be so exercised as to bear all such changes so as to avoid the snares and temptations accompanying them To this height St. Paul attained that he could thus manage all conditions Phil. 4.12 I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound c. Want or no want having nothing or possessing all things make no change of the frame of my heart So he saith I am instructed in every thing This is the excellency of the principles of godliness That though truths and falshood things morally good or morally evil are at such a distance that the same principles cannot turn to either side yet Poverty and Riches a full Estate and a poor and mean Estate liberty or restraint are not at such a distance but that the same gracious principle can apply it self to both the one and the other and may be exercised so as the Soul may prosper and may be spiritually a gainer both by the one and by the other And as we desire our Souls should prosper these principles ought to be exercised that we may find it so For so far as corruption mingles with the Providences we are under so far if there be any grace in the heart it will be so far from thriving that it will wither and decay It is observed that when things go well with a Man in his outward condition if corruption be not kept at a distance from it the Man will grow proud and passionate high and self conceited Earthy and Selfish impatient of being crossed in any thing having as he finds wit enough for every thing else and that therefore every one must stoop to him And so when things go cross and as the usual phrase is The World frowns upon him if his corruptions be not kept at a distance from his condition the Man will grow fretful discontented unthankful for what he hath envious at those with whom it is better then with himself And to speak all in a word sin will sit light when crosses fit heavy Therefore it is of absolute necessity that as ever we desire our Souls should prosper this with the uttermost of our care should be looked unto 1. That when the good hand of God is for us so as all our Goings out and Comings-in the beginning and ending of every thing we undertake succeeds well according to our desires that then these principles of grace ought to be exercised that nothing come betwixt Jesus Christ and our hearts but that the more we have of the World the more our hearts may be in Heaven As Jacob was then desirous to be in Heaven when God had given in the unexpected sight of his lost Son his best Son and that as great as he was good Gen. 46.30 And Israel said unto Joseph Now let me dye since I have seen thy face Jam. 1.10 Let the rich Man rejoice in that he is made low because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away when he is made low i. e. When his heart is low and meek humble and patient when his condition is full and high though perhaps not so in it self but as compared with others who had the same opportunities for the World that he had reckoning of all that he hath but as food that perisheth but as a flower that fadeth accounting this as the chiefest excellency of the plentifulness of his Estate that he hath a larger opportunity of doing good and of doing more for God then he could have had if his portion had been as little as once it was Thus to exercise grace To bear such full a cup without spilling argues not only the truth but also the strength of grace and is the way to make the Soul prosper as fast as the Estate 2. In all our civil converse with Men principles of godliness must be exercised with righteousness and sobriety Tit. 2.12 Yea with all courtesie and kindness 3 Epist of John v. 6. Gaius is exhorted in his kindness to the Brethren that travelled up and down about the affairs of the Gospel when he brought them onwards on their Journey to do it after a godly sort That which the Apostle presseth on aged Women is the duty of all both old and young Tit. 2.2 That the aged women be sober grave temperate Zech. 14.20 21 In that day shall be written upon the Bells of the horses Holiness to the Lord And every Pot in Jerusalem shall be holiness to the Lord. This was written upon the High-Priests Mitre as he was a type of the great High-Priest the Lord Jesus who was holy and undefiled That which Men are thereby taught is this That the meanest things of common use should be holily used In all we do we should act as persons consecrated to God that are not our own and therefore we ought to glorifie God with our Bodies and with our Spirits which are God's 1 Cor. 6.20 Even in our natural actions Whether we eat or drink or whatever we do we should do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Now I have told you already and I told you the truth that God is not glorified it will appear so one day but when the principles of godliness are exercised Neglect hereof even in these natural actions is charged upon Men as their sin Jude ver 12. That they did feed without fear 3. In all companys So as where ever we are we always keep our hearts under the awe of God Eph. 4.29 Let no corrupt Communication proceed out of your mouth Col. 4.6 Let your speech be always with grace seasoned with Salt But of this more under another head in the next use of this Point SERMON XI I Come now to the third Particular The reasons why these principles of godliness ought to be stirred up So as to be set about and kept close to their proper work that they may bring forth their proper and peculiar fruit in due season and that in order to Soul-prosperity 1. This is that which specially falls under the authority of Command Observe it and you will find that when the Scripture speaks to professing Christians the principles are supposed to be infused and the exercise is specially required as Eph. 4.24 Put on the new Man saith the Apostle Not by Conversion that is supposed for he owns them as faithful Brethren in Christ Ch. 1. vers 1. But put them on for operation for exercise The new Creature the first day of its birth is a new Man It is born at once though it grows up by degrees and every particular principle of godliness is a member of this new Man Put them on so as ye may have them ready and nothing may be wanting when Providence calls for their exercise so that Your loins be girded about and your lights burning Luk. 12.35 Thus also Eph. 6.10 Put on the whole armour of God Be ready furnished to break through whatever snares and temptations ye may meet withal in running that race which God hath set
the Providences of God have very much appearance of contradiction to the Promises and are therefore most sadly cross to our hopes and expectations a gratious person if his Soul prosper and be kept in a gratious frame may by the eye of Faith foresee the good hand of God working even then for good unto him David in one of the saddest days that ever befell him as dark as it was with him had a glimmering of this 2 Sam. 16.12 Let Shimei alone said he let him curse it may be the Lord will look upon mine affliction and will requite me good for his cursing me this day I can tell you of one whose spiritual sight was clear in this matter One that when sad tydings were brought him that cut deep and went near his heart Well saith he I will go and bless God for that good which in due time I believe he will work out by the heavy burden now laid upon me He did believe there would Honey be found at the end of that Rod. These persons knew full well that all things that do befall the Lords Covenant people are either blessings in their own nature or are turned into blessings in the Issue Psal 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies He always hath and ever will so order all things as that they shall all work to bring electing love and glorifying love together This Jacob experienced Compare Gen. 42.36 Joseph is not and Simeon is not and will ye take Benjamin away All these things are against me with Gen. 48.16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil bless the Lads And David did hope to find it so when his condition was very low and his spirit very much sunk and fallen Psal 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Thus ye have the first Particular that it is our duty every day Though we are sometimes called to Mourning yet we are always called to Thansgiving therefore we ought to resolve with David Psal 34.1 I will bless the Lord at all times his praise shall continually be in my mouth 2. When the Soul is always habitually prepared and as the matter requires abounds in the actual performance of this duty it is in a prosperous and spiritually thriving frame This will appear if we enquire into the nature of Religious Thanksgiving For these three things we shall find necessarily required to the essence of it 1. A Cordial acknowledging of God alone as the Supreme cause and first mover in all the good we have of what kind soever it be by what hand soever it is conveyed unto us This is necessary for we shall never pay our Rent to him whom we do not acknowledge our Landlord We have cause to say of every thing the least thing we receive as Psal 118.23 This is the Lords doing 2. A real sensibleness that it is the Almighty goodness of God and that alone that sets his all-disposing Providence on work to give forth any thing the least thing unto us that may be any way useful unto us And this in conjunction with an humble sense of our own unworthiness to live in the thoughts of such a God who hath all the World to care for for our good even the least good Thus did Jacob Gen. 32.10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy Servant Gen. 33.5 The Children which God hath graciously given thy Servant 3. An hearty and humble resignation of our selves to live unto God because of his goodness unto us This is the Law of thankfulness and so far as a thankful heart lives under this Law so far he must be able to say as Paul did Phil. 1.21 To me to live is Christ These thing are essential to the acceptable discharge of this duty and so far as Men fail in any of them so far they come short in the due performance thereof And this being duly considered it is very evident that that work of praising God so as to give him the praises due unto his name as the expression is Psal 29.2 is so humbling so melting so self-abasing so God-exalting taking all from Self and giving all to God so heart-engaging and obliging that it cannot be otherwise but that the Soul doth prosper yea exceedingly prosper when it is faithful therein Read 2 Sam. 7. vers 10. to the end And 1 Chron. 29. from vers 10. to the end of the 19th And ye shall find in both those Chapters that David's heart was never more after Gods own heart nor ever did his Soul more eminently prosper then at that time when it was so warm in this duty And this would be farther taken notice of that we never read in all the Scripture so far as I can find that any whose Soul was not at least in a capacity of prospering whatever they might do formally did ever set themselves seriously about it We find Saul sometime sacrificing and now and then enquiring after God We read of Ahab humbling himself and walking in Sack-cloth but not a word of Praising God either by the one or by the other No marvel for pure need may drive a Man to his prayers As Jon. 1.5 Then the Mariners were afraid and cryed every Man to his God But it is pure Grace that makes a Man thankful as thankfulness hath been described in its Essential parts Formal thanksgivings are common and with some more common then formal prayers But neither the one nor the other signifie any thing with God Job 35.13 Surely God will not hear vanity neither will the Almighty regard it A mouthful of words is but a mouthful worth no more with God then a mouthful of wind It is certain there is no more real thankfulness then there is a real resignation of our selves to God to live unto him 2 Tim. 3.2 Vnthankful and unholy are conjoined Though they may be somewhat distinguished yet they are not divided Eph. 5.4 Neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks Ye may collect from thence that a thankful Soul is a mortified Soul It is true we read that the Pharisee began with a Lord I thank thee Luk. 18.11 but he stumbled at the Threshold for read over all that he saith to the end and ye will find that he doth not so much praise God as commend himself I shall conclude this with Eph. 5.19 20 Speaking to your selves in Psalms Giving thanks always for all things to God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ These two verses speak fully to that which I aim at for observe the connexion between them and ye will find the Apostle makes giving of thanks always for all things an effect
is truth and is no lye Joh. 17.26 I have declared unto them thy Name and will declare it This affords sweet refreshing nourishment I will instance only in two Cases 1. When many things are heard something at one time and something at another from the word And it may be something at this time which is not understood at least not so understood as that the heart is affected with it Here is relief to be had he can and undertakes to teach the heart Jer. 24.7 And I will give them an heart to know me for they shall return unto me with their whole heart Thus he taught David Psal 51.6 In the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom 2. When a Person walkes in darkness under many sad fears whether ever the foundation be well laid for Soul-prosperity whether ever he were brought into a state of Union with Christ so as to receive the first principles of Spiritual life from him Here from this Office of Christ which is to reveal his Father's mind in all things that we are concerned to know there is relief to be had Joh. 14.19 but ye see me They were in Christ their Union was begun but they did not know it but Christ undertakes so as they will leave it to him to take his own time that one day they shall know it Thus I have shewed you more largely then at first I intended That there needs no food for the Soul to feed upon so as to prosper but Christ alone For as all that is nourishing in the meat is for the health and well-fare of the Body so all that is in Christ is for the health and well-fare of the Soul I have very few words more to speak 4. Of the fourth and last Point Something by way of direction How to feed upon this food so as to receive that nourishment which our Souls stand in need of I shall only mention these four Particulars 1. We are to apply our selves to this Spiritual food with a Spiritual appetite Natural life desires Natural food Appetite unto it is called Hunger as it desires meat and Thirst as it desires drink So it ought to be where there is Spiritual life after this Spiritual food wherein we have both Spiritual meat and Spiritual drink Joh. 6.55 For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed And our appetite after it ought to be quick and strong We should be able to say as Isa 26.9 With my Soul have I desired thee in the night and with my Spirit will I seek thee early i. e. I have most affectionately desired thee in my most retired thoughts and so I resolve to do That 's the sense For when the Soul is said to do that which nothing else but the Soul can do it imports the strongest and highest actings of the Soul in doing it Now though that which hath been said already might be sufficient thus to quicken this appetite That there is no other food for our Souls but this That they must feed upon it or starve Yet I shall farther add this That we deliberately consider with our selves What work God requires of us every day and that we labour with our hearts to do it as we ought The work of every day is great in respect of the inward exercises of grace when not clothed with any outward duty As To live by faith To sanctifie God in our hearts To walk in the fear of the Lord And when we awake to be still with God setting the Lord always before us c. The external work of every day is great also The duties of Religion The duties of our particular Callings and Relations All these ought to be done so as to approve the sincerity of our hearts to God and find acceptance with his Majesty 2 Cor. 5.9 Wherefore we labour that whether present or absent we may be accepted of him The Apostle speaks of Epaphras that he laboured earnestly in his Prayers Col. 4.12 And we are required To do with our might whatsoever our hand findeth to do Eccles 9.10 Now hard labour gets a Man a stomach makes him both hungry and thirsty It will do so in a spiritual sense when we set our selves to make something of Religion To work and walk with God every day as we ought we shall be even constrained to cry out Who is sufficient for these things We shall see we need more spiritual food for the nourishing and strengthening of our Souls This will quicken our spiritual Appetite after Christ That we may be more and more strengthened in our inward Man by his Spirit Eph. 3.16 That we may be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Eph. 6.10 2. That in applying our selves to this food we manage the matter for our Souls as discreet persons do in making provisions for their Families when the Market-day comes They consider whether there be Bread-corn enough in the House or whether any thing else that is necessary be wanting and so according to their ability they provide So ought we to do in this case we ought to consider what our Souls stand most in need of that they may prosper Some days we may find we most of all want strength against one corruption some days more strength against another Some days we stand in more need of one grace and sometimes of another suppose of Faith or Repentance Meekness or Patience and accordingly we ought to apply our selves to our spiritual food the Lord Jesus for nourishment and strength in that particular Christ expects this that we should be sensible of our particular wants We read Luk. 18.35 36. that a blind Man hearing that Christ passed by that way cryed out Have mercy upon me O Son of David And vers 40 41. Christ asks him what he would that he should do unto him Christ knew what he would desire but he would have him to particularize his wants Thus we ought to apply our selves to Christ with a sense of what we want in particular And because as I told you all in Christ is some way or other for our spiritual food both Christ in his Person and Christ in his Offices We should apply our selves to that in Christ which may most of all relieve our faith in seeking after that particular supply which for the present we see we need whether it be in his Person or in his Offices either as Priest or Prophet or King When we know there is such a thing in such a Cupboard when we go to it the next way to find what we seek for is to go to the Box wherein it is 3. What dispensation soever we are under what mercy soever we have received or are receiving what cross soever we are exercised withal or is likely to come upon us what Ordinances soever we address our felves to God in we may spread the matter before God and tell him our case and our dependence upon him and pray most for the
manifestation of his love to him till to his daily prayer he added extraordinary prayer with fasting Dan. 9.3 compared with vers 23. And it was so with Cornelius as ye may see Act. 10.39 Thus we see the encouragement is great to take up every duty in its Season Experience tells us that the efficacy of co-ordinate means is in conjunction As for the preservation of bodily health there must be both Food and Raiment and Rest and the use of Physick sometimes as the matter requireth no one of these is sufficient So it is here Let none think his Soul will prosper though he use this or that Duty if any one known to be a Duty be willingly neglected in the season thereof It is the policy of Satan to separate one duty from another that so we may not be uniform in our endeavours Few are so bad as to use no means at all and few are so faithful to God and their own Souls as conscienciously to use All. This half-doing proves many a Souls undoing Therefore as we desire that our Souls should prosper we should as Caleb follow fully after God And in all as Psal 63.8 Follow hard after God As thriving Children do suck and draw hard sometimes at one Breast and sometimes at another 2. As we ought to exercise our selves in them all so we ought to exercise the principles of godliness in them all A few words to this 1. In general thus The principles of godliness ought to be exercised in them all so far as God's gracious ends and purposes in and by them so far as they are revealed to us may be answered and attained I shall instance in these two 1. This God hath revealed as one great end to be carried on in and by them all that this holy and blessed name may be sanctified in them all Lev. 10.3 This is done when the inward frame of our hearts is such when we address our selves unto God as that God himself may thereby see that we believe him to be a great God a gracious God a God in all respects infinitely glorious This is due unto him Psal 89.7 God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him And this David resolves upon Psal 5.7 But as for me I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy and in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy Temple So far as our hearts attain this temper so far we answer God's end This is to serve him acceptably Heb. 12.28 2. This likewise God hath revealed as his intent and purpose that thereby he may communicate unto the people of his choice those spiritual gifts and graces whereby they may be enabled to that work he hath appointed them and be prepared for that happiness he hath promised them Exod. 20.24 In all places where I record my Name I will come unto thee and I will bless thee Psal 133.3 For there the Lord commanded the blessing and life for ever-more The attainment of this end should be so deeply engraven upon our hearts that as the Bee moves from one flower to another to gather materials for Honey So should we from one Duty to another for supplies of grace suitable to our present necessities This was David's end Psal 63.1 2 3 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee c. For this end principles of godliness should be exercised to attain the fore-mentioned end And if so we are so much the more likely to attain this end the more grace we bring in exercise to a duty the more grace we are like to receive in and by that duty Matth. 25.29 Vnto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance Thus in general 2. As we desire our Souls should prosper principles of grace should be exercised in all the fore-mentioned duties I will instance only in one and that is the duty of Prayer both because that is and ought to be our every days work We ought in every thing both great and small to make known our requests to God believing his universal Providence that as there is nothing so great that is above his Power so there is nothing so little that is below his Care This we are injoined Phil. 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God And also because the better this duty is performed the better all other duties will be performed It hath an influence upon them all and is often put for the whole worship of God Rom. 10.12 13 Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved And besides all the Providences of the day are sanctified by it 1 Tim. 4.5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and Prayer But then we must know this that if we desire prayer may be a sanctifying duty to us our hearts must be sanctified for it and grace must be exercised in it I shall not mention now what graces must be exercised but only in general so that the heart may be wrought off from all evil frames and composed and fixed the inward thought thereof gathered in and the affections raised so as feelingly and awfully believingly fervently and sincerely we may powre out our desires unto God and be able to say as Lam. 2.18 Their heart cryed unto the Lord. And Psal 119.145 I cryed with my whole heart hear me O Lord. This is one thing intended in that expression of Praying in the spirit Eph. 6.18 The spirit of a Man is an active thing and whatever it doth good or bad it doth to purpose Such gracious workings of the Soul in prayer are the very Soul of prayer and then the Soul prospers by prayer Jude vers 20 And ye Beloved building up your Souls in your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost Then are our Souls edified when we thus pray in the exercise of the graces of the Holy Ghost This is all I shall say to the former of the two last things proposed That in order to Soul-prosperity grace ought to be exercised in all the External Duties of Religion I now proceed to the latter As ever we desire our Souls should prosper the principles of godliness ought to be exercised in all other things wherein the visible part of Religion so far as it may be made visible to Men doth consist And here I shall only speak a little to three particulars 1. In all Providences It is seldom or never seen that any of the people of God continue in the same condition as to the things of this World any long time without some alteration more or less God is pleased many times to bestow many good things upon them which he never intended they should always enjoy Psal 102.10 Thou hast lifted me up and cast me down Now as we desire our Souls should prosper principles of godliness should
how near soever they come how deep soever they cut and how long soever they continue is to keep silence before the Lord to sanctifie his name in all as holy and righteous faithful and gratious believingly waiting for a blessed issue to all This is the proper work of patience and in doing this consists the exercise of patience as we see it exemplified in Job cap. 1 c. 2. Faith hath its peculiar work 2 Thes 1.11 The work of faith with power And the proper work of faith is to receive Jesus Christ and rest upon him and his righteousness for a full discharge from the guilt of every sin and for acceptance with God as righteous unto Eternal Life And to carry the Soul to Jesus Christ daily for supplies of grace for strength against temptations from the World the Flesh or the Devil and for ability to perform what is daily required of us in those relations wherein we stand and in that condition wherein we are so as we may be enabled to hold on cheerfully and comfortably in the race that is set before us notwithstanding all the difficulties we meet with in our way Thus it was Prophetically promised of and to the believing Jews Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by his faith and to all believers to the end of the World Still keeping heart in their hopes for the accomplishment of whatever God hath promised notwithstanding all the real improbabilities and seeming impossibilities that be in the way This is the proper work of faith and in doing of this consists the exercise of faith Thus did Abraham Rom. 4.19 20. For we walk by faith not by sight 2 Cor. 5.7 We do not enjoy all that is in the promise but in the exercise of faith we wait for it 3. Repentance hath its proper work too which is to bring forth fruits meet for Repentance suitable to the nature of such a gracious principle Matth. 3.8 Such as heart-humbling and afflicting the Soul with godly sorrow for sin joined with the turning of the heart against every known sin so as we may attain to the sense of God's reconciliation with us and keep our hearts in a reconciled frame toward his holy Will in all things This is proper work for this grace and in doing hereof consists the exercise of Repentance See this exemplified Jer. 31.18 19 turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after I was turned I repented c. And Psal 51. 4. Self-denyal hath its proper work To deny self-will self-ends self-interest in all worldly concernments whatsoever and how far soever they stand in oposition unto or in competition with the command interest and glory of Jesus Christ And are inconsistent with the Conscience of that duty which we owe unto his Majesty This is the work which God hath appointed unto this grace Luk. 9.23 If any Man will come after me let him deny himself And in doing of this work this grace is exercised See it exemplified in Moses Heb. 11.24 By faith Moses when he came to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh 's daughter 5. The grace of Fear hath its proper work to keep the heart in an holy awe of God sensible of his all-seeing eye upon us regulating all our thoughts words and actions as becomes the presence of so holy a God This is the proper work for the fear of God Prov. 8.13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil And in doing of this work consists the exercise of this grace 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God i.e. In the exercise of this grace See this exemplified in Joseph Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God And in Nehemiah chap. 5.15 But so did not I because of the fear of God 6. The grace of Meekness hath its proper work And that is in the just moderation of the passion of anger preventing or quickly cooling and subduing all undue heats so as this unruly passion may never be moved without cause or when there is cause not without measure to walk in the exercise of this grace And because there are so few examples of it among the proud froward unbroken-hearted generation of Men we are called upon to learn it of Christ Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly of heart This being such a grace as no Christian without the exercise of it can possibly walk worthy of his Calling Eph. 4.2 I beseech you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness 7. The grace of Charity hath its proper work Ye have it described 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7. In doing this work the grace of Charity is exercised and the command of Christ so far fulfilled who commands us To walk in love Eph. 5.2 And requires it of us 1 Cor. 16.14 That all our things be done in charity These few instances shew what it is to live in the exercise of godliness Ye see here are gracious principles in the heart and gracious actings suitable thereunto and issuing from them And these are the things wherein the prosperity of the Soul consisteth 2. Wherein ought we to exercise our selves unto godliness Ans In every thing we do Whether we eat or drink or whatever we do we ought to do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Though we are necessitated often to change our Actions yet we ought never to change our End This must be always the highest and most supreme End And this can never be done but in the exercise of the principles of godliness It cannot be expected that I should instance in every thing I shall instance in those things that may be most comprehensive Consider then 1. That these principles ought to be exercised in those spiritual outgoings and holy actings of the inward Man which are immediately acted upon God and raise the heart Heaven-ward though not drawn forth in acts of instituted worship 2. As they are drawn forth exercised and as it were clothed with the external duties of Religion or any thing else wherein the visible part of Religion as far as it may be visible to Man doth consist 1. For the former In the spiritual out-goings and holy actings of the inward Man So as to do something toward the performance of that great duty injoined both in the Old Testament and in the New Isa 8.13 Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread 1 Pet. 3.15 But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts But how is this That God who is the God of all grace should sanctifie all those whom he sets apart for himself And that he should sanctifie his own name in vindicating it from those low and unworthy thoughts that Men have of him This is somewhat easie to be apprehended But how shall a poor
Seed and Heirs according to the promise We read that Naboth would not part with his inheritance neither for the good will nor ill will of King Ahab Let Souls ready to faint do so in this case with the Promises which in Christ are their undoubted inheritance 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen 2. Let Souls subject to fainting know their duty upon this account and set upon the performance of it 1. They ought to acquaint themselves with the promises They are so great and precious as the Apostle saith 2 Pet. 1.4 that there is not one of those that really close with Christ though they be of the lowest form but may find that which is most suitable to their condition in some promise or other that is within their reach though some may seem to be above him Though a little Man upon low ground cannot reach the top of the Tree yet he may get hold on some of the lower branches and there may find some fruit which may somewhat relieve him As suppose he cannot find comfort in that promise Rev. 2.7 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life No he is afraid of being overcome that promise is too high for him it is above his reach yet he may reach that Rev. 22.17 And let him that is athirst come And whosoever will let him take of the Water of Life freely If not that Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Yet they may reach that ver 6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled And that Joh. 6.37 All that the Father hath given unto me shall come unto me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out And let every fainting Soul know this that so far as he hath an interest in any one promise so far he hath an interest in every promise as to that blessing in it which is absolutely necessary to salvation For as there is a chain of duties Matth. 22.37 38 39 40 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God This is the first and great Commandment and the second is like unto it Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets Not this or that but this and that too So there is a chain of Priviledges Rom. 8.30 Whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified And a chain of Providences Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good to them that love God So there is a chain of Promises they are all bound together in one bundle in the Covenant That great and precious promise I will be thy God comprehends them all Therefore it is said Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son 2. Let them plead the Promises Psal 119.49 Remember thy word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Especially that particular promise which contains that particular blessing which if it were as sure in their hand as it is in the promise the fainting Soul thinks it would satisfie Thus did Jacob Gen. 32.9 10 11 O God which saidst unto me return into thy Country Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my Brother Thus every fainting Soul ought to do The promise is that Bond wherein God hath made himself a Debtor if not to his Covenant-people yet to his own truth and faithfulness which requires it of him that what he hath promised be fulfilled and therefore they ought to plead them This is God's method he expects to hear from them before they can expect to hear from him Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee 3. Let them patiently wait for the fulfilling of what is promised If the thing be of absolute necessity it shall be given in kind And so it shall be though in it self it be not yet if God in his infinite wisdom sees it will be subservient thereunto and will better promote it then the want of it will it shall also certainly be made good The Scripture speaks as if God had promised us nothing but Eternal Life 1 Joh. 2.25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us even Eternal Life But it is because all things absolutely necessary unto Eternal Life are comprehended therein Therefore wait for it because it will surely come Hab. 2.3 It 's true there may be silence in Heaven and that for a great while to the prayer of faith as there may be a silence very often to the provocations of the generation that is abhorred by God But as he will arise in due time to execute his vindictive justice upon the one Psal 50.21 22. So he will arise to make good his promises of grace and mercy to the other For God never said to the Seed of Jacob that they should seek him in vain Isa 45.19 I shall conclude this with that of the Apostle 2 Thes 3.5 The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient waiting for Christ He had laid down great grounds of comfort for them in the former Chapter vers 13 14. And assures them vers 3. of this Chapter that God was faithful and would stablish them They should not miscarry nor fail of that which God had chosen them unto but knowing the difficulty of waiting when expected supplies were delayed especially when Providences seem contrary to Promises he prays that the Lord would direct them into the love of God and patient waiting for Christ This is the third particular which it concerns fainting Souls to take special notice of 4. Fainting Souls or Souls often subject to fainting should endeavour after a distinct knowledge of the great and fundamental Doctrine of Justification 1. In the Meritorious cause of it which is the obedience of Christ as Mediatour in doing and suffering what God the Father appointed and which he accepted in the behalf of all those to whom it is imputed so as to discharge them from the curse of the Law which they had deserved to be executed upon them to the uttermost and to accept them as righteous unto Eternal Life of which they were utterly unworthy 2. That it is God which justifieth Rom. 8.33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth 3. That the moving cause is Gods free love Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus 4. That the means of receiving it is Faith Rom. 3.22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Christ Jesus unto all and upon all them that believe for there is no difference These things being well digested are great Cordials For whom he justifieth he glorifieth Rom. 8.30 5. Let such also think
under the greatest obligations that are imaginable to beware of Relapses So they ought with as great care and constancy to realize the presence of God with them day by day For it is without all controversie true that the exercise and so by consequence the growth and increase of the principles of godliness wherein Soul-prosperity specially consists is founded upon and preserved by the due consideratio … 〈◊〉 God's presence with us and his all sâ—eing eye upon us This is that which is specially comprehended in that expression of walking with God and walking before God And this is as specially to be observed That those that did so whilst they did so their Souls prospered We have it exemplified in Enoch Gen. 5.22 And he had this testimony that he pleased God Heb. 11.5 So Noah Gen. 6.9 Noah was a just Man and perfect in his generations and Noah walked with God So David Psal 26.3 I have walked in thy truth Psal 119.168 I have kept they precepts and thy testimonies for all my ways are before thee This was the best testimony that Solomon his Son could give of him when he was dead 1 King 3.6 Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my Father great mercy according as he walked before thee in truth and righteousness and in uprightness of heart with thee This is that which God gives in charge to Abraham and that upon this account Gen. 17.1 walk before me and be thou perfect As thou desirest and I know thou desirest to hold fast thine integrity Let me live in thy thoughts and see to it that thou so live so think so speak and so do as remembring thou art always in my sight This is that which hath a very great influence to draw as it were the draught of the Image of God day by day in our Souls in more and more lively colours For in the state of glory the glorified Saints that are with the Lord and always behold his face are like him and see him as he is 1 Joh. 3.2 Even so it is in the state of grace so far as this duty is conscientiously observed and discharged 2 Cor. 3.18 We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. It is true it is not said of Moses that his face did shine the first time that he had been with God in the Mount but when he had been with him the second time Exod. 34.29 This then is that we ought to have deeply engraven upon our hearts as ever we desire not to lose the things we have wrought to do as David did Psal 16.8 I have set the Lord always before my face Always that implies that we ought to make it our daily work what a Man does every day he is said to do Always And Always i. e. one day as well as another to our last day This is no more then is expresly required Prov. 23.17 Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long And 1 Pet. 1.17 pass the time of your sojourning here in fear It is the exercise of the fear of God which hath a very great influence upon Soul-prosperity 2 Cor. 7.1 perfecting holiness in the fear of God And it is this realizing the presence of God which hath the great influence into the exercise of the fear of God Hence it is that true child-like fear is said to be fearing before God that is out of an awful respect unto and due consideration of his All-seeing eye Eccl. 8.12 it shall be well with them that fear God that fear before him This is that then which above all other things ought not to be omitted for the very sinews of all heart-godliness are as it were cut in sunder so far as this is neglected For there is nothing left then which hath any power over the inward man the hidden man of the heart but it enjoys a lawless liberty as if there were none to observe it nor to judge it 3 Epist of John ver 11 Beloved follow not that which is evil but that which is good He that doeth good is of God but he that doeth evil hath not seen God Deut. 32.18 Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful and hast forgotten God that formed thee All their wickedness is charged upon that I shall say no more to this Second general Direction but only these Three things 1. That untill the Soul be spiritually alive to God and so in a capacity of prospering there is neither delight nor desire to entertain any thoughts of God Rom. 1.28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge They cast the notions of God out of their minds as of no use to them Psal 10.4 God is not in all his thoughts i.e. Not in his thoughts at all Job 21.14 They say to the Almighty Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Some say so in words at length and all of them say it in their hearts Thò God saith Wo unto you when I depart from you Hos 9.12 Yet they think it best when he departeth from them and the farther the better This frame of heart is the very blackness of Hellish darkness It speaks the very language of Satan Matth. 8.29 What have we to do with thee thou Jesus the Son of God art thou come to torment us before the time Thus it was of old Isa 30.11 Cause the holy one of Israel to cease from us 2. Though the Soul be alive to God yet so far as the Image of the old Adam is unmortified and any particular lust indulged so far God and the heart will be strangers Not only the beam but even such a moat in the eye will make such Souls to shun what they can the presence of God and the presence of those who they think will speak the mind of God unto them as Ahab did the presence of Micaiah 1 King 22.8 Such Souls are far from prospering This is the very image of old Adam Gen. 3.8 He heard the voice of God and hid himself from the presence of the Lord. 3. Even those whose Souls do live and in some measure may be said to prosper though they dare not omit any external duty of Religion yet they do too often and too easily slip over this without timely observation till they take a review of their hearts and then they see they have cause to say as Psal 36.11 Unite my heart to thee that I may fear before thee all the day long Or unite my heart within it self that it may not be diverted or distracted not carried this way and that way but that I may be able to say It is fixed it is fixed Thus I say it is and that too often with Souls that prosper according to their measure Therefore we ought to charge our selves with this duty and renew the charge from