Christian get if he did but follow his victory over his corruptions and not suffer them to recruit and gather strength again Give no rest to thy lusts nor space for reviving no not for a moment but keep up thy warfare every day Sixthly If you would further the death of sin keep up the life of grace As the life of sin weakens grace so the life of grace keeps down and weakens sin Gal. 5. 16. Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Keep up grace and sin will down As when the house of David waxed stronger the house of Saul waxed weaker 2 Sam. 3. 1. 'T is written of Ephrem Syrus that though he was a man much given to passion in his youth yet after he entered into a strict course of life he was never seen to be angry with any man As you cannot get power over sin but by the Spirit of Grace so you cannot keep the head over sin but by the Life of Grace Get your graces strengthened and you will find your corruptions weakened Thirdly You must carry on Renovation in grace and the inward work of Sanctification every day Ephes 3. 23 24. And be renewed in the spirit of your minds And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schol. After the work of Mortification the Apostle presses Christians to this work of Renovation or Internal Holiness be renewed in the spirit of your minds i. e. in your minds by the Holy Spirit the mind being put for the whole man and internal faculties of the soul both understanding will affections and conscience all must be renewed by the Spirit called the New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. or Workmanship of Christ transformed after his own Image in righteousness and true holiness and renewed in knowledge Eph. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. When the soul is truly regenerated there is the stamp or eexmplar of Christ's holiness placed in the whole soul in truth but in weak measures at first which must be renewed or enlarged in the soul till it comes to the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ Christians at the first change are compar'd to new born babes 2 Pet. 2. 2. weak in grace but under a natural disposition and obligations to growth and encreases in this grace of God both intensively and extensively This is a Christian's duty by divine command and comports with the appointment of God in order to it 2 Pet. 3. v. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Ephes 4. 11 12 13. 'T is the way by which grace becomes glory and is greatly necessary to perfect a soul's holiness that so he might come to his full stature and conformity to Christ Ephes 4. 16. Rom. 8. 29. And by the encreases of grace may be enabled to dispatch all his duties bear his burdens and bear up under his temptations that he might be capable to enjoy all his mercies to glorifie the God of grace and to be made meet for the enjoyment of God in glory On all which accounts it becomes the Christian 's great concern to press after larger measures of grace every day to grow up into him in faith and love who is the head in all things Ephes 4. 15. To grow downward in humility and self-denial to grow extensively in every part of holiness and greater enlargements in every grace to wax stronger and stronger in the grace that is in Christ Jesus Perfecting holiness in the sight of God and pressing more and more after the price of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus The want of which encreases of the Spirit doth much obscure the glory of Christ in Believers cloud their evidences and render them too weak for their corruptions their growing tryals and duties Christians content not your selves with the truth of grace without daily growth in grace Improve your interest in the Resurrection of Christ by believing for the dailing quickening of your hearts and raising of your affections to things above and attracting your desires and whole souls after God grace and glory Be much in internal soul-work of heart searching soul watching divine contemplation secret ejaculations and soul breathings after God and higher manifestations of his light life and love Be constant in every appointment of God publick and private of prayer reading hearing holy conference that you may get nourishment thereby administred to your souls Get under all the dews and showres of grace for your fruitfulness Be spiritual as well as frequent in exercising grace under the means of Grace without this you cannot serve God acceptably Heb. 12. 28. or receive from him who is the head nourishment to your souls but by these bands and joynts of faith and love Col. 2. 19. Formality eats out that sap which should make you green and flourishing A dead cold heart under the Word can no more digest it to nutriment than a dead body can concoct natural food Maintain hungring desires after the word of grace and appointed means to your spiritual growth 1 Pet. 2. 3. Hungring after food argues a good digestion and a sound concoction furthers nourishment Keep up warm affection to every way of God living on Christ for all the good and blessing of them Psal 84. 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee in whose heart are the ways of them who passing through the Valley of Baca make it a Well the rain also filleth the Pools they go from strength to strength every one in Sion appearing before God When Jehoshaphat's heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord 't is said he waxed great exceedingly 2 Chron. 17. 6. 12. Heart-enlargement in the ways of God is a notable help to soul-thrivings Take this one thing more be poor in spirit if you would be rich in grace Such are under the promise of being satisfied of being guided in judgment of encreasing their joy to such he will give grace and revivings Humble souls a Reyner Excellency of Grace saith one are empty vessels which God will fill are low plants which God will make to grow To be nothing in our own eyes is the way to receive all good things even grace in abundance from God Psal 22. 26. and 25. 9. Isa 29. 19. Prov. 3. 34. Isa 57. 15. Fourthly To keep your evidences for Heaven fair and legible is another part of your Salvation-work this will abundantly comfort you under all your tribulations quicken you to a lively dispatch of your duties give you a humble boldness in your approaches to God arm you against the fears of death and administer to you an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Beware of quenching and grieving the Spirit of grace by which its sealing-work is hindered Take heed of laying blots upon your evidences by any allowed iniquity in your hearts or unpurged defilement in your hands which will weaken
your confidence in the Lord fill you with dejection and despondency of spirit and give your spiritual adversary great advantage over your souls 2 Pet. 1. 10. 1 Joh. 5. 13. 2 Cor. 1. 12. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Heb. 10. 22. Job 19. 25 26 27. 2 Pet. 1. 11. Keep up your sincerity and truth in the inner-man be often looking to the principle of your actions that it be gracious and to your ends in every thing you do that they be pure singly and ultimately aiming at God his will and glory in every duty action and undertaking If you would evidence the truth of grace you must be every day in the exercise of grace and conscionable endeavours to live up to known duties exercising a conscience void of offence towards God and man not resting in any measures of grace but going on towards perfection and aiming at greater enlargements in your souls and graces continually Thirdly Carry on all these natural moral and religious duties that concern others This is the will of God and part of your sanctification Matth. 5. 16. Let your light shine before men and by your good works glorifie your Father which is in Heaven 1 Cor. 10. 32. Walk unblamable towards all men giving no offence to any lest the Gospel be blamed Phil. 1. 10. That you may be sincere and without offence to the day of Christ 1 Pet. 2. 12. Having your conversation honest among those you have to do with dealing justly with all men rendring to every man his due doing good to all as opportunity serveth Gal. 6. 10. Psal 35. 13. and be kind to the just and unjust seeking the salvation of sinners mourning over them praying for them instructing of them seeking by a humble holy and affectionate carriage to win them over to the Lord Jesus who are not won by the word Luke 19. 41. Psal 51. 13. 2 Pet. 3. 1. Loving praying for doing good unto your greatest enemies Vertues separated saith Chrysostom are annihilated equity without goodness is severity and justice without piety cruelty 'T is better to do good than to receive good 'T was said of Mr. Hooker That he was born for the good of many but few born for the good of him That you love delight in and do good to all Saints as Saints that carry the image of God on them That you make conscience of your relative duties both in your own houses and in the house of God Psal 101. 2. Walking within your own houses with a perfect heart to be Christians at home as well as abroad shewing the same spirit zeal and affection to your Families as to others doing your utmost to keep up the service of God in your houses both together and asunder morning and evening in prayer and reading the word of God Acts 10. 2. 9. Josh 24. 18. Psal 25. 10. Matth. 6. 6. That you faithfully discharge those mutual duties you owe to each other as Husband Wife Parents Children Masters Servants Eph. 5. 22. to the end of chap. 6. To be meek loving peaceable in your words and carriages towards one another giving that due respect as the place and relation calls for from each other To be holy and profitable in your discourses seeking the spiritual welfare edification and salvation of each others souls as of your own Deut. 11. 19. Prov. 22. 6. ch 23. 13. Col. 3. 12 to 16. Heb. 12. 14. Gen. 18 19. The want of which due and Christian carriages in your houses brings up an evil report on the ways of God rendreth the truth of your grace questionable hinders the gracious presence of God with you and removes his blessing from you Eph. 4. 29. Rom. 11. 14. You whom grace hath priviledged with a place and name within the walls of God's house do stand obliged to fellowship-duties of love care and faithfulness to each other considering one another to provoke to love and good works Joh. 15. 12. Heb. 10. 24. and esteem each other better than your selves To seek one anothers good as your own serving each other in love Phil. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 10. 24. 33. Gal. 5. 13. To sympathize with each other in affliction Col. 3. 12. and to be helpful to them in bearing their burdens supplying their wants comforting counselling and supporting them in all their tribulations Heb. 13. 3. visiting the sick and imprisoned feeding the hungry cloathing the naked warning the unruly admonishing the offenders bearing one anothers infirmities covering their weaknesses avoiding whatever might offend and injure each others souls or lessen their affections or break the unity of spirit and bond of peace between them but by a sweet humble-self denying and faithful carriage to engage the heart to each other praying for the whole body and every member To be gracious and spiritual in all your communion and converses seeking the prosperity of Sion rejoycing in each others graces and good as in your own doing all you may towards their comfort and salvation Mat. 25. 42. Acts 20. 35. 1 Joh. 3. 17. Rom. 15. 1. and 16. 17. Lev. 19. 10. 2 Cor. 12. 20. Col. 4. 6. Phil. 2. 17 18. Tit. 2. 12. 2 Cor. 13. 7. Psal 15. 2. Col. 3. 9. In your Callings commerce and dealings with men to be just honest and faithful doing as you would be done unto not defrauding one another but speaking the truth in all your bargainings and performing your promises though to your hurt This is a considerable part of your heavenly Trade and that wherein the credit of Religion doth eminently lye the pleasing and glorifying of God the good of others the propagation of the Gospel the peace and salvation of your own fouls even in the faithful discharge of these natural moral and religious duties you owe unto others This is the first part of heavenly work work of a heavenly nature as well as manner both with respect to God our own souls and others Secondly Another part of heavenly work is to do earthly things in an heavenly manner Though the things of the World are of a different nature from things above yet when rightly managed they are subservient to them and come within the compass of this Heavenly Trade To which three things are needful 1 To do earthly things by heavenly rules 2 With heavenly hearts 3 To heavenly ends First Then is earthly work part of your Heavenly Trade when you transact it by heavenly rules every Science hath its Maxims distinct Governments have their distinct Laws So hath every Trade its rules principles and instructions by which it is carried on Earthly Traders have their rules and methods by which they manage their businesses as may most comport with the end they propose and the advance of their own earthly interests and so 't is with heavenly Traders though they have to do with earthly things yet they must act about them by heavenly rules Now there are ten rules which heavenly Merchants must observe in the management of their earthly affairs Rule 1.
number in the Greek In skilfulnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting the great measure of wisdom which men need who would prosper in their proper work and order their administrations prudently as might most further their spiritual welfare The want of which wisdom and prudence in Christians to order every thing they do in their general and particular Callings converses conditions and occurrences in the World to the best advantage of their souls is one reason they thrive so little in their heavenly Trade Wisdom would teach men to prevent many snares and occasions of evil and instruct them how to get good from every thing they do which would much advance their soul-profiting for want of which they go back in spirituals and decay apace Thirdly This also casts back Traders when they are not diligent in the management of their Trade A slothful soul suffers hunger Prov. 19. 15. and by much sloth the building decays and through idleness of hand the house droppeth thorough Eccles 8. 10. They that will thrive in the World must be diligent take all opportunities to carry on their work The diligent hand maketh rich but by slothfulness men are brought to a morsel of bread So 't is in Religion when men let down their work and do not follow it to purpose they soon decay and become spiritually poor this is the bane of many this day Religion is not their business men do but little on the Lord's day and scarce a stroke of work is done all the week after hear they will and when that is done their work is done too never think of what they hear or put it to practice from one Lord's day to another All the week their heads hearts hands feet time strength discourses contrivances are wholly taken up about the World and how can they choose but go down the hill and waste away in their soul-interests Religion is one continued work which allows of no intermission but hath its work every day and in every thing break but one link of this golden chain of godliness and it weakens the whole O the slothfulness of Christians at this day in their soul-businesses every day is fill'd up with neglects neglect of prayer neglect of reading meditation conference heart-watching grace-cherishing-work forget this duty pass by another cold sleighty formal in all this spoils the prosperity of souls The Galatians began well but did not hold out they were soon weary Gal. 5. 7. Most mens journey to Heaven is full of stops and that which makes it most miserable their lets are of themselves Who hath hindred you Mens stays are within in their own hearts they have no heart to do good Hos 7. 11. Love to Religion is almost gone and this makes men weary in these pleasant ways while affections hold souls are never weary but when the heart is gone then every thing is a burden such will do no more than needs they must to quiet conscience and preserve peace and credit and this starves godliness Fourthly Great and frequent losses in mens Trades tend to breaking and so it is in Religion Christians through their sloth formality and unwatchfulness sustain many and great losses of spiritual mercies and this brings them low A Christian the other day it may be had his graces flourishing his heart warm his affections quick and lively his conscience pure and tender his will flexible and fix'd on God and things spiritual 2 Ep. Joh. 8. and a good frame throughout his whole soul but now through his carelesness all is lost again Gal. 3. 4. One time he loses the favour and comfortable presence of God Psal 51. 12. another time he loses a sweet serenity of spirit and peace with God then light and convictions are gone another time enjoyments and experiences are gone now his desires after God are lost then his strength is devoured now temptations prey upon the soul and then corruptions make a waste upon it come to Ordinances Sermons Sacraments and after a great deal of prayer care and striving a little grace and comfort is obtain'd but through want of watchfulness all lost again it may be before it stirs out of the place or recovers home to his habitation the next company discourse occasion takes away all Another time God brings the soul into the fire of some great affliction sickness suffering losses and there melts it into some holy frames humility faith love obedience takes off some dross puts on some beauty imparts some soul-advantage but immediately upon a change of the person's condition when new mercy health and comfort returns all the good is lost again Now through these many and great losses in spirituals which gracious souls sustain they are brought very low and come to be soon poor and beggerly Fifthly Great wastes and large expences help to make Traders poor apace when they turn spendthrifts and prodigals living above their estates when their layings out are more than their comings in this must needs bring them low It undid the Steward He wasted his Masters goods Luke 16. 1. So 't is with Wisdom's Merchants also when they turn prodigals of their graces mercies parts strength time and other goods committed to them spending them on their lusts and carnal contentments then they soon find an alteration O at what a rate do men live in point of time and at what vast expences of their short day upon things of no value talking eating drinking sleeping trifling sinning away their precious time as if they had no employment for it or no better work to do Little do souls think what a small pittance of day-light they have allow'd for their vast concerns and multitude of great employments and what madness 't is to be so prodigal of this little inch of precious time O the hours and days and years that professing Christians spend to no purpose in vain thoughts foolish talking impertinent converses unprofitable duties and labours which when they shall be all reckon'd up by the great Creditor and a bill of wastes put into the hands of conscience and the total summ of these expences read what amazing sense what dreadful impress and fretful sting will this beget when persons come to die As the Queen said If her heart were ript open Cales would be found written in it So if their hearts could then be as legible as their expressions men might read this there in black and capital letters Lost time Lost time How great also are mens wastes of graces and peace wisdom and capacities and all for the obtaining of some poor empty insignificant comforts which perish with the using There are no locusts Christians like your cursed lusts which have devoured your precious things your affections time strength and graces what convictions resolutions hopeful frames conscience-tenderness talents capacities priviledges ordinances providences have the service of thy base lusts and contentment of thy carnal mind consumed and this hath brought thy soul to such straits and distressing exigencies When souls
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
not yet supremely set on God Fifthly Lothness to part with thy earthly comforts and interests tells thee thy heart is too much upon them Jacob's unwillingness to part with Benjamin was a sign his heart was too much set upon him Judah tells the Governour of Egypt That his Father's life was bound up in the Lad's life Gen. 44. 30. The Spouses affection to her Beloved was seen in this that when she found him she held him and would not let him go Cant. 3. 4. I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go Such is the testimony that if mens hearts are on the things of this life they hold them fast and will not let them go Most men are too tenacious of their interests to be dead to them close hands argue cleaving hearts to the world Alas with what reluctancy do men that have the abundance of this worlds goods lay them out again for God! how hard is it to draw any proportions of charity from them that have this worlds goods what arguments and reasons will men be pleading for their sparingness in parting with the Mammon of this world and how much beneath their measure do most men expend their earthly things upon the calls that God gives them This shews plainly their heart is bound up in the fruition of these things Covetous men will sooner part with their flesh than their gold saith Augustine shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men whom I know not whence they be 1 Sam. 25. 11. saith covetous Nabal Covetous persons cannot endure to part with what they have a Avarus tenendo divitias tenetur a divitiis dum vult esse praedo fit praeda Aug. The covetous man while he holds fast his riches is held fast by them and in preying on others he himself becomes a prey August They are like a net which takes in all the fish that comes at it but le ts out none again except some small ones that are little worth Earthly minds are seen in nothing more than in their tenacity and close keeping of what they have like dying men whatever they take hold of they let not go This is the temper of many they cannot scatter for God nor honour him with their substance There is that withholdeth more than is meet Prov. 11. 24. That 's the character of one whose heart is on the world b Non solum avarus est qui rapit aliena sed ille avarus est qui cupide servat sua Aug. He is not onely covetous that takes away other mens goods saith Augustine but he that covetously withholds his own and will not let them go when God hath use for them Certainly if Believers themselves are not their own then they will one day know their estates and interests are not their own but the Lord's and to be at his dispose How will the owner of that Colt Christ sent for rise up in judgment against many no sooner did the Disciples say The Lord hath need of him but straightway they let him go Luk. 19. 33 34 35. Shall one that pretended not so much to Christ for ought we know readily part with so much at the first request and they that profess much love to Christ refuse to lay out lesser things for him This doth manifest the world is dearer to such than Jesus Christ Lastly Then are mens hearts upon the world when their trust and dependence is upon earthly things We are apt to put confidence in friends and therefore the Lord cautions Israel against such dependencies as false deceiving things Trust not in a friend put ye not confidence in a guide c. Micah 7. 5. The Spouse came leaning upon her Beloved in the wilderness Cant. 8. 5. No sooner had the rich man store of goods but he places his confidence in them Luke 12. 19. I will say to my soul soul thou hast goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry 'T is natural to men that chuse the world for their treasure to chuse it also for their trust They that dare adventure their supreme affection on things dare also take up their dependency on them Men chuse not a tree they think will rot Isa 40. 20. If riches be thy choice thou thinkest them worthy of thy relyance or thou actest irrationally Men that have wealth have inward thoughts that their houses shall continue for ever and their dweling places to all generations they call their Lands after their own names Psal 49. 11. 'T is hard to have the good things of this life and not to expect too much from them so inviting is their appearance to a dependency on them Earthly things are fair in promise but false in performance like quagmires covered with grass men think them firm ground but when they tread upon them they soon become their graves The Evangelist calls all that glorious pomp with which Agrippa so amus'd spectatours but a meer show Acts 25. 23. When Agrippa was come and Bernice with great pomp 't is with much fantasie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 external show All the glory of this world is but a pompous shew that cheats beholders and allures them to a deceived expectation They that have much visible comfort in creatures live little by faith How rare is it for men that have estates and riches for their posterity to commit them to divine care by an act of pure recumbency on the promise and to believe upon a naked word for all their supplies and needed comforts Such is our expectation whither we flee for help Isa 20. 6. An earthly heart is known by carnal trust and dependency on earthly things Ah souls put your hearts into this scale and see whether they do not press down to this present world Speak soul who shalt shortly be weighed for eternity in the ballance of the Sanctuary are not thy desires thy thoughts thy restless labours thy delights thy close adherence to and dependency all engaged about the things of this life with the neglect of God and heavenly things thine own heart being Judge And if so then Thy State is dangerous And thy Folly great First Thy State is dangerous thou hast not a dram of true grace in thee Love not the world nor the things of the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2. 15. Do not flatter thy soul into perdition if thou lovest the world thou dost not love God For the friendship of this world is enmity against God Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God James 4. 4. He whose heart and mind is set after the world he that will be rich the bent and design of the heart is for it that 's the Butt he levels at whatever he professes That 's his great business and project Thine
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
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
works good out of it David got good by his fall it made him the more humble and broken in heart drew out his heart in stronger cries after grace made him more watchful for the future against the occasions of sin Psal 51. 7 8. to the 12. Psal 39. 1. Psal 141. 3. Peter got good from his fall by keeping an after-sense of the evil of it on his heart Israel by their departure from God came to loath themselves the more in their own eyes Ezek. 36. 31. And Ephesus by a sense of their evil got this advantage they could not bear evils in others Rev. 2. 2. As sin abounds so grace abounds much more Rom. 5. 20. Object If souls may get good from sin and where sin abounds grace abounds much more Then why should we be troubled for sin and watching against it Why may we not rather sin that grace may abound and do evil that good may come thereof Sol. The Apostle answers this objection Rom. 6. What shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid and proves by several Arguments First That it cannot be that souls interested in Christ can live or allow themselves in sin Because First They are dead to sin and therefore cannot live any longer in sin v. 2. dead men while so cannot live but Believers are dead to sin no longer to live therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amplius never more to live in it they may fall into it be overcome by it but to allow it to design it to make provision for it and to take up encouragements upon choice in judgment to continue in it this cannot consist with men dead to sin as all souls in Christ are for they are baptized into the likeness of Christ's death yea into his death v. 3. That as Christ died for sin once to die no more but was raised by the glory of the Father v. 4. so they being really dead with Christ should live no more in sin but be perpetually dead to it for this is the very end of Christ's death to destroy the old man the body of sin the whole power and Being of sin in Believers to be accomplished in its time and waies v. 6. And Christ died in vain and hath lost the great end of his death if they that are in him can live any longer in sin for he that is dead is freed from sin c Jure facto absoluti manumassi a peccato cujus prius premebamur imperio Paraeus v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a Synecdoche Piscat that is absolved from the obligation servitude dominion and guilt of sin as an Apprentice is by Law declar'd free or set free from his Master's rule and power Secondly They that are in Christ are not only partakers of his death and therein brought into a state of death to sin but they are partakers of his resurrection and by it instated in a life of holiness v. 4 5. that now they should live to God which cannot consist with a life of sin v. 11 12. Thirdly They that are Christ's are brought under grace under a Covenant of Grace opposed to the Law as a Covenant of Works and therefore cannot be any longer under the dominion and service of sin v. 14. These two Covenants being in that respect contrary they that are under the Law as a Covenant of Works are in the flesh and bring forth fruit unto death Rom. 7. 5. and for that end are Believers set free from the Law and brought under Grace that they might serve God in newness of spirit v. 6. and no longer serve sin Fourthly They are become the servants of righteousness set free from the service of sin Rom. 6. 18. Your time under sin is out and you have now no more to do with sin you are anothers servant and therefore cannot return to the service of sin any more for you are now servants to God not for a time but for ever you have deliver'd over your selves sworn over your selves to be the servants of God for ever and therefore cannot now serve sin That 's his first answer You cannot if in Christ serve sin any longer nor continue in sin that grace may abound for if you can consent to live in sin you are not under grace Secondly You ought not to do it if you are rational 't is not your concernment to sin because sin is an evil thing First Sin is the greatest slavery in the world v. 16. You are servants to sin and to Devils sins are the works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. which Christ came to destroy sin is evil in its state 't is drudgery and in its nature 't is filthy abominable and shameful Secondly It is attended with sad issues here it brings forth bitter fruit v. 21. It makes the soul ashamed when awakened to see what he hath done and it fills the soul with grief horrour and torment it breaks your loins makes you go halting to your grave it makes you weary of your life and fearful to die it sets your teeth on edge and fills your bowels with wormwood and gravel O the dreadful effects of sin here which makes it no way a souls interest to sin 2 Cor. 7. 11. Psal 51. 8. Psal 38. 4. Psal 119. 120. Psal 55. 4. Lam. 3. 19. Thirdly As the work is bad and fruits are evil here so the wages of sin is death v. 23. As soon as the work is done they shall have their wages which is alwaies paying and never paid they shall be alwaies dying and never dead whose worm never dieth and whose fire is never quenched Mark 9. 44. This will be the certain end of them that can chuse sin and live in sin if God be holy and his Word true And can you then continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid O Christians get good from your sins to be ashamed of them to grieve and mourn over them to hate and loathe them to pray and cry against them to watch and strive against them to fly to Christ for pardon over them and freedom from them to shun and avoid the occasions of them to have no more to do with them to seek and further the death and total ruine of them to prize graces and love Christ the more to be more attentive to his instructions and obedient to his commands to bless God and rejoyce in Christ when God doth in any measure keep you or set you free from sin to long for Heaven and Glory that you may never sin more to keep close to Christ and abide in his waies that you might be the more secur'd from sin and fitted for glory Ezra 9. 6. Zach. 12. 10. Ezek. 36. 31. Rom. 7. 24. Prov. 4. 14 15. 1 Thes 5. 22. Ephes 5. 11. Ephes 2. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 7. 2 Cor. 5. 8. Acts 11. 23. This is to get good from sin and to drive on the
when you meet with company what goods do you put off to them Do you labour in every society to vend something of heavenly wares to put off some holy counsel and instruction some gracious experience and observation to leave something behind you in every place and company you come that may fasten a savour of God on them then is it good Trading and you are in a soul-thriving way Thirdly Men count it good Trading when they are richer in stock when they have more goods more variety greater quantity of wares than first they had and that clear too and paid for their shops and warehouses are fuller than they were and the goods their own also this men reckon good Trading And can you say 't is thus with your souls also Are you increased with spiritual goods your graces are more as well as gifts your faith love hope fear are more grown and stronger than they were 2 Thes 1. 3. Can you trust God more than you could and hang upon a naked promise more strongly than you could when sight fails 2 Cor. 5. 7. Can you think well of God when he frowns upon you Can you love him when he corrects you Isa 39. 8 Can you stay on him when he strips you of your visible comforts and cleave to him when he seems to reject you Job 13. v. 15. Then are you richer in stock Is your Faith more cleansing and quickening your Love more warming your Zeal more fervent your Hope more adventurous your Patience more bearing your Joy more delighting your Humility more self-abasing then are you encreased with goods Have you more of every grace it may be at first you had much affection but little sincerity great desires but little faith much comfort but little patience and self-denial you could pray talk rejoyce do some duties but could not bear trials want comforts live by faith when sight failed you were much it may be in some duties but negligent in others but now you have more variety of graces enlargement in duties and more universal respect to all God's commands Psal 119. 6. And if you are less in the bulk of duty you are more in the spirit of it when 't is thus there 's a thriving Trade in Christianity Fourthly Are you less in debt than you were that 's another sign of good Trading Do you make conscience of rendring to God again for all his benefits Psal 116. 12 13. Is it your trouble when you are behind-hand with grace and fall in arreer to the mercy of God by your unthankfulness Dan. 9. 10. Indeed in compensation of the grace of God you are defective to make requitals of mercies you cannot you see possibly an infinite shortness in your performances of the meanest favour that the Lord bestows upon you but such as you have you give to the Lord you render all possible praises though not all praises due Exod. 15. 2. This you are careful of and charge upon your hearts every day to walk as becometh the grace that brings salvation and the mercies bestowed on you 't is the desire of your heart and labour to walk worthy of God to all well-pleasing and to answer the end of mercy in which you are willing beyond your ability and grieve at your falling short herein Now this doth the Lord count for the deed and accept at his peoples hands as full pay through the satisfaction of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 8. 12. And where 't is thus that persons live in the daily sense of Divine Grace and grateful acknowledgment of every mercy there is a thriving Trade in spirituals Fifthly Have you much owed you and is it secure This also bespeaks a thriving Trade Men count sure debts as good as ready money though they have little in bags yet if they have the more in book and good debt too they rate themselves accordingly and reckon themselves worth so much as is due as well as to what is in hand And is it so with you Christians are you rich in promises is much coming to you upon a new-covenant score It may be you have little in hand little comfort peace and sweetness you meet with from day to day You sow much but reap little you ask but have not and yet seek with your whole heart Goods are received but no money returned if so you have good grounds of hope for a plentiful harvest because you sow store of good seed are much in holy duties and sincere in them many a prayer upon the file many a tear droped into God's bottle much grace laid out in duty and time spent in it a daily care to please God and upon Scripture-grounds can lay claim to many a promise on the account of Christ What you sow you shall reap Gal. 6. 8. Your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 2 Cor. 15. v. 58. Say unto the righteous it shall be well with them for they shall eat the fruit of their doings Isa 3. 10. And the less is received the more is behind Improvements of grace do book down many a mercy for Believers which possibly they may not receive all their life and yet be sure and turns to account in the Inheritance prepared for them and this is good Trading which brings in bonds and bills that are sure and shall be paid to Heavenly Traders in their own Countrey Sixthly That 's good Trading where the present incomes maintain the Trader and so much is got by it as they may live by when a person can live comfortably upon his gettings without impairing the stock If it be so with the Believer in thy Heavenly Trade then hast thou good Trading Try Christians your thriving by your livelihood can you live comfortably upon the fruits of Religion Cant. 2. 3. Isa 40. 31. doth your Religion maintain your Souls and Graces well Joh. 4. 30. at what rate do you live Men that thrive in the world usually live well have good fare and good cloathing Diet Apparel Expences do soon shew mens gettings Indeed Prodigals may spend high live well for a time but then they cannot hold it they soon break but when men can bear liberal expences and their Estates not impaired it argues such do thrive apace and get well in their Trades so 't is with thriving Christians they ordinarily live at a higher rate of peace and comfort than others Ps 119. 165. Ps 80. 19. their fare is better unless the health of their Souls do sometimes call to fasting and affliction strong Christians overcoming Souls have better Provisions promis'd them than others such feed on hidden Manna Rev. 2. 17. and marrowy bits milk is for babes but strong meat for strong men Prov. 21. 15. 'T is joy to the just to do judgment Joy and Pleasure saith Mercer is the fruit of wel-doing to such h Laetitia obvenit ci ex juste factis suis Such can expend more than others who have larger proportion of Blessings on their Souls A person
me from evil that it may not grieve me and God granted him that he requested Prayer brings down the Spirit sometimes insensible and almost intolerable measures thereof When that precious Servant of the Lord Mr. Bruce in Scotland of whom King James said he was worthy of the half of his Kingdom had sadly represented the Churches case then under eminent danger there was such a sensible down-pouring of the Spirit that they could hardly contain themselves yea an unusual motion on those who were in other parts of the house not knowing the cause of it at that time O what great things did Abraham Jacob Moses Jehoshaphat Samuel Elijah and other Servants of God get out of the hand of God! Luther was a mighty man in Prayer 't is said of him he could get of God what he would n Ille vir potuit quod voluit nothing is too hard for Faith and Prayer because it seeks nothing but what God is willing to spare and hath promised to give Labour to get a mighty Spirit of Prayer the gift of Prayer will not do it must be the Spirit of Prayer which is a pure and heart-cleansing Spirit and cannot dwell with the least regarded Sin Gifts of Prayer with natural affections may be mighty on the Spirits of men but are no way prevailing with God for the Blessing 'T is said of Naaman He was a mighty man in valour but he was a leper 2 Kings 5. 1. So there are some that seem mighty men in Prayer and can wonderfully raife the affections of others pray like Angels but all the while are Lepers under the ruling power of some secret lust pride passion covetousnness uncleanness and the like which they hide vnder their tongue but such are far from this mighty power of prayer which brings down the Spirit on their own hearts or others Ah Christians if you would prosper in grace get and improve the Spirit of Grace and Supplication Thirdly Another thriving way is to engage God with you in all your undertakings 'T was this made Joseph so prosperous in all he did God was with him Gen. 39. 23. Because the Lord was with him and that which he did he made it to prosper 2 Sam. 5. 10. And David went on and grew great and the Lord God of Hosts was with him 'T was not his wisdom valour nor any means he used but the gracious presence of God with him that made him to grow so great This made Solomon to prosper 2 Chron. 22. 11. Now my Son the Lord be with thee and prosper thee When persons lose the gracious presence of God they soon find an alteration and begin to wither and decay in their soul-comforts and prosperity Thou did'st hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30. 6. Troubled like a withered flower that loseth sap and vigour Mr. Leigh Jonah soon found a change in his soul it ceased to be with him as before when once he fled from the presence of God He never had a good day after he lost the presence of God but storms tempests shipwrack of peace safety and prosperity and a casting into the deeps of distress and ruining dangers Jonah 1. 3 10. Ah Christians as you love your souls and your spiritual welfare take heed of losing God's gracious presence whose company soever you lose keep the Lord's presence with you abide with him and he will abide with you 2 Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while you be with him and if you seek him he will be found of you Put away the unclean thing and he will dwell in you and walk in you 2 Cor. 6. 16. Love him and keep his commandments and he will take up his abode with you Joh. 14. 23. Content not your selves with any priviledg except you have God with you If thy presence go not with us carry us not up hence Exod. 33. 15. I protest saith Mr. Bruce when wrestling for the presence of God with him in his going to preach I will not go except thou go with me Fourthly Follow the counsel of God if you would thrive in the work and way of God Josh 1. 8. This 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 for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success Jer. 38. 20. Obey I beseech thee the voice of the Lord which I speak unto thee so it shall be well unto thee and thy soul shall live One cause why men prosper no more in Religion is that little conscience they make of doing the will of God men hear but forget the word others know their Lord's will but prepare not themselves to do it We live in an age of notions not of motion after God like men that see Countries in a Map but care not to travel into them bare knowledg pleaseth most Mens zeal after truth is like Absalom's love to his Father David only to see him not to serve him 2 Sam. 14. 32. Let me see the King's face which he no sooner did but conspired against him So most care for no more than to behold truth not to dwell with it and hence 't is that prosperity is such a stranger to them 'T was not directions could heal Naaman of his leprosy but obedience he was never the better till he followed the Prophet's counsel and washed in Jordan that which made the ground rain'd upon to be nigh to cursing was not bringing forth fruit meet for them by whom 't was dressed Heb. 6. 8. Do not only seek after but walk after the truth if you think to prosper in Religion Jam. 1. 25. The doers of the word shall be blessed in their deed Object 'T is the desire of my soul to live in the exercise of every grace and discharge of every duty and some weak endeavours I have had though too too short with many cries for this soul-prosperity but cannot yet attain unto it Methinks I am like a wither'd arm a dry tree and barren womb nothing doth me good no food seed or showers make me thriving and fruitful I fear I shall be at last cut down and bundled for the fire Sol. First Thou mayest thrive in Religion and not know it for a season thy profiting may be though not appear The Tradesman may bring home gain in his purse though untold men know not their gettings till they cast up their accounts thy prosperity may be as a casked Jewel and friend under disguise If you would estimate your advantage survey your selves compare your present with your former state what were you what are you speak out soul was there not a time when thou wert blind thou could'st see no evil in sin nor excellency in grace but now thy eye is opened and things appear otherwise to thy soul than they did Now there is nothing so vile as thy wicked
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
discover those sins that procure these wastes 328 3 By this you come to see a necessity of pursuing and securing better treasure 329 4 It helps through grace to loosen the heart from things below 330 5 It tends to the furtherance of Soul-inlargements ibid. 6 It makes heavenly things relish the sweeter 331 4 Branch of Exhort To such as have begun this heavenly trade but are fallen back this advises them Advice 1. To be deeply affected with their evil case 333 Considerations to further it 1 Think on the change thy decays have brought upon thee 333 2 What an unlovely and displeasing object thou art hereby become in the eyes of God 334 3 It makes thee little desirable in the eyes of men ib. 4 Thou art the greatest loser of any thy case is dangerous and thy recovery difficult such are hardly recovered 335 336 Que. I fear this is my cause I am fallen back in grace and fear I shall never recover How may I know whether my back-slidings shall be healed Answ There are six signs of back-slidings that shall be healed 1 When thy back slidings are not upon choice but against thy judgment and consent 336 2 When they become thy Soul-trouble and hearts burden 337 3 When they are after thy effectual calling and sincere choice of God 337 4 When thou art restless until the Lord doth heal thee 338 5 When thy vitals are still sound ibid. 6 When under all thy back-slidings thou findest a humble and contrite heart 339 5 Dangerous symptoms of falling back that shall hardly be restored 1 If thy falling back be before thy falling in with Christ 339 2 A falling off from the foundations 340 3 A making Merchandise of the truth selling themselves to work wickedness ibid. 4 Back-slidings in heart shall not be cured 341 5 When persons are prejudiced against the means of recovery ibid. Adv. 2. Search out the causes of thy Souls decay and get them removed 342 Caus 1. Entrance upon this heavenly trade without a stock to set up ibid. 2 Setting upon this trade and having no skill to mannage it 344 3 Want of diligence in following it 345 4 Great and frequent losses in thy spiritual interests 346 5 Great wastes and needless expences 347 6 Great debts are breaking 350 Adv. 3. Compound with your Creditor Adv. 4. Set up no more for your selves but enter your selves Factors for Christ 352 Three things required in a Factor which must be followed by those that will thrive in this heavenly trade 1 To trade upon anothers stock 353 2 To be regulated by anothers advice 356 3 To drive on anothers interest 358 Adv. 5. Follow your trade better than you have done ibid. 5 Branch of Exhort To such as have good trading in Religion be you exhorted 1 To bless God for good trading 360 1 This is a great mercy at all times ibid. 2 A singular mercy at this time 361 3 An earnest of eternal mercy ibid. Qu. How may I know whether I have good trading in spirituals Sol. There are seven signs of good trading in evil times 364 1 When men go not back ibid. 2 If Wares go off well 365 3 When men are richer in stock 366 4 Are you less in debt 368 5 Have you more owed you and is it sure 367 6 That is good trading when the present incomes maintain the trader 369 7 Laying up as well as laying out bespeaks good trading 371 Complaint This is my case I see I am this languishing soul what shall I do to get my condition mended and my languishing soul revived and attain unto true thrivings in this holy Calling Sol. There are six things that help to thrive in their trading 1 A provident care 373 2 A diligent hand 375 3 Driving a secret trade 376 4 The blessing of God on mens labours ibid. 5 There are also prospering graces to be kept up 1 Faith is a Soul-prospering grace 377 2 Love to God his name and ways 379 3 Humiltty is a Soul-thriving grace ibid. 4 Sincerity is a Soul-thriving fruit of the Spirit 381 6 Take prospering courses 382 There are four Soul-thriving courses 1 Keep up Self-examination ibid. 2 Be much with God in prayer 383 3 Ingage God with you in all your undertakings 385 4 Follow Divine Counsel in all you do 386 Ob. My fear still remains that I am a barren soul and shall perish at last 388 Sol. 1. Thou mayst thrive in Religion and not know it ibid. Try thy change ibid. Ob. But may not a hypocrite go so far and all this but change from darkness to conscience light and from sin to common grace 389 Sol. This is answered in four particulars ib. to p. 391 Ob. But change from nature to grace is not growth in grace I may have the first fruits though not the after-fruits of the Spirit 391 Sol. This is answered in three particulars 391 to 393 Advice 2. Inlarge your trade Nine Motives to ingage Christians to Soul inlargements 393 to 399 Advice 3. Lay in for bad times 402 There are four seasons when Christians will need all their store 1 Times of temptation 403 Mat. 2. 1. Cause they are certain they will come 403 2 They are shaking when they are come 407 2 Times of desertion 408 3 Times of great affliction 410 4 The time of death 413 Advice 4. Lay out for God this is 1 Reasonable work 417 2 Pleasing work 419 3 Honourable work 420 4 Profitable work ibid. 5 'T is a proof of your love to God 422 Dir. 1. Lay out your time for God Mot. 1. Your time is not yours but Gods Mot. 2. Much of your time is lost already 424 Mot. 3. Your time is short and uncertain ibid. Mot. 4. You can't put it to better profit 425 5 You must give an account of your time 426 6 How can you bethink a little time for God who hath not thought an eternity of mercy too much for you 427 2 Lay out your strength for God ibid. 3 Lay out your gifts and graces for God 428 4 Lay out your earthly interests for God 430 1 Else all your Religion is vain 432 2 Acts of charity are parts of Religious worship 433 3 God is much glorified by duties of charity 434 4 Sincere charity will evidence your right to glory 435 5 'T is the sure way to blessings here 437 Coun. 5. Lay up for glory 440 1 Lay up sound hopes for glory 441 With Motives thereto ibid. Que. What are these sure hopes of glory Sol. 1. They issue from saving Vnion with Christ 445 2 They are the fruits of true grace 447 3 There will be a mortifiedness to this world 448 4 Right hopes are active hopes 449 5 Then will your conversation be in heaven 454 2 Lay up desires for glory 455 3 Lay up all the treasures you can to greater glory 457 Several things tend to greater glory 458 Lay up preparations for glory for which 461 1 Get your hearts more loose from the world 462 2 Press after more maturity in your graces 463 3 Get and keep the testimony of a good Conscience ibid. 4 Maintain walks with God daily 464 5 Dispatch your work on earth 465 Lastly Be always ready for the coming of the Lord ibid. FINIS
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
of his mouth more than your necessary food Can you be content to let your own things sit that you may seek the things that are Christ's and sit at his feet when others are in the market-place and abroad in the croud of their earthly affairs Are you alone with Christ in a corner If so your Mercy is singular and your Obligations strong to be entirely the Lords to be no more your own but wholly devoted to his fear to live a life of praise and welpleasingness uno God to think well of Christ and bear his pleasure to be patient in tribulation continuing instant in prayer to long for the Well-head of your mercies and to be beginning a life of glory while you are here in a life of grace I shall close up this Discourse with a few words of general Advice to you all First lay the foundation sure on which you build all your Temporary labours and your Eternal hopes You cannot be too certain in that on which depends your all Consider how often Satan hath battered down yea your own hearts have disputed away those Evidences on which you could sometimes have adventured your Souls and yet the strongest Assaults are to come and the greatest Forces of Hell reserved for the last Battel Bottom not your hopes on any thing short of a Crucified Christ not on your Frames but on his Favour not upon your Duties but his Righteousness nor upon any kindnesses received from him short of a saving union with him rest not till your Convictions be clear deep and distressing such as discover sin to be the greatest evil in its nature and fruits and its residence and indwelling in you a burden intolerable such Convictions as will not admit of after favour or reconciliation to the least known or most beloved sin that can make your heart to bleed afresh upon every new touch of it and never at rest till the whole kind of it be destroyed out of your Souls Labour to see such a Beauty in Christ as may render all Created Glory as dross and dung in your Eye stop not till you come to the Excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ as your Lord till you can discern such a worth in the Person as well as Purchase of Christ as will make you content to throw all over board to take in him and be sick of love till you enjoy him be sure your close with Christ be right with his whole Person Will and Designs to be one with him upon all his own terms And that this union be not in Judgment and Consent onely but in Heart and Will from your whole Souls finding an inward likeness and love to him in your renewed nature 2ly Go on towards perfection press after nearer and more compleat Conformity to the Nature and Will of Christ every day Think how short your highest measures do come of perfect holiness in the sight of God set the Pattern before you every day that you may be the more ashamed at your present attainments in Grace and more provoked to higher Aims and Atchievements compare your selves with them that are above you with the Rule of Righteousness and with all your Obligations Time Means and Mercies to keep you humble in your own eyes look upon your Wants as well as Enjoyments that you may be as poor in spirit as in condition that which is wanting in you cannot be numbred Who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort 1 Chron. 19. 14. Keep low thoughts in your selves under the greatest services you do for God and the highest honour you receive from God Alas said the Lord Du-Plessis to one that commended him for the improvemt of his Talent What is there of mine in that Work say not that it was I but God in me I know more saith another by my self to abase me than any man could know to extol me So much humility a man hath so much grace he hath and worth and no more Dr. Har. 3ly Keep up a life of faith upon Christ in the promises As the first quickening of a Christian is by faith so his whole life is maintained by believing no longer than you believe can you live Gal. 2. 20. Your life is hid with Christ in God Draw fresh Influence thence by faith upon your Hopes Comforts and Graces under every want fears and deaths within you make not your graces or duties the grounds of believing but encouragements to Faith study more the nature freeness fulness and unchangeableness of redemption grace and get acquaintance with the promise and perswasions of the truth of them in Christ To live onely by faith saith Dr. Harris and a bare Promise without a pawn and to give all to free grace and to Christ alone are mighty works and some of those things he found most difficult 4ly Walk in Love as Christ hath loved you This is the life of Heaven and beginning of that Excellent glory which shall never be removed there is nothing does make thee more like to God more near and dear to him and more fit for his use than this Grace of Love Let your Affections be extended as large as the objects of them unto God his Word Ways and People love God to obey him his Ways to walk in them his People to delight in them to sympathize with them to mourn over them in their sufferings to help them in their necessities to rejoyce with them in their consolations counting their mercies your own which is no easie part of your duty It is far harder saith one to adopt anothers Comforts than his Sorrows and to hold ones self exalted in anothers exaltation 5ly In the enjoyment of the World get above it and while you live in it be daily dying to it so much as you get above the World so near are you to God and Glory and no nearer Covet not anothers Goods the World is none of your Portion if God be your part Oh how much beneath the Extraction Dignity and Duty of Saints is the love to and life upon this low and dirty World leave not Childrens bread to feed on such Carrion doggs-meat and filthy excrements with which Satan feeds his Labourers But having spoke largely of this matter in the Book I advise your Eye and Heart thither for Conviction and Counsel herein 6ly Make much of the Time and Means of Grace while you have them your Glass runs your Sun hastens and the Wind blows when and where it listeth O make use of Time while you have it God who made nothing in vain hath work for every hour of your short Day work as hard as you can you will find something to do when you come to die Loss of time saith Dr. Harris on his Death-bed sits very near upon me work work apace assure your selves nothing will more trouble you when you come to die than that you have done no more for that God which hath
troubles them but to be something though never so little satisfieth them and if this be Popery to rest in the work done how many Papists have we amongst us this day Certainly Professors are generally asleep or slumbering they do their work so badly and heartlesly their work falls out of their hand as things do from men asleep active for the world as if they could never do enough but soon tyr'd in the work of God dispatch but little of heavenly work from day to day from one Sabbath to another little heart-searching soul-watching work is done little in-door employment is carried on the exercise of faith hope humility patience zeal self-denial seems a stranger to a great many this day not for want of occasions or encouragements to work the Lord is still calling upon his Labourers to make haste but for want of hearts to work And this spiritual sloth proves that the Heavenly Trade is much lost Fourthly The poverty of Traders plainly shews Trading is not good when a Trade doth not maintain the Trader but he still goes back and becomes poorer then surely trading is not good The diligent hand makes rich Prov. 10. 4. When trading is good Traders usually thrive and live well upon it but when they waste and become poor then trading decaies So is it with Heavenly Traders when they drive a good Trade for Heaven they grow rich apace towards God and in their own souls Wisdom's wares are soul-enriching wares My fruit is better than gold yea than fine gold and my revenue than choice silver Prov. 8. 19. Men account those to be rich who have much of gold and silver but Wisdom's fruit is better than gold and therefore must needs be enriching they that have this gold cannot be poor Hence it is Christ counsels Laodicea to buy of him gold tryed in the fire that she might be rich Rev. 3. 1. But alas how poor in spirituals are persons generally this day Therefore I said Sur ly these are poor they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the judgement of their God Jer. 5. 4. Unacquaintedness with the way of God when men walk wide from Religion and lose their strict and close walking with God they soon become poor and foolish And this is the case of many every where they give a carnal liberty to themselves and indulge a freedom to walk after the fight of their own eyes and not by rule and where this is there is soul-poverty which is too visible in most this day Christians do but observe your own hearts and others and you will find this spiritual poverty abounding every where Little thrivings appear under the best of means choicest Priviledges do little more than keep up a name to live they convey but little quickenings to the soul A shew of Religion and a meer skeleton of profession is the common fruit of Ordinances in most places whereas all the while decaies are on the vitals of Christianity abatements in grace appear every day and a visible alteration in the whole frame and internal vigour of the soul faith love humility patience self-denyal and every grace becomes weaker every day Former daies were better than now Eccles 7. 10. Speak Christian are not matters worse with thy soul than they were and abatements appear in every part There was a time when thy mind was beam'd over with Divine Light the Candle of the Lord did shine in thy tabernacle Thy eye was quick to discern good and evil thou couldest once see an excellency in the knowledge of Christ O how choice were sermons priviledges were to thee the uncasking of Jewels and the opening of hidden glory thou did'st dwell in the Land of Visions and still some new discoveries of light and grace did meet thee in thy affectionate attendance upon God But now it is not so thy Candle burns dimly and thy right eye is darkened now thou seest but little beauty in grace or desireableness in truth things under thy feet th' other day that seem'd nothing compar'd with Christ now through the multiplying-glass of thy deceived mind seem great and lovely Formerly thy affections were warm and lively after God his word and ways O! how precious were his appointed Feasts and his Tabernacles amiable thou couldst delight in approaching to God and talk of a blessedness in his presence O the pleasure sweetness and joy thy heart did find in thy Closet in spiritual Converses and Duties and publick Ordinances thou couldst weep over sin and bedew thy prayers with tears and find thy heart burn within thee while Christ was speaking and melted under the warm beams of divine love But alas now it is not so now thy affections are dead thy heart as cold as a stone all the while thou art speaking to God in Prayer or God speaking to thee in his Word thou findest no more savour in Ordinances Duties and Christian Converses than in the white of an Egg Job 6. 16. Thou findest not that delight in God as formerly and the night of thy pleasure is turned to fear unto thee Isa 21. 4. This is Soul-poverty Again there was a time also when thy Will like the great Wheel in the Clock could move regularly after God thou couldst choose God for thy chiefest interest and Christ for thy only treasure preferring an interest in him above ten thousand Worlds thou couldst have voted for communion with God before thy meat and drink and one hours fellowship with Christ beyond all the delights on Earth thou couldst choose the things that please God and deny thy own pleasure to give content to him thou couldst once stick to thy first choice and find the purpose of thy heart cleaving to God Act. 11. 23. Thou couldst once resolve and keep thy resolutions 't was easier to take thy heart out of thy body than to gain thy consent to part with Christ his presence and ways But now thy will is hardly drawn after pure and constant enjoyments of God in his ways O! how difficult a thing is it to perswade thy will to let go all for Christ to leave every thing to attend on God to part with the world and self to wait on God to throw all over-board to take in Christ How hard is it now to consent that Christ shall have all the command of thy Soul and dispose of thy dearest interests now thou findest it a work above thee to keep thy heart in order one hour or to perform the purposes of thy Soul to God and Godliness thou resolvest and changest every day thou vowest and breakest thy vows continually there is no stedfastness in thy spirit this also bespeaks thy Soul-poverty There was a time also when thy Conscience was tender thy heart could smite thee for the least sin thy Conscience could hold thee to the greatest duty and bind thee to thy good behaviour thou could'st not go against the light and checks of thy regulated Conscience were it to gain the whole
and willing to be search'd and to know their own state many that think well of themselves might find that notwithstanding all their shews and seeming hopes they are in a woful and dangerous case in that their hearts are not right with God but are set on other things on earthly things more than on God Six things discover this that the heart is set too much upon this World First When the desires are inordinately let out after it this is one symptom the Prophet gives of an unsound covetous heart such a one hath greedy unsatisfied desires after the World Who enlargeth his desire as Hell and is as Death and cannot be satisfied Hab. 2. 5. In the former verse he tells us a carnal unbelieving heart is a rotten unsound heart His soul which is lifted up is not upright in him but the just shall live by Faith A carnal heart is all for himself and his own carnal interest and not for God he lives by sight and not by Faith and this was an evidence of it all his desires were for carnal things Desires are the breathings and outgoings of the heart and as the heart is such are they where the desires are earthly the heart is earthly such a one is never satisfied with any portion of earthly things as a person in a Fever always thirsty so is an earthly heart always coveting more and more They joyn house to house and lay field to field till there be no place Isa 5. 8. As long as there is any place left they covet it A Field a House a Living is but a morsel that stays a hungry stomach for the present as soon as that is digested they long for more this is a certain sign that heart is on the World whose desires have never enough of it and alas where 's the person that will say with Jacob I have enough Where the heart is set on God and things above a little of the World will content that Soul food and rayment with godliness is enough but it is never satisfied with its measure of Grace and enjoyment of God the more it enjoys of God the more it longs for further fellowship with him one duty doth but edge the stomach for another the more he hath the more he desires of God and spiritual things and so 't is with a heart that is altogether earthly the desires are earthly also never satisfied with what he hath but still longing for more Secondly A worldly heart hath worldly thoughts there the mind is wholly taken up about earthly things thoughts are to the heart as the beams are to the Sun the streams to the Fountain which are homogeneous of the same nature with them our Lord Jesus tells us that 't is out of the heart that evil thoughts proceed Mark 7. 21. They come immediately from the heart says Mr. Fenner nothing comes between the heart and them other sins says he come from the heart but it is at the second third and fourth hand but thoughts come immediately from it And nothing doth more discover the heart than the usual habitual delightful thoughts of a man do They are the univocal acts of the heart which shew what the heart is as shining does the light Mr. Fenner of the misery of earthly thoughts Where are thy thoughts mostly thy pleasing and delightful thoughts there is thy Heart They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh Rom. 8. 5. As soon as they awake thoughts of their business as friends come to visit them they drive out other thoughts of God and heavenly things they vanish and disappear at the presence of earthly thoughts as Clouds do at the rising-Sun as when a Master comes in to take his seat Servants rise up and go their way no sooner doth thoughts of God come in but earthly thoughts drive them away as the Shepherds did Jethro's Daughters and there is no Moses to stand up and help them Exod. 2. 16 17. An earthly man from morning to night his thoughts are upon the World as the Dog follows his Master all the day long In company alone at home abroad in journeys in duties his thoughts are usually about his Trade Interest House Field Work and the like it may be sometimes good thoughts may be cast into the mind and these make amends for all other thoughts feeding the deceived heart with conceits that all is well because good thoughts come in now and then whereas the main bent of their thoughts have been about earthly things these thoughts grow out of the heart they are in-dwellers but good thoughts are only guests and strangers that don't stay long they give a visit and then are gone and must give way to earthly thoughts again which are home-born houshold-servants and inhabitants thy thoughts of God are but occasional now and then extraordinary when some special mercy or affliction is upon thee but thy earthly thoughts are fixed stated and continued thy good thoughts are like rain-water that fall upon thee or as pump-water that must be drawn out but thy carnal thoughts are as well-water that runs freely and springs up from within thee thy good thoughts are but thy recreation when thy mind is tired with other things but thy earthly thoughts are thy work and employment when men have done their work they sometimes walk abroad such are thy seldom thoughts of God and divine things when thou hast drudg'd away the strength of thy mind on the World and thy own things then to quiet conscience and recreate thy mind thou givest thy thoughts leave to walk abroad and give a visit to better things thy heavenly thoughts are gentle easy weak and sickly and carry out little of the strength and vigour of thy heart with them but thy thoughts of the World are strong and lively the first-born and strength of thy heart they are spending thoughts working plotting carking studying thoughts Ah souls deceive not your selves with fancies of your good estate from some fits and good moods in you which hypocrites may have and all the while the strength and bent of your hearts the constant lively prevailing thoughts of your souls are carnal selfish and earthly Thirdly Persons restless labours after the world plainly shew their hearts are upon it Where the heart is set upon a thing a person is restless till he hath it he leaves no stone unturned sets wit hands friends and all on work to get it When Shechem's heart was set on Dinah Jacob's daughter he sticks at no proposals so he might but obtain her Let me find grace in your eyes and what ye shall say unto me I will give the Land shall be before you dwell and trade therein and get you possession therein Gen. 34. 10 11. No terms were counted too hard take up profession undergo painful duties punishing circumcision part with any thing so he might but have the desire of his heart What hardships did Jacob undergo for his beloved Rachel twice
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
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
and prepared b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fashioned as a Vessel the meaning is saith Dr. Preston that then a man is good when his heart is fitted to good works to every good work 2 Tim. 2. 21. Labour to get your natures changed and hearts quickened you must be born again or cannot see the Kingdom of God Be looking to Jesus to create in you a new heart a renewed mind will and affections to have a saving principle put into your hearts and a disposition of Soul towards the whole will of God Cry mightily for the Spirit and wait for his movings upon the face of Sanctuary-waters and for a mighty power of God in the Gospel upon your Souls Get under the healing-wings of Christ and rest not looking unto Jesus till virtue go out from him to heal your Souls If this be thy restless desire thou can'st not let Christ alone running after him crying Jesu thou Son of David have mercy upon me he will turn again and have compassion and give the holy Spirit to them that unfeignedly and incessantly ask him Mark 10. 47 48 49. Luke 11. 13. Direct 2. Secondly cease from your own works Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy The first step in returning to God is departing from sin and self c Nihil nobis cum Deo esse potest nisi a nobis discedamus Calv. Neither can we saith Calvin hold converse with a holy God till we be estranged from our unholy self When the Apostle advises the Ephesians to put on the new man Eph. 4. 24. He first exhorts them to put off the old with his whole conversation vers 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt Grace builds not on an old foundation neither does it adorn but reform the former conversation of called Saints there is no cloathing upon in regeneration-work the old garments must off before the new will come on Religion is not a covering for but a stripping off a sinful life neither can you be free to set on God's work till you leave your old works Rom. 6. 20. For when you were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness You had nothing to do with holiness you had no freedom to do God's work while you were Sins servants He speaks of their actual liberty from grace not their legal freedom d Libertas hic de facto non de jure intelligatur saith Paraeus you are not at liberty to do the work of holiness while under the command of sin No man can serve two Masters Mat. 6. 24. that is two contrary Lords How can the same man e Quomodo poterit unus idemque homo pietati se quantum opus est impendere simul circa divitias quaerendas servandasque perpetua solicitudine distrahi Grot. saith Grotius follow godliness as his work and at the same time be distracted with cares about getting and keeping earthly things 'T is a vanity for persons to dream of a compliance between sin and holiness whose work is too inconsistent for one Soul at one time ruling iniquity and grace are two contrary states which cannot meet in one person and time Never think of setting up on the Heavenly Trade till you are freed from hellish servitude and invested with the liberty of the Sons of God a freedom from the love and service of every sin Godliness calls for the whole of a man's heart strength and time and requires a person void of any inconsistent obligations resolve to break from every way of death if ever you think to enter into the way of life Direct 3. Thirdly Make over your selves to the Lord in an Everlasting Covenant they that will be Masters of a Trade must first be bound to the service of it and resign up their persons wills capacities and time to the instruction and government of another in order to their fitness for such a calling And so must souls that will learn Wisdom's Merchandise they must bind themselves to the Trade and make over themselves and their all to God in Christ to be taught and enabled to set up this excellent work Jer. 50. 5. They shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that cannot be forgotten Sin had made a separation between their God and them and brought a death upon their mercies and Templeenjoyments but now the Spirit of Prophecy breathing on these dry bones moves them to a vital union with the fountain of life the onely regular way to their new work and mercies they must first be joyned to the Lord before they can be rejoyned to one another and re-enjoy their lost priviledges and this union lies in a hearty acceptance of offered grace a taking hold of God in Christ and a Covenant-surrender of the whole soul and its All to him again O for arms to embrace him saith Mr. Rutherford This is called a giving up of ones self to the Lord 2 Corinth 8. 5. But this they did not as we hoped but first gave themselves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God They exceeded our hope We onely expected some part of what was theirs but they gave themselves first to God and to us to be directed and governed by the will of God to be placed in the fellowship of his Gospel as well as their interests to the service of his people 'T is also a giving away of ones self to the Lord wholly unreservedly and perpetually to be no more his own 1 Cor. 6. 19. And ye are not your own This surrender of your selves to God souls must be in judgment understandingly and ariseth freely on choice universally without the least reservation absolutely without any limitation or conditions of our own eternally without any expiration and term of this grant and to be attested by all overt acts within your power Isa 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lord's another shall call himself by the name of Jacob another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Jacob. Whatever may most fully ensure and express an absolute devotedness unto God must be done by those that ever expect to thrive in grace and godliness Verse 3 4. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grass as willows by the water-courses When once this implantation into Christ is dispatched then will the Lord give prosperity to that soul then are you in a sure way to success in all your holy undertakings and like to speed well in this Heavenly Trade when you become entirely the Lord 's in order to it O be not
professing Christians which draw down their lofty meditations when they are in chase of things above as the Fowler allures down the towring Lark when hovering aloft in the gentle air The Devil deals with earthly men as Naturalists say men do with Bees when they swarm and are flying away they throw up dust and they scatter again So doth Satan when their thoughts are up upon heavenly things he casts in the dusty thoughts of this world and they scatter them again Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present world 2 Tim. 4. 10. Earthly things draw away the heart from God his work and interest How often do those interrupt if not countermand the most serious thoughts of gracious souls and where they cannot as a Master command they will as neighbours be often coming in and hinder the soul in its most weighty business if the door be not lockt against their unseasonable visits Worldly lusts must be denied as well as ungodliness by those that intend to live righteously soberly and godly in this present world Tit. cap. 2. v. 11 12. Earthly things are good servants but bad Masters useful in their place as fire in the hearth is profitable but in the thatch dangerous and as unruly Servants and untamed Colts are serviceable when reduced to their place and kept under government Worldly thoughts are as some roots that must be often trod down or they will spill up and seed in our hearts Christians have a special strong guard against the encroachments of your earthly affairs if ever you will secure the thrivings of a heavenly spirit Take heed also of grieving the Spirit of Grace which maintains and relieves this heavenly spirit As the spring is to the streams so is the holy Spirit to this heavenly spirit in Believers that feeds and supplies it from his own nature Now to grieve this Spirit is to provoke him to withhold his gracious communications to the soul Ephes 4. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption Which implies that this Spirit of Grace being grieved suspends its comforting sealing influences towards the souls of Believers This Scripture is taken from Isa 63. 10. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them They grieved his Spirit as the word signifies and this broke that amicable accord between the Spirit and them that he became their enemy and cut off all succours from them yea comes forth against them And that which grieved the Spirit of God was the the abuse of its kindness V. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the daies of old Nothing does more grieve the Spirit of God than the abuse of his kindness and tender mercy to his people when the Lord hath been opening the bowels of his pity to souls in saving and redeeming-mercy and hath been shedding abroad his love upon them bearing with and carrying of them for a long time and all this is slighted and contemned and the soul takes no notice of all this grace but still perseveres in its evil course this grieves the Spirit and causeth him to withhold his tender mercy and quickening influence from the soul and it becomes weak as water and withers in all the leaves of her spring Ezek. 17. 9. Psa 104. 29. As the member languishes when it can no longer receive influences from the head and the branch withers when the root communicates no sap to it so is it with the soul when the spirit ceases from all its gracious communications as it does when grieved by those he loves and labours with not as if the Divine Spirit could be capable of passions and perturbations as creatures are But then may the holy Spirit be said to be grieved when gracious souls do that which is enough to grieve one that tenderly affects us and by all means seeks our eternal good Now two things usually grieve such a one First Injuries from a friend Secondly The sufferings of a friend Unkindness from those we love does usually sit nearer our hearts than any injuries from strangers or enemies we usually expect more regard from such and therefore are more troubled at disappointments And such is the tenderness of the Spirit to Believers that want of love or injurie from such is more abusive and carries in it all that which in its nature is grieving Again we usually grieve at the evils of those we love and such are the sins of Believers they are injurious to themselves and enemies to their own souls This the Spirit of God sees that gracious souls by their carnal affections and sensual passions by their corrupt communications and fleshly lusts do not onely resist him and frustrate his work in them but these also injure and endanger their own souls by these they lose many a mercy and draw upon them many afflictions and fatherly displeasure from God against them and this grieves the Spirit to see and this removes his presence and hinders his comforting quickening operations by reason of which their spirits fail and become cold and weak to every heavenly action Your work Christians is to be tender of the Spirit to take heed you be not unkind to his person that you do not undervalue his gracious communications or resist his internal operations Take heed of unthankfulness for his kindnesses of slighting his counsels of unsuitable walking to his rules and mercies if you would not grieve him and so deprive your selves of his quickening influences on your spirits That 's the first Beware of those things that weaken this heavenly Spirit Secondly If you would maintain a Heavenly Spirit get all the nourishment you can for it As the body is nourished by food and the animal spirits by contributions of joy and contentment so is this Heavenly Spirit by all the means and helps God hath appointed to this end 1 Tim. 4. 6. nourished up in the word of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith and of good doctrine whereunto thou hast attained The Word and Ordinances are to the inner-man as nourishing food to the outward which strengthens the spiritual part and maintains its vigour and activity Timothy had imbibed the Doctrine of the Gospel together with his milk saith Calvin and had made continual progresses in the same to that day which did so greatly strengthen and nourish him in his faith and graces The Word of God is suited sent and commissioned to the service and advantage of your graces 't is the way by which the Lord Jesus maintains and encreases spiritual life and growth in the new-born soul 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Attend upon all the Ordinances of God where they are purely
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
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
the place of children but are strangers who climb up as the thief to steal but comes not in by the door to dwell with God they are retainers to Christ's House that now and then do some service for him and have some scraps and favours but are no abiding members of his house like the Apricot that leans on the wall but is rooted in the earth There is a temporary Relation also as of a Servant to a Master where there is a propriety for a time The servant comes into the house enjoys priviledges and protection and doth some service is very useful for the family and it may be beloved too as a servant And such is the relation of some to Christ but this differs vastly from that union which entitles to the person and purchase of the Lord Jesus he is mercenary in all he doth and hath by-ends in his entrance and continuance he does not any thing from pure love to Christ but for self-respects and advantage his welfare is not wrapt up in the welfare of the family to stand or fall with it to embark his All in the prosperity of that house he lives in the family and upon his Lord but to himself and is as the Planets which are carried about with the primum mobile but yet have a distinct motion and course of their own he is in the family but not of the family and as his relation is but titular so his station is but temporary he abides not in the house for ever Joh. 8. 35. And when he goes away he carries off nothing but his own not a jot of the inheritance is his he hath fared well and had a great deal of credit and comfort for a time but goes as he came and is the same person as he was There is also a Concubine-Relation to Christ which gives the soul some use of his kindness but no right to his person b Concubina a concubo Beza de repud divort p. 249. A Concubine is one that is contented with ones bed but hath no conjugal love to his person neither doth she pass into the husband's family or are her children counted legitimate She is one that either by constraint or consent comes over into an external communion with another for his use and bed but is never married to his person or hath chosen him for her husband to become one flesh with him to take up her delight in him and to do all from a principle of love to him And as she hath not the properties so she hath not the priviledges of a wife for intimacy and entertainment in respect of power and maintenance Such is the relation that many have to Christ they consent to have some enjoyment of Christ but have no marriage-union with him he is not theirs by choice but either for necessity or advantage to enjoy their own pleasures by him and receive some profit from him they never saw an excellency in him or were ever unhearted by him as he is by his Spouse Cant. 4. 9. Thou hast ravished my heart my Sister my Spouse thou hast ravished c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Incordiastime my heart with one of thine eyes with one chain of thy neck Thou hast unhearted me or snatcht away my heart These never consented to all his proposals in order to union with him they never heartily gave up themselves to him nor entred into covenant with him and became his And as they are strangers to an espousal-state so are they to a Spouse-like disposition they have not the temper and carriage of a wife nor the priviledges that such use to have they are not acquainted with his secrets nor the openings of his heart and those amorous embracements peculiar to such a relation they are not invested with any Authority or Rule they have no power over their corruptions nor command of their spirits and affections that should be in subjection to them Grace bears no sway in them sin and self does all in their souls neither were they ever enrolled in his family or owned by the Lord Jesus as his Hephzibah's nor have the allowance and special provisions of the King's Bride and Lamb's Wife and as to their conceptions and those births they seem to have by Jesus Christ they are spurious and illegitimate and never owned by the Lord Jesus as the genuine products of his own Spirit This is the case of those that have not marriage-union with Christ they have no right to him or his Treasures Try then your Espousal-relation to Christ Quest How may I know whether I am married to Christ or no Answ 1. First If you are married to Christ you are such as have special acquaintance with Christ you know him as none else do The wife hath the most peculiar and distinct knowledge of her husband of any Others may know something yea much of him but none knows him so much as the wife she hath acquaintance with all his excellencies and all his infirmities she has the largest tasts of his love and experience of his sweetness and intimate converses with him of any in the world So 't is with the Spouse of Christ she dwells in his presence and lodges in his arms she sees him within the veil uncloath'd of those coverings that stand between him and the eyes of strangers and conceals his amiableness from common beholders He puts aside his glorious Robe and shews her his naked breast and layes her hand upon his tender heart she is much alone with him in his chambers where he expresses intimacy with her as Isaac did with Rebekah and discloses the secrets of his heart and the greatest unveilings of his love He tells her what thoughts he had upon her from all eternity when he was in his Father's Kingdom his heart was working after her and he thought the time long till he came down to see her and no sooner did he cast his eye upon her though then she lay polluted in her blood and cast out into the field to the loathing of her person but his heart did burn within him towards her and it was the time of love He tells her all the time of his hard labour in the world for her seem'd but a few daies and the unsupportable burden of her sins and the Father's wrath upon him for her sake seem'd but as nothing for the love he bore unto her In these converses he assures her of his Love Person and Kingdom and however he may seem in his carriages yet his heart is fixt upon and faithful to her and swears he will never never leave her but after a little absence come and receive her to himself and she shall be for ever with him Thus he manifests himself to her as he doth not to the world by reason of which she becomes so well acquainted with him and knows his voice and by faith sees his sheep she can tell by experience who and what her Beloved is and how far
better than other Beloveds There 's never a soul that 's married to Christ but hath his time when he makes out some special discoveries of his love and self to it and it can tell some stories of what Christ did once say and do unto her what slights she hath had of him and gifts from him such a soul can tell how when he was dead Christ quickened him when he was lost Christ found him when he was in prison Christ set him free he washed him when in his blood and poured in Oyl into his wounds healed his backslidings and loved him freely He can say with Rebekah to her Brother Laban Thus the man spake to me and shewed the ear-rings and the bracelets Gen. 24. 30. And with Judah brings forth the signet bracelets and staff Gen. 38. 25. and tells with the blind man how Christ opened his eyes and what he said to him Joh. cap. 9. ver 15 35 37. And though by his sin and unbelief he may lose the sight of him for a time and be under a suspense of his discover'd kindness yet if the Believer would be true to his experience he can discover such an acquaintance with Christ as no Hypocrite ever had Answ 2. Secondly Another thing that will prove your marriage to Christ is your conjugal-love to him Jer. 2. 2. I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thy espousals when thou wentest after me in the wilderness in a Land not sown The Lord convinceth Israel of the great decay and change of their Love to what it once was there was a time when their affections were high towards God when he call'd them out of Aegypt took them from the Iron-furnace and married them to himself then nothing was too hard for them they could follow God in a wilderness where there was nothing but God alone to satisfie them creatures were wanting to allure them and yet they could stick at nothing no difficulties should part God and them Whence came this warmth of their affection why it was their neerness to God that created them The Lord had taken them into a marriage covenant and carried them in his bosome and this inflamed their hearts after him When the Lord brings a soul into an espousal-state he gives them espousal-love and that is the greatest love O sweet saith Rutherford were that sickness to be soul-sick for him and a living death it were to die in the fire of the love of that Soul-lover Jesus The Apostle makes this an essential duty of a married state to have conjugal affections The Husband to love his Wife as his own flesh and the Wife to love her own Husband as her self Eph. 5. 28. Tit. 2. 4. And the Prophet reckons this love to God as the certain fruit of their Covenant-relation to him Isa 56. 6. That joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the Name of the Lord. As soon as Paul had espoused the Lord Jesus it appeared in his supreme love to him he valued none like Christ He counted all things dross and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ his Lord Phil. 3. 8. To be found in him not having his own righteousness v. 9. To know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death v. 10. Conjugal love is a personal love pure love to Christ is set on Christ himself for himself not for his gifts that come from him but for those excellencies that reside in him 't is love to his person not to his patrimony onely 't is love springing from his love 1 Joh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us True affections to the Lord Jesus are the births of his own love to us a coal kindled from his fire Conjugal love is also peculiar as well as personal love so far as 't is conjugal 't is to him and none but him or if to others 't is for his sake Espousal love to Christ affects none like him If there be any person or thing thou lovest more than Christ or equal with him thy affections to him are whorish not conjugal He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me He that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me Mat. 10. 37. Yea he that doth not hate Father or Mother or any thing so far as it is inconsistent with love to Christ cannot be his Disciple Luke 14. 26. True love to Christ will let none in all the world share in that love which Christ hath 't will take none into his bed but himself 't is chaste love Again Conjugal-love is not onely to Christ but 't is such a love as longs to be found in Christ not in himself it would have all his glory and excellency in Christ it reckons Christ for all that 's truly honourable as to him it would get as near to Christ as possible yea it never rests till in him To be found in him 'T is also such a love as conforms to Christ Love is of an assimilating spirit it would be like to its peculiar object The affectionate wife conforms as much as may be to her Husband so 't is with the Spouse of Christ she would in every thing that is imitable resemble him and 't is her great trouble she is not more like him what would such a soul give if his heart was like Christ's heart if he had such a spirit and life as the Lord Jesus had on Earth it would be holy as Christ is holy and cannot set up a stand short of that 'T is true the soul hath not such a spirit as Christ had 't is too proud vain carnal passionate earthly selfish and that troubles him but it can never be quiet till he comes nearer to the pattern in Heaven and to a full resemblance of his well-beloved Jesus Answ 3. Thirdly A soul espoused to Christ will leave all for Christ that 's the condition of marriage between Christ and his Bride Psal 45. v. 10 11. Hearken O Daughter and consider and incline thine ear forget also thine own people and thy Father's house so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty for he is thy Lord and worship thou him As if he should say weigh and consider the terms on which this match is to be concluded between Christ and you If you will be his you must leave all for him you must forsake all your other lovers friends interests comforts for Christ so far as these hinder your love to Christ your communion with and serviceableness unto him When the woman comes to be married she leaves her friends Father's house Countrey and all to come and live with him that shall be her Husband Rebekah left her Father Brother Friends and Country to go to Isaac Gen. 24. 58. And they called Rebekah and said unto her wilt thou go with this man and she said I will go That soul that
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
bear the image of their heavenly Father here 1 Cor. 15. 49. There is a stamp of glory upon the Heirs of glory though it may be so covered with dirt and worn out with the rust of corruption as not to be easily seen at all times Whose is this image and superscription Matt. 22. 20. Caesar's coin hath Caesar's stamp and the Children of Heaven have their Father's mark upon their foreheads Rev. 14. 1. If Christ's Treasures be yours you are his Treasury though earthen vessels yet treasures vessels and bags that wax not old Do you hope for spiritual blessings what manner of spirits are you of Do you savour heavenly things What things do best suit and please your spirits the things of Heaven or the things of the world grace or goods righteousness or riches spiritual things or carnal What goes down easiest or when down sits easiest on your stomacks The Heirs of Heaven are Non-conformists to this world but transformed into the Spirit of Heaven and the renewing of their minds to their new estate blessedness and glory Rom. 12. 1. That 's a second thing wherein this Heavenly Trade lies in securing and clearing up your interest in heavenly things Thirdly Another thing wherein this Heavenly Trade lies is this in getting in of heavenly goods This is a great part of Traders business to be furnishing themselves with wares fit for their employmeat and advantage the Artificer in making the Merchant in buying in goods that are vendible and will turn to profit So must Wisdom's Merchants get themselves stor'd with Wisdom's wares that they may be able to drive on her Trade Onely in this lies the difference earthly goods are either the products of mens labours and effects of their industry or else the purchase of their money and treasures But heavenly goods come not in this way as the proportionable reward of their labours or return of their money Indeed heavenly bread must be laboured for but when all is done the Son of man gives it to them Joh. 6. 27. Salvation must be wrought out as if it lay at their fingers end and yet this very will and power to work wrought in them Phil. 2. 12 13. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure No sufficiency is found in the creature before saving grace helps to embrace its overtures no more than a dead body to receive life Ephes 2. 1. You have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit Joh. 15. 16. The soul's choice of Christ is the effect of Christ's first chusing him and its love to God the product of God's first loving him 1 Jo. 4. 19. and the soul's fruitfulness is the effect of Christ's purposing and appointing it thereunto No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Joh. 6. 44. Not onely morally by perswading the will with potent arguments but physically by working to will by a powerful inclining and disposing the will to come to and chuse Christ through the irresistible operation of the Spirit So then 't is not of him that wileth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. Salvation-grace both of righteousness and holiness is freely given to the thirsty soul through and with Christ Rev. 20. 6. and the inclination and power to receive as freely bestowed also Phil. 1. 29. To you it is given in the behalf of Christ not onely to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Faith it self is the gift of God both the power and will to believe not given to every man alike For all men have not faith 2 Thes 3. 2. because the Father was not pleased effectually to bestow it Deut. 29. 4. The Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear to this day Who hath made thee to differ or what hast thou which thou didst not receive 1 Cor. 3. 7. If the differencing of one man from another as to his improvement of grace lay in his own inclinations and natural freedom of his own will then there was something in the creature that made this difference contrary to this Scripture and a foundation laid in a man to glory which wholly overthrows the design of Redemption-grace which is to take off all boasting 1 Cor. 1. 29. Rom. 3. 27. and to lay all the praise and glory of man's salvation on special grace Eph. 1. 5 6. neither is the first grace onely freely given but more grace also alsufficiency after conferred for every good word and work yea for every thought that is good comes from the same grace that first called you which must also perfect every good work to the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 3. 5. our sufficiency who have grace to think or do the least spiritual good is deriv'd from the same fountain-fulness that is in Christ Jam. 1. 16. Eternal life with whatever leads thereto is the gift of God Rom. 6. v. 23. As Christ so all things with him are freely given Rom. 8. 32. not onely the seed of grace but the growth of grace not onely the habit but the act of grace all comes from Christ in the way of Redemption-grace Get your hearts well established with this grace that nothing in you or done by you can merit or procure any thing of the Father but upon the account of Christ and his grace and promise in him to all that by the Son do come unto him Goods you need for a daily Trade but no money and price will pass for them Isa 55. 1. they are freely given and yet you may boldly come for them Go you must with empty sacks your friend in Heaven will fill them and return your money in your sacks mouth Christians a considerable part of your work and that which laies the foundation to all your Trade lies in getting your souls furnish'd with heavenly wares You will drive but a poor Trade for Heaven if you do not often receive goods from Heaven Alas what can you do in Christianity without continual supplies from Christ Laodicea could not do any good in Religion for want of goods from Christ She had none of his tryed gold and therefore grew soon poor and miserable If goods fail trade falls and livelihood with it What advantages doth the Tradesman miss and what losses doth he sustain by wanting goods to furnish his Customers So do Christians when they want grace to serve their occasions necessities temptations and duties what advantage might souls get had they but grace when they come under Ordinances and Duties and what losses do they meet with for want of grace under afflictions trials and employments how pitifully do they carry it under troubles and providential exercises and are oft-times sadly foil'd for want of grace and wisdom to manage such trials You have daily
pruinas grandines tempestates ferre necessarium est antequam maturescat fructum ferat ita hominem fidelem intus extrinsecus multa pati mala oportet Stell The seed must lye long it may may be under ground and when 't is come up be nipt up with frosts and covered with snow and hail and bear many a storm before it ripens and brings forth fruit and this calls for Patience yea many times long-suffering The husbandman waiteth for the precious fruits of the earth and hath long Patience for it untill he receive the early and latter rain James 5. 7. Patience is needful to suffer as well as do the Will of God Rev. 13. 10. Here is the Patience and Faith of the Saints To endure captivity and cruell Death for the sake of Christ Patience to wait for the promise Rom. 8. 25. and Patience to receive it Heb. 10. 36. Patience saith Seneca is a salve for every sore that onely which alleviates our burdens without it we cannot be men or Christians saith another ' t is the grace that makes a compleat and well accomplish'd Christian Manton James 1. 4. When reason is at a stand and hope almost at an end and all refuge fails Patience steps in bears the burden and calms the soul Hope is a necessary grace to this great undertaking reckoned among the three Cardinal virtues that wonderfully adorn a Christian's spirit and conversation 1 Cor. 13. 13. Now abideth Faith and Hope and Charity Hope is the off-spring and refreshment of Faith 't is begotten by Faith and saies one As a good child relieves its father Faith in time of need Hope is an expectation Faith a perswasion Faith eyes the promise hope the thing promised as sure though future which comforts the soul under the present want of desired mercy and this is needful to cheer the soul under its exigencies and disappointments in the way of its Christian conversation Hope keeps in the fire and keeps up the house Heb. 3. 6. Whose house are we if we hold fast the confidence and rejoycing of our hope firm to the end Were it not for Hope the house would fall asunder Hope keeps it together till the Lord new build it in Heaven Hope anchors the soul in a storm and makes it steady under shaking tempests Heb. 6. 19. Hope maintains a Christian in a hard winter while the seed is under clods and till the corn come to the barn 1 Cor. 9. 10. He that ploweth ploweth in Hope that is of a good harvest that will compensate all his labours Hope secures the soul from shame and disappointment under temporary forbearance Psal 34. 22. It helps it to rejoyce in tribulation Rom. 5. 2. and compasseth him about with mercy Psal 32. 10. Humility Self-denial Goodness Temperance Gentleness Love Zeal Holy Fear are all good goods that will off well and turn to the Trader's profit if well improved Get your souls well stor'd with these graces of the Spirit also if you ever think to drive a good Trade of godliness Get your minds filled with knowledge as well as your hearts with grace that 's part of the Christian's Treasure 2 Cor. 4. 6. We have this Treasure that is of the knowledge of God in the face of Christ in earthen vessels In whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom Col. 2. 3. Saving knowledge is a Treasure laid up in Christ for Believers and to be fetched out for their use and comfort The riches of the full assurance of understanding and acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Col. 2. 2. The Gospel is a mystery a secret hid from the natural eye and cannot be known but by the revelation of the Spirit To have an inward clear sensible experimental and certain apprehension of the glorious truths of the Gospel opened and confirmed to the eye of Faith is a high attainment beyond what any reach to but those that have the anointings of the Spirit and to whom 't is given by the Spirit as the fruit of prayer and faithful attendance on his teachings in the Gospel and Ordinances of Christ This is called a rooting and establishment in the Faith Col. 2. 7. and growing in knowledge 2 Pet. 3. 18. alluding to trees that being well planted do take deeper root in the earth and in time come to greater settlement and strength against shakings And as children that gradually grow and encrease to higher statures so this spiritual knowledge is gradually encreased 't is not the priviledge of new-born babes of persons at their first conversion to have this deep fathoming of Gospel-mysteries But of stronger Christians who by constant attendances on the Means of Grace and in progress of time by Faith Humility Prayer and Attention to the Spirit do at length come to higher measures of this illumination and full assurance of truth As Gerson reports of a godly man he knew who at first was exercised with many doubts and fears and shakings of Faith but at last through humiliation of soul and a captivating of his understanding to Divine Truth together with the illumination of the Spirit came to a wonderful clearness in the matters of Faith and of his soul-estate with such a settlement of spirit and certainty about his salvation as to have no more doubts remaining in him Christians content not your selves with some notions of truth and shallow cold apprehensions of the great mysteries of salvation but labour to get in greater measures of spiritual understanding both objective as to the Truths to be known and subjective as to the discerning of them Alas we know as yet nothing as we ought there are deeps in the knowledge of Christ for Elephants as well as shallows for Lambs and there are greater beamings on the souls eye to be obtained and more certain understanding and familiar acquaintance to be had with the same Truths we know Your business Christians in the Heavenly Trade is to get more Divine Wisdom to be led farther into all Truth and to enter into the Mysteries of the Gospel wading farther and farther into Sanctuary-deeps to know more of God of the way to him and the things freely given of him and to know better what you know Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes There 's a secret in Gospel-truths which the wisest men in the world can never by their greatest Wisdom come to see without the special revelation of the Spirit As none can come to see the spirits salts and occult virtues in herbs and minerals till by Chymistry they are exstracted Others may discern and receive the things themselves in the gross and bulk of them and yet never see or taste those choice spirits hid in them So 't is with such as are strangers to a spiritual knowledge they apprehend Truths in the bulk and letter of them A A carnal man saith Hooker may hear the sound of the Word understand the
signification his judgment may see the evidence of the argument and force of reason in them and yet the Commentary on Christ's last Prayer reality and spiritualness of that Divine good never apprehended The world by wisdom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. 21. There 's no proportion between a spiritual object and a caanal eye The carnal mind cannot discern the things of the Spirit of God neither can they know them for they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. Labour to see the beauty and amiableness of Truth to see your propriety in Truth to taste an inward sweetness and ravishing pleasure in Truth to feel the sense of special love to your souls in discovery of light and to find a mightiness going out in every Truth on your souls changing you into the very Spirit and Image of Truth To grow in knowledge extensively into all Truth and intensively in deeper and more sensible spiritual powerful apprehensions of truth the want of which right knowledge makes so many cold dead hypocrites and barren professours in this day of light and parts Get also your Consciences stor'd with the Peace of God which passeth understanding This is the salt that seasons every thing condition and duty Mark 9. 50. This will shoe your feet to travel through the rough and tiresome waies of affliction temptation and persecution you must meet with in the pursuit of your Heavenly Trade Ephes 6. 15. This will calm your hearts in storms and maintain a Summer within when 't is Winter without and nothing but tempests and troubles in the world John 16. 33. This will preserve you when all is going and keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Phil. 4. 7. This will guard your hearts from those slavish fears darksom doubts and dreadful troubles that many are filled with this day and make you triumph over sin trample upon the world and smile in the midst of all the frowns of men and Devils O get and keep this rare Jewel of inward Peace which will help you to draw near to God with boldness and chearful serenity in every duty Heb. 10. 22. Get your consciences bath'd in the blood of Christ and the evidences of your sincerity cleared up every day this will help to maintain a feast of inward peace under the temptations of Satan and the view of your daily failings and stumblings Get your hearts warm'd and affections quicken'd with the sense of divine love to your Souls this is a choice part of heavenly treasures and will abundantly conduce to the lively carrying on of this divine Trade affections raised by the application of redemption-redemption-grace will be to your Souls as spread sails to the Ship to carry you strongly along against wind and storm and fill you with pleasant gales within and give you a speedy and comfortable passage through the waves of this World 2 Cor. 5. 12. 'T is the Soul's wing that mounts it up towards God and carries it aloft above the entanglements of sin the world and flesh in the warm pursuit of God's commandments 2 Cor. 5. 14. His commands will not be thought grievous or his yoke heavy where this love of God hath left a savour on the heart Psal 119. 32. Rom. 13. 10. It will exceedingly sweeten the bitter waters of Marah to you and make the paths of God's Providences as well as his Precepts pleasantness and peace Take in also the consolations of the Spirit and the joys of the Holy Ghost these will be useful to chear your hearts under tribulation and strengthen and cordial you under heart-faintings and qualms you may meet with from those ill vapours of this lower World and want of creature-comforts 2 Cor. 7. 4. Rom. 15. 4. This spiriturl comfort will also help to drown your carnal joys and to prevent a surfeit with the pleasures of this World another danger that Wisdom's Merchants are sometimes liable to Acts 2. 28. Make me full of joy with the light of thy countenance Spiritual joy where it is fills the heart and leaves no room for carnal delights as the heat of the Sun puts out the fire so will spiritual consolation extinguish carnal joy 'T was the comfort which Moses by Faith fetch'd in from the views of an invisible God that made him choose reproaches with the people of God before the pleasures of sin that were but for a season Heb. 11. 21. 25. This spiritual comfort is a notable way to stability in every good work 2 Thes 2. 16 17. to help on your Souls edification and growth in grace and holiness Acts 9. 31. O! what work have Christians to do besides the World and minding their own things were Religion followed to the purpose persons would have no leisure for sin and vanity O! what need have gracious Souls of a diligent hand to make them rich and to be taking in spiritual goods every day Quest But how should I do to get my Soul furnish'd with these heavenly goods If my heart deceive me not I would fain be enriched with every grace capacity and accomplishment for the discharge of my duty the pleasing honouring and enjoying of God and for the welfare of my immortal Soul But how to attain this longed for mercy I know not Sol. 1. If you would be enriched with heavenly treasures and get in those goods Then 1. First maintain a constant sense of your own wants and emptiness That which is wanting cannot be numbred Eccles 1. 15. Look over your souls every day and see your poverty look into your understandings and see how little light is there into your minds and consider how little spirituality lies there how little warmth and heavenly heat in your affections little truth and sincerity in your spirits little tenderness in your consciences little flexibleness in your wills to divine things little faith love humility meekness fear zeal life strength faithfulness stedfastness in your souls were this really seen and felt and the excellency of these spiritual perfections discern'd and the soul 's great concern and interest that lies wrapt up in them with the absolute necessity of having every grace in order to duty peace comfort prosperity and salvation persons that had any life at all could not lie still or be content till utmost means were us'd to obtain supplies 't was a false conceit of a self-fulness that kept back Laodicea from seeking after Christ's treasures Rev. 3. 17 18. And that blind opinion the Pharisees had of their good estate that so prejudic'd them against the convictions and counsels of Christ towards their cure Joh. 8. 33. 39. 41. 48. Had not the Corinthian Saints been so full and rich in their apprehensions they would not have had such sleighty thoughts of instituted means towards their Souls good 1 Cor. 1. 12. And have been contentious with one another when they should have been contending for higher measures of grace and godliness vers 11. 'T is the poor are the labourers in God's Vineyard Zech. 11. 11.
glory of God yea in pursuance of it thy own Salvation is thy chief concern What will it profit a man to gain the whole World and to lose his own Soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul What is left if the Soul be lost and what is done if after all the Soul be undone To look after others Souls and neglect thy own and to secure all things else and leave destruction on thy self is folly like to hers that saved her goods from the fire but left her child to perish in the flames Salvation is your chiefest work committed to your care and to be accounted for in the day of Christ Phil. 2. 12. Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling And 't is great work also many things must be attended too and several things dispatch'd if ever Souls be saved First You must carry on heart-work every day and that 's great work they that are acquainted with their own hearts know there is much to do in and about them There is nothing more out of order than man's heart and nothing in man of greater concernment than the heart Hence 't is the strict charge the Lord gives his people to keep their hearts Prov. 4. v. 23. Above all keeping as 't is in the Hebrew keep thy heart Proz 23. 2. Ephes 3. 17. Prov. 4. v. 4. The heart is the one thing Christ looks for the chief room he dwells in his warehouse where he laies up his goods his work-house where he cuts out and prepares his work Prov. 16. 1. A great part of salvation-work is done in the secret chambers of the heart The heart is the root and spring in man whence all aceptable duties flow Ephes 6. 6. doing the will of God from the heart and to be especially looked after A Christian finds a great deal of work to do about his heart every day There is Heart-searching work Psal 64. 6. The heart of man is deep and not easily fathom'd 't is a long journey to the farthest end of the heart which no man ever yet reached in this life The Sea is deep and yet it hath a bottom The World is large and yet it hath been compassed but who hath ever travelled through his own heart to set up his non ultra and say Hitherto its wickedness goes and no farther 'T is deceitful also above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17. 9. A man hath no such cheater to deal with as his own heart it hath such Cameleon colours Maeander windings such labyrinth turnings subtle shifts false pretences close designs fair promises smooth excuses rhetorical pleas seeming integrity deep-rooted hypocrisie that a man cannot tell what to make of his heart or how to find it out and this calls for constant searchings and observings of the heart Besides the Lord gives his people the ballance of the Sanctuary on purpose to weigh it in and casts out a line of providence every day to try it by Men meet with occasional providences temptations employments companies changes mercies afflictions all which help to discover the heart the issue of which is to be observed in order to the finding out of thy heart Heart-judging work When Christians have found out the evil of their hearts their pride hypocrisie c. seen the proof and evidence clear and how contrary to Law and Gospel to Equity and Mercy to Light Experience Warnings Patience Profession and Promises they are then to charge these things upon the heart to set home the evil with all the aggravations of it from its nature and effects from the quality of the person the time place continuance in it attempts and means of cure compared with others beneath them for light profession means and mercies and having by these arguments convinced the heart of its exceeding evil then to pass sentence against and condemn it as unworthy of any mercy and deserving of all the threatnings in the Word against it until the heart come to bear its iniquity and feel its exceeding sinfulness and cry out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. This would be of wonderful use to clear up your sincerity to preserve the tenderness of your spirits to cut off all excuses false hopes and security in sin and make it more abominable when it appears with its most taking allurements 2 Cor. 7. 11. 1 Cor. 11. 31. and this would evidence your interest in pardon and freedom from Divine condemnation Heart-humbling work O the pride that lodges yea lives in and incorporates with this little piece the heart of man how unsearchable is it and past finding out like leaven in the lump and poyson in the cup which cannot be separated by a humane hand as rottenness in the bones that cannot be fetched out Pride is as that lofty mountain before Zerubbabel which must become a plain Zach. 4. 7. as deeply rooted trees whose Mores are not easily plucked up One compares spiritual pride to the shirt or inmost garment which the Saints last of all put off and which like the Ivy will not be pluckt out till the wall in which it is comes down also O the tuggings a child of God hath with his proud heart to get and keep it low As the Spider whatever it feeds on it turns to poison So is it with the proud heart of man it turns all it does hath meets with and sees to the nourishment of pride proud of its sins proud of his graces proud under afflictions and proud of mercies proud of honour and proud of humility proud of God's favour and proud under his frowns O what a strange disease is pride that feeds upon the means which the Lord gives to cure it and gets strength from the remedy to nourish the disease like Ephraim's wound when God would have healed one another appeared And this helps to make a Christian's work great work indeed which is never done till his day be done and his Tabernacle pulled down Heart-purging work The heart of man naturally is a very sink and kennel of uncleanness a fountain of pollution a running Issue full of filthiness of flesh and spirit Mat. 18. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witness blasphemies these are the things that defile the man 'T is not accidental and adventitious filthiness for that may more easily be washt away Jer. 6. 7. but 't is innate and connatural and never ceases bubling forth till the fountain be cleansed and the root be changed Sin in the heart is the root and spring of all the wickedness that defiles the thoughts words and actions Christians complain of their thoughts they are pestred with vain unclean distracting thoughts in duty and out of duty whereas the distemper lies in the heart Thoughts are but the ebullitions and swarmings of the heart He that will cure his thoughts must first
sparks to come near to gun-powder as opportunity to corruption Eighthly Impenitency in sin strengthens the habit of sin Jer. 8. 6. No man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel They run on furiously in sin as the horse doth into the battel who runs till he sweats saith Theodoret. So they have no end or satiety of sin and b Talis cogitatio causa fuit pertinacis nequitiae Idem this impenitency in sin was the cause of all their pertinacy in sin Impenitency hardens the heart and heaps up sin on sin unto the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5. Take heed then of all those things that may in the least maintain and keep up sin in your souls as ever you think to bring it down That 's the first Advice Direct 2. Secondly Not onely shun whatever might strengthen sin but take heed you go not out in your own strength against sin if ever you think to mortifie it He that would mortifie sin must be able to master Devils Ephes 6. v. 12. But humane strength is no match for Devils If man in his pure estate were too weak for such an adversary then much more impotent is impure and imperfect man 'T is not the woman but the womans seed must bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. The Saints victory is through him that hath loved them and given himself a sacrifice to God for them Rom. 16. 20. Rom. 8. 37. Ephes 5. 2. It must be his armour and arm too must bring salvation from spiritual enemies Without me you can do nothing John 15. 5. 'T is this makes souls to fail in their attempts against sin that they set about it in a strength inferiour to sin When Augustine after all his strivings vows and duties to bring down his corruptions found them still too hard for him he heard a voice saying to him c In te stas non stas Thou standest in thy self and therefore thou dost not stand Whereupon he betook himself to prayer and faith in the blood of Christ and so got some victory over them When the Exorcists Act. 19. v. 15 16. went to cast out Devils by the bare Name of Christ without the Power of Christ both they and their attempts soon miscarried Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye and the man in whom the evil spirit was leapt on them and overcame them and prevailed over them so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded Creature-strength is too weak to master that enemy which hath the power of Hell to guard it O go not out against sin In the strength of your purposes and promises Peter to his own cost found that too weak to secure him in an hour of temptation Go not out in the strength of your frames and affections How easily can Satan beat the Saints from these posts and cast in a flood to drown their warmest affections The Galatians that were high in frames and affections and could talk of a blessedness while spiritual soon felt an alteration when they became carnal Gal. 4. 15. chap. 3. 3. Go not out in the strength of your duties and performances these are too weak without faith and the arm of Christ to charm these Serpents and disarm spiritual adversaries Go not out in the strength of your graces these are not Christ nor have an Almightiness in them to bring down sin and Satan 'T is not grace in Believers but grace in Christ that is sufficient to guard the soul from Satan's buffetings and to rescue it from his temptations 2 Cor. 12. 9. Direct 3. Thirdly Get the union between thy heart and sin broken The life of sin lies in that union it hath with the heart if that be broken sin dies as a man then ceaseth to live when the union between the soul and body is dissolved Sin hath too great a part even in a Believer's heart which moves for some respect and indulgence towards it When the enlightened mind saies Crucifie it the carnal affections cry Spare it is it not a little one And the heart like the City of Iconium about Paul and Barnabas is divided Act. 14. 4. And the multitude of the City was divided and part held with the Jews and part with the Apostles So 't is with the gracious soul sin hath too great a potency in the carnal mind which must be broken or sin will never die Get the Spirit 's interest in thy heart strengthened and sins party weakened every day There are seven things that have a great tendency to weaken the heart's union with sin and withdraw its affections from it First An abiding sense of the great Love of Christ towards it that he should pity him when pitied of none left of all love him when wallowing in his blood and altogether unlovely in himself love him while an enemy to God yea to his own soul love him so as to give himself for him to leave his Father's glory and take up shame yea taste of death for him love him and pass by others call him and leave others the serious consideration of this hath a great constraint on the gracious heart to hate sin which Christ so hates and in love to the soul came to destroy Secondly A due apprehension of the unconceivable sufferings of the Lord Jesus and all procur'd by sin He was despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief he bore our griefs and carried our sorrows he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities he was oppressed and afflicted and that which gave an extremity to all these sorrows it pleased the Lord to bruise him to put him to grief and to make his soul an offering for sin This made the blows the heavier that they came from a Father's hand Had an enemy done it it might have been easier born though his torments were unimaginable but mine equal mine acquaintance my familiar friend Psal 55. 12 13. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matt. 27. 46 and all this the fruit of sin This makes a gracious soul to hate sin that hath been so cruel to his best and only friend Thirdly A believing sight of the excellency and holiness of Christ hath a mighty power to draw off the heart from sin when the Prophet had got a view of the Lord in his holiness he hath presently unlovely and troublesome thoughts of sin Isa 6. ver 1. to 7. Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the mid'st of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts A sight of Christ's holiness will make sin seem exceeding vile and loathsome and the soul restless till delivered from it 'T is unacquaintedness with the holiness and beautiful perfections of Christ that makes men fall in love with that deformed monster
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
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
wicked lift not up your horn And as Judah sought to divert his Brethren from their wicked enterprise against Joseph Gen. 37. 26 27. Or by reproving their sin as Nehemiah did the sin of the Nobles Neh. 5. 7. Or by instructing them if ignorant as Paul did the Athenians Acts 17. 22 23. But if they be such like Sons of Belial that the thorns cannot be taken by hand let them be thrust away and get your selves fenced that they hurt you not Take heed of the least compliance with them in their sin 1 Tim. 5. 22. Be not partakers of other mens sins your own are heavy enough silence in not reproving with any signs of approving others sins make them your own If you enjoy good company take heed you miss not of good or meet with evil from them good men have their evils great men are not alwaies wise Job 32. 9. And 't is easier to follow them down than up the hill and to imitate their vices than their virtues diseases are more communicable than health men may impart their sickness but cannot their soundness O what advantage hath sin for its propagation when it falls from the hands of men reputed gracious The errours of good men are not onely examples but arguments unto others to sin also If Peter play the hypocrite other Jews dissemble likewise with him Gal. 2. 13. and no less a man than Barnabas is carried away with their dissimulation If they that are strong do but eat in the Idols Temple the weak will eat the things offered to Idols 2 Cor. 8. 10. O take care of the evils of good men which like books published cum privilegio vend the more An Esau's garment will make a Jacob's voice to pass and where good in any man is admired evil is there seldom feared take heed you follow no man further than he follows Christ 1 Cor. 11. 11. Implicit imitation is as dangerous in practice as implicit faith is in judgment weigh their actions you intend to walk after let no mans reputation be your warrant for imitation Eminent persons are File-leaders which way they turn the File turns with them The leaders of my people cause them to err Isa 9. 16. Men usually follow those they commend y Quos effero refere and how much the greater they are with whom we converse saith Seneca z Quo major est populus cum quo conversamur hoc periculi plus est the more is the danger Get good from good men else their goodness is nothing to you what truth you hear from them receive and as Mary did the Angel's words so do you ponder their gracious sayings in your hearts Luke 2. 19. When you are in the company of those that are above you in wisdom and grace be more swift to hear than to speak The emptiest vessels make the greatest sound and I have often observed in company such as have most need to hear and learn being self-conceitedly wise will take up most of the discourse and instead of drawing waters from deeper wells to fill their empty vessels they will be pumping out that little they have This surely doth not bespeak the modesty of such and less becomes their profit Origen when a child used to question with his Father about the sense of the Scriptures and afterwards became a great Scholar 'T is the observing attentive Christian is usually the most knowing thriving Christian who with the Bee gathers in the Summer and gets honey from every flower it meets with and in the Winter spends it When you meet with empty vessels 't is your charity to be putting in but when you come to deep wells 't is your duty and interest to be drawing out by asking questions and proposing doubts as the young man in the Gospel did Mat. 19. 16. and Nicodemus and the woman of Samaria Joh. 3. 2. 4. ch 4. 11 15 20. to Jesus Christ The enquiring soul if it be done in truth and followed with obedience will be the most flourishing soul Seventhly Get good from your retirements as well as company be never less alone than when alone Sometimes in pursuance of duty you must be alone when thou prayest enter into thy Closet Mat. 6. 6. Retire we must sometimes saith Mr. Trap and into fit place to meet with God solacing and entertaining Soliloquies with him as Isaac did in the field Jacob upon the way Ezekiel by the river Ulai Peter upon the leads Christ upon the mountains Abraham in the grove in Beersheba Gen. 21. 33. 'T is no matter saith the same Author how mean the place be so it be secret where there is a Jeremy a Daniel a Jonah a Dungeon a Lions-Den a Whale's-belly are goodly Oratories If you will not hear me saith Peter Moice send me to my prison again among my toads and frogs which wilt not interrupt me while I talk with my Lord God Acts Mon. 122. O how desirable is retirement with God to a soul that hath acquaintance with him Antisthenes being asked what good he had got by Philosophy answered that I can converse with my self much more is it thy interest to converse with God 'T is said of that pious man Mr. William Sedgwick that when he was young while the rest of the Family were at their Games and Dancings he would be in a corner mourning Mr. Greenham when at any time he was sick would suffer no body to sit up with him that so he might more freely converse with God Psal 119. 62. David would rise at midnight to enjoy communion with God O the blessed seasons that gracious souls have had with Christ in their corners how sweet have their stollen waters of life and bread eaten in secret been to their hungry souls Prov. 9. 17. If the walls of this house could speak said Mr. Hew Kennedy they could tell how many sweet days I have had in secret fellowship with God and how familiar he hath been with my soul The fulfilling of Script p. 442. The Lord doth usually unbosome himself most to his friends when he hath them alone Hos 2. 14. I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably to her or speak to her heart as 't is in the Hebrew Upon which words Stella hath this note a Vt Dominus cum anima nostra loquatur non opus habet testibus Quando Dominus cor nostrum solum invenit statim coenaturus cum illo sedet God needs no witnesses that he might speak to our souls when God finds our heart alone he presently comes in and sups with it and when he observes our soul withdrawn from the cares and carking thoughts of this World then is his time to open his great wonders and secrets to it Jacob was never more prevailing with God than when alone then was the time he got the blessing Gen. 32. 24 29. Peter was alone in prayer with God when he fell into a trance Acts 10. 10. His soul was
worship and God corrupted their seed Mal. 2. 3. I will destroy your fruits before they are ripe which Cocceius thinks was fulfilled in that great famine in Claudius his days mentioned Acts 11. 28. They had made the service of God contemptible Mal. 1. 7 and God made them contemptible Chap. 2. 9. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according as you have not kept my ways but have been partial in my law you have cast dung on my Ordinances for such are corruptions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in God's worship and I will spread dung on your faces Mal. 2. 2. Even the dung of your solemn Feasts excrements f Tanta copia stercorabo vos sementis loco ut fimo inquinati plane obruamini Jun. I will instead of seed throw so much dung upon you even the excrements of your corrupt service as the defilement thereof shall even overcome and ruine you For these corruptions in the worship of God did God stretch out his hand over Israel and diminish their ordinary food delivering them to the will of them that hated them Ezek. 16. 26 27. I have cut thee short of thy allowance g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demensum tuum I have diminish'd thy portion Greenhill thy lawful things h Statutum cibum tibi Lav. Sept. God's worship is his name by which he is known and distinguish'd from all Idols Exod. 20. 4. his glory Rom. 1. 23. To corrupt his worship is to defile the place of his Throne Ezek. 43. 7. and to defalcate and cut off his tribute and revenues from the earth And no wonder if God blast their Trade who adulterate his Treasure Thirdly A covetous with-holding from God turns away the blessing of God on mens labours and tends to poverty Prov. 11. 24. There is that scattereth and yet encreaseth and there is that with-holdeth more than is meet but it tendeth to poverty Many think that lost which is laid out for God and be-think nothing but what goes to pious uses O how sparingly do most sow as if they thought their seed cast away and thence 't is they reap so sparingly 2 Cor. 9. 6. Mens former charity rather like showers than streams are dried up and therefore are God's showers with-held also expences for God having been many seems now burdensome through mens self-love and unbelief While Alexander had hope for more he never wanted a heart or hand to part with the Frankincense and Gold he had certainly mens Faith fails when their Charity fades Few in their scarcity dare with the Widow of Zarephtah give the first cake to the use and service of God 1 King 17. 13 14. No wonder the barrel of Meal and cruise of Oil fails 't is Christians weariness in well-doing and defectiveness in scattering for God hinders their reaping and gathering Gal. 6. 9. This was one of those sins that brought a curse and devourer on Israel's encrease Mal. 3. 9 10 11. and is still as pregnant of blastings and mildews as ever it was Fourthly Greedy desires after the World are oftentimes followed with disappointments Ye looked for much Hag. 1. 9. and it came to little 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. To look with desire and affection 'T is mercy in God when mens hearts run too fast after the World to lay some blocks in their way to hedg it up with thorns that they might not overtake their Lovers i Spes in oculis luctus in manibus Jerom. Hos 2. 6. Thorns in mens way is safer than spears in their bowels and that would have been the issue of such Lovers when they meet Covetousness is the Hydropick distemper of old aged profession to cure which the great Physitian hath providentially prescribed abstinence and in his holy jealousy hath made men to read their sin in their punishment The Lord sees it dangerous for his people to have much of this World because it becomes a snare to their souls They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare 1 Tim. 6. 9. Earthly things are the very bane of Religion they entangle mens feet and keep them from attendance on God in his appointments The invited guests had no leisure to enjoy refreshments for their souls because of their interrupting interests of this World Matth. 22. 5. The things of Heaven seem light to such compar'd with their other things They made light of Christ's invitation and put men on pleading excuses for neglect of God and on justifying their omissions of holy duties They began with one consent to make excuse Christ and his people would have more of mens company if the World had less of their hearts These earthly things do not only hinder mens duties but their thrivings also under priviledges 'T is the cares of this World and deceitfulness of Riches that choak the Word and make men unfruitful Matth. 13. 22. They make careless sleighty forgetful hearers they hinder convictions quench the motions of the spirit take away the tastes of divine sweetness and make all the attempts of Grace fruitless They take away the heart from God and spiritual things and so nourish formality and hypocrisie in profession and duties causing men to draw near with their mouths to God when their hearts are far from him Ezek. 33. 31. Isa 29. 13. This made Judas Ananias Demas Simon Magus such hypocrites in Religion because they loved this present World 2 Tim. 3. 2 5. 2 Tim. 4. 10. This weakens faith blinds the mind starves the affections rules the will and so mans all the royal forts of the soul against Christ by which the salvation of that soul becomes exceeding difficult And they make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof feeding the carnal mind and yielding such nourishment to sin as that it always resists the Holy Ghost wins the day renders damnation sure to all that are not by a mighty hand redeemed from these spiritual enemies so that it becomes in such a case needful to starve earthly desires by a remove of those things that feed and maintain them and men may look upon those afflictive providences on their interests as the procurements of their earthly affections Hastening to be rich hath poverty at the heels Prov. 28. 22. Fifthly Unfaithfulness in mens Callings puts them out of the way of blessing and ushers in wastes on their interests Mic. 6. 10 11 12 13 14. The Lord had a controversy with his people v. 2. and till this was taken up all their religious services were to no purpose sacrifices and duties could not prevail or stop his displeasure till their sins were removed v. 6 7. 'T was not to wait on God in publick duties was all that he called for but to do justice shew mercy and to walk humbly with him wherein they had been defective and therefore had he brought a rod upon them v. 9. he had made them sick in smiting them and would
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 death are eternal of all which by their backslidings if uncur'd they are depriv'd O who can count the sum and value the worth of those glorious things they fall short of who fall back and go down in Christianity till they come to nothing Fifthly Their case is dangerous also and their wound hardly healed not one of many that fall back in Religion if they go far recover again Joh. 6. 66. From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him When Judas Simon Magus Hymeneus Alexander Demas went off from Christ they returned no more John tells us of some that went out from them and thereby declared that they were not of them 1 Joh. 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us The Apostle speaks not of such as fall out of infirmity falling in the way which gracious souls may do both falling into some sin for a time as Peter and fall back by some abatements of grace as the Church of Ephesus yet be recovered such he intends not here but those that fall out of the way both totally and finally these recover no more Quest If persons that fall back in Religion after a high profession may never be recovered again how may one know if he find decaies and falling back in Religion whether he be one of those that shall never be bealed or recovered more This is my case I find great declensions in my soul and conversation and I fear I shall never be restored but wax worse and worse and perish at last Sol. 1. First Are not thy declensions thy choice upon judgment and consent but against the standing bent of thy heart the renewed purposes of thy soul through Christ Thy errour is not thy aim thou dost not deliberately contrive thy departure from God but hast a secret would-not against every backsliding then thy backslidings shall be healed again Psal 119. v. 10. Rom. 7. 19 25. Secondly Are thy backslidings and spiritual decaies thy soul-trouble and restless burden because of thy distance from God as the God of grace and Father of thy mercies and because of the injury thereby done to thy graces and inner man and from an enmity in thy nature against sin Then there is hope in Israel concerning this that thy backslidings shall be healed Rom. 7. 24. Psal 5. 1 7. Luke 15. 21. Gal. 5. 17. Thirdly Are thy backslidings after thy Effectual Calling and thy sincere choice of God to be thy peculiar and alone portion Thou canst appeal to the searcher of hearts that thou hast taken the Lord to be thy God and onely Treasure here and to all eternity to be thy last end and chiefest good and hast taken Christ to be the onely way truth and life thy Lord and righteousness and hast made a full and actual surrender of thy self and thy All to God in exchange to be presently unreservedly and eternally his and not thy own to be led and governed by him onely If so thy after-errours cannot make void this Covenant but are under a promise of healing such cannot sin unto death because the seed of God remaineth in them 1 Joh. 3. 9. They are undertaken to be kept that they should not totally and finally depart from him Jer. 31. 18. Isa 57. 18. Jer. 3. 14 22. Hos 14. 4. Jer. 32. 40. Fourthly Art thou restless in thy backslidings until the Lord doth heal thee thou canst give him no rest till he establish thy soul and be as the dew to thy dry and barren heart When God sets a soul a crying it 's a sign he will hear Jer. 30. 15 17. Isa 19. 22. A man saith Mr. Dod can never be in a bad condition except he hath a hard heart and cannot pray Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he alwaies call upon God Job 27. 10. Backsliders in heart are heartless in prayer as they decay so do they restrain prayer Job 15. 4. Ye have said it is in vain to serve God Mal. 3. 14. As sin becomes more delightful so duty becomes more burdensom cold and formal but a gracious soul that shall be healed is importunate with God and will not let him alone Exod. 32. 10 11. or let him go until he bless him Gen. 32. 6. The worse his condition is the more fervent his cries are the more his piety goes down the more his prayers go up Psal 6. 2. Such a soul shall be healed who would be healed where he works to will he will work to do Fifthly Are thy vitals sound under all thy decaies then thy consumption is not mortal Is thy heart sincere thou canst not hide or reserve iniquity but walkest before God in truth thy desires after grace are not feigned Psal 17. v. 1. Thy love to God is not pretended lip-love but real thy faith and love are not wholly gone but maintained in the truth thereof though abated thou canst not let God go but hast a secret rest on him and resolved recumbence on his grace and faithfulness There is hope of that tree though it seems to be cut down that it will sprout again and the tender branches thereof will not cease Job 14. 7. Sixthly If under all thy decaies thou findest a humble heart and contrite spirit thy backslidings make thee lie low before God and to become more vile in thy own eyes every day thy soul-poverty makes thee poor in spirit also rating thy self beneath the least mercy and judging thy self unworthy of all that patience priviledge and mercy shewn to thee thou dost not fret at afflicting providences nor charge God foolishly but bearest his indignation justifiest his displeasure and wonderest at his forbearance then will revivings come again and recovery after thy falling back Dan. 9. 7 23 25. Mat. 5. 3. Isa 57. 15. But on the other side There are five dangerous symptoms of falling back that shall hardly be restored First If thy falling back be before thy falling in with Christ in truth thy decaies before thy quickenings then 't is dangerous If thy building were on the sand and the towring heights of thy frames and profession from which thou art fal'n were onely structures of thy own raising in which the Sanctifying Spirit had no hand then thy decaies are not likely to be repaired Art thou a stranger to the new birth and to any inward change upon thy soul the principle of thy new profession and actions is is still an old heart Thou never didst take the Lord for thy God and onely Treasure nor hadst to this day any heart-union with the Lord Jesus then thy fall is dangerous Mat. 7. 26 27. 1 John 5. 14. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Secondly A falling off from the foundation is dangerous When men depart from the Faith turn to another Gospel and deny the Lord that bought them fall from the Doctrine of Grace after enlightenings to a Covenant of Works
sight having a warrant for every action you perform both civil and religious this will be your comfort now and your peace in the day of your accounts Thirdly Drive on his interest not your own Rom. 14. 7. For none of us liveth to himself God can more justly say what Laban did to Jacob concerning his children and goods These daughters are my daughters and these children are my children and these cattel are my cattel and all that thou seest is mine Gen. 31. 43. The cattel on a thousand hills are his Psal 50. 10. with the corn wine wooll and flax Hos 2. 9. Both the improvement as well as principal are his Mat. 25. 27. He hath right to the exercise and fruit of your graces and duties with all that you enjoy and do Put Christ's mark on all your goods whatever you gain by his talents put on his account and let your disbursments be expended to his use Seek not your own things your credit peace comfort interest but in subordination to him If the Lord by his Word calls for any of your enjoyments you must let them go If by his Providence he takes off any comfort murmure not say 't is the Lord Let him do what he will with his own Mat. 20. verse 15. Advice 5. Fifthly Follow your Trade better than you have done remember how former carelesness formality sloth hypocrisie have undone you and amend The slothful soul is as the door on his hinges Prov. 26. 14. that never makes any progress in Religion or comes to any excellency in grace No Christian saith Mr. Sedgwick is so able in the habits of grace as he who is conscienciously frequent in the practice or exercise of grace Christ's Counsel to his languishing Church Would you recover your state and come to any eminency in godliness then make Religion your business That sleightiness of spirit in the way of God which lost you at first will never restore you The recovery of a faint soul saith the same Author will never be effected by faint workings You did fall into your decayed state by remissive actings and think you that which was not able to keep up your graces from sinking can now quicken and raise them being sunk Christ's Counsel to his languishing Church p. 148. If negligence did cast you back diligence must help to recover you Take more pains with your hearts follow your work of godliness every day and in every place Be early and late in your shops of duty and in the warehouse of your hearts Beware of spiritual sloth and soul-losses take heed of unfaithfulness with God conscience or others keep touch with your Creditour be tender of your vows to God and men keep from prodigality live not above your condition waste not precious time parts and grace in vain walk strictly in the whole course of your life keeping your selves from iniquity and in the Love of God Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Jude v. 21. Tit. 2. 13. 5th Branch of Exhortation to good Traders in Religion Lastly You whoever you are that drive on this Heavenly Merchandise and have any good Trading in Religion be you exhorted Advice 1. First To bless God for good trading Is it well with your souls Doth the South-wind blow upon your Garden and the Spices flow out Cant. 4. 16. Doth the Fig-tree put forth her green Figs and the Vine with the tender Grape give a good smell Cant. 2. 13. What reason have you then to be always giving thanks you whose trading turns to any spiritual advantage thou canst say 'T is good to draw nigh to God in keeping his commands is great reward The Lord is not a barren wilderness to thy soul but peace is within thy Walls and prosperity within thy Palaces Psal 122. 7. Thy glory is fresh in thee and thy bow renewed in thy hand thy root spreadeth out by the waters and the dew lying all night between thy branches Job 29. 19 His ways are pleasantness and his steps drop fatness to thy soul and he commands his blessing upon thee and thy faith and love do grow Is it thus in any measure with thee O then bless the Lord with thy soul let all that is within thee bless his holy Name Make the Lord thy glory and triumphing praise Thou hast abundant reason to be admiring grace and exalting divine glory Because First Soul-thriving is a great mercy at all times a little spiritual goods is beyond all the World's treasure one piece of Christ's tried Gold weighs down all the Pearls and Diamonds on earth and whatever can be found below grace cannot be compar'd with it Job 28. 11 12 16. or named the same day with it The light of God's countenance pardon of sin participation of the spirit fulfilling of Promises fellowship with the Father Son and Spirit heart-breathings after love to and delight in God are things of inestimable worth if you weigh them in themselves or with other things or if you consider the grace from whence they come or price which they cost Spiritual thrivings are an evidence of sincere love to God Judg. 5. 31. Let them that love thy Name be as the Sun that goeth forth in his might and of special love in God to that soul Tit. 3. 4 6. Eph. 1. 3 5 7. God may prosper in the World those he hates Esau had his fat things here but grace and peace are new-covenant-blessings which spring from eternal love in the heart of God to that soul Heb. 8. 10. Zech. 8. 11 12 15. Secondly 'T is a singular mercy at this time a mercy that few enjoy in the day we live in What a rare thing is it in this long winter to see a green Olive a tender Grape appear or Pomgranate bud Cant. 7. 6. or one Berry in the uppermost branch Isa 24. 13. It was a peculiar glory put upon the head of Thyatira that she was thriving when other Churches were decaying She had works and works and the last were more than the first Rev. 2. 19. Ephesus had lost her first love Sardis had decayed and wasted her first strength and was ready to die Laodicea was luke-warm ready to be spued out by the Lord Jesus Rev. 3. 1 8 16. only Thyatira flourished exceedingly and grew in the winter and this honour she had to have it recorded by the Spirit for a monument in after-ages 'T is not the lot of every one to thrive in evil times few Thessalonians whose faith and love did grow 2 Thes 1. 3. A single Timothy who had flourishing affections to the things of Christ I have no man like minded Phil. 2. 20. One Gaius whose soul out-prospered his body 3 Ep. Joh. v. 2. A flourishing Christian this day is like a flower in winter an Apple-tree amongst the trees of the wood Surely if there be a Soul who this day flourishes to any heighth of Christianity who lives in intimacy with
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
in love Love constrains the Soul after God makes his commands pleasant and quickens the heart to make hast in the way to Glory the more you love God the more will you prosper in Godliness Thirdly Humility is a Soul-prospering Grace and under a promised Blessing Prov. 29. 23 Honour shall uphold the humble in spirit k Sustentat Munst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall bear him up from falling and bring him unto honour saith Montanus Prov. 15. 33 By humility are riches and honour The humble Soul must needs be a thriving Soul for God giveth Grace to it Jam. 4. 6. yea dwelleth with the humble to revive the Spirit of the humble Isa 57. 15. There 's a great deal of Pride in most Christians and that hinders Soul-thriving proud of Parts and Grace proud under seeming humility proud of humility Low Valleys are fruitful when lofty Mountains are barren The rich sit in a low place Eccl. 10. 6 Such as are rich in wisdom l Divites quibus adsit sapientia saith Mercer they sit in a low place they come down and lie low in themselves m In ipsa abjectione Jun. Trem. folly is set in great dignity Poor foolish empty Creatures they are high in conceit as well as place many times but the most rich and thriving Souls these are poorest in Spirit and lowest in their own eyes the richer the Metal the heavier Gold weighs down Silver and Tin the fuller of fruits branches are the more they bow He sendeth the springs into the valleys Psal 104. 10. Psal 65. 13. They are covered over with Corn Vineyards thrive best in low places One branch of Grapes from the Valley of Eshcol was said to be a burden for two men Numb 13. 23. would you flourish in Grace take heed of Pride Pride in the Soul saith one is like the spleen in the body when that swelleth all the other parts languish 't is poison at the root of the tree which corrupts the sap 'T is so dangerous a poison that of another poison there was confected a counterpoison to preserve Paul from it would you prosper in Godliness be persons of low humble spirits Mr. Adams on 2 Pet. 2 Cor. 12. 7. Exalt him that is low and abase him that is high Ezek. 21. 26. Fourthly Another choice fruit of the Spirit which will further Soul-thriving is sincerity Prov. 14. 11 The tabernacle of the upright shall flourish They shall have good things in possession Prov. 28. 10. they shall not only be preserv'd from evil and escape the pit into which the wicked fall but shall be sure to meet with good Blessings good things shall be given to them as their inheritance as Aquila and Theodosius interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shewest mercy to thy Servants that walk before thee with all their heart 2 Chron. 6. 14. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his Soul to vanity nor sworn deceitfully he shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his Salvation Psal 24. 4 5. Upright Souls must needs prosper they dwell in the presence of God Psal 140. 13. He will withhold no good thing from them Psal 84. 11. His countenance beholds them Psal 11. 7. God engages his alsufficiency for their good Gen. 17. 1. They shall hold on their way and wax stronger and stronger Job 17. 9. and shall surely prosper 2 Chron. 31. 21 In every work that he began in the service of the house of God and in the Law and in the Commandments to seek his God he did it with all his heart and prospered 't is not thy many Duties before God but the Oneness of thy heart with God nor the bulk of thy Services but the sincerity of thy Soul which will make thee profperous in thy heavenly interests Again Take thriving courses prosperous ways as well as prospering Graces these are under a promised Blessing also Not to multiply particulars There are four thriving ways in which Christians may attain to a prosperous Trade in Christianity The way of 1. Self-Examination 2. Prayer 3. Enjoyment of God 4. Obedience First Be often examining and calling your selves to an account how matters stand with your Souls Traders that would be thriving will be often viewing their Books and trying their Accompts and have some set days when they survey their Goods cast up their Books and try whether they gain or lose and so must Christians that would profit in Religion they must be often judging themselves that they be not judged 1 Cor. 11. 31. they must cast up their accompts and try their state whether they go forward or backward Hag. 1. 5. Consider your ways try how the case stands with you whether you get or lose and what 's the cause of all those blastings that are upon you Psal 4. 4 Commune with your hearts upon your beds and be still 2 Cor. 13. 5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates The neglect of this examination is one cause of that great mistake of persons about their Soul-state some thinking themselves better Rev. 3. 17. others judging themselves worse than they are which begets security in some discouragement in others error and floth in all A right estimate of thy spiritual capacity either poverty or riches gain or loss is absolutely needful to regulate thy duty unto a right affecting of thy heart and advance of thy spiritual interests Look over the Day-book of thy heart and life every night posting all thy accompts on the large book of thy Conscience and take some special time for a more full survey of thy Soul and state for Eternity this will be of good use to further Soul-thriving Secondly If you would prosper in your Souls be much and mighty with God in Prayer 'T is said of Vzziah that he sought God in the days of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions of God and as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper 2 Chron. 26. 5. Right Prayer is a wonderful way to Soulenrichings He saith one can never be poor that can pray well One reason why this King prospered as long as he sought the Lord was by this means he came to the visions of God and that help'd him to take a right way to prospetity By Prayer you advise with God what course to take towards mercy 't is your Ephod by which you ask counsel of God where to go to shun danger and what to do to carry on Duty and obtain Mercy 2 Sam. 23. 6. 9. Chap. 30. 7. and by Prayer you procure and get out the Graces and Supplies you need 1 Chron 4. 10 And Jabesh called on the God of Israel saying O that thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coasts and that thine hand might be with me and that thou wouldst keep
heart and waies and nothing so desirable as Christ and holiness Thou wert once dead in sin thou did'st not feel or fear any hurt in it or danger by it but now 't is otherwise thou can'st not sin but thy conscience smites thee nor God threaten but it affrights thee thy quick-ey'd conscience soon espies the least failing in thy duty falseness in thy heart or error in thy life and as a Serjeant arrests thee and hales thee to the Judg. Thou could'st formerly live without God and be as still as the dead body in the grave and the burning brand in the fire but now as a bone out of joynt thou art restless till in communion with him I remembred God and was troubled Psal 77. 3. Thou wert gone out of the way yea an enemie to the way of life turn'd aside to the flock of his companions and did'st turn again and rend those that were of them But now thou art folded with the flocks of Christ and feedest besides the Shepherds Tents Cant. 1. 8. Thy foot hath held his steps and thou esteemest the word of his mouth more than thy necessary food Job 23. 11 12. Object But may not an hypocrite go so far and all this be no more than a change from darkness to conscience-light and from sin to common grace Sol. Common light cannot see a desirableness in Christ for himself nor bring the soul to count all things dross and dung to win him and obtain the excellency of the knowledg of Christ as thy Lord but saving light sees one Christ worth ten thousand Worlds and quits all to take him Phil. 3. 8. Common light sees no evil in sin but guilt and torment loss of comfort and sense of punishment Gen. 4. 13. but true grace when in exercise loaths sin when it pretends love and flies from sin when it makes largest proffers and fears sin when it sees no danger when there is no breach on present comfort feeled or danger of future misery feared Tit. 2. 11 12. The gracious soul like Joseph when tempted with flattery secur'd with secresie pursued with restless importunity to wickedness yet cannot close with it and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. Common light can dwell with works of darkness and consist with an unsanctified heart and life 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. Common light and lust never fall out but when it awakens conscience or weakens interests but saving grace cannot bear that which is evil Rev. 2. 2. or ever be brought to a treaty with sin in order to an agreement Gal. 5. 17. but with Sarah can never be at rest till the bond-woman and her son be turn'd out of door Gen. 21. 10. Common grace may be offended at sin but never hates sin there is no contrariety founded in their nature or difference but what may upon terms be made up Luke 23. 12. And if it seems to have an indignation against sin yet 't is not against every sin and at all times nor irreconcilable at any time but saving grace hates the very being of sin 2 Cor. 7. 11. And as the Tyger flies at the very picture of a man so doth Grace abhor the appearance of evil 'T is universal against the whole species and every kind of sin an enmity founded in the nature of grace and therefore irreconcilable Psal 139. 22. and derived from the riches of grace Ps 97. 10. and greatness of redemption-love It cannot be reconciled to sin because sin cannot be reconciled to grace or admit of any love to or enjoyment of God but still interrupts the soul's tranquillity holiness and pleasure in God his chiefest and only good Again Common light can live without special acquaintance with God Eph. 2. 13. afar of if it can have peace because its Countrey is nourished by the King's Countrey Act. 12. 20. and its welfare depends upon divine pleasure 't is all it looks for but saving grace gets within the veil Heb. 6. 19. approaches the mercy-seat where it converses with God To be called by his name will not content grace no nor to eat his bread and wear his rayment except it enjoys his bed also it longs for intimate communion with God Psal 101. 2. O when wilt thou come unto me It loves the Bride-chamber closet and secret corners with him never thinking it self near enough to or long enough with him Obj. But change from nature to grace is not growth in grace though I may have received the former rain and reaped the first fruits of the Spirit yet I fear I have not the latter rain and after-fruits of grace waterings and dressings do not make me fruitful or feedings make me grow and that 's the case you insist on Sol. 1. There may be fruit though not appearing and growth though unseen Christ hath under-ground-fruit which may not spring up to thy own view or others Ps 88. 5. Free among the dead as berries hid among the leaves which cannot be seen till winter-storms or shaking times come thou mayest thrive more inwardly than outwardly and be like the windows of the Temple wide within and narrow without you may grow more in the truth and parts of grace though less in the fruits of grace for a season thy sincerity may be more though thy shews be less you may grow more downward in humility self-abasement sorrow for sin though not upward in joys and blossoms of comfort thou mayest grow more out of thy self and into Christ as the root of all thy grace and foundation of thy foul-rest though not into sensible frames and workings of grace Art thou more sensible of thy own nothingness thy heart-deceitfulness self-insufficiency inward disorders soul-wants sinfulness hypocrisie barrenness then thou profitest Rom. 7. 18. Art thou more jealous of thy heart every day 2 Cor. 9. 27 more weary of thy self and longing after Christ having a higher valuation of his excellency and greater breathings after his quickning spirit and delighting presence Phil. 3. 8 this is profiting Secondly It may be thy conclusion springs from thy impatiency thou mayest be for hasty fruit not allowing time for its growth and maturity The Husbandman waits for the precious fruits of the earth Jam. 5. 7. before he can enjoy them or estimate their worth Thy hopes labours and profit may be buried under the clods for a while We cannot sow and reap saith one in a day The more excellent and durable the fruit is the longer is it before it comes to maturity rare ripe fruits are soon rotten hypocrites blossom a pace and cast their leaves as fast Mat. 13. 21. Though 't is matter of shame that those trees which have less earth and least nourishment should grow fastest yet the reason is they take up no time in getting root and growing downward and hence all their growth is outward Thirdly It may be 't is a winter-time with thy soul the Sun of Righteousness is withdrawn from thee and thy lightsom daies are gone Cant. 2. 11 12. The Comforter
eternal glory he hath prepared for you 2 Tim. 2. 10. A Crown incorruptible an Inheritance that fadeth not away a Kingdom that cannot be shaken Upon this very argument the Apostle presses the Saints to unweariedness in present work Gal. 6. 8. Think how disingenuous 't is thus to requite the Lord that hath dealt so bountifully with you to with-hold your time from him who first gave it to you and hath denied it to others and will shortly close up your troublous time with eternal rest in blessed mansions of purest pleasures with himself Let this love of Christ shame you for misimproved time and constrain you for the future to lay out all possible time for God Secondly Lay out your strength for God he is the God of your strength he hath right to it and use for it Psal 43. 2. He hath work for you which calls for all your strength His works are great greatly to be sought out of all that have pleasure therein Psal 111. 2. His mercies are great and greatly to be praised Psal 86. 13. His anger is great and greatly to be feared 2 King 23. 26. His trials and rebukes on his own children are many times great which need great faith and patience to bear up under them and the strength of grace to make a right use of them Psal 71. 10. Which hath shewn me great and sore troubles You do not know what need you may have of all the strength your hearts and graces are capable to receive to carry you through your remaining trials and troubles you have not yet resisted unto blood or been brought to fiery trials nor seen such days as never yet were or shall be And therefore you had need be girded with strength and to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus and one way to it is to use what you have for God Heb. 5. 14. God's service also calls for expended strength Luke 10. 27. Thou shalt love the Lord with all thy strength 1 Chron. 26. 8. The strength of thy heart laid out inward strength for God in his service the strength of your whole souls and outward strength the strength of your bodies also in the work of God So did our Lord Jesus he wasted his strength in the service of his Father that at thirty four years old he was taken to be neer fifty he was weary in his work And Paul did spend and was spent for Christ 2 Cor. 12. 15. And David cried out My knees are weak through fasting Psal 119. 24. Glorify God in your bodies and in your spirits which are the Lord's 1 Cor. 6. 20. In labours more abundant 2 Cor. 11. 23. Striving for the faith of the Gospel Religion is no easy work Ministers saith Mr. Burroughs must venture their strength for Christ and so must all that are Christ's 2. Cor. 11. 27. In weariness in painfulness in watchings Religion is worth all your labours and exhausted strength men tire themselves for the world how much more should they for God and Glory Thirdly Lay out your gifts and graces for God and the good of souls 1 Cor. 12. 7. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal that 's God's end why he gives gifts to any that every one who hath them should improve them to his glory and the good of others A capacity of serving God and furthering his Kingdom in the World is such a priviledg as the Saints in Heaven enjoy not and the Angels when employed in any subserviency towards it readily and chearfully prosecute it Angels are vigilant creatures and wait for opportunities and when they come will not lose them Greenh Yea 't is such a prize as being once lost can never be enjoyed again nor gracious souls ever more return to their stewardship when once 't is given up and therefore should be heedfully regarded and faithfully used whiles continued God gives not talents to be napkin'd up nor lights to be hid under a bushel none of us liveth to himself Rom. 14. 7. All the characters of Saints and those relations they stand in engage to usefulness They are the lights of the world set in a candlestick that they may cause their light to shine forth before men Mat. 5. 14 15. They are the salt of the earth of purpose to savour others Mat 5. 13. If salt hath lost its savour 't is good for nothing but the dunghil They are stars in God's firmament to communicate their light and influence unto others 1 Cor. 15. 41. Vessels in God's house to be meet for use 2 Tim. 2. 20 21. Stones in his building which have a mutual usefulness to bear up each other and toward preserving the whole Eph. 2. 2. Branches in the Vine that yield their fruit for the cheering the hearts of men Judg. 9. 13. Trees in God's garden full of sap Psal 104. 16. Members in the body to impart their nourishment to each other Eph. 4. 16. and discharge their respective duties of sympathy care and helpfulness to their fellow members 1 Thes 5. 14. We exhort you brethren to warn them that are unruly comfort the feeble minded support the weak be patient towards all men Use all your capacities for God while you have them lest he take them from you or opportunity to improve them Fourthly Lay out your earthly interests for God Prov. 3. 19. Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the first fruits of thy encrease Give God his due in maintaining his Messengers and keeping up his worship alluding to those first fruits of Israel's encrease which were the Lord 's by special appropriation to his service Exod. 22. 29. and supply of his ministry among them Lev. 23. 20. the equity of which obliges in Gospel-times though their ceremonial and judicial respect cease and this duty is reinforc'd under the Gospel by more ample arguments taken from the light of Nature the law of Moses and will of Christ 1 Cor. 9. from ver 9. to 15. To this head is referr'd that command Gal. 6. 6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things for God will not be mocked as they do who pretend Religion and yet are defective in this manifest duty pressing them to unweariedness in this expensiveness for God whatever discouragements they meet with upon the assurance of the blessed fruit of obedience to the will of Christ herein ver 7 8 9. 'T is not the maintaining or welfare of a few men in the World that is the design of this great command of Christ but the tendency this hath to the promulgation of the Gospel and keeping up the instituted worship of God the conversion of Sinners and edification of Saints successively in every generation to which these supplies are necessary that the servants of Christ might attend on their ministrations without distraction and whoever a subject of Christ and sharer of this priviledg draws back from this duty he is
chargeable not only for violating the royal righteous law of Christ but for being guilty of subverting his Government Crown and Dignity and endeavouring in his measure the ruining his interest of hindering the conversion and edification of souls and whatever damage hereby comes to the spiritual or eternal welfare of souls it will be laid on their heads in the day of the righteous judgment of Christ Another greatly concerning duty contain'd in this Scripture is charitable communications feed the poor feed the hungry clothe the naked relieve the oppressed Bede Alapid This is to honour God with your substance not to spend it on your lusts to live high to fare deliciously to build your nests on high but to make your abundance a supply for the good of those that are in wants 2 Cor. 8. 14. Isa 58. 7. 10. Mat. 5. 42. Jam. 1. 27. Heb. 13. 16. Luke 14. 12 13. Otherwise First All your Religion is in vain James 1. v. 26 27. Your knowledge desires affections frames tasts enjoyments marks experiences seeming graces duties are all nothing and can never prove the truth of your grace the safety of your estates and goodness of your religion if you are found defective in this great duty of Charity Psal 112. 4 5. Vnto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness he is gracious and full of compassion and righteous A good man sheweth favour and lendeth Let men say what they will if they be covetous hard-hearted have no compassion to them that are in wants have no heart to give or lend to needy ones they have no true grace in them Verse 9. He hath dispersed he hath given to the poor his righteousness endureth for ever Men may talk and pray and seem to be eminent Christians profess love to God and their neighbours and yet all the while be deceived and have not a jot of grace in them while their hearts are cruel their hands shut to their poor Brethren Remember the young man in the Gospel and fear thine own estate if thy heart be glued to thy possessions How dwelleth the Love of God in him 1 Joh. 3. 17. He loves not God and God loves not him that shuts up the bowels of his compassion from his poor and afflicted Brother That 's pure Religion and undefiled before God to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep himself unspotted from the world Jam. 1. 27. Shew me thy faith by thy works Jam. 2. 18. Religion saith one is not onely contemplative but the greatest part of it like the Mathematick's bargains how will they stand for a penny in chacharity how cold are they how hard is it to screw an alms out of their hands if this be Religion the Lord keep me from such Religon This begets an odium in the men of the world against Religion and the waies of God But woe to that man by whom offences come it had been better for him that a milstone were hanged about his neck and that he were drown'd in the midst of the Sea Mat. 18. 6 7. Fourthly Acts of Charity purely done will evidence your right to glory Mat. 25. 34 35. 36. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundations of the world for I was an hungred and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and ye gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me I was sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came to me The enquiry in that great day will not be after mens profession light frames and duties of Worship but after the fruits of their faith and love as evidential not causal of their right to glory Here is held out saith one not the b Non causa salutis sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Testimonium credentius his verbis innuitur cause of their salvation but the sign and testimony of them that believe c. c Opera quae Christus praedicaturus est non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respectu fidei finis ejus vitae aeternae Glass The Kingdom is obtained by way of Inheritance Come inherit the Kingdom aad prepared for them as a portion for children not purchased by them as the procurements of their works The reward is freely bestowed on all interested in Adoption-grace of which title the bearing proof in that day will be the fruits of love to those that are Christ's words will not be sufficient to demonstrate this love then it will not serve mens turn to say they loved Saints except it were extended to all yea the least of Saints and proved by acts of love and communications to all their necessities and that not some small pittance of their abundance which they valued not but it must be such portions and kinds of relief which their necessities call for in visiting feeding cloathing owning comforting receiving into their houses and whatever help they were capable to express and this as readily and heartily expended to them as they would lay them out to themselves and theirs that being the rule of Charity Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self Matt. 22. 39. The want of this evidence whatever else may be pretended will finally and eternally cast souls in that last and terrible day Mat. 25. 41. to the end Do not deceive thy soul with false hopes of glory not one mark will pass for Heaven where there is a hard heart and close hands towards poor and distressed Saints For he shall have judgment without mercy that hath shewed no mercy Jam. 2. 13. There is no room for you in Divine bowels if you shut up your own bowels against them that are in misery See in that Parable Mat. 18. 33 34 35. the dreadful end of those who are any way cruel to their fellow-servants having themselves tasted the mercy of their Lord. The liberal distributions of your estates to the poor is the onely way to make them truly serviceable to your souls whiles this becomes the occasion of your reception into everlasting habitations Luke 16. 9. Make to your selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations d Opus hoc receptionis in aeterna habitacula solius Dei est tribuitur autem pauperibus quia ipsi sententiam Christi Judicis de salvatione piorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 approbabunt beneficentiae quae fidei fructus est testes erunt Glas The mammon or riches of this world is called the riches of unrighteousness because they are unrighteously gotten or unrighteously kept to the detriment of those that need them or unrighteously spent to the hurt of those that have them but the way to change their nature and to make them profitable is to lay them out to the poor who will receive you or witness for you in that day to prove the truth of your love by
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
much thy concern and should be as grateful now and all those great and important duties of piety which this Book laies before thee thought to be as advisable now when time and capacity may render them feasible as in a dying hour when desires and purposes may be too late O do not content thy treacherous heart to cast a transient glance upon these lines to approve or commend them and after all to shake hands with these vast and concerning Truths in them and live and die a stranger to this great and heavenly work but resolve to set about it presently to pursue it throughly that when your Trading-day is done your enriching Eternity may begin and you receive that vast Inheritance that fadeth not away eternal in the Heavens FINIS THE TABLE THe occasion of the Discourse and Introduction to the Word Page 1 2 The terms opened and scope of the Scripture cleared 4 The Doctrine rais'd That the Heavenly Trade is the best Trade no Merchandise like Wisdoms Merchandise and traffiquing about spiritual and eternal things 9 Reasons to prove the Point take 1 From the nature of those things about which Wisdoms Merchants deal 2 The Person they deal with 3 The terms they trade upon 4 The gains that come by it 9 Three things prove Heavenly Ware to be the best in their own nature 1 Scripture 11 2 Experience 12 3 Reason 15 4 Things prove even to enlightned Reason that Heavenly Wares are the best Wares cause of 1 Their rarity 16 2 Their price 18 1 They cost Christ dear ibid. 2 They are oft-times costly to Receivers 19 3 As their price is high so their worth is great good in themselves good to those that have them 20 4 Their duration proves them excellent 21 Reas 2. The Heavenly Trade is the best Trade in regard of the Person traded with the Lord Jesus who is most excellent as to his 1 Greatness 24 2 Goodness 25 3 Ability ibid. 4 Faithfulness 24 Reas 3. The terms on which this Trade is driven proves it the best Trade 1 Goods to trade upon shall be freely given 28 2 Wisdom to manage them shall be freely imparted 30 3 A blessing on the improvement of them shall be insured ibid. 4 The glory of all shall be returned to God 31 Reas 4. 'T is the most profitable Trade cause it brings 1 Great returns Three things prove it 1 Religion has excellent fruit 2 Abundant fruit 33 3 Durable fruit 2 Sure returns four things prove it 35 1 The Justice of God insures it 2 The Blood of Christ ingages for it 3 These returns are the work of his own Spirit 4 The Lord Jesus is an Adventurer with Believers in this Heavenly Trade 36 37 3 Quick returns 38 Ob. Why then do the people of God complain of his delays to hear and help them 39 Answ 1. God will answer and help in due time 2 If he stay long he will pay well for it ibid. 3 The Saints themselves are oft-times the cause of their not receiving quicker returns 40 Uâ—e 1. Of information if the Heavenly Trade be the best Trade 't is strange that so few do set upon this Trade the evil of which is aggravated ibid. Use 2. Of lamentation over the great decays of this Heavenly Trade where are 1 Six Symptoms of this decay 2 Abatement of price when heavenly goods are not valued 45 2 Fewness of Buyers 47 3 Little imployment and slothfulness of spirit in heavenly things 49 4 The poverty of heavenly traders largely opened and proved 50 5 Small adventures for God proves bad trading in Religion 56 6 Breaking shews bad trading 57 2 Sad effects and dangerous issues of decays in this heavenly trade 1 It begets a growing strangeness between God and that soul 59 2 Soul poverty and wastings in mens spiritual interests 61 3 It brings a blast on mens earthly trades and interests 63 4 'T is a ready way to ruine 65 5 It renders the Traders account heavy 67 Use 3. Of reprehension of mens too inordinate pursuit of their earthly trades and interests 69 Quest How may we know when persons do inordinately pursue their earthly trades and interests Answ 1. When those ingross too much of their time 70 2 When they take up too much of their hearts 71 Six signs when the World takes up mens hearts 1 When the desires do greedily go out after them 72 2 When their thoughts are earthly 73 3 Their restless labours after the world 76 4 The delight and pleasure they take in it 78 5 Loathness to part with their earthly comforts and interests shews an earthly heart 81 6 When their trust and dependance is on earthly things 83 2 Aggrevation of the evil of an earthly mind 1 The state of such is dangerous 84 2 Their fall is great 88 Use 4. Of Exhortation 1 To such as are strangers to this heavenly trade where are four Arguments to perswade them to this blessed Calling 1 Their wants and necessities while without this trade 95 2 The danger that attends their present state 101 3 Their duty to set upon this trade and the obligations upon them to do it 102 4 The advantage that comes by it in five things 104 1 Religion will maintain you in the hardest time ibid. 2 Godliness will secure you in the most dangerous times and places 106 3 Holiness will inrich you in impoverishing times ibid. 4 Piety will chear you under greatest disconsolations 107 5 Wisdoms trade will make you truly honourable ibid. Seven Directions how to get this trade 1 Get a capacity and heavenly nature for this heavenly trade 109 2 Cease from your own works 111 3 Make over your selves to the Lord in an everlasting Covenant 113 4 Come over into the Family of Christ 115 5 Be mortified to this present world 119 6 Submit to all the instructions the Lord gives you in order to it 121 7 What you do do quickly make hast about it 124 2 Bran. of Exhort To such as profess this Calling exhorting them to follow it 126 Quer. Wherein lies this heavenly trade and what is it you would have us follow Answ There are seven things in which this heavenly trade lies 127 1 To have and keep up a heavenly spirit 128 2 Properties of a heavenly spirit 1 It sees heavenly things 130 2 It savours heavenly things 133 Directions to keep up a heavenly spirit 1 Beware of those things that weaken it 134 3 Things do greatly weaken a heavenly spirit and what they are ibid. to 140 2 Dir. Get all the nourishment you can to strengthen it 3 Be much in communion with the Father of Spirits 141 4 Cherish heavenly motions in your heart 143 5 Dwell much in the meditation of heaven 144 Be much exercised in heavenly graces 146 2 Another part of this heavenly trade is to secure your interest in heavenly treasures 147 Quest How may I know that heavenly treasures are mine Answ 1. By your communion with
the heir of heaven are you married to Christ or no 151 Que. What are those Evidences that will assure this Conjugal Vnion with Christ Answ Five things prove Marriage to the Lord Jesus 1 Peculiar acquaintance with Christ such as no stranger hath they know his secrets and have intimate converse with him 156 2 Conjugal love to Christ 158 3 A soul espoused to Christ will leave all for Christ ibid. 4 A soul married to Christ stays and lives on Christ 164 5 Fruitfulness to Christ proves Marriage to him 166 2 Your interest in heavenly treasures is known by the naturalness and supremacy of your love to them 167 3 By your care for and pursuit of them 169 4 If heavenly treasures be yours you 'll find your spirits suited to them 170 3 Another thing wherein this heavenly trade lies is in getting in of heavenly goods and what they are and how to be obtained 171 Que. How may I do to get my soul furnished with heavenly goods Answ 1. Maintain a sense of your own wants 187 2 Get a believing sight of Christs fulness 188 Que. What ground may I have for hope that Christ will supply me Answ This is fully spoken to pag. 190 191. Another part of this heavenly trade is to carry on heavenly work ibid. Four Motives perswading to it and what they are 192 to 203 Que. What is this heavenly work that Christians must do in this trade of godliness Answ 1. All that work which is of a heavenly nature matter manner and end 203 1 All that work which has God for its Author as acts of Religious Worship ibid. 2 All that work which hath more especial respect to your selves as 209 1 Heart-work ibid. to 216 2 Mortification work 217 Que. How shall I do to get sin mortified I am convinced 't is my duty but find it not my capacity Dir. 1. Do nothing that may strengthen it 221 Eight things help to strengthen sin 222 to 227 Dir. 2. Go not out in your own strength against sin ibid. Not in the strength of your purposes nor of your frames nor in the strength of your duties nor in the strength of your graces 228 Dir. 3. Get the Vnion between your heart and sin broken 229 There are seven things that help to break the hearts union with sin ibid. Dir. 4. Strike at the root of sin 234 Four helps towards it 236 Dir. 5. Give no place to the least motions of sin 238 2 Helps towards it ibid. Dir. 6. Keep up the life of grace 239 3 Carry on Renovation work some helps towards it 240 4 Keep your Evidences for heaven fair 243 3 Carry on all those natural moral and religious duties that concern others in your house in the house of God in your callings and dealings with men 244 2 Another part of your heavenly work is to do earthly things in an heavenly manner 247 This lies in three things 1 To do earthly things by heavenly rule 2 With heavenly hearts 248 3 To heavenly ends Ten Rules about doing of earthly things Rule 1. Be sure the matter of your imployment be good that your callings and recreations be according to the Will of God 249 Rule 2. Set on earthly things in their proper place and order 251 Rule 3. Keep your earthly business within the bounds of due time 252 Rule 4. Be diligent in the use of your working time 255 Rule 5. While your hands are about the world set a guard about your hearts 257 Rule 6. Attend your earthly affairs with a calm and quiet spirit ibid. Rule 7. Follow your duty but cast your care on God 261 Rule 8. In all your labours pray for a blessing 262 Rule 9. Though you live in the world yet be dead to the world 10. Do all your work in the view of Death Judgment and Eternity 263 264 2 Then do you earthly work in a heavenly manner when you do it with a heavenly heart 266 Que. How may I know when my heart is heavenly in my earthly work Answ 1. A heavenly heart is enlightned to see heavenly things 267 2 A heavenly heart savours heavenly things 268 3 A heavenly heart desires and longs after heavenly things 269 4 A heavenly heart has heavenly thoughts 270 5 A heavenly heart will be full of heavenly projects ibid. 6 A heavenly heart is acted and influenced by heavenly motives 271 7 A heavenly heart lives upon heavenly things 272 5 Another part of this heavenly trade lies in keeping up heavenly thoughts 274 6 If you would drive on the heavenly trade keep up heavenly converses 278 7 Then do you carry on this heavenly trade when you improve every thing to heavenly advantages There are nine things especially that Christians should improve to heavenly advantage 1 Priviledges 2 Ordinances 3 Providence 4 The World and things thereof 5 Your Callings 6 Your Company 7 Your Retirements 8 Occasional Objects 9 Your falls and miscarriages 1 Get good from your priviledges 1 Natural Priviledges 283 2 Providential 285 3 Spiritual 287 2 Get good from Ordinances 4 helps towards it 288 1 Preparation before you come to them 489 2 Attention 290 3 Retention 291 4 Obedience ibid. 3 Get all the good you can from Providences from smiling Providences and from frowning from giving and taking Providences 292 293 4 Get good from the World and the things thereof 294 5 Get good from your Callings and Imployments 297 6 Get good from your Company 299 7 Get good from your Retirements 303 8 Get good from occasional objects and occurrences of Providence 307 9 Get good from your falls and miscarriages 309 Ob. If souls may get good from their sins then why should persons be troubled for sin or watch against it Answ In two particulars 1 They that are dead to sin cannot live any longer therein proved by four Reasons 310 3 They ought not to commit sin 1 'T is slavish work 2 It has bitter fruit 3 It has doleful wages 312 3 Branch of Exhort To earthly traders who meet with breaches and discouragements in their earthly trades counselling them Coun. 1. To be hereby convinced of the excellency of the heavenly trade which is not liable to such disappointments 313 314 Coun. 2. See God in your afflictions 311 Coun. 3. Search out the cause of them 316 Probable Reasons of breaches on mens earthly trades and interests 1 Letting down of Religion and decay in the heavenly trade 317 2 Declensions in the Worship of God ibid. 4 Withholding their interests from God 319 5 Greedy desires after the world 320 6 God doth it to bring men down to his feet and to bring them back to himself 324 Coun. 4. Get the breach between God and your souls composed 326 Coun. 5. Get advantage from earthly decays to further your heavenly trade Four advantages hence to your heavenly trade 1 It helps to convince you of the vanity and uncertainty of all things below God 327 2 It helps to
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