Soul-Prosperity in Several Sermons, Sermon 6
SERMON VI.
IF this be ſo, Ʋſe. 1 That of all proſperities, Soul-proſperity, is the moſt deſirable proſperity. Then from hence, we may infer: That it is the moſt rational thing in the World, for all thoſe, that believe they have immortal Souls, in mortal Bodies, to mind the well-fare, and proſperity of their Souls, above all things elſe in the World. This is certainly to act, according to the beſt, and higheſt principles of reaſon, that ever any Man did from the beginning of the World to this day.
It may be ſuppoſed, by what ye have heard, that ye are now fully ſatisfied in the truth of the Doctrine, and believe that nothing proſpereth in your hand, with proſperity truly ſo called, and as it is a bleſſing, but when, and where the Soul proſpereth; therefore none to be minded like that, none but in ſubordination to that. And ſeeing it is a principle planted by the God of Nature, in the heart of Man by Nature, to mind that above all things elſe, wherein he firmly believes his happineſs, above all things, doth conſiſt. And withal, ſeeing to Proſper, and to be happy, though the words be two, are but one and the ſame thing: And that ye are perſwaded, a Man is only ſo far really happy, as his Soul proſpers: Theſe things being ſo, one would think, I might forbear to preſs any thing farther, and might ſay concerning this duty of minding Soul-proſperity, as the Apoſtle doth of Brotherly love, 1 Theſ. 4.9. ye need not that I ſhould write any more concerning it.
But conſidering what a deep, inward, rooted reſpect for, and reaching after the things of the World, there appears to be in ſome, who yet profeſs, they are fully convinced of the vanity thereof, and ſuch a ſtrong byaſs in others, turning them aſide into ways that are not good: So far it may be charged upon them, as Rom. 1.18. They hold the truth (they believe) in unrighteouſneſs; not ſuffering it to exerciſe its autority in their Conſciences: And feeing it is ſo difficult a thing, yea impoſſible, without the Almighty power of the Spirit of God, to raiſe up a droſly, earthy ſpirit, ſunk into the world, to look after things that are not ſeen; to mortifie the deeds of the fleſh, and to ſet their affections on things that are above; or to ſix a vain, light ſpirit, ſo as to reduce it, to a ſober and ſerious conſideration of the things of Eternity; and yet both the one, and the other muſt be done by all thoſe, that reſolve to mind the proſperity of their Souls above all other proſperity. I ſhall to what hath been ſaid already, (before I come to ſhew the great work that is to be done for the welfare of Souls) firſt give you ſome Arguments to prove the Inference, That if Soul-Proſperity, be the most deſirable Proſperity; Then is it the moſt rational thing in the world, to mind it above all things elſe.
(1.) It is a rational thing (ye muſt all grant it) for any man to part with any thing, except the Peace of his own Conſcience, and to do any thing that is poſſible to be done, except ſinning againſt God, for the preſervation of natural life. It is a Scripture expreſſion, Prov. 6.26. that Life is pretious. It is indeed the moſt pretious thing in Nature. Matth. 6.25. Is not the life more than meat? Act. 27. They caſt away the Lading of the Ship, in hope to ſave their lives, Eſth. 7.2, 3, 4, Let my life be given me at my petition. For we are ſold, I and my people to be deſtroyed, to be ſlain, and to periſh. If we had beenſold for Bond-men, and for Bond-women, I had held my tongue. See how ſhe pleaded for her life; he valued not the one half of 127 Provinces, in compariſon of that. And we read of a poor woman, that had ſpent all that ſhe had, in hope of health, which is a degree below life, Mar. 5. Now if it ſhould be asked, as Jam. 4.14. What is this life, that is ſo much valued? we muſt anſwer, as he doth, That it is a vapour which appeareth for a very little time, and then vaniſheth away. The frailty whereof is ſet forth by heaps of ſimilitudes in Scripture, from the moſt periſhing things that come under obſervation. It is but a little warm breath, turned in, and out at our noſtrils, a narrow paſſage, and ſoon ſtopt, Iſa. 2.22. Ceaſe from Man, whoſe breath is in his noſtrils, and wherein is he to be accounted of?
Now if it be ſo agreeable to reaſon, by all lawful means to ſerve the Providence of God, for the preſervation of ſuch poor, and frail things as our lives are; (as indeed we are bound in obedience to God's command) Is it not much more rational, to do whatever God would have us to do, for the life and well-fare, of our immortal Souls? Certainly if Nature teach a Man to prize his life above the World, Grace ſhould make a Man to prize his Soul above his Life. Believe it, To ſave our Lives, and to ſave our Souls, are two things. This we find in Scripture, that thoſe who have learned to value their Souls, according to their excellency, and have underſtood how much their own happineſs is concerned in them, have willingly run the hazard of their lives, to ſave their Souls, not only as Paul, 1 Cor. 9.27, I keep under my Body, and bring it into ſubjection, leſt that by any means, when I have preached to others, I my ſelf ſhould be a caſt-away; but alſo as they, Revel. 12.11,—they loved not their lives unto the death. They did not ſo love their lives, as out of inordinate care to preſerve them, and ſo to eſcape death, when God called them, by their open profeſſion to give in their teſtimony for Chriſt, and his Goſpel, againſt the Anti-Chriſtian Generation. So Dan. 3.19, &c. The three Witneſſes choſe rather to be thrown into the fiery Furnace, then to worſhip the Golden Image. Heb. 11.35, Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance. Yea ſo careleſs have ſome of the Saints of old, been of their Bodies, in compariſon of their care for the well-fare of their Souls, as if they had been other folks Bodies, and not their own. We read Act, 7, that when the ſentence of death was paſſed upon Stephen, he prays not for the mitigation of his Enemies rage, he is totally ſilent concerning his burial. (It's true, there were ſome good Men took care of it, Act. 8.2. but not at his intreaty that we read of) but that which his thoughts were moſt taken up withal, ye read verſ. 59. They ſtoned Steven, calling upon God, and ſaying, Lord Jeſus receive my Spirit. So the Lord Jeſus left his Body in the hands of Pilate, but he commended his Spirit into his Father's hands, Luk. 23.46. It is obſervable, what we have Pſal. 141.7, 8. when ſome of David's followers, were hackt, and hewed in pieces, and left unburied, or (as ſome think) when their dead Bodies, after they were buried, were digged up, and their bones were ſcattered about the Grave's mouth: When David ſaw, or heard of this, ſee what he had moſt in his thoughts: Lord, leave not my Soul deſtitute.
Thus ye have one argument to make good the Inference: That it is the moſt rational thing in the World, to mind the wellfare of our Souls, above all things elſe, becauſe it is very rational, above all outward things, to mind the preſervation of our lives. And that though it be ſo, thoſe that have been wiſe to Salvation, have minded the ſaving of their Souls, above the ſaving of their Lives, there being indeed no compariſon between this Natural life, and the Spiritual life of the Soul.
(2.) It is every way moſt rational, agreeable to the beſt, and higheſt principles of reaſon, to mind that moſt, which Jeſus Chriſt (in whom dwelt all the Treaſures of Wiſdom) minded moſt. This none will deny, but that as it is the higheſt pitch of our holineſs, that our Ends in all things fall in with his: So it ought to be our greateſt buſineſs, that in all things we ſhould be of the ſame mind with Chriſt. Now that this was, and ſtill is the greateſt work that Jeſus Chriſt did, and ſtill doth mind in our behalf, will appear by theſe particulars.
1. This was the great work, next to the glorifying of his Father (and therein he did glorifie his Father) that was in his heart to accompliſh; in, and by that myſterious work of his Incarnation, in taking upon him Man's nature, and for which he made himſelf of no reputation in the World; for which he ſuffered ſo much, and ſtill doth ſo much by his interceſſion in Heaven, to this day, that (as Iſa. 53.11.) he might ſee the Travel of his own Soul, and be ſatisfied in the complete, and Eternal proſperity, of all their Souls, which God the Father gave unto him, and for which he engaged himſelf. John 6.38, 39, 40, For I came down from Heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him that ſent me. And this is the Fathers will which ſent me, that of all which he hath given me, I ſhould loſe nothing, but ſhould raiſe it up again, at the laſt day. In 1 Pet. 2.25. Chriſt is ſaid to be the Shepherd of Souls. Now a faithful Shepherd, though he will be ready to do his Maſter, what good ſervice he can, in any thing; yet his chiefeſt care is for his Maſter's flock. Such a faithful Shepherd is Jeſus Chriſt, he highly minds the meaneſt thing, wherein any of his are concerned: Satan (to his own great vexation) cannot overlook this, Job 1.10, Haſt thou not made an hedge about him, and about his houſe, and about all that he hath, on every ſide? And we know, that when he was viſibly in the World, he was exceeding helpful to the Bodies of Men, yet his chiefeſt care was over his peculiar flock, as the Shepherd of Souls. He laid down his Natural life, to procure their Spiritual life: That dead Souls might live, and living Souls proſper. That they might have life, and live in abundance. Joh. 10.10, 11. For this end he ever lives to make interceſſion for thoſe that come unto him, that they might be ſaved to the uttermoſt, Heb. 7.25. And as the effect of his interceſſion (according to his promiſe, Joh. 16.16.) he ſends the Spirit of Grace into their hearts, to work in them all the graces, that accompany Salvation. And to abide in them, to preſerve what he hath wrought, that in believing, their Souls might be ſaved, Heb. 10.39. And that they might receive the end of their Faith, the Salvation of their Souls, 1 Pet. 1.9.
This is the firſt thing, that Jeſus Chriſt minded this moſt, in our behalf, that for this cauſe he came into the World, to ſeek, and to ſave loſt Souls, Luk. 19.10.
(2.) This is the great end, he aims to carry on by all his Ordinances. The Law of God (that is the whole Doctrine revealed in the word) is for the Converſion of Souls, Pſal. 19.7. And for Edification of Souls, Act. 20.32. I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up. The Sacraments are Spiritual Food for Souls. 1 Cor. 10.3, 4, And did all eat the ſame Spiritual meat. And did all drink the ſame Spiritual drink. Yea, Excommunication (that dreadful Ordinance, ſo it be managed according to the mind of Chriſt) for it is a delivering a Man to Satan, yet it is with reſerence to the good of his Soul, 1 Cor. 5.5. To deliver ſuch a one unto Satan, for the deſtruction of the fleſh, that the Spirit may be ſaved in the day of the Lord Jeſus. For this end, he appointed the Miniſtry to be a ſtanding Ordinance unto the end of the World, that they might watch over Souls, Heb. 13.17. This was that which the Apoſtles aimed at, according to their Commiſſion from Chriſt. Paul ſaith, That he was made all things to all Men, that by all means, he might ſave ſome, 1 Cor. 9.22. In his removal from one place to another, he aimed at the conveying of ſome Spiritual gift, where ever he came, for the good of Souls, Rom. 1.11, For I long to ſee you, that I may impart to you, ſome Spiritual gift. In all his prayers, for thoſe to whom he wiſhed all the good that might be, this was the great thing he deſired in their behalf, that their Souls might proſper, Eph. 3.14, 15, 16, 17, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might, by his Spirit, in the inner Man. That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by Faith, &c. Gal. 6.18, The grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt be with your Spirit. Proſpering Souls were his joy, and Crown, Phil. 4.1.
3. This was, and is the great end of all his Providential Diſpenſations. They are, or may be, all them, either Food, or Phyſick for the Soul. Thriving in holineſs, as ye have heard, is Soul-thriving. Now this is the end, that all comforting, deſirable Providences ſeem to drive on, Obad. verſ. 17. But upon Mount Zion, there ſhall be deliverance, and there ſhall be holineſs. All afflicting, ſaddening Providences, are for the ſame purpoſe, Heb. 12.10, God chaſteneth us for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holineſs. Yea for this very cauſe, it often goes very ill with many of thoſe that live highly in the love of God, in their outward condition, that their ſpiritual condition may proſper, and flouriſh, Iſa. 27.9, By this therefore ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged, and this is all the fruit, to take away his ſin: Which is the ſickneſs, and otherwiſe would be the death of the Soul, and its deſtruction, Pſal. 119.71, It is good for me, that I have been afflicted, that I might learn thy Statutes. And therefore he acknowledgeth to the praiſe of the wiſdom, and rich grace of God, that in very faithfulneſs to the intereſt of his Soul, the hand of the Lord had been upon him, ſo as it was.
Now lay all this together: That this was the great end of Chriſt's Incarnation, Death, and Suffering, and Interceſſion: The great end for which all Ordinances, and Providences are appointed to be ſubſervient unto, and it will evidently appear, that this was, and is, above all things elſe, moſt upon the heart of Chriſt, in our behalf, that our Souls might proſper; therefore it ought to be moſt upon our hearts, and it is moſt rational, it ſhould be ſo.
3. It is every way moſt agreeable to the beſt, and higheſt principles of reaſon, with all poſſible diligence, and ſeriouſneſs to mind that, the neglect whereof, will be our utter undoing, to all Eternity, and bring both Body, and Soul under the moſt abſolute, and unavoidable wo, and miſery, that ever befell, or poſſibly can befall any Creature, that ever God made, next unto the Devil himſelf. That principle of ſelf-preſervation planted in the heart of Man by Nature, if improved, cannot but teach him this; That it is moſt rational for him to mind that, the neglect whereof would bring this ruine upon him. Now what wo, and miſery is laid up for a neglected, periſhing, unproſpering Soul, ye have fully expreſſed, beyond what can be conceived, in one verſe, Matth. 25.41. whereof I ſhall mention but theſe two particulars, which are of all others, moſt dreadful, and terrible.
(1.) Such a Soul is deſigned to be driven away from God; with his curſe upon them, Never to ſee his face, To be Eternally ſeparated from thoſe everlaſting joys, which Souls that live and proſper, in a moſt abſolute fullneſs do enjoy, in the enjoyment of God, whilſt the everlaſting God enjoys his own bleſſed ſelf. If this were all, the miſery were unſpeakable: It is ſaid, Act. 20.37, 38. that when Paul took his leave of his friends at Epheſus; it was a very ſad partting; They all wept very ſore, fell upon Paul's neck, and kiſſed him, ſorrowing moſt of all, for the words, which he ſpake unto them, that they ſhould ſee his face no more. If this were ſuch an heart-breaking unto them, it muſt needs be impoſſible for any, that ever taſted, in any meaſure, how gracious the Lord is, to bear ſo much as a thought of never ſeeing, of never enjoying God more. Ye know, for a Man to loſe his ſight were very ſad, though he ſhould have no pain in his eyes, Solomon ſaith, Eccleſ. 7.11. Truly light is ſweet, and it is a pleaſant thing to behold the Sun: So that a Man would ſcarce think, that the greateſt Worldly proſperity were enough to repair that loſs. What then would this blind perſon think of his condition, if beſides the loſs of his ſight, one ſhould ſtand by, and continually be dropping ſcalding Lead into his eyes? Yet ſo it is here. For,
(2.) A loſt, unproſperous Soul is not only deſigned to be thus driven away from God, but it is deſigned to the ſame miſery, and the ſame torment with the Devils; and this they can neither eſcape, nor endure. None can anſwer that queſtion, Ezek. 22.14, Can thine heart endure, or thine hands be ſtrong, in the day when I ſhall deal with thee? No, it cannot. For who knoweth the power of thine anger: even according to thy fear, ſo is thy wrath, Pſal. 90.11. None is able to expreſs, yea nor to conceive, what a dreadful thing it is, to be buried, as it were, alive, under the Tomb-ſtone of the infinite wrath of the ever-living God, Heb. 10.31, It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, Rev. 6.15, 16, 17,—They ſhall hide themſelves in the Dens, and in the Rocks of the Mountains. And ſay to the Mountains, and Rocks, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that ſitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of his wrath is come, and who ſhall be able to ſtand? This is that which Eye hath not ſeen, nor Ear heard, nor can poſſibly enter into the heart of Man to conceive. Ye find up and down in the Scripture, that whatever is moſt terrible to ſenſe, is made uſe of, to expreſs the terribleneſs of it, and yet comes far ſhort of it. Let but this one argument ſink into your hearts, and be, if but once a week, ſeriouſly thought on, and poſſibly, this alone may convince you of the truth of what I ſay. That it is the moſt rational thing in the World, for all thoſe who believe they have immortal Souls, in mortal Bodys, to mind the well-fare, and proſperity of their Souls, above all things elſe in the World.
4. Let me add one argument more. It is the moſt rational thing in the World, for every Man ſeriouſly to mind that, which above all things elſe, beſt anſwers God's great end in giving him his Being, and with it, all that is needful for ſupport, together with more underſtanding then the Beaſts of the field: And if ye ask, what this is? ye have an anſwer, Prov. 16.4, God made all things for himſelf: For the glorifying of his own bleſſed name. Rom. 11, For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: To whom be glory for ever, Amen. Now as no Man diſhonours God, but in doing that which tends to the ruine and deſtruction of his own Soul. So no Man doth any thing, or poſſibly can do any thing, which really tends to the will-fare of his own Soul, but therein he alſo glorifies God. For inſtance, To live in the exerciſe of Repentance; confeſſing, and humbling our Souls in the ſight of God, for our daily failings. To live in the exerciſe of Faith, applying our ſelves to Jeſus Chriſt, as interceding, in our behalf for grace, and mercy, ſuitable to our daily neceſſities, reſting upon his truth, and faithfulneſs in his promiſes, notwithſtanding all difficulties appearing in the way of accompliſhment: Walking in the fear of the Lord, and fruitfulneſs in every good work: Theſe are all great fartherers of Soul-proſperity, Joſh. 7.19, My Son, give glory to God, and make confeſſion to him. Revel. 16.9,—They repented not, to give glory to God. Rom. 4.19, 20,—but was ſtrong in faith, giving glory to God. Iſa. 8.13, Sanctifie the Lord of Hoſts himſelf, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. Joh. 15.8, Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit. This is as certain, as that Jeſus Chriſt glorified his Father, in finiſhing the work of Redemption, and Salvation, for loſt ſinners. Joh. 17.4.
Thus ye have the Inference made good.
Ʋſe. 2 If this be ſo, That Soul proſperity is the moſt deſirable proſperity; and that it is therefore (as ye have heard) the moſt rational thing in the World, to mind it, above all things elſe. Then be perſwaded (as the Prophet Iſa. adviſeth, ch. 46.8.) To remember this, bring it again to mind, reſolve upon it, and ſhew your ſelves to be Men; that act according to principles of reaſon, and not Brutes. Let that ſink into your hearts, which ye may read, Hoſ. 11.4. The Lord there aggravates their unworthy dealing with him by this, That though he knew their averſneſs to what he had required of them, yet he had not drawn them to their duty, by violence, as unruly Bullocks to the yoak, but in a way ſingularly obliging, ſuitable to rational Creatures, He had drawn them with the Cords of a Man, with arguments from his bounty, and goodneſs, which of all others, carry the higheſt grounds of reaſon with them, why God ſhould be obeyed. This, I ſay, ſhould be ſeriouſly conſidered, that reflecting on our ſelves, and finding that God deals thus with us, draws us with the Cords of a Man, in an argumentative way to perſwaded us to this great duty: O then let us be perſwaded to ſtir up our ſelves with the uttermoſt bent of our endeavours, from this day forward, to mind it as the great buſineſs of our lives, and pray (as Gen. 9.27.) that God would enlarge our hearts, and fill them with deſires, and reſolutions about this matter, and diligently hearken to the counſel, which God, in his word, preſcribes you in this great affair.
To make way to acquaint you with what that is, I muſt mind you a little of that which was more largely ſpoken unto, when we firſt entred upon the explication of the point. Two things were then endeavoured to be cleared 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 Heavenborn 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.