proportioned and that is his Soul-prosperity Surely this Gaius was a very rare Man It is hard to find such among all those that bear the honourable name of Christians How many are there Christians in profession and it may be according to some measure indeed and in truth who prosper in their Estates and prosper in their Bodies They are well and lively as David's Enemies were Psal 38.19 but they have poor lean withering Souls So that we may very well in the behalf of many invert the Apostle's wish and wish that their Souls might prosper as their Bodies prosper and as their Estates prosper If we should pray for some that their Bodies might be as their Souls are we should curse them instead of praying for them We must say let their Bodies be filled with noisome Diseases and let them pine away for so their Souls do But it was not so with Gaius Hence observe Note Though a person of a sickly and weak constitution be under many disadvantages yet under them all it is possible his Soul may thrive and prosper 2 Cor. 4.16 Though our outward Man perish yet our inward Man is renewed day by day Here take notice that when I say such a Man is under some disadvantages I mean in respect of the outward Duties of Religion but not as to the inward and spiritual Duties as living by Faith exercising the Love of God and the Fear of God and desires after the enjoyment of God Herein consists true Religion Wo be to that Man that hath no more Religion then can be seen Religion is not all Outside the Lining is the best part of it The Text bears the Doctrine mentioned in the first place thus John wisheth that Gaius might prosper in all things as his Soul prospered we must understand him in subordination to Soul-prosperity John wisheth that Gaius might prosper in all things so that his Soul might still prosper If Gaius's Soul had received prejudice John had wished him a great loss So that the observation is clear That of all prosperities Soul-prosperity is the most desirable prosperity SERMON II. I Now proceed to that Observation I first intended in the choice of the words But take notice first That the Text gives a fair and full occasion to speak to it though perhaps not discerned at first John ye see wisheth all prosperity to his friend Gaius but this must be understood in a way of subserviency to the prosperity of his Soul Otherwise he had wished him far more hurt then good If he had wished him any thing that in the least had been to the prejudice of his Soul It is then beyond all controversie That as he wished that he might prosper in all things as his Soul prospered he would be understood that his desire was That his Soul always might prosper Hence observe Doct. Of all prosperity the prosperity of the Soul is the most desirable prosperity For the Explication three things are to be spoken too 1. What the Soul is in its natural constitution and what it is in its unregenerate state by reason of Original corruption 2. Wherein the prosperity of the Soul consisteth and when it may be said to prosper 3. What are the Reasons whereby it may be made to appear that the prosperity of the Soul is the most desirable prosperity For the first of these there are two things to be taken into consideration and to be spoken to apart 1. What the Soul is in its natural constitution Ans It is hard to tell you for it is a thing which no Man ever saw But this I may say that it is that which the Scripture sometimes calls The Spirit of Man which is in him 1 Cor. 2.11 Sometimes and indeed most frequently The heart of Man Prov. 23.26 My Son give me thine heart The inward Man 2 Cor. 4.16 The hidden Man of the heart 1 Pet. 3.4 The Candle of the Lord Prov. 20.27 And this I may say farther That it is a most excellent piece of God's Workmanship and indeed well worth the tongue and pen of an Angel to describe it The Body of Man though it was of mean extraction made at first but of the Dust of the Earth and liable every moment when God will to tumble into the grave to rot and putrifie and to be resolved into its first original Dust thou art and unto Dust shalt thou return again Gen. 3.19 Yet that it is a very curious piece David speaking of his Body Psal 139. saith vers 13 14 That he was fearfully and wonderfully made When I think thereof saith he as I do sometimes it striketh me with astonishment yea with a dread and fear of the incomprehensible wisdom and power of God manifested therein This my Soul knows full well yet this is but the Case the Cabinet The Soul is the Jewel that is in it If that be as the Ring this is the Diamond in the Ring I shall not undertake an exact definition of it but only this description It is a Spiritual Immortal substance united to the Body yet existing when it is separated from the Body capable of doing more service unto God and of receiving more good from God then all the Creatures that ever God made the glorious Angels and the Human Nature of Christ only excepted I shall not insist upon the proof of the particulars of this description Some of them may possibly come to be spoken to hereafter Only for the present take notice that it is endued with three most excellent Faculties which will go far if no more should at any time be said in proving this to be so 1. With the faculty of Vnderstanding capable of knowing Good from Evil Truth from Falshood of knowing God in Christ the knowledge of whom is Eternal Life Job 32.8 There is a Spirit in Man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth him Vnderstanding Every Soul hath this faculty though this faculty in every Soul be not so furnished yet it is capable of the inspiration of the Almighty so as to know the truth as it is in Jesus and every truth as it ought to be known without which Man were no more capable of such knowledge then the Beasts of the field as Elihu expresseth himself Job 35.11 Who teacheth us more then the Beasts of the Earth and maketh us wiser then the Fowls of Heaven Therefore Nebuchadnezer upon the highest grounds of reason praiseth and magnifieth God for restoring his understanding unto him Dan. 4.34 2. Endued it is with the admirable faculty of Conscience which hath a power to make a Man stand in awe of God though he does not see him yea and of himself too when no Body knows where he is nor what he is doing For it taketh knowledge and can or at last day will bear witness what a Man hath thought or spoken or done even from his Cradle to his Grave So that no Man need to call for a Candle to see what he hath done in the dark
Testament yet he is blessed whose Soul prospers For as it is said of every Man in his civil capacity In his best estate he is altogether vanity Psal 39.5 He is subject to changes none can tell what a day may bring forth Here we have no continuing City Heb. 13.14 So it may truly be said of a person whose Soul prospers whatever his outward condition be he is altogether blessed Psal 94.12 Blessed is the Man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law When instruction hearkened to goes with correction the Soul prospers he is a blessed Man In Job 1. we have a description of Job's prosperous estate First it is said That he was a Man fearing God But we have farther as it were an Inventory given in of his outward condition He had so many Sheep so many Oxen so many Asses so many Camells c. These were a superadded blessing to Job This is set down to shew the praise of Job's patience who bare such a change so as he did 'T is very true a Man may easily over-rate and over-value his worldly estate Verily if Soul-prosperity do not go before outward prosperity outward prosperity is but like a Cypher and signifies nothing if a figure don't go before it A Man may write a sheet of Paper full of Cyphers but all do not make One When Soul-prosperity goes before God hath done much for such persons They have the Earth they shall have Heaven They have the Nether Springs they shall have the Upper Springs so that if it were asked them as Christ did his Disciples Luk. 22.35 Lacked ye any thing They must answer if they will speak as the matter is as the Disciples did They want nothing God hath not dealt so with all those that have shot the gulph and are past danger for Eternity Many of them are cut short yea they may say many times as Peter did Luk. 5.5 We have fished all night and caught nothing Laboured hard and caught not so much as a Sprat for their breakfast Many a Man that labours all the week hath very much ado to bring both ends together his Gettings and his Expences The wants of some are so many that they often know not what to do and the wants of others are so few that they want nothing but to know how to improve what they have To know how to abound is a far greater blessing then to abound Eccl. 3.14 whatsoever God doth is for ever If God give a Man an outward worldly estate it is for ever What to enjoy it for ever No things seen are but for Time But in respect of the use or abuse of them they are forever Now to speak to that which in particular John desires for his friend Gaius That he might be in health Gaius was not sick now that 's clear from vers 6. He did not keep his Bed nor his Chamber nor his House for John adviseth him to bring the Brethren on their way after a godly sort But he was a sickly Man Note Those that have much of the heart of God and live much in the love of God may feel much of the hand of God as in other troubles so in long continued bodily weaknesses That they may be sick is no marvel for they must dye but we speak of long continued weakness Timothy was such a Man 1 Tim. 5.23 It is observed of Calvin that in his latter days he was very sickly and weak contracted as 't was thought by eating too much Alöes Thuanus saith he was so seven years before his death We find Job observed this in his days Job 21.25 One dyes in the bitterness of his Soul never eats his bread with pleasure One dyes What one Even one good Man as well as one bad Man He speaks indifferently of either all things fall alike to all The good Man dyes in bitterness and pain seldom made a good meal Thus ye see it hath been And I note this only for this purpose that we may see that no new thing befalls them with whom God deals so at this day but that which hath been the lott of those whose Souls have prospered 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to Man 2. Gaius was very well with respect to his Spiritual state but he was weakly and sickly therefore John prays that he might be in health Hence note Note A healthy constitution of Body though a Man may be bless'd without it yet in it self is a very great and desirable blessing It is a comprehensive blessing It is the Epitome and Abridgment of all outward blessings It is like Salt that Seasons every Meat It is too true this is not so feelingly acknowledged as it ought to be by those that do enjoy it But when as it is in Job a Man's bones are chastened with a multitude of pains and a Man is worn away with pining sickness it is rare to find such a person that doth not set an higher price on health then he did before And verily it is a very great blessing whether it be by preservation from sickness or by recovery out of sickness 1. If it be by preservation from sickness prize it as a very great mercy It is left upon Record as a very signal Providence and gracious Priviledge vouchsafed to the people of Israel when they were in Egypt where there was so much Sickness Plague and Death Yet Psal 105. there was not one feeble person among them when they came forth for it is said Exod. 12.27 they were able to come for thon foot six hundred thousand Persons And ought it not to be esteemed at this day in this place as a great mercy by those Families which God is pleased to preserve from those sicknesses that some are under If ye do not labour to improve this so that God may not repent that he hath spared you ye do not well 2. It is a very great mercy to have health by recovery from sickness and weakness Hezekiah judged it so Isa 38.19 The living shall praise thee as I do this day David speaks to this Psal 103.5 My Soul praise thou the Lord. He renews thy strength as the Eagle The Eagle as it is said all Birds of prey do casts her feathers once a year new feathers grow up again and then she is fresh and lusty and mounts up as high as before Now that health is so great a blessing will appear in this because while the Lord gives it he puts a very great price into the Man's hands that hath it to further his Soul-prosperity A weakly sickly person is under many disadvantages as to that For observe 1. Weakness long continued infirmity often deprives a person of the publick Ordinances Possibly some may at this day by weakness be deprived of such Meetings as this which we are to reckon publick Ordinances not in respect of the Place but Administration Isa 38.22 What shall be the sign that
the Soul exceedingly prospers Ye have likewise the first evidence of universal growth namely the growth of Faith and Repentance when these two grow in the Soul which are as necessary for the wellfare of the Soul as the Natural heat and Radical moisture are for the wellfare of the Body then the Soul prospereth The God of all grace bless us all with this prosperity This is prosperity indeed But with sadness of heart it may be said of these two graces what is observed of some Out-landish fruits that though with much cost and care they are transplanted into this Countrey yet they thrive not as they do in their native Soil because of the coldness of the Climate Even so it is with Faith and Repentance though they are much spoken of yet they thrive not Though in respect of their Root they may be in the Soul yet what through the coldness deadness sluggishness and unmortifiedness of our hearts they prosper not and therefore our Souls prosper not neither can they ever prosper while these are neglected 2. I proceed now to the second instance of universal growth and that is when that blessing laid up in that promise recorded Hos 14.5 is given forth when the God of all grace is as the dew to the Soul so that it grows as the Lilly and as the Cedars in Lebanon The dew ye know is a very sweet refreshing moisture to the dry and thirsty ground which soaking into the Earth makes it bring forth its fruits and the fruit thereof to grow So the dew of Heavenly influences and Divine supplies of grace when they fall upon the Soul they make the Root of Divine principles to bring forth fruit and the fruit to grow And when it grows as the Lilly and as the Cedar then the Soul prospers 1. When it grows as the Lilly The Lilly ye know is a very lovely Plant. Solomon in all his glory was not like it Now the Soul grows as the Lilly when it grows in those lovely graces mentioned Col. 3.12 Bowels of mercies kindness humbleness of mind meekness long suffering Forbearing one another forgiving one another What a lovely sight is it to see so far as Man can see a Soul clothed with these graces Lovely they are in the eyes even of those that are strangers to the life and power of Religion they cannot skill of the mysteries of Faith of Communion with God of the life of Faith of the comforts of the Holy Ghost but of these things they can judge and cannot but commend All commended Cranmer that holy Martyr for his meekness and kindness even to those that had wronged him that it grew to a Proverb Do him an ill turn and he will be your friend for ever So likewise it grows as the Lilly when it grows in gentleness peaceableness and easiness to be entreated when there is an ingenuous facility either to be perswaded to what is good or disswaded from what is evil though in those things that are contrary to our former apprehensions according to that in Jam. 3.17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated This is lovely as the Lilly Some there are who are guilty of that which is condemned 2 Pet. 2.10 Selfwilled that will not let go their prejudices as if to change their mind in what they are once engaged were a disparagement to them This is very unlovely for this is the greatest folly not to give place to right Reason This hath not been the way of those whose Souls have prospered David hearkened to the counsel of Abigail and thought it no disparagement unto him yielding to the strength of her reasons to alter his mind and blessed God that he so happily met with her 1 Sam. 25.32 33. It is Prophesied Isa 11.6 The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb c. When Souls prosper under the Government of Christ they will be so far subdued and changed through the Spiritual efficacy thereof that those who by nature were as fiery as violent as untamed and untractable as Wolves and Leopards and Lyons shall be so ductile teachable and perswadeable to what is good that a little Child shall lead them and prevail with them to alter their mind bringing Scripture and Reason with them This is lovely when these Principles of grace grow in the Soul the Soul grows as the Lilly 2. The Soul then prospers when it grows not only as the Lilly but as the Cedars in Lebanon which are much spoken of in the Scripture Of all Trees these shoot up highest and endure longest The Timber whereof not being subject to rot as other Timber So that the Soul grows as the Cedar when that deep inward rooted respect to things below which rules in an unmortified heart is so far mortified that a Man's Treasure is changed We now lay up our Treasure in Heaven and set our affections on things that are above mounting up as the Eagles Isa 40.31 Looking after the things that are not seen as the things our Souls delight in having chosen them for our portion preparing for longing after and rejoicing in hope of enjoying them When things that are seen afford us but little but matter of care and grief trouble and sorrow When the Soul creeps on the Earth life a Snail and is up in the things of the World as an Eel in the Mud then it never prospers 2. When a lasting durable frame of godliness is attained and preserved then likewise it grows as the Cedar As it said of Enoch Gen. 5.21 That he walked with God 300 years together So it may be said that our best works are at last as Rev. 2.19 I know thy works and charity and service and faith and thy patience and thy works and the last to be more then the first And that our Salvation is nearer then when we first believed Rom. 13.11 But when good impressions wear off and hardly come on again when inward meltings quickly dry up as the morning dew when the Soul is as it were sick of the Staggers now goes forward and then goes backward it is far from prospering as it ought This is all I have to say to the first Particular that in the first Rise and Foundation of Soul-prosperity as to any possible evidencing that such a thing is begun is laid in those first principles of Spiritual life which are received by virtue of our union with Christ so the growth and progress thereof consists in their increase and then this increase where this thriving is is universal when growth in one principle is added to another as when Men add house to house and field to field they are said to prosper in the World Isa 5.8 So when Faith which is as the natural heat is added to Repentance which is as the Radical moisture and the growth of the Cedar is added to the growth of the Lilly then the Soul prospers I now proceed to the second Particular As the
the great work next to the glorifying of his Father and therein he did glorifie his Father that was in his heart to accomplish in and by that mysterious work of his Incarnation in taking upon him Man's nature and for which he made himself of no reputation in the World for which he suffered so much and still doth so much by his intercession in Heaven to this day that as Isa 53.11 he might see the Travel of his own Soul and be satisfied in the complete and Eternal prosperity of all their Souls which God the Father gave unto him and for which he engaged himself John 6.38 39 40 For I came down from Heaven not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me And this is the Fathers will which sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day In 1 Pet. 2.25 Christ is said to be the Shepherd of Souls Now a faithful Shepherd though he will be ready to do his Master what good service he can in any thing yet his chiefest care is for his Master's flock Such a faithful Shepherd is Jesus Christ he highly minds the meanest thing wherein any of his are concerned Satan to his own great vexation cannot overlook this Job 1.10 Hast thou not made an hedge about him and about his house and about all that he hath on every side And we know that when he was visibly in the World he was exceeding helpful to the Bodies of Men yet his chiefest care was over his peculiar flock as the Shepherd of Souls He laid down his Natural life to procure their Spiritual life That dead Souls might live and living Souls prosper That they might have life and live in abundance Joh. 10.10 11. For this end he ever lives to make intercession for those that come unto him that they might be saved to the uttermost Heb. 7.25 And as the effect of his intercession according to his promise Joh. 16.16 he sends the Spirit of Grace into their hearts to work in them all the graces that accompany Salvation And to abide in them to preserve what he hath wrought that in believing their Souls might be saved Heb. 10.39 And that they might receive the end of their Faith the Salvation of their Souls 1 Pet. 1.9 This is the first thing that Jesus Christ minded this most in our behalf that for this cause he came into the World to seek and to save lost Souls Luk. 19.10 2. This is the great end he aims to carry on by all his Ordinances The Law of God that is the whole Doctrine revealed in the word is for the Conversion of Souls Psal 19.7 And for Edification of Souls Act. 20.32 I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up The Sacraments are Spiritual Food for Souls 1 Cor. 10.3 4 And did all eat the same Spiritual meat And did all drink the same Spiritual drink Yea Excommunication that dreadful Ordinance so it be managed according to the mind of Christ for it is a delivering a Man to Satan yet it is with reserence to the good of his Soul 1 Cor. 5.5 To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus For this end he appointed the Ministry to be a standing Ordinance unto the end of the World that they might watch over Souls Heb. 13.17 This was that which the Apostles aimed at according to their Commission from Christ Paul saith That he was made all things to all Men that by all means he might save some 1 Cor. 9.22 In his removal from one place to another he aimed at the conveying of some Spiritual gift where ever he came for the good of Souls Rom. 1.11 For I long to see you that I may impart to you some Spiritual gift In all his prayers for those to whom he wished all the good that might be this was the great thing he desired in their behalf that their Souls might prosper Eph. 3.14 15 16 17 That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner Man That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith c. Gal. 6.18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your Spirit Prospering Souls were his joy and Crown Phil. 4.1 3. This was and is the great end of all his Providential Dispensations They are or may be all them either Food or Physick for the Soul Thriving in holiness as ye have heard is Soul-thriving Now this is the end that all comforting desirable Providences seem to drive on Obad. vers 17. But upon Mount Zion there shall be deliverance and there shall be holiness All afflicting saddening Providences are for the same purpose Heb. 12.10 God chasteneth us for our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness Yea for this very cause it often goes very ill with many of those that live highly in the love of God in their outward condition that their spiritual condition may prosper and flourish Isa 27.9 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away his sin Which is the sickness and otherwise would be the death of the Soul and its destruction Psal 119.71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes And therefore he acknowledgeth to the praise of the wisdom and rich grace of God that in very faithfulness to the interest of his Soul the hand of the Lord had been upon him so as it was Now lay all this together That this was the great end of Christ's Incarnation Death and Suffering and Intercession The great end for which all Ordinances and Providences are appointed to be subservient unto and it will evidently appear that this was and is above all things else most upon the heart of Christ in our behalf that our Souls might prosper therefore it ought to be most upon our hearts and it is most rational it should be so 3. It is every way most agreeable to the best and highest principles of reason with all possible diligence and seriousness to mind that the neglect whereof will be our utter undoing to all Eternity and bring both Body and Soul under the most absolute and unavoidable wo and misery that ever befell or possibly can befall any Creature that ever God made next unto the Devil himself That principle of self-preservation planted in the heart of Man by Nature if improved cannot but teach him this That it is most rational for him to mind that the neglect whereof would bring this ruine upon him Now what wo and misery is laid up for a neglected perishing unprospering Soul ye have fully expressed beyond what can be conceived in one verse Matth. 25.41 whereof I shall mention but these two particulars
I resolve for this end to hear yea as I am commanded Isa 55.3 diligently to hear to hearken and to incline mine Ear And to make application to my self of what may be for my casting down and for my lifting up that according to the promise in that Text my Soul may live This do and Live SERMON VII HAving spoken something to the first Particular That every one ought to see it who desires that his Soul should prosper that he be Spiritually alive I now proceed to the second wherein two things are to observed That if indeed ye are spiritually alive then to see to it 1. That your Spiritual life be lively and prosper 2. That when it begins to be better than it hath been with you in the inward Man then to take heed that ye lofe not the things ye have wrought 2 Ep. of Joh. vers 8. I shall enter upon the former of these at present 1. To see to it that your Spiritual life be lively and prosper for therein the prosperity of your Souls consists And because every thing almost that I have to speak unto in handling this great and necessary Doctrine needs much enforcement because much neglected I shall before I come to the Directions speak something by way of argument to heighten your endeavours herein Consider then 1. A Soul that is alive to God though burdened with a weak Consumptive Body and with a considerable fullness of outward blessings both which many times are great disadvantages yet may prosper We see it exemplified in Gaius He was but of a weak and crasie Constitution that 's implyed in the Text. And he was withal a Man of some Estate in the World That 's implyed vers 6. Which have born witness of thy charity before the Church Yet neither the one nor the other hindered but that his Soul did prosper It was as John said for doubtless John was as far from giving flattering titles as Elihu said he was Job 32.22 2. Our Souls ought to be as dear unto us as the Soul of Gaius was to him If Gaius made Religion his business minding above all things that one thing which is necessary If he kept his heart above all keeping So that neither Corruption from within nor Temptation from without could set his Salvation-work backward If he laid up his treasure in Heaven valuing both the best things and the worst things of the World as something or as nothing unto him farther then as they might be improved to promote the Eternal well-fare of his Soul All which without doubt in a great measure he did and more then all this too otherwise he had never received this testimony from such a Man as John was which to his honour hath stood upon Record these 1600 years and shall do to the end of the World For as our Saviour said of Mary Matth. 26.13 So wherever this Epistle shall be read in the whole World this that Gaius did shall be told for a memorial of him That his Soul did prosper Therefore as our Saviour saith Luk. 10. We ought to go and do likewise For he was under no more obligation to do what he did then we are And our Souls ought to be as dear to us as his was to him 3. There is not one word to be found to the contrary in all the Scripture but that how short soever we come of this pattern at present yet if we set our selves to do as he did our Souls may prosper as much as ever his did Jesus Christ we are sure can make them prosper Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly 2 Cor. 9.8 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he were rich yet for our sakes he became poor that we by his poverty might be made rich Eph. 3.20 He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us Neither which is much to be observed doth he speak of his absolute power by which he is able to do more then he will do but of his Ordinary working power for so it is in the latter end of the verse According to his power that worketh in us So that we may conclude that he hath not out-acted the greatness of his power in or for the prospering of any Man's Soul but he can work as much again for another Eph. 4.10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things As he filled up the whole work of his Mediatorship which was to be done upon Earth So he ascended up to Heaven to fulfil what remains and that is for ever to fill even all the living members of his mystical Body with the Principles of Spiritual life so that every one shall receive according to his measure Eph. 4.7 But unto every of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Neither doth he tell any Man that he hath given him so much that he will give him no more No Man knows how great his measure may be The grace that Christ intends to give he gives not all at once so that a Man may hope his works may be best at last as was said of them Rev. 2.19 For 1. There is no particular grace though it be in the Soul at present but as smoaking Flax but it may by daily exercise and good usage grow to a great eminency 2. There is no Corruption though more deeply Rooted then others in a Man's natural Constitution but that in time by walking in the Spirit bringing it to the Law of Christ to the death of Christ and to the love of Christ and joining his own endeavours to the Spirit of Christ he may get an eminent victory over it and see it by degrees fall down before him 3. There is no particular duty how backward and indisposed soever he may be to it at present or hath been a long time heretofore against it but he may grow to an eminency in the practice of it 4. There is no one temptation of what kind soever or how often soever he hath been overcome by it but by taking to himself the whole armour of God and strengthening himself in the strength of the Lord which is every ones duty to do but he may so resist it and conquer it that the Devil shall fly before him 5. There is no condition how many snares soever it may be compassed about withal but through the exercise of grace it may be managed to such Spiritual advantage as may exceedingly promote Soul-prosperity 6. There are no doubts no fears no sinking discouragements arising from what spring soever but they may be answered and scattered as a mist before the Sun shining forth in its full strength By all this we see that it is as I have said That as there is no reason for any Man absolutely to conclude though
impression upon his Spirit That though Christ suffered only in his Human Nature and though therefore all his sufferings were but finite yet because the Human Nature was United in one Person to the Divine Nature hence what the Human Nature did suffer though but for a time was of sufficient value to ransome from Eternal death In such a case nothing else could have done it Nothing else can support any Soul in such a condition But this may and this will if believed and wrought upon the heart that the Lord hath laid help upon one that is mighty Psal 89.19 2. Consider Christ in his Offices 1. In his Priestly Office He is a great High-Priest Heb. 4.14 Great both in respect of his Satisfaction and of his Intercession which are the two special parts of his Priestly Office From both which much Spiritual Food for the nourishment of the Soul unto the highest degree of prosperity it is capable of may be received 1. From the satisfaction he hath made to the justice of God for all the wrong that sin hath done him by the sacrifice which he offered which was Himself unto death With this God was well pleased Eph. 5.2 And for this he shall see the Souls of all his Seed to prosper Isa 53.10 Hereby his flesh became meat indeed and his blood drink indeed This clearly manifests that Christ is such an object for Faith to rest upon as we may safely adventure our Eternal state upon For let any Man conceive himself in as sad a condition as the fears of an awakened Conscience can suggest Suppose he sees the guilt of all his sins before him with all their aggravating circumstances and apprehends God coming out against him to require satisfaction to his justice for them all This is a dreadful sight but in the midst of all the heighth and depth of that terrour which this may impress upon his Spirit if God give in a sight of Christ as the great High-Priest as he made his Soul an Offering for sin this is enough to draw forth an hearty act of dependence upon him as able to save to the uttermost This supported David when he was in great depths that he had a sight of him that in the Lord was plenteous Redemption Psal 30.1 2. with vers 6 7. This was the relief of the hunger-bitten Prodigal That in his Father's house was bread enough Luk. 15.17 And it was the speech of a gracious Woman of whom I have heard not long since that upon her Death-bed being under great uncertainties as to her Eternal condition Did not ye tell me said she to those that stood by her that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sins And with that her Spirit Revived and she slept sweetly in the Lord. This indeed may well satisfie Conscience for it satisfies God himself yea so far satisfie Conscience as to go boldly to the Throne of Grace for what grace or mercy soever is necessary for the life and health well-fare and prosperity of the Soul Heb. 4.16 Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need 2. As from Christs satisfaction which he made to the justice of God whilst he was upon Earth so from the other act of his Priestly Office his Intercession which he makes in Heaven for sinners much Spiritual Food for the nourishment of our Souls may be had What should hinder the receiving of it but our daily repeated failings and often renewed infirmities But against the guilt of these Christ's appearing in Heaven for us prevails that even when the Law is broken the Covenant is not broken so that what Food for our Souls may be had from the Covenant and there it is all to be had 1 Joh. 2.1 2 If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the righteous And he is the propitiation for our sins His intercession is as effectual as his satisfaction for he intercedes in the merits of his blood Heb. 12.24 The blood of Christ speaketh 2. To shew further That all in Christ is for the food and nourishment of the Soul much yea very much may be said of that which his Kingly Office affords and likewise his Prophetical Office For his Kingly Office he hath an absolute Soveraignty over all both Men and Devils Eph. 1.21 22. Far above all Principalities and Powers c. He hath all things under his feet He is head over all things to his Church Understand it of the Invisible Church especially which is his Mystical Body whereof he is the head Eph. 5.23 For the Husband is the head of the Wife even as Christ is the head of the Church And he is the Saviour of the Body This is full of Spiritual Food I will instance only in three things by which the prosperity of the Soul is exceedingly farthered 1. As he hath power over Satan This affords great relief to a conflicting Soul that he both can and will break the Serpents head and tread him under foot Rom. 16.20 That in Manlius is memorable to this purpose Satan as he tells the story appeared to a godly Man that was sick in the habit of a Priest with Pen Ink and Paper in his hands and told him that he must confess all his Sins to him he would write them down and then he would absolve him The Sick Man was stricken with fear and no marvel but recollecting himself and perceiving who he was If thou wilt write saith he write this first The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head and with that the Devil vanished 2. As he hath Soveraignty over the Heart He can take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 A great relief this when the Soul is mourning over the hardness of his heart to remember that Christ is exalted to be a Prince to give Repentance Act. 5.31 3. As he hath the Keys of Hell and Death Rev. 1.18 A great relief to a troubled Soul that is under the fear first of Death and then of dropping into Hell when he is dead Those that have obeyed the call and are still obeying the call of Christ they shall none of them dye till it be better for them to dye then to live for death is theirs 1 Cor. 3.22 And for dropping into Hell Christ hath secured them against that Joh. 6.39 40. Every one that believeth on him shall have Everlasting life and Christ will raise him up at the last day 3. The Prophetical Office of Christ is likewise a fruitful food-bearing Office He is engaged by Office to make all his Seed wise unto Salvation Isa 54.13 All thy Children shall be taught of God And he is faithful who hath promised it 1 Joh. 2.27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any Man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and
be so exercised as to bear all such changes so as to avoid the snares and temptations accompanying them To this height St. Paul attained that he could thus manage all conditions Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound c. Want or no want having nothing or possessing all things make no change of the frame of my heart So he saith I am instructed in every thing This is the excellency of the principles of godliness That though truths and falshood things morally good or morally evil are at such a distance that the same principles cannot turn to either side yet Poverty and Riches a full Estate and a poor and mean Estate liberty or restraint are not at such a distance but that the same gracious principle can apply it self to both the one and the other and may be exercised so as the Soul may prosper and may be spiritually a gainer both by the one and by the other And as we desire our Souls should prosper these principles ought to be exercised that we may find it so For so far as corruption mingles with the Providences we are under so far if there be any grace in the heart it will be so far from thriving that it will wither and decay It is observed that when things go well with a Man in his outward condition if corruption be not kept at a distance from it the Man will grow proud and passionate high and self conceited Earthy and Selfish impatient of being crossed in any thing having as he finds wit enough for every thing else and that therefore every one must stoop to him And so when things go cross and as the usual phrase is The World frowns upon him if his corruptions be not kept at a distance from his condition the Man will grow fretful discontented unthankful for what he hath envious at those with whom it is better then with himself And to speak all in a word sin will sit light when crosses fit heavy Therefore it is of absolute necessity that as ever we desire our Souls should prosper this with the uttermost of our care should be looked unto 1. That when the good hand of God is for us so as all our Goings out and Comings-in the beginning and ending of every thing we undertake succeeds well according to our desires that then these principles of grace ought to be exercised that nothing come betwixt Jesus Christ and our hearts but that the more we have of the World the more our hearts may be in Heaven As Jacob was then desirous to be in Heaven when God had given in the unexpected sight of his lost Son his best Son and that as great as he was good Gen. 46.30 And Israel said unto Joseph Now let me dye since I have seen thy face Jam. 1.10 Let the rich Man rejoice in that he is made low because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away when he is made low i. e. When his heart is low and meek humble and patient when his condition is full and high though perhaps not so in it self but as compared with others who had the same opportunities for the World that he had reckoning of all that he hath but as food that perisheth but as a flower that fadeth accounting this as the chiefest excellency of the plentifulness of his Estate that he hath a larger opportunity of doing good and of doing more for God then he could have had if his portion had been as little as once it was Thus to exercise grace To bear such full a cup without spilling argues not only the truth but also the strength of grace and is the way to make the Soul prosper as fast as the Estate 2. In all our civil converse with Men principles of godliness must be exercised with righteousness and sobriety Tit. 2.12 Yea with all courtesie and kindness 3 Epist of John v. 6. Gaius is exhorted in his kindness to the Brethren that travelled up and down about the affairs of the Gospel when he brought them onwards on their Journey to do it after a godly sort That which the Apostle presseth on aged Women is the duty of all both old and young Tit. 2.2 That the aged women be sober grave temperate Zech. 14.20 21 In that day shall be written upon the Bells of the horses Holiness to the Lord And every Pot in Jerusalem shall be holiness to the Lord. This was written upon the High-Priests Mitre as he was a type of the great High-Priest the Lord Jesus who was holy and undefiled That which Men are thereby taught is this That the meanest things of common use should be holily used In all we do we should act as persons consecrated to God that are not our own and therefore we ought to glorifie God with our Bodies and with our Spirits which are God's 1 Cor. 6.20 Even in our natural actions Whether we eat or drink or whatever we do we should do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Now I have told you already and I told you the truth that God is not glorified it will appear so one day but when the principles of godliness are exercised Neglect hereof even in these natural actions is charged upon Men as their sin Jude ver 12. That they did feed without fear 3. In all companys So as where ever we are we always keep our hearts under the awe of God Eph. 4.29 Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your mouth Col. 4.6 Let your speech be always with grace seasoned with Salt But of this more under another head in the next use of this Point SERMON XI I Come now to the third Particular The reasons why these principles of godliness ought to be stirred up So as to be set about and kept close to their proper work that they may bring forth their proper and peculiar fruit in due season and that in order to Soul-prosperity 1. This is that which specially falls under the authority of Command Observe it and you will find that when the Scripture speaks to professing Christians the principles are supposed to be infused and the exercise is specially required as Eph. 4.24 Put on the new Man saith the Apostle Not by Conversion that is supposed for he owns them as faithful Brethren in Christ Ch. 1. vers 1. But put them on for operation for exercise The new Creature the first day of its birth is a new Man It is born at once though it grows up by degrees and every particular principle of godliness is a member of this new Man Put them on so as ye may have them ready and nothing may be wanting when Providence calls for their exercise so that Your loins be girded about and your lights burning Luk. 12.35 Thus also Eph. 6.10 Put on the whole armour of God Be ready furnished to break through whatever snares and temptations ye may meet withal in running that race which God hath set
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
some Communion with God some drawings nigh in holy duties some good hopes through grace of acceptance with God unto Eternal Life yet within a while overcome again with deadness and darkness strange flatness and coldness growing upon the face of the whole Soul again so as it is nothing the same it was Thus we see that though the state of grace be sure 2 Tim. 2.19 yet the workings of grace are variable The nature of it is unchangeable but the degrees of it are subject to many changes the operations of it to many alterations So that though the principles of godliness be always like themselves yet the most godly Souls that prosper most are not always like themselves 3. As there may be such a sad and sudden change in the most prosperous Soul that lives so that may be lost in such a change which will not be recovered but with very much difficulty A Ship may easily be born down the stream but it is hardly fetcht up again A Man may lose more strength in a few days sickness then can be recovered in many days I have read of Henry the First King of England a sober and temperate Prince that he surfeited with eating a Lamprey which cost him his life Thus one intemperate meal may overthrow the temperance of a Man's whole life for the same History saith of that King that he did seldom or never eat but when he was hungry or drink but when he was thirsty yet thus he came to his end Thus it may be in this matter which we are speaking of Even the Soul that mounts aloft by the supplies of grace as upon Eagles wings if spiritual drowsiness creep by degrees upon it and that it begins to dally with duties or to dally with sin it may cost much spiritual wrestling and striving with God much heart-humbling and mourning in the sight of God before it recovers its former height and heavenly temper If a Watch be let fall and receive a bruise it must be all taken asunder before it be brought to its former exactness and evenness of motion Read the 5 ch of the Canticles at the beginning there ye may perceive what hard work the Church had in seeking after Christ before she found him again We read of David's first days as his best days 2 Chron. 17.3 And though it may easily be proved that he recovered his former stature both in grace and comfort yet it may as easily be proved that he found it no easie matter to recover either the one or the other And this his 7 penitential Psalms do sufficiently prove 4. Yet for all this much may be done this way so as a prospering Soul may continue in its prosperous state more then the most careful Man in the World can do for the continuance of the prosperity of his worldly estate A Man may be looking to and taking care for the well managing of his estate and yet whilst his eye is upon it he may see it upon the wing and flying away from him as the Eagle towards Heaven far enough out of his reach See Job 1.14 Job's Servants with great care and diligence attended their Master's business for the securing his Cattel and improving his ground each of them according to their place and yet ye know how suddenly all was lost so that it came to be a Proverb As poor as Job But there is more certainty of God's prospering serious endeavours in minding Soul-prosperity For if the occasions of sin be watched against one day as well as another if the first risings of sin be checked and suppressed if grace be exercised suitable to the Providence of the day and Communion with God in the duties of Religion be made our great business of the day so far and so long as it is so so far and so long the Soul will continue to prosper And why all this may not be done one day as well as another no reason can be given The promise of the assistance of the spirit for all this is ready one day as well as another And God is a God hearing prayers for all this one day as well as another And therefore what is done one day may be done another It is said of Enoch Gen. 5.22 That though the age he lived in were very corrupt yet he walked with God and lived in some degree of eminency in the exercise of the principles of godliness above others of the Servants of God that were his contemporaries and he had this testimony the Spirit of God witnessing together with his Spirit That he pleased God Heb. 11.5 And it is well known that the blessed Apostle Paul as he began so he continued fighting a good fight finishing his course keeping the faith and living by faith to his dying day as he saith Gal. 2.20 2 Tim. 4.6 7 And though his outward condition was for the most part very low yet his spiritual condition was very thriving and flourishing though the one perished daily yet the other was renewed 2 Cor. 4.16 5. Our labours and endeavours how much soever we abound therein will not be in vain but be abundantly recompensed in the blessed fruits and effects thereof When a prospering Soul is carried on with a full gale in its holy course the precious influences of the Spirit of God in and by the Ordinances of God will be fixed and the word will be an abiding word and not like those human Ordinances the Apostle speaks of Col. 2.22 which perish in the using And as the matter requires the word which ye hear at one time will be brought to remembrance at another time as Joh. 14.26 and put the Sword of the Spirit into your hands so as to resist the assaults of Satan and discover a temptation in time of temptation before the heart be ensnared by it 2. To keep the heart humble and heaven-ward under a confluence of all worldly comforts To keep it calm and well-composed under all provocations from Men and afflictions from God so as to run with patience the race that is set before us holding on till our course be finished To be much above distracting fears in time of danger all of them being mightily subdued in the reverential fear and awe of God yea to have our thoughts of death full of comfort and our hopes of Eternal happiness full of well-grounded confidence To be able to live to God whilst we live and to dye to God when we dye These and many such like are the effects and blessed consequences of this so far as it prospers So as all such whose Souls do prosper see cause daily not only to bless their God but also as it is Isa 65.16 To bless themselves in their God whatever their condition be Therefore let not these consolations of God seem small unto us but engage us according as we are commanded Deut. 4.9 To keep our Souls diligently lest we forget the things which our eyes have seen and lose those things
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