and all his worldly affairs so as to promote his prosperity in the World and not prejudice but thereby farther his Soul-prosperity Ans 1. It is without question not only lawful but every Man's duty to be diligent in his calling and to manage it with honesty and integrity to his best advantage that he may prosper in the World in reference to those ends for which Callings were ordained That he may eat the labour of his hands Psal 128.1 and not eat his fingers ends as it is said of idle persons That with quietness he work and eat his own bread 2 Thes 3.12 And be helpful to others Eph. 4.28 Therefore he ought to be diligent to know the state of his flock and to look well to his herds Prov. 27.23.24 Not to leave all to the care of his servants Under this one particular a provident care over Mens estates in every other Calling is likewise injoined that so nothing be lost Joh. 6.12 2. But though this be true yet every one that desires that above all things his Soul may prosper ought not to make Religion a complement as too many do but his chief business The Lord Jesus owed and payed respect and subjection to his parents Luk. 2.57 Yet he declared that he must attend his heavenly Father's business ver 49. Thus David Psal 119.38 thy servant who is devoted to thy fear As a Scholar who devotes himself to his study makes learning his business So we ought to mind this one thing as most necessary Luke 10.42 It 's true it may be with a Christian that seriously minds the prosperity of his Soul as it is with Mariners at Sea they are bound for such a Coast but whilst they are sailing they may meet with a cross Wind which may drive them the quite contrary way but as soon as the storm is over they recover themselves and get into the right way wherein they Sailed before So a Christian one that is so indeed is bound for Heaven and the holy word of God is the Compass he sails by Yet a contrary wind of temptation blowing he may be driven back but he recovers himself again by the exercise of Faith and Repentance and sails on constantly toward his heavenly Port. Thus he that minds above all prosperities the prosperity of his Soul ought to make Religion his business he is devoted unto it To him to live is Christ Phil. 1.21 3. Both these being true That every Man hath or ought to have a Calling to follow which he ought with prudence providence and diligence to attend for the support of his outward estate according to the condition wherein God hath set him Every Man hath or ought to have a Calling to follow which he ought to manage with all his heart all his might and all his strength as that which is for the most desirable prosperity the prosperity of his Soul therefore he ought to manage the former in subordination to this God never intended them otherwise Still he would have us to abide with God in our Calling 1 Cor. 7.24 That a Man so drive his Trade for the World as not to hinder his Trade for Heaven His home-trade within doors his Shop his Ware-house his Working-house his Oxen or his Farm must not rob his Closet nor indispose him much less take him off from those private duties of Religion whereby Communion between God and his Soul may be preserved and increased Nor yet must his forreign Trade hinder him from walking as becomes the Gospel in all his converse with others but that he may as the matter requires shew forth the