sight having a warrant for every action you perform both civil and religious this will be your comfort now and your peace in the day of your accounts Thirdly Drive on his interest not your own Rom. 14. 7. For none of us liveth to himself God can more justly say what Laban did to Jacob concerning his children and goods These daughters are my daughters and these children are my children and these cattel are my cattel and all that thou seest is mine Gen. 31. 43. The cattel on a thousand hills are his Psal 50. 10. with the corn wine wooll and flax Hos 2. 9. Both the improvement as well as principal are his Mat. 25. 27. He hath right to the exercise and fruit of your graces and duties with all that you enjoy and do Put Christ's mark on all your goods whatever you gain by his talents put on his account and let your disbursments be expended to his use Seek not your own things your credit peace comfort interest but in subordination to him If the Lord by his Word calls for any of your enjoyments you must let them go If by his Providence he takes off any comfort murmure not say 't is the Lord Let him do what he will with his own Mat. 20. verse 15. Advice 5. Fifthly Follow your Trade better than you have done remember how former carelesness formality sloth hypocrisie have undone you and amend The slothful soul is as the door on his hinges Prov. 26. 14. that never makes any progress in Religion or comes to any excellency in grace No Christian saith Mr. Sedgwick is so able in the habits of grace as he who is conscienciously frequent in the practice or exercise of grace Christ's Counsel to his languishing Church Would you recover your state and come to any eminency in godliness then make Religion your business That sleightiness of spirit in the way of God which lost you at first will never restore you The recovery of a faint soul saith the same Author will never be effected by faint workings You did fall into your decayed state by remissive actings and think you that which was not able to keep up your graces from sinking can now quicken and raise them being sunk Christ's Counsel to his languishing Church p. 148. If negligence did cast you back diligence must help to recover you Take more pains with your hearts follow your work of godliness every day and in every place Be early and late in your shops of duty and in the warehouse of your hearts Beware of spiritual sloth and soul-losses take heed of unfaithfulness with God conscience or others keep touch with your Creditour be tender of your vows to God and men keep from prodigality live not above your condition waste not precious time parts and grace in vain walk strictly in the whole course of your life keeping your selves from iniquity and in the Love of God Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Jude v. 21. Tit. 2. 13. 5th Branch of Exhortation to good Traders in Religion Lastly You whoever you are that drive on this Heavenly Merchandise and have any good Trading in Religion be you exhorted Advice 1. First To bless God for good trading Is it well with your souls Doth the South-wind blow upon your Garden and the Spices flow out Cant. 4. 16. Doth the Fig-tree put forth her green Figs and the Vine with the tender Grape give a good smell Cant. 2. 13. What reason have you then to be always giving thanks you whose trading turns to any spiritual advantage thou canst say 'T is good to draw nigh to God in keeping his commands is great reward The Lord is not a barren wilderness to thy soul but peace is within thy Walls and prosperity within thy Palaces Psal 122. 7. Thy glory is fresh in thee and thy bow renewed in thy hand thy root spreadeth out by the waters and the dew lying all night between thy branches Job 29. 19 His ways are pleasantness and his steps drop fatness to thy soul and he commands his blessing upon thee and thy faith and love do grow Is it thus in any measure with thee O then bless the Lord with thy soul let all that is within thee bless his holy Name Make the Lord thy glory and triumphing praise Thou hast abundant reason to be admiring grace and exalting divine glory Because First Soul-thriving is a great mercy at all times a little spiritual goods is beyond all the World's treasure one piece of Christ's tried Gold weighs down all the Pearls and Diamonds on earth and whatever can be found below grace cannot be compar'd with it Job 28. 11 12 16. or named the same day with it The light of God's countenance pardon of sin participation of the spirit fulfilling of Promises fellowship with the Father Son and Spirit heart-breathings after love to and delight in God are things of inestimable worth if you weigh them in themselves or with other things or if you consider the grace from whence they come or price which they cost Spiritual thrivings are an evidence of sincere love to God Judg. 5. 31. Let them that love thy Name be as the Sun that goeth forth in his might and of special love in God to that soul Tit. 3. 4 6. Eph. 1. 3 5 7. God may prosper in the World those he hates Esau had his fat things here but grace and peace are new-covenant-blessings which spring from eternal love in the heart of God to that soul Heb. 8. 10. Zech. 8. 11 12 15. Secondly 'T is a singular mercy at this time a mercy that few enjoy in the day we live in What a rare thing is it in this long winter to see a green Olive a tender Grape appear or Pomgranate bud Cant. 7. 6. or one Berry in the uppermost branch Isa 24. 13. It was a peculiar glory put upon the head of Thyatira that she was thriving when other Churches were decaying She had works and works and the last were more than the first Rev. 2. 19. Ephesus had lost her first love Sardis had decayed and wasted her first strength and was ready to die Laodicea was luke-warm ready to be spued out by the Lord Jesus Rev. 3. 1 8 16. only Thyatira flourished exceedingly and grew in the winter and this honour she had to have it recorded by the Spirit for a monument in after-ages 'T is not the lot of every one to thrive in evil times few Thessalonians whose faith and love did grow 2 Thes 1. 3. A single Timothy who had flourishing affections to the things of Christ I have no man like minded Phil. 2. 20. One Gaius whose soul out-prospered his body 3 Ep. Joh. v. 2. A flourishing Christian this day is like a flower in winter an Apple-tree amongst the trees of the wood Surely if there be a Soul who this day flourishes to any heighth of Christianity who lives in intimacy with
World But now 't is dead and quiet it can bear the sharpest strokes of the two edged Sword and not feel it or bleed it makes little or no bones of sin against knowledg and mercy sins that were before troublesome now go down easily it can digest threatnings and terrors with little trouble and sleep while the arrows of the Lord's wrath flie about its ears it can let go mercies without regarding and truths to pass away without entertainment this is Soul-poverty This thou can'st say too there was formerly an activity in thy Soul for God and the spring of thy heart was strong and it set every wheel a going thou couldst run and not be weary walk and not be faint no religious duty was tiresome to thee no commands of God were grievous 1 Joh. 5. 3. no journeys seem'd long that led to God nor Sermons tedious that spake of God thy spirit was all life when in holy company and work did any say Come let us go up to the mountain of the house of the Lord Zech. 8. 21. thou wouldst say I will go also If God did but say Seek thou my face Psal 27. 8. thy heart would presently answer thy face Lord will I seek But now a deadness seizeth upon thee and slothfulness gathers in over thy whole Soul thou art soon weary of well-doing and canst not hold out with God in conflicts and difficulties as heretofore thou art not so diligent to prepare thy meat in Summer Prov. 30. 25. nor to lay in provision for a Winter spending-season thou turnest on thy bed as a door on its hinges and takest little pains with thy heart and conversation thou losest many an opportunity and advantage for thy Soul through thy deadness and indisposition to good works And doth not this bespeak Soul-languishing and poverty There are decays and poverty in thy life also as well as spirit how unprofitable is now thy conversation to what it was there was a time when thy bow did abide in strength thy lips did disperse knowledg Prov. 15. 7. thy steps did drop fatness it was good to be in thy company few came from thee but were better'd But alas now how dwindling is thy light how jejune and sapless is thy converse thy company little lovely thy communications little profitable thy words eat as doth a Canker it sears as a hot Iron and deadens those that hear it thy breath freezes all that come hear it so unprofitable a burden is thy company We turn all Religion Mr. Sedgwick ' s Christ's counsel to his languishing Church saith one into a discourse censure or dispute We can eat and drink and talk and sin as freely This is a sad case indeed and bespeaks great decays of godliness when persons become more poor and impotent in their Souls Fifthly Small adventures in Traders do usually bespeak bad Trading when times are hard and Goods go not off Sellers buy but little and drive a less Trade when improvements fail men are loath to adventure the principal but presently contract their Trade and lessen their dealings So 't is in this spiritual Trade when Souls begin to decay in it and Trading is bad they narrow up their Trade and lay out less of their heart and strength about it little of their Soul goes out after God and things above they cannot adventure for God as formerly nor spare time for prayer hearing reading holy conference as once they could the stream of their affections begins to run another way now they are all for the world self and vanity business and interest eats up all their time or at least they say to Christ as David did to Mephibosheth Thou and Zibah divide the Land So thou and the world thou and pleasures thou and reputation divide my heart time and strength this is too evident God hath not so much of mens hearts desires love delight faith hope zeal as heretofore 't is low waters all the year long with many no heart to duty as the Prophet complains Whoredom and Wine take away the heart Hos 4. 11. So lust sloth the world and self take away the heart few breathings after God when absent or delight when present indisposed to duty cold formal in duty put off God with any thing keep the best of the flock the prime of their strength for themselves and the world and turn off the Lord with a corrupt thing the residue of their wasted affections and strength Mal. 1. 14. Sixthly Breaking shews bad Trading when men can hold it no longer but are forc'd to give over they go back and waste so fast that at last they shut up shop and are gone The times we live in are a manifest instance of this truth men breaking ever and anon now one then another declares plainly Trading is bad And thus 't is with Wisdom's Merchants this day how many that have driven a brave trade of Profession made a great shew of Religion were famous in their generation for Parts and seeming Piety but are now come to nothing quite fallen and gone great apostasies from the truth sad shipwracks of Faith and Conscience can these late times speak of Men that seem'd like Stars to give a blaze for a while and then turn'd to falling Meteors at last or with the Sun that riseth in a splendour and sets in a cloud The visible apostacy and gross debauchery of men professing God in these latter times is great but the secret degeneracy and backslidings of heart are much more many break but more do warp 'T is far easier to observe than to be affected with mens great declensions in Religion some in principle but most in practice some with the fallen Angels have left their habitation and fallen from their first state others faulter in their profession and are fallen in their station some with stormy winds are shaken down others fully ripe and gotten to the height of their profession loosen by degrees and drop away some fall from the tree others rot where they hang some trees have lost their fruit others their very leaves and are become twice dead where can you cast your eye and not see fallings away either from Faith or faithfulness Men take up notions and as easily leave them most build upon the sand little rootings in the truth how easy is it to draw men from their opinions little stedfastness in love how soon doth the labours thereof cease a little trouble makes men let go their profession others lose their strictness in Religion and grow more remiss and lame in duty leaving their first love and close walks with Gods And are not these such manifest symptomes of decaying godliness that he who runs may read and see that the Heavenly Trade is almost come to nothing this day 2 And this is cause of mourning and to be greatly laid to heart who can see these things and not be affected If there be any quick flesh how can it but bleed if any waters are left surely
and prepared b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fashioned as a Vessel the meaning is saith Dr. Preston that then a man is good when his heart is fitted to good works to every good work 2 Tim. 2. 21. Labour to get your natures changed and hearts quickened you must be born again or cannot see the Kingdom of God Be looking to Jesus to create in you a new heart a renewed mind will and affections to have a saving principle put into your hearts and a disposition of Soul towards the whole will of God Cry mightily for the Spirit and wait for his movings upon the face of Sanctuary-waters and for a mighty power of God in the Gospel upon your Souls Get under the healing-wings of Christ and rest not looking unto Jesus till virtue go out from him to heal your Souls If this be thy restless desire thou can'st not let Christ alone running after him crying Jesu thou Son of David have mercy upon me he will turn again and have compassion and give the holy Spirit to them that unfeignedly and incessantly ask him Mark 10. 47 48 49. Luke 11. 13. Direct 2. Secondly cease from your own works Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy The first step in returning to God is departing from sin and self c Nihil nobis cum Deo esse potest nisi a nobis discedamus Calv. Neither can we saith Calvin hold converse with a holy God till we be estranged from our unholy self When the Apostle advises the Ephesians to put on the new man Eph. 4. 24. He first exhorts them to put off the old with his whole conversation vers 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt Grace builds not on an old foundation neither does it adorn but reform the former conversation of called Saints there is no cloathing upon in regeneration-work the old garments must off before the new will come on Religion is not a covering for but a stripping off a sinful life neither can you be free to set on God's work till you leave your old works Rom. 6. 20. For when you were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness You had nothing to do with holiness you had no freedom to do God's work while you were Sins servants He speaks of their actual liberty from grace not their legal freedom d Libertas hic de facto non de jure intelligatur saith Paraeus you are not at liberty to do the work of holiness while under the command of sin No man can serve two Masters Mat. 6. 24. that is two contrary Lords How can the same man e Quomodo poterit unus idemque homo pietati se quantum opus est impendere simul circa divitias quaerendas servandasque perpetua solicitudine distrahi Grot. saith Grotius follow godliness as his work and at the same time be distracted with cares about getting and keeping earthly things 'T is a vanity for persons to dream of a compliance between sin and holiness whose work is too inconsistent for one Soul at one time ruling iniquity and grace are two contrary states which cannot meet in one person and time Never think of setting up on the Heavenly Trade till you are freed from hellish servitude and invested with the liberty of the Sons of God a freedom from the love and service of every sin Godliness calls for the whole of a man's heart strength and time and requires a person void of any inconsistent obligations resolve to break from every way of death if ever you think to enter into the way of life Direct 3. Thirdly Make over your selves to the Lord in an Everlasting Covenant they that will be Masters of a Trade must first be bound to the service of it and resign up their persons wills capacities and time to the instruction and government of another in order to their fitness for such a calling And so must souls that will learn Wisdom's Merchandise they must bind themselves to the Trade and make over themselves and their all to God in Christ to be taught and enabled to set up this excellent work Jer. 50. 5. They shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that cannot be forgotten Sin had made a separation between their God and them and brought a death upon their mercies and Templeenjoyments but now the Spirit of Prophecy breathing on these dry bones moves them to a vital union with the fountain of life the onely regular way to their new work and mercies they must first be joyned to the Lord before they can be rejoyned to one another and re-enjoy their lost priviledges and this union lies in a hearty acceptance of offered grace a taking hold of God in Christ and a Covenant-surrender of the whole soul and its All to him again O for arms to embrace him saith Mr. Rutherford This is called a giving up of ones self to the Lord 2 Corinth 8. 5. But this they did not as we hoped but first gave themselves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God They exceeded our hope We onely expected some part of what was theirs but they gave themselves first to God and to us to be directed and governed by the will of God to be placed in the fellowship of his Gospel as well as their interests to the service of his people 'T is also a giving away of ones self to the Lord wholly unreservedly and perpetually to be no more his own 1 Cor. 6. 19. And ye are not your own This surrender of your selves to God souls must be in judgment understandingly and ariseth freely on choice universally without the least reservation absolutely without any limitation or conditions of our own eternally without any expiration and term of this grant and to be attested by all overt acts within your power Isa 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lord's another shall call himself by the name of Jacob another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Jacob. Whatever may most fully ensure and express an absolute devotedness unto God must be done by those that ever expect to thrive in grace and godliness Verse 3 4. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grass as willows by the water-courses When once this implantation into Christ is dispatched then will the Lord give prosperity to that soul then are you in a sure way to success in all your holy undertakings and like to speed well in this Heavenly Trade when you become entirely the Lord 's in order to it O be not
live above their capacities and proportion that 's casting back when persons have little and yet live high have but a little light and yet spend that too in works of darkness have but a short day and yet so many hours of that one day consumed in vanity this is to live above thy estate and will be soon impoverishing When men have but a little grace and strength and yet adventure upon great temptations and run into soul-ruining dangers rush into vain company set upon entangling affairs and take much business on their hands and yet have but a little portion of Wisdom and Grace to manage them this is to live above thy estate in Christianity To be low of stature and yet high in conceit of little spiritual worth and yet think highly and speak highly of thy self and to expect estimation from others also is to live above thy estate To have nothing to maintain thee but what comes in by thy soul labours no longer work no longer eat thy daily bread depends upon thy daily work so poor and yet in this condition to expect an easie life to lie down to slumber to dwell carelesly and set thy hand but by fits and starts to thy work This is to live above thy spiritual estate and will soon bring thee to breaking in this Heavenly Trade Sixthly Great debts are breaking and will cast men back in Wisdom's Merchandise when men owe more than they are worth and know not how to pay it run further on book every day till their credit will pass no longer they have often promised payment but still fail'd and now their word will not pass they can get no more goods Creditours will not trust them but begin to suspect them and threaten to take them up then men shut up shop and break This also is pernicious to Heavenly Traders when they become unfaithful to God and men run on score for mercy but never pay or render to God again are deep in debt to God for divine goodness receive one mercy after another one talent after another and make no returns of any God sees not principal or interest but they remain fruitless and unthankful under all make promises of better improvements but still break them Come to Sacraments and renew their Covenant with God and go away and break it again make promises to God under affliction that if he will deliver them this once they will never grieve and provoke him more as they have done make large engagements if God will hear this prayer and give that mercy but when their turn is serv'd forget God and break all their vows again be ready to pass their word on every occasion and then look after it no more this begets a jealousie in the Lord of Hosts that he will trust them no more Deut. 32. 21. but hold his hand and part with no more goods but threatens to take them up and to cast their souls into prison begins to sue them in the Court of Conscience and to out-law them at the bar of Justice to seize on what they have then away goes peace joy hope and then comes breaking These are some of those reasons why Christians go back in Religion and decay in their Heavenly Trade O Christians bring the plummet to the line and thy heart and life to the ballance and try from which of these comes thy soul-decaies and then get it to bear upon thy heart till thou art fully convinc'd of thy evil and willing on any terms to obtain remedy Advice 3. Thirdly Compound with your Creditour get your peace made with God through Christ make haste to prevent a seizure on your person and goods by a timely composition Agree with your adversary while you are in the way with him lest at any time he deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into prison Mat. 5. 25. 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an ever-living God who is a consuming fire Heb. 10. 31. ch 12. 29. O tremble in the sense of his righteous Judgment and force not the Lord by thy delaies to commence a suit against thee and to make an entry upon all that thou hast but go humble thy self and make sure thy friend Prov. 6. 3. Fall down before thy Creditour and sue for terms of reconciliation cast thy self at the feet of mercy confessing thy sin Pay the debt thou canst not go beg remission and offer a Surety to discharge the score even such a one as the Father himself is well pleased with Thy Creditour must be satisfied or thou art undone but this you can never do Away to a Mediatour to obtain terms and to procure your peace make Christ your friend who is able to satisfie all the Father's demand to cross the book and send your discharge by the Spirit of Grace who can witness the pardon of all your sins to your consciences Come to him in the sense of your folly bearing your shame Forsake your wasting waies and with the prodigal return from your harlots to your Father's house rating your selves beneath the least of his mercies and consenting to the meanest condition so he would but take you in again Luke 15. 17 18 20 21. Subscribe all his terms and make a new surrender of your self and your All to Christ to be no more your own but more entirely his than ever Jer. 50. 5. Enter into a new Covenant with God in Christ taking him for your Surety and fetching all your abilities to fulfil it from him and get thy soul more firmly bound to the Lord in it by the bond of the Spirit Advice 4. Fourthly Set up no more for your selves but enter your selves Factors for Christ It may be you traded formerly for your selves and that broke you if you would prevent that danger for the future you must be no more for your selves but for him trading as his Factours not your own Now three things are required in a Factor which must be observed also by wisdom's Merchants if ever they will drive a thriving Trade in Godliness 1. To trade upon anothers Stock 2. To be regulated by anothers Advice 3. To drive on anothers Interest First If you will be Christ's Factours you must trade upon his stock you must not onely take all your goods from him but as his not onely fetch in your graces abilities skill success from him but use and improve them as his not as your own Joh. 1. 16. Of his fulness have all we received grace for grace 'T was not onely part of his fulness before it was received but 't is his grace after reception Col. 1. 19. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell not onely the fulness of the Divine Nature but the fulness of habitual grace both which are in Christ the latter is chiefly intended here which dwells in Christ as in a head not for himself onely but for his body as beams in
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
of his mouth more than your necessary food Can you be content to let your own things sit that you may seek the things that are Christ's and sit at his feet when others are in the market-place and abroad in the croud of their earthly affairs Are you alone with Christ in a corner If so your Mercy is singular and your Obligations strong to be entirely the Lords to be no more your own but wholly devoted to his fear to live a life of praise and welpleasingness uno God to think well of Christ and bear his pleasure to be patient in tribulation continuing instant in prayer to long for the Well-head of your mercies and to be beginning a life of glory while you are here in a life of grace I shall close up this Discourse with a few words of general Advice to you all First lay the foundation sure on which you build all your Temporary labours and your Eternal hopes You cannot be too certain in that on which depends your all Consider how often Satan hath battered down yea your own hearts have disputed away those Evidences on which you could sometimes have adventured your Souls and yet the strongest Assaults are to come and the greatest Forces of Hell reserved for the last Battel Bottom not your hopes on any thing short of a Crucified Christ not on your Frames but on his Favour not upon your Duties but his Righteousness nor upon any kindnesses received from him short of a saving union with him rest not till your Convictions be clear deep and distressing such as discover sin to be the greatest evil in its nature and fruits and its residence and indwelling in you a burden intolerable such Convictions as will not admit of after favour or reconciliation to the least known or most beloved sin that can make your heart to bleed afresh upon every new touch of it and never at rest till the whole kind of it be destroyed out of your Souls Labour to see such a Beauty in Christ as may render all Created Glory as dross and dung in your Eye stop not till you come to the Excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ as your Lord till you can discern such a worth in the Person as well as Purchase of Christ as will make you content to throw all over board to take in him and be sick of love till you enjoy him be sure your close with Christ be right with his whole Person Will and Designs to be one with him upon all his own terms And that this union be not in Judgment and Consent onely but in Heart and Will from your whole Souls finding an inward likeness and love to him in your renewed nature 2ly Go on towards perfection press after nearer and more compleat Conformity to the Nature and Will of Christ every day Think how short your highest measures do come of perfect holiness in the sight of God set the Pattern before you every day that you may be the more ashamed at your present attainments in Grace and more provoked to higher Aims and Atchievements compare your selves with them that are above you with the Rule of Righteousness and with all your Obligations Time Means and Mercies to keep you humble in your own eyes look upon your Wants as well as Enjoyments that you may be as poor in spirit as in condition that which is wanting in you cannot be numbred Who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort 1 Chron. 19. 14. Keep low thoughts in your selves under the greatest services you do for God and the highest honour you receive from God Alas said the Lord Du-Plessis to one that commended him for the improvemt of his Talent What is there of mine in that Work say not that it was I but God in me I know more saith another by my self to abase me than any man could know to extol me So much humility a man hath so much grace he hath and worth and no more Dr. Har. 3ly Keep up a life of faith upon Christ in the promises As the first quickening of a Christian is by faith so his whole life is maintained by believing no longer than you believe can you live Gal. 2. 20. Your life is hid with Christ in God Draw fresh Influence thence by faith upon your Hopes Comforts and Graces under every want fears and deaths within you make not your graces or duties the grounds of believing but encouragements to Faith study more the nature freeness fulness and unchangeableness of redemption grace and get acquaintance with the promise and perswasions of the truth of them in Christ To live onely by faith saith Dr. Harris and a bare Promise without a pawn and to give all to free grace and to Christ alone are mighty works and some of those things he found most difficult 4ly Walk in Love as Christ hath loved you This is the life of Heaven and beginning of that Excellent glory which shall never be removed there is nothing does make thee more like to God more near and dear to him and more fit for his use than this Grace of Love Let your Affections be extended as large as the objects of them unto God his Word Ways and People love God to obey him his Ways to walk in them his People to delight in them to sympathize with them to mourn over them in their sufferings to help them in their necessities to rejoyce with them in their consolations counting their mercies your own which is no easie part of your duty It is far harder saith one to adopt anothers Comforts than his Sorrows and to hold ones self exalted in anothers exaltation 5ly In the enjoyment of the World get above it and while you live in it be daily dying to it so much as you get above the World so near are you to God and Glory and no nearer Covet not anothers Goods the World is none of your Portion if God be your part Oh how much beneath the Extraction Dignity and Duty of Saints is the love to and life upon this low and dirty World leave not Childrens bread to feed on such Carrion doggs-meat and filthy excrements with which Satan feeds his Labourers But having spoke largely of this matter in the Book I advise your Eye and Heart thither for Conviction and Counsel herein 6ly Make much of the Time and Means of Grace while you have them your Glass runs your Sun hastens and the Wind blows when and where it listeth O make use of Time while you have it God who made nothing in vain hath work for every hour of your short Day work as hard as you can you will find something to do when you come to die Loss of time saith Dr. Harris on his Death-bed sits very near upon me work work apace assure your selves nothing will more trouble you when you come to die than that you have done no more for that God which hath
done so much for you Wait upon and walk in the light while you have it if Grace thinks it not much to spread a Table for you don't you think it much to spare time to sit down at it You that find so many things to do when God calls for your Company will shortly find that God hath other things to do than to mind you when you need his Cordials how glad would you be of enjoying time to hear the voice of peace when you are entring upon Eternity who are not at leisure now to hear Divine precepts while in the possession of time neglect not hearing praying seasons which are your Seed-time for Glory O that every day saith one were a Sabbath or a Fast-day for then I should be well Buy not your ease or earthly interest at so dear a rate as the loss of salvation time and helps Evidence your love to God by your valuation of his Presence in his Ordinances How can you long for the enjoyment of God in Heaven who care not for his company on Earth or his glorious appearances in his Sanctuary Stick at nothing that may yield him delight or give him glory how expensive soever it be on your dearest Comforts and Interests When one told Du Moulin in his sickness that he wronged himself by speaking so much 'T is true said he but I will die glorifying of God A Soul that supreamly loves God will count nothing too much to do part with or suffer that may bring him glory 7ly Rest not in your enjoyments of means without improvement of them What 's a full Table if thy Soul abide empty and frequent feeding if thy inner man languish 't is a time of dying and secret waste in most Christians O covet earnestly the best gifts that you may flourish in the Courts of God and grow as the Cedars of Lebanon that you may be throughly furnished to every good work and your profiting appear to all men Be deeply sensible of your little Fruit under great dressing and be humbled take heed of spiritual pride and puffings up in your apprehended Excellencies or Priviledges 't is the humble soul is the most thriving soul keep your Hearts pure and Lives unspotted As sound bodies so sincere souls are most growing pare off luxuriant branches as they sprout out and lay the Ax to the root of them every day keep up Faith in the Promises of Soul-prosperity to them that serve him in sincerity Psal 92. 12 13. and stay on Christ by Faith for help when you see nothing but Discouragements in your selves and when you are afraid to apply the Promises even then bless God for them These Promises said a doubting Soul are none of mine yet I am glad that God hath made them and for their sakes that shall partake of them Mr. White 8thly Neglect not secret transactions between God and your Souls to which I fear some of you may be too great strangers no wonder that Intimacy between God and Souls does fall when they are seldom together in retirements Oh take heed of passing by thy Closet or secret corners one day Matth 6. 6. or posting out of them before God and your Souls have some Converse together and be not onely constant in it but careful to please God in the spiritual performance of it Let not Custom or Formality deprive thee of the sweetness of that bread eaten in secret You are in this Book more fully called upon to these Duties of secret Prayer meditation heart-searching and watching-work to which I refer you 9ly Make conscience of every Duty you owe towards others in your Relations Places and Callings keep up Family duty or write Heathen upon thy doors that the World may know thee If you neglect Gods service he will not be your Sanctuary Prayerless houses have broken walls and doors and no defence against the least evil If you will not give God your breathings how can you think he will give you his blessings 'T is sad that any especially such whom God hath taken into his house should shut him out of their doors or give him such pitiful service as some do scarce ever reading the Scriptures in their Families from one Lords-day to another onely send him a little hasty fruit some short and shuffled prayers once a day no wonder that salvation come not to their houses or converting grace into their families but a flying Roll is over their habitations and the black marks of Ruine on their Children and Servants think it not strange that God makes thy pleasant Roses pricking Bryers and Thorns to thee who hast made them Spears and Swords to him Oh keep with God in every duty of his service your Relation Calling and Imployments Lastly in every condition walk with God and wait for God if he lead you in ways of mercy follow him in ways of duty If you have Comforts take heed of doting on or abusing of them when he sends you Afflictions receive them be not fainting nor froward under them but sanctifie God in them and by their hand return to him do not over-love your mercies or over-fear your troubles prepare for Changes but live upon Immutability and be setled under all your unsettlements count nothing strange but sin and nothing hard to bear but the absence or anger of a gracious God lose not your fears in times of peace neither cast away your confidence in the day of trouble let your Lamps be alwaies burning that you may see the way of your duty in the Night of your danger and how to get in Comfort in your Adversity and let your loins be girt that you may be ready both to do your work and to meet your wages and be alway looking and waiting for the coming of your Lord who will welcom you in the Acceptance of your Duties uncloath you of your sins and sufferings and crown your sincerity and faithfulness with a Come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you which is the longed for Fruit of all his Labours with you and the subject matter of his daily prayers for you who is in him that was and is and is to come Your Affectionate Labourer Fellow Servant and Brother Barthol Ashwood THE Heavenly Trade Opened and improved from Proverbs 3. 14. For the Merchandise of it is better than the Merchandise of silver and the gain thereof than fine gold THAT Religion is under a very great declension in the day and place wherein we live is too evident to serious observers but too little laid to heart or the prodigious effects which usually follow such expiring godliness duly trembled at The character of the last and perilous times hath over taken us men having a form of godliness but denying the power of it 2 Tim. 3 5. a Nos non eloquimur magna sâ—d vivimus Minut. Foel A lamp a name to live notions parts external priviledges and duties make up the Religion of the greatest part of professing
his servants In this life in the Court of Conscience and in the Judgment-Day at the bar of God In the first your present peace and soul comfort is much concerned and your eternal welfare in the last Alas how will you answer conscience now when that book is opened and the Lord Jesus brings in his bill of so many mercies expended with skill and capacity to improve them and such a charge of debt issuing thence So much due for such goods and for other wares for Sermons Sacraments Graces Comforts Frames Prayer Returns Gracious Providences and Protections so many personal mercies so many family mercies so many bodily mercies so many soul mercies so many Church mercies so many National mercies sick-bed mercies health mercies journey mercies habitation mercies caring mercies sparing mercies giving mercies forgiving mercies seen mercies unseen mercies and little or no return yet made for all these How can the conscience stand up under such a charge or lift up his face without spot when it sees its guilt in all and cannot answer one of a thousand How shall man be just with God if he contend with him How shall he answer him one of a thousand And if you cannot carry it in the Court of Conscience here where God reckons by a Proxy and it may be doth give but a general charge what will you do at the bar of God where the Lord will judge righteous judgment and determine your eternal state as you are approved or disapproved in that day What think you souls will not so much neglect of duty such decaies of grace so frequent breach of Covenants so great unfaithfulness in your places and relations so many daies and weeks and not a stroke of work for God so much bad work so much waste of goods will not all this look wistly upon you and without repentance and a sealed acquittance render your case dangerous at the judgment seat And if so is it not matter of lamentation O lay this to heart VSE III. Thirdly If the Heavenly Trade be the best Trade then this reproves mens too greedy and inordinate pursuit of their earthly Trades and Interests to the great prejudice and hinderance of this Heavenly Trade And oh that I could here dip my Pen in tears as well as gall and not onely write against but weep over this earthly spiritedness the great the common the uncur'd disease of men almost of all men of good men this day With what earnestness strength of affection and indefatigable labours do men pursue after the things of this world as if all their pleasure happiness yea life and eternal welfare lay wrapt up in these things Jehu did not more furiously drive after a Crown then men do this day after crumbs There was a time to some when godliness was counted gain but now gain is valued beyond godliness Trade is the great Diana to which most men sacrifice Profit the wheel within the wheel which sets all a going The salt that seasons all things nothing savours well that hath not this in it Advantage in the world is like the blood in mens veins the soul in the body that quickens their desires puts life into their dead hopes makes the blind to see the lame to leap and run the deaf to hear the lips of them that are asleep to speak Gain is the whetstone to mens wits the loadstone to their affections the spur to their actions this is the object of mens quickest senses the center of their liveliest motions O! the projects cares tuggings sweats rowings ridings restless labours that are engag'd about this enquiry Who will shew us any good Quest But how may we know when men do inordinately pursue their earthly business and concerns Answ 1. First When they engross too much of their time this was Israel's sin saying When will the New-Moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat Amos 8. 5. They were not contented with their own time but they must entrench on God's time al 's they thought the time long till they were at their worldly work and hoped to get advantage from God's institutions for their earthly interests and that the Jubilee-Sabbath when men must cease from tillage would help to heighten the price of things and so further their advantage therefore the Lord reproves them for their undue diligence about the World a Frustra illos mane ob vile lucellum expergisci ad opus c. It is in vain for you to rise up early and to sit up late to eat the bread of sorrows for so he giveth his beloved sleep Psal 127. Here saith Piscator he doth by this sudden Apostrophe inveigh against those covetous Tradesmen and Merchants telling them b Artifices qui diluculo ad labores evigilant Rab. Solo. 'T is in vain for them to rise up so early to their work and sit up so late in their shops for such poor and contemptible gain So Rabbi Solomon renders it for Artificers who rise early to their labours Excessive pursuits of the World in point of time are here reprov'd as vain and sinful while hereby they deprive themselves of time for God and their Souls Secondly when they lay out their Hearts on the World If riches encrease set not your hearts on them Psal 62. 10. The danger of a disease lies in its seisure on the heart Earthly things under the hand are a duty but in the heart a disease The heart is Christ's Royal Fort to which the Devil the World and Flesh lay siege and if that be taken all is gone Earthly things are briars and thorns and therefore dangerous to come near the heart the least prick at the heart is mortal the heart is Christ's nuptial-bed into which Christ retires the World is the Saint's servant now to admit a servant into the Lord's bed is adulterous the heart is God's Seat Pavilion and Throne into which none must come but himself like the gates of the Sanctuary into which none must enter but God himself This gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter into it because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred into it therefore it shall be shut Ezek. 44. 2. Such is the heart of Believers to be kept for God only to take in creatures into God's room is intolerable boldness to let out thy heart to the World Trade Interest Creatures is to invert the order of nature as well as grace In creation God sets man uppermost and puts all things under his feet Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thine hands thou hast put all things under his feet Psal 8. 6. Now to place those things over thy heart which God hath set under thy feet is to turn the World upside down and to overturn the whole course of nature This is the great sin of this day mens letting out their hearts on the things of this World were persons but serious
ties and yet have never yielded any right subjection to it all your days but have violated all its righteous commands every day and moment of your life both in thought word and deed For he that keepeth the whole Law and yet offendeth in one point or iota is guilty of all Jam. 2. 10. Debtors to Conscience whose Law is in force against you and by which you shall be judged Rom. 2. 14 15. These having not the Law are a Law to themselves which shew the works of the Law written in their hearts their Consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another and yet you have broken these Conscience-bonds casting its cords from you how many ties hath Conscience laid upon you which you have broken going against the light and dictates thereof Debtors to all the World to whom in some respect or other you are obliged There are duties you owe to all men to love them and pray for them to all your neighbours and acquaintance to do them good as you have opportunity and to seek and endeavour their Salvation to your power which you have not done to this day There are duties you owe to your relations friends and family which you have neglected and have been encreasing your Original debt by running on new scores every day which can never be cancell'd or a power obtained to discharge your duties acceptably till you come to Christ and enter your souls into his new and everlasting Covenant setting upon those great and Evangelical duties of it Your slavery is also great till you come over to this blessed work You are in bondage unto Satan Know ye not that to whom ye yeild your selves servants to obey his servants ye are whom ye obey Rom. 6. 16. You serve incomparably the worst Lord a cruel Lord who hath no mercy but delights in the misery of fal'n man A roaring Lion that goes about seeking to devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. A cursed one cast out from God cursed above all creatures reserved in everlasting chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day Gen. 3. 14. Jude verse 6. Thine implacable enemy that hates thee with a perfect hatred An Accuser that never speaks well of any A Murderer he was from the beginning Rev. 12. v. 10. and the original cause of all the destruction in Earth and Hell A false and deceitful creature that never kept his word with any A Lyar and the Father of Lies Joh. 8. 44. one that will be too hard for you and cheat your souls into destruction A miserable poor creature one that hath lost all his glory and excellency and hath nothing to give you for all your service but some of the same flames in which he must fry for ever This sinners is your Lord whom you have chosen and served all your daies And as you serve the worst Lord so you do the worst work base filthy shameful cursed work Such are all thy actions whiles in an unchanged state you do hard work no service like it you work and have no food to refresh you which is the cruellest bondage Israel in Egypt wrought hard and yet had flesh-pots Onions and Garlick to relieve them but you have nothing to feed your hopes and affections but lies and vanity you work and have no rayment to cover you all your employment makes you naked you labour and have no rest weary and heavy laden and yet feel it not Gen. 3. 7. Other Labourers have their successive quietudes but you have none the hireling hath his shadow the labourer hath his evening to give over his work his bed to sleep on but your work admits of no rest 't is never done you do the Devil's work day and night waking and sleeping nay while you eat and drink your work still goes on O sad servitude You work and have no wages All earthly Labourers have their penny something or other to compensate their pains money or maintenance but you have nothing in hand or hope here or hereafter but death and damnation the fruit of your labours here is more bitter than death and the wages at the end of your day wrath and vengeance worm and There can be no mirth saith Latimer where weeping is served in for the first course and gnashing of teeth for the second fire Mark 9. 44. And is not this bad employment and is it not time sinners to change your calling and to accept this offer made you of this excellent Trade Arg. 2. Secondly The danger that attends your present state should put you on a timely relinquishment of it You are poor and that exposes you to scorn and contempt to oppression treading down and crushing to devouring and destruction you are not safe from ruine one moment the next knock at thy door may be a call to Judgment Prov. 17. 5. Amos 4. 1. Hab. 3. 14. Prov. 10. 15. When thou liest down thou mayest make thy bed in Hell when thou awakest thou mayest see God on the Throne thy Soul at the Bar thy Accusers at thy right hand the Evidence in thy own breast the Sentence written in capital letters Go ye cursed Under thy feet a bottomless lake of fire and brimstone round about thee cruel Devils ready to seize upon thee and lodge thy guilty condemned soul in thine eternal home Matth. 24. 51. You have been Prodigals wasting what is not your own and are in danger every day of a charge against you You are deeply in debt and in danger of an arrest every hour when you go forth death may be at your heels when you return destruction may enter with you O the uncertainty of thy time sinner the danger of thy eternity the absolute ruine of thy immortal soul if thy reckoning begin before thy work and hast thou not reason then to hasten about thy great concern and to burn no more day-light in works of darkness Arg. 3. Thirdly Thy duty should quicken thy undertaking in this great employment Religion is not your Liberty but your manifold debt The Law of Creation binds you unto God you will confess you were made by him and God will profess you were made for him Isa 43. 21. This people have I formed for my self that they should shew forth my praise Your fall from the Covenant of Works is not your liberty from the essential duties of it neither is your incapacity to perform it a dispensation of your obedience 't is still your duty to return from whence you fell to take the Lord to be your God to love him with all your heart and with all your might to trust in him to fear and obey him A draught of these Covenant-duties did God place in your conscience by which you shall be judged Rom. 2. 12. 15. though the counterpane you have defaced yet the Original Deed is with God and will be brought forth in the day of Christ against such as have not taken the Lord for their
God You are also maintained by God and that obliges you to him 'T was the argument the Apostle urged to the Masters of Reason in that age why they should seek the Lord because 't was from him they had their subsistence Acts 17. 28. For in him we live and move and have our being If God maintains you 't is rational he should have the use of you 'T was the reason Moses used to prove God's right to Israels all Deut. 32. 9 to 15. The Lord's portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his inheritance why He found him in the desert Land in the waste howling wilderness he led him about he instructed him he kept him as the apple of his eye As an Eagle stirreth up her nest fluttereth over her young spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them beareth them on her wings so the Lord alone did lead him and there was no strange God with him And therefore no reason they should leave him for strangers He made him ride upon the high places of the earth that he might eat the increase of the field and he made him to suck honey out of the Rock and oyl out of the flinty Rock Butter of Kine and milk of Sheep with fat of Lambs and Rams of the breed of Bashan and Goats with the fat of kidnies of wheat and thou didst drink the pure blood of the Grape Mercies are cords and bands by which the Lord obligeth men to himself I drew them with cords of a man and with bands of love Hos 11. 4. All thy life sinner hath been full of these constraints of mercy and love to take the Lord to be thy God The Gospel of Grace which you profess to own and receive binds you to seek first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof Matth. 6. 33. to do the work of God to labour for that bread which endures to eternal life to work the works of God Joh. 6. 27 28. to be no more your own but the Lord's 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. Cease to call or think your selves Christians tell the world you do not believe or hope to be saved by a crucified Christ or else come over to him and be disposed by his sacred Will This is your duty Arg. 4. Fourthly Weigh the unspeakable gain that will surely accrew to you if you set up this Trade of Godliness I have already shewn in the demonstration of this point the great profit that this Heavenly Trade will turn unto to all that deal thoroughly in it to which I advise you to cast back your eye and take three or four considerations more to convince your understandings that Religion is eligible on grounds of greatest interest For First Religion will maintain you in the hardest times So will not other Trades there may be seasons when earthly employments will turn to no accounts You have heard that riches profit not in the day of wrath and some of you have seen the time when they that work could yet scarcely eat but God's work is meat and drink when daily bread fails Joh. 4. 30. I have meat to eat that you know not of Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. God careth for the righteous and when the Lions lack and are hunger-bit they that fear the Lord shall want no good thing Psal 34. 10. They shall be sure to be provided for whoever wants God hath past his word for it All things are theirs by purchase who are Christ's by choice that is saith Piscator o Omnes res terrenae vestris usious vestrae saluti a Deo destinatae sunt All earthly things are designed of God for your use and the furtherance of your salvation Not as if the Saints had a right to other mens interests The Apostle doth not speak here saith Pareus of civil possessions but of that divine order by which all things ought to serve the good and advantage of the Church of God The Earth is the Lord's the fulness thereof all which is given into the hands of Christ for the good of his people And hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be head over all things to the Church Ephes 1. 22. The whole Earth is but God's Kitchin for the maintenance of his house and if he will feed his servants and slaves much more his children He gives to all their meat in due season and satisfies the desires of every living thing Much more will he care for and give food convenient to his living in Jerusalem Indeed Believers are not of the world and therefore have not their portions in the world they are the Heirs of Heaven and have no promise of more on Earth than will comfortably carry them home and suffice for the discharge of those offices assigned to them here They are Servants not Heirs who carry the cloak-bags in their journey Persons of grandeur bear no more about them than for present use Surely were earthly treasures good for heaven-born souls he that gives better things would not deny these But God knows enough is as good as a feast and so much the Saints shall have in their passage home No man sends his servants a journey but he allows them enough to carry them thorough and so will God to his If he maintains idlers and enemies much more will he feed his faithful servants and labourers He hath promised to supply all their wants Phil. 4. 19. and is able to make it good If he thinks it not much to give them a Crown he will not deny them Crumbs If God should let his work-men want his work would cease his own interest as well as his promise obliges him to look after such his Love Truth Glory with all his Attributes are concerned to maintain his people in his work and therefore nothing more sure than daily bread and sufficiency in all things to such as serve and obey him Secondly Godliness will secure you in dangerous times Prov. 3. 23. Thou shalt then walk in thy way safely and thy foot shall not stumble when thou liest down thou shalt not be afraid yea thou shalt lie down and thy sleep shall be sweet v. 24. For the Lord shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken The way of duty is the way of safety whatever men think the greatest security is in the boldest Adventures for God if regular where his Sun does guide you there his shadow will cover you who shall harm you if you are followers of that which is good 1 Pet. 3. 13. Men may threaten you but cannot injure you they may spoil your estates imprison your bodies but cannot do you any real harm while men keep with God God will abide with them his presence shall fence them his favour shall shield them his Angels shall encamp about them all his Attributes shall guard and secure them God's people that cleave to him in
professing Christians which draw down their lofty meditations when they are in chase of things above as the Fowler allures down the towring Lark when hovering aloft in the gentle air The Devil deals with earthly men as Naturalists say men do with Bees when they swarm and are flying away they throw up dust and they scatter again So doth Satan when their thoughts are up upon heavenly things he casts in the dusty thoughts of this world and they scatter them again Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present world 2 Tim. 4. 10. Earthly things draw away the heart from God his work and interest How often do those interrupt if not countermand the most serious thoughts of gracious souls and where they cannot as a Master command they will as neighbours be often coming in and hinder the soul in its most weighty business if the door be not lockt against their unseasonable visits Worldly lusts must be denied as well as ungodliness by those that intend to live righteously soberly and godly in this present world Tit. cap. 2. v. 11 12. Earthly things are good servants but bad Masters useful in their place as fire in the hearth is profitable but in the thatch dangerous and as unruly Servants and untamed Colts are serviceable when reduced to their place and kept under government Worldly thoughts are as some roots that must be often trod down or they will spill up and seed in our hearts Christians have a special strong guard against the encroachments of your earthly affairs if ever you will secure the thrivings of a heavenly spirit Take heed also of grieving the Spirit of Grace which maintains and relieves this heavenly spirit As the spring is to the streams so is the holy Spirit to this heavenly spirit in Believers that feeds and supplies it from his own nature Now to grieve this Spirit is to provoke him to withhold his gracious communications to the soul Ephes 4. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption Which implies that this Spirit of Grace being grieved suspends its comforting sealing influences towards the souls of Believers This Scripture is taken from Isa 63. 10. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them They grieved his Spirit as the word signifies and this broke that amicable accord between the Spirit and them that he became their enemy and cut off all succours from them yea comes forth against them And that which grieved the Spirit of God was the the abuse of its kindness V. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the daies of old Nothing does more grieve the Spirit of God than the abuse of his kindness and tender mercy to his people when the Lord hath been opening the bowels of his pity to souls in saving and redeeming-redeeming-mercy and hath been shedding abroad his love upon them bearing with and carrying of them for a long time and all this is slighted and contemned and the soul takes no notice of all this grace but still perseveres in its evil course this grieves the Spirit and causeth him to withhold his tender mercy and quickening influence from the soul and it becomes weak as water and withers in all the leaves of her spring Ezek. 17. 9. Psa 104. 29. As the member languishes when it can no longer receive influences from the head and the branch withers when the root communicates no sap to it so is it with the soul when the spirit ceases from all its gracious communications as it does when grieved by those he loves and labours with not as if the Divine Spirit could be capable of passions and perturbations as creatures are But then may the holy Spirit be said to be grieved when gracious souls do that which is enough to grieve one that tenderly affects us and by all means seeks our eternal good Now two things usually grieve such a one First Injuries from a friend Secondly The sufferings of a friend Unkindness from those we love does usually sit nearer our hearts than any injuries from strangers or enemies we usually expect more regard from such and therefore are more troubled at disappointments And such is the tenderness of the Spirit to Believers that want of love or injurie from such is more abusive and carries in it all that which in its nature is grieving Again we usually grieve at the evils of those we love and such are the sins of Believers they are injurious to themselves and enemies to their own souls This the Spirit of God sees that gracious souls by their carnal affections and sensual passions by their corrupt communications and fleshly lusts do not onely resist him and frustrate his work in them but these also injure and endanger their own souls by these they lose many a mercy and draw upon them many afflictions and fatherly displeasure from God against them and this grieves the Spirit to see and this removes his presence and hinders his comforting quickening operations by reason of which their spirits fail and become cold and weak to every heavenly action Your work Christians is to be tender of the Spirit to take heed you be not unkind to his person that you do not undervalue his gracious communications or resist his internal operations Take heed of unthankfulness for his kindnesses of slighting his counsels of unsuitable walking to his rules and mercies if you would not grieve him and so deprive your selves of his quickening influences on your spirits That 's the first Beware of those things that weaken this heavenly Spirit Secondly If you would maintain a Heavenly Spirit get all the nourishment you can for it As the body is nourished by food and the animal spirits by contributions of joy and contentment so is this Heavenly Spirit by all the means and helps God hath appointed to this end 1 Tim. 4. 6. nourished up in the word of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith and of good doctrine whereunto thou hast attained The Word and Ordinances are to the inner-man as nourishing food to the outward which strengthens the spiritual part and maintains its vigour and activity Timothy had imbibed the Doctrine of the Gospel together with his milk saith Calvin and had made continual progresses in the same to that day which did so greatly strengthen and nourish him in his faith and graces The Word of God is suited sent and commissioned to the service and advantage of your graces 't is the way by which the Lord Jesus maintains and encreases spiritual life and growth in the new-born soul 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Attend upon all the Ordinances of God where they are purely
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
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
And they that feel their daily need of soul-relief that will be at any pains to enjoy it Isa 41. 17. Secondly Get a believing sight of Christ's grace and fulness that he is able to enrich you and willing to help you Heb. 11. 6. This brought Naaman to the Prophet Elisha for cure of his leprosy he believed his servants report that he was able and cherished hopes that he was willing to heal him 2 Kin. 5. 3. And she said to her Mistress would God my Master were with the Prophet that is in Samaria for he would recover him of his leprosy One told this to her Lord and hereupon he goes and adventures ver 5. And he departed A perswasion of Christ's ability brought the Leper to him for cleansing Mat. 8. 2. Lord if thou wilt thou can'st make me clean He was perswaded that Christ was able and had hopes that he was willing or would never have come to him A thorough belief of Christ's ability to help will make a soul to cherish hopes of his willingness also So the blind men Mat. 9. they believed Christ's ability to help them ver 28. And they had hopes of his mercy too that he would do it ver 27. Thou Son of David have mercy upon us and this hope made them not only to come to Christ but to follow after him whatever persons pretend to a believing in Christ's ability to save and sanctify them they have not this faith who question his willingness to satisfy the longing soul and save all that come to God by him you confess he is able to furnish you with all you can want or desire believe his willingness also to supply all your wants who sincerely wait upon him Quest But how may I know that Christ will furnish me if I come for these heavenly treasures there are many come and go without their errand Some ask and have not Jam. 4. 3. run and receive not strive to enter in and are not able 1 Cor. 9. 24. Luke 13. 24. There are some the Lord threatens he will not hear Prov. 1. 28. Isa 1. 15. Zech. 7. 13. And I have sought these spiritual blessings many a time and God hath not answered How may I be sure Christ is willing to give these treasures unto me Sol. The Lord Jesus hath made an offer of grace to all sensible Sinners who feel their need and thirst for supply Isa 55. 1. Joh. 7. 37. and called upon them to come and receive it without exception Matth. 11. 28. Now it cannot stand with his divine goodness and truth to offer mercy and not intend to give it he cannot deceive or be deceived who is the faithful one nor invite his creatures to an expectation and then fail them Now he hath called all to come and required no other condition but their coming and receiving him and the things he hath offered He hath also promised as well as offered to give to him that thirsteth Rev. 20. 6. I will give to him that is a-thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely I will give not sell or let out on any terms of self-worthiness for if there be any thing to make the creature worthy 't is not a gift but debt Rom. 4. 4. To him that is a-thirst nothing else is required but a pinching sense of souls need and an unsatisfied desire of supply I will give freely out of no respect to any thing in the creature but his necessity and misery the moving cause is his own grace and free mercy to Sinners as Sinners I will give liberally too let him drink freely take as much as he needs or is capable to receive I will give sutably such things as you desire and need and such things as are capable of satisfying you of the fountain of the waters of life Matth. 7. 7. Psal 36. 7 8. Joh. 6. 37. Isa 41. 17. You will find nothing in these Scriptures required in the person but sense of his need seeking satisfaction coming believing and a real subjection to all God's terms and a pure designing of his ends I disclaim all the Port I would be in at is redemption and forgiveness through his blood Ruth Now if he hath promised to give to them that seek he must be willing to give For the holy one of Israel cannot lye Numb 23. 19. He hath received all his Mediatory fulness of purpose for the giving out to those that come unto him Joh. 1. 12. Psal 68. 18. Thou hast received gifts for men yea for the rebellious also that the Lord God might dwell amongst them He is the Angel Messenger and Mediator of the new Covenant the Trustee and Feoffee entrusted with that great estate for the use of his people that need it and come unto him for it Mal. 3. 1. Heb. 9. 15. And therefore is said to appear in Heaven in the presence of God for them as an Advocate to follow their cause The Lord Jesus is wonderfully pleased too in giving to his needy seeking ones Mic. 7. 18. He delighteth in mercy Psal 35. 27. He hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants the more he gives the more he sees of the travel of his soul and is satisfied Isa 53. 11. The more he gives the more he receives The gifts and graces of God are as the rivers that flow from the Sea and return to the Sea again 1 Chron. 29. 14. Of thine own have we given thee The more Christ gives to his people the more he receives his talents come in again with improvements Mat. 25. 27. The more he gives the more he is glorified Joh. 14. 13. Answer these questions before you doubt Christ's willingness to part with spiritual goods freely to all that truly seek them Do you think really that Christ can dissemble offer mercy and have no mind to give it Do you think that the Lord Jesus can break his word or become false to his promise Can you imagine he will be unfaithful to his trust Can he delight in giving and yet not willing Doth he gain by giving and yet not willing to give Is he glorified by giving and yet be loth to give then would he not care for his own name Suspect your willingness to receive not Christ's to give you all that grace you need and seek of him Fourthly Another thing wherein this heavenly Trade lies is to carry on heavenly work and to be daily driving on the great business of godliness Religion hath its work as well as the world every Trade hath its employment and so has godliness Christianity is not a notion or opinion a name to live and no more 'T is a miserable vanity and cheat for a person to think a bare Lamp will light him to Heaven and a few lazy wishes bring him to glory though he travel not the way to it Alas to espouse the principles of Piety without the practice of it to get over to priviledges and be strangers to Purity to profess Faith
glory of God yea in pursuance of it thy own Salvation is thy chief concern What will it profit a man to gain the whole World and to lose his own Soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul What is left if the Soul be lost and what is done if after all the Soul be undone To look after others Souls and neglect thy own and to secure all things else and leave destruction on thy self is folly like to hers that saved her goods from the fire but left her child to perish in the flames Salvation is your chiefest work committed to your care and to be accounted for in the day of Christ Phil. 2. 12. Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling And 't is great work also many things must be attended too and several things dispatch'd if ever Souls be saved First You must carry on heart-work every day and that 's great work they that are acquainted with their own hearts know there is much to do in and about them There is nothing more out of order than man's heart and nothing in man of greater concernment than the heart Hence 't is the strict charge the Lord gives his people to keep their hearts Prov. 4. v. 23. Above all keeping as 't is in the Hebrew keep thy heart Proz 23. 2. Ephes 3. 17. Prov. 4. v. 4. The heart is the one thing Christ looks for the chief room he dwells in his warehouse where he laies up his goods his work-house where he cuts out and prepares his work Prov. 16. 1. A great part of salvation-work is done in the secret chambers of the heart The heart is the root and spring in man whence all aceptable duties flow Ephes 6. 6. doing the will of God from the heart and to be especially looked after A Christian finds a great deal of work to do about his heart every day There is Heart-searching work Psal 64. 6. The heart of man is deep and not easily fathom'd 't is a long journey to the farthest end of the heart which no man ever yet reached in this life The Sea is deep and yet it hath a bottom The World is large and yet it hath been compassed but who hath ever travelled through his own heart to set up his non ultra and say Hitherto its wickedness goes and no farther 'T is deceitful also above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17. 9. A man hath no such cheater to deal with as his own heart it hath such Cameleon colours Maeander windings such labyrinth turnings subtle shifts false pretences close designs fair promises smooth excuses rhetorical pleas seeming integrity deep-rooted hypocrisie that a man cannot tell what to make of his heart or how to find it out and this calls for constant searchings and observings of the heart Besides the Lord gives his people the ballance of the Sanctuary on purpose to weigh it in and casts out a line of providence every day to try it by Men meet with occasional providences temptations employments companies changes mercies afflictions all which help to discover the heart the issue of which is to be observed in order to the finding out of thy heart Heart-judging work When Christians have found out the evil of their hearts their pride hypocrisie c. seen the proof and evidence clear and how contrary to Law and Gospel to Equity and Mercy to Light Experience Warnings Patience Profession and Promises they are then to charge these things upon the heart to set home the evil with all the aggravations of it from its nature and effects from the quality of the person the time place continuance in it attempts and means of cure compared with others beneath them for light profession means and mercies and having by these arguments convinced the heart of its exceeding evil then to pass sentence against and condemn it as unworthy of any mercy and deserving of all the threatnings in the Word against it until the heart come to bear its iniquity and feel its exceeding sinfulness and cry out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. This would be of wonderful use to clear up your sincerity to preserve the tenderness of your spirits to cut off all excuses false hopes and security in sin and make it more abominable when it appears with its most taking allurements 2 Cor. 7. 11. 1 Cor. 11. 31. and this would evidence your interest in pardon and freedom from Divine condemnation Heart-humbling work O the pride that lodges yea lives in and incorporates with this little piece the heart of man how unsearchable is it and past finding out like leaven in the lump and poyson in the cup which cannot be separated by a humane hand as rottenness in the bones that cannot be fetched out Pride is as that lofty mountain before Zerubbabel which must become a plain Zach. 4. 7. as deeply rooted trees whose Mores are not easily plucked up One compares spiritual pride to the shirt or inmost garment which the Saints last of all put off and which like the Ivy will not be pluckt out till the wall in which it is comes down also O the tuggings a child of God hath with his proud heart to get and keep it low As the Spider whatever it feeds on it turns to poison So is it with the proud heart of man it turns all it does hath meets with and sees to the nourishment of pride proud of its sins proud of his graces proud under afflictions and proud of mercies proud of honour and proud of humility proud of God's favour and proud under his frowns O what a strange disease is pride that feeds upon the means which the Lord gives to cure it and gets strength from the remedy to nourish the disease like Ephraim's wound when God would have healed one another appeared And this helps to make a Christian's work great work indeed which is never done till his day be done and his Tabernacle pulled down Heart-purging work The heart of man naturally is a very sink and kennel of uncleanness a fountain of pollution a running Issue full of filthiness of flesh and spirit Mat. 18. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witness blasphemies these are the things that defile the man 'T is not accidental and adventitious filthiness for that may more easily be washt away Jer. 6. 7. but 't is innate and connatural and never ceases bubling forth till the fountain be cleansed and the root be changed Sin in the heart is the root and spring of all the wickedness that defiles the thoughts words and actions Christians complain of their thoughts they are pestred with vain unclean distracting thoughts in duty and out of duty whereas the distemper lies in the heart Thoughts are but the ebullitions and swarmings of the heart He that will cure his thoughts must first
food to Israel's faith in the wilderness And such are delightful remembrances of former sins When a person takes pleasure to think and talk of his former evils this doth feed present desires and hopes of sin When Paul would help on the Romans freedom from the service of sin he labours to get their present thoughts of former sins imbitter'd Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of these things is death Secondly Pleasing Imaginations and fancying of present or future sins do wonderfully strengthen the habit of sin The Lord charges Israel's sinful actions as the product of their wicked thoughts Isa 65. 2. Which walketh in a way that was not good after their own thoughts Sin first begins in the head and ends in the feet first working thoughts of sin and then actual works of sin The Devil doth usually strike the first fire on the tinder of mens thoughts which afterwards burns in their hearts and lives Jam. 1. 15. When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death They that would avoid the birth of sin in their lives must take heed of the conception of sin in their pleasing thoughts They that would help on Babylon's ruine must prevent its propagation and put a timely check to their growth dashing their little ones against the stone Psal 137. 9. Leave a Sit nihil in te Babylonicum not any thing that belongs to Babylon in thy soul saith Hugo Thirdly Unbelief strengthens lust Jer. 2. 25. But thou saidst there is no hope no for I have loved strangers and after them I will go 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desperatum est scil cor My heart despairs of help I fear it will never be better therefore I will go on in my way Unbelief strengthens lust and makes the soul a prey to it 'T was by unbelief Israel fell in the wilderness both into sin and ruine And the Apostle cautions Christians that they fall not by the same example of unbelief Heb. 4. 11. 'T was unbelieving desponding fears had almost turned up David's heels had not grace succoured him by the Word Psal 73. 2. But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well-nigh slipt And whence came this weakness of grace and strength of corruption why it was from the apprehended prosperity of sin and sinners and the succesless issues of his profession and obedience Verse 15. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency If this be the fruit of my holiness then all my labour is in vain 't is to no purpose I have followed God all this while if wickedness shall carry it at last O take heed of unbelief if ever you would get down your lusts Fourthly Presumption secretly conveys in relief to sin and succours it against all the sieges of Word and Spirit 2 Pet. 2. 10. Presumptuous are they self-will'd A presumptuous soul is a self-pleasing soul one that pertinaciously and wilfully seeks his own carnal contentments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word imports he will boldly adventure on the most dangerous issues of sin so he may but gratifie his lusts and obtain his sinful desires he fears no dangers sticks at no hardships though God and his Word be against him it makes the sinner go against all warnings threatnings counsels with hopes of success Numb 14. 44. But they presumed to go up to the hill top verse 42. The Lord forbad them to go threatning his remove from them and their ruine if they durst go up against his will Nay it was said The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and Moses went not out of the Camp would not stir one foot with them in that wicked enterprize yet they would go O take heed of Presumption that does exceedingly keep up sin and pull down the sinner Fifthly Carnal security is a great friend to sin and contributes much to its advantage when Christians let down their watch and lie down to slumber then corruptions rise up and prevails over them When the Amalekites were spread abroad upon all the Earth eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the Land of the Philistines 1 Sam. 30. 16 17. David fell upon them and smote them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day and there escaped not a man of them save four hundred young men which rode upon Camels and fled So 't is with gracious souls after some great mercy either some special priviledge enjoy'd some spoils upon their lusts obtained or token of God's favour received they become secure proud and careless letting down their watch exposing themselves to temptations and soon become a prey to sin and Satan 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 remaineth in him and his scent is not changed If you would have a change on your carnal hearts take heed of carnal security in your hearts Sixthly Self-indulgence helps to nourish sin when persons are lovers of their own selves seek to please indulge and gratifie the desires of carnal natural-self then lusts thrive in that soul He that feasts his body saith Ephrem Syrus and starves his soul is like him that feasts his slave and starves his wife 2 Tim. 3. 2. Self-love leads the Van to all the iniquities and hypocrisies of the last times O the troops of sin that march under the banner of self-love and are secured by its conduct hence self-denial is the first step to Christianity Mat. 16. 24. You can never prosper in your salvation-attempts or decay in your soul-ruining lusts till you learn to deny your selves in every part of it Take heed of a selfish spirit if you would be sincere souls and see the death of your lusts Seventhly Opportunity favours sin exceedingly and helps to keep its hopes alive and gives it occasion for its enlargement Opportunity is the Midwife of lust and helps to deliver it of its inward conceptions and pregnant desires 'T was opportunity that blew the coal of David's lust into a flame 2 Sam. 11. 2. and midwiv'd out Hezekiah's pride Isa 39. 2. Had it not been for opportunity Lot might have escaped the sin of incest as well as the sufferings of Sodom Gen. 19. 30 to 37. and Judah's uncleanness with his Daughter-in-law Tamar 'T was opportunity that exposed Dinah to a rape and Peter to the temptation of denying his Lord and Master Take heed of adventuring into the way of temptation and going to the borders of soul-danger shun the occasions of evil turn aside out of the way of snares Prov. 1. 15. chap. 4. 14 15. Temptation feeds corruption ensnares and entangles the feet and as fewel keeps in the fire of lust You may as safely suffer the
God and secur'd your All in his hands Rule 3. Thirdly Keep your earthly business within the bounds of due time He that hath allotted you your work hath allotted you your time for it it consists not with man's state relation and interest to be arbitrary in any thing but to walk by rule There is a time for every thing under the Sun Eccles 3. 1. A time for every purpose and for every work verse 17. Job 7. 1. As there is an appointed time to man on earth so there is an appointed time to man for earthly things He that hath set bounds to the world hath not left worldly employments without bounds but hath fixed mens earthly affairs within their proper season Psal 104. 23. Man goeth forth to his work and to his labour until the evening The Psalmist acknowledges here the power and providence of God in setting bounds to his creatures bounds to the Sun and Moon Verse 19. He appointed the Moon for seasons and the Sun knoweth his going down Bounds to the day and night Verse 20. Thou makest darkness and it is night he limits the labours of wild beasts and men the beasts have their preyingtime confined to the night Verse 20. 22. And it is night wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth the Sun riseth they gather themselves together and lay them down in their dens Men have their working-time allotted in the day Man goeth forth to his work and labour until the evening that is to the end of their working-day which consisted among the Jews of twelve hours John 11. 9. Are there not twelve hours in the day the usual time for men to dispatch their earthly work in The Lord would not p Providentia ergo Dei noluit sic prolixam operandi continuationem ut hominum vires nimium atteret sed modum constituit saith Musculus have mens labours drawn out so far as to wear out their strength but hath set bounds to it As the Lord would not have the world to take up mens hearts so he would not have it to eat out their time or encroach on these seasons that are due to greater concerns God Nature Grace thy own soul and the spiritual good of others have their claims as well as thy earthly calings to this little inch of this time O consume not thy precious day on things that are temporal and neglect thy opportunities for things eternal do not enslave thy body beyond thy beasts which have their times of rest nor exhaust that strength which better things call for upon an empty perishing world Excessive labours beyond their due time do argue either too much desire of these things or too little faith in God and are reprov'd by the Lord as the vanity and practice of them who are not his beloved ones Psal 127. 2. 'T is lamentable to see such as would be thought the heirs of Heaven so excessively taken up in enlarging their possessions on earth engrossing all their time early and late about their earthly affairs leaving nothing but a few unserviceable minutes for God and their souls O Christians Keep the stream of your earthly affections and labours within the banks of allowed time rob not God of his time of special service nor nature of her time of needful rest and refreshment nor thy own or others souls of time for their spiritual concerns for such poor perishing things Shew charity to thy redeemed body make it not a drudge to thy earthly lusts Man is too noble a creature to be a vassal to this world 'T is a sad spectacle to see the Nazarites of Heaven like Sampson with their heads shaven and their eyes pluckt out to grind in the world's mill till they pluck down the house about their ears Judg. 16. 21. How do men macerate their bodies and starve their souls onely to help them with supplies in their passage to the grave and all the while neglect the work of God and their souls leaving the reliques of their wasted strength and the world's refuse for the service of an immortal God This is not to follow earthly things by heavenly Rule Rule 4. Fourthly Be diligent in the use of your working time take heed you waste it not upon impertinencies or by needless diversions or by idleness and unfaithfulness in your work this is a sin against both Law and Gospel which requires diligence and faithfulness in mens earthly callings Labour and calling-work was man's duty before his fall Gen. 2. 15 The Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it And after the fall painful labour was injoyn'd and inflicted as a punishment of his sin Gen. 3. 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread until thou return to the ground This duty of bodily labour in mens Callings is of equal sanction and regard with the duties of Gods Worship being inserted in a positive Law and as that which is necessary to the sanctifying of God in Sabbaths Exod. 29. 9 10 Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but on the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work The injunction of working in six days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Mayer is given in the same commanding terms in the Original that the injunction of not working in the seventh is and the same reason is given for both the one is taken from Gods resting on the seventh day and the other from his working the six days So that not to labour faithfully in thy Calling the six days is a breach of the fourth command as well as the working on the Sabbath-day Not as if the six days labour were to exclude all religious Worship of God on either of these days when the Lord calls to it by extraordinary Providences as to mourning or rejoycing or by ordinary tenders of gospel-Gospel-mercy in Week-day Lectures or the like for this would cross his other commands Preaching in season and out of season and labouring for the bread that endures to eternal life This diligent labour doth not exclude private worship every day and publick worship on week-days so far as it consists with faithfulness in mens Callings for which time must be redeemed Eph. 5. 16. but it requires diligent attendance on mens Callings on the week-days as opposed to sloath and sinful waste of time without which God is not duely served on the Sabbath This diligence in mens Callings is also required in the Gospel 1 Thess 3. 10. Idleness is a Gospel-scandal and renders Christians worthy to be abstained from as not obeying the Word of God and such must not eat 1 Thess 4. 11. such are unprofitable servants who improve not their talents for God and the good of others Matth. 25. 30. and are worse than Infidels who do not by diligence in their Calling provide for their own 1 Tim. 5. 8. Rule 5. Fifthly while your hands
world Rule 7. Seventhly Follow your duty but cast your care on God abide in your callings but live above them 1 Pet. 5. 17. Casting all your care on God for he careth for you Depend not on your wisdom labour or success in your employments but upon the promise love and care of God for you If the Lord blesseth your substance don't you bless your selves in it See an emptiness in all your abundance and shortness in these to answer your many wants God can soon make a hole in your money-bags blow on your encrease turn your prosperity into contempt and make your expected comforts as the dream of a night vision Live not on large barns but on the full breasts of promises for the good of what you do enjoy or for the supply of what you want The poor Christian hath the keeping of his purse in his Father's hand the rich in his own hand If sight fail live by faith Faith assures you of the good issue of all difficulties in your way and gets advantage from the worst condition and sweetness to mingle with every bitter providence you meet with It may be thou hast a great family and little to live on lyest in debt and hast nothing to pay it hadst a little th' other day but the Caterpiller and the Cankerworm hath devour'd it this loss and th' other stroak hath wasted it In this case thy duty is to live on God by faith for a sanctified fruit of his hand upon thee and for making up this lack by his abundance When thou canst see no way out of thy perplexing trouble let thine eye be unto God for help 2 Chron. 20. 12. 2 Chron. 25. 8. Go not out of God's way for relief He that wounds must heal he onely that casteth down can raise up Deut. 32. 30. Neither faint thou in the day of adversity or way of thy duty Prov. 24. 10. Prov. 16. 3. but commit thy way to the Lord and he will bring it to pass Psal 37. 5. Mat. 6. v. 25. 1 Cor. 7. 32. Phil. 4. 6. Take heed of carking cares and fretful vexings these cannot lessen thy trouble but will greaten thy sins a provident care is thy duty but a distrustful vexing care both thy sin and affliction Rule 8. Eightly In all your labours pray for a blessing If you would live well you must beg as well as work add duty to thy diligence prayer to thy provident care calling on God to thy calling in the world As every creature so every condition and work is sanctified by the word and prayer 1 Tim. 4. 15. In every undertaking seek to God for counsel Prov. 3. 6. In all thy waies acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Christians should not set upon the smallest matters without enquiring the will of God not to go to this or that place to buy or sell to do this or that work without seeking to God for direction Jam. 4. 13 14 15. Our journeys saith one must not be undertaken without asking God's leave Dr. Mant. on Jam. This would evidence a life of dependance on God and bring all thy affairs under divine care and blessing Abraham's servant begins his journey with prayer Gen. 24. 12. 27. and concluded it with praise Gen. 28. 20. And so Jacob Israel's folly in concluding with the Gibeonites contrary to the command of God was laid on their not asking counsel of God Josh 9. 14. The men took of their victuals and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. O the snares and disadvantages men are exposed to in their earthly concerns for not taking counsel from God and engaging his hand and blessing with them Prayer will further your work sweeten your pains and difficulties in it and secure the comfort and good of it When you want mercy seek God for it when you receive mercy see God in it and return praise to God for it Rule 9. Ninthly Though you live in the World yet be dead to the World Heaven-born souls though in the World yet are not of the World but chosen out of it Joh. 15. 19. and crucified to it Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is crucified to me and I unto the World This crucifiedness to the World * Se mundum cum omni suo fastu pompa gloria aspernari contemnere quasi rem nihili vanam mortuam saith Paraeus signifies the contempt and despising of this World he intimates hereby that the World with all its scorn pride pomp and glory are despised by him as a nothing empty dead thing A soul crucified to the World sees nothing lovely and desirable in this World but God his Word and Works there 's nothing in earthly things that can be taking with spiritual hearts if God be not enjoyed in them all the glory of the World is no more to them than a dead carkass if the love of God breath not through it on their hearts nay the very Garden of the Lord is a Wilderness to them if the Rose of Sharon be not in it A mortified Saint wonders that a rational immortal Soul can see such worth in riches pleasures honours and poor perishing things of this life which to him are nothing he can easily part with all at the Lord's bidding And he feels no such evil neither in the bad things of this World as to make men startle at them wants losses reproaches torments for Christ lose their frightfulness to them whose hearts love to the Lord Jesus hath reconciled unto the bitterest affliction that can befall them for his sake If Christ stand and do not perish saith Luther what matter is it if Wife and Children perish If liberty estate life and all go so he stay Such should thy heart be in pursuit of these things as one that is dead to the World and sits loose from all its glory and above all its threatnings content to have or not to have to use or want to enjoy or be denied or deprived of it as God pleaseth Rule 10. Lastly Do all your work within the view of death judgment and eternity transact the employments of every day as dying persons who are leaving this World and liable to a remove every moment How would frequent and serious thoughts of a near approaching end wonderfully check mens greedy pursuits of this World and help to keep their actions in a consistency with their accounts King Philip would have it proclaim'd before him every morning Remember that thou art mortal And when falling upon the Sand he afterward saw the print of his body said O how litle a parcel of earth will hold us when we are dead who ambitiously seek after the World while we are living When Severus was old he called for an Urn or Pitcher in which the ashes of a dead person were put and looking a while on it said a Tu virum capies quem orbis
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
are waies of pleasantness and all her paths are peace The Word of God yields out but half its sweetness until it becomes the way and walks of men Psal 10. 11. In keeping them there is great reward My witness is in Heaven saith Mr. William Cooper upon his death-bed That the love of Jesus and his peoples souls made preaching my pleasure and I had no such joy as in doing God's work They are blessed that do his Commandment not onely in that they have right to the tree of life but in that they eat the pleasant fruits of it and feed upon that hidden Manna unto which bare hearers are strangers Thirdly Get all the good you can from Providences from favourable Providences and from frowning Providences These are the North and the South winds which the Beloved causes to blow upon his garden Cant. 4. 16. that the spices might flow forth Providences whether prosperous or afflictive are to saved souls but the fulfilling of Divine Purposes and the accomplishment of precious promise which are designed for the good of Believers Observe the Providences of God if you would get good from thence Observable things saith worthy Mr. Blair do follow them that are given to observation Doth God bring thee under smiling Providences get some good from them In these the Lord writes legible characters of his Covenant-love to his people O read the tenderness love bounty and faithfulness of God in them and be affected Get thy heart to write back letters of love and thankfulness to God again entertain giving Providences with thanksgiving hearts and the sacrifice of praise 2 Chron. 29. 31. Let the Lord communicate with you concerning receiving as well as giving Phil. 4. 15. If left-hand mercies flow in upon you take heed lest those floods break their bounds and carry away the banks of your affections and circumspection Christians 't is a safe rule to fear your mercies as well as afflictions There is usually less fear and therefore more danger of professing friends than professed enemies 'T was the prayer of Queen Elizabeth To be delivered from her friends as for her enemies she would take care of them Further if you have now a spring-tide of outward mercies prepare for low-waters The comforts of this world are not standing pools but running streams and rolling Seas that ebb and flow expect not too much from them entertain your comming mercies as strangers who have their time to go as well as come The Lord gives and the Lord takes Job 1. 21. Get good also from taking as well as giving Providences be blessing God for them There is more self-denial and pure love to God expressed in such acknowledgments than in praises for bestowing mercy Job 1. 2. Besides divine grace runs as well through the empty chanels as broad streams of outward comforts 'T is the same hand of the Father that uncloaths which dresses his children the Fork as well as the Rake belongs to the Covenant of Grace and Peace neither is love or hatred known by these things Eccles 9. 1. Some have never found more than when they have lost all The Lord oft-times makes mens losses their gains and their gain of earthly things their losses Saul lost his Asses and found a Kingdom Shimei found his servants and lost his life Place not then your happiness no nor your comforts in these things How many prick their fingers to get a few fading Roses which as soon wither as they are pluck'd Think well of God under scattering Providences and believe he loves you as much when he removes your mercies as when he gives them Look to God in Providences see whence those winds come that blow down your houses and scatter your comforts enquire wherefore God contends with you Job 10. 2. Doth not that worm which devours your gourd breed in your security pride unthankfulness and abuse of them while you had them search out the cause of God's displeasure justifie God in it and bear his indignation humbly come down at his feet kiss his rod and hear the voice of it This is to get good from the worst of Providences Fourthly Get good from the world and things thereof by seeing its wiles and deceitfulness its vanity and emptiness Mark 4. 19. The world is a fading thing the fashion of it passeth away and it is gone Trades-men care not for over-much of those goods that are soon out of fashion Eccles 1. 2. O care not for the world the fashion whereof soon passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 31. The world is a dirty thing 't is hard to touch it and not be defiled Christians be not like Swine who love to run into the dirt and if you would keep your selves unspotted take heed of the world The world is a heavy ponderous thing by faith make it portable and more easie to be born 2 Cor. 4. 17. that it may not clog your feet and stop your race towards glory Faith will soon lessen your burden and mend your pace it will turn brass yea clay into gold and make it light in carriage The world is a strange Countrey to the Citizens of Heaven get good from it by living as strangers in the world by making you long the more for your own home by converting it to the service of your souls and interest in glory The Scorpions in Caria when they sting kill home-bred people not strangers Apollon Be a stranger to the world and it will not hurt thee The world is a subtle Strumpet shun her embraces lye not in her bosom stop your ears against her charms and shut your eyes from her allurements The world is an enemy beware of it when it promises believe it not when it kisses you take heed of the sword in its hand 2 Sam. 20. 9 10. when it cries peace peace then fear swift destruction set thy feet on its fair neck to keep it down get it nailed to the Cross of Christ and pierced to death with the sword and spear of the Spirit Get good from every state and condition God puts you into whether high or low rich or poor If you are above others in place be above them in grace if you enjoy more than others labour to do more than others Matth. 5. 47. The higher you are in the world be so much the lower in your own eyes The tallest Cedars bow most Ships of the greatest burden draw most water and go deepest Exalted Angels rejoyce to be ministring spirits Yea the Son of God delighted in being the servant of men Israel was a Prince and prevailed with God and yet counted himself beneath the least of all God's mercies Gen. 32. 10. By how much the greater I am saith Maximinus so much the more I labour and the more I labour the greater I am Paul the chiefest Apostle and yet in his own eyes less than the least of all Saints Ephes 3. 8. Humble your selves when God exalts you and when you humble your selves God will exalt you Have you
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
make them desolate v. 13. They should eat but not be satisfied and there should be a casting down in the mid'st of them they should be blasted in their labours and interests they should sow but not reap tread the Olive but not anoint themselves with it have sweet Wine but not drink it and then comes to reckon with them wherefore this was brought upon them ver 10 11 12. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked and the scant measures that is abominable Should I count them pure with the wicked balance and with the bags of deceitful weights for the rich men thereof are full of violence and the Inhabitants thereof have spoken lies and their tongue is deceitful in their mouths They were full of wickedness and among the rest were false and deceitful they did not walk humbly with God nor justly with men but were deceitful in their Callings had false weights scant measures were injurious to others and not just and faithful in their dealings some oppressed others defrauded such as were over others were cruel task-masters exacting their labours Isa 5. 8. 3. grinding the faces of the poor eating them up as bread Psal 14. 4. by defrauding them of their due keeping back the hire of the Labourers by fraud and injustice Jam. 5. 4. which they do saith one who give them not a proportionable hire working upon their necessities sucking out the strength and sweetness of the Labourers Dr. Manton A sin that cries in the ears of the Lord of Sabbaths cries out aloud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their groans are entred into his ears as a God of vengeance to requite it and to give his poor a Sabbath and rest from their oppressions A sin that God will surely and severely punish He will be a swift witness against them that oppress the Hireling in his wages and turn aside the stranger from his right and fear not me saith the Lord of Hosts Mal. 3. 5. Sins joyn'd with Adultery Sorcery and Swearing provocations in God's ears and actions that plainly shew no true fear of God in such persons that dare oppress their poor Labourers changing their wages as Laban did Jacob's Gen. 31. 41. These God will surely take in hand he will be both Judge and Witness against them he will not delay neither but proceed speedily to sentence and execution against such as oppress their poor labourers Of all oppression the oppression of the poor is greatest and carries most cruelty in it to tread on them that are down already and abuse them that have no helper to take the bread out of their mouths which are ready to starve and to defraud them of their wages which is their life and God calls it down-right robbery Levit. 19. 13. To build up their houses and raise up estates upon the ruines of the poor labourers is to lay the foundation in blood and hath a woe pronounced against it from the Lord of Hosts Hab. 2. 9 10 11 12. This is one of those sins which bring a people down to the ground and make them desolate Ye have eaten up the Vineyard the spoil of the poor is in your houses what mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces and grind the faces of the poor saith the Lord of Hosts Her gates shall lament mourn and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground Isa 3. 14 15 26. This is a God-provoking and an estate-wasting sin and one of the great visible crying sins of this day Sixthly Another reason why God consumes the interests of men and makes a breach on their Trade seems to be this That by this means he might bring them down to his foot and bring them back to himself Prosperity in mens interests feeds their pride and makes them too high for God's use and pleasure riches do puff men up Thine heart is lifted up 〈…〉 thy riches behold therefore I will bring 〈…〉 upon thee the terrible of the Nations and 〈◊〉 shall draw their sword against the beauty of 〈◊〉 wisdom and they shall defile thy brightness thâ—â— shall bring thee down to the pit they shall destroy thy riches wherein thou gloriest and countest thy beauty Ezek. 28. 5 7 8. Men are apt to glory in their riches and to give that respect to them which is due to God and this he will not bear but comes out in indignation against mens Idols Jer. 9. 23. Abundance of earthly interests doth also unfit men for God's use and delight rich in goods and poor in grace prosperity in the world cools mens hearts towards God and lames their feet in his way 'T is the poor of the flock that waits on God Zech. 11. 11. that press his Vineyard and bear the heat and burden of the day Jer. 52. 15. When men grow full they are lazy when great they become fearfull to adventure for God Give me thy sheild said Epaminondas to his servant when he had got a great sum of mony for now thou art grown rich I am sure thou wilt not adventure thy self into dangers Smyrna was the poorest of the seven Churches in Asia but yet was richest in grace and serviceableness for God I know thy poverty but thou art rich Rev. 2. 9. This may be one reason why the Lord makes this Nation poor that he might by this make them pure he melts away our dross that we may be the more refined and takes away our Lovers that he might come in the room of them I will hedge up thy way with thorns she shall follow after her Lovers 〈…〉 not overtake them and she shall seek 〈…〉 shall not find them then shall she say 〈…〉 go and return to my first husband for then it 〈…〉 better with me than now Hos 2. 6 7. Men â—â—om return to God fully till stript of other â—â—mforts nor see God to be best till their conâ—â—ion in the world be bad and therefore doth God remove these mountains of earthly interests that his people may the better see and go after himself Counsel 4. Fourthly If God hath made breaches on your Trade get the breach between God and your souls composed Hos 4. 1 2. Hear the Word of the Lord ye children of Israel for the Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing Adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood There 's a controversy between God and a sinning people and such are we Sinners contend with God God by afflictions contends with them and till this controversie be taken up there 's no peace And if ye will not for all this be reformed by me by these things but will walk contrary to me then will I also walk contrary to you and will punish you yet seven times for your sins Levit. 26. 23 24. Hear the Word of the Lord Lay this to heart they
that strive with him shall perish there is no contending with God bow we must or break return or be ruined Wash ye make ye clean put away the evil of your doings Isa 1. 16. Get washt away your blood by sound Repentance get into Christ's blood by saving Faith set upon a thorough reformation personal family publick each one in his place help to carry out the uncleanness of thy heart hand house and land to the Brook Kidron 2 Chron. 29. 16. Get tradingsins removed if you would have trading mercies enjoy'd Take every man his Censer and stand in the gap pour out strong cries for returning-mercy that the Lord would cease from his fierce wrath and turn again and heal our Land and bless our substance accept the work of our hand and dwell in our Land Counsel 5. Fifthly Get advantage from decaies in your Earthly Trade to further your Heavenly Trade gather materials from your earthly ruines for your heavenly building Christians there 's a great deal of good you may get from these evil things in the world to quicken your pursuit after the things of Heaven First By your earthly losses you may be convinced of the vanity and uncertainty of all things below God Men are apt to take up too much pleasure in their booths till God sends a devouring worm and consumes them and to sit down under their shadows with great delight and therefore doth God make them like shadows to fly away what expectations do men raise from their swelling-comforts thinking their mountains are made so strong they shall not be moved till the Lord by some levelling providence soon corrects their fond opinion and what dependencies do we usually take up on those uncertainties leaning so hard on our reeds till they break under us and send splinters into the arm which staies upon them O the contentment pleasure profit men fancy to be in creatures friends relations honours estates before by some killing stroak they see themselves to be deceived What mercy is it then to meet with disappointments in these groundless hopes that we may come to see before it be too late what poor empty perishing things all the wares of this lower world are This way David came to have his errour seasonably corrected And Solomon by a serious review of past enjoyments comes to see that all was vanity and vexation of spirit Eccles 2. 1. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew they are disquieted in vain he heapeth up riches and knoweth not who shall gather them Psal 39. 6. Secondly Divine rebukes on mens earthly interests help them to a discovery of those sins that procure them Deut. 31. 17. Afflictions are Christ's clay and spittle to open his peoples eyes and to bring them to see those evils that have brought those deaths upon their comforts and breed those worms that have destroyed their substance Times of correction are times of instruction Job 36. 8 9. When Jacob's Sons were cut short of their provisions reduced to great distress and plunged in sore dangers then they thought upon their sin and wrong done to their brother Joseph Gen. 42. 21. Then they said one to another verily we are guilty concerning our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soul when he besought us and would not hear therefore is this distress come upon us Whence one hath this note Affliction is a dark condition yet it brings much light into the soul Men come to read their miscarriages best by the fire-light of affliction then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God 2 Chron. 33. 13. Now the soul comes to see his abuse of these mercies he hath lost his inordinate love to them and wandrings from God and this helps to after-wisdom and greater freedom from these entanglements for the time to come which is no small advantage to future godliness Thirdly By this loss of earthly things the soul comes to see a necessity of looking after and ensuring better treasures Heb. 13. 14. Here have we no continuing City but we seek one that is to come Uncertainties on Earth should put souls the more to look after Heaven The Prodigal never thought of returning till all was gone Luke 15. 14. to verse 18. The Steward never considered how to secure his future state till goods were wasted and Stewardship in danger of removal Luke 16. 1 2 3 4. Think of swiming ashore said Mr. Rutherford after a shipwrack 'T is a mercy in this stormy Sea to get a second wind for none of the Saints get a first This is advantage indeed when having nothing you seek to enjoy all things and when the world flies from you to pursue Heaven the faster Could a Heathen say I never gain'd mere than when I lost all because his shipwrack became the occasion of obtaining knowledge and will not you Christians by your earthly losses be provoked to make after heavenly interests Fourthly Losses in the world have an advantage through grace to loosen the heart from the world Afflictions on mens estates are like wormwood on the breast that tends to wean the hearts of God's children from them Love of the world hath been the sin of this Age and the shipwrack of worldly things is the likeliest way to cure it this disease is best conquered by fasting Absence of Lovers is sometimes the way to starve affections and poverty with distress is God's usual method to chastise mens wanton affections to this world Afflictions when sanctified are Sanctuary-fire to purge away the dross of our affections Mal. 3. 3. 5ly Soul-enlargement is another fruit of sanctified straits and so a help to the heavenly trade Christians are never fit to make any speed in the way to Heaven until their hearts be enlarged Psal 119. 32. Enlargements in the world are oft-times bonds to the soul He that hath most of the Earth hath usually least liberty for Heaven When the Lord cuts short the interest of his people he doth but knock off golden fetters from their feet that he may bring their soul out of prison Afflicting Providences are God's dieting his racers that they may be more long-breath'd and swift in their run towards glory O how imprison'd are redeemed souls in the many things of this world they cannot have time to pray read hear confer for the entangling-affairs of this life till God by some deaths upon their employments sets them at liberty Removes of worldly treasures are but the taking off of a heavy cloak-bag from the shoulders of Sion's Travellers that they may the more comfortably travel to their journeys end Good souls whiles crouded with earthly businesses are like persons in the midst of a thicket and thorny grove when they would be going forward one briar hangs in their skirts and another thorn stops their way so that when God takes off their interests he doth but cut out a way for his children to pass the more comfortably and swiftly through the brakes of this world and lighten the vessel that it
the death are eternal of all which by their backslidings if uncur'd they are depriv'd O who can count the sum and value the worth of those glorious things they fall short of who fall back and go down in Christianity till they come to nothing Fifthly Their case is dangerous also and their wound hardly healed not one of many that fall back in Religion if they go far recover again Joh. 6. 66. From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him When Judas Simon Magus Hymeneus Alexander Demas went off from Christ they returned no more John tells us of some that went out from them and thereby declared that they were not of them 1 Joh. 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us The Apostle speaks not of such as fall out of infirmity falling in the way which gracious souls may do both falling into some sin for a time as Peter and fall back by some abatements of grace as the Church of Ephesus yet be recovered such he intends not here but those that fall out of the way both totally and finally these recover no more Quest If persons that fall back in Religion after a high profession may never be recovered again how may one know if he find decaies and falling back in Religion whether he be one of those that shall never be bealed or recovered more This is my case I find great declensions in my soul and conversation and I fear I shall never be restored but wax worse and worse and perish at last Sol. 1. First Are not thy declensions thy choice upon judgment and consent but against the standing bent of thy heart the renewed purposes of thy soul through Christ Thy errour is not thy aim thou dost not deliberately contrive thy departure from God but hast a secret would-not against every backsliding then thy backslidings shall be healed again Psal 119. v. 10. Rom. 7. 19 25. Secondly Are thy backslidings and spiritual decaies thy soul-trouble and restless burden because of thy distance from God as the God of grace and Father of thy mercies and because of the injury thereby done to thy graces and inner man and from an enmity in thy nature against sin Then there is hope in Israel concerning this that thy backslidings shall be healed Rom. 7. 24. Psal 5. 1 7. Luke 15. 21. Gal. 5. 17. Thirdly Are thy backslidings after thy Effectual Calling and thy sincere choice of God to be thy peculiar and alone portion Thou canst appeal to the searcher of hearts that thou hast taken the Lord to be thy God and onely Treasure here and to all eternity to be thy last end and chiefest good and hast taken Christ to be the onely way truth and life thy Lord and righteousness and hast made a full and actual surrender of thy self and thy All to God in exchange to be presently unreservedly and eternally his and not thy own to be led and governed by him onely If so thy after-errours cannot make void this Covenant but are under a promise of healing such cannot sin unto death because the seed of God remaineth in them 1 Joh. 3. 9. They are undertaken to be kept that they should not totally and finally depart from him Jer. 31. 18. Isa 57. 18. Jer. 3. 14 22. Hos 14. 4. Jer. 32. 40. Fourthly Art thou restless in thy backslidings until the Lord doth heal thee thou canst give him no rest till he establish thy soul and be as the dew to thy dry and barren heart When God sets a soul a crying it 's a sign he will hear Jer. 30. 15 17. Isa 19. 22. A man saith Mr. Dod can never be in a bad condition except he hath a hard heart and cannot pray Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he alwaies call upon God Job 27. 10. Backsliders in heart are heartless in prayer as they decay so do they restrain prayer Job 15. 4. Ye have said it is in vain to serve God Mal. 3. 14. As sin becomes more delightful so duty becomes more burdensom cold and formal but a gracious soul that shall be healed is importunate with God and will not let him alone Exod. 32. 10 11. or let him go until he bless him Gen. 32. 6. The worse his condition is the more fervent his cries are the more his piety goes down the more his prayers go up Psal 6. 2. Such a soul shall be healed who would be healed where he works to will he will work to do Fifthly Are thy vitals sound under all thy decaies then thy consumption is not mortal Is thy heart sincere thou canst not hide or reserve iniquity but walkest before God in truth thy desires after grace are not feigned Psal 17. v. 1. Thy love to God is not pretended lip-love but real thy faith and love are not wholly gone but maintained in the truth thereof though abated thou canst not let God go but hast a secret rest on him and resolved recumbence on his grace and faithfulness There is hope of that tree though it seems to be cut down that it will sprout again and the tender branches thereof will not cease Job 14. 7. Sixthly If under all thy decaies thou findest a humble heart and contrite spirit thy backslidings make thee lie low before God and to become more vile in thy own eyes every day thy soul-poverty makes thee poor in spirit also rating thy self beneath the least mercy and judging thy self unworthy of all that patience priviledge and mercy shewn to thee thou dost not fret at afflicting providences nor charge God foolishly but bearest his indignation justifiest his displeasure and wonderest at his forbearance then will revivings come again and recovery after thy falling back Dan. 9. 7 23 25. Mat. 5. 3. Isa 57. 15. But on the other side There are five dangerous symptoms of falling back that shall hardly be restored First If thy falling back be before thy falling in with Christ in truth thy decaies before thy quickenings then 't is dangerous If thy building were on the sand and the towring heights of thy frames and profession from which thou art fal'n were onely structures of thy own raising in which the Sanctifying Spirit had no hand then thy decaies are not likely to be repaired Art thou a stranger to the new birth and to any inward change upon thy soul the principle of thy new profession and actions is is still an old heart Thou never didst take the Lord for thy God and onely Treasure nor hadst to this day any heart-union with the Lord Jesus then thy fall is dangerous Mat. 7. 26 27. 1 John 5. 14. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Secondly A falling off from the foundation is dangerous When men depart from the Faith turn to another Gospel and deny the Lord that bought them fall from the Doctrine of Grace after enlightenings to a Covenant of Works
God fares deliciously in his soul feeding on marrow and hidden manna that he or she is greatly beloved of God Thy lot O soul is fal'n in a peculiar plot of mercies ground and should not the Lord Jesus be admir'd of such a one seeing he is come to him in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel O bless God for this unspeakable gift Thirdly 'T is an earnest of eternal mercy They that sow to the spirit shall reap life everlasting Gal. 6. 8. And such as abound in holiness shall have an abundant entrance administred to them into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour 2 Tet. 1. 11. God will never throw away savoury salt to the dunghil nor burn up fruitful branches Trees full of sap are the Lord's trees which he will transplant into his Paradise above Psal 104. 16. The Lord 's ripe fruit shall be gathered not shaken on the ground and safely hous'd in Heaven Grace is too precious seed to be lost Such as sow it now though in tears shall surely come again and bring their sheaves with them Psal 126. 5. Poor troubled Soul God will not despise the day of thy small things much less thy soulenlargements after him he will be tender of thy smallest blossoms and secure them into fruit much more shall thy encreases arrive to the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ Eph. 4. 15. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which you have shewn towards his name Heb. 6. 10. It may be thou hast forgotten many a duty and hearty testimony of thy love to Christ his name people and ways and canst see nothing in all thou hast done but art ready to say on every turn When saw I thee an hunger'd and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink when saw I thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and clothed thee or sick and in prison and came to thee Matth. 25. 35. But God cannot be so unrighteous to forget it or let it pass so but keeps a record of all thy meanest duties and will make the most of them in the day of righteous judgment I know thy works and thy labours and thy patience c. Rev. 2. 2. When thou wast under the Fig-tree I saw thee Joh. 1. 48. He takes notice of a Daniel by the river Hiddekel of a Peter on the house-top of Elijah under the Juniper-tree 1 King 19. 4 5. yea of what was but in David's heart to do and requites it 8 King 8. 18. Will not an Ahasuerus let the good deeds of Mordecai go unrewarded and shall not the Judg of all the Earth do right and crown the works of his own hands Your labours shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. O then be blessing God for the least good he hath wrought in you and for you for any prosperity in your souls There are no offerings come up with that acceptance on God's Altar as thanksgiving-offerings Psal 69. 30 31. What a delightful remark did the Lord Jesus put upon the Lepers return to praise him for cleansing Luke 17. 18. the more spiritual the more rejoyeing Isa 52. 8. No such thriving souls as God-praising souls Jer. 31. 12. Therefore they shall come and sing in the heighth of Sion and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord for Wheat and for Wine and for Oil and their soul shall be as a watred Garden and they shall not sorrow any more at all Quest How might I know whether I have good trading in Spirituals or no that I might have ground for rejoycing in God Could I find this soul-welfare you speak of I should bless God with my whole soul but I fear 't is otherwise that I am one of those who fall back and decay in my heavenly Trade Sol. There are seven signs of good Trading especially in evil times which men usually reckon to be discoveries of a thriving Trade First When men go not back in the World but hold their own they lose nothing 'T is much in bad times to keep ones ground to be savers in such a season is a piece of gain Try in this how 't is with you do not you go back in your spiritual estate is it not worse with you than heretofore Is not your faith love humility patience less than heretofore If you go not back in grace you go forward there 's no standing at a stay in Religion men go forward or backward in the way of Vertue they that do not decay do thrive in Spirituals Job proves his good estate by his standing fast in shaking times Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lip I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined Job 23. 10 11 12. and thence concludes a gainful issue When he hath tried me I shall come forth as Gold And the Apostle reckons it good profit in soul-conflicts to stand ones ground if he cannot gain yet not to lose But having done all to stand is victory Eph. 6. 13. Christians have their winter-seasons when growing is not visible then to keep alive is commendable Do you hold fast your integrity and keep your garments on Do you preserve your conscience pure from the defilements and temptations of the day and place you live in and your hearts unspotted from the World your desires as warm your purposes of cleaving to God as firm and your feet as quick to run the way of God's commandments as heretofore then have you good trading considering the times you live in which is an hour of temptation and an evening of darkness Secondly If wares go off well 't is good trading when goods vend at a good rate men count it thriving Is it so with your souls do your prayers come up to God with acceptance do duties turn to any profit to you what returns have you of your religious services do hearing prayer conference bring you any soul-advantage do not goods lie by you undisposed of but your graces are exercised your talents gifts opportunities improv'd then 't is good Trading If the Lord give you light you lay it out for the good of others if he restore to you the joy of his salvation and uphold you with his free Spirit you teach transgressours his waies and endeavour to convert sinners to him Psal 51. 12 13. When God drops in comfort to you you pour it forth to others that they may be comforted also with the same comforts wherewith you are comforted of God 2 Cor. 1. 4. When you are come to duties publick or private do graces go out in them you shew parts it may be but do you lay out grace as well as gifts spiritual as well as natural affections Do you pray with the Spirit and hear with Faith do hope fear humility holy fervency heavenly breathings sincerity go off in your religions duties
when you meet with company what goods do you put off to them Do you labour in every society to vend something of heavenly wares to put off some holy counsel and instruction some gracious experience and observation to leave something behind you in every place and company you come that may fasten a savour of God on them then is it good Trading and you are in a soul-thriving way Thirdly Men count it good Trading when they are richer in stock when they have more goods more variety greater quantity of wares than first they had and that clear too and paid for their shops and warehouses are fuller than they were and the goods their own also this men reckon good Trading And can you say 't is thus with your souls also Are you increased with spiritual goods your graces are more as well as gifts your faith love hope fear are more grown and stronger than they were 2 Thes 1. 3. Can you trust God more than you could and hang upon a naked promise more strongly than you could when sight fails 2 Cor. 5. 7. Can you think well of God when he frowns upon you Can you love him when he corrects you Isa 39. 8 Can you stay on him when he strips you of your visible comforts and cleave to him when he seems to reject you Job 13. v. 15. Then are you richer in stock Is your Faith more cleansing and quickening your Love more warming your Zeal more fervent your Hope more adventurous your Patience more bearing your Joy more delighting your Humility more self-abasing then are you encreased with goods Have you more of every grace it may be at first you had much affection but little sincerity great desires but little faith much comfort but little patience and self-denial you could pray talk rejoyce do some duties but could not bear trials want comforts live by faith when sight failed you were much it may be in some duties but negligent in others but now you have more variety of graces enlargement in duties and more universal respect to all God's commands Psal 119. 6. And if you are less in the bulk of duty you are more in the spirit of it when 't is thus there 's a thriving Trade in Christianity Fourthly Are you less in debt than you were that 's another sign of good Trading Do you make conscience of rendring to God again for all his benefits Psal 116. 12 13. Is it your trouble when you are behind-hand with grace and fall in arreer to the mercy of God by your unthankfulness Dan. 9. 10. Indeed in compensation of the grace of God you are defective to make requitals of mercies you cannot you see possibly an infinite shortness in your performances of the meanest favour that the Lord bestows upon you but such as you have you give to the Lord you render all possible praises though not all praises due Exod. 15. 2. This you are careful of and charge upon your hearts every day to walk as becometh the grace that brings salvation and the mercies bestowed on you 't is the desire of your heart and labour to walk worthy of God to all well-pleasing and to answer the end of mercy in which you are willing beyond your ability and grieve at your falling short herein Now this doth the Lord count for the deed and accept at his peoples hands as full pay through the satisfaction of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 8. 12. And where 't is thus that persons live in the daily sense of Divine Grace and grateful acknowledgment of every mercy there is a thriving Trade in spirituals Fifthly Have you much owed you and is it secure This also bespeaks a thriving Trade Men count sure debts as good as ready money though they have little in bags yet if they have the more in book and good debt too they rate themselves accordingly and reckon themselves worth so much as is due as well as to what is in hand And is it so with you Christians are you rich in promises is much coming to you upon a new-covenant score It may be you have little in hand little comfort peace and sweetness you meet with from day to day You sow much but reap little you ask but have not and yet seek with your whole heart Goods are received but no money returned if so you have good grounds of hope for a plentiful harvest because you sow store of good seed are much in holy duties and sincere in them many a prayer upon the file many a tear droped into God's bottle much grace laid out in duty and time spent in it a daily care to please God and upon Scripture-grounds can lay claim to many a promise on the account of Christ What you sow you shall reap Gal. 6. 8. Your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 2 Cor. 15. v. 58. Say unto the righteous it shall be well with them for they shall eat the fruit of their doings Isa 3. 10. And the less is received the more is behind Improvements of grace do book down many a mercy for Believers which possibly they may not receive all their life and yet be sure and turns to account in the Inheritance prepared for them and this is good Trading which brings in bonds and bills that are sure and shall be paid to Heavenly Traders in their own Countrey Sixthly That 's good Trading where the present incomes maintain the Trader and so much is got by it as they may live by when a person can live comfortably upon his gettings without impairing the stock If it be so with the Believer in thy Heavenly Trade then hast thou good Trading Try Christians your thriving by your livelihood can you live comfortably upon the fruits of Religion Cant. 2. 3. Isa 40. 31. doth your Religion maintain your Souls and Graces well Joh. 4. 30. at what rate do you live Men that thrive in the world usually live well have good fare and good cloathing Diet Apparel Expences do soon shew mens gettings Indeed Prodigals may spend high live well for a time but then they cannot hold it they soon break but when men can bear liberal expences and their Estates not impaired it argues such do thrive apace and get well in their Trades so 't is with thriving Christians they ordinarily live at a higher rate of peace and comfort than others Ps 119. 165. Ps 80. 19. their fare is better unless the health of their Souls do sometimes call to fasting and affliction strong Christians overcoming Souls have better Provisions promis'd them than others such feed on hidden Manna Rev. 2. 17. and marrowy bits milk is for babes but strong meat for strong men Prov. 21. 15. 'T is joy to the just to do judgment Joy and Pleasure saith Mercer is the fruit of wel-doing to such h Laetitia obvenit ci ex juste factis suis Such can expend more than others who have larger proportion of Blessings on their Souls A person
in love Love constrains the Soul after God makes his commands pleasant and quickens the heart to make hast in the way to Glory the more you love God the more will you prosper in Godliness Thirdly Humility is a Soul-prospering Grace and under a promised Blessing Prov. 29. 23 Honour shall uphold the humble in spirit k Sustentat Munst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall bear him up from falling and bring him unto honour saith Montanus Prov. 15. 33 By humility are riches and honour The humble Soul must needs be a thriving Soul for God giveth Grace to it Jam. 4. 6. yea dwelleth with the humble to revive the Spirit of the humble Isa 57. 15. There 's a great deal of Pride in most Christians and that hinders Soul-thriving proud of Parts and Grace proud under seeming humility proud of humility Low Valleys are fruitful when lofty Mountains are barren The rich sit in a low place Eccl. 10. 6 Such as are rich in wisdom l Divites quibus adsit sapientia saith Mercer they sit in a low place they come down and lie low in themselves m In ipsa abjectione Jun. Trem. folly is set in great dignity Poor foolish empty Creatures they are high in conceit as well as place many times but the most rich and thriving Souls these are poorest in Spirit and lowest in their own eyes the richer the Metal the heavier Gold weighs down Silver and Tin the fuller of fruits branches are the more they bow He sendeth the springs into the valleys Psal 104. 10. Psal 65. 13. They are covered over with Corn Vineyards thrive best in low places One branch of Grapes from the Valley of Eshcol was said to be a burden for two men Numb 13. 23. would you flourish in Grace take heed of Pride Pride in the Soul saith one is like the spleen in the body when that swelleth all the other parts languish 't is poison at the root of the tree which corrupts the sap 'T is so dangerous a poison that of another poison there was confected a counterpoison to preserve Paul from it would you prosper in Godliness be persons of low humble spirits Mr. Adams on 2 Pet. 2 Cor. 12. 7. Exalt him that is low and abase him that is high Ezek. 21. 26. Fourthly Another choice fruit of the Spirit which will further Soul-thriving is sincerity Prov. 14. 11 The tabernacle of the upright shall flourish They shall have good things in possession Prov. 28. 10. they shall not only be preserv'd from evil and escape the pit into which the wicked fall but shall be sure to meet with good Blessings good things shall be given to them as their inheritance as Aquila and Theodosius interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shewest mercy to thy Servants that walk before thee with all their heart 2 Chron. 6. 14. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his Soul to vanity nor sworn deceitfully he shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his Salvation Psal 24. 4 5. Upright Souls must needs prosper they dwell in the presence of God Psal 140. 13. He will withhold no good thing from them Psal 84. 11. His countenance beholds them Psal 11. 7. God engages his alsufficiency for their good Gen. 17. 1. They shall hold on their way and wax stronger and stronger Job 17. 9. and shall surely prosper 2 Chron. 31. 21 In every work that he began in the service of the house of God and in the Law and in the Commandments to seek his God he did it with all his heart and prospered 't is not thy many Duties before God but the Oneness of thy heart with God nor the bulk of thy Services but the sincerity of thy Soul which will make thee profperous in thy heavenly interests Again Take thriving courses prosperous ways as well as prospering Graces these are under a promised Blessing also Not to multiply particulars There are four thriving ways in which Christians may attain to a prosperous Trade in Christianity The way of 1. Self-Examination 2. Prayer 3. Enjoyment of God 4. Obedience First Be often examining and calling your selves to an account how matters stand with your Souls Traders that would be thriving will be often viewing their Books and trying their Accompts and have some set days when they survey their Goods cast up their Books and try whether they gain or lose and so must Christians that would profit in Religion they must be often judging themselves that they be not judged 1 Cor. 11. 31. they must cast up their accompts and try their state whether they go forward or backward Hag. 1. 5. Consider your ways try how the case stands with you whether you get or lose and what 's the cause of all those blastings that are upon you Psal 4. 4 Commune with your hearts upon your beds and be still 2 Cor. 13. 5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates The neglect of this examination is one cause of that great mistake of persons about their Soul-state some thinking themselves better Rev. 3. 17. others judging themselves worse than they are which begets security in some discouragement in others error and floth in all A right estimate of thy spiritual capacity either poverty or riches gain or loss is absolutely needful to regulate thy duty unto a right affecting of thy heart and advance of thy spiritual interests Look over the Day-book of thy heart and life every night posting all thy accompts on the large book of thy Conscience and take some special time for a more full survey of thy Soul and state for Eternity this will be of good use to further Soul-thriving Secondly If you would prosper in your Souls be much and mighty with God in Prayer 'T is said of Vzziah that he sought God in the days of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions of God and as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper 2 Chron. 26. 5. Right Prayer is a wonderful way to Soulenrichings He saith one can never be poor that can pray well One reason why this King prospered as long as he sought the Lord was by this means he came to the visions of God and that help'd him to take a right way to prospetity By Prayer you advise with God what course to take towards mercy 't is your Ephod by which you ask counsel of God where to go to shun danger and what to do to carry on Duty and obtain Mercy 2 Sam. 23. 6. 9. Chap. 30. 7. and by Prayer you procure and get out the Graces and Supplies you need 1 Chron 4. 10 And Jabesh called on the God of Israel saying O that thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coasts and that thine hand might be with me and that thou wouldst keep
of debt we cannot merit Fourthly We have nothing to merit withal for we are not our own 1 Cor. 6. 19. Man hath nothing to give to God who is not his own but God's as all redeemed ones especially are Believers are his servants Rom. 14. 4. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant And a servant is not his own his time strength capacity work are his Masters so are the Saints duties the Lord's not by way of legal compact and requital of wages but by way of redemption right and purchase being bought out of the service of sin and Satan to his own use and the service of such is a due already upon a former score a debt of thankfulness and cannot merit a reward Beside what can they give to God who have nothing but what they receive from God 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him again for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Fifthly Were rewards due to any upon the account of his work then man had something to glory of in himself and might say of Heaven as Nebuchadnezzar did of Babylon Dan. 4. 30. Is not this great Babylon which I have built for the house of the Kingdom by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty So might such say when they come to Heaven Is not this the mansion I prepared and deserved by my duties and graces for my glory and blessedness For self-justiciaries though they are forced to say that their grace is given of God yet they boast of the improvements of this grace as theirs and glory is due to the improvement of grace they say and not to the bare grace or talent and though they are driven to confess Christ's merit yet they shuffle and say Christ merited for them that they might merit But that is contrary to the Gospel which tells us That 't is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. v. 16. And 't is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. And that no flesh should glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1. 29. And therefore God hath chosen the foolish weak and base things of this world and things that are not of purpose to prevent this self-glorying before him verse 17 18. And the Apostle makes this reason why Abraham was not justified by Works but by Faith cause then he would have something to glory in but this could not be Rom. 4. 2. If Abraham were justified by works he had something to glory in but not before God So that the Saints though they have a reward of their work yet it is not for their work 't is a reward not of debt but of grace yea of glorious grace according to your work Christians God will not give you a jot less than the utmost of what your love and faithfulness comes to Your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. He will not fail of any of his Promises or disappoint you of your expected end but will be better than your hopes You will say in that day of compensation Who hath begotten me all these Isa 49. 21. Whence is this to me Luk. 1. v. 43. When saw we thee an hungred Mat. 26. v. 37. Glory is a mighty thing infinitely above all your labours Christians Heaven will make amends for all your duties and losses and abundantly compensate and exceed all your expences for God in the world And have you not reason to set about the work of grace and drive on the employments of this Heavenly Trade Quest But what is this heavenly work which Wisdom's Merchants must be driving on every day Sol. I answer First in the general Heavenly work is that work which hath a heavenly Author and Principle a heavenly rule and a heavenly end work wrought of God by his Spirit Joh. 3. 21. Work done according to the will of God and by Scripture-rule Col. 4. 12. Work wrought for God and designed purely and ultimately to his glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. But more particularly heavenly works may be considered under these two heads First Such as are heavenly in the matter of them as well as manner and end Secondly Such works as though earthly in the matter of them yet are done in a heavenly manner and to an heavenly end First That 's heavenly work which is of a heavenly nature matter and manner and end as all those religious duties are which respect God our selves and others First Drive on that work every day which hath God himself for its first and more immediate object as all acts of religious worship both natural and instituted moral and positive Mat. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve This is due to God from all his rational and intelligent creatures both Men and Angels to worship him only with that reverential fear faith love hope and delight which is due to him as the Supreme Majesty of Heaven and Earth the great Creator and Conservator of all his creatures and to serve him with that subjection and obedience as their relation to God their Sovereign calls for This is the duty of all persons especially those that profess their owning of God and choice of him to be their God in Christ and peculiar treasure Deut. 13. 6. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God and serve him and swear by his name Christians to let out your hearts upon the world relations self and creatures is to rob God of his service and to commit Idolatry with the creature Think this when my heart runs out to things below God and my affections hope trust and delight get over their banks and break their due bounds and subordinacy to God when I fondly dote upon and take pleasure abstractively from God in any creatures then do I deal treacherously with my God I rob him and give his glory to another Isa 48. 11. O set habitually your hearts on God and let out your faith love hope fear desires and delighting pleasures on God every day yea all the day long as your chiefest good supreme Sovereign and last end Prov. 27. 17. Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Again external acts of divine worship are part of thy every days work which thou owest to God and to be duly and daily performed to him as to pray hear and read his sacred word These are that honour homage and service that is due to God every day especially morning and evening Prov. 8. 34. Deut. 6. 7. Exod. 30. 7. 1 Chron. 23. 30. Ezek. 46. 13 14 15. Amos 4. 4. 1 Chron. 16. 40. Psal 55. 17. This is the daily burnt-offering to be prepared for the Lord Exod. 29. 38 39. Morning and evening the vows that are to be daily performed Psal 61. 8. God's
mercies are new every morning and so must your praises be also Lam. 3. 23. He keeps you day and night Isa 27. 3. And 't is but reasonable you should give him his morning and evening sacrifice you depend upon him for the mercies of every day and he expects from you the duties of every day which is reasonable service Rom. 12. 1. You have daily necessities difficulties trials dangers and duties in which you need his help and is it not your concern to be daily at his feet and seeking his favour counsel strength and blessing Herein lies your professed subjection to God also slight religious duties and you reject God from being your God This very reason doth Moses give why Israel should serve the Lord and cleave to him and swear by his name and give him all religious worship Deut. 19. 20 21. He is thy praise and he is thy God who hath done for thee these great and terrible things which thine eyes have seen Dan. 6. 16. Thy God whom thou servest continually he will deliver thee 'T is a contradiction to say that God is your God and yet with-hold his service from him As soon as ever God had a people in the World he had service from them Gen. 4. 26. Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord No sooner had Seth who was the other seed which the Lord appropriated to himself in the room of Abel a Son and Family but they had peculiar worship for God and were distinguished from the Family of Cain by this that they did serve God This is the work of God that every Soul is bound to dispatch every day in Closet and Family in Spirit and Truth with a pure heart fervently This also is the best part of your work in the world to attend on God all other service is but drudgery compared with your serving God and transacting the great matters of your Souls and your everlasting concern This is your interest also to maintain nearness to God who is the life of your souls the length of your days and fountain of all your supplies there 's no such pleasure as in the ways of God nor profit as in keeping his commands O the blessedness of converse with God and maintaining a daily entercourse with the Father of Spirits 't is the priviledg of Angels and of glorified Saints to be always beholding his face 1 Thes 4. 17. Mat. 18. 10. And the peculiar honour of the upright to dwell in his presence Psal 140. 12. There is no such advantage also as to be much with God every day Psal 73. 28. 'T is good for me to draw near to God Often journeys to Heaven bring in much profit 't was this way David did thrive so much in wisdom grace and experience out-shining all the men of that age and serving his generation by the will of God his being much with God Psal 139. 18. When I awake I am still with thee By this nearness to the Son of righteousness did Enoch so soon ripen for Heaven and by his constant walks with God did he so timely get to his journeys end Of all that generation we find none so soon sent for home and translated to his rest as holy Enoch for whereas the rest lived nine hundred eight hundred seven hundred years only he lived three hundred sixty and five years and that which so quickned his fitness for rest was his activity in heavenly work Enoch walked with God and was not for God took him Gen. 5. 23. He kept his constant turns with God in his Garden and Gallery-walks and then went in with him into his Presence-Chamber there to sit down with him for ever This also will make you thrive in your own work if you are faithful and diligent in God's work mind his concerns and he will care for yours Deut. 30. 9. Obey the voice of the Lord and do all his commandments and the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every good work of thy hand He shall make thee to abound in the work of thy hand as 't is in the Hebrew * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faciet superesse te 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excellentem efficiet te bonis to have more than enough as Montanus renders it He will bless thee in every work of thine hand according to the Septuagint other Copies have it He will have a great deal of care of thee c. He will make thee excellent with good things saith Junius He will make thee to enjoy good in every work of c. saith Symmachus He shall prosper the work of thy hand It shall go well with such Deut. 4. 40. Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes and his commandments which I command thee this day that it may go well with thee and with thy children after thee Gen. 42. 18. 'T was piety made Joseph so prosperous in all he did he feared God Do this and live for I fear God and God was with him and made all he did to prosper in his hand Gen. 39. 3. Whatsoever he doth shall prosper Psal 1. 3. The blessing of the Lord shall be on the head and hands of such let their condition be what it will in the world yet it shall be well with such as fear the Lord if he be afflicted yet his afflictions shall turn to his good and be part of his prosperity 2 Chron. 31. 21. And in every work he began in the service of the House of God and in the Law and in the Commandment to seek his God he did it with all his heart and prospered The way to true prosperity leads by Heaven-gates Christians if ever you will thrive in your own work be sure to carry on God's work begin with God every day the first fruits are his Dispatch religious worship in your Closets and Families before you enter on your earthly business Close up every day with him he is the Alpha and Omega the beginning and end and must have the issue as well as entrances of every day The morning and evening sacrifice are his 1 Chron. 16. 40. 2 Chron. 13. 11. Psal 55. 17. Give God his due before you render to Nature its dues Psal 61. 8. Pay your vows to God every evening before you run on score for new mercies See all things secured in everlasting Arms before you lie down to rest put thy Soul and thy All into the hands of Christ by solemn devotion and resignation every night get the watch set and all things safe before thou exposest thy self to the hazards of the night and enterest upon an incapacity to secure thy self from the least danger O precious souls lye not down as dogs and swine who when they have filled their bellies get to their styes and kennels Secondly carry on all that work daily which hath a more special respect to your own selves and leads to the sanctifying comforting strengthning edifying saving of your precious souls Next to the