God and secur'd your All in his hands Rule 3. Thirdly Keep your earthly business within the bounds of due time He that hath allotted you your work hath allotted you your time for it it consists not with man's state relation and interest to be arbitrary in any thing but to walk by rule There is a time for every thing under the Sun Eccles 3. 1. A time for every purpose and for every work verse 17. Job 7. 1. As there is an appointed time to man on earth so there is an appointed time to man for earthly things He that hath set bounds to the world hath not left worldly employments without bounds but hath fixed mens earthly affairs within their proper season Psal 104. 23. Man goeth forth to his work and to his labour until the evening The Psalmist acknowledges here the power and providence of God in setting bounds to his creatures bounds to the Sun and Moon Verse 19. He appointed the Moon for seasons and the Sun knoweth his going down Bounds to the day and night Verse 20. Thou makest darkness and it is night he limits the labours of wild beasts and men the beasts have their preyingtime confined to the night Verse 20. 22. And it is night wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth the Sun riseth they gather themselves together and lay them down in their dens Men have their working-time allotted in the day Man goeth forth to his work and labour until the evening that is to the end of their working-working-day which consisted among the Jews of twelve hours John 11. 9. Are there not twelve hours in the day the usual time for men to dispatch their earthly work in The Lord would not p Providentia ergo Dei noluit sic prolixam operandi continuationem ut hominum vires nimium atteret sed modum constituit saith Musculus have mens labours drawn out so far as to wear out their strength but hath set bounds to it As the Lord would not have the world to take up mens hearts so he would not have it to eat out their time or encroach on these seasons that are due to greater concerns God Nature Grace thy own soul and the spiritual good of others have their claims as well as thy earthly calings to this little inch of this time O consume not thy precious day on things that are temporal and neglect thy opportunities for things eternal do not enslave thy body beyond thy beasts which have their times of rest nor exhaust that strength which better things call for upon an empty perishing world Excessive labours beyond their due time do argue either too much desire of these things or too little faith in God and are reprov'd by the Lord as the vanity and practice of them who are not his beloved ones Psal 127. 2. 'T is lamentable to see such as would be thought the heirs of Heaven so excessively taken up in enlarging their possessions on earth engrossing all their time early and late about their earthly affairs leaving nothing but a few unserviceable minutes for God and their souls O Christians Keep the stream of your earthly affections and labours within the banks of allowed time rob not God of his time of special service nor nature of her time of needful rest and refreshment nor thy own or others souls of time for their spiritual concerns for such poor perishing things Shew charity to thy redeemed body make it not a drudge to thy earthly lusts Man is too noble a creature to be a vassal to this world 'T is a sad spectacle to see the Nazarites of Heaven like Sampson with their heads shaven and their eyes pluckt out to grind in the world's mill till they pluck down the house about their ears Judg. 16. 21. How do men macerate their bodies and starve their souls onely to help them with supplies in their passage to the grave and all the while neglect the work of God and their souls leaving the reliques of their wasted strength and the world's refuse for the service of an immortal God This is not to follow earthly things by heavenly Rule Rule 4. Fourthly Be diligent in the use of your working time take heed you waste it not upon impertinencies or by needless diversions or by idleness and unfaithfulness in your work this is a sin against both Law and Gospel which requires diligence and faithfulness in mens earthly callings Labour and calling-work was man's duty before his fall Gen. 2. 15 The Lord God took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it And after the fall painful labour was injoyn'd and inflicted as a punishment of his sin Gen. 3. 19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread until thou return to the ground This duty of bodily labour in mens Callings is of equal sanction and regard with the duties of Gods Worship being inserted in a positive Law and as that which is necessary to the sanctifying of God in Sabbaths Exod. 29. 9 10 Six days shalt thou labour and do all thy work but on the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not do any work The injunction of working in six days 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Mayer is given in the same commanding terms in the Original that the injunction of not working in the seventh is and the same reason is given for both the one is taken from Gods resting on the seventh day and the other from his working the six days So that not to labour faithfully in thy Calling the six days is a breach of the fourth command as well as the working on the sabbath-Sabbath-day Not as if the six days labour were to exclude all religious Worship of God on either of these days when the Lord calls to it by extraordinary Providences as to mourning or rejoycing or by ordinary tenders of Gospel-mercy in Week-day Lectures or the like for this would cross his other commands Preaching in season and out of season and labouring for the bread that endures to eternal life This diligent labour doth not exclude private worship every day and publick worship on week-days so far as it consists with faithfulness in mens Callings for which time must be redeemed Eph. 5. 16. but it requires diligent attendance on mens Callings on the week-days as opposed to sloath and sinful waste of time without which God is not duely served on the Sabbath This diligence in mens Callings is also required in the Gospel 1 Thess 3. 10. Idleness is a Gospel-scandal and renders Christians worthy to be abstained from as not obeying the Word of God and such must not eat 1 Thess 4. 11. such are unprofitable servants who improve not their talents for God and the good of others Matth. 25. 30. and are worse than Infidels who do not by diligence in their Calling provide for their own 1 Tim. 5. 8. Rule 5. Fifthly while your hands
measure of Soul darkness fallen upon us in this Evening-part of our gospel-Gospel-day Isa 42. 19 20. Who is blind but my servant or deaf as my messenger that I sent who is blind as he that is perfect and blind as the Lords servant seeing many things but thou observest not opening the ear but he heareth not Were not a Veil on mens minds could it possibly be that CHRIST should be so little precious in this Day of revelation and Land of visions in which we live Was there ever a Nation in the World to whom Christ hath been so unveiled and manifestly held forth Crucified before their eyes and yet not to know the Day of their visitation and the things of their peace be-speaks shameful Ignorance Is not this a manifest Evidence of mens Darkness and folly to be fondly taken with Airy Notions and vain Speculations and all the while neglect that Wisdome which maketh wise to salvation to leave the Fire of the Sanctuary and sit down by Sparks of their own kindling That having a Kingdom before them which cannot be shaken and an Inheritance that fadeth not away reserved in the heavens they should turn again to the beggarly Elements of this world loathing their Manna and Angels food and longing again for the Onyons and Garlick they had vomited up to leave tried Gold for that which perisheth to let Heaven drop out of their hands and hugg the World in their hearts to neglect that Merchandise which brings in unsearchable riches and drive a Trade for such Goods whose fashion passeth away Do plainly argue Ignorance and folly Are not the silver streams of Jordan better than the muddy waters of Assyria and our Rock above the worldlings Sandy bottoms they themselves being Judges and yet to lose those pleasant streams for that filthy puddle is folly indeed Will Eagles stoop to Flies Can Souls who have ascended into the light of the Lord and seen the things that differ and had acquaintance with things above upon choice come down again and prey upon the Carrion Comforts and Interests of a dying World O no. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments or a Bride her Attire Oh foolish people and unwise to be unmindful of the Rock that begat them to leave the Snow of Lebanon to let down such a gainful Trade as Holiness is that they may pursue a Soul-cheating starving damning World demonstrates folly and madness in such as have the knowledge or hopes of better things are ye so foolish having begun in the spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh Gal. 3. 3. To obviate or retrieve this folly is the design of this ensuing Discourse which comes not in the gawdy Dress of curious Art or in the Excellency of mans wisdom but in the plainness and demonstration of the truth as it is in Jesus I am not ignorant that Books have their Fashions as well as men and Discourses that come not forth in the Modish Garb laced with Elegancy and stuffed with Lofty strains scarce meet with a Look except of Scorn and Contempt from the Wits of this Day But I love not to follow them who darken counsel by words and by their sublime Speculations and abstruse Notions lead men into Clouds of their own creating and while they shew Themselves lose their Readers There are many tricks and devices saith Mr. Dod that some men use in Preaching which we may apply also to Writing but it seldom does good the pure Gospel and that Preaching which the World counts foolishness is that which works most kindly Christ's own Weapons are the fittest for his own service and when there is least of man in Gods work then usually does there most of God appear The business of this Book is not to feed thy Curiosity but to find out thy Conscience and the likeliest way to That is through the plains of Intelligible truth I cannot expect that Discourse should lead others towards Heaven that has not its self drained and refined from Earth Expect not in this any thing that may please thy carnal mind but what may profit thy teachable and obedient Soul and before thou ascendest the Throne to judge it take the Balance of the Sanctuary and weigh it Be advised to go beyond such Readers who onely view the Title read the Epistle glance a little on the Book and if they find not something singular and pleasing their curious Fancy lay it aside this shews a full Stomach but an empty Soul and is a Practice that overturns the Writers pains and the Readers profit be perswaded to read it throughly and impartially and weigh it seriously and thou mayest find something that concerns either thy Understanding Affection Conscience or Conversation I have chosen to prosecute the Metaphor of Trading throughout this Discourse having a principal respect to that sort of persons in the design of this Book and the better to insinuate into the mind of ordinary Christians the knowledge of heavenly things of mens duties neglects and backsliding If thou art one who never madest a profession of God farther than blindness formality or superstition might lead thee and a stranger to this great pleasant and gainful Trade of Godliness here thou mayest find Arguments to perswade thee to this rational and necessary Undertaking in order to Life and Salvation Grace and Glory with Counsel and Instructions how thou mayest attain to this high and heavenly Calling If thou be one who drivest furiously after the World pursuing thy earthly Interest with greediness neglecting the things that concern thy peace and subjecting the Concerns of Heaven and thy immmortal Soul to the poor and perishing Trifles of this World here thou wilt find reasons to convince thee of that folly and helps to loosen thy heart from that ensaring Soul ruining bondage If thou meetest with Rebukes upon thy earthly Interests and crosses on thy Affairs and undertakings in the World this Book will help thee to find out the Cause of thy Disappointments and those consuming Moths on thy Estate and Instruct thee to get Honey out of these Rods good from these evils and how to Comport with Divine ends and thy own Advantages by such Dispensations Hast thou made a Profeossio of Godliness and formerly driven this Heavenly Trade to Advantage but art now fallen back and decay'd in thy Spiritual substance and become poor in thy Inward man and towards God here mayest thou find the Discoveries and Evidences of a back-sliding Soul with the Causes of it thou wilt also meet with Awakening Considerations to Affect and Afflict thy heart with the sense of thy evil Case Here also mayest thou know whether thy Decays are cureable and what course thou mayest take to get out of thy languishing estate Art thou one that doest profess this Heavenly Trade this Piece will tell thee what thy work is and wherein this Imployment lies what are the Important duties of Piety to be driven on every Day with Directions and Rules about it If thou art one
subject of this Heavenly Trade Let those be Judges who know the worth of things call in Wisdome's Lapidaries let God Saints and Angels speak in this matter their verdict will be Wisdome's wares weigh down all as to their innate excellency I shall onely propose three evidences to determine this case and they are of unquestionable verity and a sufficient proof of this truth They are 1 Scripture 2 Experience 3 Reason First The Scriptures will tell you there are no wares like heavenly wares Deut. 32. 32. Their Rock is not as our Rock even our enemies themselves being Judges His loving-kindness is better than life Psal 63. 3. And the light of his countenance than the encreases of corn and wine and oyl Psal 4. 6 6. The Law of thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver Psal 119. 72. Tryed faith much better than gold that perisheth 1 Pet. 1. 7. One day in God's Courts better than a thousand elsewhere Psa 84. 10. None in Heaven like to God nor any on earth in comparison of him Psal 73. 25. To make provision for the soul is the one thing needful to enjoy Christ and spiritual things is the better part that shall never be taken away Luk. 10. 42. The Kingdom of God is the chiefest thing to be sought for in the first place Matth. 6. 33. first in affection and first in time Multitude of testimonies might be produced from Scripture to attest this truth the Heavenly Trade is the best Trade no goods like heavenly goods what do you trade for here is it for more than life you plot you work for you gain no more here than meat drink rayment money land credit and the like which onely tend to life but the favour of God is better than life one gracious look one whisper of peace from God weighs down all those riches pleasures honours do not make a happy man or woman the Scripture never reports such blessed as have the abundance of these things but rather miserable and unhappy obnoxious to more snares and dangers but godliness makes a blessed man and pardon of sin a happy man in God's account Psal 1 1 2. and 32. 1. whose testimony is truth it self and to be relied on beyond all the grounds of blinded opinion and false hopes Secondly Experience assures men of this truth that heavenly things are the best things come to a Soul that hath tried both one who hath had all that the World could afford on the one hand and hath also experienced the favour of God and spiritual things and he will tell you of spiritual things as David did of Goliah's Sword There is none like them 1 Sam. 21. 9. And as Solomon of the vertuous Wife These things above excel them all Prov. 31. 29. And wisdom is much better than Gold and to get understanding rather to be chosen than Silver Prov. 16. 16. This was Solomon's experience who had the largest trial of any man he had Houses Vineyards Gardens Servants Silver Gold the peculiar treasures of Kings Greatness Pleasure Musick and whatsoever his eyes desired and upon all gives this verdict That wisdom excelleth folly as far as light excels darkness Eccles 24 13. Piety transcendeth Pravity Heaven the World Purity out-passeth Pleasures as Light doth Darkness When he speaks of things below he tells you These are all vanity and vexation of spirit he that labours for these labours for the wind Eccles 5. 16. and what he seeks finds not but when he speaks of wisdom and spiritual things he is as one that wants words to express their worth Wisdom is better than Rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it Prov. 8. 11. David was a man who had tried various conditions in the World he knew what trouble and comfort was what youth and age was what poverty and riches were he had pleasures honours treasures with the hearts of his people and command of a Kingdom and yet he tells you he had seen an end of all perfection and that the light of God's countenance was better than all and to be a door-keeper a mean place in the house of God was more eligible than to abide in the tents of wickedness Psal 119. 96. Ps 4. 6. and 84. 10. He chooses it as his one thing To dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of his life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple Psal 27. 4. Moses knew what honour was and the pleasures of sin and yet upon choice preferr'd poverty with godliness on the side of truth before all the treasures of Egypt He refused to be called Pharaoh ' s Son rather choosing to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt Heb. 11. 24 25 26. He knew the Nobles of Egypt and grandeur of Pharaoh's Court and yet could value a poor persecuted people that own'd God and cleav'd to him beyond them all Happy art thou O Israel who is like to thee Deut. 33. 20. He counts God the none-such Who is like to thee O God Ex. 15. 11. and Religion the best interest Set your hearts unto all the words I testify for it is not a vain thing for you for it is your life Deut. 32. 46 47. Ask of Paul and he will tell you what the fruit of sin and driving furiously against Christ and his interest was when the Lord Jesus came to reckon with and to pay him off in the way to Damascus Act. 9. 3 4. whose blow he felt many years after in Conscience twitches now and then 1 Tim 1. 13 15. And upon the sense of that change Grace made on his heart and condition he tells you that whatever he counted gain before he saw now to be loss for Christ Phil. 3. 6 7 8 9 10. There was a time when he thought his letter-knowledg blind zeal birth-priviledges legal duties popular applause Rulers favour and protection by Power to be great things but now he alters his reckoning and values the knowledg of Christ and interest in him and grace derived from the power of his death and resurrection to be an excellency that stain'd all his former glory The Jaylor once thought it his greatest interest to swim with the stream and sail by the compass of the times he lived in to run down the ways and servants of the Lord Jesus to obey his warrant and secure the Saints feet in his stocks Act. 16. ver 24 to 34. but when once Grace takes him in hand and plucks him through the strait-gate of conscience terrors and repentance into a state of regeneration then he corrects his errors and sees it his chiefest concern to espouse Christ and to come over into the way of persecuted godliness then to believe in the Lord Jesus to be kind to his servants and to drive the Trade of
blessing to the foederates of this new-Covenant hath the Lord Jesus laid down his precious Blood which cannot be lost Heb. 9. 15. but it would be cast away could Believers religious duties be in vain Another thing that secures the Saints advantages by this heavenly Trade is this that their trading is the work and product of his own Spirit their duties are his work Thou hast wrought all our works in us Isa 26. 22. It is God that worketh in you to will and to do according to his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing of our selves but our sufficiency is of God 2 Col. 3. 5. They are his workmanship created to good works Eph. 2. 10. by whose influence they are acted and let by the Spirit of God Rom. 8. 14. So that further than the spirit of the living creatures move their wheels cannot move nor do any thing graciously further than their works are wrought of God and by God Joh. 3. 21. So that Believers labours in this heavenly Trade are the work of the eternal Spirit and should their work be lost the Spirit of God would labour in vain and his work cast away which cannot be Isa 45. 18. Lastly The Lord Jesus is an adventurer with them his Glory and Kingdom is concern'd in this heavenly Trade when his Will is done his Kingdom is come Mat. 6. 10. and 1 Thes 4. 3. Holiness is his will and a conformity to his Law and he is engag'd to the Father for the Saints holiness and happiness for their grace and glory As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Jo. 17. 2 12. The Father hath put all Believers into the hands of Christ and intrusted him with their graces and glory both which are included in eternal life ver 3. And this is life eternal that they might know thee c. that is this is the way to life eternal and the beginning of life eternal even the grace of Faith and saving knowledg of God and this grace as well as glory is put into the hand of Christ for Believers to be kept for them and they are also put into his hand to be kept by him through it unto glory and in pursuance of this trust the Lord Jesus is engaged to keep his people their graces and the reward of them for them that they be not lost the advantages of this heavenly Trade are secured to Believers by the Lord Jesus his adventure with them his truth faithfulness and glory is concern'd in their safety so that their returns are not only great but sure Thirdly Quick returns if great are greatly enriching Hence comes that Proverb that light gain makes a heavy purse it brings great custom and that occasions quick returns Now no Trade brings quicker returns than the heavenly Trade Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me Rev. 22. 12. The Lord Jesus not only makes good but quick payment as soon as the work is done he promiseth to make good his word Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee Psal 50. 15. Nay the Lord Jesus sometimes pays before-hand And it shall come to pass that before they call I will answer and whiles they are speaking I will hear Is 65. 24. Men many times are forc'd to stay for their Mony and sometimes lose it at last but the Believers gain is not only sure but speedy Obj. What 's the reason then the people of God do complain of God's not hearing and deferring an answer to their requests And why are Believers advised to patience and long-saffering after they have done the will of God if the return of their Faith and Duties were so quick This is the experience and complaint of the people of God in all ages that God seems not to regard their Prayers and to delay his coming to help them Sol. 1. First yet are the Saints returns quick because they are in due time God never delays to perform his word when the Believer hath need of it in the needful time of trouble he will surely hear My God shall supply all your wants Phil. 4. 19. When once the Soul comes to stand in real want then God will surely pay him When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongue faileth for thirst I the Lord will hear them Isa 40. 17. When once they come to be needy then God will with-hold no longer but will help this he hath promised they shall not want any good thing Psal 34. 10. Secondly If the Lord do not pay presently he will give use for it they shall lose nothing by forbearance But when he comes he will bring his reward with him Isa 40. 10. Not only a reward of his work done by them but a reward of their patient waiting for his promises also their mercy shall be so much the sweeter for their want of it and waiting for it O! how welcome are long look'd for mercies when they come then is every mercy double God tried Job long by with-holding mercy but see the end of Job God paid double for what he took and with-held from him Job 42. 10. Returns are sure always in the needful and seasonable time and if God delays he will pay well for it To which I might add this also Many times Wisdom's Merchants are the cause of these delays by their unfaithfulness in their trade or their unfitness for their returns The diligent hand makes rich Prov. 10. 4. Souls that are active and faithful in the whole of Religion shall have no cause to complain of God's slack payment So much by way of demonstration of the point That the Heavenly Trade is the best Trade no Merchandise like Wisdom's Merchandise Now to come to some improvement of the Point VSE I. First If the heavenly Trade be the best Trade then it 's strange that so few do set upon this Trade persons that are to enter upon some course of life and would fain live in the World are willing to take the best Trade that is attainable by them if they can but reach it and have wherewithal to carry it on who would spend his time and strength in low sordid and mechanick services which cannot maintain or enrich him if a brave generous and wealthy Calling did offer it self and might be compassed and yet such is the folly of most under the Gospel who are ready to choose any thing but Godliness and to fall in with every proposal for their employment rather than to engage about the work of Salvation Men are wise in their generation and know in other things how to choose the best bargains only in the things of their Souls are foolish and can be content to pursue shadows and let go the substance to lay out all their desires hopes and labours about a life that perisheth neglecting the vast
troubles them but to be something though never so little satisfieth them and if this be Popery to rest in the work done how many Papists have we amongst us this day Certainly Professors are generally asleep or slumbering they do their work so badly and heartlesly their work falls out of their hand as things do from men asleep active for the world as if they could never do enough but soon tyr'd in the work of God dispatch but little of heavenly work from day to day from one Sabbath to another little heart-searching soul-watching work is done little in-door employment is carried on the exercise of faith hope humility patience zeal self-denial seems a stranger to a great many this day not for want of occasions or encouragements to work the Lord is still calling upon his Labourers to make haste but for want of hearts to work And this spiritual sloth proves that the Heavenly Trade is much lost Fourthly The poverty of Traders plainly shews Trading is not good when a Trade doth not maintain the Trader but he still goes back and becomes poorer then surely trading is not good The diligent hand makes rich Prov. 10. 4. When trading is good Traders usually thrive and live well upon it but when they waste and become poor then trading decaies So is it with Heavenly Traders when they drive a good Trade for Heaven they grow rich apace towards God and in their own souls Wisdom's wares are soul-enriching wares My fruit is better than gold yea than fine gold and my revenue than choice silver Prov. 8. 19. Men account those to be rich who have much of gold and silver but Wisdom's fruit is better than gold and therefore must needs be enriching they that have this gold cannot be poor Hence it is Christ counsels Laodicea to buy of him gold tryed in the fire that she might be rich Rev. 3. 1. But alas how poor in spirituals are persons generally this day Therefore I said Sur ly these are poor they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the judgement of their God Jer. 5. 4. Unacquaintedness with the way of God when men walk wide from Religion and lose their strict and close walking with God they soon become poor and foolish And this is the case of many every where they give a carnal liberty to themselves and indulge a freedom to walk after the fight of their own eyes and not by rule and where this is there is soul-poverty which is too visible in most this day Christians do but observe your own hearts and others and you will find this spiritual poverty abounding every where Little thrivings appear under the best of means choicest Priviledges do little more than keep up a name to live they convey but little quickenings to the soul A shew of Religion and a meer skeleton of profession is the common fruit of Ordinances in most places whereas all the while decaies are on the vitals of Christianity abatements in grace appear every day and a visible alteration in the whole frame and internal vigour of the soul faith love humility patience self-denyal and every grace becomes weaker every day Former daies were better than now Eccles 7. 10. Speak Christian are not matters worse with thy soul than they were and abatements appear in every part There was a time when thy mind was beam'd over with Divine Light the Candle of the Lord did shine in thy tabernacle Thy eye was quick to discern good and evil thou couldest once see an excellency in the knowledge of Christ O how choice were sermons priviledges were to thee the uncasking of Jewels and the opening of hidden glory thou did'st dwell in the Land of Visions and still some new discoveries of light and grace did meet thee in thy affectionate attendance upon God But now it is not so thy Candle burns dimly and thy right eye is darkened now thou seest but little beauty in grace or desireableness in truth things under thy feet th' other day that seem'd nothing compar'd with Christ now through the multiplying-glass of thy deceived mind seem great and lovely Formerly thy affections were warm and lively after God his word and ways O! how precious were his appointed Feasts and his Tabernacles amiable thou couldst delight in approaching to God and talk of a blessedness in his presence O the pleasure sweetness and joy thy heart did find in thy Closet in spiritual Converses and Duties and publick Ordinances thou couldst weep over sin and bedew thy prayers with tears and find thy heart burn within thee while Christ was speaking and melted under the warm beams of divine love But alas now it is not so now thy affections are dead thy heart as cold as a stone all the while thou art speaking to God in Prayer or God speaking to thee in his Word thou findest no more savour in Ordinances Duties and Christian Converses than in the white of an Egg Job 6. 16. Thou findest not that delight in God as formerly and the night of thy pleasure is turned to fear unto thee Isa 21. 4. This is Soul-poverty Again there was a time also when thy Will like the great Wheel in the Clock could move regularly after God thou couldst choose God for thy chiefest interest and Christ for thy only treasure preferring an interest in him above ten thousand Worlds thou couldst have voted for communion with God before thy meat and drink and one hours fellowship with Christ beyond all the delights on Earth thou couldst choose the things that please God and deny thy own pleasure to give content to him thou couldst once stick to thy first choice and find the purpose of thy heart cleaving to God Act. 11. 23. Thou couldst once resolve and keep thy resolutions 't was easier to take thy heart out of thy body than to gain thy consent to part with Christ his presence and ways But now thy will is hardly drawn after pure and constant enjoyments of God in his ways O! how difficult a thing is it to perswade thy will to let go all for Christ to leave every thing to attend on God to part with the world and self to wait on God to throw all over-board to take in Christ How hard is it now to consent that Christ shall have all the command of thy Soul and dispose of thy dearest interests now thou findest it a work above thee to keep thy heart in order one hour or to perform the purposes of thy Soul to God and Godliness thou resolvest and changest every day thou vowest and breakest thy vows continually there is no stedfastness in thy spirit this also bespeaks thy Soul-poverty There was a time also when thy Conscience was tender thy heart could smite thee for the least sin thy Conscience could hold thee to the greatest duty and bind thee to thy good behaviour thou could'st not go against the light and checks of thy regulated Conscience were it to gain the whole
and grief Oh the distractions and distressing thoughts that straits commonly beget and no straits like to soul-straits Christians you your selves be my Judges Thirdly Neglect of Trading for Heaven will blast all other Trading and breed a moth to consume even your temporal substance When Israel began to let down their Heavenly Trade and to mind their own concerns and houses above God's presently God blasts their temporal interests he makes holes in their money-bags and blows upon their encrease All their tuggings in the world with neglect of God and his Worship came to nothing they sowed much and it brought in little looked for much and it came to little wrought hard earned great wages laid up money but it fell out again through some secret hole in their bags which divine jealousie opened consuming their substance to let them know that men may make more haste than good speed and they that reckon without God must reckon twice And may not this be one thing that cuts this Nation short in their outward interest this day because they have forsaken God neglected his service lost the power of godliness certainly though outward prosperity be no token of God's favour nor any Gospel-promise to his people yet when the Lord does fight against a people by successive rebukes and send in a secret mildew wasting and consumption on their interests and this becomes general and national it shews displeasure in God and should be laid to heart the want of which is set forth as an additional aggravation to such a peoples sin Who gave Jacob for a spoil and Israel to the robbers did not he against whom we have sinned for they would not walk in his waies neither were they obedient unto his Laws Therefore he poured upon him the fury of his anger and the strength of battel and hath set him on fire round about yet he knew not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart Isa 42. 24 25. It was the not walking in the way of God neglect of obedience and practical holiness a letting down the Heavenly Trade that brought those ruining judgments on Israel losses on their interests vers 21. They were robbed and spoiled firing their houses vers 25. It hath set him on fire round it burned him Now in this miserable case there was yet a greater judgement on them a strange stupefaction and insensibleness of spirit they did not see God's anger in it yet Yet he knew it not viz. Whence it came and who did all this they looked to Chaldeans and enemies but 't was God did it and yet they laid it not to heart they were not rightly affected with all these desolations and their near approach to ruine And is not this our case God hath warned us by his Word this many years threatened us by prodigious signs in Heaven and Earth begun to execute them already by Plague Sword and Fire dreadful wastes in the great City and many other places to the undoing of many families made a breach upon the Trade of the Nation to the impoverishing of the whole Land and yet we are as insensible as Pharaoh and the Egyptians were as if the Lord had sent the spirit of slumber upon us impoverished yet fell it not This should be for a lamentation Fourthly The decay of this Heavenly Trade if not cured is the ready and certain way to ruine The destruction of the poor is poverty Prov. 10. 15. Mens poverty fills them with consternation and dejecting fears and does also expose them to many evils and take down their external defence from injuries being made a prey to their oppressours The rich man's wealth is his strong City Prov. 18. 11. Rich men protect themselves from injuries their riches are Advocates for them to men but poor men lye open to all invasions when men grow poor every man treads upon them So is it when the Heavenly Trade decaies and soul-poverty springs out of its ruine then destruction makes haste to such places and persons For this the Lord Jesus threatens to take the Kingdom from a people because they bring not forth the fruit of it Matth. 21. 43. they did not render to God the fruit of all his dressings and waitings on them Barrenness and decaies in Religion uncured are a certain forerunner of Desolation Luke 13. 7 9. Before the Lord brought in that cruel Nation the Vandals on Africa the Christians in Spain were much degenerated from their former purity as Salvian complains and the power of godliness was much decayed he tells us they had nothing left but the name of Christianity to which their conversation was most unlike a Quid est in quo nobis de Christiano nomine blandiamur Cum utique hoc ipso magis per nomen sacratiffimum rei simus qui a sancto nomine discrepamus Salvi de Gubern lib. 3. pag. 95. What is it saith he to please our selves with the name of Christian when the very name does greaten our guilt in that we are so unlike to it Before the Massacre at Paris saith Mr. Clark in his Martyrol such a general stupidity seized upon the Protestants that their minds were very wavering and few there were that shewed themselves zealously bent to Religion but all both great and small were intent upon worldly matters building to themselves goodly Castles in the air It was observed by some that before the change of Religion and Martyrdom in Queen Mary's daies there was great unprofitableness under the Means of Grace What the issues of these great decaies in Religion may be amongst us we know not but such symptomes have usually foregone great changes and severe stroaks on such persons and places And is not this matter of lamentation Physitians use to cure a Lethargy by a Fever the one hath been our disease O that the other if no means else will do may be our cure Fifthly At the best decaies in this Heavenly Trade will render the Traders account heavy in the day of Christ Into what straits did the sense of an abused trust put the Prodigal Steward Luke 16. 13 He had been unfaithful in his place wasted his Masters goods and now was in danger of being turned out a reckoning was call'd for and he unable to render it and in perplexing thoughts how to give in his accounts and to secure his future welfare And this will be the case of such as are negligent and unfaithful in their Heavenly Trade it will expose them to soul-trouble one day how to answer it before God First or last God will call for an account how his goods have been improved He hath given you a stock to trade upon for him Light Grace Parts Capacities Gospel-priviledges and Opportunities Liberty Peace Experiences with many mercies and afflictions which are all your Lord's goods and must be accounted for upon the passing of which depends your eternal state or much of your soul's peace The Lord Jesus hath a double audit or accounting with
his servants In this life in the Court of Conscience and in the judgment-Judgment-Day at the bar of God In the first your present peace and soul comfort is much concerned and your eternal welfare in the last Alas how will you answer conscience now when that book is opened and the Lord Jesus brings in his bill of so many mercies expended with skill and capacity to improve them and such a charge of debt issuing thence So much due for such goods and for other wares for Sermons Sacraments Graces Comforts Frames Prayer Returns Gracious Providences and Protections so many personal mercies so many family mercies so many bodily mercies so many soul mercies so many Church mercies so many National mercies sick-bed mercies health mercies journey mercies habitation mercies caring mercies sparing mercies giving mercies forgiving mercies seen mercies unseen mercies and little or no return yet made for all these How can the conscience stand up under such a charge or lift up his face without spot when it sees its guilt in all and cannot answer one of a thousand How shall man be just with God if he contend with him How shall he answer him one of a thousand And if you cannot carry it in the Court of Conscience here where God reckons by a Proxy and it may be doth give but a general charge what will you do at the bar of God where the Lord will judge righteous judgment and determine your eternal state as you are approved or disapproved in that day What think you souls will not so much neglect of duty such decaies of grace so frequent breach of Covenants so great unfaithfulness in your places and relations so many daies and weeks and not a stroke of work for God so much bad work so much waste of goods will not all this look wistly upon you and without repentance and a sealed acquittance render your case dangerous at the judgment seat And if so is it not matter of lamentation O lay this to heart VSE III. Thirdly If the Heavenly Trade be the best Trade then this reproves mens too greedy and inordinate pursuit of their earthly Trades and Interests to the great prejudice and hinderance of this Heavenly Trade And oh that I could here dip my Pen in tears as well as gall and not onely write against but weep over this earthly spiritedness the great the common the uncur'd disease of men almost of all men of good men this day With what earnestness strength of affection and indefatigable labours do men pursue after the things of this world as if all their pleasure happiness yea life and eternal welfare lay wrapt up in these things Jehu did not more furiously drive after a Crown then men do this day after crumbs There was a time to some when godliness was counted gain but now gain is valued beyond godliness Trade is the great Diana to which most men sacrifice Profit the wheel within the wheel which sets all a going The salt that seasons all things nothing savours well that hath not this in it Advantage in the world is like the blood in mens veins the soul in the body that quickens their desires puts life into their dead hopes makes the blind to see the lame to leap and run the deaf to hear the lips of them that are asleep to speak Gain is the whetstone to mens wits the loadstone to their affections the spur to their actions this is the object of mens quickest senses the center of their liveliest motions O! the projects cares tuggings sweats rowings ridings restless labours that are engag'd about this enquiry Who will shew us any good Quest But how may we know when men do inordinately pursue their earthly business and concerns Answ 1. First When they engross too much of their time this was Israel's sin saying When will the New-Moon be gone that we may sell Corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth Wheat Amos 8. 5. They were not contented with their own time but they must entrench on God's time al 's they thought the time long till they were at their worldly work and hoped to get advantage from God's institutions for their earthly interests and that the Jubilee-Sabbath when men must cease from tillage would help to heighten the price of things and so further their advantage therefore the Lord reproves them for their undue diligence about the World a Frustra illos mane ob vile lucellum expergisci ad opus c. It is in vain for you to rise up early and to sit up late to eat the bread of sorrows for so he giveth his beloved sleep Psal 127. Here saith Piscator he doth by this sudden Apostrophe inveigh against those covetous Tradesmen and Merchants telling them b Artifices qui diluculo ad labores evigilant Rab. Solo. 'T is in vain for them to rise up so early to their work and sit up so late in their shops for such poor and contemptible gain So Rabbi Solomon renders it for Artificers who rise early to their labours Excessive pursuits of the World in point of time are here reprov'd as vain and sinful while hereby they deprive themselves of time for God and their Souls Secondly when they lay out their Hearts on the World If riches encrease set not your hearts on them Psal 62. 10. The danger of a disease lies in its seisure on the heart Earthly things under the hand are a duty but in the heart a disease The heart is Christ's Royal Fort to which the Devil the World and Flesh lay siege and if that be taken all is gone Earthly things are briars and thorns and therefore dangerous to come near the heart the least prick at the heart is mortal the heart is Christ's nuptial-bed into which Christ retires the World is the Saint's servant now to admit a servant into the Lord's bed is adulterous the heart is God's Seat Pavilion and Throne into which none must come but himself like the gates of the Sanctuary into which none must enter but God himself This gate shall be shut it shall not be opened and no man shall enter into it because the Lord the God of Israel hath entred into it therefore it shall be shut Ezek. 44. 2. Such is the heart of Believers to be kept for God only to take in creatures into God's room is intolerable boldness to let out thy heart to the World Trade Interest Creatures is to invert the order of nature as well as grace In creation God sets man uppermost and puts all things under his feet Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thine hands thou hast put all things under his feet Psal 8. 6. Now to place those things over thy heart which God hath set under thy feet is to turn the World upside down and to overturn the whole course of nature This is the great sin of this day mens letting out their hearts on the things of this World were persons but serious
seven years service consumed with drought in the day and frost in the night and his sleep departed from his eyes Thus have I been twenty years in thy house I served thee fourteen years for thy two daughters and six years for thy cattel and thou hast changed my wages ten times Gen. 31. 40 41. And yet all this he could bear to enjoy the object of his love So 't is with earthly minded men all their capacities are engaged about earthly things their chiefest strength is laid out about their Trades callings and businesses in the world seldom minding soul-concerns little employed in religious duties now and then hear read pray as may stand with interest cold sleighty formal sleepy in duty but all life when about the world ready to complain prayer is too long preaching tedious too much time spent in duty what need this waste Matth. 26. 8. All seems lost to flesh and blood which is spent on Christ and his service Mr. Trap But all too little for the world weary themselves for very vanity stick at nothing that will help them to their desired interests undergo any hardships turn the back on any duties adventure health reputation the displeasure of God with all their spiritual mercies yea and the eternal welfare of their souls also rather than lose an advantage in the world This is the spirit of too many this day Men that seem to be somewhat bid fair for salvation with the young man in the Gospel like the terms well come up to every thing but this cannot part with the world for Christ come up to every thing onely with Naaman must be pardoned in this that they have a Rimmon to bow to 2 Kings 5. 18. In every thing else they will consent to follow Christ but in this they must be spared when their farms their merchandise and profit calls for them then the concerns of Christ and their souls must stand by and affections like a flood run over all that lies in their way take no notice what Scripture or Conscience say deaf to all arguments that thwart interest This is the case of a worldly heart his chiefest strength is laid out about earthly things these must be followed and sought after whatever becomes of the soul and spiritual things What is that so great hope saith Seneca what so great necessity that stoops man who was made upright to contemplate Heaven and buries and drowns him in the deeps of the Earth to get out that gold which is not got with less danger than 't is kept Sen A little strength for duty will serve the turn but a great deal of time care and labour must the world have Surely the world rules that heart that comes and goes at its bidding and can leave all to follow it c Quae tanta spes fuit quae tanta necessitas hominem ad sidera erectum incurvavit defodit in fundum telluris intime mersit ut erueret aurum non minore periculo quaerendum quam possidendum Sen. at the command of interest You will judge him another man's servant who whatever he is doing will leave it all when his Master calls him and follow him Let men think what they will God hath no part for the present in that soul that can do more to enjoy the world than God and counts any thing more necessary than to converse with obey and serve him Fourthly The delight and pleasure men take in earthly things declare that their hearts are let out upon them Where the heart is there will the delights be d Cordis vita est amor Love is is the very life of the soul Alsted Theol. natur p. 613. When Jonathan's heart was knit with the heart of David 1 Sam. 18. 1. as an evidence of it Chap. 19. 2 Jonathan Saul's Son delighted much in David e Delectatio sit quies quaedam appetitus considerata presentia boni delectantis quod appetitui satisfacit Aqui. 12. 9. 31. 1. 2. M. Delight is the rest of desire in the fruition of that good the heart is set upon which satisfies the desire Reynolds of the Passions Cap. 19. Pag. 197. One calls it the Sabbath of our thoughts and that sweet tranquillity of mind which we receive from the presence and fruition of that good whereunto our desires have carried us If then mens delights in the world exceed their pleasure in God 't is a sign the world is their chiefest good Wicked men delight in their abominations and that proves their ways to be of choice Isa 63. 3 They have chosen their own ways and their soul delighteth in their abominations Try thy heart by thy pleasure what is sweetest to thy taste God or the World What is most delightful to thee to wait on God though with the loss of the world or to pursue the world with the want of God Men cheat their own Souls when they say the enjoyment of God is better than the world and yet for every trifle and smallest advantage can upon choice baulk the enjoyment of God in his appointments and cannot adventure the least loss and prejudice to their interest though it were for the nearest fellowship with God certainly that which is the Souls greatest pleasure that will it make after when left to its liberty Canst thou leave the snow of Lebanon for the waters of Assyria Pass by a walk in Christ's gallery to sit down and solace thy self on the dunghil-comforts of this life then are not thy chiefest delights in God Psal 27. 4 One thing have I desired of the Lord that will I seek after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his temple If the beholding of God in Ordinances be thy delight it will be the one thing in thy desires and endeavours also all other things are nothing to that If thy chiefest pleasure be in God then nothing but a conviction of duty can make thee upon choice decline an opportunity of waiting on God and even then also when obedience to God sets thy hand to the world delight in God will engage thy longings after him and make thy greatest comforts thou art then pursuing a weight and a burden to thy soul because they stand between thy heart and communion with God Thy affections will be like the Kine that drew the Ark to Bethshemesh that lowed after their Calves as they went 1 Sam. 16. 12. When thou art constrained to draw in the Cart of thy duty-employments even then will thy desires belowing after the comfort of thy relation-interest in God How is it soul speak Is not a good Fair and Bargain sweeter to thee and doth more affect thy heart than a sermon and a duty Dost thou not use to follow the world with thy back on fellowship with God and Saints and not the least regret in thy spirit or cloud on thy comforts if so thy heart is
not yet supremely set on God Fifthly Lothness to part with thy earthly comforts and interests tells thee thy heart is too much upon them Jacob's unwillingness to part with Benjamin was a sign his heart was too much set upon him Judah tells the Governour of Egypt That his Father's life was bound up in the Lad's life Gen. 44. 30. The Spouses affection to her Beloved was seen in this that when she found him she held him and would not let him go Cant. 3. 4. I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and would not let him go Such is the testimony that if mens hearts are on the things of this life they hold them fast and will not let them go Most men are too tenacious of their interests to be dead to them close hands argue cleaving hearts to the world Alas with what reluctancy do men that have the abundance of this worlds goods lay them out again for God! how hard is it to draw any proportions of charity from them that have this worlds goods what arguments and reasons will men be pleading for their sparingness in parting with the Mammon of this world and how much beneath their measure do most men expend their earthly things upon the calls that God gives them This shews plainly their heart is bound up in the fruition of these things Covetous men will sooner part with their flesh than their gold saith Augustine shall I take my bread and my water and my flesh that I have killed for my shearers and give it to men whom I know not whence they be 1 Sam. 25. 11. saith covetous Nabal Covetous persons cannot endure to part with what they have a Avarus tenendo divitias tenetur a divitiis dum vult esse praedo fit praeda Aug. The covetous man while he holds fast his riches is held fast by them and in preying on others he himself becomes a prey August They are like a net which takes in all the fish that comes at it but le ts out none again except some small ones that are little worth Earthly minds are seen in nothing more than in their tenacity and close keeping of what they have like dying men whatever they take hold of they let not go This is the temper of many they cannot scatter for God nor honour him with their substance There is that withholdeth more than is meet Prov. 11. 24. That 's the character of one whose heart is on the world b Non solum avarus est qui rapit aliena sed ille avarus est qui cupide servat sua Aug. He is not onely covetous that takes away other mens goods saith Augustine but he that covetously withholds his own and will not let them go when God hath use for them Certainly if Believers themselves are not their own then they will one day know their estates and interests are not their own but the Lord's and to be at his dispose How will the owner of that Colt Christ sent for rise up in judgment against many no sooner did the Disciples say The Lord hath need of him but straightway they let him go Luk. 19. 33 34 35. Shall one that pretended not so much to Christ for ought we know readily part with so much at the first request and they that profess much love to Christ refuse to lay out lesser things for him This doth manifest the world is dearer to such than Jesus Christ Lastly Then are mens hearts upon the world when their trust and dependence is upon earthly things We are apt to put confidence in friends and therefore the Lord cautions Israel against such dependencies as false deceiving things Trust not in a friend put ye not confidence in a guide c. Micah 7. 5. The Spouse came leaning upon her Beloved in the wilderness Cant. 8. 5. No sooner had the rich man store of goods but he places his confidence in them Luke 12. 19. I will say to my soul soul thou hast goods laid up for many years take thine ease eat drink and be merry 'T is natural to men that chuse the world for their treasure to chuse it also for their trust They that dare adventure their supreme affection on things dare also take up their dependency on them Men chuse not a tree they think will rot Isa 40. 20. If riches be thy choice thou thinkest them worthy of thy relyance or thou actest irrationally Men that have wealth have inward thoughts that their houses shall continue for ever and their dweling places to all generations they call their Lands after their own names Psal 49. 11. 'T is hard to have the good things of this life and not to expect too much from them so inviting is their appearance to a dependency on them Earthly things are fair in promise but false in performance like quagmires covered with grass men think them firm ground but when they tread upon them they soon become their graves The Evangelist calls all that glorious pomp with which Agrippa so amus'd spectatours but a meer show Acts 25. 23. When Agrippa was come and Bernice with great pomp 't is with much fantasie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 external show All the glory of this world is but a pompous shew that cheats beholders and allures them to a deceived expectation They that have much visible comfort in creatures live little by faith How rare is it for men that have estates and riches for their posterity to commit them to divine care by an act of pure recumbency on the promise and to believe upon a naked word for all their supplies and needed comforts Such is our expectation whither we flee for help Isa 20. 6. An earthly heart is known by carnal trust and dependency on earthly things Ah souls put your hearts into this scale and see whether they do not press down to this present world Speak soul who shalt shortly be weighed for eternity in the ballance of the Sanctuary are not thy desires thy thoughts thy restless labours thy delights thy close adherence to and dependency all engaged about the things of this life with the neglect of God and heavenly things thine own heart being Judge And if so then Thy State is dangerous And thy Folly great First Thy State is dangerous thou hast not a dram of true grace in thee Love not the world nor the things of the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him 1 Joh. 2. 15. Do not flatter thy soul into perdition if thou lovest the world thou dost not love God For the friendship of this world is enmity against God Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God James 4. 4. He whose heart and mind is set after the world he that will be rich the bent and design of the heart is for it that 's the Butt he levels at whatever he professes That 's his great business and project Thine
as thou hast done or fearfully belied thy profession that after all this thou should'st turn again to these beggerly elements and exchange God for the world a Crown for crumbs a Throne for thorns a Dowry in Heaven for a dunghill on earth an eternal weight of Glory for a burden of thick clay fellowship with God for defiling converse with dirt and bespotting trash a Burgeship in Heaven for a name written in the earth is not this folly folly Not that one who had real interest in God things above can ever fully and finally forfeit them and lose them again for once in Christ and ever in Christ but those things thou did'st once seem to choose for thy chiefest interest and hast professed hopes of a certain title to these supreme treasures and now to sell thy hopes of God and Glory for that c Speciosa supplicia fortunae vomitus vomit thou had'st spewed up and mire thou had'st been washed from this is madness indeed After you have seen so often the vanity and uncertainty of these things below that they are empty and will not satisfie they cannot quench thy thirst or fill thy hungry soul cannot afford the least rest to thy weary heart but are still short of thy expectations thou lookest for peace and behold they give thee trouble thou thinkest to gather Roses and they prick thy fingers and when thou hopest to find rest in them and sayest Soul take thy ease in thy full bags and fair estate thy pleasant house near relations then they prove swords to pierce thee or briers to rend thee or at the best but wind that does but swell not nourish thee Thou hast also found them fading things that will not stay rare ripe fruit that soon rots a moth an East-wind take off all they are a pleasing gourd one day and withered the next Jonah 4. 7. God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day and it smote the gourd that it withered A sickness comes and takes away thy child and all the hopes of thy house perish with him Thy Customers break and thou art impoverished The fire burns down thy house and thou art undone Thy Heir it may be proves a Prodigal and all thy gatherings are scattered so uncertain empty perishing are these things and thou knowest them to be so and hast found them such and yet thy heart runs after them and with the Dog Mundus perit tu Mundana quaeris in the Fable thou leavest substance to catch at shadows neglecting unseen sure sweet satisfying and eternal things for things that are not and is not this madness The world perisheth and yet thou seekest after the things thereof Petrarch After you have found better things and tasted the sweetness of them you have experienced the light of God's countenance to be beyond all corn and wine and oyl his loving-kindness to be better than life a day in his Courts to be more eligible than a thousand elsewhere Psal 4. 6 7. O how sweet hath his Word been to thy taste sweeter than the honey and the honey-comb how often hath God cheered quickened and strengthened thy heart in thy approaches to him that thou hast said as David of Goliah's sword there is none like this And as the Disciples when with Christ in the Mount 't is good being here Lord evermore give me this bread and yet after all this that thou shouldest upon choice leave these for the world and prefer thy shop thy trade thy field house money before these divine and approved treasures This is madness After so many confessions of this sin before the Lord and his people and so many prayers and cries to God against it and for grace to subdue thy earthly heart with many promises and declared purposes to turn no more to this folly that thou shouldest so easily so speedily be reconciled to the world again and reassume thy affections to these old lovers after all this is madness and will exceedingly greaten thy guilt and torment when the Lord shall make inquisition for these things when thy convictions prayers and vows shall return as so many Serjeants upon thy back to arrest thy guilty conscience and as so many witnesses to prove God's charge against thee that at such a time and such a time in thy closet in the Congregation of the Lord's people in daies of humiliation and preparation-seasons on thy sick-bed under such a word and rod thy heart did melt over thy sin and thou didst solemnly renew thy Covenant against it and now to have thy prayers and tears and promises yea and God too against thee for thy Apostacy after such Lovers as thou thy self wilt loath another day and be ashamed to own in the presence of God Saints and Angels this is folly folly Now when God is punishing thee for this very sin by stripping thee of thy Idols and pouring out the vials of his wrath upon this Euphrates thy riches interest trade and earthly comforts over which thou hast carried away thy heart from him that now while the Rod is upon thy back thou should'st hold fast thine iniquity and refuse to return this is desperate and incorrigible folly And this is the practice of most this day God blows upon their trades and interests for following them and letting his house lie waste and yet they pursue them still The Lord takes out the bottom of their bags and yet they put in more money into them God smites men for the iniquity of their covetousness and yet they go on frowardly in the way of their heart Isa 57. 17. God is hedging up the way of men's Lovers and yet they break thorough to overtake them So it was with Israel God had hedg'd up her way made a wall that she should not find her paths and yet she followed after them Hos 2. 6. And she shall follow after her Lovers O incorrigible wickedness but saith God she shall not overtake them The Lord is plucking down mens bricks but they build with hewn stone the Sycamores are cut down but they change them into Cedars Isa 9. 10. Providence pulls away unduly pursued interests but men catch at them again This is daring wickedness and a telling God to his face they fear him not neither will they return Jer. 5. 3. Thou hast stricken them but they have not grieved m Quid miserius misero non miserante seipsum Aug. What 's more miserable than a man in misery not pitying himself thou hast consumed but they have refused to receive correction they have made their faces harder than a Rock they have refused to return This is our case and should it not be for a lamentation Lastly when nothing but ruine and destruction is before our eyes manifest danger of losing all even Interest Gospel Life and all that is dear to us seems to be a going and yet to pursue these things with neglect of our souls is madness beyond parallel and a dangerous
ties and yet have never yielded any right subjection to it all your days but have violated all its righteous commands every day and moment of your life both in thought word and deed For he that keepeth the whole Law and yet offendeth in one point or iota is guilty of all Jam. 2. 10. Debtors to Conscience whose Law is in force against you and by which you shall be judged Rom. 2. 14 15. These having not the Law are a Law to themselves which shew the works of the Law written in their hearts their Consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another and yet you have broken these Conscience-bonds casting its cords from you how many ties hath Conscience laid upon you which you have broken going against the light and dictates thereof Debtors to all the World to whom in some respect or other you are obliged There are duties you owe to all men to love them and pray for them to all your neighbours and acquaintance to do them good as you have opportunity and to seek and endeavour their Salvation to your power which you have not done to this day There are duties you owe to your relations friends and family which you have neglected and have been encreasing your Original debt by running on new scores every day which can never be cancell'd or a power obtained to discharge your duties acceptably till you come to Christ and enter your souls into his new and everlasting Covenant setting upon those great and Evangelical duties of it Your slavery is also great till you come over to this blessed work You are in bondage unto Satan Know ye not that to whom ye yeild your selves servants to obey his servants ye are whom ye obey Rom. 6. 16. You serve incomparably the worst Lord a cruel Lord who hath no mercy but delights in the misery of fal'n man A roaring Lion that goes about seeking to devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. A cursed one cast out from God cursed above all creatures reserved in everlasting chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day Gen. 3. 14. Jude verse 6. Thine implacable enemy that hates thee with a perfect hatred An Accuser that never speaks well of any A Murderer he was from the beginning Rev. 12. v. 10. and the original cause of all the destruction in Earth and Hell A false and deceitful creature that never kept his word with any A Lyar and the Father of Lies Joh. 8. 44. one that will be too hard for you and cheat your souls into destruction A miserable poor creature one that hath lost all his glory and excellency and hath nothing to give you for all your service but some of the same flames in which he must fry for ever This sinners is your Lord whom you have chosen and served all your daies And as you serve the worst Lord so you do the worst work base filthy shameful cursed work Such are all thy actions whiles in an unchanged state you do hard work no service like it you work and have no food to refresh you which is the cruellest bondage Israel in Egypt wrought hard and yet had flesh-pots Onions and Garlick to relieve them but you have nothing to feed your hopes and affections but lies and vanity you work and have no rayment to cover you all your employment makes you naked you labour and have no rest weary and heavy laden and yet feel it not Gen. 3. 7. Other Labourers have their successive quietudes but you have none the hireling hath his shadow the labourer hath his evening to give over his work his bed to sleep on but your work admits of no rest 't is never done you do the Devil's work day and night waking and sleeping nay while you eat and drink your work still goes on O sad servitude You work and have no wages All earthly Labourers have their penny something or other to compensate their pains money or maintenance but you have nothing in hand or hope here or hereafter but death and damnation the fruit of your labours here is more bitter than death and the wages at the end of your day wrath and vengeance worm and There can be no mirth saith Latimer where weeping is served in for the first course and gnashing of teeth for the second fire Mark 9. 44. And is not this bad employment and is it not time sinners to change your calling and to accept this offer made you of this excellent Trade Arg. 2. Secondly The danger that attends your present state should put you on a timely relinquishment of it You are poor and that exposes you to scorn and contempt to oppression treading down and crushing to devouring and destruction you are not safe from ruine one moment the next knock at thy door may be a call to Judgment Prov. 17. 5. Amos 4. 1. Hab. 3. 14. Prov. 10. 15. When thou liest down thou mayest make thy bed in Hell when thou awakest thou mayest see God on the Throne thy Soul at the Bar thy Accusers at thy right hand the Evidence in thy own breast the Sentence written in capital letters Go ye cursed Under thy feet a bottomless lake of fire and brimstone round about thee cruel Devils ready to seize upon thee and lodge thy guilty condemned soul in thine eternal home Matth. 24. 51. You have been Prodigals wasting what is not your own and are in danger every day of a charge against you You are deeply in debt and in danger of an arrest every hour when you go forth death may be at your heels when you return destruction may enter with you O the uncertainty of thy time sinner the danger of thy eternity the absolute ruine of thy immortal soul if thy reckoning begin before thy work and hast thou not reason then to hasten about thy great concern and to burn no more day-light in works of darkness Arg. 3. Thirdly Thy duty should quicken thy undertaking in this great employment Religion is not your Liberty but your manifold debt The Law of Creation binds you unto God you will confess you were made by him and God will profess you were made for him Isa 43. 21. This people have I formed for my self that they should shew forth my praise Your fall from the Covenant of Works is not your liberty from the essential duties of it neither is your incapacity to perform it a dispensation of your obedience 't is still your duty to return from whence you fell to take the Lord to be your God to love him with all your heart and with all your might to trust in him to fear and obey him A draught of these Covenant-duties did God place in your conscience by which you shall be judged Rom. 2. 12. 15. though the counterpane you have defaced yet the Original Deed is with God and will be brought forth in the day of Christ against such as have not taken the Lord for their
Heaven 1 Pet. 1. 5 What strivings have some to obtain a Crown that is corruptible and shall I be weary that am in pursuit of one that is incorruptible 1 Cor. 9. 25. without labour no rest without bearing the heat and burden of the day when called thereto no penny at the end Matt. 20. 12 13. without striving lawfully no crowning 2 Tim. 2. 5. without doing the commandment no eating of the tree of life Rev. 22. 14. without enduring to the end no salvation Mark 13. 13. comfort your selves with this that Heaven will make amends for all when your wet and weary sowings shall end in a pleasant and eternal harvest Gal. 16. 9. Let us not be weary in well doing for you shall reap in due time if ye faint not Be stedfast unmovable always abounding in the work of the Lord forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. Direct 7. Lastly What you do do quickly Time waits not your leisure There are but twelve hours in the day and how many of them have been slept and sinned away and how few of them may be before you who knows What if your Sun should set at noon day or a summons meet you in the midst of your work Give account of thy Stewardship for thou shalt be no longer Steward Luke 16. 2. What will you then do Some of you are in your afternoon what time is that to set forth such a long journey as the way to Heaven is and yet will you gain by your delays some of this time also for the Devil World and Flesh others of you are in your morning the best time to put forth in your travel towards glory O! lose not your season for eternity Make much of time saith Aquinas especially in the weighty matter of Salvation O! how much would they that now lie frying in Hell rejoyce if they might have the least minute of time wherein they might get God's favour the young man hath death at his back the old man before his eyes and that 's the more dangerous enemy that pursues thee than that which marches up to thy face Christ's work admits of no delays his injunction allows not of too morrow but while 't is called to day Heb. 3. 7. To day if you will hear his voice vers 13. To day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin Seek the Lord while he may be found Isa 55. 6. Haste haste the tide will not bide Rutherford 'T is now or never while the Light shines the Lord knocks the Angel moves on the waters while the Lord delays his coming Salvation-work is quick work God's racers must run his Doves must fly his Servants be diligent that they may be found of him in peace 1 Cor. 9. 26. Isa 60. 8. 2 Pet. 3. 14. You that have stood idle in the market-place all your day hitherto hasten into the Lord's Vineyard Matt. 20. 6. Love is sick to hear tell of to morrow Mr. Rutherford What Jonathan said to his Lad when David's life was in danger let me advise you And Jonathan cried after the Lad make speed haste stay not 1 Sam. 20. 38. I rue nothing said precious Mr. The fulfilling of the Scriptures Welch when on his sick-bed but that I was so long in beginning O saith David that I had wings like a Dove for then would I fly away and be at rest I would hasten my escape from the stormy wind and Tempest Psal 55. 6 8. Sinners you are in danger of stormy tempests while in your unchanged state O hasten to your strong holds ye prisoners of hope When Brentius was like to be given up to the enemy one writes him this note Fuge Brenti cito citius citissime Fly Brentius quickly more quickly most speedily Souls 't is for your lives make all possible haste about the work of your Salvation And you that are entred on this heavenly work double your diligence that you may finish your course before God finishes your time methinks the word of God and his providences this day yea every thing seems to thrust you forward and do to you as Pharaoh's Task-masters did to Israel Exod. 5. 13. And the Task-masters hasted them saying fulfil your work To Professors Counsel 2. Secondly if the Heavenly Trade be the best Trade then you that profess this Calling be you exhorted to follow it keep up and improve your Trade for Heaven what 's an employment without improvement the most profitable Calling not followed turns to little advantage The day we live in gives men sensible experience of this truth that they who intend to live in the World must attend their employments The idle person suffers hunger they must be careful and diligent in their business that think to make any thing of their earthly interests and so 't is in this Trade of godliness they that will be saved must work out their Salvation A Trade is a man's business and course of life which he pursues and carries on from day to day 't is the subject of his thoughts counsels and considerations of his time and strength and daily work where he ends one day he begins the next and contributes his utmost wisdom parts and labours to the most vigorous prosecution of it And so must it be in this Heavenly Trade Christians it must be the impending business and principal concern of your whole life that which commands your thoughts purposes and capacities which engrosses your time care and strength and to which every other business must give way and every occasion and occurrence must be subservient it must be followed and driven on every day in every thing place and company what-ever is neglected that must go on and give no place to intermissions no not for a moment You must not say to godliness as Felix did to Paul Go thy way for this time when I have a more convenient season I will send for thee Acts 24. 25. Stops in the way of God are not easily recovered one days neglect brings all out of order Prosperity in Religion admits of no Parenthesis in its work or consists with allowed interruptions Piety must be as the blood that runs through every vein of your life and affair in the World In eating drinking talking thinking buying selling you must be still driving on Wisdom's Merchandise Christians follow your work or lay down your Trade 't is vanity yea the way to beggery to profess a Calling and not pusue it Quest But wherein lies this Heavenly Trade which I must so make my business what do you drive at by all these Arguments for Heavenly Trading What I intend by this metaphor I shall open to you under these seven general Heads as the main duty of a Christian and to be carried on in the whole course of his life 1 To have and keep up a heavenly spirit 2 To secure your interest in heavenly things 3 To get in more
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
professing Christians which draw down their lofty meditations when they are in chase of things above as the Fowler allures down the towring Lark when hovering aloft in the gentle air The Devil deals with earthly men as Naturalists say men do with Bees when they swarm and are flying away they throw up dust and they scatter again So doth Satan when their thoughts are up upon heavenly things he casts in the dusty thoughts of this world and they scatter them again Demas hath forsaken us having loved this present world 2 Tim. 4. 10. Earthly things draw away the heart from God his work and interest How often do those interrupt if not countermand the most serious thoughts of gracious souls and where they cannot as a Master command they will as neighbours be often coming in and hinder the soul in its most weighty business if the door be not lockt against their unseasonable visits Worldly lusts must be denied as well as ungodliness by those that intend to live righteously soberly and godly in this present world Tit. cap. 2. v. 11 12. Earthly things are good servants but bad Masters useful in their place as fire in the hearth is profitable but in the thatch dangerous and as unruly Servants and untamed Colts are serviceable when reduced to their place and kept under government Worldly thoughts are as some roots that must be often trod down or they will spill up and seed in our hearts Christians have a special strong guard against the encroachments of your earthly affairs if ever you will secure the thrivings of a heavenly spirit Take heed also of grieving the Spirit of Grace which maintains and relieves this heavenly spirit As the spring is to the streams so is the holy Spirit to this heavenly spirit in Believers that feeds and supplies it from his own nature Now to grieve this Spirit is to provoke him to withhold his gracious communications to the soul Ephes 4. 30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption Which implies that this Spirit of Grace being grieved suspends its comforting sealing influences towards the souls of Believers This Scripture is taken from Isa 63. 10. But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therefore he was turned to be their enemy and he fought against them They grieved his Spirit as the word signifies and this broke that amicable accord between the Spirit and them that he became their enemy and cut off all succours from them yea comes forth against them And that which grieved the Spirit of God was the the abuse of its kindness V. 9. In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the daies of old Nothing does more grieve the Spirit of God than the abuse of his kindness and tender mercy to his people when the Lord hath been opening the bowels of his pity to souls in saving and redeeming-mercy and hath been shedding abroad his love upon them bearing with and carrying of them for a long time and all this is slighted and contemned and the soul takes no notice of all this grace but still perseveres in its evil course this grieves the Spirit and causeth him to withhold his tender mercy and quickening influence from the soul and it becomes weak as water and withers in all the leaves of her spring Ezek. 17. 9. Psa 104. 29. As the member languishes when it can no longer receive influences from the head and the branch withers when the root communicates no sap to it so is it with the soul when the spirit ceases from all its gracious communications as it does when grieved by those he loves and labours with not as if the Divine Spirit could be capable of passions and perturbations as creatures are But then may the holy Spirit be said to be grieved when gracious souls do that which is enough to grieve one that tenderly affects us and by all means seeks our eternal good Now two things usually grieve such a one First Injuries from a friend Secondly The sufferings of a friend Unkindness from those we love does usually sit nearer our hearts than any injuries from strangers or enemies we usually expect more regard from such and therefore are more troubled at disappointments And such is the tenderness of the Spirit to Believers that want of love or injurie from such is more abusive and carries in it all that which in its nature is grieving Again we usually grieve at the evils of those we love and such are the sins of Believers they are injurious to themselves and enemies to their own souls This the Spirit of God sees that gracious souls by their carnal affections and sensual passions by their corrupt communications and fleshly lusts do not onely resist him and frustrate his work in them but these also injure and endanger their own souls by these they lose many a mercy and draw upon them many afflictions and fatherly displeasure from God against them and this grieves the Spirit to see and this removes his presence and hinders his comforting quickening operations by reason of which their spirits fail and become cold and weak to every heavenly action Your work Christians is to be tender of the Spirit to take heed you be not unkind to his person that you do not undervalue his gracious communications or resist his internal operations Take heed of unthankfulness for his kindnesses of slighting his counsels of unsuitable walking to his rules and mercies if you would not grieve him and so deprive your selves of his quickening influences on your spirits That 's the first Beware of those things that weaken this heavenly Spirit Secondly If you would maintain a Heavenly Spirit get all the nourishment you can for it As the body is nourished by food and the animal spirits by contributions of joy and contentment so is this Heavenly Spirit by all the means and helps God hath appointed to this end 1 Tim. 4. 6. nourished up in the word of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith and of good doctrine whereunto thou hast attained The Word and Ordinances are to the inner-man as nourishing food to the outward which strengthens the spiritual part and maintains its vigour and activity Timothy had imbibed the Doctrine of the Gospel together with his milk saith Calvin and had made continual progresses in the same to that day which did so greatly strengthen and nourish him in his faith and graces The Word of God is suited sent and commissioned to the service and advantage of your graces 't is the way by which the Lord Jesus maintains and encreases spiritual life and growth in the new-born soul 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word that ye may grow thereby Attend upon all the Ordinances of God where they are purely
and powerfully administred Be much in reading the Scriptures and such help 〈◊〉 the Lord gives you for your instruction and quickening 1 Tim. 4. 13. Give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine meditate upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all V. 15. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hisce te exerceto jugiter constanter vehementer Buc. Be thou in them as the words are that is exercise thy self with these continually constantly and with all thy might let not a day pass without reading meditation and secret prayer that the inner-man may have all the recruits that are needful and b Whilest thou dost not follow the directing light of the Spirit thou shalt never have the quickening cherishing beams of it Culver appointed for its strengthening Your bodies can better want their appointed food than your souls their daily bread The want of constant feeding and sound digestion of spiritual provisions is one cause of that soul-leanness and spiritual languishing that abounds every where this day Thirdly If you will keep up a Heavenly Spirit be much in communion with the Father of Spirits Fellowship with God puts a stamp of Heaven upon the soul and leaves an impress of the Divine Nature on it 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. Views of God though but through the glass of Ordinances have an assimulating virtue and do transform the mind into his own likeness When Moses was taken up into a nearness to God he gets some abiding beams of his glory upon him and comes off with divine shines on his countenance Exod. 34. 35. When the Lord Jesus was got on to a high Mountain apart and had more near fellowship with Heaven 't is said He was transfigured and his face did shine Nearness to God does wonderfully warm and quicken the heart as approaches of the Sun do the body With thee is the fountain of life in thy light shall we see light Psal 36. 9. As the being of spiritual Life lies in union with-God in Christ by faith so is its well being maintained by communion with him in the Spirit who supplies the soul with quickenings as the fountain doth the vessel that 's put under it with waters God is in himself the Essential Life and to his people the fountain of Life c Tu Domine es vita per essentiam sons vitae per communionem a te omnis vita effluit ac incessanter proflait Jo. Paul Palant Thou Lord saith one art life by thy Essence and the fountain of Life by communion from thee all Life flows out and runs down uncessantly In fellowship the Lord Jesus lets out Himself Love and Spirit and this attracts the heart after God and strengthens the soul's motions after him Every act of fellowship with Christ here saith Mr. Reyner is a step Heaven-ward By it the heart is raised after God sweetly refreshed and strengthened with spiritual strength To live in fellowship with God saies the same Authour is to live at the highest rate under Heaven next to Heaven yea as in a corner of Heaven to live in the highest Region of Christianity 't is the Life of Paradise an Evangelical yea Angelical and Coelestial Life in comparison whereof the most men and women are dead Communion with God does wonderfully nourish the Heavenly Spirit and fatten the spiritual part of Believers Such saith Reyner suck a honey-comb eat fat things full of marrow and drink wine on the lees well refined spiced wine O Christians press after nearness to God in Ordinances and Duties rest not in highest priviledges without spiritual converse with God in them and communications of his Love and Life through them Fourthly Cherish heavenly motions in your hearts and be tender of all the breathings of the Spirit upon you It may be the Lord comes in upon the heart with some Spiritual Light or Life in a Sermon or in a Duty or when alone stirring up thy desires and warming thy affections making some offers of grace and help to thy dull and languishing soul take heed now how thou slightest or stiflest these this is one step to the quenching of the Spirit and impeding its gracious assistance and vital operations on thy soul 1 Thes 5. vers 19. Quench not the Spirit He that will kindle a fire gathers up every little coal and makes the most of the least spark The shavings of gold are gold and the smallest breathings of the Spirit are to be highly prized He that checks the first motions of the Spirit may never meet with the second and he that slights the least gifts of grace may forever miss of its larger doles O to what a height might grace come in thy soul if every stirring of it were improved God despises not the day of thy small things how unreasonable is it thou should'st overlook his The Lord Jesus Christians doth nourish and cherish the least good that is in you Ephes 5. 29. O be tender of whatever communications come from him to you This will abundantly help on the enlivenings and enlargements of this Heavenly Spirit Fifthly Dwell much in the meditation of Heaven this will heavenlize your spirit 'T was this made the Apostles persons of such heavenly spirits they did often look to things above 1 Cor. 4 18. While we look not at the things which are seen but at the things which are not seen No affliction could discourage them from owning and professing Christ nor earthly comforts allure their desires and delights from Christ and that which so strongly guarded their hearts from either of these dangers was a firm perswasion of an interest in future glory and a diligent observing eye upon this glory a levelling look at this mark does wonderfully raise the heart towards it and put in a new spirit and life into the soul strongly engaging all its attempts towards the enjoyment of it Frequent contemplations of Heaven do much wean the heart from this Earth If thou remembrest thou art not of this world earthly things shall onely be admitted into the Court of the Temple not into the heart which is the Holy of Holies Burg. on 17. Joh. How contemptibly did those Worthies of old look on this world when once they got sights of Heaven Heb. 11. They counted themselves strangers and pilgrims on the Earth were not mindful of their own Country went out from it would no more return to it sought an heavenly Countrey were perswaded of those great and glorious things above and embraced them laid hold of them by faith and made after them and that which did so powerfully work over their spirits to these things above was their believing sights of them V. 13. These all died in the faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off that is the things
need of more grace as you have of bread for your bodies Your occasions temptations and work are spending and without fresh supplies from the Treasury you will soon be empty and impoverished Neglect but your spiritual recruits one day and you will feel it 'T is your interest if you are Traders to keep your shops full and to be often sending for more goods Grace will never lye long on your hands other goods may You will have still occasions to exercise grace in your dealings with God and men you can never be over-stor'd with Wisdom's wares 'T is your duty also to make use of Christ continually In every thing to make known your requests to him To draw waters out of this Well of Salvation every day He is a Fountain sealed for your use he is made of God to be wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption too for this end that they might live upon him to these ends This is to live by the Faith of the Son of God which is the Christians daily duty He complains as being injur'd when his people will not come unto him that they might have life Joh. 5. 40. He is troubled when his Children will not make use of him Hitherto you have asked nothing Ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full Joh. 16. 24. Never was a full breast more pain'd for want of drawing than the Lord Jesus is when his people receive not from him that fulness that is laid up in him for their use 'T is your advantage also to be often at Christ's door and to be continually fetching in supplies for your souls This is the way to grow rich apace to get in more and more of the unsearchable riches of Christ Rev. 3. 18. This is the way to be filled with the fruits of righteousness to be more throughly furnished unto all good works to the glory and praise of God 2 Tim. 3. 17. Phil. 1. 12. This is the way to do every thing better and to abound in the work of the Lord and to be more complete in all the will of God 1 Cor. 15. 58. Col. 4. 12. By this means you will become more serviceable unto others and useful in the place where you live and in the Societies where God hath placed you the more full of grace the more able to profit others Rom. 15. 14. That ye alwaies are full of goodness filled with all knowledge able also to admonish one another 2 Cor. 1. 4. That we may be able to comfort them with the same comforts wherewith we are comforted of God They that freely receive will be able freely to give and that 's a blessed thing Acts 20. 35. And till you receive you cannot give Christians get in more grace every day for your own use for the glory of God and the good of others Labour to be furnished with every grace especially those graces which the Lord hath more use of and the time condition and place you are in do more especially call for Heb. 12. 28. 2 Pet. 1. 5. Be sure to be well furnished with Faith that 's an useful grace at all times for we live by Faith Heb. 10. 38. but especially in evil times in times of temptation and affliction Faith is an eye a hand a foot at all times 't is a grace alwaies useful at every turn you cannot be without it and be well 't is a working grace and that 's good for Traders you cannot work without it 2 Thes 1. 4. A building grace Jude v. 3. 20. A nourishing grace 1 Tim. 4. 6. A soul-enriching grace Rom. 4. 12. A soul-strengthening grace Ephes 3. 16 17. But 't is especially needful in evil times it being a cheering grace Rom. 15. 13. 'T is a soul-keeping grace and that 's good in dangerous times 1 Pet. 1. 5. 'T is a soul-saving grace that saves in troubles and out of troubles Psal 27. 5. Jam. 5. 15. 'T is a heart-establishing grace 2 Chron. 20. 20. A world-contemning grace Heb. 11. 26. A world-conquering grace 1 Joh. 5. 4. A soul-securing grace Heb. 11. 23. By faith Moses was hid three months It secures a person in troubles 't is a breast-plate to preserve the heart 1 Thes 5. 8. And a shield to cover the head Ephes 6. 16. It leads a person through trouble Heb. 11. 29. By Faith they passed through the Red. Sea as by dry Land which the Egyptians assaying to do were drowned O get in plenty of this precious unfeigned Faith for that 's the great trading-grace of a Christian for it gets in and laies out every grace Faith is the receiving grace it receives in Christ Eph. 3. 17. and it receives from Christ John 1. 16. Faith is the key that opens Christ's Treasures the hand that takes out his tryed gold Faith is the carrying and recarrying grace Faith comes up to the market-price and never breaks with God on terms but subscribes to all the demands of Christ and so never returns empty Christians you will never want goods for your Heavenly Trade if you can but keep Faith in exercise your shops will never be empty as long as Faith can stir up and down and keep up its Journeys to Heaven If there be any goods in the promises any wares in Heaven Faith will have them down as long as the soul needs them and it be for God's interest to part with them O then get faith Alas what pitiful Trade do some drive for want of Faith Choice goods will not off precious promises pertinent instructions perswasions and encouragements lye on Christ's hands for want of faith in them that hear Christians you will make nothing of Religion without Faith in the daies we live in you will soon shut up shop decay and break when troubles come to purpose without store of Faith Faith will fill your store-houses do your work put off your goods get in your rights pay your debts and maintain you richly on the incomes of your Trade Patience is another grace that will much serve you in your Spiritual Trade you have need of Patience to do the will of God no working without Patience 2 Cor. 12. 12. Truly the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all Patience Rom. 5. 4. Patience worketh experience Souls are apt to be weary of well doing without Patience and to tyre in running without this long-breath'd grace of Patience Heb. 12. 1. Let us run with Patience the race that is set before us No receiving the fruit of Ordinances and Duties without Patience Luke 8. 15. They on the good ground are they which in an honest and good heart having heard the Word keep it and bring forth fruit with Patience The Lord usually tries his peoples Patience before they come to the fruit of Pomises and bring forth the obedience of Precepts there 's a winter between seed-time and harvest many wet weeping daies between sowing and reaping ut enim segetem in agro pluvias nives glacies
of debt we cannot merit Fourthly We have nothing to merit withal for we are not our own 1 Cor. 6. 19. Man hath nothing to give to God who is not his own but God's as all redeemed ones especially are Believers are his servants Rom. 14. 4. Who art thou that judgest another man's servant And a servant is not his own his time strength capacity work are his Masters so are the Saints duties the Lord's not by way of legal compact and requital of wages but by way of redemption right and purchase being bought out of the service of sin and Satan to his own use and the service of such is a due already upon a former score a debt of thankfulness and cannot merit a reward Beside what can they give to God who have nothing but what they receive from God 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed to him again for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Fifthly Were rewards due to any upon the account of his work then man had something to glory of in himself and might say of Heaven as Nebuchadnezzar did of Babylon Dan. 4. 30. Is not this great Babylon which I have built for the house of the Kingdom by the might of my power and for the honour of my Majesty So might such say when they come to Heaven Is not this the mansion I prepared and deserved by my duties and graces for my glory and blessedness For self-justiciaries though they are forced to say that their grace is given of God yet they boast of the improvements of this grace as theirs and glory is due to the improvement of grace they say and not to the bare grace or talent and though they are driven to confess Christ's merit yet they shuffle and say Christ merited for them that they might merit But that is contrary to the Gospel which tells us That 't is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy Rom. 9. v. 16. And 't is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. And that no flesh should glory in his presence 1 Cor. 1. 29. And therefore God hath chosen the foolish weak and base things of this world and things that are not of purpose to prevent this self-glorying before him verse 17 18. And the Apostle makes this reason why Abraham was not justified by Works but by Faith cause then he would have something to glory in but this could not be Rom. 4. 2. If Abraham were justified by works he had something to glory in but not before God So that the Saints though they have a reward of their work yet it is not for their work 't is a reward not of debt but of grace yea of glorious grace according to your work Christians God will not give you a jot less than the utmost of what your love and faithfulness comes to Your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. He will not fail of any of his Promises or disappoint you of your expected end but will be better than your hopes You will say in that day of compensation Who hath begotten me all these Isa 49. 21. Whence is this to me Luk. 1. v. 43. When saw we thee an hungred Mat. 26. v. 37. Glory is a mighty thing infinitely above all your labours Christians Heaven will make amends for all your duties and losses and abundantly compensate and exceed all your expences for God in the world And have you not reason to set about the work of grace and drive on the employments of this Heavenly Trade Quest But what is this heavenly work which Wisdom's Merchants must be driving on every day Sol. I answer First in the general Heavenly work is that work which hath a heavenly Author and Principle a heavenly rule and a heavenly end work wrought of God by his Spirit Joh. 3. 21. Work done according to the will of God and by Scripture-rule Col. 4. 12. Work wrought for God and designed purely and ultimately to his glory 1 Cor. 10. 31. But more particularly heavenly works may be considered under these two heads First Such as are heavenly in the matter of them as well as manner and end Secondly Such works as though earthly in the matter of them yet are done in a heavenly manner and to an heavenly end First That 's heavenly work which is of a heavenly nature matter and manner and end as all those religious duties are which respect God our selves and others First Drive on that work every day which hath God himself for its first and more immediate object as all acts of religious worship both natural and instituted moral and positive Mat. 4. 10. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve This is due to God from all his rational and intelligent creatures both Men and Angels to worship him only with that reverential fear faith love hope and delight which is due to him as the Supreme Majesty of Heaven and Earth the great Creator and Conservator of all his creatures and to serve him with that subjection and obedience as their relation to God their Sovereign calls for This is the duty of all persons especially those that profess their owning of God and choice of him to be their God in Christ and peculiar treasure Deut. 13. 6. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God and serve him and swear by his name Christians to let out your hearts upon the world relations self and creatures is to rob God of his service and to commit Idolatry with the creature Think this when my heart runs out to things below God and my affections hope trust and delight get over their banks and break their due bounds and subordinacy to God when I fondly dote upon and take pleasure abstractively from God in any creatures then do I deal treacherously with my God I rob him and give his glory to another Isa 48. 11. O set habitually your hearts on God and let out your faith love hope fear desires and delighting pleasures on God every day yea all the day long as your chiefest good supreme Sovereign and last end Prov. 27. 17. Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long Again external acts of divine worship are part of thy every days work which thou owest to God and to be duly and daily performed to him as to pray hear and read his sacred word These are that honour homage and service that is due to God every day especially morning and evening Prov. 8. 34. Deut. 6. 7. Exod. 30. 7. 1 Chron. 23. 30. Ezek. 46. 13 14 15. Amos 4. 4. 1 Chron. 16. 40. Psal 55. 17. This is the daily burnt-offering to be prepared for the Lord Exod. 29. 38 39. Morning and evening the vows that are to be daily performed Psal 61. 8. God's
glory of God yea in pursuance of it thy own Salvation is thy chief concern What will it profit a man to gain the whole World and to lose his own Soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul What is left if the Soul be lost and what is done if after all the Soul be undone To look after others Souls and neglect thy own and to secure all things else and leave destruction on thy self is folly like to hers that saved her goods from the fire but left her child to perish in the flames Salvation is your chiefest work committed to your care and to be accounted for in the day of Christ Phil. 2. 12. Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling And 't is great work also many things must be attended too and several things dispatch'd if ever Souls be saved First You must carry on heart-work every day and that 's great work they that are acquainted with their own hearts know there is much to do in and about them There is nothing more out of order than man's heart and nothing in man of greater concernment than the heart Hence 't is the strict charge the Lord gives his people to keep their hearts Prov. 4. v. 23. Above all keeping as 't is in the Hebrew keep thy heart Proz 23. 2. Ephes 3. 17. Prov. 4. v. 4. The heart is the one thing Christ looks for the chief room he dwells in his warehouse where he laies up his goods his work-house where he cuts out and prepares his work Prov. 16. 1. A great part of salvation-work is done in the secret chambers of the heart The heart is the root and spring in man whence all aceptable duties flow Ephes 6. 6. doing the will of God from the heart and to be especially looked after A Christian finds a great deal of work to do about his heart every day There is Heart-searching work Psal 64. 6. The heart of man is deep and not easily fathom'd 't is a long journey to the farthest end of the heart which no man ever yet reached in this life The Sea is deep and yet it hath a bottom The World is large and yet it hath been compassed but who hath ever travelled through his own heart to set up his non ultra and say Hitherto its wickedness goes and no farther 'T is deceitful also above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Jer. 17. 9. A man hath no such cheater to deal with as his own heart it hath such Cameleon colours Maeander windings such labyrinth turnings subtle shifts false pretences close designs fair promises smooth excuses rhetorical pleas seeming integrity deep-rooted hypocrisie that a man cannot tell what to make of his heart or how to find it out and this calls for constant searchings and observings of the heart Besides the Lord gives his people the ballance of the Sanctuary on purpose to weigh it in and casts out a line of providence every day to try it by Men meet with occasional providences temptations employments companies changes mercies afflictions all which help to discover the heart the issue of which is to be observed in order to the finding out of thy heart Heart-judging work When Christians have found out the evil of their hearts their pride hypocrisie c. seen the proof and evidence clear and how contrary to Law and Gospel to Equity and Mercy to Light Experience Warnings Patience Profession and Promises they are then to charge these things upon the heart to set home the evil with all the aggravations of it from its nature and effects from the quality of the person the time place continuance in it attempts and means of cure compared with others beneath them for light profession means and mercies and having by these arguments convinced the heart of its exceeding evil then to pass sentence against and condemn it as unworthy of any mercy and deserving of all the threatnings in the Word against it until the heart come to bear its iniquity and feel its exceeding sinfulness and cry out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7. 24. This would be of wonderful use to clear up your sincerity to preserve the tenderness of your spirits to cut off all excuses false hopes and security in sin and make it more abominable when it appears with its most taking allurements 2 Cor. 7. 11. 1 Cor. 11. 31. and this would evidence your interest in pardon and freedom from Divine condemnation Heart-humbling work O the pride that lodges yea lives in and incorporates with this little piece the heart of man how unsearchable is it and past finding out like leaven in the lump and poyson in the cup which cannot be separated by a humane hand as rottenness in the bones that cannot be fetched out Pride is as that lofty mountain before Zerubbabel which must become a plain Zach. 4. 7. as deeply rooted trees whose Mores are not easily plucked up One compares spiritual pride to the shirt or inmost garment which the Saints last of all put off and which like the Ivy will not be pluckt out till the wall in which it is comes down also O the tuggings a child of God hath with his proud heart to get and keep it low As the Spider whatever it feeds on it turns to poison So is it with the proud heart of man it turns all it does hath meets with and sees to the nourishment of pride proud of its sins proud of his graces proud under afflictions and proud of mercies proud of honour and proud of humility proud of God's favour and proud under his frowns O what a strange disease is pride that feeds upon the means which the Lord gives to cure it and gets strength from the remedy to nourish the disease like Ephraim's wound when God would have healed one another appeared And this helps to make a Christian's work great work indeed which is never done till his day be done and his Tabernacle pulled down Heart-purging work The heart of man naturally is a very sink and kennel of uncleanness a fountain of pollution a running Issue full of filthiness of flesh and spirit Mat. 18. 19. Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witness blasphemies these are the things that defile the man 'T is not accidental and adventitious filthiness for that may more easily be washt away Jer. 6. 7. but 't is innate and connatural and never ceases bubling forth till the fountain be cleansed and the root be changed Sin in the heart is the root and spring of all the wickedness that defiles the thoughts words and actions Christians complain of their thoughts they are pestred with vain unclean distracting thoughts in duty and out of duty whereas the distemper lies in the heart Thoughts are but the ebullitions and swarmings of the heart He that will cure his thoughts must first
in the subject that 's contrary to it But spiritual mortification is not purely privative but while we live there 's something left that is of a contrary nature to holiness which must be daily opposed and destroyed Sin in Believers is driven from the royal fort of the heart upon Christ's entrance into it but possesses the suburbs and out-works of the soul from whence it must be gradually expell'd also by the mortifying influence of the spirit like the Canaanites which were remov'd from the Mountains but could not be wholly driven out of the Valleys that Israel might by them be prov'd and taught to war Judg. 1. 19. ch 3. 1 2. So the Lord Jesus Christ doth not presently destroy corruptions from the people that by them their sincerity may be proved their graces exercised and the mighty power of his spirit manifested This makes a Christian's work busy and constant having to do with potent enemies within and without Eph. 6. 4. which must be fought every day and a continual war maintained with them during life without fighting no conquering without striving no crowning 2 Tim. 2. 5. 'T is with a child of God as with Israel when fighting with Amalek if the hands of Faith and Prayer be not held up no conquest when these are down spiritual Amalek prevails O the losses that Christians sustain for want of mortification by reason of which their foil'd corruptions rally up and take their graces captive Let men neglect the constant practice of mortification b Si neglexerint perpetuam praxim mortificationis vitia conculcata subacta resumunt vires corruptio abstensa repullulat suffocata gratia spiritus sancti redit homo ad ingenium suum Dav. saith Davenant and their vices that were trod down and subdued will soon resume their strength their corruption that was lopt off will bud out again and the graces of the Spirit in them being almost strangled man returns to his former temper Hence come those dreadful fears of good souls that the grace of God was never in truth in them but that they are still in a carnal state and shall perish at last and all this for want of carrying on the work of mortification in them As a lively Faith overcomes sin so prevailing lust weakens Faith 1 Joh. 5. 4. Eph. 4. 2. 30. withstands the sealing-work of the Spirit and overthrows the work of the Soul's hopes filling it with fears about the unsoundness of his estate and the miserable issue of all his profession experience and labour By this ladder of unmortified sin the Devil scales the royal fort of Faith throws down its Towers and mans it against the Soul's peace comfort and holiness O the mischief that Christians do to themselves by indulging sin and for want of a vigorous pursuit of this great duty of mortification which makes them like to Israel who being once upon the borders of Canaan were by their unbelief and unsubdued lusts brought back near the confines of Egypt again and after a wearying unconstant life were consum'd in the wilderness at last So 't is with gracious Souls by their unmortified lusts after some accesses to grace tastes of divine love hopes of glory and fairness for Heaven they are brought back to the borders of Hell again and made to spend their life in an uncomfortable and souldistressing wilderness Christians 't is not security enough for your peace and spiritual welfare that sin hath lost its dominion unless its strength and life be impaired also dethroned sin may bid you many a battel and give you sore foils and though it may not recover the Scepter yet it may keep the Sword and when it cannot mount the Throne may get into some strong hold and put the soul to much trouble e're it be beaten out again Neither is it safe to acquiesce in some temporary truce with thy corruptions bloody overthrows have been oft-times the events of a cessation of war for a season Joab blew the Trumpet and all the people stood still and pursued after Israel no more neither fought they any more i. e. for that time 2 Sam. 2. 28. And yet 't is said ch 3. 1. Now there was long war between the house of Saul and the house of David but the house of David waxed stronger and stronger and the house of Saul waxed weaker and weaker Sin may seem to yield and trouble thy soul no more for a time but carry it quietly with thee as Joab did to Abner and on a sudden smite thee to the ground though not to death 2 Sam. 3. 27. Nor is it enough that sin be in chains and under restraint through the present strength of overcoming grace unless it be hang'd up in chains as a dead malefactor Secured lust may break prison and escape from under thy hand as Benhadab did from Ahab to thy greater hurt 1 King 20. 42. What mischief have chained Bears and Lions done when broken loose Believer thy condition is not safe till thy sin be dead what Saul said to Jonathan 1 Sam. 20. 31. may be applied to thy case As long as the Son of Jesse liveth upon the ground thou shalt not be established nor thy Kingdom wherefore now send and fetch him to me for he shall surely dye So can thy Soul obtain no stability in grace but be always full of ups and downs and have wars and changes against thee till thy corruptions be subdued Quest But how shall I do to get sin mortified I am convinced 't is my duty but find it not my capacity After all my strivings prayers and hopes I am still foiled and fear I shall one day perish by the hand of these Sauls O when shall the Kingdom be restored to Israel When shall the deliverer come to my soul What shall I do to get these mountains a plain before Zerubbabel and these Thieves crucified with my Lord Christ Sol. If ever thou meanest to get the death of thy sins take these directions Direct 1. First Do nothing that might tend to strengthen sin Rom. 13. 14. Make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no provision for the flesh to fulfil the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lusts thereof the word signifies a provident care of the flesh as men do to maintain themselves and families Don't take up your thoughts about it how to feed and please your lusts Never think to kill your corruptions while you secretly feed and maintain them Many complain of their corruptions and yet all the while feed and strengthen them There are several things that do contribute maintenance to mens lusts First Delightful Remembrance of former sins do wonderfully please a carnal heart and stir up desires to future sins As the remembrance of former mercies is food to present faith Psal 74. 14. Thou brakest the head of the Leviathan in pieces and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness Israel's deliverance out of Egypt and the breaking of Pharaoh's power seriously thought on was
world Rule 7. Seventhly Follow your duty but cast your care on God abide in your callings but live above them 1 Pet. 5. 17. Casting all your care on God for he careth for you Depend not on your wisdom labour or success in your employments but upon the promise love and care of God for you If the Lord blesseth your substance don't you bless your selves in it See an emptiness in all your abundance and shortness in these to answer your many wants God can soon make a hole in your money-bags blow on your encrease turn your prosperity into contempt and make your expected comforts as the dream of a night vision Live not on large barns but on the full breasts of promises for the good of what you do enjoy or for the supply of what you want The poor Christian hath the keeping of his purse in his Father's hand the rich in his own hand If sight fail live by faith Faith assures you of the good issue of all difficulties in your way and gets advantage from the worst condition and sweetness to mingle with every bitter providence you meet with It may be thou hast a great family and little to live on lyest in debt and hast nothing to pay it hadst a little th' other day but the Caterpiller and the Cankerworm hath devour'd it this loss and th' other stroak hath wasted it In this case thy duty is to live on God by faith for a sanctified fruit of his hand upon thee and for making up this lack by his abundance When thou canst see no way out of thy perplexing trouble let thine eye be unto God for help 2 Chron. 20. 12. 2 Chron. 25. 8. Go not out of God's way for relief He that wounds must heal he onely that casteth down can raise up Deut. 32. 30. Neither faint thou in the day of adversity or way of thy duty Prov. 24. 10. Prov. 16. 3. but commit thy way to the Lord and he will bring it to pass Psal 37. 5. Mat. 6. v. 25. 1 Cor. 7. 32. Phil. 4. 6. Take heed of carking cares and fretful vexings these cannot lessen thy trouble but will greaten thy sins a provident care is thy duty but a distrustful vexing care both thy sin and affliction Rule 8. Eightly In all your labours pray for a blessing If you would live well you must beg as well as work add duty to thy diligence prayer to thy provident care calling on God to thy calling in the world As every creature so every condition and work is sanctified by the word and prayer 1 Tim. 4. 15. In every undertaking seek to God for counsel Prov. 3. 6. In all thy waies acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Christians should not set upon the smallest matters without enquiring the will of God not to go to this or that place to buy or sell to do this or that work without seeking to God for direction Jam. 4. 13 14 15. Our journeys saith one must not be undertaken without asking God's leave Dr. Mant. on Jam. This would evidence a life of dependance on God and bring all thy affairs under divine care and blessing Abraham's servant begins his journey with prayer Gen. 24. 12. 27. and concluded it with praise Gen. 28. 20. And so Jacob Israel's folly in concluding with the Gibeonites contrary to the command of God was laid on their not asking counsel of God Josh 9. 14. The men took of their victuals and asked not counsel at the mouth of the Lord. O the snares and disadvantages men are exposed to in their earthly concerns for not taking counsel from God and engaging his hand and blessing with them Prayer will further your work sweeten your pains and difficulties in it and secure the comfort and good of it When you want mercy seek God for it when you receive mercy see God in it and return praise to God for it Rule 9. Ninthly Though you live in the World yet be dead to the World Heaven-born souls though in the World yet are not of the World but chosen out of it Joh. 15. 19. and crucified to it Gal. 6. 14. God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is crucified to me and I unto the World This crucifiedness to the World * Se mundum cum omni suo fastu pompa gloria aspernari contemnere quasi rem nihili vanam mortuam saith Paraeus signifies the contempt and despising of this World he intimates hereby that the World with all its scorn pride pomp and glory are despised by him as a nothing empty dead thing A soul crucified to the World sees nothing lovely and desirable in this World but God his Word and Works there 's nothing in earthly things that can be taking with spiritual hearts if God be not enjoyed in them all the glory of the World is no more to them than a dead carkass if the love of God breath not through it on their hearts nay the very Garden of the Lord is a Wilderness to them if the Rose of Sharon be not in it A mortified Saint wonders that a rational immortal Soul can see such worth in riches pleasures honours and poor perishing things of this life which to him are nothing he can easily part with all at the Lord's bidding And he feels no such evil neither in the bad things of this World as to make men startle at them wants losses reproaches torments for Christ lose their frightfulness to them whose hearts love to the Lord Jesus hath reconciled unto the bitterest affliction that can befall them for his sake If Christ stand and do not perish saith Luther what matter is it if Wife and Children perish If liberty estate life and all go so he stay Such should thy heart be in pursuit of these things as one that is dead to the World and sits loose from all its glory and above all its threatnings content to have or not to have to use or want to enjoy or be denied or deprived of it as God pleaseth Rule 10. Lastly Do all your work within the view of death judgment and eternity transact the employments of every day as dying persons who are leaving this World and liable to a remove every moment How would frequent and serious thoughts of a near approaching end wonderfully check mens greedy pursuits of this World and help to keep their actions in a consistency with their accounts King Philip would have it proclaim'd before him every morning Remember that thou art mortal And when falling upon the Sand he afterward saw the print of his body said O how litle a parcel of earth will hold us when we are dead who ambitiously seek after the World while we are living When Severus was old he called for an Urn or Pitcher in which the ashes of a dead person were put and looking a while on it said a Tu virum capies quem orbis
wicked lift not up your horn And as Judah sought to divert his Brethren from their wicked enterprise against Joseph Gen. 37. 26 27. Or by reproving their sin as Nehemiah did the sin of the Nobles Neh. 5. 7. Or by instructing them if ignorant as Paul did the Athenians Acts 17. 22 23. But if they be such like Sons of Belial that the thorns cannot be taken by hand let them be thrust away and get your selves fenced that they hurt you not Take heed of the least compliance with them in their sin 1 Tim. 5. 22. Be not partakers of other mens sins your own are heavy enough silence in not reproving with any signs of approving others sins make them your own If you enjoy good company take heed you miss not of good or meet with evil from them good men have their evils great men are not alwaies wise Job 32. 9. And 't is easier to follow them down than up the hill and to imitate their vices than their virtues diseases are more communicable than health men may impart their sickness but cannot their soundness O what advantage hath sin for its propagation when it falls from the hands of men reputed gracious The errours of good men are not onely examples but arguments unto others to sin also If Peter play the hypocrite other Jews dissemble likewise with him Gal. 2. 13. and no less a man than Barnabas is carried away with their dissimulation If they that are strong do but eat in the Idols Temple the weak will eat the things offered to Idols 2 Cor. 8. 10. O take care of the evils of good men which like books published cum privilegio vend the more An Esau's garment will make a Jacob's voice to pass and where good in any man is admired evil is there seldom feared take heed you follow no man further than he follows Christ 1 Cor. 11. 11. Implicit imitation is as dangerous in practice as implicit faith is in judgment weigh their actions you intend to walk after let no mans reputation be your warrant for imitation Eminent persons are File-leaders which way they turn the File turns with them The leaders of my people cause them to err Isa 9. 16. Men usually follow those they commend y Quos effero refere and how much the greater they are with whom we converse saith Seneca z Quo major est populus cum quo conversamur hoc periculi plus est the more is the danger Get good from good men else their goodness is nothing to you what truth you hear from them receive and as Mary did the Angel's words so do you ponder their gracious sayings in your hearts Luke 2. 19. When you are in the company of those that are above you in wisdom and grace be more swift to hear than to speak The emptiest vessels make the greatest sound and I have often observed in company such as have most need to hear and learn being self-conceitedly wise will take up most of the discourse and instead of drawing waters from deeper wells to fill their empty vessels they will be pumping out that little they have This surely doth not bespeak the modesty of such and less becomes their profit Origen when a child used to question with his Father about the sense of the Scriptures and afterwards became a great Scholar 'T is the observing attentive Christian is usually the most knowing thriving Christian who with the Bee gathers in the Summer and gets honey from every flower it meets with and in the Winter spends it When you meet with empty vessels 't is your charity to be putting in but when you come to deep wells 't is your duty and interest to be drawing out by asking questions and proposing doubts as the young man in the Gospel did Mat. 19. 16. and Nicodemus and the woman of Samaria Joh. 3. 2. 4. ch 4. 11 15 20. to Jesus Christ The enquiring soul if it be done in truth and followed with obedience will be the most flourishing soul Seventhly Get good from your retirements as well as company be never less alone than when alone Sometimes in pursuance of duty you must be alone when thou prayest enter into thy Closet Mat. 6. 6. Retire we must sometimes saith Mr. Trap and into fit place to meet with God solacing and entertaining Soliloquies with him as Isaac did in the field Jacob upon the way Ezekiel by the river Ulai Peter upon the leads Christ upon the mountains Abraham in the grove in Beersheba Gen. 21. 33. 'T is no matter saith the same Author how mean the place be so it be secret where there is a Jeremy a Daniel a Jonah a Dungeon a Lions-Den a Whale's-belly are goodly Oratories If you will not hear me saith Peter Moice send me to my prison again among my toads and frogs which wilt not interrupt me while I talk with my Lord God Acts Mon. 122. O how desirable is retirement with God to a soul that hath acquaintance with him Antisthenes being asked what good he had got by Philosophy answered that I can converse with my self much more is it thy interest to converse with God 'T is said of that pious man Mr. William Sedgwick that when he was young while the rest of the Family were at their Games and Dancings he would be in a corner mourning Mr. Greenham when at any time he was sick would suffer no body to sit up with him that so he might more freely converse with God Psal 119. 62. David would rise at midnight to enjoy communion with God O the blessed seasons that gracious souls have had with Christ in their corners how sweet have their stollen waters of life and bread eaten in secret been to their hungry souls Prov. 9. 17. If the walls of this house could speak said Mr. Hew Kennedy they could tell how many sweet days I have had in secret fellowship with God and how familiar he hath been with my soul The fulfilling of Script p. 442. The Lord doth usually unbosome himself most to his friends when he hath them alone Hos 2. 14. I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably to her or speak to her heart as 't is in the Hebrew Upon which words Stella hath this note a Vt Dominus cum anima nostra loquatur non opus habet testibus Quando Dominus cor nostrum solum invenit statim coenaturus cum illo sedet God needs no witnesses that he might speak to our souls when God finds our heart alone he presently comes in and sups with it and when he observes our soul withdrawn from the cares and carking thoughts of this World then is his time to open his great wonders and secrets to it Jacob was never more prevailing with God than when alone then was the time he got the blessing Gen. 32. 24 29. Peter was alone in prayer with God when he fell into a trance Acts 10. 10. His soul was
as it were removed from the body for a time saith Beza that he might converse with God c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi se moto ad tempus a corpore animo cum Deo colloqui Elijah was alone in secret prayer when the Angel brought him that refreshing feast in the strength of which he travell'd in the wilderness forty days 1 King 19. 4. to v. 9. O what am I said Mr. Patrick Simpson after he had been many hours in his Garden alone wrestling with God for his deserted Wife being dust and ashes that the holy ministring Spirits should be sent by the Lord to deliver a message to me telling one that over-heard him that he had had a vision of Angels who did with audible voice give him an answer from the Lord of his Wive's condition this Woman also to whom upon importunity he delivered these words as she was approaching to the place where he lay on the ground heard an affrighting noise of a great rushing of multitudes together and with it a melodious sound Such a welcome doth the Lord Jesus give his children sometimes when he gets them alone into his Chambers and Wine-cellar O the sweetness persons may find in their solitudes with Christ Sampson turn'd aside when he saw a swarm of Bees and Honey in the carkass of the Lion Judg. 14. 8. 'T is said of Jerome that living in the wilderness he seemed to converse with Angels Contemplation saith Gregory is the clearest day of internal light then are their discoveries most when in a holy silence with God alone Retirement Christian is an opportunity put into thy hand of in-door work 't is God's call into the Mount Exod. 34. 2 3. Be ready in the morning and come up in the morning unto Mount Sinai and present thy self there to me in the top of the Mount and no man shall come up with thee 'T is his command to a holy silence and cessation from other work that thou may'st attend the most secret concerns of thy soul Improve this time wholly in converse with God and attending the affairs of thy soul This is a season to take an estimate of thy soul-state to try the grounds of thy hope for eternity to be searching into the secrets of thy heart and taking a full review of thy past life and former carriages Psal 4. 4. Then is the time to weigh thy mercies and duties to call to mind God's dealings with thee and thy carriages towards him to be studying the wiles of Satan and the ways of thy duty the worth of godliness the danger of miscarrying and the blessedness of overcoming and such like meditations When you are riding or walking or sitting alone invite the Lord Jesus to keep you company to walk and converse with you fill up your vacant hours with secret prayer and meditation take heed of being at leisure from duty-employment either in your general or particular Calling or lawful Employments lest being too much alone the Devil strike in for company no greater temptation can Satan find than times of solitude not improved Eighthly Get good from occasional objects and occurrences which are not chance and fortune as the blind world calls it but the products of divine wisdom and pleasure towards Believers for their good Albane receiving a persecuted Christian into his house and seeing his holy devotion and sweet carriage he was so much affected with his good example that he became both a Professor and Martyr Bede It was not by accident but divine intention that Melchisedeck should meet Abraham to bless him and Shimei meet David to curse him that Moses should meet Jethro's Daughter at the well in Midian and that David should meet the Egyptian in pursuing the Amalekites It was God put it into the thoughts of Saul's servant to advise his Master to speak with the Prophet by which means he obtain'd a Kingdom 'T was by divine disposal that when Joseph was cast into the pit the Midianites should pass by and lift him up and sell him to the Ishmaelites and they to Potiphar The Lord is carrying on some part of his work some piece of mercy or justice comfort or affliction by all these occurrences in which his people should be co-workers with him and be learning something from every passage of providence they meet with and object they occasionally behold in their journeyings and pursuits of their occasions in the World What fruitful meditations had Sampson from beholding the carkass of the Lion and swarm of Bees in it in his journey to Timnah Judg. 14. 8. 14. And our Saviour from seeing the wither'd Fig-tree in his passage from Bethany to Jerusalem Mat. 21. 19 to 23. What a lecture did Christ read to his Disciples upon viewing the goodly Buildings of the Temple Luke 21. 5 to the end He beheld the City and wept over it and improved it to some instruction to his Disciples Luke 19. 41. He beheld people casting in gifts into the treasury and makes improvement of it Mark 12. 4. Some told him of the blood of the Galileans which Pilate had mingled with their sacrifice and he makes a profitable use of it for his Disciples instruction Luke 13. 1 2. What Sermons hath Christ preached when he took his Text from the waters of Samaria Joh. 4. 9 10. from the Manna given to Israel in the wilderness Joh. 6. 26 27 31 32. from the multitudes flocking after him for loaves Christians if you would grow rich in Spirituals make some spiritual improvement of all you see hear meet with in your journeys dealings converses in the World Thou walkest into thy Garden get some instruction from the objects that thou castest thy eyes upon Every herb in thy Garden preaches God to thee b Qualibet herba monstrar Deum Thou walkest into the Field go with Isaac's heart to meditate upon the creatures and providences of God thou beholdest there Thou lookest to the Heavens let it not be only as the Pharisees to discern the face of the Skie Matth. 16. 3. but to see the glory of God and his handy-work Psal 19. 1. with the Chymist extract some good from every thing thou meetest with 'T was said of Jerome he knew how to gather gold out of the dunghill and honey out of weeds leaving the poison for spiders How will men dig into the bowels of the earth rack the creatures spend themselves to get a few shadows and all the while do nothing to get the substance that endures and this doubtless is one reason of soul-poverty this day we trade not with creatures and occurrences that fall in our way to spiritual advantages Beg spiritual skill and faithfulness to be improving all you see hear do or enjoy to soul-profit Ninthly Get good from your falls and miscarriages Physicians do sometimes make poysons medicinal and so doth the Physician of of value make the diseases of his people turn to their health Sin is the greatest evil and yet redemption-grace
Heavenly Trade That 's the second branch of Exhortation to Professours 3. Counsel to Earthly Traders The third branch of Exhortation is to Earthly Traders who meet with breaches and discouragements in the pursuits of their Earthly Trades This is manifestly the case of England this day The Lord blows on mens interests makes breaches on their Trades sends in wants as an armed man Trade fails a blast is on mens labours and the Nation becomes poorer every day This should be for a lamentation but few lay it to heart men murmure and complain some are dejected and sink in their spirits others seeing God plucking their Idols away hold them the faster become more close and covetous others sink the deeper into the world turn more earthly and excessive in their carkings and labours others more griping and oppressive but few in appearance look to God and make a right use of this sore stroak Now towards a better improvement of this providence give me leave to propose to all such these few Counsels Counsel 1. First By your disappointments and losses in your Earthly Employments be convinced of the transcendent excellency of this Heavenly Trade which you have it may be in pursuit of those too much slighted There are no such issues of Wisdom's Merchandise if duly followed Religion breeds no such worms to devour its treasures Riches and honour are with me yea durable Riches and Righteousness My fruit is better than gold yea than fine gold Prov. 8. 18 19. There are no such hazards in the waies of God as here in my earthly business I am exposed to I labour hard and can hardly live out I sow much and bring in little I eat but have not enough and drink but am not filled I cloathe me but am not warmed I earn wages but put it into a bag with holes I look for much and it comes to little and when I have brought it home the Lord blows upon it Hag. 1. 6 9. But 't is not so in that Heavenly Trade I have neglected there are no such disappointments they that sow to the Spirit in due time do surely reap they that labour for that bread shall have it given to them O how do Wisdom's Merchants prosper when I decay their faces shine their basket is blest whatever they have in the world 't is enough for them they eat their bread with gladness and singleness of heart and are freed from those anxious cares and fears I am almost consum'd with That 's the best Trade I now see it when all fails that holds when others famish that feeds when others undo men that enriches them O blessed Calling thou excellest them all This is one good use of your earthly wastes to see the excellency of Heavenly Treasures Counsel 2. Secondly See God in these afflictions that lie upon your Earthly Trades and Interests Affliction cometh not forth of the dust Job 5. 6. nor promotion from the East or from the West but God is the Judge he putteth down one and setteth up another Psal 75. 6 7 'T was not the wind the fire the Chaldeans or Sabeans that undid Job but it was God that took away it was by his permission all those losses came Job 1. 21. This help'd Job to a due deportment under his troubles that he saw God in it He doth not fall out with man or complain of the Devil he is not angry with chance or fortune with stars or constellations but looks to God in all Is there any evil in the City and the Lord hath not done it Amos 3. 6. I form the light and create darkness I make peace and create evil Isa 41. 7. Israel decayed in their estates and God saies 't was he that blowed upon them Men usually lay it on the times cry out of one and other but few look to God and that 's one reason men make no better use of this Rod because they do not see it in the hand of a holy God You will never lay your hand on your mouths till you cast your eyes on God in these troubles nor take a right way for cure before you see the hand that smites you Psal 39. 9. Counsel 3. Thirdly Search out the cause of them You will not find the remedy till you see the reason Shew me wherefore thou contendest with me Job 10. 2. Wherefore doth a living man complain a man for the punishment of his sin let us search and try our waies and turn again unto the Lord Lam. 3. 39 40. The Lord may well say to the Complainer Friend I do thee no wrong Mat. 20. 13. And as David did to Eliab What have I now done is there not cause 1 Sam. 17. 29. Hath God consumed your estate broken your Trade brought you to a morsel of bread and is there not cause There are several sins which do usually prove wasting to mens earthly interests First A letting down of Religion and decaying in this heavenly Trade is usually followed with wastes on mens outward comforts and interests as hath been already shewn Godliness hath the promise of the life that now is as well as of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. When that flourisheth all things go well when Religion goes down nothing prospers 2 Chron. 24. 20. Why transgress ye the Commandments of the Lord that ye cannot prosper because ye have forsaken the Lord he hath also forsaken you For this letting down of Obedience did God threaten to make Israel waste and a reproach to send evil arrows of Famine and to break the staff of Bread Ezek. 5. 14 16 17. Because ye multiplied more than the Nations round about you and have not walked in my statutes neither have kept my judgments neither have done according to the judgments of the Nations round about you you have increased in abomination more than the Heathens and Nations round about you and have not kept those Laws and done that Righteousness which they have done Greenhill Therefore behold I even I am against thee Moreover I will make thee waste c. Falling back in holiness will make men fall back in the world too bring a curse on their abundance Now this decay of Religion is the sin of this day as hath been fully demonstrated Secondly Declension in the worship of God hath been followed with declensions in mens interests Mal. 1. 9. Israel brought to God a corrupt thing the blind and lame and sick the worst of the flock and departed from God's Ordinances and the Lord brought on them a curse d Lege talionis ut Domos ipsorum vascet qui Domum Dei non curant I will even send a curse upon your blessings yea I have curs'd them already because ye do not lay it to heart To give glory to God saith Cocceius e Quia non revocatis ad animum dare divino nomini gloriam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. that honour and worship that is due to him They had corrupted God's
make them desolate v. 13. They should eat but not be satisfied and there should be a casting down in the mid'st of them they should be blasted in their labours and interests they should sow but not reap tread the Olive but not anoint themselves with it have sweet Wine but not drink it and then comes to reckon with them wherefore this was brought upon them ver 10 11 12. Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked and the scant measures that is abominable Should I count them pure with the wicked balance and with the bags of deceitful weights for the rich men thereof are full of violence and the Inhabitants thereof have spoken lies and their tongue is deceitful in their mouths They were full of wickedness and among the rest were false and deceitful they did not walk humbly with God nor justly with men but were deceitful in their Callings had false weights scant measures were injurious to others and not just and faithful in their dealings some oppressed others defrauded such as were over others were cruel task-masters exacting their labours Isa 5. 8. 3. grinding the faces of the poor eating them up as bread Psal 14. 4. by defrauding them of their due keeping back the hire of the Labourers by fraud and injustice Jam. 5. 4. which they do saith one who give them not a proportionable hire working upon their necessities sucking out the strength and sweetness of the Labourers Dr. Manton A sin that cries in the ears of the Lord of Sabbaths cries out aloud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and their groans are entred into his ears as a God of vengeance to requite it and to give his poor a Sabbath and rest from their oppressions A sin that God will surely and severely punish He will be a swift witness against them that oppress the Hireling in his wages and turn aside the stranger from his right and fear not me saith the Lord of Hosts Mal. 3. 5. Sins joyn'd with Adultery Sorcery and Swearing provocations in God's ears and actions that plainly shew no true fear of God in such persons that dare oppress their poor Labourers changing their wages as Laban did Jacob's Gen. 31. 41. These God will surely take in hand he will be both Judge and Witness against them he will not delay neither but proceed speedily to sentence and execution against such as oppress their poor labourers Of all oppression the oppression of the poor is greatest and carries most cruelty in it to tread on them that are down already and abuse them that have no helper to take the bread out of their mouths which are ready to starve and to defraud them of their wages which is their life and God calls it down-right robbery Levit. 19. 13. To build up their houses and raise up estates upon the ruines of the poor labourers is to lay the foundation in blood and hath a woe pronounced against it from the Lord of Hosts Hab. 2. 9 10 11 12. This is one of those sins which bring a people down to the ground and make them desolate Ye have eaten up the Vineyard the spoil of the poor is in your houses what mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces and grind the faces of the poor saith the Lord of Hosts Her gates shall lament mourn and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground Isa 3. 14 15 26. This is a God-provoking and an estate-wasting sin and one of the great visible crying sins of this day Sixthly Another reason why God consumes the interests of men and makes a breach on their Trade seems to be this That by this means he might bring them down to his foot and bring them back to himself Prosperity in mens interests feeds their pride and makes them too high for God's use and pleasure riches do puff men up Thine heart is lifted up 〈…〉 thy riches behold therefore I will bring 〈…〉 upon thee the terrible of the Nations and 〈◊〉 shall draw their sword against the beauty of 〈◊〉 wisdom and they shall defile thy brightness thâ—â— shall bring thee down to the pit they shall destroy thy riches wherein thou gloriest and countest thy beauty Ezek. 28. 5 7 8. Men are apt to glory in their riches and to give that respect to them which is due to God and this he will not bear but comes out in indignation against mens Idols Jer. 9. 23. Abundance of earthly interests doth also unfit men for God's use and delight rich in goods and poor in grace prosperity in the world cools mens hearts towards God and lames their feet in his way 'T is the poor of the flock that waits on God Zech. 11. 11. that press his Vineyard and bear the heat and burden of the day Jer. 52. 15. When men grow full they are lazy when great they become fearfull to adventure for God Give me thy sheild said Epaminondas to his servant when he had got a great sum of mony for now thou art grown rich I am sure thou wilt not adventure thy self into dangers Smyrna was the poorest of the seven Churches in Asia but yet was richest in grace and serviceableness for God I know thy poverty but thou art rich Rev. 2. 9. This may be one reason why the Lord makes this Nation poor that he might by this make them pure he melts away our dross that we may be the more refined and takes away our Lovers that he might come in the room of them I will hedge up thy way with thorns she shall follow after her Lovers 〈…〉 not overtake them and she shall seek 〈…〉 shall not find them then shall she say 〈…〉 go and return to my first husband for then it 〈…〉 better with me than now Hos 2. 6 7. Men â—â—om return to God fully till stript of other â—â—mforts nor see God to be best till their conâ—â—ion in the world be bad and therefore doth God remove these mountains of earthly interests that his people may the better see and go after himself Counsel 4. Fourthly If God hath made breaches on your Trade get the breach between God and your souls composed Hos 4. 1 2. Hear the Word of the Lord ye children of Israel for the Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land because there is no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the Land by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and committing Adultery they break out and blood toucheth blood There 's a controversy between God and a sinning people and such are we Sinners contend with God God by afflictions contends with them and till this controversie be taken up there 's no peace And if ye will not for all this be reformed by me by these things but will walk contrary to me then will I also walk contrary to you and will punish you yet seven times for your sins Levit. 26. 23 24. Hear the Word of the Lord Lay this to heart they
might sail faster and safer to its designed port and is not this advantage Sixthly Sweeter relishes of heavenly things are to Believers the blessed issues of the world's bitterness Harsh Providences on earthly comforts make heavenly things the more pleasant Men sometimes engraff sweet fruit on crab-treestocks and God gives honey to his children at the top of the rod Psal 94. 19. The thorn is one of the most cursed and angry and crabbed weeds and yet out of it springs the Rose Rutherford The sweet-meats of this world do too often put Christians pallats out of taste to cure which doth the Lord dish out his daintiest meat with sowre sauce Heavenly things never relish better than when there is less sweetness in the creature What a value did David put upon spiritual things when stript of all Psal 63. 1. Gospel-comforts will not down with such as are choak'd with the world's delicacies but when once the Saints are emptied of the world by cross providences then is Christ precius is not this a help to Heavenly Traders O then the more crosses you meet with in the world the more haste do you make to your Crown Doth the world fly from you pursue Heaven the faster Doth gain fall then advance godliness And if your gettings from Earth be small let your layings out for Heaven be great And thus much for the third Branch of Exhortation 4th Advice to such as are fallen back in Religion Fourthly A word to such as have begun this Heavenly Trade and are fallen back This is the case of some and may be of more in this hour of Temptation and Apostasie There are some have begun in the Spirit and are now ending in the flesh who have made a fair shew seem'd to be somewhat and like blazing comets drew the eyes of admirers on them for a time and then fell down to the Earth Some that have left the very form others that have lost the power and life of godliness Many have laid down their Lamp but more have spent their Oil and are almost come to a snuff Some have shut up shop are quite gone and have taken their leave of Religion resolving to return no more unless safety credit and interest return with them Others yet stay keep open shop but have little goods decay daily and are upon the breaking hand a waste is on their interests they have lost their first love decay'd in spirituals faith hope love zeal delight in God and liveliness for him are quite lost as hath been demonstrated in the use of Lamentation The design of this head is only to offer some advice towards the recovery of decayed broken Traders In which as hitherto for better illustration I shall keep to the metaphor in the Text. Advice 1. My first Advice to such in order to their recovery is to be deeply affected with their evil case First Consider 't is no small change for a person that hath lived well been in reputation with God and men fared deliciously been used to the dainties of God's house and delicacies of his love have tasted the heavenly gift and the powers of the world to come now to be brought to penury and scarce meet with a sweet morsel from day to day to be put off with husks and dry bones and the crumbs that fall from their Lord's Table to stand at his door or to wait without for some scraps when the friends of Christ and Wisdom's thriving Merchants have their marrow and fat things this is a great change For such as were wont to have a place amongst them that stand by to converse with the Father of Spirits to be let into the Presence chamber and have the visits of the Comforter and spiritual fellowship of Saints Now to be laid aside and scarcely look'd upon with a divine glance from day to day no entercourse with God or fellowship with the Spirit from one Lord's day to another but to be only company for formalists and hypocrites and such as are without this is a great change O get thy heart deeply affected with it Secondly Think also how unlovely offensive and displeasing an object in the eyes of God a withered decayed Professor is his soul takes no pleasure in him Heb. 10. 38. He doth not care for the company of such they are a burden to him he loves no more to see them than men do dead corps in their houses and rotten trees in their garden he bethinks the place they stand in as cumbring the ground Luke 13. 7. he counts them unworthy of the Kingdom of God having put their hand to the Plough and then look back Luke 6. 62. Nothing more troubles his soul than a lukewarm temper that was once burning in love but now is neither hot nor cold such ride on the stomach of Christ and make him down-right sick till he hath vomited them out into the dunghill from whence they came and is not this matter of trouble to a sensible heart Rev. 3. 16. Thirdly Such have little desirableness in the eyes of men also Who cares to deal with broken Merchants or keep company with spend-thrifts that have wasted their estates and are come to nothing no more do gracious souls care for converse with backsliders Decayed Professors are like broken vessels in whom there is no pleasure and as a withered hand or broken bone in the body which hath lost both its usefulness and beauty A broken Trader in Religion is valued by none the men of the world cannot endure him because he hath been seemingly godly and Saints cannot love him because he is not really gracious Such like Absolom when hung by the hair lye between Heaven and Earth as unworthy of either and as a person held in a strait passage cannot go forward nor backward he cannot go far enough to keep pace with the prophane nor go back to fill up his place with the pious the Saints reject him the wicked will not receive him In such a pitiful case is a withered decayed soul he hath no comeliness in him for which he should be desired Fourthly They are the greatest losers of any who break in Religion for they not onely lose their own goods but others also their talents graces priviledges and experiences are their Lord's goods which they have wasted in riotous living they lose what they once had what they seemed to have or were fair for and they lose what they hope to have Luke 16. 1. Mat. 25. 29. 2 Epist Joh. v. 8. Gal. 3. 4. All their enjoyments tastes comforts frames experiences are lost All their profession faith love conscience are shipwrackt All their duties labours sufferings come to nothing if they are not recovered again to repentance Here men estimate their losses to be great from the quality variety or abundance of the things they lose all which are yet but temporal but the Treasures that Professors are in chase of and which they shall surely have if they be sincere and faithful to
the death are eternal of all which by their backslidings if uncur'd they are depriv'd O who can count the sum and value the worth of those glorious things they fall short of who fall back and go down in Christianity till they come to nothing Fifthly Their case is dangerous also and their wound hardly healed not one of many that fall back in Religion if they go far recover again Joh. 6. 66. From that time many of his Disciples went back and walked no more with him When Judas Simon Magus Hymeneus Alexander Demas went off from Christ they returned no more John tells us of some that went out from them and thereby declared that they were not of them 1 Joh. 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us The Apostle speaks not of such as fall out of infirmity falling in the way which gracious souls may do both falling into some sin for a time as Peter and fall back by some abatements of grace as the Church of Ephesus yet be recovered such he intends not here but those that fall out of the way both totally and finally these recover no more Quest If persons that fall back in Religion after a high profession may never be recovered again how may one know if he find decaies and falling back in Religion whether he be one of those that shall never be bealed or recovered more This is my case I find great declensions in my soul and conversation and I fear I shall never be restored but wax worse and worse and perish at last Sol. 1. First Are not thy declensions thy choice upon judgment and consent but against the standing bent of thy heart the renewed purposes of thy soul through Christ Thy errour is not thy aim thou dost not deliberately contrive thy departure from God but hast a secret would-not against every backsliding then thy backslidings shall be healed again Psal 119. v. 10. Rom. 7. 19 25. Secondly Are thy backslidings and spiritual decaies thy soul-trouble and restless burden because of thy distance from God as the God of grace and Father of thy mercies and because of the injury thereby done to thy graces and inner man and from an enmity in thy nature against sin Then there is hope in Israel concerning this that thy backslidings shall be healed Rom. 7. 24. Psal 5. 1 7. Luke 15. 21. Gal. 5. 17. Thirdly Are thy backslidings after thy Effectual Calling and thy sincere choice of God to be thy peculiar and alone portion Thou canst appeal to the searcher of hearts that thou hast taken the Lord to be thy God and onely Treasure here and to all eternity to be thy last end and chiefest good and hast taken Christ to be the onely way truth and life thy Lord and righteousness and hast made a full and actual surrender of thy self and thy All to God in exchange to be presently unreservedly and eternally his and not thy own to be led and governed by him onely If so thy after-errours cannot make void this Covenant but are under a promise of healing such cannot sin unto death because the seed of God remaineth in them 1 Joh. 3. 9. They are undertaken to be kept that they should not totally and finally depart from him Jer. 31. 18. Isa 57. 18. Jer. 3. 14 22. Hos 14. 4. Jer. 32. 40. Fourthly Art thou restless in thy backslidings until the Lord doth heal thee thou canst give him no rest till he establish thy soul and be as the dew to thy dry and barren heart When God sets a soul a crying it 's a sign he will hear Jer. 30. 15 17. Isa 19. 22. A man saith Mr. Dod can never be in a bad condition except he hath a hard heart and cannot pray Will he delight himself in the Almighty Will he alwaies call upon God Job 27. 10. Backsliders in heart are heartless in prayer as they decay so do they restrain prayer Job 15. 4. Ye have said it is in vain to serve God Mal. 3. 14. As sin becomes more delightful so duty becomes more burdensom cold and formal but a gracious soul that shall be healed is importunate with God and will not let him alone Exod. 32. 10 11. or let him go until he bless him Gen. 32. 6. The worse his condition is the more fervent his cries are the more his piety goes down the more his prayers go up Psal 6. 2. Such a soul shall be healed who would be healed where he works to will he will work to do Fifthly Are thy vitals sound under all thy decaies then thy consumption is not mortal Is thy heart sincere thou canst not hide or reserve iniquity but walkest before God in truth thy desires after grace are not feigned Psal 17. v. 1. Thy love to God is not pretended lip-love but real thy faith and love are not wholly gone but maintained in the truth thereof though abated thou canst not let God go but hast a secret rest on him and resolved recumbence on his grace and faithfulness There is hope of that tree though it seems to be cut down that it will sprout again and the tender branches thereof will not cease Job 14. 7. Sixthly If under all thy decaies thou findest a humble heart and contrite spirit thy backslidings make thee lie low before God and to become more vile in thy own eyes every day thy soul-poverty makes thee poor in spirit also rating thy self beneath the least mercy and judging thy self unworthy of all that patience priviledge and mercy shewn to thee thou dost not fret at afflicting providences nor charge God foolishly but bearest his indignation justifiest his displeasure and wonderest at his forbearance then will revivings come again and recovery after thy falling back Dan. 9. 7 23 25. Mat. 5. 3. Isa 57. 15. But on the other side There are five dangerous symptoms of falling back that shall hardly be restored First If thy falling back be before thy falling in with Christ in truth thy decaies before thy quickenings then 't is dangerous If thy building were on the sand and the towring heights of thy frames and profession from which thou art fal'n were onely structures of thy own raising in which the Sanctifying Spirit had no hand then thy decaies are not likely to be repaired Art thou a stranger to the new birth and to any inward change upon thy soul the principle of thy new profession and actions is is still an old heart Thou never didst take the Lord for thy God and onely Treasure nor hadst to this day any heart-union with the Lord Jesus then thy fall is dangerous Mat. 7. 26 27. 1 John 5. 14. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Secondly A falling off from the foundation is dangerous When men depart from the Faith turn to another Gospel and deny the Lord that bought them fall from the Doctrine of Grace after enlightenings to a Covenant of Works
number in the Greek In skilfulnesses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting the great measure of wisdom which men need who would prosper in their proper work and order their administrations prudently as might most further their spiritual welfare The want of which wisdom and prudence in Christians to order every thing they do in their general and particular Callings converses conditions and occurrences in the World to the best advantage of their souls is one reason they thrive so little in their heavenly Trade Wisdom would teach men to prevent many snares and occasions of evil and instruct them how to get good from every thing they do which would much advance their soul-profiting for want of which they go back in spirituals and decay apace Thirdly This also casts back Traders when they are not diligent in the management of their Trade A slothful soul suffers hunger Prov. 19. 15. and by much sloth the building decays and through idleness of hand the house droppeth thorough Eccles 8. 10. They that will thrive in the World must be diligent take all opportunities to carry on their work The diligent hand maketh rich but by slothfulness men are brought to a morsel of bread So 't is in Religion when men let down their work and do not follow it to purpose they soon decay and become spiritually poor this is the bane of many this day Religion is not their business men do but little on the Lord's day and scarce a stroke of work is done all the week after hear they will and when that is done their work is done too never think of what they hear or put it to practice from one Lord's day to another All the week their heads hearts hands feet time strength discourses contrivances are wholly taken up about the World and how can they choose but go down the hill and waste away in their soul-interests Religion is one continued work which allows of no intermission but hath its work every day and in every thing break but one link of this golden chain of godliness and it weakens the whole O the slothfulness of Christians at this day in their soul-businesses every day is fill'd up with neglects neglect of prayer neglect of reading meditation conference heart-watching grace-cherishing-work forget this duty pass by another cold sleighty formal in all this spoils the prosperity of souls The Galatians began well but did not hold out they were soon weary Gal. 5. 7. Most mens journey to Heaven is full of stops and that which makes it most miserable their lets are of themselves Who hath hindred you Mens stays are within in their own hearts they have no heart to do good Hos 7. 11. Love to Religion is almost gone and this makes men weary in these pleasant ways while affections hold souls are never weary but when the heart is gone then every thing is a burden such will do no more than needs they must to quiet conscience and preserve peace and credit and this starves godliness Fourthly Great and frequent losses in mens Trades tend to breaking and so it is in Religion Christians through their sloth formality and unwatchfulness sustain many and great losses of spiritual mercies and this brings them low A Christian the other day it may be had his graces flourishing his heart warm his affections quick and lively his conscience pure and tender his will flexible and fix'd on God and things spiritual 2 Ep. Joh. 8. and a good frame throughout his whole soul but now through his carelesness all is lost again Gal. 3. 4. One time he loses the favour and comfortable presence of God Psal 51. 12. another time he loses a sweet serenity of spirit and peace with God then light and convictions are gone another time enjoyments and experiences are gone now his desires after God are lost then his strength is devoured now temptations prey upon the soul and then corruptions make a waste upon it come to Ordinances Sermons Sacraments and after a great deal of prayer care and striving a little grace and comfort is obtain'd but through want of watchfulness all lost again it may be before it stirs out of the place or recovers home to his habitation the next company discourse occasion takes away all Another time God brings the soul into the fire of some great affliction sickness suffering losses and there melts it into some holy frames humility faith love obedience takes off some dross puts on some beauty imparts some soul-advantage but immediately upon a change of the person's condition when new mercy health and comfort returns all the good is lost again Now through these many and great losses in spirituals which gracious souls sustain they are brought very low and come to be soon poor and beggerly Fifthly Great wastes and large expences help to make Traders poor apace when they turn spendthrifts and prodigals living above their estates when their layings out are more than their comings in this must needs bring them low It undid the Steward He wasted his Masters goods Luke 16. 1. So 't is with Wisdom's Merchants also when they turn prodigals of their graces mercies parts strength time and other goods committed to them spending them on their lusts and carnal contentments then they soon find an alteration O at what a rate do men live in point of time and at what vast expences of their short day upon things of no value talking eating drinking sleeping trifling sinning away their precious time as if they had no employment for it or no better work to do Little do souls think what a small pittance of day-light they have allow'd for their vast concerns and multitude of great employments and what madness 't is to be so prodigal of this little inch of precious time O the hours and days and years that professing Christians spend to no purpose in vain thoughts foolish talking impertinent converses unprofitable duties and labours which when they shall be all reckon'd up by the great Creditor and a bill of wastes put into the hands of conscience and the total summ of these expences read what amazing sense what dreadful impress and fretful sting will this beget when persons come to die As the Queen said If her heart were ript open Cales would be found written in it So if their hearts could then be as legible as their expressions men might read this there in black and capital letters Lost time Lost time How great also are mens wastes of graces and peace wisdom and capacities and all for the obtaining of some poor empty insignificant comforts which perish with the using There are no locusts Christians like your cursed lusts which have devoured your precious things your affections time strength and graces what convictions resolutions hopeful frames conscience-tenderness talents capacities priviledges ordinances providences have the service of thy base lusts and contentment of thy carnal mind consumed and this hath brought thy soul to such straits and distressing exigencies When souls
before your enemies will down and more strokes at your work before your interests will come in Running striving wrestling in labours more abundant in weariness and painfulness in watchings What pains will men take for the World She riseth also while it is night Her candle goeth not out by night That neither day nor night seeth sleep with his eyes Ye compass Sea and Land and should they not much more for Heaven The most diligent soul is the most thriving soul Always abounding in the work of the Lord instant in season and out of season taking every opportunity for Heaven And what their hand finds to do to do it with all their might this is the way to soul-thriving 1 Cor. 9. 24 25. Heb. 12. 4. Eph. 6. 12. 1 Cor. 11. 23 27. Prov. 31. 15. 18. Eccles 8. 16. Matth. 23. 15. Eccles 9. 10. Thirdly Driving a secret Trade of holiness is soul-thriving Men that have some peculiar art and unknown mystery in their Trade which is not ordinary and common usually get greatest custom and advantage So is it in this heavenly Trade the more men are taken up in the mysteries of Godliness 1 Tim. 3. 16. the more they thrive in Religion There 's a secret in holiness which no stranger intermeddles with Prov. 14. 10. There 's a way within the veil the hidden part in which souls are made to know wisdom Psal 51. 6. Hidden riches of secret places which thriving Christians meet with Isa 45. 3. If you would prosper in Godliness be sure to maintain the secret duties of piety The religion of most men lies in the Market place and in the view of others their hearts their closets are not privy to any secret transactions between God and their souls and in the praise of men they have their reward but the thriving trade of Christianity is the secret trade Christians be most in those duties which men least observe and chiefly excellent in the invisible part of your visible work Publick duties are most honourable but secret duties the most gainful Matth. 6. 4. And thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly Fourthly The blessing of God maketh rich Prov. 10. 22. Promotion cometh not from the East nor from the West nor prosperity from mens fingers ends but from God's hand Deut. 28. 8 10 11 12. The Lord shall command his blessing upon thee in thy store-houses and in all which thou settest thy hand unto The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods The Lord shall open to thee his good treasures the Heavens to give thee rain to thy Land in his season and to bless all the work of thy hand and then comes riches And thou shalt lend udto many Nations and thou shalt not borrow Prosperity both spiritual and temporal comes at God's sending Psal 118. 25. O Lord I beseech thee send now prosperity Psal 18. 32 33. He restoreth my Soul he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness Psal 23. 3 5. Thou anointest my head with Oil Thou blessest the springing thereof thy paths drop fatness Psal 65. 10 11. The Lord shall guide thee continually and satisfy thy soul in drought and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a watred Garden and like a spring of water whose waters fail not Isa 58. 11. I will be as the dew to Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his root as Lebanon Hos 14. 5. Secure an interest in the promises and get your souls brought under the showers of blessing if ever you think to thrive in godliness Improve thriving graces and take prosperous courses these are under a promise of blessing though every grace and duty do in their measure help on soul-prosperity yet there are some graces and duties have a more special influence on spiritual thrivings First Faith is a soul-prospering grace 2 Chr. 20. 20. Believe in the Lord your God so shall ye be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper Eph. 6. 16. Above all take the shield of Faith wherewith ye shall quench all the fiery darts of Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insuper Bez. Every grace is useful in the spiritual warfare but Faith especially other graces may with Saul slay their thousands but Faith with David slays its ten thousands Some darts may be quenched by other graces but Faith quenches fiery darts yea all the fiery darts of Satan which does wonderfully further thriving The just shall live by Faith Heb. 10. 38. Faith will maintain the soul's life in the greatest straits and exigences Faith is a receiving grace it takes in whatever is laid up in the promise and that 's thriving Gal. 3. 22. That the promise by Faith might be given to them that believe A soul-enriching grace rich in Faith Jam. 2. 5. A working grace And the work of Faith with power 2 Thes 2. 4. A powerful grace it gives the soul experience of the mighty power of God Eph. 1. 19. 20. What is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead 1 Thes 2. 13. 'T is a strengthning grace Out of weakness were made strong Heb. 11. 34. through it doth the Lord let out his abundant grace And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 1. 14. It doth exceedingly nourish the soul in grace and edify it to salvation 1 Tim. 4. 6. Nourished up in the words of Faith 1. Tim. 1 4. Which minister questions rather than edifying which is in Faith One reason why souls prosper no more in piety is their unbelief they are full of doubtings fears and questionings upon every turn still wavering as a wave of the Sea such cannot receive much at the hand of God but are still weak and going back in Religion Be much in believing the promises against hope and above fears if ever you think to prosper in Religion Secondly Love to God his Name ways and interest is a Soul-prospering Grace Let them that love him be as the Sun that goeth forth in his might Judg. 5. 31. They shall prosper that love thee Psal 122. 6. Let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee for thou Lord wilt bless the righteous with favour wilt thou compass him as with a Shield Psal 5. 11 12. Love to God must needs be a prospering Grace because it brings the Soul under the blessing of God and within the compass of his securing Shield Love is a Soul-strengthning and establishing Grace Eph. 3. 17 Being rooted and grounded in Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set in a firm ground not easily shaken from God or their integrity Love makes a growing Soul Eph. 4. 15 Speaking the truth in love may grow up in him who is the head in all things It helps on edification in Grace ver 16. maketh encrease of the body unto the edifying of it self
in love Love constrains the Soul after God makes his commands pleasant and quickens the heart to make hast in the way to Glory the more you love God the more will you prosper in Godliness Thirdly Humility is a Soul-prospering Grace and under a promised Blessing Prov. 29. 23 Honour shall uphold the humble in spirit k Sustentat Munst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall bear him up from falling and bring him unto honour saith Montanus Prov. 15. 33 By humility are riches and honour The humble Soul must needs be a thriving Soul for God giveth Grace to it Jam. 4. 6. yea dwelleth with the humble to revive the Spirit of the humble Isa 57. 15. There 's a great deal of Pride in most Christians and that hinders Soul-thriving proud of Parts and Grace proud under seeming humility proud of humility Low Valleys are fruitful when lofty Mountains are barren The rich sit in a low place Eccl. 10. 6 Such as are rich in wisdom l Divites quibus adsit sapientia saith Mercer they sit in a low place they come down and lie low in themselves m In ipsa abjectione Jun. Trem. folly is set in great dignity Poor foolish empty Creatures they are high in conceit as well as place many times but the most rich and thriving Souls these are poorest in Spirit and lowest in their own eyes the richer the Metal the heavier Gold weighs down Silver and Tin the fuller of fruits branches are the more they bow He sendeth the springs into the valleys Psal 104. 10. Psal 65. 13. They are covered over with Corn Vineyards thrive best in low places One branch of Grapes from the Valley of Eshcol was said to be a burden for two men Numb 13. 23. would you flourish in Grace take heed of Pride Pride in the Soul saith one is like the spleen in the body when that swelleth all the other parts languish 't is poison at the root of the tree which corrupts the sap 'T is so dangerous a poison that of another poison there was confected a counterpoison to preserve Paul from it would you prosper in Godliness be persons of low humble spirits Mr. Adams on 2 Pet. 2 Cor. 12. 7. Exalt him that is low and abase him that is high Ezek. 21. 26. Fourthly Another choice fruit of the Spirit which will further Soul-thriving is sincerity Prov. 14. 11 The tabernacle of the upright shall flourish They shall have good things in possession Prov. 28. 10. they shall not only be preserv'd from evil and escape the pit into which the wicked fall but shall be sure to meet with good Blessings good things shall be given to them as their inheritance as Aquila and Theodosius interpret it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shewest mercy to thy Servants that walk before thee with all their heart 2 Chron. 6. 14. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his Soul to vanity nor sworn deceitfully he shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his Salvation Psal 24. 4 5. Upright Souls must needs prosper they dwell in the presence of God Psal 140. 13. He will withhold no good thing from them Psal 84. 11. His countenance beholds them Psal 11. 7. God engages his alsufficiency for their good Gen. 17. 1. They shall hold on their way and wax stronger and stronger Job 17. 9. and shall surely prosper 2 Chron. 31. 21 In every work that he began in the service of the house of God and in the Law and in the Commandments to seek his God he did it with all his heart and prospered 't is not thy many Duties before God but the Oneness of thy heart with God nor the bulk of thy Services but the sincerity of thy Soul which will make thee profperous in thy heavenly interests Again Take thriving courses prosperous ways as well as prospering Graces these are under a promised Blessing also Not to multiply particulars There are four thriving ways in which Christians may attain to a prosperous Trade in Christianity The way of 1. Self-Examination 2. Prayer 3. Enjoyment of God 4. Obedience First Be often examining and calling your selves to an account how matters stand with your Souls Traders that would be thriving will be often viewing their Books and trying their Accompts and have some set days when they survey their Goods cast up their Books and try whether they gain or lose and so must Christians that would profit in Religion they must be often judging themselves that they be not judged 1 Cor. 11. 31. they must cast up their accompts and try their state whether they go forward or backward Hag. 1. 5. Consider your ways try how the case stands with you whether you get or lose and what 's the cause of all those blastings that are upon you Psal 4. 4 Commune with your hearts upon your beds and be still 2 Cor. 13. 5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates The neglect of this examination is one cause of that great mistake of persons about their Soul-state some thinking themselves better Rev. 3. 17. others judging themselves worse than they are which begets security in some discouragement in others error and floth in all A right estimate of thy spiritual capacity either poverty or riches gain or loss is absolutely needful to regulate thy duty unto a right affecting of thy heart and advance of thy spiritual interests Look over the Day-book of thy heart and life every night posting all thy accompts on the large book of thy Conscience and take some special time for a more full survey of thy Soul and state for Eternity this will be of good use to further Soul-thriving Secondly If you would prosper in your Souls be much and mighty with God in Prayer 'T is said of Vzziah that he sought God in the days of Zechariah who had understanding in the visions of God and as long as he sought the Lord God made him to prosper 2 Chron. 26. 5. Right Prayer is a wonderful way to Soulenrichings He saith one can never be poor that can pray well One reason why this King prospered as long as he sought the Lord was by this means he came to the visions of God and that help'd him to take a right way to prospetity By Prayer you advise with God what course to take towards mercy 't is your Ephod by which you ask counsel of God where to go to shun danger and what to do to carry on Duty and obtain Mercy 2 Sam. 23. 6. 9. Chap. 30. 7. and by Prayer you procure and get out the Graces and Supplies you need 1 Chron 4. 10 And Jabesh called on the God of Israel saying O that thou wouldst bless me indeed and enlarge my coasts and that thine hand might be with me and that thou wouldst keep
me from evil that it may not grieve me and God granted him that he requested Prayer brings down the Spirit sometimes insensible and almost intolerable measures thereof When that precious Servant of the Lord Mr. Bruce in Scotland of whom King James said he was worthy of the half of his Kingdom had sadly represented the Churches case then under eminent danger there was such a sensible down-pouring of the Spirit that they could hardly contain themselves yea an unusual motion on those who were in other parts of the house not knowing the cause of it at that time O what great things did Abraham Jacob Moses Jehoshaphat Samuel Elijah and other Servants of God get out of the hand of God! Luther was a mighty man in Prayer 't is said of him he could get of God what he would n Ille vir potuit quod voluit nothing is too hard for Faith and Prayer because it seeks nothing but what God is willing to spare and hath promised to give Labour to get a mighty Spirit of Prayer the gift of Prayer will not do it must be the Spirit of Prayer which is a pure and heart-cleansing Spirit and cannot dwell with the least regarded Sin Gifts of Prayer with natural affections may be mighty on the Spirits of men but are no way prevailing with God for the Blessing 'T is said of Naaman He was a mighty man in valour but he was a leper 2 Kings 5. 1. So there are some that seem mighty men in Prayer and can wonderfully raife the affections of others pray like Angels but all the while are Lepers under the ruling power of some secret lust pride passion covetousnness uncleanness and the like which they hide vnder their tongue but such are far from this mighty power of prayer which brings down the Spirit on their own hearts or others Ah Christians if you would prosper in grace get and improve the Spirit of Grace and Supplication Thirdly Another thriving way is to engage God with you in all your undertakings 'T was this made Joseph so prosperous in all he did God was with him Gen. 39. 23. Because the Lord was with him and that which he did he made it to prosper 2 Sam. 5. 10. And David went on and grew great and the Lord God of Hosts was with him 'T was not his wisdom valour nor any means he used but the gracious presence of God with him that made him to grow so great This made Solomon to prosper 2 Chron. 22. 11. Now my Son the Lord be with thee and prosper thee When persons lose the gracious presence of God they soon find an alteration and begin to wither and decay in their soul-comforts and prosperity Thou did'st hide thy face and I was troubled Psal 30. 6. Troubled like a withered flower that loseth sap and vigour Mr. Leigh Jonah soon found a change in his soul it ceased to be with him as before when once he fled from the presence of God He never had a good day after he lost the presence of God but storms tempests shipwrack of peace safety and prosperity and a casting into the deeps of distress and ruining dangers Jonah 1. 3 10. Ah Christians as you love your souls and your spiritual welfare take heed of losing God's gracious presence whose company soever you lose keep the Lord's presence with you abide with him and he will abide with you 2 Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while you be with him and if you seek him he will be found of you Put away the unclean thing and he will dwell in you and walk in you 2 Cor. 6. 16. Love him and keep his commandments and he will take up his abode with you Joh. 14. 23. Content not your selves with any priviledg except you have God with you If thy presence go not with us carry us not up hence Exod. 33. 15. I protest saith Mr. Bruce when wrestling for the presence of God with him in his going to preach I will not go except thou go with me Fourthly Follow the counsel of God if you would thrive in the work and way of God Josh 1. 8. This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success Jer. 38. 20. Obey I beseech thee the voice of the Lord which I speak unto thee so it shall be well unto thee and thy soul shall live One cause why men prosper no more in Religion is that little conscience they make of doing the will of God men hear but forget the word others know their Lord's will but prepare not themselves to do it We live in an age of notions not of motion after God like men that see Countries in a Map but care not to travel into them bare knowledg pleaseth most Mens zeal after truth is like Absalom's love to his Father David only to see him not to serve him 2 Sam. 14. 32. Let me see the King's face which he no sooner did but conspired against him So most care for no more than to behold truth not to dwell with it and hence 't is that prosperity is such a stranger to them 'T was not directions could heal Naaman of his leprosy but obedience he was never the better till he followed the Prophet's counsel and washed in Jordan that which made the ground rain'd upon to be nigh to cursing was not bringing forth fruit meet for them by whom 't was dressed Heb. 6. 8. Do not only seek after but walk after the truth if you think to prosper in Religion Jam. 1. 25. The doers of the word shall be blessed in their deed Object 'T is the desire of my soul to live in the exercise of every grace and discharge of every duty and some weak endeavours I have had though too too short with many cries for this soul-prosperity but cannot yet attain unto it Methinks I am like a wither'd arm a dry tree and barren womb nothing doth me good no food seed or showers make me thriving and fruitful I fear I shall be at last cut down and bundled for the fire Sol. First Thou mayest thrive in Religion and not know it for a season thy profiting may be though not appear The Tradesman may bring home gain in his purse though untold men know not their gettings till they cast up their accounts thy prosperity may be as a casked Jewel and friend under disguise If you would estimate your advantage survey your selves compare your present with your former state what were you what are you speak out soul was there not a time when thou wert blind thou could'st see no evil in sin nor excellency in grace but now thy eye is opened and things appear otherwise to thy soul than they did Now there is nothing so vile as thy wicked
for Heaven the greater regard you have from God the more of his presence is with you his delight in you and blessing upon you the Spouses growth and fruitfulness was much taking upon the heart of Christ How fair and how pleasant art thou O Love for delights Cant. 7. 6 7. This thy stature is like to a Palm-tree and thy breasts to clusters of grapes The Palm-tree is an emblem of growth and fruitfulness the more it is opprest the more it grows and no tree more fruitful 't is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alway having leaves Naturalists say 't is never without leaves and fruit when some fruit is ripe as Pliny tells us other fruit is growing It hath leaves in the highest branches wherever the sweet sap comes saith Alsted 'T is a tree that 's exceeding profitable some reckon three hundred and sixty advantages that this Palm-tree yields o In fructuum jam maturorum locum alii fructus eodem in loco eadem parte statim succedunt Plin. and hence the Egyptians make it a symbole of the solar year which consists of three hundred sixty five daies and its fruit is wonderfully restorative and nourishing repairing the decayed strength and radical moisture of man's body Alsted Theol. Nat. and therefore a fit metaphor to express the Church's fruitfulness in which the Lord Jesus takes such great delight he gets up early to the Vineyard to see if the Vine flourish whether the tender grape appear and the Pomegranate bud forth Cant. 7. 12. So delightful is the view of a flourishing people unto Christ The more you thrive in grace the more will you have of Christ's company and that 's honourable Eighthly The greater Trade you drive for Heaven the more useful you are while on Earth the larger capacities you have to do good to others and to serve your generation which is a blessed thing 'T is more blessed to give than to receive Acts 20. 35. 1 Tim. 6. 17 18. Charge them that are rich in this world that they do good that they be rich in good works that they be ready to distribute willing to communicate The richer you are in grace the more able you are to do good and not only able but the more willing also The reason Christians have no more heart to do good and to communicate is their soul-poverty they are not rich in grace they have but little spiritual Treasure little grace to communicate their hands are shut because their hearts are empty but the more divine treasure you have the more ready will you be to do good and to lay out both your outward and inward riches O how useful may rich men be in the places where they live if God give them hearts to do it and how helpful may such be in this day of soul-wants who are encreased with spiritual goods there are many impoverished souls this day who are ready to perish for want of light peace and comfort perplexed with doubts darkness and distressing fears and have none to help them O how refreshing in such a day of soul-exigences would it be to have some rich neighbours among them some prosperous Jobs Who with-hold not the poor from their desire nor cause the eyes of the Widow to fail Job 31. 16 17 19. Who would draw forth their soul to the hungry and satisfy the afflicted soul Isa 58. 10. Who could not eat their morsel alone or see the poor to perish for want of clothing To be eyes to the blind and feet to the lame Job 29. 15. To speak a word in season to him that is weary and to comfort others with the same comforts they have received of God Christians make haste to be rich in grace that ye may be rich in good works that ye may cast in much into the Lord's treasury Mark 12. 41. and out of your abundance cast into the offerings of God Luke 21. 4. Then should the blessing of the poor that was ready to perish come upon you Job 29. 13. and the fruit of well-doing be your savoury meat on which the Lord would daily feed you Ninthly The greater Trade you drive for Heaven now the greater will your estate in Heaven be hereafter 2 Tim. 4. 8. Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge will give me at that day and not to me only but to all that love his appearing To me who have run my race finish'd my course and kept the faith To me who have wrought hard in the Vineyard and traded diligently for Heaven in the World For me yea for all such as enlarge their heavenly Trade is laid up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Parents do Portions for their children saith Zanchy a Crown of righteousness glory sutable to their improvements of grace called a Crown to note its excellency and of righteousness to note its equity It shall bear a proportion to all that grace labours and faithfulness that is in Saints and infinitely beyond it A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. God will not leave out the least item of the Saints right in the great day of righteousness A cup of cold water a little meal to the Prophet Elisha a mite in the treasury a desire to build God's house all shall be remembred in that day Mercy gives the Crown but Justice fits it for the overcomer's head God crowns saith Beda p Dona sua coronat non merita tua Donavit haec tempore misericordiae coronabit illa tempore judicii Beda in loc his own gifts not thy merits He first gives grace in the time of mercy and then crowns it in the day of Judgment And is not this argument enough yea constraint on an ingenious heart to labour after the greatest latitude of holiness Is not Heaven enough to requite all thy duties and hardships on earth What 's enough saith one if Rome be counted little q Quid fatis est si Roma parum So what can be counted great if Heaven be small and not price enough for all thy holy strivings and utmost progress in the way of life O attend your proficiency in this heavenly Trade your hearts and hands can never be too deep in the concerns of this upper World in this you can never be too covetous 1 Cor. 12. 31. Covet earnestly the best gifts r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 modis omnibus studio precibus consequi annitimini Take heed of putting stands and limits to your holiness the course of all unsanctified souls In this only is it lawful to remove the ancient bounds and enlarge your spiritual inheritance as far as possible Reaching forth to the things that are before and pressing forward to the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 3. 13 14. Nothing undoes Professors like to stinting their measures of holiness and contenting themselves with present attainments if they can get to
to see their own vileness were it not for temptation they could not see the greatness of their corruption David Solomon Hezekiah Peter did not think their hearts were so abominable till left to temptation which stirs the mud and brings up the bottom to the top and this helps to abase them and make them more vile in their own eyes By this also they see their own weakness and their need of Christ and are more effectually brought out of themselves to the Lord Jesus for succour and victory And by temptations from Satan they come to be acquainted with his devices 2 Cor. 2. 11. and more skill'd in his wiles and stratagems no small advantage to one that is in a state of warfare with him This way also doth the Lord winnow his Saints and by these high winds fan and cleanse them Luke 22. 31. Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat and brings them to more conformity to their head and to greater establishment in grace which are glorious advantages to Believers promised in the New Covenant and this way accomplish'd which makes temptations necessary to Wisdom's Merchants and renders it their great concern to lay in provision against them Secondly As temptations are certain and will come so they are shaking when they come they are part of that rain flood and wind which did beat vehemently on the sandy building that it fell Mat. 7. 27. Luke 6. 49. Temptations are part of the Devil's Artillery his fiery darts and cruel buffettings which none can bear without the whole Armour of God upon him and then too all they can do is but to stand Ephes 6. v. 13 16. They are so potent and prevailing as that none but such as are in Christ can stand their ground under them And in time of temptation fall away Luke 8. 13. Receive the Word with joy seem to love God and delight in his waies for a season till temptations come to the purpose and then fall away There are some temptations are more easie to be born but when Satan sets on a soul with all his might there 's no standing without divine succour and the Lord 's opening a way to escape Temptation is reckoned amongst the sorest afflictions that the Saints do undergo 1 Cor. 10. 13. Heb. 2. 18. Heb 11. 37. They were stoned they were sawn asunder they were tempted they were slain with the sword No suffering like temptations for they draw the soul to sin which is more cruel than death to a soul that loves Christ O Christians what need have you then to be laying in for an hour of temptation seeing it will surely come and seeing it will be so terrible when it comes Get your selves well furnish'd with wisdom that you may know Satan's devices that you may be able to distinguish between temptation and corruption and able to answer the Objections and subtle reasonings of Satan you must have experience also to encourage your hope and strengthen your patience that instances of former relief in the like cases may lift up your head and strengthen your expectations in new Tryals also You must lay in store of faith to guard your hearts and shield your heads from the fiery darts of Satan you must get your integrity cleared and the uprightness of your heart and way evidenced that 's of great use also to bear up your Spirit under all his charges against you Make much of every breathing of his Spirit in you and take care you quench not any of his motions God saith one doth often leave us to own Satan's suggestions for our own because we do not own God in his holy motions and breathings And have good evidences of your interest in Christ and assurance of his love to you and assured help in the time of need taking special care to have corruptions weakened and a growing mortification in your souls that so when Satan comes he may find nothing in you to fasten his temptations on This calls for your provident care to store your souls against times of Tryal Secondly Times of desertion are spending-times which will need a full stock when the Lord doth hide his face and withdraw the sense of his love and influence of his quickening presence This the Lord may do and hath done he hath left the dearly beloved of his soul gone from his habitation compass himself about with a cloud left his children in darkness as those that have been long dead 'T is just with God saith Mr. Cooper to deny us the comfort of our graces when we deny him the glory of them Isa 45. 15. Verily thou art a God that hidest thy self O God of Israel the Saviour Job 23. 8 9. Behold I go forward but he is not there and backward but cannot perceive him on the left hand where he doth work but I cannot behold him he hideth himself on the right hand that I cannot see him Isa 49. 14. But Zion said The Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me This was one of the greatest sufferings on Christ his apprehensions of his Father's forsaking him O God my God why hast thou forsaken me Mat. 27. 46. Here was a total and final desertion that our Lord Jesus came under as to his sense and the effects of it he saw nothing of the comforts of the Divine presence to the last breath of life but died in this darkness Verse 50. Jesus when he had cryed again with a loud voice that is as he had done verse 46. he gave up the Ghost and had no comfort to the last minute of life And if God hath done so to the green tree how much more may he to the dry if he forsake his natural and onely beloved Son he may surely hide himself from his Adopted Sons even to their dying hour And this is a condition full of consternation and terrour The poena damni the loss of God and all good is thought to be a far greater punishment to the damned than all the punishment of sense and torment O the dreadful apprehensions that good souls have had about God's forsaking them 'T is a Hell on Earth and the beginning of the second death to be under a real sense of God's removal from the soul O the amazing dread and consuming rerrour that Job Asaph Heman and others were fill'd with by such apprehensions of God's withdrawment from them and his wrath lying hard upon them Soul though now it be a time of light with thee the Candle of the Lord shines upon thee thou walkest in the light of his countenance lyest in his bosom and art dandled on his knee yet may the days of darkness be many and thy soul lie in the shadow of death and under real apprehensions of the Lord's departure from thee and displeasure against thee and then thou wilt find need of all the cordials light and hope imaginable O lay in sure and unquestionable satisfaction about this great case that God is
really and inseparably yours and under all your clouds fears and guilt think well of God 'T is hard saith one to think ill of our selves and well of God at the same time Store your selves with promises and experiences with faith hope patience and every grace that may bear you up in such a Tryal and cordial your fainting heart under such dangerous deliquiums If God should damne me saith one I have two arms the one of faith and the other of love with which I would embrace him and carry him with me and his presence would make Hell it self a Heaven to me Thirdly Times of sore affliction and distressing calamities are spending-times and will try your store of grace and strength to bear it and to get through it and such you may live to see The Cross is the usual way to the Crown and affliction the lot of them that will live godly in Christ Jesus And we must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14. 22. The fining-pot is for silver and the furnace for gold Prov. 17. 3. And the fan for the wheat the condition of Believers in this world cannot long bear prosperity without loss to their spiritual part Christians under settled comforts in this world are like standing pools which soon gather mud and as 't is said of Moab so 't is with the people of God 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 remained in him and his scent is not changed The sweetest nights that ever Jacob spent were in the field so with Peter in prison and David had those large affections to rise at midnight and God's Word was sweet to him when his trouble was bitter saith Dr. Harris But by afflictions the Lord refines his people from their dross Though the wisdom of the world saith Mr. Bradford think of the cross according to sense and therefore flieth from it as from a most great ignominy and shame yet God's scholars have learned to think otherwise of the Cross as the framehouse wherein God frameth his children like to his Son Christ the furnace that fineth God's gold the high way to Heaven the suit and livery of God's servants the earnest and beginning of all consolation and glory Acts Mon. 3. Vol. page 322. If you will be Christ's Disciple you must expect tribulation If need be you are in heaviness for a season God's fire is in Sion and his furnace in Jerusalem Prepare for afflictions by which God prepares his people for himself He is not fit for the reward in glory saith Bernard r Non est idoneus ad praemium qui nondum paratus est ad patibulum who is not ready to ascend the Gibbet as the way to it We are fallen on the last times which are times of abounding iniquity Mat. 24. 12. sinning and therefore like to be suffering-times called perilous times cruel times 2 Tim. 3. 1. Beza renders it troublesome times Tremelius hard times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it comes from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bring damage or to overturn they will be overturning times times of desolation as Christ prophesies of them Mat. 24. 15. daies of vengeance Luke 21. 22. These be the daies of vengeance that all things which are written may be fulfilled Great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time no nor ever shall be Mat. 24. 21. called the great and terrible day of the Lord when the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood Joel 2. 31. The Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon into blood before the great and terrible day of the Lord come Cocceius thinks this time to fall under the sixth seal Rev. 6. 12. under which 't is said These are they which come out of great tribulation I rather think that the sixth seal reckons with the enemies of God's people and brings redemption to the Saints under great tribulation That which we may clearly gather hence is that those last times will be times of sore calamities both personal and publick to Nations and to the Church of God and what a portion of those amazing troubles may fall upon the people of this age we know not this is certain God seems to give his call from Heaven as well as out of his Sanctuary to prepare to meet with him Amos 4. 12. to gird up the loins of our mind Rev. 16. 15. to keep our garments on to watch lest he come as a thief Luke 12. 35 36. to have our vessels stor'd with Oil and our lamps burning and to reckon on midnight sitting up and be as men that look for the coming of their Lord Matth. 25. 6. To watch and pray always that we may be counted worthy to escape the things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man Luke 21. 36. Fourthly The time of Death is a spending time and calls for great provisions for that long journey and great change the Soul is then passing into Death is the King of Terrors O how amazing is the sight of it to a natural eye and an awakened conscience the work that death comes to do is frightful work to flesh and blood to pluck a soul out of its ancient dwellings to take it from all its acquaintance friends relations and earthly All from the comforts of the whole World never to see or enjoy them more as they have done nay to pull down this earthly tabernacle not to leave a stone upon a stone but quite to demolish it to the ground is a great change to lay a writ on the soul's back and in a moment to bring it to judgment from all its acquaintance friends and dearest relations to the vision of an infinite holy God there to receive its eternal doom and to enter into a new estate out of which he shall never depart either of blessedness or misery To take the soul off from all the means of salvation and possibility of change out of that estate into which by death he enters that if the soul should die in his sins there 's no future repentance or any thing can be done to mend his ill condition this will be terrible to a guilty conscience sensible of many sins unrepented of many duties neglected much time lost great hypocrisies uncur'd many fears unremoved and doubts unanswered Now for such a soul in a moment to come to judgment and to have no time allowed him to set things in order for so great a compearance and to state his account for that final Audit is an amazing providence The time of death is also a time of the greatest light when the soul's eye shall be opened to see things as they are no more in a glass but face to face then the soul that hath been dark all its days
O King according to thy saying I am thine and all that I have If you are not your own much less any thing you have is absolutely yours God gives his people But a conditional interest in all things beneath himself so far as it sutes his pleasure use and glory To keep back any part of your capacities and interests from God when by his Word and Providence he calls for it for his service name and people is hypocrisie lying fraud and rebellion and contrary to the Lord 's undoubted interest both by creation redemption and your own grant Hos 2. 8. 2 Cor. 7. 20. Besides you receive not your mercies as Owners but as Stewards to keep and use them for him and according to his instruction 1 Pet. 4. 10. As every one hath received the gift whether of grace or gifts of grace inward or outward gifts spiritual or temporal 't is all one if he have received it so let him administer the same as good Stewards of the manifold grace of life Your interests are God's gifts your abundance his Bounty and trust to be bestowed to his use and pleasure for which you must give an account Secondly 'T is pleasing work to lay out for God Paul counted not his life dear to lay out for Christ Acts 20. 24. Peter and John rejoyced that they were counted worthy to part with their name and to undergo reproach for Christ Acts. 5. 41. Nazianzen was glad that he had something of value to wit his Athenian learning to part with for Christ The Mother of William Hunter the Martyr rejoyced that ever she was so happy as to bear such a child as could find in his heart to lose his life for Christ's Name sake Acts and Mon. p. 13. 96. Nothing seems burdensom to do or part with for Christ to a soul that loves him How willingly did Jonathan strip himself of the Robe that was upon him and gave it to David and his garments even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle because he loved him much more pleasing will it be to a soul loving Christ to part with his All for Christ 1 Sam. 18. 4. Thirdly 'T is honourable work also to lay out for God He that gives to the poor lendeth to the Lord Prov. 19. 17. And is not this honourable to make God a debtor and to get him who is over all blessed for ever to become bound to his creature O what honour is this that the Giver of All should seem to be beholding to his creatures who have their All from him Have you any thing you can part with for Christ think what honour 't is that God entrusts you with the bestowing of such gifts for him the Lord might have made you beggars not givers who hath made you to differ why is grace gifts strength estate time put into thy hand and not into others it shews a good opinion God hath of thy faithfulness and so bespeaks honour O let not God have cause to revoke this estimation Fourthly 'T is profitable work The more you lay out for God the more you get for your selves there 's no such way to gather as to scatter for God your improvements of mercy to God's end are but as sowing of seed which will come in again with greater encrease 2 Cor. 9. 6. He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly and he that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully Laying out for God is Trading secur'd not liable to hazards as earthly undertakings are but under a promise of sure and great returns as hath been proved and that is profit Laying out for God is lending to God upon interest Mat. 19. 29. where both principal and interest are sure Prov. 19. 17. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth to the Lord and that which he hath given will he pay him again The Lord takes it as done to himself and will repay with large use x Tibi a Domino etiam cum amplissimo faenore reddendum Mercer he lends to the Lord upon bond for use as the Hebrew imports 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he will surely repay it God is bound for it and therefore the debt is sure T is a great mistake in men and that which starves their expensiveness for God to think the more they give the less they have whereas laying out for God brings in principal and use it sanctifies what is left and brings it under a promise of encrease As the pouring out of the Widows Oil fill'd her vessels the more she poured out the more she had 2 Kings 4. 5 6. And as the Widow of Zarephath by giving first to the Prophet secur'd her own provision in a time of famine 1 Kings 17. 13 14. For thus saith the Lord God of Israel the barrel of meal shall not waste neither shall the cruse of Oil fail until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the earth Mal. 3. 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house that there may be meat in my house and prove me now herewith saith the Lord of Hosts if I will not open you the windows of Heaven and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it 'T is mens niggardliness to God and close-handedness to the poor and pious uses is one reason doubtless of the wasts and blastings on their outward interests this day Prov. 11. 28. The liberal soul shall be made fat and he that watereth shall be watered also himself Cartwright and Baine think this is meant of spiritual gifts as the former verse is of external good things But as Mercer well observes the sentence is general and takes in any supplies that are given to such as are needy y Qâ—i rigat i. e. qui de suo erogat in egenos Such shall be made fat he shall be so far from being impoverished thereby as it shall encrease his substance He shall be watered as with showres in Autumn The latter rain which is fruitfulizing The streams of charity are not like running water that passeth away but as fruitful showres that come again with encrease Prov. 3. 9 10. Honour the Lord with thy substance so shall thy barns be filled with plenty Multitude of promises might be heaped up which give in a joynt-testimony to this truth as Mat. 25. 29. Eccles 11. 1. Prov. 28. 27. Prov. 22. 9. Isa 58. 7 8 10 11. with many others and are abundant security for the blessing to such as lay out for God Besides this is a proof of your love to God 2 Cor. 8. 24. Wherefore shew ye to them and before the Churches the proof of your love 1 Joh. 3. v. 17. Whoso hath this worlds goods and seeth his Brother hath need and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the love of God in him 1 John 4. 20. For he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen By true charity
to your poor Brethren you evidence your love to God that secures all your true and needed mercies Fifthly This also is pleasing to God Phil. 4. v. 18. Having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God Heb. 13. 16. Isa 56. 4. and that is surely prosperous Then Christians if God hath first given unto you if you love him if you would please him if you would prosper in soul body and estate lay out for God If you have freely received freely give whatever God hath entrusted you with expend it for him First Lay out your time for God Among the many wasts of mercies souls are guilty of this is not the least waste of precious time Though there is no creature-blessing of greater worth than time in which a foundation is laid of all those mercies that are eternal Time is a talent a treasure not onely a mercy but that without which there can be no mercy Consider for your improvement of Time First Your Time is not yours but God's made by him and for him Psal 76. 17. The day is thin and the night is thine thou hast prepared the Light and the Sun Time is that space between two Eternities limited by divine pleasure to divine use Job 14. 5. Seeing his daies are determined the number of his months are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass And if Time be the Lord's then 't is fit it should be used for God Give unto God the things that are God's When thou sinnest or trifiest away this Time think on this now I rob God and spend another's goods You that hate robbery of men be not thieves to God and your own souls Time is God's not thine own Secondly Think how much you have lost of past Time and this should make you choice of present Time Psal 90. 9. We spend our years as a tale that is told which vanisheth into the Air and is soon gone Much of our time z Multum Temporis eripitur nobis plus subducitur plurimum effluit exigua pars est vitae quam nos vivimus Seneca saith one is pluck'd away from us more is stoln away but most of all doth slide away O how little a piece of life is that we live How much of thy time hath been consumed in the grave How much in the market-place much slept away in the Vineyard When nature self the world and sin have had their shares of every day how little a portion hath been left for God Hence 't is the Apostle advises Saints to redeem their Time to get Time for God and their souls though with some loss to other interests because it hath been taken captive by self sin and the world and held prisoner so long This waste of former Time makes it absolutely needful for them that will reach their journey's end before their day be gone to redeem Time from their callings recreations refreshments idleness and rest for the recovery of neglected work or they will find it wanting when they come to die Give me my time again said a woman on her death-bed being under fears about her eternal state nothing could relieve her troubled soul who had lost salvation-time Thirdly Consider how short and uncertain your remaining Time is or may be The whole Time of thy life is but a span a hand-breadth a post a weaver's shuttle a vapour a tale that is told as a flower of the field things of no duration Job 9. 21. Psal 39. 5. James 4. 14. Time saith one is a short parenthesis in a long period so short that before we can name it our present Time is become past Time Our whole life saith another consists but of two daies the day of our birth and the day of our death for no sooner born but we begin to die Time is on the wing hastening to Eternity every moment Time travels when you sleep and runs when you creep Time goes on when you stop and gets ground when you go back As the stream hastens to the Ocean day and night so doth Time to Eternity O use your Time for God while you have it it will shortly be none of yours if you do not use it you will lose it you were as good let God have your Time as to let it run away to no purpose if duty do not improve it rust will consume it the Devil World and Flesh will engross it and 't is better give it to God than let the Moth and Caterpillar devour it Besides Fourthly Can you put it to better profit than to lay it out for God he is the best chapman for your Time nothing will give you so much interest for Time as God will put all the gain of other Time into the scale with the incomes of God's Time and you will soon see the difference Time laid out for God will be the best security for your own Time Give God his Time and he will give you your Time all that Time that is needful for a blessed Eternity There 's no such way to enjoy Time as to use it for God Prov. 3. 16. Length of daies is in her right hand Time expended for God will not only secure but sanctifie your Time also as the first-fruits did the lump Rom. 11. 16. Besides Time devoted to God brings in eternal interest Though Time be but a thing temporal yet improved it will bring to things eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. nay it will bring you mercy in the time of need Give God your working-time and he will feed you when in your unserviceable time When I was a young man said Mr. Bruce I was diligent and liv'd by faith in the Son of God but now I am old and am not able to do so much yet he condescends to feed me with lumps of sense Fulfill of Scripture Fifthly you must give an account for your time to God he takes notice of mens time how 't is spent and accordingly will judg them Luke 13. 7. These three years I come seeking fruit on this Figtree and can find none cut it down why cumbreth it the ground Psal 95. 10. Forty years long was I grieved with this people Luke 19. 44. Because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation God looks for fruit from his people according to their months Ezek. 47. 12. O how much is it your concernment to order your disbursements of time to a consistency with your comfortable account in the day of Christ then you will wish God had more of your time when you come to reckoning for it what a blank will there be in our account of time if it be not better bestowed than hitherto That time will yield you most comfort when you come to eternity which was spent for God here Sixthly How can you bethink a little time for God who hath not thought an eternity of mercy too much for you Christians 't is salvavation with
Preston said when he was near death I shall but change my place not my company O try your hopes for Heaven by your conversation if that be engaged about the things of Heaven now if your work be in Heaven your rest shall be in Heaven also Sixthly If your hopes for Heaven be right you will willingly undergo whatsoever sufferings and dangers lye in your way to Heaven He that is sure of reaching home at last will venture through any dangers in his way O what hazards will men run through to get an earthly Crown no difficulties will discourage them how much more will hopes for Heaven carry souls through the Red Sea of afflictions and bloody sufferings they may meet with before they come to it Acts 20. 24. chap. 21. 13. He that cannot consent to drink of the cup Christ drinks of and which the Father shall give him to drink and to submit to the cruellest death losses shame tryals and torments which his faithfulness to God may bring him to must reckon again and take up other conclusions about his future state easier terms cannot be granted Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my disciple Luke 14. 33. He that will come after me must deny himself take up his Cross and follow me Matth. 16. 24. We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God Acts 14. 22. If we suffer with him we shall reign with him 2 Tim. 2. 12. Secondly Lay up desires for glory not only some desires of glory but such desires as nothing else can satisfie but glory which nothing short of a whole God can content Most souls in this life limit their desires and take up their wishes too short of true blessedness My soul thirsteth for God saith God but it was only for some sights of his power and glory as he had seen him in his Sanctuary Psal 63. 1 3. Some looks through the lattice some embraces of Christ in the arms of faith pleased the Spouse and doth satisfie most souls here Alas how few are the desires of gracious souls which a little of God will not content One desires grace another peace some are for quickenings and comforts others for enlightenings for higher measures of knowledge for some sights of God through a glass but how few breathings are there to see as we are seen to know as we are known 1 Cor. 13. 12. And indeed 't is strange that Heaven-born souls that heirs of glory and fellow-citizens of Heaven should have no more longings after their own home and not onely for some first-fruits but the full ripe fruits of their own Countrey David had sometimes workings after this not only for God to come to him but for himself to go to God when his heart takes a leap from the path of life into the presence of God where is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore Psal 16. 11. Thou wilt shew me the path of life in thy presence is fulness of joy at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore From the beholding of his face in righteousness here he longs for the satisfying visions of God in glory Psal 17. 15. As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Paul also under the highest enjoyments of God here had his unsatisfied longings to be with him as best of all Phil. 1. 23. and in respect of which he counts his greatest intimacy with Christ in the body to be a kind of absence 2 Cor. 5. 6. Knowing that whiles we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. Do not terminate your desires upon any thing that can satisfie you on this side glory Get such desires raised which cannot be answered till you come to Heaven with such kind of breathings as these O when shall I come to that blessed state to know as I am known to have every corner of my heart filled with the immediate emanations of his glorious fulness O when will that time or rather eternity come when I shall be satisfied with looking on that blessed face which is every day the Angels wonder and the Saints joy Here alas I lie among the pots all sooty and defiled whiles the vessels of my Father's house and the bowls before the Altar out of which my Lord alway drinketh are bright and glorious Now I have my habitation where Dragons lie while a glorious Pavilion stands empty for me Here I feed on my own dung and oft-times eat the excrements of Devils and all the while there 's bread enough in my Father's house and my Brethren fare deliciously at the King's Table O when shall my work be done that I may be gone When shall the things for cleansing be given me and the daies of my purification be accomplished that my turn may come to go in to the Lord my King When shall the Nuptial garments the Bridal ornaments the Robe the Ring the Royal Vestments bespangled with costly Jewels be given me with this most welcome message Arise my Love my Dove my Fair One and come away Lay up such kind of breathings after the Mountains of Spices the Everlasting Hills the Rivers of Pleasures the Bride-chamber of Glory where you shall be ever with the Lord. k Glory Glory dwelleth in Immanuel's Land Rutherford's last words This will hasten your pace to Heaven and mount you on the wings of a Dove This will help you to pass by the world's glory with a holy scorn and to bear its cruelty with incredible patience Thirdly Lay up all the Treasures you can to greaten glory Though the lest portion of glory is satisfying yet the highest measures of glory are desirable because in it there is the greatest conformity to God 1 John 3. 2. Luke 10. 17 19 20. Dan. 12. 3. and the fullest enjoyment of God The Lord Jesus doth propose degrees of glory for the encouragement of his people to greater improvements of grace and therefore the highest degrees of glory are desirable O get as much as you can here to greaten your felicity in Heaven Do all you may to make your Crown more massy and your mansion more fair and your pleasures more full to all Eternity Several things have a tendency to greaten your glory The more grace you improve now the greater will be your glory he that gained ten pounds had ten Cities Grace is seed sown according to its measure will be the harvest What a man sows that shall he reap Gal. 6. 7. The less seed is sown the less crop will there be and the more seed the larger encrease 1 Cor. 3. 9. Glory is a Crown of Righteousness proportioned to the utmost improvements of Grace The more work you do for God the greater will be your wages of grace in glory 1 Pet. 5. 2 4. 2 Cor. 5. 10. That every one should receive according to what is done in the body The more you lay out for
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
sight having a warrant for every action you perform both civil and religious this will be your comfort now and your peace in the day of your accounts Thirdly Drive on his interest not your own Rom. 14. 7. For none of us liveth to himself God can more justly say what Laban did to Jacob concerning his children and goods These daughters are my daughters and these children are my children and these cattel are my cattel and all that thou seest is mine Gen. 31. 43. The cattel on a thousand hills are his Psal 50. 10. with the corn wine wooll and flax Hos 2. 9. Both the improvement as well as principal are his Mat. 25. 27. He hath right to the exercise and fruit of your graces and duties with all that you enjoy and do Put Christ's mark on all your goods whatever you gain by his talents put on his account and let your disbursments be expended to his use Seek not your own things your credit peace comfort interest but in subordination to him If the Lord by his Word calls for any of your enjoyments you must let them go If by his Providence he takes off any comfort murmure not say 't is the Lord Let him do what he will with his own Mat. 20. verse 15. Advice 5. Fifthly Follow your Trade better than you have done remember how former carelesness formality sloth hypocrisie have undone you and amend The slothful soul is as the door on his hinges Prov. 26. 14. that never makes any progress in Religion or comes to any excellency in grace No Christian saith Mr. Sedgwick is so able in the habits of grace as he who is conscienciously frequent in the practice or exercise of grace Christ's Counsel to his languishing Church Would you recover your state and come to any eminency in godliness then make Religion your business That sleightiness of spirit in the way of God which lost you at first will never restore you The recovery of a faint soul saith the same Author will never be effected by faint workings You did fall into your decayed state by remissive actings and think you that which was not able to keep up your graces from sinking can now quicken and raise them being sunk Christ's Counsel to his languishing Church p. 148. If negligence did cast you back diligence must help to recover you Take more pains with your hearts follow your work of godliness every day and in every place Be early and late in your shops of duty and in the warehouse of your hearts Beware of spiritual sloth and soul-losses take heed of unfaithfulness with God conscience or others keep touch with your Creditour be tender of your vows to God and men keep from prodigality live not above your condition waste not precious time parts and grace in vain walk strictly in the whole course of your life keeping your selves from iniquity and in the Love of God Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Jude v. 21. Tit. 2. 13. 5th Branch of Exhortation to good Traders in Religion Lastly You whoever you are that drive on this Heavenly Merchandise and have any good Trading in Religion be you exhorted Advice 1. First To bless God for good trading Is it well with your souls Doth the South-wind blow upon your Garden and the Spices flow out Cant. 4. 16. Doth the Fig-tree put forth her green Figs and the Vine with the tender Grape give a good smell Cant. 2. 13. What reason have you then to be always giving thanks you whose trading turns to any spiritual advantage thou canst say 'T is good to draw nigh to God in keeping his commands is great reward The Lord is not a barren wilderness to thy soul but peace is within thy Walls and prosperity within thy Palaces Psal 122. 7. Thy glory is fresh in thee and thy bow renewed in thy hand thy root spreadeth out by the waters and the dew lying all night between thy branches Job 29. 19 His ways are pleasantness and his steps drop fatness to thy soul and he commands his blessing upon thee and thy faith and love do grow Is it thus in any measure with thee O then bless the Lord with thy soul let all that is within thee bless his holy Name Make the Lord thy glory and triumphing praise Thou hast abundant reason to be admiring grace and exalting divine glory Because First Soul-thriving is a great mercy at all times a little spiritual goods is beyond all the World's treasure one piece of Christ's tried Gold weighs down all the Pearls and Diamonds on earth and whatever can be found below grace cannot be compar'd with it Job 28. 11 12 16. or named the same day with it The light of God's countenance pardon of sin participation of the spirit fulfilling of Promises fellowship with the Father Son and Spirit heart-breathings after love to and delight in God are things of inestimable worth if you weigh them in themselves or with other things or if you consider the grace from whence they come or price which they cost Spiritual thrivings are an evidence of sincere love to God Judg. 5. 31. Let them that love thy Name be as the Sun that goeth forth in his might and of special love in God to that soul Tit. 3. 4 6. Eph. 1. 3 5 7. God may prosper in the World those he hates Esau had his fat things here but grace and peace are new-covenant-blessings which spring from eternal love in the heart of God to that soul Heb. 8. 10. Zech. 8. 11 12 15. Secondly 'T is a singular mercy at this time a mercy that few enjoy in the day we live in What a rare thing is it in this long winter to see a green Olive a tender Grape appear or Pomgranate bud Cant. 7. 6. or one Berry in the uppermost branch Isa 24. 13. It was a peculiar glory put upon the head of Thyatira that she was thriving when other Churches were decaying She had works and works and the last were more than the first Rev. 2. 19. Ephesus had lost her first love Sardis had decayed and wasted her first strength and was ready to die Laodicea was luke-warm ready to be spued out by the Lord Jesus Rev. 3. 1 8 16. only Thyatira flourished exceedingly and grew in the winter and this honour she had to have it recorded by the Spirit for a monument in after-ages 'T is not the lot of every one to thrive in evil times few Thessalonians whose faith and love did grow 2 Thes 1. 3. A single Timothy who had flourishing affections to the things of Christ I have no man like minded Phil. 2. 20. One Gaius whose soul out-prospered his body 3 Ep. Joh. v. 2. A flourishing Christian this day is like a flower in winter an Apple-tree amongst the trees of the wood Surely if there be a Soul who this day flourishes to any heighth of Christianity who lives in intimacy with
God fares deliciously in his soul feeding on marrow and hidden manna that he or she is greatly beloved of God Thy lot O soul is fal'n in a peculiar plot of mercies ground and should not the Lord Jesus be admir'd of such a one seeing he is come to him in the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel O bless God for this unspeakable gift Thirdly 'T is an earnest of eternal mercy They that sow to the spirit shall reap life everlasting Gal. 6. 8. And such as abound in holiness shall have an abundant entrance administred to them into the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour 2 Tet. 1. 11. God will never throw away savoury salt to the dunghil nor burn up fruitful branches Trees full of sap are the Lord's trees which he will transplant into his Paradise above Psal 104. 16. The Lord 's ripe fruit shall be gathered not shaken on the ground and safely hous'd in Heaven Grace is too precious seed to be lost Such as sow it now though in tears shall surely come again and bring their sheaves with them Psal 126. 5. Poor troubled Soul God will not despise the day of thy small things much less thy soulenlargements after him he will be tender of thy smallest blossoms and secure them into fruit much more shall thy encreases arrive to the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ Eph. 4. 15. God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which you have shewn towards his name Heb. 6. 10. It may be thou hast forgotten many a duty and hearty testimony of thy love to Christ his name people and ways and canst see nothing in all thou hast done but art ready to say on every turn When saw I thee an hunger'd and fed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink when saw I thee a stranger and took thee in or naked and clothed thee or sick and in prison and came to thee Matth. 25. 35. But God cannot be so unrighteous to forget it or let it pass so but keeps a record of all thy meanest duties and will make the most of them in the day of righteous judgment I know thy works and thy labours and thy patience c. Rev. 2. 2. When thou wast under the Fig-tree I saw thee Joh. 1. 48. He takes notice of a Daniel by the river Hiddekel of a Peter on the house-top of Elijah under the Juniper-tree 1 King 19. 4 5. yea of what was but in David's heart to do and requites it 8 King 8. 18. Will not an Ahasuerus let the good deeds of Mordecai go unrewarded and shall not the Judg of all the Earth do right and crown the works of his own hands Your labours shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. O then be blessing God for the least good he hath wrought in you and for you for any prosperity in your souls There are no offerings come up with that acceptance on God's Altar as thanksgiving-offerings Psal 69. 30 31. What a delightful remark did the Lord Jesus put upon the Lepers return to praise him for cleansing Luke 17. 18. the more spiritual the more rejoyeing Isa 52. 8. No such thriving souls as God-praising souls Jer. 31. 12. Therefore they shall come and sing in the heighth of Sion and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord for Wheat and for Wine and for Oil and their soul shall be as a watred Garden and they shall not sorrow any more at all Quest How might I know whether I have good trading in Spirituals or no that I might have ground for rejoycing in God Could I find this soul-welfare you speak of I should bless God with my whole soul but I fear 't is otherwise that I am one of those who fall back and decay in my heavenly Trade Sol. There are seven signs of good Trading especially in evil times which men usually reckon to be discoveries of a thriving Trade First When men go not back in the World but hold their own they lose nothing 'T is much in bad times to keep ones ground to be savers in such a season is a piece of gain Try in this how 't is with you do not you go back in your spiritual estate is it not worse with you than heretofore Is not your faith love humility patience less than heretofore If you go not back in grace you go forward there 's no standing at a stay in Religion men go forward or backward in the way of Vertue they that do not decay do thrive in Spirituals Job proves his good estate by his standing fast in shaking times Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lip I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined Job 23. 10 11 12. and thence concludes a gainful issue When he hath tried me I shall come forth as Gold And the Apostle reckons it good profit in soul-conflicts to stand ones ground if he cannot gain yet not to lose But having done all to stand is victory Eph. 6. 13. Christians have their winter-seasons when growing is not visible then to keep alive is commendable Do you hold fast your integrity and keep your garments on Do you preserve your conscience pure from the defilements and temptations of the day and place you live in and your hearts unspotted from the World your desires as warm your purposes of cleaving to God as firm and your feet as quick to run the way of God's commandments as heretofore then have you good trading considering the times you live in which is an hour of temptation and an evening of darkness Secondly If wares go off well 't is good trading when goods vend at a good rate men count it thriving Is it so with your souls do your prayers come up to God with acceptance do duties turn to any profit to you what returns have you of your religious services do hearing prayer conference bring you any soul-advantage do not goods lie by you undisposed of but your graces are exercised your talents gifts opportunities improv'd then 't is good Trading If the Lord give you light you lay it out for the good of others if he restore to you the joy of his salvation and uphold you with his free Spirit you teach transgressours his waies and endeavour to convert sinners to him Psal 51. 12 13. When God drops in comfort to you you pour it forth to others that they may be comforted also with the same comforts wherewith you are comforted of God 2 Cor. 1. 4. When you are come to duties publick or private do graces go out in them you shew parts it may be but do you lay out grace as well as gifts spiritual as well as natural affections Do you pray with the Spirit and hear with Faith do hope fear humility holy fervency heavenly breathings sincerity go off in your religions duties