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###### Get the Ability and Heavenly Nature Needed for the Heavenly Trade

{Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade…

Exhortation and Counsel to Strangers to the Heavenly Trade

How to Get the Heavenly Trade

Get the Ability and Heavenly Nature Needed for the Heavenly Trade}

First, you must get the ability for so excellent an undertaking. Heavenly work is too high for earthly natures, and the special service of heavenly work is too high for ordinary talents. “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8 ESV). No creature can act beyond its nature,463 and it is above unchanged nature to carry the soul up to things above. There must be a spiritual source of power before there can be a spiritual and heavenly work. You must be God’s workmanship before you can do God’s work. “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10 NASB). “It is a sad thing,” said Mr. Caryl, “to see a bad man do that which is bad. Yet it is a sadder sight to see a bad man, [while] continuing in his [bad, unregenerate] state, to begin doing good. This is play-acting the new creature’s part in the old creature’s state. And what will that accomplish?” To set forth in Christianity while in an unregenerate state is to labor in vain. If the mute can speak, the blind can see, or the dead walk while they remain such, so those who are evil can do good. “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit” (Matthew 7:18 NKJV). “Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?” (James 3:11 ESV). Likewise, an unsanctified soul cannot do holy work. A person must have God’s grace464 before his or her work can be good. Because God had regard for Abel, He had regard for Abel’s sacrifice. “Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering” (Genesis 4:4 NASB).465 The ungrafted cherry tree produces only harsh fruit, however good the soil and horticulture may be. In the same way, the soul, even with the highest privileges and best works, cannot produce good fruit without engraftment into Christ. The root must bear the branch before the branch can bear fruit. The branch must be severed from the wild olive and grafted into the richness of the good olive tree for there to be true faithfulness (Romans 11:16–18).466 Four things are necessary to make a good work good in God’s eyes: the source of the work [must be from God], the matter [basic substance] of the work [must be good], the form [how it is carried out] of the work [must be good], and the purpose of the work [must be from right motives and for God’s glory].467 None468 of these are consistent with a person in the natural state. It is also dangerous, as well as vain, for people to set about doing good and never care to become good [inside, in their hearts]. The reason for this is that it deceives their own souls, making them think their condition is safe when they are actually wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked (Revelation 3:17).469 To set forth in Christianity while in an unregenerate state also not only deceives a person about his or her salvation, but strongly hinders the cure. These unprofitable duties consume time during which one might have been saved. These unprofitable duties also destroy one’s hopes. Despair is the usual outcome of presumption.470 And those who pridefully deceive themselves early on that all is well will learn too late [in Hell] that it will never be better.

This then, souls, is your first work: “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21 ESV). Labor to get your natures changed and your hearts made alive [in Christ] because you must be born again or you cannot see the kingdom of God. Be looking to Jesus to create in you a new heart, and renewed mind, will, and affections. Look to Jesus to have a source of saving energy put into your hearts and a temperament [inclination] of soul in favor of the entire will of God [without any exceptions]. Cry mightily for the Holy Spirit and wait for Him to give you access to the water of the sanctuary (Ezekiel 47:12)471 and for the mighty power of God in the Gospel on your souls. Get under the healing wings (Exodus 19:4; Luke 13:34)472 of Christ and do not stop looking to Jesus until virtue goes out from Him to heal your souls. If this is your constant desire and you cannot let Christ alone, running after Him, crying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me,” He will turn to you and have compassion on you and give the Holy Spirit to any [of you] who unfeignedly and incessantly ask Him (Mark 10:46–49; Luke 11.13).473

463For example, an earthworm cannot fly and a bird cannot live underwater indefinitely.

464Theologians sometimes distinguish between special grace and common grace. Although not all are agreed concerning the nature of common grace or even its existence, generally common grace is defined as that work of God that keeps unsaved, depraved, sin-blasted people from being as bad as they could be. Without common grace, earth would be Hell. Ashwood rarely speaks of common grace in this book. Unless Ashwood explicitly refers to common grace, all references to grace are to that special, saving grace whereby the Holy Spirit regenerates a heart, making the person born again from above, and which grace continues to enable a believer to serve God and neighbor with true good works.

465Ashwood quotes as “… God had first respect for Abel, then to his offering.” This misquotes the text and is unsupported by the Hebrew. It is, however, theologically correct, as the Old Testament offerings, like the New Testament sacraments have no power in the bare actions, but are acceptable to God on the basis of Christ’s finished work on the Cross and the Holy Spirit’s operations in the believer’s heart. It is the Old Testament believer’s right standing before God in the promised Christ that made the sacrifices acceptable.

466“If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches. But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you” (Romans 11:16–18 ESV). Grafting is the process of grafting a scion onto a stock, both being woody plants. The stock is an already rooted plant. The scion may be of a same or (usually) different species and may be a branch or whole plant above the roots. The grafting process involves making a special cut on the trunk or a branch of both the stock and scion so that the two may be joined and bound. Done right, the scion and stock become as one plant, the stock providing water and nutrients and the scion, products of photosynthesis. Both remain their own original species.

467Unfortunately, Ashwood does not elaborate on his terms here.

468Ashwood has neither instead of none, leading to a suspicion of text corruption. (See note above.)

469“For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17 ESV).

470Why is despair the usual outcome of presumption? The presumptuous person, in this case, is one who wrongly presumes that he is in Christ and has the power of the grace of God in his or her life. But without this power, there is little or no victory over sin; even if one conquers obvious sins, the conscience will bring more sins to light. Further, there is none of the peace that comes from truly trusting in Christ and His righteousness accounted to us. Eventually, such a sinner will despair of spiritual victory. The despairing unbeliever may take one of many paths from there. One may simply give up on holy living and even the form of Christianity. Also, one may attribute the fruitlessness of his or her life to a supposed inefficacy of prayer and the other means of grace and become slothful in them or even abandon them as worthless. Others may doggedly soldier on without hope and in misery, continuing with the external forms of the means of grace, for want of anything else to try. For many, the result may be a disordered lifestyle, depression, or even suicide. God has a stern warning for people who merely partake of the Holy Spirit instead of being truly indwelt (inhabited) by the Holy Spirit: “For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned” (Hebrews 6:4–8 NASB). Departing from Ashwood’s theme, the editor also wishes to note that a few, driven to despair of their own strength, will abandon their presumption and turn in faith to Christ. Believers also must deal with temptations to both presumption and despair. The presumptuous person must repent and trust in Christ alone, not himself or herself. The despairing person must take that exact same advice. (Similar advice applies to those tempted to despair in the face of affliction and suffering: trust in Christ and our Heavenly Father’s own wise and perfect timing and providence.)

471“And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing” (Ezekiel 47:12 ESV).

472“You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself” (Exodus 19:4 NKJV). “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it!” (Luke 13:34 NASB).

473“And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ And Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart. Get up; he is calling you’” (Mark 10:46–49 ESV). “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13 NKJV). This promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit has no conditions except the sincere request! And only believers receive the indwelling Holy Spirit. After the Holy Spirit has regenerated a person and worked saving faith in him or her to bring that person into Christ’s Kingdom, He indwells the new believer at once.

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