Souls fhould profper, let us gird this gar ment close about us; and follow after this righteousness while we live, and we fhall be able to lay hold upon Eternal Life, when we dye, 1 Tim. 6. 11, 12. And then Soulprofperity will be perfected.

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SER

SERMON X.

4.

T

Here is yet one thing more for the preservation of Bodily health; efpecially for those that lead a fedentary life, and that is moderate exercife, for the motion, and ftirring of the body. For thereby Natural heat is ftirred up, and increased : Ill hu mours abounding, are leffened, and spent: Concoction, and distribution of meats farthered. The contrary evils, by exceffive neglect thereof, coming upon many, like an armed Man.

Answerable to this, there is an exercise, which is exceeding profitable, and every way much more neceffary for the well-fare; and profperity of the Soul. It is the exercife of godliness, that is good for all things upon that account, the Apostle exhorts Ti mothy unto it, whofe Soul he defired might profper, even as his own, 1 Tim.4. 7,—Exercife thy felf rather unto godliness:

I have, feveral times, touched on this point, already, fince this fubject was entred upon, and fomewhat largely, in the third Bifcourfe

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Difcourfe upon it. And very often hereto fore (as there hath been occafion) for seve ral years by-paft, as poffibly, fome have ta ken notice of. And to use the words of the Apostle, 2 Pet. 1. 13. I think it meet, as long as I am in this Tabernacle, to ftir you up, by putting you in remembrance of it: For this, in a manner, is all in all, for the well-fare, and profperity of your Souls: which I fhould rejoyce to be, in the leaft, instrumental, to promote, among you. I think I may fay it (and say it truly) that if any thing, at any time, faddens my thoughts of death, which my age, and many infirmities give me warning of, and command me to prepare for; this is like to be it, To think that I leave no more of you (for ought can be difcerned) to be fpiritually alive; and therefore in no prefent capacity to be profpering in your Souls. And of thofe that are (as it may be hoped) fpiritually alive,they are fo few, that mind this, as the one thing neceffary, that the principle of Spiritual Life in them, might be lively, active, and vigorous, that fo their Souls might profper, one day after another, one day as well as another, and moft of all at last. Ye may think of this, when I am with you no more. Ye will pardon this fhort digreffion, and not take that with the Left Hand, which is of fered with the Right.

But

But to speak to that, which is now to be spoken to, I mean, The exercife of godliness; which (as I faid) will be really found to be all in all, for the promoting of Soul-profperity. Though fomething hath been faid to it, fince I entred upon this Text: yet the fuller handling of it, I referved on purpofe till now, conceiving it would moft properly fall under this head.

The Particulars to be spoken to are thefe. 1. What the exercife of godliness is, and wherein it doth confist.

2. Wherein it ought to be exercised.

3. Wherefore we ought to be fo much in the exercise of it, if we defire our Souls fhould profper.

4. Then a few things by way of argument, to quicken us, to be up, and doing in this matter, as we defire the Lord fhould be with our Souls, either while we live, or when we dye..

1. For the first of thefe. What it is.

Anf. It is the fetting of every principle of godliness about, and keeping it clofe unto its proper work, that fo it may bring forth its proper and peculiar fruit in the feafon thereof. As it is faid of every Man, that God appoints him his proper work, Mar. 13. 34. So he hath for every principle of god, liness, and the highest acting thereof, is the perfect work of that grace.

I fhall give you some instances.

1. In Patience, Jam. 1. 4, Let patience have its perfect work. The proper work of that grace, is quietly, willingly, and chearfully, to fubmit to the holy, and righteous will of God, in all afflicting Providences. Where, and when there are no tryals, nothing to be fuffered, nothing to be endured, there is no work for patience: As there was none in the state of Innocency, and will be none in the state of Glory. But in this prefent ftate, God hath feveral ways to exercife, and feveral ways doth exercise this grace in his people; fo as there are few or none, but fall into divers tryals, and temptations, as is more then intimated, Jam. 1. 3. As that poor youth in the Gospel, fell fometimes into the fire, and fometimes into the water. So God changeth his difpenfa tions: The tryal is fometimes in this, and fometimes in that. Now, I fay, the proper work of Patience under them all, how ma ny foever they be, of what kind foever they be, how near foever they come, how deep foever they cut, and how long foever they continue, is to keep filence before the Lord, to fanctifie his name in all, as holy and righ teous, faithful and gratious; believingly waiting for a bleffed iffue to all. This is the proper work of patience, and in doing this confifts the exercife of patience as we

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