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
Creature loaden with many infirmities do it For the present I cannot think of any better way then this even in the spiritual out-goings and actings of the principle of godliness immediately upon God himself so as to compose our affections thoughts purposes desires resolutions and all the inward workings of our hearts in a suitable proportion to those glorious discoveries that God hath made of his name as infinitely holy wise just and gracious present every where seeing all things observing all things ordering all things according to the counsel of his own will The instance the Prophet Isaiah gives makes for this For when he had called them to their duty To sanctifie God in their hearts he directs them how to do it Let him be your fear and let him be your dread Thus the Prophet Habakkuk sanctified God's Name in his heart drawing in all his hopes and all his comforts into God alone resolving to rejoice in him when he had nothing else to rejoice in Hab. 3.17 18. according to Phil. 4.4 Rejoice in the Lord alway and again I say Rejoice This is that which is required in the first and great Commandment wherein indeed if we consider it well we shall find all the other Commands wrapt up for always before we do any thing amiss against God we either think amiss of God or think not of him at all Therefore as ever we desire our Souls should prosper let us be careful at all times in all places thus to sanctifie God's Name in our hearts And whatever our condition be how sad soever it be with us still both think well and speak well of God as such a God ought to be spoken of and thought of Satan hath baffled many eminent Persons when they have been under tryal with temptations contrary to this Jeremiah in his distress le ts fall such sad words as these Chap. 15.18 Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable which refuseth to be healed Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a lyar and as waters that fail And David being as we say under hatches said in his haste though upon second thoughts he call'd in his words again that he had served a hard Master and that all his exercising himself unto godliness had been in vain Psal 73.13.14 It concerns us therefore as we desire our Souls should prosper so to exercise the principles of godliness we have received that even when the dealings of God with us are most contrary to our desires and hopes to think of God according to that representation which he makes of himself Exod. 34.6 7 The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious c. We may observe that David when he acted like a Man after God's own heart did so Psal 119.68 Thou art good and doest good Yet how it was with him in his outward condition we see vers 61. The bands of the wicked have robbed me and vers 28. My Soul melteth for heaviness So Psal 31. aster he had expressed his sad condition vers 9 10 I am in trouble mine eye is consumed with grief My life is spent with grief and my years with sighing Yet he breaks out into admiration vers 19 O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee And yet he saw but little of it laid out upon him Psal 52.1 the goodness of God endureth continually This is the first way proposed wherein we ought to exercise our selves unto godliness 2. I proceed to the second thing proposed How these principles of godliness ought to be exercised as they are to be drawn forth and clothed as it were with the External duties of Religion or any thing else wherein the visible part of Religion so far as it may be made visible to Men doth consist And here note two things as to External duties of Religion 1. That we ought to exercise our selves in them all 2. That these principles of godliness ought to be exercised in them all 1. For the former Those that really mind as we all ought to mind the prosperity of our Souls must compass them all and take them all in in their walk though not all at once nor all it may be every day but all in their Season It is a dangerous yea a desperate thing To perform one duty that we may dispence with our selves in the neglect of another As to perform duties in conjunction with others and give our selves on that account a dispensation to neglect personal and private duties It is our duty as 1 Tim. 5.21 to do all things without partiality especially all things in Religion This I desire may be considered There is no Duty or Ordinance of Gods own appointment which he hath not blessed at one time or other to some one or other of his People so as sometimes they have found him in one when they have not found him in another As for instance God hath been found in Prayer private Prayer Psal 34.6 This poor man cried unto the Lord and he saved him out of all his troubles In praying with others Act. 4.31 And when they had prayed the place was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost In private reading of the word as the Eunuch Act. 8.27 28. In hearing the word Act. 2.37 1 Cor. 14.24 25. While the two Disciples that went to Emmaus were discoursing of Christ Christ himself drew near to them and went with them Luk. 24.15 And their hearts burned within them while he talked with them by the way and opened the Scriptures to them vers 32. So in singing 2 Chron. 20.22 And when they began to sing the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon c. That is He cut them off suddenly as when Men are cut off by their enemies that lye in ambush against them and so accomplished what was foretold vers 17 Ye shall not need to fight in this battel stand still and see the Salvation of the Lord. Memorable is that story of the Protestants of Mountaban in France who when they were besieged being compelled to take up Arms in their own defence always when they went out to fight went out singing of Psalms which was so terrible to the Enemy that in the end when they heard them singing which they usually began before the Portcullis was drawn up and the Gates opened their hearts failed them and away they would run crying out They come they come And as this is true that there is no duty but that at some time or other God hath been found in it by some or other so they have sometimes found him in one when they could not find him in another Cant. 3.1 compared with ver 4 She sought him in private duties and found him not then she went to the publick and found him whom her Soul loved Daniel was certainly a Man of much prayer Dan. 6.10 and no doubt found very frequently sensible acceptance with God but yet it seems God reserved the fullest
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
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
of the nature and efficacy of Christs Intercession and that with thought upon thought He appears in Heaven for us Heb 9.24 And who those are ye find Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them For what To give forth unto us and to apply what he hath purchased 1 Joh. 2.1 2. And we may be sure of it that his Intercession is as effectual and can no more be rejected then his satisfaction because both are acts of his Priestly Office SERMON XII I Now proceed to the third and last branch of the Use that hath been so long insisted upon To exhort those if there be any such and I have reason to hope there are some such whose Souls do prosper with whom it begins to be better with respect to the frame and temper of the hidden Man of the heart then it hath been To exhort them to give all diligence that it may continue so with them That they may not lose the things they have wrought but receive a full reward 2 Epist of John vers 8. But keep them in that holy frame whereinto the exercise of godliness hath brought them But before I shew what in order thereunto is our duty I shall premise five things to be considered 1. That an absolute settlement of the Soul in the same highth and degree of this spiritual prosperity that is by some attained s rarely if ever preserved for any long time together There is a tincture of that madness which Solomon speaks of Eccl. 9.3 yea also the heart of the Sons of Men is full of evil and madness is in their heart while they live that remains and always will remain in the hearts of the best when they are at best Paul found it so Rom 7.21 I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me And Mad-men seldom continue in any one temper any long time together Therefore as it is with Men in respect of their outward condition though all things may prosper with them and that for some considerable time together as it was with Job He had his months wherein the Candle of God did shine upon him and the secret of God was upon his Tabernacle when the Almighty was with him when his Children were about him Job 29.2 3 4. But in all these we know he underwent a great and sad change the clouds gathered upon him and darkned all his Sun-shine David found it so his fair weather as we use to say did not last always Psal 30.6 7. He thought himself setled in his Kingdom above danger of opposition but he found it otherwise God was offended with him hid away his face and then such troubles came upon him as he never dream'd of Even so it hath been with most thriving and growing Souls when they thought they could have said as David Psal 108.1 O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Yet they have found that even then it was with them but as with a Ship at Anchor which though it be not driven into the Maine nor split against the Rocks yet it is often tossed up and down and reels to and fro Many sad instances we have of this in the Scripture that the most gracious persons have not always kept their principles of godliness in exercise at the same height no not those wherein they have been most eminent Neither Abraham his Faith nor Moses his Meekness nor Job his Patience Even Abraham's Faith and Moses his Meekness and Job's Patience had their ebbings and flowings And at this day the more any Man studies his own heart the more he will tell you that in his own experience he finds it so for many such changes are wrought by the hand of the most high As in respect of our natural state Job 14.2 He cometh up as a flower and continueth not So very often in respect of his spiritual frame 2. As many have experienced strange and unexpected turns of Providence in respect of their outward condition So no less suddenly or unexpectedly have they experienced as great changes in their spiritual condition There are those no doubt can tell you That having been brought under the influences of divine grace and love so as they have found much inward longing after more and more enjoyment of God even then when they found much sweet delight in what they did enjoy and this joined with serious resolutions of keeping more close to God and have thereupon hoped that the worst had been past that it would never any more be with them as it had been Never should they live so they hoped at such a distance from God as they had done nor should their hearts wander from him as in times past Yet after all this very unexpectedly like an instrument in change of weather have they found themselves as we say out of tune again As those that dwell by the Sea-side do see that though the tide be now out and it be low water yet upon a sudden all is overflown again Besides experience we have sad instances of this in Scripture Jer. 20.13 Having in the words before professed his assurance of God's presence with him and protection of him he now rowseth up his Soul from his former damp't and dumpish condition to a high degree of lightsomeness of spirit praising God for his deliverance from the hands of Pashur and the rest of his Persecutors before he was delivered out of an hopeful expectation of it as if he had already received it But how long doth this last See ver 14 Cursed be the day wherein I was born A strange alteration and sudden down-fall from such an height of confidence in vers 12. and such a degree of comfort vers 13. to such a low dejection of spirit and strange distemper of mind as inconsiderately to curse the day of his birth those that brought his Father the report thereof A lively pattern this is of the truth of that which we are speaking of An instance not much unlike to this we find in Elijah Compare 1 King 18.18 where he told Ahab with so much resolution I have not troubled Israel but thou and thy Father's house with 1 King 19.3 when being threat'ned by Jezebel He arose and fled for his life What a sudden change was this He that durst say to Ahab's face Thou and thy Father's house have troubled Israel that could fetch down both Fire and Water from Heaven by his prayers that durst command the slaying of 450 Priests of Baal yet he shrinks at the threats of a Woman and wisheth to be rid of his life because he was afraid to lose it This was a strange turn in that holy Man's spirit But so it hath been and so it is that the pulse of a sick Man doth not more vary then the temper of the Soul of a sound and upright Man This day perhaps
some Communion with God some drawings nigh in holy duties some good hopes through grace of acceptance with God unto Eternal Life yet within a while overcome again with deadness and darkness strange flatness and coldness growing upon the face of the whole Soul again so as it is nothing the same it was Thus we see that though the state of grace be sure 2 Tim. 2.19 yet the workings of grace are variable The nature of it is unchangeable but the degrees of it are subject to many changes the operations of it to many alterations So that though the principles of godliness be always like themselves yet the most godly Souls that prosper most are not always like themselves 3. As there may be such a sad and sudden change in the most prosperous Soul that lives so that may be lost in such a change which will not be recovered but with very much difficulty A Ship may easily be born down the stream but it is hardly fetcht up again A Man may lose more strength in a few days sickness then can be recovered in many days I have read of Henry the First King of England a sober and temperate Prince that he surfeited with eating a Lamprey which cost him his life Thus one intemperate meal may overthrow the temperance of a Man's whole life for the same History saith of that King that he did seldom or never eat but when he was hungry or drink but when he was thirsty yet thus he came to his end Thus it may be in this matter which we are speaking of Even the Soul that mounts aloft by the supplies of grace as upon Eagles wings if spiritual drowsiness creep by degrees upon it and that it begins to dally with duties or to dally with sin it may cost much spiritual wrestling and striving with God much heart-humbling and mourning in the sight of God before it recovers its former height and heavenly temper If a Watch be let fall and receive a bruise it must be all taken asunder before it be brought to its former exactness and evenness of motion Read the 5 ch of the Canticles at the beginning there ye may perceive what hard work the Church had in seeking after Christ before she found him again We read of David's first days as his best days 2 Chron. 17.3 And though it may easily be proved that he recovered his former stature both in grace and comfort yet it may as easily be proved that he found it no easie matter to recover either the one or the other And this his 7 penitential Psalms do sufficiently prove 4. Yet for all this much may be done this way so as a prospering Soul may continue in its prosperous state more then the most careful Man in the World can do for the continuance of the prosperity of his worldly estate A Man may be looking to and taking care for the well managing of his estate and yet whilst his eye is upon it he may see it upon the wing and flying away from him as the Eagle towards Heaven far enough out of his reach See Job 1.14 Job's Servants with great care and diligence attended their Master's business for the securing his Cattel and improving his ground each of them according to their place and yet ye know how suddenly all was lost so that it came to be a Proverb As poor as Job But there is more certainty of God's prospering serious endeavours in minding Soul-prosperity For if the occasions of sin be watched against one day as well as another if the first risings of sin be checked and suppressed if grace be exercised suitable to the Providence of the day and Communion with God in the duties of Religion be made our great business of the day so far and so long as it is so so far and so long the Soul will continue to prosper And why all this may not be done one day as well as another no reason can be given The promise of the assistance of the spirit for all this is ready one day as well as another And God is a God hearing prayers for all this one day as well as another And therefore what is done one day may be done another It is said of Enoch Gen. 5.22 That though the age he lived in were very corrupt yet he walked with God and lived in some degree of eminency in the exercise of the principles of godliness above others of the Servants of God that were his contemporaries and he had this testimony the Spirit of God witnessing together with his Spirit That he pleased God Heb. 11.5 And it is well known that the blessed Apostle Paul as he began so he continued fighting a good fight finishing his course keeping the faith and living by faith to his dying day as he saith Gal. 2.20 2 Tim. 4.6 7 And though his outward condition was for the most part very low yet his spiritual condition was very thriving and flourishing though the one perished daily yet the other was renewed 2 Cor. 4.16 5. Our labours and endeavours how much soever we abound therein will not be in vain but be abundantly recompensed in the blessed fruits and effects thereof When a prospering Soul is carried on with a full gale in its holy course the precious influences of the Spirit of God in and by the Ordinances of God will be fixed and the word will be an abiding word and not like those human Ordinances the Apostle speaks of Col. 2.22 which perish in the using And as the matter requires the word which ye hear at one time will be brought to remembrance at another time as Joh. 14.26 and put the Sword of the Spirit into your hands so as to resist the assaults of Satan and discover a temptation in time of temptation before the heart be ensnared by it 2. To keep the heart humble and heaven-ward under a confluence of all worldly comforts To keep it calm and well-composed under all provocations from Men and afflictions from God so as to run with patience the race that is set before us holding on till our course be finished To be much above distracting fears in time of danger all of them being mightily subdued in the reverential fear and awe of God yea to have our thoughts of death full of comfort and our hopes of Eternal happiness full of well-grounded confidence To be able to live to God whilst we live and to dye to God when we dye These and many such like are the effects and blessed consequences of this so far as it prospers So as all such whose Souls do prosper see cause daily not only to bless their God but also as it is Isa 65.16 To bless themselves in their God whatever their condition be Therefore let not these consolations of God seem small unto us but engage us according as we are commanded Deut. 4.9 To keep our Souls diligently lest we forget the things which our eyes have seen and lose those things
which our hearts have wrought These things being premised I proceed to the Directions necessary as I suppose to be observed in this case 1. Souls that prosper being through the assistance of the quickening presence of the Spirit of God with them well recovered out of that spiritual deadness benummedness their hearts were sunk into must take heed of Relapses Sin as ye have heard is the Souls sickness Therefore as ye ought to take heed that there be not any unmortified root of bitterness in you as Heb. 12.15 So take heed of relapsing into that sin or those sins whether of Omission or Commission whatever they were which brought your Souls into and kept them in that unprospering and unthriving condition under which ye groaned and from which ye find your selves now in some good measure so happily recovered Those that are recovered out of a dangerous Disease if they be not very careful may relapse again And Relapses though they are not always mortal yet they are always dangerous It is so with the Soul In Levit. 13.18 19 20. we read that out of a bile that is healed there may spring up a Leprosie a Disease far more dangerous then the former It is a sad but a true charge upon the Lord 's professing People of old Hos 11.7 that they were bent to back-sliding And this proneness hath been as is too often reduced into the act And no marvel for whatever is nought and reigns in the hearts of the worst Men there is still a remainder of it in the best of Men. Now it is as certain as that two and three make five that if the most prosperous Souls be not well look't unto according to the suitableness of the temptation every old ill quality will break forth again For every thing that is natural as all ill qualities are to the Soul and this of relapsing and back-sliding as natural as any will return to their state if special care be not taken to hinder it As a stone that is thrown up into the Air will fall down again when the force of the Arm that threw it up is spent And water will have its course downward when once the damm that stopt it is broken down This particular then is necessary to be spoken to and that somewhat largely which shall be recompenced in speaking more briefly unto those other Directions that follow For if this be neglected none of the rest will be observed Consider then 1. That relapsing and back-sliding in its general nature is directly and in a special manner contrary to the exercise of those principles of godliness which have the same influence into the health and well-fare of the Soul as natural heat and radical moisture have into the health and well-fare of the Body I mean Faith and Repentance By the exercise of Faith we come to Christ Joh. 6.37 All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me And by the exercise of Repentance we turn unto God Joel 2.12 Turn ye unto me with all your heart Now relapsing and back-sliding is a departure from God Heb 3.12 a drawing back Heb. 10.38 2. To bring this yet more closely to the matter I am speaking unto we must take notice that this relapsing or back sliding comes under a double consideration 1. There is a relapsing or back-sliding which proceeds from the want of the principles of godliness This is to be charged upon those that after illumination and conviction having given up their Names to Christ and engaged in the profession of Religion Fall first from the practice and it may be at last from the very profession of Religion First from all appearance of exact and circumspect walking to vanity and loosness and then it may be to open prophaneness as they 2 Pet. 2.20 If after they have escaped the polutions of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again entangled and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning These do not fall from the grace they had but do indeed discover that they never had any For every one that hath the true principles of godliness in his heart shall persevere in his gracious state The Seed of God will remain in him though he do not always remain in his gracious frame The new-born Christian is born a Conquerour his victory bears date from his birth 1 Joh. 5.4 For whosoever is born of God overcometh the World and shall at last be more then conquerour Rom. 8.37 2. There is a relapsing and back-sliding through weakness or rather as the truth is for want of the exercise of the principles of godliness whereby the heart is drawn sometimes one way and sometimes another way from God 1. Sometimes through violence of temptation and the unmortified inclination of the heart into some outward act of sin which may come under the observation of others as we may see in Peter several times he was surprized with selfish fears which brought forth sad effects Once when he tempted Christ not to hazard himself at Jerusalem Matth. 16.21 22 23. This was from his fear lest if it should go ill with his Master it would not go well with him This appears by Christ's thereupon pressing upon him and all that would be his Disciples the duty of Self-denyal and the Doctrine of the Cross ver 31. And then after that when Christ was arraigned Matth. 26.70 And after both these we find him falling into a grudging of the same Disease Gal. 2.11 12. So John the beloved Disciple was twice surprized so far to forget himself as twice to give that worship to the Creature which was due to God alone Rev. 19.10 and ch 22.8 There are other gross corruptions which as the Apostle saith are manifest works of the flesh It would be an astonishing thing if any that ever were alive to God much more if any whose Souls did ever prosper should back-slide so far as into such dead works This were a high degree of quenching the Spirit for Gal. 5.16 This I say then walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 2. There is a back-sliding through weakness or rather through want of exercise of the principles of godliness into many inward and spiritual evils which no eye seeth but the eye of the most holy God who seeth all things such as spiritual dullness and listlesness unto that which is good as Isa 64.7 There is none that calleth upon thee that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee So as private duties are either omitted in their Season or shuffled up in a slight and formal manner Though God be the object of the duty yet the enjoyment of God is not made the end of the duty when the heart grows vain goes in and out constant in nothing but inconstancy assuming unto it self a lawless liberty as if there were none to observe it none to judge easily drawn away to forgetfulness of God sliding