heart and waies and nothing so desirable as Christ and holiness Thou wert once dead in sin thou did'st not feel or fear any hurt in it or danger by it but now 't is otherwise thou can'st not sin but thy conscience smites thee nor God threaten but it affrights thee thy quick-ey'd conscience soon espies the least failing in thy duty falseness in thy heart or error in thy life and as a Serjeant arrests thee and hales thee to the Judg. Thou could'st formerly live without God and be as still as the dead body in the grave and the burning brand in the fire but now as a bone out of joynt thou art restless till in communion with him I remembred God and was troubled Psal 77. 3. Thou wert gone out of the way yea an enemie to the way of life turn'd aside to the flock of his companions and did'st turn again and rend those that were of them But now thou art folded with the flocks of Christ and feedest besides the Shepherds Tents Cant. 1. 8. Thy foot hath held his steps and thou esteemest the word of his mouth more than thy necessary food Job 23. 11 12. Object But may not an hypocrite go so far and all this be no more than a change from darkness to conscience-conscience-light and from sin to common grace Sol. Common light cannot see a desirableness in Christ for himself nor bring the soul to count all things dross and dung to win him and obtain the excellency of the knowledg of Christ as thy Lord but saving light sees one Christ worth ten thousand Worlds and quits all to take him Phil. 3. 8. Common light sees no evil in sin but guilt and torment loss of comfort and sense of punishment Gen. 4. 13. but true grace when in exercise loaths sin when it pretends love and flies from sin when it makes largest proffers and fears sin when it sees no danger when there is no breach on present comfort feeled or danger of future misery feared Tit. 2. 11 12. The gracious soul like Joseph when tempted with flattery secur'd with secresie pursued with restless importunity to wickedness yet cannot close with it and sin against God Gen. 39. 9. Common light can dwell with works of darkness and consist with an unsanctified heart and life 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. Common light and lust never fall out but when it awakens conscience or weakens interests but saving grace cannot bear that which is evil Rev. 2. 2. or ever be brought to a treaty with sin in order to an agreement Gal. 5. 17. but with Sarah can never be at rest till the bond-woman and her son be turn'd out of door Gen. 21. 10. Common grace may be offended at sin but never hates sin there is no contrariety founded in their nature or difference but what may upon terms be made up Luke 23. 12. And if it seems to have an indignation against sin yet 't is not against every sin and at all times nor irreconcilable at any time but saving grace hates the very being of sin 2 Cor. 7. 11. And as the Tyger flies at the very picture of a man so doth Grace abhor the appearance of evil 'T is universal against the whole species and every kind of sin an enmity founded in the nature of grace and therefore irreconcilable Psal 139. 22. and derived from the riches of grace Ps 97. 10. and greatness of redemption-love It cannot be reconciled to sin because sin cannot be reconciled to grace or admit of any love to or enjoyment of God but still interrupts the soul's tranquillity holiness and pleasure in God his chiefest and only good Again Common light can live without special acquaintance with God Eph. 2. 13. afar of if it can have peace because its Countrey is nourished by the King's Countrey Act. 12. 20. and its welfare depends upon divine pleasure 't is all it looks for but saving grace gets within the veil Heb. 6. 19. approaches the mercy-seat where it converses with God To be called by his name will not content grace no nor to eat his bread and wear his rayment except it enjoys his bed also it longs for intimate communion with God Psal 101. 2. O when wilt thou come unto me It loves the Bride-chamber closet and secret corners with him never thinking it self near enough to or long enough with him Obj. But change from nature to grace is not growth in grace though I may have received the former rain and reaped the first fruits of the Spirit yet I fear I have not the latter rain and after-fruits of grace waterings and dressings do not make me fruitful or feedings make me grow and that 's the case you insist on Sol. 1. There may be fruit though not appearing and growth though unseen Christ hath under-ground-fruit which may not spring up to thy own view or others Ps 88. 5. Free among the dead as berries hid among the leaves which cannot be seen till winter-storms or shaking times come thou mayest thrive more inwardly than outwardly and be like the windows of the Temple wide within and narrow without you may grow more in the truth and parts of grace though less in the fruits of grace for a season thy sincerity may be more though thy shews be less you may grow more downward in humility self-abasement sorrow for sin though not upward in joys and blossoms of comfort thou mayest grow more out of thy self and into Christ as the root of all thy grace and foundation of thy foul-rest though not into sensible frames and workings of grace Art thou more sensible of thy own nothingness thy heart-deceitfulness self-insufficiency inward disorders soul-wants sinfulness hypocrisie barrenness then thou profitest Rom. 7. 18. Art thou more jealous of thy heart every day 2 Cor. 9. 27 more weary of thy self and longing after Christ having a higher valuation of his excellency and greater breathings after his quickning spirit and delighting presence Phil. 3. 8 this is profiting Secondly It may be thy conclusion springs from thy impatiency thou mayest be for hasty fruit not allowing time for its growth and maturity The Husbandman waits for the precious fruits of the earth Jam. 5. 7. before he can enjoy them or estimate their worth Thy hopes labours and profit may be buried under the clods for a while We cannot sow and reap saith one in a day The more excellent and durable the fruit is the longer is it before it comes to maturity rare ripe fruits are soon rotten hypocrites blossom a pace and cast their leaves as fast Mat. 13. 21. Though 't is matter of shame that those trees which have less earth and least nourishment should grow fastest yet the reason is they take up no time in getting root and growing downward and hence all their growth is outward Thirdly It may be 't is a winter-time with thy soul the Sun of Righteousness is withdrawn from thee and thy lightsom daies are gone Cant. 2. 11 12. The Comforter
troubles them but to be something though never so little satisfieth them and if this be Popery to rest in the work done how many Papists have we amongst us this day Certainly Professors are generally asleep or slumbering they do their work so badly and heartlesly their work falls out of their hand as things do from men asleep active for the world as if they could never do enough but soon tyr'd in the work of God dispatch but little of heavenly work from day to day from one Sabbath to another little heart-searching soul-watching work is done little in-door employment is carried on the exercise of faith hope humility patience zeal self-denial seems a stranger to a great many this day not for want of occasions or encouragements to work the Lord is still calling upon his Labourers to make haste but for want of hearts to work And this spiritual sloth proves that the Heavenly Trade is much lost Fourthly The poverty of Traders plainly shews Trading is not good when a Trade doth not maintain the Trader but he still goes back and becomes poorer then surely trading is not good The diligent hand makes rich Prov. 10. 4. When trading is good Traders usually thrive and live well upon it but when they waste and become poor then trading decaies So is it with Heavenly Traders when they drive a good Trade for Heaven they grow rich apace towards God and in their own souls Wisdom's wares are soul-enriching wares My fruit is better than gold yea than fine gold and my revenue than choice silver Prov. 8. 19. Men account those to be rich who have much of gold and silver but Wisdom's fruit is better than gold and therefore must needs be enriching they that have this gold cannot be poor Hence it is Christ counsels Laodicea to buy of him gold tryed in the fire that she might be rich Rev. 3. 1. But alas how poor in spirituals are persons generally this day Therefore I said Sur ly these are poor they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the judgement of their God Jer. 5. 4. Unacquaintedness with the way of God when men walk wide from Religion and lose their strict and close walking with God they soon become poor and foolish And this is the case of many every where they give a carnal liberty to themselves and indulge a freedom to walk after the fight of their own eyes and not by rule and where this is there is soul-poverty which is too visible in most this day Christians do but observe your own hearts and others and you will find this spiritual poverty abounding every where Little thrivings appear under the best of means choicest Priviledges do little more than keep up a name to live they convey but little quickenings to the soul A shew of Religion and a meer skeleton of profession is the common fruit of Ordinances in most places whereas all the while decaies are on the vitals of Christianity abatements in grace appear every day and a visible alteration in the whole frame and internal vigour of the soul faith love humility patience self-denyal and every grace becomes weaker every day Former daies were better than now Eccles 7. 10. Speak Christian are not matters worse with thy soul than they were and abatements appear in every part There was a time when thy mind was beam'd over with Divine Light the Candle of the Lord did shine in thy tabernacle Thy eye was quick to discern good and evil thou couldest once see an excellency in the knowledge of Christ O how choice were sermons priviledges were to thee the uncasking of Jewels and the opening of hidden glory thou did'st dwell in the Land of Visions and still some new discoveries of light and grace did meet thee in thy affectionate attendance upon God But now it is not so thy Candle burns dimly and thy right eye is darkened now thou seest but little beauty in grace or desireableness in truth things under thy feet th' other day that seem'd nothing compar'd with Christ now through the multiplying-glass of thy deceived mind seem great and lovely Formerly thy affections were warm and lively after God his word and ways O! how precious were his appointed Feasts and his Tabernacles amiable thou couldst delight in approaching to God and talk of a blessedness in his presence O the pleasure sweetness and joy thy heart did find in thy Closet in spiritual Converses and Duties and publick Ordinances thou couldst weep over sin and bedew thy prayers with tears and find thy heart burn within thee while Christ was speaking and melted under the warm beams of divine love But alas now it is not so now thy affections are dead thy heart as cold as a stone all the while thou art speaking to God in Prayer or God speaking to thee in his Word thou findest no more savour in Ordinances Duties and Christian Converses than in the white of an Egg Job 6. 16. Thou findest not that delight in God as formerly and the night of thy pleasure is turned to fear unto thee Isa 21. 4. This is Soul-poverty Again there was a time also when thy Will like the great Wheel in the Clock could move regularly after God thou couldst choose God for thy chiefest interest and Christ for thy only treasure preferring an interest in him above ten thousand Worlds thou couldst have voted for communion with God before thy meat and drink and one hours fellowship with Christ beyond all the delights on Earth thou couldst choose the things that please God and deny thy own pleasure to give content to him thou couldst once stick to thy first choice and find the purpose of thy heart cleaving to God Act. 11. 23. Thou couldst once resolve and keep thy resolutions 't was easier to take thy heart out of thy body than to gain thy consent to part with Christ his presence and ways But now thy will is hardly drawn after pure and constant enjoyments of God in his ways O! how difficult a thing is it to perswade thy will to let go all for Christ to leave every thing to attend on God to part with the world and self to wait on God to throw all over-board to take in Christ How hard is it now to consent that Christ shall have all the command of thy Soul and dispose of thy dearest interests now thou findest it a work above thee to keep thy heart in order one hour or to perform the purposes of thy Soul to God and Godliness thou resolvest and changest every day thou vowest and breakest thy vows continually there is no stedfastness in thy spirit this also bespeaks thy Soul-poverty There was a time also when thy Conscience was tender thy heart could smite thee for the least sin thy Conscience could hold thee to the greatest duty and bind thee to thy good behaviour thou could'st not go against the light and checks of thy regulated Conscience were it to gain the whole
World But now 't is dead and quiet it can bear the sharpest strokes of the two edged Sword and not feel it or bleed it makes little or no bones of sin against knowledg and mercy sins that were before troublesome now go down easily it can digest threatnings and terrors with little trouble and sleep while the arrows of the Lord's wrath flie about its ears it can let go mercies without regarding and truths to pass away without entertainment this is Soul-poverty This thou can'st say too there was formerly an activity in thy Soul for God and the spring of thy heart was strong and it set every wheel a going thou couldst run and not be weary walk and not be faint no religious duty was tiresome to thee no commands of God were grievous 1 Joh. 5. 3. no journeys seem'd long that led to God nor Sermons tedious that spake of God thy spirit was all life when in holy company and work did any say Come let us go up to the mountain of the house of the Lord Zech. 8. 21. thou wouldst say I will go also If God did but say Seek thou my face Psal 27. 8. thy heart would presently answer thy face Lord will I seek But now a deadness seizeth upon thee and slothfulness gathers in over thy whole Soul thou art soon weary of well-doing and canst not hold out with God in conflicts and difficulties as heretofore thou art not so diligent to prepare thy meat in Summer Prov. 30. 25. nor to lay in provision for a Winter spending-season thou turnest on thy bed as a door on its hinges and takest little pains with thy heart and conversation thou losest many an opportunity and advantage for thy Soul through thy deadness and indisposition to good works And doth not this bespeak Soul-languishing and poverty There are decays and poverty in thy life also as well as spirit how unprofitable is now thy conversation to what it was there was a time when thy bow did abide in strength thy lips did disperse knowledg Prov. 15. 7. thy steps did drop fatness it was good to be in thy company few came from thee but were better'd But alas now how dwindling is thy light how jejune and sapless is thy converse thy company little lovely thy communications little profitable thy words eat as doth a Canker it sears as a hot Iron and deadens those that hear it thy breath freezes all that come hear it so unprofitable a burden is thy company We turn all Religion Mr. Sedgwick ' s Christ's counsel to his languishing Church saith one into a discourse censure or dispute We can eat and drink and talk and sin as freely This is a sad case indeed and bespeaks great decays of godliness when persons become more poor and impotent in their Souls Fifthly Small adventures in Traders do usually bespeak bad Trading when times are hard and Goods go not off Sellers buy but little and drive a less Trade when improvements fail men are loath to adventure the principal but presently contract their Trade and lessen their dealings So 't is in this spiritual Trade when Souls begin to decay in it and Trading is bad they narrow up their Trade and lay out less of their heart and strength about it little of their Soul goes out after God and things above they cannot adventure for God as formerly nor spare time for prayer hearing reading holy conference as once they could the stream of their affections begins to run another way now they are all for the world self and vanity business and interest eats up all their time or at least they say to Christ as David did to Mephibosheth Thou and Zibah divide the Land So thou and the world thou and pleasures thou and reputation divide my heart time and strength this is too evident God hath not so much of mens hearts desires love delight faith hope zeal as heretofore 't is low waters all the year long with many no heart to duty as the Prophet complains Whoredom and Wine take away the heart Hos 4. 11. So lust sloth the world and self take away the heart few breathings after God when absent or delight when present indisposed to duty cold formal in duty put off God with any thing keep the best of the flock the prime of their strength for themselves and the world and turn off the Lord with a corrupt thing the residue of their wasted affections and strength Mal. 1. 14. Sixthly Breaking shews bad Trading when men can hold it no longer but are forc'd to give over they go back and waste so fast that at last they shut up shop and are gone The times we live in are a manifest instance of this truth men breaking ever and anon now one then another declares plainly Trading is bad And thus 't is with Wisdom's Merchants this day how many that have driven a brave trade of Profession made a great shew of Religion were famous in their generation for Parts and seeming Piety but are now come to nothing quite fallen and gone great apostasies from the truth sad shipwracks of Faith and Conscience can these late times speak of Men that seem'd like Stars to give a blaze for a while and then turn'd to falling Meteors at last or with the Sun that riseth in a splendour and sets in a cloud The visible apostacy and gross debauchery of men professing God in these latter times is great but the secret degeneracy and backslidings of heart are much more many break but more do warp 'T is far easier to observe than to be affected with mens great declensions in Religion some in principle but most in practice some with the fallen Angels have left their habitation and fallen from their first state others faulter in their profession and are fallen in their station some with stormy winds are shaken down others fully ripe and gotten to the height of their profession loosen by degrees and drop away some fall from the tree others rot where they hang some trees have lost their fruit others their very leaves and are become twice dead where can you cast your eye and not see fallings away either from Faith or faithfulness Men take up notions and as easily leave them most build upon the sand little rootings in the truth how easy is it to draw men from their opinions little stedfastness in love how soon doth the labours thereof cease a little trouble makes men let go their profession others lose their strictness in Religion and grow more remiss and lame in duty leaving their first love and close walks with Gods And are not these such manifest symptomes of decaying godliness that he who runs may read and see that the Heavenly Trade is almost come to nothing this day 2 And this is cause of mourning and to be greatly laid to heart who can see these things and not be affected If there be any quick flesh how can it but bleed if any waters are left surely
and more of heavenly Goods 4 Every day to drive on heavenly work 5 To be heavenly in your thoughts and meditations daily 6 To keep up heavenly converses every day 7 To improve every thing you have meet with and do to heavenly ends and advantages First If you will drive on this heavenly Trade you must have and maintain a heavenly spirit this is the spring of all heavenly actions as is a man's spirit so will his thoughts words and conversation be look what way the spirit of a man goes that way the man goes They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh and they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit That is they that are altogether a Carnis auctum sequentes led by their carnal affections saith Willet following the ducture of the flesh saith Paraeus who are govern'd by a carnal spirit they mind and pursue carnal things and they that are after the spirit who are under the rule and government b Qui se spiritui regendos dedunt Parae of the spirit who are spiritually minded these do savour and make after spiritual things What the Prophet Ezekiel speaks of the motion of second causes according to the direction and influence of the first cause Ezek. 1. 20. Whithersoever the spirit was to go they went that is the wheels for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels The same may be said of the actions of men that they are according to the motion of that ruling spirit that is in them they that live in the spirit walk in the spirit Gal. 5. 25. Caleb's fulfilling after God was the fruit of that other spirit he received Numb 14. 24. 'T is said of those that builded the house of God Ezra 1. 5. that God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had raised up their spirits to the work as birds stir up their young to fly Then rose up the chief of the Fathers of Judah and Benjamin and the Priests and Levites with all those whose spirit God had raised up to go up to build the House of the Lord which is in Jerusalem They that set about the work of Religion must be persons of raised spirits capable of ascending to things above The reason why no more do set upon this Heavenly Trade is because they want this heavenly spirit their spirit is earthly and that as leaven seasons their whole souls and makes their conversations earthly 'T is contrary to nature for a carnal mind to savour spiritual things Such are not subject to the Spirit of God neither indeed can be Rom. 8. 7. 'T is as natural for the stone to ascend and waters to run back as for an earthly heart to love and pursue heavenly things A heavenly spirit sutes heavenly things and does as naturally incline the soul to things above as the fire moves upward and the water carries all that is in it to the Ocean A heavenly spirit savours heavenly things and stirs up heavenly desires and motions to divine things A heavenly spirit conveys out heavenly influences and strength to the soul and is as good blood and spirits that strengthen the body A heavenly spirit is influenced by heavenly arguments and prevailed with by heavenly motives taken from the love of God the excellency of Christ the sutableness and advantage of spiritual things to the nature of the soul the pleasing and glorifying of God all which signifies nothing to an earthly and carnal heart which only understands savours and is acted by carnal reasons and considerations 'T is therefore a principal part of a Christian's business in this Heavenly Trade and that which is leading to all other duties to take heed to his spirit Mai. 2. 15. to get and keep that pure and heavenly If the fountain be corrupt the streams cannot be good Get your minds beam'd over with heavenly light to discern heavenly things their nature and worth this Paul begs for the Saints at Ephesus Eph. 1. 17 18. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledg of him the eyes of your understanding being enlighten'd that you may know what is the hope of his Calling and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints There are great hopes and glorious riches made over to Believers in the Gospel the knowledg of which is necessary to chear the heart and engage the soul with all its strength to make out after them One thought of Christ saith Mr. Ball reaching the heart is more to be valued than all Creature-contentments whatsoever though they should be enjoyed in their fulness for a thousand years without interruption 'T was this kept alive the Apostles hearts under the dyings of the Lord Jesus in their bodies and fill'd them with such courage joy that they had an eye to see glorious and eternal things 2 Cor. 4. 10. 13. 16. 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal but the things which are not seen are eternal And this was their great work by the Gospel to make men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the World was hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ Eph. 3. 9. And having got this spiritual eye a Christian's duty is to keep it open and fixt on things above to preserve it from the injury of Sin and Satan to take heed of the vapours of a carnal heart and the dusty motes of this lower World that they fall not in and weaken this sight to get eye-salve from Christ and pure annointings of the spirit on it every day that they may see things invisible and those great things of the other World they are engag'd about The most discerning eye on this side the everlasting Hills sees but darkly through a glass and knows but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. 12. How carnal are the minds of most Christians in this World the very Disciples though their eyes were blessed with peculiar sights Mat. 13. 16. yet had carnal apprehensions of spiritual things even after the Lord Jesus had spent all his pains about them Acts 1. 6. Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom unto Israel knowing souls have sometimes their eyes held that they cannot see Jesus Luke 24. 16. nor bear discoveries of his glorious truth Joh. 16. 12. that the Lord Jesus may say to all in this life O fools and slow of heart to believe Luke 24. 28. David after he had been long a learner yea after he was wiser than his teachers yet cries out for more light Psal 143. 8. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk Psal 119. 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law We may sail here saith Mr. Hooker in
signification his judgment may see the evidence of the argument and force of reason in them and yet the Commentary on Christ's last Prayer reality and spiritualness of that Divine good never apprehended The world by wisdom knew not God 1 Cor. 1. 21. There 's no proportion between a spiritual object and a caanal eye The carnal mind cannot discern the things of the Spirit of God neither can they know them for they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. Labour to see the beauty and amiableness of Truth to see your propriety in Truth to taste an inward sweetness and ravishing pleasure in Truth to feel the sense of special love to your souls in discovery of light and to find a mightiness going out in every Truth on your souls changing you into the very Spirit and Image of Truth To grow in knowledge extensively into all Truth and intensively in deeper and more sensible spiritual powerful apprehensions of truth the want of which right knowledge makes so many cold dead hypocrites and barren professours in this day of light and parts Get also your Consciences stor'd with the Peace of God which passeth understanding This is the salt that seasons every thing condition and duty Mark 9. 50. This will shoe your feet to travel through the rough and tiresome waies of affliction temptation and persecution you must meet with in the pursuit of your Heavenly Trade Ephes 6. 15. This will calm your hearts in storms and maintain a Summer within when 't is Winter without and nothing but tempests and troubles in the world John 16. 33. This will preserve you when all is going and keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus Phil. 4. 7. This will guard your hearts from those slavish fears darksom doubts and dreadful troubles that many are filled with this day and make you triumph over sin trample upon the world and smile in the midst of all the frowns of men and Devils O get and keep this rare Jewel of inward Peace which will help you to draw near to God with boldness and chearful serenity in every duty Heb. 10. 22. Get your consciences bath'd in the blood of Christ and the evidences of your sincerity cleared up every day this will help to maintain a feast of inward peace under the temptations of Satan and the view of your daily failings and stumblings Get your hearts warm'd and affections quicken'd with the sense of divine love to your Souls this is a choice part of heavenly treasures and will abundantly conduce to the lively carrying on of this divine Trade affections raised by the application of redemption-grace will be to your Souls as spread sails to the Ship to carry you strongly along against wind and storm and fill you with pleasant gales within and give you a speedy and comfortable passage through the waves of this World 2 Cor. 5. 12. 'T is the Soul's wing that mounts it up towards God and carries it aloft above the entanglements of sin the world and flesh in the warm pursuit of God's commandments 2 Cor. 5. 14. His commands will not be thought grievous or his yoke heavy where this love of God hath left a savour on the heart Psal 119. 32. Rom. 13. 10. It will exceedingly sweeten the bitter waters of Marah to you and make the paths of God's Providences as well as his Precepts pleasantness and peace Take in also the consolations of the Spirit and the joys of the Holy Ghost these will be useful to chear your hearts under tribulation and strengthen and cordial you under heart-faintings and qualms you may meet with from those ill vapours of this lower World and want of creature-comforts 2 Cor. 7. 4. Rom. 15. 4. This spiriturl comfort will also help to drown your carnal joys and to prevent a surfeit with the pleasures of this World another danger that Wisdom's Merchants are sometimes liable to Acts 2. 28. Make me full of joy with the light of thy countenance Spiritual joy where it is fills the heart and leaves no room for carnal delights as the heat of the Sun puts out the fire so will spiritual consolation extinguish carnal joy 'T was the comfort which Moses by Faith fetch'd in from the views of an invisible God that made him choose reproaches with the people of God before the pleasures of sin that were but for a season Heb. 11. 21. 25. This spiritual comfort is a notable way to stability in every good work 2 Thes 2. 16 17. to help on your Souls edification and growth in grace and holiness Acts 9. 31. O! what work have Christians to do besides the World and minding their own things were Religion followed to the purpose persons would have no leisure for sin and vanity O! what need have gracious Souls of a diligent hand to make them rich and to be taking in spiritual goods every day Quest But how should I do to get my Soul furnish'd with these heavenly goods If my heart deceive me not I would fain be enriched with every grace capacity and accomplishment for the discharge of my duty the pleasing honouring and enjoying of God and for the welfare of my immortal Soul But how to attain this longed for mercy I know not Sol. 1. If you would be enriched with heavenly treasures and get in those goods Then 1. First maintain a constant sense of your own wants and emptiness That which is wanting cannot be numbred Eccles 1. 15. Look over your souls every day and see your poverty look into your understandings and see how little light is there into your minds and consider how little spirituality lies there how little warmth and heavenly heat in your affections little truth and sincerity in your spirits little tenderness in your consciences little flexibleness in your wills to divine things little faith love humility meekness fear zeal life strength faithfulness stedfastness in your souls were this really seen and felt and the excellency of these spiritual perfections discern'd and the soul 's great concern and interest that lies wrapt up in them with the absolute necessity of having every grace in order to duty peace comfort prosperity and salvation persons that had any life at all could not lie still or be content till utmost means were us'd to obtain supplies 't was a false conceit of a self-fulness that kept back Laodicea from seeking after Christ's treasures Rev. 3. 17 18. And that blind opinion the Pharisees had of their good estate that so prejudic'd them against the convictions and counsels of Christ towards their cure Joh. 8. 33. 39. 41. 48. Had not the Corinthian Saints been so full and rich in their apprehensions they would not have had such sleighty thoughts of instituted means towards their Souls good 1 Cor. 1. 12. And have been contentious with one another when they should have been contending for higher measures of grace and godliness vers 11. 'T is the poor are the labourers in God's Vineyard Zech. 11. 11.
cleanse his heart Jer. 4. 14. The heart is the nest where these Wasps fly out and trouble the soul the root that feeds these luxuriant branches briars and thorns that wound the conscience and the strong fort of Sion where these Jebusites hide themselves and issue out to prey upon the gracious soul Till these nests be spoiled the Ax laid to the root of the tree and this strong Tower attach'd and these blind and lame removed souls will never be freed from irruptions of sin in their thoughts and conversations This Christian is busie and hard work and part of thy daily employment in this Heavenly Trade to sweep wash drain and cleanse thy filthy heart by sound repentance and faith in the promises death and blood of Christ Heart-quickening work The heart is the primum mobile the great wheel in the watch that sets all a going if that stop all faculties are still A lively heart makes a diligent hand to rid away soul-work and a nimble foot to run in the waies of God's commands when the heart is quickened then every duty inward outward publick private goes on such a soul needs no spur to quicken it nor pully to draw it to its duties O what a burden are some to their Christian friends to keep them up and draw them on in the way of God and all because their hearts are dead and that liveliness which once seem'd to be in them is departed The spring that at first made them so active is weakened or broken the waters that set their Mills a going fail and that temporary love and common grace like standing pools having no fountain to maintain them are dried up by consuming lusts and scorching temptations so that now they wither in all their branches and become weak cold and indisposed to every work of God and their souls Some of these dangerous symptoms of decayed grace are found also in sincere souls for not looking after their hearts betimes and keeping them close to a quickening Jesus by a lively faith in the promises Christian mind this also every day to maintain thy spiritual life by fresh quickenings and reviving influences from the fountain of life on thy weak and dying heart making use of all instituted helps for soul-strengthening as hearing reading meditation holy conference and the like Heart-teaching and enlightening work A light head and a dark heart may dwell together and it seems to be the condition of too many under the Gospel this day A spiritual eye to look into the mystery of truth and believing affectionate discerning of excellent things is not easily found even while Christ is read a veil is on mens minds and their foolish heart is darkened And this is one reason souls walk not as children of light 't is because they are not light in the Lord Psal 40. 8. The Law of God is not within their hearts they have no inclination or power upon their hearts to do the will of God they know for want of this heart-heart-knowledge Be earnest with God to beam over your hearts to make that the Hemisphere where the Sun of Righteousness may daily arise with healing in his wings Cry with David Psal 119. 36. Incline my heart to thy Law Let my heart lean and stay upon thy Law as a man doth upon a staff tobear him up Get a greater nearness in your hearts to truth that the Word may be wrought in and incorporated into your hearts that it may be a Goshen a Land of Vision and full of the understanding of the Lord. Heart-keeping and Heart-watching work The heart is bent to backsliding if it be not kept and held fast to the Lord and his waies 't is still turning aside and winding off from its proper duty The Lord complains of Israel Psal 78. 8. They did not set their heart aright and their spirit was not stedfast with God They did not prepare adapt dispose their heart to God neither was it constant and stedfast with him but on every occasion did start aside So false a thing is man's heart if not under a watchful eye and strong hand holding it fast to God Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence Keep it as under lock and key bolted against sin and bound by cords of love to every duty And what a hard province is this O the work that a child of God hath to keep his heart in order one moment to keep down sin to keep it from the power of corruption and prevalency of temptation to keep up grace in the heart to maintain its desires after God and things that are excellent to preserve its affections to things above to hold the thoughts on God and things eternal that they start not away to continue its integrity to perform its purposes to secure its frames experiences and enjoyments And he that will thus keep his heart must watch it constantly never have his eye off from it or suffer his jealousie concerning it to cease He must be alwaies making it over to the Lord Jesus for security and be still imploring help from Heaven faithfully following all the instructions he gives towards its securing This is heart-work and the first part of this heavenly work that concerns your selves Secondly You must carry on mortification-work every day Col. 3. 5. Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evil concupiscence and covetousness which is Idolatry The Apostle having assur'd the believing Colossians of their future happiness doth thence infer their duty and necessity to press after utmost holiness here as the way to this blessedness The first part of which holiness lies in this great work of mortification there is no greater motive for Believers putting off sin than well-grounded hopes of interest in Christ and glory if Heaven be yours hereafter holiness must be yours now There is no place for sin in Heaven nor unclean thing can enter there Then hasten away sin now that 's his Argument Mortify your members Get your selves rid of sin put to death weaken and destroy the whole body of sin with all the parts and issues of it the head and ruling power of sin had its mortal wound before vers 3. Ye are dead habitually dead to sin the world and self they have got their deaths-wound the stab is at the heart and can never be healed more but they are not actually dead more blood must run and spirits be spent and this monster be weakned every day Practical mortification is wanting and must be promoted daily This spiritual death to sin a Mors naturalis est pura privatio nec admittit in subjecto aliquid contrarii sed mortificatio spiritualis non est pura privatio nam dum corpus hoc mortale gestamus relinquitur aliquid de contrario fomite quod oppugnandum magis magisque mortificandum est Daven saith Davenant is not as the natural death for that 's a pure privation and admits of nothing
make them desolate v. 13. They should eat but not be satisfied and there should be a casting down in the mid'st of them they should be blasted in their labours and interests they should sow but not reap tread the Olive but not anoint themselves with it have sweet Wine but not drink it and then comes to reckon with them wherefore this was brought upon them ver 10 11 12. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked and the scant measures that is abominable Should I count them pure with the wicked balance and with the bags of deceitful weights for the rich men thereof are full of violence and the Inhabitants thereof have spoken lies and their tongue is deceitful in their mouths They were full of wickedness and among the rest were false and deceitful they did not walk humbly with God nor justly with men but were deceitful in their Callings had false weights scant measures were injurious to others and not just and faithful in their dealings some oppressed others defrauded such as were over others were cruel task-masters exacting their labours Isa 5. 8. 3. grinding the faces of the poor eating them up as bread Psal 14. 4. by defrauding them of their due keeping back the hire of the Labourers by fraud and injustice Jam. 5. 4. which they do saith one who give them not a proportionable hire working upon their necessities sucking out the strength and sweetness of the Labourers Dr. Manton A sin that cries in the ears of the Lord of Sabbaths cries out aloud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their groans are entred into his ears as a God of vengeance to requite it and to give his poor a Sabbath and rest from their oppressions A sin that God will surely and severely punish He will be a swift witness against them that oppress the Hireling in his wages and turn aside the stranger from his right and fear not me saith the Lord of Hosts Mal. 3. 5. Sins joyn'd with Adultery Sorcery and Swearing provocations in God's ears and actions that plainly shew no true fear of God in such persons that dare oppress their poor Labourers changing their wages as Laban did Jacob's Gen. 31. 41. These God will surely take in hand he will be both Judge and Witness against them he will not delay neither but proceed speedily to sentence and execution against such as oppress their poor labourers Of all oppression the oppression of the poor is greatest and carries most cruelty in it to tread on them that are down already and abuse them that have no helper to take the bread out of their mouths which are ready to starve and to defraud them of their wages which is their life and God calls it down-right robbery Levit. 19. 13. To build up their houses and raise up estates upon the ruines of the poor labourers is to lay the foundation in blood and hath a woe pronounced against it from the Lord of Hosts Hab. 2. 9 10 11 12. This is one of those sins which bring a people down to the ground and make them desolate Ye have eaten up the Vineyard the spoil of the poor is in your houses what mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces and grind the faces of the poor saith the Lord of Hosts Her gates shall lament mourn and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground Isa 3. 14 15 26. This is a God-provoking and an estate-wasting sin and one of the great visible crying sins of this day Sixthly Another reason why God consumes the interests of men and makes a breach on their Trade seems to be this That by this means he might bring them down to his foot and bring them back to himself Prosperity in mens interests feeds their pride and makes them too high for God's use and pleasure riches do puff men up Thine heart is lifted up 〈…〉 thy riches behold therefore I will bring 〈…〉 upon thee the terrible of the Nations and 〈◊〉 shall draw their sword against the beauty of 〈◊〉 wisdom and they shall defile thy brightness thâ—â— shall bring thee down to the pit they shall destroy thy riches wherein thou gloriest and countest thy beauty Ezek. 28. 5 7 8. Men are apt to glory in their riches and to give that respect to them which is due to God and this he will not bear but comes out in indignation against mens Idols Jer. 9. 23. Abundance of earthly interests doth also unfit men for God's use and delight rich in goods and poor in grace prosperity in the world cools mens hearts towards God and lames their feet in his way 'T is the poor of the flock that waits on God Zech. 11. 11. that press his Vineyard and bear the heat and burden of the day Jer. 52. 15. When men grow full they are lazy when great they become fearfull to adventure for God Give me thy sheild said Epaminondas to his servant when he had got a great sum of mony for now thou art grown rich I am sure thou wilt not adventure thy self into dangers Smyrna was the poorest of the seven Churches in Asia but yet was richest in grace and serviceableness for God I know thy poverty but thou art rich Rev. 2. 9. This may be one reason why the Lord makes this Nation poor that he might by this make them pure he melts away our dross that we may be the more refined and takes away our Lovers that he might come in the room of them I will hedge up thy way with thorns she shall follow after her Lovers 〈…〉 not overtake them and she shall seek 〈…〉 shall not find them then shall she say 〈…〉 go and return to my first husband for then it 〈…〉 better with me than now Hos 2. 6 7. Men â—â—om return to God fully till stript of other â—â—mforts nor see God to be best till their conâ—â—ion in the world be bad and therefore doth God remove these mountains of earthly interests that his people may the better see and go after himself Counsel 4. Fourthly If God hath made breaches on your Trade get the breach between God and your souls composed Hos 4. 1 2. Hear the Word of the Lord ye children of Israel for the Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing Adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood There 's a controversy between God and a sinning people and such are we Sinners contend with God God by afflictions contends with them and till this controversie be taken up there 's no peace And if ye will not for all this be reformed by me by these things but will walk contrary to me then will I also walk contrary to you and will punish you yet seven times for your sins Levit. 26. 23 24. Hear the Word of the Lord Lay this to heart they