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A02741 Tvvo treatises I. The purchase of Grace, shewing the excellency of Christ, and the graces of his spirit. II. The soules delight in Gods tabernacles, shewing the excellency of time, spent in duties of God's solemne service. Instances in the chiefe, viz. prayer, word, and sacraments. Motives and directions for right performance. Lastly, the chiefe usurpers of time discovered, with apt remedies against each of them. The contents of the booke are methodically exprest in the margent, which to the diligent reader may serve instead of a table. By William Harrison, Mr. of Arts, and minister of the Gospell at Canwicke neare Lincolne. Harrison, William, minister at Canwick. 1639 (1639) STC 12871; ESTC S103879 208,196 400

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thus wee are children of wrath and in the state of nature as the Apostle sheweth Ephes. 2. 3. All the while wee live thus we can looke for nothing but the wrath of God to come upon us as it doth upon the children of disobedience as the Apostle speakes Ephesians 5. 6. The wrath of God is even revealed from heaven against such Romans 1. 18. See a notable place for this purpose in Romans 2. 8 9. But unto them that are contentious and doe not obey the truth but obey unrighteousnesse marke the condition of all such indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every soule of man that doth evill upon the Iew first c. See here the estate of such as spend time in the devils service instead of Gods Secondly Consider that all such have cause to feare that God will deny to helpe and succour them when they stand in the most need of it and seeke for it with greatest earnestnesse If I regard wickednesse in my heart God will not heare my prayer saith David Psalme 66. 18. Yea we know that God heareth not sinners saith the blind man Iohn 9. 31. and therefore if God doe not heare wicked mens prayers in their extremities but lets them perish in their sinnes it is not for want of power or mercy in God but onely for want of piety and repentance in them according to that excellent place which wee have to this purpose in Isa. 59. 1 2. Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that he cannot save neither is his eare heavie that he cannot heare where is the fault then that you shall see in the next verse verse 2. But your iniquities have separated betweene you and your God and your sinnes have hid his face from you that he cannot heare Oh the wofull estate of all such as cry unto God in their extremities and are nothing at all regarded Yea God hath told them already that hee will not heare them observe it Proverbs 1. 28 29. Then shall they call c. that is in their extremity but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not finde mee because they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. Yea the Lord hath sent them word before hand that he will not helpe them Iob 8. 20. Behold God will not cast away a perfect man neither will hee helpe the evill doers saith the Text there O the wofull estate of all such when sicknesse comm●n or troubles come or death then they are glad to cry out Helpe Lord or else I am damned for ever Not I may the Lord say I will helpe no evill doers such as you are and therefore thou art now like to perish and dye in thy sinnes Iohn 8. 20. Yea the Lord is so farre from regarding the prayers of such people in such cases that he rather refuseth them see upon what warrant I speake it Proverbs 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord. The sacrifice what is that Surely his prayers as appeareth by the Antithesis in that place for so it followeth But the prayer of the upright is his delight God hateth and abhorreth the prayers of all such as live in their sinnes and hate to be reformed Hee that turneh away his eare from hearing the Law even that mans prayer shall be an abomination saith the Wiseman Prov. 28. 9. O wofull estate If men had but eyes to see it and hearts to consider it aright the Lord takes no pleasure in the very best services which they can doe him And no marvell for in the third place So long as men live in their sinnes without repentance and spend time in the Devils service instead of Gods there is a direct and an expresse enmity betweene God and them If when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne saith the Apostle Romans 5. 10. Yea especially those that live and goe on in their sinnes have just cause to be assured of this and that they shall smart for it accordingly See a place or two to this purpose Psalme 37. 20. But the wicked shall perish why so surely because they are Gods enemies And the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of Lambes easily melted into smoke shall they consume away Where we see first that the wicked are Gods enemies Secondly that they shall consume away like smoke and the fat of Lambes So in that Psalme for the Sabbath Psalme 92. 9. For lo thine enemies O Lord lo thine enemies shall perish and who are they that yee shall see in the same verse All the workers of iniquity shall bee scattered where we see both the description and the condition of wicked men They are Gods enemies there is their description dissipation and perishing there is their condition But above all to this purpose is that of Psalme 68. 21. God will surely wound the head of his enemies and the hairie scalpe of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses O consider this ye that forget God and live in your sinnes lest God teare you in peeces and there be none to deliver you Psal. 50. 22. What estate can be more dangerous then an estate of enmity against God The adversaries of the Lord shall bee broken in peeces out of heaven shall be thunder upon them saith Hannah Samuel's Mother 1 Samuel 2. 10. Mee thinkes I have said enough if effectuall to afright men out of their service of sinne and Sathan especially if I shall adde but one thing more which shall be the fourth and the last remedy that I purpose to propound Fourthly Therefore consider that the devill is the worst master that any man can serve and giveth the most wofull and accursed wages What baser Master then the devill that great red Dragon Revelations 12. 12. That roaring Lion that goeth about continually seeking whom he may devoure A murtherer from the very beginning Iohn 8. 44. and the most damnable liar that ever was yea the very father thereof What baser Master then the Devill Yea and see what base wages he giveth Romans 6. 23. For the wages of sinne is death spirituall temporall and eternall both the first and the second death They that spend time in the devils service must goe to hell with the Devill for company Psalme 9. 17. The wicked shall be turned into hell and all that forget God They are utterly deceived that thinke to live like devils upon earth and yet for all that become glorious Saints in heaven when they dye that thinke they shall get into the new Ierusalem hereafter without being New Creatures for the present No no God hath revealed the contrary already as is evident Revel 22. 14 15. Blessed are they that doe his Commandements that spend time in Gods service for they shall enter in through the gates into the City of the new Ierusalem But without shall be dogges and Inchanters and Whoremongers and
the Lord be magnified which hath pleasure in the prosperitie of his servants He loveth to have them merry at meate and at worke and sing for joy of heart Isa. 65. 14. And withall he is constant in his love towards them if he be angry it is but for a moment but his love and mercie is everlasting towards them See a singular place for this purpose in Isa. 54. 7 8. For a small moment have I forsaken thee but with great mercies will I gather thee and ver 8. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindnesse will I have mercie on thee sayth the Lord thy Redeemer If he be wroth if he seeme to forsake or hide himselfe from his servants it is but for a moment but his love and kindnesse is everlasting his mercy endureth for ever having loved his owne which were in the world he loved them unto the end sayth our Saviour Ioh. 13. 1. not for a time but for ever his love like himselfe is constant and unchangeable it is an everlasting love Ier. 31. 3. With an everlasting love have I loved thee therefore with loving kindnesse have I drawne thee sayth the Lord. Yea his love to his servants is so constant that nothing shall be able to diprive them of it nothing can finally doe it and for ever Rom. 8. 37 38. For I am perswaded sayth the Apostle that neither death nor life nor Angells nor height nor depth nor things present nor things to come nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Yea sinne it selfe that is the most dangerous enemy of all for your iniquities have separated between you and your God Isa. 59. 1. cannot doe it yea rather then so your sinnes shall be pardoned and that for his owne sake Isa. 43. 25. for I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake will not remember thy sinnes Here is a gracious and a constant loving Master Tenthly and lastly This heavenly Master of ours is readie dayly to manifest and expresse his love towards his servants in hearing their prayers and revenging all such wrongs as are offered unto them See the proofe of this priviledge in both the branches of it First For his hearing prayers it is one of his titles of honour to heare prayers Psal. 65. 2. Especially the prayers of his servants and such as feare him Joh. 9. 31. If any man be a worshipper of God and a doer of his Will him he heareth Yea he will fulfill the desires of them that feare him he will heare their cry and save them Psalm 145. 18. And if any man delight in Gods service he shall have his hearts desire Psal. 37. 4. Delight thy selfe in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart What greater priviledge Yea he is many times found of them when they doe not seeke him Isa. 65. 24. It shall come to passe that when they call I will answer and while they are yet speaking I will heare O how open is his eare unto their complaints when they are wronged by their adversaries and how readie is the Lord even speedily to avenge their wrongs Heare what the unjust Iudge sayth sayth our Saviour Luk. 18. 7. And shall not God avenge his owne Elect which cry day and night unto him I tell you that he will avenge them speedily True it is he will not allow his servants to be their own carvers and avenge themselves But what need they when he is ready to doe it for them Vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord Ro. 12. 19. He that toucheth Gods servants to hurt them doth touch the aple of his eye Zach. 2. 8 Hee taketh all their wrongs and injuries as done to himselfe and he will certainely and wisely avenge their wrongs 2 Kings 9. 7. Iehu shall smite Ahab and Iezabel but to what end Iehu's end was to get the kingdome but what was the Lords end that yee shall see in the place forenamed That I may avenge the bloud of my servants the Prophets and the bloud of all the servants of the Lord at the hands of Iezabell they must pay deare that shed the bloud of Gods servants the Lord himselfe will bee avenged of them Another place to this purpose is that we have Deut. 32. 41. If I whet my glistering sword and my hand takes hold on judgement I will render vengeance to mine enemies c. and I will make my arrowes drunke with bloud and my sword shall devoure flesh c. But whose bloud and flesh shall thus goe to wracke That ye shall see verse 43. Surely they that have shed the bloud of his servants for hee will avenge the bloud of his servants saith the Text. Who would not be abundant in his service that will not suffer his servants bloud to be unavenged CHAP. VIII Containing the three first Directions or meanes how to spend much time in Gods service FIrst If wee would spend much time in Gods service we must labour to have our hearts rightly fitted and prepared for that purpose There is a price in the hand of many a foole to get wisdome but he wanteth an heart to get wisdome saith Salomon Pro. 17. 16. How many blessed opportunities have we of spending time in Gods service which are let slip because wee want hearts rightly prepared for that purpose Hereupon it is that in the first place God requireth our hearts Proverbs 23. 26. My son give me thy heart and Ier. 14. 4. O Ierusalem wash thy heart from wickednesse A prophane heart can never endure to spend much time in God service but straight cryeth out behold what a wearinesse is it Mal. 1. 13. Hence it is that the Lord cryeth out most of all for want of a right and fit disposition of heart in the duties of his service Isaiah 29. 13. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouthes and honour me with their lips but their hearts are farre from me Here was the defects of Ezechiels hearers Ezech. 33. 31. ver They come unto thee as my people commeth and they also sit before thee as my people and they heare my words but they will not doe them where was the chiefe fault Surely in the heart for with their mouthes they shew much love but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse A covetous and a vicious heart will soone make a man weary of time spent in Gods service and therefore when any man setteth himselfe to doe God any service the Lord looketh directly with what heart he doth it It is an excellent speech of God to Samuel when hee was to choose Israel a King 1 Sam. 16. 7. the Lord said to Samuel Looke not on his countenance nor on the height of his stature c. For the Lord seeth not as man seeth for man looketh on the outward appearance but the Lord
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 ●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
towards God What greater folly then to be all for the present nothing for the future All for the Summer nothing for the Winter All for the body nothing for the soule And yet alas there are thousands that are thus besotted Martha-like and worse cumbred about many things when the one thing needfull the better part is wholly neglected Now for the remedie of this give me leave to commend unto your consideration that golden place of our Saviour Mat. 16. 26. What is a man profited if he gaine the whole world and loose his own soule Take heed brethren a man cannot looke upward and downward both at once or upward with one eye and downe with the other for we cannot set our affections upon things above if we set them too much upon things here below we cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6. 24. We cannot love God and the world If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him sayth the Apostle 1 Joh. 2. 15. We cannot be both earthly and heavenly minded as we ought wee cannot be a friend of the world and Gods friend too but Whosoever maketh himselfe the friend of the world is the enemy of God It is an excellent place of the Apostle Jam. 4. 4. later end Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmitie against God Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God They are too blame that spend more time in the worlds service then in the Lords Secondly This serveth to reprove such as spend more time in sinfull pleasures and recreation then in Gods service These are lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God as the Apostle speakes 2 Tim. 3. 4. As if men were made onely for themselves and their owne pleasures and not for GOD. How farre are these from the disposition of faithfull Moses Who refused to be called the sonne of Pharoahs daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season Heb. 11. 24 25. Now for the meanes to prevent or reforme this grosse abuse in thus mis-spending of our time Let us consider these two particulars First That time spent in Gods service is absolutely the most full of pleasure yea there is no true solid pleasure in the world without it it is to a spirituall man the very joy and rejoycing of his heart Secondly The more pleasure we have in any thing in the neglect of Gods worship and service the more torment and sorrow will follow afterward The better the wine is the sharper and more sowre will it be when it is turned to vinegar It is most true of all such delights which Abner sayd to Joab They will be bitternesse in the later end See the fruit of the rich mans carnall pleasures Luk. 16. 25. In that speech of Father Abraham to the rich man in hell Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things or thy pleasures and likewise Lazarus evill things but now he is comforted and thou art tormented O the everlasting bitter panges of hell which follow the pleasures of sinne for a season Who would dote upon such sweet meat that is attended with such bitter and sowre sauce So mark what is sayd of Babylon that had glutted her selfe with pleasures and made her selfe Drunke with the bloud of the Saints Revel 18. 7. How much she hath glorified her selfe and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her The more pleasures of sinne here on earth the more torment in hell If our carnal mirth-mungers would consider this it would be a meanes to perswade them to spend more time in Gods service and lesse in the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season Thirdly This serveth to reprove all such as stay long before they spend any time at all in Gods service How ordinary a thing is it for men to mispend their best strength and flower of their youth and reserve the decrepit old age for God Tell many of repentance of Gods service of the power of godlinesse oh say they it is too soone I am too young hereafter is better when I am old This is the usuall practise of the world If time spent in Gods service be the best spent woe be to those that stay long before they begin to serve God at all Like a man that goeth to London about some businesse of great importance and when he commeth there spendeth all his time in saluting here and complementing there and seeing this and that rare sight and then hath all his 〈◊〉 to dispatch when he should goe home Here is the very case of many that come into the Citie of this world they spend the greatest part of their time in other things and never so much as dreame or thinke of Religion which is the maine end for which they were sent into the world What a woefull account will these make at the last day Now for prevention or remedie hereof let us consider these foure particulars First The expresse command of God To Remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth before those dayes come wherein wee shall say I have no pleasure in them A woefull thing for a man even then to bethinke himselfe how to live when he is readie to die Eccles. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Secondly Consider the time which we have here to spend on earth is very uncertaine a man resolveth to serve God when he is old yea but what if he dye in the meane time while he is young and never live untill he be olde How many Lambe-skinnes come to the Market as well as the skinnes of elder sheepe How many dye young and drop away even in the middest as they thought of their best strength No man knoweth the day of his death and therefore Job to make sure worke would beginne and prepare for it every day Iob 14. 14. All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite untill my change come Death many times commeth suddenly when it is the least thought on of all When they shall say peace peace then shall sudden destruction fall upon them sayth the Apostle 1 Thes. 5. 3. They spend their dayes in wealth and in a moment goe downe to hell Iob 21. 13. Therefore they say unto God depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes c. A woefull estate Thirdly The longer it is before we returne to God the more difficult we shall finde it to turne at last Qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erit Continuance in sinne breedeth custome in sinne and how hard is it for men to overcome evill customes Ier. 13. 21. Can the Aethiopian change his skinne or the Leopard his spots then may yee also doe good that are accustomed to doe evill So that it is exceeding difficult if not