The Heavenly Trade, To the reader
TO THE READERS, ESPECIALLY Thoſe who are the more peculiar Objects of my Care, Love and Labours.
NOtwithſtanding the high Pretenſions to Light and Wiſdom in the Times we live in beyond ſome former Ages, there is no ſmall meaſure of Soul darkneſs fallen upon us in this Evening-part of our Goſpelday, Iſa. 42. 19, 20. Who is blind but my ſervant? or deaf as my meſſenger that I ſent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the Lords ſervant? ſeeing many things but thou obſerveſt not: opening the ear, but he heareth not. Were not a Veil on mens minds, could it poſſibly be that CHRIST ſhould be ſo little precious in this Day of revelation and Land of viſions in which we live? Was there ever a Nation in the World to whom Chriſt hath been ſo unveiled and manifeſtly held forth Crucified before their eyes? and yet not to know the Day of their viſitation and the things of their peace, be-ſpeaks ſhameful Ignorance. Is not this a manifeſt Evidence of mens Darkneſs and folly, to be fondly taken with Airy Notions and vain Speculations, and all the while neglect that Wiſdome which maketh wiſe to ſalvation, to leave the Fire of the Sanctuary, and ſit down by Sparks of their own kindling: That having a Kingdom before them which cannot be ſhaken, and an Inheritance that fadeth not away reſerved in the heavens; they ſhould turn again to the beggarly Elements of this world, loathing their Manna and Angels food, and longing again for the Onyons and Garlick they had vomited up; to leave tried Gold for that which periſheth; to let Heaven drop out of their hands, and hugg the World in their hearts; to neglect that Merchandiſe which brings in unſearchable riches, and drive a Trade for ſuch Goods whoſe faſhion paſſeth away: Do plainly argue Ignorance and folly. Are not the ſilver streams of Jordan better than the muddy waters of Aſſyria, and our Rock above the worldlings Sandy bottoms (they themſelves being Judges?) and yet to loſe thoſe pleaſant ſtreams for that filthy puddle, is folly indeed. Will Eagles ſtoop to Flies? Can Souls who have aſcended into the light of the Lord, and ſeen the things that differ, and had acquaintance with things above upon choice, come down again and prey upon the Carrion Comforts and Intereſts of a dying World? O no. Can a Maid forget her Ornaments, or a Bride her Attire? Oh fooliſh people and unwiſe to be unmindful of the Rock that begat them, to leave the Snow of Lebanon, to let down ſuch a gainful Trade as Holineſs is, that they may purſue a Soul-cheating, ſtarving, damning World: demonſtrates folly and madneſs in ſuch as have the knowledge or hopes of better things: are ye ſo fooliſh having begun in the ſpirit; are ye now made perfect by the fleſh? Gal. 3. 3. To obviate or retrieve this folly is the deſign of this enſuing Diſcourſe, which comes not in the gawdy Dreſs of curious Art, or in the Excellency of mans wiſdom, but in the plainneſs and demonstration of the truth as it is in Jeſus. I am not ignorant that Books have their Faſhions as well as men, and Diſcourſes that come not forth in the Modiſh Garb laced with Elegancy and ſtuffed with Lofty ſtrains, ſcarce meet with a Look except of Scorn and Contempt from the Wits of this Day: But I love not to follow them who darken counſel by words, and by their ſublime Speculations and abſtruſe Notions, lead men into Clouds of their own creating, and while they ſhew Themſelves loſe their Readers. There are many tricks and devices (ſaith Mr. Dod) that ſome men uſe in Preaching, (which we may apply alſo to Writing) but it ſeldom does good; the pure Goſpel and that Preaching which the World counts fooliſhneſs, is that which works most kindly. Chriſt's own Weapons are the fitteſt for his own ſervice, and when there is leaſt of man in Gods work, then uſually does there moſt of God appear. The buſineſs of this Book is not to feed thy Curioſity, but to find out thy Conſcience, and the likelieſt way to That is through the plains of Intelligible truth. I cannot expect that Diſcourſe ſhould lead others towards Heaven, that has not its ſelf drained and refined from Earth: Expect not in this any thing that may pleaſe thy carnal mind, but what may profit thy teachable and obedient Soul; and before thou aſcendeſt the Throne to judge it, take the Balance of the Sanctuary and weigh it: Be adviſed to go beyond ſuch Readers who onelyonly view the Title, read the Epiſtle, glance a little on the Book, and if they find not ſomething ſingular and pleaſing their curious Fancy, lay it aſide; this ſhews a full Stomach but an empty Soul, and is a Practice that overturns the Writers pains and the Readers profit; be perſwaded to read it throughly and impartially, and weigh it ſeriouſly, and thou mayeſt find ſomething that concerns either thy Underſtanding, Affection, Conſcience, or Converſation.
I have choſen to proſecute the Metaphor of (Trading) throughout this Diſcourſe, having a principal reſpect to that ſort of perſons in the deſign of this Book, and the better to inſinuate into the mind of ordinary Chriſtians the knowledge of heavenly things, of mens duties, neglects and backſliding. If thou art one who never madeſt a profeſſion of God farther than blindneſs, formality or ſuperſtition might lead thee; and a ſtranger to this great pleaſant and gainful Trade of Godlineſs, here thou mayeſt find Arguments to perſwade thee to this rational and neceſſary Undertaking in order to Life and Salvation, Grace and Glory, with Counſel and Inſtructions how thou mayeſt attain to this high and heavenly Calling.
If thou be one who driveſt furiouſly after the World, purſuing thy earthly Intereſt with greedineſs, neglecting the things that concern thy peace, and ſubjecting the Concerns of Heaven and thy immmortal Soul to the poor and periſhing Trifles of this World; here thou wilt find reaſons to convince thee of that folly, and helps to looſen thy heart from that enſaring Soul ruining bondage.
If thou meeteſt with Rebukes upon thy earthly Intereſts, and croſſes on thy Affairs and undertakings in the World, this Book will help thee to find out the Cauſe of thy Diſappointments, and thoſe conſuming Moths on thy Eſtate, and Inſtruct thee to get Honey out of theſe Rods, good from theſe evils, and how to Comport with Divine ends, and thy own Advantages by ſuch Diſpenſations.
Haſt thou made a Profeoſſio of Godlineſs, and formerly driven this Heavenly Trade to Advantage, but art now fallen back and decay'd in thy Spiritual ſubſtance, and become poor in thy Inward man and towards God? here mayeſt thou find the Diſcoveries and Evidences of a back-ſliding Soul, with the Cauſes of it: thou wilt alſo meet with Awakening Conſiderations to Affect and Afflict thy heart with the ſenſe of thy evil Caſe: Here alſo mayeſt thou know whether thy Decays are cureable, and what courſe thou mayeſt take to get out of thy languiſhing eſtate.
Art thou one that doeſt profeſs this Heavenly Trade? this Piece will tell thee what thy work is, and wherein this Imployment lies; what are the Important duties of Piety to be driven on every Day, with Directions and Rules about it.
If thou art one who keepeſt up this Trade for Heaven and thriveſt therein, here haſt thou marks of a Proſperous Trade in Godlineſs, and ſeveral Doubts cleared up about thy Soul-thrivings, with thoſe Important Duties opened which this Peculiar Mercy calls for: Gather out of this Garden what Phyſick or Food thou needeſt, and Apply and Improve it, praying for the Aſſiſtance of that Spirit that hath been frequently and ſolemnly begged both for the Forming and Bleſſing of this Diſcourſe unto all that read it.
You who have been Hearers of this Subject, though in ſomewhat different Expreſſions ſuited to your Capacity and Advantage in the Delivery of it, have reaſon above others to Receive and Improve this: Meſſage Twice ſent unto you.
But you Eſpecially my dear Friends, the Care of whoſe Souls is upon me, for whoſe ſake chiefly theſe Truths were at firſt Delivered, and are now made Publick have the moſt obliging reaſons to get them Copied out upon your Hearts and in your Lives. To you Firſtly, more Eſpecially, yea, moſt Affectionately was and is this Word of ſalvation fent and preſented again to your View, that you might have theſe things abiding with you, and that they might live in your Eye which have founded in your Ear, and be ſpeaking to you when I ſhall be removed out of your ſight, and be beyond all Capacity to ſerve your precious and immortal Souls, that when I can plead no more for God or with you, I may in this be ſpeaking to you and others in the behalf of Chriſt, and glorious though deſpiſed Holineſs. This has been the prevailing Argument with me to diſcover my weakneſs to the World, and expoſe my ſelf to the cenſure or ſcorn of ſome.
I have the greateſt reaſon to expect from you the Entertainment of theſe Truths, who have choſen and received me in the Lord, to declare the Goſpel of his Son to you: You alſo have known my Labours, Infirmities and Afflictions with you and for your ſake; that for Twenty years ſpace I have ſerved you in the Goſpel, in reproach, wants, weakneſſes; dangers and ſufferings, neither count I my life dear unto my ſelf, ſo that I may finiſh my courſe with joy, and the Miniſtery which I have received of the Lord Jeſus, to testifie the Goſpel of the grace of God: yea. being ſo affectionately deſirous of you, I have been willing to have imparted to you not the Goſpel of God onelyonly, but alſo my own Soul. Becauſe you were dear unto me, you know and have acknowledged the ſuitableneſs of this Subject unto your own Caſes, and how evidently the condition of moſt of you is opened here and ſuited, by the convictions, counſels, reprehenſions, & conſolations of this diſcourſe; there are ſome among you that I am jealous of with a godly jealouſie, leſt I ſhould have laboured in vain for you, and your minds be corrupted from the ſimplicity of the Goſpel through the temptations of this preſent world: I have often cried aloud in your ears againſt the ſin, and have warned you of the danger of an earthly ſpirit and converſation, and do tell you now even weeping, that ſuch are enemies to the Croſs of Chriſt, who mind earthly things, until you are crucified to the world, you have no ſaving benefit of the croſs of Chriſt, or can ever behold the face of God in heaven, until you are redeemed from the earth; all your Profeſſion, Parts, Duties and Enjoyments will be but ſo many Witneſſes againſt you, if after all you are lovers of this preſent World: Coveting to be rich will alſo make your Souls poor, and deprive you of the refreſhments of his preſence and conſolations of his bleſſed ſpirit, and will be a manifest evidence that you have little of thoſe pleaſures that are from above. 'Twas faid of pious Mr. Bain, That he ſought not great matters in the World, being taken up with comforts and griefs to which the World was a ſtranger. The more a Soul converſes in heaven and lives upon the firſt fruits of the other world, the leſs will he be taken with things below: when Abraham came to live by faith, and in a view of that City whoſe Maker and Builder is God, the Plains of Sodom and Spoils of Canaan were to him but mean things; I never cared much for the world (ſaith one) ſince I came to know better things. You have taſted that the Lord is gracious; you have fed on the fat things of his houſe, and have found a day in his Courts better than a thouſand elſewhere, and muſt be ſelf-condemned if you prefer not God above Ten thouſand Worlds, and count the enjoyment of himſelf riches enough; yea, if you eſteem not the reproach of Chriſt greater riches than the treaſures of Egypt. 'Twas a brave ſpeech of that noble Galeatius when he had left his Honour, Intereſt and Relations for Chriſt and the Goſpel ſake: I have ſaith he, riches honour and joy enough while in this Cottage I may live in the Church of God, enjoy his Word and People, and have time to converſe with God by holy meditation, and with my Friends about Gods great goodneſs to me in my Converſion, curſed for ever be that Religion which weds men to the World, and divorces them from God.
There are others of you (I fear) fallen back in your ſpiritual ſtate; former days were better than now, and the ſhadow gone back ſome degrees upon the Dial of your hearts, who it may be have left your firſt love, have loſt your ſpiritual taſte, more dead to the things of God, Cold and Formal in Duty; poſſibly you have hid your face from God, and he hath compaſſed himſelf with a cloud before you. You have neglected your walks with God, and he hath with-held converſe with you: For the recovery of ſuch from whence they have fallen to their firſt love and labours, is part of this Diſcourſe framed; hear what the Spirit ſaith therein, Attend and Obey thoſe Counſels, return to your firſt love, and do your firſt works, leaſt the Lord take the Candleſtick out of his place, and leave you in that wilderneſs into which you wander.
Some of you who are fearers of God yet walk in darkneſs, and ſee no light, have your continual Exerciſes and frequent Complaints, that he who ſhould have comforted your ſouls, is removed far from you: My Advice to you is, to walk in the light when you ſit in darkneſs, and wait for the light when the even ſhadows are upon you. 'Tis but a little while and he that ſhall come will come, and will not tarry; the Son of righteouſneſs is upon his journey towards you, and 'twill not be long ere it be riſen upon you.
Are there any of you who have better days, does your Bow abide in ſtrength, are your Affections warm towards your Beloved, and your hearts ſometimes burn within you while he is talking to you in his Word? Do you long for his Appearance, and delight in his Preſence, and preſs hard after him in his Appointments,? Do you love the Word of his mouth more than your neceſſary food? Can you be content to let your own things ſit, that you may ſeek the things that are Chriſt's? and ſit at his feet, when others are in the market-place, and abroad in the croud of their earthly affairs; Are you alone with Chriſt in a corner? If ſo, your Mercy is ſingular, and your Obligations ſtrong to be entirely the Lords; to be no more your own, but wholly devoted to his fear, to live a life of praiſe and welpleaſingneſs uno God, to think well of Chriſt, and bear his pleaſure; to be patient in tribulation, continuing inſtant in prayer, to long for the Well-head of your mercies, and to be beginning a life of glory while you are here in a life of grace. I ſhall cloſe up this Diſcourſe with a few words of general Advice to you all.
Firſt, lay the foundation ſure on which you build all your Temporary labours and your Eternal hopes: You cannot be too certain, in that on which depends your all. Conſider how often Satan hath battered down; yea, your own hearts have diſputed away thoſe Evidences on which you could ſometimes have adventured your Souls, and yet the ſtrongeſt Aſſaults are to come, and the greateſt Forces of Hell reſerved for the laſt Battel. Bottom not your hopes on any thing ſhort of a Crucified Chriſt, not on your Frames, but on his Favour; not upon your Duties, but his Righteouſneſs; nor upon any kindneſſes received from him ſhort of a ſaving union with him; reſt not till your Convictions be clear, deep and diſtreſſing, ſuch as diſcover ſin to be the greateſt evil in its nature and fruits, and its reſidence and indwelling in you, a burden intolerable; ſuch Convictions as will not admit of after favour or reconciliation to the leaſt known or moſt beloved ſin; that can make your heart to bleed afreſh upon every new touch of it, and never at reſt till the whole kind of it be deſtroyed out of your Souls: Labour to ſee ſuch a Beauty in Chriſt, as may render all Created Glory as droſs and dung in your Eye; ſtop not till you come to the Excellency of the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt as your Lord; till you can diſcern ſuch a worth in the Perſon as well as Purchaſe of Chriſt, as will make you content to throw all over board, to take in him, and be ſick of love till you enjoy him: be ſure your cloſe with Chriſt be right with his whole Perſon, Will and Deſigns, to be one with him upon all his own terms. And that this union be not in Judgment and Conſent onelyonly, but in Heart and Will from your whole Souls, finding an inward likeneſs and love to him in your renewed nature.
2ly, Go on towards perfection, preſs after nearer and more compleat Conformity to the Nature and Will of Christ every day: Think how ſhort your higheſt meaſures do come of perfect holineſs in the ſight of God; ſet the Pattern before you every day, that you may be the more aſhamed at your preſent attainments in Grace, and more provoked to higher Aims and Atchievements; compare your ſelves with them that are above you, with the Rule of Righteouſneſs, and with all your Obligations, Time, Means and Mercies, to keep you humble in your own eyes; look upon your Wants as well as Enjoyments, that you may be as poor in ſpirit as in condition; that which is wanting in you cannot be numbred: Who am I and what is my people that we ſhould be able to offer ſo willingly after this ſort? 1 Chron. 19. 14. Keep low thoughts in your ſelves under the greateſt ſervices you do for God, and the highest honour you receive from God. Alas (ſaid the Lord Du-Pleſſis to one that commended him for the improvemt of his Talent) What is there of mine in that Work? ſay not that it was I, but God in me. I know more (ſaith another) by my ſelf to abaſe me, than any man could know to extol me. So much humility a man hath, ſo much grace he hath and worth and no more: Dr. Har.
3ly, Keep up a life of faith upon Chriſt in the promiſes: As the firſt quickening of a Chriſtian is by faith, ſo his whole life is maintained by believing; no longer than you believe can you live: Gal. 2. 20. Your life is hid with Christ in God. Draw freſh Influence thence by faith upon your Hopes, Comforts and Graces under every want, fears and deaths within you; make not your graces or duties the grounds of believing, but encouragements to Faith; ſtudy more the nature, freeneſs, fulneſs and unchangeableneſs of redemption grace, and get acquaintance with the promiſe and perſwaſions of the truth of them in Chriſt: To live onelyonly by faith (ſaith Dr. Harris) and a bare Promiſe without a pawn, and to give all to free grace and to Christ alone, are mighty works; and ſome of thoſe things he found moſt difficult.
4ly, Walk in Love as Chriſt hath loved you: This is the life of Heaven, and beginning of that Excellent glory which ſhall never be removed; there is nothing does make thee more like to God, more near and dear to him, and more fit for his uſe than this Grace of Love: Let your Affections be extended as large as the objects of them; unto God, his Word, Ways and People; love God to obey him; his Ways to walk in them, his People to delight in them, to ſympathize with them, to mourn over them in their ſufferings, to help them in their neceſſities, to rejoyce with them in their conſolations, counting their mercies your own, which is no eaſie part of your duty. It is far harder (ſaith one) to adopt anothers Comforts than his Sorrows, and to hold ones ſelf exalted in anothers exaltation.
5ly, In the enjoyment of the World, get above it, and while you live in it, be daily dying to it; ſo much as you get above the World, ſo near are you to God and Glory, and no nearer. Covet not anothers Goods, the World is none of your Portion, if God be your part. Oh how much beneath the Extraction, Dignity and Duty of Saints is the love to, and life upon this low and dirty World: leave not Childrens bread to feed on ſuch Carrion doggs-meat, and filthy excrements, with which Satan feeds his Labourers. But having ſpoke largely of this matter in the Book, I adviſe your Eye and Heart thither for Conviction and Counſel herein.
6ly, Make much of the Time and Means of Grace while you have them; your Glaſs runs, your Sun haſtens, and the Wind blows when and where it liſteth. O make uſe of Time while you have it: God who made nothing in vain, hath work for every hour of your ſhort Day; work as hard as you can, you will find ſomething to do when you come to die. Loſs of time (ſaith Dr. Harris on his Death-bed) ſits very near upon me; work, work apace, aſſure your ſelves nothing will more trouble you when you come to die, than that you have done no more for that God which hath done ſo much for you. Wait upon and walk in the light while you have it; if Grace thinks it not much to ſpread a Table for you, don't you think it much to ſpare time to ſit down at it: You that find ſo many things to do when God calls for your Company, will ſhortly find that God hath other things to do than to mind you when you need his Cordials; how glad would you be of enjoying time to hear the voice of peace when you are entring upon Eternity, who are not at leiſure now to hear Divine precepts while in the poſſeſſion of time: neglect not hearing praying ſeaſons, which are your Seed-time for Glory O that every day (ſaith one) were a Sabbath or a Faſt-day, for then I ſhould be well. Buy not your eaſe or earthly intereſt at ſo dear a rate as the loſs of ſalvation, time and helps: Evidence your love to God by your valuation of his Preſence in his Ordinances; How can you long for the enjoyment of God in Heaven, who care not for his company on Earth, or his glorious appearances in his Sanctuary. Stick at nothing that may yield him delight or give him glory, how expenſive ſoever it be on your deareſt Comforts and Intereſts: When one told Du Moulin in his ſickneſs that he wronged himſelf by ſpeaking ſo much; 'Tis true, ſaid he, but I will die glorifying of God. A Soul that ſupreamly loves God, will count nothing too much to do, part with or ſuffer that may bring him glory.
7ly. Reſt not in your enjoyments of means, without improvement of them: What's a full Table if thy Soul abide empty, and frequent feeding, if thy inner man languiſh: 'tis a time of dying and ſecret waſte in moſt Chriſtians; O covet earneſtly the beſt gifts, that you may flouriſh in the Courts of God, and grow as the Cedars of Lebanon; that you may be throughly furniſhed to every good work, and your profiting appear to all men: Be deeply ſenſible of your little Fruit under great dreſſing, and be humbled; take heed of ſpiritual pride, and puffings up in your apprehended Excellencies or Priviledges; 'tis the humble ſoul is the moſt thriving ſoul; keep your Hearts pure, and Lives unſpotted: As ſound bodies, ſo ſincere ſouls are moſt growing: pare off luxuriant branches as they ſprout out, and lay the Ax to the root of them every day; keep up Faith in the Promiſes of Soul-proſperity to them that ſerve him in ſincerity, Pſal. 92. 12, 13. and ſtay on Chriſt by Faith for help: when you ſee nothing but Diſcouragements in your ſelves, and when you are afraid to apply the Promiſes, even then bleſs God for them. Theſe Promiſes, ſaid a doubting Soul, are none of mine, yet I am glad that God hath made them, and for their ſakes that ſhall partake of them; Mr. White.
8thly, Neglect not ſecret tranſactions between God and your Souls, to which I fear ſome of you may be too great ſtrangers: no wonder that Intimacy between God and Souls does fall, when they are ſeldom together in retirements. Oh take heed of paſſing by thy Cloſet or ſecret corners one day, Matth, 6. 6. or poſting out of them before God and your Souls have ſome Converſe together; and be not onelyonly conſtant in it, but careful to pleaſe God in the ſpiritual performance of it: Let not Cuſtom or Formality deprive thee of the ſweetneſs of that bread eaten in ſecret. You are in this Book more fully called upon to theſe Duties of ſecret Prayer, meditation, heart-ſearching, and watching-work, to which I refer you.
9ly; Make conſcience of every Duty you owe towards others, in your Relations, Places and Callings; keep up Family duty, or write Heathen upon thy doors, that the World may know thee: If you neglect Gods ſervice, he will not be your Sanctuary; Prayerleſs houſes have broken walls and doors, and no defence againſt the leaſt evil: If you will not give God your breathings, how can you think he will give you his bleſſings: 'Tis ſad that any, eſpecially ſuch whom God hath taken into his houſe, ſhould ſhut him out of their doors; or give him ſuch pitiful ſervice as ſome do, ſcarce ever reading the Scriptures in their Families from one Lords-day to another; onelyonly ſend him a little haſty fruit, ſome ſhort and ſhuffled prayers once a day: no wonder that ſalvation come not to their houſes, or converting grace into their families, but a flying Roll is over their habitations, and the black marks of Ruine on their Children and Servants: think it not ſtrange that God makes thy pleaſant Roſes pricking Bryers and Thorns to thee, who haſt made them Spears and Swords to him. Oh keep with God in every duty of his ſervice, your Relation, Calling and Imployments.
Laſtly, in every condition walk with God, and wait for God; if he lead you in ways of mercy, follow him in ways of duty. If you have Comforts take heed of doting on or abuſing of them: when he ſends you Afflictions receive them; be not fainting nor froward under them, but ſanctifie God in them, and by their hand return to him; do not over-love your mercies, or over-fear your troubles: prepare for Changes, but live upon Immutability, and be ſetled under all your unſettlements; count nothing ſtrange but ſin, and nothing hard to bear, but the abſence or anger of a gracious God: loſe not your fears in times of peace, neither caſt away your confidence in the day of trouble: let your Lamps be alwaies burning, that you may ſee the way of your duty in the Night of your danger; and how to get in Comfort in your Adverſity; and let your loins be girt, that you may be ready both to do your work and to meet your wages; and be alway looking and waiting for the coming of your Lord, who will welcom you in the Acceptance of your Duties, uncloath you of your ſins and ſufferings, and crown your ſincerity and faithfulneſs with a Come ye bleſſed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you; which is the longed for Fruit of all his Labours with you, and the ſubject matter of his daily prayers for you, who is in him that was and is, and is to come,
Your Affectionate Labourer, Fellow Servant, and Brother, Barthol. Aſhwood.