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###### Question: How Do I Know If I Have Good Trading?

{Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade…

Exhortation to Good Traders in Christianity

Advice: Bless God for Good Trading

Question: How Do I Know If I Have Good Trading?}

QUESTION: How can I know whether I have good spiritual trading or not? How can I know that I have good reason for rejoicing in God? If I could detect evidence of this welfare of soul you speak of, I would bless God with my whole soul. But I fear that it is otherwise, that I am one of those who fall back and decay in my heavenly trade.

SOLUTION: There are seven signs of good trading, especially in evil times, that people usually consider to reveal a thriving trade.

Sign of Good Trading: When You Do Not Backslide

{Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade…

Exhortation to Good Traders in Christianity

Advice: Bless God for Good Trading

Question: How Do I Know If I Have Good Trading?

Sign of Good Trading: You Do Not Backslide}

When people do not go back in the world in bad times, but hold their own, they lose nothing. It is much in bad times to keep one’s ground. To be savers in such a season is to do well. Test yourself in this to see how it is with you: Do you at least not go back in your spiritual estate? Is it at least as well with you now than previously? Are your faith, love, humility, and patience at least as good as before? If you do not backslide, you go forward; there is no standing still in Christianity; people either go backward or forward in virtue. Those who do not decay are thriving spiritually. Job proved his good state by standing fast in shaking times. “But He knows the way I take; When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His path; I have kept His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food” (Job 23:10–12 NASB). By standing fast, Job concludes that he is doing well. “When He has tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” And, the apostle considers it good profit during conflicts of soul to stand one’s ground and, if he cannot gain ground, to at least not lose ground.1369 Having done all, to stand is victory (Ephesians 6:13).1370 Christians have their winter seasons when growth is not visible; to keep alive in such seasons is commendable. Do you hold fast your integrity (Job 2:9),1371 and keep your garments on (Revelation 16:15)?1372 Do you preserve the purity of your conscience from the defilement and temptations of the day and place in which you live? Do you keep your heart unspotted from the world? Do you keep your desires for God as warm, your purposes of clinging to God as firm, and your feet as quick to run the way of God’s commandments as before? If so, you have good trading, considering the times in which you live, which times are an hour of temptation and evening of darkness.

Sign of Good Trading: When Wares Move Off the Shelves

{Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade…

Exhortation to Good Traders in Christianity

Advice: Bless God for Good Trading

Question: How Do I Know If I Have Good Trading?

Sign of Good Trading: When Wares Move Off the Shelves}

When wares move off the shelves well, it is good trading. When goods vend at a good rate, people consider themselves to be thriving. Is it so with your souls? Are your prayers accepted by God? Do duties provide any profit to you? What returns do you get from your Christian services? Do sermons, prayer, and holy conversation bring any advantage to your soul? Do your goods not just sit on the shelves, but are your graces exercised and your talents, gifts, and opportunities put to good use? If so, then it is good trading. If the Lord gives you light, do you lay it out for the good of others? If He restores you to the joy of His salvation and upholds you with His free Spirit, do you teach transgressors His ways and endeavor to convert sinners to Him (Psalm 51:12–13)?1373 When God drops comfort down to you, do you pour it forth to others, that they may be comforted also with the same comfort (2 Corinthians 1:4)?1374 When you go to public or private duties, do graces go out in them? It may be that you show abilities, but do you lay out grace as well as gifts and spiritual as well as natural affections? Do you pray with the Spirit and hear with faith? Do hope, fear, humility, holy reverence, heavenly longings, and sincerity result from your Christian duties? When you meet with company, what goods do you deliver to them? Do you labor in every society to vend something of heavenly wares, give some holy counsel and instruction, give some gracious experience and observation? Do your leave something behind you that imparts grace from God in every place and company you visit? If so, then it is good trading and your soul thrives.

Sign of Good Trading: When You Have Greater Inventory

{Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade…

Exhortation to Good Traders in Christianity

Advice: Bless God for Good Trading

Question: How Do I Know If I Have Good Trading?

Sign of Good Trading: When You Have Greater Inventory}

People count it good trading when they have more assets, when they have more goods, more variety, and greater quantity of wares than they had at first; it is the more so if all is paid for and clear of debt. Their shops and warehouses are fuller than they were [to support heavy sales volume], and their goods are their own property. And can you say that it is thus with your souls also? Has your stock of spiritual goods grown? Are your graces, gifts, faith, love, hope, and fear of God more grown and stronger than they were (2 Thessalonians 1:3)?1375 Can you trust God more than you formerly could? When sight fails, can you hang on to a promise, just the promise alone by itself, more strongly than previously (2 Corinthians 5:7)?1376 Can you think well of God when He frowns on you? Can you love Him when He corrects you (Isaiah 39:8)?1377 Can you continue to trust God when He strips you of your visible comforts and cling to Him when He seems to reject you (Job 13:15)?1378 Then you are richer in stock.

Is your faith leading to greater sanctification and enlivening, your love more warming, your zeal more fervent, your hope more adventurous, your patience more bearing, your joy more delighting, and your humility more self-abasing? If yes, then your spiritual goods are increasing. Have you more of every grace? It may be that at first you had much affection but little sincerity, great desires but little faith, much comfort but little patience and self-denial. You could pray, talk, rejoice, and do some duties, but could not bear trials, lack comforts, or live by faith when sight failed. It may be that you were diligent in some duties but negligent in others. But now, you have a greater variety of graces, are better in duties, and have a more universal respect to all of God’s commands (Psalm 119:6).1379 And, if you spend less time in holy duties, you are more into the spirit of them. When things are like this, there is a thriving trade in Christianity.

Sign of Good Trading: When You Are Less in Debt than You Were

{Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade…

Exhortation to Good Traders in Christianity

Advice: Bless God for Good Trading

Question: How Do I Know If I Have Good Trading?

Sign of Good Trading: You Are Less in Debt}

Are you less in debt than you were? That is another sign of good trading. Do you make conscience of rendering to God again for all His benefits (Psalm 116:12–13)?1380 Does it trouble you when you get behind in grace and fall in arrears to the mercy of God by your unthankfulness (Daniel 9:10)?1381 Indeed, you cannot compensate God for His grace or pay Him for His mercies, and you perceive the infinite distance between your good works and the smallest favor that the Lord bestows on you, but what you do have, you give to the Lord. You render all possible praises, but not all praises due (Exodus 15:2).1382 You set your hearts to and are careful to walk every day as becomes the grace that brings salvation and the mercies bestowed on you. It is the desire of your heart and labor to walk worthy of God, please Him, and fulfill the purpose of God’s mercy to you. You are willing beyond your ability and grieve at your falling short in it. Now, the Lord counts this for the deed and accepts it from His people’s hands as full pay through the satisfaction of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 8:12).1383 And, where it is thus that people live in the daily sense of divine grace and grateful acknowledgment of every mercy, there is a thriving trade in spirituals.

Sign of Good Trading: When You Have Much Owed to You and It Is Sure

{Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade…

Exhortation to Good Traders in Christianity

Advice: Bless God for Good Trading

Question: How Do I Know If I Have Good Trading?

Sign of Good Trading: Much Is Owed You and It Is Sure}

Do you have much owed to you, and it is sure? This also is a sign of a thriving trade. People count sure a ccounts receivable as good as ready money. Though they have little in the bank, if they own much in quality debt securities, they account themselves worth that amount in addition to cash on hand. And so it is with you, Christian. Are you rich in promises? Is much coming to you according to the new covenant? It may be that you have little in hand, and little comfort, peace, and sweetness from day to day. You sow much but reap little. You ask but have not, yet you seek with your whole heart. Goods are received, but no money is returned. If so, you have good grounds for hope for a plentiful harvest because you sow a good amount of good seed. You are plentiful in holy duties and sincere in them. You have many prayers pending answers from God, many a tear dropped into God’s bottle (Psalm 56:8),1384 much grace laid out in duty and time spent in it, a daily care to please God, and from the Scripture are able to lay claim to many a promise on account of Christ. What you sow, you will reap (Galatians 6:8).1385 “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58 ESV). “Say to the righteous that it will go well with them, For they will eat the fruit of their actions” (Isaiah 3:10 NASB). And the less received now, the more that goes to your heavenly accounts receivable. Good use of grace does bring down many a mercy for believers, which mercies are not all received in this life, yet they are sure and build up the inheritance prepared for them. This is good trading that brings in bonds and securities that are sure and will be paid to heavenly traders in their own country.

Sign of Good Trading: When Present Income Is Enough to Live On

{Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade…

Exhortation to Good Traders in Christianity

Advice: Bless God for Good Trading

Question: How Do I Know If I Have Good Trading?

Sign of Good Trading: Income Is Enough to Live On}

It is good trading when present income supports the trader and the trader can live on the income and live comfortably without eating into capital. Believer, if this is so with you in your heavenly trade, then you have good trading. Test, Christian, how well you thrive by your livelihood. Can you live comfortably on the fruit of Christianity (Song of Solomon 2:3; Isaiah 40:31)?1386 Does your Christianity maintain your souls and graces well (John 4:30)?1387 At what level of prosperity do you live? People who thrive in the world usually live well; they have good food and good clothing. Diet, apparel, and expenses soon show people’s incomes. Spendthrifts may spend much and live well for a time, but they cannot sustain it and soon go bankrupt. But when people can bear substantial expenses and their net worth is not impaired, it is evidence that they thrive well and are doing well in their trades. So it is with thriving Christians: they ordinarily live at a higher level of peace and comfort than others (Psalm 119:165; Psalm 80:19).1388 Their fare is better unless the health of their souls calls them to fasting and affliction at times. Strong Christians, overcoming souls, have better provisions promised them than others. They feed on hidden manna (Revelation 2:17)1389 and bits of marrow. Milk is for babies, but strong meat for strong men. “It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity” (Proverbs 21:15 NKJV). “For these, joy and pleasure,” said Mercer, “are the fruit of well-doing.” Those who have a larger proportion of blessings on their souls can spend more than others. A person may be truly gracious, yet live uncomfortably in his soul and in the ways of God. But he who thrives in godliness has larger incomes of sweetness and peace; he makes many a merry meal on the review of his integrity and the grace of God in and toward him (Psalm 112:2).1390

Sign of Good Trading: Investing as Well as Spending

{Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade…

Exhortation to Good Traders in Christianity

Advice: Bless God for Good Trading

Question: How Do I Know If I Have Good Trading?

Sign of Good Trading: Investing as Well as Spending}

Being able to invest as well as spend is a sign of good trading. When people fill their savings accounts and enlarge their investment portfolio, become purchasers, and begin to join house to house and field to field, they clearly show that they are thriving. Likewise, when souls thrive in their heavenly trade, they begin to s ave for Heaven and prepare for another world; they lay up treasure in Heaven (Matthew 6:21)1391 and get money bags that do not grow old (Luke 12:33).1392 Weak Christians are entirely concerned about their earthly comforts, how they may maintain their peace and pleasure in the way. But s trong Christians, thriving souls, have their thoughts on their journey’s end and make provisions for their future state. They are content with bread and water here (Genesis 28:20);1393 a little spending money along the way to help them home is all they seek. But their main care is to lay up for Heaven. “For what you had before I came was little, and it has increased to a great amount; the Lord has blessed you since my coming. And now, when shall I also provide for my own house?” (Genesis 30:30 NKJV). So the thriving Christian is thoughtful about his house in Heaven; he makes all the provisions he can for that and will lay up in store a good foundation to lay hold of eternal life (1 Timothy 6:19).1394 He is obtaining all he can for Heaven and for such works as will follow him. He will convert all he can into spiritual liquid assets so that he may transfer them into his [heavenly] country. The assets of this world are staked down to the earth and cannot be moved off it. But thriving Christians seek goods that they can pack up and carry with them to their own home. They strive to pray, hear, think, speak, do, suffer, and all else for eternity. Their affections are gone before them to Heaven even while their bodies are imprisoned in the world. It was said of the Athenians that, when they were besieged by Sylla, their hearts were with the soldiers in the field outside the walls, while their bodies were forced to serve inside.1395 So it is with Christians who have gotten spiritual riches; the world is a prison to them, a strange country to which they have been sent to trade. When they have filled their sacks and gotten all they can, they long to depart to their own country. Christian, by these things you may know what kind of trade you pursue for Heaven and what share you have in this great engagement to thanksgiving.

######

1369Ashwood appears to contradict himself here since he earlier stated that we are always either going forward or backward. Let the reader take notice, however, that Ashwood is now considering things during hard and shaking times. The situation may be likened to a group of bicyclists on a road with hilly terrain. On a level road, everybody can keep up. But going up a steep hill, the real athletes will keep up speed and riders in good condition will slow down, but keep going. But those in poorer condition will have to get off and walk.

1370“Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand” (Ephesians 6:13 NKJV).

1371“Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9 NASB).

1372“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!” (Revelation 16:15 ESV).

1373“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation And sustain me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners will be converted to You” (Psalm 51:12–13 NASB).

1374“Who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:4 NASB).

1375“We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brethren, as is only fitting, because your faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater” (2 Thessalonians 1:3 NASB).

1376“For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV).

1377“Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, ‘The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.’ For he thought, ‘There will be peace and security in my days’” (Isaiah 39:8 ESV). There is more than a hint of selfishness in Hezekiah’s response.

1378“Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him” (Job 13:15 NASB).

1379“Then I shall not be ashamed When I look upon all Your commandments” (Psalm 119:6 NASB).

1380“What shall I render to the Lord For all His benefits toward me? I shall lift up the cup of salvation And call upon the name of the Lord” (Psalm 116:12–13 NASB). The reference to lifting up the cup of salvation may be a reference to a drink offering.

1381“We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in His laws, which He set before us by His servants the prophets” (Daniel 9:10 NKJV).

1382“The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; This is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will extol Him” (Exodus 15:2 NASB).

1383“For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have” (2 Corinthians 8:12 ESV).

1384“You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?” (Psalm 56:8 NASB).

1385“For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:8 NASB).

1386“Like an apple tree among the trees of the woods, So is my beloved among the sons. I sat down in his shade with great delight, And his fruit was sweet to my taste” (Song of Solomon 2:3 NKJV). “Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary” (Isaiah 40:31 NASB).

1387“They went out of the town and were coming to him” (John 4:30 ESV).

1388“Those who love Your law have great peace, And nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:165 NASB). “O Lord God of hosts, restore us; Cause Your face to shine upon us, and we will be saved” (Psalm 80:19 NASB).

1389“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it” (Revelation 2:17 NKJV).

1390“His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed” (Psalm 112:2 NASB).

1391“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21 NASB).

1392“Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys” (Luke 12:33 ESV).

1393“Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me and will keep me on this journey that I take, and will give me food to eat and garments to wear’” (Genesis 28:20 NASB).

1394“Storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed” (1 Timothy 6:19 NASB).

1395This is probably a reference to the Siege of Athens and Piraeus during the First Mithridatic War, 87-6 BC.

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