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Important Notes to the Reader 12
Helpful Background: Ashwood’s Style 14
Emotions: Goals or Indicators 16
Contemporary Relevance of the Historical Background 20
Biography of Bartholomew Ashwood 22
Author’s Introduction — The Epistle to the Readers 27
The Occasion of the Discourse and Introduction to the Work 40
Introduction to the Doctrine and Scriptures Teaching It 42
Proof That the Heavenly Trade is the Best Trade 47
The Nature of Those Things about which Wisdom’s Merchants Deal 47
Scripture Proves That Heavenly Wares Are the Best in Their Own Nature 48
Experience Proves That Heavenly Wares Are the Best in Their Own Nature 49
Reason Proves That Heavenly Wares Are the Best in Their Own Nature 52
Heavenly Wares Are Expensive 54
Heavenly Wares Cost God Dearly 55
Heavenly Wares Are Often Costly to the Receivers 55
Heavenly Wares Are Worth Greatly More Than Their Price 56
Heavenly Wares Have Eternal Duration 58
The Person with Whom Heavenly Traders Deal 59
The Terms of the Heavenly Trade 62
Goods Will Be Freely Given to Heaven’s Merchants 63
Wisdom to Manage Goods Will Be Given to Heaven’s Merchants 64
God Will Ensure a Blessing on the Good Use of These Goods 64
The Heavenly Trade Is the Most Profitable Trade 66
The Heavenly Trade Brings Great Returns 66
The Heavenly Trade Brings Sure Returns 68
The Justice of God Assures the Returns 68
The Blood of Christ Assures the Returns 69
The Holy Spirit of God Assures the Returns 70
The Partnership of the Lord Jesus Assures the Returns 70
The Heavenly Trade Brings Quick Returns 71
But We Must Often Wait Patiently for God to Answer 71
God Will Help at Exactly the Best Time 72
God Will Repay Our Patience 72
The Saints Are Often the Cause of the Delay 73
Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade… 74
Cause for Lamentation, Repentance, and Labor 76
Symptoms of the Decay of the Heavenly Trade 76
Decline in the Price of Heavenly Goods 77
Fewness of Buyers of Heavenly Goods 78
Little Employment and Slothfulness of Spirit about Heavenly Things 79
The Poverty of Heavenly Traders 81
Little Investment in Heavenly Goods 84
Many Bankruptcies Show That Commerce Has Decayed 85
The Sad and Dangerous Effects of the Decay of Heavenly Trade 86
God and Souls Become Estranged 87
There is Poverty and Spiritual Wasting Away of Souls 88
Earthly Trading and Affairs Are Blasted 89
It Makes One’s Accounts Payable Burdensome 91
The Blameworthiness of People’s Inordinate Pursuit of Earthly Things 93
Question: How May We Know When Pursuit of Earthly Things Is Inordinate? 94
When the Pursuit Uses Up Too Much of Our Time 94
When Earthly Things Consume Too Much of Our Hearts 95
Sign of a Worldly Heart: Our Desires Are Greedily for Worldly Things 95
Sign of a Worldly Heart: Our Thoughts Are Earthly 96
Sign of a Worldly Heart: We Labor Restlessly for the World 98
Sign of a Worldly Heart: We Overly Delight in Worldly Things 99
Sign of a Worldly Heart: We Will Not Part with Earthly Things for God and His Service 101
Sign of a Worldly Heart: Our Trust and Dependence Is on Worldly Things 103
More Reasons Why an Earthly Mind Is Evil 104
Exhortation and Counsel to Strangers to the Heavenly Trade 112
Reasons to Pursue the Heavenly Trade 112
Strangers to the Heavenly Trade Are Lacking and Needy 112
Strangers to the Heavenly Trade Are in Great Danger 116
Strangers to the Heavenly Trade Are Neglecting Duties and Obligations 117
The Heavenly Trade Has Great Advantages 119
Christianity Will Support You in the Hardest Times 119
Godliness Will Secure You in Dangerous Times 121
Holiness Will Enrich You in the Impoverishing Times 122
Piety Will Cheer You during Your Greatest Distress 122
Wisdom’s Trade Will Make You Truly Honorable 123
How to Get the Heavenly Trade 124
Get the Ability and Heavenly Nature Needed for the Heavenly Trade 124
Commit and Give Yourselves to the Lord in an Everlasting Covenant 127
Come Over into the Family of Christ 129
Be Dead to This Present World 132
Submit to All the Instructions of the Lord Jesus 133
Exhortation and Counsel to Professors of Christianity 138
Have and Keep Up a Heavenly Spirit 139
Properties of a Heavenly Spirit 139
Seek to See Heavenly Things 140
Seek to Delight in Heavenly Things 142
Directions to Keep Up a Heavenly Spirit 143
Beware of Things That Weaken a Heavenly Spirit 143
Beware of Admitting Earthly Things Too Near the Heart 145
Beware of Grieving the Holy Spirit 146
Get All the Nourishment You Can to Strengthen Your Heavenly Spirit 147
Spend Much Time in Communion with God 148
Cherish Heavenly Influences from the Holy Spirit in Your Hearts 149
Frequently Consider Heaven 150
Assiduously Practice Heavenly Actions 151
Make Secure Your Portion of Heavenly Treasures 152
How to Know That Heavenly Treasures Are Yours 155
Answer 1: By Your Communion with the Heir of Heaven 155
How Do I Know If I Am Married to Christ or Not? 159
You Have a Special Acquaintance with Christ 159
You Are Willing to Leave All for Christ 163
You Cling to Christ and Are Supported by Him 165
You Have Fruitfulness in Christ 166
Answer 2: You Naturally Love Heavenly Treasures 167
Answer 3: You Care for and Pursue Heavenly Treasures 168
Answer 4: Your Spirit Is Suited to Heavenly Treasures 169
Work to Obtain Heavenly Treasures 170
What Should I Do to Get These Heavenly Goods? 181
Answer 1: Maintain a Sense of Your Own Needs 181
Answer 2: Believe in Christ’s Fullness 182
How to Know that Christ Will Furnish Me If I Come for These Heavenly Goods 183
Four Motives to Encourage You to Do Heavenly Work 187
There Is Much Good and Necessary Work to Be Done 187
Your Spiritual Nourishment Will Be According to Your Work 190
Your Companions Will Be According to Your Work 190
Your Eternal Wages Will Be According to Your Work 191
What Is This Heavenly Work That Christians Must Do? 195
Heavenly Work Has a Heavenly Source, Rule, and Purpose 195
Heavenly Work in Heavenly Matters 195
Heavenly Work of Worship of God 196
Heavenly Work on Ourselves 200
Keep Your Evidence for Entry to Heaven Unblemished and Unmistakable 227
Heavenly Work That Concerns Others 228
Another Part of Heavenly Work Is to Do Earthly Things in a Heavenly Manner 231
Do Earthly Things by Heavenly Rules 231
Be Sure the Matter Is Good and All You Do Is According to the Will of God 231
Engage in Earthly Things in Their Proper Place and Order 234
Keep Your Earthly Business within Appropriate Time Limits 235
Be Diligent in Using Your Working Time 236
While You Are Doing Earthly Work, Guard Your Hearts 238
Attend to Your Earthly Affairs with a Calm and Quiet Spirit 238
Follow Your Duty, But Cast Your Anxiety on God 241
In All Your Labors, Pray for Blessing 242
Although You Live in the World, Be Dead to the World 243
Do All Your Work in View of Death, Judgment, and Eternity 244
You Do Your Earthly Work in a Heavenly Manner When You Do It with a Heavenly Heart 245
A Heavenly Heart Is Enlightened to See Heavenly Things 246
A Heavenly Heart Delights in Heavenly Things 247
A Heavenly Heart Desires and Longs for Heavenly Things 248
A Heavenly Heart Has Heavenly Thoughts 248
A Heavenly Heart Will Be Full of Heavenly Projects 249
A Heavenly Heart Is Actuated and Influenced by Heavenly Motives and Reasoning 250
A Heavenly Heart Lives Off Heavenly Things 251
A Heavenly Heart Walks by Heavenly Rules 251
Earthly Things Are Done in a Heavenly Manner When Done for Heavenly Goals and Purposes 252
Keep Up Heavenly Conversations 256
Use Everything for Heavenly Advantages 258
Use Your Privileges for Heavenly Advantage 259
Use Your Natural Privileges 260
Use Your Providential Privileges 261
Use Your Spiritual Privileges 262
Preparation Before You Attend Ordinances 264
Give Attention to Ordinances 265
Take Heed to Retain What You Gain from Ordinances 266
Obedience to the Lessons from Ordinances 266
Get All the Good You Can from Providences 267
Get Good from the World and the Things in It 268
Get Good from Your Callings and Employments 270
Get Good from Your Company 271
Get Good from Real Solitude 274
Get Good from Occasional Providential Things and Events 277
Get Good from Your Falls and Failures 279
Objection: If Souls May Get Good from Sin, Why Fight Against It? 280
Souls Who Have a Portion in Christ Cannot Live in or Allow Themselves to Practice Sin 281
Souls Who Are Rational Cannot Live in or Allow Themselves to Practice Sin 282
Conclusion to Getting Good from Falls and Failures 284
Exhortation and Counsel to Earthly Traders 286
Counsel One: Be Convinced of the Excellence of the Heavenly Trade 286
Counsel Two: See God in Your Afflictions 287
Counsel Three: Search for the Cause of Your Afflictions 288
Cause: Backsliding in the Christian Life and Decline in One’s Heavenly Trade 288
Cause: Decline in the Worship of God 289
Cause: Covetous Withholding from God 290
Cause: Greedy Desires for the World 291
Cause: Unfaithfulness in One’s Callings 293
Cause: God Does It to Bring People Down to His Feet and Bring Them Back to Himself 295
Counsel Four: Get the Breach between God and Your Souls Closed Up 296
Counsel Five: Get Advantage from Earthly Decays to Further Your Heavenly Trade 297
Advantage: Decays Help Convince You of the Vanity and Uncertainty of Things Lower than God 297
Advantage: Decays Help Uncover the Sins That Caused the Losses 298
Advantage: Decays Help You See the Necessity of Pursuing and Obtaining Better Treasure 299
Advantage: Decays Help, through Grace, Loosen the Heart from Things Below 300
Advantage: Decays Help Liberate the Soul from Things Below and Let It Grow 300
Advantage: Decays Help Make Heavenly Things Sweeter 301
Exhortation and Counsel to Those Who Began the Heavenly Trade But Have Backslidden 301
Advice: Be Deeply Affected by Your Evil Condition 302
Consider the Change Your Backsliding Has Brought upon You 302
Consider What an Ugly and Displeasing Object You Have Become in God’s Eyes 303
Consider How Undesirable You Are in People’s Sight 304
Consider That You Are a Big Loser 304
Consider That Your Case Is Dangerous and Your Recovery Very Difficult 305
Sign of Healing: Your Decline Is Not Your Choice, But Against Your Heart 305
Sign of Healing: Your Decline Troubles Your Soul and Burdens Your Heart 306
Sign of Healing: Your Decline Occurs after Your Conversion and Sincere Choice of God 306
Sign of Healing: Your Decline Makes You Restless until the Lord Heals You 307
Sign of Healing: Your Decline Is Not in Your Vitals 308
Sign of Healing: In Your Decline, You Still Find a Humble and Contrite Heart 308
Dangerous Symptoms That Your Falling Back Will Be Restored Only with Difficulty 309
Dangerous Symptom: You Fell Back before You Ever Committed Yourself to Christ 309
Dangerous Symptom: You Fell Off from the Foundations 310
Dangerous Symptom: Making Merchandise of the Truth, Selling Yourselves to Work Wickedness 311
Dangerous Symptom: Choosing and Delighting in Your Backsliding 311
Dangerous Symptom: You Are Prejudiced against the Means of Recovery 313
Advice: Search Out the Causes of Your Soul’s Decay and Get Them Removed 314
Cause: Entering the Heavenly Trade without a Stock of Goods with which to Set Up 314
Cause: Entering the Heavenly Trade without Skill to Manage It 315
Cause: Lack of Diligence in Following the Heavenly Trade 316
Cause: Great and Frequent Losses in the Heavenly Trade 316
Cause: Needless Expenses and Waste of Resources 317
Cause: Great Debts Cause Bankruptcy 319
Advice: Settle on Friendly Terms with Your Creditor 319
Advice: Set Up No More for Yourselves, But Become Factors for Christ 320
Trade with Another’s Stock of Goods 321
Trade by Another’s Instructions 324
Trade in Christ’s Best Interests, Not Yours 324
Advice: Follow Your Trade Better than You Have Done Previously 325
Exhortation to Good Traders in Christianity 327
Advice: Bless God for Good Trading 327
Bless God for Good Trading because a Thriving Soul Is a Great Mercy at All Times 327
Bless God for Good Trading Because a Thriving Soul Is a Singular Mercy in These Days 328
Bless God for Good Trading Because It Is a Pledge of Eternal Mercy 329
Question: How Do I Know If I Have Good Trading? 331
Sign of Good Trading: When You Do Not Backslide 331
Sign of Good Trading: When Wares Move Off the Shelves 333
Sign of Good Trading: When You Have Greater Inventory 333
Sign of Good Trading: When You Are Less in Debt than You Were 334
Sign of Good Trading: When You Have Much Owed to You and It Is Sure 335
Sign of Good Trading: When Present Income Is Enough to Live On 336
Sign of Good Trading: Investing as Well as Spending 337
Answer to Those Who See from These Things That They Are Not Good Traders 338
Things to Make You Thrive: Provident Care 338
Things to Make You Thrive: A Diligent Hand 339
Things to Make You Thrive: A Secret Trade of Holiness 341
Things to Make You Thrive: The Blessing of God on Your Labors 342
Things to Make You Thrive: Use Well Those Graces That Make You Thrive 343
Love to God, His Name, and Ways 344
Take Action That Leads to Prosperity of Soul 347
Take Action That Leads to Prosperity of Soul: Self-Examination 347
Take Action That Leads to Prosperity of Soul: Be Much with God in Prayer 348
Take Action That Leads to Prosperity of Soul: Engage God to Be with You in All You Do 349
Take Action That Leads to Prosperity of Soul: Follow Divine Counsel in All You Do 351
Objection: My Fear Remains That I Am a Barren Soul and Will Perish at Last 351
Objection: But May Not a Hypocrite Do All This by an Enlightened Conscience and Common Grace? 352
Objection: But Change from Nature to Grace Is Not Growth in Grace 354
Advice: Enlarge Your Trade 356
Advice: Lay In for Bad Times 362
Reason: Temptations Are Certain to Come 363
Reason: Temptations Are Shaking When They Come 365
Times When God Withdraws the Sense of His Presence from You 367
To Lay Out for God Is Reasonable Work 373
To Lay Out for God Is Pleasing Work 374
To Lay Out for God Is Honorable Work 374
To Lay Out for God Is Profitable Work 375
To Lay Out for God Is Proof of Your Love for God 376
Direction: Lay Out Your Time for God 377
Motivation: Your Time Is Not Yours, But God’s 378
Motivation: Much of Your Time Is Lost Already 378
Motivation: Your Time Is Short and Uncertain 379
Motivation: You Cannot Put Your Time to Better Profit than to Lay It Out for God 380
Motivation: You Must Give an Account of Your Time to God 380
Direction: Lay Out Your Strength for God 381
Direction: Lay Out Your Gifts and Graces for God 382
Direction: Lay Out Your Earthly Assets for God 384
Otherwise All Your Christianity Is in Vain 385
Acts of Charity Are Part of Christian Worship 387
God Is Greatly Glorified by Duties of Charity 387
Sincere Charity Will Be Evidence of Your Right to Glory 388
Charity Is the Sure Way to Blessing on Earth 390
Lay Up Sound Hopes for Glory 393
Sure Hopes for Glory Result from Union with Christ 395
Sure Hopes for Glory Are the Fruit of True Grace 397
Evidence of Sure Hopes for Glory: True Grace Makes a Believer Dead to the World 398
Evidence of Sure Hopes for Glory: True Hopes are Active Hopes 399
Evidence of Sure Hopes for Glory: Your Citizenship Is in Heaven 400
Evidence of Sure Hopes for Glory: You Willingly Endure Suffering Along the Way 400
Lay Up All the Treasures You Can for Greater Glory 402
Several Things Tend to Greater Glory 403
Lay Up Preparations for Glory 405
Get Your Hearts More Loose from This Present World 405
Press Toward More Maturity in Your Graces 406
Get and Keep the Testimony of a Good Conscience 407
Maintain Walks with God Daily 408
Diligently Do Your Work on Earth 408
Last, Always Be Ready for the Coming of the Lord 409
Appendix A: The Open Manhole 411
Will You Take the Cure and Inherit Eternal Life? 416