I shall go up to the house of the Lord while he was sick and weak he could not do it 2. It very much indisposeth a Man for the solemn performance of the private Duties of Religion We have a clear instance of this Jam. 5.13 Is any afflicted Let him pray Is any sick Let him send for the Elders of the Church Is not sickness a great affliction It is Why then should not the sick pray Sickness and weakness indispose a person for the solemn performance of that duty 3. Persons subject to long continued weaknesses of body are often in much darkness of mind apt to question the grace of God in them and the love of God toward them For sickness and weakness indispose a Man's mind He cannot infer comfortable conclusions from his former experiences of God He is full of confusion like a skain of Silk that a Man can neither winde nor draw So it is with an infirm Man Psal 80.3 Heman when his life did draw nigh to the grave he saith His Soul was full of trouble It is a sad case a weak Body and a troubled Soul too Satan is very skilful at his work He knew this and therefore he reserved this as his last temptation for Job hoping that would stick to afflict his Body Now to Apply this 1. Let all such as God is pleased to bless with any competency of health and strength keep their hearts under the obligation that this lays upon them Deut. 8.16 The Lord gave them Manna to humble them We say Oh if we were fit for Mercy God would give it Thus Folks talk that never endeavour to be more fit If we should never have a Mercy till we were fit it would be long enough before we should have any God many times gives a Mercy first and makes a people humble afterward Well then considering that life and health and strength are given to every Man for the same end and purpose for which Paul improved them Phil. 1.21 To me to live is Christ Therefore we should every one of us while we are well set about doing of that which it will be very well if it be done before we are sick but 't is of absolute necessity to be done before we dye even what we have 2 Pet. 3.14 Give all diligence to be found in Christ Jesus in a state of union with him If a Man be not in Christ while he lives he cannot live to Christ nor shall he dye to Christ when he dyes Col. 1.27 Christ in us is the hope of glory Consider then 1. Though health and strength be a very great blessing yet it is a blessing quickly blasted Job observed it in his days Job 21.23 One dyes in his full-strength God gives him no warning at all Alas saith James what is a Man's life A vapour a little warm breath turned up and down in the nostrils when that is stopt a Man dyes 2. Consider this Say God should give us warning and do with us as he did with Jezabel cast us upon a bed of sickness and give us space to repent yet times of Bodily sickness and weakness are ill times to begin to look after a neglected Soul and to do neglected Duties Sicknesses and weaknesses bring a Man under many disadvantages of looking after Soul-concernments 2 Sam. 25.35 God smites Nabal he was sick ten days that was more time then many persons have yet he could no more repent then the very stone his heart dyed within him Therefore what we have Joh. 9.4 should be lay'd to heart The night will come when no Man can work Do the work that God calls to while it is called To day 2. If so be health and strength be so great a blessing then let all that do enjoy it take heed how they do any thing that may prejudice their health and do what God would have them do for the preservation of their health and not stick at any due charges suitable to what they are able to bear 1. Take heed of prejudicing your health They are very much to be blamed that will ride wind and weather to get money Matt. 6.25 The Body is more then Raiment Health and strength are better then riches Much more do they transgress that prejudice their health to gratifie a sensual lust For no Man ever yet hated his own flesh Eph. 5.29 I have read of one Theotinus who was very much given to drinking and had very sore eyes his Physitian told him he must either leave his drunkenness or lose his eyes Then saith he farewell sight He would rather lose his sight then leave his sin 2. Do what may be done to preserve health Therefore the Apostle saith to Timothy Drink no longer Water but use a little Wine for thy stomachs sake and thine often infirmities The poor Woman Mark 9. spent all she had upon the Physicians This is worth observation That we must so mind the wellfare of our Bodies for the preserving of health and strength when we have it and recovery of it when it is lost for the preservation of the health and well-fare of our Souls It is an hard matter to do those things out of obedience to God from a principle of grace which a principle of nature inclines a Man to Tit. 2.4 That they may teach the young Women to be sober to love their Husbands to love their Children Now for the Amplification of this wish 1. For the manner It was heartily Above all things Observe It is the duty of every gracious person to be hearty and real in his prayers desires and wishes for the prosperity of the people of God and for the health of those that are sick and weak The Apostle speaks to the praise of them Col. 1.4 That they loved all the Saints of God Ruth 4.11 The Elders said to Boaz The Lord bless thee and this Woman How heartily did the good Women bless God for their old neighbour Naomi Ruth 4.14 It is a rare thing to find such a spirit Corruption doth narrow and straighten Mens hearts Their eye is evil because God is good Corruption streightens but Grace enlargeth a Man's heart It is a brave spirit To rejoyce with them that rejoyce and to mourn with them that mourn Observe again Who it is that desires this so heartily It is John the beloved Disciple who pressed hearty love upon others 1 Joh. 3.18 And he expresseth it to Gaius Hence note Note It is the duty of every Minister to labour to exemplifie in his practice the Duties he presseth upon others The Prophet Hab. 2.4 speaking of those sad times in the captivity of Babylon saith The just shall live by faith But they might reply Can you do so your selves And he answers Yes Hab. 3.17 18 Although the Fig-tree shall not blossom yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation 2. Consider the pattern measure and degree according to which John desires this outward prosperity might be
was full of good works Peter finds a great many about her Corps weeping and telling him what good she had done whilst among them and shewed him not her own Wardrobe but the Coats she had made for them Doubtless she that had so many Tears shed for her when she was dead had many prayers put up for her while she was alive Perhaps they were not like to find another Dorcas It might be then as it is now All seek their own none the things of Christ. All look after their own particular interest These are like to be as that wicked Prince 2 Chron. 21.20 who lived undesired and dyed unlamented What will persons say of such Psal 49.19 They will bless them while they live in hope to get something by them but when they dye farewel they They were good for none but themselves But it was not so with Gaius it was not so with Dorcas It is Calvin's note He thinks God raised Dorcas to life out of respect to the poor people 2. Observe our Translation I wish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is in the margent I pray And the word is indifferently rendred Act. 27.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They wished for day But 2 Cor. 13.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I pray God that ye do no evil and yet vers 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I wish your perfection Paul's wishes were his Prayers Note That it is no inconsiderable part of a Christians wisdom to be wary and well advised in what they wish for Wishing is like Praying We find in Scripture that very much guilt hath been contracted and very much folly expressed by wild and extravagant wishes I shall instance in the miscarriages of good people this way Job wisheth that he had never been born chap. 3. Jeremy wisheth that either he had never been born or dyed by and by chap. 20. Jonah wisheth he were dead and as much under ground as he was above ground chap. 4.9 David wisheth that he had dyed for Absolom But the saddest wish is that of Joshua chap. 7. v. 9. He was at prayer but forgate himself sadly Would God saith he we had not come over Jordan He wisheth that God had never made good his Promise of their coming into the Land of Canaan There is much folly expressed hereby Many persons please themselves if they may have liberty of wishing That they might wish for what they would have and have what they wish for then they would be in a brave condition A fond and foolish conceit this is Eccles 6.12 Who knows what is good for himself in this life The words are spoken question-wise and we are to understand them negatively That is only good for us in this life which is improved in order to our Eternal life Now God can carry on that course to bring us to Eternal happiness which he hath chosen his people to by adversity as well as prosperity Therefore this is the duty and wisdom of the people of God to leave it with God as it is Psal 47.4 Thou shalt choose our inheritance for us Wisdom is required to make a good choice in any thing God is the only wise God he will choose well Note this farther In three things God hath set us bounds Bounds to our Faith what to believe Bounds to our Actions what to do And bounds to our Prayers what to desire and what to ask And why should our Wishes be unbounded since they are like Prayers Idle wishes are at least as bad as idle words which no man can give account of Matth. 12.36 Many have gotten their death and destruction by getting what they wisht for They wished they might dye in the Wilderness and they did so Num. 14. Farther John here wisheth That Gaius might prosper John's wish was a prayer to God for him From hence we may take this note Note The well-being and prosperity of every man's outward condition is wholly at God's disposing Psal 127.1 Except the Lord build the house c. It is neither the care of the Master nor the faithfulness of the Servants nor any thing else that can do any thing at all if God say Nay If God doth not make the house to grow as David useth the expression 2 Sam. 23.5 certainly it will wither The Estate the House the Family will decay and in time come to nothing I note this that we may be all stirred up to acknowledge God to be the Fountain and Spring of all outward Blessings whatsoever And accordingly 1. As we desire any thing should succeed that we take in hand relating to our worldly affairs engage God in all that he may work with us therein We have Warrant in every thing to make known our requests to God Phil. 4.6 In every thing be it never so small engage God to be with us therein and say as Abraham's Servant did Gen. 24.11 Lord send me good speed every day 2. As we desire to prosper so serve the Providence of God wait upon him and keep his ways and believe his promises David gives his Son this counsel Keep the charge of the Lord that thou mayest prosper and have good success 1 Kings 2.3 And he had so while he did so It is spoken of such a person Psal 1.3 Whatsoever he doth shall prosper It shall turn to good in order to the furtherance of the Soul's prosperity 3. When the Lord is pleased to bless the labour of our hands to make our going out and our coming in the beginning and ending of what we go about successful give God the praise Sacrifice not to your own Net as that worldly person Psal 49.18 who bless'd himself No give God the glory though the matter be never so small Ruth 2.18 19 20. Naomi being brought into a low condition though she had been a woman of fashion when her daughter-in-law had sped well in gleaning O blessed be the Lord saith she Truly this would be well thought of Psal 73.4 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee thy hearts desire When God hath given us our hearts desire we should delight our selves in the Lord And the Mercy of God should raise us up to rejoyce in the God of our Mercies This would make every days Mercies to reach our Souls 4. I wish that thou mayest prosper c. It was well with Gaius already He prospered with the best prosperity but John wisheth that he might be royally blessed That mercy might compass him about on every side Hence Observe That though it be a just and measured truth That that Man is a blessed Man whose Soul prospers in what outward condition soever he be yet outward prosperity Soul-prosperity going before is a superadded blessing and may be sought for at the hands of God with submission to the will of God for our selves and in the behalf of others It is without all controversie Though a Man's outward condition were as low as Job's in the Old Testament and as Lazarus's in the New
Testament yet he is blessed whose Soul prospers For as it is said of every Man in his civil capacity In his best estate he is altogether vanity Psal 39.5 He is subject to changes none can tell what a day may bring forth Here we have no continuing City Heb. 13.14 So it may truly be said of a person whose Soul prospers whatever his outward condition be he is altogether blessed Psal 94.12 Blessed is the Man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law When instruction hearkened to goes with correction the Soul prospers he is a blessed Man In Job 1. we have a description of Job's prosperous estate First it is said That he was a Man fearing God But we have farther as it were an Inventory given in of his outward condition He had so many Sheep so many Oxen so many Asses so many Camells c. These were a superadded blessing to Job This is set down to shew the praise of Job's patience who bare such a change so as he did 'T is very true a Man may easily over-rate and over-value his worldly estate Verily if Soul-prosperity do not go before outward prosperity outward prosperity is but like a Cypher and signifies nothing if a figure don't go before it A Man may write a sheet of Paper full of Cyphers but all do not make One When Soul-prosperity goes before God hath done much for such persons They have the Earth they shall have Heaven They have the Nether Springs they shall have the Upper Springs so that if it were asked them as Christ did his Disciples Luk. 22.35 Lacked ye any thing They must answer if they will speak as the matter is as the Disciples did They want nothing God hath not dealt so with all those that have shot the gulph and are past danger for Eternity Many of them are cut short yea they may say many times as Peter did Luk. 5.5 We have fished all night and caught nothing Laboured hard and caught not so much as a Sprat for their breakfast Many a Man that labours all the week hath very much ado to bring both ends together his Gettings and his Expences The wants of some are so many that they often know not what to do and the wants of others are so few that they want nothing but to know how to improve what they have To know how to abound is a far greater blessing then to abound Eccl. 3.14 whatsoever God doth is for ever If God give a Man an outward worldly estate it is for ever What to enjoy it for ever No things seen are but for Time But in respect of the use or abuse of them they are forever Now to speak to that which in particular John desires for his friend Gaius That he might be in health Gaius was not sick now that 's clear from vers 6. He did not keep his Bed nor his Chamber nor his House for John adviseth him to bring the Brethren on their way after a godly sort But he was a sickly Man Note Those that have much of the heart of God and live much in the love of God may feel much of the hand of God as in other troubles so in long continued bodily weaknesses That they may be sick is no marvel for they must dye but we speak of long continued weakness Timothy was such a Man 1 Tim. 5.23 It is observed of Calvin that in his latter days he was very sickly and weak contracted as 't was thought by eating too much Alöes Thuanus saith he was so seven years before his death We find Job observed this in his days Job 21.25 One dyes in the bitterness of his Soul never eats his bread with pleasure One dyes What one Even one good Man as well as one bad Man He speaks indifferently of either all things fall alike to all The good Man dyes in bitterness and pain seldom made a good meal Thus ye see it hath been And I note this only for this purpose that we may see that no new thing befalls them with whom God deals so at this day but that which hath been the lott of those whose Souls have prospered 1 Cor. 10.13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to Man 2. Gaius was very well with respect to his Spiritual state but he was weakly and sickly therefore John prays that he might be in health Hence note Note A healthy constitution of Body though a Man may be bless'd without it yet in it self is a very great and desirable blessing It is a comprehensive blessing It is the Epitome and Abridgment of all outward blessings It is like Salt that Seasons every Meat It is too true this is not so feelingly acknowledged as it ought to be by those that do enjoy it But when as it is in Job a Man's bones are chastened with a multitude of pains and a Man is worn away with pining sickness it is rare to find such a person that doth not set an higher price on health then he did before And verily it is a very great blessing whether it be by preservation from sickness or by recovery out of sickness 1. If it be by preservation from sickness prize it as a very great mercy It is left upon Record as a very signal Providence and gracious Priviledge vouchsafed to the people of Israel when they were in Egypt where there was so much Sickness Plague and Death Yet Psal 105. there was not one feeble person among them when they came forth for it is said Exod. 12.27 they were able to come for thon foot six hundred thousand Persons And ought it not to be esteemed at this day in this place as a great mercy by those Families which God is pleased to preserve from those sicknesses that some are under If ye do not labour to improve this so that God may not repent that he hath spared you ye do not well 2. It is a very great mercy to have health by recovery from sickness and weakness Hezekiah judged it so Isa 38.19 The living shall praise thee as I do this day David speaks to this Psal 103.5 My Soul praise thou the Lord. He renews thy strength as the Eagle The Eagle as it is said all Birds of prey do casts her feathers once a year new feathers grow up again and then she is fresh and lusty and mounts up as high as before Now that health is so great a blessing will appear in this because while the Lord gives it he puts a very great price into the Man's hands that hath it to further his Soul-prosperity A weakly sickly person is under many disadvantages as to that For observe 1. Weakness long continued infirmity often deprives a person of the publick Ordinances Possibly some may at this day by weakness be deprived of such Meetings as this which we are to reckon publick Ordinances not in respect of the Place but Administration Isa 38.22 What shall be the sign that
the life we live so far as it is gratious and it ought to be so in all things is more in Christ and from Christ and what we expect to receive from Christ then in and from our selves when we think with our selves as the Apostle said Gal. 2.20 Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Therefore interest Christ in all that ye do Look unto him for assistance in every thing Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me and for acceptance of all 1 Pet. 2.5 Ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ Let us go on thus leaning upon our Beloved The heart of Christ was much upon this that all that are in a state of Union with him should learn this and live under the actual consideration of it Joh. 15.4 5 Abide in me and I in you as the Branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the Vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the Vine ye are the Branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing And the more this is learned and accordingly reduced into practice the more the Soul will prosper It is worth our noting that true growth is noted by our growing in Christ Eph. 4.15 But speaking the truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ 2 Pet. 3.18 But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ As if to grow in parts in duties or any thing else without growing in him were a swelling rather then a growth The swelling of the Leg or Arm is no good sign that the party grows stronger It is thus indeed whiles we are full of our own strength our Souls prosper not 1 Sam. 2.9 for by strength shall no Man prevail Therefore a prospering Soul though it hath and when it hath put on the whole Armour of God yet it is not to trust thereto but to be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6.10 Certainly the more deeply this principle is engraven in our hearts and the more we act according to it the better it will be with us He that laboured more abundantly then they all that could say He had finished his course fought the good fight and kept the faith was he that said Not I but the grace of God that was with me 1 Cor. 15.10 Happy are those Souls and more happy they are like to be that are so trained up in a continual sensibleness of their own insufficiency as to what is spiritually good that still there is a looking up for more supplies that we may exercise what we have Phil. 1.19 and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ What Paul prayed for the Thessalonians 2 Thes 3.5 The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and the patient waiting for Christ i. e. into the exercise thereof A Soul that would prosper must pray for it self Yea and for that which Paul desired others to pray on his behalf Eph. 6.18 19 Praying alwaies with all Prayer and Supplication that utterance may be given unto me Paul had already a great gift of utterance and memory and had great experience of Gods presence with him in the exercise thereof having preached so well and so long now twenty five years together yet desires their prayers not only for the continuance of these gifts but also for the actual exercise of them so often as ever there was occasion of using them And no doubt Paul did pray thus for himself as often as he was to preach and as little doubt there is but that he did his work so much the better for it and with the better success Thus ye have what I have to say concerning the first thing proposed What concerns the prosperity of the Soul in general wherein it consists and when a Man may be said to prosper SERMON IV. I Now proceed more particularly to demonstrate that in truth and reality the Soul doth prosper according to the degree and measure wherein the Soul abounds in them 1. The Soul prospers when it is full of Praises to God So kept from day to day under the Law of thankfulness that it abounds in thanksgiving to God Col. 2.7 Abounding therein with thanksgiving It is possible some may think otherwise that this is no such great matter but let these following particulars be duely considered and I hope ye will acknowledge it to be as I say Consider then 1. Though it be true that there are some solemn Seasons which call for solemn Praises when God hath abounded in the expressions of his love to us and Fatherly care for us in some special favour bestowed upon us giving us to experience the truth of what David found Psal 31.7 I will rejoice and be glad in thy mercy for thou hast considered my trouble and known my Soul in adversity Though I say this be true yet we are under express obligation to make it part and a great part of our business every day Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of Praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his Name It was David's resolution to keep his heart under the power and authority of this Law Psal 145.2 Every day will I bless thee and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever 2. Though it be true likewise that there be some days when the Lord calls to mourning As Isa 22.12 Yet the saddest hours that the all-disposing Providence of the most wise God brings us into bring no discharge from this duty Neither need we look for it for these two duties are very well consistent together Otherwise we may be sure that God who gives a command sometimes to Mourn would never have given us a command alwaies to Rejoyce if these two had been contrary one to another And besides even in those daies when divine Dispensations call for mourning when things go most cross to our desires and affections yet we have matter of Thanksgiving if it were but for this That it is never so bad with us but it might be worse Paul acknowledgeth this to be a mercy that he had less cause of sorrow then he might have had Phil. 2.27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death but God had mercy on him and not on him only but on me also lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow Psal 118.18 19 The Lord hath chastened me sore but he hath not given me over unto death Open to me the gates of righteousness I will go in to them and I will praise the Lord. This needs not seem strange at all for even then when
in this World Not that all these sad effects are seen in every one but some in one and some in another 2. The effects will be found to be as sad in the World to come It is a sad sight to see Men undo themselves with their own mercies as Bees that are drowned in their own Honey but so it is Prov. 1.32 The prosperity of Fools shall destroy them i.e. with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord. It is evident from Scritpure that but few shall be saved Matth. 22.14 Many are called but few are chosen And it is as evident that but few of those few will be found among the rich and prosperous 1 Cor. 1.26 For ye see your calling Brethren that not many wise Men after the flesh not many Mighty not many Noble are called Yea it is yet more evident that the Spirit of God speaks in the Scritpure as if Salvation had been almost impropriated to the meaner sort of people and that those who prosper in the World had been almost excluded Jam. 2.5 hath not God chosen the poor of this World rich in faith and Heirs of the Kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him The Church is called the Congregation of the poor Psal 74.19 Such as were of the lower rank destitute of Worldly advantages But for the rich and prosperous see Luk. 6.24 25 Wo unto you that are rich for ye have received your consolation Wo unto you that are full for ye shall hunger Wo unto you that laugh now for ye shall mourn and weep Jam. 5.1 Go to now ye rich Men weep and howl for the miseries that shall come upon you The Apostle speaks not by way of advice and counsel to prevent their judgment by godly sorrow The exercise of that grace it not expressed by howling but he speaks by way of threat'ning and denouncing wrath and vengeance They had their good things in this life their pleasure upon Earth vers 5. Rev. 18.7 By how much she glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her Yet this is not to be understood as if God would condemn the rich because they were rich no more then he will save the poor for their poverty But he will condemn the rich for their sin and save the poor for their faith and piety through Jesus Christ Much more might be said to shew that Worldly prosperity separated from Soul-prosperity is by no means a prosperity to be desired It is but Eternal misery at a little distance Much less is it to be compared with Soul-prosperity This ye may judge by those effects of it which are seen to be so in this World and will be found to be so in the World to come 2. But now if we consider the Effects and Consequents of Soul-prosperity we shall find they are every way most desirable whether we consider the effects thereof for the present in this life or for the future in the life to come 1. In this life When the Soul prospereth and the divine well-fare thereof is kept in its heavenly temper by divine influences from above then there is such a glory and beauty in it as is much set by in the sight of God Psal 45.11 So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty It is a lovely sight to see any thing grow so as to thrive and prosper Corn on the ground Cattel in the field Fruit on the tree Children in the house growing up as Olive Plants about the Table But the growth and prosperity of the Soul is much more lovely Indeed there is much spiritual beauty and loveliness in the very first principles of spiritual life wherein as I have shewed you the first Foundation of Soul-prosperity as to our discerning it is laid These are much of the same nature and bear the same name with that perfect state of happiness which is enjoy'd in Heaven As that is called Glory so are these 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 even as by the spirit of the Lord. And if so then where all these lovely principles thrive and prosper the spirit of glory rests upon such a Soul as 1 Pet. 4.14 This is so but that which I shall specially instance in as most comprehensive of the blessed effects of Soul-prosperity in this life is that sweet peace within and heavenly serenity of spirit which a prosperous Soul so long as it doth prosper may and if it know its own happiness usually doth enjoy 1. Much sweet peace because of that sweet agreement which there is between a Man's Conscience and Himself Conscience we know if enlightened presseth to duty which if neglected in its season will wound and sting A prosperous Soul is more afraid of this then to be threat'ned with a fiery Furnace Dan. 3.13 That did not affright them at all but a Man may say as Job 27.6 My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live He was not afraid of those rebukings and upbraidings Now when grace is kept in exercise as it is in a prosperous Soul this keeps peace and that when troubles and tryals come upon us as an armed Man 2 Cor. 1.12 Our rejoicing is in this the testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation in the World This evidenced the prosperity of his Soul and that was his rejoicing That prayer of the Apostle for others Gal. 6.16 was heard for himself As many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy 2. Much sweet peace because there is a sweet agreement between a Man's affection and his condition A prosperous Soul living and desiring to live in the enjoyment of God is where it would be and is willing to be what God will have him to be in the darkest hours that befall him Rejoicing in hope of the glory of God Rom. 5.2 This subdues his affection to his condition when his condition otherwise would not be according to his affection Being clear in the point of his interest in God he can say how barren soever his condition be of outward comforts The Lord is my portion I have a goodly heritage Psal 16.5 6. Making God his Heaven and his Earth too Psal 73.25 3. A sweet peace because a sweet agreement between a Man's Hope and his Reason When the foundation of Soul-prosperity is first laid being quick'ned with principles of spiritual life it is born again to a lively hope of the heavenly inheritance 1 Pet. 1.3 4. And when the Soul prospers according to the knowledge it hath of its own state it is able to give a reason of its hope as the expression is 1 Pet. 3.15 A reason grounded upon the free promise of God Rom. 2.7 If
which are of all others most dreadful and terrible 1. Such a Soul is designed to be driven away from God with his curse upon them Never to see his face To be Eternally separated from those everlasting joys which Souls that live and prosper in a most absolute fullness do enjoy in the enjoyment of God whilst the everlasting God enjoys his own blessed self If this were all the misery were unspeakable It is said Act. 20.37 38. that when Paul took his leave of his friends at Ephesus it was a very sad partting They all wept very sore fell upon Paul 's neck and kissed him sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake unto them that they should see his face no more If this were such an heart-breaking unto them it must needs be impossible for any that ever tasted in any measure how gracious the Lord is to bear so much as a thought of never seeing of never enjoying God more Ye know for a Man to lose his sight were very sad though he should have no pain in his eyes Solomon saith Eccles 7.11 Truly light is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to behold the Sun So that a Man would scarce think that the greatest Worldly prosperity were enough to repair that loss What then would this blind person think of his condition if besides the loss of his sight one should stand by and continually be dropping scalding Lead into his eyes Yet so it is here For 2. A lost unprosperous Soul is not only designed to be thus driven away from God but it is designed to the same misery and the same torment with the Devils and this they can neither escape nor endure None can answer that question Ezek. 22.14 Can thine heart endure or thine hands be strong in the day when I shall deal with thee No it cannot For who knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy fear so is thy wrath Psal 90.11 None is able to express yea nor to conceive what a dreadful thing it is to be buried as it were alive under the Tomb-stone of the infinite wrath of the ever-living God Heb. 10.31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Rev. 6.15 16 17 They shall hide themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the Mountains And say to the Mountains and Rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand This is that which Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor can possibly enter into the heart of Man to conceive Ye find up and down in the Scripture that whatever is most terrible to sense is made use of to express the terribleness of it and yet comes far short of it Let but this one argument sink into your hearts and be if but once a week seriously thought on and possibly this alone may convince you of the truth of what I say That it is the most rational thing in the World for all those who believe they have immortal Souls in mortal Bodys to mind the well-fare and prosperity of their Souls above all things else in the World 4. Let me add one argument more It is the most rational thing in the World for every Man seriously to mind that which above all things else best answers God's great end in giving him his Being and with it all that is needful for support together with more understanding then the Beasts of the field And if ye ask what this is ye have an answer Prov. 16.4 God made all things for himself For the glorifying of his own blessed name Rom. 11 For of him and through him and to him are all things To whom be glory for ever Amen Now as no Man dishonours God but in doing that which tends to the ruine and destruction of his own Soul So no Man doth any thing or possibly can do any thing which really tends to the will-fare of his own Soul but therein he also glorifies God For instance To live in the exercise of Repentance confessing and humbling our Souls in the sight of God for our daily failings To live in the exercise of Faith applying our selves to Jesus Christ as interceding in our behalf for grace and mercy suitable to our daily necessities resting upon his truth and faithfulness in his promises notwithstanding all difficulties appearing in the way of accomplishment Walking in the fear of the Lord and fruitfulness in every good work These are all great fartherers of Soul-prosperity Josh 7.19 My Son give glory to God and make confession to him Revel 16.9 They repented not to give glory to God Rom. 4.19 20 but was strong in faith giving glory to God Isa 8.13 Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread Joh. 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit This is as certain as that Jesus Christ glorified his Father in finishing the work of Redemption and Salvation for lost sinners Joh. 17.4 Thus ye have the Inference made good Vse 2 If this be so That Soul prosperity is the most desirable prosperity and that it is therefore as ye have heard the most rational thing in the World to mind it above all things else Then be perswaded as the Prophet Isa adviseth ch 46.8 To remember this bring it again to mind resolve upon it and shew your selves to be Men that act according to principles of reason and not Brutes Let that sink into your hearts which ye may read Hos 11.4 The Lord there aggravates their unworthy dealing with him by this That though he knew their aversness to what he had required of them yet he had not drawn them to their duty by violence as unruly Bullocks to the yoak but in a way singularly obliging suitable to rational Creatures He had drawn them with the Cords of a Man with arguments from his bounty and goodness which of all others carry the highest grounds of reason with them why God should be obeyed This I say should be seriously considered that reflecting on our selves and finding that God deals thus with us draws us with the Cords of a Man in an argumentative way to perswaded us to this great duty O then let us be perswaded to stir up our selves with the uttermost bent of our endeavours from this day forward to mind it as the great business of our lives and pray as Gen. 9.27 that God would enlarge our hearts and fill them with desires and resolutions about this matter and diligently hearken to the counsel which God in his word prescribes you in this great affair To make way to acquaint you with what that is I must mind you a little of that which was more largely spoken unto when we first entred upon the explication of the point Two things were then endeavoured to be cleared
Paul had it Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me And he exhorts all that when they have put on the whole armour of God and have every grace ready for exercise yet then to Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6.10 11. 3. Let this be thought on too That though we ought to rest upon Christ for his assistance herein as if he were to do all and we our selves were to do nothing at all yet we ought so to stir up our selves and exercise our most serious thoughts and endeavours herein as if no help at all were to be expected from him Phil. 2.12 13. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to do Thus I have shewed you the expressions in the Text leading me that way that what in a natural way is necessary for the health and well-fare of the body that in a spiritual way is as much necessary for the health well-fare and prosperity of the Soul And this I have shewed in four Particulars I told you when I entred first upon this use That when in the use of these means all begins to be well within the Soul begins to thrive and prosper Yet it may possibly have its fainting fits sometimes by reason of continued afflictions sometimes from a deep sense of invincible infirmities For the more of these gracious principles there are in the heart and the more they are exercised the more sad impression the least failing makes upon the heart No marvel if it be with such as it was with Jonah when the waters compassed him about and the reeds were wrapt about his head then he said his Soul fainted within him Jon. 2.5 6 7. And David had like to have done so when false witnesses were risen up against him I had fainted saith he unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living Psal 27.12 13. Now as when Nature is almost spent and bodily strength fails there is need of relief by some comfortable Cordials As that poor Man 1 Sam. 30.12 being faint David's Men gave him something and then his spirits came to him which it seems were departing from him Now as the Lord Jesus was very tender over those that came from far to hear him and had been three days with him lest they should faint in their way homeward and therefore he wrought a miracle to relieve them Matth. 15.32 So without doubt he is as tender to prevent Soul-fainting Isa 57 15 16 to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite ones For I will not contend for ever neither will I be always wroth for the spirit should fail before me and the Souls which I have made Something therefore must be said to this Therefore though I cannot descend to particulars that would be too great a work I shall only give some general rules which may be indifferently applyed to all cases Let then every Soul that is ready to faint 1. Do as Jonah did in the place before quoted chap. 2. ver 7 My Soul fainted within and I remembred the Lord. Remembrance implies dependence Psal 20.7 But we will remember the name of the Lord our God This is prescribed for a fainting Soul Isa 50.10 Who is among you that feareth the Lord and obeyeth the voice of his servant that walketh in darkness and hath no light Let him trust in the name of the Lord and stay upon his God Now we must know that the Name of the Lord may have reference to that name Exod. 34.5 6 7 The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious c. This is very chearing For a fainting Soul may sometimes take encouragement from an Attribute of God when he doubts whether he may touch with a promise or no. Or it may have reference to that name Jer. 23 6 The Lord our Righteousness Certainly when a Soul seeth nothing in it self whereby it can challenge any interest in any ground of comfort yet because there is grace and mercy enough in the name of God and merit and righteousness enough in the Son of God such a Soul may see ground enough to resolve as Isa 8.17 I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the house of Jacob and I will look for him Psal 34.5 They looked to him and were lightened and their faces were not ashamed Though all the clouds were not presently scattered yet they had some light And a little Candle in a dark room in a very dark night though it do not make it day as the Sun doth yet it is some reviving till the day do appear 2. Let it be well considered what God imposeth upon fainting Souls as one great part of their work in such a season Psal 55.22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord and he shall sustain thee he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved When thou art ready to faint under thy burden cast it upon me saith the Lord Matth. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden Do then as David did he hears the command speaking in general unto all Psal 27.8 Seek ye my face and seeth himself concerned in it and therefore resolves Thy face Lord will I seek It is observable that when Christ commanded the blind Man to come unto him Mar. 10.49 Be of good comfort say those that were by-standers the Master calls thee Such commands in this case may sometimes be of greater use then promises and more effectual for the silencing of doubts and discouragements For the best are apt when in the dark to dispute their interest in the promises till they have disputed themselves out of all heart to close with them But Commands are not to be disputed but obeyed See Luk. 5.5 There was discouragement enough They had fished all night and caught nothing nevertheless say they at thy word we will let down the Net 3. Taking it for granted that a fainting Soul in obedience to the command of Christ is willing if able to come to Christ and to close with him And if the question were put to him as it was to Rebecca Gen. 24.58 Wilt thou go with this man He would answer as she did I will go And hearing the terms whereon he promiseth to be ours can and doth yield unto them as heartily as Laban did to Jacob's and desire as he did Gen. 30.34 I would it might be according to thy word Then let every fainting Soul know his right and claim it and know his duty upon this account and set about it 1. Know his right and claim it What 's that Even the promises of God as his inheritance for those that yield to Christ's terms are received into the number of his adopted Children Joh. 1.12 And if Children then Heirs Rom. 8.17 Heirs of what See Gal. 3.29 And if ye be Christs then are ye Abraham's
Seed and Heirs according to the promise We read that Naboth would not part with his inheritance neither for the good will nor ill will of King Ahab Let Souls ready to faint do so in this case with the Promises which in Christ are their undoubted inheritance 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen 2. Let Souls subject to fainting know their duty upon this account and set upon the performance of it 1. They ought to acquaint themselves with the promises They are so great and precious as the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1.4 that there is not one of those that really close with Christ though they be of the lowest form but may find that which is most suitable to their condition in some promise or other that is within their reach though some may seem to be above him Though a little Man upon low ground cannot reach the top of the Tree yet he may get hold on some of the lower branches and there may find some fruit which may somewhat relieve him As suppose he cannot find comfort in that promise Rev. 2.7 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life No he is afraid of being overcome that promise is too high for him it is above his reach yet he may reach that Rev. 22.17 And let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take of the Water of Life freely If not that Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Yet they may reach that ver 6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled And that Joh. 6.37 All that the Father hath given unto me shall come unto me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out And let every fainting Soul know this that so far as he hath an interest in any one promise so far he hath an interest in every promise as to that blessing in it which is absolutely necessary to salvation For as there is a chain of duties Matth. 22.37 38 39 40 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God This is the first and great Commandment and the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets Not this or that but this and that too So there is a chain of Priviledges Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified And a chain of Providences Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good to them that love God So there is a chain of Promises they are all bound together in one bundle in the Covenant That great and precious promise I will be thy God comprehends them all Therefore it is said Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son 2. Let them plead the Promises Psal 119.49 Remember thy word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Especially that particular promise which contains that particular blessing which if it were as sure in their hand as it is in the promise the fainting Soul thinks it would satisfie Thus did Jacob Gen. 32.9 10 11 O God which saidst unto me return into thy Country Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my Brother Thus every fainting Soul ought to do The promise is that Bond wherein God hath made himself a Debtor if not to his Covenant-people yet to his own truth and faithfulness which requires it of him that what he hath promised be fulfilled and therefore they ought to plead them This is God's method he expects to hear from them before they can expect to hear from him Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee 3. Let them patiently wait for the fulfilling of what is promised If the thing be of absolute necessity it shall be given in kind And so it shall be though in it self it be not yet if God in his infinite wisdom sees it will be subservient thereunto and will better promote it then the want of it will it shall also certainly be made good The Scripture speaks as if God had promised us nothing but Eternal Life 1 Joh. 2.25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us even Eternal Life But it is because all things absolutely necessary unto Eternal Life are comprehended therein Therefore wait for it because it will surely come Hab. 2.3 It 's true there may be silence in Heaven and that for a great while to the prayer of faith as there may be a silence very often to the provocations of the generation that is abhorred by God But as he will arise in due time to execute his vindictive justice upon the one Psal 50.21 22. So he will arise to make good his promises of grace and mercy to the other For God never said to the Seed of Jacob that they should seek him in vain Isa 45.19 I shall conclude this with that of the Apostle 2 Thes 3.5 The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ He had laid down great grounds of comfort for them in the former Chapter vers 13 14. And assures them vers 3. of this Chapter that God was faithful and would stablish them They should not miscarry nor fail of that which God had chosen them unto but knowing the difficulty of waiting when expected supplies were delayed especially when Providences seem contrary to Promises he prays that the Lord would direct them into the love of God and patient waiting for Christ This is the third particular which it concerns fainting Souls to take special notice of 4. Fainting Souls or Souls often subject to fainting should endeavour after a distinct knowledge of the great and fundamental Doctrine of Justification 1. In the Meritorious cause of it which is the obedience of Christ as Mediatour in doing and suffering what God the Father appointed and which he accepted in the behalf of all those to whom it is imputed so as to discharge them from the curse of the Law which they had deserved to be executed upon them to the uttermost and to accept them as righteous unto Eternal Life of which they were utterly unworthy 2. That it is God which justifieth Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth 3. That the moving cause is Gods free love Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus 4. That the means of receiving it is Faith Rom. 3.22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Christ Jesus unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference These things being well digested are great Cordials For whom he justifieth he glorifieth Rom. 8.30 5. Let such also think
day to day To set our selves under the actual consideration of God's All-seeing eye who hath absolute Soveraignty over us to whom alone we must stand or fall who can tell us all our thoughts and will render to every Man according to his works and therefore hath a Book of remembrance for those that think upon him and fear his name Mal. 3.16 And hath a bag for iniquity wherein he doth as it were seal up mens sins to bring them forth as Evidences and charge them upon every one as the matter requires And as God is said to have a Book and a Bag so he is said to have a Bottle Psal 56.8 Put my tears into thy bottle are they not in thy book This I say we should charge upon our hearts and renew this charge from day to day till we have some power over them For though it be true that God alone hath the Soveraignty over and is the great disposer of our hearts yet under him we may do much What Man is there whose conscience will not tell him if he consult with it that when his heart is flat and dead alienated from all serious thoughts of the presence of God with him that this is his own neglect his own willful neglect for he knows that when he hath a business to manage of any considerable concernment for his outward estate he can easily command his heart to think on it yea and cannot put it out of his mind when he would so that The abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep Eccl. 5.12 Therefore let us not neglect any longer to exercise that authority which God hath given us over our hearts if we desire our Souls should continue to prosper We must serve him in righteousness and holiness all our days and every day But all we do will come very far short not only of what it ought to be but of what it might be unless we do what we do before him as in his sight Luk. 1.75 Thus of the Second Direction 3. Spiritualize the Providences of every day I mean improve them to some spiritual advantage so as thereby some gracious impressions may be wrought upon your hearts that thereby the duties of the day may be better performed principles of godliness more seasonably exercised and the workings and stirrings of corruption more timely checkt and throughly mortified This will exceedingly help scarce any thing more to preserve the Soul in its thriving and prospering frame Consider then that every day in respect of the Providences of God it is filled up withal is either one of those two days mentioned Eccles 7.14 Either a day of Prosperity or a day of Adversity Or else like that day mentioned Zech. 14.6 Neither clear nor dark but mixt mercies given in one part of the day and crosses taking their turn in the other Now it hath been experienced to be a great means of promoting and preserving Soul-prosperity to spiritualize both the one and the other 1. If the day be a day of Prosperity i. e. if no evil befalls us but that according to the promise Psal 121.7 8 The Lord shall preserve thee from evil The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in When God blesseth the beginning and ending of what we undertake this hath enough in it to raise up in our hearts high thoughts of God that he should load us with benefits Psal 68.19 Such as may be very effectual to keep us under those obligations which his bounty and goodness lays upon us Thus it wrought in David Psal 116. He is reckoning up the mercies of God toward him Then ver 5. He exalteth God in his heart And ver 7. His Soul retires into God and takes up its rest and satisfaction in him alone And ver 9. He heightens his resolution Thus it was with David and thus it may be with us Especially when the thriving prospering Soul hath ground and reason enough to see the present mercies of what kind soever they be as having relation unto and being pledges of Eternal mercies This sweetens them and heightens them how little soever how common soever they be that they may say as David 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I and what is my father's house This makes them more heart-melting more heart-obliging then otherwise they would be or possibly can be to any Soul that is either dead in sin or in a dying withering languishing condition Six pence received only as a six pence doth not affect the heart like that which is received as an earnest of a greater Sum which shall certainly upon such a day be given to us so it is here when we can conclude that he who kept us this day from evil that it hath not grieved us as Jabes prayed 1 Chron. 4.10 and hath given us quiet and comfortable rest this night can and certainly will keep us by his mighty power through faith unto salvation and this night's rest is a pledge unto us of Eternal rest in those heavenly mansions above in our Father's house And this conclusion though no Man else can yet thriving and prospering Souls may make 2. If the day be a day of Adversity a day filled up with sad tidings or sad events yet the Providences of such a day may be spiritualized to the spiritual advantage of the Soul By a believing consideration from what hand they come as Job did ch 1. ver 21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away For what cause A man for the punishment of his sin Lam. 3.39 What God aims at therein sc our profit that we might be partakers of his holiness From what principle David believed that it was in faithfulness to the interest of his Soul that God afflicted him Psal 119.75 A believing consideration I say of these things in such a sad and dark day will conduce to preserve the Soul in a prospering frame By melting down the will into the will of God and by raising up the heart in the exercise of faith hope and patience quietly to wait for support under benefit by and in due time such a deliverance from them all as they shall be able to say to the praise of God's free grace truth and faithfulness as Jacob notwithstanding all his troubles in his life-time which were neither few nor small did on his Death-bed That the Lord delivered him from all evil Gen. 48.16 3. If the day be a mixt day as most days are some comforts some crosses some things going for us and some things against us these parti-coloured Providences may be spiritualized for our Souls advantage and be unto us as the side-wind to the Ship that best fills all the Sails variety of gracious principles may be exercised In such a day we find enough to humble us enough to make us thankful and thoughtful what to render unto the Lord. That it is no worse That it is so well as the King of Spain said when he heard of the miscarriage of
his Fleet in Eighty eight whether he said so or no depends upon the credit of the Historian But I am sure the Prophet Jeremiah said Lam. 3.22 It is of the Lords mercy that we are afflicted and not consumed cast down but not cast off Look to that place once again Eccles 7.14 In the day of adversity consider What should we consider Why consider this and mark it well that both these days with all their fillings up are from the Lord. That it is he who thus sets the one against the other that we may see that his account will be so balanced that our receipts when they are least will balance our sufferings when they are most And that therefore we have enough to reason our selves both into a submission and into a thankful frame Job 2.9 10 Shall we receive good at the hands of God and shall we not receive evil And would not these think ye keep our Souls in a thriving and prospering frame It would sure 4. Besides all these we meet with daily passages in what we hear and see which though they do not immediately touch us yet may be thus spiritualized Every Creature of God is a Text for our hearts to raise some Doctrines some spiritual Meditations from We have a Proverb That there is never an outside but it hath an inside Understand it thus There is nothing that comes under our observation but there may be extracted from it some inference or other to employ our thoughts about and that to good purpose even to keep our Souls in their good frame For as a Bee can suck honey out of many a flower where a flye finds no such thing as wanting a principle for it So a prospering spiritualizing Soul may and therefore ought to endeavour to extract some good out of every thing even out of its own and other Mens failings as we may read Pro. 24.30 31 32 I went by the field of the slothful I looked upon it and received instruction Upon this ground among others the principles of godliness are called a partaking of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 For as God according to his infinite power and wisdom brings light out of darkness good out of evil Even so may the principles of godliness much more out of every good thing though of a very mean concernment And would not this help to preserve it in its prosperous frame It would sure That Man is like to thrive who gains by every thing he deals in And that Soul is like to continue to prosper which raiseth Earth into Heaven and fetcheth Heaven out of Earth as every one doth so far as he is faithful in the fore-mentioned particulars And besides it is one of the best helps that I know of to make improvement of that portion of our time which runs between one solemn duty and another which otherwise would lye upon our hands and be rendered useless as to Soul-concernments 4. Another great work which prospering Souls have to do in order to the preserving of themselves in a prospering frame is this To preserve a deep sense of their spiritual poverty when it is best with them in respect of Soul-prosperity The Apostle Paul from the first day after his conversion to the day of his dissolution for ought we read or have any appearance to suspect to the contrary did thrive and prosper in his spiritual estate His inward man was renewed daily 2 Cor. 4.16 Yet what he thought of himself we find by what he speaks of himself Rom. 7.23 24 I find another law in my members warring against the law of my mind O wretched Man that I am 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient to think any thing as of our selves Eph. 3.8 Vnto me who am the least of all Saints is this grace given This is as needful a direction as any of the rest For it is a hard matter to starve this sin of pride and self-exalting thoughts because it will feed almost upon any thing Nothing so good yea nothing so mean but pride will feed upon it Absolom was proud of his long locks he wore his hair so long that when he polled it it weighed about four pound in weight 2 Sam. 14.26 But I speak not now of this kind of pride but of that kind of pride which without special care may breed out of those excellent things which are found in prospering Souls as pride of gifts There is the root of that pride in a prospering Soul which Solomon speaks of Pro. 18.2 A fool hath no delight in understanding but that his heart may discover it self Of that in the Pharisee Luk. 18.11 God I thank thee I am not as other men are Joh. 7.49 This people which knoweth not the law are accursed Pride of Grace Though corruption that is in the heart hates the grace that is in the heart yet it is apt to be proud of it when it is taken notice of Grace cannot be proud but he that hath it may be proud of it As Paul was in danger of being lifted up and exalted above measure through the abundance of revelations which were given unto him 2 Cor. 12.7 Now which way soever pride works ye will find it like the wind sometimes at one door sometimes at another Resist it for God resisteth that Man that doth not resist it Jam. 4.6 He gives more grace to those that walk humbly with him but he resists the proud by abating and lessening what he had given So far as the heart begins to be lifted up so far it is naught how good soever it was before Hab. 2.4 Behold his Soul which is lifted up is not upright in him Therefore whensoever the inward man begins to be renewed and that it begins to be better in the frame and temper of the heart then formerly Then watch and pray that ye do not fall into this temptation And consider when it is at best with us how much we come short of the holiness of that rule we ought to walk by and of the holiness of that God which is proposed for our pattern 1 Pet. 1.15 As he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conversation Let us compare our selves with that Rule and with that Pattern and the bright-shining beams of the Sun will not discover more motes in the Air then the holiness of God and his law would convince us of sin to be in us And when it is at best with us would make us to see reason to complain of our selves as Paul did Rom. 7.14 The law is spiritual but I am carnal sold under sin And to pray as Psal 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no Man living be justified And in the strength of Christ to resolve as Phil. 3.13 14 I count not my self to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth to those things which are before I press