which are of all others most dreadful and terrible 1. Such a Soul is designed to be driven away from God with his curse upon them Never to see his face To be Eternally separated from those everlasting joys which Souls that live and prosper in a most absolute fullness do enjoy in the enjoyment of God whilst the everlasting God enjoys his own blessed self If this were all the misery were unspeakable It is said Act. 20.37 38. that when Paul took his leave of his friends at Ephesus it was a very sad partting They all wept very sore fell upon Paul 's neck and kissed him sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake unto them that they should see his face no more If this were such an heart-breaking unto them it must needs be impossible for any that ever tasted in any measure how gracious the Lord is to bear so much as a thought of never seeing of never enjoying God more Ye know for a Man to lose his sight were very sad though he should have no pain in his eyes Solomon saith Eccles 7.11 Truly light is sweet and it is a pleasant thing to behold the Sun So that a Man would scarce think that the greatest Worldly prosperity were enough to repair that loss What then would this blind person think of his condition if besides the loss of his sight one should stand by and continually be dropping scalding Lead into his eyes Yet so it is here For 2. A lost unprosperous Soul is not only designed to be thus driven away from God but it is designed to the same misery and the same torment with the Devils and this they can neither escape nor endure None can answer that question Ezek. 22.14 Can thine heart endure or thine hands be strong in the day when I shall deal with thee No it cannot For who knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy fear so is thy wrath Psal 90.11 None is able to express yea nor to conceive what a dreadful thing it is to be buried as it were alive under the Tomb-stone of the infinite wrath of the ever-living God Heb. 10.31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Rev. 6.15 16 17 They shall hide themselves in the Dens and in the Rocks of the Mountains And say to the Mountains and Rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand This is that which Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor can possibly enter into the heart of Man to conceive Ye find up and down in the Scripture that whatever is most terrible to sense is made use of to express the terribleness of it and yet comes far short of it Let but this one argument sink into your hearts and be if but once a week seriously thought on and possibly this alone may convince you of the truth of what I say That it is the most rational thing in the World for all those who believe they have immortal Souls in mortal Bodys to mind the well-fare and prosperity of their Souls above all things else in the World 4. Let me add one argument more It is the most rational thing in the World for every Man seriously to mind that which above all things else best answers God's great end in giving him his Being and with it all that is needful for support together with more understanding then the Beasts of the field And if ye ask what this is ye have an answer Prov. 16.4 God made all things for himself For the glorifying of his own blessed name Rom. 11 For of him and through him and to him are all things To whom be glory for ever Amen Now as no Man dishonours God but in doing that which tends to the ruine and destruction of his own Soul So no Man doth any thing or possibly can do any thing which really tends to the will-fare of his own Soul but therein he also glorifies God For instance To live in the exercise of Repentance confessing and humbling our Souls in the sight of God for our daily failings To live in the exercise of Faith applying our selves to Jesus Christ as interceding in our behalf for grace and mercy suitable to our daily necessities resting upon his truth and faithfulness in his promises notwithstanding all difficulties appearing in the way of accomplishment Walking in the fear of the Lord and fruitfulness in every good work These are all great fartherers of Soul-prosperity Josh 7.19 My Son give glory to God and make confession to him Revel 16.9 They repented not to give glory to God Rom. 4.19 20 but was strong in faith giving glory to God Isa 8.13 Sanctifie the Lord of Hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread Joh. 15.8 Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much fruit This is as certain as that Jesus Christ glorified his Father in finishing the work of Redemption and Salvation for lost sinners Joh. 17.4 Thus ye have the Inference made good Vse 2 If this be so That Soul prosperity is the most desirable prosperity and that it is therefore as ye have heard the most rational thing in the World to mind it above all things else Then be perswaded as the Prophet Isa adviseth ch 46.8 To remember this bring it again to mind resolve upon it and shew your selves to be Men that act according to principles of reason and not Brutes Let that sink into your hearts which ye may read Hos 11.4 The Lord there aggravates their unworthy dealing with him by this That though he knew their aversness to what he had required of them yet he had not drawn them to their duty by violence as unruly Bullocks to the yoak but in a way singularly obliging suitable to rational Creatures He had drawn them with the Cords of a Man with arguments from his bounty and goodness which of all others carry the highest grounds of reason with them why God should be obeyed This I say should be seriously considered that reflecting on our selves and finding that God deals thus with us draws us with the Cords of a Man in an argumentative way to perswaded us to this great duty O then let us be perswaded to stir up our selves with the uttermost bent of our endeavours from this day forward to mind it as the great business of our lives and pray as Gen. 9.27 that God would enlarge our hearts and fill them with desires and resolutions about this matter and diligently hearken to the counsel which God in his word prescribes you in this great affair To make way to acquaint you with what that is I must mind you a little of that which was more largely spoken unto when we first entred upon the explication of the point Two things were then endeavoured to be cleared
how near soever they come how deep soever they cut and how long soever they continue is to keep silence before the Lord to sanctifie his name in all as holy and righteous faithful and gratious believingly waiting for a blessed issue to all This is the proper work of patience and in doing this consists the exercise of patience as we see it exemplified in Job cap. 1 c. 2. Faith hath its peculiar work 2 Thes 1.11 The work of faith with power And the proper work of faith is to receive Jesus Christ and rest upon him and his righteousness for a full discharge from the guilt of every sin and for acceptance with God as righteous unto Eternal Life And to carry the Soul to Jesus Christ daily for supplies of grace for strength against temptations from the World the Flesh or the Devil and for ability to perform what is daily required of us in those relations wherein we stand and in that condition wherein we are so as we may be enabled to hold on cheerfully and comfortably in the race that is set before us notwithstanding all the difficulties we meet with in our way Thus it was Prophetically promised of and to the believing Jews Hab. 2.4 The just shall live by his faith and to all believers to the end of the World Still keeping heart in their hopes for the accomplishment of whatever God hath promised notwithstanding all the real improbabilities and seeming impossibilities that be in the way This is the proper work of faith and in doing of this consists the exercise of faith Thus did Abraham Rom. 4.19 20. For we walk by faith not by sight 2 Cor. 5.7 We do not enjoy all that is in the promise but in the exercise of faith we wait for it 3. Repentance hath its proper work too which is to bring forth fruits meet for Repentance suitable to the nature of such a gracious principle Matth. 3.8 Such as heart-humbling and afflicting the Soul with godly sorrow for sin joined with the turning of the heart against every known sin so as we may attain to the sense of God's reconciliation with us and keep our hearts in a reconciled frame toward his holy Will in all things This is proper work for this grace and in doing hereof consists the exercise of Repentance See this exemplified Jer. 31.18 19 turn thou me and I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God Surely after I was turned I repented c. And Psal 51. 4. Self-denyal hath its proper work To deny self-will self-ends self-interest in all worldly concernments whatsoever and how far soever they stand in oposition unto or in competition with the command interest and glory of Jesus Christ And are inconsistent with the Conscience of that duty which we owe unto his Majesty This is the work which God hath appointed unto this grace Luk. 9.23 If any Man will come after me let him deny himself And in doing of this work this grace is exercised See it exemplified in Moses Heb. 11.24 By faith Moses when he came to years refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh 's daughter 5. The grace of Fear hath its proper work to keep the heart in an holy awe of God sensible of his all-seeing eye upon us regulating all our thoughts words and actions as becomes the presence of so holy a God This is the proper work for the fear of God Prov. 8.13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil And in doing of this work consists the exercise of this grace 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God i.e. In the exercise of this grace See this exemplified in Joseph Gen. 39.9 How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God And in Nehemiah chap. 5.15 But so did not I because of the fear of God 6. The grace of Meekness hath its proper work And that is in the just moderation of the passion of anger preventing or quickly cooling and subduing all undue heats so as this unruly passion may never be moved without cause or when there is cause not without measure to walk in the exercise of this grace And because there are so few examples of it among the proud froward unbroken-hearted generation of Men we are called upon to learn it of Christ Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly of heart This being such a grace as no Christian without the exercise of it can possibly walk worthy of his Calling Eph. 4.2 I beseech you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called with all lowliness and meekness 7. The grace of Charity hath its proper work Ye have it described 1 Cor. 13.4 5 6 7. In doing this work the grace of Charity is exercised and the command of Christ so far fulfilled who commands us To walk in love Eph. 5.2 And requires it of us 1 Cor. 16.14 That all our things be done in charity These few instances shew what it is to live in the exercise of godliness Ye see here are gracious principles in the heart and gracious actings suitable thereunto and issuing from them And these are the things wherein the prosperity of the Soul consisteth 2. Wherein ought we to exercise our selves unto godliness Ans In every thing we do Whether we eat or drink or whatever we do we ought to do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 Though we are necessitated often to change our Actions yet we ought never to change our End This must be always the highest and most supreme End And this can never be done but in the exercise of the principles of godliness It cannot be expected that I should instance in every thing I shall instance in those things that may be most comprehensive Consider then 1. That these principles ought to be exercised in those spiritual outgoings and holy actings of the inward Man which are immediately acted upon God and raise the heart Heaven-ward though not drawn forth in acts of instituted worship 2. As they are drawn forth exercised and as it were clothed with the external duties of Religion or any thing else wherein the visible part of Religion as far as it may be visible to Man doth consist 1. For the former In the spiritual out-goings and holy actings of the inward Man So as to do something toward the performance of that great duty injoined both in the Old Testament and in the New Isa 8.13 Sanctifie the Lord of hosts himself and let him be your fear and let him be your dread 1 Pet. 3.15 But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts But how is this That God who is the God of all grace should sanctifie all those whom he sets apart for himself And that he should sanctifie his own name in vindicating it from those low and unworthy thoughts that Men have of him This is somewhat easie to be apprehended But how shall a poor
and fear before the Lord. The one is That the Lord knows them every one by name The other is That he hath a perfect knowledge of all their concernments How it is with them both in respect of their Souls and in respect of their Bodies and what they stand in need of for the wellfare both of the one and of the other We have both these exemplified in this Epistle written to one single person Gaius by name Who this Gaius was whether it was Gaius of Macedonia spoken of Act. 19. Or Gaius of Derbe spoken of Act. 20. Or Gaius of Corinth spoken of 1 Cor. 1.14 cannot I think be absolutely determined However 't is certain The Lord knew well which of them it was And the Lord did know that this Gaius to whom this Epistle was written was an eminent godly person one that had a gracious vigorous active Soul for God in a weak and consumptive Body And upon that account he directs his Servant John to write this Epistle to him that he might know how much he did live in his Care and what observation he made of him and his Condition This is a very great matter that an entire portion of Canonical Scripture as this Epistle is should be written for the instruction and consolation of one good man But we may wonder the less at it if we look a little backward we shall find such a portion written to one good woman but she was besides her eminent godliness a person of honour in the World she was a Lady That 's the second Epistle of John And that we may know that in these matters God is no respecter of persons we have a third instance of this in the Epistle to Philemon witten in the behalf of Onesimus a mean person comparatively A servant he had been and one that miscarried in his service and ran away from his Master But now having a saving work of God begun in him whereof Paul had good experience he writes that Epistle to Philemon on his behalf that he might receive him not only into Service but into Favour not only as a Servant but as a beloved Brother in the Lord. ver 16. It was a great priviledge that God vouchsafed these three Persons above others It 's true we find more Epistles written to particular Persons as two to Timothy and one to Titus but they were written on a more publick and general account And the substance of those three Epistles may be found in that to Timothy where Paul saith He wrote that he might know how to behave himself in the Church of God the House of the living God However though this was such a great matter with respect to these three Persons yet we know very well that God had not respect to them alone for Rom. 15.4 the Apostle tells us Whatever is written is written for our learning what is written to Gaius in this Epistle and what is in this single verse is written for our learning The Lord give us to learn what may be learnt by it In these words we have observable three parts 1. Something expressed It was exceeding well with Gaius in respect of his spiritual condition He was like to have a very comfortable journey to Heaven His Soul prospered 2. We have something implied sc That it was not altogether so well with Gaius in his outward condition especially in respect of his health Though he was a very godly man he was none of the strongest men He was weak and sickly 3. We have something desired 1. In general That he might prosper indefinitely spoken that he might prosper in all his concernments within doors and without 2. That he might be in health He prays that he might have a healthy constitution And both these as desired are amplified 1. By the manner thereof very heartily I wish above all things 2. By the measure or degree or pattern according to which he desires this prosperity might be proportioned and that is according to the degree and measure of his Soul-prosperity That thou mayest prosper as thy Soul prospereth It is not unfit to give you an account in a word or two of the choice of this Text. Ye may remember that the subjects of some foregoing Exercises were these two things 1. Concerning a dead Religion Many Professors of the true Religion as 't is professed by them it is a dead Religion and their works in and about it are dead works 2. We came to speak of a dying withering languishing Religion The observation was this A living Christian yet alive to God and that 's all may in respect of his Christianity be in a dying withering languishing condition Because what follows in that Epistle in Revel 3. did not give so fair a foundation to build that upon which I am now to speak of concerning a thriving and prospering Religion I have made choice of these words And the observation which I shall as the Lord shall enable me insist most upon will be this Doct. That of all prosperity Soul-prosperity is the most desireable prosperity But before I come to speak of that Point it will be requisite not only to shew how the Text bears it but it may be convenient to point out some few Observations which the words afford which I shall as briefly as may be pass through and the first is this 1. Obs Concerning the person of this Gaius who he was I told you it could not be absolutely determined but it seems to be very probable that it was Gaius of Corinth of whom the Apostle makes mention Rom. 16.23 That he was Paul's Hoste and the Hoste of the Church i. e. He was one that either Entertained the Brethren that went up and down to preach the Gospel gratis at his own charge or else that he had the chief oversight of that publick house that was for their entertainment there And that which may well lead us to this conjecture is that which we have vers 5 6. of this Epistle where John gives him this testimony That whatever he did to the Brethren and Strangers he did it faithfully and they bare witness of his charity So that either this was that Gaius or else as he had the same name so he had the same disposition He was charitable and hospitable And this let him very deeply into John's affection He loved him dearly calls him His beloved the same word is rendered Dearly beloved and prayeth for him Note Persons of publick Spirits that do good with what they have according to their ability especially for the promoting of Religion are most likely to have and it is fit they should have most prayers put up to God for their welfare and prosperity in every respect It is said Job 31.20 that The loins of the poor blessed him They had no blessing to dispose of but the meaning is They heartily prayed for a blessing upon Job and all that he had We read Act. 9.31 of a good woman her name was Dorcas She
Holy Ghost If they shall fall away c. Yet here was nothing really wrought for the prosperity of the Soul They had none of those good things which do accompany salvation vers 9. But beloved we are perswaded better things of you and things that do accompany Salvation Thus it is with many they know much but their Souls are not fully brought under the power and authority of what they know still upon the account of some lust or other they are under the power of darkness spoken of Col. 1.13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness 2. In the Will there may be some light touches of the Spirit inclining it to cleave to the outward and visible part of Religion together with some workings in the motions and outgoings thereof in several affections Matth. 13.20 the same is he that heareth the Word and anon with joy receiveth it 1 King 21.27 Ahab rent his Clothes and put Sack-cloth upon his flesh and fasted and lay in Sack-cloth and went softly vers 29. Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me And these stirrings of heart may work some resolutions and something may be done in pursuance of those resolutions Psal 78.34 36 37 When he slew them then they sought him and they returned and enquired early after God c. 3. The Conscience likewise may be so awakened and so much may an unregenerate Man stand in awe of it that he dare not go against the light thereof Thus was it with Paul he was so exceeding zealous and made such Conscience of obeying the Tradition of the Fathers that he durst not but do as he did Act. 26.9 I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus And he had great peace in so doing Rom. 7.9 For I was alive without the Law once So had Abimelech in that he did nothing but what in conscience he thought to be Lawful Gen. 20.6 For this reason so many among the sober sort of the Heathen commended a good Conscience All these things seem very fair but lay them all together and let one and the same Man be thus qualified in all these respects yet they are not in the least any true evidence that true and real Soul-prosperity is begun in them For all the light in his understanding his portion at last will be utter darkness And for the workings in the Will and the Conscience though they may seem to be not far from the Kingdom of God as Mark. 12.34 Yet all is but as the Grass-hoppers which as ye may observe make many a leap as if they would mount up to the skies and then presently fall down to the Earth again Still one thing is wanting They are not effectually called Nor by all this can any prove that they are called into a state of Union with Christ Therefore they have no Spiritual life This Understanding is still dead the Conscience dead the Will dead the whole Soul spiritually dead For he that hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5.12 So that they are not yet in the right way of Soul thriving As whilst a dead Tree is a dead Tree it cannot prosper nor bring forth fruit This we may see in those that had most to shew for themselves So much that the Scripture calls it seeking and enquiring after God Remembring that the most High was their Rock c. Psal 78.34 35 36. Yet there was no Soul-prosperity begun vers 37. all this while their hearts were not right they were Spiritually dead Therefore as ye desire to find any Evidence within you of the Foundation of Soul-prosperity Give diligence to make your calling sure 2 Pet. 1.10 This makes it sure that ye are within the compass of Electing love and that God hath wrought in you according to his purpose SERMON III. I Proceed now to the second particular To shew wherein the prosperity of the Soul especially consisteth and when it may be said to thrive and prosper This is the principal thing the Text and Doctrine engage to speak unto And indeed to speak unto it is exceeding necessary You may well remember what was laid down in a Doctrine not long since handled That a living Christian though alive to God yet in respect of his Christianity and Religion may be in a withering languishing condition as far from prospering as those Trees are whose leaves fall off the boughs wither and the root decays It is so with many As it is much talked on that these times have brought forth many broken Merchants So they have many broken or almost broken Professors Good beginnings it is too often found are not always seconded with suitable proceedings Too many are too like the New Moon in its first quarter then it gives much light but it is down again and it 's dark again all over before the Morning light It was a sad question which the Apostle put to the Galatians chap. 5. v. 7 Ye did run well who did hinder you It was a question with a very sharp rebuke in it and it withal imports that no satisfying reason could be given why they should make such a halt Now in speaking to this necessary point I shall first mention some things in general wherein the prosperity of the Soul consists And then something which may more particularly demonstrate the truth and reality of it 1. In general I shall premise That as the first Rise and Foundation of Soul-prosperity as to any possibility of Evidence that such a thing is begun is laid in those principles of Spiritual life which are received by virtue of Union with Christ So the growth and progress thereof consists in their increase As they increase so the prosperity of the Soul increaseth and no otherwise It is possible a Man may grow in gifts and be very forward in exercising them and yet the Soul not thrive It is said of the Corinthians they came behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1.7 but their grace did not thrive answerably to their gifts No they were still but Babes and very carnal 1 Cor. 3.1 2 3. 2. I farther premise this That there is a natural tendency in the principles of this life to grow as there is in the best Seed that is cast into the ground to grow and to bring forth fruit according to its kind For they are the Seed of the living God there is life in them and every living thing grows according to the measure which the God of its life hath appointed The Picture of a Child doth not grow it hath the same dimensions now which it had twenty years ago But the living Child to which these principles are compared that by receiving kindly nourishment grows 1 Pet. 2.2 As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby And certain it is that no work of the Spirit is designed for glory but that which is growing 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open face beholding
things that are nourishing to the Body Isa 55.2 3 Wherefore do ye spend your Money for that which is not Bread c. The word is compared to Honey Psal 119.103 How sweet are thy words to my taste yea sweeter then honey to my mouth and preferred before it Solomon saith Prov. 24.13 My Son eat thou honey because it is good and the honey-comb which is sweet to thy taste And it is found by experience that Honey is good and the Honey-comb is sweet to the taste But the word is sweeter then the Honey which of its own accord drops from the Honey-comb without any pressing which is reckoned the sweetest of all What is particularly is said of the Promises in a sense is true of all the Ordinances Isa 38.16 In these things we live in them is the life of our Spirits The whole word is said to be The word of life Act. 5.20 Thus the Lord feeds the Soul according to that promise Isa 58.14 I will feed them with the heritage of Jacob their Father What was that It was the good things of the Land of Canaan but not with them alone but with that whereof they were a Type the Heavenly inheritance together with all things relating thereunto the Promises not only of this life but also of the life to come They were part of Jacob's heritage Psal 147.19 20 He shewed his word unto Jacob his statutes and his ordinances unto Israel c. This is one way whereby food for the Soul is conveyed from Christ Therefore it is that Pastors in their administrations are said To feed the Church It is upon that account that they are called Pastors Jer. 3.15 Act. 20.28 But this is only so far as they are sprinkled with the blood of Christ Otherwise as there is a vanity in the Creatures when God withdraws himself from them so there is in Ordinances Isa 1.13 Bring no more vain oblations As the merits of Christ purchase our Spiritual life so they purchase a blessing upon that food which is for nourishment of it Rebecca may dress the Venison but Isaac gives the blessing So it is here Exod. 20.24 In all places where I record my Name I will come unto thee and bless thee Gal. 2.8 He that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the Circumcision the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles 2. As in all his Ordinances so in all his Providences when sprinkled with the blood of Christ there is likewise meat laid before us even in every one of them of what sort soever Observable to this purpose is that which we have Joh. 10.9 They shall go in and out and find pasture Going in and out according to Scripture expression set forth all the turnings and various passages of a Man's life So we understand that promise Deut. 28.6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out Which is renewed again Psal 121.8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in There is good feeding to be had in all these even where it might be least looked for Mic. 7.14 God promiseth That he will feed the flock of his heritage with his rod. This is hard feeding but blessed be the Lord it hath proved and will prove again good and wholesome nourishment when sprinkled with the blood of Christ for thereby he hath purchased a fruitful and sanctified use of the Rod. Christ being a Mediatour in reference to the rod as well as in reference to the word when it is so then dark and cloudy Providences falling down in showers which as we say wet a Man to the skin nay even reach the very heart coming near unto it and cutting deep into it yet they drop fatness and though they make the way foul yet they make the Land fruitful Heb. 12.10 God chastens us for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness Then meat is found in the eater comfortable nourishment in the cross when we can say as Psal 23 4 thy rod and thy staff comfort me 3. As both in Providences and Ordinances thus sprinkled nourishment is conveyed to the Soul So the Soul that receives this nourishment must be sprinkled with the same blood There must be as Heb. 12 23. a coming to the blood of sprinkling in the exercise of Faith for thereby it is that food or vertue to feed is distributed into them all and so conveyed unto the Soul Even as the Root of the Tree draws sap from the Earth and then concocts it and sends it forth to all the boughs and branches which if they receive not they wither so it is here It is not any one Providence or Ordinance no if we take them all in conjunction together that either in whole or in part convey any nourishment to the Soul but as sprinkled with the blood of Christ and made use of as subordinate means in his hands and as made effectual by the exercise of Faith drawing in all our expectations of any Spiritual nourishment from any of these into Christ alone 1 Cor. 10.4 They all drank the same Spiritual drink for they drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ They did all eat the same meat Some had the food but not the nourishment they had not this sprinkling for ver 5 With many of them God was not well pleased So it may be with any of us at this day Though we have cause with all thankfulness to acknowledge as David did in another case Psal 23.5 Thou preparest a Table before me in the presence of mine enemies To their great grief and vexation who thought they had shut the Door so as no Man should have opened it but God hath opened it so as none of them can as yet shut it so that we are not scanted in provision for our Souls yet as Pharaoh's lean Kine did not prosper ever the better for their feeding in a Meadow and eating up the fat Kine Even so will it be with our Souls unless we feed upon Christ In the use of Pasture and all other means of feeding they will still be lean and ill-favoured So that if we were sensible of it we should see cause to complain as Isaiah doth My leanness my leanness Isa 24.16 God will deal with us as he did with them when he gave them the food they lusted after though they had it yet he sent leanness into their Souls Instead of nourishing them a deadly consumption came along with it as Num. 11.33 Pray that we may be delivered from this Judgment that we may not as it is said in our common Proverb starve in a Cook 's shop And this leads me to the 3. Third Particular What arguments are there to quicken our Spiritual appetite to this food Of many that might be given I shall only mention these three 1. This is food that may easily be compassed Many are put hard to it for a subsistence for
themselves and their Families Eccl. 6.7 All the labour of Man is for his mouth and yet the appetite is not filled But it is not so here this is prepared ready for us Matth. 22.4 I have prepared my Dinner mine Oxen and my Fatlings are killed and all things are ready And freely offered it is but Come and eat Isa 55.1 2. 'T is true we are commanded to labour for this food more then for any thing else that the World affords what need soever we stand in of it Joh. 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life which the Son of Man shall give unto you But it is with a labour like that of Adam in Paradise sweet easie and delightful The very labouring after it affords more content and satisfaction to the Soul truly so called then any Creature-comfort whatsoever Prov. 3.15 16 17. 2. There is no other food for our Souls but this we must feed upon it or starve Any thing that God appoints may supply the want of bodily food Deut. 8.2 3 Man doth not live by Bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth Man live But nothing can supply the want of Christ They that feed upon any thing else expecting any Soul-nourishment do but as they Isa 44.20 feed on ashes And indeed the complexion of some Mens Souls shews what their diet is so Earthly c. As young folks under some bodily Distemper eat Chalk or Lime c. How ill do they look Make the best of it To feed upon any thing else is but perishing food Joh. 6.27 And as well may we think that fishes of the Sea may live in the Air or the beasts of the Field in the bottom of the Sea as that the Soul may live and prosper by any thing either Providences or Ordinances without feeding upon Christ in them 3. There needs no other food Joh. 6.55 For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed And as all the sweetness desirableness and matter of nourishment that is in the meat is for the health and wellfare of the Body So whatever is in Christ and whatever Christ is and Christ is altogether lovely quantus quantus est all is for the life and health strength and prosperity of the Soul Joh. 10.10 It is said He came into the World that is to live and dye in the World to do and suffer what was to be done and suffered that dead Souls might live and living Souls have life in abundance that is might live and prosper Whether we consider Christ in his Person or in his Offices we shall see in both that there and there alone food is to be had for our Souls Before I mention either of these I shall first lay before you this Proposition That whatsoever may encourage a doubting Sinner experimentally under clear convictions that there is no possibility of Salvation in an Unregenerate state and fully satisfieth him that all Salvation is to be had in Christ and without him no Salvation at all whatsoever I say may encourage such a Person under great uncertainties whether Christ will accept of him or no to come unto him to cast himself down at the footstool of his grace into the arms of his mercy to depend upon him and abide in him for all that may give him a Title to and a fitness for Heaven And 2. Whatever may establish such a Perfon having thus adventured his Eternal estate in the hands of Christ in a good hope through grace that he shall receive such help and assistance from the Spirit of Christ that he shall persevere unto the end both in the love that God bears unto him and in the grace that he hath wrought in him so as the good work begun in him shall be perfected Where that is to be found which hath an influence into all this there certainly food is to be had for the life health and prosperity of our Souls This needs no proof ye will all assent to it Now that all this is to be found in Christ and in him alone will appear whether we consider him in his Person or in his Offices 1. In his Person as God and Man in one Person This is the great mystery of Godliness as hath been heretofore at large opened unto you from 1 Tim. 3.16 Of all Gospel-mysteries this is the greatest That a lost sinner should have such a Saviour that is as verily Man as God and as verily God as Man That the Divine and Human Nature that were at first at such a distance should meet in one person The serious consideration of this hath much of Spiritual nourishment in it It will appear to be so when we have weighed these two things 1. What the work was which Christ came into the World to do It was to be a Mediatour between God and Man A Mediatour of Reconciliation between a most holy God most highly provoked and Rebellious sinners still continuing in their provocation This was his great work that was upon his hands 2 Cor. 5.19 To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them 2. That this affords great encouragement so to come to Christ as being upon this account able to save to the uttermost Hereby we see that what he either did or suffered though but in his human Nature though but for a little while the whole time of his continuing visibly in the World being but 33 years rather to speak exactly but 32 years and a half was of infinite value and efficacy which did arise from the Union of his two Natures because the Person though in the form of a Man was the mighty God that Did such things and Suffered such things Now this is a great relief to Faith yea such may be the temptation that a humbled sinner may be under that nothing else can relieve or afford any nourishment so much as we use to say to keep Life and Soul together For suppose this to be the case Mr. John Hardy of Symondsbury as once it was of a godly Minister in this County who dyed but this last Summer I had the Relation of it from himself who was for a time in a great Agony and this was his temptation Why said Conscience and Satan too who stood behind the Curtain Thy sins deserve an infinite punishment for thou hast sinned against an infinite God and thou deservest Eternal death And that Christ in whom thou trustest he being Man and suffering only in his human Nature he could suffer only that which is finite And the time of his suffering was but short How then can he by suffering so short a time deliver from infinite suffering and Eternal death This as he told me was the temptation that lay upon him and how he was relieved Even thus The Lord brought it to his remembrance and set it home with a Divine
before you Several instances were given wherein this is required of us in the third exercise upon this subject 2. They are given for this very end Ezek. 36.27 I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes Therefore that inference is rational Gal. 5.25 If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit These spiritual principles are that spiritual stock which God hath given us to drive on our spiritual trade withal for converse with God which cannot be attained unless they be exercised As unless principles of Reason be exercised which are for making human society useful there can be no dealing nor profitable converse between Man and Man 1 Sam. 21.14 What shall I do with a Mad-man said Achish for so David feigned himself to be and therefore he drave him away This should be seriously considered of for these two things we find 1. That for neglect of this in not answering God's end herein that those that have lived most highly in the favour of God have met with many a brush from the hand of God Luk. 1.20 Thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak because thou believest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their season Num. 20.12 Because ye believed not me to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I have given them It was not for want of faith either in the one or in the other that the hand of God was so heavy upon them but for want of the exercise of faith 2. This we find That though it be true God will reward every good Man for every good work And he hath a Book of Remebrance for that purpose Mal. 3.16 Yet this is true That how good soever a Mans actions be in their own nature and for the kind of them there is no reward to be expected from God farther then grace is exercised in them Alms-giving Prayer and Fastings are good works and commanded of God but if these principles of godliness be not well exercised in them see what becomes of them Matth. 6.2 5. And on the contrary Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a Disciple Verily I say unto you he shall in no wise lose his reward Matth. 10.42 This should have some weight with us that God will call us to account what spiritual Trade we have driven with our spiritual stock Luk. 19.15 3. The neglect of this exercise is that which Satan watcheth for and will be sure to improve to his advantage and our prejudice Matth. 13.25 While Men slept his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat It seems he knows our slumbering fits yea without doubt he doth for he knows not only what orders Men observe in their walks abroad what company they keep what discourse they have with them and how they spend their time but also much of what they do within doors For though he have not a key to the heart that is God's prerogative yet he stands as it were in the Room by Though he knows not our thoughts yet when they are clothed with words as when we are at Prayer he observes our Petitions and Confessions and can make a shrewd guess thereby what the frame and temper of our hearts are It cannot be denied but that he may know as much by us as any Man may do and more too Now Solomon saith Prov. 20.5 Counsel in the heart of man is a great deep i. e. The thoughts designs intentions and purposes of Men are a great deep like deep waters where it is a great way to the bottom a Man cannot easily dive into them to find out what they are but an understanding Man by prudent and constant observation of them of what they do and what company they keep of the words that fall from them and of their looks and gestures may give and sometimes have given a conjecture not much amiss of them And if so then Satan much more who goes about continually studying always as he goes observing and diligently considering Mens temper and dispositions Mens calling and conditions and as he finds things so he casts about what is fit to be done to such or such a Person how to fit the Key for the Lock and which way he may assault him so as his temptation may take and where he may have most advantage against him And this he knows that so far as he can discern that spiritual slothfulness creeps upon a Man and that the exercise of these principles is neglected so far the day is his own He knows there is nothing but this armour of God whereby he can be resisted and this too as put on and kept in exercise Eph. 6.13 Upon this account unless we are willing to betray our Souls unto him that was a murderer from the beginning we ought to be constant in this duty and put on this armour of God both on the right hand and on the left as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 6.7 4. It is in the exercise of these principles each of them in their season that the protecting supporting comforting presence of God may upon Scripture-grounds be expected and enjoyed in every condition so as our Souls may prosper in it and by it whatever it be We read Jer. 9.24 That the Lord exerciseth Loving-kindness Judgement and Righteousness in the Earth and that in these things he delighteth Now those whose hearts are most busied in this exercise have the clearest grounds from the word that he will exercise them in their behalf 2 Chron. 16.9 The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole Earth to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him His Providential eye is over them Job 36.7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous He looks to them by night and by day that no evil touch them Job 5.19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles yea in seven shall no evil touch thee i.e. So as to hurt thee Psal 105.15 Touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm i.e. In their spiritual estate and what concerns the well-fare of their Souls That 's secured to them that live in the exercise of the love of God That 's the good that Text speaks of Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to them that love God The good whereby their Soul prospers But let a Man through the prevalency of his corruptions disuse himself from this exercise and suffer these principles of godliness to lye as it were Bed-ridden choaked and oppressed by the principles of ungodliness and his own Conscience if it be awake will give check to his hopes if he expect that God should favour him with success either in his goings out or comings in the beginning or ending of any thing he takes in hand God may do it and often doth it
as in a Glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory even as by the spirit of the Lord. Gifts may wither but grace will grow into glory These two things premised I come now to speak and that first of those things in general which are undenyable evidences of Soul-prosperity 1. When this thriving and growth is universal The Body prospers when there is a healthy constitution all over When the Head is well the Stomach is well and all the vital parts are sound within But in Children that have the Rickets the Head is only growing the inferiour parts of the Body being weak and feeble When it is so we say the Child prospers not It is oftentimes so with the Soul It may seemingly prosper in some things when it doth not really prosper in other things or indeed in any thing It was so with many in the Church of Ephesus Their zeal was warm in externals in a high and mighty opposition against false Teachers Errours and Heresies these they could not endure Rev. 2.6 But it was not so in other things in the best things there was a great decay in the inward Man in the vitals of Godliness in those graces that accompany Salvation ver 4 5 I have something against thee because thou hast left thy first Love Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and do thy first works This is as far from true Soul-prosperity as a Tradesman from thriving who gains by some one pedling commodity and loseth thrice as much in greater matters The Soul prospers when it grows up in all things Eph. 4.15 But speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things in him who is the Head even Christ It were endless almost to reckon up the thriving and prospering in every grace I shall therefore instance in 2 things by the thriving whereof we may take an estimate of the rest 1. When the Soul thrives in those two graces which by experience are found to have as great an influence on the health of the Soul as Natural heat and Radical moisture so Physicians say and Reason saith so too have upon the health of the Body The just temperament of these is that which preserves life and health and strength So when these two graces that of Faith which is as the Natural heat and that of Repentance which is as the Radical moisture are thriving and growing toward their full height then the Soul is in a very prosperous way 1. When Faith grows which is the Natural heat as it did 2 Thes 1.3 because that your Faith groweth exceedingly and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth Now this growth is best discerned 1. When it grows in depth So as the Soul is more and more setled grounded rooted and built up in Christ Col. 1.23 If ye continue in the Faith grounded and settled And ch 2.7 Rooted and built up in him and stablished in the Faith So that the heart is fixed and is at peace within when all without is shaken and the foundation of all Creature-comforts turned upside down As a Tree whose Root doth remain firm when the top doth shake Psal 56.3 What time I am afraid I will trust in thee He could keep his faith above his fears Psal 112.7 He shall not be afraid of evil Tydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him As if he had said Though I read a sentence of Death upon what concerns this Life yet I have somewhat to trust him for beyond this Life No danger nor death shall beat me off from the holdfast of my faith in God through Christ Jesus When it is thus that promise will be made good Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee 2. When it grows in breadth so as it gives a firm absolute unlimited assent to the whole truth of God and receives the testimony of God as in one thing so in every thing which it apprehends to be of God and that purely because God saith so whatever Sense and Reason can object to the contrary So Act. 24.14 But I confess unto thee that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets Joh. 3.33 He that believeth his testimony hath set to his Seal that God is true in every thing I speak this of justifying faith not only considered in its most eminent act which is to receive Jesus Christ and rest upon him alone for whatsoever may give a title to or a fitness for eternal Salvation but in its most full compleat and perfect act assenting to whatsoever is historically delivered in the word believing every Command every Threat'ning every Promise both of this life and the life to come So as whatever is recorded in the word is so believed not without some gratious effect upon the Soul Observe it in four particulars 1. A growing thriving faith so believes what is Historically delivered concerning the Creation of the World as nothing is too hard for it Although the things believed do not yet appear yet that hinders not a full assurance of their future existence seeing the same power of God which created the World of nothing can give a Being to whatever he hath said shall be when it seems good unto him Psal 121.2 My help cometh from the Lord which made Heaven and Earth As if he had said I will never distrust his power for whatever I stand in need of who could erect such a stately Fabrick from nothing 2. A growing thriving faith believes every Command of God Psal 119.66 I have believed thy Commandments He believes them to be holy just and good and brings down every thought more and more in subjection unto them all Thus Abraham's faith growing and thriving hath many eminent acts of obedience ascribed to it Heb. 11.8 By Faith Abraham when he was called of God to go into a place which he should afterward receive for an inheritance obeyed and he went out not knowing whither he went A hard tryal For as it is in the Proverb The smoak of a Man 's own Chimney is as good as the fire of another's So that Command which was yet more hard of offering up his only begotten Son that is of his wife Sarah the Son of the Promise in whose Seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed yet he submitted to it Heb. 11.17 though he had but short warning Gen. 22.2 3. He received the Command over-night and went about it next Morning 3. A growing thriving Faith believes the threat'nings of the Word and this belief makes the Soul to stand in awe of them Psal 119.161 my heart standeth in awe of thy word So Heb. 11.7 Noah's Faith takes warning at the threat'ning He was moved with