respect of God Himselfe 1. Not with God but without God in the world and without Christ according to that of the Apostle Eph. 2. 12. That at that time yee were without Christ being Aliens from the common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise having no hope and without God in the world where the Apostle speaketh of the time that they had spent in the state of nature according to the Prince of the aire after the lusts of the flesh c. Ver. 2. 3. Now see how wofully and fearefully hee concludeth as touching all that time that is so spent namely That it is time spent without Christ without the Pale of the Church wirhout promise without hope and lastly without God in the world no time better spent then that time which is spent with God and therefore no worse time then that which is spent without God Thus Cain spent his time after hee had slaine his brother Abel He went out from the presence of the Lord saith the Text Gen. 4. 16. and this is a chiefe branch of the eternall punishment of the wicked in hell They shall bee punished with everlasting perdition from the presence of God saith the Apostle 2 Thes. 1. 9. Hereupon was that earnest and importunate sute of David Psa. 51. 11. Cast me not Lord out of thy presence to intimate untous what a woful thing it is to be without God or to be cast out of his presence 2. Time spent in the devils service in vicious courses is it not spent for God but against him not for his glory but to his dishonour Thou that boastest of the Law through breaking the Law dishonourest thou God saith the Apostle Rom. 2. 23. Time spent in the breach of Gods Law is spent unto Gods dishonour robbeth God of his honour and glory that is due unto him and therefore the worst spent time that can be Thirdly Time spent in sinning is not spent to Gods pleasure but the contrary it doth even provoke the eyes of his glory Isa. 3. 6. Their tongue and their doings are against the Lord to provoke the eyes of his glory yea the Lord is not only offended at it but even grieved and wearied with time so spent How can a child spend his time worse then in grieving and breaking the hearts of his loving Parents This is the very case of all those that spend time in vicious courses Observe it Isa. 7. 13. Is it a small thing for you to wearie men but yee will weary my God also O wofull thing to weary and grieve God with our sinfull courses Fortie yeares long was I grieved with this generation saith the Lord Psalm 95. 11. I am broken with their whorish heart which is departed from me Ezec. 6. 9. Yea his very heart is broken with the griefe of it as the Prophet speakes Ier. 23. 9. Yea the Lord is oppressed with our sinnes as a cart is pressed with sheaves it is the Holy Ghosts expression Amos 2. 13. Yea the Lord is so farre from being well pleased or delighted with it that on the contrary hee hateth and abhorreth it yea he smiteth his hands together in detestation of it I have smitten my hands at thy dishonest gaine saith the Lord Ezec. â—2 1â— the Lord will not spare that man which so spendeth his time but his wrath and jealousie shall smoke against him to blot his name out from under heaven Deut. 29. 20. 1. It is the worst spent time that can be in regard of ourselves for there is neither profit nor credit nor safety nor pleasure nor comfort in it but the contrary to all these as is easie to manifest in sundry particulars 1. Time spent in the devils service is the worst spent because there is no profit in it a man is alwayes on the loosing hand now this is most evident that all sinfull courses are unfruitfull and unprofitable courses Have no fellowship with the unfruitfull workes of darknesse Ephesians 5. 8. All sinfull workes are both workes of darkenesse and unfruitfull workes hence that of the Apostle Rom. 6. 21. What fruite had ye in those things whereof yee are now ashamed Observe the confession and expression of every true penitent according to that wee reade Iob 33. 37. God looketh upon men and if any say I have sinned and perverted that which is right and it profited me not Every true convert is able to tell you out of his experience that all sinfull courses are unprofitable courses in conclusion for they loose Gods favour they loose their interest in Christ they loose the comfort of a good conscience they looâ—e their soules Matth. 16. 26. and in a word they loose heaven these are the fruits of time spent in sinning Iudge then if all such bee not damned loosers in the end unlesse they repent speedily and turne to God Againe there is no true pleasure but vanity and vexation of spirit Take the sinne of uncleannesse which seemeth to have the most pleasure in it and you shall finde at last there is no pleasure in it but the gall of bitternesse In the end it biteth like a Serpent and â—urteth like a Cochatrice See a notable place for this purpose Pro. 5. where the Wiseman disswading from the sinne of uncleannesse Ver. 8. Remove thy way farre from her and come not nigh the doore of her house and then see what excellent arguments He useth to this purpose Verse 9. 10 11. Lest thou give thy honour to others and thy yeeres to the cruell there is losse of credit Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth c. there is losse of goods and outward estate Thus sinne bringeth beggery And thou mourne at last when thy flesh and thy body is consumed there is losse of pleasure and comfort and say How have I Oh how have I mispent my time in the service of sinne and Sathan Oh let us strive to see this in time and labour to prevent it Lastly there is no safety but death and danger in it for the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 2â— The like I might say in regard of others but this is enough to prove that time spent in sinning is absolutely the worst spent time for body and soule Secondly For Humiliation Seeing time spent in Gods service is the best spent time This serveth to teach us what cause wee have even the best of us to be humbled that we have spent so little time in the duties of Gods service and have beene so lavish and prodigall of our precious time in other things For. 1. What a great deale of most precious time have we spent before our conversion before we spent in effect any time at all in Gods service All the time of our unregeneration hath beene utterly spent in the service of sin and Sathan wee were vassalls to the Prince that ruleth iâ— the ayre the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes. 2.
for the wicked it is not so with them they may have a faire golden shew untill they come to the melting but no hypocrite can abide this fiery tryall herein the true Christian out-strippeth the temporarie as our Saviour sheweth evidently Luk. 8. with Mat. 13. 21. Yet hath he no roote in himselfe but endureth for a season Why so He answereth For when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word by and by he is offended He is not able to abide the scorching heate of persecution in and for the good cause of God So that this fire of persecution is fit to try every mans worke whether it be gold and silver or hay and straw or stubble Pertinent is that of the Apostle to this purpose in 1 Cor. 3. 12 13. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold silver c. or wood hay or stubble every mans worke shall be made manifest How Because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every mans worke of what sort it is That is true grace indeed that abideth the fiery tryall But a question may here not unfitly be moved sc. Whether an hypocrite may not hold out even unto death and abide the tryall of the fire Yes He may stifly hold out and persist in some course that he hath begunne and rather give his body to be burned then forsake it This the Apostle seemeth to intimate 1 Cor. 13. 3. Though I give my body to be burned and have not charitie it profiteth me nothing But yet first it is not in or properly for the good Word of God that he thus suffereth but as a busie body out of some odde humour or proud factious disposition Now it is properly the cause and not the punishment that maketh a martyr and therefore sayth our Saviour Mat. 13. 21. When tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word he is offended A Christians suffering is and must be well grounded upon the Word else he suffereth not as a Christian but as a busie body 1 Pet. 4. 15 16. Secondly If his cause in which he snffereth be good yet he suffereth without charitie not out of love either to God or his truth but out of selfe-love and so is worth nothing So that he that will hold out in a good cause even unto death and that in obedience to God and out of love to his truth the graces of such a man are pure gold indeed CHAP. IV. Containing the use of Consolation THirdly This Doctrine serveth for comfort and consolation to such as are truely godly and religious whatsoever thy condition be for outward things yet it is splendid and glorious within thou art truely rich rich towards God an heart full of saving grace is more worth then a purse full of gold Put case that in respect of any temporall wealth thou canst truely say with the Apostle Acts 3. 6. Silver and gold have I none yet if thou hast plentie of true saving grace thou art a rich man in Gods account full of spirituall wealth thou art rich towards God Luk. 12. 22. which is the best riches in the world God esteemeth thee more highly for thy inward wealth sc. that thou art truely golden and religious then men can despise thee for thy outward povertie and know this also for thy comfort that though the foolish blind world doe despise thee for thy povertie yet God thinketh never a whit the worse of thee in that regard for he regardeth not the rich more then the poore Iob 34. 19. Yea he thinketh better of every godly poore man then he doth of any ungodly rich man whatsoever Pro. 28. 6. Better is the poore that walketh in his integritie then he that is perverse in his wayes though he be rich A godly poore man is able to say with the Apostle in some measure 2 Cor. 5. 1. Wee know that when the earthly house of this Tabernacle shall be dissolved we have a building of God not made with hands eternall in the heavens But the wicked though never so rich yet if he be impenitent shall be turned into hell and all that forget God Yea every godly poore man that is rich in grace and endued with the true feare of God findeth better acceptance with God then any ungodly rich man whatsoever Acts 10. 35. Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him sayth the Apostle Oh how this should comfort us against the reproaches and aspersions of the world sc. that in the meane time God himselfe doth kindly accept of us and hath us in singular love for his Sonnes sake yea will manifest this love one day before men and Angels in bestowing no lesse then a Kingdome upon us Luk. 12. 32. Feare not little flocke for it is my Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome yea the great and glorious Kingdome of Heaven is provided as well for godly poore men as for the richest persons in the world Jam. 2. 5. Hearken my beloved brethren sayth the Apostle hath not God chosen the poore of the world rich in faith and heires of the kingdome which he hath promised to them that love him Oh how this may comfort us in regard of outward poverty It will keepe no man out of heaven that hath an heart full of the golden graces of Gods Spirit no more then outward wealth of it selfe can keepe a man out of hell Luk. 16. The rich man there notwithstanding all his wealth was deeply plunged into hell and Lazarus even poore Lazarus was caried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome Onely be sure that the gold which thou hast is true and right gold and not counterfeit And therefore againe and againe I exhort every one that desireth to have interest in the comfort now propounded that he be sure he be not deluded nor gulled in this case with feigned gold and counterfeit metall in stead of true saving grace indeed Now because it is on the one side so easie a thing to be deceived withall so exceeding hard and difficult for a man to be well assured that his graces are sincere besides what you have already heard in the former use I will give you two or three other signes by which you may understand that the golden graces of Gods Spirit in you are sound and not counterfeit First He that hath true grace right gold indeed will be carefull to use it to Gods glory and the good of others he is no niggard of it nor layeth it up in a Napkin but is very free and liberall in communicating what he hath for the benefit of others he is not content to be religious himselfe alone but doth earnestly desire carefully endeavour that others may have true grace and become religious as well as himselfe and his very speeches and whole cariage will manifest no lesse Psal. 37. 30 31. The mouth of
2. Now consider what a lamentable thing it is that a man that is made for Gods glory and chiefely for his worship and service should spend twentie thirtie fortie and some fiftie yeeres in the service of sinne and Sathan before hee begin to serve God at all or so much as once thinke of the maine end for which hee was made and sent into this world Alas by nature wee are so farre from any desire to doe God service that on the contrary we hate him and oppose and set our selves against him and in effect doe nothing dayly but even fight against God for indeed there is a direct and an expresse enmitie betweene God and us by nature as appeareth by that speech of the Apostle Rom. 5. 10. For if when wee were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne c. Wee are children of wrath by nature and we doe even studie enmity and rebellion against the Lord yea notwithstanding the vow and covenant that wee have made in our Baptisme sc. that wee would continue Christ's faithfull servants and souldiers unto our lives end yet alas notwithstanding we daily dishonour God by our vicious lives and live in the apparent breach of his blessed and holy Commandements In our naturall estate wee doe not so much as once perceive the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnes unto us neither can we know them because they are spiritually discerned as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 2. 14. No no alas wee are so farre from spending time in Gods service that we spend it in working the will of the flesh and in heathenish lusts This the Apostle intimateth 1 Peter 4. 3. For the time past of our lives may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when wee walked in lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of Wine revellings banquetings and abominable Idolatries Loe here the Apostle sheweth how wee spend our time usually before our conversion not in working the will of God but the will of the Gentiles not in the service of God but in the service of the flesh and of the devill for drunkennesse and idolatry are such Thus vainely and foolishly doe we spend our time by nature yea this is not the estate of some few odde ones that are of an extraordinary evill nature but it is the condition of all even of the best The holy Apostle confesseth thus much of himselfe and of all true beleevers before their conversion Titus 3. 3. For we our selves were sometimes foolish disobedient serving diverse lusts and pleasures living in malice hatefull and hating one another sayth the Apostle So that if we seriously consider this we have reason every one to cry out of himselfe in this respect as the Psalmist did in another case Psal. 73. 22. So foolish am I O Lord by nature and ignorant I was as a beast before thee Or else with the Apostle Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am what a woefull wicked wretch have I beene that have spent so much time in the service of sinne and Sathan and so little in the service of the Lord my Maker and Redeemer Secondly Besides this we have much more cause to be humbled and with Job even to Abhorre our selves in dust and ashes if we consider how much precious time we have and daily doe mis-spend even since our conversion Alas how little time doe we yet spend in â—ods service The time past of our life might suffice 1 Pet. 4. 3. It is enough and too much that all the time wee have spent before our conversion is wholly mis-spent but that we should bring more wrath upon us daily by mis-spending our time still is much more grievous It is now high time to awake out of sleepe and with all diligence instantly to serve God night and day It is strange that an heathen person should enter into so divine and heavenly a consideration about the mis-spending of precious time Sometimes doing nothing sometimes matters of the By and sometimes evill But alas how little then doe we spend Benè agendo Let us but consider how much time we spend in eating and drinking and then how much in sleeping walking talking sporting working but how little time have we then for reading hearing praying c. a lamentable thing if rightly considered A loving Father sendeth his sonne to the Vniversitie to get learning and he when he commeth there spendeth his time in other By-matters and impertinencies so much time spent at Taverne so much in Recreation so much in walking abroad and so much in complementing with and entertaining of his acquaintance but little or no time in studie c. What sayth the Father at his returne after many yeares He cryeth out surely my sonne hath utterly mis-spent his time and consumed my estate to no purpose This is our very case The Lord sendeth us into this world to bring glory to his Name and to get grace for our soules and to prepare for glory But alas how doe we mis-spend our time in following worldly vanities and for one serious thought of heaven we have at least an hundred earthly cogitations And then againe lastly if we doe now and then set our selves to serve God yet how soone are we tyred and readie to cry out Behold what a wearinesse is it Mal. 1. 13. See therefore what great cause wee have to be humbled in this regard CHAP. IIII. Containing the second Vse of the poynt namely for Reprehension SEcondly This serves for the reprehension of diverse sorts of people that are justly to blame in this regard besides what is alreadie intimated in the former Vse First Such as can finde time for every thing but matters of Religion they can finde time for walking talking working and playing but none for hearing reading praying whereas we have heard that time spent in Gods service is the best spent time men can finde many dayes to spend for themselues none for God Thus the ambitious spend time to get honour the malicious for revenge the covetous to get wealth in the meane time no time can be spared to be spent to get grace Oh the folly of men to begin at the wrong end First seeke the kingdome of God sayth our Saviour Mat. 6. 33. Now that is put off to the last place at least if it be not altogether neglected See the picture of such fooles Luk. 12. 19 20. There was a man spent all his time to get wealth but could finde no time to serve God and to get grace and therefore he hath no time to enjoy his wealth but in the very night that he beganne to take possession and enjoy the benefit of all his paines God greeteth him with this heavie message Thou foole this night shall they fetch away thy soule and then whose shall those goods be which thou hast provided So is every one sayth our Saviour that getteth riches for himselfe and is not rich
impossible The further a man goeth out of his way the longer journey he hath to goe at his returne and then it is possible for him to stay too long Fourthly But admit that at last he desireth to returne to God and spend time in his service Yet how just is it with God to reject him in that case What a base thing for a man to spend all the best of his time and strength in the service of sinne and Sathan and then to beginne to serve God when he is fit for nothing but to feede wormes What would you thinke of that servant whom you should hyre to serve you for a yeare and yet he never would doe you dayes worke untill the last moneth or weeke or houre immediately before hee should receive his wages Or what would you conceive of that Souldier that should spend all his youth and strength in the warres against his King and Soveraigne and then offereth his old age to his Prince when he is scarce able to cary his weapon Here is the very case of all those that spend all the best of their health and strength in the service of sinne and offer their poore despicable old age to God What is this but to offer the Lame and Torne and the Sicke Mal. 1. O how justly may God reject us in that case Consider that fearefull place Pro. 1. 28 29. Then shall they call but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but shall not finde me because they hated knowledge c. They that despise Gods service in their youth may justly expect that God should despise them in their age Fourthly This serveth to reprove such as spend some time in Gods service but not enough seeme to make conscience of some duties but not of others If time spent in Gods service be the best spent time then they are to blame that deale niggardly with God in this regard that doe serve God by the halves with the lippes but not with the heart have prayer in the morning but not in the evening both these perhaps but no reading nor godly conference nor catechising some also come to Church sometimes once a moneth or in the morning but not in the evening Well consider that time spent in Gods service is absolutely the best spent time Therefore they are too blame that are sparing in this behalfe God is abundant in goodnesse to us and therefore we should be abundant in dutie to him Alwayes abounding in the worke of the Lord as the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 15. 58. Oh for shame let us not be niggardly with him that is so bountifull to us He giveth to all men liberally sayth the Apostle Iam. 1. 6. O let us be liberall in our dutie to God seeing no time is so well spent as that which is spent in Gods service O let us therefore be chearefull and heartie in it Now for Remedies in this case Let us consider these foure particulars First The more time we spend and the more paines we take in Gods service the more glorie redoundeth to God Herein is my father glorified that yee bring forth much fruit sayth our Saviour Ioh. 15. 8. Secondly The more paines we take and the more time we spend in Gods service the greater reward is reserved for us For God is not unrighteous to forget your patience and labour of love Heb. 6. 10. But will both surely and fully reward it in the end These small paines of ours which are but for a moment they cause unto us or worke for us a farre more exceeding and an eternall weight of glorie as the Apostle speakes 2 Cor. 4. 17. Abundance of time sincerely spent in Gods service will procure abundance of glorie Thirdly The more time wee spend in Gods service and the more paines we take still to get grace the stronger will be our assurance that when we die we shall goe to heaven Having your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life sayth the Apostle Rom. 6. 22. The more fruitfull wee are in holinesse the faster we lay hold on eternall life Hence is that excellent place of the Apostle 2 Pet. 1. 5. And besides this giving all diligence adde to your faith vertue and to vertue knowledge c. and so one grace unto another as if he should have said spend much time in Gods service take much paines to abound in grace Why so What is the Apostles Reason That you shall see vers 11. For so an entrance shall be made unto you abundantly into the everlasting Kingdome of Jesus Christ. Loe here the excellent benefit of paines and diligence in Gods service This will fill a man full of joy and peace in beleeving Fourthly and lastly Hereby wee shall bring credit to our profession and adorne and beautifie our Religion and doe good to others Mat. 5. 16. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes sayth our Saviour A good conversation prevaileth where the Word sometimes prevailes not That if any obey not the Word they may be wonne by the good conversation of the wives saith the Apostle 1 Pet. 3. 1. Fifthly This serveth to reprove such as spend more time in the Devils service then in Gods yea and the number of these is exceeding great that spend more time in swearing in rayling in drunkennesse in wantonnesse c. then in hearing or praying and such like exercises of piety and godlinesse Nay what shall we thinke of such as spend that very time in the devils service that is appointed for Gods service Such as spend that very time in swearing and gaming and drinking drunke in the Ale-house which should be spent in the exercises of Religion in Gods house when men are so wearie of Gods service that they are even tyred out with an houre or two spent therein and yet can without wearinesse spend twise as much in vicious courses and not bee weary Oh fearefull height of impiety that men should take more delight in the devils service then in Gods Yea that are so earnestly bent upon it that they doe even imagine mischiefe upon their beds that when the morning light is they may practise it Mich. 2. 1. Yea some are so sharp set in this case that it doth even breake their sleepe according to that in Proverbs 4. 16. They sleepe not except they doe evill and their sleepe departeth from them except they cause some to fall Oh how foolishly and desperately doe such spend their time even in cutting and wounding and stabbing their soules and doe daily treasure up to themselves wrath against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgement of God Rom. 2. 4 5. Now for the perfecting of this branch give me leave to shew you the remedies of this dangerous mischiefe and the helpes which we must use to this purpose are principally these foure 1. Consider that all the while we spend our time
such as love and make lyes These must stand without c. goe to hell with the devill and his Angels according to the prediction of Christ himselfe in Matthew 25. 41. Goe ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his Angels Consider this all you that have spent more time in the devils service then in Gods yea all or the greatest part of thy life in the service of sinne and Sathan and little or no time at all in the service of God Almighty you that could finde in your hearts to say unto God Depart from us for wee desire no acquaintance with thy wayes He will pay you home one day in your owne coyne unlesse yee repent and send you packing to hell with a depart from me c. I know ye not ye workers of iniquity Matthew 7. 23. Yea when ye shall begin to claime acquaintance with God and cry Lord Lord c. Even then will Hee professe unto you I never knew you Depart from me ye that worke iniquity The sixth and the last sort are those that will neither spend time in Gods service themselves nor suffer others such as not only mispend their owne time but also hinder and discourage others from the well spending of theirs such as cry out what need so much preaching such running after Sermons c. like waggish and unhappy Schollers that will neither apply their bookes themselves nor suffer their fellowes but hinder and disturbe them by all meanes possible Here is just the Dogge in the manger These are Sathans Vicegerents even his Standard-bearers and Captaines chiefe factors for Hell These are they that will neither enter into the kingdome of heaven themselves nor suffer others but shut up the kingdome of God against them Matth. 23. 13. Consider now Is time spent in Gods service absolutely the best spent time How grosly and grievously are they to blame that not only despise the duties of Gods service themselves but also discourage others For the perfecting of this point give mee leave to shew you the wofull and fearefull estate of all such 1. They are guiltie of the bloud of their soules that perish by this meanes Now what a wofull estate is this that whereas a man is not able to answer one of a thousand in respect of his owne sinnes he should yet bee chargeable with the sinnes of others when he shall heare those poore soules curse him in hell and say O woe be to thee for thou art the cause of my damnation I had spent my time in Gods service had it not beene for thee O how this will gall thee and torment thee at that day such and such might have gone to heaven but for thy discouragements He verily dyeth in his iniquitie but his bloud will the Lord require at thy hands thou hast helped forward a soule to death and so art guilty of the bloud of soules 2. Consider the extent of this grievous sinne it reacheth up to the very heavens Every such person doth even become a fighter against God and taketh the devils part against Christ this soule is mine saith the LORD and I will save it nay saith the Devill this soule is mine and I will damne it Thus they strive and wrestle for the poore soule Christ by the meanes of grace to save it and Sathan by his temptations to damne it now the prophane person hee taketh Satans part and helpeth him against Christ and therefore is a direct fighter against God Excellent to this purpose is that speech of Gamaleel Acts 5. 39. when they were consulting how to suppresse the Apostles preaching of the Gospell Abstaine from these men and let them alone for if this counsell or this worke bee of men it will come to nought but if it be of God yee cannot overthrow it lest happily yee become even to fight against God He that fighteth against Gods ordinances doth even fight against God yea he that doth but murmure against these things his murmurings are against the Lord Exod. 16. 8. yea and he that doth set himselfe to persecute Gods people for this doth even persecute Christ himselfe as appeareth by that speech of Christ to Paul as he was going to Damascus with a Commission to persecute those Primitive Christians Iesus Christ strikes him downe to the earth and salutes him in these termes Acts 9. 4. Saul Saul why persecutest thou me I am Iesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest Christ taketh that as done to him which is done to his members in this case yea he that doth but touch them in any kinde to hurt them toucheth the very Apple of GODS eye Oh that men would seriously consider the extent of their sin and how farre their rebellions doe reach in this case And therefore in the third place it must needs follow that the wrath of God is readie to seaze upon them to the uttermost yea the wrath of God already abideth on them although they perceive it not See a fearefull and terrible place of the Apostle to this purpose 1 Thes. 2. 14. Ye have suffered like things of your owne Country-men as they of the Iewes Why what had the Iewes done That the Apostle sheweth verse 15. Who both killed the Lord Iesus and their owne Prophets and have persecuted us and they please not God and are contrary to all men verse 16. forbidding us to speake to the Gentiles that they might be saved there is the very case that we have in hand they doe hinder as much as in them lyeth the salvation of others Now what is the fruit of all this that yee shall see in the later end of that verse To fill up their sinnes alway for the wrath of God is come upon them to the uttermost Oh the wofull estate of such the wrath of God is ready to seize upon them to the uttermost This is enough even to shake the hearts of all such as are guilty in this kinde Fourthly Because this is a fearefull signe of reprobation it is the very brand of a reprobate and hee that goeth on in this case without repentance hath great cause to feare this of himselfe That God hath forsaken him and given him up to his owne hearts lusts and into the hands of Sathan Two singular places of Scripture I will give you for this the one 2 Timothy 3. 8. As Iannes and Iambres withstoode Moses so doe these men resist the truth they will neither embrace it themselves nor suffer others what is the state of these men men of corrupt mindes reprobate concerning the faith The other place which I will commend to your consideration in this case is that of the Apostle Philippians 1. 28. And in nothing be terrifyed by your adversaries which is to them a token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God Where wee may plainely see that as it is a token of salvation to be persecuted for righteousnesse sake so it is a
Secondly This will be a crowne of glorie to us in our old age sc. if we be constant See the testimony of Salomon for this Pro. 16. 31 The hoarie head is a crowne of glorie when it is found in the way of Righteousnesse That will not onely be a great honour and credit for a man in that case but also the Lord will set a crowne of glorie upon the hoarie head that is found in the way of Righteousnesse and is constant in Gods service Here was Pauls crowne of glorie that though in his youth he was a persecuter and injurious for they that stoned Stephen layd downe their cloathes at a young mans feete whose name was Saul Act. 7. 58. Chap. 8. 1. And Saul was consenting unto his death sayth the Text. But after he was once truely converted and was entred into Gods service see how constant he was in it even untill old age yea death it selfe as appeareth by his owne speech to Philemon Ver. 8 9. Though I might be much bold in Christ to enjoyne thee that which is convenient yet for love sake I rather beseech thee being such a one as Paul the aged and now a prisoner of Iesus Christ. Here was Pauls crowne of glorie sc. that in his old age he was a prisoner and a constant Martyr of Iesus Christ here was a right tree of righteousnesse which bringeth forth fruit in their age yea in their old age and even then be fat and flourishing Psal. 92. 14. This was Mnaasons crowne of glory that he was justly called an old Disciple They brought us to the house of one Mnaason an old Disciple with whom we should lodge sayth the Text Act. 21. 16. Let this also perswade us to constancie and perseverance Thirdly Constancie in Gods service is that which will assure us that wee are the true Disciples and followers of Iesus Christ. Oh what an admirable thing is this Who would not but labour to be assured that he is of the number of Christs true Disciples and no hypocrite Why now constancie in Gods service will assure a man of this See an excellent place for this purpose Joh. 8. 31 32. If ye continue in my Word in yeelding of constant obedience unto my Word then are ye my Disciples indeed and yee shall know the truth and the truth shall make yee free sayth our Saviour But on the other side he that wavereth and is unconstant hath great cause to suspect himselfe to be no better then an hypocrite See an excellent place for this purpose Psal. 106. 3. Blessed are they that doe judgement and he that doth righteousnesse at all times they are onely happie that are constant in Religion but the hypocrite is fickle and inconstant Job 27. 8. What is the hope of the hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his soule He is in a woefull estate at that time Why so And who are these that have cause to suspect themselves to be but hypocrites That yee shall see Ver. 10. Will he delight himselfe in the Almightie Will he alwayes call upon God Will he be constant in Gods service No sure in time of temptation they fall away and so discover their unsoundnesse and hypocrisie for so argueth the holy Apostle 1 Ioh. 2. 19. They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had beene of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us Will yee also goe away sayth our Saviour to his Disciples Joh. 6. 67. He that is a true Disciple of Christ will be constant in his service and never depart from him yea he will be readie to say with Peter though without boasting of his owne strength Though all men should forsake thee will I never forsake thee yea though I should dye with thee yet will I not deny thee Mat. 26. 35. No question Peter spake as he thought when he said so though his owne strength failed him when it came to the poynt But he that resolveth the like in the strength of the Lord and out of the sight and sense of his owne weaknesse if he should be left to himselfe that man may comfortably assure himselfe that he is a true Disciple of Christ Jesus Fourthly Constancie in Gods service will assure us of the Lords gracious readinesse to heare our prayers the Lord will be constant in hearing the prayers of that man which is constant in doing him service 1 Ioh. 5. 14. This is the confidence that wee have in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth us Oh what an happie thing for a man to be assured in his soule that his prayers are heard and finde acceptance with the Lord Now if a man be constant in Gods service he may be assured of his interest in those gracious promises Mat. 7. 7. Aske and yee shall have seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened unto you Or that in Isa. 65. 24. It shall come to passe that when they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will heare Now nothing will more certainly assure us of this then constancie in Gods service See that excellent speech of our Saviour Joh. 15. 7. If yee abide in me and my Word abide in you yee shall aske what yee will and it shall be done unto you Constancie in Gods service assureth us that God heareth our prayers and will grant our requests so farre as shall be expedient Hereupon is that admirable speech of the blind man Ioh. 9. 31. We know that God heareth not sinners but if any man be a worshipper of God and a doer of his will him he heareth Loe another speciall benefit Fifthly He that is constant in Gods service shall be taught of God and directed in the truth amongst all the multiplicitie of opinions that are in the world he shall know the Doctrine of Christ and be able in some sort to distinguish it from false Doctrines and opinions that are in the world My sheepe heare my voyce and follow me sayth our Saviour Joh. 10. 27. Yea they know his voyce and are able to distinguish it from the voyce of strangers ver 4 5. The Sheepe follow him that is the good Shepheard for they know his voyce and a stranger will they not follow but flee from him for they know not the voyce of strangers sayth the Text. Here is the happinesse of a true Sheepe of Christ one that is constant in Gods service So Psal. 25. 12. 14. What man is he that feareth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose Yea the secret of the Lord is with them that feare him and he will shew them his Covenant They that feare and serve God constantly shall be acquainted with the secrets of Religion O what an happinesse is it for a man to be assured in his soule
looketh on the heart For the Lord knoweth full well that if the heart be not right set for God he will never walke uprightly before God how great a semblance or shew of pietâ— soever a man may make therefore God in his wisedome looketh on the heart Deut. 32. 46. Set your hearts unto all these words saith Moses It is not setting of the eare to heare only or the mouth to speake no nor the hands to worke nor feete to walke that will serve the turne unlesse the heart in the meane time be right set for that purpose therefore saith David Psalme 119. 11. I have hid thy Word in my heart that I might not sinne against thee Lo the chiefe antidote against sinne is to hide and ponder the Word of God within our hearts An excellent direction to this purpose is that of the Apostle Saint Iames 4. 8. Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you if wee desire that God should draw nigh to us in mercy we must strive to draw nigh to him in service and obedience But what is required that wee may bee fit to draw nigh to God Wash your hands or cleanse your hands yee sinners and purifie your hearts ye double minded It is only a cleane and a true heart that will make a man fit to draw nigh to God Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw nigh to God with a true heart c. Hereupon David prayeth so earnestly for such an heart Psalme 119. 80. O let my heart be upright in thy Statutes that I be not ashamed For indeed God loveth truth of heart or truth in the inward affections above all other things whatsoever this is the maine thing that he desireth Psalme 51. 6. He that ever meaneth to be religious indeed must of necessity begin with the heart that is the chiefe great wheele of the clocke that moveth all the rest Psalme 37. 30 31. The mouth of the righteous will speake wisedome his tongue will be talking of judgement How commeth this to passe that yee shall see in the words following The Law of God is in his heart and none of his steps shall slide It is the heart that setteth both the tongue and hands a worke for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh saith our blessed Saviour in Matthew 12. 34. Oh therefore all that would spend much time in Gods service which as we have heard is absolutely and incomparably the best spent time labour to have your hearts rightly fitted and prepared for that purpose even such an heart as I have formerly described unto you namely a beleeving heart a loving heart a sincere and an upright heart full of truth and sincerity and an heart also fraught with the true feare of God hee that hath such an heart is right set for Gods service It is just such an heart as God would have us to have sc. an heart fraught and furnished with the true feare of GOD Deut. 5. 29. They have well said all that they have spoken saith the Lord ver 28. Oh that there were such an heart in them Good words without a good heart are little worth Well what kinde of heart would God have them to have That yee shall see in the words following O that there were such an heart in them that they would feare me and keepe my Commandements alwayes that it might be well with them An heart fraught with the true feare of God is that which GOD especially desireth should be in his children and which he doth exceedingly delight in when hee findeth in it them 2. We must be constant and conscionable in the private exercises of Religion this is the way to bring the heart to a right frame for the publike Ordinances this is like the tuneing of the instrument so that he that careth not for spending any time at all in private duties careth not how little time he spendeth that way in publike Oh that wee would lay this to heart and bee carefull to spend time in private prayer and reading and holy meditations Even Princes are not exempted in this case See that Direction in Deut. 17. 18 19. See the King of Israels duty when he sitteth on the Throne of his kingdome Hee shall write him a Copie of Gods Law in a booke out of that which is before the Priests and Levites and it shall be with him and hee shall reade therein all the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord his God c. where we see 1. That it is the duty even of Kings themselves to feare GOD as well as others 2. That to the end he may feare God hee must be acquainted with Gods Word for the feare of God must be learned out of the booke of God 3. Hee was to get him a copie of Gods Booke that which wee now call a Bible Kings must get them Bibles as well as Priests and Levites 4. Hee must reade in it all the dayes of his life and if Kings then much more all subjects and private persons must spend some part of every day in the duties of Gods service in private Who need thinke himselfe too good for private duties when Kings themselves are not exempted Yea it is the duty of all Gods people to search the Scriptures Iohn 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke yee have eternall life and they are they that testifie of me saith our Saviour Yea wee should all study to be well acquainted with the Scriptures by private reading that we may be the more delighted with the publike heareing Colossians 3. 16. Let the Word of CHRIST dwell in you richly in all wisedome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and Hymnes and spiritiuall songs c. Lo how Gods people should spend their time in private O how this would fit us for exercises of Religion in publike What made those Noble Boereans Acts 17. 11. willing to spend so much time in hearing Paul preach in publike Surely this was one cause amongst the rest sc. the care which they had to spend their time well even in private They searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so and so finding how sweetely Pauls Doctrine accorded with that which they found written in Gods Booke they received the Word with all readinesse of minde and tooke delight to spend much time in the duties of Gods publike worship and service Deut. 6. 6 7. These words which I command thee shall be in thy heart and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy Children and loe this would make us love to spend much time in Gods service publikely c. Thirdly Hee that would have an heart rightly prepared that he may bee fit and willing to spend much time in the duties of Gods solemne worship and service must have a care to beginne the day with religious exercises and holy meditations godly cogitations let into the heart in the morning will season the heart of a man
the stall Ver. 6. That drinke wine in Bowles c. but are not grieved for the afflictions of Ioseph Isa. 5. 11. ver 12. Woe to them that rise up early to follow strong drinke c. And the Tabret and the Pipe are in their feasts but they regard not the worke of the Lord nor the operation of his hands Where we see that time spent in inordinate and excessive feasting and time spent in Gods service cannot well stand together it is a great Let and impediment in this case This was one thing that made the rich man that he could finde no time for Gods service nor for the good of his soule Luk. 16. 19. Because as he was cloathed with purple and fine linnen so he fared deliciously every day sayth the Text. Every day was a day of feasting and therefore there was no time left for the exercises of Religion they feede the bodie but starve and pine the soule Therefore we must have a care to spend lesse time in feasting that we may spend more in the duties of Gods worship and service And to this end let us consider these five Remedies First Immoderate feasting is seldome or never without the abuse of Gods good creatures and so we fight against God and strike him with those blessings which he hath graciously given us for our delight yea hereby we commit Idolatrie in making our belly our God Phil. 3. 19. Secondly Seldome without brabbles and quarrells many times betweene persons of neare relation one to another See the fruit of that great feast made by Ahashuerus that lasted so long What was the event of it but a woefull breach betweene him and his wife Hest. 1. 19. Thirdly A man in that case is most apt to deny God This made Agur pray against wealth and riches Give me not povertie nor riches sayth the Text Pro. 30. 8. And theâ— see the reason that he giveth for it Ver. 9. Lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord Thus full-fed Pharoah cryed out Exod. 5. 3. Who is the Lord that I should obey his voyce to let Israel goe I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel goe Excessive fulnes will make a man even to kick against God Jesurun is waxed fat and kicked sayth the Text Deut 32. 15. Thou are covered with fatnesse Then he forsooke God that made him and lightly esteemed the rocke of his Salvation Loe the fruit of excessive fulnesse Yea this was one of the sinnes of Sodome Idlenesse and fulnesse of bread made them so intolerably filthy that they fell to that uncleanenesse which was unnaturall as the Prophet sheweth Ezeck 16. 49. Fourthly This excessive use or rather abuse of Gods creatures are great meanes to make us forget God True it is that even then we have most cause to remember him with all love and thankfulnesse but such is the corruption of our nature that even then above all other times wee are most apt to forget him according to the admonition of the Lord himselfe by Moses Deut. 8. 11 12. When thou hast eaten and art full then thou shalt blesse the Lord thy God for the good Land that he hath given thee There is the right use of fulnesse and plentie But what followeth Ver. 12. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thy God and Ver. 13 14. Lest when thou hast eaten and art full c. then they heart be lifted up and thou forget the Lord thy God c. Here is a dangerous mischiefe indeed Psal. 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all that forget God O consider this yee that forget God and feast your selves without feare least he teare you in pieces and there be none to deliver you When I fed them to the full they then committed adulterie against me and assembled themselves by troopes in the harlots houses Iere. 5. 7. Fifthly The more that wee have mis-spent our time in feasting and carnall pleasures the more torment we are like to have hereafter All such immoderate carnall pleasures end in torments without repentance What became of him that was cloathed in purple and fine Linnen and fared deliciously every day Luk. 16. 19. What is the next newes we heare of this Belly-god this mirth-munger The rich man dyed and was buried and in hell he lifted up his eyes being in torments and seeth Abraham afarre off and Lazarus in his bosome ver 23. yea and see there what Abraham especially objecteth against him Ver. 25. Sonne Remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things c. therefore he is comforted and thou art tormented See a direct testimony concerning the woefull estate of such Phil. 3. 18 19. For many walke of whom I told you often and now tell you even weeping that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ whose end is destruction Well What are their courses Whose God is their belly whose glorie is their shame who minde earthly things See here the end of excessive feasting And thus you see the fourth Impediment and the Remedies against it Fift let or impediment that keepeth men from spending time in Gods service is the inordinate pursuite and excessive use of carnall pleasures and delights vaine mirth and merriment This doth follow to be handled after the former as being for the most part an inseparable companion of it Exod. 32. 6. The people sate downe to eat and to drinke and they rose up to play So in Isaiahs time this was an adjunct of their feasting Isaiah 5. 12. The Harpe and the Violl the Tabret and Pipe are in their feasts therefore they had no time to serve God therefore it followeth But they regard not the worke of the Lord c. certainely these vaine pleasures if eagerly followed will doe us a great deale of hurt in usurping a great part of precious time which was better spent in Gods service Recreations if moderately used are very usefull and refreshing but if inordinate they spoyle all As it is fitly said of fire and water that they are very good servants but evill Masters fire on the hearth is usefull but in the thatch of the house fatall and dangerous so pleasures and recreations are very convenient if used moderately but very hurtfull if they be abused by excesse Yea even the most innocent and harmelesse pleasures that can be are very hurtfull if followed immoderately as the best wine maketh the sharpest and the quickest Vinegar To bee lovers of pleasures more then of God 2. Tim. 3. 4. or to spend that time in pleasures which we should spend in Gods service will poyson the most innocent and harmelesse pleasures in the world Now the Remedies that we must use against this great usurper of precious time are principally these 1. Let us be sure that the matters of our pleasures and delights be just and lawfull To take pleasure in sinning against God It is a sport for