as ever we desire that our Souls should prosper and thrive as a watered Garden according to that promise Jer. 31.12 See that these waters have a free passage Let faith be exercised upon those truths which hold forth the freeness and riches of the grace of Christ For those are the truths the Prophet saw in his Vision represented by those waters And let this be in conjunction with the exercise of Repentance This is the way by the Spirit of grace working with these truths whereby Souls are healed and purged 1 Pet. 1.22 Seeing ye have purified your Souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit These were the truths by obedience whereunto their Souls were purified This is the way whereby the Lord first begins to heal and purge the Soul For this I shall give you but one place of Scripture but it is a place to be taken notice of It is 2 Corinth 5.19 Wherein note three things 1. God intending according to his Eternal purpose to heal some sick quicken some dead save some lost Souls declares his purpose to do it by way of Reconciling them to himself This he will do before they shall be possessed of that Salvation he hath chosen them unto His method is first to purge their Souls mortifying that enmity that is in their hearts both against his ways and their own good and so to reduce them to terms of Reconciliation with himself and make them willing to be Reconciled unto him 2. How God will do this God was in Christ The Divine Nature assumed the Human Nature and so in and through Christ God-Man in one Person offers terms of Love and Peace to them as the most effectual way to prevail upon them and to bring their Souls about to him 3. But in what peculiar way will he more transcendently manifest this grace and mercy The Text tells us he will do it in not imputing their iniquities proposing and promising a full and everlasting pardon of all sin never to be called in if his terms be accepted of And the sinner being made willing to be Reconciled unto God Thus he subdues the heart conquering it by Love And thus the work of purging and cleansing the Soul is begun Luk. 7.47 Her sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much And as thus it is begun so upon a failure it is renewed and continued When a Soul that is Diseased and polluted is awakened to apply himself to Jesus Christ the Sun of Righteousness in the exercise of Faith and Repentance making way that the waters of the Sanctuary the Spirit of grace and the Gospel of grace may not be stopt in their course but have a free passage into the Soul the hope of Reconciliation with God is raised greatly and that stirs up the Soul to purifie himself 1 Joh. 3.3 Every one that hath this hope purifieth himself Observe that He purifies himself This is necessary For as Physick is most effectual to purge out corrupt humours when Nature works with it for it is to no purpose to give it to a dead Man and when Nature is quite spent in a sick Person it comes too late So it is here The Soul that thus applies it self to Christ will find his blood to be a healing purging sin-mortifying blood But in applying our selves thereunto our own thoughts and affections our own endeavours and resolutions against all occasions of sin against the first risings of sin and we must apply our selves to what mortifying means we find prescribed and have been found to be of use to others All these we must set on work and then the Spirit of God will work with us Rom. 8.13 if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live And doing thus we may be said To purge our selves as 2 Cor. 7.1 2 Tim. 1.21 If we do thus We shall be Vessels of honour fit for the Master's use That is our Souls shall prosper This is the first thing that I have to commend unto you as ye mind the well-fare and prosperity of your Souls to mind this There is another kind of Physick to be made use of as the matter requires and that is Cordials for the healing of a fainting Soul This may be spoken unto hereafter when I have first spoken unto what is most times to be made use of betwixt this of Purging and that of Cordials SERMON VIII 2. THe next thing that I shall take notice of as necessary for the health and well-fare of the Body which as the Lord shall enable me I shall apply to the point in hand is the observing of a good Diet with respect to the choice of meats such as by experience have been found best agreeable to the Nature and Constitution of the Body and in proportion suitable to the natural heat of our stomachs for Concoction and Digestion This is a great means of health especially for such as are naturally weak and infirm For usually as is our Food so is our Blood as is our Blood so are our Spirits and as are our Spirits so are our Bodies for health or sickness for strength or weakness Now as I told you what in a natural way is for the health and well-fare of the Body is in a spiritual way applicable to the health and well-fare of the Soul I shewed you that it was so in that which I spake last unto I am now to shew it is so in this In order hereunto we must take notice that as God hath provided and that with great variety Food and nourishment for the preservation of the Natural life of our Bodies So he hath for the preservation of the Spiritual life of our Soul and that suitable to the degree that our Souls have attained unto Heb 5.13 14 Milk for Babes Meat for strong Men. Food that endures to Eternal life Joh. 6.27 Such Food as is a Feast whereupon the Soul may feed and fare deliciously every day Isa 25.6 a Feast of fat things a Feast of Wine on the Lees c. This is a matter we are much concerned in That we know both our Priviledge and our Duty herein something must be said to each of these four Particulars 1. What that Food is which God hath provided for the health and prosperity of our Souls 2. What those Means are whereby that Food is conveyed unto us 3. Something by way of argument to quicken our Spiritual Appetite after it 4. Something by way of Direction how to feed upon it so as to receive that nourishment from it which our Souls stand in need of 1. For the first of these That Food which God hath provided for us is Jesus Christ himself but Jesus Christ especially as Crucified 1. This Food is Jesus Christ himself For the proof of this consider that Jesus Christ is said to be The tree of life Revel 2.7 And the Hidden Manna vers 17. Both which were Types of Christ 1. He is said to be The tree of life in
and evidence of being filled with the Spirit Without all doubt a Soul full of the praises of God is so far full of the spirit of God and so far begins the work of Heaven upon Earth And therefore it is without all controversie that a truly thankful Soul so far and so long as it continues so is really a prosperous Soul 2. The prosperity of the Soul as it is very much promoted so it is and may be as much evidenced by the right Government and due ordering of our Affections of Likeing and Disliking Of Liking as Love Joy Delight Desire Of Disliking as Fear Sorrow and Grief Anger and Wrath. This is a large point I shall endeavour therefore to give you as much as I can in a little Consider then 1. Affections especially those of Liking were planted in the nature of Man at first to be to the Soul as Wings to the Bird which make her flight so easie So were these to make our approaches to God more delightful that it might be as meat and drink to us to do the Will of our Father And such a sweet harmony there was in Adam's Soul whilst he was as God made him that he could judge of things as they were affect things as he judged of them and act according as he affected Being made perfect after the Image of God he had all his affections at command according to the Will of God 2. By reason of Original corruption as those noble Faculties the Understanding Will and Conscience as I have lately shewed you so the Affections are most horribly polluted and are become so many fleshly and deceitful lusts They are as another Antichrist in the Soul ruling over Conscience which should rule all under God For as corrupt as they are every Man in his corrupted state is led by them more then he is by any thing else For as they Affect so they Judge so they Do what seems good in their own Eyes without considering any other rule as they did Judg. 21.25 till at last God give them up unto them As Rom. 1 24 Wherefore God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts vers 26 For this cause God gave them up to vile affections The case of such is very sad For as it is one of the greatest blessings where grace is rewarded with grace As Psal 119.55 56 I have remembred thy name O Lord in the night and have kept thy law This I had because I kept thy precepts So this is one of the greatest curses when God punisheth sin with sin leaving Men to do what they will As Psal 81.11 12 But my people would not hearken to my voice Israel would none of me So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust and they walked in their own counsels 3. To mortifie the inordinacy of these Affections that they may be fixed upon their proper Objects So as to Love what they ought to love and Hate what they ought to hate c. To keep them so in order that they be not moved but when there is cause and when there is cause not without measure To do this is one of the greatest and hardest works that a Christian hath to do It is said Gal. 5.24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts i.e. They are about it and make it their daily work and the better success they have in this work the more their Soul prospers It is said Prov. 16.32 He that is slow to anger is better then the Mighty and he that ruleth his spirit then he that taketh a City Not he that is never angry for the anger of the new Creature is a duty Eph. 4.26 Be angry and sin not but he that is slow to anger is of greater excellency then he that conquers a City He is more set by in the sight of God for the strength of his Soul whereby he conquers himself then ever any Man was or will be for his Bodily strength whereby he conquers others It is more honourable to be a Paul then an Alexander Prov. 14.29 He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly He that is slow to wrath is a Man of understanding much resolution being requisite to keep that or any other affection especially when it is stirred within its due bounds Jam. 3.13 Who is a wise Man and endued with knowledge amongst you let him shew out of a good conversation his words with meekness of wisdom And great need there is to exercise this wisdom when occasions are given which may kindle that affection to preserve the spirit in a meek and quiet frame For as sanctified affections are as a gentle wind to the Soul whereby it moves aright toward God with a calm and well-composed warmth in every duty So unruly affections are as a storm a very Hurricane to the Soul so as like a River in a great tempest the Banks are over-flown and much mud and slime are left behind He that can prevent the rising of such a storm or can speedily allay it is a Man of understanding indeed 4. The Soul is then spiritually thriving and prosperous when the inordinacy of the affections is mortified so as 1. Every affection acts as a saving grace in the Soul when the affection of Love is renewed by the spirit of God into the grace of love and so fixed upon God in Christ that other things are respected only in subordination thereunto When the affection of Fear is renewed into the grace of Fear so as to keep the heart under an holy awe of God as David's was Psal 119.161 My heart standeth in awe of thy word So when the affection of sorrow is renewed into the grace of sorrow into that godly sorrow for sin which the Apostle saith worketh Repentance 2 Cor. 7.10 In a word when Love Joy and Delight open the heart unto God as unto the chiefest good and Fear Grief and Sorrow shut the heart against sin as the greatest evil 2. When that which is unmortified as still something of the flesh remains in them when they are sanctified is so far subdued by that which is wrought by the spirit in them that they are kept in a suitable plyableness to all the Dispensations of God to every Providence wherewith we are exercised rejoicing when he would have us to rejoice and as he would have us to rejoice Mourning when he calls us to mourning and as he would have us to mourn Being angry when God would have us to be angry and so far as he would have us to be angry Angry as Christ was Mar. 3.5 And when he looked round about them with anger being grieved for the hardness of their hearts When this is the business the Soul labours in and strives to attain unto more and more and is really humbled before God when any defects are observed and pardon pleaded and resolutions increased in the
Conscience As the Mind so the Conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 This is very sad if we consider either the Office the Conscience is designed for or the particulars wherein the defilement of it consisteth 1. It s Office It is the Candle of the Lord by which a Man should be directed in the way wherein he ought to walk Indeed God having given it such a power and command over Man that nothing but God is above it therefore it is that though a Man may do that sometimes which is against his will and against his affections and not sin yet he ought not to go against his Conscience though it be Erroneous because Conscience witnesseth for God so that to go against Conscience though the thing be not materially sinful yet formally it is because the autority of God is contemned therefore it is said Rom. 14.23 He that doubteth is damned if he eat because he eateth not of Faith for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin 2. For the defilement of Conscience I shall instance only in two branches 1. It is defiled with ignorance Such a thick vail of darkness is grown over it as though it observes every thing that is done yet it often most shamefully mistakes Evil for Good and Good for Evil. I told you that it should be to a Man's actions as the Pilot to the Ship to Guide and Steer it right by a right Rule to a right End But having no light it leads a Man down to Hell when he thinks he is in the high way to Heaven As a Pilot having lost his Compass or the use of it in a dark night runs upon the Rocks when he thinks he is entering into the Haven Joh. 16.2 The time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think he doth God service Act. 26.9 I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth 2. It is defiled with stupidity and unsensibleness 1 Tim. 4.2 having their Conscience seared with an hot Iron It is true the Apostle speaks there of an habitual hardness grown upon Men by long continued custom of sinning till they sin and know not till they sin and care not Yet it is originally in the Conscience at first and doth not so much come into it as grow out of it as that sprigg of an Oak which at first when it first appears is very tender easily turned this way or that way but grows at last and that by its inbred quality into a hard and stubborn bough so it is here It is worth our observing to this purpose that what the Prophet David Psal 14.3 and 53.3 speaks of some Men that they are altogether become filthy the Apostle Rom. 3.10 12 13. applies to all in their unregenerate state So what is spoken of the unsensibleness of some Mens Consciences may be applied to all in their unregenerate state for the longer they continue in that state the sooner they grow to that degree of stupidity to be as they Eph. 4.18 past all feeling Conscience in their Breasts is as it were in a dead sleep it suffers them to live in a state of sin and go on in a way of sin without any check or any that is to any purpose regarded like a Serpent that is charmed and neither stings nor bites Gen. 37.25 And they sate down to eat bread after they had cast their Brother into a pit In this sad case is the Soul in respect of the Understanding and the Conscience 3. But in some respects the most woful desolation of all is made in the Will It is true that original corruption frets like a gangrene through the whole Soul but the poision of it chiefly hath infected the Will All that the Scripture speaks of the hardness of the heart and of the stiff neck and the Iron-sinew is little or nothing else but the obstinacy and frowardness and perverseness of the Will Much might be said to this But I shall instance only in this that it is full of contrariety to the holy and righteous will of God I would saith God and ye would not as he often complains in the Scripture Matth. 23.27 Psal 81.11 This is the misery of an unregenerate Soul for the will of God is not only absolutely good in it self but it is also Relatively good to every Soul that in godly sincerity submits to it Mich. 6.8 He hath shewed thee O Man what is good good for thee Deut. 6.24 The Lord commanded us to do all these Statutes to fear the Lord our God for our good always So that the Will of Man is absolutely cross to the happiness of the whole Man in being so cross to the Will of God It may truly be said of every Man That nothing stands so much in the way of his Salvation as his own Will Joh. 5.40 And ye will not come unto me that ye might have life I might farther exemplifie this in shewing how corrupt and naught it is in all its operations in choosing what it ought to loath Prov. 21.10 The Soul of the wicked desireth evil Isa 66.3 their Soul delighteth in their abominations And in loathing what it ought to choose It is charged upon them Levit. 26.43 That their Souls abhorred the Word of God would not suffer it to come near their hearts but cast it behind their backs Psal 50.17 Neither is this out of Distemper only as a Man when he is sick may loath the meat which he loves when he is well but out of antipathy and inbred enmity which may be mortified but can never be reconciled Nay it is farther charged Zech. 11.8 That their Souls abhorred God himself though not as an universal good and the giver of every good thing but as a particular good and cross to their lusts and carnal interests When it comes to that then they say as Job 21.14 Therefore they say to the Almighty depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Of such things they are willingly ignorant 2 Pet. 3.5 I shall shut up this sad discourse with this That the will of every unregenerate Soul is called The will of the Flesh Eph. 2.3 And the will of the Flesh is the very same with that which is called The will of the Devil 2 Tim. 2.26 Thus ye have something spoken to both the branches of the first thing that was proposed for the explication of the Point 1. What the Soul is in respect of its original constitution This is fit to be considered otherwise it will be I think impossible to convince a Man of the truth of the Doctrine That of all prosperities the prosperity of the Soul is the most desirable prosperity 2. In what case it is in its unregenerate state by reason of original corruption Otherwise it will be as hard to convince a Man of the absolute necessity of minding as he ought the wellfare and prosperity of his Soul In respect of the former one would think it
Holy Ghost If they shall fall away c. Yet here was nothing really wrought for the prosperity of the Soul They had none of those good things which do accompany salvation vers 9. But beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that do accompany Salvation Thus it is with many they know much but their Souls are not fully brought under the power and authority of what they know still upon the account of some lust or other they are under the power of darkness spoken of Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness 2. In the Will there may be some light touches of the Spirit inclining it to cleave to the outward and visible part of Religion together with some workings in the motions and outgoings thereof in several affections Matth. 13.20 the same is he that heareth the Word and anon with joy receiveth it 1 King 21.27 Ahab rent his Clothes and put Sack-cloth upon his flesh and fasted and lay in Sack-cloth and went softly vers 29. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me And these stirrings of heart may work some resolutions and something may be done in pursuance of those resolutions Psal 78.34 36 37 When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God c. 3. The Conscience likewise may be so awakened and so much may an unregenerate Man stand in awe of it that he dare not go against the light thereof Thus was it with Paul he was so exceeding zealous and made such Conscience of obeying the Tradition of the Fathers that he durst not but do as he did Act. 26.9 I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus And he had great peace in so doing Rom. 7.9 For I was alive without the Law once So had Abimelech in that he did nothing but what in conscience he thought to be Lawful Gen. 20.6 For this reason so many among the sober sort of the Heathen commended a good Conscience All these things seem very fair but lay them all together and let one and the same Man be thus qualified in all these respects yet they are not in the least any true evidence that true and real Soul-prosperity is begun in them For all the light in his understanding his portion at last will be utter darkness And for the workings in the Will and the Conscience though they may seem to be not far from the Kingdom of God as Mark. 12.34 Yet all is but as the Grass-hoppers which as ye may observe make many a leap as if they would mount up to the skies and then presently fall down to the Earth again Still one thing is wanting They are not effectually called Nor by all this can any prove that they are called into a state of Union with Christ Therefore they have no Spiritual life This Understanding is still dead the Conscience dead the Will dead the whole Soul spiritually dead For he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5.12 So that they are not yet in the right way of Soul thriving As whilst a dead Tree is a dead Tree it cannot prosper nor bring forth fruit This we may see in those that had most to shew for themselves So much that the Scripture calls it seeking and enquiring after God Remembring that the most High was their Rock c. Psal 78.34 35 36. Yet there was no Soul-prosperity begun vers 37. all this while their hearts were not right they were Spiritually dead Therefore as ye desire to find any Evidence within you of the Foundation of Soul-prosperity Give diligence to make your calling sure 2 Pet. 1.10 This makes it sure that ye are within the compass of Electing love and that God hath wrought in you according to his purpose SERMON III. I Proceed now to the second particular To shew wherein the prosperity of the Soul especially consisteth and when it may be said to thrive and prosper This is the principal thing the Text and Doctrine engage to speak unto And indeed to speak unto it is exceeding necessary You may well remember what was laid down in a Doctrine not long since handled That a living Christian though alive to God yet in respect of his Christianity and Religion may be in a withering languishing condition as far from prospering as those Trees are whose leaves fall off the boughs wither and the root decays It is so with many As it is much talked on that these times have brought forth many broken Merchants So they have many broken or almost broken Professors Good beginnings it is too often found are not always seconded with suitable proceedings Too many are too like the New Moon in its first quarter then it gives much light but it is down again and it 's dark again all over before the Morning light It was a sad question which the Apostle put to the Galatians chap. 5. v. 7 Ye did run well who did hinder you It was a question with a very sharp rebuke in it and it withal imports that no satisfying reason could be given why they should make such a halt Now in speaking to this necessary point I shall first mention some things in general wherein the prosperity of the Soul consists And then something which may more particularly demonstrate the truth and reality of it 1. In general I shall premise That as the first Rise and Foundation of Soul-prosperity as to any possibility of Evidence that such a thing is begun is laid in those principles of Spiritual life which are received by virtue of Union with Christ So the growth and progress thereof consists in their increase As they increase so the prosperity of the Soul increaseth and no otherwise It is possible a Man may grow in gifts and be very forward in exercising them and yet the Soul not thrive It is said of the Corinthians they came behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1.7 but their grace did not thrive answerably to their gifts No they were still but Babes and very carnal 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3. 2. I farther premise this That there is a natural tendency in the principles of this life to grow as there is in the best Seed that is cast into the ground to grow and to bring forth fruit according to its kind For they are the Seed of the living God there is life in them and every living thing grows according to the measure which the God of its life hath appointed The Picture of a Child doth not grow it hath the same dimensions now which it had twenty years ago But the living Child to which these principles are compared that by receiving kindly nourishment grows 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby And certain it is that no work of the Spirit is designed for glory but that which is growing 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding
Creature loaden with many infirmities do it For the present I cannot think of any better way then this even in the spiritual out-goings and actings of the principle of godliness immediately upon God himself so as to compose our affections thoughts purposes desires resolutions and all the inward workings of our hearts in a suitable proportion to those glorious discoveries that God hath made of his name as infinitely holy wise just and gracious present every where seeing all things observing all things ordering all things according to the counsel of his own will The instance the Prophet Isaiah gives makes for this For when he had called them to their duty To sanctifie God in their hearts he directs them how to do it Let him be your fear and let him be your dread Thus the Prophet Habakkuk sanctified God's Name in his heart drawing in all his hopes and all his comforts into God alone resolving to rejoice in him when he had nothing else to rejoice in Hab. 3.17 18. according to Phil. 4.4 Rejoice in the Lord alway and again I say Rejoice This is that which is required in the first and great Commandment wherein indeed if we consider it well we shall find all the other Commands wrapt up for always before we do any thing amiss against God we either think amiss of God or think not of him at all Therefore as ever we desire our Souls should prosper let us be careful at all times in all places thus to sanctifie God's Name in our hearts And whatever our condition be how sad soever it be with us still both think well and speak well of God as such a God ought to be spoken of and thought of Satan hath baffled many eminent Persons when they have been under tryal with temptations contrary to this Jeremiah in his distress le ts fall such sad words as these Chap. 15.18 Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a lyar and as waters that fail And David being as we say under hatches said in his haste though upon second thoughts he call'd in his words again that he had served a hard Master and that all his exercising himself unto godliness had been in vain Psal 73.13.14 It concerns us therefore as we desire our Souls should prosper so to exercise the principles of godliness we have received that even when the dealings of God with us are most contrary to our desires and hopes to think of God according to that representation which he makes of himself Exod. 34.6 7 The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious c. We may observe that David when he acted like a Man after God's own heart did so Psal 119.68 Thou art good and doest good Yet how it was with him in his outward condition we see vers 61. The bands of the wicked have robbed me and vers 28. My Soul melteth for heaviness So Psal 31. aster he had expressed his sad condition vers 9 10 I am in trouble mine eye is consumed with grief My life is spent with grief and my years with sighing Yet he breaks out into admiration vers 19 O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee And yet he saw but little of it laid out upon him Psal 52.1 the goodness of God endureth continually This is the first way proposed wherein we ought to exercise our selves unto godliness 2. I proceed to the second thing proposed How these principles of godliness ought to be exercised as they are to be drawn forth and clothed as it were with the External duties of Religion or any thing else wherein the visible part of Religion so far as it may be made visible to Men doth consist And here note two things as to External duties of Religion 1. That we ought to exercise our selves in them all 2. That these principles of godliness ought to be exercised in them all 1. For the former Those that really mind as we all ought to mind the prosperity of our Souls must compass them all and take them all in in their walk though not all at once nor all it may be every day but all in their Season It is a dangerous yea a desperate thing To perform one duty that we may dispence with our selves in the neglect of another As to perform duties in conjunction with others and give our selves on that account a dispensation to neglect personal and private duties It is our duty as 1 Tim. 5.21 to do all things without partiality especially all things in Religion This I desire may be considered There is no Duty or Ordinance of Gods own appointment which he hath not blessed at one time or other to some one or other of his People so as sometimes they have found him in one when they have not found him in another As for instance God hath been found in Prayer private Prayer Psal 34.6 This poor man cried unto the Lord and he saved him out of all his troubles In praying with others Act. 4.31 And when they had prayed the place was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost In private reading of the word as the Eunuch Act. 8.27 28. In hearing the word Act. 2.37 1 Cor. 14.24 25. While the two Disciples that went to Emmaus were discoursing of Christ Christ himself drew near to them and went with them Luk. 24.15 And their hearts burned within them while he talked with them by the way and opened the Scriptures to them vers 32. So in singing 2 Chron. 20.22 And when they began to sing the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon c. That is He cut them off suddenly as when Men are cut off by their enemies that lye in ambush against them and so accomplished what was foretold vers 17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battel stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord. Memorable is that story of the Protestants of Mountaban in France who when they were besieged being compelled to take up Arms in their own defence always when they went out to fight went out singing of Psalms which was so terrible to the Enemy that in the end when they heard them singing which they usually began before the Portcullis was drawn up and the Gates opened their hearts failed them and away they would run crying out They come they come And as this is true that there is no duty but that at some time or other God hath been found in it by some or other so they have sometimes found him in one when they could not find him in another Cant. 3.1 compared with ver 4 She sought him in private duties and found him not then she went to the publick and found him whom her Soul loved Daniel was certainly a Man of much prayer Dan. 6.10 and no doubt found very frequently sensible acceptance with God but yet it seems God reserved the fullest
Paul had it Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me And he exhorts all that when they have put on the whole armour of God and have every grace ready for exercise yet then to Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6.10 11. 3. Let this be thought on too That though we ought to rest upon Christ for his assistance herein as if he were to do all and we our selves were to do nothing at all yet we ought so to stir up our selves and exercise our most serious thoughts and endeavours herein as if no help at all were to be expected from him Phil. 2.12 13. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do Thus I have shewed you the expressions in the Text leading me that way that what in a natural way is necessary for the health and well-fare of the body that in a spiritual way is as much necessary for the health well-fare and prosperity of the Soul And this I have shewed in four Particulars I told you when I entred first upon this use That when in the use of these means all begins to be well within the Soul begins to thrive and prosper Yet it may possibly have its fainting fits sometimes by reason of continued afflictions sometimes from a deep sense of invincible infirmities For the more of these gracious principles there are in the heart and the more they are exercised the more sad impression the least failing makes upon the heart No marvel if it be with such as it was with Jonah when the waters compassed him about and the reeds were wrapt about his head then he said his Soul fainted within him Jon. 2.5 6 7. And David had like to have done so when false witnesses were risen up against him I had fainted saith he unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living Psal 27.12 13. Now as when Nature is almost spent and bodily strength fails there is need of relief by some comfortable Cordials As that poor Man 1 Sam. 30.12 being faint David's Men gave him something and then his spirits came to him which it seems were departing from him Now as the Lord Jesus was very tender over those that came from far to hear him and had been three days with him lest they should faint in their way homeward and therefore he wrought a miracle to relieve them Matth. 15.32 So without doubt he is as tender to prevent Soul-fainting Isa 57 15 16 to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones For I will not contend for ever neither will I be always wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the Souls which I have made Something therefore must be said to this Therefore though I cannot descend to particulars that would be too great a work I shall only give some general rules which may be indifferently applyed to all cases Let then every Soul that is ready to faint 1. Do as Jonah did in the place before quoted chap. 2. ver 7 My Soul fainted within and I remembred the Lord. Remembrance implies dependence Psal 20.7 But we will remember the name of the Lord our God This is prescribed for a fainting Soul Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Now we must know that the Name of the Lord may have reference to that name Exod. 34.5 6 7 The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious c. This is very chearing For a fainting Soul may sometimes take encouragement from an Attribute of God when he doubts whether he may touch with a promise or no. Or it may have reference to that name Jer. 23 6 The Lord our Righteousness Certainly when a Soul seeth nothing in it self whereby it can challenge any interest in any ground of comfort yet because there is grace and mercy enough in the name of God and merit and righteousness enough in the Son of God such a Soul may see ground enough to resolve as Isa 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob and I will look for him Psal 34.5 They looked to him and were lightened and their faces were not ashamed Though all the clouds were not presently scattered yet they had some light And a little Candle in a dark room in a very dark night though it do not make it day as the Sun doth yet it is some reviving till the day do appear 2. Let it be well considered what God imposeth upon fainting Souls as one great part of their work in such a season Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved When thou art ready to faint under thy burden cast it upon me saith the Lord Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden Do then as David did he hears the command speaking in general unto all Psal 27.8 Seek ye my face and seeth himself concerned in it and therefore resolves Thy face Lord will I seek It is observable that when Christ commanded the blind Man to come unto him Mar. 10.49 Be of good comfort say those that were by-standers the Master calls thee Such commands in this case may sometimes be of greater use then promises and more effectual for the silencing of doubts and discouragements For the best are apt when in the dark to dispute their interest in the promises till they have disputed themselves out of all heart to close with them But Commands are not to be disputed but obeyed See Luk. 5.5 There was discouragement enough They had fished all night and caught nothing nevertheless say they at thy word we will let down the Net 3. Taking it for granted that a fainting Soul in obedience to the command of Christ is willing if able to come to Christ and to close with him And if the question were put to him as it was to Rebecca Gen. 24.58 Wilt thou go with this man He would answer as she did I will go And hearing the terms whereon he promiseth to be ours can and doth yield unto them as heartily as Laban did to Jacob's and desire as he did Gen. 30.34 I would it might be according to thy word Then let every fainting Soul know his right and claim it and know his duty upon this account and set about it 1. Know his right and claim it What 's that Even the promises of God as his inheritance for those that yield to Christ's terms are received into the number of his adopted Children Joh. 1.12 And if Children then Heirs Rom. 8.17 Heirs of what See Gal. 3.29 And if ye be Christs then are ye Abraham's
of the nature and efficacy of Christs Intercession and that with thought upon thought He appears in Heaven for us Heb 9.24 And who those are ye find Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them For what To give forth unto us and to apply what he hath purchased 1 Joh. 2.1 2. And we may be sure of it that his Intercession is as effectual and can no more be rejected then his satisfaction because both are acts of his Priestly Office SERMON XII I Now proceed to the third and last branch of the Use that hath been so long insisted upon To exhort those if there be any such and I have reason to hope there are some such whose Souls do prosper with whom it begins to be better with respect to the frame and temper of the hidden Man of the heart then it hath been To exhort them to give all diligence that it may continue so with them That they may not lose the things they have wrought but receive a full reward 2 Epist of John vers 8. But keep them in that holy frame whereinto the exercise of godliness hath brought them But before I shew what in order thereunto is our duty I shall premise five things to be considered 1. That an absolute settlement of the Soul in the same highth and degree of this spiritual prosperity that is by some attained s rarely if ever preserved for any long time together There is a tincture of that madness which Solomon speaks of Eccl. 9.3 yea also the heart of the Sons of Men is full of evil and madness is in their heart while they live that remains and always will remain in the hearts of the best when they are at best Paul found it so Rom 7.21 I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me And Mad-men seldom continue in any one temper any long time together Therefore as it is with Men in respect of their outward condition though all things may prosper with them and that for some considerable time together as it was with Job He had his months wherein the Candle of God did shine upon him and the secret of God was upon his Tabernacle when the Almighty was with him when his Children were about him Job 29.2 3 4. But in all these we know he underwent a great and sad change the clouds gathered upon him and darkned all his Sun-shine David found it so his fair weather as we use to say did not last always Psal 30.6 7. He thought himself setled in his Kingdom above danger of opposition but he found it otherwise God was offended with him hid away his face and then such troubles came upon him as he never dream'd of Even so it hath been with most thriving and growing Souls when they thought they could have said as David Psal 108.1 O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Yet they have found that even then it was with them but as with a Ship at Anchor which though it be not driven into the Maine nor split against the Rocks yet it is often tossed up and down and reels to and fro Many sad instances we have of this in the Scripture that the most gracious persons have not always kept their principles of godliness in exercise at the same height no not those wherein they have been most eminent Neither Abraham his Faith nor Moses his Meekness nor Job his Patience Even Abraham's Faith and Moses his Meekness and Job's Patience had their ebbings and flowings And at this day the more any Man studies his own heart the more he will tell you that in his own experience he finds it so for many such changes are wrought by the hand of the most high As in respect of our natural state Job 14.2 He cometh up as a flower and continueth not So very often in respect of his spiritual frame 2. As many have experienced strange and unexpected turns of Providence in respect of their outward condition So no less suddenly or unexpectedly have they experienced as great changes in their spiritual condition There are those no doubt can tell you That having been brought under the influences of divine grace and love so as they have found much inward longing after more and more enjoyment of God even then when they found much sweet delight in what they did enjoy and this joined with serious resolutions of keeping more close to God and have thereupon hoped that the worst had been past that it would never any more be with them as it had been Never should they live so they hoped at such a distance from God as they had done nor should their hearts wander from him as in times past Yet after all this very unexpectedly like an instrument in change of weather have they found themselves as we say out of tune again As those that dwell by the Sea-side do see that though the tide be now out and it be low water yet upon a sudden all is overflown again Besides experience we have sad instances of this in Scripture Jer. 20.13 Having in the words before professed his assurance of God's presence with him and protection of him he now rowseth up his Soul from his former damp't and dumpish condition to a high degree of lightsomeness of spirit praising God for his deliverance from the hands of Pashur and the rest of his Persecutors before he was delivered out of an hopeful expectation of it as if he had already received it But how long doth this last See ver 14 Cursed be the day wherein I was born A strange alteration and sudden down-fall from such an height of confidence in vers 12. and such a degree of comfort vers 13. to such a low dejection of spirit and strange distemper of mind as inconsiderately to curse the day of his birth those that brought his Father the report thereof A lively pattern this is of the truth of that which we are speaking of An instance not much unlike to this we find in Elijah Compare 1 King 18.18 where he told Ahab with so much resolution I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy Father's house with 1 King 19.3 when being threat'ned by Jezebel He arose and fled for his life What a sudden change was this He that durst say to Ahab's face Thou and thy Father's house have troubled Israel that could fetch down both Fire and Water from Heaven by his prayers that durst command the slaying of 450 Priests of Baal yet he shrinks at the threats of a Woman and wisheth to be rid of his life because he was afraid to lose it This was a strange turn in that holy Man's spirit But so it hath been and so it is that the pulse of a sick Man doth not more vary then the temper of the Soul of a sound and upright Man This day perhaps
away without any observation from under the power of all obligations to the contrary Relapses of this nature though they do not presently make any great noise in the World yet it will not be long before they will be seen in sad effects and be discerned in more visible miscarriages If they be indulged they are great enemies to Soul-prosperity and will prove the very bane and break-neck of that thriving and prosperous frame the Soul was grown or growing into This is then seriously to be considered of by all those whose Souls begin to prosper and when it begins to be better with them then it hath been in respect of their inward frame and temper of the hidden man of the heart as ever they desire they may continue so and lose the things which they have wrought to beware of relapses Ye have heard that ye are not exempted from them nor exempted from a possibility Heb. 3.12 Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God As if the Apostle had said That which I speak to one I speak to another I speak to all therefore let every one take heed Now that which I find in Scripture pressed upon us for preventing such relapses is to have a watchful eye over and a constant hand upon all the inward workings and stirrings of the inward Man for from thence they have their rise as ye may observe in several sorts of Trees their decay is first observed in the withering of the boughs but it begins in the root which fails in sending up sap into them as formerly Even so it is here which way soever relapses are discover'd they begin from within Psal 44.18 Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way Professours first fall from their apprehensions of the necessity of circumspect walking their convictions of the goodness of the ways of God wear off and their affections decay and the works of the flesh break forth and manifest themselves by degrees Therefore as ever we desire to hold fast what we have received be sure to keep the heart with all diligence as Prov. 4.23 Where 1. Our personal care is required Keep thy heart 2. Our principal care Keep it with or above all keeping As it is with the heart naturally considered if that begin to tremble or be in fear or apprehension of danger the blood and spirits as it is observed will forsake the outward parts and run to that to guard and succour it the least wound therein being mortal if it be but with the pricking of a Pin. Thus the heart is kept in its natural capacity but the matter we are speaking of is touching the keeping of the heart in its spiritual capacity and keep it we ought with all diligence watch it by night and by day at home and abroad when we are in company and when we are alone at all times and in all places yea as the Apostle presseth it on Timothy Watch in all things 2 Tim. 4.5 Now this keeping this watching the heart hath special reference to the inward workings and stirrings of corruption 1. To prevent in the strength of Christ so far as may be prevented in this state of imperfection the first risings of them of any one kind whatsoever however to prevent if possible and possible it is that the Corruption and the Temptation may be kept asunder Matth. 26.41 Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Otherwise there will be sad work and the prosperity of the Soul will begin to fade and that upon the sudden Though Hezekiah as holy a Man as he was and how much soever his Soul did prosper and prosper it did exceedingly yet he had always a root of pride in him which though it did not stir him to shew his Treasures to every body yet when he fell into the temptation by occasion of the visit he had from the King of Babylon by his Ambassadours then the Corruption and the Temptation did meet and ye may read in the history how much the well-fare of his Soul was prejudiced by it So it was with David he had though a Man after God's own heart the same root of the same corruption in him yet it did not break forth so as to abate any thing of his Souls prosperity till the temptation met with it To have his subjects numbred neither had it then if he had watched as Peter did to keep the temptation and the corruption asunder See Act. 8.20 Thy money perish with thee said Peter to Simon Magus The temptation was suitable for Peter was out of money Act. 3.6 Silver and gold have I none And Peter was not so perfect as to be beyond the power of the temptation but he kept the temptation from mingling with what corruption soever was in his heart and so the gracious frame of his heart continued untoucht by it So David 2 Sam. 16.10 And the King said what have I to do with you ye Sons of Zerviah so let him curse c. He was subject to the same passions with other Men but by the assistance no doubt of the Spirit of God he kept the temptation and the corruption asunder and so his Soul prospered the better for that tryal 2. If there should be as there is great danger there may be a sad meeting so it is and so it will be found betwixt the corruption and the temptation then endeavour by the assistance of the spirit that your own spirits may immediately rise up in indignation against it and after some hearty ejaculations for the present with the first opportunity with hearty loathing and inward self abhorrency bring forth the temptation and the corruption to the law of God and see them there condemned and to the blood of Christ and see them there pardoned and to the spirit of Christ that thereby all may be subdued and mortified Really a Soul that desires to prosper and to continue to prosper should as kindly work in a heart-melting and a heart-humbling way for these sinful stirrings of the heart before God as for sinful words and sinful actions before Men Psal 73.22 So foolish was I and ignorant even as a beast before thee It is or should be with the Soul that prospers as it is with the eye if a small dust get into it it will never leave twinkling and watering till it be out 2 Chron. 32.26 Hezekiah humbled himself greatly for the pride of his heart Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death He speaks of the law in his members warring against the law of his mind vers 23. This is the way to prevent relapses into sin which is the Soul's sickness and if not prevented or timely healed will overthrow the prosperity of prospering Souls SERMON XIII 2ly AS Souls that begin to prosper and have any desire to continue so ought to keep themselves
his Fleet in Eighty eight whether he said so or no depends upon the credit of the Historian But I am sure the Prophet Jeremiah said Lam. 3.22 It is of the Lords mercy that we are afflicted and not consumed cast down but not cast off Look to that place once again Eccles 7.14 In the day of adversity consider What should we consider Why consider this and mark it well that both these days with all their fillings up are from the Lord. That it is he who thus sets the one against the other that we may see that his account will be so balanced that our receipts when they are least will balance our sufferings when they are most And that therefore we have enough to reason our selves both into a submission and into a thankful frame Job 2.9 10 Shall we receive good at the hands of God and shall we not receive evil And would not these think ye keep our Souls in a thriving and prospering frame It would sure 4. Besides all these we meet with daily passages in what we hear and see which though they do not immediately touch us yet may be thus spiritualized Every Creature of God is a Text for our hearts to raise some Doctrines some spiritual Meditations from We have a Proverb That there is never an outside but it hath an inside Understand it thus There is nothing that comes under our observation but there may be extracted from it some inference or other to employ our thoughts about and that to good purpose even to keep our Souls in their good frame For as a Bee can suck honey out of many a flower where a flye finds no such thing as wanting a principle for it So a prospering spiritualizing Soul may and therefore ought to endeavour to extract some good out of every thing even out of its own and other Mens failings as we may read Pro. 24.30 31 32 I went by the field of the slothful I looked upon it and received instruction Upon this ground among others the principles of godliness are called a partaking of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 For as God according to his infinite power and wisdom brings light out of darkness good out of evil Even so may the principles of godliness much more out of every good thing though of a very mean concernment And would not this help to preserve it in its prosperous frame It would sure That Man is like to thrive who gains by every thing he deals in And that Soul is like to continue to prosper which raiseth Earth into Heaven and fetcheth Heaven out of Earth as every one doth so far as he is faithful in the fore-mentioned particulars And besides it is one of the best helps that I know of to make improvement of that portion of our time which runs between one solemn duty and another which otherwise would lye upon our hands and be rendered useless as to Soul-concernments 4. Another great work which prospering Souls have to do in order to the preserving of themselves in a prospering frame is this To preserve a deep sense of their spiritual poverty when it is best with them in respect of Soul-prosperity The Apostle Paul from the first day after his conversion to the day of his dissolution for ought we read or have any appearance to suspect to the contrary did thrive and prosper in his spiritual estate His inward man was renewed daily 2 Cor. 4.16 Yet what he thought of himself we find by what he speaks of himself Rom. 7.23 24 I find another law in my members warring against the law of my mind O wretched Man that I am 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient to think any thing as of our selves Eph. 3.8 Vnto me who am the least of all Saints is this grace given This is as needful a direction as any of the rest For it is a hard matter to starve this sin of pride and self-exalting thoughts because it will feed almost upon any thing Nothing so good yea nothing so mean but pride will feed upon it Absolom was proud of his long locks he wore his hair so long that when he polled it it weighed about four pound in weight 2 Sam. 14.26 But I speak not now of this kind of pride but of that kind of pride which without special care may breed out of those excellent things which are found in prospering Souls as pride of gifts There is the root of that pride in a prospering Soul which Solomon speaks of Pro. 18.2 A fool hath no delight in understanding but that his heart may discover it self Of that in the Pharisee Luk. 18.11 God I thank thee I am not as other men are Joh. 7.49 This people which knoweth not the law are accursed Pride of Grace Though corruption that is in the heart hates the grace that is in the heart yet it is apt to be proud of it when it is taken notice of Grace cannot be proud but he that hath it may be proud of it As Paul was in danger of being lifted up and exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations which were given unto him 2 Cor. 12.7 Now which way soever pride works ye will find it like the wind sometimes at one door sometimes at another Resist it for God resisteth that Man that doth not resist it Jam. 4.6 He gives more grace to those that walk humbly with him but he resists the proud by abating and lessening what he had given So far as the heart begins to be lifted up so far it is naught how good soever it was before Hab. 2.4 Behold his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him Therefore whensoever the inward man begins to be renewed and that it begins to be better in the frame and temper of the heart then formerly Then watch and pray that ye do not fall into this temptation And consider when it is at best with us how much we come short of the holiness of that rule we ought to walk by and of the holiness of that God which is proposed for our pattern 1 Pet. 1.15 As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Let us compare our selves with that Rule and with that Pattern and the bright-shining beams of the Sun will not discover more motes in the Air then the holiness of God and his law would convince us of sin to be in us And when it is at best with us would make us to see reason to complain of our selves as Paul did Rom. 7.14 The law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin And to pray as Psal 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified And in the strength of Christ to resolve as Phil. 3.13 14 I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which are before I press