Excellency see Walking Eye The souls of the godly eye God 272 F Faith The heavenly conversation of others is not the rule of our faith 93 Faith must be exercised 259 Familarity Whence our familarity with God ariseth 293 Folly The folly of earthly-mindedness 38 Formality Formality must not be rested on 253 Formality must be taken heed of 326 G Genius Wicked men fancy heavenly things according to their own genius 17 God God takes care of men concerning earthly things 78 Heavenly conversation brings glory to God 244 See Walking What a man trusts to he makes his God Page 54 Godly Difference between wicked and godly men 3 Godly mens Conversations should not be earthly 238 Godly men carry themselves as in Gods presence 274 Godly see Calling Godliness Earthly-mindedness is contrary to the work of godliness and how 26 See waies my stery Glory Heavenly Conversation brings glory to the Saints 246 What the glory of the soul is 239 Grace What the work of grace is 27 Grace see Benefit presence Growing Heavenly Conversation is growing 240 H Halting The Saints must take heed of halting 325 Heaven see Saints Profession Conversation Aim Heavenly The Saints are Heavenly in Earthly imploymonts Page 115 The Saints have great skill in Heavenly matters 218 See Genius Conversations Hell The Conversations of wicked men are in Hell 99 Heart The heart is best known by the thoughts 7 The heart of a wicked man is upon the things of the earth 16 The vileness yf mens hearts discovered 302 Heart see drossie Higher God made man for higher things than the things of the earth 96 Hypocrites Hypocrites rebuked 135 Honor see walking Humility Humility takes the heart off from earthly mindedness 86 I Jacob Difference between Jacob's blessing and Esau's 6 Idolater Idolaters depart from God 22 Idolatry Covetousness is Idolatry Page 20 See Earthly-mindedness Vileness Ill see Success Ignorant see Religion Imployment see Heavenly Inducement Earthty Inducements oppose godliness 98 Intercourse The Saints have much intercourse to heaven 218 Joy What the joy of a Saint is See World 54 L Law The Saints are guided by the Laws of God 110 Little The Saints are contented with little in this world 222 Loss The Saints have comfort in all their losses 224 Lust Earthly-mindedness brings in foolish lusts and how 34 M Man Wherefore God made man 69 See Nature Mind Who they are that know the mind of God Page 94 Ministry How earthly-mindedness hinders the Ministry 30 Mystery The mystery of godlinesse ought to be studied 254 N Nature What man is by nature 268 P Petitions What men they are that shall have their petitions granted 295 Pilgrim We are pilgrims here upon earth 76 Prayer see Earthly-mindedness Preparation see Death Presence Gods presence draws forth grace 298 See God Principles see Saints Priviledge What the priviledges of a Citizen of heaven are 106 How the priviledges of a Citizen of Heaven are procured 107 Promise Wicked men do not trust to a promise Page 15 Protection The Saints have the protection of heaven 104 R Reconciliation How a wicked man conceives of the Doctrine of Reconciliation 17 Religion How Religion is scandalized 45 Why men are ignorant in Religion 59 Reprobates Reprobates have their portion in this life 68 Riches The Saints have right to the Richcs and common stock of heaven 103 Riches see Uncertainty S Saints The Saints names are inrolled in heaven 102 The Saints are no longer slaves 103 The Saints ' are guided by heavenly principles 108 The Saints have communion with God 109 The Saints trust God with much Page 220 The Saints are sensible of the stoppage between them and heaven 226 Sabbath To whom the Sabbath is a delight and to whom it is a wearinesse 16 The Saints keep a a perpetual Sabbath 115 Saints see Citizens Riches Angels Perfection Laws Delight Heavenly Sabbath Trading Intercourse Little Comfort Losses Safty Wherein the safty of a Saint lies 292 Scandal see Religion Self What self is 25 Secrets what manner of men they are that know Gods secrets 294 Seriousness What seriousness of spirit is 309 Serpent see Curse Sinful see Earthly Shortness What the shortness of our time here should lead us to 73 Snare Earthly-mindedness brings men into snares 29 Soul Of what value the soul of man is Page 70 The soul of man is from heaven 229 The soul of man ought to be beautified 324 Soul see Glory Walk Spiritual A wciked man is earthly in spiritual things a godly man is spiritual in earthly 11 Strictness We ought not to find fault with strictness in Gods waies 231 Stranger The world are strangers to walking with God 300 Success The reason of ill success 35 Suffering Heavenly Conversation makes suffering easie 249 T Temptation Earthly-mindedness puts men upon great temptations 28 Thoughts What the thoughts of the Saints are 111 Which way the thoughts of the Sainis tend 112 See Devil Heart Trade What the Saints trade for heaven is Page 213 The Saints have free trade to heaven 104 Trust see God Trusted Worldly things are not tobe trusted too 55 U Vanity All earthly things are vanity 53 Vilifie The Saints vilifie the things of the earth 222 Uncertainty The uncertainty of riches 71 Vileness The vileness of Idolatry 21 Vocation What vocation is 25 W Waies The waies of godlinesse should not be opposed 95 See Strictness Walk How the soul is brought to walk with God 268 He that walks with God depends not much upon reason 307 He that walks with God is the same in private that he is in publick 308 He that walks with God walks in his Commandements Page 310 What it is to walk with God 267 Walking What walking with God is 272 Wherein walking with God consists 280 Several excellencies of walking with God 286 The honor of walking with God 288 Particular evidences of walking with God Page 316 See Strangers Excellency Wearinesse see Sabbath Wicked Why wicked men are busie in their callings 16 See Godly Genius Example Hell Work see Godlinesse Grace Worldly Wherein worldly joy consists 54 See Trust Strangers A TABLE of those SCRIPTURES which are occasionally Cleared and briefly Illustrated In the Fourth VOLUMN The first number directs to the Chapter the second to the Verse the third to the Page of the Book Chap. Verse Page Genesis 6 9 263 27 28 6 27 29 6 33 9 52 45 20 239 Exodus 23 14 288 25 21 323 Leviticus 4 18 280 26 11 280 26 12 280 2 Kings 17 8 301 2 Chronicles 28 2 301 Nehemiah 5 9 317 Job 18 8 292 22 21 293 Psalms 16 3 277 16 6 277 23 4 292 37 4 295 45 13 325 45 14 325 49 11 66 49 13 66 62 10 77 62 11 77 63 8 283 583 3 277 72 9 268 86 11 305 89 15 289 89 16 289 119 37 42 119 45 279 138 7 292 139 17 61 Proverbs 2 20 92 13 20 294 23 7 7 23 17 274 Canticles 5 2 281 7 5 281 Isaiah 13 17 53 30 21 269 35 8 271 53 9 271 Jeremiah 2 12 23 17 13 44 Ezekiel 33 31 31 Daniel 7 10 107 7 18 107 Hosea 2 7 329 4 11 22 11 10 298 Micah 6 6 291 6 7 291 6 8 291 Luke 1 6 315 21 34 47 John 3 31 81 Acts 6 31 318 7 29 113 22 25 101 22 27 106 23 25 64 Romans 8 5 3 1 Corinthians 9 27 25 15 29 79 2 Corinthians 3 10 239 4 17 247 4 18 13 5 7 307 Galatians 6 12 65 6 26 310 Ephesians 2 6 107 2 11 251 2 18 272 2 19 130 4 17 309 5 5 20 Philippians 3 8 8 3 19 8 Colossians 3 1 249 3 2 79 3 3 79 2 Thessalonians 1 11 246 1 12 246 1 Timothy 6 9 28 6 9 34 6 9 50 2 Timothy 4 10 40 Hebrews 10 32 224 10 34 232 11 1 256 11 5 322 11 10 101 11 13 87 11 37 87 12 13 327 12 22 101 James 4 4 23 2 Peter 1 3 230 2 18 327 1 John 1 4 109 2 6 319 4 5 60 3 John 0 4 316 Jude 0 14 20 0 4 262 Revelation 3 4 287 13 6 102 13 8 102 14 4 287 FINIS 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 muniiceps coelorum nos gerimus Steph. Beza Piscat ad verbú nostra Civilis vita in coelis est Doct. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terra extra terram sine terra Beda Acts 23. 25. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terrae fillii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 9. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Castigo corpus meum vulg Comundo corpus meum Levidum reddo corpus Agust Est metophorasumpta à pugilibus suctantibus qui pugnis verberibus se mutuo obtundunt Chem. Jans Aret. Pareus Piscat First For Direction Secondly For Protection Thirdly For Assistance Fourthly For a blessing upon all it doth Gospel worship
earthly-mindednesse hath as much opposition to the nature of grace and the power of godlinesse in the heart as almost any sin that you can name It is so quite contrary to the very beginning of the work of grace not contrary to the degrees only but to the very begining The main work of God at the very first in working grace in the soul is to disingage the soul from the creature it is to take it off from the Earth and from all creatures here below for naturally 't is true That as we are of the earth so we are earthly and have our spirits ingaged to the things of this earth but then comes the work of grace upon the soul and takes it off and discharges the heart from the earth and therefore you find that Christ laies in this as the first lesson That he that will be my Disciple must deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me as if he should say never think of being a Christian except you will deny your selves Self what 's that all natural contentment natural-self and sinful-self to be emptied wholly of your selves and creature-comforts and contentments and take up my Cross to be willing to suffer any thing in regard of earthly comforts to be willing to lay down all at my feet and to give up your interest in all and to take up my Cross this is the very first beginning of Christs bringing Disciples to himself Then saith the soul let me have my sin pardoned and farewel earth it 's Heaven Holiness renewing of the Image of God communion and union with God and living to the eternal praise of his Name in Christ that my heart is upon I say this in the beginning of Gods working the heart to himself The work of Grace when it is first wrought it hath the name of Vocation Calling what is it for a man to be called give diligence to make your calling election sure To be called is this and whereas before thou wert altogether digging and dolving in the earth and seeking for thy happiness in the world now it pleases God to make thee to hear a voice behind thee calling thee and telling thee O poor soul thy happiness is not here there are other things in which thy chief good consists thou art made for higher and better things than these God hath nobler thoughts about man-kind than meerly to let him have a few contentments here in the earth Oh soul come away and look after higher things here 's the first work of grace and the soul answers unto this call of God and saith Lord I come and so gives up it's self to God to dispose of it and this is in the beginning of the work of Grace Now how contrary is earthly-mindednesse to the work of God in bringing grace into the heart Conceive it in these three things 1. The very work of conversion it is set out in Scripture by Gods calling the soul out of the world Whom he hath predestinated him he hath called When God effectually begins to work upon the heart of a sinner he does cause a voice to be heard in the soul Oh soul thou hast been busying thy self about many things but there is one thing necesseary Oh come out of that way of thine that thou art in thou canst never be happy else thou wilt be undone in it the Lord calls the soul out of the world and that I say is the very work of conversion the souls answearing to Gods call Now for one stil to be earthly and to have a heart cleaving to these things surely such a one is not as yet effectually called out of the world 2. And then from thence follows upon the souls answer to this call the Lord difingages the heart from all creature-comforts and teacheth the first lesson to deny himself and to take up Christs Crosse now what 's more opposite to self-denial and the taking up of the Crosse of Christ than earthly-mindednesse the text saith here They are enemies to the Cross of Christ And then a third thing in conversion it is The resigning up of the soul to God as the chief good the soul upon the call of God it learns the lesson of Self-denial and taking up the Crosse and so being disingaged from the creature now it resigns up it self to God as an infinite soul satisfying good for ever now you cannot but in the naming of this see how opposite earthly-mindednesse is to it And then for the work of grace upon the heart after the heart is converted and turned to God First Grace brings a new light into the soul A Spiritual and Divine light is set up in the soul upon the conversion of a sinner to God but now the earth you know it 's the dark part of the world and earthly mindednesse it causeth darknesse to be upon the spirit as the interposition of the earth between us the Sun it doth hinder the sight of the Sun from us And so the interposition that there is of earthlinesse in the soul of man between God and it doth hinder the sight of God from the soul there is a Divine light set up in the soul and when as God works grace that doth discover things of a higher and more excellent and glorious nature than those things were that before the heart did so much cleave unto In the second place the Scirpture sets forth the work of grace by the New creature In the soul all things are made new old things are Past he that is in Crhist is a new creature Now earthly-mindednesse is opposite to the new creation in the soul it 's the old man that is of the earth the first man is of the earth earthly and so it is apparant that thou art still only in the stock of the first man of the earth earthly who art an earthly-minded man But the second man is the Lord from Heaven But now thou that art an earthly-minded man or woman art yet but a child of Adam of the first man and so art of the earth earthly this is opposite to grace grace works a new creation in the soul 3. And grace is of an Elevating nature raises the heart above its self and above the creature yea above the world in some respect above Angels themselves above Principalities and Powers above all created things grace is of a raising nature but an earthly-minded man sinks down to low and base things And grace fourthly is of an Enlarging nature it enlarges the heart so that it cannot be satisfied with any earthly thing though God should give the whole world to a heart that hath grace this would not satisfie that heart why because it is so Enlarged by the work of grace the work of grace it is the Divine nature the Image of God in the soul and therefore works the soul like to God and it 's said of God in the 40. of Isa that all the nations of the earth are to him
thing or to have any delight in any thing in this world when there is a sutable object to the facultie that 's his Communion with the Creature As now a Drunkard there is a kind of Communion that he hath meerly with lude company and with the creature to please his sence for a while there 's all the communion that he hath But what a different Conversation is this for one meerly to please his sence in meat and drink a little while and another to have communion with Father Son and holy Ghost The Saints here in this world have not an Imaginary but a Real Communion with the Father Son and holy Ghost Communion you will say what 's that By Communion with God we mean this The acting of the soul upon God and the receiving in the influence of the goodness and love and mercy of God into the soul When there is a mutual acting of the soul upon God and God upon the soul again as when friends have Communion one with another that is that one acts for the Comfort of the other there is a mutual imbracing and opening of hearts one upon another for the satisfying of the Spirits one of another So communion with God is the mutual actings of the soul upon God and God upon the soul again The Saints they see the face of God and God delights in the face of the Saints And they let out their hearts to God and God lets out his heart to them We cannot expresse this to strangers a stranger shall not meddle with this joy this is a mystery a riddle to the carnal world Do but you consider this that what Communion you have with your lude company to sit and eat and drink and play and tell stories all day long this you think is a brave life but now that the communion of the Saints is raised higher and the comfort of the Saints is not in such poor low base things as thine is the Saints have comfort in God the Father Son and holy Ghost in an infinite higher way and in that respect their Conversations are said to be in Heaven And especially when they are with God in his Ordinances they cannot be content except they have Communion with God there it 's notenough for them to call upon the Name of God to kneel down and to use some humble broken hearted expressions Oh but what communion have I with God and Jesus Christ and the holy Ghost in my duties at this time I come to the Word and other Ordinances Oh! but what communion have I with God in them I cannot be satisfied except I tast and see how good the Lord is I cannot go abroad about my businesse but with a heavy heart except I hear some thing from Heaven this morning all the comfort of their lives do depend upon this in having communion with Father Son and holy Ghost Fourthly Their Conversation may be said to be in Heaven Because they do live according to the Laws of Heaven They do not here in this world live according to the Laws of men the lusts of men but they look for their direction from Heaven What rule is there from Heaven to guide me There must be some word from the God of Heaven to order and guide them in their waies or else they cannot tell how to sute with them Indeed while they live in the Cities of the world they must obey the Laws of men but still it is in order to the Laws of Heaven the main thing that they submit to is the Statute Laws of Jesus Christ the great Law giver because there is a Law of Heaven that doth require them for to obey the Laws of men that are according to those Laws of Heaven therefore they do obey them but the Laws of Heaven are those that the Saints look after for their direction in all their waies such and such a thing I have a mind to but will the Law of Heaven justifie me in this have I any word from Jesus Christ to guide me in such a way I dare not do otherwise than according to the Will and Scepter of Christ they must be my rule in all my waies whereas before thy lust was thy rule and thy own ends thy rule and the common course of the world thy rule but now the Laws of Heaven are thy rule and therfore their Conversations are in Heaven because they are guided by the Laws of Heaven Heaven is their aim They are acted by heavenly Principles They converse with the God of heaven And then fourthly They live according to the Laws of heaven Fiftly Their thoughts and hearts are set upon heaven as he saith The soul is where it loves rather than where it lives where the heart is there 's the soul there the man may be said to be Now the Saints have their hearts in heaven their thoughts in heaven their meditations in heaven working there When I awake I am alwaies with thee saith David And Oh how sweet are the thoughts of heaven unto the Saints While thou art mudling in the world and plodding for thy self in the things of this world If God should come to thee and say Where art thou as he said to Adam yea sometimes while thou art at prayer and hearing the Word Where are thy thoughts and about what even as we say in the proverb are running about a Wool-gathering But now come to one whose Conversation is in Heaven he keeps his thoughts and meditations there continually meditating on the glorious things that are reserved in Heaven As I remember I have read of that holy man Mr. Ward that being in the midst of a dinner and people wondering what he was a musing about he presently breaks out For ever for ever for ever for almost half a quarter of an hour he could not be still'd but he cries for ever for ever for ever So far as any man or woman hath their Conversation in Heaven their thoughts are there thinking Oh eternity eternitie to be for ever in Heaven to live for ever with Christ and God and Oh the Crown of glory that is there when will that blessed day come when I shall come to enjoy those good things that are there his thoughts will be there and he is longing to be there his love and desires and affections will be working there It 's said of the people of Israel Acts 7. 39. That their hearts turned back again to Egypt they never returned in their bodies to Egypt but their hearts were there they would fain have the Onions and Flesh-pots that were in Egypt their hearts were there So it may be said of many that though they come and hear the Word yet their hearts are in their shops their hearts are after their covetousness but it 's contrary with the Saints Though they live here in this world yet their hearts are in Heaven As I remember it 's written of Queen Mary that she said If they rip'd her open
in that way that it hath been walking in all this while though never so pleasant a way though never so sutable to the flesh the Lord forbid that I should go on in that way that I have walked in There 's a stop caused Secondly The Lord manifests to the soul the way of life what the way of life is This stop of the soul is just like to that we reade of Saul that when he was posting on in the way of death there did shine a light round about him and caused him to stop so that he could go no further But then I say the Lord manifests to the soul what the way of life is In the 30. of Isa 21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee saying This is the way walk ye in it Oh! how many are there that can tell this by experience that they have been walking in the waies of death of eternal misery and blest themselves in those waies But there was a blessed time wherein God caused them to hear a voice as it were behind them saying This is the way walk-in it you are out of the way but here 's the way of life if you would not perish eternally here 's the way walk in this way It is a secret voice that the Lord causes to be heard in the soul but yet a powerful voice perhaps you have come to the Word and have heard what the way of life is but yet that never hath given a turn to your hearts but when God would have the soul to come in to walk with him he causes the soul besides the outward voice of the Word to hear a voice behind in secret and yet powerfully saying Oh! this is the way Oh thou poor soul that are wandring from the way of life and art going on in the way of eternall death Come in come in here 's another way This is the way walk in it And so the Lord gives a mighty turn to the soul by that secret voice Thirdly The Lord makes peace between himself and a sinner He doth reveal the doctrine of Reconciliation For a sinner at first when he comes to have his eyes enlightened when he comes to know himself and to know God Certainly God at first cannot but appear terrible to a sinner that hath walked in the waies of death formerly and though I see my way to be dangerous and I see another way to be good Oh but God is terrible to me and how can two walk together that are not at peace In Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together except they be agreed saith the text Oh there is naturally an enmity between Man and God every man in the world is naturally an enemy to God and can there be two walking together unless they be agreed Oh! you that are going on in the waies of enmity with God surely you are strangers to this way of walking with God can you walk with God before you are agreed no soul can have this testimony given of it that he hath walked with God but such a soul as is reconciled to him God doth manifest that in some measure to the soul before it's able thus to walk with him as here Enoch did and certainly Enoch came to walk with God by this for the holy Ghost in the forenamed place of the 11. of the Heb. saith It was by faith that he did it and without faith it 's impossible to please God that 's as much as without faith it 's impossible to walk with God The holy Ghost means the same thing when the Apostle saith that he did walk by faith and without faith it 's impossible to please God therefore there must be a work of faith to bring the soul to be reconcil'd and that there may be an agreement between the soul and God before it can walk with him That 's the third thing Fourthly Though there be peace made so that God doth not appear as an enemy against the soul yet there may be some strangness after peace made There was peace made between David and Absalom David was passified towards him yet he would not see his face for a while he would have been gone from his presence there should not be that converse with him in that familier way as a child with the father for a while So though there be peace made yet there 's requir'd a further work of God for the souls walking with him that is That God should render himself in loveliness and fulness of mercy and sweetness and delightfulness unto the soul that there may be a familiarity between the soul and God It 's one thing for me to know God is not as an enemy to me that he doth not intend wrath and misery against me and another thing for the soul to apprehend the sweet delightful countenance of God and the imbracements in the arms of his mercy and those condescentions of God that he is willing to come and deal with us as a friend with his friend in a familiar way Therefore that 's a fourth work the Lord is pleased to manifest himself to the soul in the sweetness of his love and his delight Not only thou art that soul that shalt not be damn'd that shalt eternally be sav'd but thou art the soul that my soul delights in thou art one that I take as my friend and that I love to deal with in all sweetness and to bring into a familiarity with my self This is that that is manifested to the soul for the bringing of it to this walking with God that here the holy Ghost speaks of concerning Enoch Fifthly The Lord is pleased to send his holy Spirit to guide the soul To himself and to guide it in walking With himself In the 8. Rom. it 's said All that are the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God As a father when he walks with the child he gives him his hand and leads along the child with himself when any comes to be a child of God God puts forth his hand and leads him and so they walk together As have you not seen somtimes a father and child walking in the garden the father puts forth his finger and the child takes hold of it and so walks along with him even so the Lord puts forth his Spirit into a gracious soul and God and the soul thus walks together being led by the Spirit of God in the 35. Isa 8 9. there you may see what the Lord speaks of the way of the redeemed ones And an high way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein Though they be very weak and fools yet they shall not err therein And no Lyon shall be there nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon it shall not be found there but the redeemed shall walk there that 's the
message of death come to him in the 38. of Isa Remember O Lord saith he how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart he turned his face to the wall and the text saith he wept it was for joy as if he should say Lord it 's true there hath been many infirmities in me but Lord I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart as if he should say I may boldly challenge and I do come now Lord to challenge the good of the Covenant that thou wouldst remember me according to the riches of thy mercy for Lord I have walked with thee as if he should say Lord was not that the thing that thou didst require of my father Abraham why Lord I have walked before thee and I have been upright in some measure therefore Lord be a God alsufficient to me Lord remember thy Covenant be a God to me be All in All to me because of this Oh my brethren Is not this worth ten thousand thousand worlds That the soul may be able to appeal to God that it hath done that which is a special thing that is requir'd in the Covenant on our parts and so upon it may have the assurance of Gods performing the Covenant on his part The Fifth Excellency And then the fifth thing is There is a blessed safety in walking with God As in the 23. Psal 4. there see the Prophet David that was a man much exercised in walking with God saith he Yea though I walk through the vally of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for thou art with me thy rod and thy staff doth comfort me I am walking with thee and though I be walking in the shadow of death I 'le therefore fear no evil Now is it not a blessed thing to be in safety alwaies with God And in the 138. Psal 7. saith David Though I walk in the midst of trouble thou wilt revive me thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies and thy right hand shall save me No matter what the trouble be so God be with the soul he that walks uprightly walks surely in the 10. of the Proverbs 9. Whereas it 's said of the wicked that they walk upon a snare continually in the 18. of Job 8. The wicked walk upon a snare The waies of wickednesse that you walk in they may seem to be pleasant and comfortable to you but certainly you are upon a snare and you may be catch'd and undone for ever though perhaps thou hast escap'd all this while yet thou art in continual dangers Every step I say thou goest on in the waies of sin thou art upon a snare and in danger to be catch'd to thy eternal destruction But he that walks uprightly he walks surely and this is a great excellency for a man to walk surely I know I am in my way for I am with God A child doth not fear what way soever it goes in if he can but see his father Now the soul may know surely I am in the right way I am with God and I am safe what ever danger comes for I am walking with God The Sixth Excellency The sixth Excellency that there is in walking with God is this From hence the soul comes to enjoy a holy boldness and a holy familiarity with God It may be when the soul comes first to God the presence of the great God strikes some fear there is some dread of the Majesty of God But when the soul hath used to converse with him there is a holy familiarity that the soul hath with God and a holy boldness it can have free liberty to say any thing to him now and this is the reason that some now that never knew what the spirit of prayer meant and what the liberty of the soul in opening its self to God meant before yet when they have come to be acquainted with the waies of God Oh what liberty have they then in their spirits to open their hearts to God yea they can open their hearts to God as one friend to another I remember it 's said of Luther that when ever he was praying he could speak to God as to his friend In Job 22. 21. Acqusint now thy self with Him and be at peace The soul comes to have an acquaintance with God Oh what a phrase is here What acquaint our selves with God that God should be our acquaintance I God is willing to be the acqaintance of the poorest Christian in the world Poor men and women and Servants and others that perhaps some rich men that is by them wil scorn their acquaintance but they account them rather as it 's spoken of some vile people fit to be set with the dogs of the flock yea perhaps though they be poor godly people yet they think it too much debasing themselves to have any kind of acquaintance with them Well but the infinite God though he is so high that he humbles himself to behold the very things that are done in Heaven yet this God thinks not much to be one of thy acquaintance to be of the acquaintance of any one that hath any godliness in them when we see a great man a man of parts and honor come to some poor man and shake him by the hand we will say Look what an humble man is this that will be so familiar with the meanest of all Oh! now acquaint thy self with God This is the blessedness of walking with God the soul comes to have a familiar converse with God and a holy boldness The seventh Excellency The seventh benefit or Excellency that there is in walking with God is this The Communication of Gods secrets He that walks with God shall come to know the mind of God It 's impossible for a man to take delight in walking with another but he must discover secrets from him there 's never any true friendship where there is a closeness of spirit But where there is true friendship they will take one another and walk together and open their hearts each to other this is comfortable walking indeed Thus it is in walking with God this is the blessing of it such souls they have the secrets of God discovered to them they come to know much of the mind of God though they are weak in their natural parts yet I say they come to know much of Gods mind because they are with God We reade in the 13. of Proverbs 20. vers saith the holy Ghost there He that walketh with wise men shall be wise Then what shall he be that walks with God Surely if there be wisdom to be learned from our walking with wise men then there is wisdom to be learn'd in walking with God 'T is from hence that men that are weak in parts they come to have such excellent knowledg in the great mysteries of the Gospel and you wonder at it you see such a mean servant that a while ago could understand
any of Gods withdrawings from them you never hear them complain of any such thing they know not what it means therefore I say it 's a good sign that thou knowest what it is to walk with God because thou art sensible of any of Gods withdrawings from thee Secondly Examine whether thou hast not sometimes shut out God from thee when God hath offered himself to walk with thee Hath not God sometimes tendred himself and even taken thee by the hand to walk with thee and thou hast not bin at leasure then thy mind hath been about somewhat else Oh! therefore be humbled before him for all thy unworthy dealings with him and for all thy declynings from him Know God calls thee to this There hath been many wandrings of thy spirit from God Oh that thou couldst but say in respect of thy spiritual wandrings as the Prophet David saith in respect of his wandrings in Psal 56. 8. Thou tellest my wandrings put thou my tears into thy bottle are they not in thy book Oh that thou couldst but say so Lord there hath been many wandrings of my spirit but Lord put my tears into thy bottle sutable to my wandrings so are my tears Oh! it grieves me to the soul that ever I have grieved thy Spirit when thy spirit hath even taken me by the hand to walk with thee I have withdrawn my self and upon that thy Spirit hath been grieved Oh it grieves my soul Oh Lord thou hast taken notice of my wandrings take notice of my tears that are sutable Thirdly It is better that God withdraw than that we withdraw I beseech you observe it If God withdraws from you it is your affliction but if you withdraw from God it is your sin and sin is worse than affliction better bear any affliction yea spiritual afflictions than commit sin and that you should labor to be sensible of you that complain of God's withdrawing from you and that God will not walk with you Be you more sensible of your own withdrawings as a greater evil to you than Gods It 's true Gods withdrawing from me it is a sore affliction above all that ever befell me in this world but my withdrawing from him it is a greater burden to me And it may be if God did not withdraw from thee thou wouldst withdraw from him And many times God doth withdraw from his people to prevent his peoples withdrawing from him As many times the mother will withdraw her selfe from the child that the child may not be wandring from her And this may be the very end why God withdraws he sees thy heart begins to be loose wanton slight and vain and therefore it is that he hides himself that thou maiest be awakened and sensible of the danger that thou art in by withdrawing thy self from God that so thou maiest cleave to him the more fully and that thy soul may follow more after him that thou maiest lift up thy heart and cry more earnestly after God But now if God be withdrawn the soul be not so sensible as to cry after him or if it should leave off crying then such a one is in a dangerous condion indeed As if a poor child had lost the father or mother and were crying after them at length comes some begger with an apple or plumb and steals away the child and then the child is quiet for the present Oh take heed of that depart not from the Lord keep crying after him in all his withdrawings Fourthly Gods withdrawing of comfort is not alwaies the withdrawing of his presence Thou maiest mistake thou thinkest that God is withdrawn why because he hath withdarwn comfort there may be a great mistake in this God I say may withdraw comfort and not withdraw his presence take this for a certain rule and make much use of it when comforts are gone Do not say when comforts are gone therefore the presence of God is gone there may be as ful and as gracious a presence of God when comforts are gone as ever there was he may be present with his graces and support as in Psal 63. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth me though thou seemest to be gone So God may be present to uphold thee and to strengthen thee and to exercise thy faith in him and that may be as acceptable to God The exercise of faith in the want of comfort may have as much of God in it as all the comfort that ever thou hadst in all thy life and therefore do not say that Gods presence is gone because comforts are gone The beams of the Sun in the winter time is not so effectual as the influence of the Sun when it is in a cloud in the summer time Is the presence of the Sun gone in the summer because there 's a cloud between the sun and you It may be a child will think Oh the Sun is gone out of the firmament because there 's a cloud I but I know there 's the Sun still for there 's the influence of the Sun there 's some heat in the day and there 's some light wherby I may see to do my work though I have not that lustre as before Now when the Sun shines in winter it shines bright but there 's not that influence of the sun upon the earth as makes the plants grow So sometimes the beams of Gods presence may be clouded to a Christian by reason of outward afflictions and yet there may be more of Gods presence than at another time when it shall shine in the beauty of it in the comfotrs of a Christian for so I compare the shining of the Comforts of a Christian to the shining of the Sun in the winter that sometimes have no influence to sanctifie the heart As in winter times the Sun hath not that influence to fructifie the ground but at other times though the Sun be clouded yet it hath influence to make the ground fruitful so though God may not shine upon thee in regard of outward comforts yet he may shine in upon thy soul and make thee to increase and grow in goodness more than ever before Fifthly If thou canst not see Gods face yet hearken and see if thou canst not hear his voice and follow that Doest thou come to the Word and there hear his voice Is not God pleased to speak to thy soul out of his Word Thou goest perhaps into thy closet and canst not see his face there as thou wert wont to do yet blesse him that thou canst hear his voice and follow his voice though it be in the dark As now if a child be going with the father and it be lost yet if the child cries and the father or mother speaks that quiets the child very much so it is with the children of God when they cannot see Gods face yet they may hear Gods voice They cannot have those comforts from God as sometimes they have had those sweet manifestations of
the love of God shed abroad into their hearts but when they come to the Word they cannot but say that they hear their fathers voice Perhaps the word is not a comforting word to thee as hereto fore I but is it not a directing word an instructing word an inlightening word Oh this now should support thee for the present Sixthly All that I will say further is this Keep thy self in a waiting frame for God Do not determine that because the Lord is gone he will ever be gone Oh no but keep still in the waies of God waiting for him resolve that though God leaves thee yet thou wilt not leave the path in which God was heretofore I am sure that God was once here Oh then keep the path wherein thou wert wont to meet with God for thou shalt meet with him again It 's better to keep the path the ordinary high-way of God for you are more like to meet with God there than if you should go out of the way I 'le give you a Scripture or two for that and so conclude The first is in Psal 101. 2. I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way Oh when wilt thou come unto me That which I quote this for is this the resolution of David to behave himself wisely in a perfect way together with his panting after the presence of God Oh when wilt thou come unto me as if he should say Lord Thou art absent from me now but Lord I will not go out of the way wherein I was wont to find thee Oh when wilt thou come I will not determine that I shall never see thee in this way as heretofore I have done no but I hope I shal afterwards meet thee And so in the 119. Psalm 8. verse I will keep thy Statutes what then Oh forsake me not utterly It seems that the Lord for the present to Davids apprehension had forsaken him but what was Davids resolution God hath forsaken me and I 'le forsake him Oh no But I 'le keep thy Statutes and Oh! leave me not utterly So keep on in the waies of God still go on in his way and wait for the presence of God until he come and conclude this Surely he will come Be not like to children that because they see the Sun going down therefore they conclude that the Sun is gone and will never come again Though God seems to withdraw the light of his face from thee do not conclude and determine well I shall never have those comforts from God in communion with God in walking with God as once I was wont to have do not say so but go on and keep in the waies of God wait upon him and look up towards him and so thou maiest come to have as much Communion Sweetness and Joy in God as ever thou hadst in all thy life And now know that God cals for the work of faith in such times as these are now God calls thee to walk by faith and not by sence FINIS AN EXACT ALPHABETICAL TABLE Of all the chief Matters handled in the Fourth VOLUMN A ADultery see Earthly-mindedness Accompt The Saints are carefull to make even their accompts with God Page 313 Aim The aim of the Saints is heaven-ward 107 Angel The Saints have the same confirmation of their happiness as the Angels have Page 104 Apostacie What the root of apostacie is 40 Astray By Nature men go astray from the waies of God 268 B Benefit What the benefit of grace is 36 See Conscience Beleeving By beleeving men take up their freedom of Heaven Page 103 Blessing see Jacob C Care Whence distracted cares arise 9 What our care should be 78 Calling How godly men are busy in their callings 16 Calling see Wicked Citizen The Saints are Citizens of heaven and how 100 We should walk as becomes Citizens of Heaven 105 See Priviledg Communion What the word Communion signifies 109 Communion with God what it is 110 Communion see Saints Content see Little Conversation Heavenly Conversations are to be followed 92 How far heavenly Conversations are to be followed 93 How the Saints Conversation is in Heaven 106 Reasons why the Saints Conversations are in Heaven 227 Heavenly Conversation is a convincing Conversation 240 Heavenly Conversation is attainable Page 251 Conversation see Faith Hell Evidence Godly Growing Glory Suffering Directions Converse What the Converse of the Saints is 116 Contrariety see Examples Comfort The Saints have comfort in little of this world 223 Comfort see Losses Confirmation see Angels Covenant What the Covenant on our parts is Conscience The benefits of a cleer conscience 215 Covetousness see Idolatry Creature How the Saints deal with the Creature 310 All the Creatures bring glory to God 245 Curse On whom the curse of the serpent is 44 D Danger see Example Death What is that hinders preparation for death 47 Devil The Devil casts thoughts into the heart of man Page 7 Delight Wherein the delight of the Saints lieth 115 Delight see Sabbath Depend For what Godly men depend upon God 277 Difference see Godly Jacob. Direction Directions how to get a heavenly Conversation 251 A godly soul depends upon God for directions 277 Directions how to walk with God 320 Destruction Earthly mindedness brings destruction 50 Distracted see Cares Doctrine see Reconciliation Drossie How a drossie heart is known 57 E Earth The Earth swallows up earthly men 13 Earth look higher Earthly things When men mind earthly things in a sinful manner 6 Earthly things carry a fair shew Page 65 Earthly things are many times the portion of reprobates 68 Earthly man When an Earthly man is in his element 10 Earthly-minded A man may be Earthly-minded and not know it 51 What shall become of earthly-minded men 72 Earthlimindedness What Earthly-mindedness is 5 Earthly-mindedness is adultery 20 Earthly-mindedness is Idolatry 21 See Enmity Earthly-mindedness deads the heart to prayer 42 Earthly-mindedness is a scandal to Religion 45 How earthly-mindedness may be known 54 Reasons of Earthly-mindedness 64 Earthly-mindedness brings guilt upon the spirit 18 The effects of earthly-mindedness another day 50 Earthly see Heavenly vilifie Conversation Element Spirituall Godlinesse Temptations Snares Ministry Lusts Death Destruction Vanity Humility Inducements Egyptians What Idolatrous worship the Egyptians had Page 21 End What it is that causeth a blessed End 299 Who they are that have the same ends God hath 275 Enoch Enoch's Prophesie 262 Evidence Evidences of mens conversations being in heaven 222 Evidences of walking with God 306 See Walking Example Examples of godly men should be followed and how far 92 Examples of godly men should make us enquire after the waies of godliness 94 Examples of godly men should confirm us in the truth 96 What we should do when examples of godly men are contrary 97 See Examination Danger in following the examples of wicked men 100 Examination Contrary examples should put us upon examination 98 Esau see Jacob Excellency The excellency of walking with God Page 267
TWO TREATISES OF Mr. JEREMIAH BURROUGHS The first Of Earthly-mindedness Wherein is shewed 1. What Earthly-mindedness is 2. The Evils of Earthly-mindedness 3. Several Convincements of Earthly-mindedness 4. Several Reasons of Earthly-mindedness 5. Considerations to take off the heart from Earthly-mindedness 6. Directions how to get our hearts free from Earthly-mindedness The second Treatise Of Conversing in Heaven and Walking with God Wherein is shewed 1. How the Saints have their Conversation in Heaven 2. How the Saints Trade for Heaven 3. Evidences of Heavenly Conversation 4. That Heavenly Conversation is 1. Convincing 2. Growing 3. Brings much glory to God 4. Brings much glory to the Saints 5. It will make suffering easie 6. Brings much joy 7. It 's very safe 5. Directions for Heavenly Conversation 6. What Walking with God is 7. The Excellency of walking with God 8. Evidences of our walking with God 9. Rules for our walking with God The Fourth Volumn published by Thomas Goodwyn William Bridge William Greenhil John Yates Sydrach Simpson Philip Nye William Adderley London Printed for Peter Cole at the Printing-Press in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange 1652. TO the READER IT was the saying of a Servant of Christ Every day a Christian spends on Earth is a day lost in heaven sure he meant it of the Place not the Company For what makes Heaven but Vnion and Communion with God in Jesus Christ Now this being attainable in this life what hinders but a Christian may live in heaven whilst he lives upon earth Truly our Fellowship is with the Father with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Job 13. And our Conversation is in Heaven saith another Apostle Phil. 3. 20. And I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2. 20. These were men on earth subject to such infirmities as these are yet lived in Heaven and there are yet in this declining wanton Christ-denying age a Generation upon earth thus living whose lives and graces though hidden under a mean out side under many reproaches and infirmities yet shine inwardly with the glory of Christ upon them who though they be in the world yet follow the Lord with a Spirit differing from the spirit of the world and amongst these hidden ones of the Lord this blessed man the preacher of these Sermons of whom the world was not worthy was such a one who whilst he was upon earth lived in Heaven and as thou maiest easily perceive the end and scope of these Sermons is to winde up thy heart to the like frame and posture viz. To take it off from perishing vanities and to set it upon that which is the real and durable substance We see upon what weak shoulders the fair neck of all worldly pomp and glory now stands and how the Lord is winding up and putting an end to the glories of the Kingdoms of men who have not contributed their strength and power to the advancing but contrariwise to the pulling down and ecclypsing of the glory of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Besides what the World tells us never had any age by the works of providence more examples laid before them of the worlds vanity than in our daies and therefore our hearts should sâ—t loose to all things that cannot stretch themselves to eternity The Apostles reason is full of weight It remains saith he that both they that have wives be as though they had none and they that weep as though they wept not and they that rejoyce as though they rejoyced not and they that buy as though they possessed not and they that use the world as not abusing it and this Exhortation he puts on by this Argument The time is short or as the word is The remainder of our season is now folding up as a sail or curtain into a narrow room Time is short and life shorter and the end of all things is at hand and we have greater things to minde and to set our hearts upon The Divinityy of this holy mans spirit did much appear in this that having much of the comfort that Earth could afford him he still looked upon all Creatures Contentments with the eyes of a stranger and on order to the raising up of his soul to a more holy humble serviceable self denying walking with God For him that injoyes little or nothing in the world to speak much of the worlds vanity and emptynesse and of taking the heart off that the sweetness whereof he never possessed is not so much as when a man is surrounded with the confluence of Creature-comforts then by a Divine spirit to tread upon the neck of these things and to be caught up into the third Heaven bathing solacing and satisfying it self with sweet and higher injoyments with the more savory and cordial apprehensions it hath of Jesus Christ this is somewhat like him that is made partaker of the Divine Nature and that lives above the world in the injoyment of the world so that now Reader thou hast these Sermons twice printed once in the practice of this holy man and now again in these papers which we present to thee in this preaching stile though we confess things might have been more contracted because we find this way more desired more acceptable to his hearers and if we mistake not more working upon the affections and more profitable to the greatest part of Christians The Lord Jesus be with thy Spirit and go along with these and all other his precious labors to the furtherance of the joy of thy Faith building thee up in the inner man and directing thee in the way to thine eternal rest Thomas Goodwyn William Greenhil Sydrach Simpson Philip Nye William Bridge John Yates William Adderley THou hast here the names of al the Books of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs that are published by us Thomas Goodwyn William Greenhil Sydrach Simpson Philip Nye William Bridge John Yates William Adderley The first Volumn The rare Jewel of Christian Contentment The second Volumn Gospel Worship The third Volumn Gospel Conversation The fourth Volumn Two Treatises the one of Earthly-mindedness the other of conversing in Heaven and walking with God THE CONTENTS OF THE FOURTH VOLUUMN Philip. 3. 19. CHAP. I. TExt opened Page 2 Doctrine There is a great difference between a wicked man and a godly man The one minds the Earth the other his Conversation is in Heaven 3 CHAP. II. Earthly-mindedness discovered in nine particulars 1 When men look upon Earthly things as the greatest things 5 2 When the choicest of their thoughts are busied about earthly things 6 3 When their hearts cleave to the earth Page 8 4 When their hearts are filled with distracted cares about the earth 9 5 When the greatest endeavors of their lives are about things of the earth 11 6 When they seek any earthly thing for its self and not in subordination to some higher good 13 7 When they are
have the same confirmation of their blessed estate that the Angels have ibid 7 They have priviledge of a free rtade to Heaven Page 104 8 They have for he present communion with the Angels ib. 9 They have the protection of Heaven ib. CHAP. VI How the Saints have their conversation in Heaven 106 1 The aim of their hearts is heaven-wards 107 2 They are acted by Heavenly principles in their waies 108 1 That God is all in all ib. 2 That God is the infinite First being ib. 3 They have communion with the God of Heaven ib. 4 They live according to the Laws of Heaven 110 5 Their soul is where it loves rather than where it lives 111 6 They deilght in the same things that are done in Heaven 114 1 The sight of Gods face 115 2 The praising of God ib. 3 The keeping a perpetual Sabbath ib. 7 They are heavenly in earthly imployments 115 8 They are heavenly when they converse together 116 9 Their great trade upon earth is for heaven 217 CHAP. VII The Saints trading for Heaven opened 1 They have skill in they commodity they trade for Page 217 2 They have a stock to trade withal 218 3 They take the advantage of the Market for commodities ib. 4 There is much inter course ib. 5 Their chief stock is where they trade 220 6 They are willing to part with any thing here to receive advantage where they trade ib. 7 They trust much 221 CHAP. VII Evidences of mens having their conversations in heaven Evidence 1. They canvilifie all the things on earth 222 Evidence 2 They can be content and live comfortably with little in this world ib. Evidence 3 They can suffer hard things with joyful hearts 223 Evidence 4. Their hearts are filled with heavenly riches 225 Evidence 5 They are willing to purchase the priviledges of Heavne at a dear rate ib. Evidence 6 They are sensible of the stoppages between heaven and their souls Page 26 Evidence 7 Their willingness to die 227 CHAP. IX Reasons why the Saints have their Conversation in heaven ib. 1 Because their souls are from Heaven 228 2 By grace the soul hath a Divine Nature put into it 230 3 Their most choise things are in heaven 231 4 God orders it so to wean their hearts from the world 233 CHAP. X. Use 1. To reprove such as have their conversations in hell 234 CHAP. XI Use 2. To reprove hypocrites 235 CHAP. XII Use 3. Let us not find fault with the strictness of Gods waies Page 237 CHAP. XIII Use 4. To reprove such as are godly and yet fail in this thing 238 CHAP. XIV An Heavenly Conversation is a convincing conversation 241 CHAP. XV. A Heavenly Conversation is growing 243 CHAP. XVI A Heavenly Conversation brings much glory to God 244 CHAP. XVII A Heavenly Conversation brings much glory to the Saints 246 CHAP. XVIII A Heavenly Conversation will make sufferings easie 247 CHAP. XIX A Heavenly Conversation brings much joy 249 CHAP. XX. An Heavenly Conversation is very safe 250 CHAP. XXI An Heavenly Conversation gives abundant entrance into glory ibid CHAP. XXII Directions how to get a Heavenly Conversation Direct 1. Be perswaded that it is attainable Page 251 Direct 2. Labor to keep a cleer conscience 252 Direct 3. Watch opportunities for heavenly exercises ibid Direct 4 Rest not in formality 253 Direct 5. Labor to beat down your bodies 254 Direct 6. Labor to be skilful in the Mystery of godliness to draw strength from Christ in every thing you do ibid Direct 7. Exercise the grace of faith much 256 THE CONTENTS Of the ensuing TREATISE OF WALKING with GOD. GENESIS 45. 24. CHAP. I. TEXT opened Page 261 CHAP. II. Doctrine 'T is the Excellency of a Christian to walk with God 265 CHAP. III. How the soul is brought to walk with God 1 Every one by nature goes astray from God 268 2 The Lord manifesteth to the soul the way of life ibid 3 The Lord makes peace between himself and a sinner 269 4 God renders himself lovely to the soul 270 5 God sends his Holy Spirit to guide him 271 6 Christ takes the soul and brings it to God the Father 271 CHAP. IV What walking with God is 1 It causeth the soul to eye God 272 2 It causeth a man to carry himself as in Gods presence 273 3 He makes Gods will the rule of his will Page 274 4 The soul hath the same ends that God hath 275 5 It suits the soul to the administrations of God 276 6 To have a holy dependance upon God 1 For Direction 277 2 For Protection 278 3 For Assistance ibid 4 For a Blessing upon all it doth ibid 7 It makes a man free and ready in the waies of God 279 8 It consists in communion with God 280 9 It causeth the soule to follow God more as he reveals himself more 282 CHAP. V Excellencies of walking with God Excellency 1 It makes the waies of God easie 286 Excellency 2 It is most honorable 287 Excellency 3 The soul hath blessed satisfaction in it 288 Excellency 4 It is a special part of the Covenant of God on our parts 290 Excellency 5 There is a blessed safety in walking with God 292 Excellency 6 Hence the soul enjoys sweet familiarity with God 293 Excellency 7 To them God communicates his secrets 294 Excellency 8 They find favor in Gods eyes for granting their petitions 295 Excellency 9 There is a glory put upon the soul 296 Excellency 10 Gods presence doth mightily draw forth every grace Page 297 Excellency 11 The presence of God shall never be terrible to the soul neither at death nor judgment 298 Excellency 12 It will be blessedness in the end 299 CHAP. VII Vses of Exhortation Vse 1 Blesse God that he will be pleased to walk thus with his poor creatures 300 Vse 2 What strangers the world are to this walking with God 301 Vse 3 What vile hearts are ours that we are so backward to walk with God 302 Vse 4 Let us keep close to God in our walking wtih him 303 Vse 5 If there be so much excellency in walking with God here what will there be in heaven 304 CHAP. VIII Evidence of our walking with God 306 Evidence 1 He depends not much upon sence and reason in the course of his life 307 Evidence 2 He is the same in private that he is in publick 307 Evidence 3 He hath a serious spirit 309 Evidence 4 They walk in newness of life 310 Evidence 5 When he hath to do with the creature he doth quickly passe through the creature unto God 311 Evidence 6 He loves to be much retired from the world 312 Evidence 7 He is careful to make even his accounts with God 315 Evidence 8 The more spiritual any Truth or Ordinance or any company is the more the soul delights in it 314 Evidence 9 He walk in all the Commandements of God 315 Evidence 10 See how the Scripture describes
's true of many men in this case that I am speaking of their very souls do cleave to the dust their spirits are mixed with the earth and therefore they are drossie Though it may be they have some good common gifts some good natural parts and some workings of the holy Ghost upon them yet their spirits are drossie because they are mixt with the earth discourse never so much to these men of the vanity of the things of the earth they will give you the hearing but when you have done all their souls do cleave to the earth and discourse never so much to them of the excellency of heavenly things they will hear you but when you have done all their souls stil cleaves to the earth As a man whose soul cleaves in love to a woman As it is said of Sampson his soul did cleave to Dalilab talk what you will against that women or of the excellency of any other woman yet his soul cleaves to that woman so 't is in an earthly minded man let what will be said against the things of the earth or what can be said for the setting forth of the excellency of the things of Heaven yet his soul cleaves to the earth as the Serpents belly did to the dust of the ground That 's an earthly minded man Fourthly An earthly minded man it on whose heart is filled with distracting cares about the earth what he shall eat and drink and what he shall put on how he shall provide for himself and his family and what shall become of him at such a time Though he be well now yet what may become of him afterwards when the heart is filled with distracting cares about the things of the earth so far as the heart hath these prevailing over it so far such a man may be judged to be earthly There are two things that do cause distrating cares about anie businesse The first is An apprehension of some verie great evil In case I should be disappointed I look upon my disappointment in such a thing as a most intolerable evil to me If I should be disappointed I know not what in the world to do That 's the first The second is An uncertaintie in the means for the preventment of this disappointment when as I look upon disappointment as a very great evil so those means that should prevent and help me against disappointment I cannot trust to I look upon them as too weak to help me notwithstanding al such means I may yet be desappointed this causes distracting thoughts so t is in the things of the earth an earthly minded man or woman hath his thoughts fil'd with distracting cares about the world That is thus First They looking upon the things of the world as such great things they conceive if they should be disappointed they should be undone they look upon it as such a fearful unsufferable evil to be depriv'd of their estate and outward comforts in this world Secondly They don't look upon the means of provision for themselves and families as having anie certaintie in it which is a main thing to be considered of As for outward things in the world they find by experience there is uncertainty in them And then for any promse that there is in Scripture that God will provide for them and their families alas that they dare not trust to that 's a thing that of all means they think to be the weakest Lord have mercy upon them say they if they have nothing else to trust to but only a word in Scripture they think themselves most miserable and wretched But now it would be otherwise with the soul if it were not earthly minded it would not be at any great pause how things do fall out here in the matters of the world it 's true perhaps I may miscarry in such a businesse and my estate may be taken from me by the Caldeans or Sabeans as Jobs was but I shall not be undone my happiness is not gone I shall have that that will comfort me when all that is gone suppose the worst yet this will not undo me Indeed a man that sends abroad in a venture all his whole estate he is very solicitous because if there be ill news about it he is undone but another man that hath a great deal of riches house and Lands and a stock at home to maintain him and his family If there comes such ill news I have a stock to live on he thinks therefore he is not so much solicitous So a worldly man all his stock is in the earth there 's his only portion and if he miscarries there he is undone But a godly man though he hath the things of the earth yet he hath something else treasures in Heaven to rest upon besides the earth and therefore he is not so solicitous And then for the second The uncertainty of means and help if a godly man looks upon outward causes he sees all is uncertain but he hath a promise to rest upon I will never leave you nor forsake you cast your care upon me for I care for you and this he looks upon as a certain means and help whatsoever fals out here 's a promise that he can build upon and therefore this takes off his solicitous cares But an earthly minded man or woman whose heart is fild with distracting cares because he look upon himself as undone if he miscarries here and hath nothing to rest upon for his provision in this world more than the creature Fifthly An earthly minded man or woman is one whose great business of his heart and endeavours of his life are about the things of the earth he makes it his great business and the strong endeavours of his spirit are exercised in the things of the earth He eagerly and greedily works with the strongest intention about these things his whole Soul the whole man is laid out about the world it is the adequate object of his soul You will say Other men they are busie in their callings as well as these that you account earthly minded men I but mark they are busie about their callings in obedience to God and for outward things set aside their obedience to God then I say all the things that they busie themselves about in the world were it not under that consideration that they were obeying God in it they would not be adequate objects for their souls I mean by an adequate object that that Is sufficient to take up the whole strength of the soul to lay it out fully I 'le give you this similitude to express my mind further to shew you what I mean by an adequate object You have a little child he is playing at sports now this sport it hath as much in it as there is in his spirit there is a kind of equality between his spirit and such a sport there is benefit enough a child conceives in such a sport as it's worth the laying out of all his
to see her son Converted and God did grant her desire and then she found her self willing to die There 's nothing wil make the spiritual heart of a father or mother more willing to depart from this world than to find grace wrought in their children Oh! that I may see before I die my child left under the promise in Covenant with God I this were somwhat-like indeed But those whose cares thoughts are most for these earthlie things in providing for themselves and children that 's a Convincement that their hearts are earthly 3. Conv. A Third Convincement which is very notable and I beseech you all to lay this to heart and consider seriously of it for this evill of earthly-mindedness is a very secret and close sin therefore I am the larger in this point the convincement is this That man that can be content with a slight assurance in the matters of Heaven but for the matters of earth he never thinks himself sure enough but is very careful to make all things so infallable as there can be no way that he can be decived in but he may surely build upon what he hath in the things of this earth This is an argument of an earthly mind Come to men that are earthly and discourse with them concerning matters that concern their souls What assurance have you that you are gone beyond any formal professor that you are better than the stony or thorny grounds that we reade of in Scripture What evidence have you that the saving work of grace is wrought in you that you have shot the gulf that you are translated out of the kingdom of darknesse into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and that your sins are pardoned and your souls justified that you are at peace with God what evidences have you of peace made between God and your souls This answer would be given I hope I am converted I trust in Gods mercy sure I have grace I shall be sav'd God is merciful But what evidences can you shew They know not scarce what belongs to that nay you shall have many of them because they know not what assurance means therefore they will think no body can be assured we may hope well but we cannot come to be assured of it No a heart that is truly gracious and godly would be loth that should be true for a thousand worlds they would not lose their parts in the blessing of that if God would make them Kings or Queens of the earth But thou hast an earthlie drossie heart and doest not much look after assurance for matters of thy soul and eternal estate thou wilt venture those matters and put them upon a peradventure but when it comes to the matters of the earth there thou wilt make all sure and go from this Lawyer to another Lawyer to ask council to see whether the things are good and will inrole them and if there can be any thing done to make more sure if it be any great sum upon which your estates lies you will do it I appeal to you If you could but hear of any of your neighbors what they had done to make such a thing more certain than you have done you would scarce be at rest till you had done so as they have done is it so in matters of your eternal estate do not you hear of many Saints of God that walk comfortably in the midst of all afflictions upon the assurance of Gods love you shall have some will be able to say I and it 's this Scripture I build upon and through Gods mercie such and such hath the work of God been upon my soul in revealing himself to me and such a promise I have suck't abundance of honie from But now generally come to people upon their sick beds all that they say is this They hope in Gods mercie But for the ground of their hope for shewing how God hath been pleased to bring their hearts and the word together and what real effects there hath been upon their spirits by the word that they can shew nothing of thou hast not therefore got that assurance for thy soul and eternal estate as others have got and yet thou canst go on quietly Oh! it concerns thee that art so busie in making all sure for thy outward estate to spend more thoughts and care in the matters of thy soul and eternal estate than ever thou hast done here 's an earthly-minded man that can be contented with slight assurance for the matters of his soul and satisfied with no kind of assurance in the matters of the world but would fain make those things more and more sure continually 4. Conv. Further An earthly-minded man may be convinc'd of his earthlinesse in this He is content with a little degree of Sanctification but for the matters of the world still he would fain have more and more He looks at those that are the most eminent that are in his rank and he would fain get up as high as they in the things of this life but in matters of Religion he looks at the lowest Christians and is content to be as low as they take an earthly-minded man that is of such a trade if there be any of his profession or calling that had as little to begin as he and thrive better he would fain get up as high as he and is troubled that he is not so rich as he is thus it is in the world But now take them in matters of God there 's such men that began since you began and had as little means for the good of their souls as you have had they are thriven and got beyond you abundantly in the matters of God and doth this trouble you and are your thoughts solicitous about this Oh! that I could attain to that degree of grace as such a one hath got such an one hath a spiritual mind and full of the joy of the holy Ghost and full of faith he is able to depend upon God in the want of all outward comforts and certainly injoyes much communion with God but I am far beneath such and such do these thoughts trouble you it is ordinary for earthly spirits if they look but at any one that makes profession of Religion that is low in his profession I did as such a one doth and I have as much as they have and that satisfies them they look upon the meanest Christans and are satisfied that they are like them but for the matters of the world they look upon the highest and are not satified except they come and attain to what they attain to and that 's a fourth evidence 5. Conv. Then a Fift is this Earthly-minded men are very wise in matters of the world but in matters that are spiritual there they are very weak and Simple You shall have many men which I have wondered at sometimes to see that in matters concerning Religion there they are very ignorant if they do but speak in
mans nature upon him and died for man Surely there must be some other manner of things that are the fruit of the purchase of the blood of Christ than the things of the earth Oh my brethren had you but this setled upon you that certainly God hath great glorious high and wonderful thoughts about man-kind this would be a mighty means to take off your hearts from the things of this earth when thou hast thy heart grovelling here Oh but are these the things that God made man for had not God higher thoughts in making of the children of men do not I find in the word that when man was made there was a kind of Divine consultation with the Trinity Come let Vs make man according to our own Image God had other thoughts of man than of other things And if man were made for nothing else but meerly to dig in the earth Certainly the thoughts of God about man have been but very low and mean as I may so speak with holy reverence for these are but low and mean things here that men enjoy in the earth The Fourth Consideration As God hath higher thoughts concerning man so the dignity of mans Nature the rational soul of man is of too high a birth for to have the strength of it spent about the things of the earth God breathed into man his soul It 's I may say a kind of a Divine spark the soul of man it is of the same nature with Angels a spirit as Angels are the thoughts of the minds the Faculties and Powers of the soul are more precious things than to be powred out as water upon the ground If a man have a Golden Mill he would not use it only to grind dirt straws and rotten sticks in The mind of man the thinking faculty is too high to be exercised in the things of this earth the mind of man it is of a most excellent capacious Nature it is fit to converse not only with Angels but with the eternal God Himself with Father Son and Holy Ghost and to bestow the strength of such a faculty that God hath put into the soul of man upon such dirtie drossie low base mean things as earthly-minded men and women do bestow it upon this must needs be a great evil Know the dignity of your Nature the excellencie of your Mind the Soul of man it is of a transcendent being Put all the world into the Ballance with it it 's nothing Therefore you know what Christ saith What shall it profit a man to gain the whol world and lose his soul The soul of the meanest gally-slave is more precious than Heaven and Earth Sun Moon Stars and all the host of them Let me add then all the Silver and Golden mines under ground and al the unsearchable Riches of the great and wide Sea yea put all these together and the Soul of the most contemptible beggar that cries for a crust of bread at thy door is unexpressibly more worth than all these Now if mans soul be of such an high-born Nature if God hath put such a Spirit which is a spark of Heaven into the bosom for man of him to imploy it in no other use and service but meerly to be an earth-worm to creep in and upon the ground this must needs be a very great evil The fifth Consideration The fifth Consideration is The Vncertainty of all these things Vncertain Riches How may any Causuality come and take away from thee al the things of the earth that thy mind is upon God sends but a little too much heat into the body and puts thee into a feavour and where 's thy delight then thy body being either too much heated or too much coold what 's become of all thy comfort here in this earth Thou goest abroad and art dangerously wounded by an enemy what refreshing then doest thou receive from all these things Let me tell thee thou art in the midst of a thousand thosand Casualities here every moment ready to take away all the Comforts of the earth and usually at that time observe it when the minds of men and women are most fixed upon the earth that 's the time that God hath to strike them in those things they be then neerest to be depriv'd of the Comforts of the earth when their thoughts and minds be most set upon them As you know it was with the Rich man in the Gospel when he was blessing himself and crying to his soul Soul Soul take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many years even that night the text saith this message came so him Thou fool this night shall thy soul be taken away from thee and then whose shall al these things be And at that time that Nebuchadnezzer was blessing himself in the pallace that he had built for His Honor then there comes a message to him from Heaven so that he was presently outed of all his Court-vanities to graze among the beasts of the field So you may find it in your own experience that God hath many times then most crost you in the things of the earth when your minds and hearts have been most glued to them and it may be in mercy yea it 's a greater mercy to be crost of these things at such a time than to prosper in the midst of them for it may be a good argument that God intends good to a soul to crosse him at that time when he is most earthly Oh! many that have been godly indeed but yet have bin earthly minded and have found God coming at such a time and crossing them in some earthly Contentment have seen cause to blesse God for thus dealing with them Whither was I going I was going altogether to the earth and minding such things my heart was set upon them and God came in in a seasonable time to shew me the vanity of my heart and of those things that my mind was busied about Oh it was a happy crosse that I had at such a season there was much of Christ that did hang upon it And that 's the fift Consideration The sixth Consideration Do but consider what 's become of those that have been earthly heretofore that injoyed the greatest accomodations of the earth what 's become of those men in former ages of the world that lived here and vapour'd so much in their generation who but they at Court and in Citie and had all the earth according to their desires what 's become of Agrippa and Bernice with al their pagentry greatness now they have acted their parts and are gone off the common stage of the world all their vanity is buried with them in one grave What difference is there between the poor and rich when they die they go all the same way only they were for a little time and flourished in the things of the earth and now are gone but have left a great deal of guiltiness behind them look but to their example and what
's become of theme and consider thy case must be as their's within a while the wheel is turning round which will bring thee as low as them so that thou ere long must be numbred amongst the dead Oh! it 's a mightie means to take off our hearts from the things of this earth The Seventh Consideration Consider further How short thy time is that thou hast here in this world That 's the argument of the Apostle because the time is short therefore let us use the world as if we used it not therefore let our hearts be taken off from these things we have but a little time and a great deal of work we have in this short winter day of life to provide for eternitie now considering the great weight of the work that doth depend upon us here in this world it may be a mightie reason for us to bid adue to all the things of this world indeed if we had time enough for our work and were sure of our time then we might spend it about trifles If a man comes into the Citie to do business of great weight and consequence and hath but a little time to spend about it he never minds any thing he sees in the Citie never minds any body that comes by him or any shews in shops what braverie there is there but goes up and down the streets minding only his own business Oh! so it should be with us my brethren consider the great work we have to do and the little time that we have to effect that work in there depends upon our little short uncertain inch of time matters of more consequence than ten thousand thousand worlds are worth and if we miscarry in this little time of our lives we are lost and undone for ever better we had never been born or had been made toads or serpents or the vilest beasts whatsoever than reasonable creatures Oh! have you so much time for the spending the very spirits of your souls upon the things of this earth can you spare so many hours Certainly if God did but make known to you what eternitie means if the Lord did but cause the fear of eternitie to fall upon you you would not mispend so much time as you do many times though you complain for want of time for spiritual things Oh how much time do you spend in letting out your thoughts and affections upon the things of the earth more than you need The Eighth Consideration Consider therefore in the next place That a little will serve the turn to carry us through this world We are here but in our Pilgrimage or in our voyage now a little will serve the turn here for the carrying of us through this world men will not take more in a journy than may help them If a man that is to go a journy should get a whol bundle of staves and lay them upon his shoulder and you should ask him the reason why he carries that bundle why saith he I am going a great journy and I know not what need I may have of staves to help me it 's true to carry a staff in a mans hand will help him thus Jacob was helped by his staff over Jordan but to carrie a bundle upon his shoulder will hinder him Now a little will serve your turn if you have but meat and drink food and raiment saith the Apostle be content and the servants of God in former time past through this world with a very little and manie of them the less they had the more peace and comfort they had in God and they were the more fit to die I remember Ecolampagius when he was to die being verie poor profess'd that he would not have been richer than he was for he saw what a hindrance it was and so he could pass out of the world with more ease and quiet a great deal Certainly a little will serve the turn here we say Nature is content with a little and if there were Grace it would be content with less and therefore let not our minds be upon the things of the earth we have not so much need of the things of the earth as we think for The Ninth Consideration And then further consider though upon our minding the things of the earth we should enjoy never so much Yet there is no comfort no good to be had in them any further than God will be pleased to let himself through them they are but as channels to convey the blessing and goodness of God to us Man lives not by bread nor meat only you are deceived to think that if you had such and such things you should certainly have a comfortable life I say you may be deceived in this for it is God in these that doth comfort the heart there is a notable Scripture for this in the 62. Psal where the holy Ghost saith at the 10. verse Trust not in oppression and become not vain in robbery if riches increase set not your hearts upon them do not mind them why in the 11. verse God hath spoken once twice have I heard this That power belongeth unto God if riches increase set not thy heart upon them let not your hearts and minds be upon riches or any thing in this earth why God hath spoken once twice have I heard that is again and again God hath spoken effectually to me that all power to do any good belongeth unto him it 's not in riches there 's no power there for making of thee happy but all belongs to him This I confess is a spiritual meditation that earthly minded men will have but little skill in yet where earthly-mindedness prevails in any one of the Saints this may do him good whereas the truth is it is not in the creature or creature-comforts can do me good if I had a thousand times more than I have I might be miserable in the earth and have as little comfort as those that have least and therefore let me set my affections upon things above and not on things on the earth The Tenth Consideration Moreover lay this to heart If you be godly God promises to take care for you for the things of this earth and to that end that he might ease you of the burden of your care cast your care upon God for he careth for you and take no thought for these things for your heavenly Father knows you have need of them your heavenly Father takes care See how he cloaths the lillies and are not you much better than they Now children they do not much mind the things of the earth to provide for themselves because they know they have their father to provide for them a child that hath his father and friends to make provision for him it very much easeth him but indeed those that are left fatherlesse and friendlesse they seem to have some excuse I had need take care of my self for I have no body to provide for me I but the Saints
need of other things than of these things what need is there for thee to live upon the earth but in order to providing for eternity and of living to the honor of Christ and the praise of his Gospel I say thou hast no need of any thing on the earth but in subordination to higher things there is no need thou shouldest live but for some other end and therefore let not that be any such argument to plead for earthliness as indeed an earthly spirit is very witty in pleading for its self I shall close this Point with some Exhortation to you and Directions about this Point of Earthly-mindedness CHAP. VII EXHORTATION OH considering what hath been delivered I beseech you lay it seriously to heart especially you that are yong beginners in the way of Religion lest it proves with you as it doth with many that are digging of Veins of gold and silver under ground that while they are digging in those mines for riches the earth many times fals upon them and buries them so that they never come up out of the mine again and so it is with many that are beginning in the way of Religion that are digging in the mines of Salvation for unsearchable riches for that that is abundantly better than gold and silver now while you are thus seeking for grace and godliness Oh take heed that you be not covered with the earth while you are digging in the world but keep wide open some place to Heaven or otherwise if you dig too deep there will come up damps if the earth falls not upon you yet I say there will be damps rise from the earth that may choak you if there be not a wide space open that you may let the air that comes from heaven in to you Those that are digging into Mines they are very careful to leave the place open for fresh air to come in and so though thou maiest follow thy calling and do the work that God sets thee here for as others do be as diligent in thy calling as any yet still keep a passage open to Heaven that there may be fresh gales of grace come into thy soul if at any time thou beest got into the world if thou spendest one day and hast not some spiritual air from Heaven take heed there 's a damp coming up that will choak thee Oh! that Christians would consider of this while they are here below I remember I have read of Austin in his Comment upon the 72. Psal the 19. vers saith the text They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him and his enemies shall lick the dust He in a wittie way applied it to earthlie-minded men saith he If you do so lick the dust by this you will come to be accounted one of the enemies of God It 's true the scope of the place is different but take heed that in this metaphorical sence that you do not lick the dust and so come to be accounted an enemie to God You that would be accounted as friends and seek reconciliation with God Oh do not lick the dust to be alwaies here as Moles upon the earth they say Moles though they be blind yet if they be without the earth then their eyes are opened and then they shake and tremble and so though the earth may close the eyes of men here for a while yet certainly there will be a day when their eyes shall be opened to see how they have gul'd and deceiv'd themselves And now it 's worse too in the time of the Gospel to be earthly-minded than at other times it was not such an evil thing to be an earthly minded man in the time of the Law when all the promises of God were carried in a kind of earthly way Though I do not say that all promises that were made to them under the Law were meer earthly but they were carried in an earthly way therefore you shall find when God promises his people in the time of the Law what great mercies they shall have it is by earthly expressions as of gold and silver and such kind of things and their promises for Heaven it went under the expression of living in the Land of Canaan as being a type of Heaven now though they were taken with earthly things when God reveal'd himself to them in an earthly manner yet now in the time of the Gospel lift up your hearts for your calling is from above now there are Heavenly things revealed he that is from above is come amongst us and the Heavens are broken open and the glory of it doth shine upon the Churches in a far more brighter manner than it did before And therfore Gospel-light doth aggravate the sin of earthly-mindednesse and therefore now above all times should the hearts of men and women be disingaged from the things of the earth CHAP. VII Five Directions how to get our hearts freed from Earthly-mindedness FIrst To that end be watchful over your thoughts do not take liberty to let your hearts run too far in the things of the earth what time you have for meditation let it be as much as can be reserved for spiritual things most men and women think they may take liberty in their thoughts why the thing in its self is not unlawful I but your thoughts will steal upon you and affect your hearts very much therefore watch narrowly over your thoughts keep them within Scripture bounds The Second Direction Be much humbled for sin That will take off the heart much from earthly-mindedness Your earthly-minded men who have earthly and drossie hearts they have not known what the weight and burden of sin hath meant let God but lay the weight and burden of sin upon the soul it will take off the soul from earthly things quickly Oh! those men that have gone on in the world in a secure condition and never knew what trouble of conscience meant for sin they grow seer'd in those earthly Contentments but now those men that have had but the weight of sin lie upon them know what it is to have to deal with an infinite God in the bearing of the burden of the wrath of an incensed Deity such know that they have other things to look after than the things of the earth If God did but humble your hearts the humiliation of your spirits would quicken you and take off the dulness and deadness of your spirits and stir you up to look after other things than the things of this life The Third Direction Further Set the example of the Saints before you that have been the most precious servants of God in former times how they accounted themselves as Pilgrims and strangers here in the earth read at your leisure that Scripture in the 11 of the Heb. at the 13. verse These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and imbraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims
stir in me What truths were there darted into mee at such a season What motions flowing in had I at such a time Oh how happy had I been if I had taken such an advantage for Heaven I had even been in Heaven already Now those who do converse with Heaven they watch at those advantages they come not to hear the Word but they watch for the time to have God stirring in their hearts and they follow that advantage they watch for the time of the softening of their spirits and the enlivening of their souls and they follow hard those advantages and so trade for Heaven and grow rich in Heavenly Commodities Fourthly Where there is a trade from one Country to another there 's much intercourse A man that trades to such a Town or Country ther 's much intercourse between that man and those that live there so a Christians trading for Heaven is in this there is very much intercourse between Heaven and his soul every day he sends up to Heaven and every day he hath something from Heaven sent down to his soul Oh do but examine what intercourse there hath been between Heaven and you how is it with many of you even as if there were no Heaven at all Men that are no trades-men to the Indies 't is as if there were no such place at all to them So it is with many that lives even in the bosom of the Church there is very little intercourse between Heaven and them but a trader for Heaven hath much intercourse with heaven Fifthly A man that trades to any place if he trade for great matters he hath the chief of his stock where he trades though he be not present in his body yet the chief of his estate is there If a man be a Spanish or a Turkish Merchant and trade thither the chief of his estate lies there in Spain or Turkey more than here So it is with one that trades for Heaven the chief part of his estate lies there he accounts his riches to lie in Heaven indeed he hath somwhat to live upon here in this world for a while but there 's his riches he looks at Heaven as the place where his greatest treasure lies Sixthly A man that trades is willing to part with something where he is that he may receive advantage in the place where he trades So it is with the Saints that trade for Heaven they are willing to part with much that they might receive afterwards in Heaven they are willing I say to part with any thing here in this world to the end that they may receive it when they come home A man that is abroad and is going to his own Country and there he is trading for Commodities he is very willing to part with all his money where he is for receiving Commodities in his trade or those that give their moneyes here that so they may receive commodities in another place where they are trading A carnal heart that doth not know the certainty nor excellency of the Commodities of Heaven they are willing to part with nothing but will keep all they think with themselves what we have here we are sure of but that that they talk of Heaven we do not know what it is it may prove to be but an imagination therefore we wil keep what we have and be sure of that Oh! thou art no trader for heaven if thou wert thou wouldst be willing to part with any thing here that so thou mightst receive commodities there thou wouldest be content to live poorly and meanly in this world so be it that thou mightest have thy riches when thou comest into thy mansion of glory Seventhly Trades-men that trade for great matters they must trust much they cannot expect to have present pay in great sums It 's true men that trade for little matters that trade by retale they usually take in their pence and two pence as their commodities goes forth but it 's not so with Merchants that trade for great things in whol-sale So 't is in traders for Heaven they trust much and indeed the grace of Faith it is the great grace that helps in the trading for Heaven they have a little earnest for the present You that are traders and go to the Exchange and sell bargains for many thousands you have not perhaps above twelve pence or a crown for the present it may be only a promise but you expect the great sums afterwards So those that are traders for Heaven they have some earnest they be contented with a little for the present the first-fruits of the Spirit or a bare promise from Christ this is that that binds the whole bargain and they expect to have the full pay hereafter when they come to Heaven It is a happy thing when God gives men and women hearts to be willing to trust God for eternity and if they have but a little comfort and grace now yet to look at that as an earnest peny of all the glory that Jesus Christ hath purchased by his blood and that God hath promised in his Word thou art not fit to be a trades-man for Heaven that canst not trust that canst not be content that great bargains should be bound with a little earnest But that 's the soul that trades in Heaven that can be content to wait for the fulfilling of promises to take what they have from God for the present though it be but a very little as an earnest to bind all those glorious things that God hath promised in his Word Here you see a trader for Heaven in these Seven things Now put all these things that you have heard together with these and you may see what it is to have our Conversations in Heaven CHAP. VIII Seven Evidences of mens having their Conversation in Heaven NOW then there are some Evidences of Christians having their Conversation in Heaven As we shewed you som Evidences of an Earthly Conversation so likewise of a Heavenly Conversation that is some demonstrations plainly to shew That the Conversations of Christians are in Heaven In the first place It 's plain certainly there are Christians that have their Conversations in Heaven First because there are Christians that can vilifie all the things of this earth surely except they had their Conversations higher than the earth they could not so vilifie the things of the earth It 's an evidence of the height of Heaven that a man is lifted up very high that shall look vpon the very Globe of the earth as a very punctum as a little thing so an evidence that the hearts of the Saints are on high when they can look on the things of the earth as smal it 's true we that are upon the earth look upon the stars as small and the earth as great but if we were in Heaven we would look upon the stars as great and the earth as small as Paul did accounted all things but as dung and drosse dogs
of a man that walks with God Walking with God is a high excellency and whoever hath this testimony hath the highest testimony that can be given unto a man in this world that he walks with God And therefore that 's observable that God mentions him twice as if he loved to mention his poor creatures walking with him at the 22. verse And Enoch walked with God And then in the 24. verse And Enoch walked with God Oh! as if God should say This is that that is the delight of my soul indeed Yea and that 's observable in the testimony of Noah in Gen. 6. 9. perhaps in the reading of it you may not observe that that I shal observe unto you now Noah saith he was a just man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God He doth not say thus Noah was a just man and walked with God But mark he repeats Noah twice Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God as if he should say This is the blessed man that lived in a wicked generation and though that generation was sinful and wicked yet he kept close with God Noah was just and perfect and Noah walked with God Oh I take delight in this Noah Consider my servant Noah Noah was thus and Noah walked with God There 's a great Emphasis in doubling of his name and there can be no reason given of it for the sense would be perfect without it as if he should say Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation and walked with God But for the putting of a special incomium upon Noah Oh! Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God Oh! 't is the excellency of a man to walk with God and for God himself to own a man and to say that he walks with him Men may live in a practice of the duties of Religion Eternal duties and go very far that way and yet be strangers unto God never know what it is to walk with God they may have by-waies of their own in which their hearts do walk as the Stars that have a motion turn about by the Primum Mobile the first mover one way but they have a secret motion the other way themselves and so though many in their external profession seem to be moved one way but secretly their hearts move another way they do not walk with God all that while they did pray and reade and hear and come to Sermons and make great profession so as men might think they walked with God but it was not so As it is with a ship you may be bound to such a Port and the ship and the sails blow that way and yet when the ship goes east a man may walk up and down in the ship west-ward so in profession a man seems to be carried east-ward yet his private walks may be another way to his own ends to his own designs but here 's the honor of a man when God himself shall own him as if God should say concerning Enoch I who am a God that am the Seer and Searcher of all mens hearts and I observe the waies of my servant Enoch and I see him not only in the outward profession of godliness but in the secret of his soul he walks with me he hath no bye-walks at all but he keeps himself close with me and walks with me continually Enoch walked with God This phrase Walking with God we have exprest in Scripture in divers other phrases that are to the same purpose as walking before God Gen. 24. 40 The Lord before whom I walk saith Abraham and so God bad Abraham Walk before me and be upright And so in the 116. Psal 9. I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living Remember how I have walked before thee it 's said of Hezekiah And sometimes the same thing is expressed by walking after the Lord in the 13. of Deut. 4. Ye shall walk after the Lord. As a child walking after his father though he walks step after step yet he may be said to walk with him And sometimes by walking in the Name of the Lord Micah 4. 5. We will walk in the Name of the Lord our God And then fourthly by walking in the spirit of God Gal. 5. 16. and here walking with God Walking Before God Walking After God Walking in the Name of God Walking in the Spirit of God Or Walking with God They all come to the same purpose But for the opening of the point there are these Four things that I intend in the handling of it First What it is to walk with God or to discribe the work of God in bringing the soul to walk with him and the way of the soul in walking with God Secondly To shew you the excellency that there is in this walking with God what a blessed thing it is for a Christian to walk with God Thirdly Give you some evidences of a mans walking with God Fourthly To give unto you some Rules how you may come to walk with God to have your lives so as you may have this testimony even from God himself that you do walk with him These are the Four things For the First The discription of walking with God the work of God in bringing the soul to walk with him and the way of the soul in walking with God CHAP. III. How the Soul is brought to Walk with God Discovered in Six Particulars FIrst Every one by nature goes astray from God in the 58. Psal 3. it is said of all the wicked that they are estranged from the wombe they go astray as soon as they are born speaking lies That 's one of the first things wherein wickedness appears in children but 't is from the very womb that they go astray before they can speak 't is natural for the wicked to go astray from God as soon as they have any being The way wherein men naturally do walk it is the way of death it 's the way of their own hearts of their own counsels it 's the common course of the world it is the walk of the flesh But now the work of God in bringing the soul to walk with him it is First To cause the soul to make a stop in the way that men naturally walk in Those that the Lord hath left for a while in the way of nature that walk in the way of death the Lord is pleased to come to them by some mighty work of his to make a stop by considering where am I what 's my way whither am I going is the way that I am in like to the way that befeems an Immortal soul Is the way like to end well that I am walking in It causes the soul to make a stop in it and begin to think where it is whither it is going and so usually causes some fear fearing it is in a way like to miscarry so that it dare not proceed further
priviledg of the redeemed ones Now this way of walking up unto the Land of Canaan from their captivity it 's typical to typifie the walk of the soul with the Lord. Sixthly For the souls walking with God there is this further done by God Christ the Son of God he takes the soul and brings it unto God the Father as the Spirit leads so Jesus Christ The Lord Jesus Christ he brings the soul unto the Father to render God and the soul familier together In Ephes 2. 18. Through him we have an acccess by one Spirit unto the Father We have an access through him we have a manuduction He brings us unto the Father we have access through Jesus Christ As if a Prince should take a Traytor that is reconciled to his Father having his pardon and his Father being passified towards him the Prince comes takes him by the hand and saith Come I 'le bring you unto my Father and I will walk along with you unto my Father So it is None that ever hath been a sinner can walk with God but Christ must walk together with him Christ walks along with him and so God is ever more rendred sweet aimable and lovely why Because Christ hath him by the hand as I may so say God the Father hath him in one hand and Christ hath him by the other hand and so the soul walks in this blessed walk between the hands of God the Father and the Son and the holy Ghost leads and guides him too CHAP. IV. Walking with God what it is Opened in Nine Particulars BUt now The way of the soul in this walk with God When the soul is thus brought to God and by this means enabled to walk with him Then what 's the way of the soul in walking thus with God Walking with God causes the soul to eye God In the first place Now the soul being come thus to God in all the waies of God it ey 's God and sets God before it Enoch walked with God that is Enoch in the waies of his life set God before him and did eye God in his waies First beholding the infinite beauty there is in God Secondly God being the fountain of al good to the soul Thirdly the soul apprehending God infinitly worthy of all honor These three things causes the eye to be upon God continually The Lord hath infinit excellency and beauty in him The Lord is the fountain of all good to me The Lord is infinitly worthy of all honor and service and a soul walking with God eyes God thus continually In the 26. Psal 3. For thy loving kindness is before mine eyes and I have walked in thy truth Oh Lord I see thee aimable lovely and gracious and the fountain of all good and Lord I have walked in thy truth setting God before me so in Psal 16. 8. I have set the Lord alwaies before me that I might not fall A soul that walks with God scarce ey 's any thing but God when it enjoyes the creature yet the eye is upon God as the little child walking with the father looks up to the father every soul that walks with God hath his eye upon him for there 's no such lovely drawing object to the soul as God himself is whereas wicked men they do not find God to be such a lovely object sees no such excellency in him and therfore they rather turn their eyes away from him they look another way Psal 86. 14. They do not set God before them men that walk according to the lusts of their own hearts in their wicked sinful waies the Lord is not in all their thoughts as in the 10. Psalm That 's the first thing in the way of the souls walking with God he eyes God and sees God before him Walking with God causeth a man to carry himself as in Gods Presence Secondly The soul behaves its self as in Gods Presence I see my self in Gods presence and my eye is upon God Oh let me then look to my self that the carriage of my soul be as beseems one who is in the presence of so holy so great so glorious and blessed a God as the Lord is in the 2 Cor. 2. 17. As of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ saith the Apostle when we come to do any thing we do it as of God in the sight of God knowing that we are allwayes before God Augustine speaking concerning Noah's walking with God he hath this expression Noah walked with God that is he had God alwaies present before his eyes walking so holily and so reverenced God This is to walk in the fear of God when the soul upon the apprehention of Gods presence shall labor to compose its self as beseeming the presence before whom it is and this indeed is the walk that you shall find the Saints of God in all day long would you know where to find a Saint you may know his walk you shall all the day long find him walking in the fear of the Lord Preverbs 23. 17. saith the text there Let not thy heart envy sinners but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long He doth not say do thou fear the Lord all the day long but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Oh the walk of a Christian should be so from morning to night to walk in the fear of the Lord and nothing in this world should put him out of this walk no temptations should call him out of it but in the fear of the Lord all the day long This is the walk of a Christian when he labors to behave himself as beseems the presence of God Walking with God is when we make Gods Will the Rule of our will Thirdly The soul may be said to walk with God When the way of it is the same way that God himself goes the soul doth that that God doth What 's the way of God but the way of holiness and righteousness when the soul makes the Will of God to be the rule of it I will not be acted by my own will I will not be acted by any thing but by the Will of God what is it that God wills I will the same thing then the soul walks that way God walks when it doth sute its self with God sets the Lord as an example before it as the Scripture saith Be ye holy as your Heavenly Father is holy I see the holy and the righteous waies of God and I labor as a deer child to follow him and to go in the very same steps that God doth how doth God carry businesses I will labor to carry things so as God doth that my life shall hold forth a resemblance of God himself this is to walk with God to do as God doth to imitate God that 's a third thing in a souls walking with God Walking with God is when a Soul hath the same Ends that God hath The Fourth is this
this work I can do nothing without thee Lord and let me have assistance from thee Whereas the wicked they make flesh their arm and therefore there 's a curse pronounc'd against them in Jer. 17. 5. verse they are strangers to any such work as this of dependance upon God for assistance Now and then at a spurt they will say that God must help them and they can do nothing without God I but to have a holy gracious frame of spirit to walk in a holy dependance upon God for assistance in every businesse this is far from the wicked and ungodly Fourthly The soul walks in a holy dependance upon God for a blessing upon all it doth Walk before me and be upright I am thine exceeding great reward As if God should say to Abraham Walk in dependance upon me I am thy reward though thou hast little encouragment in the world yet look up to me for thy reward so when the soul turneth from men and the world and minds not so much what encouragement it hath from the world but looks up to God Lord I depend upon thee for a blessing and how ever things seem to go yet Lord I look up to thee for the bringing all to a good issue here 's now a soul walking with God Walking with God makes a man free and ready in the waies of God Seventhly One that walks with God in all his waies of Holiness and Obedience his heart is free in him he comes off readily to every good work he is not hall'd and pull'd to God but he walks with him There 's a great deal of differenet between one that is dragged after another as if you should drag a prisoner that hath no mind to go that way and another that walks up and down with delight and pleasure with you 'T is not enough to walk with God for to be in the way that God would have you to be or to do the things that God would have you to do except your hearts do come off freely in the waies of obidience except there be a cheerfulness in the waies of obedience except you choose the waies of holiness as the waies that are most sutable to you this is the walking with God In the 119. Psal 45. I will walk at liberty saith David for I seek thy precepts It 's a notable Scripture The men of the world they think that there is no walking at liberty but for them to satisfie their defires to the uttermost to walk after their lusts which is the Scripture phrase No but saith David my liberty is this I seek thy precepts A carnal heart thinks it is the greatest bondage in the world for to seek the precepts of God and to conform to Gods precepts that I must walk according to rule that 's a bondage No I 'le walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts It 's an excellent argument of grace in the heart to account the precepts of God to be the greatest liberty to the soul When I am in the waies of sin I am in the waies of bondage I am a slave to Satan but when I seek thy precepts I am at liberty As a man when he is walking up and down in the fields he is at liberty So when the soul is walking with God it is at liberty but when the soul is walking without God it is in a dungeon a prison but I say when it walks with God it is at liberty it comes off freely in all the waies of obedience Walking with God consists in Communion with God Eighthly Walking with God consists in the Converse and Communion that the soul hath with him in holy duties There are the special walks of the soul with God and of God with the soul in the duties of holy Worship In the 18. of Levit. 4. saith the Lord there Ye shall do my Judgments and keep mine Ordinances to WALK therein I am the Lord your God You must Walk in Gods Ordinances the Ordinances of God they are the Walks of a gracious soul and there the soul meets with God in the 26. of Levit. 11 12. It 's a notable Scripture to shew that in Gods Ordinances there the soul meets with God And I will set my tabernacle amongst you and my soul shall not abhor you that is shall delight in you And I will WALK among you and will be your God and ye shall be my people I will set my Tabernacle amongst you What 's that That is mine Ordinances you shall enjoy mine Ordinances you shall have the duties of my Worship and I will Walk among you then God walks among us when we enjoy his Ordinances So that you see in the 18. of Levit. there God saith You shall walk in mine Ordinances the Ordinances are the godly mans walk then in the 26. of Levit. the Ordinances are Gods walk so that we see they walk the same way and there God and a gracious heart meet together The Churches enjoying Ordinances are the Candlesticks that we reade of in the 1 of Revel 13. In the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks was one like unto the son of man cloathed with a garment down to the feet and gird about the paps with a golden girdle The Lord Jesus Christ is in the midst of the Candlesticks that is in the midst of the Churches where there are the Ordinances of God there he is and if you would walk with him you must find him there in the 68. Psal 24. there likewise you may see what the way of a gracious heart is in walking with God They have seen thy goings O God even the going of my God my King where in the Sanctuary If you would walk with another you must know where his goings are observe where he uses to walk and be going there They have seen thy going O God even the goings of my God my King in the Sanctuary there 's the goings of God if you would meet with God and walk with him it must be in the Sanctuary it must be in his Ordinances In the 7. of Cant. 5. verse it is said That the King speaking of Christ is held in the galleries now what 's that but in the Ordinances that 's as it were the galleries of the great King of Heaven and Earth And you know Princes and great men they have their sumptuous galleries wherein they use to walk and only chief favourites are permitted and suffered to be there to walk up and down The King is HELD in his galleries that is when Jesus Christ is in Communion with his Saints in his Ordinances in the duties of Worship Oh 't is the most pleasant galleries to walk in that he hath it 's as pleasant a gallery as he hath in Heaven it's self Oh! he loves to be there The King is Held there Oh! many a sweet and comfortable turn hath a gracious heart in these galleries that is in the Ordinances and Duties of Worship in walking with Jesus Christ When
walk after their own imaginations and in the vanity of their minds they walk in lies and their hearts walk after the sight of their own eyes and they walk after their covetousness We might mention neer twenty such kind of expressions in Scripture and these are the walks of sinners But the waies of the Saints they are to walk with God but those that walk in the way of sinners that is in the vanity of their minds according to the fight of their own eyes after their covetousness and after the flesh and their lusts and lasiviousness and vanity and such kind of expression as we have in Scripture Certainly they shall have the end of their walk to be no other but destruction and eternal misery The Third Vse Thirdly What vile hearts are ours that are so backward to walk with God seeing God is pleased to admit of his Saints to walk with him even those that are godly are to be rebuk'd from hence that they should be so backward to come in to walk with God It is our glory That is that that would make our lives comfortable it would make this wilderness of ours to be a paradice it would make our Gardens to be Edens it would make our Houses to be Churches and make the Church to be a Heaven unto us and yet we are backward unto this Oh that we would but consider of this when we are in our walk there have vain thoughts As ordinarily men that are walking in their pleasant Gardens or it may be pleasant Rooms Oh the vanity and folly of their thoughts I may speak to you who do you walk withal all this while when you are a walking in your Galleries or Parlours or Gardens or alone in the fields who are you parlying withal who are you conversing withal are not you walking many times with the Devil and making provision for the flesh you should be walking with God what are you the Saints of God doth God offer himself to walk and converse with you and will you walk with the flesh and converse with the Devil and be rouling of sin and wickedness up and down in your thoughts Oh what a vile and sinful thing is this The Lord humble you for your sinful walks humble you that are Saints you sometimes have had some walks with God why is it that you walk no more close with God you complain sometimes of your great business in the world and occasions to converse with the world that you have no time for your Communion with God and yet when you are off from the world and when you have time alone wherein you might converse with God and when you have walks to the Citie and from the Citie again what Communion might you have with God! But Oh! how backward are our hearts even unto this that is our happinesse and our glory That 's a third Use by way of reproof even to the Saints which is raised from the consideration of the excellency that there is in our walking with God The Fourth Vse Fourthly By way of exhortation Oh let us keep close to God in our walking with him We reade of Peter that he saw Christ walking upon the water and he would leap to him to walk with him there though it were in afflictions to walk with Christ it should be comfortable to us We reade of Idolators that they would have their children pâ—sse through the fire to get to their Idols Oh let us be willing to pass through any difficulties to get to God the Lord is willing we should coÌ„municate our selves to him and he is willing to communicate himself to us the Lord would communicate word for word promise for promise imbrace for imbrace if we would speak to him he would speak to us if we would let out our hearts to him he would let out his heart to us if we would promise to him he would promise to us The Lord doth often call us to walk with him As sometimes familiar friends will call one another Come let us walk out together and those that are very familiar and loving though they may have some business yet they will lay it aside seeing their deer friends calls them to walk they take so much delight in it many times God our deer friend cals us Come let us walk out together When God at any time doth dart in a Heavenly thought into your minds he doth as it were call you to walk with him there and would have you follow that thought The following that Heavenly thought that 's darted into your minds that 's the answering of Gods call to walk with him Consider of this one note Oh do not refuse this you do not know how your lives may be comforted this way and your hearts may be strengthened The Fifth Vse And then the last thing that I shall name by way of Use is this If there be so much Excellency in our walking with God here what will there be in Heaven then If our converse with him in this world be so sweet Oh how sweet shall our converse with him in Heaven be when we shall walk with him in white when we shall have our garments glorious indeed and our souls fit to converse with God Now the truth is we are very unfit to converse with the Lord because of our blindness and darknesse we do not know God As now let an ignorant man come to converse with a learned man he gets but very little good for he is not able to put a question to him nor able to understand what the man saith especially if he speaks any depth of learning to him So many that are very weak when they are in discourse with those that are strong and godly they are not able to make that use for their discourse as others can and it 's a great excellency for one to be able to improve his converse with some men that have abilities and strength to be able I say to improve their Converse it 's a great excellency Alas we are not able to improve our converse with God here but in Heaven we shall be able to improve our converse with God We shall know as we are known we shall understand God if God doth but communicate himself we shall be fit to receive all the beams of his glory that he shal be pleased to let out Oh! that wil be an excellent thing indeed when we shall be alwaies walking with God and conversing with him continually Saith Bernard in the gracious visitations of the Spirit of God to his soul How sweet if it were not so little but then it shall be constant we shall then follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes and walk with him in white according as he speaks Now the Church cries out and saith Oh draw us and we will run ofter thee The Spirit of God had need to draw us here but then we shall have no such need of drawing but we shall of our selves from the inclination
of our own hearts be alwaies walking and conversing with God we shall have nothing else to do but to walk continually with the Lord I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy Name Psal 86. 11. It 's an excellent Scripture I will walk in thy Truth saith the Prophet Oh unite my heart to the fear of thy Name As if he should say I find much sweetnesse and good in walking in thy Truth here Oh Lord unite my heart to the fear of thy Name Lord keep me alwaies here it 's good being here as Peter said when Christ was transfigured in his glory So when the soul is walking with God it saith it is good being here Well when thou comest to Heaven thou shalt alwaies be with the Lord as the Scripture speaks and therefore from the excellency that thou findest here learn to long after Heaven where thou shalt be continually with the Lord and take only this one note for the setting out of the excellency of Heaven and I confesse only such as have had much sweetness in walking with God here will understand what I mean by this As suppose that all those sweet manifestations of God to thy soul here and all the dartings in of the Spirit of God all those soul ravishing joys that thou hast had suppose they were put all together that thou hadst them all over again at this instant what a comfortable time would it be At such a time may some soul that knows what the meaning of this point is say Oh the sweet communion I had with God! I would give a world to have it again Well thou hadst it once but it was quickly gone and thou hast had it a second and a third time yea many times when I have been with God I have had wonderful gracious lettings out of God to my soul Oh that I had them again Well suppose thou hadst now in this one quarter of an hour all the comfort and joy that ever thou hadst in all thy life put all the times together what a comfortable quarter of an hour would this be Now in Heaven to all eternity thou shalt have that in a kind infinitely more than that for milions of yeers even for ever Oh! what will Heaven be If I should set out Heaven to a carnal man I must tell him of Crowns of glory And there he shall see glorious sights he shall be freed from all kind of sorrows and there he shall have a Kingdom But if I would set out Heaven to a Saint I must tell him this He shall have communion with God and all those soul-ravishing comforts that he hath had in the presence of God in this world he shall have them all together and infinitly more than them Oh this is that that will make their souls long after Heaven and set prize upon it CHAP. VIII Ten Several Evidences of a mans Walking with God BUt having set out unto you the excellency of walking with God you will say Who is it that doth walk with Him I shall further set out to you the Evidences of those men and women that do walk with God The first Evidence One that walks with God Is one that depends not much upon sence or reason in the course of his life I say one that is above the waies of Sence and Reason in his course he hath received a principle to go higher Most men in the world they walk according to sence and therefore the Scripture saith They walk according to the pleasure of their eyes But now one that walks with God his walk lies beyond Sence and above Reason though things of Sence seem to go this way or that way quite crosse to him yea though Reason seem to go quite crosse to him yet still his heart is not in a hurry but he hath that that can quiet his heart though Sence and Reason seem to be contrary 2 Cor. 5. 7. there you shal see the walk of a godly man For we walk by faith and not by sight saith the Apostle beyond our sight either beyond our sight of sence or the sight of Reason we walk by faith But now this is a great point a Christian walking by faith and therefore I intend to speak to that by its self from this very text God willing in another Treatise The second Evidence One that walks with God you shall find him in private the same that he is in publick what ever holiness doth appear in such a one before others in his walking in the world if you trace him and follow him in his private course you shall find him the same man as you do in publik why because he hath not to deal with man so much he hath to deal with God in all his waies when he hath any thing to do before others he walks with God and when he is alone he is the same man still In the 101. Psal see what David saith there concerning his walk in private in his family I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way saith he Oh when wilt thou come unto me I will walk within my house with a perfect heart As if he should say I will not walk when I am abroad only with a perfect heart but I wil walk within my house with a perfect heart There are many people that when they are abroad in the world they seem to be very strict in their way but follow such men to their houses and there you shall see a great deal of difference You will find many times as much difference between the course of men when they are abroad and in their houses as you find in their cloaths you shall have many men and women when they go abroad they wil be very neat and though they have but little means yet they wil lay it upon their backs so that they may be fine abroad but come to them in their families and they care not what cloaths they wear there It is just so in regard of their lives their lives have as much difference as their cloaths When they are abroad then they put a good face on things and seem to be very fair in their conversations and speak good things but at home there they are froward and perverse and perhaps in their passions will swear there they are prophane and ungodly and vent their corruptions in a most ungodly manner doest thou walk with God If thou hadst to deal with God thou wouldst be the same in thy family that thou art abroad that thy wife children and servants in thy family might give as good a testimony of thee as when thou art abroad with others Yea and if ye could retire with them into their very closets you should find them the same there in any duties of Religion You shall have many when they come abroad and joyn with others Oh how enlarged are they yet dead and dull when they are at home either in family or closet yea their own consciences
a great deal of difference for one to walk with a friend in company with others and when they are alone though it 's true that while the Saints of God live in the world they must converse with the men of the world and they have somewhat of God there but though they have somewhat of God there yet that 's not so much as when God and their souls are alone this is that that is exceeding sweet and comfortable to them therefore they have their retired times of meditation and retired times of prayer as we reade of Isaac he went out into the field to meditate or to pray for so meditation and prayer is taken sometimes in Scripture for all one I 'le powr forth my meditations to thee sath David that was his prayer So because they should be both joyned together Isaac went out into the field to meditate Those that walk with God if they live in a house and have no retir'd rooms they go abroad and have some time or other to be retir'd by themselves where-as you have other men they know not how to spend any retired times when they are alone their minds wander this way or that way and they gaze after every feather that flies and it 's a prison for them to be alone and they wonder that men and women will shut up themselves alone surely it 's but their melanchollinesse Oh poor wretch thou knowest not what walks they have they are not alone all this time they would be loth to give their retired times for all the times of thy Jollity and Bravery Thou thinkest if thou beest abroad in company and there art feasting and having good cheer and musick and talking and laughing that this is a brave life they would be loth to change their retired times for the times of thy greatest Jolity with thy companions One that walks with God he loves some retir'd times as well as to be busie in the businesse of the world The seventh Evidence One that walks with God he is careful to make even his accompts with God he doth keep his accompts with God even This is a special thing in walking with God when they lie down to consider Are my accompts even with God is there nothing amisse between God and my soul what hath been this day between God and my soul For how can two walk together except they be agreed as the Prophet saith Therefore they are very careful to keep their agreement with God Indeed Jesus Christ the great Reconciler hath first reconciled their souls to God and so they come to walk with him but then afterwards in the course of their lives they must keep up their agreement with God and not to run in areriges with and so to be insnared in the world and insnared in the corruptions of their own hearts as that men and women will be if they be not careful to keep their accompts with God even daily They will insnare their souls in the world and in the lusts of their own hearts till God and their souls come to be strangers yea til they be afraid almost to think of God Here 's the reason that many people are loth to come to prayer loth to come to duties of communion with God why because they have not kept their accompts even with God but have run in areriges with God and their hearts are intangled in the world and in their lusts and now the presence of God comes to be terrible to them Oh poor wretch that thou art what thou that art a Christian and yet in such a case that the presence of God should be grievous to thee Oh thy condition is sad indeed whereas thou shouldst be glad when thou thinkest of God I was glad when they said Come let us go up to the house of the Lord But one that keeps not his accompts with God even his retired times are grievous to him Indeed he dares not but have retired times I but it 's grievous to him why because he hath not kept his accompts even with God But the soul that keeps even with God Oh that soul rejoyceth in those times when it is to go to God or doth but think of God That 's a special thing in a man or womans walking with God they keep their accompts even And I beseech you observe it As it 's an Evidence so it may be given as a Rule to help you to walk with God Oh be careful of keeping your accompts daily Though this point that I am treating upon is perhaps little understood by many yet if so be that God would by his Spirit work your hearts to this to keep your accompts even with God you would know more of the meaning of this point The eighth Evidence That the more spiritual any Truth is or any Ordinance is or any Company is the more doth the soul delight in it One that is used to God and converses with God when such a one meets with a Truth that hath much of God in it Oh how it closes with that Truth when it meets with an Ordinance that hath much of God in it when it meets with Company that hath much of God in it how doth this soul delight in it This is sutable to the heart that converses much with God saith the soul I have had sweet walks with God now me thinks I come into such a Company I see the very Image of God in these and Oh how sweet and delightsom are these to me and so for Truths and Ordinances the more spiritual they are the more such a one doth delight in them whereas a carnal heart that walks according to the flesh in the way of the world if there be some Truths that have some kind of humanity in them as now some sollid discourse that shews strength of reason or strength of judgment in a Sermon he will take delight in that if there be any Wit Rhetorick Eloquence he takes delight in that but for spiritual truths there 's no such delight in them except they be cloathed with some humane excellency But now those that are spiritual the more spiritual any thing is the more delight they take in it As for Ordinances they are but dry meat to those that are carnal except there be something external bring the Ordinances in the plain simplicity of the Gospel to them where there is only communion of Saints sitting about a Table and eating a piece of bread and drinking a little wine they see no excellency there But a gracious heart the lesse of man he sees in an Ordinance and the more of God the more he closes with them and takes delight in them here 's one now that walks with God The Ninth Evidence A man that walks with God is one that walks in all the Commandements of God Endeavours to walk in them before him and blameless before men in the 1. of Luke the 6. it 's said of Zacharias and Elizabeth They were both righteous
It 's then Spiritual when it knows how to satisfie its self in God alone and to make up the want in all creature comforts in God himself and no Christian can walk with God except he attains to that pitch to know how to make up all in God and use all in order unto God The third Rule or Direction Thirdly If thou wouldst walk with God evermore take Christ with thee God and the Soul cannot walk together but with Christ Christ God and Man that Mediator by that I mean this in all thy converse with God have an eye to Christ look unto God the infinite glorious First Being of all things but through Christ the Mediator or otherwise God will not be rendered amiable and sweet and lovely to thee then is God rendered sweet and amiable and lovely to the soul even as a friend that the soul can have familiarity withal when as he is look't upon through Jesus Christ do thou act all by Christ by the strength of Christ and tender up all thy services to God through Christ those that are not acquainted with the mystery of the Gospel in Christ surely they know but little of this walk with God Quest You will say Enoch did not know much of Christ Answ Oh yes Certainly though it was so long before Christ came yet his eye was upon Christ for in the 11. of the Heb 5. verse the Apostle saith That it was by faith that he walked with him it was all by faith Now Christ is the object of faith and so his eye certainly was upon Christ It was through faith and I will give you one Scripture that will shew the use of eying of Christ in walking with God in the 25. of Exod 21. verse Thou shalt put the Meroy-Seat above upon the Arke and in the Ark thou shalt put the Testimony that I shall give thee and there will I meet with thee and I will commune with thee That is There at the Mercy-Seat They were come to the Ark to look up to the Mercy-Seat and there saith God wil I meet with thee and there will I commune with thee Now what 's the Mercy-Seat but Jesus Chaist we must look upon God in Christ and so God is rendered amiable sweet glorious and lovely unto us in his Son there doth God meet with his Saints and there he communes with them Indeed while we look upon God as he is in himself he is a consuming fire and we cannot epxect to commune with God there and therefore those that look upon God meerly in a legal way look upon him as one that doth exact and require such and such services and duties of them and meerly considering God as a Judge if they perform not such and such duties they do not meet and commune with God But such as look up to the Mercy-Seat look up to Christ by faith when they have to deal with God in Christ Oh these meet with God these commune with God Oh there 's much sweet communion between God and their souls they walk with God because God through Christ comes to be rendered gracious lovely sweet amiable and familier to them The fourth Rule or Direction Be careful to beautifie thy soul or more generally thus First Have a great care of thy spirit look to thy spirit rather than to thy outward actions in thy walking with God God is a Spirit and will be worshiped in spirit and truth One that would walk with God had need be very careful of his spirit keep thy heart with all diligence for it is with thy soul that God converses Indeed 't is the proper spheer of a Christian to be busie about his heart to be busie in the inward man there 's the spheer of a Christian It 's not so much about the outward man if the hear be kept in a right frame the outward man will be brought over of its own accord But be careful of thy spirit that is of the thoughts of thy mind Take heed of admitting of any uncleannesse in thy very thoughts for the soul converses with God in thoughts as well as we converse with men in words how do you commune and converse with men but by speech therefore doth God give speech to men that they may converse one with another what speech is unto men that the thoughts are unto God we converse much with God by our thoughts make conscience of thoughts labor to cleanse thy thoughts and likewise the affections of thy heart and the stirrings of thy heart for God and thy soul doth converse together in the workings and stirrings of thy heart look to thy spirit and labor to beautifie thy soul with that that may make thee aimable and lovely in the eyes of God and then the Lord will delight to converse with thee and walk with thee If you were call'd out to walk with a man that were your superior with some Chief in your parish Gentleman or Knight or Noble man If such a one should call you to walk with him you would labour then so far as you were able to adorne your selves with such cloaths as were sutable unto the company of such a one you that professe your selves Christians God doth call you every day to walk with him and if you would expect to have communion with God and that God should take delight in you you must labor to beautifie your souls to dresse you with those things that may make you aimable in the eyes of God and not to come dirtily and filthy into the presence of God Now that that makes the soul aimable in the eyes of God it is Holinesse for that 's the very Image of God and God delights to walk with one where he can see his own Image the more resplendent the Image of God is in the soul the more doth the Lord delight to walk with such a soul labour for the behavior of thy soul to be sutable unto God When I walk with one that is my superiour I must have such a demenour as is sutable to his presence and as it was said before To walk with God was to walk in the fear of God And that 's the fourth thing Take heed to thy spirit beautifie thy soul in that that may make thee aimable and lovely in Gods eyes and carry thy self so as is sutable to the presence of God I shall only give you one Scripture about the beautifying of the soul in the 45. Psalm where it 's spoken of the Church and of the Saints being brought into the presence of God in the 13. verse The Kings daughter that is the Church is all glorious within Many make great shews of Religion without but the Kings daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought gold there 's her ornaments mark what follows in the 14. verse She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-work She shall be brought to the King to Jesus Christ with garments of needle-work by
that is meant the several graces of the Spirit of God that puts a beauty upon the soul as there is a variety in needle-work that causes a beauty upon the work and so she shall be brought to the King So you must have that that may make you aimable and lovely in the eyes of the King The Fifth Rule or Direction Take heed of halting When you walk with him you must not halt between two but give up your self fully to God you must give up your selves wholly to him in walking with him not to have a distracted heart or a divied heart between two Why halt ye between two opinions saith the Prophet If God be God worship him if Baal worship him So when the heart is not divided up and down and is resolved in the way of God that 's the thing that I mean here that is If I cannot be happy here I am content to be miserable here when the soul is so resolved and doth not halt in Gods way when the soul knows that here is the way that there is happiness to be had in and whatsoever seems to the contrary to flesh and blood yet I know that in these waies there 's happiness to be had there 's enough to blesse my soul for ever and therefore whatsoever becoms of me I am resolved upon these waies this is one that is fit to walk with God he will not halt but will treat strait steps in the waies of God and that the Apostle requires of us in Heb. 12. 13. Make streight paths for your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way Make streight paths go on in a streight way not having the heart longing after something else There are some that have some convictions of conscience that have their hearts inclinable to the waies of God and are going on in some of the waies of God yet they have longings of spirit after something else but when the heart indeed walks with God it gives up its self wholly to him and is resolv'd in these waies you have had some good thoughts but if your hearts be divided between God and the world you will turn to be Apostats in time that which is lame will be turn'd out of the way the waies of God will be tedious to you when you do not give up your selves wholly to them and this is the reason of the Apostafie that there is in the world they seem to go on in Gods waies but they go on but lamely because they do not give up themselves wholly to the waies of God The sixth Rule or Direction If you would walk with God Take heed of formality in all holy duties be laborious in holy duties take pains with your hearts in them labor for the power of godliness in holy duties you must strive to get up to God in them It were well if when we perform holie duties we did but keep close to the Duty its self few go so far But it 's one thing to keep close to the Duty and another thing to keep close to God in the Duty we must labor not only to mind what we are about but to keep close to God in the Duty to find God in all duties that we perform and in the use of all ordinances to take pains to find God there and not to satisfie quiet our hearts except we find God in the duties that we do perform we have a notable Scripture for this in Exod. 20. 24. In all places where I record my Name I will come unto thee and I will bless thee That is where ever there is any Ordinance or any holy Duty to be perform'd there 's a recording of Gods Name And saith he I will come unto thee and there I wil bless thee If you would walk with God you must go where God is and be in those places where God uses to come now the walk where God uses to walk it is in his Ordinances in his Worship therefore you must be very spiritual in worship and sanctifie the Name of God there according to that that we have treated upon at large you must take pains there stir up your hearts and all that is within you to walk with God there and not be satisfied except you have something of God there It 's a notable speech of Bernard I never go from thee without thee when ever I come to any holy duty and leave it I never leave it but I have thee with it we must not be satisfied except we meet with God in holy duties The Seventh Rule or Direction Take heed of secret declinings or slidings away from the paths of God into any by paths For those that professe their desires to walk with God they will not in an open way forsake God and his waies but if you be not very watchful over your hearts you will have them secretly decline away from the waies of God from those paths wherein you have had heretofore communion with God Oh take heed of turning out of the paths of God of any allurements from the flesh of any temptations and especially such temptations as are sutable to your corruptions they will be alluring you to lead you aside out of the waies of God and seem to promise waies of contentment to the flesh Oh take heed of any such thing take heed of being allur'd through the deceitfulness of the flesh as the Apostle speaks in the 2 Epist of Peter 2. 18. there he speaks of some false teachers When they speak great swelling words of vanity they allure through the lusts of the flesh through much wantonness those that were clean escaped from them who live in error There were some that were escaped from the waies o error from sinful ungodly waies and really escaped that is in their kind they were not hypocrites that is to make shew of one thing and do another but what they did they did according to the light of their consciences but yet it was not through the sanctifying saving work of God but through the strength of a natural conscience and so they were allur'd through the lusts of the flesh and through wantonness by those that taught false Doctrine but they together with their false Doctrine came to that that was sutable to the flesh I beseech you observe it some that have been walking with God and then met with these that come with fair shews with that which is false and you may know it in this that it gives liberty to the flesh they think here 's a fine even and smooth way that I may have content to the flesh in observe it there 's no such way to allure such as have by the power of the Word escaped from the waies of sin in a great measure no such way I say to allure them as to come and shew them how they may make a profession of godliness and yet have liberty to the flesh too Oh the Lord deliver yong beginners from the
the presence of God as more than all the world unto thee The Eleventh Rule or Direction Go on with a resolution in the performance of holy duties though thou seest nothing come of them for the present Though I have not what comfort I would yet I am doing what duty I am commanded I am yet in Gods way and that should satisfie every gracious heart that though I have not what encouragements I would yet that I am in Gods way and let me keep in that way of God The Twelfth Rule or Direction Make good interpretations of all Gods waies and dealings with thee This is a mighty help to us to keep on in the way of God and to walk with him If God comes in a way of affliction make good interpretation of the affliction do not presently conclude that God appears like an enemy to thee that will discourage thee in the waies of God but look upon God as intending good unto thee in every thing and that will help thee to keep close to him and to walk close with him in every condition If God seems to go out of the way of prosperity and to come in the way of affliction make good interpretations of it do not therefore think that God is therefore leaving of thee and forsaking thee but exercise faith in this and beleeve that God may intend as much good to thee in that way as in any way whatsoever and I ground this rule upon that text in the 12. Heb. In the former part of the chapter the Apostle speaks of Gods chastening of his people My Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord nor faint when thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth and in the 7. verse If ye endure chastening then God dealeth with you as with sons for what son is he whom the father chasieneth not but if ye be without chastisements whereof all are partakers then are ye bastards and not sons So still he goes on in the point of chastisement in the 9 10 11. verses he speaks of nothing but of chastisements now then in the 12. verse he draws a conclusion from thence having laid this as a ground that we are to look upon God as a father in his chastisements Wherefore then lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet lest that which is lame be turned out of the way As if he should say when as you apprehend God in a way of wrath against you and not in a way of love your knees will be feeble and you will not be able to go on with that cheerfulness and to walk with God in that hard way that he seems to call you too But looking upon your selves as sons and God intending good unto you that by chastisements you may be made partakers of his holiness now saith he lift up your hands that hang down and those feeble knees those feeble knees that were so weak whereby you were difinabled to walk with God Those feeble knees will be strengthened if you make good interpretation of the waies of God and beleeve that the Lord intends good unto you And as in other chastisements so among the rest the chastisements of spiritual discertions when God not only comes with outward afflictions upon you but when the Lord shall come against you even himself with spiritual discertions and afflictions even afflicting your souls you must make good interpretations of them You will say That 's hardest to walk with God Indeed we may walk with God and keep on in communion with him notwithstanding outward afflictions but when the Lord seems to withdraw himself and when there is both outward and inward too that 's hard For outward afflictions I will give you one notable Scripture for a child of God following hard after God though God seeme to withdraw himself from the soul in the 63. Psal where by the title of the Psalm you shall find that David was in the wilderness of Judah and that was when Saul did persecute him for his life Saul persecuted David and followed him and David was fain to sculk up and down in the wilderness of Judah from place to place and yet mark O God thou art my God for all that early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is And then in the 8. verse My soul followeth hard after thee though Lord thou seem'st to withdraw thy self from me in regard of these outward administrations yet my soul followeth hard after thee saith David notwithstanding If times of affliction when God seems to withdraw himself by his afflictions yet our souls should follow hard after God Doth God seem to go from us as if he would not walk with us Oh run after him As a poor child if the mother seems to go away from it and gets over a stile before it the child cries and runs after So it was with David when the Lord did seem by those administrations of his to be going away from him saith he My soul follows hard after him And this is an excellent frame of spirit that the more the Lord seems to be gone from a Christian the more hard doth the soul follow after God nothing can satisfie such a one but God himself and therefore he saith Lord my soul thirsteth after Thee in a dry land he doth not say after water but after Thee So in any affliction if thou canst say this Lord it is not so much the deliverance from an affliction that my soul thirsteth after but Oh Lord thou knowest my soul thirsts after thee and may the affliction be but made up in thy self it is sufficient I never find my soul following more earnestly after thee than now in the time of my affliction CHAP. X. An Objection concerning Gods hiding of his face Answered in six Particulars IF it be a spiritual discertion if the Lord seems to withdraw himself from the spirits of his servants What Rules should be given there for one yet to walk with God in the time of Spiritual discertion I have divers things to speak to those that God hath seemed to withdraw himself from Object You will say You have told us of the excellency of walking with God and we account it the happiness of our lives to walk with him Oh but God will not walk with me but withdraws himself from my soul so that I cannot see him and hides himself from me Now I have divers things to say to thee In the first place Be of good comfort It 's a good sign that God hath made thee know what it is to walk with him that canst be sensible of his withdrawings there is a generation of people in the world that go on in a slight kind of way in the profession of Religion and they know not what it is to be sensible of