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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	woman_n	word_n	world_n	127	4	4.2368	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75725	The heavenly trade, or the best merchandizing the only way to live well in impoverishing times. A discourse occasioned from the decay of earthly trades, and visible wastes of practical piety in the day we live in, offering arguments and counsels to all, towards a speedy revival of dying godliness and timely prevention of the dangerous issues thereof impending on us. By Bartholomew Ashwood Minister of the Gospel.	Ashwood, Bartholomew, 1622-1680.	1678 (1678)	Wing A3999A; ESTC R204336	280,447	512

that should have relieved thy soul is far from thee Lam. 1. 16. It may be thou hast sinn'd away his warming presence and lost thy first spring hence 't is the flowers do not appear Yet here 's thy comfort though thy winter be not a time of fruit yet God will make it to thee a time toward fruitfulness Advice 2. 2. You that have any good Trading for Heaven be exhorted to enlarge your Trade drive a greater Trade of godliness every day as men that prosper in the world do they build larger barns fairer houses greater shops get more goods buy more land and widen the bounds of their interests So should you Christians if God bless your heavenly substance and prosper your souls if the gain of godliness come in lay it out to greaten godliness as biting Usurers do take use upon use convert your gettings into your Trade put your incomes into bank and your blessings into stock trading on them Think First On the smalness of thy first stock and thy low estate at thy setting up A Syrian ready to perish Deut. 26. 5. thy grace was small a grain of mustard seed Mat. 13. 31. thy capacity is weak a new-born babe 1 Pet. 2. 3. You began with one talent and have you not reason to improve it you were the fewest of all people Deut. 7. 7. I taught Ephraim also to go taking him by the arm Hos 11. 3. as a little weak child a dry tree Psal 56. 3. a tender plant Isa 53. 2. which need addition Secondly Consider what a poor Trade most men drive for Heaven this day few that seek the things that are Christ's and make Religion their business All men seek their own things the multitude of Professours as well as others wonder after this beast the world We may say of Religion as the Prophet did of Sion This is godliness which no man seeketh after Jer. 30. 17. Few Israelites in whom there is no guile few Noahs perfect in their generation walking with God few Calebs who fulfill after God Most mens Religion lies in notion profession talkings frames priviledges going to Meetings getting into Churches but few make conscience of their words and waies their promises and duties few second-table men and women that cause their light to shine before men and as Zachary and Elizabeth walking in all the commands and ordinances of God blameless Luke 1. 6. doing justly shewing mercy and walking humbly with their God Mich. 6. 8. visiting the fatherless and widow in their affliction and keeping themselves unspotted from the world Jam. 1. 27. And should not this provoke thy zeal for the Lord of Hosts to see the Altars of Religion down and so few friends of godliness left and stir up thy holy ambition to excel and do more for God than others It would argue a brave spirit and be a worthy attempt to offer a lift at fal'n godliness with thy life as well as lip and by the raised splendour of thy holy conversation as a City on a hill to provoke others to an imitation saying Come up hither Think also what an excellent Trade the Saints and Angels in Heaven drive who have their portion in hand and dwell in the City of the great King who are alwaies receiving and rendering driving a whole Trade for God above all hazards and interruptions They alway behold their Father's face and serve him day and night in his Temple with palms in their hands with songs in their mouths and their Crowns at his feet and how far you are beneath these glorious Merchants Think what a breadth you have yet to fill up in godliness and what advances you must make in holiness before you can get up to their pitch and have a place amongst them that stand by Zach. 3. 7. and is it not time yet to build the house of God Hag. 1. 2. and that you hasten to your work and raise higher stories for God every day pressing after greater measures of grace till you come to the fulness of the stature of Christ and those perfections of glorified Saints and Angels Fourthly When will you be fit for a return into your own Countrey and a comfortable account of your Stewardship if you be so slothful and contracted in your Heavenly Trade When will your ships be loaden and your sacks full for a departure hence if you trade at such a rare and attend your soul-thrivings no better your Treasure is deep and calls for more digging your Crown is afar off and requires faster runing your Reward is large greater enlargements of labours are needful to meeten you for it O think how far glory is above all your proportions of grace and duty and what need you have to press after more enlargedness in your souls and suitableness for your estate above Fifthly The greater Trade you drive for Heaven the less trouble 't is not so in earthly Trades there the more work the more weariness but Religion carries refreshment in its work John 4. 34. My meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Prov. 3. 17. Her waies are waies of pleasantness and all her paths are peace O the sweetness and delicate pleasure which vigorous pursuits of holiness afford Cant. 2. 3. I sate under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste If persons intermeddle not with the joy of godliness 't is because they neglect the work of it they eat not the kernel because they break not the shell Christ's myrrh is to be gathered and his honey eaten with the honey-comb which must be squeezed out ere eaten Cant. 5. 1. Rabbi Solomon takes the comb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Cane n Pro canna in qua sit mel quod exugatur abjecta canna Mercer out of which the honey is sucked or the sugar boyled out They that will eat Christ's pleasant bread must work hard for it his idlers have none of his dainties the greater the labour the sweeter is the rest The Lord's way is not tiresom unless to flesh and blood the more you run in it the less weary Isa 40. 31. They shall run but not be weary walk but not faint And though they should be weary in well doing through their carnal sloth yet they are not weary of it Sixthly The greater Trade the richer 't is not alwaies so in worldy employments men may labour in vain and sit down in sorrow but godliness is profitable for all things Isa 55. 2. 1 Tim. 4. 8. And the Heavenly Trade brings in the true Treasure as I have already shewn and the more employment the more profit Seventhly The larger Trade you drive for Heaven the more you have of that honour that comes down from Heaven Rom. 2. 10. Glory and honour and peace to every one that worketh good The greater Trade the greater riches and the greater riches the greater reputation The rich hath many friends Prov. 14. 20. The greater Trade you drive

are waies of pleasantness and all her paths are peace The Word of God yields out but half its sweetness until it becomes the way and walks of men Psal 10. 11. In keeping them there is great reward My witness is in Heaven saith Mr. William Cooper upon his death-bed That the love of Jesus and his peoples souls made preaching my pleasure and I had no such joy as in doing God's work They are blessed that do his Commandment not onely in that they have right to the tree of life but in that they eat the pleasant fruits of it and feed upon that hidden Manna unto which bare hearers are strangers Thirdly Get all the good you can from Providences from favourable Providences and from frowning Providences These are the North and the South winds which the Beloved causes to blow upon his garden Cant. 4. 16. that the spices might flow forth Providences whether prosperous or afflictive are to saved souls but the fulfilling of Divine Purposes and the accomplishment of precious promise which are designed for the good of Believers Observe the Providences of God if you would get good from thence Observable things saith worthy Mr. Blair do follow them that are given to observation Doth God bring thee under smiling Providences get some good from them In these the Lord writes legible characters of his Covenant-love to his people O read the tenderness love bounty and faithfulness of God in them and be affected Get thy heart to write back letters of love and thankfulness to God again entertain giving Providences with thanksgiving hearts and the sacrifice of praise 2 Chron. 29. 31. Let the Lord communicate with you concerning receiving as well as giving Phil. 4. 15. If left-hand mercies flow in upon you take heed lest those floods break their bounds and carry away the banks of your affections and circumspection Christians 't is a safe rule to fear your mercies as well as afflictions There is usually less fear and therefore more danger of professing friends than professed enemies 'T was the prayer of Queen Elizabeth To be delivered from her friends as for her enemies she would take care of them Further if you have now a spring-tide of outward mercies prepare for low-waters The comforts of this world are not standing pools but running streams and rolling Seas that ebb and flow expect not too much from them entertain your comming mercies as strangers who have their time to go as well as come The Lord gives and the Lord takes Job 1. 21. Get good also from taking as well as giving Providences be blessing God for them There is more self-denial and pure love to God expressed in such acknowledgments than in praises for bestowing mercy Job 1. 2. Besides divine grace runs as well through the empty chanels as broad streams of outward comforts 'T is the same hand of the Father that uncloaths which dresses his children the Fork as well as the Rake belongs to the Covenant of Grace and Peace neither is love or hatred known by these things Eccles 9. 1. Some have never found more than when they have lost all The Lord oft-times makes mens losses their gains and their gain of earthly things their losses Saul lost his Asses and found a Kingdom Shimei found his servants and lost his life Place not then your happiness no nor your comforts in these things How many prick their fingers to get a few fading Roses which as soon wither as they are pluck'd Think well of God under scattering Providences and believe he loves you as much when he removes your mercies as when he gives them Look to God in Providences see whence those winds come that blow down your houses and scatter your comforts enquire wherefore God contends with you Job 10. 2. Doth not that worm which devours your gourd breed in your security pride unthankfulness and abuse of them while you had them search out the cause of God's displeasure justifie God in it and bear his indignation humbly come down at his feet kiss his rod and hear the voice of it This is to get good from the worst of Providences Fourthly Get good from the world and things thereof by seeing its wiles and deceitfulness its vanity and emptiness Mark 4. 19. The world is a fading thing the fashion of it passeth away and it is gone Trades-men care not for over-much of those goods that are soon out of fashion Eccles 1. 2. O care not for the world the fashion whereof soon passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 31. The world is a dirty thing 't is hard to touch it and not be defiled Christians be not like Swine who love to run into the dirt and if you would keep your selves unspotted take heed of the world The world is a heavy ponderous thing by faith make it portable and more easie to be born 2 Cor. 4. 17. that it may not clog your feet and stop your race towards glory Faith will soon lessen your burden and mend your pace it will turn brass yea clay into gold and make it light in carriage The world is a strange Countrey to the Citizens of Heaven get good from it by living as strangers in the world by making you long the more for your own home by converting it to the service of your souls and interest in glory The Scorpions in Caria when they sting kill home-bred people not strangers Apollon Be a stranger to the world and it will not hurt thee The world is a subtle Strumpet shun her embraces lye not in her bosom stop your ears against her charms and shut your eyes from her allurements The world is an enemy beware of it when it promises believe it not when it kisses you take heed of the sword in its hand 2 Sam. 20. 9 10. when it cries peace peace then fear swift destruction set thy feet on its fair neck to keep it down get it nailed to the Cross of Christ and pierced to death with the sword and spear of the Spirit Get good from every state and condition God puts you into whether high or low rich or poor If you are above others in place be above them in grace if you enjoy more than others labour to do more than others Matth. 5. 47. The higher you are in the world be so much the lower in your own eyes The tallest Cedars bow most Ships of the greatest burden draw most water and go deepest Exalted Angels rejoyce to be ministring spirits Yea the Son of God delighted in being the servant of men Israel was a Prince and prevailed with God and yet counted himself beneath the least of all God's mercies Gen. 32. 10. By how much the greater I am saith Maximinus so much the more I labour and the more I labour the greater I am Paul the chiefest Apostle and yet in his own eyes less than the least of all Saints Ephes 3. 8. Humble your selves when God exalts you and when you humble your selves God will exalt you Have you

the heir of heaven are you married to Christ or no 151 Que. What are those Evidences that will assure this Conjugal Vnion with Christ Answ Five things prove Marriage to the Lord Jesus 1 Peculiar acquaintance with Christ such as no stranger hath they know his secrets and have intimate converse with him 156 2 Conjugal love to Christ 158 3 A soul espoused to Christ will leave all for Christ ibid. 4 A soul married to Christ stays and lives on Christ 164 5 Fruitfulness to Christ proves Marriage to him 166 2 Your interest in heavenly treasures is known by the naturalness and supremacy of your love to them 167 3 By your care for and pursuit of them 169 4 If heavenly treasures be yours you 'll find your spirits suited to them 170 3 Another thing wherein this heavenly trade lies is in getting in of heavenly goods and what they are and how to be obtained 171 Que. How may I do to get my soul furnished with heavenly goods Answ 1. Maintain a sense of your own wants 187 2 Get a believing sight of Christs fulness 188 Que. What ground may I have for hope that Christ will supply me Answ This is fully spoken to pag. 190 191. Another part of this heavenly trade is to carry on heavenly work ibid. Four Motives perswading to it and what they are 192 to 203 Que. What is this heavenly work that Christians must do in this trade of godliness Answ 1. All that work which is of a heavenly nature matter manner and end 203 1 All that work which has God for its Author as acts of Religious Worship ibid. 2 All that work which hath more especial respect to your selves as 209 1 Heart-work ibid. to 216 2 Mortification work 217 Que. How shall I do to get sin mortified I am convinced 't is my duty but find it not my capacity Dir. 1. Do nothing that may strengthen it 221 Eight things help to strengthen sin 222 to 227 Dir. 2. Go not out in your own strength against sin ibid. Not in the strength of your purposes nor of your frames nor in the strength of your duties nor in the strength of your graces 228 Dir. 3. Get the Vnion between your heart and sin broken 229 There are seven things that help to break the hearts union with sin ibid. Dir. 4. Strike at the root of sin 234 Four helps towards it 236 Dir. 5. Give no place to the least motions of sin 238 2 Helps towards it ibid. Dir. 6. Keep up the life of grace 239 3 Carry on Renovation work some helps towards it 240 4 Keep your Evidences for heaven fair 243 3 Carry on all those natural moral and religious duties that concern others in your house in the house of God in your callings and dealings with men 244 2 Another part of your heavenly work is to do earthly things in an heavenly manner 247 This lies in three things 1 To do earthly things by heavenly rule 2 With heavenly hearts 248 3 To heavenly ends Ten Rules about doing of earthly things Rule 1. Be sure the matter of your imployment be good that your callings and recreations be according to the Will of God 249 Rule 2. Set on earthly things in their proper place and order 251 Rule 3. Keep your earthly business within the bounds of due time 252 Rule 4. Be diligent in the use of your working time 255 Rule 5. While your hands are about the world set a guard about your hearts 257 Rule 6. Attend your earthly affairs with a calm and quiet spirit ibid. Rule 7. Follow your duty but cast your care on God 261 Rule 8. In all your labours pray for a blessing 262 Rule 9. Though you live in the world yet be dead to the world 10. Do all your work in the view of Death Judgment and Eternity 263 264 2 Then do you earthly work in a heavenly manner when you do it with a heavenly heart 266 Que. How may I know when my heart is heavenly in my earthly work Answ 1. A heavenly heart is enlightned to see heavenly things 267 2 A heavenly heart savours heavenly things 268 3 A heavenly heart desires and longs after heavenly things 269 4 A heavenly heart has heavenly thoughts 270 5 A heavenly heart will be full of heavenly projects ibid. 6 A heavenly heart is acted and influenced by heavenly motives 271 7 A heavenly heart lives upon heavenly things 272 5 Another part of this heavenly trade lies in keeping up heavenly thoughts 274 6 If you would drive on the heavenly trade keep up heavenly converses 278 7 Then do you carry on this heavenly trade when you improve every thing to heavenly advantages There are nine things especially that Christians should improve to heavenly advantage 1 Priviledges 2 Ordinances 3 Providence 4 The World and things thereof 5 Your Callings 6 Your Company 7 Your Retirements 8 Occasional Objects 9 Your falls and miscarriages 1 Get good from your priviledges 1 Natural Priviledges 283 2 Providential 285 3 Spiritual 287 2 Get good from Ordinances 4 helps towards it 288 1 Preparation before you come to them 489 2 Attention 290 3 Retention 291 4 Obedience ibid. 3 Get all the good you can from Providences from smiling Providences and from frowning from giving and taking Providences 292 293 4 Get good from the World and the things thereof 294 5 Get good from your Callings and Imployments 297 6 Get good from your Company 299 7 Get good from your Retirements 303 8 Get good from occasional objects and occurrences of Providence 307 9 Get good from your falls and miscarriages 309 Ob. If souls may get good from their sins then why should persons be troubled for sin or watch against it Answ In two particulars 1 They that are dead to sin cannot live any longer therein proved by four Reasons 310 3 They ought not to commit sin 1 'T is slavish work 2 It has bitter fruit 3 It has doleful wages 312 3 Branch of Exhort To earthly traders who meet with breaches and discouragements in their earthly trades counselling them Coun. 1. To be hereby convinced of the excellency of the heavenly trade which is not liable to such disappointments 313 314 Coun. 2. See God in your afflictions 311 Coun. 3. Search out the cause of them 316 Probable Reasons of breaches on mens earthly trades and interests 1 Letting down of Religion and decay in the heavenly trade 317 2 Declensions in the Worship of God ibid. 4 Withholding their interests from God 319 5 Greedy desires after the world 320 6 God doth it to bring men down to his feet and to bring them back to himself 324 Coun. 4. Get the breach between God and your souls composed 326 Coun. 5. Get advantage from earthly decays to further your heavenly trade Four advantages hence to your heavenly trade 1 It helps to convince you of the vanity and uncertainty of all things below God 327 2 It helps to