The Heavenly Trade

Chapter 1

4. The gain that comes by it.

Reas. 1. First, The things about which this Heavenly Trade is taken up, are in their nature things of greatest worth; wares which all the worlds treasures cannot purchase or compare with; they are all great, glorious and

Chapter 2

3. Reason.

First, The Scriptures will tell you, there are no wares like heavenly wares, Deut. 32. 32. Their Rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being Judges. His loving-kindness is better than life, Psal. 63. 3. An

Chapter 3

25. To make provision for the soul is the one thing needful; to enjoy

Christ and spiritual things is the better part that shall never be taken away, Luk. 10. 42. The Kingdom of God is the chiefest thing to be sought for in the first place, Matth. 6. 33. first in affection, and first in tim

Chapter 4

96. Ps. 4. 6. and 84. 10. He chooses it as his one thing; To dwell in

the house of the Lord all the days of his life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his Temple, Psal. 27. 4. Moses knew what honor was, and the pleasures of sin, and yet upon choice, preferred poverty wit

Chapter 5

4. Their Duration.

First, Heavenly things are rare, and therefore excellent; scarcity enhanceth the price of things; Diamonds and precious stones are dear, because scarce, and more rarely had; plenty usually beats down the price of things,

Chapter 6

3. Joh. 15. 11. Isa. 59. 21. Heb. 10. 34. 1 Pet. 1. 4. Indeed acts of grace

may fail for a time, but the habit of grace is never lost; frames, and streams of comfort may ebb, but the Fountain of Joy is never drained dry; Justification is immutable, Pardon of Sin is irreversible, the Saints treas

Chapter 7

4. To him shall the glory of all be rendered.

First, Wisdom's wares are freely tendered to all that will receive them, without money, and without price: Come buy wine and milk without money and without price, Isa. 55. 1. To him that is a thirst will I give to drink

Chapter 8

3. Quick Returns.

Now nothing turns to more account than a thorough pursuit of piety; whatever men think, Religion is the most thriving way, in regard of the, Excellent Fruit of it. Abundant Fruit of it. Durable Fruit of it. First, Great

Chapter 9

2. Show why this should be for a lamentation.

First, That this Heavenly Trade goes back and decays, is so evident, that he is a stranger in our Israel, and hath too much of a spirit unconcerned in these matters, who doth not plainly see Religion, and the power of Go

Chapter 10

14. What Pharaoh charged on the Hebrews, when attempting liberty

to serve God, may be with much more justice reflected on those that profess to serve God; and though they may, yet do not: Ye are Idle, ye are Idle: and hence it is men's hearts go a whoring after the world, and the fles

Chapter 11

2. And this is cause of mourning, and to be greatly laid to heart; who

can see these things and not be affected: If there be any quick flesh, how can it but bleed? if any waters are left, surely our eyes should run down tears, and we pour out waters in Mizpah before the Lord abundantly, for

Chapter 12

2. Hence the Prophet, when he apprehended a change in God's

carriage towards Israel, the next thing he fears, is his departure from them; he no sooner complains of God's strangeness, but presently prays, Leave us not, Jer. 14. 9. When once it came to a straitening, and loathing b

Chapter 13

34. Job 20. 22. And this is cause of mourning; wants and poverty do

fill men with trouble, perplexity and grief: Oh the distractions and distressing thoughts that straits commonly beget! and no straits like to soul-straits; Christians, you yourselves be my Judges. Thirdly, Neglect of Tra

Chapter 14

12. He that hath no power to deny the cravings of a worldly heart,

never yet received the grace of God in truth. Grace (saith one) may stand with some transient acts of naughtiness, but never with covetousness: Adams on the 2 Epist. of Pet. p. 9. 16. Noah was once drunk with Wine, but n

Chapter 15

1. To such as are strangers to this Heavenly Trade.

Counsel 1. Such as are strangers to this Heavenly Trade; you that never were acquainted with this high Calling, but have spent all your time about things that perish, trafficking about Hell and Damnation. Be you exhorted

Chapter 16

22. The whole Earth is but God's Kitchen, for the maintenance of his

house; and if he will feed his servants and slaves, much more his children: He gives to all their meat in due season, and satisfies the desires of every living thing: Much more will he care for, and give food convenient

Chapter 17

6. Ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests, Exod. 10. 6. Cloathed

with the richest Ornaments, perfect through divine comeliness, Ezek. 16. 10, to 15. appointed to a Kingdom that is everlasting, assured of Thrones and Crowns with Christ for evermore. Rev. 3. 21. To him that overcometh w

Chapter 18

38. I rue nothing (said precious Mr. Welch when on his sick-bed) but

that I was so long in beginning: O, saith David, that I had wings like a Dove, for then would I fly away, and be at rest: I would hasten my escape from the stormy wind and Tempest, Psal. 55. 6, 8. Sinners, you are in dan

Chapter 19

7. To improve everything you have, meet with, and do, to

heavenly ends and advantages. First, If you will drive on this heavenly Trade, you must have and maintain a heavenly spirit; this is the spring of all heavenly actions; as is a man's spirit, so will his thoughts, words a

Chapter 20

20. Whithersoever the spirit was to go, they went; (that is the

wheels,) for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels: The same may be said of the actions of men, that they are according to the motion of that ruling spirit that is in them: they that live in the spirit, wa

Chapter 21

11. Dearly Beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain

from fleshly lusts, that war against the soul. Water is as consistent with fire, sickness with health, death with life, as unmortified lusts with a heavenly spirit; and you may as safely dwell with thieves and bloody mur

Chapter 22

12. Earthly things are good servants, but bad Masters; useful in their

place; as fire in the hearth is profitable, but in the thatch dangerous; and as unruly Servants, and untamed Colts are serviceable when reduced to their place, and kept under government. Worldly thoughts are as some root

Chapter 23

35. When the Lord Jesus was got on to a high Mountain apart, and

had more near fellowship with Heaven, 'tis said: He was -- 128 of 376 -- transfigured, and his face did shine. Nearness to God does wonderfully warm and quicken the heart, as approaches of the Sun do the body. With the

Chapter 24

19. Quench not the Spirit. He that will kindle a fire, gathers up every

little coal, and makes the most of the least spark. The shavings of gold are gold, and the smallest breathings of the Spirit are to be highly prized: He that checks the first motions of the Spirit, may never meet with th

Chapter 25

18. All power is given to me in Heaven and Earth: Lawful power,

right, privilege and authority, (as the word imports,) and with this is the Lord Jesus invested, and hath all things put into his hands, and all creatures under his feet, Heb. 2. 7, 8. And all right to true riches is der

Chapter 26

3. Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his Asses, and

took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his Son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and went unto the place of which God had told him: Not as Jacob did part with Benjamin; by constraint, and grudgingly, Gen

Chapter 27

29. What affections have brute beasts for their young, and will

venture their lives to defend and maintain them. 'It is storied of the Storks, when the Town of Delph in the low Countries was on fire, and the Storks perceived the fire to come near their nests, they endeavored to carry

Chapter 28

2. Where is thy heart, Christian, in Heaven or Earth? what things are

dearest to thee, and sweetest to thy taste? canst thou prize the light of God's countenance better than life? hadst thou rather be a door- keeper in God's House than dwell in the Pavilions of this World? Is a little of H

Chapter 29

4. The Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive, and eyes to see,

and ears to hear to this day: Who hath made thee to differ? or what hast thou which thou didst not receive? 1 Cor. 3. 7. If the differencing of one man from another, as to his improvement of grace, lay in his own inclina

Chapter 30

23. As Christ, so all things with him are freely given, Rom. 8. 32. not

only the seed of grace, but the growth of grace; not only the habit, but the act of grace; all comes from Christ in the way of Redemption- grace. Get your hearts well established with this grace, that nothing in you, or

Chapter 31

3. Saving knowledge is a Treasure laid up in Christ for Believers, and

to be fetched out for their use and comfort. The riches of the full assurance of understanding, and acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ, Col. 2. 2. The Gospel is a mystery, a secret, h

Chapter 32

32. Rom. 13. 10. It will exceedingly sweeten the bitter waters of

Marah to you, and make the paths of God's Providences, as well as his Precepts, pleasantness and peace. Take in also the consolations of the Spirit, and the joys of the Holy Ghost, these will be useful to cheer your hear

Chapter 33

1. First, maintain a constant sense of your own wants and emptiness:

That which is wanting cannot be numbered, Eccles. 1. 15. Look over -- 162 of 376 -- your souls every day, and see your poverty; look into your understandings, and see how little light is there; into your minds, and con

Chapter 34

16. Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee: 'It is

a contradiction to say that God is your God, and yet with-hold his service from him: As soon as ever God had a people in the World, he had service from them. Gen. 4. 26. Then began men to call upon the name of the Lord:

Chapter 35

44. But they presumed to go up to the hill top, verse 42. The Lord

forbad them to go, threatening his remove from them, and their ruin, if they durst go up against his will. Nay, it was said, The Ark of the Covenant of the Lord; and Moses went not out of the Camp; would not stir one foo

Chapter 36

15. The Saints victory is through him that hath loved them, and given

himself a sacrifice to God for them, Rom. 16. 20. Rom. 8. 37. Ephes. 5. 2. It must be his armor and arm too must bring salvation from spiritual enemies: Without me you can do nothing, John 15. 5. 'It is this makes souls

Chapter 37

24. How can ye love that knife that hath stabbed your dearest Friend,

Father, Husband; yea, your own soul? How can you like that cloud and veil which stands between you and the Son of righteousness, and keeps these quickening warming beams from you, which would have cleared and strengthene

Chapter 38

32. Walk unblameable towards all men, giving no offense to any, lest

-- 206 of 376 -- the Gospel be blamed. Phil. 1. 10. That you may be sincere, and without offense to the day of Christ. 1 Pet. 2. 12. Having your conversation honest among those you have to do with; dealing justly with a

Chapter 39

6. To be meek, loving, peaceable in your words and carriages towards

one another, giving that due respect as the place and relation calls for from each other: To be holy and profitable in your discourses, seeking the spiritual welfare, edification and salvation of each other's souls, as o

Chapter 40

33. Gal. 5. 13. To sympathize with each other in affliction, Col. 3. 12.

and to be helpful to them in bearing their burdens, supplying their wants, comforting, counseling, and supporting them in all their tribulations, Heb. 13. 3. visiting the sick and imprisoned, feeding the hungry, clothing

Chapter 41

3. To heavenly ends.

First, Then is earthly work part of your Heavenly Trade, when you transact it by heavenly rules; every Science hath its Maxims; distinct Governments have their distinct Laws: So hath every Trade its rules, principles and

Chapter 42

16. These are the Churches breasts to fill and nourish her children

unto life eternal, Isa. 66. 11. Gen. 2. 6. 10. Ordinances are the Mist, the River of Eden, by which God waters his Garden; Scriptures are the Mines, Ordinances are the opening of them, to such as dig for Wisdom. A consid

Chapter 43

36. Advantage was his end why he chose the Plains of Sodom, but

loss was the issue of his choice: So Balaam for Balak's goods, run himself into those temptations that cost him his life, Gen. 31. 8. Go not into wicked company except duty call you; if you have God's warrant, you have h

Chapter 44

23. But if they be such like Sons of Belial, that the thorns cannot be

taken by hand, let them be thrust away, and get yourselves fenced that they hurt you not: Take heed of the least compliance with them in their sin. 1 Tim. 5. 22. Be not partakers of other men's sins; your -- 249 of 376

Chapter 45

6. Retire we must sometimes (saith Mr. Trap,) and into fit place to

meet with God; solacing, and entertaining Soliloquies with him, as Isaac did in the field, Jacob upon the way, Ezekiel by the river Ulai, Peter upon the leads, Christ upon the mountains, Abraham in the grove in Beersheba

Chapter 46

23. What a lecture did Christ read to his Disciples upon viewing the

goodly Buildings of the Temple? Luke 21. 5, to the end: He beheld the City, and wept over it, and improved it to some instruction to his Disciples, Luke 19. 41. He beheld people casting in gifts into the treasury, and ma

Chapter 47

29. Hath God consumed your estate, broken your Trade, brought you

to a morsel of bread? and is there not cause? There are several sins which do usually prove wasting to men's earthly interests. First, A letting down of Religion, and decaying in this heavenly Trade, is usually followed

Chapter 48

9. Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all

the people, <H&G> according as you have not kept my ways, but have been partial in my law: you have cast dung on my Ordinances, (for such are corruptions, <H&G> in God's worship;) and I will spread dung on your faces; Ma

Chapter 49

14. The Lord had a controversy with his people, v. 2. and till this was

taken up, all their religious services were to no purpose; sacrifices and duties could not prevail, or stop his displeasure, till their sins were removed, v. 6, 7. 'Twas not to wait on God in public duties was all that h

Chapter 50

41. These God will surely take in hand; he will be both Judge and

Witness against them; he will not delay neither, but proceed speedily to sentence and execution against such as oppress their poor laborers: Of all oppression, the oppression of the poor is greatest, and carries most cru

Chapter 51

9. This may be one reason why the Lord makes this Nation poor, that

he might by this make them pure, he melts away our dross, that we may be the more refined, and takes away our Lovers, that he might come in the room of them: I will hedge up thy way with thorns; she shall follow after he

Chapter 52

4. Ye have said, it is in vain to serve God, Mal. 3. 14. As sin becomes

more delightful, so duty becomes more burdensome, cold and formal; but a gracious soul that shall be healed is importunate with God, and will not let him alone, Exod. 32. 10, 11. or let him go until he bless him, Gen. 32

Chapter 53

72. He fed them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided

them by the skillfulness of his hands: Some books read it in the plural number in the Greek; In skillfulness's, <H&G>, noting the great measure of wisdom which men need who would prosper in their proper work, and order t

Chapter 54

3. To drive on another's Interest.

First, If you will be Christ's Factors, you must trade upon his stock; you must not only take all your goods from him, but as his; not only fetch in your graces, abilities, skill, success from him, but use and improve th

Chapter 55

15. Then are you richer in stock.

-- 301 of 376 -- Is your Faith more cleansing and quickening, your Love more warming, your Zeal more fervent, your Hope more adventurous, your Patience more bearing, your Joy more delighting, your Humility more self-aba

Chapter 56

6. And if you are less in the bulk of duty, you are more in the spirit of

it; when 'tis thus, there's a thriving Trade in Christianity. Fourthly, Are you less in debt than you were? that's another sign of good Trading: Do you make conscience of rendering to God again for all his benefits? Psal

Chapter 57

4. A divine blessing.

First, Men that are thriving in the World are provident and careful to prevent their dangers, to secure their interests, and proportion means to their advantage. And so must Christians that think ever to flourish in godl

Chapter 58

15. Eccles. 9. 10.

Thirdly, Driving a secret Trade of holiness, is soul-thriving: Men that have some peculiar art, and unknown mystery in their Trade which is not ordinary and common, usually get greatest custom and advantage: So is it in

Chapter 59

4. Obedience.

First, Be often examining; and calling yourselves to an account how matters stand with your Souls: Traders that would be thriving will be often viewing their Books, and trying their Accompts, and have some set days, when

Chapter 60

10. Ah Christians! as you love your souls, and your spiritual welfare,

take heed of losing God's gracious presence; whose company soever you lose, keep the Lord's presence with you; abide with him, and he will abide with you: 2 Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while you be with him; and i

Chapter 61

12. And if it seems to have an indignation against sin, yet 'tis not

against every sin, and at all times, nor irreconcilable at any time: but saving grace hates the very being of sin, 2 Cor. 7. 11. And as the Tiger flies at the very picture of a man, so doth Grace abhor the appearance of

Chapter 62

12. The Comforter that should have relieved thy soul, is far from

thee, Lam. 1. 16. It may be thou hast sinned away his warming presence, and lost thy first spring; hence 'tis the flowers do not appear: Yet here's thy comfort, though thy winter be not a time of fruit, yet God will make

Chapter 63

2. You that have any good Trading for Heaven, be exhorted to

enlarge your Trade; drive a greater Trade of godliness every day, as men that prosper in the world do; they build larger barns, fairer houses, greater shops, get more goods, buy more land, and widen the bounds of their i

Chapter 64

4. And their Profit.

First, 'It is God's good Pleasure to have them tried: The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is, 1 Cor. 3. 13. whether it will bear the fire or no; hereby the excellency of his work, the greatness of his pow

Chapter 65

9. Put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and flesh, and he

will curse thee to thy face, Job 2. 5. This is the usual calumny of the Saints enemies; to confute which, and prove them liars, doth the Lord suffer his people to be tempted. 'It is his will and purpose that all his peop

Chapter 66

27. Luke 6. 49. Temptations are part of the Devil's Artillery, his fiery

darts and cruel buffetings which none can bear without the whole -- 332 of 376 -- Armor of God upon him, and then too; all they can do is but to stand, Ephes. 6. v. 13, 16. They are so potent and prevailing, as that no

Chapter 67

10. As everyone hath received the gift (whether of grace, or gifts of

grace, inward or outward gifts, spiritual or temporal, 'tis all one if he have received it) so let him administer the same, as good Stewards of the manifold grace of life. Your interests are God's gifts; your abundance,

Chapter 68

8. Think how disingenuous 'tis thus to requite the Lord that hath

dealt so bountifully with you; to with-hold your time from him, who first gave it to you, and hath denied it to others; and will shortly close up your troublous time with eternal rest, in blessed mansions of purest pleas

Chapter 69

4. Preparations for Glory,

First, Lay up sound Hopes for Heaven. 1 Pet. 1. 13. Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind; be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Sure hopes of H

Chapter 70

28. They that have union with Christ cannot perish, being members

of his body, flesh and bones; should a soul that hath received Christ here, miss of glory hereafter, then would a member of Christ perish, and his body in Heaven be maimed and imperfect, which cannot be, his Church being

Chapter 71

21. And Christ hath past his word for it they shall not perish, John

10. 28. Not one of them is lost who are truly in Christ, John 17. 10. They are his servants, and shall be where he is, John 12. 26. His Spouse, which shall be ever with him. Try then your union with Christ; Have you rece

Chapter 72

3. Some looks through the lattice; some embraces of Christ in the

arms of faith, pleased the Spouse, and doth satisfy most souls here: Alas, how few are the desires of gracious souls, which a little of God will not content! One desires grace, another peace; some are for quickening's an