have their life above above the world and things below and such should their work be also How pleasant should heavenly work be to heavenly souls which Believers are and should be Secondly Christians set upon heavenly work for as is your work so will your maintenance be They who do that work which the world cannot have that meat and drink which the world knoweth not Joh. 4. 32 34. The Lord hath dainties and peculiar refreshments for those who are single and faithful in his work they have joyes which strangers intermeddle not with Prov. 14. 10. Whoever go without his labourers shall not lack He keeps a good table for his work-men In keeping of his Commands there 's great reward Psal 19. 11. They eat the fat and drink the sweet Neh. 8. 10. The marrow the spiced wine the hidden Manna is their meat and drink so far as they have need of it O the sweet bits and pleasant sips they miss of who are idle in God's Vineyard They that will not work shall not eat 2 Thes 3. 10. Would you live high in your spiritual comforts then work hard in your spiritual work Thirdly As is your work so will your company be They that do earthly work have earthly companions to labour with them As is mens Trade such is their company The children of the night have their fellowship with unfruitfull works of darkness Ephes 5. 11. and gracious souls are companions with them that fear God Psal 119. 63. Wicked workers have wicked men and devils casting in their lot with them Prov. 1. 14. And so have heavenly Traders heavenly company they have the presence of God with them 2 Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while you are with him They have the Comforter with them Joh. 14. 16. He shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever Rom. 8. 11. By his Spirit that dwelleth in you No company like the Comforter friends may leave you but if you keep with God and do his will the Spirit of God will abide with you for ever though he may not alwaies be seen of you yet he will alwaies reside with you At the best friends can but stay with you but the Spirit of Christ will dwell in you and give you the nearest and most intimate acquaintance with himself if you obey his voice and follow him God's labourers have the company of Angels also they are ministring spirits to the heirs of salvation Heb. 1. 14. They pitch their tents about them that fear God Psal 34. 7. and have it given in charge to take care of the Children of God and to carry them in their arms that they dash not their feet against a stone Psal 91. 11. Those are lovely company indeed such as will never hurt you but do you good you shall be the better for them Prov. 13. 20. Fourthly As is your work so will your wages be to all eternity though not for your work yet according to it Rom. 2. 6. Who shall render to every man according to his deeds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to not for their works The Preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting here saith Paraeus c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non meritum significat sed mensuram ceu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quae praemia distribuentur indebita poenae irrogaountur promeritae Paraeus Non propter quid sed quibus sit danda docetur Idem not the merit but the measure analogy or rule by which undeserved rewards shall be distributed and just punishments shall be inflicted as the word is used Mat. 9. 29. ch 23. 3. And so as it refers to glory saith he it rather describes the person to whom this glory shall be given then shews the cause why it is given as Mat. 25. 34 35. Also the word rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for a free reward that hath no respect to desert Mat. 20. 8. The same reward being given to him that wrought one hour as to those that bore the heat and burden of the day So that the word according notes the kind of work not the cause of reward reward as it refers to salvation Suitable to that of Christ Rev. 22. 12. Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his work shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Indeed evil works have their causality and desert of punishment but not good works of reward Gryner gives three reasons of the difference First Because good works proceed from God and are the fruits of his Spirit in us but evil works proceed from man and are the effects of his own spirit and will Secondly good works are imperfectly good as to degrees and therefore cannot merit but evil works are perfectly evil and therefore deserve death Thirdly Good works are commanded and so are but our duty and cannot merit payment of debts are not purchase but sins are forbidden and so are a breach of the Law of God and deserve death Luke 17. 10. The gift of God is eternal life but the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. Death is wages due but life is a gift altogether free By grace ye are saved Ephes 2. 5. There can be no desert of glory in the most spiritual duties of man Because First They are not man's work but God's in him John 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Holiness is called the fruit of the Spirit Ephes 5. 9. Now the reward is due by way of debt to him that worketh but to him that worketh not 't is of grace Rom. 4. 4 5. and therefore reward is not due to Saints who work not but by strict way of justice rather to the Spirit that worketh in them Secondly They are no way proportionable to the reward and so not meritorious Their work is imperfect they know but in part and do but in part 1 Cor. 3. 9. Phil. 3. 12. The best duties as they come from the Saints here are spotty and as sweet waters that come from an evil vessel they savour of the cask through which they come but glory is perfect omnibus modis and hath no defect in it Our works also are finite being created and creature-actions but the reward is infinite the love and glory of an infinite God Thirdly Though our Holiness were perfect yet it could not merit because it is due to God from that relation we bear to him as his creatures and redeemed ones and from our promise and covenant with him to love obey and serve him Ephes 2. 10. 2 Cor. 8. 5. Duties are but debts not acts of favour to God We owe God our selves and our all and are indebted to Christ for his Redemption-grace more than we can ever pay we cannot though we do all we possible can requite the blood of Christ and love of Christ and till we are out
marriage-day must be delayed till you come to a full age The Saints must be as a shock of corn that cometh in in its season Job 5. 25. Ripen a pace in your graces if you would get to glory Get your faith hope patience and every grace encreased daily especially your love to God that 's the grace shall abide in glory 1 Cor. 13. 8. Faith and Hope are the soul's helps and companions in the way but Love will be an eternal inhabitant with you Get purer deeper rooted stronger more enlarged love to Jesus Christ every day till you be downright sick for him this will make your life a death without his presence here and your death to be life in being with him for ever 'T was love to Christ made Ignatius so dead to all things below a Vita sine Christo mors est Ignat. and so longing to be with Christ 'T is storied of him that when he was dead and his heart taken out they saw the name of Jesus written in it in letters of Gold The more love to God the more fit for God for God is love b Non est in me incendium quidpiam amans D. Ludov. Rub. Thirdly Get and keep the testimony of a good conscience that may witness for you in the day of Christ when you die you are to have a trial for your life your inheritance your All and you had need have your witness firm and ready Now there are two great witnesses you will need in that day to clear your title the witness of Conscience and the Spirit have the one on your side and you will not want the other Get your consciences sprinkled with the blood of Christ and purged from dead works by the Spirit of Christ that it may be able to appear for you in that day The blood of Christ will put words into the mouth of conscience for you to plead the general issue and the benefit of pardoning grace wherein you have been transgressors enlightned conscience will accuse you that you have sinned and besprinkled conscience will plead for you that you are pardoned and purged conscience will testify for you that you are changed and that you hate the evil you have done and love the holiness you have neglected O of what wonderful use will the testimony of a good conscience be when you stand at the Bar of God! Get it true to you now and sure for you then Fourthly Maintain more constant walks with God daily this will fit you for your eternal fellowship with him Converse with God is begun acquaintance here and in Heaven is perfect friendship and perpetual fellowship It will much fit you for Heaven hereafter to begin the work of Heaven here which lies in maintain'd intercourse with him Through these gallery-walks with God do the Saints pass into the Presence-Chamber and sit down with him for ever Communion with God now is Heaven begun such are fittest for his presence in glory who are train'd up in his company here Fifthly If you would prepare for Heaven dispatch your work on Earth Heaven is a state of rest and rest follows the finishing of labour Heb. 4. 9. Rev. 4. 13. Paul must end his fight finish his course and keep the faith before he can reach the Crown 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. In the grave there 's no wisdom device or work this is your only time for labour while you are in the Vineyard O how much work is behind with most which will make a departure terrible to an awakened conscience Haste about your neglected work you have it may be much work to do with others in your families with your relations possibly there are some souls in their graves and you have not done what you might to bring them forth dead Husband Wife Children Servants for whom you must do more or cannot comfortably appear before God O hasten about this work that you may give up your account with joy There 's soul-work to be done to get corruptions subdued graces strengthned your accounts stated evidences cleared and lamps trimmed which must be attended with utmost vigour If you would get home finish your work Lastly Be alwaies ready waiting for the coming of the Lord Luke 12. 35 36. Let your loins be girt about and your lights burning and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord when he will return from the Wedding that when he cometh and knocketh they may open to him immediately 2 Pet. 3. 12. Looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of God Not only be waiting for your change but longing after it as persons that are ready for a desired journey think the time long ere they go Why are the wheels of his Chariot so long a coming Judg. 5. 28. The Spirit and the Bride say come Rev. 22. 17. With the Virgins go out to meet him Mat. 25. 1. If you knew the welcome that abideth for you when you come home ye would hasten your pace Rutherf The more ready you are for the coming of Christ the more will you long for his appearance and the more grateful will his approach be The uncertainty of that time when the Lord Jesus shall appear and the unseasonableness of that surprisal for preparation-work should put Christians on continual readiness lest coming in an hour they know not of they be found unfit to enter in and the door be shut Mat. 25. 10. O how dreadful will a miscarriage be at last All the hopes labours and comfort of your life depend upon your final safety and happy conclusion of your day 'T is a great thing to live a sanctified and die a saved soul O how few imagine the difficulty of being a Christian indeed and the infinite concern of securing an immortal soul and a sure title to the unsearchable riches of the other world O the folly and madness of rational creatures to make every thing sure but salvation and to spend their time and strength about the many things of a perishing life and lose the better part Whoever thou art that castest thine eye upon this discourse thou wilt one day find Religion to be thy chiefest interest when thou comest to take thy farewel of a vain deceitful world and seest all thy Lovers for whom thou hast sleighted thy precious soul thy Soverign Lord and dying Redeemer to prove miserable comforters not able to afford one drop of balm to heal or cordial to chear thy fainting heart and affrighted conscience When thou seest pale death deliver thee a summons to appear before the holy God and to give an account of thy Stewardship when thou seest the Books opened and such a fearful charge against thy guilty conscience which thou canst not deny or answer then wilt thou find godliness in the power of it to be the greatest gain and would'st give ten thousand worlds for such an evidence as Hezekiah and Paul had when within view of death and eternity And is not Religion as
dressed Judg. 9. 13. Heb. 6. 7. The righteous shall eat the fruit of his doings Isa 3. 10. The present comforts of holiness are not mean Great peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them Psal 119. 165. Her waies are waies of pleasantness and all her paths are peace Religion is the most pleasant trade no delights like those that are in God and fetch'd from him God gives the world the bones and keeps the marrow for his labourers the godly feed on the wheat the wicked have but the bran look whatever good comfort credit and happiness Religion can afford here and to all eternity is their part that trade upon it Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not the fruit thereof 1 Cor. 7. 9. Reas 4. Lastly The Heavenly Trade must needs be the best trade because it is the most profitable trade The advantage that comes by godliness makes it the best employment in the world We use to say three things make traders rich all which are found in the way of godliness 1 Great Returns 2 Sure Returns 3 Quick Returns Now nothing turns to more account than a thorough pursuit of piety whatever men think Religion is the most thriving way in regard of the Excellent Fruit of it Abundant Fruit of it Durable Fruit of it First Great returns will soon make traders rich when the time and labour they expend is abundantly compensated and the things they part with bring in far better so is it with this heavenly trade there is no proportion in their adventures to their returns their duties are poor imperfect things when they have done all they are unprofitable servants but their reward is great and glorious their afflictions light and momentary but the issue a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 1 Cor. 4. 18. It 's great profit indeed when some weak works of faith and labours of love a little patience obedience and duty for a time shall be rewarded with eternal rest pleasure and glory there is no equality between the race and price this striving and crowning What 's a cup of cold water to a river of pleasures a Crown of thorns to a Crown of Glory the worlds srowns to divine smiles conscience-troubles to the consolations of God a few tears fears watchings faintings duties afflictions to the joys of the Lord into which they shall for ever enter It 's a great bargain to part with base things for excellent beastly lusts for the beauties of holiness an unclean for a clean heart vile affections for vertuous dispositions filthy rags for fair garments a body of death for a spirit of life To let go the world for God fellowship with devils for communion with Christ to lose guilt and to gain righteousness to escape Hell to obtain Heaven this is great gain To swap away old things for new rotten things for sound hypocrisie for sincerity lyes for truth is a good bargain To exchange empty things for satisfying things that are not for things that are goods that perish with the using for things that wax not old fading trifles for eternal treasures is a thriving trade indeed and such are the incomes of this Heavenly Trade they are incomparably great and excellent there 's nothing mean no low price goods that Wisdome's Merchants deal about all their riches are pleasant and precious By knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches precious faith precious promises the precious blood of Christ precious thoughts of God are some of this precious substance heavenly Traders meet with in the way of holiness Besides this pursuit of godliness enters souls into an acquaintance and converse with God and helps them to keep an entercourse with Heaven and to maintain a life above and beyond the reach of all others and is not this advantage Religion also helps men to blessed experiences of the love power greatness and faithfulness of God and this constant employment about heavenly things makes the way pleasant and delightful and fills the soul with much contentment with its lot in the world whatever the tryals losses and sufferings may be that they are exposed to Also the driving this Heavenly Trade secures the good and comfort of all their other interests and sweetens their portion whether more or less that Soverign pleasure allots them in the world bringing all their concerns under divine care and promise for their good comfort and sufficient supply in their passage home And are not all these great returns enough to make the Heavenly Trade the greatest interest and advantage beyond all others in the world Secondly Sure returns make Traders rich Merchants that drive gainful trades count if one Adventure to two or three come safely home they get well but all regular Adventures in this Heavenly Trade are secured Their labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. not one of their sincere attempts in the way of God shall miscarry never a pious duty lost all their sowings to the spirit shall surely spring up into a blessed harvest Gal. 6. 6. Though they sow in tears yet they shall reap in joy Psal 126. 5 6. Though they go forth weeping yet if they bear precious seed they shall doubtless come again with rejoycing bringing their sheaves with them God is not unrighteous to forget their work and labour of love shewn towards his Name Heb. 6. 10. God is engaged in justice to see the Adventures of Believers safely returned into their harbour he hath promised it and cannot be unfaithful neither doth it consist with his honour to put Believers on an unprofitable service He never said to the house of Jacob Seek ye me in vain Isa 45. 19. Ingenuous men love to see their servants thrive Will Christ think you let his labourers be losers their works shall surely follow them into their rest Rev. 14. 13. how ever they may be out of sight in their passage towards it seeing God's Word lies at stake for it The blood of Christ stands engaged also for the safe returns of the Saints Adventures that are according to the will of God their religious labours are part of the travel of his soul which he must see secured and they are the pleasure of the Lord which must prosper in his hand Isa 53. 10 11. He is become a Surety for them unto God and a Surety for the Father unto them By so much was Jesus made a Surety of a better testament Heb. 7. 22. The Covenant is called here a Testament as relating to the Saints priviledges and interests which by that Covenant becomes due to them and shall be surely made good to them upon the account of Christ's Suretiship for it He is the Surety of this Testament or Covenant and every promise of it one of which is That what they sow to the Spirit they shall reap in glory their labour shall not be in vain and to make all the promises good both the condition and
concerns of another World and the welfare of their immortals Souls Is not this folly Poor Sinners let me reason a little with you if possible to recover your lost understanding come be your own judges Is it your interest think you to adventure your All for things that cannot abide with you when obtained nor satisfy you if they stay things that can but bring you to your Grave and accompany your bodies to the House of Mourhing and there leave you unless they shew you the way to Hell also Is it not madness to adventure your Souls for a trade pleasures and treasures of so short continuance and little advantage things that you will shortly be as weary of as now desirous and throw them to the Bats and Moles of the Earth that you may go into the Rocks to hide you from the fury of a Sin-avenging God Will you spend all upon time and lay up nothing for eternity Or is it rational to think that you should reap where you never sowed and possess the benefit of that Trade you never drove Gal. 6. 7 8. Can you think to reach Heaven hereafter and never walk one foot in the way to it here Certainly what men sow that they shall reap Can you imagine the things of Heaven to be so cheap as to be had without looking after Alas things far inferiour cannot be so easily obtained it may cost some of you many tuggings much sweat labour and expence to get but a little of this World and do you think to find this tried Gold without buying and digging for it and is it a wise bargain think you to purchase your desirable Comforts with the loss of your Souls and that you may gain but a little of the World to part with a possibility of having Heaven What will it profit you to get the World were you sure of every part of it and to lose your Souls Mat. 16. 26. And what if you miss of your hopes in this and fall short of Heaven too never have what you look'd for on Earth nor a place in Heaven neither will not your case be then dreadful O! foolish Souls that may be happy but will not that may get into such a course of life as would enrich you here and for ever but refuse it preferring a poor beggarly life before a rich and noble state choosing rather to trade with Devils than God to swap away your delightful time for doleful eternity your salvationprizes swinish pleasures O sad exchange for to be bewailed but not remedied What to barter away strength for weakness desires for emptiness labours for vanity hope for despair precious souls for perishing shadows an open door of grace for a shut door of glory mercy for misery earth for hell O fools in grain to let go such a bargain as being had would for ever make you and being lost may never be regained but in the room of it an eternity to repent your time of folly when tears and cries will be too late when mercy shall have no repentings for you bowels themselves no roulings over you nor everlasting arms any help for you Mat. 25. 10. This is your danger Sinners this may be your case who refuse wisdom's counsels choosing death rather than life you that would have none of Wisdom's wares nor work but have rather valued the Devil's Counters before Christ's Gold and the pleasures of sin that are but for a season before the treasures of grace and glory that are eternal walking after the flesh and serving divers lusts till your trading time for Heaven be almost over Alas Sinners there may be for any thing you know but few Merchandising hours left for you in this World it may be scarce a Sabbath more between some of you and hell in what a case then are you like to be who never set upon this heavenly Trade to this very day and should you now go out of this World strangers to this employment in what a doleful state will your Souls be for ever when you come to possess the eternal fruit of your bad bargain then could any lay their ears to Hell gates and listen at your cries they would hear such language as this from your trembling lips Folly Folly Woe Woe Eternity Eternity VSE II. Secondly This calls to mourning over the great decaies of this Heavenly Trade in the times and places wherein we live Loss of Trade is easily resented as an evil case a matter of trouble Men use to be affected with hard times when a death lies on their interests and their earthly concerns are at a loss and this is the case of most men this day all places are full of complaints about their affairs in the world there 's a moth in mens labours and dealings and it is easily seen and felt the heavy looks and heartless carriages of many do plainly demonstrate a sense of their temporal wastes and their mouths vent such-language The times are hard and the trade of the Nation gone But alas where are the mourners of Sion and who is afflicted at the decaies of godliness and death on this Heavenly Trade Though there is nothing more visible and lamentable than the faling back in Religion yet who laies it to heart and who is rightly affected with this important evil Now towards the cure of this insensibleness and to awaken our hearts to a due apprehensiveness of our evil case by reason of the decaies of godliness I shall 1 Lay down some symptomes evidencing it to be our case that there are real and great decaies of this Heavenly Trade in the time and places wherein we live 2 Shew why this should be for a lamentation First That this Heavenly Trade goes back and decaies is so evident that he is a stranger in our Israel and hath too much of a spirit unconcern'd in these matters who doth not plainly see Religion and the power of Godliness dying and languishing in most places and persons Now the better to evince this sad truth I shall proceed in a plain and familiar method keeping to the metaphor in the text and the usual symptomes of decay'd Trading Six things usually shew the decaies of earthly Trading all which are conclusive of the point in hand and discover bad times for piety and great wastes of Religion First When the price of things is much fal'n and the rates very low and goods are worth little or nothing then men say it 's bad trading So is it now in this Heavenly Trade the rate and value of divine things is much abated Wisdom's goods seem little worth to many There was a time when Heavenly Wares were highly prized the Word of God was precious to souls far better to Saints than thousands of gold and silver they could have parted with all the world to enjoy God in Ordinances estate ease credit were nothing to a place in God's house and one view of his countenance was better than life Oh how sweet were the words of
and prepared b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fashioned as a Vessel the meaning is saith Dr. Preston that then a man is good when his heart is fitted to good works to every good work 2 Tim. 2. 21. Labour to get your natures changed and hearts quickened you must be born again or cannot see the Kingdom of God Be looking to Jesus to create in you a new heart a renewed mind will and affections to have a saving principle put into your hearts and a disposition of Soul towards the whole will of God Cry mightily for the Spirit and wait for his movings upon the face of Sanctuary-waters and for a mighty power of God in the Gospel upon your Souls Get under the healing-wings of Christ and rest not looking unto Jesus till virtue go out from him to heal your Souls If this be thy restless desire thou can'st not let Christ alone running after him crying Jesu thou Son of David have mercy upon me he will turn again and have compassion and give the holy Spirit to them that unfeignedly and incessantly ask him Mark 10. 47 48 49. Luke 11. 13. Direct 2. Secondly cease from your own works Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy The first step in returning to God is departing from sin and self c Nihil nobis cum Deo esse potest nisi a nobis discedamus Calv. Neither can we saith Calvin hold converse with a holy God till we be estranged from our unholy self When the Apostle advises the Ephesians to put on the new man Eph. 4. 24. He first exhorts them to put off the old with his whole conversation vers 22. That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man which is corrupt Grace builds not on an old foundation neither does it adorn but reform the former conversation of called Saints there is no cloathing upon in regeneration-work the old garments must off before the new will come on Religion is not a covering for but a stripping off a sinful life neither can you be free to set on God's work till you leave your old works Rom. 6. 20. For when you were the servants of sin ye were free from righteousness You had nothing to do with holiness you had no freedom to do God's work while you were Sins servants He speaks of their actual liberty from grace not their legal freedom d Libertas hic de facto non de jure intelligatur saith Paraeus you are not at liberty to do the work of holiness while under the command of sin No man can serve two Masters Mat. 6. 24. that is two contrary Lords How can the same man e Quomodo poterit unus idemque homo pietati se quantum opus est impendere simul circa divitias quaerendas servandasque perpetua solicitudine distrahi Grot. saith Grotius follow godliness as his work and at the same time be distracted with cares about getting and keeping earthly things 'T is a vanity for persons to dream of a compliance between sin and holiness whose work is too inconsistent for one Soul at one time ruling iniquity and grace are two contrary states which cannot meet in one person and time Never think of setting up on the Heavenly Trade till you are freed from hellish servitude and invested with the liberty of the Sons of God a freedom from the love and service of every sin Godliness calls for the whole of a man's heart strength and time and requires a person void of any inconsistent obligations resolve to break from every way of death if ever you think to enter into the way of life Direct 3. Thirdly Make over your selves to the Lord in an Everlasting Covenant they that will be Masters of a Trade must first be bound to the service of it and resign up their persons wills capacities and time to the instruction and government of another in order to their fitness for such a calling And so must souls that will learn Wisdom's Merchandise they must bind themselves to the Trade and make over themselves and their all to God in Christ to be taught and enabled to set up this excellent work Jer. 50. 5. They shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward saying Come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that cannot be forgotten Sin had made a separation between their God and them and brought a death upon their mercies and Templeenjoyments but now the Spirit of Prophecy breathing on these dry bones moves them to a vital union with the fountain of life the onely regular way to their new work and mercies they must first be joyned to the Lord before they can be rejoyned to one another and re-enjoy their lost priviledges and this union lies in a hearty acceptance of offered grace a taking hold of God in Christ and a Covenant-surrender of the whole soul and its All to him again O for arms to embrace him saith Mr. Rutherford This is called a giving up of ones self to the Lord 2 Corinth 8. 5. But this they did not as we hoped but first gave themselves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God They exceeded our hope We onely expected some part of what was theirs but they gave themselves first to God and to us to be directed and governed by the will of God to be placed in the fellowship of his Gospel as well as their interests to the service of his people 'T is also a giving away of ones self to the Lord wholly unreservedly and perpetually to be no more his own 1 Cor. 6. 19. And ye are not your own This surrender of your selves to God souls must be in judgment understandingly and ariseth freely on choice universally without the least reservation absolutely without any limitation or conditions of our own eternally without any expiration and term of this grant and to be attested by all overt acts within your power Isa 44. 5. One shall say I am the Lord's another shall call himself by the name of Jacob another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Jacob. Whatever may most fully ensure and express an absolute devotedness unto God must be done by those that ever expect to thrive in grace and godliness Verse 3 4. I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy off-spring and they shall spring up as among the grass as willows by the water-courses When once this implantation into Christ is dispatched then will the Lord give prosperity to that soul then are you in a sure way to success in all your holy undertakings and like to speed well in this Heavenly Trade when you become entirely the Lord 's in order to it O be not
daily search and when we know there is something still beyond our Hooker on 17 of John knowledg as men that travel in the main Ocean they see nothing but water and yet see neither side nor shore brim nor bottom and there is more water to be seen All the treasures of wisdom and knowledg are hid in Christ and he keeps the keys in his own hand and bosome Be often looking unto Jesus for clearer sights of him and the things freely given of God with the way to them Knock often at the treasury-door till he answer and open and send you away enriched with the knowledg of him this is part of your Trade to know Goods and the worth of them and how to buy and sell to best advantage Alas to what purpose is it to deal in Commodities that men know not and heavenly things are hidden things beyond the search of Men and Angels 1 Pet. 1. 12. Which things the Angels desire to look into * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 limis oculis vel in transitu quasi per transennam aspicere Bud. They bowed and stooped down to pry into those hidden secrets and as it were to peep into the mysteries of the Gospel as the word signifies to look a-squint with cross eyes every way and with quickest observance as through a Casement at one that passeth by and this they did with an earnest and restless y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 desire The Apostle alludes to the Cherubims placed over the Mercy-seat with their faces looking towards the Mercy-seat and through it to the Ark a type of Christ and Gospel-mysteries Exod. 25. 20. as things worthy and yet hard to be known which call for an inward and spiritual eye under fresh anointings every day Christians this is your daily work to follow on to know the Lord to be much with the Sun of Righteousness for healings and beamings on the eve of your mind that you may be more capable to understand the whole counsel of God concerning you This is a Heavenly Spirit or Mind enlightened with Heavenly Wisdom to eye and understand heavenly spiritual things Another property of a Heavenly Spirit is this 'T is a Spirit that savours as well as sees heavenly things it tasts a sweetness in divine things there is nothing in all the world that so pleases a spiritual mind as spiritual things so much is included in that word Rom. 8. 5. Do z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mind the things of the flesh that is do savour and rellish them so 't is rendred Matth. 16. 23. For thou savourest not the things that be of God it includes the affections as well as understanding A heavenly spirit takes delight in heavenly things and is an active principle that carries out the soul after God and things eternal And that 's your work too to get and maintain a delight in God and divine things to cherish breathings after heavenly things and preserve your spiritual senses in exercise that your souls may be ever quick in seeing hearing tasting smelling and feeling the joyes and pleasures that are in things above By this means Religion will be desirable Christ's yoke easie and his waies pleasant and his commands not grievous This is one of the most difficult pieces of Christianity to maintain the inward principle and spring of holy actions pure and lively 'T is far easier to set on any external duty than to keep the heart in a fit active frame for God which is apt to languish and grow out of order every moment if not kept and maintained by continued supplies from above Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of Life Now if you would keep up a heavenly spirit First Beware of those things that weaken it A Heavenly Spirit is a very tender thing and must be charily kept or will soon suffer loss 't is like the apple of the eye that is liable to injury from every dust or stroak that comes nigh it or like a Venice-glass that is down and broken with every little touch You cannot be too choice and tender in watching and guarding this Spirit from every thing that is contrary to it Take heed of carnal lusts these stand between God and the soul and these resist the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. and fight against the soul 1 Pet. 2. 11. Dearly Beloved I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the soul Water is as consistent with fire sickness with health death with life as unmortified lusts with a heavenly spirit and you may as safely dwell with thieves and bloody murderers as suffer fleshly lusts to harbour near your hearts These suffered to hover in the soul will devour your sacrifice and like water quench this sacred fire and with the Ivy eat out the nourishment of this heaven-born spirit When Alexander asked Diogenes what he would desire of him that you saith he would stand aside a little from between me and the warm Sun so a soul that knows what the views of God are will desire nothing more than the remove of what stands between him and the warming sight of this heavenly Sun Carnal lusts are as venemous breath that soon seize on and weaken the vitals of godliness Never expect peace or welfare to the spiritual seed till the bond-woman and her Son be cast out How soon have excellent frames been all lost and the candle of the Lord well-nigh put out by these filthy damps that ascend from the deeps of unclean and unmortified affections This wrought such changes in Israel now they sang his praises and then presently forgat his works Psal 106. 12. Those divine raptures could not abide and what was the cause why 't was unmortified lusts that had dominion over them V. 14. They lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the Desart and he gave them their requests but sent leanness into their souls This soon brought the Jews from being conquerours to captives that they did not pursue their victories and drive out the Canaanites out of the valleys as well as the mountains Judg. 1. 19. ch 2 3. This want of mortification in Believers is the cause that their corruptions do so often give check to their graces and make their choice heavenly frames so short-liv'd and mutable O cursed pleasures O damnable ease bought with the loss of God! Rutherford O Christians guard your spirit from those filthy and fleshly lusts as Physicians do fortifie the spirits against malignant vapours if ever you will maintain a gracious and heavenly spirit Earthly things also admitted too near the heart prove the bane of a heavenly spirit these like a stone at the bird's leg pluck it down when it attempts to be upon the wing Worldly affections when they exceed their bounds are like waters that overflow the banks they carry down all heavenly motions before them Earthly things are the Devils lure to
to the Lord Jesus A flock of Sheep whereof every one beareth twins and not one is barren Cant. 4. 12 13 14 16. Ch. 4. 2. 'T is compared to the Palm-tree the Cedar the Vine the Fig-tree a green Olive plants famous for flourishing growth clusters of fruit constant fruitfulness 't is said of the Fig-tree it bears fruit all the year long and in many places they shall always find green figs on it Such is the Spouse of Christ compared with the world and hypocrites fruitful and flourishing A good tree bringeth forth good fruit Mat. 7. 17. The root of the righteous yieldeth fruit Prov. 12. 12. Where-ever the grace of God is received in truth there it brings forth fruit Col. 1. 6. As sin brings forth fruit unto death so doth grace unto life Rom. 6. 22. No sooner doth the Lord Jesus espouse a Soul but he heals it of its barrenness He maketh the barren Woman to keep house Psal 113. 9. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away Joh. 15. 2. A barren Christian is a monster in Religion no living member of Christ's body indeed there are Winter-seasons when fruit may not appear but even then 't is in the seed and sap and there is a preparative for fruit which appears in the season but to be always without the fruits of the Spirit love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance Gal. 5. 22 23. is a sign of one that never had marriage-union and intimate communion with Jesus Christ but is the certain mark of a fruitless Fig-tree in danger of cutting down and the character of that ground which is cursed and nigh to burning Luke 13. 7. 9. Heb. 6. 8. Souls try your state 't is for your lives your All depends upon your marriage-union with Christ Had you never any special acquaintance with Christ Have you no conjugal love to Christ Cannot you consent to leave all for Christ Do you usually live and stay on other things for life and salvation and not on Christ Have you been ever barren souls that never brought forth the fruits of the Spirit unto God then were you never married to Christ nor have any true title to heavenly treasures Mark 2. Secondly your interest in heavenly things is known by the naturalness and supremacy of your love to them Where the treasure is there will the heart be Mat. 6. 21. If heavenly things be yours your heart is there worldly men have the World set in their hearts Eccl. 3. 11. Their heart is but the World copied out so heavenly souls have Heaven set in their hearts which are but the counterpane of Heaven every thing hath a natural love to his own the World will love his own Joh. 15. 19. No man ever hated his own flesh Eph. 5. 29. What affections have brute beasts for their young and will venture their lives to defend and maintain them 'T is storied of the Storks when the Town of Delph in the low Countreys was on fire and the Storks perceived the fire to come near their nests they endeavoured to carry away their young but when they could not remove them they flutter'd over them with their wings covering them from the flames till they all perished together Belg. Com. wealth So strong is natural affection to its interest and the natural issues of it self much stronger should gracious affections be to their interests O how I love thy Law saith David 't is my meditation all the day long Psal 119. 97. Whence came this affection it was from his interest in those great and lovely truths Psal 119. 111. Thy testimonies have I chosen as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart Souls risen with Christ and born to the inheritance above will set their affections on things above Col. 3. 1 2. Where is thy heart Christian in Heaven or Earth what things are dearest to thee and sweetest to thy taste canst thou prize the light of God's countenance better than life had'st thou rather be a door-keeper in God's House than dwell in the Pavilions of this World Is a little of Heaven better than a great deal of Earth and can thy heart consent to be at any loss in the World to enjoy God in his Ordinances and to be enriched with spiritual blessings in heavenly places Then heavenly things are thine Mark 3. Thirdly if heavenly things be yours it will appear by your heart-cares for them and vigorous pursuits of them how careful are men of their interests to secure and enlarge them Phil. 2. 21. All men seek their own If the things of Heaven be yours your greatest care will be to get and keep them when Kish thought his Son Saul was lost he left caring for the Asses sorrowing for him saying What shall I do for my Son 1 Sam. 10. 2 Christians if heavenly things be yours they will lie nearer your hearts than all the World besides the sense or fear of losing them will more trouble you than all losses besides the world relations creature-comforts will be forgotten when you apprehend a death on your heavenly interests you will do more and part with more to get Heaven than the World and dearest comforts of it Many will pretend desires for Heaven as the young man in the Gospel but Christ will say to them as to his Hearers Mat. 5. 47. What do you more than others Souls you would have Christ here and Heaven hereafter but what do you for it what do you more than hypocrites and common professors whose portion is in this life can you leave the world for God can you deny your self for the pleasing of Christ and part with your right eye and right hand throw away your Idols of gold and silver the world and fleshly lusts and honour God with your time strength and substance Can you let your Plough stand still to follow God's and stick at no pains and hardships to enjoy the least spiritual good Then are heavenly things yours Mark 4. Fourthly Then are you interested in Heavenly Treasures when your hearts and spirits are suited to them when the Lord hath let in a heavenly tincture on your hearts and inlaid your spirits with heavenliness and a mind that answers to heavenly things as face answers face in the water When God intends men for Heaven he doth in time fit them for it and where he gives a title to mercy he gives a capacity also where he makes over the riches of glory he makes that soul a vessel fit for glory Men do not purchase Pearls for Swine and build Schools for brute beasts God did not make the Heavens for fishes and the Sea for beasts but suited every creature to its element They that are his Adoption are his new Creation also Ephes 2. 10. and when they are designed to a blessed end they are principled for it and have a disposition put into them to move towards it They that are set apart for Heaven hereafter do
food to Israel's faith in the wilderness And such are delightful remembrances of former sins When a person takes pleasure to think and talk of his former evils this doth feed present desires and hopes of sin When Paul would help on the Romans freedom from the service of sin he labours to get their present thoughts of former sins imbitter'd Rom. 6. 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of these things is death Secondly Pleasing Imaginations and fancying of present or future sins do wonderfully strengthen the habit of sin The Lord charges Israel's sinful actions as the product of their wicked thoughts Isa 65. 2. Which walketh in a way that was not good after their own thoughts Sin first begins in the head and ends in the feet first working thoughts of sin and then actual works of sin The Devil doth usually strike the first fire on the tinder of mens thoughts which afterwards burns in their hearts and lives Jam. 1. 15. When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death They that would avoid the birth of sin in their lives must take heed of the conception of sin in their pleasing thoughts They that would help on Babylon's ruine must prevent its propagation and put a timely check to their growth dashing their little ones against the stone Psal 137. 9. Leave a Sit nihil in te Babylonicum not any thing that belongs to Babylon in thy soul saith Hugo Thirdly Unbelief strengthens lust Jer. 2. 25. But thou saidst there is no hope no for I have loved strangers and after them I will go 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Desperatum est scil cor My heart despairs of help I fear it will never be better therefore I will go on in my way Unbelief strengthens lust and makes the soul a prey to it 'T was by unbelief Israel fell in the wilderness both into sin and ruine And the Apostle cautions Christians that they fall not by the same example of unbelief Heb. 4. 11. 'T was unbelieving desponding fears had almost turned up David's heels had not grace succoured him by the Word Psal 73. 2. But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well-nigh slipt And whence came this weakness of grace and strength of corruption why it was from the apprehended prosperity of sin and sinners and the succesless issues of his profession and obedience Verse 15. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency If this be the fruit of my holiness then all my labour is in vain 't is to no purpose I have followed God all this while if wickedness shall carry it at last O take heed of unbelief if ever you would get down your lusts Fourthly Presumption secretly conveys in relief to sin and succours it against all the sieges of Word and Spirit 2 Pet. 2. 10. Presumptuous are they self-will'd A presumptuous soul is a self-pleasing soul one that pertinaciously and wilfully seeks his own carnal contentments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the word imports he will boldly adventure on the most dangerous issues of sin so he may but gratifie his lusts and obtain his sinful desires he fears no dangers sticks at no hardships though God and his Word be against him it makes the sinner go against all warnings threatnings counsels with hopes of success Numb 14. 44. But they presumed to go up to the hill top verse 42. The Lord forbad them to go threatning his remove from them and their ruine if they durst go up against his will Nay it was said The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord and Moses went not out of the Camp would not stir one foot with them in that wicked enterprize yet they would go O take heed of Presumption that does exceedingly keep up sin and pull down the sinner Fifthly Carnal security is a great friend to sin and contributes much to its advantage when Christians let down their watch and lie down to slumber then corruptions rise up and prevails over them When the Amalekites were spread abroad upon all the Earth eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the Land of the Philistines 1 Sam. 30. 16 17. David fell upon them and smote them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day and there escaped not a man of them save four hundred young men which rode upon Camels and fled So 't is with gracious souls after some great mercy either some special priviledge enjoy'd some spoils upon their lusts obtained or token of God's favour received they become secure proud and careless letting down their watch exposing themselves to temptations and soon become a prey to sin and Satan Jer. 48 11. Moab hath been at ease from his youth and he hath settled on his lees and hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel neither hath he gone into Captivity therefore his taste remaineth in him and his scent is not changed If you would have a change on your carnal hearts take heed of carnal security in your hearts Sixthly Self-indulgence helps to nourish sin when persons are lovers of their own selves seek to please indulge and gratifie the desires of carnal natural-self then lusts thrive in that soul He that feasts his body saith Ephrem Syrus and starves his soul is like him that feasts his slave and starves his wife 2 Tim. 3. 2. Self-love leads the Van to all the iniquities and hypocrisies of the last times O the troops of sin that march under the banner of self-love and are secured by its conduct hence self-denial is the first step to Christianity Mat. 16. 24. You can never prosper in your salvation-attempts or decay in your soul-ruining lusts till you learn to deny your selves in every part of it Take heed of a selfish spirit if you would be sincere souls and see the death of your lusts Seventhly Opportunity favours sin exceedingly and helps to keep its hopes alive and gives it occasion for its enlargement Opportunity is the Midwife of lust and helps to deliver it of its inward conceptions and pregnant desires 'T was opportunity that blew the coal of David's lust into a flame 2 Sam. 11. 2. and midwiv'd out Hezekiah's pride Isa 39. 2. Had it not been for opportunity Lot might have escaped the sin of incest as well as the sufferings of Sodom Gen. 19. 30 to 37. and Judah's uncleanness with his Daughter-in-law Tamar 'T was opportunity that exposed Dinah to a rape and Peter to the temptation of denying his Lord and Master Take heed of adventuring into the way of temptation and going to the borders of soul-danger shun the occasions of evil turn aside out of the way of snares Prov. 1. 15. chap. 4. 14 15. Temptation feeds corruption ensnares and entangles the feet and as fewel keeps in the fire of lust You may as safely suffer the
sin the transcendent glory of Christ is his grace and the glory of the Saints is to be like him Joh. 1. 14. which is obtained through the immediate views of him 1 Joh. 3. 2. When he appears we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is The hope of which sight and glory is soul-purifying now ver 3. And every man that hath this hope purifieth himself as he is pure No sooner had the Apostles a sight of Christ's glorious grace but the next thing was a receiving from his fulness grace for grace Joh. 1. 14. 16. Fourthly A sensible sight of the exceeding sinfulness and evil of sin will help to loosen this conjunction between the heart and sin when once Paul came to see the exceeding sinfulness of sin and felt the killing fruits of it in his soul his heart presently came to be loosened from the ruling power of it Rom. 7. 11. 13. That which I do I allow not what I would that do I not but what I hate that do I. The sense of the shameful fruits of sin was influential on the believing Romans towards their freedom from sin Rom. 6. 21. 22. Christians get your eye more intently fix'd on the cursed nature of sin how contrary to God how like to Devils how filthy loathsome and abominable look upon the certain dreadful effects of sin here and to all eternity if not removed it hath brought death on the Son of God and destruction on the Sons of Men bondage on the creatures a curse on every thing men do and enjoy enmity against God alienation from God robbing him of his glory crossing his will spoiling his works grieving his spirit hindering the soul in duty depriving it of mercy exposing it to judgment necessitating it to evil weakning his hopes breaking his peace opposing his grace and endangering either the loss or lessening of his glory with other innumerable mischiefs injuries cruelty and miseries that follow the heels of it with the great difficulty in its removal I say be more in the heart-affecting consideration of these things and you cannot choose but with Paul be weary of sin loath it and long for a separation from it Rom. 7. 24. How can ye love that knife that hath stabb'd your dearest Friend Father Husband yea your own soul How can you like that cloud and veil which stands between you and the Son of righteousness and keeps these quickning warming beams from you which would have cleared and strengthned your heart How can you hug the fetters kiss the walls and doors that imprison your souls in bondage and keep you from your beloved and from the glorious liberty of the Sons of God what pleasure can you take in that Thief which stole your richest Jewels and hath brought you to a morsel of bread 5ly Apprehension of that high dignity and honorable state to which grace hath advanc'd you those peculiar glorious priviledges which you are now invested with hath a mighty influence on a gracious heart towards the abhorring of sin 1 Joh. 3. 1 2 3. Oh how unsutable are works of darkness to the children of light how unbecoming is vile rayment to them that dwell in Kings Houses A Swine's snout to a Saint's eye thick clay and defiling dirt on the hands face and heart of the heirs of glory and children of the Kingdom what an unlovely sight is it to see Kings wallow in the mire as Swine and such who enjoy the priviledges of Angels to do the work of Devils Remember that thou art Son to a King said one to Antigonus and that will keep thee from base courses O Christians work in these thoughts upon the heart and see whether there can be any room left for the works of the flesh or affections thereof Sixthly Expectations of future glory will help you to despise that abominable thing sin Can you rationally look for a Throne with your Beloved hereafter and lodge in the bosome of your Idols and adulterous Lovers now How can you think that head shall wear a Crown of glory with Christ who is always plotting to put Crowns of Thorns on Christ's head now To reap life everlasting then who sow to the flesh now Do you hope for that time when you shall be uncloath'd of sin and can you make it your present work to put on sin hold fast sin how inconsistent are desires of sin with hopes of freedom Christians don't deceive your souls you cannot have sure grounds of fellowship with God hereafter and allow the least communion between your hearts and sin now Seventhly Maintained union and communion with Christ will break heart-union and fellowship with sin As heart-union with sin will not admit of union and communion with God Hos 4. 17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols let him alone I will have no more to do with him I 'll leave and remove from him So union and communion with God in Christ will not bear union with sin Hos 2. 2. The Lord would not say Israel was his Wife until her Whoredoms were put out of her sight and her Adulteries from between her breasts and no sooner did she return to a believing sight of and affectionate union with him but she presently cries out What have I to do with Idols any more Hos 14. 8 Contraries oppose and weaken each other Psal 97. 10. Ye that love the Lord hate evil Matth. 6. 24. No man can serve two Masters either he will hate the one and love the other or else he will hold to the one and despise the other ye cannot serve God and Mammon Union with God is of an incorporating nature 1 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit and cannot subsist without heart-separation from sin 2 Cor 6. 16 17. I will dwell in them and walk in them wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord. Cleaving to Christ by Faith is the best way to the relinquishment of sin The soul that hath constant fellowship with Christ will not care for other Lovers Phil. 3. 8. That 's the third Direction Get the union between thy heart and sin broken Direct 4. Fourthly If you would mortifie sin strike at the root of it and get the body of this death destroyed The life of the tree lies in the root lop off all the branches yet if the root be sound the tree lives and the branches will sprout out again Job 14. 7 8 9. But if once the root be cut off the whole tree dies and ceases from bringing forth fruit So 't is with sin if you set against this or that particular corruption and let the body of death alone not using means to weaken that you will make but little of all your endeavours when you have quieted one lust another rises 'T is but to little purpose to lade away waters out of a ship unless you stop the leak that feeds them while there is water in the Sea it will be
Christian get if he did but follow his victory over his corruptions and not suffer them to recruit and gather strength again Give no rest to thy lusts nor space for reviving no not for a moment but keep up thy warfare every day Sixthly If you would further the death of sin keep up the life of grace As the life of sin weakens grace so the life of grace keeps down and weakens sin Gal. 5. 16. Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Keep up grace and sin will down As when the house of David waxed stronger the house of Saul waxed weaker 2 Sam. 3. 1. 'T is written of Ephrem Syrus that though he was a man much given to passion in his youth yet after he entered into a strict course of life he was never seen to be angry with any man As you cannot get power over sin but by the Spirit of Grace so you cannot keep the head over sin but by the Life of Grace Get your graces strengthened and you will find your corruptions weakened Thirdly You must carry on Renovation in grace and the inward work of Sanctification every day Ephes 3. 23 24. And be renewed in the spirit of your minds And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schol. After the work of Mortification the Apostle presses Christians to this work of Renovation or Internal Holiness be renewed in the spirit of your minds i. e. in your minds by the Holy Spirit the mind being put for the whole man and internal faculties of the soul both understanding will affections and conscience all must be renewed by the Spirit called the New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. or Workmanship of Christ transformed after his own Image in righteousness and true holiness and renewed in knowledge Eph. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. When the soul is truly regenerated there is the stamp or eexmplar of Christ's holiness placed in the whole soul in truth but in weak measures at first which must be renewed or enlarged in the soul till it comes to the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ Christians at the first change are compar'd to new born babes 2 Pet. 2. 2. weak in grace but under a natural disposition and obligations to growth and encreases in this grace of God both intensively and extensively This is a Christian's duty by divine command and comports with the appointment of God in order to it 2 Pet. 3. v. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Ephes 4. 11 12 13. 'T is the way by which grace becomes glory and is greatly necessary to perfect a soul's holiness that so he might come to his full stature and conformity to Christ Ephes 4. 16. Rom. 8. 29. And by the encreases of grace may be enabled to dispatch all his duties bear his burdens and bear up under his temptations that he might be capable to enjoy all his mercies to glorifie the God of grace and to be made meet for the enjoyment of God in glory On all which accounts it becomes the Christian 's great concern to press after larger measures of grace every day to grow up into him in faith and love who is the head in all things Ephes 4. 15. To grow downward in humility and self-denial to grow extensively in every part of holiness and greater enlargements in every grace to wax stronger and stronger in the grace that is in Christ Jesus Perfecting holiness in the sight of God and pressing more and more after the price of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus The want of which encreases of the Spirit doth much obscure the glory of Christ in Believers cloud their evidences and render them too weak for their corruptions their growing tryals and duties Christians content not your selves with the truth of grace without daily growth in grace Improve your interest in the Resurrection of Christ by believing for the dailing quickening of your hearts and raising of your affections to things above and attracting your desires and whole souls after God grace and glory Be much in internal soul-work of heart searching soul watching divine contemplation secret ejaculations and soul breathings after God and higher manifestations of his light life and love Be constant in every appointment of God publick and private of prayer reading hearing holy conference that you may get nourishment thereby administred to your souls Get under all the dews and showres of grace for your fruitfulness Be spiritual as well as frequent in exercising grace under the means of Grace without this you cannot serve God acceptably Heb. 12. 28. or receive from him who is the head nourishment to your souls but by these bands and joynts of faith and love Col. 2. 19. Formality eats out that sap which should make you green and flourishing A dead cold heart under the Word can no more digest it to nutriment than a dead body can concoct natural food Maintain hungring desires after the word of grace and appointed means to your spiritual growth 1 Pet. 2. 3. Hungring after food argues a good digestion and a sound concoction furthers nourishment Keep up warm affection to every way of God living on Christ for all the good and blessing of them Psal 84. 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee in whose heart are the ways of them who passing through the Valley of Baca make it a Well the rain also filleth the Pools they go from strength to strength every one in Sion appearing before God When Jehoshaphat's heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord 't is said he waxed great exceedingly 2 Chron. 17. 6. 12. Heart-enlargement in the ways of God is a notable help to soul-thrivings Take this one thing more be poor in spirit if you would be rich in grace Such are under the promise of being satisfied of being guided in judgment of encreasing their joy to such he will give grace and revivings Humble souls a Reyner Excellency of Grace saith one are empty vessels which God will fill are low plants which God will make to grow To be nothing in our own eyes is the way to receive all good things even grace in abundance from God Psal 22. 26. and 25. 9. Isa 29. 19. Prov. 3. 34. Isa 57. 15. Fourthly To keep your evidences for Heaven fair and legible is another part of your Salvation-work this will abundantly comfort you under all your tribulations quicken you to a lively dispatch of your duties give you a humble boldness in your approaches to God arm you against the fears of death and administer to you an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Beware of quenching and grieving the Spirit of grace by which its sealing-work is hindered Take heed of laying blots upon your evidences by any allowed iniquity in your hearts or unpurged defilement in your hands which will weaken
First Be sure the matter of your employments be good that your Callings be lawful and the things you do be just and honest in the sight of God Evil things can never be well done meddle not with prohibited goods do nothing that either in its nature use or by divine Law becomes evil 2 Cor. 13. 7. Phil. 4. 8. Eph. 4. 28. Let your Callings be a Versetur circa id quod licitum est in se utire generi humano famae bonae Ames lawful of good report and useful in your generation not onely for your own interest and advantage but for the service and good of others For no man liveth to himself Rom. 14. 7. Such a calling as hath God for its Author m Opera Deo placere non possunt si vitae suae institutum non est a Deo Frid. Baldm being according to Scripture and hath God for its Teacher n The works of that calling cannot please God where the calling it self is not of God saith Fenner Isa 28. 26. And as a man can manage with peace of conscience and be assur'd his work doth please God and he can pray for a blessing upon it which they cannot do who set on employments that tend to nourish vice and wickedness Rom. 13. 14. That your Recreations also be lawful such as are free from scandal and temptation used by and with persons fearing God and such as have a tendency to refresh the mind and body the better disposing it to its necessary duties being sparingly and wisely used so as to be no occasion of evil to others and religiously entred on by seeking to God for a right management of it and blessing on it Such actions as come not under these characters are not becoming Christians who must give an account to God for every vain word much more for idle actions Mat. 12. 36. 'T is part of that which will trouble souls when their sins are bearing on them that they have inherited lies vanities and things wherein is no profit Jer. 16. 19. Saints should be working nothing but what hath a good in it Working with his hands the things that are good Ephes 4. 28. and which can bring some glory to God Whatsoever you do of which Recreations is a part do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10 31. But what good to the body foul or estate what glory to God what peace to conscience in the day of Christ can be found in carnal sports scandalous plaies cards dice lascivious dancings and the like which are the off-spring of chambering and wantonness things wherein is little praise virtue or good report but rather the spots of Christianity and bane of piety which tend to debauch the affections to deaden the conscience to nourish wantonness and seed a fleshly carnal mind the end of which is death Rom. 13. 13. Phil. 4. 8. Jude v. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 18. Rom. 8. 6. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace It is a double content to a generous and well disposed nature when he doth good for his pleasure Games of hazard saith Du Moulin of Contentment a worthy Divine do very much discompose the mind they also provoke passion and cause much disturbance in the soul for things of nothing Games that consist in dexterity of body or mind are much to be preferred before these Chess will sharpen the wit but busie it over much and toil the spirits instead of recreating them which is the proper use of play Of all gaming the less the better and when it disorders the passions the least is too much He that ventures much money at play ventures with it not onely the tranquillity of his mind but makes a certain loss of it whatever becomes of the money Squandring away of money in play is not the way to make friends of that unrighteous Mammon that receive a man into everlasting habitations but an enemy rather that will turn him out of his temporal habitation it is the way to lose both Earth and Heaven So then whether we win or lose we commit robbery for if we rob not our adversaries we rob our selves our families and God We may add this also such unprofitable Recreations devour that precious treasure of irrecoverable unvaluable yea salvation-time and useth those hours in posting to Hell which are too much neglected for hastening to Heaven O how careful then should souls that profess heavenly hopes be of their earthly work that it be such as may conduce to their accomplishment of them Rule 2. Secondly Set upon earthly things in their proper place and order Seek first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to you a Caetera aut aderunt aut certe non oberunt Mat. 6. 33. Let God have the uppermost Throne in your hearts the fore-foot in your walk the first stroke in your work give heavenly things the precedency both in estimation affection and time as things of greatest worth and to which you are chiefly obliged That 's the due order and method of heavenly Traders to begin every day and work with God serve God first and then your selves Set apart some time for religious duties before you set upon earthly employments Men will not go abroad into unwholsom air fasting The things of this world have a contagious breath in them Break your fast with God every morning before you adventure on heart-ensnaring businesses Labour with God first for his presence with you his wisdom to direct you his grace and strength to help secure and bless you in your earthly labours Antidote your hearts with divine cordials every morning before you get into the Pest-house of this world and let something of Scripture lye nearest thy soul for counsel comfort quickening every day He saith Augustine that hath tasted the sweetness of Divine love will not care for temporal sweetness Meddle not with the thorns of this world till you have fenced your hearts and hands by prayer and the sword of the Spirit 'T is more haste than good speed to run into the world before you have spoken with God The lawful way to earthly employments lies by Heavens gates Christians God will sue you for trespasses if you take any other way to your trades and employments in the world than his prescribed way of religious duties Besides you have need of God's eye and hand in every thing you do You know not the snares and deaths that lye in your employments and the dangers you are subject to in every step you go and in every thing you do You may go forth in the morning and never return more some have died as Israel did with meat in their mouths others have fal'n down dead in their work broke their necks in a journey been found dead in the way O set on earthly work in God's way go not about the world till you have been with
terrae non capit Lips Wilt thou contain that man whom the whole World cannot contain Alas what will the whole World be to thee when thou comest to die let it seem no more to thee now who art dying every day do every thing as strangers and pilgrims here Heb. 11. 9. 13. and as if you heard a voice every day saying Awake and come to judgment Jerome thought whatever he did he still heard that voice Surgite mortui venite ad judicium Arise ye dead and come to judgment When you are travelling to this Market and the other Fair think Sure I am journeying to the grave and I know not what dust I shall shortly be shovell'd into when you are about your work think I am hastening to eternity and shortly these hands must rot in the grave When you promise your selves great things as the fruit of your labours and hope for this gain and the other comfort say Death may come between me and my enjoyments and crop off the hopes of all my labours What can be great to him that accounts the World nothing or long to him that counts his life but a span Mr. Dod When thou findest thy heart running out too greedily after this World ready to lye cheat oppress undermine others to greaten thy interest think on this For all these things God will bring thee to judgment and render to thee according to all thy works Secondly Then do you your earthly work in an heavenly manner when you do it with an heavenly heart As is the heart so is the action in God's account the Lord was much pleased that it was in David's heart to build him an House though he never did it 1 Kin. 8. 18. and displeased with all that Israel did in his service because their heart was not right with him Psal 78. 37. Israel did many good works they sought him they returned and enquired early after God they remembred that God was their Rock and the high God their Redeemer ver 34 35. but all this was nothing in God's esteem because their heart was not upright in it they had an earthly carnal selfish backsliding heart in all they did If thy heart be heavenly though thy work be earthly yet it puts an excellency on it but if thy work be heavenly and thy heart earthly God doth reject and despise it the heart is the root of every action and if the root be good the fruit will be good also Mat. 12. 33. Rom. 11. 16. If the fountain be sweet the streams will be sweet also and if thy heart be heavenly thy work is heavenly A heavenly heart like the Bee turns all it doth to heavenly uses when the Lord Jesus had put his hand upon the Spouses heart and left some myrrh upon her bowels presently her hands dropped myrrh and her fingers sweet smelling myrrh Cant. 5. 4 5. A heavenly heart perfumes thy earthly work and makes it wonderfully taking with the heart of Christ Quest How might I know when my heart is heavenly in my earthly work Sol. First A heavenly heart is a heart enlightned to see heavenly things a heart beam'd over with heavenly light to discern things invisible An earthly heart is a dark heart it sees nothing in God his Word and Works so as to draw up his heart to Heaven an earthly heart sees nothing but earth in heavenly things and an heavenly heart sees Heaven in earthly things The Patriarchs saw the heavenly City in their earthly Countrey Heb. 11. 13 14 16. They saw the promises that is the things promised afar off and confessed that they were strangers on earth they sought a Countrey desired a better Countrey that is an heavenly and all that as the product of their heavenly sight they saw heavenly things in earthly Abraham had an heavenly eye to see Christ's day Joh. 8. 5 6. and Moses a heavenly eye to see him who is invisible Heb. 11. 27. A heavenly heart doth not only see heavenly things but sees an infinite worth and excellency in them it sees them to be the best things it sees a greater glory and desirableness in things above in one glance of his eye in one day within his Courts in one hours communion with him than in all the World besides Mary saw more advantage in sitting at Christ's feet than in the many things Martha's heart was taken up about Luke 10. 41 42. Cursed be that man saith the noble Marquess Galeacius that accounts not one hours communion with Christ above all the World Secondly A heavenly heart is a heart that savours heavenly things Rom. 8. 5. Nothing goes down so sweet with a heavenly heart as heavenly things every thing rejoyces in its like An earthly heart delights in earthly things the Merchant in his Trade the Husband-man in his Field Houses Husbandry and fruits of the earth the voluptuous man in his pleasures as he that sold his City for a draught of water crying out when he had done O that for so short a pleasure of a King I should be made a Slave The proud man in his greatness Is not this great Babylon that I have built for the house of the Kingdom Dan. 4. 30. So doth the heavenly heart relish greatest sweetness in heavenly things How sweet are thy words to my taste yea sweeter than honey to my mouth Psal 119. 103. His fruit was sweet to my taste his mouth is most sweet Cant. 2. 3. and 5. 16. My meditation of him shall be sweet Psal 104. 34. We took sweet counsel together Psal 55. 14. We talked of the mysteries of godliness saith Ainsworth of the exercises of Religion saith another which I suppose the Prophet meaneth by going into the House of God as companions consulting as it were how they might prepare themselves to his service Thirdly A heavenly heart is a heart that longs and desires after heavenly things Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none that I can desire on Earth in comparison of thee Psal 73. 25. When shall I come and appear before God My soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land where no water is to see thy power and glory as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary Psal 43. 2. Psal 63. 1 2. My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord my heart and my flesh cryeth out for the living God Psal 84. 2. Desires are the natural motions of the heart and the best character and truest lineaments saith one y Reynold's Treatise of Passion that can be drawn of the minds of men Practices may be overrul'd by ends but desires are alwaies genuine and natural Hence good men have had most confidence in approving themselves to God by their affections and the inward longings of their souls after him as being the purest and most unfeigned issues of love and such as have least proximity and danger from forein and secular ends It is an unquestionable
evidence of souls risen with Christ and receiving the stamp of Heaven on the heart to set their affections on things above Heavenly desires are the natural breathings of a gracious heart which can as well live without them as a man without breathing a cessation of spiritual desires argues soul-swooning or spiritual death Fourthly A heavenly heart is known by its heavenly thoughts it will be much thinking of heavenly things As is the heart so are the thoughts usually For as he thinketh so is he Prov. 23. 7. The thoughts are the first-born of the heart and strength of the soul and as natural issues of the mind as beams are of the Sun if the heart be evil the thoughts will be evil if the heart be good the thoughts will ordinarily be good Matth. 15. 19. further than corruptions or temptations hinder Jer. 4. v. 14. If your hearts be heavenly so will your designed habitual and well-pleasing thoughts be They that are spiritual will mind the things of the Spirit Rom. 8. 5. Try your hearts by your ordinary quiet and delightful thoughts Are vain earthly thoughts your trouble and holy thoughts your delight Fifthly A heavenly heart will be full of heavenly projects such a heart will be driving designs for Heaven his consultations enquiries and studies will be how to carry on and promote heavenly interests Titus 3. 8. This is a faithful saying and these things I will that thou affirm constantly that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cum ratione concilio exerceri the word is might study devise and beat their brains how they might do good That 's the temper of earthly hearts also they will be plotting and contriving waies and means how to advance earthly interests Phil. 3. 19. Who mind earthly things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zanchy whose thoughts are in the earth as the Syriack renders it that is they are wholly taken up about earthly things So 't is with a heavenly heart it is taken up about the things of Heaven it laies holy plots how to keep down the world and corruption in the soul and how to make the most of all it hath and doth for Heaven to secure his interest and enlarge his possession above So far as the heart is heavenly so far is it designing for Heaven Sixthly A heavenly heart is acted and influenced by heavenly motives and arguments there is nothing sways more with a heavenly spirit than reasons drawn from heavenly things heavenly pleasures heavenly honours heavenly treasures will do more with a heavenly heart than any arguments drawn from things of this life The nature of the heart is much known by the motives that are most potent with it A carnal heart is byassed by carnal things Who will shew us any good Psal 4. 6. But a spiritual heart with spiritual things Lord lift up thou the light of thy countenance upon us Lot will choose the plains of Sodom but Abraham will prefer walks with God though in a Wilderness David values his lot by what it hath of God in it and counts that most pleasant and rich which helps him to most of God Psal 16. 5 6. Tell an heavenly heart how he may be rich great and comfortable in the World and it signifies nothing but tell him how he may pitch his Tent nearest to the Ark and enjoy most of God how he may keep peace and holiness within and order his conversation aright to please God and you will sooner win such a heart than by all the choicest proposals of this life Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way Psal 119. 9. Who shall abide in thy tabernacle Psal 15. 1. Who will rise up for me against evil doers Psal 94. 16. How might I do to get a better heart to be more rich towards God Oh that one would give me drink of the waters of the Well of Bethlehem 2 Sam. 23. 15. How might I do for some fore-tastes of the rivers of pleasure at the right-hand of God and to eat of the tree of life in the mid'st of the Paradise of God Rev. 2. 7. These are the most taking things with an heavenly soul his choice his delights and transcendent interests lie on the other side of this World even within the borders of Immanuel's Land Seventhly A heavenly heart is a heart that lives upon heavenly things and is maintained by provisions fetch'd from Heaven nourished up in the words of Faith 1 Tim. 4. 6. desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby 1 Pet. 2. 3. My meat and drink is to do the will of him that sent me Joh. 4. 34. Earthly hearts are maintained by earthly comforts like the Crows they live on carrion but heavenly hearts live upon heavenly things they feed on the finest Wheat and like the Indian Bird Vle malim that lives upon the dew and of the juice of Flowers and Roses heavenly souls prosper best on heavenly pulse and water Give me understanding and I shall live Psal 119. 144. Eightly A heavenly heart walks by heavenly Rules 't is led by the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 14. All the threatnings of men cannot upon choice bow him from his path-way of duty Dan. 6. 10. nor the reason or allurements of men draw him with full consent into the way of sin ch 3. 18. Whatever comes of it he is at a point to keep the commands of God Psal 119. 106. It chuses to be governed by heavenly Laws And we will walk in his paths Isa 2. 3. As for me and my house we will serve the Lrrd Josh 24. 15. Such a soul is easily perswaded by the evidence of truth and will hear what the Spirit saies A little child shall lead him Isa 61. 6. Thirdly Then are earthly things done in an heavenly manner when done to heavenly ends and purposes to obey please and honour God when a person can approve his heart to an all-seeing eye that the great and chief end for which he takes up this or that calling sets on any employment is in subordinacy to these great ends not to please men to gratifie his own lusts to grow great in the world to enjoy pleasure ease reputation and interest here but out of obedience to the Maker Redeemer and Governour of this world that God in all things might have his will and glory 1 Pet. 4. 11. This is the ultimate end of all Gods works and should be of man's also All employments run out of their proper chanel if they tend not to this Ocean of divine glory As God is the Alpha so he must be the Omega of every action the first cause must be the last end God hath made all things for himself Prov. 16. 4. To him belongs the issues as from death so of life Psal 68. 20. Nothing is further good than it answers God's end earthly ends spoil heavenly work and heavenly ends puts an excellency on earthly
works good out of it David got good by his fall it made him the more humble and broken in heart drew out his heart in stronger cries after grace made him more watchful for the future against the occasions of sin Psal 51. 7 8. to the 12. Psal 39. 1. Psal 141. 3. Peter got good from his fall by keeping an after-sense of the evil of it on his heart Israel by their departure from God came to loath themselves the more in their own eyes Ezek. 36. 31. And Ephesus by a sense of their evil got this advantage they could not bear evils in others Rev. 2. 2. As sin abounds so grace abounds much more Rom. 5. 20. Object If souls may get good from sin and where sin abounds grace abounds much more Then why should we be troubled for sin and watching against it Why may we not rather sin that grace may abound and do evil that good may come thereof Sol. The Apostle answers this objection Rom. 6. What shall we say then shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid and proves by several Arguments First That it cannot be that souls interested in Christ can live or allow themselves in sin Because First They are dead to sin and therefore cannot live any longer in sin v. 2. dead men while so cannot live but Believers are dead to sin no longer to live therein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amplius never more to live in it they may fall into it be overcome by it but to allow it to design it to make provision for it and to take up encouragements upon choice in judgment to continue in it this cannot consist with men dead to sin as all souls in Christ are for they are baptized into the likeness of Christ's death yea into his death v. 3. That as Christ died for sin once to die no more but was raised by the glory of the Father v. 4. so they being really dead with Christ should live no more in sin but be perpetually dead to it for this is the very end of Christ's death to destroy the old man the body of sin the whole power and Being of sin in Believers to be accomplished in its time and waies v. 6. And Christ died in vain and hath lost the great end of his death if they that are in him can live any longer in sin for he that is dead is freed from sin c Jure facto absoluti manumassi a peccato cujus prius premebamur imperio Paraeus v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a Synecdoche Piscat that is absolved from the obligation servitude dominion and guilt of sin as an Apprentice is by Law declar'd free or set free from his Master's rule and power Secondly They that are in Christ are not only partakers of his death and therein brought into a state of death to sin but they are partakers of his resurrection and by it instated in a life of holiness v. 4 5. that now they should live to God which cannot consist with a life of sin v. 11 12. Thirdly They that are Christ's are brought under grace under a Covenant of Grace opposed to the Law as a Covenant of Works and therefore cannot be any longer under the dominion and service of sin v. 14. These two Covenants being in that respect contrary they that are under the Law as a Covenant of Works are in the flesh and bring forth fruit unto death Rom. 7. 5. and for that end are Believers set free from the Law and brought under Grace that they might serve God in newness of spirit v. 6. and no longer serve sin Fourthly They are become the servants of righteousness set free from the service of sin Rom. 6. 18. Your time under sin is out and you have now no more to do with sin you are anothers servant and therefore cannot return to the service of sin any more for you are now servants to God not for a time but for ever you have deliver'd over your selves sworn over your selves to be the servants of God for ever and therefore cannot now serve sin That 's his first answer You cannot if in Christ serve sin any longer nor continue in sin that grace may abound for if you can consent to live in sin you are not under grace Secondly You ought not to do it if you are rational 't is not your concernment to sin because sin is an evil thing First Sin is the greatest slavery in the world v. 16. You are servants to sin and to Devils sins are the works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. which Christ came to destroy sin is evil in its state 't is drudgery and in its nature 't is filthy abominable and shameful Secondly It is attended with sad issues here it brings forth bitter fruit v. 21. It makes the soul ashamed when awakened to see what he hath done and it fills the soul with grief horrour and torment it breaks your loins makes you go halting to your grave it makes you weary of your life and fearful to die it sets your teeth on edge and fills your bowels with wormwood and gravel O the dreadful effects of sin here which makes it no way a souls interest to sin 2 Cor. 7. 11. Psal 51. 8. Psal 38. 4. Psal 119. 120. Psal 55. 4. Lam. 3. 19. Thirdly As the work is bad and fruits are evil here so the wages of sin is death v. 23. As soon as the work is done they shall have their wages which is alwaies paying and never paid they shall be alwaies dying and never dead whose worm never dieth and whose fire is never quenched Mark 9. 44. This will be the certain end of them that can chuse sin and live in sin if God be holy and his Word true And can you then continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid O Christians get good from your sins to be ashamed of them to grieve and mourn over them to hate and loathe them to pray and cry against them to watch and strive against them to fly to Christ for pardon over them and freedom from them to shun and avoid the occasions of them to have no more to do with them to seek and further the death and total ruine of them to prize graces and love Christ the more to be more attentive to his instructions and obedient to his commands to bless God and rejoyce in Christ when God doth in any measure keep you or set you free from sin to long for Heaven and Glory that you may never sin more to keep close to Christ and abide in his waies that you might be the more secur'd from sin and fitted for glory Ezra 9. 6. Zach. 12. 10. Ezek. 36. 31. Rom. 7. 24. Prov. 4. 14 15. 1 Thes 5. 22. Ephes 5. 11. Ephes 2. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 7. 2 Cor. 5. 8. Acts 11. 23. This is to get good from sin and to drive on the
shall see clearly things it never knew As 't is said of the Mole that it is blind all its time till it comes to die and then it sees So they that would not see shall then see and be ashamed then shall souls see things as they are and find that to be evil which they thought good and that to be good which they thought to be evil Death is the greatest informer and makes the largest discovery of things that ever was it brings to light the hidden things of darkness sins the world never knew and sins it may be the soul it self never saw or thought it self guilty of then will the least flaw error unsoundness neglect failing be fully seen then the things that now seem to be small will then appear to be great and those things that were taken for mountains will be less than one single grain of dust Death is a time also when conscience hath its quickest senses and liveliest acts when it sees hears feels fears all things as they are and without any other witness becomes both Accuser and Judge then Judas needed no Accuser to charge him or Judge to condemn him but his own conscience nor Executioner to dispatch him but his own hand What 's the matter man said Mr. Perkins to a Malefactor going up the ladder and his countenance shewing the inward terrors of his soul art thou afraid to die O no Sir said he but of a worse matter So another upon her death-bed and under a terrible sight of her wicked life when one that was by offered something to comfort her against the fear of death replied Were it but to die it were nothing A world said another upon the border of eternity and under conscienceaffrightings for one inch of time O give me one inch of time Luther speaks of an Eremite who a little before his death stood very sad never stirring out of his place for three days having his eyes fixt towards Heaven and being ask'd the reason of this posture answered he was afraid to die His Scholars began to comfort him telling him he need not to fear death who had been so holy in his life but he replies 't is true I have lived well and been obedient but God's judgments are otherwise than Man's judgment Tom. 4. fol. 50. The time of death is a time of great temptation also then Satan usually brings forth his chiefest strength to weaken the soul's faith 't is his last onset and that is the hottest as men that storm a Garrison in their last assault they usually put forth their utmost strength Then he opposeth us with most armed force In this last assault Å¿ Instructissimis copiis nos impugnat ipsam resistentiam aggreditur de certamine certamen est bellum alio bello defendendum hic pugnandum ut pugnare liceat resistendum ei qui resistere dissuadet Luth. saith Luther 't is not as in other temptations where faith and hope doth fight for here he sets upon the very resistance and the strife is about striving and the war is maintain'd by another war Here the fight is that it may be lawful to fight and to resist him whose greatest policy is then to disswade from resisting laughing at our hope as if it were already vanquished and it were to no purpose to resist This is a critical time and hard to stand the last enemy is death when the soul must have the whole armour of God and be found not in his own righteousness but take sanctuary in the grace of God the righteousness and faithfulness of Christ Death is somewhat driery saith Mr. Cooper and the streams of that Jordan between us and our Canaan run furiously but they stand still when the Ark comes let your anchor be cast within the veil and fastned on the rock Jesus let the end of the threefold cord be buckled to the heart so shall ye go through t Claude oculos nihil responde commenda causam Deo Idem When thou art tempted saith Luther and seest no way to escape shut thine eye answer nothing and commit the cause to God This saith he is the chiefest wisdom we should attend to in the hour of death This was Bernard's course and comfort when on the point of death I have lived wickedly saith he but thou Lord Jesus Christ enjoyest Heaven by a double right first because thou art the Son of God then because by thy death and passion thou hast obtained it u Hoc servas pro te jure nativitatis illud largiris mihi non jure operum sed gratiae thou keepest the first thy self by thy birth-right the last thou bestowest on me not for my works but of thy grace Christians you had need be well furnish'd for the hour of death your greatest and most difficult hour laying in all the provisions you can for a sure and comfortable passage to glory Thus you see Wisdom's Merchants have more to do than keep up present life and comfort they must lay in for times to come for times of temptation desertion affliction and the hour of death Advice 4. Fourthly If you have good trading with God then lay out for God This is reasonable work pleasing work honourable work profitable work First 'T is reasonable work to lay out for God he deserves it 't is his due all your mercies are his interest I will return and take away my corn in the time thereof and my wine in the season thereof I will recover my wooll and my flax given to cover her nakedness Hos 2. 9. Though God gives his people the use of mercy yet he keeps the propriety in his own hand God is the Alpha and should be the Omega the Authour and 't is reasonable he should be the end of all our mercies James 1. 17. Every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights And as beams from the Sun is derived from his bounty as his peculiar off-spring w Bona mea dona tua Omne bonum nostrum vel ipse vel ab ipso Aug. My goods are thy gifts saith Augustine All our good is either himself or what comes from him Both trading and thriving are from him and should also be for him both principle and interest are God's own Mat. 25. 27. If you lay not out your mercies for God you rob him of his due Your mercies are the Lords not onely by that interest he reserves in them but by your resignation of them unto him Christians when you gave up your selves to the Lord you gave up all your interests and capacities also 2 Cor. 5. 8. To keep back any part of your All from God is to lye to the Holy Ghost Acts 5. 3. Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost and to keep back part of the price of the Land No lower terms will pass in reconcillation with God than what Ahab yielded to Benhadad 1 Kings 20. 4. My Lord