terrae non capit Lips Wilt thou contain that man whom the whole World cannot contain Alas what will the whole World be to thee when thou comest to die let it seem no more to thee now who art dying every day do every thing as strangers and pilgrims here Heb. 11. 9. 13. and as if you heard a voice every day saying Awake and come to judgment Jerome thought whatever he did he still heard that voice Surgite mortui venite ad judicium Arise ye dead and come to judgment When you are travelling to this Market and the other Fair think Sure I am journeying to the grave and I know not what dust I shall shortly be shovell'd into when you are about your work think I am hastening to eternity and shortly these hands must rot in the grave When you promise your selves great things as the fruit of your labours and hope for this gain and the other comfort say Death may come between me and my enjoyments and crop off the hopes of all my labours What can be great to him that accounts the World nothing or long to him that counts his life but a span Mr. Dod When thou findest thy heart running out too greedily after this World ready to lye cheat oppress undermine others to greaten thy interest think on this For all these things God will bring thee to judgment and render to thee according to all thy works Secondly Then do you your earthly work in an heavenly manner when you do it with an heavenly heart As is the heart so is the action in God's account the Lord was much pleased that it was in David's heart to build him an House though he never did it 1 Kin. 8. 18. and displeased with all that Israel did in his service because their heart was not right with him Psal 78. 37. Israel did many good works they sought him they returned and enquired early after God they remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer ver 34 35. but all this was nothing in God's esteem because their heart was not upright in it they had an earthly carnal selfish backsliding heart in all they did If thy heart be heavenly though thy work be earthly yet it puts an excellency on it but if thy work be heavenly and thy heart earthly God doth reject and despise it the heart is the root of every action and if the root be good the fruit will be good also Mat. 12. 33. Rom. 11. 16. If the fountain be sweet the streams will be sweet also and if thy heart be heavenly thy work is heavenly A heavenly heart like the Bee turns all it doth to heavenly uses when the Lord Jesus had put his hand upon the Spouses heart and left some myrrh upon her bowels presently her hands dropped myrrh and her fingers sweet smelling myrrh Cant. 5. 4 5. A heavenly heart perfumes thy earthly work and makes it wonderfully taking with the heart of Christ Quest How might I know when my heart is heavenly in my earthly work Sol. First A heavenly heart is a heart enlightned to see heavenly things a heart beam'd over with heavenly light to discern things invisible An earthly heart is a dark heart it sees nothing in God his Word and Works so as to draw up his heart to Heaven an earthly heart sees nothing but earth in heavenly things and an heavenly heart sees Heaven in earthly things The Patriarchs saw the heavenly City in their earthly Countrey Heb. 11. 13 14 16. They saw the promises that is the things promised afar off and confessed that they were strangers on earth they sought a Countrey desired a better Countrey that is an heavenly and all that as the product of their heavenly sight they saw heavenly things in earthly Abraham had an heavenly eye to see Christ's day Joh. 8. 5 6. and Moses a heavenly eye to see him who is invisible Heb. 11. 27. A heavenly heart doth not only see heavenly things but sees an infinite worth and excellency in them it sees them to be the best things it sees a greater glory and desirableness in things above in one glance of his eye in one day within his Courts in one hours communion with him than in all the World besides Mary saw more advantage in sitting at Christ's feet than in the many things Martha's heart was taken up about Luke 10. 41 42. Cursed be that man saith the noble Marquess Galeacius that accounts not one hours communion with Christ above all the World Secondly A heavenly heart is a heart that savours heavenly things Rom. 8. 5. Nothing goes down so sweet with a heavenly heart as heavenly things every thing rejoyces in its like An earthly heart delights in earthly things the Merchant in his Trade the Husband-man in his Field Houses Husbandry and fruits of the earth the voluptuous man in his pleasures as he that sold his City for a draught of water crying out when he had done O that for so short a pleasure of a King I should be made a Slave The proud man in his greatness Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the Kingdom Dan. 4. 30. So doth the heavenly heart relish greatest sweetness in heavenly things How sweet are thy words to my taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth Psal 119. 103. His fruit was sweet to my taste his mouth is most sweet Cant. 2. 3. and 5. 16. My meditation of him shall be sweet Psal 104. 34. We took sweet counsel together Psal 55. 14. We talked of the mysteries of godliness saith Ainsworth of the exercises of Religion saith another which I suppose the Prophet meaneth by going into the House of God as companions consulting as it were how they might prepare themselves to his service Thirdly A heavenly heart is a heart that longs and desires after heavenly things Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none that I can desire on Earth in comparison of thee Psal 73. 25. When shall I come and appear before God My soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is to see thy power and glory as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Psal 43. 2. Psal 63. 1 2. My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God Psal 84. 2. Desires are the natural motions of the heart and the best character and truest lineaments saith one y Reynold's Treatise of Passion that can be drawn of the minds of men Practices may be overrul'd by ends but desires are alwaies genuine and natural Hence good men have had most confidence in approving themselves to God by their affections and the inward longings of their souls after him as being the purest and most unfeigned issues of love and such as have least proximity and danger from forein and secular ends It is an unquestionable
duty and providence calls them too and with the Chymist are to extract some good from every thing they deal with and like the Bee gather Honey from weeds yet this good they get from persons and things is not in them but conveyed through them from the great Purchaser with whom they deal good from every thing to these heavenly Traders and Heirs of Salvation is made over in the propromise All things shall work together for good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose Rom. 8. 28. and shall in due time through these Conduits be emptied out to Believers by the hand of Jesus So that it is properly and strictly but with one great Merchant those Traders have to do with for the goods they lay out or take in all other things and persons are but ways and instruments of his appointment through which it shall be delivered and this makes Wisdom's Trade so good that the advantage of it is not depending on those secondary Agents they have to do with but upon one that is more excellent both great and good able and faithful to answer both his promises and the expectations of those that deal with him As to his Quality and personal Grandeur he is above all and over all King of Kings and Lord of Lords He hath a vesture on his thigh whereon is written King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. He is the Majesty on high the Glory of Heaven and Earth he hath Angels to worship him Thrones and Principalities under him all creatures in Heaven and in Earth to serve him O! how honourable is it to deal with him to whom Kings and Potentates pay their tribute and to whom Men and Angels yield their homage It 's taking with Men to converse with those that are above them and to manage concerns with Persons of Honour and Greatness but here 's one Souls that offers to trade with you from whom all creatures receive their glory Yea his Goodness answers his Greatness and sweetly tempers his personal converse for the encouragement of the meanest Soul that hath occasions with him Greatness without Goodness rather checks than relieves the hopes of those that are beneath it but such is the sweetness of Christ's nature as that his Glory doth but render his Goodness the more amiable and his Goodness represents his Glory the more desirable he values no man by his own worth nor despises any for their low estate the meanest Soul hath as easy access to him and as gracious a reception as persons of highest reputation with men I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to revive the spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Isa 57. 15. He is of a sweet and gracious temper of a free and generous spirit good to all especially to those that seek him this renders persons desirable who would choose to deal with men of ugly natures and churlish dispositions affability and sweetness do strongly invite men to converse with such and none like to Jesus for excellent goodness and loving kindness for pitty and bounty goodness is his nature mercy his delight he takes pleasure in doing good none that trade with him but he will see them to be the better for it He is also able as well as good Some men have excellent natures but straitned capacities they are willing to do good beyond their power but it is not so with the Saints friend He hath all power in Heaven and Earth Mat. 28. 18. and can do what-ever pleaseth him he hath all creatures at his command all the treasures of Heaven at his dispose he is infinitely rich and hath all that good that Souls can need or desire he hath goods of all kinds of supply his Customers with it is not so with men no Merchant can furnish his Traders with every thing they need but one sells this ware another that here men sail to one Countrey for one Commodity and to another Countrey for other Wares they ransack Nature's treasures by Sea and Land borrow something from every Nation that hath a peculiar excellency to make up their supplies and furnish all their occasions and pleasures but the Lord Jesus hath all that in him and at his dispose which you need he can supply all your wants having all fulness dwelling in him Phil. 4. 19. He hath that in him which your Souls want and the command of that you need for your Bodies also He can give you the desires of your heart Psal 37. 4. He is able to make all grace abound towards you that you always having all-sufficiency in all things may abound in every good work 2 Cor. 9. 8. Here 's no less than five All 's that flow from the ability of Christ to Believers All grace abounding in them All sufficiency enjoy'd by them All ways in All things for All good works Did Souls but believe the all-sufficiency of Christ they would not so perplex their spirits when in wants with what shall I eat and with what shall I be clothed and how shall I get this and the other mercy I want when all is offered to Wisdom's Merchants freely for godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come and these promises are in the hand of Jesus for all that come to God by him All things are delivered to me of the Father Matt. 11. 27. The Lord Jesus is not only able to give you all that you ask according to his will having all things delivered to him for that end but he can keep it for you and secure it to your use I am perswaded that he is able to keep that good thing I have committed to him against that day 2 Tim. 1. 12. This all-sufficiency of Christ is argument enough to new-Covenant-federates for a calm and quiet dependance on him and holy walking before him Gen. 17. 1. And that which is exceeding pleasing to Traders also he is faithful as well as able he is one of his word that makes good all his promises to a tittle to those that by Faith deal with him The holy one of Israel cannot lie or alter the word that is gone out of his mouth hath he said and shall he not do it hath he spoken and shall he not make it good Numb 23. 19. and Rev. 1. 5. He is the faithful witness faithful is his name And he that sate upon the Throne was called faithful and true Rev. 19. 11. And faithfulness is his nature in comparison of whom every man is a liar Let God be true and every man a liar Rom. 3. 4. If the Lord Jesus were not faithfull to his word and undertaking the Father would not have trusted him with all the concerns of his glory and people in the world neither had he been a fit person for the Elect to have committed unto him their souls and all
promised viz. heavenly things of which Canaan was a type So a Tria participia refero ad promissionis rem significatam Patriam Coelestem quam unice desiderabant Paraeus refers the participles here to the things signified of the promise that heavenly Country which they onely desired Things nearest Heaven saith one take least care of the Earth The Fowls of the Air neither plow nor sow The glory of the world seems little to one that dwells much on the believing views of Heaven 'T is said of Fulgentius That when he beheld the splendour and joy of Rome the glory of the Roman Nobility the triumphant pomp of King Theodorick he was so far from being taken with it that it raised up his desires after heavenly joys the more saying How beautiful may the Coelestial Jerusalem be when terrestrial Rome so glittereth If such honour be given to lovers of vanity what glory shall be imparted to the Saints who are lovers and followers of truth Serious thoughts of Heaven will inflame the desires after it Our Conversation is in Heaven saith Paul whence also we look for the Saviour who shall change our vile bodies into the likeness of his glorious body Phil. 3. 20. We wait hope for and expect Heaven to be where this blessed Countrey is the breadth and length of which we now look into by faith If your thoughts be much on Heaven your longings will be much for Heaven I have read of one being in his journey towards Jerusalem thought he saw famous Cities in his way and met with many friendly entertainments yet would often say I must not stay here this is not Jerusalem So will thy heart say if thou conversest much in Heaven now when thou meetest with the most desirable comforts of this life yet this is not Heaven my affections must not stay here Allow time every day to take some turns in the upper world and to get thy heart held in the galleries above where are the sweetest delicacies and most delighting views to take thy heart and sublimate thy affections to these pure and eternal things Sixthly If you would keep up a Heavenly Spirit be much exercised in heavenly actions As is mens employments they are mostly versed about so usually is their spirit Actions strengthen habits Men that are much taken up about earthly things are earthly-minded their spirits being tinctured with the things they have much to do with Such are heavenly actions to gracious souls they draw forth and exercise their graces use makes men ready and adapts their spirits to their work The Apostle makes this an evidence of strength in grace that such are much in the exercise of it Heb. 5. 14. Strong meat belongeth to them who are of full age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil The more you are conversant about holy things the stronger will be the bent of your spirit to them the more facile and pleasant will Religion be and the indisposition of your spirit to it more abated Prov. 10. 29. The way of the Lord is strength to the upright The more you walk in it the less weary will you be the more pleasure will you find in it and the more propense will your spirit be to it This is the first work in Wisdom's Merchandise to get and keep up a Heavenly Spirit Secondly Another piece of your Heavenly Trade is to secure your interest in heavenly things This is part of mens business in the world to secure their interest in the things they have they mark their goods and brand their cattel and set their names on the things they have that their interest in them might be known And this is the great concern of Wisdom's Merchants also to make good their claim to and prove their propriety in the things of Heaven and Glory These are worth the securing being things of infinite moment and eternal duration other things are not O what folly is it to strive for shadows and lose the substance to get and secure Houses Lands and Reputation for your Children and to lose your souls As he that complained when he was to dye That he must burn in Hell for ever for geting an estate for his Son and neglecting his own soul What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul Matth. 16. 24. To make all things else sure and leave God Grace and Glory to an uncertainty As Caesar Borgia bewail'd when too late saying when he was near death I have endeavoured to secure me against every danger but death and having never thought of death must now dye Things eternal will then appear the greatest when men come to dye then an interest in God pardon and salvation will be valued beyond ten thousand worlds And is it not worth the looking after now And what can compensate the loss of that soul who miscarries in his All and hath nothing left but the tormenting sense of what he hath lost and the intolerable burden of what he hath found as the fruit of his often cautioned folly 'T is a dreadful thing to be disappointed of salvation-hopes What if thou should'st miss of glory at last and thy end should be to be cut off and to have thy portion with Hypocrites in that Lake which burns with fire and brimstone where the worm never dieth and the fire is never quenched Mark 9. 44. How could'st thou bear if when thou thinkest to enter into the joy of the Lord then in a moment to be thrust into the place of torment and when thou dreamest of carrying up into Abraham's bosome where is eternal pleasures to fall into the hands of God who is a consuming fire this is fearful And yet this may be thy case Think how possible nay how easy 't is for men to be deceiv'd in lesser matters and that they who have had the highest confidences of a future blessedness have been mistaken at last and all their hopes have expir'd as a falling Meteor and come to nothing Job 27. 8. For what is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained much when God taketh away his soul Men may think themselves to be something and yet be nothing Gal. 6. 2. Come with confidence to the Bridegroom's doors and demand an entrance as the foolish Virgins did and yet rejected Mat. 25. 11 12. Afterward came also the other Virgins that is when the door was shut saying Lord Lord open to us but he answered and said verily I say unto you I know you not They may seem to have some reason for their claim and produce evidences of their hope and yet be turned away as workers of iniquity Mat. 7. 22 23. Lord have we not prophesied in thy name have cast out Devils and in thy name have done many wonderful works And then will I profess to them I never knew you depart from me ye workers of iniquity The heart is deep and deceitful
who can know it none but he who searcheth the deep things of God can reach this bottom and bring to light the hidden things thereof The work of grace is a secret full of mysteries that none can open and fully know but the eternal Spirit that formed it in the womb of a Believer's heart Seeming grace hath so near a resemblance to saving grace that it puzzles the most curious and searching eye if not enlighten'd with a beam from Heaven to discern the difference besides the slender measures of the Spirit that most have attained to in this life with the subtil insinuations the false representations and treacherous prevarications of that bloody and irreconcilable enemy of mankind all which conspire to put a cheat upon the professing Christian and render his Salvation exceeding doubtful And suppose thy state should be safe yet how perplexing and full of anxiety is it to have the least suspition of thy unsoundness To have the life of thy precious soul hang in suspence and to be unresolv'd in that great case whether thou must live or die to all eternity O! how tormenting and heart-sinking is this An awakened Soul that cannot rest in sin nor yet hope in grace or upon any Scripture-warrant come to a determination about his real interest in God and things eternal is like a troubled Sea that cannot rest Instruments of Musick cannot allay its disquietude no Creature-comforts can charm its heart to a peaceful composure who does in reallity but suspect his eternal welfare and but think he reads this hand-writing on the wall Mene mene tekel upharsin Thou art weighed in the balance and art found wanting Dan. 5. 25. 27. Nothing in all the World can be a Plaister broad enough for such a wound no Cordial can cheer that heart till Grace decides the controversy and assures the Soul of an unquestionable title to the Heir of all things and to the inheritance with the Saints in light And have you not reason then to be restless till your propriety in these glorious treasures be attested which though difficult yet is possible and feasible to all that follow Wisdom's counsel in order to it The eternal truth hath opened a way to the decision of this question whether I have eternal life or no and laid down certain marks of a Soul entitled to things above 1 Joh. 5. 13. These things have I written to you that believe on the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life Vers 12. 19. Chap. 3. 14. The Lord hath charged this to be the duty of all that profess their hopes of glory to make their Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. To examine themselves whether they be in the Faith 2 Cor. 13. 5. To prove their own work that they may have rejoycing in themselves Gal. 6. 4. which he would never have done were it impossible He hath also promised the Spirit to help them in this work and to lead them into all truth bearing witness with their spirits that they are the Lords Joh. 16. 13. Rom. 8. 16. And upon this very account exhorts them to holiness that they might not impede this sealing work of the Spirit Eph. 4. 30. And upon the arrival to this certainty hath ensured great consolation and advantage 2 Pet. 1. 8. 10 11. All which words signify nothing and reflect unrighteousness on the spirit of truth were not an evidence of right to these heavenly things obtainable Quest But how may I come to the knowledg of this desirable truth that Heavenly Treasures are surely mine and that I may make a warrantable claim to God to Christ and these things of the other World Sol. 1. First By your conjugal union with the Heir of Heaven All things in Heaven and Earth are Christ's he is the Heir of all things Heb. 1. 2. Hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things All things in Heaven and Earth are his by donation purchase and inheritance juridically conferred over to him in the new covenant and actually put into his hand upon the finishing of his meritorious work and victory over death Matt. 28. 18. All power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is given to me in Heaven and Earth Lawful power right priviledg and authority as the word imports and with this is the Lord Jesus invested and hath all things put into his hands and all creatures under his feet Heb. 2. 7 8. And all right to true riches is derived from him through union with him 1 Cor. 3. 21. 23. All things are yours and you are Christ's and Christ is God's If you are Christ's then all things are yours not else your title is founded on your marriage-relation to him Gal. 3. 29. And if you are Christ's then are you Abraham ' s seed and Heirs according to the promise A title to these glorious treasures is made over in the new covenant which covenant is confirm'd in Christ and made in him and through him to all that are his He is the way there 's no coming to these treasures but by him he is the door no entring into them but through him He is the treasury it self in whom all the riches of grace all the fulness of pleasures and satisfaction lies you must have the treasury before you can have the treasures the well it self before the waters are yours He that hath the Son hath life hath him by way of possession as an owner and proprietor If you have Christ you have all that is his his person and purchase go together Rebekah must consent to go and marry Isaac before she could be invested with that substance and wealth which was his This new covenant which interests a soul in the Lord Jesus and his unsearchable riches is a marriage-covenant Hos 2. 19 20. And I will betroth thee unto me for ever yea I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness and in judgment and in loving-kindness and in mercies I will even betroth thee to me in faithfulness and thou shalt know the Lord. Ezek. 16. 8. I entred into covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou becamest mine this was a marriage-covenant Jer. 3. 14. Turn O back sliding children saith the Lord for I am married to you If you would see your title to heavenly treasures try your conjugal union to the Lord Jesus the Heir of Heaven Every relation to Christ is not a conjugal relation There is a general relation as dead branches to the tree Joh. 15. 2. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away A person may be in Christ as the luxuriant branch or sucker is in the tree that sucks the sap of priviledges and gets some nourishment of frames and comforts but brings not forth fruit it sprouts out of the stock as proud-flesh grows on the wound but hath no right union with the root or nourishment from the head Such are obtruders and hang-bies which take
in this heavenly Trade Religion is much advanc'd by a spiritual improvement of mens talk and converses this way did the searers of God keep alive Religion in evil times when other helps were wanting Mal. 3. 16. Prov. 10. 21. By this souls come to be fed and nourished in their holy Faith 1 Tim. 4. 6. A great deal of good or hurt comes by mens discourses O the mischief Christians do to each other by their vain carnal and earthly communications when they come together Evil communications corrupt good manners 1 Cor. 15. 33. Whose word doth eat as doth a canker 2 Tim. 2. 17. This way does Satan put off much of his wares even by Wisdom's Merchants making them to weaken cool deaden and corrupt one anothers spirits stir up feed and strengthen each others corruptions become temptations and provocations to one another to sin by their sinful corruptions 'T is sad to think how the work of God ceases and the work of Satan prospers this way Persons come warm sometimes from a Sermon and are soon cool'd by impertinent and vain discourses come from secret duty when their hearts are quickned and raised and presently deadned again by spirit-quenching discourses O how many labours of the Saints and Servants of Christ and how many strivings of the Spirit are overturned and come to nothing by vain and rotten discourses no wonder the Apostle tells us The tongue is a fire a world of iniquity it defileth the whole body and setteth on fire the course of nature and is set on fire of hell Jam. 3. 6. Through the organ of an unsanctified tongue doth Satan shoot his fire-balls of temptation into the hearts of hearers are you afraid of that fire which burns down your houses beware of that fire that burns down souls to hell 'T is no small part of a Christian's wisdom to speak a word in season and to order as his conversation so his converses to edification When the Apostle presses the Ephesians to wisdom Eph. 5. 17. the next thing he advises to is holy conference ver 19. by mens language are they known of what Countrey they are so are persons discover'd whether Citizens of Heaven or the World by their ordinary and desir'd language 'T is said of Augustine he went not so willingly to a feast as to a conference to reduce any that erred He that is of the Earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth he that cometh from Heaven is above all and what he hath seen and heard that he testifieth Joh. 3. 31. He will be speaking of heavenly things which he learnt of God A good man out of the abundance of his heart bringeth out good things for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh The tongue is but the index and bucket of the heart that tells men what things are within and draws out of those deeps to others men use to find out what metals are hid in the earth by the colour of the sand which the waters wash away from the mountains if the streams be low the spring is weak an empty heart yields empty discourses By your words you shall be justified or condemned The tongue of the just is as choice silver Prov. 10. 20. in that it is enriching to those that are near it The tongue of the wise is health Prov. 12. 18. It sendeth out sound and wholsome words to the strengthning of hearers 't is said of the Spouse that her lips did drop as the honey-comb honey and milk are under her tongue Cant. 4. 11. And the roof of her mouth like the best Wine that goeth down sweetly causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak Cant. 7. 9. This doubtless is one reason of the little thrivings of Christians in communion this day 't is from their barren and carnal communications this starves Religion both in thy own soul and in those thou conversest with 't is not maintained by gracious converses and soul-edifying discourses Christians lay this to heart how can you bear the charge of all that decay in godliness this day upon your non-improvement of this part of your heavenly Trade Lastly Then do you carry on the heavenly Trade when you improve every thing to heavenly advantages getting good from every thing you meet with do or enjoy 'T is so in earthly Trades all men seek their gain from their quarters Isa 56. 11. endeavour to turn every thing to some profit And so should heavenly Traders be getting some spiritual good from every thing that comes under their hand and in their way if ever they intend to thrive this comports with the great design of God in all his administrations to his people which is to do them good Who fed thee in the Wilderness with Manna which thy Fathers knew not that he might humble thee and that he might prove thee to do thee good at the latter end Deut. 8. 16. To this end are his providences directed The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him Ezra 8. 22. And this leads to the accomplishment of the promises towards Believers I will set mine eyes upon them for good Jer. 24. 6. I will not turn away from them to do them good Jer. 32. 40. All their occurrences are brought under a promise of working for good All things the best and worst things of providence shall work for good to them that love God Rom. 8. 28. And why is this but that gracious souls should be expecting good from every thing every affliction as well as mercy that doth befall them and be comporting in all their capacities with this design of God by an improvement of all to this great end of soul-advantage What more good O Lord was the usual saying of a godly man when the Lord brought any new affliction upon him with which he was much exercised and from which he ever got some spiritual advantage For this end are gracious souls made capable to use their mercies to bear and improve their afflictions to some spiritual good they have a principle of grace planted in their hearts and of divine light into their minds and have received rules and instructions of purpose that they might be able to reach this end They are made men of wisdom for this end that they might hear God in affliction Mic. 6. 9. and see God in mercies and are skill'd in divine Chymistry that they might extract the spirit of providences and good of every condition duty and mercy 'T was said of pious Mr. Dod that he used to turn Earth into Heaven by a wise and spiritual improvement of all earthly affairs A blessed metamorphosis and an argument of excellent skill and high attainment in this heavenly Trade to turn Copper and Brass into Gold and to convert every thing the worst things to some good This Christians is your priviledg duty and interest so to manage every affair condition occurrence and experience as to help on your soul-enrichings There
may be truly gracious and yet live uncomfortably in his Soul and in the wayes of God but he that thrives in Godliness hath larger incomes of sweetness and peace and makes many a merry meal on the review of his integrity and the grace of God in and towards him Psal 112. 2. Seventhly Layings up as well as layings out bespeaks good Trading when men fill their bags and enlarge their possessions turn Purchasers and begin to join house to house and field to field then they manifestly shew their thrivings So when Souls thrive in their Heavenly Trade they begin to lay up for Heaven and to be preparing for another world they lay up Treasure in Heaven Mat. 6. 21. get bags that wax not old weak Christians are all for their comforts here how they may maintain their peace and pleasure in the way but strong Christians thriving Souls they have their thoughts upon their journeys end and to make provisions for their future state Bread and Water contents them here Gen. 28. 20. a little spending Money in the way to help them home is all they indent for But their chiefest care is to lay up for Heaven When shall I provide for mine own house saith Jacob Gen. 30. 30 So the thriving Christian is thoughtful about his house in Heaven to make all the provisions he can for that he will lay up in store a good foundation to lay hold on eternal life 1 Tim. 6. 19. he is for securing all he can for Heaven and for such works as will follow him he will turn all he may into moveables that he may transmit them into his Countrey The interests of this world are stak'd down to the earth and cannot be removed but thriving Christians are for such goods as they can knock up and carry with them to their own home They strive to pray hear think speak do suffer and all for eternity their affections are gone before to Heaven while their bodies are imprison'd in the World As 't is said of the Athenians when besieged by Sylla their hearts were with him without the walls whiles their bodies were forc'd to serve within a Animos extra moenia corpora necessitati servientes intra muros habuerint Paterc So 't is with enriched Christians the World is a Prison to them a strange Countrey where they have been sent to trade and when they have fill'd their sacks and got all they can they long to depart into their own Countrey By these things Christians may you know what kind of Trade you drive for Heaven and what share you have in this great engagement to thanksgiving Object All this makes against me and confirms my just fears that I am a stranger to spiritual thrivings I now see 't is a pittiful Trade I drive in godliness I profess hear pray perform duties enjoy priviledges but am never the better O how may I write lost labour on all my performances I need no greater proof than these evidences nor other judge than my own conscience to convince my languishing soul of daily wastes and poverty in my heavenly Trade What shall I do to get my case mended and once attain to true thrivings in this holy Calling Sol. There are four things which usually make men thriving in their earthly Trades which do also contribute to prosperity in this heavenly Merchandise 1 A provident care 2 A diligent hand 3 A secret trade 4 A divine blessing First Men that are thriving in the World are provident and careful to prevent their dangers to secure their interests and proportion means to their advantage And so must Christians that think ever to flourish in godliness what losses and miscarriages in Religion might a provident care prevent were temptations way-laid and corruptions timely guarded against souls might escape many surprisals of sin and abatements in grace Never think to prosper in holiness till you are provident to prevent its weaknings and contribute all you may towards its strength and enlargement One enjoys a good frame of soul much peace and joy in believing and for want of watchfulness loseth all again Another hath got a little power over his corruptions for a time and for want of a provident care to avoid ensnaring occasions is overcome again Another hath a choice advantage put into his hand for spiritual good but not exercising a timely care and preparation to improve it miscarries in all his hopes and labours and by these changes and interruptions their spiritual welfare is impeded Go learn of the Ant she provideth her meat in Summer Prov. 6. 6 8. Be wise as Serpents they decline danger as soon as seen and guard their noblest part though with the hazard of their All Matth. 19. 16. Walk circumspectly as wise Eph. 5. 15. O how happy might Christians be were they as provident for their souls as they are for their bodies and did exercise their reason care and fore-sight to further their spiritual interests and without this provident care never think to prosper in this heavenly Merchandise Take heed of grace-wasting sins of any secret lust allowed or sweet morsel rouled under your tongue that will prove a moth in your spiritual estate and keep you low in your heavenly interests Souls under some perplexing lust are like Israel under the prevailing hand of Midian against them Judg. 6. 3 4 6. When Israel had sown the Midianites came up and the Amalekites and the children of the East and they encamped against them and destroyed the encrease of the earth and left no sustenance for Israel neither Sheep nor Ox nor Ass and Israel was greatly impoverished So 't is with such no sooner have they got any mercy frame experience hope or soul-advantage but presently a prevailing lust riseth up and destroys all Cry unto the Lord as Israel did until he deliver you from every iniquity make no peace with any corruption never let it rest till wholly destroyed if you think to prosper in your souls and conversations Be provident also to take all advantages for godliness watching your opportunities for every duty keeping every soul-market and fair and taking the best season to lay out grace and get in profit Prov. 8. 34. Be careful to get some good from every thing and to keep and save what you have and this will tend to soul-thriving Acts 2. 46. Secondly A diligent hand tends to thriving men that prosper in the World take pains and follow their employments rising early sitting up late neglecting no business that may help on to profiting So must you that intend to thrive in Religion you must make it your business you must be labourers in God's Vineyard Joh. 6. 27. and workmen indeed that need not be ashamed 2 Tim. 2. 15. Christians for the most part are too slothful in their spiritual business to have their profiting appear it will cost you more striving to enter into the strait-gate and get ground in the narrow way that leads to life more blows must pass
God the more shall you receive from him 2 Cor. 9. 6. who will certainly repay it The greater your sufferings are for God the greater will your rejoycings be with him They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Ps 126. 5. Look what disproportion there is between the Seed-time and Harvest far greater is there between the Saints sufferings sorrows and triumphing joy Their sorrow lies within the compass of a short night their joy begins with that morning which hath no evening to follow it Psal 30. 5. Their tears will scarcely fill a bottel but their pleasures are so vast an Ocean as that they cannot be received but must be entred into Mat. 25. 21. Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. Yea the present consolations of the Saints oft-times abound in their sufferings The ringing of my chains hath been sweet musick in my ears said Guy de Bres all my former discourses were but as a blind man's of colours in respect of my present feeling O what a precious comforter is a good conscience How unspeakable then are those rejoycings when all tears shall be wiped off when sorrow and mourning shall fly away Mat. 5. 10 11 12. The more your losses are for Christ on earth the greater will be your gain in Heaven Heb. 10. 34. And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that you have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Men can never bring their goods to a better Market than to have them spoil'd for the sake of Christ your goods you lose for Christ are capable of being spoil'd your goods you shall receive in Heaven are above all injury the very bags wax not old much less the treasure time will mar your best interests here Alas what is a little old goods moth-eaten garments rusty silver subject to change compared with that substance whose duration is as long as eternity and whose extension is as large as immensity and such is God in Christ the Saints eternal treasure Mat. 19. 29. And in the World to come life eternal Carnal reason judges them the greatest fools that dare to be undone for their profession whereas divine truth reckons such the mad men who to escape them that can but kill the body durst encounter him who can damn both soul and body in Hell Mat. 10. 28. And to lay a foundation of a few days safety upon the ruines of themselves and others How dangerous said Mr. Cooper is their estate who cannot rise but with the fall of many Et quantulum sit illud propter quod nos reliquisti How poor are those things saith he for which you have left us whereas the Saints losses for Christ are their greatest gain while the things they part with are but temporal but those they gain are eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. Lastly The more souls you help to Heaven the more treasure you prepare for Heaven Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise the margin hath it they that be teachers shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever As nothing doth sink a person deeper into Hell than to have the blood of souls upon its head and to become the occasion of others perishing Jer. 2. 34. So it wonderfully greatens a persons own blessedness in Heaven to be the means of getting others to be blessed also 1 Thes 2. 19. For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing are not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming for ye are our glory and joy Lastly Lay up preparations for glory Glory is a great thing O what a change doth Heaven make upon a Believer's state We shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15. 51. from corruption to incorruption from sin to spotless purity from imperfection to pefection from darkness to knowledg from faith to fight from espousals to a marriage-day and what preparations do such a change call for What if death should surprise you and take you in your old clothes 't is not your daily garments no not your best rayments are good enough for your marriage-day your attire must be all new when you solemnize your eternal nuptials to the King of Glory O what manner of persons should you be who look for new Heavens and a new Earth If a Paul be not sufficient to carry a love-token to Christ's Spouse here on earth 2 Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient for these things Who then are fit to lie in the Bridegroom's arms to all eternity Few think what a change must be before the Saints can get to Heaven 1 Cor. 15. 50. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven neither doth corruption inherit incorruption If so much preparation-work must be dispatch'd before an Esther could be fit for the embraces of an earthly King Esth 2. 12. six months for purifying with oyl of Myrrh and six months with sweet Odors and with other things How much sanctification-work is needful to meeten a soul for the immediate enjoyment of God in glory and how unready are the most of souls for such a change O Believers hasten about your preparations for Heaven seeing you have no fixation on earth and know not what hour your Lord will come In order to which take these six directions First Get your hearts more loose from this present world men that change places knock up and take abroad things they must carry with them Your hearts Christians are the principal things you must take with you to Heaven it may be you have gone to God in duties many a time and left your hearts behind you but you cannot go to God in glory except your hearts be with you And O what a difficult work is it to go the heart upon choice loose from every thing below God! and till this be done there 's no getting to Heaven Things fastened to the free-hold they say cannot be removed how then can that heart get to glory that is nailed down to the world and things below Be daily loosening your hearts from the world estates houses lands trades friends relations and every thing below for you may not have time to get them off without loss when death comes you must leave them all shortly and you know not how soon to go to better friends and interests these have been snares and spears to your souls and have given you many a wound and still hinder your speeding to glory and why should you be loth to part with them O Christians if you are willing to be with Christ you will give your hearts warning to be gone from these tabernacles and to take their leave of this world daily Secondly Press after more maturity in your graces the more ripe the more fit for gathering Joel 3. 13. Tamar must tarry a Widow till Selah be grown Gen. 38. 11. and your
that lead the van to this banner of love which redemption-grace spreads over saved souls these are the stormy tempests the bloody skirmishes that go before the Believers reception of purchased peace Besides the terms on which this good bargain is offered though infinitely beneath its worth yet as to the souls capacity are high it 's no less than a throwing of all its former treasures over-board a parting with its nearest interests and dearest comforts that lye in the way of its enjoyments a plucking out a right eye and cutting off a right hand a denying O hard saying of a man 's own beloved self a not onely bearing when laid on but a taking up not the Cross of Christ alone but his own Cross too whatever his own sins or the hand of men and Devils may make for him and in this plight not to sit down or stand still but to go on and follow Christ up the hill through thick and thin through scorns and thorns day and night through every change in every state home to the grave No easier terms are given to the enjoyment of these riches than a hearty consent to these proposals which may expose the soul to an actual loss of his earthly all and undergoing unknown tryals troubles and duties in the way This bargain though blessed in it self yet is thought so dear by some as that they break upon these very terms and think God grace and glory too chargeable for their acceptance This then sets off the worth of heavenly things that they cost so much upon choice and upon the highest reason and deliberation Thirdly As their price is high so is their worth great they are good in themselves and good to those that have them Hearken diligently unto me and eat that which is good and let your souls delight it self in fatness earthly things are not so if good in themselves yet they may not be good to those that have them Riches are snares and swords to the owners thereof and oftentimes do pierce them thorough with many sorrows They are not onely good but absolutely good other things are not so earthly things are but conditionally good when God sees them good and makes them good so long as he doth bless them and let out something of himself through them manna food rayment nether springs are so far good as God is pleased to convey out some spiritual good thorough them or make them some way subservient thereto these things cannot make men hapyy or prove them so Nebuchadnezzar's greatness could not secure him from grazing amongst the beasts and bedding with them in open fields and under wetting dews Dan. 4. 33. Belshazzar's pleasures could not guard him from the hand-writing against the wall Dan. 5. 5. Dives was in the midst of plenty and honour one day and the next in hell These lower things are but as cisterns and pipes that signifie nothing except some waters be conveyed through them no more do these unless God let out his love and promise through them These heavenly things are not onely absolutely good but every way good good for every man in every state good for poor and rich for young and old for all persons all things Godliness is profitable for every thing 1 Tim. 4. 8. There is no person or condition but grace and spiritual blessings are good for and can convey good thorough There may be such a case in which nothing of this lower world can help Riches make them wings and profit not in the day of wrath In times of trouble and divine wrath instruments of musick carry no sweetness in them but spiritual mercies they help to comfort in the day of trouble In the multitude of sad thoughts within me thy comforts refresh my soul Psal 94. 19. Fourthly Their duration proves them excellent they are lasting wares time works no change upon these the Heavens will wax old and as a vesture they shall be changed but heavenly things never perish with the using indeed our measures and sense of these may change we may not always have the same degrees of grace or comfort but this alteration is not in these things but in us as God so grace and spiritual things are in themselves the same yesterday to day and for ever good in prosperity and good in adversity good in life and good in death mutability mars all earthly comforts they are things of no continuance we may have them but cannot hold them like the fleeting Islands about the Tenariff which persons see at a distance but when they come near them they vanish away The things that are seen are temporal 2 Cor. 4. 18. We may a Ostenduntur istae res non possidentur dum placeant transeunt have them faith Seneca but cannot possess them and they no sooner please us but pass from us but unseen things are eternal His love is everlasting the graces of his Spirit abiding 1 Joh. 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him The joys of the Holy-Ghost are lasting That my joy might remain in you Jer. 31. 3. Joh. 15. 11. Isa 59. 21. Heb. 10. 34. 1 Pet. 1. 4. Indeed acts of grace may fail for a time but the habit of grace is never lost frames and streams of comfort may ebb but the Fountain of Joy is never drain'd dry Justification is immutable Pardon of Sin is irreversible the Saints treasures in Heaven are enduring and can never fade away Men may out-live their Treasures here and see all their Portions go before them but heavenly Interests and immortal Souls are of like continuance and this greatens their value Men estimate a little Land beyond a great Estate of uncertain continuance and such are Wisdom's wares there 's no rotten goods among them Reas 2. Secondly The heavenly Trade is the best Trade in regard of the Trader these Merchants deal with Much of the comfort safety and advantage of mens Trades lieth in in the persons they trade with if these be able honest affectionate it conduces much to the thriving of those they deal with What mischief comes to Traders when Sellers are cheating cruel and extortioning and when Buyers are false and deceitful and fail of their word But none of these hazards can heavenly Traders be exposed to from those they deal with Indeed Wisdom's Merchants have to do with many in the pursuit of their heavenly Trade both by way of taking in and letting out but yet there is one great Merchant with whom they principally deal as to the management and issue of their whole Trade in this Merchandise they converse with God Saints and Angels but all is done through a Mediator the Goods they receive is upon his interest they deal with God through him all their wisdom to trade and rules to act by come from him the good and advantage of all their Trading is secur'd by him and though they may be concern'd with many persons and things with all that
that is dear to them Men promise one thing and do another affirm a thing that is not and this undoes many the unfaithfulness of those they deal with but it is not so with Christ you may trust on his fidelity Heaven and Earth shall sooner fail than one tittle of all that he hath spoken And therefore excellent is that Trade which is carried on with so excellent a Jesus Reas 3. Thirdly Weigh the terms on which this Trade is offered unto souls and it will appear to be incomparably the best Trade For to such as will set upon this Trade 1 Goods to trade upon shall be freely given 2 Wisdome to manage them shall be fully imparted 3 A blessing on the due improvement of them shall be ensured 4 To him shall the glory of all be rendred First Wisdome's wares are freely tendered to all that will receive them without money and without price Come buy wine and milk without money and without price Isa 55. 1. To him that is a thirst will I give to drink of the waters of life freely Rev. 21. 6. Here Merchants cannot get or put off goods at that rate there 's no going to the world's markets without money or credit they that will have mens goods must pay for them and many times have deat bargains but the Lord Jesus imparts his treasures freely he paid dear for them they cost his heart blood but he spares them freely no silver or gold will pass in those bargains Simon Magus had his offered gold for the Holy Ghost thrown back with detestation and destruction to boot Acts 8. 18 19 20. The terms on which this trade is driven are free it cannot stand with the design of redemption grace which is to advance the praise of the glory of grace and to cut off all boasting that every mouth may be stopped to admit of any thing from fallen man that might look like a compensation of salvation mercies neither is there any thing beneath Christ's merits that can equalize the worth of heavenly things and alas what have they to part with who have lost themselves and to give to God who have nothing but what they receive from him It must needs therefore be altogether freely given whatever is received in order to salvation O blessed news to poor traders that their poverty is no bar to this employment the poorest may receive of Wisdome's wares as well as the rich seeing it is a free trade and whatever makes a difference on the creatures part is laid aside in the dispensation of spiritual mercies Here are no Monopolies or hard impositions upon this trade no restraint from setting up or selling out of Wisdome's goods in any parts of the world Cities have their enclosures Corporations their bars to keep out strangers from their priviledges but in this trade all persons be they who they will that will come over to Wisdome's Merchandise have right to carry on this work of godliness in all places whereever they are The heavenly trade is a free trade goods freely given and liberty to set up in all places and to all persons Secondly As goods to trade upon are freely given so wisdome to manage them shall be fully imparted This is a priviledge which sellers on earth will not afford you may have their goods at their price but not instructions how to dispose them to your advantage but this great Merchant in Heaven with his wares gives skill to use them I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee by the way thou shouldest go Isa 48. 17. If thou seekest her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasure then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God For the Lord giveth wisdome out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding He layeth up sound wisdome for the righteous Then shalt thou understand righteousness and judgement and equity yea every good path Prov. 2. 4 5 6 9. The soul that seeketh for Wisdome's wares shall with it find instruction how to use them I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shouldest go I will guide thee with my eyes Psal 32. 8. He will be eyes to the blind and feet to the lame Job 29. 15. The Lord Jesus will find all in this heavenly trade goods and tools and skill and strength and all Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength Thirdly A blessing on the due improvement of these shall be ensured to all his traders The wayfaring man shall not erre Isa 35. 8. His workmen shall not labour in vain 1 Cor. 15. 58. For his blessing is upon his people Psal 3. 8. Thou shalt decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee and the light shall shine upon thy waies Job 22. 28. The book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein this is the heavenly trade to fulfill after God and such shall prosper for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success Josh 1. 8. No Merchant will undertake to make their dealers prosperous they must trade at great uncertainties and run the adventure as to the issue of all Blessings come not out of earthly shops but from a divine hand let come what will in the way Blessings will surely come at the end to those that cast out at Christ's biding and trade by his instruction in Wisdome's Merchandise let men curse let devils vex let North-winds blow and blow down too their earthly comforts yet God will bless them that fear him every one Psal 115. 13. He will bless them in life and bless them in death and is not this good trading to be sure of blessings in the way and blessedness at the end 1 Pet. 1. 9. Fourthly Another Condition in this Trade is That God shall have all the glory but they that trade with and for him shall have all the good that comes by it This is the head Rent which the great Lord reserves to himself and will not part with to another My glory will I not give to another Isa 48. 11. This is his great design in all works of his hands and gifts of grace that he may be glorified The people shall be all righteous the branch of my planting the work of my hand that I may be glorified This is God's great end in bestowing redemption mercies to have all the glory to himself who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will that we should be to the praise of his glory Ephes 1. 12. Christians the Rent must be the Lords the fruit shall be yours Whose keepeth the fig-tree shall eat the fruit thereof Prov. 27. 18. All the sweetness of the Vine is for those that possess it and the herbs of the earth for them by whom it is
concerns of another World and the welfare of their immortals Souls Is not this folly Poor Sinners let me reason a little with you if possible to recover your lost understanding come be your own judges Is it your interest think you to adventure your All for things that cannot abide with you when obtained nor satisfy you if they stay things that can but bring you to your Grave and accompany your bodies to the House of Mourhing and there leave you unless they shew you the way to Hell also Is it not madness to adventure your Souls for a trade pleasures and treasures of so short continuance and little advantage things that you will shortly be as weary of as now desirous and throw them to the Bats and Moles of the Earth that you may go into the Rocks to hide you from the fury of a Sin-avenging God Will you spend all upon time and lay up nothing for eternity Or is it rational to think that you should reap where you never sowed and possess the benefit of that Trade you never drove Gal. 6. 7 8. Can you think to reach Heaven hereafter and never walk one foot in the way to it here Certainly what men sow that they shall reap Can you imagine the things of Heaven to be so cheap as to be had without looking after Alas things far inferiour cannot be so easily obtained it may cost some of you many tuggings much sweat labour and expence to get but a little of this World and do you think to find this tried Gold without buying and digging for it and is it a wise bargain think you to purchase your desirable Comforts with the loss of your Souls and that you may gain but a little of the World to part with a possibility of having Heaven What will it profit you to get the World were you sure of every part of it and to lose your Souls Mat. 16. 26. And what if you miss of your hopes in this and fall short of Heaven too never have what you look'd for on Earth nor a place in Heaven neither will not your case be then dreadful O! foolish Souls that may be happy but will not that may get into such a course of life as would enrich you here and for ever but refuse it preferring a poor beggarly life before a rich and noble state choosing rather to trade with Devils than God to swap away your delightful time for doleful eternity your salvationprizes swinish pleasures O sad exchange for to be bewailed but not remedied What to barter away strength for weakness desires for emptiness labours for vanity hope for despair precious souls for perishing shadows an open door of grace for a shut door of glory mercy for misery earth for hell O fools in grain to let go such a bargain as being had would for ever make you and being lost may never be regained but in the room of it an eternity to repent your time of folly when tears and cries will be too late when mercy shall have no repentings for you bowels themselves no roulings over you nor everlasting arms any help for you Mat. 25. 10. This is your danger Sinners this may be your case who refuse wisdom's counsels choosing death rather than life you that would have none of Wisdom's wares nor work but have rather valued the Devil's Counters before Christ's Gold and the pleasures of sin that are but for a season before the treasures of grace and glory that are eternal walking after the flesh and serving divers lusts till your trading time for Heaven be almost over Alas Sinners there may be for any thing you know but few Merchandising hours left for you in this World it may be scarce a Sabbath more between some of you and hell in what a case then are you like to be who never set upon this heavenly Trade to this very day and should you now go out of this World strangers to this employment in what a doleful state will your Souls be for ever when you come to possess the eternal fruit of your bad bargain then could any lay their ears to Hell gates and listen at your cries they would hear such language as this from your trembling lips Folly Folly Woe Woe Eternity Eternity VSE II. Secondly This calls to mourning over the great decaies of this Heavenly Trade in the times and places wherein we live Loss of Trade is easily resented as an evil case a matter of trouble Men use to be affected with hard times when a death lies on their interests and their earthly concerns are at a loss and this is the case of most men this day all places are full of complaints about their affairs in the world there 's a moth in mens labours and dealings and it is easily seen and felt the heavy looks and heartless carriages of many do plainly demonstrate a sense of their temporal wastes and their mouths vent such-language The times are hard and the trade of the Nation gone But alas where are the mourners of Sion and who is afflicted at the decaies of godliness and death on this Heavenly Trade Though there is nothing more visible and lamentable than the faling back in Religion yet who laies it to heart and who is rightly affected with this important evil Now towards the cure of this insensibleness and to awaken our hearts to a due apprehensiveness of our evil case by reason of the decaies of godliness I shall 1 Lay down some symptomes evidencing it to be our case that there are real and great decaies of this Heavenly Trade in the time and places wherein we live 2 Shew why this should be for a lamentation First That this Heavenly Trade goes back and decaies is so evident that he is a stranger in our Israel and hath too much of a spirit unconcern'd in these matters who doth not plainly see Religion and the power of Godliness dying and languishing in most places and persons Now the better to evince this sad truth I shall proceed in a plain and familiar method keeping to the metaphor in the text and the usual symptomes of decay'd Trading Six things usually shew the decaies of earthly Trading all which are conclusive of the point in hand and discover bad times for piety and great wastes of Religion First When the price of things is much fal'n and the rates very low and goods are worth little or nothing then men say it 's bad trading So is it now in this Heavenly Trade the rate and value of divine things is much abated Wisdom's goods seem little worth to many There was a time when Heavenly Wares were highly prized the Word of God was precious to souls far better to Saints than thousands of gold and silver they could have parted with all the world to enjoy God in Ordinances estate ease credit were nothing to a place in God's house and one view of his countenance was better than life Oh how sweet were the words of
his mouth much sweeter than the honey and honey-comb Men could let their own ploughs stand still to set their hands to God's plough with Mary they could neglect any business to sit at Christ's feet Luke 10. 39. leave their appointed food and most pleasant delicacies for one draught of Sanctuary-waters yea but for one sip of divine sweetness they could break their rest leave all for Christ's company bear frowns threatenings losses sufferings with wonderful ease for some fellowship with God and his people they would not lose a praying or hearing hour whatever it cost them they would stick at no hardships price should never break between Christ and them subscribe any terms and count it a cheap bargain too if at any rate they might obtain grace and some spiritual good to their souls But alas now the case is altered few will bid much for the precious things of Sion even they that could have plucked out their eyes and have given them to the Messengers of Christ now think it too dear to pluck their hands out of their bosomes to open the door to Christ himself Now soulpriviledges are worth little or nothing Sermons society of Saints are scarce counted worth the parting with a little time ease business or friend to enjoy them A shop a market is better than the solemn Meeting with most few can step over a straw and forbear to gather a little stubble though it be to get the unsearchable treasure of Christ This is the sad temper of most Professours this day they have lost their estimation of Christ and spiritual things they do not value let men talk what they will God above the world Christ above rest one day in his Courts above a thousand elsewhere his precious Word above their appointed food most think it more adviseable to take seasons for the world than for Heaven rather to baulk many Sermons than lose a little profit and opportunity though but of very small advantage in the world Men are full and rich and have goods enough they think they know enough already have heard enough prayed enough they feel no want of nor see worth in spiritual things and therefore offer so little for soul-advantages and this bespeaks manifestly the decay of this Heavenly Trade Secondly Fewness of buyers argues bad trading Among men when Chapmen are scarce few take off any goods wares lie on mens hands and will not off then men say Trade is fal'n Thus it is in this Heavenly Trade there are few buyers of Wisdom's Wares choice goods lie on sellers hands and will not off may not the Lord Jesus complain as formerly Wisdom did Prov. 1. 24. I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hands and no man regarded you have set at nought all my counsels and would have none of my reproof And as the Servants of God in the parable Mat. 11. 17. We have piped unto you and ye have not danced we have mourned and ye have not lamented Markets are full in many places the Lord Jesus hath much goods exposed to sale and there are many Chapmen but few buyers persons come to Religious Assemblies and Sermons as many do to Fairs to see and be seen to gaze on goods but not to buy few will take Christ's wares on his own terms and come up to the selling-price God grace and glory are too dear for many mens money they like some goods but the price is too high some could be content to have Christ but to deny themselves take up their Cross leave all and follow Christ that they think is too dear and break for price Mat. 16. 24. Heaven is desirable at last but the world at present they could be content to take Heaven in reversion when the lease of their worldly interests is expired and to receive their portion there when all is gone here but to trade above now and transport their earthly treasures to Heaven while they enjoy them on earth that 's too hard for them such goods such overtures will not off persons will not receive the Word of God as the Word of God they will not take threatnings to fear them warnings to regard them promises to believe them precepts to obey them May not most Ministers complain Who hath believed our report and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed Isa 53. 1. Most like and commend sermons but few receive and obey them it 's lamentable to consider how little of a Sermon is carried away remembred and practised This is the sin of Professours and some that pass for more than ordinary and yet are guilty of this careless forgetful and unprofitable hearing persons entertain truths as they do their acquaintance when they meet them on the way shake hands and embrace them be exceeding glad to see them and then bid them farewel that 's the reason the Lord Jesus carries back so much goods from Markets his wares will not off men buy not And hence it is also that Christ turns back their duties he will not receive the goods of such neither and this makes bad trading for Heaven Thirdly Want of employment is a sign of bad trading When Trade is good every man's hand is full of work but when men are out of employment and have nothing to set their hand to but stand idle in the Market-place this shews a decay of Trade And is it not so with Wisdom's Labourers now Persons professing God were once active in Religion but are now grown slothful in spiritual business Where are the works of faith the labours of love the fruits of the spirit among Christians this day who is fervent in spirit Ephes 6. 18. who strives in prayer watching thereunto with all perseverance Joh. 6. 27. where are they that labour even unto weariness for the bread that endures Heb. 12. 1. running even unto fainting in the race that is set before them Rev. 7. 15. Serving God day and night in his Temple and being diligent that they may be found of him in peace 2 Pet. 3. 14. What Pharaoh charged on the Hebrews when attempting liberty to serve God may be with much more justice reflected on those that profess to serve God and though they may yet do not Ye are Idle ye are Idle and hence it is mens hearts go a whoring after the world and the flesh with the lusts thereof it is because they are slothful in spirit a death is upon their hearts and this causeth the work of God to cease Neh. 4. 11. It is but little work most do for God this day how cold dead formal slighty are many in duty doing the work of God deceitfully their own consciences being Judges Jer. 48. 10. few labour with their hearts before they come to hear in hearing and after hearing to get some soul-good by it Men are usually pleased with a Lamp though there be no oyl in it cannot be contented without some duty but well pleased with bare duty To be nothing in Religion
as thou hast done or fearfully belied thy profession that after all this thou should'st turn again to these beggerly elements and exchange God for the world a Crown for crumbs a Throne for thorns a Dowry in Heaven for a dunghill on earth an eternal weight of Glory for a burden of thick clay fellowship with God for defiling converse with dirt and bespotting trash a Burgeship in Heaven for a name written in the earth is not this folly folly Not that one who had real interest in God things above can ever fully and finally forfeit them and lose them again for once in Christ and ever in Christ but those things thou did'st once seem to choose for thy chiefest interest and hast professed hopes of a certain title to these supreme treasures and now to sell thy hopes of God and Glory for that c Speciosa supplicia fortunae vomitus vomit thou had'st spewed up and mire thou had'st been washed from this is madness indeed After you have seen so often the vanity and uncertainty of these things below that they are empty and will not satisfie they cannot quench thy thirst or fill thy hungry soul cannot afford the least rest to thy weary heart but are still short of thy expectations thou lookest for peace and behold they give thee trouble thou thinkest to gather Roses and they prick thy fingers and when thou hopest to find rest in them and sayest Soul take thy ease in thy full bags and fair estate thy pleasant house near relations then they prove swords to pierce thee or briers to rend thee or at the best but wind that does but swell not nourish thee Thou hast also found them fading things that will not stay rare ripe fruit that soon rots a moth an East-wind take off all they are a pleasing gourd one day and withered the next Jonah 4. 7. God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day and it smote the gourd that it withered A sickness comes and takes away thy child and all the hopes of thy house perish with him Thy Customers break and thou art impoverished The fire burns down thy house and thou art undone Thy Heir it may be proves a Prodigal and all thy gatherings are scattered so uncertain empty perishing are these things and thou knowest them to be so and hast found them such and yet thy heart runs after them and with the Dog Mundus perit tu Mundana quaeris in the Fable thou leavest substance to catch at shadows neglecting unseen sure sweet satisfying and eternal things for things that are not and is not this madness The world perisheth and yet thou seekest after the things thereof Petrarch After you have found better things and tasted the sweetness of them you have experienced the light of God's countenance to be beyond all corn and wine and oyl his loving-kindness to be better than life a day in his Courts to be more eligible than a thousand elsewhere Psal 4. 6 7. O how sweet hath his Word been to thy taste sweeter than the honey and the honey-comb how often hath God cheered quickened and strengthened thy heart in thy approaches to him that thou hast said as David of Goliah's sword there is none like this And as the Disciples when with Christ in the Mount 't is good being here Lord evermore give me this bread and yet after all this that thou shouldest upon choice leave these for the world and prefer thy shop thy trade thy field house money before these divine and approved treasures This is madness After so many confessions of this sin before the Lord and his people and so many prayers and cries to God against it and for grace to subdue thy earthly heart with many promises and declared purposes to turn no more to this folly that thou shouldest so easily so speedily be reconciled to the world again and reassume thy affections to these old lovers after all this is madness and will exceedingly greaten thy guilt and torment when the Lord shall make inquisition for these things when thy convictions prayers and vows shall return as so many Serjeants upon thy back to arrest thy guilty conscience and as so many witnesses to prove God's charge against thee that at such a time and such a time in thy closet in the Congregation of the Lord's people in daies of humiliation and preparation-seasons on thy sick-bed under such a word and rod thy heart did melt over thy sin and thou didst solemnly renew thy Covenant against it and now to have thy prayers and tears and promises yea and God too against thee for thy Apostacy after such Lovers as thou thy self wilt loath another day and be ashamed to own in the presence of God Saints and Angels this is folly folly Now when God is punishing thee for this very sin by stripping thee of thy Idols and pouring out the vials of his wrath upon this Euphrates thy riches interest trade and earthly comforts over which thou hast carried away thy heart from him that now while the Rod is upon thy back thou should'st hold fast thine iniquity and refuse to return this is desperate and incorrigible folly And this is the practice of most this day God blows upon their trades and interests for following them and letting his house lie waste and yet they pursue them still The Lord takes out the bottom of their bags and yet they put in more money into them God smites men for the iniquity of their covetousness and yet they go on frowardly in the way of their heart Isa 57. 17. God is hedging up the way of men's Lovers and yet they break thorough to overtake them So it was with Israel God had hedg'd up her way made a wall that she should not find her paths and yet she followed after them Hos 2. 6. And she shall follow after her Lovers O incorrigible wickedness but saith God she shall not overtake them The Lord is plucking down mens bricks but they build with hewn stone the Sycamores are cut down but they change them into Cedars Isa 9. 10. Providence pulls away unduly pursued interests but men catch at them again This is daring wickedness and a telling God to his face they fear him not neither will they return Jer. 5. 3. Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved m Quid miserius misero non miserante seipsum Aug. What 's more miserable than a man in misery not pitying himself thou hast consumed but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder than a Rock they have refused to return This is our case and should it not be for a lamentation Lastly when nothing but ruine and destruction is before our eyes manifest danger of losing all even Interest Gospel Life and all that is dear to us seems to be a going and yet to pursue these things with neglect of our souls is madness beyond parallel and a dangerous
and powerfully administred Be much in reading the Scriptures and such help 〈◊〉 the Lord gives you for your instruction and quickening 1 Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all V. 15. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hisce te exerceto jugiter constanter vehementer Buc. Be thou in them as the words are that is exercise thy self with these continually constantly and with all thy might let not a day pass without reading meditation and secret prayer that the inner-man may have all the recruits that are needful and b Whilest thou dost not follow the directing light of the Spirit thou shalt never have the quickening cherishing beams of it Culver appointed for its strengthening Your bodies can better want their appointed food than your souls their daily bread The want of constant feeding and sound digestion of spiritual provisions is one cause of that soul-leanness and spiritual languishing that abounds every where this day Thirdly If you will keep up a Heavenly Spirit be much in communion with the Father of Spirits Fellowship with God puts a stamp of Heaven upon the soul and leaves an impress of the Divine Nature on it 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. Views of God though but through the glass of Ordinances have an assimulating virtue and do transform the mind into his own likeness When Moses was taken up into a nearness to God he gets some abiding beams of his glory upon him and comes off with divine shines on his countenance Exod. 34. 35. When the Lord Jesus was got on to a high Mountain apart and had more near fellowship with Heaven 't is said He was transfigured and his face did shine Nearness to God does wonderfully warm and quicken the heart as approaches of the Sun do the body With thee is the fountain of life in thy light shall we see light Psal 36. 9. As the being of spiritual Life lies in union with-God in Christ by faith so is its well being maintained by communion with him in the Spirit who supplies the soul with quickenings as the fountain doth the vessel that 's put under it with waters God is in himself the Essential Life and to his people the fountain of Life c Tu Domine es vita per essentiam sons vitae per communionem a te omnis vita effluit ac incessanter proflait Jo. Paul Palant Thou Lord saith one art life by thy Essence and the fountain of Life by communion from thee all Life flows out and runs down uncessantly In fellowship the Lord Jesus lets out Himself Love and Spirit and this attracts the heart after God and strengthens the soul's motions after him Every act of fellowship with Christ here saith Mr. Reyner is a step Heaven-ward By it the heart is raised after God sweetly refreshed and strengthened with spiritual strength To live in fellowship with God saies the same Authour is to live at the highest rate under Heaven next to Heaven yea as in a corner of Heaven to live in the highest Region of Christianity 't is the Life of Paradise an Evangelical yea Angelical and Coelestial Life in comparison whereof the most men and women are dead Communion with God does wonderfully nourish the Heavenly Spirit and fatten the spiritual part of Believers Such saith Reyner suck a honey-comb eat fat things full of marrow and drink wine on the lees well refined spiced wine O Christians press after nearness to God in Ordinances and Duties rest not in highest priviledges without spiritual converse with God in them and communications of his Love and Life through them Fourthly Cherish heavenly motions in your hearts and be tender of all the breathings of the Spirit upon you It may be the Lord comes in upon the heart with some Spiritual Light or Life in a Sermon or in a Duty or when alone stirring up thy desires and warming thy affections making some offers of grace and help to thy dull and languishing soul take heed now how thou slightest or stiflest these this is one step to the quenching of the Spirit and impeding its gracious assistance and vital operations on thy soul 1 Thes 5. vers 19. Quench not the Spirit He that will kindle a fire gathers up every little coal and makes the most of the least spark The shavings of gold are gold and the smallest breathings of the Spirit are to be highly prized He that checks the first motions of the Spirit may never meet with the second and he that slights the least gifts of grace may forever miss of its larger doles O to what a height might grace come in thy soul if every stirring of it were improved God despises not the day of thy small things how unreasonable is it thou should'st overlook his The Lord Jesus Christians doth nourish and cherish the least good that is in you Ephes 5. 29. O be tender of whatever communications come from him to you This will abundantly help on the enlivenings and enlargements of this Heavenly Spirit Fifthly Dwell much in the meditation of Heaven this will heavenlize your spirit 'T was this made the Apostles persons of such heavenly spirits they did often look to things above 1 Cor. 4 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen No affliction could discourage them from owning and professing Christ nor earthly comforts allure their desires and delights from Christ and that which so strongly guarded their hearts from either of these dangers was a firm perswasion of an interest in future glory and a diligent observing eye upon this glory a levelling look at this mark does wonderfully raise the heart towards it and put in a new spirit and life into the soul strongly engaging all its attempts towards the enjoyment of it Frequent contemplations of Heaven do much wean the heart from this Earth If thou remembrest thou art not of this world earthly things shall onely be admitted into the Court of the Temple not into the heart which is the Holy of Holies Burg. on 17. Joh. How contemptibly did those Worthies of old look on this world when once they got sights of Heaven Heb. 11. They counted themselves strangers and pilgrims on the Earth were not mindful of their own Country went out from it would no more return to it sought an heavenly Countrey were perswaded of those great and glorious things above and embraced them laid hold of them by faith and made after them and that which did so powerfully work over their spirits to these things above was their believing sights of them V. 13. These all died in the faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off that is the things
to the Lord Jesus A flock of Sheep whereof every one beareth twins and not one is barren Cant. 4. 12 13 14 16. Ch. 4. 2. 'T is compared to the Palm-tree the Cedar the Vine the Fig-tree a green Olive plants famous for flourishing growth clusters of fruit constant fruitfulness 't is said of the Fig-tree it bears fruit all the year long and in many places they shall always find green figs on it Such is the Spouse of Christ compared with the world and hypocrites fruitful and flourishing A good tree bringeth forth good fruit Mat. 7. 17. The root of the righteous yieldeth fruit Prov. 12. 12. Where-ever the grace of God is received in truth there it brings forth fruit Col. 1. 6. As sin brings forth fruit unto death so doth grace unto life Rom. 6. 22. No sooner doth the Lord Jesus espouse a Soul but he heals it of its barrenness He maketh the barren Woman to keep house Psal 113. 9. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away Joh. 15. 2. A barren Christian is a monster in Religion no living member of Christ's body indeed there are Winter-seasons when fruit may not appear but even then 't is in the seed and sap and there is a preparative for fruit which appears in the season but to be always without the fruits of the Spirit love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance Gal. 5. 22 23. is a sign of one that never had marriage-union and intimate communion with Jesus Christ but is the certain mark of a fruitless Fig-tree in danger of cutting down and the character of that ground which is cursed and nigh to burning Luke 13. 7. 9. Heb. 6. 8. Souls try your state 't is for your lives your All depends upon your marriage-union with Christ Had you never any special acquaintance with Christ Have you no conjugal love to Christ Cannot you consent to leave all for Christ Do you usually live and stay on other things for life and salvation and not on Christ Have you been ever barren souls that never brought forth the fruits of the Spirit unto God then were you never married to Christ nor have any true title to heavenly treasures Mark 2. Secondly your interest in heavenly things is known by the naturalness and supremacy of your love to them Where the treasure is there will the heart be Mat. 6. 21. If heavenly things be yours your heart is there worldly men have the World set in their hearts Eccl. 3. 11. Their heart is but the World copied out so heavenly souls have Heaven set in their hearts which are but the counterpane of Heaven every thing hath a natural love to his own the World will love his own Joh. 15. 19. No man ever hated his own flesh Eph. 5. 29. What affections have brute beasts for their young and will venture their lives to defend and maintain them 'T is storied of the Storks when the Town of Delph in the low Countreys was on fire and the Storks perceived the fire to come near their nests they endeavoured to carry away their young but when they could not remove them they flutter'd over them with their wings covering them from the flames till they all perished together Belg. Com. wealth So strong is natural affection to its interest and the natural issues of it self much stronger should gracious affections be to their interests O how I love thy Law saith David 't is my meditation all the day long Psal 119. 97. Whence came this affection it was from his interest in those great and lovely truths Psal 119. 111. Thy testimonies have I chosen as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart Souls risen with Christ and born to the inheritance above will set their affections on things above Col. 3. 1 2. Where is thy heart Christian in Heaven or Earth what things are dearest to thee and sweetest to thy taste canst thou prize the light of God's countenance better than life had'st thou rather be a door-keeper in God's House than dwell in the Pavilions of this World Is a little of Heaven better than a great deal of Earth and can thy heart consent to be at any loss in the World to enjoy God in his Ordinances and to be enriched with spiritual blessings in heavenly places Then heavenly things are thine Mark 3. Thirdly if heavenly things be yours it will appear by your heart-cares for them and vigorous pursuits of them how careful are men of their interests to secure and enlarge them Phil. 2. 21. All men seek their own If the things of Heaven be yours your greatest care will be to get and keep them when Kish thought his Son Saul was lost he left caring for the Asses sorrowing for him saying What shall I do for my Son 1 Sam. 10. 2 Christians if heavenly things be yours they will lie nearer your hearts than all the World besides the sense or fear of losing them will more trouble you than all losses besides the world relations creature-comforts will be forgotten when you apprehend a death on your heavenly interests you will do more and part with more to get Heaven than the World and dearest comforts of it Many will pretend desires for Heaven as the young man in the Gospel but Christ will say to them as to his Hearers Mat. 5. 47. What do you more than others Souls you would have Christ here and Heaven hereafter but what do you for it what do you more than hypocrites and common professors whose portion is in this life can you leave the world for God can you deny your self for the pleasing of Christ and part with your right eye and right hand throw away your Idols of gold and silver the world and fleshly lusts and honour God with your time strength and substance Can you let your Plough stand still to follow God's and stick at no pains and hardships to enjoy the least spiritual good Then are heavenly things yours Mark 4. Fourthly Then are you interested in Heavenly Treasures when your hearts and spirits are suited to them when the Lord hath let in a heavenly tincture on your hearts and inlaid your spirits with heavenliness and a mind that answers to heavenly things as face answers face in the water When God intends men for Heaven he doth in time fit them for it and where he gives a title to mercy he gives a capacity also where he makes over the riches of glory he makes that soul a vessel fit for glory Men do not purchase Pearls for Swine and build Schools for brute beasts God did not make the Heavens for fishes and the Sea for beasts but suited every creature to its element They that are his Adoption are his new Creation also Ephes 2. 10. and when they are designed to a blessed end they are principled for it and have a disposition put into them to move towards it They that are set apart for Heaven hereafter do
without works and love without labours will signifie nothing towards salvation Will Opinion make a man an Artist or imagination enrich him or hunger fill him or reading the way to a place bring him thither No more will affection knowledge and profession help men to Heaven unless they work out their salvation and carry on the duties of Religion that lead to it Phil. 2. 12. First Consider a Christian hath much work and a little time great work and small strength necessary work and many diversions excellent work none like it persons that set about salvation in earnest will find much to do and the farther they go in Religion the more busie their employment will be every day brings its work with it new instructions new mercies new afflictions and temptations every day which calls for much exercised grace and duty A child of God hath no time for idleness or impertinent business O the many things that must be dispatched within the compass of this little inch of time for eternity Soul if thou diest and thy work undone when thou diest thy soul 's undone there 's no rising from thy grave to do neglected work or dispensation at the Bar of God for the omission of Salvation-duties This work is necessary also as well as great some duties are necessary to secure thy salvation all duties are necessary to maintain thy comforts and greaten thy glory Men plead necessity for this and th' other thing to do this work and take that journey to omit this duty and absent from such a priviledge but who is sensible of the necessity of working the work of God and attending soul-concerns It may not be necessary you should have peace credit plenty riches comforts that you should have so much estate preferment and contentment in the world but 't is absolutely necessary thy soul should be saved and that God should be obeyed that spiritual concerns should be attended whatever is neglected that thy debts should be paid thy peace with God obtained thy hungry soul be fed and refreshed thy title to Heaven clear'd the presence of God enjoy'd and thy seed-time for glory improv'd 'T is promised-work too and that makes it necessary you have engag'd to be the Lord's if you are Christians and have given up your selves to be his and not your own your time is his your capacities his 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. what you are and have is from him and for him this you have devoted to the use and service of God when you took him to be your God 2 Cor. 8. 5. and many a time since you have engag'd to obedience of his commands There are sick-bed-vows affliction-promises engagements under conscience-troubles yea every day and in every duty you tell God you will mend your waies redeem your time do him more and better work and how can you stand before him with such flattery and dissimulation and under the guilt of so much falshood and treachery while your work lies still undone Yea your work Christians is excellent work also above all the employments of the world 't is supernatural work yea Angelical work yea such work as Angels cannot do to believe in love converse with and obey Christ as your Redeemer and Saviour Phil. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 7 8 9 12. to suffer for Christ and be baptized into a conformity with his death and resurrection 'T is suitable work also you are called to in this Heavenly Trade work suited to your natures If you are Saints you have received a heavenly spirit and are partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. 'T is as natural for you to do heavenly work if you are Christians as for the world to do earthly work there being a disposition and propensity put into your renewed natures to new and heavenly work as there is a disposition in the seed to its proper fruit 1 Joh. 3. 9. For his seed remaineth in him 'T is work suited to your hopes which are laid up in Heaven Col. 1. 5. For the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven whereof you have heard before in the word of Truth That is the blessedness those great and glorious things you hope for which are laid up for you in Heaven as a Treasure safely kept for you Called hope by an Antonomasia saith Davenant a Beatitudo promissa dicitur spes nostra id est illâ—â— quod speramas per Antonomasiam neque hoc praemium dicitur tantum oblatum nobis propositum nam hâ—c spem nostram infirmaret si certitudo rerum speratarum penderet ex nobis dispositione nostra ita ut vel daretur nobis vel negaretur promerito operum nostrorum sed dicitur se positum nobis id est quasi in deposito reconditum apud Deum Patrem nostrum Daven This reward is not said to be onely offered and proposed to us for that would weaken our hope if the certainty of those things hoped for did depend on us and our disposition so that it should be given or denied us according to the worth of our works graces and duties but 't is said to be laid aside for us as that which is deposited and safely laid up in God our Father for us A Christian's choicest Treasures lie in hope not in hand beyond their present view and enjoyment and yet secured to their use and propriety 1 Pet. 1. 4. Reserved in Heaven for you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kept as it were in custody and with watch and ward for you sure and certain on which the hopes of Believers are firmly laid and to which their present work is suited heavenly work bears a proportion and agreement in its nature though not in worth to heavenly and eternal things 't is work suited to your inheritance and wages in its kind though not in degree and that 's excellent work which is of the same nature with your eternal blessedness Suited also to your present priviledges who sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Eph. 2. 6. Gracious souls though in habitation they are on the Earth yet in point of priviledge they sit in Heaven Through their union with Christ they may be said b Sedere fecit nos in coelestibus in persona Christi inque novam vitam excitavit ut Spiritu in coelis versemur efficit Zanch. saith Zanchy to sit where he sits as a husband or Brother absent from his Wife and Brethren doth possess a Kingdom for them they though absent may be truly said relatively to possess it in him as members in the head they sit in Heaven in the person of Christ and as the lump is sanctified in the first fruits Neither do they sit onely relatively through their union with Christ but spiritually through their communion with him In that sense saith Bucer as the Apostle speaks Phil. 3. 20. They have their conversation in Heaven This is a glorious priviledge the Saints onely enjoy in this life to converse in Heaven and to
First Be sure the matter of your employments be good that your Callings be lawful and the things you do be just and honest in the sight of God Evil things can never be well done meddle not with prohibited goods do nothing that either in its nature use or by divine Law becomes evil 2 Cor. 13. 7. Phil. 4. 8. Eph. 4. 28. Let your Callings be a Versetur circa id quod licitum est in se utire generi humano famae bonae Ames lawful of good report and useful in your generation not onely for your own interest and advantage but for the service and good of others For no man liveth to himself Rom. 14. 7. Such a calling as hath God for its Author m Opera Deo placere non possunt si vitae suae institutum non est a Deo Frid. Baldm being according to Scripture and hath God for its Teacher n The works of that calling cannot please God where the calling it self is not of God saith Fenner Isa 28. 26. And as a man can manage with peace of conscience and be assur'd his work doth please God and he can pray for a blessing upon it which they cannot do who set on employments that tend to nourish vice and wickedness Rom. 13. 14. That your Recreations also be lawful such as are free from scandal and temptation used by and with persons fearing God and such as have a tendency to refresh the mind and body the better disposing it to its necessary duties being sparingly and wisely used so as to be no occasion of evil to others and religiously entred on by seeking to God for a right management of it and blessing on it Such actions as come not under these characters are not becoming Christians who must give an account to God for every vain word much more for idle actions Mat. 12. 36. 'T is part of that which will trouble souls when their sins are bearing on them that they have inherited lies vanities and things wherein is no profit Jer. 16. 19. Saints should be working nothing but what hath a good in it Working with his hands the things that are good Ephes 4. 28. and which can bring some glory to God Whatsoever you do of which Recreations is a part do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10 31. But what good to the body foul or estate what glory to God what peace to conscience in the day of Christ can be found in carnal sports scandalous plaies cards dice lascivious dancings and the like which are the off-spring of chambering and wantonness things wherein is little praise virtue or good report but rather the spots of Christianity and bane of piety which tend to debauch the affections to deaden the conscience to nourish wantonness and seed a fleshly carnal mind the end of which is death Rom. 13. 13. Phil. 4. 8. Jude v. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 18. Rom. 8. 6. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace It is a double content to a generous and well disposed nature when he doth good for his pleasure Games of hazard saith Du Moulin of Contentment a worthy Divine do very much discompose the mind they also provoke passion and cause much disturbance in the soul for things of nothing Games that consist in dexterity of body or mind are much to be preferred before these Chess will sharpen the wit but busie it over much and toil the spirits instead of recreating them which is the proper use of play Of all gaming the less the better and when it disorders the passions the least is too much He that ventures much money at play ventures with it not onely the tranquillity of his mind but makes a certain loss of it whatever becomes of the money Squandring away of money in play is not the way to make friends of that unrighteous Mammon that receive a man into everlasting habitations but an enemy rather that will turn him out of his temporal habitation it is the way to lose both Earth and Heaven So then whether we win or lose we commit robbery for if we rob not our adversaries we rob our selves our families and God We may add this also such unprofitable Recreations devour that precious treasure of irrecoverable unvaluable yea salvation-time and useth those hours in posting to Hell which are too much neglected for hastening to Heaven O how careful then should souls that profess heavenly hopes be of their earthly work that it be such as may conduce to their accomplishment of them Rule 2. Secondly Set upon earthly things in their proper place and order Seek first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to you a Caetera aut aderunt aut certe non oberunt Mat. 6. 33. Let God have the uppermost Throne in your hearts the fore-foot in your walk the first stroke in your work give heavenly things the precedency both in estimation affection and time as things of greatest worth and to which you are chiefly obliged That 's the due order and method of heavenly Traders to begin every day and work with God serve God first and then your selves Set apart some time for religious duties before you set upon earthly employments Men will not go abroad into unwholsom air fasting The things of this world have a contagious breath in them Break your fast with God every morning before you adventure on heart-ensnaring businesses Labour with God first for his presence with you his wisdom to direct you his grace and strength to help secure and bless you in your earthly labours Antidote your hearts with divine cordials every morning before you get into the Pest-house of this world and let something of Scripture lye nearest thy soul for counsel comfort quickening every day He saith Augustine that hath tasted the sweetness of Divine love will not care for temporal sweetness Meddle not with the thorns of this world till you have fenced your hearts and hands by prayer and the sword of the Spirit 'T is more haste than good speed to run into the world before you have spoken with God The lawful way to earthly employments lies by Heavens gates Christians God will sue you for trespasses if you take any other way to your trades and employments in the world than his prescribed way of religious duties Besides you have need of God's eye and hand in every thing you do You know not the snares and deaths that lye in your employments and the dangers you are subject to in every step you go and in every thing you do You may go forth in the morning and never return more some have died as Israel did with meat in their mouths others have fal'n down dead in their work broke their necks in a journey been found dead in the way O set on earthly work in God's way go not about the world till you have been with
evidence of souls risen with Christ and receiving the stamp of Heaven on the heart to set their affections on things above Heavenly desires are the natural breathings of a gracious heart which can as well live without them as a man without breathing a cessation of spiritual desires argues soul-swooning or spiritual death Fourthly A heavenly heart is known by its heavenly thoughts it will be much thinking of heavenly things As is the heart so are the thoughts usually For as he thinketh so is he Prov. 23. 7. The thoughts are the first-born of the heart and strength of the soul and as natural issues of the mind as beams are of the Sun if the heart be evil the thoughts will be evil if the heart be good the thoughts will ordinarily be good Matth. 15. 19. further than corruptions or temptations hinder Jer. 4. v. 14. If your hearts be heavenly so will your designed habitual and well-pleasing thoughts be They that are spiritual will mind the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 5. Try your hearts by your ordinary quiet and delightful thoughts Are vain earthly thoughts your trouble and holy thoughts your delight Fifthly A heavenly heart will be full of heavenly projects such a heart will be driving designs for Heaven his consultations enquiries and studies will be how to carry on and promote heavenly interests Titus 3. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum ratione concilio exerceri the word is might study devise and beat their brains how they might do good That 's the temper of earthly hearts also they will be plotting and contriving waies and means how to advance earthly interests Phil. 3. 19. Who mind earthly things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zanchy whose thoughts are in the earth as the Syriack renders it that is they are wholly taken up about earthly things So 't is with a heavenly heart it is taken up about the things of Heaven it laies holy plots how to keep down the world and corruption in the soul and how to make the most of all it hath and doth for Heaven to secure his interest and enlarge his possession above So far as the heart is heavenly so far is it designing for Heaven Sixthly A heavenly heart is acted and influenced by heavenly motives and arguments there is nothing sways more with a heavenly spirit than reasons drawn from heavenly things heavenly pleasures heavenly honours heavenly treasures will do more with a heavenly heart than any arguments drawn from things of this life The nature of the heart is much known by the motives that are most potent with it A carnal heart is byassed by carnal things Who will shew us any good Psal 4. 6. But a spiritual heart with spiritual things Lord lift up thou the light of thy countenance upon us Lot will choose the plains of Sodom but Abraham will prefer walks with God though in a Wilderness David values his lot by what it hath of God in it and counts that most pleasant and rich which helps him to most of God Psal 16. 5 6. Tell an heavenly heart how he may be rich great and comfortable in the World and it signifies nothing but tell him how he may pitch his Tent nearest to the Ark and enjoy most of God how he may keep peace and holiness within and order his conversation aright to please God and you will sooner win such a heart than by all the choicest proposals of this life Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way Psal 119. 9. Who shall abide in thy tabernacle Psal 15. 1. Who will rise up for me against evil doers Psal 94. 16. How might I do to get a better heart to be more rich towards God Oh that one would give me drink of the waters of the Well of Bethlehem 2 Sam. 23. 15. How might I do for some fore-tastes of the rivers of pleasure at the right-hand of God and to eat of the tree of life in the mid'st of the Paradise of God Rev. 2. 7. These are the most taking things with an heavenly soul his choice his delights and transcendent interests lie on the other side of this World even within the borders of Immanuel's Land Seventhly A heavenly heart is a heart that lives upon heavenly things and is maintained by provisions fetch'd from Heaven nourished up in the words of Faith 1 Tim. 4. 6. desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 3. My meat and drink is to do the will of him that sent me Joh. 4. 34. Earthly hearts are maintained by earthly comforts like the Crows they live on carrion but heavenly hearts live upon heavenly things they feed on the finest Wheat and like the Indian Bird Vle malim that lives upon the dew and of the juice of Flowers and Roses heavenly souls prosper best on heavenly pulse and water Give me understanding and I shall live Psal 119. 144. Eightly A heavenly heart walks by heavenly Rules 't is led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 14. All the threatnings of men cannot upon choice bow him from his path-way of duty Dan. 6. 10. nor the reason or allurements of men draw him with full consent into the way of sin ch 3. 18. Whatever comes of it he is at a point to keep the commands of God Psal 119. 106. It chuses to be governed by heavenly Laws And we will walk in his paths Isa 2. 3. As for me and my house we will serve the Lrrd Josh 24. 15. Such a soul is easily perswaded by the evidence of truth and will hear what the Spirit saies A little child shall lead him Isa 61. 6. Thirdly Then are earthly things done in an heavenly manner when done to heavenly ends and purposes to obey please and honour God when a person can approve his heart to an all-seeing eye that the great and chief end for which he takes up this or that calling sets on any employment is in subordinacy to these great ends not to please men to gratifie his own lusts to grow great in the world to enjoy pleasure ease reputation and interest here but out of obedience to the Maker Redeemer and Governour of this world that God in all things might have his will and glory 1 Pet. 4. 11. This is the ultimate end of all Gods works and should be of man's also All employments run out of their proper chanel if they tend not to this Ocean of divine glory As God is the Alpha so he must be the Omega of every action the first cause must be the last end God hath made all things for himself Prov. 16. 4. To him belongs the issues as from death so of life Psal 68. 20. Nothing is further good than it answers God's end earthly ends spoil heavenly work and heavenly ends puts an excellency on earthly
much of the world take heed of puffings up the more you have the more you owe the more you have of Earth the less you may have of Heaven The poor in the world may be rich in faith and the rich in the world may be oft-times poor in faith If God give you much here be fearful lest he give you your All here When one offered Luther much gold he protested God should not put him off with these things 'T is said of Gregory the Great he could never read these words Son remember thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things without horrour and astonishment lest having such dignities he should be excluded his portion in Heaven Have you little in the world you have the less to reckon for you have the lesser temptations the fewer bryars and thorns to go through Are you mean in reputation you are so much the safer and the more beneath envy 'T is more to you said Mr. Rutherford to the Lord-Keeper to win Heaven being ships of great burden and in the main Sea than for little vessels that are not so much in the mercy and reverence of the storm Are you low in the world the more reason you have to lie low in your own spirits a Prince's heart and a beggar's purse do not well agree Are you in want make more use of Christ's fulness 'T is blessed misery that brings souls to Christ for mercy Had it not been for affliction Christ would have had but little company whiles in the world The whole need not the Physician the sick the blind the deaf dumb and possessed of Devils might bless God for their maladies which were the occasions of bringing them to the Physician of their souls as well as bodies 'T was well for the poor Canaanite that her daughter was ill for by that means she was put upon seeking crumbs and while she asked for them got the childrens bread to boot Matth. 15. 27 28. Fifthly Get good from your Callings and Employments in the world by preserving a sense of the snares and dangers that lie in the management of them If men would take a strict survey of their Calling-carriages and be true to their observations they must needs confess there are many evils they are guilty of in the management of them every day either idleness or excess of labours deceitfulness earthliness lying cheating selfishness covetousness carnal-mindedness vain discourses multitude of words murmuring unthankfulness with many other sins of omission and commission which they are exposed to in the pursuit of their Employments Now when the experience and sense of this do keep them more humble and watchful against the occasions and appearances of such evils when this helps to break and melt the heart before the Lord in prayer fly to Christ in the sense of their weaknesses and inability to hold up under their temptations for all their help and grace to stand Ephes 5. 15 16. And when they labour to keep a tender spirit in all their dealings and a holy jealousie of their hearts in every thing they do exercising self-denyal and mortifiedness to the world and things below then they get profit from their Callings Prov. 41. 3. Psal 141. 3. When they make their particular Callings to comport with and subserve their general when mens businesses in the world do not unfit them for but are helpful in their religious duties to keep their hearts in a meetness for spiritual service even while they are in their earthly Employments maintaining a walk with God in them then they get good from their earthly Callings Ephes 6. 18. Titus 3. 1. Sometimes God blesseth your Callings and makes your basket and store to encrease then to be enlarg'd in thankfulness and preserve the memory of God's goodness is not onely your duty but will sweeten the enjoyment of your mercies With my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two bands Gen. 32. 10. To love him more and serve him better with more chearfulness and gladness of heart this is profiting by your Callings Sometimes God blasts your labours and crosseth your hopes makes a breach upon your Trade follows you with losses one after another In this case to look to the hand of God to search out God's end in all to get good by it to be the more weaned from the world and to cease from earthly stays is a profitable use of your Callings Sixthly Be getting some good from your company you reside amongst meet or converse with The Lord offers and souls may get much good this way O the mercies that God deals out through mens company 'T was well for Rahab that ever the spies came to her house for by that means she obtained the salvation of her self and family What a mercy 't was to the woman of Samaria when she came to the Well that she found Christ there who instead of filing her pitcher with perishing water by this means got her heart filled with the waters of life John 4. 15 What good did the Disciples get by company in the way to Emmaus who by that means had their cold hearts warmed their weak faith strengthened Luke 25. 15. to the 32. Others have had company fatal to them Had it not been for Potiphar's house Joseph might have escaped temptation to uncleanness Gen. 39. 7. And had it not been for Pharaoh's house he had not learn'd to swear by the life of Pharaoh Gen. 42. 15. As long as Peter kept with the Disciples he was faithful and couragious but when once he fell into evil company and got into the High Priest's Hall he presently fell into that fearful sin of denying his Lord and Master Luke 22. 55. When they sate down together Peter sate down amongst them Christians beware what company you come into for the peace and welfare if not the life of your souls is much concerned in it Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Ephes 5. 11. Prov. 1. 15. chap. 4. 14 15. Chuse not wicked company for advantage sake as Lot did with the loss of his goods and hazard of his life and a dreadfull fall to boot Gen. 19. 15. 36. Advantage was his end why he chose the Plains of Sodom but loss was the issue of his choice So Balaam for Balacks goods run himself into those temptations that cost him his life Gen. 31. 8. Go not into wicked company except duty call you if you have God's warrant you have his protection and if by providence or in the way of obedience you meet with evil men be good with them The Sun saith Diogenes visits kennels and is not defiled either by taking an occasion to do them good as the Israelitish Maid did to her Master Naaman directing him to the Prophet Elisha for cure 2 King 5. 2 3. Or by putting a stop to their sin as David did Psal 75. 4 5. I said unto the fools deal not foolishly and to the
as it were removed from the body for a time saith Beza that he might converse with God c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi se moto ad tempus a corpore animo cum Deo colloqui Elijah was alone in secret prayer when the Angel brought him that refreshing feast in the strength of which he travell'd in the wilderness forty days 1 King 19. 4. to v. 9. O what am I said Mr. Patrick Simpson after he had been many hours in his Garden alone wrestling with God for his deserted Wife being dust and ashes that the holy ministring Spirits should be sent by the Lord to deliver a message to me telling one that over-heard him that he had had a vision of Angels who did with audible voice give him an answer from the Lord of his Wive's condition this Woman also to whom upon importunity he delivered these words as she was approaching to the place where he lay on the ground heard an affrighting noise of a great rushing of multitudes together and with it a melodious sound Such a welcome doth the Lord Jesus give his children sometimes when he gets them alone into his Chambers and Wine-cellar O the sweetness persons may find in their solitudes with Christ Sampson turn'd aside when he saw a swarm of Bees and Honey in the carkass of the Lion Judg. 14. 8. 'T is said of Jerome that living in the wilderness he seemed to converse with Angels Contemplation saith Gregory is the clearest day of internal light then are their discoveries most when in a holy silence with God alone Retirement Christian is an opportunity put into thy hand of in-door work 't is God's call into the Mount Exod. 34. 2 3. Be ready in the morning and come up in the morning unto Mount Sinai and present thy self there to me in the top of the Mount and no man shall come up with thee 'T is his command to a holy silence and cessation from other work that thou may'st attend the most secret concerns of thy soul Improve this time wholly in converse with God and attending the affairs of thy soul This is a season to take an estimate of thy soul-state to try the grounds of thy hope for eternity to be searching into the secrets of thy heart and taking a full review of thy past life and former carriages Psal 4. 4. Then is the time to weigh thy mercies and duties to call to mind God's dealings with thee and thy carriages towards him to be studying the wiles of Satan and the ways of thy duty the worth of godliness the danger of miscarrying and the blessedness of overcoming and such like meditations When you are riding or walking or sitting alone invite the Lord Jesus to keep you company to walk and converse with you fill up your vacant hours with secret prayer and meditation take heed of being at leisure from duty-employment either in your general or particular Calling or lawful Employments lest being too much alone the Devil strike in for company no greater temptation can Satan find than times of solitude not improved Eighthly Get good from occasional objects and occurrences which are not chance and fortune as the blind world calls it but the products of divine wisdom and pleasure towards Believers for their good Albane receiving a persecuted Christian into his house and seeing his holy devotion and sweet carriage he was so much affected with his good example that he became both a Professor and Martyr Bede It was not by accident but divine intention that Melchisedeck should meet Abraham to bless him and Shimei meet David to curse him that Moses should meet Jethro's Daughter at the well in Midian and that David should meet the Egyptian in pursuing the Amalekites It was God put it into the thoughts of Saul's servant to advise his Master to speak with the Prophet by which means he obtain'd a Kingdom 'T was by divine disposal that when Joseph was cast into the pit the Midianites should pass by and lift him up and sell him to the Ishmaelites and they to Potiphar The Lord is carrying on some part of his work some piece of mercy or justice comfort or affliction by all these occurrences in which his people should be co-workers with him and be learning something from every passage of providence they meet with and object they occasionally behold in their journeyings and pursuits of their occasions in the World What fruitful meditations had Sampson from beholding the carkass of the Lion and swarm of Bees in it in his journey to Timnah Judg. 14. 8. 14. And our Saviour from seeing the wither'd Fig-tree in his passage from Bethany to Jerusalem Mat. 21. 19 to 23. What a lecture did Christ read to his Disciples upon viewing the goodly Buildings of the Temple Luke 21. 5 to the end He beheld the City and wept over it and improved it to some instruction to his Disciples Luke 19. 41. He beheld people casting in gifts into the treasury and makes improvement of it Mark 12. 4. Some told him of the blood of the Galileans which Pilate had mingled with their sacrifice and he makes a profitable use of it for his Disciples instruction Luke 13. 1 2. What Sermons hath Christ preached when he took his Text from the waters of Samaria Joh. 4. 9 10. from the Manna given to Israel in the wilderness Joh. 6. 26 27 31 32. from the multitudes flocking after him for loaves Christians if you would grow rich in Spirituals make some spiritual improvement of all you see hear meet with in your journeys dealings converses in the World Thou walkest into thy Garden get some instruction from the objects that thou castest thy eyes upon Every herb in thy Garden preaches God to thee b Qualibet herba monstrar Deum Thou walkest into the Field go with Isaac's heart to meditate upon the creatures and providences of God thou beholdest there Thou lookest to the Heavens let it not be only as the Pharisees to discern the face of the Skie Matth. 16. 3. but to see the glory of God and his handy-work Psal 19. 1. with the Chymist extract some good from every thing thou meetest with 'T was said of Jerome he knew how to gather gold out of the dunghill and honey out of weeds leaving the poison for spiders How will men dig into the bowels of the earth rack the creatures spend themselves to get a few shadows and all the while do nothing to get the substance that endures and this doubtless is one reason of soul-poverty this day we trade not with creatures and occurrences that fall in our way to spiritual advantages Beg spiritual skill and faithfulness to be improving all you see hear do or enjoy to soul-profit Ninthly Get good from your falls and miscarriages Physicians do sometimes make poysons medicinal and so doth the Physician of of value make the diseases of his people turn to their health Sin is the greatest evil and yet redemption-grace
that strive with him shall perish there is no contending with God bow we must or break return or be ruined Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings Isa 1. 16. Get washt away your blood by sound Repentance get into Christ's blood by saving Faith set upon a thorough reformation personal family publick each one in his place help to carry out the uncleanness of thy heart hand house and land to the Brook Kidron 2 Chron. 29. 16. Get tradingsins removed if you would have trading mercies enjoy'd Take every man his Censer and stand in the gap pour out strong cries for returning-mercy that the Lord would cease from his fierce wrath and turn again and heal our Land and bless our substance accept the work of our hand and dwell in our Land Counsel 5. Fifthly Get advantage from decaies in your Earthly Trade to further your Heavenly Trade gather materials from your earthly ruines for your heavenly building Christians there 's a great deal of good you may get from these evil things in the world to quicken your pursuit after the things of Heaven First By your earthly losses you may be convinced of the vanity and uncertainty of all things below God Men are apt to take up too much pleasure in their booths till God sends a devouring worm and consumes them and to sit down under their shadows with great delight and therefore doth God make them like shadows to fly away what expectations do men raise from their swelling-comforts thinking their mountains are made so strong they shall not be moved till the Lord by some levelling providence soon corrects their fond opinion and what dependencies do we usually take up on those uncertainties leaning so hard on our reeds till they break under us and send splinters into the arm which staies upon them O the contentment pleasure profit men fancy to be in creatures friends relations honours estates before by some killing stroak they see themselves to be deceived What mercy is it then to meet with disappointments in these groundless hopes that we may come to see before it be too late what poor empty perishing things all the wares of this lower world are This way David came to have his errour seasonably corrected And Solomon by a serious review of past enjoyments comes to see that all was vanity and vexation of spirit Eccles 2. 1. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew they are disquieted in vain he heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather them Psal 39. 6. Secondly Divine rebukes on mens earthly interests help them to a discovery of those sins that procure them Deut. 31. 17. Afflictions are Christ's clay and spittle to open his peoples eyes and to bring them to see those evils that have brought those deaths upon their comforts and breed those worms that have destroyed their substance Times of correction are times of instruction Job 36. 8 9. When Jacob's Sons were cut short of their provisions reduced to great distress and plunged in sore dangers then they thought upon their sin and wrong done to their brother Joseph Gen. 42. 21. Then they said one to another verily we are guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us Whence one hath this note Affliction is a dark condition yet it brings much light into the soul Men come to read their miscarriages best by the fire-light of affliction then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God 2 Chron. 33. 13. Now the soul comes to see his abuse of these mercies he hath lost his inordinate love to them and wandrings from God and this helps to after-wisdom and greater freedom from these entanglements for the time to come which is no small advantage to future godliness Thirdly By this loss of earthly things the soul comes to see a necessity of looking after and ensuring better treasures Heb. 13. 14. Here have we no continuing City but we seek one that is to come Uncertainties on Earth should put souls the more to look after Heaven The Prodigal never thought of returning till all was gone Luke 15. 14. to verse 18. The Steward never considered how to secure his future state till goods were wasted and Stewardship in danger of removal Luke 16. 1 2 3 4. Think of swiming ashore said Mr. Rutherford after a shipwrack 'T is a mercy in this stormy Sea to get a second wind for none of the Saints get a first This is advantage indeed when having nothing you seek to enjoy all things and when the world flies from you to pursue Heaven the faster Could a Heathen say I never gain'd mere than when I lost all because his shipwrack became the occasion of obtaining knowledge and will not you Christians by your earthly losses be provoked to make after heavenly interests Fourthly Losses in the world have an advantage through grace to loosen the heart from the world Afflictions on mens estates are like wormwood on the breast that tends to wean the hearts of God's children from them Love of the world hath been the sin of this Age and the shipwrack of worldly things is the likeliest way to cure it this disease is best conquered by fasting Absence of Lovers is sometimes the way to starve affections and poverty with distress is God's usual method to chastise mens wanton affections to this world Afflictions when sanctified are Sanctuary-fire to purge away the dross of our affections Mal. 3. 3. 5ly Soul-enlargement is another fruit of sanctified straits and so a help to the heavenly trade Christians are never fit to make any speed in the way to Heaven until their hearts be enlarged Psal 119. 32. Enlargements in the world are oft-times bonds to the soul He that hath most of the Earth hath usually least liberty for Heaven When the Lord cuts short the interest of his people he doth but knock off golden fetters from their feet that he may bring their soul out of prison Afflicting Providences are God's dieting his racers that they may be more long-breath'd and swift in their run towards glory O how imprison'd are redeemed souls in the many things of this world they cannot have time to pray read hear confer for the entangling-affairs of this life till God by some deaths upon their employments sets them at liberty Removes of worldly treasures are but the taking off of a heavy cloak-bag from the shoulders of Sion's Travellers that they may the more comfortably travel to their journeys end Good souls whiles crouded with earthly businesses are like persons in the midst of a thicket and thorny grove when they would be going forward one briar hangs in their skirts and another thorn stops their way so that when God takes off their interests he doth but cut out a way for his children to pass the more comfortably and swiftly through the brakes of this world and lighten the vessel that it
might sail faster and safer to its designed port and is not this advantage Sixthly Sweeter relishes of heavenly things are to Believers the blessed issues of the world's bitterness Harsh Providences on earthly comforts make heavenly things the more pleasant Men sometimes engraff sweet fruit on crab-treestocks and God gives honey to his children at the top of the rod Psal 94. 19. The thorn is one of the most cursed and angry and crabbed weeds and yet out of it springs the Rose Rutherford The sweet-meats of this world do too often put Christians pallats out of taste to cure which doth the Lord dish out his daintiest meat with sowre sauce Heavenly things never relish better than when there is less sweetness in the creature What a value did David put upon spiritual things when stript of all Psal 63. 1. Gospel-comforts will not down with such as are choak'd with the world's delicacies but when once the Saints are emptied of the world by cross providences then is Christ precius is not this a help to Heavenly Traders O then the more crosses you meet with in the world the more haste do you make to your Crown Doth the world fly from you pursue Heaven the faster Doth gain fall then advance godliness And if your gettings from Earth be small let your layings out for Heaven be great And thus much for the third Branch of Exhortation 4th Advice to such as are fallen back in Religion Fourthly A word to such as have begun this Heavenly Trade and are fallen back This is the case of some and may be of more in this hour of Temptation and Apostasie There are some have begun in the Spirit and are now ending in the flesh who have made a fair shew seem'd to be somewhat and like blazing comets drew the eyes of admirers on them for a time and then fell down to the Earth Some that have left the very form others that have lost the power and life of godliness Many have laid down their Lamp but more have spent their Oil and are almost come to a snuff Some have shut up shop are quite gone and have taken their leave of Religion resolving to return no more unless safety credit and interest return with them Others yet stay keep open shop but have little goods decay daily and are upon the breaking hand a waste is on their interests they have lost their first love decay'd in spirituals faith hope love zeal delight in God and liveliness for him are quite lost as hath been demonstrated in the use of Lamentation The design of this head is only to offer some advice towards the recovery of decayed broken Traders In which as hitherto for better illustration I shall keep to the metaphor in the Text. Advice 1. My first Advice to such in order to their recovery is to be deeply affected with their evil case First Consider 't is no small change for a person that hath lived well been in reputation with God and men fared deliciously been used to the dainties of God's house and delicacies of his love have tasted the heavenly gift and the powers of the world to come now to be brought to penury and scarce meet with a sweet morsel from day to day to be put off with husks and dry bones and the crumbs that fall from their Lord's Table to stand at his door or to wait without for some scraps when the friends of Christ and Wisdom's thriving Merchants have their marrow and fat things this is a great change For such as were wont to have a place amongst them that stand by to converse with the Father of Spirits to be let into the Presence chamber and have the visits of the Comforter and spiritual fellowship of Saints Now to be laid aside and scarcely look'd upon with a divine glance from day to day no entercourse with God or fellowship with the Spirit from one Lord's day to another but to be only company for formalists and hypocrites and such as are without this is a great change O get thy heart deeply affected with it Secondly Think also how unlovely offensive and displeasing an object in the eyes of God a withered decayed Professor is his soul takes no pleasure in him Heb. 10. 38. He doth not care for the company of such they are a burden to him he loves no more to see them than men do dead corps in their houses and rotten trees in their garden he bethinks the place they stand in as cumbring the ground Luke 13. 7. he counts them unworthy of the Kingdom of God having put their hand to the Plough and then look back Luke 6. 62. Nothing more troubles his soul than a lukewarm temper that was once burning in love but now is neither hot nor cold such ride on the stomach of Christ and make him down-right sick till he hath vomited them out into the dunghill from whence they came and is not this matter of trouble to a sensible heart Rev. 3. 16. Thirdly Such have little desirableness in the eyes of men also Who cares to deal with broken Merchants or keep company with spend-thrifts that have wasted their estates and are come to nothing no more do gracious souls care for converse with backsliders Decayed Professors are like broken vessels in whom there is no pleasure and as a withered hand or broken bone in the body which hath lost both its usefulness and beauty A broken Trader in Religion is valued by none the men of the world cannot endure him because he hath been seemingly godly and Saints cannot love him because he is not really gracious Such like Absolom when hung by the hair lye between Heaven and Earth as unworthy of either and as a person held in a strait passage cannot go forward nor backward he cannot go far enough to keep pace with the prophane nor go back to fill up his place with the pious the Saints reject him the wicked will not receive him In such a pitiful case is a withered decayed soul he hath no comeliness in him for which he should be desired Fourthly They are the greatest losers of any who break in Religion for they not onely lose their own goods but others also their talents graces priviledges and experiences are their Lord's goods which they have wasted in riotous living they lose what they once had what they seemed to have or were fair for and they lose what they hope to have Luke 16. 1. Mat. 25. 29. 2 Epist Joh. v. 8. Gal. 3. 4. All their enjoyments tastes comforts frames experiences are lost All their profession faith love conscience are shipwrackt All their duties labours sufferings come to nothing if they are not recovered again to repentance Here men estimate their losses to be great from the quality variety or abundance of the things they lose all which are yet but temporal but the Treasures that Professors are in chase of and which they shall surely have if they be sincere and faithful to
for Heaven the greater regard you have from God the more of his presence is with you his delight in you and blessing upon you the Spouses growth and fruitfulness was much taking upon the heart of Christ How fair and how pleasant art thou O Love for delights Cant. 7. 6 7. This thy stature is like to a Palm-tree and thy breasts to clusters of grapes The Palm-tree is an emblem of growth and fruitfulness the more it is opprest the more it grows and no tree more fruitful 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alway having leaves Naturalists say 't is never without leaves and fruit when some fruit is ripe as Pliny tells us other fruit is growing It hath leaves in the highest branches wherever the sweet sap comes saith Alsted 'T is a tree that 's exceeding profitable some reckon three hundred and sixty advantages that this Palm-tree yields o In fructuum jam maturorum locum alii fructus eodem in loco eadem parte statim succedunt Plin. and hence the Egyptians make it a symbole of the solar year which consists of three hundred sixty five daies and its fruit is wonderfully restorative and nourishing repairing the decayed strength and radical moisture of man's body Alsted Theol. Nat. and therefore a fit metaphor to express the Church's fruitfulness in which the Lord Jesus takes such great delight he gets up early to the Vineyard to see if the Vine flourish whether the tender grape appear and the Pomegranate bud forth Cant. 7. 12. So delightful is the view of a flourishing people unto Christ The more you thrive in grace the more will you have of Christ's company and that 's honourable Eighthly The greater Trade you drive for Heaven the more useful you are while on Earth the larger capacities you have to do good to others and to serve your generation which is a blessed thing 'T is more blessed to give than to receive Acts 20. 35. 1 Tim. 6. 17 18. Charge them that are rich in this world that they do good that they be rich in good works that they be ready to distribute willing to communicate The richer you are in grace the more able you are to do good and not only able but the more willing also The reason Christians have no more heart to do good and to communicate is their soul-poverty they are not rich in grace they have but little spiritual Treasure little grace to communicate their hands are shut because their hearts are empty but the more divine treasure you have the more ready will you be to do good and to lay out both your outward and inward riches O how useful may rich men be in the places where they live if God give them hearts to do it and how helpful may such be in this day of soul-wants who are encreased with spiritual goods there are many impoverished souls this day who are ready to perish for want of light peace and comfort perplexed with doubts darkness and distressing fears and have none to help them O how refreshing in such a day of soul-exigences would it be to have some rich neighbours among them some prosperous Jobs Who with-hold not the poor from their desire nor cause the eyes of the Widow to fail Job 31. 16 17 19. Who would draw forth their soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul Isa 58. 10. Who could not eat their morsel alone or see the poor to perish for want of clothing To be eyes to the blind and feet to the lame Job 29. 15. To speak a word in season to him that is weary and to comfort others with the same comforts they have received of God Christians make haste to be rich in grace that ye may be rich in good works that ye may cast in much into the Lord's treasury Mark 12. 41. and out of your abundance cast into the offerings of God Luke 21. 4. Then should the blessing of the poor that was ready to perish come upon you Job 29. 13. and the fruit of well-doing be your savoury meat on which the Lord would daily feed you Ninthly The greater Trade you drive for Heaven now the greater will your estate in Heaven be hereafter 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge will give me at that day and not to me only but to all that love his appearing To me who have run my race finish'd my course and kept the faith To me who have wrought hard in the Vineyard and traded diligently for Heaven in the World For me yea for all such as enlarge their heavenly Trade is laid up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Parents do Portions for their children saith Zanchy a Crown of righteousness glory sutable to their improvements of grace called a Crown to note its excellency and of righteousness to note its equity It shall bear a proportion to all that grace labours and faithfulness that is in Saints and infinitely beyond it A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. God will not leave out the least item of the Saints right in the great day of righteousness A cup of cold water a little meal to the Prophet Elisha a mite in the treasury a desire to build God's house all shall be remembred in that day Mercy gives the Crown but Justice fits it for the overcomer's head God crowns saith Beda p Dona sua coronat non merita tua Donavit haec tempore misericordiae coronabit illa tempore judicii Beda in loc his own gifts not thy merits He first gives grace in the time of mercy and then crowns it in the day of Judgment And is not this argument enough yea constraint on an ingenious heart to labour after the greatest latitude of holiness Is not Heaven enough to requite all thy duties and hardships on earth What 's enough saith one if Rome be counted little q Quid fatis est si Roma parum So what can be counted great if Heaven be small and not price enough for all thy holy strivings and utmost progress in the way of life O attend your proficiency in this heavenly Trade your hearts and hands can never be too deep in the concerns of this upper World in this you can never be too covetous 1 Cor. 12. 31. Covet earnestly the best gifts r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 modis omnibus studio precibus consequi annitimini Take heed of putting stands and limits to your holiness the course of all unsanctified souls In this only is it lawful to remove the ancient bounds and enlarge your spiritual inheritance as far as possible Reaching forth to the things that are before and pressing forward to the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3. 13 14. Nothing undoes Professors like to stinting their measures of holiness and contenting themselves with present attainments if they can get to
really and inseparably yours and under all your clouds fears and guilt think well of God 'T is hard saith one to think ill of our selves and well of God at the same time Store your selves with promises and experiences with faith hope patience and every grace that may bear you up in such a Tryal and cordial your fainting heart under such dangerous deliquiums If God should damne me saith one I have two arms the one of faith and the other of love with which I would embrace him and carry him with me and his presence would make Hell it self a Heaven to me Thirdly Times of sore affliction and distressing calamities are spending-times and will try your store of grace and strength to bear it and to get through it and such you may live to see The Cross is the usual way to the Crown and affliction the lot of them that will live godly in Christ Jesus And we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14. 22. The fining-pot is for silver and the furnace for gold Prov. 17. 3. And the fan for the wheat the condition of Believers in this world cannot long bear prosperity without loss to their spiritual part Christians under settled comforts in this world are like standing pools which soon gather mud and as 't is said of Moab so 't is with the people of God Jer. 48. 11. Moab hath been at ease from his youth and he hath settled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath he gone into captivity therefore his taste remained in him and his scent is not changed The sweetest nights that ever Jacob spent were in the field so with Peter in prison and David had those large affections to rise at midnight and God's Word was sweet to him when his trouble was bitter saith Dr. Harris But by afflictions the Lord refines his people from their dross Though the wisdom of the world saith Mr. Bradford think of the cross according to sense and therefore flieth from it as from a most great ignominy and shame yet God's scholars have learned to think otherwise of the Cross as the framehouse wherein God frameth his children like to his Son Christ the furnace that fineth God's gold the high way to Heaven the suit and livery of God's servants the earnest and beginning of all consolation and glory Acts Mon. 3. Vol. page 322. If you will be Christ's Disciple you must expect tribulation If need be you are in heaviness for a season God's fire is in Sion and his furnace in Jerusalem Prepare for afflictions by which God prepares his people for himself He is not fit for the reward in glory saith Bernard r Non est idoneus ad praemium qui nondum paratus est ad patibulum who is not ready to ascend the Gibbet as the way to it We are fallen on the last times which are times of abounding iniquity Mat. 24. 12. sinning and therefore like to be suffering-times called perilous times cruel times 2 Tim. 3. 1. Beza renders it troublesome times Tremelius hard times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring damage or to overturn they will be overturning times times of desolation as Christ prophesies of them Mat. 24. 15. daies of vengeance Luke 21. 22. These be the daies of vengeance that all things which are written may be fulfilled Great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall be Mat. 24. 21. called the great and terrible day of the Lord when the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood Joel 2. 31. The Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come Cocceius thinks this time to fall under the sixth seal Rev. 6. 12. under which 't is said These are they which come out of great tribulation I rather think that the sixth seal reckons with the enemies of God's people and brings redemption to the Saints under great tribulation That which we may clearly gather hence is that those last times will be times of sore calamities both personal and publick to Nations and to the Church of God and what a portion of those amazing troubles may fall upon the people of this age we know not this is certain God seems to give his call from Heaven as well as out of his Sanctuary to prepare to meet with him Amos 4. 12. to gird up the loins of our mind Rev. 16. 15. to keep our garments on to watch lest he come as a thief Luke 12. 35 36. to have our vessels stor'd with Oil and our lamps burning and to reckon on midnight sitting up and be as men that look for the coming of their Lord Matth. 25. 6. To watch and pray always that we may be counted worthy to escape the things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man Luke 21. 36. Fourthly The time of Death is a spending time and calls for great provisions for that long journey and great change the Soul is then passing into Death is the King of Terrors O how amazing is the sight of it to a natural eye and an awakened conscience the work that death comes to do is frightful work to flesh and blood to pluck a soul out of its ancient dwellings to take it from all its acquaintance friends relations and earthly All from the comforts of the whole World never to see or enjoy them more as they have done nay to pull down this earthly tabernacle not to leave a stone upon a stone but quite to demolish it to the ground is a great change to lay a writ on the soul's back and in a moment to bring it to judgment from all its acquaintance friends and dearest relations to the vision of an infinite holy God there to receive its eternal doom and to enter into a new estate out of which he shall never depart either of blessedness or misery To take the soul off from all the means of salvation and possibility of change out of that estate into which by death he enters that if the soul should die in his sins there 's no future repentance or any thing can be done to mend his ill condition this will be terrible to a guilty conscience sensible of many sins unrepented of many duties neglected much time lost great hypocrisies uncur'd many fears unremoved and doubts unanswered Now for such a soul in a moment to come to judgment and to have no time allowed him to set things in order for so great a compearance and to state his account for that final Audit is an amazing providence The time of death is also a time of the greatest light when the soul's eye shall be opened to see things as they are no more in a glass but face to face then the soul that hath been dark all its days
O King according to thy saying I am thine and all that I have If you are not your own much less any thing you have is absolutely yours God gives his people But a conditional interest in all things beneath himself so far as it sutes his pleasure use and glory To keep back any part of your capacities and interests from God when by his Word and Providence he calls for it for his service name and people is hypocrisie lying fraud and rebellion and contrary to the Lord 's undoubted interest both by creation redemption and your own grant Hos 2. 8. 2 Cor. 7. 20. Besides you receive not your mercies as Owners but as Stewards to keep and use them for him and according to his instruction 1 Pet. 4. 10. As every one hath received the gift whether of grace or gifts of grace inward or outward gifts spiritual or temporal 't is all one if he have received it so let him administer the same as good Stewards of the manifold grace of life Your interests are God's gifts your abundance his Bounty and trust to be bestowed to his use and pleasure for which you must give an account Secondly 'T is pleasing work to lay out for God Paul counted not his life dear to lay out for Christ Acts 20. 24. Peter and John rejoyced that they were counted worthy to part with their name and to undergo reproach for Christ Acts. 5. 41. Nazianzen was glad that he had something of value to wit his Athenian learning to part with for Christ The Mother of William Hunter the Martyr rejoyced that ever she was so happy as to bear such a child as could find in his heart to lose his life for Christ's Name sake Acts and Mon. p. 13. 96. Nothing seems burdensom to do or part with for Christ to a soul that loves him How willingly did Jonathan strip himself of the Robe that was upon him and gave it to David and his garments even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle because he loved him much more pleasing will it be to a soul loving Christ to part with his All for Christ 1 Sam. 18. 4. Thirdly 'T is honourable work also to lay out for God He that gives to the poor lendeth to the Lord Prov. 19. 17. And is not this honourable to make God a debtor and to get him who is over all blessed for ever to become bound to his creature O what honour is this that the Giver of All should seem to be beholding to his creatures who have their All from him Have you any thing you can part with for Christ think what honour 't is that God entrusts you with the bestowing of such gifts for him the Lord might have made you beggars not givers who hath made you to differ why is grace gifts strength estate time put into thy hand and not into others it shews a good opinion God hath of thy faithfulness and so bespeaks honour O let not God have cause to revoke this estimation Fourthly 'T is profitable work The more you lay out for God the more you get for your selves there 's no such way to gather as to scatter for God your improvements of mercy to God's end are but as sowing of seed which will come in again with greater encrease 2 Cor. 9. 6. He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully Laying out for God is Trading secur'd not liable to hazards as earthly undertakings are but under a promise of sure and great returns as hath been proved and that is profit Laying out for God is lending to God upon interest Mat. 19. 29. where both principal and interest are sure Prov. 19. 17. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again The Lord takes it as done to himself and will repay with large use x Tibi a Domino etiam cum amplissimo faenore reddendum Mercer he lends to the Lord upon bond for use as the Hebrew imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he will surely repay it God is bound for it and therefore the debt is sure T is a great mistake in men and that which starves their expensiveness for God to think the more they give the less they have whereas laying out for God brings in principal and use it sanctifies what is left and brings it under a promise of encrease As the pouring out of the Widows Oil fill'd her vessels the more she poured out the more she had 2 Kings 4. 5 6. And as the Widow of Zarephath by giving first to the Prophet secur'd her own provision in a time of famine 1 Kings 17. 13 14. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel the barrel of meal shall not waste neither shall the cruse of Oil fail until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth Mal. 3. 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house that there may be meat in my house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Hosts if I will not open you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it 'T is mens niggardliness to God and close-handedness to the poor and pious uses is one reason doubtless of the wasts and blastings on their outward interests this day Prov. 11. 28. The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself Cartwright and Baine think this is meant of spiritual gifts as the former verse is of external good things But as Mercer well observes the sentence is general and takes in any supplies that are given to such as are needy y Qâ—i rigat i. e. qui de suo erogat in egenos Such shall be made fat he shall be so far from being impoverished thereby as it shall encrease his substance He shall be watered as with showres in Autumn The latter rain which is fruitfulizing The streams of charity are not like running water that passeth away but as fruitful showres that come again with encrease Prov. 3. 9 10. Honour the Lord with thy substance so shall thy barns be filled with plenty Multitude of promises might be heaped up which give in a joynt-testimony to this truth as Mat. 25. 29. Eccles 11. 1. Prov. 28. 27. Prov. 22. 9. Isa 58. 7 8 10 11. with many others and are abundant security for the blessing to such as lay out for God Besides this is a proof of your love to God 2 Cor. 8. 24. Wherefore shew ye to them and before the Churches the proof of your love 1 Joh. 3. v. 17. Whoso hath this worlds goods and seeth his Brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 1 John 4. 20. For he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen By true charity
which you shall be received into glory Fifthly They are the sure way to blessing here Luke 6. 38. Give and it shall be given to you good measure pressed down and shaken together and running over shall men give into your bosom for with the same measure that ye mete withall it shall be measured to you again Intimating that giving to the poor is but lending to the Lord as hath been shewed and it shall be surely repaid in this life either in kind or in value in such things as they need yea oft-times in the same coin and that to sufficient requital good measure amplified by three metaphors pressed down shaken together and running over that is saith e Ita illis benefacturum ut sensari sint se esse remuneratos Scultetus God will so bles them that they shall be sensible they are sufficiently repaid 2 Cor. 9. 6. Deut. 15. 10 11. Mat. 10. 41 42. Psal 41. 12. Prov. 11. 24. Job was a man of great Charity Job 29. 12 13. a man of great prosperity in the world v. 6 7. and though for the tryal of his faith he was stript of all for a season yet did the Lord after all turn his water into wine chap. 42. 10. Rahab entertained the spies and saved her self and family from ruine by it The Shunamite the Widow of Zarephath got by laying out acts of Charity to the Prophet Tiberius the second was a person of great liberality to the poor 't is said of him that whatever Justinus his predecessour had contracted by covetousness Tiberius freely distributed to the poor And when Sophia Justine's Widow reproved him for his excess of Charity he replies g Confido in Domino quod non deerit pecunia fisco nostro quamdiu pauperes Eleemosynam inde accepturi sunt Est enim is thesaurus ingens de quo Dowinus dixit Matth. 6. 10. Theatr. Hisior Thcoret Tract I trust in the Lord that our Exchequer shall never want money while the poor are maintained out of it Neither did his expectations fail for as the same Author reports he found a vast treasure in his Palace hidden under the pavement which could scarce be emptied for divers daies Thus God blessed his bountiful hand Mr. Gouge in his Surest and Safest Way of Thriving a book worth your getting and to which I refer you gives many modern instances of this great truth I shall for their sakes who have not the Book mention this one concerning the pious and imitable resolution of Mr. John Walter Citizen of London who having a sufficient estate to maintain his Charge resolv'd what further estate God should entrust him with to bestow the same on charitable uses after which vow he found his estate wonderfully encreasing A worthy president to such as have enough to live comfortably upon to put bounds to their further purchases and entitle their surplusage to the service of Christ and refreshments of his Saints a course men will one day find more gainful than to joyn house to house and field to field 'T is the best way saith Chrysologus for a rich man to make the bellies of the poor his barn to succour the fatherless and needy and thereby to lay up treasures in Heaven Gregory the Great was so devoted to Charity that all what he had seem'd to be the common granary of the Church 'T is said of Cyprian he was the blind man's eyes the lame man's legs the naked man's garment he was a man of so great Charity Mr. Fox the Author of the Acts and Monuments never denied to give to any that asked for Jesus sake Augustine sold the Ornaments of the Church to relieve the poor And Bazil in a time of great famine sold his Land and other goods to maintain the poor A Duke being asked by some Ambassadors whether he could shew them some hunting-dogs gathered a great many poor people together and shewing them to the Ambassador said These be the Dogs I daily keep and with which I use to hunt after Heaven O that Christians would have other games in chase than that which perishes in the using and lay out their estates to better advantage than what appropriating them to self-interest can afford Feed the hungry cloathe the naked give to him that lacketh seeing such blessed encouragements do attend this Christian duty Fifthly If you have good trading in grace then lay up for glory If you are Wisdom's Merchants Heaven is your Country and home the place of your rest and eternal residence The world is a strange Countrey to you a spot of ground where you are set for a while to trade in to get commodities for your Countrey and sent into it as Jacob was to Syria to provide for his own house and then to return into his Countrey Gen. 30. 30. This is not your rest Mich. 2. 10. Christians you are not sent hither to take root in the Earth or with the Raven let out of the Ark to build your nests in the world or with the fool in the Gospel to take your rest in your full barns and encreased goods but as Joseph was sent before into Egypt to make provision for his own Countrey and as Solomon's ships were sent to Tarshish to transport what materials were useful for the House of God and his own house All that you are allowed here is but as factorage for present maintenance Some viands and refreshments in the way but your great business is to get such goods as will vend in your own Countrey Remember you are all this while left here to fill your sacks for your own home where your kindred and habitation lies Your Father's house and your own mansions your treasures pleasures crowns thrones and all that you are like to have for ever lies in your City above whose maker and builder is God We know but little of Christ's love saith Mr. Cooper till all be perfected and spread before us in Heaven O lay up for Heaven treasure up all you can for the other world whither you are going Especially lay up these four things for Heaven 1 Hopes for Glory 2 Desires for Glory 3 Treasures for Glory 4 Preparations for Glory First Lay up sound Hopes for Heaven 1 Pet. 1. 13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind be sober and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ Sure hopes of Heaven are of wonderful use to quicken a soul's dispatches for Heaven Acts 26. 7. Vnto which promise our twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night hope h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 omnibus viribus toto animo A Lapide to come 'T was their hopes to enjoy those great and glorious things in the promise that did put them on such diligence in those waies that lead to it to strive in every duty that seem'd to have an eye to this glory they did stretch out their hand to take hold of eternal life
as one that was near the prize Hope puts strength and activity into the soul in its motion after God and makes it restless and unwearied till it enjoy him This argument the Apostle useth to provoke the Hebrews in their race towards glory Heb. 12. 1. Seeing then we are compassed about with so great a cloud of winesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us The weight of the argument lies in the sure and blessed issue of well-grounded hope attested by so many witnesses in the former Chap. who ran so great adventures sustain'd so great losses underwent such cruel deaths in chase of this eternal Crown and not one of them miscarried all got safe to glory through their many fears and deaths And seeing all that had this true hope hither to have sped well and the same promise is made to us Chap. 11. 40. having provided some better thing for us better priviledges better promises Let 's pluck up our spirits and at it again and if no visible comfort or evidence meet us in our way yet let us hold on with patience till we come to the end of our race Hopes of glory do also guard the soul against discouragements and difficulties 1 Thes 5. 8. Putting on the breast-plate of Faith and for an helmet the hope of Salvation Hope arms head and heart and keeps off the venom'd darts of Satan from ruining the soul while well-grounded hope of a blessed end is kept up Israel prevails and the Believer is kept from being overcome 1 Joh. 5. 4. This is the victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Hope of glory maintains a patient expectation and quiet waiting for the fruition of it Rom. 8. 25. If we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it and this is no small mercy Impatience hath a dangerous influence on a Christian's heart discouraging it and exposing to temptation of giving over saying Wherefore should I wait any longer 2 King 6. 33. which danger Hope secures from Hope settles and stays the heart stilling its fears scattering its doubts and strengthning its confident expectation of glory turning perswasions into the highest certainty even a kind of knowledg 1 Joh. 3. 2. But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Well-grounded and improved hope in a Christian's life doth usually end in a triumphing confidence at his death I shall shine said a precious servant of God on his death-bed I shall see him as he is and all the fair company with him and shall have my large share it is no easy thing to be a Christian but as for me I have got the victory and Christ is holding forth his arms to embrace me I have had my fears and faintings as another sinful man to be carried through creditably but as sure as ever he spake to me in his word his spirit witnessed to my heart saying fear not he had accepted my sufferings and the out-gate should not be matter of prayer but of praise Mr. Rutherford's last words And a little before his death after some fainting he said Now I feel I believe I enjoy I reâ—oyce I feed on Manna I have Angels food my eyes shall see my Redeemer O what rich cheer will hope of glory find on a death-bed What brightness is that I see said Mr. John Holland the day before his death have you light up a candle a stander by answered no 't is the Sun shines Sun shine saith he nay it is my Saviour shines now farewel World welcome Heaven the day-star from on high hath visited my heart O speak it when I am gone and preach it at my Funeral God dealeth familiarly with men I feel his Mercy I see his Majesty I see things that are unutterable Hopes of glory will make the World seem a very poor thing in a Believer's eye he that by faith can stand on Mount Nebo and get one glance on the promised Land as his feeds on the first ripe Grapes of his own Countrey in comparison of which all the World 's dainties are bitter things Hopes of of glory cheers the heart in the way to glory Rom. 5. 3. And rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 12. 12. Rejoycing in hope patient in tribulation It makes the soul go merrily on like a Ship under sail that hath both wind and tyde whereas the doubting Saint drives heavily on when winds and waves beat against him being unwheel'd of Faith and Hope Sure hope of Heaven gets honey out of the rock and meat out of the eater which makes his rough ways plain and his passage to Heaven pleasant 'T is Christians losing their hopes of Heaven makes them so uncomfortable in their passage through the World Lastly Well-grounded hopes of Heaven have a great influence towards preparation for it while it hath an advantage to further his holiness 1 Joh. 3. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure When the Apostle speaks of the faith of God's elect which is after godliness Tit. 1. 1. as a furtherance of this holiness lays this hope upon eternal life In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the World began Expectations of Heaven well laid cannot but constrain a soul to utmost measures of holiness 2 Pet. 3. 14. Seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Heaven is a place of perfect holiness no unclean thing can enter there which the eye of faith seeing and the soul 's right to it puts a person upon perfecting his holiness that he may be ready to enter in O then lay up hopes of glory which have such precious fruits hanging on them Quest But what are those sure hopes of glory which will never fail of glory and from which we may expect such excellent fruit Sol. First Sure hopes of glory which will never fail of glory are issued out of a saving union with the Lord Jesus the Lord of glory Col. 1. 27. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory Christ united to you and dwelling in you by his spirit is this glorious treasure spoken of in the former part of the verse Here are two arguments to endear the Lord Jesus to Believers First That in their union with him they are invested with great and unsearchable treasures he himself being that glorious and hidden riches opened in the Gospel and made over to them in their reception of him into their hearts by faith part of which treasure they have in hand in their present union and communion with him and the blessed fruits and consequents of it here Secondly Another thing that
renders Christ precious to Believers is that in their union with him is laid the foundation of their right to and evidence of their hope of glory Quatenus est in illis eatenus habent spem gloriae Dav. and assurance of their future and eternal enjoyment of himself and all his treasure laid up in glory There 's no other way to have a right to glory but by union with Christ who hath purchased glory onely for those that are his and have this spiritual union with him Hence 't is that the Lord Jesus Christ is called a better hope John 17. 21 to 27. Heb. 7. 19. For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by which we draw near to God That is the Lord Jesus in his Priestly Office of which the Ceremonial Law was a forerunner did bring in a ground of better hope in opening the way to God in grace and glory All right to glory is through him who is the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. and hath the disposal of it to whom he pleases John 17. 2. even to all the Father hath given him to be his and to these he gives eternal life John 10. 28. They that have union with Christ cannot perish being members of his body flesh and bones should a soul that hath received Christ here miss of glory hereafter then would a member of Christ perish and his body in Heaven be maimed and imperfect which cannot be his Church being the fulness of him who filleth all in all Eph. 1. v. 21. And Christ hath past his word for it they shall not perish John 10. 28. Not one of them is lost who are truly in Christ John 17. 10. They are his servants and shall be where he is John 12. 26. His Spouse which shall be ever with him Try then your union with Christ Have you received him into your hearts by faith Are you one Spirit with him having the same mind in you that was in Christ Jesus you would be holy as he is holy nothing short of compleat oneness with Christ can content you Indeed you have carnal desires within the borders of your souls that crave for satisfaction and sometimes will have it whether you will or no but there is another Law in your mind warring against this Law in your members that cannot rest till you arrive more to his likeness who is your life righteousness and glory Are you implanted into Christ's death and resurrection brought into some conformity to him And do you live upon him as the branch upon the root for all your grace and supply and stay upon him as the stone upon the foundation for your support in grace unto glory as your onely Lord and Righteousness Then are your hopes for glory sure speeding hopes Secondly Truth of grace secures your hopes of glory it being the earnest seal and first fruits of glory 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts Grace is God's seal for glory and what greater security can there be 'T is his earnest-penny which is never taken away as a pledge may be but secures the whole summe yea 't is part of pay Grace is that seed of God which remaineth in him 1 John 3. 9. and secures the soul's state against final Apostacy through its union with the Spirit dwelling in him Rom. 8. 11. Prove your truth of grace though never so weak and you will prove your title to glory Doth your grace owe its being to the fulness of Christ John 1 16. owning its derivation thence and dependance there Doth your grace spread it self into every part and faculty of your soul wholly sanctified throughout 1 Thes 5. 23. Cannot your grace mingle with sin or own the least appearance of evil Rev. 2. 2. but hath according to its measure an irreconcilable enmity against every known sin Gal. 5. 17. Cannot your grace rest in any measures short of perfection but hath desires and endeavours after more and more grace 1 Pet. 2. 3. Hath your grace pure and ultimate designs for Divine Glory aiming in every thing Phil. 1. 20 21. that Christ may be magnified John 3. 30. and self annihilated then is your grace true grace and will in time turn to glory Thirdly Your mortifiedness to the world will be a good proof of your title to Heaven The heirs of Glory are chosen out of the world are not of the world John 15. 19. Redeemed from the earth Rev. 14. 3. They have not received the spirit of this world but the Spirit that is of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. and are crucified to it Gal. 6. 14. dead to the desires pleasures and interests of this world Col. 3. 1 2. Dead men have no favour or delight in things no more have they who are dead to this world any acquiescing pleasure in earthly things which can no more satisfie a heavenly soul than dung can feed a living man Christians try how your hearts stand affected to earthly things are these great in your eye amiable to your affections attractive on your desires prevalent on your wills beyond the things of Heaven then are your hopes of Heaven unwarrantable by any Divine evidence and will at last leave your names written on the earth Fourthly Your hopes for Heaven if right will be active lively hopes 1 Pet. 1. 3. Who hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead Hopes that put life in your affections i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est vivificam scilicet quae vivificat Metonymia Effecti Piscat and spirits and makes you vigorous after holiness and the way to glory Ephes 2. 10. Right hopes for Heaven will make you run in the way to Heaven and put you on all manner of holy conversation Paul's hopes for Heaven put him on labours and strivings after perfect holiness 2 Cor. 5. 8 9. Phil. 3. 12 13 14. Try your hopes do they quicken you to duty or leave you dead You have no heart to the waies of God or delight in approaching to him his commands are grievous to you this bespeaks unsound and frail hopes for Heaven which will at last deceive you But sure hopes for Heaven are back'd with suitable labours for Heaven Fifthly If your hopes be right for Heaven then will your conversation be in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. But our conversation is in Heaven whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body You will be taken up about heavenly things and driving on heavenly concerns You will be maintaining entercourse in Heaven and keeping up your converses with God you will be often taking journeys to Heaven in your contemplations and desires your business will be much in Heaven and your occasions thither frequent though you live on Earth yet you will converse in Heaven As Dr.
marriage-day must be delayed till you come to a full age The Saints must be as a shock of corn that cometh in in its season Job 5. 25. Ripen a pace in your graces if you would get to glory Get your faith hope patience and every grace encreased daily especially your love to God that 's the grace shall abide in glory 1 Cor. 13. 8. Faith and Hope are the soul's helps and companions in the way but Love will be an eternal inhabitant with you Get purer deeper rooted stronger more enlarged love to Jesus Christ every day till you be downright sick for him this will make your life a death without his presence here and your death to be life in being with him for ever 'T was love to Christ made Ignatius so dead to all things below a Vita sine Christo mors est Ignat. and so longing to be with Christ 'T is storied of him that when he was dead and his heart taken out they saw the name of Jesus written in it in letters of Gold The more love to God the more fit for God for God is love b Non est in me incendium quidpiam amans D. Ludov. Rub. Thirdly Get and keep the testimony of a good conscience that may witness for you in the day of Christ when you die you are to have a trial for your life your inheritance your All and you had need have your witness firm and ready Now there are two great witnesses you will need in that day to clear your title the witness of Conscience and the Spirit have the one on your side and you will not want the other Get your consciences sprinkled with the blood of Christ and purged from dead works by the Spirit of Christ that it may be able to appear for you in that day The blood of Christ will put words into the mouth of conscience for you to plead the general issue and the benefit of pardoning grace wherein you have been transgressors enlightned conscience will accuse you that you have sinned and besprinkled conscience will plead for you that you are pardoned and purged conscience will testify for you that you are changed and that you hate the evil you have done and love the holiness you have neglected O of what wonderful use will the testimony of a good conscience be when you stand at the Bar of God! Get it true to you now and sure for you then Fourthly Maintain more constant walks with God daily this will fit you for your eternal fellowship with him Converse with God is begun acquaintance here and in Heaven is perfect friendship and perpetual fellowship It will much fit you for Heaven hereafter to begin the work of Heaven here which lies in maintain'd intercourse with him Through these gallery-walks with God do the Saints pass into the Presence-Chamber and sit down with him for ever Communion with God now is Heaven begun such are fittest for his presence in glory who are train'd up in his company here Fifthly If you would prepare for Heaven dispatch your work on Earth Heaven is a state of rest and rest follows the finishing of labour Heb. 4. 9. Rev. 4. 13. Paul must end his fight finish his course and keep the faith before he can reach the Crown 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. In the grave there 's no wisdom device or work this is your only time for labour while you are in the Vineyard O how much work is behind with most which will make a departure terrible to an awakened conscience Haste about your neglected work you have it may be much work to do with others in your families with your relations possibly there are some souls in their graves and you have not done what you might to bring them forth dead Husband Wife Children Servants for whom you must do more or cannot comfortably appear before God O hasten about this work that you may give up your account with joy There 's soul-work to be done to get corruptions subdued graces strengthned your accounts stated evidences cleared and lamps trimmed which must be attended with utmost vigour If you would get home finish your work Lastly Be alwaies ready waiting for the coming of the Lord Luke 12. 35 36. Let your loins be girt about and your lights burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the Wedding that when he cometh and knocketh they may open to him immediately 2 Pet. 3. 12. Looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God Not only be waiting for your change but longing after it as persons that are ready for a desired journey think the time long ere they go Why are the wheels of his Chariot so long a coming Judg. 5. 28. The Spirit and the Bride say come Rev. 22. 17. With the Virgins go out to meet him Mat. 25. 1. If you knew the welcome that abideth for you when you come home ye would hasten your pace Rutherf The more ready you are for the coming of Christ the more will you long for his appearance and the more grateful will his approach be The uncertainty of that time when the Lord Jesus shall appear and the unseasonableness of that surprisal for preparation-work should put Christians on continual readiness lest coming in an hour they know not of they be found unfit to enter in and the door be shut Mat. 25. 10. O how dreadful will a miscarriage be at last All the hopes labours and comfort of your life depend upon your final safety and happy conclusion of your day 'T is a great thing to live a sanctified and die a saved soul O how few imagine the difficulty of being a Christian indeed and the infinite concern of securing an immortal soul and a sure title to the unsearchable riches of the other world O the folly and madness of rational creatures to make every thing sure but salvation and to spend their time and strength about the many things of a perishing life and lose the better part Whoever thou art that castest thine eye upon this discourse thou wilt one day find Religion to be thy chiefest interest when thou comest to take thy farewel of a vain deceitful world and seest all thy Lovers for whom thou hast sleighted thy precious soul thy Soverign Lord and dying Redeemer to prove miserable comforters not able to afford one drop of balm to heal or cordial to chear thy fainting heart and affrighted conscience When thou seest pale death deliver thee a summons to appear before the holy God and to give an account of thy Stewardship when thou seest the Books opened and such a fearful charge against thy guilty conscience which thou canst not deny or answer then wilt thou find godliness in the power of it to be the greatest gain and would'st give ten thousand worlds for such an evidence as Hezekiah and Paul had when within view of death and eternity And is not Religion as
bear the image of their heavenly Father here 1 Cor. 15. 49. There is a stamp of glory upon the Heirs of glory though it may be so covered with dirt and worn out with the rust of corruption as not to be easily seen at all times Whose is this image and superscription Matt. 22. 20. Caesar's coin hath Caesar's stamp and the Children of Heaven have their Father's mark upon their foreheads Rev. 14. 1. If Christ's Treasures be yours you are his Treasury though earthen vessels yet treasures vessels and bags that wax not old Do you hope for spiritual blessings what manner of spirits are you of Do you savour heavenly things What things do best suit and please your spirits the things of Heaven or the things of the world grace or goods righteousness or riches spiritual things or carnal What goes down easiest or when down sits easiest on your stomacks The Heirs of Heaven are Non-conformists to this world but transformed into the Spirit of Heaven and the renewing of their minds to their new estate blessedness and glory Rom. 12. 1. That 's a second thing wherein this Heavenly Trade lies in securing and clearing up your interest in heavenly things Thirdly Another thing wherein this Heavenly Trade lies is this in getting in of heavenly goods This is a great part of Traders business to be furnishing themselves with wares fit for their employmeat and advantage the Artificer in making the Merchant in buying in goods that are vendible and will turn to profit So must Wisdom's Merchants get themselves stor'd with Wisdom's wares that they may be able to drive on her Trade Onely in this lies the difference earthly goods are either the products of mens labours and effects of their industry or else the purchase of their money and treasures But heavenly goods come not in this way as the proportionable reward of their labours or return of their money Indeed heavenly bread must be laboured for but when all is done the Son of man gives it to them Joh. 6. 27. Salvation must be wrought out as if it lay at their fingers end and yet this very will and power to work wrought in them Phil. 2. 12 13. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure No sufficiency is found in the creature before saving grace helps to embrace its overtures no more than a dead body to receive life Ephes 2. 1. You have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit Joh. 15. 16. The soul's choice of Christ is the effect of Christ's first chusing him and its love to God the product of God's first loving him 1 Jo. 4. 19. and the soul's fruitfulness is the effect of Christ's purposing and appointing it thereunto No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Joh. 6. 44. Not onely morally by perswading the will with potent arguments but physically by working to will by a powerful inclining and disposing the will to come to and chuse Christ through the irresistible operation of the Spirit So then 't is not of him that wileth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. Salvation-grace both of righteousness and holiness is freely given to the thirsty soul through and with Christ Rev. 20. 6. and the inclination and power to receive as freely bestowed also Phil. 1. 29. To you it is given in the behalf of Christ not onely to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Faith it self is the gift of God both the power and will to believe not given to every man alike For all men have not faith 2 Thes 3. 2. because the Father was not pleased effectually to bestow it Deut. 29. 4. The Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear to this day Who hath made thee to differ or what hast thou which thou didst not receive 1 Cor. 3. 7. If the differencing of one man from another as to his improvement of grace lay in his own inclinations and natural freedom of his own will then there was something in the creature that made this difference contrary to this Scripture and a foundation laid in a man to glory which wholly overthrows the design of Redemption-grace which is to take off all boasting 1 Cor. 1. 29. Rom. 3. 27. and to lay all the praise and glory of man's salvation on special grace Eph. 1. 5 6. neither is the first grace onely freely given but more grace also alsufficiency after conferred for every good word and work yea for every thought that is good comes from the same grace that first called you which must also perfect every good work to the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 3. 5. our sufficiency who have grace to think or do the least spiritual good is deriv'd from the same fountain-fulness that is in Christ Jam. 1. 16. Eternal life with whatever leads thereto is the gift of God Rom. 6. v. 23. As Christ so all things with him are freely given Rom. 8. 32. not onely the seed of grace but the growth of grace not onely the habit but the act of grace all comes from Christ in the way of Redemption-grace Get your hearts well established with this grace that nothing in you or done by you can merit or procure any thing of the Father but upon the account of Christ and his grace and promise in him to all that by the Son do come unto him Goods you need for a daily Trade but no money and price will pass for them Isa 55. 1. they are freely given and yet you may boldly come for them Go you must with empty sacks your friend in Heaven will fill them and return your money in your sacks mouth Christians a considerable part of your work and that which laies the foundation to all your Trade lies in getting your souls furnish'd with heavenly wares You will drive but a poor Trade for Heaven if you do not often receive goods from Heaven Alas what can you do in Christianity without continual supplies from Christ Laodicea could not do any good in Religion for want of goods from Christ She had none of his tryed gold and therefore grew soon poor and miserable If goods fail trade falls and livelihood with it What advantages doth the Tradesman miss and what losses doth he sustain by wanting goods to furnish his Customers So do Christians when they want grace to serve their occasions necessities temptations and duties what advantage might souls get had they but grace when they come under Ordinances and Duties and what losses do they meet with for want of grace under afflictions trials and employments how pitifully do they carry it under troubles and providential exercises and are oft-times sadly foil'd for want of grace and wisdom to manage such trials You have daily