away without any observation from under the power of all obligations to the contrary Relapses of this nature though they do not presently make any great noise in the World yet it will not be long before they will be seen in sad effects and be discerned in more visible miscarriages If they be indulged they are great enemies to Soul-prosperity and will prove the very bane and break-neck of that thriving and prosperous frame the Soul was grown or growing into This is then seriously to be considered of by all those whose Souls begin to prosper and when it begins to be better with them then it hath been in respect of their inward frame and temper of the hidden man of the heart as ever they desire they may continue so and lose the things which they have wrought to beware of relapses Ye have heard that ye are not exempted from them nor exempted from a possibility Heb. 3.12 Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God As if the Apostle had said That which I speak to one I speak to another I speak to all therefore let every one take heed Now that which I find in Scripture pressed upon us for preventing such relapses is to have a watchful eye over and a constant hand upon all the inward workings and stirrings of the inward Man for from thence they have their rise as ye may observe in several sorts of Trees their decay is first observed in the withering of the boughs but it begins in the root which fails in sending up sap into them as formerly Even so it is here which way soever relapses are discover'd they begin from within Psal 44.18 Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way Professours first fall from their apprehensions of the necessity of circumspect walking their convictions of the goodness of the ways of God wear off and their affections decay and the works of the flesh break forth and manifest themselves by degrees Therefore as ever we desire to hold fast what we have received be sure to keep the heart with all diligence as Prov. 4.23 Where 1. Our personal care is required Keep thy heart 2. Our principal care Keep it with or above all keeping As it is with the heart naturally considered if that begin to tremble or be in fear or apprehension of danger the blood and spirits as it is observed will forsake the outward parts and run to that to guard and succour it the least wound therein being mortal if it be but with the pricking of a Pin. Thus the heart is kept in its natural capacity but the matter we are speaking of is touching the keeping of the heart in its spiritual capacity and keep it we ought with all diligence watch it by night and by day at home and abroad when we are in company and when we are alone at all times and in all places yea as the Apostle presseth it on Timothy Watch in all things 2 Tim. 4.5 Now this keeping this watching the heart hath special reference to the inward workings and stirrings of corruption 1. To prevent in the strength of Christ so far as may be prevented in this state of imperfection the first risings of them of any one kind whatsoever however to prevent if possible and possible it is that the Corruption and the Temptation may be kept asunder Matth. 26.41 Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Otherwise there will be sad work and the prosperity of the Soul will begin to fade and that upon the sudden Though Hezekiah as holy a Man as he was and how much soever his Soul did prosper and prosper it did exceedingly yet he had always a root of pride in him which though it did not stir him to shew his Treasures to every body yet when he fell into the temptation by occasion of the visit he had from the King of Babylon by his Ambassadours then the Corruption and the Temptation did meet and ye may read in the history how much the well-fare of his Soul was prejudiced by it So it was with David he had though a Man after God's own heart the same root of the same corruption in him yet it did not break forth so as to abate any thing of his Souls prosperity till the temptation met with it To have his subjects numbred neither had it then if he had watched as Peter did to keep the temptation and the corruption asunder See Act. 8.20 Thy money perish with thee said Peter to Simon Magus The temptation was suitable for Peter was out of money Act. 3.6 Silver and gold have I none And Peter was not so perfect as to be beyond the power of the temptation but he kept the temptation from mingling with what corruption soever was in his heart and so the gracious frame of his heart continued untoucht by it So David 2 Sam. 16.10 And the King said what have I to do with you ye Sons of Zerviah so let him curse c. He was subject to the same passions with other Men but by the assistance no doubt of the Spirit of God he kept the temptation and the corruption asunder and so his Soul prospered the better for that tryal 2. If there should be as there is great danger there may be a sad meeting so it is and so it will be found betwixt the corruption and the temptation then endeavour by the assistance of the spirit that your own spirits may immediately rise up in indignation against it and after some hearty ejaculations for the present with the first opportunity with hearty loathing and inward self abhorrency bring forth the temptation and the corruption to the law of God and see them there condemned and to the blood of Christ and see them there pardoned and to the spirit of Christ that thereby all may be subdued and mortified Really a Soul that desires to prosper and to continue to prosper should as kindly work in a heart-melting and a heart-humbling way for these sinful stirrings of the heart before God as for sinful words and sinful actions before Men Psal 73.22 So foolish was I and ignorant even as a beast before thee It is or should be with the Soul that prospers as it is with the eye if a small dust get into it it will never leave twinkling and watering till it be out 2 Chron. 32.26 Hezekiah humbled himself greatly for the pride of his heart Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death He speaks of the law in his members warring against the law of his mind vers 23. This is the way to prevent relapses into sin which is the Soul's sickness and if not prevented or timely healed will overthrow the prosperity of prospering Souls SERMON XIII 2ly AS Souls that begin to prosper and have any desire to continue so ought to keep themselves
unto you 1. Wherein the prosperity of the Soul consisteth and when it may be said to prosper I told you then that the prosperity thereof is to be considered both in its first rise and foundation Or in its growth and progress As to the first rise of it it was proved that if we look upwards we shall find it begin in God's Eternal Electing love which is without beginning But if we look inwardly so as to discern it in our selves The first foundation of it is laid in that day and hour though the very day and hour hath I think not been discerned by many though perhaps by some But however discerned or not discerned in that day and hour it begins when by the word of Christ and by the Spirit of Christ the whole Man both Soul and Body is brought into a state of Union with Christ For then the Soul receives the first Seeds of Heaven-born principles of Spiritual life and then begins to be in a capacity of prospering 2. As the first foundation is laid in these principles So the growth and progress thereof consists in their increase As they increase so the prosperity of the Soul increaseth So that if ye give up your selves to be guided by right reason your work for the substance of it is first to see that your Souls are Spiritually alive And secondly that they thrive and prosper in that wherein they live In reference to the former of them I have two things to say 1. To all and every one of you that you would set some time apart seriously to debate the matter between God and your selves alone and none else with you whether ever ye felt the day of God's power upon your spirits to prevail so far upon you As 1. To cast you down from the good opinion which ye had of your selves by a thorough conviction of the woful mistake wherein ye were about the state of your Souls That ye thought them alive when they were as now ye see dead in sin pleasing your selves with the Religion of your Education as Paul did before his Converson That ye thought ye had good hearts toward God whereas now ye see that as Psal 5.9 your inward parts were very wickedness That whereas ye thought not of any danger ye were in of the wrath to come now ye see ye are condemned by a holy and righteous Law And that what by reason of your Actual sins and what by reason of your Original sin ye utterly despair of Salvation in that state wherein ye pleased your selves and see clearly that outward Reformation will not serve your turn but ye must be inwardly changed into the Image of God and be born again by the Spirit of God else ye can never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven This is such a casting down as Paul experienced when he said Sin revived and I died Rom. 7.9 2. Whether besides this casting down ye have also experienced the day of God's power so far to prevail upon you as to raise up your hearts to a willing and hearty acceptance of Christ to all intents and purposes in order to Salvation To kill and destroy that enmity which you find in your hearts against the ways of God so as to bring you into a state of Reconciliation with God and to all the means of conformity to him and Communion with him to impute unto you the merits of Christ's death for a full and free discharge from the guilt of all your sins and to impute unto you his Righteousness that ye may be accepted as righteous unto Eternal life To mortifie all your corruptions to quicken your dead hearts with the principles of Spiritual life those principles of true holiness without which ye know ye shall never see God with a sincere resolution in his strength to wait upon him and keep his way That he would do all this for you and work all this in you and that ye are humbled for defects in living no more upon him that he might be all this unto you Verily so far as any person can really assert this that thus he hath been cast down and thus he hath been and is raised up though he may sometimes be in the dark as to the safety of his estate for Eternity he hath good Scripture ground thò he may not see it to believe that he is called into fellowship with Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 And that his Soul begins to live and is in a capacity of prospering For when the Soul it may be after a long shutting up under unbelief thus opens to Christ then Christ comes into the Soul as Rev. 3.20 And when he comes he brings the principles of Spiritual life with him 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life This is the first Particular A word to all 2. I have a word to some to those I mean that know nothing as yet what either this casting down or lifting up means And it is a word of advice That as ever they desire their Souls should live and be in a capacity of prospering that they would break off from all their dead works and resolve for this end that they may be thus cast down and lifted up To be swift to hear as Jam. 1.19 And to attend unto the words of this life so as it is said to be Joh. 5.20 The word whereby dead Souls are quickened Joh. 5.25 the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live And that in order hereunto ye would take the right way of working what ye hear upon your hearts thus or to this purpose reason the case with your selves 1. Soul-prosperity I am now convinced is the most desirable prosperity And if my Soul prosper not all the sooner possibly it may never prosper for this night it may be taken from me And if it do not prosper nothing will prosper with me so as to turn to good whilst I live and when I am dead I shall be one of the most woful and miserable Creatures to all Eternity that ever God made next to the Devils 2. If my Soul be as I have reason to be asraid it is still in its unregenerate state then it is spiritually dead in sin and while it continues so it is in no more capacity of prospering then a dead Tree while it continues dead is in a capacity of bringing forth ripe fruit This I now clearly see though I did not so much as think on it before 3. If I do not so receive Jesus Christ as that Jesus Christ may receive me into a state of Union with himself my Soul can never live for so I hear from 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath not the Son hath not life 4. If I would so receive Jesus Christ as that he may receive me into Union with himself and I receive life from him I must so receive the word as to be so cast down and so lifted up as I have heard Therefore by his help
he apprehend himself at present to be Spiritually dead that his Soul shall never live So there is no sufficient reason for any Man to doubt who is really though weakly alive to God but that waiting upon God and keeping his way his Spiritual life may grow to be lively and his Soul may prosper as much as ever the Soul of Gaius did Therefore let us up and be doing and the Lord will be with us Phil. 2.12 13 Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure This is that which slackens many Mens endeavours that because they think they shall never attain to such an height of Soul-prosperity as others have attained unto therefore they stir not up themselves to reach after any prosperity at all as is charged on them Isa 64.7 There is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee As some poor Men because they think they shall never get beforehand as many of their Neighbours do whatever others get they shall never be worth a Groat and therefore mind no more then to live from hand to mouth But we have not so learned Christ This is all that I shall say by way of argument to perswade I now proceed to speak of the former of those two Particulars mentioned but now That those that are spiritually alive ought to see to it that their Spiritual life be lively and prosper because therein the prosperity of their Souls consisteth The great matter to be enquired into is to shew what is to be done in order to the carrying on of this holy and blessed design In speaking unto it Let this be considered That there is a Rule for and a Regiment of Health for the Soul as there is for the Body And what in a natural way may be prescribed and ought to be made use of for the wel-fare of the one may be prescribed and ought to be made use of in a Spiritual way for the well-fare of the other Of this kind there are five several things which I shall speak to in order 1. In reference to Bodily health upon good advisement the seasonable use of Physick is necessary This is an Ordinance of God and ought to be used in faith and obedience to God Sometimes for preventing of Diseases which otherwise might prejudice our health and sometimes for curing and removing of them which otherwise may endanger our life Answerably to this we find in the Scripture which is the Magazine and Store-house for all Spiritual Receipts Physick prescribed for the Soul by Jesus Christ himself the great Physician of Souls without the due and seasonable use whereof it is impossible the Soul should prosper Before I tell you what it is it is fit to premise these three things 1. That the Soul of every Man Spiritually alive to God is as subject to Spiritual Diseases as the Body of any living Man is to Bodily Diseases And it is sin alone and nothing else but sin which is the sickness of the Soul and which if it be not cured will be the death and destruction of the Soul It is the resemblance by which it is frequently set forth in the Scripture and that most fitly as all Scripture resemblances are For as sickness hinders the operation of Nature wasting and consuming by degrees both the Natural heat and Radical moisture often changing and altering a Man's countenance as Job 2.12 And when they lift up their eyes afar of and knew him not Often causing much pain so as the sick Man grows worse and unless happily recovered by the blessing of God upon the use of Means untill death seize upon him So that sickness upon this account is truly said to be contrary to Nature an Enemy to Nature Even such a thing is sin to the Soul It is contrary to the well-fare and prosperity of it It Wars against it 1 Pet. 2.11 It hinders the gracious actings of it Rom. 7.21 I find a Law then that when I would do good evil is present with me It puts even living and good Souls under such a disguise that they neither speak nor do like themselves As Job's Wife though it is believed that she was a good Woman yet she spake as her Husband told her as one of the foolish Women Job 2.10 So 1 Cor. 3.3 Their unmortified lusts put them under such a disguise that they walked as Men as those that were still dead in sin and never had received any principle of Spiritual life And farther As sickness causeth pain so guilt following of sin often causeth intolerable pain in the anguish and chargings of Conscience In a word sin being indulged consumes and wastes what is of God in the Soul so as it is said of the worst of Men 2 Tim. 3.13 it grows worse and worse and if not happily prevented it ends at last in Eternal death Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye 2. As in all these respects sin is such a thing to the Soul as sickness is to the Body So that we may be the more affected and take the more notice of it It is fitly expressed by the same name As Pride is fitly compared to a Tympany Earthly-mindedness to a Dropsie Carnal security to a Lethargy Unruly passions to a Frenzy Apostacy and Back sliding from the ways of God to the Falling-sickness Envy to a Consumption An unquiet discontented Spirit to the grief of the Bowels Sore Diseases all of these are And besides all these Original sin is as a Leprosie over-spreading the whole Soul This evil Disease which is indeed all Diseases in one cleaves unto all Adam's posterity as Gehazi's Leprosie did to all his Seed for his Son if he had any and his Son's Son and so from generation to generation were all Lepers 2 Kings 5.27 3. Though this be generally acknowledged That sin is the sickness of the Soul therefore the Soul prospers only so far as it is well rid of it yet this would be farther observed That though sin have such evil effects upon the Soul as Diseases have upon the Body and that the names of Bodily Diseases do so fitly resemble the Diseases of the Soul yet the difference is great as to that which is required to dispose the sick in Soul and the sick in Body toward a recovery In the Diseases of the Body it matters not much it may perhaps something but much it doth not whether the sick Man know the name or nature of his Disease so he have a faithful and skillful Physician Nor whether he know the virtue of what is prescribed him or the composition of it Or whether he be able to judge of the increase or declining of his Disease by the beating of his Pulse Though perhaps some insight into these things might afford to some persons at least some satisfaction yet they are left specially to the care and wisdom
in his Fatherly care for them remembring them in their low estate and the workings of their own hearts toward God in that through grace they are enabled to reckon upon it That God's allowance is best for them and that by faith they can live upon him for their livelihood when they have little in sight to live upon So that they can subscribe to what the Apostle saith 1 Tim. 6.6 as a true saying and worthy of all acceptation That godliness with contentment is great gain They have the clear gain of a quiet and well-composed spirit so that their Souls dwell at ease as Psal 25.13 And is not this real prosperity Verily it is so Are not these prosperous persons Surely they are so Thus we see the first branch of the first reason is confirmed That the prosperity of Mens outward condition in the general depends upon Soul-prosperity 2. The other branch will be as clearly made good That the health and well-fare of the Body stands upon the same bottom No Man therein ever did or ever shall truly and really prosper but in conjunction with Soul-prosperity This may seem at the first mentioning as great a Paradox as the former But it is a just and measured truth and cannot but be acknowledged to be so if we consider the state of the Body either in reference to this World or the World to come 1. In reference to this World Though it be true that many whose Souls are death-struck sinfully sick unto death the second death eternal death in respect of their bodily health live to a great old age in great health scarce knowing for a long while together what a days sickness means As Job observed in his time Job 21.23 One dyeth in his full strength being wholly at ease and quiet yet Bodily health as a blessing is certaninly annexed to Soul-prosperity Prov. 3.7 8 fear the Lord and depart from evil The Soul prospers that doth so and while it doth so And what then It shall be health to thy Navel and marrow to thy Bones Now according to the store of marrow which moistens and feeds the Bones so is the strength of the Body And then it shall be health to thy Navel This is expressed because as Physicians say Bodily health in a natural way depends chiefly on the vital parts and entrails which are comprehended under the Navel because there they are knitt up and fastened The meaning then is this Fear the Lord and depart from evil and thy Body shall be strong and healthy This shall be health to all thy flesh as Prov. 4.22 For they are life unto those that find them and health to all their flesh Thus it is and will be till sickness and weakness be better for the well fare of the Soul as it was to Gaius in the Text whose Soul prospered the better under his Bodily weakness And when sickness and weakness grow upon us the gracious workings of a healthy and prosperous Soul are in some sense the best Physick and the most cherishing Cordials to a weak and languishing Body When the Soul can say as Psal 73.26 My heart and my flesh faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever Isa 38.2 3 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed unto the Lord and said Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked in truth before thee and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight It is observable what ye may read in the Book of Martyrs concerning Mr. Saunders that whilst he was in examination before the Bishop of London he felt a most ravishing sweetness from every part of his Body come together to the place and seat of his heart and from thence it did ebb and flow to and fro to every part of his body to his marvellous consolation This he told to one of his friends Thus far this branch of the reason is made good That the health and wellfare of the Body as it is a blessing may be expected and cannot otherwise be expected then in conjunction with Soul-prosperity Whatever Men think of it this is true That though Nature be an enemy to Grace yet Grace especially thriving and prospering is a friend the best friend to Nature 2. In reference to the World to come the well-being of the Body to all Eternity depends absolutely upon the well-being of the Soul That fares as the Soul fares If the Soul perish and be undone the Body is undone and perisheth too We read Luk. 16.24 25. that when the Soul of the rich Man was in Hell not the least refreshment could be had for his Body not a drop of water to cool his Tongue Therefore as Job 27.8 He hath no hope of all that he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul But if the Soul prospers while it is in the Body as it doth when it doth lay up its treasure in Heaven and hath its conversation in Heaven then the Body when it is laid in the Grave as it is still a Member of Christ death doth not dissolve that union It sleeps in Jesus 1 Thes 4.14 And by virtue of that union it shall be raised up and made like the glorious Body of Christ Thus ye have the first reason made good in both the branches of it that Soul-prosperity is so far all in all c. 2. Of all prosperities Soul-prosperity is the most desirable prosperity because it is made up of the most desirable materials Those goods whereof it consisteth are the best things the most desirable blessings It 's true the materials whereof Worldly prosperity consists are good things too We read Luk. 16. that the rich Man's purple Garments and fine Linnen which were his every-days-wearing and his sumptuous fare wherewith his Table was furnished every day and his great estate which maintained all this were good things in themselves and might have been good to him if he had used them well So they are said to be vers 25. But what are these things to the principles of Spiritual life thriving and increasing in the Soul Verily great heaps of Gold and Silver are but great heaps of Dust and Dirt to the least grain of grace The price of it is far above rubies Job 28.18 The Apostle speaking of one particular grace the grace of Faith one of these choise materials which make up soul prosperity saith That the Trial of it when it is exercised is much more pretious then Gold 1 Pet. 1.7 No marvel then if Solomon who knew the worth of every thing as much as ever any Man did saith of it That the Merchandize thereof is better then Silver and the gain thereof then fine Gold But of the excellency of the materials of Soul-prosperity I need say no more then what hath been said in the explication of the point only I shall shew you a little of that exceeding much which the Scripture speaks of the materials of Worldly prosperity
really happy as his Soul prospers These things being so one would think I might forbear to press any thing farther and might say concerning this duty of minding Soul-prosperity as the Apostle doth of Brotherly love 1 Thes 4.9 ye need not that I should write any more concerning it But considering what a deep inward rooted respect for and reaching after the things of the World there appears to be in some who yet profess they are fully convinced of the vanity thereof and such a strong byass in others turning them aside into ways that are not good So far it may be charged upon them as Rom. 1.18 They hold the truth they believe in unrighteousness not suffering it to exercise its autority in their Consciences And feeing it is so difficult a thing yea impossible without the Almighty power of the Spirit of God to raise up a drosly earthy spirit sunk into the world to look after things that are not seen to mortifie the deeds of the flesh and to set their affections on things that are above or to six a vain light spirit so as to reduce it to a sober and serious consideration of the things of Eternity and yet both the one and the other must be done by all those that resolve to mind the prosperity of their Souls above all other prosperity I shall to what hath been said already before I come to shew the great work that is to be done for the welfare of Souls first give you some Arguments to prove the Inference That if Soul-Prosperity be the most desirable Prosperity Then is it the most rational thing in the world to mind it above all things else 1. It is a rational thing ye must all grant it for any man to part with any thing except the Peace of his own Conscience and to do any thing that is possible to be done except sinning against God for the preservation of natural life It is a Scripture expression Prov. 6.26 that Life is pretious It is indeed the most pretious thing in Nature Matth. 6.25 Is not the life more than meat Act. 27. They cast away the Lading of the Ship in hope to save their lives Esth 7.2 3 4 Let my life be given me at my petition For we are sold I and my people to be destroyed to be slain and to perish If we had beensold for Bond-men and for Bond-women I had held my tongue See how she pleaded for her life he valued not the one half of 127 Provinces in comparison of that And we read of a poor woman that had spent all that she had in hope of health which is a degree below life Mar. 5. Now if it should be asked as Jam. 4.14 What is this life that is so much valued we must answer as he doth That it is a vapour which appeareth for a very little time and then vanisheth away The frailty whereof is set forth by heaps of similitudes in Scripture from the most perishing things that come under observation It is but a little warm breath turned in and out at our nostrils a narrow passage and soon stopt Isa 2.22 Cease from Man whose breath is in his nostrils and wherein is he to be accounted of Now if it be so agreeable to reason by all lawful means to serve the Providence of God for the preservation of such poor and frail things as our lives are as indeed we are bound in obedience to God's command Is it not much more rational to do whatever God would have us to do for the life and well-fare of our immortal Souls Certainly if Nature teach a Man to prize his life above the World Grace should make a Man to prize his Soul above his Life Believe it To save our Lives and to save our Souls are two things This we find in Scripture that those who have learned to value their Souls according to their excellency and have understood how much their own happiness is concerned in them have willingly run the hazard of their lives to save their Souls not only as Paul 1 Cor. 9.27 I keep under my Body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I my self should be a cast-away but also as they Revel 12.11 they loved not their lives unto the death They did not so love their lives as out of inordinate care to preserve them and so to escape death when God called them by their open profession to give in their testimony for Christ and his Gospel against the Anti-Christian Generation So Dan. 3.19 c. The three Witnesses chose rather to be thrown into the fiery Furnace then to worship the Golden Image Heb. 11.35 Others were tortured not accepting deliverance Yea so careless have some of the Saints of old been of their Bodies in comparison of their care for the well-fare of their Souls as if they had been other folks Bodies and not their own We read Act 7 that when the sentence of death was passed upon Stephen he prays not for the mitigation of his Enemies rage he is totally silent concerning his burial It 's true there were some good Men took care of it Act. 8.2 but not at his intreaty that we read of but that which his thoughts were most taken up withal ye read vers 59. They stoned Steven calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my Spirit So the Lord Jesus left his Body in the hands of Pilate but he commended his Spirit into his Father's hands Luk. 23.46 It is observable what we have Psal 141.7 8. when some of David's followers were hackt and hewed in pieces and left unburied or as some think when their dead Bodies after they were buried were digged up and their bones were scattered about the Grave's mouth When David saw or heard of this see what he had most in his thoughts Lord leave not my Soul destitute Thus ye have one argument to make good the Inference That it is the most rational thing in the World to mind the wellfare of our Souls above all things else because it is very rational above all outward things to mind the preservation of our lives And that though it be so those that have been wise to Salvation have minded the saving of their Souls above the saving of their Lives there being indeed no comparison between this Natural life and the Spiritual life of the Soul 2. It is every way most rational agreeable to the best and highest principles of reason to mind that most which Jesus Christ in whom dwelt all the Treasures of Wisdom minded most This none will deny but that as it is the highest pitch of our holiness that our Ends in all things fall in with his So it ought to be our greatest business that in all things we should be of the same mind with Christ Now that this was and still is the greatest work that Jesus Christ did and still doth mind in our behalf will appear by these particulars 1. This was
allusion to that tree Gen. 2. which was called the Tree of Life not for any Natural or Physical excellency in it to preserve life more then other Trees but only as it was a Seal of the Covenant of works a conditional Seal of that Eternity of Life which Adam might with all fullness of confidence have expected if he had persevered in faithfulness to what was required of him But it is upon another account that Jesus Christ is called The Tree of life because he hath life in himself and quickeneth whom he will Joh. 5.26 And with the Food that he affords nourisheth and preserveth that life where he hath quickened it unto Eternal life so that it never runs into death Revel 22. He is said to be a Tree of Life on both sides of the River of the Water of Life But one Tree yet reacheth to both sides of the River so that all from what quarter soever they come may receive Food and nourishment from him And though but one Tree yet it bare twelve kinds of Fruit which setteth forth the variety of Spiritual priviledges and graces which Jesus Christ hath to give forth for the prosperity of the Soul according to all its concernments Thus as he is the Tree of Life he is for the Food of our Souls 2. He is so as he is said to be The hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 Manna ye know was their Bread in the Wilderness fourty years together It is said Psal 78.25 to be Angels Food whether for the excellency of it that it was for them to have fed upon if they had stood in any need of it Or whether it was prepared for them by the ministry of Angels This need not be disputed This is certain it was a Type of Christ who saith of himself That he was the living Bread that came down from Heaven And he is said to be The hidden Manna possibly alluding to that Pot of Manna which was hidden in the Ark of the Testimony pointing at Christ as hidden Food altogether unknown to the unbelieving World who never had so much as a real taste of the unsearchable riches of his grace of the efficacy of his Death or the power of his Resurrection But as it was in reference to Manna All those that in the exercise of Faith did eat of it under that consideration as a Type of Christ it was spiritual meat to them So the water out of the Rock to all those that in the same manner under the same consideration did drink of it was spiritual drink 1 Cor. 10.3 4. Even so is Jesus Christ at this day and will be to the end of the World his flesh will be meat indeed and his blood will be drink indeed to all those that feed upon him by faith And this leads me to the second Particular 2. That Jesus Christ is this Food which is appointed for the nourishment of the Soul as he is a Crucified Saviour Even as we read of the Manna Numb 11.8 that it was prepared to be eaten by being first ground in the Mill or beaten in a Mortar and so baked in a Pan. And as the Rock was smitten with the Rod of Moses before the water gushed out so it was at first by God's appointment Exod. 17.6 And the Paschal Lamb was roasted at the fire before it was eaten Even so Jesus Christ was wounded for our transgressions smitten of God unto death that so he might be spiritual Food for Souls according to the Father's appointment This was the ground of Paul's resolution He determined to know nothing i. e. to make known unto them nothing comparatively but Jesus Christ and him Crucified And indeed the first comfortable sight that a humbled sinner hath of Christ when his heart works after him for the life and Food of his Soul is as he was clothed with his Garments of Blood made a Curse for sinners as obedient unto death This was always the scope of Paul's preaching first to set forth Christ as Crucified Gal. 3.1 So he preached him and so he desired that those who were his hearers might receive him So the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper wherein spiritual Food is administered to a believing Soul the scope thereof is to shew forth the Lord's death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 And this upon the highest ground of reason for as Jesus Christ by his blood redeemed our Souls from a state of spiritual death to a state of spiritual life breaking down the partition-wall not only between Jews and Gentiles but also between God and Sinners Eph. 2.13 So he purchased thereby not only a full discharge from the guilt of sin by the imputation of his own righteousness but power to communicate from his own fullness continual supplies of spiritual life for the daily progress of Soul-prosperity For whatever we receive for our All is to be received from Christ as rising again from the dead as ascending into Heaven as making intercession for those that come to God by him and whatever influence Christ in his Offices as King Priest and Prophet hath into the life and nourishment of our Souls the foundation of all was laid in this that Christ was a Crucified Saviour His intercession is effectual because his blood speaketh Heb. 12.23 As the great Prophet of his Church he reveals the counsel of his Father in all that is necessary to be known to make us wise unto salvation for that he merited this by his blood Rev. 5.5 6. Because the Lion of the Tribe of Judah was the Lamb slain therefore he prevailed to open the book of God's secret Council which no man else was found worthy to open or to read or so much as to look upon so Rom. 4.24 His resurrection is for the declaring of our justification but that is because he first dyed for our sins Thus you have the second particular under the first head proved unto you That as Jesus Christ himself is appointed for the food of our Souls so Jesus Christ specially as crucified Even as at this day those living creatures which by God's allowance we feed upon must first lose their own lives before they can be for support to ours Even so it is here No life from Christ but by the death of Christ Therefore saith Christ Joh. 6.53 Verily verily I say unto you that except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood ye have no life in you I now proceed to what in the second place was proposed which was to shew 2. What are the ways and means by which Jesus Christ conveys this spiritual life unto the soul that it may live and prosper Ans It is by the powerful working of his Holy Spirit sprinkling all Ordinances all Providences and the Soul it self that receives nourishment from Christ with the merits and efficacy of the blood of Christ 1. All Ordinances in the use of them he is said to set meat before us Hos 11.4 Meat which is compared to those
to Eternal Life But this the Law cannot do by reason of Man's weakness being utterly unable to fulfil it so that it is become a killing Letter the ministration of death and condemnation 2 Cor. 3.6 7. Now Jesus Christ by his obedience hath brought about this perfection of the Law perfectly fulfilling the Righteousness which the Law required for love is the fulfilling of the Law Now Jesus Christ loved the Lord with all his heart and with all his might and his neighbour as himself He failed not in the least of what was due either to the one or the other This he did and none but he could do it For though one sinful act in thought in word or deed did break the Law yet it is not fulfilled but by perfect conformity unto it and such a conformity there was in the obedience of Christ Joh. 8.29 I do always those things that please him This is the first Particular The Materials whereof this garment of Righteousness is made with which if the Soul be not clothed it cannot prosper as we shall see by and by 2. The Soul that is not clothed with this Righteousness cannot while it remains so possibly ever be in a capacity of prospering For sin hath made such a dreadful breach between God and Sinners that he stands upon this That though he will have mercy upon whom he will have mercy the motive is only from the good pleasure of his own Will Eternal Life with all that is antecedent to it and preparative for it is his own gift Yet I say God is absolutely resolved upon this that he will have his Justice satisfied for all the wrong that sin hath done him He hath also magnified his Law and made it honourable Isa 42.21 Therefore he will have all the demands of the Law fully answered and obedience thereunto perfectly fulfilled else no spiritual good shall be given forth to any Soul so as to make it live much less to prosper Isa 59.2 Your iniquities have separated between you and your God Jer. 5.25 your sins have with-holden good things from you Now this is done by Christ's Righteousness alone Therefore it is of absolute necessity that it be put on else the Soul cannot prosper 3. The Garment of Righteousness is put on only by a believing Soul Rom. 3.22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe 1. Upon every believing Soul that being acquainted with the way of God in bringing Sinners into a state of grace and mercy and knowing that God is just and Righteous as well as Merciful knows that he cannot find acceptance with God but he must be righteous Hab. 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes then to behold evil 2. Upon every Soul that knows that every righteousness will not serve the turn but it must be such as the pure eyes of the glorious Majesty of God can see no defect in Gal. 3.11 That no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident 3. Upon every Soul that knows and bewails the imperfection of his own righteousness and knows he hath reason to do so though he were sure he had as much of all the graces that accompany Salvation as ever Abraham or Isaac or Jacob had If this were all this Soul knows it would not avail him to stand before the Righteous God No his infinite wrath would come upon him for all that and confume him Job 15.14 What is Man that he should be clean or he that is born of a Woman that he should be righteous 1 Sam. 6.20 Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God 4. A Soul that knows all this in some measure and that the Righteousnes is such a Righteousness as God will accept of and so adventures his Eternal state upon the merits thereof resolving however Christ deal with him in his strength to keep fast his hold there and to live and dye adhering unto and depending upon him This Righteousness is upon every such a believing Soul This Faith though it may be more then a believing Soul knows hath put on this righteousness therefore it is called The righteousness of faith Phil. 3.9 The sins of a Believer are put upon Christ's account and Christ's righteousness upon his 2 Cor. 5.21 Faith being the only grace that receives it as being peculiarly fitted for it for no Man was ever accepted as righteous before God for that which he did himself but by receiving that which Christ did for him And Faith is the only receiving grace Love lays out but Faith receives Joh. 1.12 To as many as received him c. 4. The clothing of the Soul with this Righteousness hath a great influence into Soul prosperity For consider 1. This is that Righteousness alone that answers all doubts and fears for want of such a righteousness as might give acceptance with God as to Eternal Life so as to that how vile soever they have judged themselves yet being clothed with it they stand without blame before God Col. 1.22 In the Body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight This alone satisfies Conscience and well it may for it satisfies God himself In this all the Scripture-Saints in all Ages have rested being clothed with it Abraham before the Law Rom. 4. David under the Law Psal 32. And Paul under the Gospel Phil. 3.9 2. This is that garment alone in which there may be access with boldness into the presence of God even at the last day 1 Joh. 2.28 And now little Children abide in him that when he shall appear we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming Therefore much more in this day Eph. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him For this is a Righteousness wherewith we may warrantably say so God is more highly pleased and which of the two finds more acceptance in Heaven then the righteousness of the blessed Angels that never sinned For their's is but the righteousness of a Creature This is the Righteousness of God Jer. 23.6 This is his Name whereby he shall be called The Lord our Righteousness 3. This is Everlasting righteousness Dan. 9.24 In this Christ ever hath appeared and ever will appear in Heaven in behalf of all those that come to God by him and remains still of the same Eternal efficacy for the applying and forth-giving of all the price of his Blood all that thereby is purchased for the health well-fare perfect and Eternal prosperity of the Soul 1 Joh. 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins c. Now lay all these together and let them be well weighed and it will be granted because it will be found that when once the Soul comes to have any degree of good hope through grace of its interest in it and that it is clothed with it that Soul will experimentally find