3. Eternal good, or that glory and joy, — that everlasting rest and peace, — the pos- session of that inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, that is resreved in heaven for us. Now here note these things.
(1.) That our bona corporis, our outward good things, are only good for us, as they are conducible ad bonnm spirituolis, to the good of our souls. The bona vice, are only good in the event, when they tend to the bonum patrice. This world is but a nursery for eternity ; we are planted in this, in order to our transplanting into the other world ; and whatever we have here, is either good or evil, according to the respect that it bears to hereafter. As far forth as our immortal part is improved by these perishing things, so far forth only, are tliey good for us. He that hath this world's goods, and is not here- by made more rich towards God, — he who prospers in this world, and yet his soul doth not prosper, — much more, lie whose world- ly fulness becomes the emptiness and lean- ness of his soul,^-are these good things good for him ? Is he in prosperity upon a true account, whose soul prospers not? It is not ever good to prosper in the world ; it cannot be universally said it is good to be rich, it is good to be in health, it is g-ood to be in honour, it is good to be at liberty ; the contrary may sometimes be true ; it is good to be poor, to be sick, to be in disgrace, to be in bonds ; the necessity of our souls doth not seldom reqtiire it ; tlien alone is it good to be full, and to abound, Avhen our outward abundance furthers our spiritual welfare. Christians, could we receive this
threefold good of the saints, temporal, sj)i- trutli, that our outward good things are only ritual, eternal. 1 good for us, as far forth as they conduce
FAREWELL DISCOURSE OX HIS EJECTION.
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to our spiritual good, — could we receive this truth, and live under the power of it, — what a different judgment should we then have of all these worldly matters, from what we have ? And how strangely would the course of the world he then changed ? Would there then he such violent and eager pursuing these carnal things ? Would there then be such whining, and complaining, and mur- muring at every cross providence ? We should then say, this may be good for me ; good for my soul, how sad soever it looks.
(2.) That external spiritual good things, the ministry, and ordinances of the gospel, &c. are so far good to us, as they conduce to our eternal spiritual good ; and they be- ing ordinarily so, it must be concluded, that ordinarily it is good for us, that we en^oy them, and be not deprived of them. God may see the cutting Christians short of those privileges, and liberties, to be some- times needful for them ; and then even this also makes for theii' good : whereof more anon.
(3.) That our inward spiritual good, is good for us, so far forth as it tends to our eternal good : and therefore gface is ever good for us. It is ever true it is good to be holy, good to be humble, to be in the fear of God, and to flourish in his grace. We may have too much money, too much cre- dit, but we can never have too much grace. Our greatest flourishing and fruitfulness in grace, will certainly abound to our more full reward.
(4.) Note, that this is the plain sense, and meaning of the promise, " all things shall v/ork for good," that is, whatsoever befalls, shall certainly promote our internal and e- ternal welfare ; and as far forth as the out- ward j)rivileges of the gospel, ye;i, and the good things of this life, conduce towards this, all shall work for these also. If it be good for us to be rich, — if it be good f»>r us to be in honour, — good for us to be at liber- ty,— g(»od for our souls, — good in rofrrencc to our eternal state, — if it be good for us that we enjoy tlie ministry of tlie gospel, — there shall nothing befall us, that shall liin- der ; there shall be nothing wanting to us, that might further this our good.
The sum is, that all providential dispen- sations shall be so ordered, that we shall
want nothing but what it is better to want than have ; we shall suffer nothing but what we cannot well be without, but what the good of our souls requires; and that which we do possess, and that which we do suffer, shall not fail of bringing about its end, the advancing our eternal good.