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
your confidence in the Lord fill you with dejection and despondency of spirit and give your spiritual adversary great advantage over your souls 2 Pet. 1. 10. 1 Joh. 5. 13. 2 Cor. 1. 12. 1 Cor. 15. 58. Heb. 10. 22. Job 19. 25 26 27. 2 Pet. 1. 11. Keep up your sincerity and truth in the inner-man be often looking to the principle of your actions that it be gracious and to your ends in every thing you do that they be pure singly and ultimately aiming at God his will and glory in every duty action and undertaking If you would evidence the truth of grace you must be every day in the exercise of grace and conscionable endeavours to live up to known duties exercising a conscience void of offence towards God and man not resting in any measures of grace but going on towards perfection and aiming at greater enlargements in your souls and graces continually Thirdly Carry on all these natural moral and religious duties that concern others This is the will of God and part of your sanctification Matth. 5. 16. Let your light shine before men and by your good works glorifie your Father which is in Heaven 1 Cor. 10. 32. Walk unblamable towards all men giving no offence to any lest the Gospel be blamed Phil. 1. 10. That you may be sincere and without offence to the day of Christ 1 Pet. 2. 12. Having your conversation honest among those you have to do with dealing justly with all men rendring to every man his due doing good to all as opportunity serveth Gal. 6. 10. Psal 35. 13. and be kind to the just and unjust seeking the salvation of sinners mourning over them praying for them instructing of them seeking by a humble holy and affectionate carriage to win them over to the Lord Jesus who are not won by the word Luke 19. 41. Psal 51. 13. 2 Pet. 3. 1. Loving praying for doing good unto your greatest enemies Vertues separated saith Chrysostom are annihilated equity without goodness is severity and justice without piety cruelty 'T is better to do good than to receive good 'T was said of Mr. Hooker That he was born for the good of many but few born for the good of him That you love delight in and do good to all Saints as Saints that carry the image of God on them That you make conscience of your relative duties both in your own houses and in the house of God Psal 101. 2. Walking within your own houses with a perfect heart to be Christians at home as well as abroad shewing the same spirit zeal and affection to your Families as to others doing your utmost to keep up the service of God in your houses both together and asunder morning and evening in prayer and reading the word of God Acts 10. 2. 9. Josh 24. 18. Psal 25. 10. Matth. 6. 6. That you faithfully discharge those mutual duties you owe to each other as Husband Wife Parents Children Masters Servants Eph. 5. 22. to the end of chap. 6. To be meek loving peaceable in your words and carriages towards one another giving that due respect as the place and relation calls for from each other To be holy and profitable in your discourses seeking the spiritual welfare edification and salvation of each others souls as of your own Deut. 11. 19. Prov. 22. 6. ch 23. 13. Col. 3. 12 to 16. Heb. 12. 14. Gen. 18 19. The want of which due and Christian carriages in your houses brings up an evil report on the ways of God rendreth the truth of your grace questionable hinders the gracious presence of God with you and removes his blessing from you Eph. 4. 29. Rom. 11. 14. You whom grace hath priviledged with a place and name within the walls of God's house do stand obliged to fellowship-duties of love care and faithfulness to each other considering one another to provoke to love and good works Joh. 15. 12. Heb. 10. 24. and esteem each other better than your selves To seek one anothers good as your own serving each other in love Phil. 2. 3. 1 Cor. 10. 24. 33. Gal. 5. 13. To sympathize with each other in affliction Col. 3. 12. and to be helpful to them in bearing their burdens supplying their wants comforting counselling and supporting them in all their tribulations Heb. 13. 3. visiting the sick and imprisoned feeding the hungry cloathing the naked warning the unruly admonishing the offenders bearing one anothers infirmities covering their weaknesses avoiding whatever might offend and injure each others souls or lessen their affections or break the unity of spirit and bond of peace between them but by a sweet humble-self denying and faithful carriage to engage the heart to each other praying for the whole body and every member To be gracious and spiritual in all your communion and converses seeking the prosperity of Sion rejoycing in each others graces and good as in your own doing all you may towards their comfort and salvation Mat. 25. 42. Acts 20. 35. 1 Joh. 3. 17. Rom. 15. 1. and 16. 17. Lev. 19. 10. 2 Cor. 12. 20. Col. 4. 6. Phil. 2. 17 18. Tit. 2. 12. 2 Cor. 13. 7. Psal 15. 2. Col. 3. 9. In your Callings commerce and dealings with men to be just honest and faithful doing as you would be done unto not defrauding one another but speaking the truth in all your bargainings and performing your promises though to your hurt This is a considerable part of your heavenly Trade and that wherein the credit of Religion doth eminently lye the pleasing and glorifying of God the good of others the propagation of the Gospel the peace and salvation of your own fouls even in the faithful discharge of these natural moral and religious duties you owe unto others This is the first part of heavenly work work of a heavenly nature as well as manner both with respect to God our own souls and others Secondly Another part of heavenly work is to do earthly things in an heavenly manner Though the things of the World are of a different nature from things above yet when rightly managed they are subservient to them and come within the compass of this Heavenly Trade To which three things are needful 1 To do earthly things by heavenly rules 2 With heavenly hearts 3 To heavenly ends First Then is earthly work part of your Heavenly Trade when you transact it by heavenly rules every Science hath its Maxims distinct Governments have their distinct Laws So hath every Trade its rules principles and instructions by which it is carried on Earthly Traders have their rules and methods by which they manage their businesses as may most comport with the end they propose and the advance of their own earthly interests and so 't is with heavenly Traders though they have to do with earthly things yet they must act about them by heavenly rules Now there are ten rules which heavenly Merchants must observe in the management of their earthly affairs Rule 1.
thousands enjoy not And there are Publick Priviledges of access to God communion of Saints a place within the walls of God's House with variety of soul-provisions an interest in the promises of God the prayers and graces of his people things of infinite worth and purchased at no lower rate than the blood of Christ You that are interested in those come under great obligations to behold them with wonder to hold them with trembling and to use them with diligence and faithfulness You that are planted in the Courts of the Lord Psal 92. 13 14. be fat and flourishing content not your selves with bare priviledges with dogs to feed on dry bones but get the marrow juice and fattening vertue of all your advantages Do not with Lazarus lye at the door of your rich Lord the Dogs licking your sores when you may go in and be healed Secondly Ordinances are another thing which Believers should be getting spiritual good from These are the golden pipes through which the Lord pours in the Oyl of grace into his golden Candlesticks and Gospel-Churches Zach. 4. 12. Showres of Manna to feed his people in the wilderness and on this side their own Countrey Deut. 8. 16. These are the Churches breasts to fill and nourish her children unto life eternal Isa 66. 11. Gen. 2. 6. 10. Ordinances are the Mist the River of Eden by which God waters his Garden Scriptures are the Mines Ordinances are the opening of them to such as dig for Wisdom A considerable part of this Heavenly Trade is driven about these commodities ply them well that you may get large incomes of spiritual blessings through them Take heed of sleeping at these breasts or playing with them lest the Lord put them up or put you off lie at the pool side wait at the wells of salvation and not onely come but draw out waters of life thence for your needy souls For which four things are needful Preparation Attention Retention Obedience First Prepare before you hear get the room emptied swept and garnished For those provisions of Christ you are called to bring your pitchers empty and clean that God may fill them Come not to clean food with a soul stomach but get your hearts purged by sound repentance and wash'd from an evil conscience and renewed by the Spirit for the new wine of the Gospel 1 Pet. 2. 1 2 3. They must be new born babes that receive the sincere milk of the Word so as to grow thereby Mat. 9. 17. If a dead Christ must be laid in a new tomb Mat. 27. 60. surely a living Jesus will not come into an old heart and rotten sepulchre Spend some time before you go to hear in searching your hearts and reviewing your waies in geting a deep sense of their vileness and the exceeding sinfulness of your sins that the fallow field of your hearts may be plowed up and you sow not among thorns Take heed you bring not a hard heart to hearing When Thrasamund the Arrian read Fulgentius's defence of the truth he praised his wisdom wondered at his eloquence commended his humility yet had his heart so hardened that he could not submit to the truth To help you herein set prayer on work to beg down the Spirit 's of assistance bring your hearts to Christ by prayer that he would make them clean If he say I will be thou clean thy Leprosie shall be cleansed Prayer also helps you to suitable provision and a blessing on it Hearers prayers help Ministers to preach and themselves to hear 2 Thes 3. 1. Souls never thrive better than when Ministers and Hearers be much in prayer for the Word of the Spirit and Spirit with the Word To pray well is to study well a Bene orasse est bene studiisse Prayer saies one is a messenger to fetch that holy seed out of the garner above Prayer is the former and latter rain to make it grow beneath pray continually if thou would'st grow continually After Christ had fed the multitude he went up into a Mountain apart to pray Matth. 14. v. 23. Secret prayer saith Mr. Trap fats the soul as secret morsels feed the body therefore it is said to be the banquet of grace where the soul may solace her self with God as Esther did with Ahashuerus at the banquet of wine and have whatsoever heart can wish or need require Secondly Take heed how you hear hear as for your lives with holy attention with fear and trembling Ministers saith Mr. Latimer should preach as if Hell were at their backs and hearers should hear as if life or death were in every word Hear with holy affection many were given up to believe a lye because they loved not the truth nor received the word in the love thereof 2 Thes 2. 10. Hear believingly the Word preached did not profit being not mixed with faith in them that heard it Heb. 4. 2. 'T is by faith the Gospel becomes the power of God to salvation Rom. 1. 17. The Arm of God was not revealed on Israel because his report was not believed by them Isa 53. 1. The Spirit is given out through the hearing of faith Never expect to profit by hearing till you joyn faith with hearing Thirdly Keep the Word you do hear take heed of letting slip the things you have received Heb. 2. 1. Hold fast the truth that no man take your Crown Rev. 3. 11. Be not forgetful hearers but doers of the Word Jam. 1. 25. Forgetful hearers will never be doers Israel's disobedience was the fruit of their forgetfulness Psal 78. 10 11. The reason of the Disciples trouble at the sepulchre of Christ was said to be their forgetfulness they had forgotten what he had said to them when he was in Galilee Luke 24. 6. Bad memories have many times barren lives Be much in after-prayer for the Comforter's help to keep the Word for you and bring it to your remembrance Prayer opens the heart to take in the Word and prayer shuts the heart to keep in the Word keep up meditation of the Word Psal 111. 91. This chews the cud and gets out the sweetness and nutritive virtue of it unto the heart and life This way the godly come to be as trees planted by the waters side that bring forth much fruit in their season Psal 1. 3. Fourthly Obedience of the Word helps to profiting The worth of Divine Truths is never fully known until they are liv'd upon nor its virtue felt till we cleave to it in our conversation Prov. 4. 6. Forsake her not and she shall preserve problem love her and she shall keep thee Vers 12. When thou goest thy steps shall not be straitned and when thou runnest thou shalt not stumble O the sweetness the pleasure the strength the blessedness that they lose who onely look on truth but do not live it Strangers to a holy life meddle not with the joy that is wrapt up in the Word and Waies of God Prov. 3. 17. Her waies
the Sun and water in the Fountain for the use of man The Father hath laid up all that grace that Believers need here and for ever in the Lord Jesus as in a Treasury or Trustee's hand for their use or made it over to him not onely as a deed of gift but as a purchase which he hath bought by his blood for the good and use of his children 'T is his fulness right and interest but for their use and advantage but so as the property and disposal be still his Fal'n man hath for ever forfeited his credit with God since his first defection to become any more the disposer of his interests and inheritance or be intrusted again with his own portion God deals with saved souls as parents do with prodigal children secures their estates in the hand of a Feoffee Believers Treasures are laid up in Christ that so grace as well as glory sanctification and salvation may be sure to them and not liable to forfeiture or loss to be disposed of and parted with by them as they please but be certainly and eternally theirs that so they may come to Christ for all they need as heirs under age who have no more in hand than what they want but must come to their Overseers for all they have use of and not only as such but as Stewards also that must be accountable for what they have and how they bestow it Poor decay'd souls Would you recover your losses and renew your Trade then you must come to Christ's fulness and be beholding to his free grace for all you need Do you want grace for your duties places tryals sufferings come to Christ's fulness for your supplies send to him by the hand of prayer an intimation of all your wants Make known your requests to him Phil. 4. 6. Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God Cease not from following God in the Name of Christ with requests till the Spirit meet you with returns The Lord Jesus hath ordained his people to receive their supplies sallaries and stipends from Heaven in the Court of Requests Matth. 7. 7. Ask and you shall receive All things whatever you shall ask in prayer believing you shall receive Matt. 21. 22. Seek it by prayer receive it by faith Go to Christ in the promises for all you want judging him faithful who hath promised Heb. 11. 11. God's Word is as good as present pay and shall be fulfilled by him who cannot lye to all that by faith receive it and wait for its performance All his promises are in Christ Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. Who came down from Heaven to confirm them with his blood and is returned to Heaven to fulfil them by his intercession Heb. 7. 25. You may boldly adventure on divine assurance and shall not be asham'd if you sincerely roll on Christ in his Word Be well acquainted with the promises clear up your interest in them by believing and expect their fulfilling through Christ It may be thy graces are low thy corruptions high guilt heavy fears many refuge fails thy prayers not answered no good news from Heaven or Earth thou prayest hopest waitest but no answer in this case nothing but firm reliance on divine faithfulness can keep thy head above water Are you in wants go to that promise My God shall supply all your wants Phil. 4. 19. God will give grace and glory and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly Psal 84. v. 11. Do you find changes in your spirits and frames and condition See that word Believe in the Lord your God and you shall be established believe his Prophets and you shall prosper 2 Chron. 20. 20. Are corruptions high apply that word He will turn again he will have compassion upon us he will subdue our iniquities Mic. 7. 19. Sin shall have no dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under grace Rom. 6. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity Titus 2. 14. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil Joh. 3. 8. I will save her that halteth Zeph. 3. 19. When thou seest nothing but witherings and dyings in thy soul apply these promises So wilt thou recover me and make me to live Isa 38. 16. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm-tree he shall grow like the Cedars of Lebanon Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God thy shall still bring forth fruit in old age they shall be fat and flourishing Psal 92. 11 12 13 14. I will be as the dew to Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon they that dwell under his shadow shall return and shall revive as the corn Hos 14. 5 6 7. They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength Isa 40. 31. In these and such like promises as in wagons sent of purpose to fetch you go over to your Joseph and get them laden with the riches of his Kingdom that you may be relieved and carried on in your Trading for Heaven improving these not as yours but as your Lord's goods That 's the first Trade upon Christ's Stock Secondly Follow his instructions be guided by his order in the management of your Heavenly Trade Take Letters of Advice from your Creditour how to lay out his moneys and how to dispose of his goods Prov. 3. 5. Lean not to your own understanding which is the most close and subtil kind of Idolatry saith Cartwright Seek not after your own heart and your own eyes after which ye use to go a whoring Numb 15. 39. Man is mightily propense since his first defection from God to take the Scepter into his own hand and to become the governour of his own waies But this God cannot bear as being inconsistent with his Supremacy and that State also into which man is by grace redeemed which is an absolute devotedness unto God 2 Cor. 8. 5. Ye have likewise chosen the Lord to be your Law-giver and King if you are his and are now upon your own consent determinable by his pleasure in every thing you do The rectitude of every action lies in a conformity to his will who is your Lord and Soveraign And as the eyes of a Handmaid wait on her Mistress so should Believers on Christ for direction in all they do Psal 122. 3. Christians your former irregularities in the prosecution of your Heavenly Trade have almost lost you and cast you back O be more observant of Divine Instructions for the future follow your advice walk by Rule As you have received how you ought to walk and to please God so abound more and more 1 Thes 4. 1. Beg Wisdom of God to know his Will in every thing to do that which is well-pleasing in his
as one that was near the prize Hope puts strength and activity into the soul in its motion after God and makes it restless and unwearied till it enjoy him This argument the Apostle useth to provoke the Hebrews in their race towards glory Heb. 12. 1. Seeing then we are compassed about with so great a cloud of winesses let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us The weight of the argument lies in the sure and blessed issue of well-grounded hope attested by so many witnesses in the former Chap. who ran so great adventures sustain'd so great losses underwent such cruel deaths in chase of this eternal Crown and not one of them miscarried all got safe to glory through their many fears and deaths And seeing all that had this true hope hither to have sped well and the same promise is made to us Chap. 11. 40. having provided some better thing for us better priviledges better promises Let 's pluck up our spirits and at it again and if no visible comfort or evidence meet us in our way yet let us hold on with patience till we come to the end of our race Hopes of glory do also guard the soul against discouragements and difficulties 1 Thes 5. 8. Putting on the breast-plate of Faith and for an helmet the hope of Salvation Hope arms head and heart and keeps off the venom'd darts of Satan from ruining the soul while well-grounded hope of a blessed end is kept up Israel prevails and the Believer is kept from being overcome 1 Joh. 5. 4. This is the victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Hope of glory maintains a patient expectation and quiet waiting for the fruition of it Rom. 8. 25. If we hope for that we see not then do we with patience wait for it and this is no small mercy Impatience hath a dangerous influence on a Christian's heart discouraging it and exposing to temptation of giving over saying Wherefore should I wait any longer 2 King 6. 33. which danger Hope secures from Hope settles and stays the heart stilling its fears scattering its doubts and strengthning its confident expectation of glory turning perswasions into the highest certainty even a kind of knowledg 1 Joh. 3. 2. But we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Well-grounded and improved hope in a Christian's life doth usually end in a triumphing confidence at his death I shall shine said a precious servant of God on his death-bed I shall see him as he is and all the fair company with him and shall have my large share it is no easy thing to be a Christian but as for me I have got the victory and Christ is holding forth his arms to embrace me I have had my fears and faintings as another sinful man to be carried through creditably but as sure as ever he spake to me in his word his spirit witnessed to my heart saying fear not he had accepted my sufferings and the out-gate should not be matter of prayer but of praise Mr. Rutherford's last words And a little before his death after some fainting he said Now I feel I believe I enjoy I reâ—oyce I feed on Manna I have Angels food my eyes shall see my Redeemer O what rich cheer will hope of glory find on a death-bed What brightness is that I see said Mr. John Holland the day before his death have you light up a candle a stander by answered no 't is the Sun shines Sun shine saith he nay it is my Saviour shines now farewel World welcome Heaven the day-star from on high hath visited my heart O speak it when I am gone and preach it at my Funeral God dealeth familiarly with men I feel his Mercy I see his Majesty I see things that are unutterable Hopes of glory will make the World seem a very poor thing in a Believer's eye he that by faith can stand on Mount Nebo and get one glance on the promised Land as his feeds on the first ripe Grapes of his own Countrey in comparison of which all the World 's dainties are bitter things Hopes of of glory cheers the heart in the way to glory Rom. 5. 3. And rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Rom. 12. 12. Rejoycing in hope patient in tribulation It makes the soul go merrily on like a Ship under sail that hath both wind and tyde whereas the doubting Saint drives heavily on when winds and waves beat against him being unwheel'd of Faith and Hope Sure hope of Heaven gets honey out of the rock and meat out of the eater which makes his rough ways plain and his passage to Heaven pleasant 'T is Christians losing their hopes of Heaven makes them so uncomfortable in their passage through the World Lastly Well-grounded hopes of Heaven have a great influence towards preparation for it while it hath an advantage to further his holiness 1 Joh. 3. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as he is pure When the Apostle speaks of the faith of God's elect which is after godliness Tit. 1. 1. as a furtherance of this holiness lays this hope upon eternal life In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the World began Expectations of Heaven well laid cannot but constrain a soul to utmost measures of holiness 2 Pet. 3. 14. Seeing that ye look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Heaven is a place of perfect holiness no unclean thing can enter there which the eye of faith seeing and the soul 's right to it puts a person upon perfecting his holiness that he may be ready to enter in O then lay up hopes of glory which have such precious fruits hanging on them Quest But what are those sure hopes of glory which will never fail of glory and from which we may expect such excellent fruit Sol. First Sure hopes of glory which will never fail of glory are issued out of a saving union with the Lord Jesus the Lord of glory Col. 1. 27. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the hope of glory Christ united to you and dwelling in you by his spirit is this glorious treasure spoken of in the former part of the verse Here are two arguments to endear the Lord Jesus to Believers First That in their union with him they are invested with great and unsearchable treasures he himself being that glorious and hidden riches opened in the Gospel and made over to them in their reception of him into their hearts by faith part of which treasure they have in hand in their present union and communion with him and the blessed fruits and consequents of it here Secondly Another thing that
troubles them but to be something though never so little satisfieth them and if this be Popery to rest in the work done how many Papists have we amongst us this day Certainly Professors are generally asleep or slumbering they do their work so badly and heartlesly their work falls out of their hand as things do from men asleep active for the world as if they could never do enough but soon tyr'd in the work of God dispatch but little of heavenly work from day to day from one Sabbath to another little heart-searching soul-watching work is done little in-door employment is carried on the exercise of faith hope humility patience zeal self-denial seems a stranger to a great many this day not for want of occasions or encouragements to work the Lord is still calling upon his Labourers to make haste but for want of hearts to work And this spiritual sloth proves that the Heavenly Trade is much lost Fourthly The poverty of Traders plainly shews Trading is not good when a Trade doth not maintain the Trader but he still goes back and becomes poorer then surely trading is not good The diligent hand makes rich Prov. 10. 4. When trading is good Traders usually thrive and live well upon it but when they waste and become poor then trading decaies So is it with Heavenly Traders when they drive a good Trade for Heaven they grow rich apace towards God and in their own souls Wisdom's wares are soul-enriching wares My fruit is better than gold yea than fine gold and my revenue than choice silver Prov. 8. 19. Men account those to be rich who have much of gold and silver but Wisdom's fruit is better than gold and therefore must needs be enriching they that have this gold cannot be poor Hence it is Christ counsels Laodicea to buy of him gold tryed in the fire that she might be rich Rev. 3. 1. But alas how poor in spirituals are persons generally this day Therefore I said Sur ly these are poor they are foolish for they know not the way of the Lord nor the judgement of their God Jer. 5. 4. Unacquaintedness with the way of God when men walk wide from Religion and lose their strict and close walking with God they soon become poor and foolish And this is the case of many every where they give a carnal liberty to themselves and indulge a freedom to walk after the fight of their own eyes and not by rule and where this is there is soul-poverty which is too visible in most this day Christians do but observe your own hearts and others and you will find this spiritual poverty abounding every where Little thrivings appear under the best of means choicest Priviledges do little more than keep up a name to live they convey but little quickenings to the soul A shew of Religion and a meer skeleton of profession is the common fruit of Ordinances in most places whereas all the while decaies are on the vitals of Christianity abatements in grace appear every day and a visible alteration in the whole frame and internal vigour of the soul faith love humility patience self-denyal and every grace becomes weaker every day Former daies were better than now Eccles 7. 10. Speak Christian are not matters worse with thy soul than they were and abatements appear in every part There was a time when thy mind was beam'd over with Divine Light the Candle of the Lord did shine in thy tabernacle Thy eye was quick to discern good and evil thou couldest once see an excellency in the knowledge of Christ O how choice were sermons priviledges were to thee the uncasking of Jewels and the opening of hidden glory thou did'st dwell in the Land of Visions and still some new discoveries of light and grace did meet thee in thy affectionate attendance upon God But now it is not so thy Candle burns dimly and thy right eye is darkened now thou seest but little beauty in grace or desireableness in truth things under thy feet th' other day that seem'd nothing compar'd with Christ now through the multiplying-glass of thy deceived mind seem great and lovely Formerly thy affections were warm and lively after God his word and ways O! how precious were his appointed Feasts and his Tabernacles amiable thou couldst delight in approaching to God and talk of a blessedness in his presence O the pleasure sweetness and joy thy heart did find in thy Closet in spiritual Converses and Duties and publick Ordinances thou couldst weep over sin and bedew thy prayers with tears and find thy heart burn within thee while Christ was speaking and melted under the warm beams of divine love But alas now it is not so now thy affections are dead thy heart as cold as a stone all the while thou art speaking to God in Prayer or God speaking to thee in his Word thou findest no more savour in Ordinances Duties and Christian Converses than in the white of an Egg Job 6. 16. Thou findest not that delight in God as formerly and the night of thy pleasure is turned to fear unto thee Isa 21. 4. This is Soul-poverty Again there was a time also when thy Will like the great Wheel in the Clock could move regularly after God thou couldst choose God for thy chiefest interest and Christ for thy only treasure preferring an interest in him above ten thousand Worlds thou couldst have voted for communion with God before thy meat and drink and one hours fellowship with Christ beyond all the delights on Earth thou couldst choose the things that please God and deny thy own pleasure to give content to him thou couldst once stick to thy first choice and find the purpose of thy heart cleaving to God Act. 11. 23. Thou couldst once resolve and keep thy resolutions 't was easier to take thy heart out of thy body than to gain thy consent to part with Christ his presence and ways But now thy will is hardly drawn after pure and constant enjoyments of God in his ways O! how difficult a thing is it to perswade thy will to let go all for Christ to leave every thing to attend on God to part with the world and self to wait on God to throw all over-board to take in Christ How hard is it now to consent that Christ shall have all the command of thy Soul and dispose of thy dearest interests now thou findest it a work above thee to keep thy heart in order one hour or to perform the purposes of thy Soul to God and Godliness thou resolvest and changest every day thou vowest and breakest thy vows continually there is no stedfastness in thy spirit this also bespeaks thy Soul-poverty There was a time also when thy Conscience was tender thy heart could smite thee for the least sin thy Conscience could hold thee to the greatest duty and bind thee to thy good behaviour thou could'st not go against the light and checks of thy regulated Conscience were it to gain the whole
World But now 't is dead and quiet it can bear the sharpest strokes of the two edged Sword and not feel it or bleed it makes little or no bones of sin against knowledg and mercy sins that were before troublesome now go down easily it can digest threatnings and terrors with little trouble and sleep while the arrows of the Lord's wrath flie about its ears it can let go mercies without regarding and truths to pass away without entertainment this is Soul-poverty This thou can'st say too there was formerly an activity in thy Soul for God and the spring of thy heart was strong and it set every wheel a going thou couldst run and not be weary walk and not be faint no religious duty was tiresome to thee no commands of God were grievous 1 Joh. 5. 3. no journeys seem'd long that led to God nor Sermons tedious that spake of God thy spirit was all life when in holy company and work did any say Come let us go up to the mountain of the house of the Lord Zech. 8. 21. thou wouldst say I will go also If God did but say Seek thou my face Psal 27. 8. thy heart would presently answer thy face Lord will I seek But now a deadness seizeth upon thee and slothfulness gathers in over thy whole Soul thou art soon weary of well-doing and canst not hold out with God in conflicts and difficulties as heretofore thou art not so diligent to prepare thy meat in Summer Prov. 30. 25. nor to lay in provision for a Winter spending-season thou turnest on thy bed as a door on its hinges and takest little pains with thy heart and conversation thou losest many an opportunity and advantage for thy Soul through thy deadness and indisposition to good works And doth not this bespeak Soul-languishing and poverty There are decays and poverty in thy life also as well as spirit how unprofitable is now thy conversation to what it was there was a time when thy bow did abide in strength thy lips did disperse knowledg Prov. 15. 7. thy steps did drop fatness it was good to be in thy company few came from thee but were better'd But alas now how dwindling is thy light how jejune and sapless is thy converse thy company little lovely thy communications little profitable thy words eat as doth a Canker it sears as a hot Iron and deadens those that hear it thy breath freezes all that come hear it so unprofitable a burden is thy company We turn all Religion Mr. Sedgwick ' s Christ's counsel to his languishing Church saith one into a discourse censure or dispute We can eat and drink and talk and sin as freely This is a sad case indeed and bespeaks great decays of godliness when persons become more poor and impotent in their Souls Fifthly Small adventures in Traders do usually bespeak bad Trading when times are hard and Goods go not off Sellers buy but little and drive a less Trade when improvements fail men are loath to adventure the principal but presently contract their Trade and lessen their dealings So 't is in this spiritual Trade when Souls begin to decay in it and Trading is bad they narrow up their Trade and lay out less of their heart and strength about it little of their Soul goes out after God and things above they cannot adventure for God as formerly nor spare time for prayer hearing reading holy conference as once they could the stream of their affections begins to run another way now they are all for the world self and vanity business and interest eats up all their time or at least they say to Christ as David did to Mephibosheth Thou and Zibah divide the Land So thou and the world thou and pleasures thou and reputation divide my heart time and strength this is too evident God hath not so much of mens hearts desires love delight faith hope zeal as heretofore 't is low waters all the year long with many no heart to duty as the Prophet complains Whoredom and Wine take away the heart Hos 4. 11. So lust sloth the world and self take away the heart few breathings after God when absent or delight when present indisposed to duty cold formal in duty put off God with any thing keep the best of the flock the prime of their strength for themselves and the world and turn off the Lord with a corrupt thing the residue of their wasted affections and strength Mal. 1. 14. Sixthly Breaking shews bad Trading when men can hold it no longer but are forc'd to give over they go back and waste so fast that at last they shut up shop and are gone The times we live in are a manifest instance of this truth men breaking ever and anon now one then another declares plainly Trading is bad And thus 't is with Wisdom's Merchants this day how many that have driven a brave trade of Profession made a great shew of Religion were famous in their generation for Parts and seeming Piety but are now come to nothing quite fallen and gone great apostasies from the truth sad shipwracks of Faith and Conscience can these late times speak of Men that seem'd like Stars to give a blaze for a while and then turn'd to falling Meteors at last or with the Sun that riseth in a splendour and sets in a cloud The visible apostacy and gross debauchery of men professing God in these latter times is great but the secret degeneracy and backslidings of heart are much more many break but more do warp 'T is far easier to observe than to be affected with mens great declensions in Religion some in principle but most in practice some with the fallen Angels have left their habitation and fallen from their first state others faulter in their profession and are fallen in their station some with stormy winds are shaken down others fully ripe and gotten to the height of their profession loosen by degrees and drop away some fall from the tree others rot where they hang some trees have lost their fruit others their very leaves and are become twice dead where can you cast your eye and not see fallings away either from Faith or faithfulness Men take up notions and as easily leave them most build upon the sand little rootings in the truth how easy is it to draw men from their opinions little stedfastness in love how soon doth the labours thereof cease a little trouble makes men let go their profession others lose their strictness in Religion and grow more remiss and lame in duty leaving their first love and close walks with Gods And are not these such manifest symptomes of decaying godliness that he who runs may read and see that the Heavenly Trade is almost come to nothing this day 2 And this is cause of mourning and to be greatly laid to heart who can see these things and not be affected If there be any quick flesh how can it but bleed if any waters are left surely
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
Christian get if he did but follow his victory over his corruptions and not suffer them to recruit and gather strength again Give no rest to thy lusts nor space for reviving no not for a moment but keep up thy warfare every day Sixthly If you would further the death of sin keep up the life of grace As the life of sin weakens grace so the life of grace keeps down and weakens sin Gal. 5. 16. Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Keep up grace and sin will down As when the house of David waxed stronger the house of Saul waxed weaker 2 Sam. 3. 1. 'T is written of Ephrem Syrus that though he was a man much given to passion in his youth yet after he entered into a strict course of life he was never seen to be angry with any man As you cannot get power over sin but by the Spirit of Grace so you cannot keep the head over sin but by the Life of Grace Get your graces strengthened and you will find your corruptions weakened Thirdly You must carry on Renovation in grace and the inward work of Sanctification every day Ephes 3. 23 24. And be renewed in the spirit of your minds And that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Schol. After the work of Mortification the Apostle presses Christians to this work of Renovation or Internal Holiness be renewed in the spirit of your minds i. e. in your minds by the Holy Spirit the mind being put for the whole man and internal faculties of the soul both understanding will affections and conscience all must be renewed by the Spirit called the New Creature 2 Cor. 5. 17. or Workmanship of Christ transformed after his own Image in righteousness and true holiness and renewed in knowledge Eph. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. When the soul is truly regenerated there is the stamp or eexmplar of Christ's holiness placed in the whole soul in truth but in weak measures at first which must be renewed or enlarged in the soul till it comes to the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ Christians at the first change are compar'd to new born babes 2 Pet. 2. 2. weak in grace but under a natural disposition and obligations to growth and encreases in this grace of God both intensively and extensively This is a Christian's duty by divine command and comports with the appointment of God in order to it 2 Pet. 3. v. 18. 1 Pet. 2. 2. Ephes 4. 11 12 13. 'T is the way by which grace becomes glory and is greatly necessary to perfect a soul's holiness that so he might come to his full stature and conformity to Christ Ephes 4. 16. Rom. 8. 29. And by the encreases of grace may be enabled to dispatch all his duties bear his burdens and bear up under his temptations that he might be capable to enjoy all his mercies to glorifie the God of grace and to be made meet for the enjoyment of God in glory On all which accounts it becomes the Christian 's great concern to press after larger measures of grace every day to grow up into him in faith and love who is the head in all things Ephes 4. 15. To grow downward in humility and self-denial to grow extensively in every part of holiness and greater enlargements in every grace to wax stronger and stronger in the grace that is in Christ Jesus Perfecting holiness in the sight of God and pressing more and more after the price of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus The want of which encreases of the Spirit doth much obscure the glory of Christ in Believers cloud their evidences and render them too weak for their corruptions their growing tryals and duties Christians content not your selves with the truth of grace without daily growth in grace Improve your interest in the Resurrection of Christ by believing for the dailing quickening of your hearts and raising of your affections to things above and attracting your desires and whole souls after God grace and glory Be much in internal soul-work of heart searching soul watching divine contemplation secret ejaculations and soul breathings after God and higher manifestations of his light life and love Be constant in every appointment of God publick and private of prayer reading hearing holy conference that you may get nourishment thereby administred to your souls Get under all the dews and showres of grace for your fruitfulness Be spiritual as well as frequent in exercising grace under the means of Grace without this you cannot serve God acceptably Heb. 12. 28. or receive from him who is the head nourishment to your souls but by these bands and joynts of faith and love Col. 2. 19. Formality eats out that sap which should make you green and flourishing A dead cold heart under the Word can no more digest it to nutriment than a dead body can concoct natural food Maintain hungring desires after the word of grace and appointed means to your spiritual growth 1 Pet. 2. 3. Hungring after food argues a good digestion and a sound concoction furthers nourishment Keep up warm affection to every way of God living on Christ for all the good and blessing of them Psal 84. 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee in whose heart are the ways of them who passing through the Valley of Baca make it a Well the rain also filleth the Pools they go from strength to strength every one in Sion appearing before God When Jehoshaphat's heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord 't is said he waxed great exceedingly 2 Chron. 17. 6. 12. Heart-enlargement in the ways of God is a notable help to soul-thrivings Take this one thing more be poor in spirit if you would be rich in grace Such are under the promise of being satisfied of being guided in judgment of encreasing their joy to such he will give grace and revivings Humble souls a Reyner Excellency of Grace saith one are empty vessels which God will fill are low plants which God will make to grow To be nothing in our own eyes is the way to receive all good things even grace in abundance from God Psal 22. 26. and 25. 9. Isa 29. 19. Prov. 3. 34. Isa 57. 15. Fourthly To keep your evidences for Heaven fair and legible is another part of your Salvation-work this will abundantly comfort you under all your tribulations quicken you to a lively dispatch of your duties give you a humble boldness in your approaches to God arm you against the fears of death and administer to you an abundant entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Beware of quenching and grieving the Spirit of grace by which its sealing-work is hindered Take heed of laying blots upon your evidences by any allowed iniquity in your hearts or unpurged defilement in your hands which will weaken
First Be sure the matter of your employments be good that your Callings be lawful and the things you do be just and honest in the sight of God Evil things can never be well done meddle not with prohibited goods do nothing that either in its nature use or by divine Law becomes evil 2 Cor. 13. 7. Phil. 4. 8. Eph. 4. 28. Let your Callings be a Versetur circa id quod licitum est in se utire generi humano famae bonae Ames lawful of good report and useful in your generation not onely for your own interest and advantage but for the service and good of others For no man liveth to himself Rom. 14. 7. Such a calling as hath God for its Author m Opera Deo placere non possunt si vitae suae institutum non est a Deo Frid. Baldm being according to Scripture and hath God for its Teacher n The works of that calling cannot please God where the calling it self is not of God saith Fenner Isa 28. 26. And as a man can manage with peace of conscience and be assur'd his work doth please God and he can pray for a blessing upon it which they cannot do who set on employments that tend to nourish vice and wickedness Rom. 13. 14. That your Recreations also be lawful such as are free from scandal and temptation used by and with persons fearing God and such as have a tendency to refresh the mind and body the better disposing it to its necessary duties being sparingly and wisely used so as to be no occasion of evil to others and religiously entred on by seeking to God for a right management of it and blessing on it Such actions as come not under these characters are not becoming Christians who must give an account to God for every vain word much more for idle actions Mat. 12. 36. 'T is part of that which will trouble souls when their sins are bearing on them that they have inherited lies vanities and things wherein is no profit Jer. 16. 19. Saints should be working nothing but what hath a good in it Working with his hands the things that are good Ephes 4. 28. and which can bring some glory to God Whatsoever you do of which Recreations is a part do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10 31. But what good to the body foul or estate what glory to God what peace to conscience in the day of Christ can be found in carnal sports scandalous plaies cards dice lascivious dancings and the like which are the off-spring of chambering and wantonness things wherein is little praise virtue or good report but rather the spots of Christianity and bane of piety which tend to debauch the affections to deaden the conscience to nourish wantonness and seed a fleshly carnal mind the end of which is death Rom. 13. 13. Phil. 4. 8. Jude v. 12. 2 Pet. 2. 18. Rom. 8. 6. For to be carnally minded is death but to be spiritually minded is life and peace It is a double content to a generous and well disposed nature when he doth good for his pleasure Games of hazard saith Du Moulin of Contentment a worthy Divine do very much discompose the mind they also provoke passion and cause much disturbance in the soul for things of nothing Games that consist in dexterity of body or mind are much to be preferred before these Chess will sharpen the wit but busie it over much and toil the spirits instead of recreating them which is the proper use of play Of all gaming the less the better and when it disorders the passions the least is too much He that ventures much money at play ventures with it not onely the tranquillity of his mind but makes a certain loss of it whatever becomes of the money Squandring away of money in play is not the way to make friends of that unrighteous Mammon that receive a man into everlasting habitations but an enemy rather that will turn him out of his temporal habitation it is the way to lose both Earth and Heaven So then whether we win or lose we commit robbery for if we rob not our adversaries we rob our selves our families and God We may add this also such unprofitable Recreations devour that precious treasure of irrecoverable unvaluable yea salvation-time and useth those hours in posting to Hell which are too much neglected for hastening to Heaven O how careful then should souls that profess heavenly hopes be of their earthly work that it be such as may conduce to their accomplishment of them Rule 2. Secondly Set upon earthly things in their proper place and order Seek first the Kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and all these things shall be added to you a Caetera aut aderunt aut certe non oberunt Mat. 6. 33. Let God have the uppermost Throne in your hearts the fore-foot in your walk the first stroke in your work give heavenly things the precedency both in estimation affection and time as things of greatest worth and to which you are chiefly obliged That 's the due order and method of heavenly Traders to begin every day and work with God serve God first and then your selves Set apart some time for religious duties before you set upon earthly employments Men will not go abroad into unwholsom air fasting The things of this world have a contagious breath in them Break your fast with God every morning before you adventure on heart-ensnaring businesses Labour with God first for his presence with you his wisdom to direct you his grace and strength to help secure and bless you in your earthly labours Antidote your hearts with divine cordials every morning before you get into the Pest-house of this world and let something of Scripture lye nearest thy soul for counsel comfort quickening every day He saith Augustine that hath tasted the sweetness of Divine love will not care for temporal sweetness Meddle not with the thorns of this world till you have fenced your hearts and hands by prayer and the sword of the Spirit 'T is more haste than good speed to run into the world before you have spoken with God The lawful way to earthly employments lies by Heavens gates Christians God will sue you for trespasses if you take any other way to your trades and employments in the world than his prescribed way of religious duties Besides you have need of God's eye and hand in every thing you do You know not the snares and deaths that lye in your employments and the dangers you are subject to in every step you go and in every thing you do You may go forth in the morning and never return more some have died as Israel did with meat in their mouths others have fal'n down dead in their work broke their necks in a journey been found dead in the way O set on earthly work in God's way go not about the world till you have been with
work Christians be careful of your ends in all you do 'T is not enough to do things that are right if you are not upright in them That 's unsanctified work which hath not holy aims and God for its last end To follow your callings that you might live honestly in the sight of men that you might provide for your own and have a competency in the world to carry you comfortably through it is lawful as subordinate secondary ends but not as your chief and last end to which all your actions must be directed that must be singly and supremely the pleasing and honouring of God as your highest end Fifthly Another part of this Heavenly Trade is driven on maintain'd in heavenly thoughts Thoughts are the embrio and conception of actions which also come under the cognisance and government of Religion 'T is a common but carnal principle and false assertion that thoughts are free They are free indeed from the inspection of men but not from the eye and judgment of God who searcheth the hearts and weigheth the spirits Jer. 17. 10. and will bring every secret thing into judgment Eccles 12. 14. Solomon tells us The thoughts of foolishness is sin Prov. 16. 2. Prov. 24. 9. And Peter tells us that the thoughts of the heart need forgiveness Acts 8. 22. not onely sinful actions but sinful thoughts are forbidden Deut. 15. 9. and the very thoughts as well as words and lives of Christians are to be brought under the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 5. The Idea and platform of every considerate action is first drawn in the mind and inward thoughts No work is rightly done that wants praevious thoughts and consideration Prov. 16. 9. A man's heart deviseth his way he weighs considers and deliberates about the way he is to go in and the course of life he is to drive he counts the time cost and every thing that must go to his work Prov. 31. 16. She considereth a field and buyeth it So 't is in this Heavenly Trade there must be devising of the way serious thoughts and considerations how to manage it to best advantage how to get in and put off wisdom's goods how to strengthen grace to dispatch duty to obtain the favour of God and dwell in his presence how to improve mercy and how to ensure glory The Heavenly Trade can never be carried on without heavenly thoughts Inward working thoughts about God and godliness are of wonderful use to further a holy life They warm and chear the heart under troubles Psal 94. 19. engage and fix it on God and render his presence desirable Heavenly thoughts fire the heart and inflame it to holy actions Psal 139. 17. Psal 39. 3. and are a choice preservative against sin Psal 4. 4. 'T is greatly useful to encrease knowledge and attain to deep wisdom and understanding Dan. 14. 4. Many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall encrease That is their thoughts shall be working on truth busily employed to find out the meaning of the word looking on one side and on the other side saith Mr. Fenner and by this means shall come to a great thriving in knowledge Men will never be religious to purpose or be their crafts-masters in this Heavenly Trade till they be more spiritual and heavenly in their thoughts Christians make conscience of your thoughts they must come to judgment wash your hearts from whence they come Jer. 4. 14. and watch your thoughts whither they go check your thoughts when they begin to wander quicken your thoughts when flat fix your thoughts when floating spiritualize them when carnal exercise them when slothful set them on their proper and profitable objects and hold them to their work in divine and heavenly meditation every day which is part of your Heavenly Trade and hath a mighty tendency to soul-enriching Psal 4. 4. Psal 63. 4. Psal 104. 34. Gen. 24. 63. Psal 1. 2. Psal 77. 12. Psal 139. 8. Meditation is a calling in the thoughts from its straglings and undue employments fixing them on and holding them to their peculiar work 'T is the travel of the mind in the search of some spiritual good from such things as duty and providence lay before it it weighs things and actions in the ballance of truth it turns things up-side down and looks on both sides and through them that it may take a right estimate of them 'T is the running to and fro of the cogitations to encrease knowledge Dan. 12. 4. Meditation sifts things and truths to divide the flower from the bran and truth from errours it helps to a clearer and more sensible view of truth and excellency with the Chymist it extracts the spirits and quintessence of things it warms the heart and fires the affections raises desires engages the will enlightens and enlivens the conscience and helps to feed the soul on divine truths to feast it with divine love it draws nourishment from ordinances sweetness from promises instructions from the creature and good from providences Without Meditation a person cannot receive the good that 's offer'd to him or do the good that is required of him The Word preached doth not profit hearers for want of Meditation to digest it threatnings promises counsels encouragements don't affect the soul or effect their errand and message for want of a serious and settled consideration of them O what profit might Christians get to their souls were more time spent every day in right Meditation Believer charge thy heart with this duty of daily Meditation which is as needful as Prayer Reading and any acts of holiness and allow some time constantly each day for this holy exercise of thy serious thoughts and contemplations To meditate on God his Word and Works on the Soul its being immortality duties evils and interests on the the World its vanity and emptiness on Sin its nature and issues on Holiness its excellency and blessed advantages on Death Judgment and Eternity with whatever might yield instruction and profit Urge thy conscience with the command of God the practice of the Saints the great necessity and many advantages of this duty consider the great and usual aversness of thy heart to it which doth manifestly bespeak its spirituality and excellency for the more nature is indisposed to a duty the more of God is usually in such a duty think also of thy manifold losses and disadvantages thou hast sustained by thy neglect of it and pray hard for the spirit to help thy soul in the due performance of it which hints I can only leave with thee without further enlargement lest it should swell this Volume beyond its designed bounds Sixthly If you would drive on this heavenly Trade you must be keeping up heavenly converses every day and upon every occasion much of earthly Trades is carried on by earthly discourses this way they drive bargains and barter away goods a great many words oft-times go to chaffering buying and selling and so is it
much of the world take heed of puffings up the more you have the more you owe the more you have of Earth the less you may have of Heaven The poor in the world may be rich in faith and the rich in the world may be oft-times poor in faith If God give you much here be fearful lest he give you your All here When one offered Luther much gold he protested God should not put him off with these things 'T is said of Gregory the Great he could never read these words Son remember thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things without horrour and astonishment lest having such dignities he should be excluded his portion in Heaven Have you little in the world you have the less to reckon for you have the lesser temptations the fewer bryars and thorns to go through Are you mean in reputation you are so much the safer and the more beneath envy 'T is more to you said Mr. Rutherford to the Lord-Keeper to win Heaven being ships of great burden and in the main Sea than for little vessels that are not so much in the mercy and reverence of the storm Are you low in the world the more reason you have to lie low in your own spirits a Prince's heart and a beggar's purse do not well agree Are you in want make more use of Christ's fulness 'T is blessed misery that brings souls to Christ for mercy Had it not been for affliction Christ would have had but little company whiles in the world The whole need not the Physician the sick the blind the deaf dumb and possessed of Devils might bless God for their maladies which were the occasions of bringing them to the Physician of their souls as well as bodies 'T was well for the poor Canaanite that her daughter was ill for by that means she was put upon seeking crumbs and while she asked for them got the childrens bread to boot Matth. 15. 27 28. Fifthly Get good from your Callings and Employments in the world by preserving a sense of the snares and dangers that lie in the management of them If men would take a strict survey of their Calling-carriages and be true to their observations they must needs confess there are many evils they are guilty of in the management of them every day either idleness or excess of labours deceitfulness earthliness lying cheating selfishness covetousness carnal-mindedness vain discourses multitude of words murmuring unthankfulness with many other sins of omission and commission which they are exposed to in the pursuit of their Employments Now when the experience and sense of this do keep them more humble and watchful against the occasions and appearances of such evils when this helps to break and melt the heart before the Lord in prayer fly to Christ in the sense of their weaknesses and inability to hold up under their temptations for all their help and grace to stand Ephes 5. 15 16. And when they labour to keep a tender spirit in all their dealings and a holy jealousie of their hearts in every thing they do exercising self-denyal and mortifiedness to the world and things below then they get profit from their Callings Prov. 41. 3. Psal 141. 3. When they make their particular Callings to comport with and subserve their general when mens businesses in the world do not unfit them for but are helpful in their religious duties to keep their hearts in a meetness for spiritual service even while they are in their earthly Employments maintaining a walk with God in them then they get good from their earthly Callings Ephes 6. 18. Titus 3. 1. Sometimes God blesseth your Callings and makes your basket and store to encrease then to be enlarg'd in thankfulness and preserve the memory of God's goodness is not onely your duty but will sweeten the enjoyment of your mercies With my staff I passed over this Jordan and now I am become two bands Gen. 32. 10. To love him more and serve him better with more chearfulness and gladness of heart this is profiting by your Callings Sometimes God blasts your labours and crosseth your hopes makes a breach upon your Trade follows you with losses one after another In this case to look to the hand of God to search out God's end in all to get good by it to be the more weaned from the world and to cease from earthly stays is a profitable use of your Callings Sixthly Be getting some good from your company you reside amongst meet or converse with The Lord offers and souls may get much good this way O the mercies that God deals out through mens company 'T was well for Rahab that ever the spies came to her house for by that means she obtained the salvation of her self and family What a mercy 't was to the woman of Samaria when she came to the Well that she found Christ there who instead of filing her pitcher with perishing water by this means got her heart filled with the waters of life John 4. 15 What good did the Disciples get by company in the way to Emmaus who by that means had their cold hearts warmed their weak faith strengthened Luke 25. 15. to the 32. Others have had company fatal to them Had it not been for Potiphar's house Joseph might have escaped temptation to uncleanness Gen. 39. 7. And had it not been for Pharaoh's house he had not learn'd to swear by the life of Pharaoh Gen. 42. 15. As long as Peter kept with the Disciples he was faithful and couragious but when once he fell into evil company and got into the High Priest's Hall he presently fell into that fearful sin of denying his Lord and Master Luke 22. 55. When they sate down together Peter sate down amongst them Christians beware what company you come into for the peace and welfare if not the life of your souls is much concerned in it Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them Ephes 5. 11. Prov. 1. 15. chap. 4. 14 15. Chuse not wicked company for advantage sake as Lot did with the loss of his goods and hazard of his life and a dreadfull fall to boot Gen. 19. 15. 36. Advantage was his end why he chose the Plains of Sodom but loss was the issue of his choice So Balaam for Balacks goods run himself into those temptations that cost him his life Gen. 31. 8. Go not into wicked company except duty call you if you have God's warrant you have his protection and if by providence or in the way of obedience you meet with evil men be good with them The Sun saith Diogenes visits kennels and is not defiled either by taking an occasion to do them good as the Israelitish Maid did to her Master Naaman directing him to the Prophet Elisha for cure 2 King 5. 2 3. Or by putting a stop to their sin as David did Psal 75. 4 5. I said unto the fools deal not foolishly and to the
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
when you meet with company what goods do you put off to them Do you labour in every society to vend something of heavenly wares to put off some holy counsel and instruction some gracious experience and observation to leave something behind you in every place and company you come that may fasten a savour of God on them then is it good Trading and you are in a soul-thriving way Thirdly Men count it good Trading when they are richer in stock when they have more goods more variety greater quantity of wares than first they had and that clear too and paid for their shops and warehouses are fuller than they were and the goods their own also this men reckon good Trading And can you say 't is thus with your souls also Are you increased with spiritual goods your graces are more as well as gifts your faith love hope fear are more grown and stronger than they were 2 Thes 1. 3. Can you trust God more than you could and hang upon a naked promise more strongly than you could when sight fails 2 Cor. 5. 7. Can you think well of God when he frowns upon you Can you love him when he corrects you Isa 39. 8 Can you stay on him when he strips you of your visible comforts and cleave to him when he seems to reject you Job 13. v. 15. Then are you richer in stock Is your Faith more cleansing and quickening your Love more warming your Zeal more fervent your Hope more adventurous your Patience more bearing your Joy more delighting your Humility more self-abasing then are you encreased with goods Have you more of every grace it may be at first you had much affection but little sincerity great desires but little faith much comfort but little patience and self-denial you could pray talk rejoyce do some duties but could not bear trials want comforts live by faith when sight failed you were much it may be in some duties but negligent in others but now you have more variety of graces enlargement in duties and more universal respect to all God's commands Psal 119. 6. And if you are less in the bulk of duty you are more in the spirit of it when 't is thus there 's a thriving Trade in Christianity Fourthly Are you less in debt than you were that 's another sign of good Trading Do you make conscience of rendring to God again for all his benefits Psal 116. 12 13. Is it your trouble when you are behind-hand with grace and fall in arreer to the mercy of God by your unthankfulness Dan. 9. 10. Indeed in compensation of the grace of God you are defective to make requitals of mercies you cannot you see possibly an infinite shortness in your performances of the meanest favour that the Lord bestows upon you but such as you have you give to the Lord you render all possible praises though not all praises due Exod. 15. 2. This you are careful of and charge upon your hearts every day to walk as becometh the grace that brings salvation and the mercies bestowed on you 't is the desire of your heart and labour to walk worthy of God to all well-pleasing and to answer the end of mercy in which you are willing beyond your ability and grieve at your falling short herein Now this doth the Lord count for the deed and accept at his peoples hands as full pay through the satisfaction of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 8. 12. And where 't is thus that persons live in the daily sense of Divine Grace and grateful acknowledgment of every mercy there is a thriving Trade in spirituals Fifthly Have you much owed you and is it secure This also bespeaks a thriving Trade Men count sure debts as good as ready money though they have little in bags yet if they have the more in book and good debt too they rate themselves accordingly and reckon themselves worth so much as is due as well as to what is in hand And is it so with you Christians are you rich in promises is much coming to you upon a new-covenant score It may be you have little in hand little comfort peace and sweetness you meet with from day to day You sow much but reap little you ask but have not and yet seek with your whole heart Goods are received but no money returned if so you have good grounds of hope for a plentiful harvest because you sow store of good seed are much in holy duties and sincere in them many a prayer upon the file many a tear droped into God's bottle much grace laid out in duty and time spent in it a daily care to please God and upon Scripture-grounds can lay claim to many a promise on the account of Christ What you sow you shall reap Gal. 6. 8. Your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 2 Cor. 15. v. 58. Say unto the righteous it shall be well with them for they shall eat the fruit of their doings Isa 3. 10. And the less is received the more is behind Improvements of grace do book down many a mercy for Believers which possibly they may not receive all their life and yet be sure and turns to account in the Inheritance prepared for them and this is good Trading which brings in bonds and bills that are sure and shall be paid to Heavenly Traders in their own Countrey Sixthly That 's good Trading where the present incomes maintain the Trader and so much is got by it as they may live by when a person can live comfortably upon his gettings without impairing the stock If it be so with the Believer in thy Heavenly Trade then hast thou good Trading Try Christians your thriving by your livelihood can you live comfortably upon the fruits of Religion Cant. 2. 3. Isa 40. 31. doth your Religion maintain your Souls and Graces well Joh. 4. 30. at what rate do you live Men that thrive in the world usually live well have good fare and good cloathing Diet Apparel Expences do soon shew mens gettings Indeed Prodigals may spend high live well for a time but then they cannot hold it they soon break but when men can bear liberal expences and their Estates not impaired it argues such do thrive apace and get well in their Trades so 't is with thriving Christians they ordinarily live at a higher rate of peace and comfort than others Ps 119. 165. Ps 80. 19. their fare is better unless the health of their Souls do sometimes call to fasting and affliction strong Christians overcoming Souls have better Provisions promis'd them than others such feed on hidden Manna Rev. 2. 17. and marrowy bits milk is for babes but strong meat for strong men Prov. 21. 15. 'T is joy to the just to do judgment Joy and Pleasure saith Mercer is the fruit of wel-doing to such h Laetitia obvenit ci ex juste factis suis Such can expend more than others who have larger proportion of Blessings on their Souls A person