that this above all things else hath a powerful influence into its spiritual well-fare and prosperity For this keeps life in faith and heart in hope and enables the Soul to live in the exercise of them both and in the exercise of Repentance and keeps the heart warm with love to Christ In the exercise of which graces as hath been shewed Soul-prosperity doth consist and is much promoted 1 Joh. 3.3 And every one that hath this hope purifieth himself as he is pure Zech. 12.10 I will powre the spirit of grace and supplication and they shall look on him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him Luk. 7.47 Her sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much 2 Cor. 5.14 15 For the love of Christ constraineth us c. Therefore as ever we desire that our Souls should prosper let us be much in the meditation of the Materials whereof the garment of this Righteousness is made that we may distinctly understand it and let every humbled Sinner wrestling against the workings of his unbelief and making out after an interest in Christ adventure to apply it and to receive it as that which is freely offered unto him Rev. 22.17 And the Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come And let him that is athirst Come and whosoever will let him take the Water of life freely And so put it on though by a weak and trembling faith and continue still to do it that so in due time when the only-wise God sees it best for us we may know we have it This is the way to find rest to our Souls For consider but these two things 1. That as the imputation of Adam's sin was the original of all ungodliness and the undoing of all our Souls so the imputation of this Righteousness to the Soul and the clothing of the Soul with it is the original of all the principles of godliness which are the life and prosperity of the Soul for by the merit of his death Christ purchased them all and by his intercession and pleading this he applyeth them all 2. Consider this That it is as great yea and greater satisfaction to Christ himself to see an humbled conflicting Soul receive it put it on apply it and plead it for what grace and mercy soever it stands in need of I say it is a greater satisfaction to Christ himself to see such a Soul do it then it is to the Soul it self that doth it though he know he hath done it so as is accepted Isa 53.11 He shall see of the travail of his Soul and be satisfied He accounts all the travails of his Soul all his sufferings all his obedience to the Law satisfied for in this And thus much of that Garment of Righteousness which is wrought for the Soul by Christ himself 2. The Soul that prospers must be clothed with the Garment of Righteousness wrought in the Soul by the Spirit of Christ The righteousness wrought in the Soul is the same with that which is called Saving grace and true holiness It is called Righteousness because it is the impression of God's Righteousness upon the Soul in the exercise whereof the Soul works unto God as the chiefest good and utmost end by a right rule set in the Word and therefore often expressed by Vprightness and Sincerity Every Soul that is clothed with the outward garment the Garment of Righteousness wrought for him is also clothed with the inward Garment of Righteousness wrought in him though all are not so well clothed with it as some are but in some measure All are For these two garments though they are distinguished yet they are always worn together and never divided Where Christ is Righteousness to the Soul he hath wrought this Righteousness in the Soul He that puts on Christ puts on The New Man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4.24 Hence it is that when those whose Souls did prosper are said to be righteous Persons as Noah Gen. 7.1 Abel Matth. 23.35 Abraham Isa 41.2 Zachary and Elizabeth Luk. 1.6 And Lot 2 Pet. 2.8 his Soul is said to be a righteous Soul And when it is said That the righteous shall shine as the Sun in the firmament Matth. 13.43 And enter into Eternal Life Matth. 25.46 We must understand it that they were clothed with both these Garments both that of Righteousness wrought for them and that of Righteousness wrought in them And whereas it is said 1 Cor. 6.9 That no unrighteous person can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven We must understand it of those who have not the double clothing of Righteousness He that hath not both hath neither And he that hath the one hath the other And so far as a Man knows that he is clothed with the One so far he knows that he is clothed with the Other and he that questions either will question both He that is in doubt that he hath not the One is in doubt that he hath not the Other In the prosecuting of this point something had need to be said to each of the four Particulars 1. I shall shew what the garment of Righteousness wrought in us is The materials whereof it is made 2. I shall shew that without this garment whatever profession is made of interest in that other Garment of Righteousness which is wrought for us the Soul cannot prosper 3. That the better the Soul is clothed with this garment the more it doth and the better it will prosper 4. Some Directions in reference to the clothing our selves with and well using of this Garment 1. What this Garment of Righteousness wrought in us is or the Materials whereof it is made Ye may take this brief description of it It is that Heaven-born Principle of spiritual life which contains in it the whole seed of God the universal principle of godliness enclining the heart seriously to endeavour that every known truth may be heartily submitted unto every gracious principle exercised every corruption mortified every duty performed every infirmity bewailed the conversation in all things rightly ordered every Providence improved and all as in the sight of God Ye see this garment is made up of several pieces I can do no less and I shall do more then speak a little to each of them 1. It is that Heaven-born principle of spiritual life which contains in it the universal principle of godliness As Original sin is a universal principle of Corruption levening throughout the whole lump of Man's nature So this principle of Righteousness wrought in the Soul graciously renews the whole Man though not wholly The new Creature is born at once though it grows by steps and degrees Therefore every one that thinks or desires to be clothed with it must put on the whole Armour of God Eph. 6.10 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 Giving all diligence add to your faith vertue c. Col. 3.12 13 Put on as the elect of
unto you 1. Wherein the prosperity of the Soul consisteth and when it may be said to prosper I told you then that the prosperity thereof is to be considered both in its first rise and foundation Or in its growth and progress As to the first rise of it it was proved that if we look upwards we shall find it begin in God's Eternal Electing love which is without beginning But if we look inwardly so as to discern it in our selves The first foundation of it is laid in that day and hour though the very day and hour hath I think not been discerned by many though perhaps by some But however discerned or not discerned in that day and hour it begins when by the word of Christ and by the Spirit of Christ the whole Man both Soul and Body is brought into a state of Union with Christ For then the Soul receives the first Seeds of Heaven-born principles of Spiritual life and then begins to be in a capacity of prospering 2. As the first foundation is laid in these principles So the growth and progress thereof consists in their increase As they increase so the prosperity of the Soul increaseth So that if ye give up your selves to be guided by right reason your work for the substance of it is first to see that your Souls are Spiritually alive And secondly that they thrive and prosper in that wherein they live In reference to the former of them I have two things to say 1. To all and every one of you that you would set some time apart seriously to debate the matter between God and your selves alone and none else with you whether ever ye felt the day of God's power upon your spirits to prevail so far upon you As 1. To cast you down from the good opinion which ye had of your selves by a thorough conviction of the woful mistake wherein ye were about the state of your Souls That ye thought them alive when they were as now ye see dead in sin pleasing your selves with the Religion of your Education as Paul did before his Converson That ye thought ye had good hearts toward God whereas now ye see that as Psal 5.9 your inward parts were very wickedness That whereas ye thought not of any danger ye were in of the wrath to come now ye see ye are condemned by a holy and righteous Law And that what by reason of your Actual sins and what by reason of your Original sin ye utterly despair of Salvation in that state wherein ye pleased your selves and see clearly that outward Reformation will not serve your turn but ye must be inwardly changed into the Image of God and be born again by the Spirit of God else ye can never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven This is such a casting down as Paul experienced when he said Sin revived and I died Rom. 7.9 2. Whether besides this casting down ye have also experienced the day of God's power so far to prevail upon you as to raise up your hearts to a willing and hearty acceptance of Christ to all intents and purposes in order to Salvation To kill and destroy that enmity which you find in your hearts against the ways of God so as to bring you into a state of Reconciliation with God and to all the means of conformity to him and Communion with him to impute unto you the merits of Christ's death for a full and free discharge from the guilt of all your sins and to impute unto you his Righteousness that ye may be accepted as righteous unto Eternal life To mortifie all your corruptions to quicken your dead hearts with the principles of Spiritual life those principles of true holiness without which ye know ye shall never see God with a sincere resolution in his strength to wait upon him and keep his way That he would do all this for you and work all this in you and that ye are humbled for defects in living no more upon him that he might be all this unto you Verily so far as any person can really assert this that thus he hath been cast down and thus he hath been and is raised up though he may sometimes be in the dark as to the safety of his estate for Eternity he hath good Scripture ground thò he may not see it to believe that he is called into fellowship with Christ 1 Cor. 1.9 And that his Soul begins to live and is in a capacity of prospering For when the Soul it may be after a long shutting up under unbelief thus opens to Christ then Christ comes into the Soul as Rev. 3.20 And when he comes he brings the principles of Spiritual life with him 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life This is the first Particular A word to all 2. I have a word to some to those I mean that know nothing as yet what either this casting down or lifting up means And it is a word of advice That as ever they desire their Souls should live and be in a capacity of prospering that they would break off from all their dead works and resolve for this end that they may be thus cast down and lifted up To be swift to hear as Jam. 1.19 And to attend unto the words of this life so as it is said to be Joh. 5.20 The word whereby dead Souls are quickened Joh. 5.25 the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live And that in order hereunto ye would take the right way of working what ye hear upon your hearts thus or to this purpose reason the case with your selves 1. Soul-prosperity I am now convinced is the most desirable prosperity And if my Soul prosper not all the sooner possibly it may never prosper for this night it may be taken from me And if it do not prosper nothing will prosper with me so as to turn to good whilst I live and when I am dead I shall be one of the most woful and miserable Creatures to all Eternity that ever God made next to the Devils 2. If my Soul be as I have reason to be asraid it is still in its unregenerate state then it is spiritually dead in sin and while it continues so it is in no more capacity of prospering then a dead Tree while it continues dead is in a capacity of bringing forth ripe fruit This I now clearly see though I did not so much as think on it before 3. If I do not so receive Jesus Christ as that Jesus Christ may receive me into a state of Union with himself my Soul can never live for so I hear from 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath not the Son hath not life 4. If I would so receive Jesus Christ as that he may receive me into Union with himself and I receive life from him I must so receive the word as to be so cast down and so lifted up as I have heard Therefore by his help
I resolve for this end to hear yea as I am commanded Isa 55.3 diligently to hear to hearken and to incline mine Ear And to make application to my self of what may be for my casting down and for my lifting up that according to the promise in that Text my Soul may live This do and Live SERMON VII HAving spoken something to the first Particular That every one ought to see it who desires that his Soul should prosper that he be Spiritually alive I now proceed to the second wherein two things are to observed That if indeed ye are spiritually alive then to see to it 1. That your Spiritual life be lively and prosper 2. That when it begins to be better than it hath been with you in the inward Man then to take heed that ye lofe not the things ye have wrought 2 Ep. of Joh. vers 8. I shall enter upon the former of these at present 1. To see to it that your Spiritual life be lively and prosper for therein the prosperity of your Souls consists And because every thing almost that I have to speak unto in handling this great and necessary Doctrine needs much enforcement because much neglected I shall before I come to the Directions speak something by way of argument to heighten your endeavours herein Consider then 1. A Soul that is alive to God though burdened with a weak Consumptive Body and with a considerable fullness of outward blessings both which many times are great disadvantages yet may prosper We see it exemplified in Gaius He was but of a weak and crasie Constitution that 's implyed in the Text. And he was withal a Man of some Estate in the World That 's implyed vers 6. Which have born witness of thy charity before the Church Yet neither the one nor the other hindered but that his Soul did prosper It was as John said for doubtless John was as far from giving flattering titles as Elihu said he was Job 32.22 2. Our Souls ought to be as dear unto us as the Soul of Gaius was to him If Gaius made Religion his business minding above all things that one thing which is necessary If he kept his heart above all keeping So that neither Corruption from within nor Temptation from without could set his Salvation-work backward If he laid up his treasure in Heaven valuing both the best things and the worst things of the World as something or as nothing unto him farther then as they might be improved to promote the Eternal well-fare of his Soul All which without doubt in a great measure he did and more then all this too otherwise he had never received this testimony from such a Man as John was which to his honour hath stood upon Record these 1600 years and shall do to the end of the World For as our Saviour said of Mary Matth. 26.13 So wherever this Epistle shall be read in the whole World this that Gaius did shall be told for a memorial of him That his Soul did prosper Therefore as our Saviour saith Luk. 10. We ought to go and do likewise For he was under no more obligation to do what he did then we are And our Souls ought to be as dear to us as his was to him 3. There is not one word to be found to the contrary in all the Scripture but that how short soever we come of this pattern at present yet if we set our selves to do as he did our Souls may prosper as much as ever his did Jesus Christ we are sure can make them prosper Joh. 10.10 I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly 2 Cor. 9.8 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he were rich yet for our sakes he became poor that we by his poverty might be made rich Eph. 3.20 He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us Neither which is much to be observed doth he speak of his absolute power by which he is able to do more then he will do but of his Ordinary working power for so it is in the latter end of the verse According to his power that worketh in us So that we may conclude that he hath not out-acted the greatness of his power in or for the prospering of any Man's Soul but he can work as much again for another Eph. 4.10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things As he filled up the whole work of his Mediatorship which was to be done upon Earth So he ascended up to Heaven to fulfil what remains and that is for ever to fill even all the living members of his mystical Body with the Principles of Spiritual life so that every one shall receive according to his measure Eph. 4.7 But unto every of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Neither doth he tell any Man that he hath given him so much that he will give him no more No Man knows how great his measure may be The grace that Christ intends to give he gives not all at once so that a Man may hope his works may be best at last as was said of them Rev. 2.19 For 1. There is no particular grace though it be in the Soul at present but as smoaking Flax but it may by daily exercise and good usage grow to a great eminency 2. There is no Corruption though more deeply Rooted then others in a Man's natural Constitution but that in time by walking in the Spirit bringing it to the Law of Christ to the death of Christ and to the love of Christ and joining his own endeavours to the Spirit of Christ he may get an eminent victory over it and see it by degrees fall down before him 3. There is no particular duty how backward and indisposed soever he may be to it at present or hath been a long time heretofore against it but he may grow to an eminency in the practice of it 4. There is no one temptation of what kind soever or how often soever he hath been overcome by it but by taking to himself the whole armour of God and strengthening himself in the strength of the Lord which is every ones duty to do but he may so resist it and conquer it that the Devil shall fly before him 5. There is no condition how many snares soever it may be compassed about withal but through the exercise of grace it may be managed to such Spiritual advantage as may exceedingly promote Soul-prosperity 6. There are no doubts no fears no sinking discouragements arising from what spring soever but they may be answered and scattered as a mist before the Sun shining forth in its full strength By all this we see that it is as I have said That as there is no reason for any Man absolutely to conclude though
he apprehend himself at present to be Spiritually dead that his Soul shall never live So there is no sufficient reason for any Man to doubt who is really though weakly alive to God but that waiting upon God and keeping his way his Spiritual life may grow to be lively and his Soul may prosper as much as ever the Soul of Gaius did Therefore let us up and be doing and the Lord will be with us Phil. 2.12 13 Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure This is that which slackens many Mens endeavours that because they think they shall never attain to such an height of Soul-prosperity as others have attained unto therefore they stir not up themselves to reach after any prosperity at all as is charged on them Isa 64.7 There is none that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee As some poor Men because they think they shall never get beforehand as many of their Neighbours do whatever others get they shall never be worth a Groat and therefore mind no more then to live from hand to mouth But we have not so learned Christ This is all that I shall say by way of argument to perswade I now proceed to speak of the former of those two Particulars mentioned but now That those that are spiritually alive ought to see to it that their Spiritual life be lively and prosper because therein the prosperity of their Souls consisteth The great matter to be enquired into is to shew what is to be done in order to the carrying on of this holy and blessed design In speaking unto it Let this be considered That there is a Rule for and a Regiment of Health for the Soul as there is for the Body And what in a natural way may be prescribed and ought to be made use of for the wel-fare of the one may be prescribed and ought to be made use of in a Spiritual way for the well-fare of the other Of this kind there are five several things which I shall speak to in order 1. In reference to Bodily health upon good advisement the seasonable use of Physick is necessary This is an Ordinance of God and ought to be used in faith and obedience to God Sometimes for preventing of Diseases which otherwise might prejudice our health and sometimes for curing and removing of them which otherwise may endanger our life Answerably to this we find in the Scripture which is the Magazine and Store-house for all Spiritual Receipts Physick prescribed for the Soul by Jesus Christ himself the great Physician of Souls without the due and seasonable use whereof it is impossible the Soul should prosper Before I tell you what it is it is fit to premise these three things 1. That the Soul of every Man Spiritually alive to God is as subject to Spiritual Diseases as the Body of any living Man is to Bodily Diseases And it is sin alone and nothing else but sin which is the sickness of the Soul and which if it be not cured will be the death and destruction of the Soul It is the resemblance by which it is frequently set forth in the Scripture and that most fitly as all Scripture resemblances are For as sickness hinders the operation of Nature wasting and consuming by degrees both the Natural heat and Radical moisture often changing and altering a Man's countenance as Job 2.12 And when they lift up their eyes afar of and knew him not Often causing much pain so as the sick Man grows worse and unless happily recovered by the blessing of God upon the use of Means untill death seize upon him So that sickness upon this account is truly said to be contrary to Nature an Enemy to Nature Even such a thing is sin to the Soul It is contrary to the well-fare and prosperity of it It Wars against it 1 Pet. 2.11 It hinders the gracious actings of it Rom. 7.21 I find a Law then that when I would do good evil is present with me It puts even living and good Souls under such a disguise that they neither speak nor do like themselves As Job's Wife though it is believed that she was a good Woman yet she spake as her Husband told her as one of the foolish Women Job 2.10 So 1 Cor. 3.3 Their unmortified lusts put them under such a disguise that they walked as Men as those that were still dead in sin and never had received any principle of Spiritual life And farther As sickness causeth pain so guilt following of sin often causeth intolerable pain in the anguish and chargings of Conscience In a word sin being indulged consumes and wastes what is of God in the Soul so as it is said of the worst of Men 2 Tim. 3.13 it grows worse and worse and if not happily prevented it ends at last in Eternal death Rom. 8.13 If ye live after the flesh ye shall dye 2. As in all these respects sin is such a thing to the Soul as sickness is to the Body So that we may be the more affected and take the more notice of it It is fitly expressed by the same name As Pride is fitly compared to a Tympany Earthly-mindedness to a Dropsie Carnal security to a Lethargy Unruly passions to a Frenzy Apostacy and Back sliding from the ways of God to the Falling-sickness Envy to a Consumption An unquiet discontented Spirit to the grief of the Bowels Sore Diseases all of these are And besides all these Original sin is as a Leprosie over-spreading the whole Soul This evil Disease which is indeed all Diseases in one cleaves unto all Adam's posterity as Gehazi's Leprosie did to all his Seed for his Son if he had any and his Son's Son and so from generation to generation were all Lepers 2 Kings 5.27 3. Though this be generally acknowledged That sin is the sickness of the Soul therefore the Soul prospers only so far as it is well rid of it yet this would be farther observed That though sin have such evil effects upon the Soul as Diseases have upon the Body and that the names of Bodily Diseases do so fitly resemble the Diseases of the Soul yet the difference is great as to that which is required to dispose the sick in Soul and the sick in Body toward a recovery In the Diseases of the Body it matters not much it may perhaps something but much it doth not whether the sick Man know the name or nature of his Disease so he have a faithful and skillful Physician Nor whether he know the virtue of what is prescribed him or the composition of it Or whether he be able to judge of the increase or declining of his Disease by the beating of his Pulse Though perhaps some insight into these things might afford to some persons at least some satisfaction yet they are left specially to the care and wisdom
of the Physician who often conceals the danger lest the sick Man's fears and phansie might do him more hurt then his Physick doth him good But it is otherwise in Soul-sickness a clear insight into the Disease is of great use that every one should understand according to that expression 1 Kings 8.38 the plague of his own heart and what strength it hath got over him how long it hath been growing upon him and by what means and occasions he fell into it These are good steps toward spiritual health This is required in order to cure Jer. 3.13 Know and acknowledge thine iniquity And then distinctly to understand the way of cure and to follow those directions which Jesus Christ the great Physician of our Souls prescribes is a far greater and better step Having premised these things I shall now lay before you what is prescribed by him 1. When the Body is full of corrupt humours there is need of Purging Physick Even such need hath the Soul when it is over-grown and oppressed with corrupt lusts which are the noisome steams of Original corruption It was well with them of whom it is said 1 Pet. 1.22 that they had purified their Souls This is commanded Jam. 4.8 Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purifie your hearts ye double-minded 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit This is absolutely necessary for as sin is to the Soul as sickness is to the Body so the purging out of these corrupt lusts is to the Soul what this purging Physick is to the Disease Joh. 15.2 Every branch in me saith Christ I will purge that it may bring forth more fruit In Mal. 3.3 it is prophesied That God will sit as a Refiner and as a Purifier of Silver and purifie the Sons of Levi that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in Righteousness Now this purging and emptying the heart of the evil treasure that is in it is all one with mortification and wherever and in whom soever this is neglected that necessary and commendable practice of abounding in the External duties of Religion avails nothing to Soul-prosperity Ye see this exemplified in the Pharisees Matth. 6. Nay though the Soul be alive to Christ yet if this be neglected the Soul prospers not This is evident in those Church members in Corinth Paul supposed them to be in Christ Yet their unmortified lusts clearly proved it against them that they did not thrive their Souls did not prosper They were but Babes in Christ They were in a comparative sense in respect to what they ought to have been and might have been but very Carnal still 1 Cor. 3.2 3. This then ought to be taken notice of that besides the real foundation of universal mortification that is laid in at first in the Soul's Conversion to Christ wherein the absolute and un-interrupted Reign of Original sin is broken yet the continual exercise of mortification is to be minded and taken up otherwise it is not like to go well with the Soul For it is in this case as it was with the Monarchies Dan. 4.12 Though their Dominion was taken away yet their lives were continued for a season So it is here for Original sin is like Leaven which being mingled with the Dough the Bread will always more or less taste of it So that the most mortified Christian hath still more mortifying work on his hands which he must dispatch Those that are in Christ Rom. 8.1 and savour the things of the Spirit vers 5. Yet are pressed to a further progress in this duty vers 13 but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live This in general 2. When by communing with our own hearts and observing the out-goings of our own Spirits we clearly see that we are among the transgressors not among the righteous I mean among the sick and not among the sound then speedily and seriously to set our selves to the use of such purging and mortifying means as Christ hath prescribed in his word And here I desire you to note that the means appointed in this case to be used come under a double consideration 1. Some there are which we may not desire nor adventure upon but as the Providence of God according to the condition we are in calls us to make use of 2. There are other means which whatever our condition be we ought immediately and daily to apply our selves to make use of as the matter requires and upon special occasions in a manner more then ordinary For the former of these they are of two sorts 1. The Evil of Affliction And 2. The Evil of Sin 1. The Evil of Affliction of what kind soever it be or for what cause soever it comes to be our portion whether upon our own Personal account or upon the Common account of Religion These are the means that God makes use of Dan. 11.35 And some of them of understanding shall fall to try them and to purge and to make them white Isa 27.9 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged and this is all the fruit to take away their sin And they are fit means for they have a great tendency to awaken the Conscience as Gen. 42.21 And they said one to another we are verily guilty concerning our Brother To break the unruliness of our Spirits and to make us willing to hearken to what God speaks unto us in his word Hos 5.15 I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence and seek my face in their affliction they will seek me early And therefore when God is pleased to exercise us this way we ought to improve them for this end And it is a great aggravation of sin and a great evidence of an heart greatly unmortified not to do it Isa 57.17 For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth and smote him I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart Therefore Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it Mic. 6.9 Yet for all this we may not desire to come under the lash of any of God's Rods when we are free in hope that we may thus improve them For who knows afore-hand but that when he hath his desire and is under the Rod that it will not either be with him as it was with Ahaz 2 Chron. 28.22 And in the time of his sickness he did trespass yet more against the Lord. This is that King Ahaz Or otherwise with him that it was with Nabal whose heart was as unsensible in him as a stone during the time of his sickness 1 Sam. 25. This we are sure of that there needs an Almighty power to work with them to make them have any effectual influence to purge out so much as one of those lusts which hinder the well-fare and prosperity of the Soul And what ground we have to hope that God will put forth any such
impression upon his Spirit That though Christ suffered only in his Human Nature and though therefore all his sufferings were but finite yet because the Human Nature was United in one Person to the Divine Nature hence what the Human Nature did suffer though but for a time was of sufficient value to ransome from Eternal death In such a case nothing else could have done it Nothing else can support any Soul in such a condition But this may and this will if believed and wrought upon the heart that the Lord hath laid help upon one that is mighty Psal 89.19 2. Consider Christ in his Offices 1. In his Priestly Office He is a great High-Priest Heb. 4.14 Great both in respect of his Satisfaction and of his Intercession which are the two special parts of his Priestly Office From both which much Spiritual Food for the nourishment of the Soul unto the highest degree of prosperity it is capable of may be received 1. From the satisfaction he hath made to the justice of God for all the wrong that sin hath done him by the sacrifice which he offered which was Himself unto death With this God was well pleased Eph. 5.2 And for this he shall see the Souls of all his Seed to prosper Isa 53.10 Hereby his flesh became meat indeed and his blood drink indeed This clearly manifests that Christ is such an object for Faith to rest upon as we may safely adventure our Eternal state upon For let any Man conceive himself in as sad a condition as the fears of an awakened Conscience can suggest Suppose he sees the guilt of all his sins before him with all their aggravating circumstances and apprehends God coming out against him to require satisfaction to his justice for them all This is a dreadful sight but in the midst of all the heighth and depth of that terrour which this may impress upon his Spirit if God give in a sight of Christ as the great High-Priest as he made his Soul an Offering for sin this is enough to draw forth an hearty act of dependence upon him as able to save to the uttermost This supported David when he was in great depths that he had a sight of him that in the Lord was plenteous Redemption Psal 30.1 2. with vers 6 7. This was the relief of the hunger-bitten Prodigal That in his Father's house was bread enough Luk. 15.17 And it was the speech of a gracious Woman of whom I have heard not long since that upon her Death-bed being under great uncertainties as to her Eternal condition Did not ye tell me said she to those that stood by her that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sins And with that her Spirit Revived and she slept sweetly in the Lord. This indeed may well satisfie Conscience for it satisfies God himself yea so far satisfie Conscience as to go boldly to the Throne of Grace for what grace or mercy soever is necessary for the life and health well-fare and prosperity of the Soul Heb. 4.16 Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need 2. As from Christs satisfaction which he made to the justice of God whilst he was upon Earth so from the other act of his Priestly Office his Intercession which he makes in Heaven for sinners much Spiritual Food for the nourishment of our Souls may be had What should hinder the receiving of it but our daily repeated failings and often renewed infirmities But against the guilt of these Christ's appearing in Heaven for us prevails that even when the Law is broken the Covenant is not broken so that what Food for our Souls may be had from the Covenant and there it is all to be had 1 Joh. 2.1 2 If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father even Jesus Christ the righteous And he is the propitiation for our sins His intercession is as effectual as his satisfaction for he intercedes in the merits of his blood Heb. 12.24 The blood of Christ speaketh 2. To shew further That all in Christ is for the food and nourishment of the Soul much yea very much may be said of that which his Kingly Office affords and likewise his Prophetical Office For his Kingly Office he hath an absolute Soveraignty over all both Men and Devils Eph. 1.21 22. Far above all Principalities and Powers c. He hath all things under his feet He is head over all things to his Church Understand it of the Invisible Church especially which is his Mystical Body whereof he is the head Eph. 5.23 For the Husband is the head of the Wife even as Christ is the head of the Church And he is the Saviour of the Body This is full of Spiritual Food I will instance only in three things by which the prosperity of the Soul is exceedingly farthered 1. As he hath power over Satan This affords great relief to a conflicting Soul that he both can and will break the Serpents head and tread him under foot Rom. 16.20 That in Manlius is memorable to this purpose Satan as he tells the story appeared to a godly Man that was sick in the habit of a Priest with Pen Ink and Paper in his hands and told him that he must confess all his Sins to him he would write them down and then he would absolve him The Sick Man was stricken with fear and no marvel but recollecting himself and perceiving who he was If thou wilt write saith he write this first The seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head and with that the Devil vanished 2. As he hath Soveraignty over the Heart He can take away the heart of stone and give an heart of flesh Ezek. 36.26 A great relief this when the Soul is mourning over the hardness of his heart to remember that Christ is exalted to be a Prince to give Repentance Act. 5.31 3. As he hath the Keys of Hell and Death Rev. 1.18 A great relief to a troubled Soul that is under the fear first of Death and then of dropping into Hell when he is dead Those that have obeyed the call and are still obeying the call of Christ they shall none of them dye till it be better for them to dye then to live for death is theirs 1 Cor. 3.22 And for dropping into Hell Christ hath secured them against that Joh. 6.39 40. Every one that believeth on him shall have Everlasting life and Christ will raise him up at the last day 3. The Prophetical Office of Christ is likewise a fruitful food-bearing Office He is engaged by Office to make all his Seed wise unto Salvation Isa 54.13 All thy Children shall be taught of God And he is faithful who hath promised it 1 Joh. 2.27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any Man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and
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
which our hearts have wrought These things being premised I proceed to the Directions necessary as I suppose to be observed in this case 1. Souls that prosper being through the assistance of the quickening presence of the Spirit of God with them well recovered out of that spiritual deadness benummedness their hearts were sunk into must take heed of Relapses Sin as ye have heard is the Souls sickness Therefore as ye ought to take heed that there be not any unmortified root of bitterness in you as Heb. 12.15 So take heed of relapsing into that sin or those sins whether of Omission or Commission whatever they were which brought your Souls into and kept them in that unprospering and unthriving condition under which ye groaned and from which ye find your selves now in some good measure so happily recovered Those that are recovered out of a dangerous Disease if they be not very careful may relapse again And Relapses though they are not always mortal yet they are always dangerous It is so with the Soul In Levit. 13.18 19 20. we read that out of a bile that is healed there may spring up a Leprosie a Disease far more dangerous then the former It is a sad but a true charge upon the Lord 's professing People of old Hos 11.7 that they were bent to back-sliding And this proneness hath been as is too often reduced into the act And no marvel for whatever is nought and reigns in the hearts of the worst Men there is still a remainder of it in the best of Men. Now it is as certain as that two and three make five that if the most prosperous Souls be not well look't unto according to the suitableness of the temptation every old ill quality will break forth again For every thing that is natural as all ill qualities are to the Soul and this of relapsing and back-sliding as natural as any will return to their state if special care be not taken to hinder it As a stone that is thrown up into the Air will fall down again when the force of the Arm that threw it up is spent And water will have its course downward when once the damm that stopt it is broken down This particular then is necessary to be spoken to and that somewhat largely which shall be recompenced in speaking more briefly unto those other Directions that follow For if this be neglected none of the rest will be observed Consider then 1. That relapsing and back-sliding in its general nature is directly and in a special manner contrary to the exercise of those principles of godliness which have the same influence into the health and well-fare of the Soul as natural heat and radical moisture have into the health and well-fare of the Body I mean Faith and Repentance By the exercise of Faith we come to Christ Joh. 6.37 All that the Father hath given me shall come unto me And by the exercise of Repentance we turn unto God Joel 2.12 Turn ye unto me with all your heart Now relapsing and back-sliding is a departure from God Heb 3.12 a drawing back Heb. 10.38 2. To bring this yet more closely to the matter I am speaking unto we must take notice that this relapsing or back sliding comes under a double consideration 1. There is a relapsing or back-sliding which proceeds from the want of the principles of godliness This is to be charged upon those that after illumination and conviction having given up their Names to Christ and engaged in the profession of Religion Fall first from the practice and it may be at last from the very profession of Religion First from all appearance of exact and circumspect walking to vanity and loosness and then it may be to open prophaneness as they 2 Pet. 2.20 If after they have escaped the polutions of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again entangled and overcome the latter end is worse with them then the beginning These do not fall from the grace they had but do indeed discover that they never had any For every one that hath the true principles of godliness in his heart shall persevere in his gracious state The Seed of God will remain in him though he do not always remain in his gracious frame The new-born Christian is born a Conquerour his victory bears date from his birth 1 Joh. 5.4 For whosoever is born of God overcometh the World and shall at last be more then conquerour Rom. 8.37 2. There is a relapsing and back-sliding through weakness or rather as the truth is for want of the exercise of the principles of godliness whereby the heart is drawn sometimes one way and sometimes another way from God 1. Sometimes through violence of temptation and the unmortified inclination of the heart into some outward act of sin which may come under the observation of others as we may see in Peter several times he was surprized with selfish fears which brought forth sad effects Once when he tempted Christ not to hazard himself at Jerusalem Matth. 16.21 22 23. This was from his fear lest if it should go ill with his Master it would not go well with him This appears by Christ's thereupon pressing upon him and all that would be his Disciples the duty of Self-denyal and the Doctrine of the Cross ver 31. And then after that when Christ was arraigned Matth. 26.70 And after both these we find him falling into a grudging of the same Disease Gal. 2.11 12. So John the beloved Disciple was twice surprized so far to forget himself as twice to give that worship to the Creature which was due to God alone Rev. 19.10 and ch 22.8 There are other gross corruptions which as the Apostle saith are manifest works of the flesh It would be an astonishing thing if any that ever were alive to God much more if any whose Souls did ever prosper should back-slide so far as into such dead works This were a high degree of quenching the Spirit for Gal. 5.16 This I say then walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh 2. There is a back-sliding through weakness or rather through want of exercise of the principles of godliness into many inward and spiritual evils which no eye seeth but the eye of the most holy God who seeth all things such as spiritual dullness and listlesness unto that which is good as Isa 64.7 There is none that calleth upon thee that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee So as private duties are either omitted in their Season or shuffled up in a slight and formal manner Though God be the object of the duty yet the enjoyment of God is not made the end of the duty when the heart grows vain goes in and out constant in nothing but inconstancy assuming unto it self a lawless liberty as if there were none to observe it none to judge easily drawn away to forgetfulness of God sliding
away without any observation from under the power of all obligations to the contrary Relapses of this nature though they do not presently make any great noise in the World yet it will not be long before they will be seen in sad effects and be discerned in more visible miscarriages If they be indulged they are great enemies to Soul-prosperity and will prove the very bane and break-neck of that thriving and prosperous frame the Soul was grown or growing into This is then seriously to be considered of by all those whose Souls begin to prosper and when it begins to be better with them then it hath been in respect of their inward frame and temper of the hidden man of the heart as ever they desire they may continue so and lose the things which they have wrought to beware of relapses Ye have heard that ye are not exempted from them nor exempted from a possibility Heb. 3.12 Take heed Brethren lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God As if the Apostle had said That which I speak to one I speak to another I speak to all therefore let every one take heed Now that which I find in Scripture pressed upon us for preventing such relapses is to have a watchful eye over and a constant hand upon all the inward workings and stirrings of the inward Man for from thence they have their rise as ye may observe in several sorts of Trees their decay is first observed in the withering of the boughs but it begins in the root which fails in sending up sap into them as formerly Even so it is here which way soever relapses are discover'd they begin from within Psal 44.18 Our heart is not turned back neither have our steps declined from thy way Professours first fall from their apprehensions of the necessity of circumspect walking their convictions of the goodness of the ways of God wear off and their affections decay and the works of the flesh break forth and manifest themselves by degrees Therefore as ever we desire to hold fast what we have received be sure to keep the heart with all diligence as Prov. 4.23 Where 1. Our personal care is required Keep thy heart 2. Our principal care Keep it with or above all keeping As it is with the heart naturally considered if that begin to tremble or be in fear or apprehension of danger the blood and spirits as it is observed will forsake the outward parts and run to that to guard and succour it the least wound therein being mortal if it be but with the pricking of a Pin. Thus the heart is kept in its natural capacity but the matter we are speaking of is touching the keeping of the heart in its spiritual capacity and keep it we ought with all diligence watch it by night and by day at home and abroad when we are in company and when we are alone at all times and in all places yea as the Apostle presseth it on Timothy Watch in all things 2 Tim. 4.5 Now this keeping this watching the heart hath special reference to the inward workings and stirrings of corruption 1. To prevent in the strength of Christ so far as may be prevented in this state of imperfection the first risings of them of any one kind whatsoever however to prevent if possible and possible it is that the Corruption and the Temptation may be kept asunder Matth. 26.41 Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation Otherwise there will be sad work and the prosperity of the Soul will begin to fade and that upon the sudden Though Hezekiah as holy a Man as he was and how much soever his Soul did prosper and prosper it did exceedingly yet he had always a root of pride in him which though it did not stir him to shew his Treasures to every body yet when he fell into the temptation by occasion of the visit he had from the King of Babylon by his Ambassadours then the Corruption and the Temptation did meet and ye may read in the history how much the well-fare of his Soul was prejudiced by it So it was with David he had though a Man after God's own heart the same root of the same corruption in him yet it did not break forth so as to abate any thing of his Souls prosperity till the temptation met with it To have his subjects numbred neither had it then if he had watched as Peter did to keep the temptation and the corruption asunder See Act. 8.20 Thy money perish with thee said Peter to Simon Magus The temptation was suitable for Peter was out of money Act. 3.6 Silver and gold have I none And Peter was not so perfect as to be beyond the power of the temptation but he kept the temptation from mingling with what corruption soever was in his heart and so the gracious frame of his heart continued untoucht by it So David 2 Sam. 16.10 And the King said what have I to do with you ye Sons of Zerviah so let him curse c. He was subject to the same passions with other Men but by the assistance no doubt of the Spirit of God he kept the temptation and the corruption asunder and so his Soul prospered the better for that tryal 2. If there should be as there is great danger there may be a sad meeting so it is and so it will be found betwixt the corruption and the temptation then endeavour by the assistance of the spirit that your own spirits may immediately rise up in indignation against it and after some hearty ejaculations for the present with the first opportunity with hearty loathing and inward self abhorrency bring forth the temptation and the corruption to the law of God and see them there condemned and to the blood of Christ and see them there pardoned and to the spirit of Christ that thereby all may be subdued and mortified Really a Soul that desires to prosper and to continue to prosper should as kindly work in a heart-melting and a heart-humbling way for these sinful stirrings of the heart before God as for sinful words and sinful actions before Men Psal 73.22 So foolish was I and ignorant even as a beast before thee It is or should be with the Soul that prospers as it is with the eye if a small dust get into it it will never leave twinkling and watering till it be out 2 Chron. 32.26 Hezekiah humbled himself greatly for the pride of his heart Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death He speaks of the law in his members warring against the law of his mind vers 23. This is the way to prevent relapses into sin which is the Soul's sickness and if not prevented or timely healed will overthrow the prosperity of prospering Souls SERMON XIII 2ly AS Souls that begin to prosper and have any desire to continue so ought to keep themselves