love of God. And why did he pray fo? It was that they might be filled with all the fullness of God, according to the uttermost measure attainable in this life, and in full, and abfolute perfection in the life to come.

Thus I have given you all that I shall fay, concerning those things, which particularly demonstrate the truth, and reality of the Souls profperity: Only I defire to leave these two things with you, in the conclusion, to prevent mistakes.

1. That none ought to argue against themselves, that their Souls do not profper, because, as yet they come fhort, it may be, at fometimes altogether fhort of what hath been laid down in this fifth and laft particu lar. They are seldom fo clear in point of their Covenant intereft, as to feel the joy of Faith, much less the joy ofSenfe. To endeavour to be clear in this matter is every ones duty.2 Pet.1. 1,Wherefore the rather, Brethren, give dili gence to make your calling, and election fure. To attain it is part of our Reward. But when it is not attained, yet the Soul may be thriving, and profpering, for all that. Mofes his face did fhine, and he did not know it, Exod. 34. 19. This was at his fecond being with God in the Mount: We read of no fuch thing, at the first time. We may fee by this, that God doth not communicate himself in the fame meafure, at all

times alike, to any of his Servants. It hatli been fo of old, and is fo now. Many par take much of the quickening presence of God, when they have but little, or none at all of the comforting prefence of God, Ifa. 50. 10, Who is among you, that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his Servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? &c. Hence it is, that they often times as fadly complain as Zion did, (but all without caufe.) Ifa. 49. 14, Büt Zion faid the Lord hath forsaken me ; and my Lord bath forgotten me. q. d. I am caft out of his love, not only forfaken, but forgotten: when it was neither fo, nor fo, as ye fee, vers. 15, Can a Woman forfake her fucking Child? &c They may forget; yet will I not forget thee.

2. Though all that hath been hitherto faid, concerning Soul-profperity, are fuch things, as are wrought in, and laid up in the hidden Man of the heart: yet these things are in the Soul, as the Candle in the Lanthorn, to fhine forth 'in a holy, and blamelefs converfation; and in the constant performance of the vifible part of Religion, and that in conjunction with others, as opportunity is offered. For though frequency therein, doth not infallibly prove, that the Soul doth profper; yet in the neglect thereof, the Soul never did, nor will profper. We read Joh. 20.24,25. What a very bad

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frame

frame did grow upon the Soul of Thomas, by the neglect of one good meeting. Whether it was out of too much fear, of what mischief might befall him, from the Council that condemned his Lord, and Mafter; or from too much care to fettle his own private concern. ments, it is hard to determine; but certain it is, that his Soul was thereby brought into a fad condition. Therefore, as we defire our Souls fhould profper, we fhould attend daily at the gates of Wifdom, Prov. 8. 34. He that refufeth inftruction, defpifeth his own Soul, Prov. 15.32. It is no eafie matter for a Man to profper in the World. Prov. 10. 4, He becometh poor, that dealeth with a flack hard: So it is here; therefore as Deut.4.9, Keep thy Soul diligently, left thou forget.

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SERMON V.

Now proceed to the third and laft Par ticular: The reasons for the confirming of the truth of the Propofition.

1. The first is this. Soul profperity is fo far all in all, both to the profperity of every Man's outward condition in general, and of the health, and wellfare of the Body in particular; that it is abfolutely impoffi ble, that either the one, or the other should truly, and really profper, but in conjunction with Soul-profperity. There are two branches in this reafon, and if both of them be made good, then the propofition is so far made good: That of all profperity, Soulprofperity, is the most defirable profperity. And it is eafie, to make them both good by Scripture.

(1.) That there is no true aud real prof perity to any Man's outward condition, without Soul-profperity. This is true; yet it must be granted that very many whofe Souls are poor, and blind, and naked, that lye dead, yea rotting in the lufts of ungodliness, do divide the good things of this H2

World

World among them. Their portion is made fat, Pfal. 73. 12. Infomuch that the Prophet Jeremy was aftonished at it, fer. 12. 1, Wherefore doth the way of the wicked profper? Wherefore are all they happy, that deal very treacherously? But this is far from true prof perity; for all this while, as their Perfons, fo their Profperity is under the curfe of God, Mal. 2. 2, I will even fend a curfe upon you, and I will curfe your bleffings. That which was threat'ned of old, Deut.28.17. lyes fore, and heavy, upon fuch to this day, though they neither fee it, nor fear it, nor feel it: Curfed is their Basket, and curfed is their Store. This will be demonstrated more fully under another head, after I have made this good, That outward profperity truly fo called, and as it is a bleffing, depends wholly upon Soul-profperity. And that it doth fo, is evident by this, That as all those, fo only thofe whofe Souls do profper, are within the compafs of the Promife of profpering in their outward condition. The two firft verses of the firft Pfalm give a fair, character of a profpering Soul, and the third verfe gives the Promife, That whatsoever fuch a Soul doth (according to the rule of the Law, wherein it delighteth) fhall profper, fo far as is confiftent with Soul-profperity. Beyond that the Promife cannot reach it, neither doth any truly profperous Soul defire it. Here