wicked lift not up your horn And as Judah sought to divert his Brethren from their wicked enterprise against Joseph Gen. 37. 26 27. Or by reproving their sin as Nehemiah did the sin of the Nobles Neh. 5. 7. Or by instructing them if ignorant as Paul did the Athenians Acts 17. 22 23. But if they be such like Sons of Belial that the thorns cannot be taken by hand let them be thrust away and get your selves fenced that they hurt you not Take heed of the least compliance with them in their sin 1 Tim. 5. 22. Be not partakers of other mens sins your own are heavy enough silence in not reproving with any signs of approving others sins make them your own If you enjoy good company take heed you miss not of good or meet with evil from them good men have their evils great men are not alwaies wise Job 32. 9. And 't is easier to follow them down than up the hill and to imitate their vices than their virtues diseases are more communicable than health men may impart their sickness but cannot their soundness O what advantage hath sin for its propagation when it falls from the hands of men reputed gracious The errours of good men are not onely examples but arguments unto others to sin also If Peter play the hypocrite other Jews dissemble likewise with him Gal. 2. 13. and no less a man than Barnabas is carried away with their dissimulation If they that are strong do but eat in the Idols Temple the weak will eat the things offered to Idols 2 Cor. 8. 10. O take care of the evils of good men which like books published cum privilegio vend the more An Esau's garment will make a Jacob's voice to pass and where good in any man is admired evil is there seldom feared take heed you follow no man further than he follows Christ 1 Cor. 11. 11. Implicit imitation is as dangerous in practice as implicit faith is in judgment weigh their actions you intend to walk after let no mans reputation be your warrant for imitation Eminent persons are File-leaders which way they turn the File turns with them The leaders of my people cause them to err Isa 9. 16. Men usually follow those they commend y Quos effero refere and how much the greater they are with whom we converse saith Seneca z Quo major est populus cum quo conversamur hoc periculi plus est the more is the danger Get good from good men else their goodness is nothing to you what truth you hear from them receive and as Mary did the Angel's words so do you ponder their gracious sayings in your hearts Luke 2. 19. When you are in the company of those that are above you in wisdom and grace be more swift to hear than to speak The emptiest vessels make the greatest sound and I have often observed in company such as have most need to hear and learn being self-conceitedly wise will take up most of the discourse and instead of drawing waters from deeper wells to fill their empty vessels they will be pumping out that little they have This surely doth not bespeak the modesty of such and less becomes their profit Origen when a child used to question with his Father about the sense of the Scriptures and afterwards became a great Scholar 'T is the observing attentive Christian is usually the most knowing thriving Christian who with the Bee gathers in the Summer and gets honey from every flower it meets with and in the Winter spends it When you meet with empty vessels 't is your charity to be putting in but when you come to deep wells 't is your duty and interest to be drawing out by asking questions and proposing doubts as the young man in the Gospel did Mat. 19. 16. and Nicodemus and the woman of Samaria Joh. 3. 2. 4. ch 4. 11 15 20. to Jesus Christ The enquiring soul if it be done in truth and followed with obedience will be the most flourishing soul Seventhly Get good from your retirements as well as company be never less alone than when alone Sometimes in pursuance of duty you must be alone when thou prayest enter into thy Closet Mat. 6. 6. Retire we must sometimes saith Mr. Trap and into fit place to meet with God solacing and entertaining Soliloquies with him as Isaac did in the field Jacob upon the way Ezekiel by the river Ulai Peter upon the leads Christ upon the mountains Abraham in the grove in Beersheba Gen. 21. 33. 'T is no matter saith the same Author how mean the place be so it be secret where there is a Jeremy a Daniel a Jonah a Dungeon a Lions-Den a Whale's-belly are goodly Oratories If you will not hear me saith Peter Moice send me to my prison again among my toads and frogs which wilt not interrupt me while I talk with my Lord God Acts Mon. 122. O how desirable is retirement with God to a soul that hath acquaintance with him Antisthenes being asked what good he had got by Philosophy answered that I can converse with my self much more is it thy interest to converse with God 'T is said of that pious man Mr. William Sedgwick that when he was young while the rest of the Family were at their Games and Dancings he would be in a corner mourning Mr. Greenham when at any time he was sick would suffer no body to sit up with him that so he might more freely converse with God Psal 119. 62. David would rise at midnight to enjoy communion with God O the blessed seasons that gracious souls have had with Christ in their corners how sweet have their stollen waters of life and bread eaten in secret been to their hungry souls Prov. 9. 17. If the walls of this house could speak said Mr. Hew Kennedy they could tell how many sweet days I have had in secret fellowship with God and how familiar he hath been with my soul The fulfilling of Script p. 442. The Lord doth usually unbosome himself most to his friends when he hath them alone Hos 2. 14. I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably to her or speak to her heart as 't is in the Hebrew Upon which words Stella hath this note a Vt Dominus cum anima nostra loquatur non opus habet testibus Quando Dominus cor nostrum solum invenit statim coenaturus cum illo sedet God needs no witnesses that he might speak to our souls when God finds our heart alone he presently comes in and sups with it and when he observes our soul withdrawn from the cares and carking thoughts of this World then is his time to open his great wonders and secrets to it Jacob was never more prevailing with God than when alone then was the time he got the blessing Gen. 32. 24 29. Peter was alone in prayer with God when he fell into a trance Acts 10. 10. His soul was
concerns of another World and the welfare of their immortals Souls Is not this folly Poor Sinners let me reason a little with you if possible to recover your lost understanding come be your own judges Is it your interest think you to adventure your All for things that cannot abide with you when obtained nor satisfy you if they stay things that can but bring you to your Grave and accompany your bodies to the House of Mourhing and there leave you unless they shew you the way to Hell also Is it not madness to adventure your Souls for a trade pleasures and treasures of so short continuance and little advantage things that you will shortly be as weary of as now desirous and throw them to the Bats and Moles of the Earth that you may go into the Rocks to hide you from the fury of a Sin-avenging God Will you spend all upon time and lay up nothing for eternity Or is it rational to think that you should reap where you never sowed and possess the benefit of that Trade you never drove Gal. 6. 7 8. Can you think to reach Heaven hereafter and never walk one foot in the way to it here Certainly what men sow that they shall reap Can you imagine the things of Heaven to be so cheap as to be had without looking after Alas things far inferiour cannot be so easily obtained it may cost some of you many tuggings much sweat labour and expence to get but a little of this World and do you think to find this tried Gold without buying and digging for it and is it a wise bargain think you to purchase your desirable Comforts with the loss of your Souls and that you may gain but a little of the World to part with a possibility of having Heaven What will it profit you to get the World were you sure of every part of it and to lose your Souls Mat. 16. 26. And what if you miss of your hopes in this and fall short of Heaven too never have what you look'd for on Earth nor a place in Heaven neither will not your case be then dreadful O! foolish Souls that may be happy but will not that may get into such a course of life as would enrich you here and for ever but refuse it preferring a poor beggarly life before a rich and noble state choosing rather to trade with Devils than God to swap away your delightful time for doleful eternity your salvationprizes swinish pleasures O sad exchange for to be bewailed but not remedied What to barter away strength for weakness desires for emptiness labours for vanity hope for despair precious souls for perishing shadows an open door of grace for a shut door of glory mercy for misery earth for hell O fools in grain to let go such a bargain as being had would for ever make you and being lost may never be regained but in the room of it an eternity to repent your time of folly when tears and cries will be too late when mercy shall have no repentings for you bowels themselves no roulings over you nor everlasting arms any help for you Mat. 25. 10. This is your danger Sinners this may be your case who refuse wisdom's counsels choosing death rather than life you that would have none of Wisdom's wares nor work but have rather valued the Devil's Counters before Christ's Gold and the pleasures of sin that are but for a season before the treasures of grace and glory that are eternal walking after the flesh and serving divers lusts till your trading time for Heaven be almost over Alas Sinners there may be for any thing you know but few Merchandising hours left for you in this World it may be scarce a Sabbath more between some of you and hell in what a case then are you like to be who never set upon this heavenly Trade to this very day and should you now go out of this World strangers to this employment in what a doleful state will your Souls be for ever when you come to possess the eternal fruit of your bad bargain then could any lay their ears to Hell gates and listen at your cries they would hear such language as this from your trembling lips Folly Folly Woe Woe Eternity Eternity VSE II. Secondly This calls to mourning over the great decaies of this Heavenly Trade in the times and places wherein we live Loss of Trade is easily resented as an evil case a matter of trouble Men use to be affected with hard times when a death lies on their interests and their earthly concerns are at a loss and this is the case of most men this day all places are full of complaints about their affairs in the world there 's a moth in mens labours and dealings and it is easily seen and felt the heavy looks and heartless carriages of many do plainly demonstrate a sense of their temporal wastes and their mouths vent such-language The times are hard and the trade of the Nation gone But alas where are the mourners of Sion and who is afflicted at the decaies of godliness and death on this Heavenly Trade Though there is nothing more visible and lamentable than the faling back in Religion yet who laies it to heart and who is rightly affected with this important evil Now towards the cure of this insensibleness and to awaken our hearts to a due apprehensiveness of our evil case by reason of the decaies of godliness I shall 1 Lay down some symptomes evidencing it to be our case that there are real and great decaies of this Heavenly Trade in the time and places wherein we live 2 Shew why this should be for a lamentation First That this Heavenly Trade goes back and decaies is so evident that he is a stranger in our Israel and hath too much of a spirit unconcern'd in these matters who doth not plainly see Religion and the power of Godliness dying and languishing in most places and persons Now the better to evince this sad truth I shall proceed in a plain and familiar method keeping to the metaphor in the text and the usual symptomes of decay'd Trading Six things usually shew the decaies of earthly Trading all which are conclusive of the point in hand and discover bad times for piety and great wastes of Religion First When the price of things is much fal'n and the rates very low and goods are worth little or nothing then men say it 's bad trading So is it now in this Heavenly Trade the rate and value of divine things is much abated Wisdom's goods seem little worth to many There was a time when Heavenly Wares were highly prized the Word of God was precious to souls far better to Saints than thousands of gold and silver they could have parted with all the world to enjoy God in Ordinances estate ease credit were nothing to a place in God's house and one view of his countenance was better than life Oh how sweet were the words of
and more of heavenly Goods 4 Every day to drive on heavenly work 5 To be heavenly in your thoughts and meditations daily 6 To keep up heavenly converses every day 7 To improve every thing you have meet with and do to heavenly ends and advantages First If you will drive on this heavenly Trade you must have and maintain a heavenly spirit this is the spring of all heavenly actions as is a man's spirit so will his thoughts words and conversation be look what way the spirit of a man goes that way the man goes They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit That is they that are altogether a Carnis auctum sequentes led by their carnal affections saith Willet following the ducture of the flesh saith Paraeus who are govern'd by a carnal spirit they mind and pursue carnal things and they that are after the spirit who are under the rule and government b Qui se spiritui regendos dedunt Parae of the spirit who are spiritually minded these do savour and make after spiritual things What the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of the motion of second causes according to the direction and influence of the first cause Ezek. 1. 20. Whithersoever the spirit was to go they went that is the wheels for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels The same may be said of the actions of men that they are according to the motion of that ruling spirit that is in them they that live in the spirit walk in the spirit Gal. 5. 25. Caleb's fulfilling after God was the fruit of that other spirit he received Numb 14. 24. 'T is said of those that builded the house of God Ezra 1. 5. that God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had raised up their spirits to the work as birds stir up their young to fly Then rose up the chief of the Fathers of Judah and Benjamin and the Priests and Levites with all those whose spirit God had raised up to go up to build the House of the Lord which is in Jerusalem They that set about the work of Religion must be persons of raised spirits capable of ascending to things above The reason why no more do set upon this Heavenly Trade is because they want this heavenly spirit their spirit is earthly and that as leaven seasons their whole souls and makes their conversations earthly 'T is contrary to nature for a carnal mind to savour spiritual things Such are not subject to the Spirit of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8. 7. 'T is as natural for the stone to ascend and waters to run back as for an earthly heart to love and pursue heavenly things A heavenly spirit sutes heavenly things and does as naturally incline the soul to things above as the fire moves upward and the water carries all that is in it to the Ocean A heavenly spirit savours heavenly things and stirs up heavenly desires and motions to divine things A heavenly spirit conveys out heavenly influences and strength to the soul and is as good blood and spirits that strengthen the body A heavenly spirit is influenced by heavenly arguments and prevailed with by heavenly motives taken from the love of God the excellency of Christ the sutableness and advantage of spiritual things to the nature of the soul the pleasing and glorifying of God all which signifies nothing to an earthly and carnal heart which only understands savours and is acted by carnal reasons and considerations 'T is therefore a principal part of a Christian's business in this Heavenly Trade and that which is leading to all other duties to take heed to his spirit Mai. 2. 15. to get and keep that pure and heavenly If the fountain be corrupt the streams cannot be good Get your minds beam'd over with heavenly light to discern heavenly things their nature and worth this Paul begs for the Saints at Ephesus Eph. 1. 17 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledg of him the eyes of your understanding being enlighten'd that you may know what is the hope of his Calling and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints There are great hopes and glorious riches made over to Believers in the Gospel the knowledg of which is necessary to chear the heart and engage the soul with all its strength to make out after them One thought of Christ saith Mr. Ball reaching the heart is more to be valued than all Creature-contentments whatsoever though they should be enjoyed in their fulness for a thousand years without interruption 'T was this kept alive the Apostles hearts under the dyings of the Lord Jesus in their bodies and fill'd them with such courage joy that they had an eye to see glorious and eternal things 2 Cor. 4. 10. 13. 16. 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal And this was their great work by the Gospel to make men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the World was hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ Eph. 3. 9. And having got this spiritual eye a Christian's duty is to keep it open and fixt on things above to preserve it from the injury of Sin and Satan to take heed of the vapours of a carnal heart and the dusty motes of this lower World that they fall not in and weaken this sight to get eye-salve from Christ and pure annointings of the spirit on it every day that they may see things invisible and those great things of the other World they are engag'd about The most discerning eye on this side the everlasting Hills sees but darkly through a glass and knows but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. 12. How carnal are the minds of most Christians in this World the very Disciples though their eyes were blessed with peculiar sights Mat. 13. 16. yet had carnal apprehensions of spiritual things even after the Lord Jesus had spent all his pains about them Acts 1. 6. Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom unto Israel knowing souls have sometimes their eyes held that they cannot see Jesus Luke 24. 16. nor bear discoveries of his glorious truth Joh. 16. 12. that the Lord Jesus may say to all in this life O fools and slow of heart to believe Luke 24. 28. David after he had been long a learner yea after he was wiser than his teachers yet cries out for more light Psal 143. 8. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk Psal 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law We may sail here saith Mr. Hooker in
and powerfully administred Be much in reading the Scriptures and such help 〈◊〉 the Lord gives you for your instruction and quickening 1 Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all V. 15. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hisce te exerceto jugiter constanter vehementer Buc. Be thou in them as the words are that is exercise thy self with these continually constantly and with all thy might let not a day pass without reading meditation and secret prayer that the inner-man may have all the recruits that are needful and b Whilest thou dost not follow the directing light of the Spirit thou shalt never have the quickening cherishing beams of it Culver appointed for its strengthening Your bodies can better want their appointed food than your souls their daily bread The want of constant feeding and sound digestion of spiritual provisions is one cause of that soul-leanness and spiritual languishing that abounds every where this day Thirdly If you will keep up a Heavenly Spirit be much in communion with the Father of Spirits Fellowship with God puts a stamp of Heaven upon the soul and leaves an impress of the Divine Nature on it 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. Views of God though but through the glass of Ordinances have an assimulating virtue and do transform the mind into his own likeness When Moses was taken up into a nearness to God he gets some abiding beams of his glory upon him and comes off with divine shines on his countenance Exod. 34. 35. When the Lord Jesus was got on to a high Mountain apart and had more near fellowship with Heaven 't is said He was transfigured and his face did shine Nearness to God does wonderfully warm and quicken the heart as approaches of the Sun do the body With thee is the fountain of life in thy light shall we see light Psal 36. 9. As the being of spiritual Life lies in union with-God in Christ by faith so is its well being maintained by communion with him in the Spirit who supplies the soul with quickenings as the fountain doth the vessel that 's put under it with waters God is in himself the Essential Life and to his people the fountain of Life c Tu Domine es vita per essentiam sons vitae per communionem a te omnis vita effluit ac incessanter proflait Jo. Paul Palant Thou Lord saith one art life by thy Essence and the fountain of Life by communion from thee all Life flows out and runs down uncessantly In fellowship the Lord Jesus lets out Himself Love and Spirit and this attracts the heart after God and strengthens the soul's motions after him Every act of fellowship with Christ here saith Mr. Reyner is a step Heaven-ward By it the heart is raised after God sweetly refreshed and strengthened with spiritual strength To live in fellowship with God saies the same Authour is to live at the highest rate under Heaven next to Heaven yea as in a corner of Heaven to live in the highest Region of Christianity 't is the Life of Paradise an Evangelical yea Angelical and Coelestial Life in comparison whereof the most men and women are dead Communion with God does wonderfully nourish the Heavenly Spirit and fatten the spiritual part of Believers Such saith Reyner suck a honey-comb eat fat things full of marrow and drink wine on the lees well refined spiced wine O Christians press after nearness to God in Ordinances and Duties rest not in highest priviledges without spiritual converse with God in them and communications of his Love and Life through them Fourthly Cherish heavenly motions in your hearts and be tender of all the breathings of the Spirit upon you It may be the Lord comes in upon the heart with some Spiritual Light or Life in a Sermon or in a Duty or when alone stirring up thy desires and warming thy affections making some offers of grace and help to thy dull and languishing soul take heed now how thou slightest or stiflest these this is one step to the quenching of the Spirit and impeding its gracious assistance and vital operations on thy soul 1 Thes 5. vers 19. Quench not the Spirit He that will kindle a fire gathers up every little coal and makes the most of the least spark The shavings of gold are gold and the smallest breathings of the Spirit are to be highly prized He that checks the first motions of the Spirit may never meet with the second and he that slights the least gifts of grace may forever miss of its larger doles O to what a height might grace come in thy soul if every stirring of it were improved God despises not the day of thy small things how unreasonable is it thou should'st overlook his The Lord Jesus Christians doth nourish and cherish the least good that is in you Ephes 5. 29. O be tender of whatever communications come from him to you This will abundantly help on the enlivenings and enlargements of this Heavenly Spirit Fifthly Dwell much in the meditation of Heaven this will heavenlize your spirit 'T was this made the Apostles persons of such heavenly spirits they did often look to things above 1 Cor. 4 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen No affliction could discourage them from owning and professing Christ nor earthly comforts allure their desires and delights from Christ and that which so strongly guarded their hearts from either of these dangers was a firm perswasion of an interest in future glory and a diligent observing eye upon this glory a levelling look at this mark does wonderfully raise the heart towards it and put in a new spirit and life into the soul strongly engaging all its attempts towards the enjoyment of it Frequent contemplations of Heaven do much wean the heart from this Earth If thou remembrest thou art not of this world earthly things shall onely be admitted into the Court of the Temple not into the heart which is the Holy of Holies Burg. on 17. Joh. How contemptibly did those Worthies of old look on this world when once they got sights of Heaven Heb. 11. They counted themselves strangers and pilgrims on the Earth were not mindful of their own Country went out from it would no more return to it sought an heavenly Countrey were perswaded of those great and glorious things above and embraced them laid hold of them by faith and made after them and that which did so powerfully work over their spirits to these things above was their believing sights of them V. 13. These all died in the faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off that is the things
still running in They that will cure a disease must get the cause removed Original sin is the source and fountain of all actual sins as that is weakened so will the irruption of actual sins be abated The way to prevent the inroads and stranglings of a garrison is to begirt the Fort and not onely keep them in but scale and attach the strong hold that secures them This is the wisdom of a Christian saith Mr. Burroughs that when he comes to labour against any corruption he doth not spend his time so much against this or that particular corruption but strike at the body of corruption And hence is the reason that Christians in a little time grow so much and get so much power against their corruptions whereas others are a long time before they get any power at all 'T is with a Believers heart as with a garden overgrown with weeds though the tops be often plucked off while the mores and strings abide under-ground all they do to cleanse it is labour in vain they still spring up afresh So is it with mens corruptions till the root be more withered and weakened Now to further this work First Be deeply sensible of your sinful natures as well as sinful actions This the faithful complain mostly of even their sinful natures Isa 64. 6. We are all as an unclean thing and our righteousnesses as filthy rags Psal 51. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my Mother conceive me Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Secondly Apply the Death of Christ by faith to the whole body of sin in you Faith fetches virtue from a crucified Christ to dry up the bloody issue of sin Luke 8. 44. chap. 6. 19. This being the appointed way of God to bring down sin The foundation of a soul's redemption from sin is laid in the Death of Christ 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who bare our sins for us in his own body on the tree that we being dead to sin might live to righteousness This death to sin is the effect of Christ's dying for sin this being the end of his Death to redeem his people from all iniquity Titus 2. v. 14. Christ's Death for sin was not onely a pattern to Believers but a medicine and appointed means to destroy their sin Rom. 6. 6. Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin 'T was by the Cross of Christ that Paul was crucified to the world and the world to him Gal. 6. 14. Carry over thy old man to the Cross of Christ and bury thy strong lusts by faith in the grave of Christ deriving virtue thence to kill thy sin Faith brings the soul into a fellowship with the Death of Christ to receive the benefits and energy thereof one of which benefits is a killing power on sin Thirdly Improve Faith in the Promises The death of sin in Believers is part of the New Covenant and as sure as pardon Micah 7. 19. He will turn again he will have compassion he will subdue our iniquities and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depth of the Sea Mat. 1. 21. He shall save his people from their sins Rom. 6. v. 14. Deut. 30. 6. which promises are sure to all the seed The Lord Jesus came on purpose to perform the promises to and in his people Rom. 15. 8. To redeem them from all iniquity Titus 2. 14. And to destroy the works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3. 8. And saith in these Promises is soul-cleansing and sin-subduing Carry over thy unruly corruptions to Christ in the Promises and sue for justice upon them Fourthly Implore the constant help of the Spirit of Grace both to discover oppose and destroy thy corruptions This work is too hard for flesh and blood nothing short of the Eternal Spirit can get a full conquest over sin and the power and wiles of Satan in thy soul 'T is through the Spirit Believers come to mortifie the deeds of the body Rom. 8. 13. And by the spirit of judgment and burning the Lord purges away the blood of Jerusalem Isa 4. 4. And by the Law of the Spirit of Life we are made free from the Law of sin and death Rom. 8. 2. Take heed of grieving and impeding the Spirit of Holiness by which his gracious sanctifying influences are suspended and thou be left to the weaknesses of thy own spirit Be much in prayer and fervent cries for the Spirit 's daily assistance in this great work Fifthly Give no place to the least motions of sin but maintain a constant war against the whole powers and body of sin The want of preventing care timely opposition and constant warfare against all the corruptions of flesh and spirit is one thing that lays gracious souls under the entanglements and prevalency of their lusts James 4. 17. 1 Thes 5. 2. Rom. 12. 9. We embrace saith one the desires of our temptations upon implicit faith not examining and withstanding the first entrance of temptation nor crushing the first motions of sin 'T is easie to crush the Serpent's Egge but dangerous conflicting with it when it becomes a Cockatrice A rebellion may be with less strength dissipated at its first appearance than suppressed when it hath gathered head Isa 14. 29. The Devil 's first assault saith Chrysostome is violent resist that and his second will be weaker and that being resisted also he proves a coward A Christian's wisdom and interest lies much in these two things First To take the start of sin to strike the first blow to be in the field before it yea to baracado up its way and to fall in upon its quarters to lay in provision against its very rising to fortifie the heart against the least consent to sin by applying threatnings and promises betimes and furnishing the heart with soveraign and scriptural antidotes against it The neglect of this preventing care deprives the soul of needful helps against its surprisal and so renders it weak against its first assaults Arius at first saith Hierom was but a spark but being not supprest betimes he prov'd the incendiary of the whole Church Secondly To prosecute the soul's victory over sin Sometimes the Lord gives his people power over a lust by a sanctified affliction or blessed ordinance which victory if pursued might tend to the total subduing of it but usually we grow secure after such successes and do not follow the victory but give over too soon as Joash in his-smiting on the ground 2 Kings 13. 18 19. The Prophet bid him shoot the arrows of the Lord's deliverance and smite upon the ground and 't is said He smote thrice and stayed and the man of God was wroth with him and said Thou should'st have smitten five or six times then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it O what advantage might a
thousands enjoy not And there are Publick Priviledges of access to God communion of Saints a place within the walls of God's House with variety of soul-provisions an interest in the promises of God the prayers and graces of his people things of infinite worth and purchased at no lower rate than the blood of Christ You that are interested in those come under great obligations to behold them with wonder to hold them with trembling and to use them with diligence and faithfulness You that are planted in the Courts of the Lord Psal 92. 13 14. be fat and flourishing content not your selves with bare priviledges with dogs to feed on dry bones but get the marrow juice and fattening vertue of all your advantages Do not with Lazarus lye at the door of your rich Lord the Dogs licking your sores when you may go in and be healed Secondly Ordinances are another thing which Believers should be getting spiritual good from These are the golden pipes through which the Lord pours in the Oyl of grace into his golden Candlesticks and Gospel-Churches Zach. 4. 12. Showres of Manna to feed his people in the wilderness and on this side their own Countrey Deut. 8. 16. These are the Churches breasts to fill and nourish her children unto life eternal Isa 66. 11. Gen. 2. 6. 10. Ordinances are the Mist the River of Eden by which God waters his Garden Scriptures are the Mines Ordinances are the opening of them to such as dig for Wisdom A considerable part of this Heavenly Trade is driven about these commodities ply them well that you may get large incomes of spiritual blessings through them Take heed of sleeping at these breasts or playing with them lest the Lord put them up or put you off lie at the pool side wait at the wells of salvation and not onely come but draw out waters of life thence for your needy souls For which four things are needful Preparation Attention Retention Obedience First Prepare before you hear get the room emptied swept and garnished For those provisions of Christ you are called to bring your pitchers empty and clean that God may fill them Come not to clean food with a soul stomach but get your hearts purged by sound repentance and wash'd from an evil conscience and renewed by the Spirit for the new wine of the Gospel 1 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. They must be new born babes that receive the sincere milk of the Word so as to grow thereby Mat. 9. 17. If a dead Christ must be laid in a new tomb Mat. 27. 60. surely a living Jesus will not come into an old heart and rotten sepulchre Spend some time before you go to hear in searching your hearts and reviewing your waies in geting a deep sense of their vileness and the exceeding sinfulness of your sins that the fallow field of your hearts may be plowed up and you sow not among thorns Take heed you bring not a hard heart to hearing When Thrasamund the Arrian read Fulgentius's defence of the truth he praised his wisdom wondered at his eloquence commended his humility yet had his heart so hardened that he could not submit to the truth To help you herein set prayer on work to beg down the Spirit 's of assistance bring your hearts to Christ by prayer that he would make them clean If he say I will be thou clean thy Leprosie shall be cleansed Prayer also helps you to suitable provision and a blessing on it Hearers prayers help Ministers to preach and themselves to hear 2 Thes 3. 1. Souls never thrive better than when Ministers and Hearers be much in prayer for the Word of the Spirit and Spirit with the Word To pray well is to study well a Bene orasse est bene studiisse Prayer saies one is a messenger to fetch that holy seed out of the garner above Prayer is the former and latter rain to make it grow beneath pray continually if thou would'st grow continually After Christ had fed the multitude he went up into a Mountain apart to pray Matth. 14. v. 23. Secret prayer saith Mr. Trap fats the soul as secret morsels feed the body therefore it is said to be the banquet of grace where the soul may solace her self with God as Esther did with Ahashuerus at the banquet of wine and have whatsoever heart can wish or need require Secondly Take heed how you hear hear as for your lives with holy attention with fear and trembling Ministers saith Mr. Latimer should preach as if Hell were at their backs and hearers should hear as if life or death were in every word Hear with holy affection many were given up to believe a lye because they loved not the truth nor received the word in the love thereof 2 Thes 2. 10. Hear believingly the Word preached did not profit being not mixed with faith in them that heard it Heb. 4. 2. 'T is by faith the Gospel becomes the power of God to salvation Rom. 1. 17. The Arm of God was not revealed on Israel because his report was not believed by them Isa 53. 1. The Spirit is given out through the hearing of faith Never expect to profit by hearing till you joyn faith with hearing Thirdly Keep the Word you do hear take heed of letting slip the things you have received Heb. 2. 1. Hold fast the truth that no man take your Crown Rev. 3. 11. Be not forgetful hearers but doers of the Word Jam. 1. 25. Forgetful hearers will never be doers Israel's disobedience was the fruit of their forgetfulness Psal 78. 10 11. The reason of the Disciples trouble at the sepulchre of Christ was said to be their forgetfulness they had forgotten what he had said to them when he was in Galilee Luke 24. 6. Bad memories have many times barren lives Be much in after-prayer for the Comforter's help to keep the Word for you and bring it to your remembrance Prayer opens the heart to take in the Word and prayer shuts the heart to keep in the Word keep up meditation of the Word Psal 111. 91. This chews the cud and gets out the sweetness and nutritive virtue of it unto the heart and life This way the godly come to be as trees planted by the waters side that bring forth much fruit in their season Psal 1. 3. Fourthly Obedience of the Word helps to profiting The worth of Divine Truths is never fully known until they are liv'd upon nor its virtue felt till we cleave to it in our conversation Prov. 4. 6. Forsake her not and she shall preserve problem love her and she shall keep thee Vers 12. When thou goest thy steps shall not be straitned and when thou runnest thou shalt not stumble O the sweetness the pleasure the strength the blessedness that they lose who onely look on truth but do not live it Strangers to a holy life meddle not with the joy that is wrapt up in the Word and Waies of God Prov. 3. 17. Her waies
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
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
before your enemies will down and more strokes at your work before your interests will come in Running striving wrestling in labours more abundant in weariness and painfulness in watchings What pains will men take for the World She riseth also while it is night Her candle goeth not out by night That neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes Ye compass Sea and Land and should they not much more for Heaven The most diligent soul is the most thriving soul Always abounding in the work of the Lord instant in season and out of season taking every opportunity for Heaven And what their hand finds to do to do it with all their might this is the way to soul-thriving 1 Cor. 9. 24 25. Heb. 12. 4. Eph. 6. 12. 1 Cor. 11. 23 27. Prov. 31. 15. 18. Eccles 8. 16. Matth. 23. 15. Eccles 9. 10. Thirdly Driving a secret Trade of holiness is soul-thriving Men that have some peculiar art and unknown mystery in their Trade which is not ordinary and common usually get greatest custom and advantage So is it in this heavenly Trade the more men are taken up in the mysteries of Godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. the more they thrive in Religion There 's a secret in holiness which no stranger intermeddles with Prov. 14. 10. There 's a way within the veil the hidden part in which souls are made to know wisdom Psal 51. 6. Hidden riches of secret places which thriving Christians meet with Isa 45. 3. If you would prosper in Godliness be sure to maintain the secret duties of piety The religion of most men lies in the Market place and in the view of others their hearts their closets are not privy to any secret transactions between God and their souls and in the praise of men they have their reward but the thriving trade of Christianity is the secret trade Christians be most in those duties which men least observe and chiefly excellent in the invisible part of your visible work Publick duties are most honourable but secret duties the most gainful Matth. 6. 4. And thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Fourthly The blessing of God maketh rich Prov. 10. 22. Promotion cometh not from the East nor from the West nor prosperity from mens fingers ends but from God's hand Deut. 28. 8 10 11 12. The Lord shall command his blessing upon thee in thy store-houses and in all which thou settest thy hand unto The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods The Lord shall open to thee his good treasures the Heavens to give thee rain to thy Land in his season and to bless all the work of thy hand and then comes riches And thou shalt lend udto many Nations and thou shalt not borrow Prosperity both spiritual and temporal comes at God's sending Psal 118. 25. O Lord I beseech thee send now prosperity Psal 18. 32 33. He restoreth my Soul he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness Psal 23. 3 5. Thou anointest my head with Oil Thou blessest the springing thereof thy paths drop fatness Psal 65. 10 11. The Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfy thy soul in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a watred Garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not Isa 58. 11. I will be as the dew to Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his root as Lebanon Hos 14. 5. Secure an interest in the promises and get your souls brought under the showers of blessing if ever you think to thrive in godliness Improve thriving graces and take prosperous courses these are under a promise of blessing though every grace and duty do in their measure help on soul-prosperity yet there are some graces and duties have a more special influence on spiritual thrivings First Faith is a soul-prospering grace 2 Chr. 20. 20. Believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper Eph. 6. 16. Above all take the shield of Faith wherewith ye shall quench all the fiery darts of Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insuper Bez. Every grace is useful in the spiritual warfare but Faith especially other graces may with Saul slay their thousands but Faith with David slays its ten thousands Some darts may be quenched by other graces but Faith quenches fiery darts yea all the fiery darts of Satan which does wonderfully further thriving The just shall live by Faith Heb. 10. 38. Faith will maintain the soul's life in the greatest straits and exigences Faith is a receiving grace it takes in whatever is laid up in the promise and that 's thriving Gal. 3. 22. That the promise by Faith might be given to them that believe A soul-enriching grace rich in Faith Jam. 2. 5. A working grace And the work of Faith with power 2 Thes 2. 4. A powerful grace it gives the soul experience of the mighty power of God Eph. 1. 19. 20. What is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead 1 Thes 2. 13. 'T is a strengthning grace Out of weakness were made strong Heb. 11. 34. through it doth the Lord let out his abundant grace And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 1. 14. It doth exceedingly nourish the soul in grace and edify it to salvation 1 Tim. 4. 6. Nourished up in the words of Faith 1. Tim. 1 4. Which minister questions rather than edifying which is in Faith One reason why souls prosper no more in piety is their unbelief they are full of doubtings fears and questionings upon every turn still wavering as a wave of the Sea such cannot receive much at the hand of God but are still weak and going back in Religion Be much in believing the promises against hope and above fears if ever you think to prosper in Religion Secondly Love to God his Name ways and interest is a Soul-prospering Grace Let them that love him be as the Sun that goeth forth in his might Judg. 5. 31. They shall prosper that love thee Psal 122. 6. Let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee for thou Lord wilt bless the righteous with favour wilt thou compass him as with a Shield Psal 5. 11 12. Love to God must needs be a prospering Grace because it brings the Soul under the blessing of God and within the compass of his securing Shield Love is a Soul-strengthning and establishing Grace Eph. 3. 17 Being rooted and grounded in Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set in a firm ground not easily shaken from God or their integrity Love makes a growing Soul Eph. 4. 15 Speaking the truth in love may grow up in him who is the head in all things It helps on edification in Grace ver 16. maketh encrease of the body unto the edifying of it self
to your poor Brethren you evidence your love to God that secures all your true and needed mercies Fifthly This also is pleasing to God Phil. 4. v. 18. Having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God Heb. 13. 16. Isa 56. 4. and that is surely prosperous Then Christians if God hath first given unto you if you love him if you would please him if you would prosper in soul body and estate lay out for God If you have freely received freely give whatever God hath entrusted you with expend it for him First Lay out your time for God Among the many wasts of mercies souls are guilty of this is not the least waste of precious time Though there is no creature-blessing of greater worth than time in which a foundation is laid of all those mercies that are eternal Time is a talent a treasure not onely a mercy but that without which there can be no mercy Consider for your improvement of Time First Your Time is not yours but God's made by him and for him Psal 76. 17. The day is thin and the night is thine thou hast prepared the Light and the Sun Time is that space between two Eternities limited by divine pleasure to divine use Job 14. 5. Seeing his daies are determined the number of his months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass And if Time be the Lord's then 't is fit it should be used for God Give unto God the things that are God's When thou sinnest or trifiest away this Time think on this now I rob God and spend another's goods You that hate robbery of men be not thieves to God and your own souls Time is God's not thine own Secondly Think how much you have lost of past Time and this should make you choice of present Time Psal 90. 9. We spend our years as a tale that is told which vanisheth into the Air and is soon gone Much of our time z Multum Temporis eripitur nobis plus subducitur plurimum effluit exigua pars est vitae quam nos vivimus Seneca saith one is pluck'd away from us more is stoln away but most of all doth slide away O how little a piece of life is that we live How much of thy time hath been consumed in the grave How much in the market-place much slept away in the Vineyard When nature self the world and sin have had their shares of every day how little a portion hath been left for God Hence 't is the Apostle advises Saints to redeem their Time to get Time for God and their souls though with some loss to other interests because it hath been taken captive by self sin and the world and held prisoner so long This waste of former Time makes it absolutely needful for them that will reach their journey's end before their day be gone to redeem Time from their callings recreations refreshments idleness and rest for the recovery of neglected work or they will find it wanting when they come to die Give me my time again said a woman on her death-bed being under fears about her eternal state nothing could relieve her troubled soul who had lost salvation-time Thirdly Consider how short and uncertain your remaining Time is or may be The whole Time of thy life is but a span a hand-breadth a post a weaver's shuttle a vapour a tale that is told as a flower of the field things of no duration Job 9. 21. Psal 39. 5. James 4. 14. Time saith one is a short parenthesis in a long period so short that before we can name it our present Time is become past Time Our whole life saith another consists but of two daies the day of our birth and the day of our death for no sooner born but we begin to die Time is on the wing hastening to Eternity every moment Time travels when you sleep and runs when you creep Time goes on when you stop and gets ground when you go back As the stream hastens to the Ocean day and night so doth Time to Eternity O use your Time for God while you have it it will shortly be none of yours if you do not use it you will lose it you were as good let God have your Time as to let it run away to no purpose if duty do not improve it rust will consume it the Devil World and Flesh will engross it and 't is better give it to God than let the Moth and Caterpillar devour it Besides Fourthly Can you put it to better profit than to lay it out for God he is the best chapman for your Time nothing will give you so much interest for Time as God will put all the gain of other Time into the scale with the incomes of God's Time and you will soon see the difference Time laid out for God will be the best security for your own Time Give God his Time and he will give you your Time all that Time that is needful for a blessed Eternity There 's no such way to enjoy Time as to use it for God Prov. 3. 16. Length of daies is in her right hand Time expended for God will not only secure but sanctifie your Time also as the first-fruits did the lump Rom. 11. 16. Besides Time devoted to God brings in eternal interest Though Time be but a thing temporal yet improved it will bring to things eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. nay it will bring you mercy in the time of need Give God your working-time and he will feed you when in your unserviceable time When I was a young man said Mr. Bruce I was diligent and liv'd by faith in the Son of God but now I am old and am not able to do so much yet he condescends to feed me with lumps of sense Fulfill of Scripture Fifthly you must give an account for your time to God he takes notice of mens time how 't is spent and accordingly will judg them Luke 13. 7. These three years I come seeking fruit on this Figtree and can find none cut it down why cumbreth it the ground Psal 95. 10. Forty years long was I grieved with this people Luke 19. 44. Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation God looks for fruit from his people according to their months Ezek. 47. 12. O how much is it your concernment to order your disbursements of time to a consistency with your comfortable account in the day of Christ then you will wish God had more of your time when you come to reckoning for it what a blank will there be in our account of time if it be not better bestowed than hitherto That time will yield you most comfort when you come to eternity which was spent for God here Sixthly How can you bethink a little time for God who hath not thought an eternity of mercy too much for you Christians 't is salvavation with
renders Christ precious to Believers is that in their union with him is laid the foundation of their right to and evidence of their hope of glory Quatenus est in illis eatenus habent spem gloriae Dav. and assurance of their future and eternal enjoyment of himself and all his treasure laid up in glory There 's no other way to have a right to glory but by union with Christ who hath purchased glory onely for those that are his and have this spiritual union with him Hence 't is that the Lord Jesus Christ is called a better hope John 17. 21 to 27. Heb. 7. 19. For the Law made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by which we draw near to God That is the Lord Jesus in his Priestly Office of which the Ceremonial Law was a forerunner did bring in a ground of better hope in opening the way to God in grace and glory All right to glory is through him who is the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8. and hath the disposal of it to whom he pleases John 17. 2. even to all the Father hath given him to be his and to these he gives eternal life John 10. 28. They that have union with Christ cannot perish being members of his body flesh and bones should a soul that hath received Christ here miss of glory hereafter then would a member of Christ perish and his body in Heaven be maimed and imperfect which cannot be his Church being the fulness of him who filleth all in all Eph. 1. v. 21. And Christ hath past his word for it they shall not perish John 10. 28. Not one of them is lost who are truly in Christ John 17. 10. They are his servants and shall be where he is John 12. 26. His Spouse which shall be ever with him Try then your union with Christ Have you received him into your hearts by faith Are you one Spirit with him having the same mind in you that was in Christ Jesus you would be holy as he is holy nothing short of compleat oneness with Christ can content you Indeed you have carnal desires within the borders of your souls that crave for satisfaction and sometimes will have it whether you will or no but there is another Law in your mind warring against this Law in your members that cannot rest till you arrive more to his likeness who is your life righteousness and glory Are you implanted into Christ's death and resurrection brought into some conformity to him And do you live upon him as the branch upon the root for all your grace and supply and stay upon him as the stone upon the foundation for your support in grace unto glory as your onely Lord and Righteousness Then are your hopes for glory sure speeding hopes Secondly Truth of grace secures your hopes of glory it being the earnest seal and first fruits of glory 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts Grace is God's seal for glory and what greater security can there be 'T is his earnest-penny which is never taken away as a pledge may be but secures the whole summe yea 't is part of pay Grace is that seed of God which remaineth in him 1 John 3. 9. and secures the soul's state against final Apostacy through its union with the Spirit dwelling in him Rom. 8. 11. Prove your truth of grace though never so weak and you will prove your title to glory Doth your grace owe its being to the fulness of Christ John 1 16. owning its derivation thence and dependance there Doth your grace spread it self into every part and faculty of your soul wholly sanctified throughout 1 Thes 5. 23. Cannot your grace mingle with sin or own the least appearance of evil Rev. 2. 2. but hath according to its measure an irreconcilable enmity against every known sin Gal. 5. 17. Cannot your grace rest in any measures short of perfection but hath desires and endeavours after more and more grace 1 Pet. 2. 3. Hath your grace pure and ultimate designs for Divine Glory aiming in every thing Phil. 1. 20 21. that Christ may be magnified John 3. 30. and self annihilated then is your grace true grace and will in time turn to glory Thirdly Your mortifiedness to the world will be a good proof of your title to Heaven The heirs of Glory are chosen out of the world are not of the world John 15. 19. Redeemed from the earth Rev. 14. 3. They have not received the spirit of this world but the Spirit that is of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. and are crucified to it Gal. 6. 14. dead to the desires pleasures and interests of this world Col. 3. 1 2. Dead men have no favour or delight in things no more have they who are dead to this world any acquiescing pleasure in earthly things which can no more satisfie a heavenly soul than dung can feed a living man Christians try how your hearts stand affected to earthly things are these great in your eye amiable to your affections attractive on your desires prevalent on your wills beyond the things of Heaven then are your hopes of Heaven unwarrantable by any Divine evidence and will at last leave your names written on the earth Fourthly Your hopes for Heaven if right will be active lively hopes 1 Pet. 1. 3. Who hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead Hopes that put life in your affections i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est vivificam scilicet quae vivificat Metonymia Effecti Piscat and spirits and makes you vigorous after holiness and the way to glory Ephes 2. 10. Right hopes for Heaven will make you run in the way to Heaven and put you on all manner of holy conversation Paul's hopes for Heaven put him on labours and strivings after perfect holiness 2 Cor. 5. 8 9. Phil. 3. 12 13 14. Try your hopes do they quicken you to duty or leave you dead You have no heart to the waies of God or delight in approaching to him his commands are grievous to you this bespeaks unsound and frail hopes for Heaven which will at last deceive you But sure hopes for Heaven are back'd with suitable labours for Heaven Fifthly If your hopes be right for Heaven then will your conversation be in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. But our conversation is in Heaven whence also we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body You will be taken up about heavenly things and driving on heavenly concerns You will be maintaining entercourse in Heaven and keeping up your converses with God you will be often taking journeys to Heaven in your contemplations and desires your business will be much in Heaven and your occasions thither frequent though you live on Earth yet you will converse in Heaven As Dr.
who keepest up this Trade for Heaven and thrivest therein here hast thou marks of a Prosperous Trade in Godliness and several Doubts cleared up about thy Soul-thrivings with those Important Duties opened which this Peculiar Mercy calls for Gather out of this Garden what Physick or Food thou needest and Apply and Improve it praying for the Assistance of that Spirit that hath been frequently and solemnly begged both for the Forming and Blessing of this Discourse unto all that read it You who have been Hearers of this Subject though in somewhat different Expressions suited to your Capacity and Advantage in the Delivery of it have reason above others to Receive and Improve this Message Twice sent unto you But you Especially my dear Friends the Care of whose Souls is upon me for whose sake chiefly these Truths were at first Delivered and are now made Publick have the most obliging reasons to get them Copied out upon your Hearts and in your Lives To you Firstly more Especially yea most Affectionately was and is this Word of salvation fent and presented again to your View that you might have these things abiding with you and that they might live in your Eye which have founded in your Ear and be speaking to you when I shall be removed out of your sight and be beyond all Capacity to serve your precious and immortal Souls that when I can plead no more for God or with you I may in this be speaking to you and others in the behalf of Christ and glorious though despised Holiness This has been the prevailing Argument with me to discover my weakness to the World and expose my self to the censure or scorn of some I have the greatest reason to expect from you the Entertainment of these Truths who have chosen and received me in the Lord to declare the Gospel of his Son to you You also have known my Labours Infirmities and Afflictions with you and for your sake that for Twenty years space I have served you in the Gospel in reproach wants weaknesses dangers and sufferings neither count I my life dear unto my self so that I may finish my course with joy and the Ministery which I have received of the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God yea being so affectionately desirous of you I have been willing to have imparted to you not the Gospel of God onely but also my own Soul Because you were dear unto me you know and have acknowledged the suitableness of this Subject unto your own Cases and how evidently the condition of most of you is opened here and suited by the convictions counsels reprehensions consolations of this discourse there are some among you that I am jealous of with a godly jealousie lest I should have laboured in vain for you and your minds be corrupted from the simplicity of the Gospel through the temptations of this present world I have often cried aloud in your ears against the sin and have warned you of the danger of an earthly spirit and conversation and do tell you now even weeping that such are enemies to the Cross of Christ who mind earthly things until you are crucified to the world you have no saving benefit of the cross of Christ or can ever behold the face of God in heaven until you are redeemed from the earth all your Profession Parts Duties and Enjoyments will be but so many Witnesses against you if after all you are lovers of this present World Coveting to be rich will also make your Souls poor and deprive you of the refreshments of his presence and consolations of his blessed spirit and will be a manifest evidence that you have little of those pleasures that are from above 'T was faid of pious Mr. Bain That he sought not great matters in the World being taken up with comforts and griefs to which the World was a stranger The more a Soul converses in heaven and lives upon the first fruits of the other world the less will he be taken with things below when Abraham came to live by faith and in a view of that City whose Maker and Builder is God the Plains of Sodom and Spoils of Canaan were to him but mean things I never cared much for the world saith one since I came to know better things You have tasted that the Lord is gracious you have fed on the fat things of his house and have found a day in his Courts better than a thousand elsewhere and must be self-condemned if you prefer not God above Ten thousand Worlds and count the enjoyment of himself riches enough yea if you esteem not the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt 'T was a brave speech of that noble Galeatius when he had left his Honour Interest and Relations for Christ and the Gospel sake I have saith he riches honour and joy enough while in this Cottage I may live in the Church of God enjoy his Word and People and have time to converse with God by holy meditation and with my Friends about Gods great goodness to me in my Conversion cursed for ever be that Religion which weds men to the World and divorces them from God There are others of you I fear fallen back in your spiritual state former days were better than now and the shadow gone back some degrees upon the Dial of your hearts who it may be have left your first love have lost your spiritual taste more dead to the things of God Cold and Formal in Duty possibly you have hid your face from God and he hath compassed himself with a cloud before you You have neglected your walks with God and he hath with-held converse with you For the recovery of such from whence they have fallen to their first love and labours is part of this Discourse framed hear what the Spirit saith therein Attend and Obey those Counsels return to your first love and do your first works least the Lord take the Candlestick out of his place and leave you in that wilderness into which you wander Some of you who are fearers of God yet walk in darkness and see no light have your continual Exercises and frequent Complaints that he who should have comforted your souls is removed far from you My Advice to you is to walk in the light when you sit in darkness and wait for the light when the even shadows are upon you 'T is but a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry the Son of righteousness is upon his journey towards you and 't will not be long ere it be risen upon you Are there any of you who have better days does your Bow abide in strength are your Affections warm towards your Beloved and your hearts sometimes burn within you while he is talking to you in his Word Do you long for his Appearance and delight in his Presence and press hard after him in his Appointments Do you love the Word
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
Christians this day while the vitals of Christianity visibly languish b Christianos non dici sed ess◠oportet Ignat. where is that ancient Faith Love Zeal Faithfulness Courage Patience Self-denial Mortifiedness to the world Justice Charity Heavenly-mindedness holy Converses with that universal Piety and Unity which made the Saints so famous in former generations and had so great an influence on the enlargement of Christ's Kingdom notwithstanding Pagan and Antichristian force against it In the room of which now pride contention formality selfishness hypocrisie with the general gangrene of an earthly spirit eats out the life and power of true holiness The affecting sense of this dangerous evil gives occasion to this ensuing discourse whose errand into the world is not to plead for notion or faction but to advocate for despised godliness to help to awaken this sleepy age and contribute a weak hand with abler shoulders to give a lift if possible to fallen piety Amongst the many Advocates for piety Solomon the Pen-man of this book hath done worthily and laid out much strength of reason to attach the minds of men and regain them to the knowledge and fear of God This chapter is a systemè of those motives which he more largely prosecutes throughout this book to perswade men unto a thorough pursuit of holiness Divers are the considerations he proposes to this end taken First From the happiness of those that obtain and improve this pearl of grace vers 13. Happy is the man that c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labore sibi paravit involvit praeviam inquifitionem findeth wisdom and the man that d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Profert in lucem effundit getteth understanding though with greatest labour and cost and having gotten it doth put it to its due use and improvement for the good of others they whoever they be are blessed men and women in regard of that profit pleasure peace honour safety and life with the durable and eternal possession thereof ensured to those that thus make Religion their business from vers 13 to 27. Secondly From the evil estate and end of those that pursue the waies of sin which is in its nature vile and abominable to God and as to its products its shameful cursed and destructive in the end vers 23 32 33 34 35. The Penman knew that few would deal in those commodities and trade about divine things all men seeking their own and few the things of Christ and therefore sets forth those wares with greatest commendation to buyers that they might off the better He begins with the gain that comes by godliness a popular argument and that which in other things puts men on great adventures and restless labours towards their enjoyment The hope of advantage saith Chrysostome a Lucri spes omnia difficilia facit juncunda Chrys de Sacerd. 3. lib. makes all difficult things easie What will not the Merchant do or suffer to get a little profit a fit metaphor to set forth the diligence of a Christian in his race and to insinuate the worth of those eternal things he is in chase of The merchandise of which is better than the merchandise of silver and the gain there-thereof than fine gold In the words for methods sake you may observe First The subject wisdoms merchandise and the gain thereof Secondly The Predicate Better than silver than fine gold Wisdome Divine Wisdome which in this book not to mention all its acceptations First Is put sometimes for the Lord Jesus Christ the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word and increated Wisdome of God or the wisdome who is God who is made to us of God Wisdome as well as Righteousness the light of the world the bright morning Star the Sun of Righteousness from whom are derived all those beams which irradiate the dark minds of men and that Wisdome which makes wise to salvation in whom are hid all the treasures of Wisdome This is that shining Diamond that Pearl of price which outvies all the beauties of the world the costly gemms and whole treasures of nature in whom are unsearchable riches the enjoyment and use of whom is soul enriching Secondly For the Word of God which is sure making wise the simple pure enlightening the eye and more to be desired than gold yea than much fine gold called the Light of the Lord Isa 2. 5. Come ye and let us walk in the Light of the Lord the discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. which are able through the Spirit 's illumination to make one wise to salvation and in this sense the Jews usually take Wisdome for the Word and Law of God In keeping of which there is great reward Psal 19. 11. Thirdly By it is held forth a true and saving knowledge of God part of that Original beauty which man lost by his first fall and is regained by a second edition and impress of the Spirit when renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created it this knowledge is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not an idle speculative but a lively operative knowledge which consists of an illumination of the mind and an infusion of faith and spiritual knowledge Parisiensis calls it a Portam vitae per quam Deus primo ingreditur ad mentem humanam Parisiensis The gate of life through which God first enters into the mind of man In this Wisdome and Knowledge of God as the souls last end with the way that leads thereto and felicity that results from it enlightened minds see greater lustre than in fine gold and all the bravery of this lower world Now this Wisdome is not onely speculative taking in the notion of truth and pleasing the mind with refreshing views of things excellent but practical which disposes the soul to a fruition of God so revealed to the eye of Wisdome and to the obedience of all those counsels opened in order to it Hence Davenant counts it an errour in the Schoolmen to restrain Wisdome and Understanding to a contemplative life b Cum utraque ex aequo etiam spectat activam when both have their equal reference to an active practical life and conversation In regard of it's essence it 's an intellectual vertue but in respect to the matter and use it 's practical and moral and therefore he defines Wisdome to be c Est igitur sapientia infusa cognitio illorum quae ad fidem bonam vitam pertinent cum affectu pio inclinante ad applicationem praxin eorundem Daven an infused knowledge of those things which lead to faith and a holy life with a pious affection inclining the soul to the application practice of the things it knows This the Scriptures hold out to be that true Wisdome which God requires of men And to man he said Behold the fear of the Lord that is Wisdome and to depart from evil that is understanding Job 28. 28. Job having
dressed Judg. 9. 13. Heb. 6. 7. The righteous shall eat the fruit of his doings Isa 3. 10. The present comforts of holiness are not mean Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them Psal 119. 165. Her waies are waies of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Religion is the most pleasant trade no delights like those that are in God and fetch'd from him God gives the world the bones and keeps the marrow for his labourers the godly feed on the wheat the wicked have but the bran look whatever good comfort credit and happiness Religion can afford here and to all eternity is their part that trade upon it Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not the fruit thereof 1 Cor. 7. 9. Reas 4. Lastly The Heavenly Trade must needs be the best trade because it is the most profitable trade The advantage that comes by godliness makes it the best employment in the world We use to say three things make traders rich all which are found in the way of godliness 1 Great Returns 2 Sure Returns 3 Quick Returns Now nothing turns to more account than a thorough pursuit of piety whatever men think Religion is the most thriving way in regard of the Excellent Fruit of it Abundant Fruit of it Durable Fruit of it First Great returns will soon make traders rich when the time and labour they expend is abundantly compensated and the things they part with bring in far better so is it with this heavenly trade there is no proportion in their adventures to their returns their duties are poor imperfect things when they have done all they are unprofitable servants but their reward is great and glorious their afflictions light and momentary but the issue a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 1 Cor. 4. 18. It 's great profit indeed when some weak works of faith and labours of love a little patience obedience and duty for a time shall be rewarded with eternal rest pleasure and glory there is no equality between the race and price this striving and crowning What 's a cup of cold water to a river of pleasures a Crown of thorns to a Crown of Glory the worlds srowns to divine smiles conscience-troubles to the consolations of God a few tears fears watchings faintings duties afflictions to the joys of the Lord into which they shall for ever enter It 's a great bargain to part with base things for excellent beastly lusts for the beauties of holiness an unclean for a clean heart vile affections for vertuous dispositions filthy rags for fair garments a body of death for a spirit of life To let go the world for God fellowship with devils for communion with Christ to lose guilt and to gain righteousness to escape Hell to obtain Heaven this is great gain To swap away old things for new rotten things for sound hypocrisie for sincerity lyes for truth is a good bargain To exchange empty things for satisfying things that are not for things that are goods that perish with the using for things that wax not old fading trifles for eternal treasures is a thriving trade indeed and such are the incomes of this Heavenly Trade they are incomparably great and excellent there 's nothing mean no low price goods that Wisdome's Merchants deal about all their riches are pleasant and precious By knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches precious faith precious promises the precious blood of Christ precious thoughts of God are some of this precious substance heavenly Traders meet with in the way of holiness Besides this pursuit of godliness enters souls into an acquaintance and converse with God and helps them to keep an entercourse with Heaven and to maintain a life above and beyond the reach of all others and is not this advantage Religion also helps men to blessed experiences of the love power greatness and faithfulness of God and this constant employment about heavenly things makes the way pleasant and delightful and fills the soul with much contentment with its lot in the world whatever the tryals losses and sufferings may be that they are exposed to Also the driving this Heavenly Trade secures the good and comfort of all their other interests and sweetens their portion whether more or less that Soverign pleasure allots them in the world bringing all their concerns under divine care and promise for their good comfort and sufficient supply in their passage home And are not all these great returns enough to make the Heavenly Trade the greatest interest and advantage beyond all others in the world Secondly Sure returns make Traders rich Merchants that drive gainful trades count if one Adventure to two or three come safely home they get well but all regular Adventures in this Heavenly Trade are secured Their labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. not one of their sincere attempts in the way of God shall miscarry never a pious duty lost all their sowings to the spirit shall surely spring up into a blessed harvest Gal. 6. 6. Though they sow in tears yet they shall reap in joy Psal 126. 5 6. Though they go forth weeping yet if they bear precious seed they shall doubtless come again with rejoycing bringing their sheaves with them God is not unrighteous to forget their work and labour of love shewn towards his Name Heb. 6. 10. God is engaged in justice to see the Adventures of Believers safely returned into their harbour he hath promised it and cannot be unfaithful neither doth it consist with his honour to put Believers on an unprofitable service He never said to the house of Jacob Seek ye me in vain Isa 45. 19. Ingenuous men love to see their servants thrive Will Christ think you let his labourers be losers their works shall surely follow them into their rest Rev. 14. 13. how ever they may be out of sight in their passage towards it seeing God's Word lies at stake for it The blood of Christ stands engaged also for the safe returns of the Saints Adventures that are according to the will of God their religious labours are part of the travel of his soul which he must see secured and they are the pleasure of the Lord which must prosper in his hand Isa 53. 10 11. He is become a Surety for them unto God and a Surety for the Father unto them By so much was Jesus made a Surety of a better testament Heb. 7. 22. The Covenant is called here a Testament as relating to the Saints priviledges and interests which by that Covenant becomes due to them and shall be surely made good to them upon the account of Christ's Suretiship for it He is the Surety of this Testament or Covenant and every promise of it one of which is That what they sow to the Spirit they shall reap in glory their labour shall not be in vain and to make all the promises good both the condition and
blessing to the foederates of this new-Covenant hath the Lord Jesus laid down his precious Blood which cannot be lost Heb. 9. 15. but it would be cast away could Believers religious duties be in vain Another thing that secures the Saints advantages by this heavenly Trade is this that their trading is the work and product of his own Spirit their duties are his work Thou hast wrought all our works in us Isa 26. 22. It is God that worketh in you to will and to do according to his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Col. 3. 5. They are his workmanship created to good works Eph. 2. 10. by whose influence they are acted and let by the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 14. So that further than the spirit of the living creatures move their wheels cannot move nor do any thing graciously further than their works are wrought of God and by God Joh. 3. 21. So that Believers labours in this heavenly Trade are the work of the eternal Spirit and should their work be lost the Spirit of God would labour in vain and his work cast away which cannot be Isa 45. 18. Lastly The Lord Jesus is an adventurer with them his Glory and Kingdom is concern'd in this heavenly Trade when his Will is done his Kingdom is come Mat. 6. 10. and 1 Thes 4. 3. Holiness is his will and a conformity to his Law and he is engag'd to the Father for the Saints holiness and happiness for their grace and glory As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Jo. 17. 2 12. The Father hath put all Believers into the hands of Christ and intrusted him with their graces and glory both which are included in eternal life ver 3. And this is life eternal that they might know thee c. that is this is the way to life eternal and the beginning of life eternal even the grace of Faith and saving knowledg of God and this grace as well as glory is put into the hand of Christ for Believers to be kept for them and they are also put into his hand to be kept by him through it unto glory and in pursuance of this trust the Lord Jesus is engaged to keep his people their graces and the reward of them for them that they be not lost the advantages of this heavenly Trade are secured to Believers by the Lord Jesus his adventure with them his truth faithfulness and glory is concern'd in their safety so that their returns are not only great but sure Thirdly Quick returns if great are greatly enriching Hence comes that Proverb that light gain makes a heavy purse it brings great custom and that occasions quick returns Now no Trade brings quicker returns than the heavenly Trade Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me Rev. 22. 12. The Lord Jesus not only makes good but quick payment as soon as the work is done he promiseth to make good his word Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee Psal 50. 15. Nay the Lord Jesus sometimes pays before-hand And it shall come to pass that before they call I will answer and whiles they are speaking I will hear Is 65. 24. Men many times are forc'd to stay for their Mony and sometimes lose it at last but the Believers gain is not only sure but speedy Obj. What 's the reason then the people of God do complain of God's not hearing and deferring an answer to their requests And why are Believers advised to patience and long-saffering after they have done the will of God if the return of their Faith and Duties were so quick This is the experience and complaint of the people of God in all ages that God seems not to regard their Prayers and to delay his coming to help them Sol. 1. First yet are the Saints returns quick because they are in due time God never delays to perform his word when the Believer hath need of it in the needful time of trouble he will surely hear My God shall supply all your wants Phil. 4. 19. When once the Soul comes to stand in real want then God will surely pay him When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them Isa 40. 17. When once they come to be needy then God will with-hold no longer but will help this he hath promised they shall not want any good thing Psal 34. 10. Secondly If the Lord do not pay presently he will give use for it they shall lose nothing by forbearance But when he comes he will bring his reward with him Isa 40. 10. Not only a reward of his work done by them but a reward of their patient waiting for his promises also their mercy shall be so much the sweeter for their want of it and waiting for it O! how welcome are long look'd for mercies when they come then is every mercy double God tried Job long by with-holding mercy but see the end of Job God paid double for what he took and with-held from him Job 42. 10. Returns are sure always in the needful and seasonable time and if God delays he will pay well for it To which I might add this also Many times Wisdom's Merchants are the cause of these delays by their unfaithfulness in their trade or their unfitness for their returns The diligent hand makes rich Prov. 10. 4. Souls that are active and faithful in the whole of Religion shall have no cause to complain of God's slack payment So much by way of demonstration of the point That the Heavenly Trade is the best Trade no Merchandise like Wisdom's Merchandise Now to come to some improvement of the Point VSE I. First If the heavenly Trade be the best Trade then it 's strange that so few do set upon this Trade persons that are to enter upon some course of life and would fain live in the World are willing to take the best Trade that is attainable by them if they can but reach it and have wherewithal to carry it on who would spend his time and strength in low sordid and mechanick services which cannot maintain or enrich him if a brave generous and wealthy Calling did offer it self and might be compassed and yet such is the folly of most under the Gospel who are ready to choose any thing but Godliness and to fall in with every proposal for their employment rather than to engage about the work of Salvation Men are wise in their generation and know in other things how to choose the best bargains only in the things of their Souls are foolish and can be content to pursue shadows and let go the substance to lay out all their desires hopes and labours about a life that perisheth neglecting the vast
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
our eyes should run down tears and we pour out waters in Mispah before the Lord abundantly for wasting gasping piety that is even giving up the ghost For where this Heavenly Trade decaies First There is a growing strangeness between God and such souls While Trade is kept up among men there is much acquaintance converse and intimacy between them there are ever and anon occasions of writings meetings and discourses while trading holds but when once that is let down then communion ceaseth they have little business one to another no more letters pass or visits given seldome see one another and so at last grow out of acquaintance with each other And thus 't is between God and souls when once this Heavenly Trade is let down a strangeness begins between God and them they are seldomer in his company neither are there such enquiries after God as before There is none that calleth upon thy Name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee for thou hast hid thy face from us and hast consumed us because of our iniquities Isa 64. 7. They were strange to God they did not call upon him as they use to do and if they did it was in such a general cold way that it signified little they did not take hold of him The word signifieth To a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apprehendere retinere hold with all their strength as men do that are drowning that will not let go what they hold it signifies also saies a Learned Critick not onely to hold a thing but faster and faster to wax strong in the holding it But alas they did not so take hold of God as such who were like to perish without him They did not stir up themselves They did not waken and rouze up b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evigalare vel excitare seipsum occultavit ne videatur themselves as the word imports They were grown more remiss in duty they did not strive with God for help as they did And God was strange to them he hid his face from them he concealed himself that he might not be seen as the word signifies he seems not to care for their company This made the Prophet cry out Why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the Land and as a wayfaring man who turneth aside to tarry but for a night Jer. 14. 18. Seldome visits and short stayes shews strangeness in them that have been intimate and so 't is between God and such who neglect this Heavenly Trade the Lord seldome visits them nor hath such warm converses with them as before And is not this cause of mourning when such a friend as God hath been to his people and one on whom all their hope lies and in whom all their help is shall look strange upon them and take no notice of them This is enough to break an ingenuous heart and one that knows what it is to enjoy God Neither is it onely the present want of God is their suffering but by this means they are in danger of losing him quite The Lord is with you while you are with him and if you seek him he will be found of you but if you forsake him he will forsake you 2 Chron. 15. 2. Hence the Prophet when he apprehended a change in God's carriage towards Israel the next thing he fears is his departure from them he no sooner complains of God's strangeness but presently praies Leave us not Jer. 14. 9. When once it came to a straitening and loathing between God and his people then terrible judgments follow My soul loathed them and their soul abhorred me Zach. 11. 8 9 'T is in the Original My soul was straitened in them God's heart was not towards them as formerly he could not bear with them as formerly And then I will not feed them that that dies let it die and that that is to be cut off let it be cut off he matters not what becomes of them Do but think in what a case are such a people This should be for a lamentation Secondly Soul-poverty and wastings of their spiritual interests do usually attend neglect of this Heavenly Trading When men come to spend upon the stock and have no comings in they must needs waste apace So it is where trading for Heaven is neglected such have no recruits of their wasted graces nor supplies of their impoverished souls when the fountain is shut up and all communication of grace withheld no entercourse between God and them he will not receive their goods nor impart his treasure but all waies of relief are blocked up then they must needs waste apace in spirituals and become poorer every day The way to be rich is to have store of Christ's tryed gold I counsel thee to buy of me gold tryed in the fire that thou mayest be rich Rev. 3. 18. Laodicea was poor because she wanted Christ's tryed gold the real graces of his Spirit and this she lost by letting down her Spiritual Trade she did not buy of Christ she did not come to and deal with Christ in his own waies and upon his own terms and that made her poor And so 't is with every soul that neglects this Heavenly Trade he soon comes to know what soul-wants are Once let down a life in godliness and presently poor in graces poor in experiences poor in comforts poor in hopes want strength and want peace fare hard lodge badly cast out from among men as Job describes poor and mean persons Who cut up mallows by the bushes and Juniper roots for their meat Job 30. 4 5. 6. Very mean fare little pleasing or nourishing food bitter and salt herbs some take them for nettles poor food Herbas amaras salsas Merc. and yet the usual feeding in those parts of those that were low in the world neither was their lodging better They dwelt in the clefts of the Valley in caves of the Earth and in the Rocks Suitable also was their reputation They were driven from among men they cried after them as after a thief Such is the condition of poor persons full of straits and meanly esteemed and so 't is with such as decay in their Heavenly Trade they have lost their sweet morsels and marrowy bits their pleasant fare and soul-refreshments they once had and feed on dry bones and sapless Ordinances They are not maintain'd at that rate of comfort and experience they once had They have hard lodging also lose that sweet rest and peace they sometimes found in Christ and in their sincere walkings after him Fal'n in reputation too neither God nor good men think so well of them as once they did This is the case of such as fall back in Religion they soon fall into such poverty and spiritual wants come upon them as armed men In the fulness of their sufficiency they are in straits Prov. 24. 34. Job 20. 22. And this is cause of mourning wants and poverty do fill men with trouble perplexity
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
seven years service consumed with drought in the day and frost in the night and his sleep departed from his eyes Thus have I been twenty years in thy house I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters and six years for thy cattel and thou hast changed my wages ten times Gen. 31. 40 41. And yet all this he could bear to enjoy the object of his love So 't is with earthly minded men all their capacities are engaged about earthly things their chiefest strength is laid out about their Trades callings and businesses in the world seldom minding soul-concerns little employed in religious duties now and then hear read pray as may stand with interest cold sleighty formal sleepy in duty but all life when about the world ready to complain prayer is too long preaching tedious too much time spent in duty what need this waste Matth. 26. 8. All seems lost to flesh and blood which is spent on Christ and his service Mr. Trap But all too little for the world weary themselves for very vanity stick at nothing that will help them to their desired interests undergo any hardships turn the back on any duties adventure health reputation the displeasure of God with all their spiritual mercies yea and the eternal welfare of their souls also rather than lose an advantage in the world This is the spirit of too many this day Men that seem to be somewhat bid fair for salvation with the young man in the Gospel like the terms well come up to every thing but this cannot part with the world for Christ come up to every thing onely with Naaman must be pardoned in this that they have a Rimmon to bow to 2 Kings 5. 18. In every thing else they will consent to follow Christ but in this they must be spared when their farms their merchandise and profit calls for them then the concerns of Christ and their souls must stand by and affections like a flood run over all that lies in their way take no notice what Scripture or Conscience say deaf to all arguments that thwart interest This is the case of a worldly heart his chiefest strength is laid out about earthly things these must be followed and sought after whatever becomes of the soul and spiritual things What is that so great hope saith Seneca what so great necessity that stoops man who was made upright to contemplate Heaven and buries and drowns him in the deeps of the Earth to get out that gold which is not got with less danger than 't is kept Sen A little strength for duty will serve the turn but a great deal of time care and labour must the world have Surely the world rules that heart that comes and goes at its bidding and can leave all to follow it c Quae tanta spes fuit quae tanta necessitas hominem ad sidera erectum incurvavit defodit in fundum telluris intime mersit ut erueret aurum non minore periculo quaerendum quam possidendum Sen. at the command of interest You will judge him another man's servant who whatever he is doing will leave it all when his Master calls him and follow him Let men think what they will God hath no part for the present in that soul that can do more to enjoy the world than God and counts any thing more necessary than to converse with obey and serve him Fourthly The delight and pleasure men take in earthly things declare that their hearts are let out upon them Where the heart is there will the delights be d Cordis vita est amor Love is is the very life of the soul Alsted Theol. natur p. 613. When Jonathan's heart was knit with the heart of David 1 Sam. 18. 1. as an evidence of it Chap. 19. 2 Jonathan Saul's Son delighted much in David e Delectatio sit quies quaedam appetitus considerata presentia boni delectantis quod appetitui satisfacit Aqui. 12. 9. 31. 1. 2. M. Delight is the rest of desire in the fruition of that good the heart is set upon which satisfies the desire Reynolds of the Passions Cap. 19. Pag. 197. One calls it the Sabbath of our thoughts and that sweet tranquillity of mind which we receive from the presence and fruition of that good whereunto our desires have carried us If then mens delights in the world exceed their pleasure in God 't is a sign the world is their chiefest good Wicked men delight in their abominations and that proves their ways to be of choice Isa 63. 3 They have chosen their own ways and their soul delighteth in their abominations Try thy heart by thy pleasure what is sweetest to thy taste God or the World What is most delightful to thee to wait on God though with the loss of the world or to pursue the world with the want of God Men cheat their own Souls when they say the enjoyment of God is better than the world and yet for every trifle and smallest advantage can upon choice baulk the enjoyment of God in his appointments and cannot adventure the least loss and prejudice to their interest though it were for the nearest fellowship with God certainly that which is the Souls greatest pleasure that will it make after when left to its liberty Canst thou leave the snow of Lebanon for the waters of Assyria Pass by a walk in Christ's gallery to sit down and solace thy self on the dunghil-comforts of this life then are not thy chiefest delights in God Psal 27. 4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his temple If the beholding of God in Ordinances be thy delight it will be the one thing in thy desires and endeavours also all other things are nothing to that If thy chiefest pleasure be in God then nothing but a conviction of duty can make thee upon choice decline an opportunity of waiting on God and even then also when obedience to God sets thy hand to the world delight in God will engage thy longings after him and make thy greatest comforts thou art then pursuing a weight and a burden to thy soul because they stand between thy heart and communion with God Thy affections will be like the Kine that drew the Ark to Bethshemesh that lowed after their Calves as they went 1 Sam. 16. 12. When thou art constrained to draw in the Cart of thy duty-employments even then will thy desires belowing after the comfort of thy relation-interest in God How is it soul speak Is not a good Fair and Bargain sweeter to thee and doth more affect thy heart than a sermon and a duty Dost thou not use to follow the world with thy back on fellowship with God and Saints and not the least regret in thy spirit or cloud on thy comforts if so thy heart is
not yet supremely set on God Fifthly Lothness to part with thy earthly comforts and interests tells thee thy heart is too much upon them Jacob's unwillingness to part with Benjamin was a sign his heart was too much set upon him Judah tells the Governour of Egypt That his Father's life was bound up in the Lad's life Gen. 44. 30. The Spouses affection to her Beloved was seen in this that when she found him she held him and would not let him go Cant. 3. 4. I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go Such is the testimony that if mens hearts are on the things of this life they hold them fast and will not let them go Most men are too tenacious of their interests to be dead to them close hands argue cleaving hearts to the world Alas with what reluctancy do men that have the abundance of this worlds goods lay them out again for God! how hard is it to draw any proportions of charity from them that have this worlds goods what arguments and reasons will men be pleading for their sparingness in parting with the Mammon of this world and how much beneath their measure do most men expend their earthly things upon the calls that God gives them This shews plainly their heart is bound up in the fruition of these things Covetous men will sooner part with their flesh than their gold saith Augustine shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men whom I know not whence they be 1 Sam. 25. 11. saith covetous Nabal Covetous persons cannot endure to part with what they have a Avarus tenendo divitias tenetur a divitiis dum vult esse praedo fit praeda Aug. The covetous man while he holds fast his riches is held fast by them and in preying on others he himself becomes a prey August They are like a net which takes in all the fish that comes at it but le ts out none again except some small ones that are little worth Earthly minds are seen in nothing more than in their tenacity and close keeping of what they have like dying men whatever they take hold of they let not go This is the temper of many they cannot scatter for God nor honour him with their substance There is that withholdeth more than is meet Prov. 11. 24. That 's the character of one whose heart is on the world b Non solum avarus est qui rapit aliena sed ille avarus est qui cupide servat sua Aug. He is not onely covetous that takes away other mens goods saith Augustine but he that covetously withholds his own and will not let them go when God hath use for them Certainly if Believers themselves are not their own then they will one day know their estates and interests are not their own but the Lord's and to be at his dispose How will the owner of that Colt Christ sent for rise up in judgment against many no sooner did the Disciples say The Lord hath need of him but straightway they let him go Luk. 19. 33 34 35. Shall one that pretended not so much to Christ for ought we know readily part with so much at the first request and they that profess much love to Christ refuse to lay out lesser things for him This doth manifest the world is dearer to such than Jesus Christ Lastly Then are mens hearts upon the world when their trust and dependence is upon earthly things We are apt to put confidence in friends and therefore the Lord cautions Israel against such dependencies as false deceiving things Trust not in a friend put ye not confidence in a guide c. Micah 7. 5. The Spouse came leaning upon her Beloved in the wilderness Cant. 8. 5. No sooner had the rich man store of goods but he places his confidence in them Luke 12. 19. I will say to my soul soul thou hast goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry 'T is natural to men that chuse the world for their treasure to chuse it also for their trust They that dare adventure their supreme affection on things dare also take up their dependency on them Men chuse not a tree they think will rot Isa 40. 20. If riches be thy choice thou thinkest them worthy of thy relyance or thou actest irrationally Men that have wealth have inward thoughts that their houses shall continue for ever and their dweling places to all generations they call their Lands after their own names Psal 49. 11. 'T is hard to have the good things of this life and not to expect too much from them so inviting is their appearance to a dependency on them Earthly things are fair in promise but false in performance like quagmires covered with grass men think them firm ground but when they tread upon them they soon become their graves The Evangelist calls all that glorious pomp with which Agrippa so amus'd spectatours but a meer show Acts 25. 23. When Agrippa was come and Bernice with great pomp 't is with much fantasie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 external show All the glory of this world is but a pompous shew that cheats beholders and allures them to a deceived expectation They that have much visible comfort in creatures live little by faith How rare is it for men that have estates and riches for their posterity to commit them to divine care by an act of pure recumbency on the promise and to believe upon a naked word for all their supplies and needed comforts Such is our expectation whither we flee for help Isa 20. 6. An earthly heart is known by carnal trust and dependency on earthly things Ah souls put your hearts into this scale and see whether they do not press down to this present world Speak soul who shalt shortly be weighed for eternity in the ballance of the Sanctuary are not thy desires thy thoughts thy restless labours thy delights thy close adherence to and dependency all engaged about the things of this life with the neglect of God and heavenly things thine own heart being Judge And if so then Thy State is dangerous And thy Folly great First Thy State is dangerous thou hast not a dram of true grace in thee Love not the world nor the things of the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2. 15. Do not flatter thy soul into perdition if thou lovest the world thou dost not love God For the friendship of this world is enmity against God Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God James 4. 4. He whose heart and mind is set after the world he that will be rich the bent and design of the heart is for it that 's the Butt he levels at whatever he professes That 's his great business and project Thine
symptome of approaching ruine If men are not given up to a spirit of blindness they must needs see that wasting destructions are upon us gray hairs are here and there and we see it not Hos 7. 9 10. Strangers have devoured his strength and he knoweth it not yea gray hairs are here and there yet he layeth it not to heart and the pride of Israel doth testifie to his face and they do not return to the Lord their God nor seek him for all this * Sentit quidem dolores sed non agnoscit causam fontem sui mali Confirmat esse Israelem desperatum incurabilem quia convictus non tamen redit ad Dominum Zanch. They felt the pain but did not acknowledg the cause and fountain of all those evils saith Zanchy and this shew'd they were desperate and incurable in that they were convicted of their evil case and yet would not return to the Lord. No spot more dangerous than continuance in sin under utmost means of reformation and confessed danger of ruine If our transgressions and sins be upon us and we pine away in them how shall we then live Ezek. 33. 10. VSE IV. If the Heavenly Trade be the best Trade c. Then this offers counsel and exhortation to five sorts of persons 1. To such as are strangers to this Heavenly Trade Counsel 1. Such as are strangers to this Heavenly Trade you that never were acquainted with this high Calling but have spent all your time about things that perish trafficking about Hell and Damnation Be you exhorted to set about this choise rich and blessed Trade There are four Arguments that usually sway with rational persons in their choice of earthly Callings which are also weighty inducements unto all not yet concern'd to speed upon this Heavenly Trade Arg. 1. First Necessity puts men on employments and none are greater than theirs who are without this Divine Calling Sinners you that are yet without God in the World you are miserably poor and ready to perish you are worth nothing but sin and misery He is a poor man that hath nothing to live upon and such are you while without this line of communication and strangers to these supreme concerns You are spiritually poor and have nothing as yet for your Souls to live on here or to all eternity Rev. 3. 17. And knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked Poverty is one of the miseries of all unchanged souls and that which aggravates it is this that they think themselves rich and yet have nothing no Food to fill them but empty husks and swines meat no Rayment to cover them but filthy rags and confusion no House to shelter them from the storms of Divine wrath or any Habitation to receive them but an infernal Lake of Fire and Brimstone and a receptacle with damned Devils not a friend to help them not an eye to pitty them There are none so poor in the World but they have something or other to help them something in hand or something in hope something of their own or something of others if they can't dig yet they can beg if they have not interests to maintain them yet they find pitty to relieve them But a Christless Sinner hath nothing to supply his immortal part nothing in hand nothing in hope nothing of his own nothing of others that can contribute the least good to his undone Soul whatever he lives on is nothing but wind and emptiness He feeds on ashes a deceived heart turns him aside Isa 44. 20. He crams his starved Soul with filthy dung and excrements so loathsome are all the pleasures of sin he lives on Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel strangers from the Covenants of Promise having no hope and without God in the World Eph. 2. 12. This is your condition Souls while without this Heavenly Trade you are miserably poor what-ever you have in the World you have nothing in God what-ever your Bodies and Families have your Souls have nothing †Vniversa inutiliter habet qui unum illud quo universis utatur non habet 'T is little profit to enjoy all things and miss that one thing by which only we come to use them Aug. You labour for vanity and lie down in sorrow and have you not reason to look out after some course to help you and to embrace this overture of a Calling that will maintain and enrich you here and for ever The Lepers case is thine if thou sit still in thy condition thou diest In the World's fulness is famine in thy security and false hopes is death also If thou adventure an offer'd grace it may save thee however thou can'st but die 2 Kin. 7. 3 4. Again you are not only poor but Bankrupts your poverty is of your own procurement and the issue of your prodigality you had once a fair Estate but lost it God Grace and Glory was yours by the first Covenant Luke 15. 30. but you have trifled it away for forbidden-fruit and spent all you had on Harlots you have consum'd your Lord's goods also in riotous living and wasted a large stock committed to your trust and now must give an account of your Stewardship were it only your personal wants that your folly hath brought upon you though that be heavy yet 't is comparatively tolerable but restitution must be made and that is unconceivably distressing A dreadful word sinners lies against you how can you bear it how can you eat drink talk or sleep in peace much less rejoyce when the hand-writing is against the wall 't is this Give an account of thy Stewardship Luke 16. 2. A review of thy past time must be expected by what means thou did'st reduce thy miserable Soul to this low estate and an account of thy Stewardship will be required and then when too late thou wilt say with the Steward What shall I do ver 3. and is it not more advisable now to take this counsel of Eliphaz to acquaint thy self with God and be at peace thereby good shall come unto thee Job 22. 21. to return to that Trade which thou hast left and recover the Treasure which thou hast lost that so thy account may be comfortable in the day of Christ Nay further you are not only poor and bankrupts but deeply in debt debtors to God to whom you owe your selves and all that you have by the Law of Creation and Covenant-obligation but never yet discharg'd that due to this very day You are in debt to God for all your mercies in Creation and Providence patience-mercy preservation-mercy preventing-mercy bounty-mercy there 's never a moment but God is laying out some new mercy upon thee of which thou hast never made retribution to this day Debtors to the Law of God which hath its full and just claim on you a Law that is just righteous and good and to which you owe obedience by just and unquestionable
Heaven 1 Pet. 1. 5 What strivings have some to obtain a Crown that is corruptible and shall I be weary that am in pursuit of one that is incorruptible 1 Cor. 9. 25. without labour no rest without bearing the heat and burden of the day when called thereto no penny at the end Matt. 20. 12 13. without striving lawfully no crowning 2 Tim. 2. 5. without doing the commandment no eating of the tree of life Rev. 22. 14. without enduring to the end no salvation Mark 13. 13. comfort your selves with this that Heaven will make amends for all when your wet and weary sowings shall end in a pleasant and eternal harvest Gal. 16. 9. Let us not be weary in well doing for you shall reap in due time if ye faint not Be stedfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. Direct 7. Lastly What you do do quickly Time waits not your leisure There are but twelve hours in the day and how many of them have been slept and sinned away and how few of them may be before you who knows What if your Sun should set at noon day or a summons meet you in the midst of your work Give account of thy Stewardship for thou shalt be no longer Steward Luke 16. 2. What will you then do Some of you are in your afternoon what time is that to set forth such a long journey as the way to Heaven is and yet will you gain by your delays some of this time also for the Devil World and Flesh others of you are in your morning the best time to put forth in your travel towards glory O! lose not your season for eternity Make much of time saith Aquinas especially in the weighty matter of Salvation O! how much would they that now lie frying in Hell rejoyce if they might have the least minute of time wherein they might get God's favour the young man hath death at his back the old man before his eyes and that 's the more dangerous enemy that pursues thee than that which marches up to thy face Christ's work admits of no delays his injunction allows not of too morrow but while 't is called to day Heb. 3. 7. To day if you will hear his voice vers 13. To day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin Seek the Lord while he may be found Isa 55. 6. Haste haste the tide will not bide Rutherford 'T is now or never while the Light shines the Lord knocks the Angel moves on the waters while the Lord delays his coming Salvation-work is quick work God's racers must run his Doves must fly his Servants be diligent that they may be found of him in peace 1 Cor. 9. 26. Isa 60. 8. 2 Pet. 3. 14. You that have stood idle in the market-place all your day hitherto hasten into the Lord's Vineyard Matt. 20. 6. Love is sick to hear tell of to morrow Mr. Rutherford What Jonathan said to his Lad when David's life was in danger let me advise you And Jonathan cried after the Lad make speed haste stay not 1 Sam. 20. 38. I rue nothing said precious Mr. The fulfilling of the Scriptures Welch when on his sick-bed but that I was so long in beginning O saith David that I had wings like a Dove for then would I fly away and be at rest I would hasten my escape from the stormy wind and Tempest Psal 55. 6 8. Sinners you are in danger of stormy tempests while in your unchanged state O hasten to your strong holds ye prisoners of hope When Brentius was like to be given up to the enemy one writes him this note Fuge Brenti cito citius citissime Fly Brentius quickly more quickly most speedily Souls 't is for your lives make all possible haste about the work of your Salvation And you that are entred on this heavenly work double your diligence that you may finish your course before God finishes your time methinks the word of God and his providences this day yea every thing seems to thrust you forward and do to you as Pharaoh's Task-masters did to Israel Exod. 5. 13. And the Task-masters hasted them saying fulfil your work To Professors Counsel 2. Secondly if the Heavenly Trade be the best Trade then you that profess this Calling be you exhorted to follow it keep up and improve your Trade for Heaven what 's an employment without improvement the most profitable Calling not followed turns to little advantage The day we live in gives men sensible experience of this truth that they who intend to live in the World must attend their employments The idle person suffers hunger they must be careful and diligent in their business that think to make any thing of their earthly interests and so 't is in this Trade of godliness they that will be saved must work out their Salvation A Trade is a man's business and course of life which he pursues and carries on from day to day 't is the subject of his thoughts counsels and considerations of his time and strength and daily work where he ends one day he begins the next and contributes his utmost wisdom parts and labours to the most vigorous prosecution of it And so must it be in this Heavenly Trade Christians it must be the impending business and principal concern of your whole life that which commands your thoughts purposes and capacities which engrosses your time care and strength and to which every other business must give way and every occasion and occurrence must be subservient it must be followed and driven on every day in every thing place and company what-ever is neglected that must go on and give no place to intermissions no not for a moment You must not say to godliness as Felix did to Paul Go thy way for this time when I have a more convenient season I will send for thee Acts 24. 25. Stops in the way of God are not easily recovered one days neglect brings all out of order Prosperity in Religion admits of no Parenthesis in its work or consists with allowed interruptions Piety must be as the blood that runs through every vein of your life and affair in the World In eating drinking talking thinking buying selling you must be still driving on Wisdom's Merchandise Christians follow your work or lay down your Trade 't is vanity yea the way to beggery to profess a Calling and not pusue it Quest But wherein lies this Heavenly Trade which I must so make my business what do you drive at by all these Arguments for Heavenly Trading What I intend by this metaphor I shall open to you under these seven general Heads as the main duty of a Christian and to be carried on in the whole course of his life 1 To have and keep up a heavenly spirit 2 To secure your interest in heavenly things 3 To get in more
daily search and when we know there is something still beyond our Hooker on 17 of John knowledg as men that travel in the main Ocean they see nothing but water and yet see neither side nor shore brim nor bottom and there is more water to be seen All the treasures of wisdom and knowledg are hid in Christ and he keeps the keys in his own hand and bosome Be often looking unto Jesus for clearer sights of him and the things freely given of God with the way to them Knock often at the treasury-door till he answer and open and send you away enriched with the knowledg of him this is part of your Trade to know Goods and the worth of them and how to buy and sell to best advantage Alas to what purpose is it to deal in Commodities that men know not and heavenly things are hidden things beyond the search of Men and Angels 1 Pet. 1. 12. Which things the Angels desire to look into * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 limis oculis vel in transitu quasi per transennam aspicere Bud. They bowed and stooped down to pry into those hidden secrets and as it were to peep into the mysteries of the Gospel as the word signifies to look a-squint with cross eyes every way and with quickest observance as through a Casement at one that passeth by and this they did with an earnest and restless y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire The Apostle alludes to the Cherubims placed over the Mercy-seat with their faces looking towards the Mercy-seat and through it to the Ark a type of Christ and Gospel-mysteries Exod. 25. 20. as things worthy and yet hard to be known which call for an inward and spiritual eye under fresh anointings every day Christians this is your daily work to follow on to know the Lord to be much with the Sun of Righteousness for healings and beamings on the eve of your mind that you may be more capable to understand the whole counsel of God concerning you This is a Heavenly Spirit or Mind enlightened with Heavenly Wisdom to eye and understand heavenly spiritual things Another property of a Heavenly Spirit is this 'T is a Spirit that savours as well as sees heavenly things it tasts a sweetness in divine things there is nothing in all the world that so pleases a spiritual mind as spiritual things so much is included in that word Rom. 8. 5. Do z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mind the things of the flesh that is do savour and rellish them so 't is rendred Matth. 16. 23. For thou savourest not the things that be of God it includes the affections as well as understanding A heavenly spirit takes delight in heavenly things and is an active principle that carries out the soul after God and things eternal And that 's your work too to get and maintain a delight in God and divine things to cherish breathings after heavenly things and preserve your spiritual senses in exercise that your souls may be ever quick in seeing hearing tasting smelling and feeling the joyes and pleasures that are in things above By this means Religion will be desirable Christ's yoke easie and his waies pleasant and his commands not grievous This is one of the most difficult pieces of Christianity to maintain the inward principle and spring of holy actions pure and lively 'T is far easier to set on any external duty than to keep the heart in a fit active frame for God which is apt to languish and grow out of order every moment if not kept and maintained by continued supplies from above Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of Life Now if you would keep up a heavenly spirit First Beware of those things that weaken it A Heavenly Spirit is a very tender thing and must be charily kept or will soon suffer loss 't is like the apple of the eye that is liable to injury from every dust or stroak that comes nigh it or like a Venice-glass that is down and broken with every little touch You cannot be too choice and tender in watching and guarding this Spirit from every thing that is contrary to it Take heed of carnal lusts these stand between God and the soul and these resist the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. and fight against the soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. Dearly Beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul Water is as consistent with fire sickness with health death with life as unmortified lusts with a heavenly spirit and you may as safely dwell with thieves and bloody murderers as suffer fleshly lusts to harbour near your hearts These suffered to hover in the soul will devour your sacrifice and like water quench this sacred fire and with the Ivy eat out the nourishment of this heaven-born spirit When Alexander asked Diogenes what he would desire of him that you saith he would stand aside a little from between me and the warm Sun so a soul that knows what the views of God are will desire nothing more than the remove of what stands between him and the warming sight of this heavenly Sun Carnal lusts are as venemous breath that soon seize on and weaken the vitals of godliness Never expect peace or welfare to the spiritual seed till the bond-woman and her Son be cast out How soon have excellent frames been all lost and the candle of the Lord well-nigh put out by these filthy damps that ascend from the deeps of unclean and unmortified affections This wrought such changes in Israel now they sang his praises and then presently forgat his works Psal 106. 12. Those divine raptures could not abide and what was the cause why 't was unmortified lusts that had dominion over them V. 14. They lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the Desart and he gave them their requests but sent leanness into their souls This soon brought the Jews from being conquerours to captives that they did not pursue their victories and drive out the Canaanites out of the valleys as well as the mountains Judg. 1. 19. ch 2 3. This want of mortification in Believers is the cause that their corruptions do so often give check to their graces and make their choice heavenly frames so short-liv'd and mutable O cursed pleasures O damnable ease bought with the loss of God! Rutherford O Christians guard your spirit from those filthy and fleshly lusts as Physicians do fortifie the spirits against malignant vapours if ever you will maintain a gracious and heavenly spirit Earthly things also admitted too near the heart prove the bane of a heavenly spirit these like a stone at the bird's leg pluck it down when it attempts to be upon the wing Worldly affections when they exceed their bounds are like waters that overflow the banks they carry down all heavenly motions before them Earthly things are the Devils lure to
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
better than other Beloveds There 's never a soul that 's married to Christ but hath his time when he makes out some special discoveries of his love and self to it and it can tell some stories of what Christ did once say and do unto her what slights she hath had of him and gifts from him such a soul can tell how when he was dead Christ quickened him when he was lost Christ found him when he was in prison Christ set him free he washed him when in his blood and poured in Oyl into his wounds healed his backslidings and loved him freely He can say with Rebekah to her Brother Laban Thus the man spake to me and shewed the ear-rings and the bracelets Gen. 24. 30. And with Judah brings forth the signet bracelets and staff Gen. 38. 25. and tells with the blind man how Christ opened his eyes and what he said to him Joh. cap. 9. ver 15 35 37. And though by his sin and unbelief he may lose the sight of him for a time and be under a suspense of his discover'd kindness yet if the Believer would be true to his experience he can discover such an acquaintance with Christ as no Hypocrite ever had Answ 2. Secondly Another thing that will prove your marriage to Christ is your conjugal-love to him Jer. 2. 2. I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thy espousals when thou wentest after me in the wilderness in a Land not sown The Lord convinceth Israel of the great decay and change of their Love to what it once was there was a time when their affections were high towards God when he call'd them out of Aegypt took them from the Iron-furnace and married them to himself then nothing was too hard for them they could follow God in a wilderness where there was nothing but God alone to satisfie them creatures were wanting to allure them and yet they could stick at nothing no difficulties should part God and them Whence came this warmth of their affection why it was their neerness to God that created them The Lord had taken them into a marriage covenant and carried them in his bosome and this inflamed their hearts after him When the Lord brings a soul into an espousal-state he gives them espousal-love and that is the greatest love O sweet saith Rutherford were that sickness to be soul-sick for him and a living death it were to die in the fire of the love of that Soul-lover Jesus The Apostle makes this an essential duty of a married state to have conjugal affections The Husband to love his Wife as his own flesh and the Wife to love her own Husband as her self Eph. 5. 28. Tit. 2. 4. And the Prophet reckons this love to God as the certain fruit of their Covenant-relation to him Isa 56. 6. That joyn themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the Name of the Lord. As soon as Paul had espoused the Lord Jesus it appeared in his supreme love to him he valued none like Christ He counted all things dross and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ his Lord Phil. 3. 8. To be found in him not having his own righteousness v. 9. To know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable to his death v. 10. Conjugal love is a personal love pure love to Christ is set on Christ himself for himself not for his gifts that come from him but for those excellencies that reside in him 't is love to his person not to his patrimony onely 't is love springing from his love 1 Joh. 4. 19. We love him because he first loved us True affections to the Lord Jesus are the births of his own love to us a coal kindled from his fire Conjugal love is also peculiar as well as personal love so far as 't is conjugal 't is to him and none but him or if to others 't is for his sake Espousal love to Christ affects none like him If there be any person or thing thou lovest more than Christ or equal with him thy affections to him are whorish not conjugal He that loveth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of me He that loveth Son or Daughter more than me is not worthy of me Mat. 10. 37. Yea he that doth not hate Father or Mother or any thing so far as it is inconsistent with love to Christ cannot be his Disciple Luke 14. 26. True love to Christ will let none in all the world share in that love which Christ hath 't will take none into his bed but himself 't is chaste love Again Conjugal-love is not onely to Christ but 't is such a love as longs to be found in Christ not in himself it would have all his glory and excellency in Christ it reckons Christ for all that 's truly honourable as to him it would get as near to Christ as possible yea it never rests till in him To be found in him 'T is also such a love as conforms to Christ Love is of an assimilating spirit it would be like to its peculiar object The affectionate wife conforms as much as may be to her Husband so 't is with the Spouse of Christ she would in every thing that is imitable resemble him and 't is her great trouble she is not more like him what would such a soul give if his heart was like Christ's heart if he had such a spirit and life as the Lord Jesus had on Earth it would be holy as Christ is holy and cannot set up a stand short of that 'T is true the soul hath not such a spirit as Christ had 't is too proud vain carnal passionate earthly selfish and that troubles him but it can never be quiet till he comes nearer to the pattern in Heaven and to a full resemblance of his well-beloved Jesus Answ 3. Thirdly A soul espoused to Christ will leave all for Christ that 's the condition of marriage between Christ and his Bride Psal 45. v. 10 11. Hearken O Daughter and consider and incline thine ear forget also thine own people and thy Father's house so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty for he is thy Lord and worship thou him As if he should say weigh and consider the terms on which this match is to be concluded between Christ and you If you will be his you must leave all for him you must forsake all your other lovers friends interests comforts for Christ so far as these hinder your love to Christ your communion with and serviceableness unto him When the woman comes to be married she leaves her friends Father's house Countrey and all to come and live with him that shall be her Husband Rebekah left her Father Brother Friends and Country to go to Isaac Gen. 24. 58. And they called Rebekah and said unto her wilt thou go with this man and she said I will go That soul that
cannot consent really and considerately to part with all for Christ never yet came up to marriage-terms The treaty between Christ and that soul never went far enough for a conclusion and if it go no farther if thy soul cannot seal to this to part with all thy interests thy dearest comforts yea thy self for Christ the match must after all be broken and Christ and thee part at last yea part for ever O soul try thy heart in this here lies the knot the vertical point this is the most difficult of all Christ's proposals and that the soul is longest consenting to even the letting go all for Christ His person may please well enough his estate is desirable for a reversion but now to take leave of and to go with Christ this is the hard saying Persons would have Christ and the world too Christ and friends too Christ and reputation peace liberty pleasure and self too and if this will not be granted break the bargain but if ever Christ and you have closed and you are his and he yours you cannot count any thing too dear to part with for him or to let go at his bidding If Christ calls for Estate Husband Wife Children an Isaac a Benjamin a right Eye a right Hand all must go and you must part with them freely and chearfully as Abraham did with Isaac Gen. 22. 3. Abraham rose up early in the morning and sadled his Asses and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his Son and clave the wood for the burnt offering and went unto the place of which God had told him Not as Jacob did part with Benjamin by constraint and grudgingly Gen. 43. 11. If it must be so now do this c. He was almost starv'd before he would consent to part with Benjamin and when he did het lets him go last of all he parts with the best fruits of the Land Balm Honey Spices Myrrh Nuts Almonds double money any thing first at last Benjamin was screwed out too Many must have their comforts wrench'd out of their hands before they will let them go but this is not love to Christ A soul married to Christ will say with Mephibosheth concerning his Land Let Zibah take all for as much as my Lord the King is come again in peace to his own house 2 Sam. 19. 30. So let God take all my estate strength liberty comforts seeing the Lord Jesus is come home to my soul in peace Houses Lands Friends Credit Peace Life may be dear but Christ will be dearer if he and you are one flesh All Bavaria said George Carpenter is not so dear to me as my Wife and Children yet for Christ's sake I will forsake them chearfully Do you think me such a fool said Ogvier to one that tempted him with life and preferment that I should change eternal things for temporal Loss of goods is great saith Hooper but loss of God's grace and favour is greater Love is never throughly seen till it comes to parting O the tuggings holdings shifts and reasonings that men will have before they will part with that they dearly love Now it will appear saith Philpot what we love best for to that we love we will stick If Christ have most of your hearts you will let fall every thing out of your hands to hold fast Christ I have said Mr. Bale exil'd my self for ever from mine own native Countrey Kindred Friends Acquaintance which are the great delights of this life and am well contented for the sake of Christ .. Answ 4. Fourthly A Soul married to Christ stays and lives on Christ The Wife casts her self upon her Husband's love and care for her supplies and lives on his allowance for all her provisions 't is suspitious for a married Woman to be maintain'd by strangers and to live on other men for what she needs 't is the Husband's duty to provide for his own and to nourish and cherish his Wife as the Lord the Church Eph. 5. 29. and 't is the Wives duty to go to and rely on his faithfulness for it So 't is with the Soul that hath espoused Christ it is to live on Christ for all it needs they that take Christ aright take him for their All not for better or worse for richer or poorer as Women take their earthly Husbands for Christ is always best of all always exceeding rich and full of unsearchable treasures but to take him for their only and sufficient portion at all times and in all estates Lam. 3. 24. The Lord is my portion saith my Soul therefore will I trust in him Lord said Paulinus when his City Gold and Silver was taken away let not the loss of these things trouble me for thou art all and more than all these to me Shaw's Tombstone p. 33. Christ is the Believer's All in the way and God his All in All at the end It hath pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell and under him all things should be put 2 Col. 1. 19. Heb. 2. 8. And this is for the supply comfort and blessedness of those that are his Eph. 1. 23. Which is the body the fulness of him who filleth all in all Whatever Christ hath as Mediator is the Churches for her use and profit If men have plenty of liquors they fill their vessels with them if they have much riches they place them in their treasury so doth Christ dispose of his fulness for his Churches good hence 't is the Spouse of Christ comes leaning on her Beloved from the Wilderness Cant. 8. 5. and dares adventure her All on the love and sufficiency of her loving and lovely Lord she is full of failings but she lives on him for righteousness many are her weaknesses but she goes to Christ for strength Isa 45. 24. Surely shall one say in the Lord have I righteousness and strength She is sensible of many wants but casts her self on the promise My God shall supply all your wants Phil. 4. 19. Her backslidings temptations dangers troubles and fears are many but she stays on the Lord Jesus whom she hath chosen for her only friend in Heaven and Earth and there she lays her self down in his bosome when wearied with difficulties and doubts and embarques her self in his faithfulness for all she stands in need of for life and godliness for grace and glory Answ 5. Fifthly Fruitfulness to Christ proves Marriage to Christ Hence the Spouse is set forth by metaphors that express fruitfulness a Garden not a wilderness a well watered Garden which is usually most fruitful where the Spices flow out where the Graces of the Spirit are more operative and abundant and Souls become more fruitful in manifested holiness An Orchard planted with choice and pleasant fruits Camphire Spikenard Saffron Calamus Cinamon with all trees of Frankincense Myrh and Aloes with all the chiefest Spices which signify the preciousness variety and abundance of grace and holiness in those who are savingly united
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
bear the image of their heavenly Father here 1 Cor. 15. 49. There is a stamp of glory upon the Heirs of glory though it may be so covered with dirt and worn out with the rust of corruption as not to be easily seen at all times Whose is this image and superscription Matt. 22. 20. Caesar's coin hath Caesar's stamp and the Children of Heaven have their Father's mark upon their foreheads Rev. 14. 1. If Christ's Treasures be yours you are his Treasury though earthen vessels yet treasures vessels and bags that wax not old Do you hope for spiritual blessings what manner of spirits are you of Do you savour heavenly things What things do best suit and please your spirits the things of Heaven or the things of the world grace or goods righteousness or riches spiritual things or carnal What goes down easiest or when down sits easiest on your stomacks The Heirs of Heaven are Non-conformists to this world but transformed into the Spirit of Heaven and the renewing of their minds to their new estate blessedness and glory Rom. 12. 1. That 's a second thing wherein this Heavenly Trade lies in securing and clearing up your interest in heavenly things Thirdly Another thing wherein this Heavenly Trade lies is this in getting in of heavenly goods This is a great part of Traders business to be furnishing themselves with wares fit for their employmeat and advantage the Artificer in making the Merchant in buying in goods that are vendible and will turn to profit So must Wisdom's Merchants get themselves stor'd with Wisdom's wares that they may be able to drive on her Trade Onely in this lies the difference earthly goods are either the products of mens labours and effects of their industry or else the purchase of their money and treasures But heavenly goods come not in this way as the proportionable reward of their labours or return of their money Indeed heavenly bread must be laboured for but when all is done the Son of man gives it to them Joh. 6. 27. Salvation must be wrought out as if it lay at their fingers end and yet this very will and power to work wrought in them Phil. 2. 12 13. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure No sufficiency is found in the creature before saving grace helps to embrace its overtures no more than a dead body to receive life Ephes 2. 1. You have not chosen me but I have chosen you and ordained you that you should go and bring forth fruit Joh. 15. 16. The soul's choice of Christ is the effect of Christ's first chusing him and its love to God the product of God's first loving him 1 Jo. 4. 19. and the soul's fruitfulness is the effect of Christ's purposing and appointing it thereunto No man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Joh. 6. 44. Not onely morally by perswading the will with potent arguments but physically by working to will by a powerful inclining and disposing the will to come to and chuse Christ through the irresistible operation of the Spirit So then 't is not of him that wileth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. 16. Salvation-grace both of righteousness and holiness is freely given to the thirsty soul through and with Christ Rev. 20. 6. and the inclination and power to receive as freely bestowed also Phil. 1. 29. To you it is given in the behalf of Christ not onely to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake Faith it self is the gift of God both the power and will to believe not given to every man alike For all men have not faith 2 Thes 3. 2. because the Father was not pleased effectually to bestow it Deut. 29. 4. The Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear to this day Who hath made thee to differ or what hast thou which thou didst not receive 1 Cor. 3. 7. If the differencing of one man from another as to his improvement of grace lay in his own inclinations and natural freedom of his own will then there was something in the creature that made this difference contrary to this Scripture and a foundation laid in a man to glory which wholly overthrows the design of Redemption-grace which is to take off all boasting 1 Cor. 1. 29. Rom. 3. 27. and to lay all the praise and glory of man's salvation on special grace Eph. 1. 5 6. neither is the first grace onely freely given but more grace also alsufficiency after conferred for every good word and work yea for every thought that is good comes from the same grace that first called you which must also perfect every good work to the day of Salvation 2 Cor. 3. 5. our sufficiency who have grace to think or do the least spiritual good is deriv'd from the same fountain-fulness that is in Christ Jam. 1. 16. Eternal life with whatever leads thereto is the gift of God Rom. 6. v. 23. As Christ so all things with him are freely given Rom. 8. 32. not onely the seed of grace but the growth of grace not onely the habit but the act of grace all comes from Christ in the way of Redemption-grace Get your hearts well established with this grace that nothing in you or done by you can merit or procure any thing of the Father but upon the account of Christ and his grace and promise in him to all that by the Son do come unto him Goods you need for a daily Trade but no money and price will pass for them Isa 55. 1. they are freely given and yet you may boldly come for them Go you must with empty sacks your friend in Heaven will fill them and return your money in your sacks mouth Christians a considerable part of your work and that which laies the foundation to all your Trade lies in getting your souls furnish'd with heavenly wares You will drive but a poor Trade for Heaven if you do not often receive goods from Heaven Alas what can you do in Christianity without continual supplies from Christ Laodicea could not do any good in Religion for want of goods from Christ She had none of his tryed gold and therefore grew soon poor and miserable If goods fail trade falls and livelihood with it What advantages doth the Tradesman miss and what losses doth he sustain by wanting goods to furnish his Customers So do Christians when they want grace to serve their occasions necessities temptations and duties what advantage might souls get had they but grace when they come under Ordinances and Duties and what losses do they meet with for want of grace under afflictions trials and employments how pitifully do they carry it under troubles and providential exercises and are oft-times sadly foil'd for want of grace and wisdom to manage such trials You have daily
signification his judgment may see the evidence of the argument and force of reason in them and yet the Commentary on Christ's last Prayer reality and spiritualness of that Divine good never apprehended The world by wisdom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. 21. There 's no proportion between a spiritual object and a caanal eye The carnal mind cannot discern the things of the Spirit of God neither can they know them for they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. Labour to see the beauty and amiableness of Truth to see your propriety in Truth to taste an inward sweetness and ravishing pleasure in Truth to feel the sense of special love to your souls in discovery of light and to find a mightiness going out in every Truth on your souls changing you into the very Spirit and Image of Truth To grow in knowledge extensively into all Truth and intensively in deeper and more sensible spiritual powerful apprehensions of truth the want of which right knowledge makes so many cold dead hypocrites and barren professours in this day of light and parts Get also your Consciences stor'd with the Peace of God which passeth understanding This is the salt that seasons every thing condition and duty Mark 9. 50. This will shoe your feet to travel through the rough and tiresome waies of affliction temptation and persecution you must meet with in the pursuit of your Heavenly Trade Ephes 6. 15. This will calm your hearts in storms and maintain a Summer within when 't is Winter without and nothing but tempests and troubles in the world John 16. 33. This will preserve you when all is going and keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Phil. 4. 7. This will guard your hearts from those slavish fears darksom doubts and dreadful troubles that many are filled with this day and make you triumph over sin trample upon the world and smile in the midst of all the frowns of men and Devils O get and keep this rare Jewel of inward Peace which will help you to draw near to God with boldness and chearful serenity in every duty Heb. 10. 22. Get your consciences bath'd in the blood of Christ and the evidences of your sincerity cleared up every day this will help to maintain a feast of inward peace under the temptations of Satan and the view of your daily failings and stumblings Get your hearts warm'd and affections quicken'd with the sense of divine love to your Souls this is a choice part of heavenly treasures and will abundantly conduce to the lively carrying on of this divine Trade affections raised by the application of redemption-grace will be to your Souls as spread sails to the Ship to carry you strongly along against wind and storm and fill you with pleasant gales within and give you a speedy and comfortable passage through the waves of this World 2 Cor. 5. 12. 'T is the Soul's wing that mounts it up towards God and carries it aloft above the entanglements of sin the world and flesh in the warm pursuit of God's commandments 2 Cor. 5. 14. His commands will not be thought grievous or his yoke heavy where this love of God hath left a savour on the heart Psal 119. 32. Rom. 13. 10. It will exceedingly sweeten the bitter waters of Marah to you and make the paths of God's Providences as well as his Precepts pleasantness and peace Take in also the consolations of the Spirit and the joys of the Holy Ghost these will be useful to chear your hearts under tribulation and strengthen and cordial you under heart-faintings and qualms you may meet with from those ill vapours of this lower World and want of creature-comforts 2 Cor. 7. 4. Rom. 15. 4. This spiriturl comfort will also help to drown your carnal joys and to prevent a surfeit with the pleasures of this World another danger that Wisdom's Merchants are sometimes liable to Acts 2. 28. Make me full of joy with the light of thy countenance Spiritual joy where it is fills the heart and leaves no room for carnal delights as the heat of the Sun puts out the fire so will spiritual consolation extinguish carnal joy 'T was the comfort which Moses by Faith fetch'd in from the views of an invisible God that made him choose reproaches with the people of God before the pleasures of sin that were but for a season Heb. 11. 21. 25. This spiritual comfort is a notable way to stability in every good work 2 Thes 2. 16 17. to help on your Souls edification and growth in grace and holiness Acts 9. 31. O! what work have Christians to do besides the World and minding their own things were Religion followed to the purpose persons would have no leisure for sin and vanity O! what need have gracious Souls of a diligent hand to make them rich and to be taking in spiritual goods every day Quest But how should I do to get my Soul furnish'd with these heavenly goods If my heart deceive me not I would fain be enriched with every grace capacity and accomplishment for the discharge of my duty the pleasing honouring and enjoying of God and for the welfare of my immortal Soul But how to attain this longed for mercy I know not Sol. 1. If you would be enriched with heavenly treasures and get in those goods Then 1. First maintain a constant sense of your own wants and emptiness That which is wanting cannot be numbred Eccles 1. 15. Look over your souls every day and see your poverty look into your understandings and see how little light is there into your minds and consider how little spirituality lies there how little warmth and heavenly heat in your affections little truth and sincerity in your spirits little tenderness in your consciences little flexibleness in your wills to divine things little faith love humility meekness fear zeal life strength faithfulness stedfastness in your souls were this really seen and felt and the excellency of these spiritual perfections discern'd and the soul 's great concern and interest that lies wrapt up in them with the absolute necessity of having every grace in order to duty peace comfort prosperity and salvation persons that had any life at all could not lie still or be content till utmost means were us'd to obtain supplies 't was a false conceit of a self-fulness that kept back Laodicea from seeking after Christ's treasures Rev. 3. 17 18. And that blind opinion the Pharisees had of their good estate that so prejudic'd them against the convictions and counsels of Christ towards their cure Joh. 8. 33. 39. 41. 48. Had not the Corinthian Saints been so full and rich in their apprehensions they would not have had such sleighty thoughts of instituted means towards their Souls good 1 Cor. 1. 12. And have been contentious with one another when they should have been contending for higher measures of grace and godliness vers 11. 'T is the poor are the labourers in God's Vineyard Zech. 11. 11.
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
cleanse his heart Jer. 4. 14. The heart is the nest where these Wasps fly out and trouble the soul the root that feeds these luxuriant branches briars and thorns that wound the conscience and the strong fort of Sion where these Jebusites hide themselves and issue out to prey upon the gracious soul Till these nests be spoiled the Ax laid to the root of the tree and this strong Tower attach'd and these blind and lame removed souls will never be freed from irruptions of sin in their thoughts and conversations This Christian is busie and hard work and part of thy daily employment in this Heavenly Trade to sweep wash drain and cleanse thy filthy heart by sound repentance and faith in the promises death and blood of Christ Heart-quickening work The heart is the primum mobile the great wheel in the watch that sets all a going if that stop all faculties are still A lively heart makes a diligent hand to rid away soul-work and a nimble foot to run in the waies of God's commands when the heart is quickened then every duty inward outward publick private goes on such a soul needs no spur to quicken it nor pully to draw it to its duties O what a burden are some to their Christian friends to keep them up and draw them on in the way of God and all because their hearts are dead and that liveliness which once seem'd to be in them is departed The spring that at first made them so active is weakened or broken the waters that set their Mills a going fail and that temporary love and common grace like standing pools having no fountain to maintain them are dried up by consuming lusts and scorching temptations so that now they wither in all their branches and become weak cold and indisposed to every work of God and their souls Some of these dangerous symptoms of decayed grace are found also in sincere souls for not looking after their hearts betimes and keeping them close to a quickening Jesus by a lively faith in the promises Christian mind this also every day to maintain thy spiritual life by fresh quickenings and reviving influences from the fountain of life on thy weak and dying heart making use of all instituted helps for soul-strengthening as hearing reading meditation holy conference and the like Heart-teaching and enlightening work A light head and a dark heart may dwell together and it seems to be the condition of too many under the Gospel this day A spiritual eye to look into the mystery of truth and believing affectionate discerning of excellent things is not easily found even while Christ is read a veil is on mens minds and their foolish heart is darkened And this is one reason souls walk not as children of light 't is because they are not light in the Lord Psal 40. 8. The Law of God is not within their hearts they have no inclination or power upon their hearts to do the will of God they know for want of this heart-knowledge Be earnest with God to beam over your hearts to make that the Hemisphere where the Sun of Righteousness may daily arise with healing in his wings Cry with David Psal 119. 36. Incline my heart to thy Law Let my heart lean and stay upon thy Law as a man doth upon a staff tobear him up Get a greater nearness in your hearts to truth that the Word may be wrought in and incorporated into your hearts that it may be a Goshen a Land of Vision and full of the understanding of the Lord. Heart-keeping and Heart-watching work The heart is bent to backsliding if it be not kept and held fast to the Lord and his waies 't is still turning aside and winding off from its proper duty The Lord complains of Israel Psal 78. 8. They did not set their heart aright and their spirit was not stedfast with God They did not prepare adapt dispose their heart to God neither was it constant and stedfast with him but on every occasion did start aside So false a thing is man's heart if not under a watchful eye and strong hand holding it fast to God Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence Keep it as under lock and key bolted against sin and bound by cords of love to every duty And what a hard province is this O the work that a child of God hath to keep his heart in order one moment to keep down sin to keep it from the power of corruption and prevalency of temptation to keep up grace in the heart to maintain its desires after God and things that are excellent to preserve its affections to things above to hold the thoughts on God and things eternal that they start not away to continue its integrity to perform its purposes to secure its frames experiences and enjoyments And he that will thus keep his heart must watch it constantly never have his eye off from it or suffer his jealousie concerning it to cease He must be alwaies making it over to the Lord Jesus for security and be still imploring help from Heaven faithfully following all the instructions he gives towards its securing This is heart-work and the first part of this heavenly work that concerns your selves Secondly You must carry on mortification-work every day Col. 3. 5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry The Apostle having assur'd the believing Colossians of their future happiness doth thence infer their duty and necessity to press after utmost holiness here as the way to this blessedness The first part of which holiness lies in this great work of mortification there is no greater motive for Believers putting off sin than well-grounded hopes of interest in Christ and glory if Heaven be yours hereafter holiness must be yours now There is no place for sin in Heaven nor unclean thing can enter there Then hasten away sin now that 's his Argument Mortify your members Get your selves rid of sin put to death weaken and destroy the whole body of sin with all the parts and issues of it the head and ruling power of sin had its mortal wound before vers 3. Ye are dead habitually dead to sin the world and self they have got their deaths-wound the stab is at the heart and can never be healed more but they are not actually dead more blood must run and spirits be spent and this monster be weakned every day Practical mortification is wanting and must be promoted daily This spiritual death to sin a Mors naturalis est pura privatio nec admittit in subjecto aliquid contrarii sed mortificatio spiritualis non est pura privatio nam dum corpus hoc mortale gestamus relinquitur aliquid de contrario fomite quod oppugnandum magis magisque mortificandum est Daven saith Davenant is not as the natural death for that 's a pure privation and admits of nothing
in the subject that 's contrary to it But spiritual mortification is not purely privative but while we live there 's something left that is of a contrary nature to holiness which must be daily opposed and destroyed Sin in Believers is driven from the royal fort of the heart upon Christ's entrance into it but possesses the suburbs and out-works of the soul from whence it must be gradually expell'd also by the mortifying influence of the spirit like the Canaanites which were remov'd from the Mountains but could not be wholly driven out of the Valleys that Israel might by them be prov'd and taught to war Judg. 1. 19. ch 3. 1 2. So the Lord Jesus Christ doth not presently destroy corruptions from the people that by them their sincerity may be proved their graces exercised and the mighty power of his spirit manifested This makes a Christian's work busy and constant having to do with potent enemies within and without Eph. 6. 4. which must be fought every day and a continual war maintained with them during life without fighting no conquering without striving no crowning 2 Tim. 2. 5. 'T is with a child of God as with Israel when fighting with Amalek if the hands of Faith and Prayer be not held up no conquest when these are down spiritual Amalek prevails O the losses that Christians sustain for want of mortification by reason of which their foil'd corruptions rally up and take their graces captive Let men neglect the constant practice of mortification b Si neglexerint perpetuam praxim mortificationis vitia conculcata subacta resumunt vires corruptio abstensa repullulat suffocata gratia spiritus sancti redit homo ad ingenium suum Dav. saith Davenant and their vices that were trod down and subdued will soon resume their strength their corruption that was lopt off will bud out again and the graces of the Spirit in them being almost strangled man returns to his former temper Hence come those dreadful fears of good souls that the grace of God was never in truth in them but that they are still in a carnal state and shall perish at last and all this for want of carrying on the work of mortification in them As a lively Faith overcomes sin so prevailing lust weakens Faith 1 Joh. 5. 4. Eph. 4. 2. 30. withstands the sealing-work of the Spirit and overthrows the work of the Soul's hopes filling it with fears about the unsoundness of his estate and the miserable issue of all his profession experience and labour By this ladder of unmortified sin the Devil scales the royal fort of Faith throws down its Towers and mans it against the Soul's peace comfort and holiness O the mischief that Christians do to themselves by indulging sin and for want of a vigorous pursuit of this great duty of mortification which makes them like to Israel who being once upon the borders of Canaan were by their unbelief and unsubdued lusts brought back near the confines of Egypt again and after a wearying unconstant life were consum'd in the wilderness at last So 't is with gracious Souls by their unmortified lusts after some accesses to grace tastes of divine love hopes of glory and fairness for Heaven they are brought back to the borders of Hell again and made to spend their life in an uncomfortable and souldistressing wilderness Christians 't is not security enough for your peace and spiritual welfare that sin hath lost its dominion unless its strength and life be impaired also dethroned sin may bid you many a battel and give you sore foils and though it may not recover the Scepter yet it may keep the Sword and when it cannot mount the Throne may get into some strong hold and put the soul to much trouble e're it be beaten out again Neither is it safe to acquiesce in some temporary truce with thy corruptions bloody overthrows have been oft-times the events of a cessation of war for a season Joab blew the Trumpet and all the people stood still and pursued after Israel no more neither fought they any more i. e. for that time 2 Sam. 2. 28. And yet 't is said ch 3. 1. Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David but the house of David waxed stronger and stronger and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker Sin may seem to yield and trouble thy soul no more for a time but carry it quietly with thee as Joab did to Abner and on a sudden smite thee to the ground though not to death 2 Sam. 3. 27. Nor is it enough that sin be in chains and under restraint through the present strength of overcoming grace unless it be hang'd up in chains as a dead malefactor Secured lust may break prison and escape from under thy hand as Benhadab did from Ahab to thy greater hurt 1 King 20. 42. What mischief have chained Bears and Lions done when broken loose Believer thy condition is not safe till thy sin be dead what Saul said to Jonathan 1 Sam. 20. 31. may be applied to thy case As long as the Son of Jesse liveth upon the ground thou shalt not be established nor thy Kingdom wherefore now send and fetch him to me for he shall surely dye So can thy Soul obtain no stability in grace but be always full of ups and downs and have wars and changes against thee till thy corruptions be subdued Quest But how shall I do to get sin mortified I am convinced 't is my duty but find it not my capacity After all my strivings prayers and hopes I am still foiled and fear I shall one day perish by the hand of these Sauls O when shall the Kingdom be restored to Israel When shall the deliverer come to my soul What shall I do to get these mountains a plain before Zerubbabel and these Thieves crucified with my Lord Christ Sol. If ever thou meanest to get the death of thy sins take these directions Direct 1. First Do nothing that might tend to strengthen sin Rom. 13. 14. Make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no provision for the flesh to fulfil the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lusts thereof the word signifies a provident care of the flesh as men do to maintain themselves and families Don't take up your thoughts about it how to feed and please your lusts Never think to kill your corruptions while you secretly feed and maintain them Many complain of their corruptions and yet all the while feed and strengthen them There are several things that do contribute maintenance to mens lusts First Delightful Remembrance of former sins do wonderfully please a carnal heart and stir up desires to future sins As the remembrance of former mercies is food to present faith Psal 74. 14. Thou brakest the head of the Leviathan in pieces and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness Israel's deliverance out of Egypt and the breaking of Pharaoh's power seriously thought on was
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
sparks to come near to gun-powder as opportunity to corruption Eighthly Impenitency in sin strengthens the habit of sin Jer. 8. 6. No man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done every one turned to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel They run on furiously in sin as the horse doth into the battel who runs till he sweats saith Theodoret. So they have no end or satiety of sin and b Talis cogitatio causa fuit pertinacis nequitiae Idem this impenitency in sin was the cause of all their pertinacy in sin Impenitency hardens the heart and heaps up sin on sin unto the day of wrath Rom. 2. 5. Take heed then of all those things that may in the least maintain and keep up sin in your souls as ever you think to bring it down That 's the first Advice Direct 2. Secondly Not onely shun whatever might strengthen sin but take heed you go not out in your own strength against sin if ever you think to mortifie it He that would mortifie sin must be able to master Devils Ephes 6. v. 12. But humane strength is no match for Devils If man in his pure estate were too weak for such an adversary then much more impotent is impure and imperfect man 'T is not the woman but the womans seed must bruise the Serpents head Gen. 3. 15. The Saints victory is through him that hath loved them and given himself a sacrifice to God for them Rom. 16. 20. Rom. 8. 37. Ephes 5. 2. It must be his armour and arm too must bring salvation from spiritual enemies Without me you can do nothing John 15. 5. 'T is this makes souls to fail in their attempts against sin that they set about it in a strength inferiour to sin When Augustine after all his strivings vows and duties to bring down his corruptions found them still too hard for him he heard a voice saying to him c In te stas non stas Thou standest in thy self and therefore thou dost not stand Whereupon he betook himself to prayer and faith in the blood of Christ and so got some victory over them When the Exorcists Act. 19. v. 15 16. went to cast out Devils by the bare Name of Christ without the Power of Christ both they and their attempts soon miscarried Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye and the man in whom the evil spirit was leapt on them and overcame them and prevailed over them so that they fled out of the house naked and wounded Creature-strength is too weak to master that enemy which hath the power of Hell to guard it O go not out against sin In the strength of your purposes and promises Peter to his own cost found that too weak to secure him in an hour of temptation Go not out in the strength of your frames and affections How easily can Satan beat the Saints from these posts and cast in a flood to drown their warmest affections The Galatians that were high in frames and affections and could talk of a blessedness while spiritual soon felt an alteration when they became carnal Gal. 4. 15. chap. 3. 3. Go not out in the strength of your duties and performances these are too weak without faith and the arm of Christ to charm these Serpents and disarm spiritual adversaries Go not out in the strength of your graces these are not Christ nor have an Almightiness in them to bring down sin and Satan 'T is not grace in Believers but grace in Christ that is sufficient to guard the soul from Satan's buffetings and to rescue it from his temptations 2 Cor. 12. 9. Direct 3. Thirdly Get the union between thy heart and sin broken The life of sin lies in that union it hath with the heart if that be broken sin dies as a man then ceaseth to live when the union between the soul and body is dissolved Sin hath too great a part even in a Believer's heart which moves for some respect and indulgence towards it When the enlightened mind saies Crucifie it the carnal affections cry Spare it is it not a little one And the heart like the City of Iconium about Paul and Barnabas is divided Act. 14. 4. And the multitude of the City was divided and part held with the Jews and part with the Apostles So 't is with the gracious soul sin hath too great a potency in the carnal mind which must be broken or sin will never die Get the Spirit 's interest in thy heart strengthened and sins party weakened every day There are seven things that have a great tendency to weaken the heart's union with sin and withdraw its affections from it First An abiding sense of the great Love of Christ towards it that he should pity him when pitied of none left of all love him when wallowing in his blood and altogether unlovely in himself love him while an enemy to God yea to his own soul love him so as to give himself for him to leave his Father's glory and take up shame yea taste of death for him love him and pass by others call him and leave others the serious consideration of this hath a great constraint on the gracious heart to hate sin which Christ so hates and in love to the soul came to destroy Secondly A due apprehension of the unconceivable sufferings of the Lord Jesus and all procur'd by sin He was despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief he bore our griefs and carried our sorrows he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities he was oppressed and afflicted and that which gave an extremity to all these sorrows it pleased the Lord to bruise him to put him to grief and to make his soul an offering for sin This made the blows the heavier that they came from a Father's hand Had an enemy done it it might have been easier born though his torments were unimaginable but mine equal mine acquaintance my familiar friend Psal 55. 12 13. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matt. 27. 46 and all this the fruit of sin This makes a gracious soul to hate sin that hath been so cruel to his best and only friend Thirdly A believing sight of the excellency and holiness of Christ hath a mighty power to draw off the heart from sin when the Prophet had got a view of the Lord in his holiness he hath presently unlovely and troublesome thoughts of sin Isa 6. ver 1. to 7. Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean lips and I dwell in the mid'st of a people of unclean lips for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts A sight of Christ's holiness will make sin seem exceeding vile and loathsome and the soul restless till delivered from it 'T is unacquaintedness with the holiness and beautiful perfections of Christ that makes men fall in love with that deformed monster
Christian get if he did but follow his victory over his corruptions and not suffer them to recruit and gather strength again Give no rest to thy lusts nor space for reviving no not for a moment but keep up thy warfare every day Sixthly If you would further the death of sin keep up the life of grace As the life of sin weakens grace so the life of grace keeps down and weakens sin Gal. 5. 16. Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Keep up grace and sin will down As when the house of David waxed stronger the house of Saul waxed weaker 2 Sam. 3. 1. 'T is written of Ephrem Syrus that though he was a man much given to passion in his youth yet after he entered into a strict course of life he was never seen to be angry with any man As you cannot get power over sin but by the Spirit of Grace so you cannot keep the head over sin but by the Life of Grace Get your graces strengthened and you will find your corruptions weakened Thirdly You must carry on Renovation in grace and the inward work of Sanctification every day Ephes 3. 23 24. And be renewed in the spirit of your minds And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schol. After the work of Mortification the Apostle presses Christians to this work of Renovation or Internal Holiness be renewed in the spirit of your minds i. e. in your minds by the Holy Spirit the mind being put for the whole man and internal faculties of the soul both understanding will affections and conscience all must be renewed by the Spirit called the New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. or Workmanship of Christ transformed after his own Image in righteousness and true holiness and renewed in knowledge Eph. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. When the soul is truly regenerated there is the stamp or eexmplar of Christ's holiness placed in the whole soul in truth but in weak measures at first which must be renewed or enlarged in the soul till it comes to the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ Christians at the first change are compar'd to new born babes 2 Pet. 2. 2. weak in grace but under a natural disposition and obligations to growth and encreases in this grace of God both intensively and extensively This is a Christian's duty by divine command and comports with the appointment of God in order to it 2 Pet. 3. v. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Ephes 4. 11 12 13. 'T is the way by which grace becomes glory and is greatly necessary to perfect a soul's holiness that so he might come to his full stature and conformity to Christ Ephes 4. 16. Rom. 8. 29. And by the encreases of grace may be enabled to dispatch all his duties bear his burdens and bear up under his temptations that he might be capable to enjoy all his mercies to glorifie the God of grace and to be made meet for the enjoyment of God in glory On all which accounts it becomes the Christian 's great concern to press after larger measures of grace every day to grow up into him in faith and love who is the head in all things Ephes 4. 15. To grow downward in humility and self-denial to grow extensively in every part of holiness and greater enlargements in every grace to wax stronger and stronger in the grace that is in Christ Jesus Perfecting holiness in the sight of God and pressing more and more after the price of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus The want of which encreases of the Spirit doth much obscure the glory of Christ in Believers cloud their evidences and render them too weak for their corruptions their growing tryals and duties Christians content not your selves with the truth of grace without daily growth in grace Improve your interest in the Resurrection of Christ by believing for the dailing quickening of your hearts and raising of your affections to things above and attracting your desires and whole souls after God grace and glory Be much in internal soul-work of heart searching soul watching divine contemplation secret ejaculations and soul breathings after God and higher manifestations of his light life and love Be constant in every appointment of God publick and private of prayer reading hearing holy conference that you may get nourishment thereby administred to your souls Get under all the dews and showres of grace for your fruitfulness Be spiritual as well as frequent in exercising grace under the means of Grace without this you cannot serve God acceptably Heb. 12. 28. or receive from him who is the head nourishment to your souls but by these bands and joynts of faith and love Col. 2. 19. Formality eats out that sap which should make you green and flourishing A dead cold heart under the Word can no more digest it to nutriment than a dead body can concoct natural food Maintain hungring desires after the word of grace and appointed means to your spiritual growth 1 Pet. 2. 3. Hungring after food argues a good digestion and a sound concoction furthers nourishment Keep up warm affection to every way of God living on Christ for all the good and blessing of them Psal 84. 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee in whose heart are the ways of them who passing through the Valley of Baca make it a Well the rain also filleth the Pools they go from strength to strength every one in Sion appearing before God When Jehoshaphat's heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord 't is said he waxed great exceedingly 2 Chron. 17. 6. 12. Heart-enlargement in the ways of God is a notable help to soul-thrivings Take this one thing more be poor in spirit if you would be rich in grace Such are under the promise of being satisfied of being guided in judgment of encreasing their joy to such he will give grace and revivings Humble souls a Reyner Excellency of Grace saith one are empty vessels which God will fill are low plants which God will make to grow To be nothing in our own eyes is the way to receive all good things even grace in abundance from God Psal 22. 26. and 25. 9. Isa 29. 19. Prov. 3. 34. Isa 57. 15. Fourthly To keep your evidences for Heaven fair and legible is another part of your Salvation-work this will abundantly comfort you under all your tribulations quicken you to a lively dispatch of your duties give you a humble boldness in your approaches to God arm you against the fears of death and administer to you an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Beware of quenching and grieving the Spirit of grace by which its sealing-work is hindered Take heed of laying blots upon your evidences by any allowed iniquity in your hearts or unpurged defilement in your hands which will weaken
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-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
are nine things especially which Christians should be careful to manage to some soul-advantage to be getting good from them to the furtherance of their instruction meditation mortification to sin the world and self to the strengthening of their graces raising their affections quickning to duty preparation for death and every trial in the way to it and for furthering their meetness for glory First Priviledges are one thing which Believers should be getting good from to these great and noble ends of spiritual good Every heavenly Trader hath some priviledges which may afford soul-profit There are Natural Priviledges There are Providential Priviledges There are Spiritual Priviledges All which may contribute some profit to the improvers of them Parts Youth Health Strength are part of Nature's treasure and to be husbanded to the use and service of the soul These are some of those talents the great Housholder gives to his Family though in different measures for improvement and singular mercies they are if well used to the Donor's ends and directions A humble use of Parts to the good of others and setting of wit memory reason with the choicest intellectuals and richest endowments of the rational mind on the service of the soul 3 Epist Joh. 2. making them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the sanctuary of the Lord A shaving and paring off of the excrements and froth of wit that they may become Israelites and devoted to the God of Israel and spiritual uses Deut. 21. 12. keeping them under the government of the spirit is a good improvement of them in this heavenly Trade You that have Parts and habilliments of Mind do not prostitute them to the pleasure of the flesh and the service of sin but resign them to the use of the spirit towards your enrichings with true wisdom and encreases in the knowledg of God which brings salvation When sprightly Parts and sparkling Wit are inlaid with grace then are they as Apples of Gold in pictures of Silver Prov. 25. 11. O how amiable are these endowments of nature when seasoned with grade when perfum'd with Myrrh and Frankincense and besprinkled with the Powders of the Merchant Cant. 3. 6. Youthful time is another priviledg for soul-advantage 't is the morning of the soul's day the best and most useful part of time when appropriated to God and divine uses what advantage have such for warmth of affection and dispatches of duty whereas decrepit age like an emerited Souldier hath worn out its serviceable capacities and as the setting-Sun is attended with evening cold and shadows and the close of working useful time O how unserviceable is old age for transacting the work of the new-birth when Conscience is sunk down into the deeps of guilt when the affections are clogg'd with the dirty things of this world and preengaged to other Lovers and when the marrow of natures strength has been eaten out by the wasting service of sin So great and amazing a work is the salvation of a sinner that it deserves a subject of the choicest capacities to be compleated in and transacted by And then is youth profitably spent when devoted to God and taken up in the great matters of salvation You that are yet in your youth and morning-time let God have the spring of your time the first-born of your strength and first ripe fruits of your capacities let not youthful pleasures have the flower of your time and abilities leaving the bran for God and your souls You that have strength of body and a healthful temper put it to the best use for your heavenly interest Are you strong to labour work out your salvation labour for the bread that endureth you that have legs use them while you have them to carry you up and down after God If you must eat bread in the sweat of your brows let it be the bread of your Father's house If you must rise up early sit up late break your rest exhaust your strength let it not be all for the world let Christ have some of your strength before all be gone yea if you have any let Christ have all As there are natural priviledges so are there providential priviledges also which are the capacities that providence dispenseth to some of doing and receiving good beyond others as liberty peace plenty with other outward mercies all which are to be husbanded to the best advantage of your souls Have you Peace with men improve it towards the obtaining and securing your Peace with God Your firmest leagues with men will hold but a little while if your covenant with God be broken what can favour with men profit you if you have frowns from God If men sheath up their swords and God's be drawn thy case is dangerous and full of trouble Make this use also of thy present Peace to prepare for future trouble and to be the better arm'd when trials come spend not all thy store upon thy present Peace and Comfort but save some fragments for times of need God gives thee a breathing-time that thou mayest hold out the better in thy race and spares thee a little rest that thou mayest be the fitter for approaching trouble Have you Liberty take heed of yokes of bondage Gal. 5. 1. and soul-straitnings If God set you at large do not imprison your selves to the world and carnal lusts Is thy body out of prison labour to get out thy soul also Psal 142. 7. Are thy feet enlarged get thy heart enlarged also and run the waies of his commandments Psal 119. 132. Make the most of your Lilberty in doing service to God in attending on his appointments and in taking all opportunities of doing salvation-work and enjoying salvationhelps Be like your Lord going up and down doing good while you have opportunity Joh. 12. v. 35. If you have spare time or can redeem it by double diligence from your earthly business lay it out for God and his people in religious duties Christian visits holy conferences The time may come you may wish for such a priviledge and long to see one of these daies of the Son of man Have you yet a liberal portion of the good things of this life is your garner full your table spread your cup overflowing lay in the sense of these mercies now as winter-provision to warm your hearts then when you may not have them to warm and refresh your bodies and lay them out to refresh those that want them that they may bless God for you glorifie God in you and procure mercy for you in the day of need Make not thy self a slave to thy abundance but make thy plenteous comforts serviceable unto thee There are Spiritual Priviledges too the lot of some and calls for great improvements There are Personal Priviledges the State and Spirit of Adoption justification of persons purchased right to pardon and peace with God freedom from condemnation assurance of preservation in grace unto glory with many gifts of grace and spiritual favours which
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
works good out of it David got good by his fall it made him the more humble and broken in heart drew out his heart in stronger cries after grace made him more watchful for the future against the occasions of sin Psal 51. 7 8. to the 12. Psal 39. 1. Psal 141. 3. Peter got good from his fall by keeping an after-sense of the evil of it on his heart Israel by their departure from God came to loath themselves the more in their own eyes Ezek. 36. 31. And Ephesus by a sense of their evil got this advantage they could not bear evils in others Rev. 2. 2. As sin abounds so grace abounds much more Rom. 5. 20. Object If souls may get good from sin and where sin abounds grace abounds much more Then why should we be troubled for sin and watching against it Why may we not rather sin that grace may abound and do evil that good may come thereof Sol. The Apostle answers this objection Rom. 6. What shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid and proves by several Arguments First That it cannot be that souls interested in Christ can live or allow themselves in sin Because First They are dead to sin and therefore cannot live any longer in sin v. 2. dead men while so cannot live but Believers are dead to sin no longer to live therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amplius never more to live in it they may fall into it be overcome by it but to allow it to design it to make provision for it and to take up encouragements upon choice in judgment to continue in it this cannot consist with men dead to sin as all souls in Christ are for they are baptized into the likeness of Christ's death yea into his death v. 3. That as Christ died for sin once to die no more but was raised by the glory of the Father v. 4. so they being really dead with Christ should live no more in sin but be perpetually dead to it for this is the very end of Christ's death to destroy the old man the body of sin the whole power and Being of sin in Believers to be accomplished in its time and waies v. 6. And Christ died in vain and hath lost the great end of his death if they that are in him can live any longer in sin for he that is dead is freed from sin c Jure facto absoluti manumassi a peccato cujus prius premebamur imperio Paraeus v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a Synecdoche Piscat that is absolved from the obligation servitude dominion and guilt of sin as an Apprentice is by Law declar'd free or set free from his Master's rule and power Secondly They that are in Christ are not only partakers of his death and therein brought into a state of death to sin but they are partakers of his resurrection and by it instated in a life of holiness v. 4 5. that now they should live to God which cannot consist with a life of sin v. 11 12. Thirdly They that are Christ's are brought under grace under a Covenant of Grace opposed to the Law as a Covenant of Works and therefore cannot be any longer under the dominion and service of sin v. 14. These two Covenants being in that respect contrary they that are under the Law as a Covenant of Works are in the flesh and bring forth fruit unto death Rom. 7. 5. and for that end are Believers set free from the Law and brought under Grace that they might serve God in newness of spirit v. 6. and no longer serve sin Fourthly They are become the servants of righteousness set free from the service of sin Rom. 6. 18. Your time under sin is out and you have now no more to do with sin you are anothers servant and therefore cannot return to the service of sin any more for you are now servants to God not for a time but for ever you have deliver'd over your selves sworn over your selves to be the servants of God for ever and therefore cannot now serve sin That 's his first answer You cannot if in Christ serve sin any longer nor continue in sin that grace may abound for if you can consent to live in sin you are not under grace Secondly You ought not to do it if you are rational 't is not your concernment to sin because sin is an evil thing First Sin is the greatest slavery in the world v. 16. You are servants to sin and to Devils sins are the works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. which Christ came to destroy sin is evil in its state 't is drudgery and in its nature 't is filthy abominable and shameful Secondly It is attended with sad issues here it brings forth bitter fruit v. 21. It makes the soul ashamed when awakened to see what he hath done and it fills the soul with grief horrour and torment it breaks your loins makes you go halting to your grave it makes you weary of your life and fearful to die it sets your teeth on edge and fills your bowels with wormwood and gravel O the dreadful effects of sin here which makes it no way a souls interest to sin 2 Cor. 7. 11. Psal 51. 8. Psal 38. 4. Psal 119. 120. Psal 55. 4. Lam. 3. 19. Thirdly As the work is bad and fruits are evil here so the wages of sin is death v. 23. As soon as the work is done they shall have their wages which is alwaies paying and never paid they shall be alwaies dying and never dead whose worm never dieth and whose fire is never quenched Mark 9. 44. This will be the certain end of them that can chuse sin and live in sin if God be holy and his Word true And can you then continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid O Christians get good from your sins to be ashamed of them to grieve and mourn over them to hate and loathe them to pray and cry against them to watch and strive against them to fly to Christ for pardon over them and freedom from them to shun and avoid the occasions of them to have no more to do with them to seek and further the death and total ruine of them to prize graces and love Christ the more to be more attentive to his instructions and obedient to his commands to bless God and rejoyce in Christ when God doth in any measure keep you or set you free from sin to long for Heaven and Glory that you may never sin more to keep close to Christ and abide in his waies that you might be the more secur'd from sin and fitted for glory Ezra 9. 6. Zach. 12. 10. Ezek. 36. 31. Rom. 7. 24. Prov. 4. 14 15. 1 Thes 5. 22. Ephes 5. 11. Ephes 2. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 7. 2 Cor. 5. 8. Acts 11. 23. This is to get good from sin and to drive on the
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
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
heart and waies and nothing so desirable as Christ and holiness Thou wert once dead in sin thou did'st not feel or fear any hurt in it or danger by it but now 't is otherwise thou can'st not sin but thy conscience smites thee nor God threaten but it affrights thee thy quick-ey'd conscience soon espies the least failing in thy duty falseness in thy heart or error in thy life and as a Serjeant arrests thee and hales thee to the Judg. Thou could'st formerly live without God and be as still as the dead body in the grave and the burning brand in the fire but now as a bone out of joynt thou art restless till in communion with him I remembred God and was troubled Psal 77. 3. Thou wert gone out of the way yea an enemie to the way of life turn'd aside to the flock of his companions and did'st turn again and rend those that were of them But now thou art folded with the flocks of Christ and feedest besides the Shepherds Tents Cant. 1. 8. Thy foot hath held his steps and thou esteemest the word of his mouth more than thy necessary food Job 23. 11 12. Object But may not an hypocrite go so far and all this be no more than a change from darkness to conscience-light and from sin to common grace Sol. Common light cannot see a desirableness in Christ for himself nor bring the soul to count all things dross and dung to win him and obtain the excellency of the knowledg of Christ as thy Lord but saving light sees one Christ worth ten thousand Worlds and quits all to take him Phil. 3. 8. Common light sees no evil in sin but guilt and torment loss of comfort and sense of punishment Gen. 4. 13. but true grace when in exercise loaths sin when it pretends love and flies from sin when it makes largest proffers and fears sin when it sees no danger when there is no breach on present comfort feeled or danger of future misery feared Tit. 2. 11 12. The gracious soul like Joseph when tempted with flattery secur'd with secresie pursued with restless importunity to wickedness yet cannot close with it and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. Common light can dwell with works of darkness and consist with an unsanctified heart and life 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. Common light and lust never fall out but when it awakens conscience or weakens interests but saving grace cannot bear that which is evil Rev. 2. 2. or ever be brought to a treaty with sin in order to an agreement Gal. 5. 17. but with Sarah can never be at rest till the bond-woman and her son be turn'd out of door Gen. 21. 10. Common grace may be offended at sin but never hates sin there is no contrariety founded in their nature or difference but what may upon terms be made up Luke 23. 12. And if it seems to have an indignation against sin yet 't is not against every sin and at all times nor irreconcilable at any time but saving grace hates the very being of sin 2 Cor. 7. 11. And as the Tyger flies at the very picture of a man so doth Grace abhor the appearance of evil 'T is universal against the whole species and every kind of sin an enmity founded in the nature of grace and therefore irreconcilable Psal 139. 22. and derived from the riches of grace Ps 97. 10. and greatness of redemption-love It cannot be reconciled to sin because sin cannot be reconciled to grace or admit of any love to or enjoyment of God but still interrupts the soul's tranquillity holiness and pleasure in God his chiefest and only good Again Common light can live without special acquaintance with God Eph. 2. 13. afar of if it can have peace because its Countrey is nourished by the King's Countrey Act. 12. 20. and its welfare depends upon divine pleasure 't is all it looks for but saving grace gets within the veil Heb. 6. 19. approaches the mercy-seat where it converses with God To be called by his name will not content grace no nor to eat his bread and wear his rayment except it enjoys his bed also it longs for intimate communion with God Psal 101. 2. O when wilt thou come unto me It loves the Bride-chamber closet and secret corners with him never thinking it self near enough to or long enough with him Obj. But change from nature to grace is not growth in grace though I may have received the former rain and reaped the first fruits of the Spirit yet I fear I have not the latter rain and after-fruits of grace waterings and dressings do not make me fruitful or feedings make me grow and that 's the case you insist on Sol. 1. There may be fruit though not appearing and growth though unseen Christ hath under-ground-fruit which may not spring up to thy own view or others Ps 88. 5. Free among the dead as berries hid among the leaves which cannot be seen till winter-storms or shaking times come thou mayest thrive more inwardly than outwardly and be like the windows of the Temple wide within and narrow without you may grow more in the truth and parts of grace though less in the fruits of grace for a season thy sincerity may be more though thy shews be less you may grow more downward in humility self-abasement sorrow for sin though not upward in joys and blossoms of comfort thou mayest grow more out of thy self and into Christ as the root of all thy grace and foundation of thy foul-rest though not into sensible frames and workings of grace Art thou more sensible of thy own nothingness thy heart-deceitfulness self-insufficiency inward disorders soul-wants sinfulness hypocrisie barrenness then thou profitest Rom. 7. 18. Art thou more jealous of thy heart every day 2 Cor. 9. 27 more weary of thy self and longing after Christ having a higher valuation of his excellency and greater breathings after his quickning spirit and delighting presence Phil. 3. 8 this is profiting Secondly It may be thy conclusion springs from thy impatiency thou mayest be for hasty fruit not allowing time for its growth and maturity The Husbandman waits for the precious fruits of the earth Jam. 5. 7. before he can enjoy them or estimate their worth Thy hopes labours and profit may be buried under the clods for a while We cannot sow and reap saith one in a day The more excellent and durable the fruit is the longer is it before it comes to maturity rare ripe fruits are soon rotten hypocrites blossom a pace and cast their leaves as fast Mat. 13. 21. Though 't is matter of shame that those trees which have less earth and least nourishment should grow fastest yet the reason is they take up no time in getting root and growing downward and hence all their growth is outward Thirdly It may be 't is a winter-time with thy soul the Sun of Righteousness is withdrawn from thee and thy lightsom daies are gone Cant. 2. 11 12. The Comforter
shall see clearly things it never knew As 't is said of the Mole that it is blind all its time till it comes to die and then it sees So they that would not see shall then see and be ashamed then shall souls see things as they are and find that to be evil which they thought good and that to be good which they thought to be evil Death is the greatest informer and makes the largest discovery of things that ever was it brings to light the hidden things of darkness sins the world never knew and sins it may be the soul it self never saw or thought it self guilty of then will the least flaw error unsoundness neglect failing be fully seen then the things that now seem to be small will then appear to be great and those things that were taken for mountains will be less than one single grain of dust Death is a time also when conscience hath its quickest senses and liveliest acts when it sees hears feels fears all things as they are and without any other witness becomes both Accuser and Judge then Judas needed no Accuser to charge him or Judge to condemn him but his own conscience nor Executioner to dispatch him but his own hand What 's the matter man said Mr. Perkins to a Malefactor going up the ladder and his countenance shewing the inward terrors of his soul art thou afraid to die O no Sir said he but of a worse matter So another upon her death-bed and under a terrible sight of her wicked life when one that was by offered something to comfort her against the fear of death replied Were it but to die it were nothing A world said another upon the border of eternity and under conscienceaffrightings for one inch of time O give me one inch of time Luther speaks of an Eremite who a little before his death stood very sad never stirring out of his place for three days having his eyes fixt towards Heaven and being ask'd the reason of this posture answered he was afraid to die His Scholars began to comfort him telling him he need not to fear death who had been so holy in his life but he replies 't is true I have lived well and been obedient but God's judgments are otherwise than Man's judgment Tom. 4. fol. 50. The time of death is a time of great temptation also then Satan usually brings forth his chiefest strength to weaken the soul's faith 't is his last onset and that is the hottest as men that storm a Garrison in their last assault they usually put forth their utmost strength Then he opposeth us with most armed force In this last assault Å¿ Instructissimis copiis nos impugnat ipsam resistentiam aggreditur de certamine certamen est bellum alio bello defendendum hic pugnandum ut pugnare liceat resistendum ei qui resistere dissuadet Luth. saith Luther 't is not as in other temptations where faith and hope doth fight for here he sets upon the very resistance and the strife is about striving and the war is maintain'd by another war Here the fight is that it may be lawful to fight and to resist him whose greatest policy is then to disswade from resisting laughing at our hope as if it were already vanquished and it were to no purpose to resist This is a critical time and hard to stand the last enemy is death when the soul must have the whole armour of God and be found not in his own righteousness but take sanctuary in the grace of God the righteousness and faithfulness of Christ Death is somewhat driery saith Mr. Cooper and the streams of that Jordan between us and our Canaan run furiously but they stand still when the Ark comes let your anchor be cast within the veil and fastned on the rock Jesus let the end of the threefold cord be buckled to the heart so shall ye go through t Claude oculos nihil responde commenda causam Deo Idem When thou art tempted saith Luther and seest no way to escape shut thine eye answer nothing and commit the cause to God This saith he is the chiefest wisdom we should attend to in the hour of death This was Bernard's course and comfort when on the point of death I have lived wickedly saith he but thou Lord Jesus Christ enjoyest Heaven by a double right first because thou art the Son of God then because by thy death and passion thou hast obtained it u Hoc servas pro te jure nativitatis illud largiris mihi non jure operum sed gratiae thou keepest the first thy self by thy birth-right the last thou bestowest on me not for my works but of thy grace Christians you had need be well furnish'd for the hour of death your greatest and most difficult hour laying in all the provisions you can for a sure and comfortable passage to glory Thus you see Wisdom's Merchants have more to do than keep up present life and comfort they must lay in for times to come for times of temptation desertion affliction and the hour of death Advice 4. Fourthly If you have good trading with God then lay out for God This is reasonable work pleasing work honourable work profitable work First 'T is reasonable work to lay out for God he deserves it 't is his due all your mercies are his interest I will return and take away my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof I will recover my wooll and my flax given to cover her nakedness Hos 2. 9. Though God gives his people the use of mercy yet he keeps the propriety in his own hand God is the Alpha and should be the Omega the Authour and 't is reasonable he should be the end of all our mercies James 1. 17. Every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights And as beams from the Sun is derived from his bounty as his peculiar off-spring w Bona mea dona tua Omne bonum nostrum vel ipse vel ab ipso Aug. My goods are thy gifts saith Augustine All our good is either himself or what comes from him Both trading and thriving are from him and should also be for him both principle and interest are God's own Mat. 25. 27. If you lay not out your mercies for God you rob him of his due Your mercies are the Lords not onely by that interest he reserves in them but by your resignation of them unto him Christians when you gave up your selves to the Lord you gave up all your interests and capacities also 2 Cor. 5. 8. To keep back any part of your All from God is to lye to the Holy Ghost Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost and to keep back part of the price of the Land No lower terms will pass in reconcillation with God than what Ahab yielded to Benhadad 1 Kings 20. 4. My Lord
Preston said when he was near death I shall but change my place not my company O try your hopes for Heaven by your conversation if that be engaged about the things of Heaven now if your work be in Heaven your rest shall be in Heaven also Sixthly If your hopes for Heaven be right you will willingly undergo whatsoever sufferings and dangers lye in your way to Heaven He that is sure of reaching home at last will venture through any dangers in his way O what hazards will men run through to get an earthly Crown no difficulties will discourage them how much more will hopes for Heaven carry souls through the Red Sea of afflictions and bloody sufferings they may meet with before they come to it Acts 20. 24. chap. 21. 13. He that cannot consent to drink of the cup Christ drinks of and which the Father shall give him to drink and to submit to the cruellest death losses shame tryals and torments which his faithfulness to God may bring him to must reckon again and take up other conclusions about his future state easier terms cannot be granted Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple Luke 14. 33. He that will come after me must deny himself take up his Cross and follow me Matth. 16. 24. We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Acts 14. 22. If we suffer with him we shall reign with him 2 Tim. 2. 12. Secondly Lay up desires for glory not only some desires of glory but such desires as nothing else can satisfie but glory which nothing short of a whole God can content Most souls in this life limit their desires and take up their wishes too short of true blessedness My soul thirsteth for God saith God but it was only for some sights of his power and glory as he had seen him in his Sanctuary Psal 63. 1 3. Some looks through the lattice some embraces of Christ in the arms of faith pleased the Spouse and doth satisfie most souls here Alas how few are the desires of gracious souls which a little of God will not content One desires grace another peace some are for quickenings and comforts others for enlightenings for higher measures of knowledge for some sights of God through a glass but how few breathings are there to see as we are seen to know as we are known 1 Cor. 13. 12. And indeed 't is strange that Heaven-born souls that heirs of glory and fellow-citizens of Heaven should have no more longings after their own home and not onely for some first-fruits but the full ripe fruits of their own Countrey David had sometimes workings after this not only for God to come to him but for himself to go to God when his heart takes a leap from the path of life into the presence of God where is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Psal 16. 11. Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fulness of joy at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore From the beholding of his face in righteousness here he longs for the satisfying visions of God in glory Psal 17. 15. As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Paul also under the highest enjoyments of God here had his unsatisfied longings to be with him as best of all Phil. 1. 23. and in respect of which he counts his greatest intimacy with Christ in the body to be a kind of absence 2 Cor. 5. 6. Knowing that whiles we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. Do not terminate your desires upon any thing that can satisfie you on this side glory Get such desires raised which cannot be answered till you come to Heaven with such kind of breathings as these O when shall I come to that blessed state to know as I am known to have every corner of my heart filled with the immediate emanations of his glorious fulness O when will that time or rather eternity come when I shall be satisfied with looking on that blessed face which is every day the Angels wonder and the Saints joy Here alas I lie among the pots all sooty and defiled whiles the vessels of my Father's house and the bowls before the Altar out of which my Lord alway drinketh are bright and glorious Now I have my habitation where Dragons lie while a glorious Pavilion stands empty for me Here I feed on my own dung and oft-times eat the excrements of Devils and all the while there 's bread enough in my Father's house and my Brethren fare deliciously at the King's Table O when shall my work be done that I may be gone When shall the things for cleansing be given me and the daies of my purification be accomplished that my turn may come to go in to the Lord my King When shall the Nuptial garments the Bridal ornaments the Robe the Ring the Royal Vestments bespangled with costly Jewels be given me with this most welcome message Arise my Love my Dove my Fair One and come away Lay up such kind of breathings after the Mountains of Spices the Everlasting Hills the Rivers of Pleasures the Bride-chamber of Glory where you shall be ever with the Lord. k Glory Glory dwelleth in Immanuel's Land Rutherford's last words This will hasten your pace to Heaven and mount you on the wings of a Dove This will help you to pass by the world's glory with a holy scorn and to bear its cruelty with incredible patience Thirdly Lay up all the Treasures you can to greaten glory Though the lest portion of glory is satisfying yet the highest measures of glory are desirable because in it there is the greatest conformity to God 1 John 3. 2. Luke 10. 17 19 20. Dan. 12. 3. and the fullest enjoyment of God The Lord Jesus doth propose degrees of glory for the encouragement of his people to greater improvements of grace and therefore the highest degrees of glory are desirable O get as much as you can here to greaten your felicity in Heaven Do all you may to make your Crown more massy and your mansion more fair and your pleasures more full to all Eternity Several things have a tendency to greaten your glory The more grace you improve now the greater will be your glory he that gained ten pounds had ten Cities Grace is seed sown according to its measure will be the harvest What a man sows that shall he reap Gal. 6. 7. The less seed is sown the less crop will there be and the more seed the larger encrease 1 Cor. 3. 9. Glory is a Crown of Righteousness proportioned to the utmost improvements of Grace The more work you do for God the greater will be your wages of grace in glory 1 Pet. 5. 2 4. 2 Cor. 5. 10. That every one should receive according to what is done in the body The more you lay out for
God the more shall you receive from him 2 Cor. 9. 6. who will certainly repay it The greater your sufferings are for God the greater will your rejoycings be with him They that sow in tears shall reap in joy Ps 126. 5. Look what disproportion there is between the Seed-time and Harvest far greater is there between the Saints sufferings sorrows and triumphing joy Their sorrow lies within the compass of a short night their joy begins with that morning which hath no evening to follow it Psal 30. 5. Their tears will scarcely fill a bottel but their pleasures are so vast an Ocean as that they cannot be received but must be entred into Mat. 25. 21. Our light affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. Yea the present consolations of the Saints oft-times abound in their sufferings The ringing of my chains hath been sweet musick in my ears said Guy de Bres all my former discourses were but as a blind man's of colours in respect of my present feeling O what a precious comforter is a good conscience How unspeakable then are those rejoycings when all tears shall be wiped off when sorrow and mourning shall fly away Mat. 5. 10 11 12. The more your losses are for Christ on earth the greater will be your gain in Heaven Heb. 10. 34. And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that you have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Men can never bring their goods to a better Market than to have them spoil'd for the sake of Christ your goods you lose for Christ are capable of being spoil'd your goods you shall receive in Heaven are above all injury the very bags wax not old much less the treasure time will mar your best interests here Alas what is a little old goods moth-eaten garments rusty silver subject to change compared with that substance whose duration is as long as eternity and whose extension is as large as immensity and such is God in Christ the Saints eternal treasure Mat. 19. 29. And in the World to come life eternal Carnal reason judges them the greatest fools that dare to be undone for their profession whereas divine truth reckons such the mad men who to escape them that can but kill the body durst encounter him who can damn both soul and body in Hell Mat. 10. 28. And to lay a foundation of a few days safety upon the ruines of themselves and others How dangerous said Mr. Cooper is their estate who cannot rise but with the fall of many Et quantulum sit illud propter quod nos reliquisti How poor are those things saith he for which you have left us whereas the Saints losses for Christ are their greatest gain while the things they part with are but temporal but those they gain are eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. Lastly The more souls you help to Heaven the more treasure you prepare for Heaven Dan. 12. 3. They that be wise the margin hath it they that be teachers shall shine as the brightness of the firmament and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever As nothing doth sink a person deeper into Hell than to have the blood of souls upon its head and to become the occasion of others perishing Jer. 2. 34. So it wonderfully greatens a persons own blessedness in Heaven to be the means of getting others to be blessed also 1 Thes 2. 19. For what is our hope or joy or crown of rejoycing are not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming for ye are our glory and joy Lastly Lay up preparations for glory Glory is a great thing O what a change doth Heaven make upon a Believer's state We shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15. 51. from corruption to incorruption from sin to spotless purity from imperfection to pefection from darkness to knowledg from faith to fight from espousals to a marriage-day and what preparations do such a change call for What if death should surprise you and take you in your old clothes 't is not your daily garments no not your best rayments are good enough for your marriage-day your attire must be all new when you solemnize your eternal nuptials to the King of Glory O what manner of persons should you be who look for new Heavens and a new Earth If a Paul be not sufficient to carry a love-token to Christ's Spouse here on earth 2 Cor. 2. 16. Who is sufficient for these things Who then are fit to lie in the Bridegroom's arms to all eternity Few think what a change must be before the Saints can get to Heaven 1 Cor. 15. 50. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven neither doth corruption inherit incorruption If so much preparation-work must be dispatch'd before an Esther could be fit for the embraces of an earthly King Esth 2. 12. six months for purifying with oyl of Myrrh and six months with sweet Odors and with other things How much sanctification-work is needful to meeten a soul for the immediate enjoyment of God in glory and how unready are the most of souls for such a change O Believers hasten about your preparations for Heaven seeing you have no fixation on earth and know not what hour your Lord will come In order to which take these six directions First Get your hearts more loose from this present world men that change places knock up and take abroad things they must carry with them Your hearts Christians are the principal things you must take with you to Heaven it may be you have gone to God in duties many a time and left your hearts behind you but you cannot go to God in glory except your hearts be with you And O what a difficult work is it to go the heart upon choice loose from every thing below God! and till this be done there 's no getting to Heaven Things fastened to the free-hold they say cannot be removed how then can that heart get to glory that is nailed down to the world and things below Be daily loosening your hearts from the world estates houses lands trades friends relations and every thing below for you may not have time to get them off without loss when death comes you must leave them all shortly and you know not how soon to go to better friends and interests these have been snares and spears to your souls and have given you many a wound and still hinder your speeding to glory and why should you be loth to part with them O Christians if you are willing to be with Christ you will give your hearts warning to be gone from these tabernacles and to take their leave of this world daily Secondly Press after more maturity in your graces the more ripe the more fit for gathering Joel 3. 13. Tamar must tarry a Widow till Selah be grown Gen. 38. 11. and your
marriage-day must be delayed till you come to a full age The Saints must be as a shock of corn that cometh in in its season Job 5. 25. Ripen a pace in your graces if you would get to glory Get your faith hope patience and every grace encreased daily especially your love to God that 's the grace shall abide in glory 1 Cor. 13. 8. Faith and Hope are the soul's helps and companions in the way but Love will be an eternal inhabitant with you Get purer deeper rooted stronger more enlarged love to Jesus Christ every day till you be downright sick for him this will make your life a death without his presence here and your death to be life in being with him for ever 'T was love to Christ made Ignatius so dead to all things below a Vita sine Christo mors est Ignat. and so longing to be with Christ 'T is storied of him that when he was dead and his heart taken out they saw the name of Jesus written in it in letters of Gold The more love to God the more fit for God for God is love b Non est in me incendium quidpiam amans D. Ludov. Rub. Thirdly Get and keep the testimony of a good conscience that may witness for you in the day of Christ when you die you are to have a trial for your life your inheritance your All and you had need have your witness firm and ready Now there are two great witnesses you will need in that day to clear your title the witness of Conscience and the Spirit have the one on your side and you will not want the other Get your consciences sprinkled with the blood of Christ and purged from dead works by the Spirit of Christ that it may be able to appear for you in that day The blood of Christ will put words into the mouth of conscience for you to plead the general issue and the benefit of pardoning grace wherein you have been transgressors enlightned conscience will accuse you that you have sinned and besprinkled conscience will plead for you that you are pardoned and purged conscience will testify for you that you are changed and that you hate the evil you have done and love the holiness you have neglected O of what wonderful use will the testimony of a good conscience be when you stand at the Bar of God! Get it true to you now and sure for you then Fourthly Maintain more constant walks with God daily this will fit you for your eternal fellowship with him Converse with God is begun acquaintance here and in Heaven is perfect friendship and perpetual fellowship It will much fit you for Heaven hereafter to begin the work of Heaven here which lies in maintain'd intercourse with him Through these gallery-walks with God do the Saints pass into the Presence-Chamber and sit down with him for ever Communion with God now is Heaven begun such are fittest for his presence in glory who are train'd up in his company here Fifthly If you would prepare for Heaven dispatch your work on Earth Heaven is a state of rest and rest follows the finishing of labour Heb. 4. 9. Rev. 4. 13. Paul must end his fight finish his course and keep the faith before he can reach the Crown 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. In the grave there 's no wisdom device or work this is your only time for labour while you are in the Vineyard O how much work is behind with most which will make a departure terrible to an awakened conscience Haste about your neglected work you have it may be much work to do with others in your families with your relations possibly there are some souls in their graves and you have not done what you might to bring them forth dead Husband Wife Children Servants for whom you must do more or cannot comfortably appear before God O hasten about this work that you may give up your account with joy There 's soul-work to be done to get corruptions subdued graces strengthned your accounts stated evidences cleared and lamps trimmed which must be attended with utmost vigour If you would get home finish your work Lastly Be alwaies ready waiting for the coming of the Lord Luke 12. 35 36. Let your loins be girt about and your lights burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the Wedding that when he cometh and knocketh they may open to him immediately 2 Pet. 3. 12. Looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God Not only be waiting for your change but longing after it as persons that are ready for a desired journey think the time long ere they go Why are the wheels of his Chariot so long a coming Judg. 5. 28. The Spirit and the Bride say come Rev. 22. 17. With the Virgins go out to meet him Mat. 25. 1. If you knew the welcome that abideth for you when you come home ye would hasten your pace Rutherf The more ready you are for the coming of Christ the more will you long for his appearance and the more grateful will his approach be The uncertainty of that time when the Lord Jesus shall appear and the unseasonableness of that surprisal for preparation-work should put Christians on continual readiness lest coming in an hour they know not of they be found unfit to enter in and the door be shut Mat. 25. 10. O how dreadful will a miscarriage be at last All the hopes labours and comfort of your life depend upon your final safety and happy conclusion of your day 'T is a great thing to live a sanctified and die a saved soul O how few imagine the difficulty of being a Christian indeed and the infinite concern of securing an immortal soul and a sure title to the unsearchable riches of the other world O the folly and madness of rational creatures to make every thing sure but salvation and to spend their time and strength about the many things of a perishing life and lose the better part Whoever thou art that castest thine eye upon this discourse thou wilt one day find Religion to be thy chiefest interest when thou comest to take thy farewel of a vain deceitful world and seest all thy Lovers for whom thou hast sleighted thy precious soul thy Soverign Lord and dying Redeemer to prove miserable comforters not able to afford one drop of balm to heal or cordial to chear thy fainting heart and affrighted conscience When thou seest pale death deliver thee a summons to appear before the holy God and to give an account of thy Stewardship when thou seest the Books opened and such a fearful charge against thy guilty conscience which thou canst not deny or answer then wilt thou find godliness in the power of it to be the greatest gain and would'st give ten thousand worlds for such an evidence as Hezekiah and Paul had when within view of death and eternity And is not Religion as
the heir of heaven are you married to Christ or no 151 Que. What are those Evidences that will assure this Conjugal Vnion with Christ Answ Five things prove Marriage to the Lord Jesus 1 Peculiar acquaintance with Christ such as no stranger hath they know his secrets and have intimate converse with him 156 2 Conjugal love to Christ 158 3 A soul espoused to Christ will leave all for Christ ibid. 4 A soul married to Christ stays and lives on Christ 164 5 Fruitfulness to Christ proves Marriage to him 166 2 Your interest in heavenly treasures is known by the naturalness and supremacy of your love to them 167 3 By your care for and pursuit of them 169 4 If heavenly treasures be yours you 'll find your spirits suited to them 170 3 Another thing wherein this heavenly trade lies is in getting in of heavenly goods and what they are and how to be obtained 171 Que. How may I do to get my soul furnished with heavenly goods Answ 1. Maintain a sense of your own wants 187 2 Get a believing sight of Christs fulness 188 Que. What ground may I have for hope that Christ will supply me Answ This is fully spoken to pag. 190 191. Another part of this heavenly trade is to carry on heavenly work ibid. Four Motives perswading to it and what they are 192 to 203 Que. What is this heavenly work that Christians must do in this trade of godliness Answ 1. All that work which is of a heavenly nature matter manner and end 203 1 All that work which has God for its Author as acts of Religious Worship ibid. 2 All that work which hath more especial respect to your selves as 209 1 Heart-work ibid. to 216 2 Mortification work 217 Que. How shall I do to get sin mortified I am convinced 't is my duty but find it not my capacity Dir. 1. Do nothing that may strengthen it 221 Eight things help to strengthen sin 222 to 227 Dir. 2. Go not out in your own strength against sin ibid. Not in the strength of your purposes nor of your frames nor in the strength of your duties nor in the strength of your graces 228 Dir. 3. Get the Vnion between your heart and sin broken 229 There are seven things that help to break the hearts union with sin ibid. Dir. 4. Strike at the root of sin 234 Four helps towards it 236 Dir. 5. Give no place to the least motions of sin 238 2 Helps towards it ibid. Dir. 6. Keep up the life of grace 239 3 Carry on Renovation work some helps towards it 240 4 Keep your Evidences for heaven fair 243 3 Carry on all those natural moral and religious duties that concern others in your house in the house of God in your callings and dealings with men 244 2 Another part of your heavenly work is to do earthly things in an heavenly manner 247 This lies in three things 1 To do earthly things by heavenly rule 2 With heavenly hearts 248 3 To heavenly ends Ten Rules about doing of earthly things Rule 1. Be sure the matter of your imployment be good that your callings and recreations be according to the Will of God 249 Rule 2. Set on earthly things in their proper place and order 251 Rule 3. Keep your earthly business within the bounds of due time 252 Rule 4. Be diligent in the use of your working time 255 Rule 5. While your hands are about the world set a guard about your hearts 257 Rule 6. Attend your earthly affairs with a calm and quiet spirit ibid. Rule 7. Follow your duty but cast your care on God 261 Rule 8. In all your labours pray for a blessing 262 Rule 9. Though you live in the world yet be dead to the world 10. Do all your work in the view of Death Judgment and Eternity 263 264 2 Then do you earthly work in a heavenly manner when you do it with a heavenly heart 266 Que. How may I know when my heart is heavenly in my earthly work Answ 1. A heavenly heart is enlightned to see heavenly things 267 2 A heavenly heart savours heavenly things 268 3 A heavenly heart desires and longs after heavenly things 269 4 A heavenly heart has heavenly thoughts 270 5 A heavenly heart will be full of heavenly projects ibid. 6 A heavenly heart is acted and influenced by heavenly motives 271 7 A heavenly heart lives upon heavenly things 272 5 Another part of this heavenly trade lies in keeping up heavenly thoughts 274 6 If you would drive on the heavenly trade keep up heavenly converses 278 7 Then do you carry on this heavenly trade when you improve every thing to heavenly advantages There are nine things especially that Christians should improve to heavenly advantage 1 Priviledges 2 Ordinances 3 Providence 4 The World and things thereof 5 Your Callings 6 Your Company 7 Your Retirements 8 Occasional Objects 9 Your falls and miscarriages 1 Get good from your priviledges 1 Natural Priviledges 283 2 Providential 285 3 Spiritual 287 2 Get good from Ordinances 4 helps towards it 288 1 Preparation before you come to them 489 2 Attention 290 3 Retention 291 4 Obedience ibid. 3 Get all the good you can from Providences from smiling Providences and from frowning from giving and taking Providences 292 293 4 Get good from the World and the things thereof 294 5 Get good from your Callings and Imployments 297 6 Get good from your Company 299 7 Get good from your Retirements 303 8 Get good from occasional objects and occurrences of Providence 307 9 Get good from your falls and miscarriages 309 Ob. If souls may get good from their sins then why should persons be troubled for sin or watch against it Answ In two particulars 1 They that are dead to sin cannot live any longer therein proved by four Reasons 310 3 They ought not to commit sin 1 'T is slavish work 2 It has bitter fruit 3 It has doleful wages 312 3 Branch of Exhort To earthly traders who meet with breaches and discouragements in their earthly trades counselling them Coun. 1. To be hereby convinced of the excellency of the heavenly trade which is not liable to such disappointments 313 314 Coun. 2. See God in your afflictions 311 Coun. 3. Search out the cause of them 316 Probable Reasons of breaches on mens earthly trades and interests 1 Letting down of Religion and decay in the heavenly trade 317 2 Declensions in the Worship of God ibid. 4 Withholding their interests from God 319 5 Greedy desires after the world 320 6 God doth it to bring men down to his feet and to bring them back to himself 324 Coun. 4. Get the breach between God and your souls composed 326 Coun. 5. Get advantage from earthly decays to further your heavenly trade Four advantages hence to your heavenly trade 1 It helps to convince you of the vanity and uncertainty of all things below God 327 2 It helps to
and grief Oh the distractions and distressing thoughts that straits commonly beget and no straits like to soul-straits Christians you your selves be my Judges Thirdly Neglect of Trading for Heaven will blast all other Trading and breed a moth to consume even your temporal substance When Israel began to let down their Heavenly Trade and to mind their own concerns and houses above God's presently God blasts their temporal interests he makes holes in their money-bags and blows upon their encrease All their tuggings in the world with neglect of God and his Worship came to nothing they sowed much and it brought in little looked for much and it came to little wrought hard earned great wages laid up money but it fell out again through some secret hole in their bags which divine jealousie opened consuming their substance to let them know that men may make more haste than good speed and they that reckon without God must reckon twice And may not this be one thing that cuts this Nation short in their outward interest this day because they have forsaken God neglected his service lost the power of godliness certainly though outward prosperity be no token of God's favour nor any Gospel-promise to his people yet when the Lord does fight against a people by successive rebukes and send in a secret mildew wasting and consumption on their interests and this becomes general and national it shews displeasure in God and should be laid to heart the want of which is set forth as an additional aggravation to such a peoples sin Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers did not he against whom we have sinned for they would not walk in his waies neither were they obedient unto his Laws Therefore he poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battel and hath set him on fire round about yet he knew not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart Isa 42. 24 25. It was the not walking in the way of God neglect of obedience and practical holiness a letting down the Heavenly Trade that brought those ruining judgments on Israel losses on their interests vers 21. They were robbed and spoiled firing their houses vers 25. It hath set him on fire round it burned him Now in this miserable case there was yet a greater judgement on them a strange stupefaction and insensibleness of spirit they did not see God's anger in it yet Yet he knew it not viz. Whence it came and who did all this they looked to Chaldeans and enemies but 't was God did it and yet they laid it not to heart they were not rightly affected with all these desolations and their near approach to ruine And is not this our case God hath warned us by his Word this many years threatened us by prodigious signs in Heaven and Earth begun to execute them already by Plague Sword and Fire dreadful wastes in the great City and many other places to the undoing of many families made a breach upon the Trade of the Nation to the impoverishing of the whole Land and yet we are as insensible as Pharaoh and the Egyptians were as if the Lord had sent the spirit of slumber upon us impoverished yet fell it not This should be for a lamentation Fourthly The decay of this Heavenly Trade if not cured is the ready and certain way to ruine The destruction of the poor is poverty Prov. 10. 15. Mens poverty fills them with consternation and dejecting fears and does also expose them to many evils and take down their external defence from injuries being made a prey to their oppressours The rich man's wealth is his strong City Prov. 18. 11. Rich men protect themselves from injuries their riches are Advocates for them to men but poor men lye open to all invasions when men grow poor every man treads upon them So is it when the Heavenly Trade decaies and soul-poverty springs out of its ruine then destruction makes haste to such places and persons For this the Lord Jesus threatens to take the Kingdom from a people because they bring not forth the fruit of it Matth. 21. 43. they did not render to God the fruit of all his dressings and waitings on them Barrenness and decaies in Religion uncured are a certain forerunner of Desolation Luke 13. 7 9. Before the Lord brought in that cruel Nation the Vandals on Africa the Christians in Spain were much degenerated from their former purity as Salvian complains and the power of godliness was much decayed he tells us they had nothing left but the name of Christianity to which their conversation was most unlike a Quid est in quo nobis de Christiano nomine blandiamur Cum utique hoc ipso magis per nomen sacratiffimum rei simus qui a sancto nomine discrepamus Salvi de Gubern lib. 3. pag. 95. What is it saith he to please our selves with the name of Christian when the very name does greaten our guilt in that we are so unlike to it Before the Massacre at Paris saith Mr. Clark in his Martyrol such a general stupidity seized upon the Protestants that their minds were very wavering and few there were that shewed themselves zealously bent to Religion but all both great and small were intent upon worldly matters building to themselves goodly Castles in the air It was observed by some that before the change of Religion and Martyrdom in Queen Mary's daies there was great unprofitableness under the Means of Grace What the issues of these great decaies in Religion may be amongst us we know not but such symptomes have usually foregone great changes and severe stroaks on such persons and places And is not this matter of lamentation Physitians use to cure a Lethargy by a Fever the one hath been our disease O that the other if no means else will do may be our cure Fifthly At the best decaies in this Heavenly Trade will render the Traders account heavy in the day of Christ Into what straits did the sense of an abused trust put the Prodigal Steward Luke 16. 13 He had been unfaithful in his place wasted his Masters goods and now was in danger of being turned out a reckoning was call'd for and he unable to render it and in perplexing thoughts how to give in his accounts and to secure his future welfare And this will be the case of such as are negligent and unfaithful in their Heavenly Trade it will expose them to soul-trouble one day how to answer it before God First or last God will call for an account how his goods have been improved He hath given you a stock to trade upon for him Light Grace Parts Capacities Gospel-priviledges and Opportunities Liberty Peace Experiences with many mercies and afflictions which are all your Lord's goods and must be accounted for upon the passing of which depends your eternal state or much of your soul's peace The Lord Jesus hath a double audit or accounting with
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