feared or felt worse then outward pressures perils pains which are but bodily miseries and that but for a moment This sin not only the prophane world are guilty of but some of those that profess the Name of God Rebecah said to Isaac I am weary of my life because of the Daughters of Heth Gen 27. 46. Rachel cryes out give me Children or else I dye Gen. 30. 1. Elisha being threatned by Jezabel said O Lord take away my life 1 Kings 19. 4. Jonah for the loss of a poor gourd said it s better for me to dye then to live and told God to his very face that he did well to be angry even unto death Jonah 4. 9. The Israelites when they wanted water wisht they had died in the wilderness These and the like wicked wishes are in the mouths of many poor ignorant discontented persons who long to be out of this wretched world Now by way of conviction I shall lay down these following particulars 1. What think you of these inward and soul-straits and conflicts with which Gods poor afflicted people are sadly exercis'd And were you but sensible of the guilt and weight of sin a wounded spirit the wrath of God and those everlasting burnings it would quickly swallow up your outward miseries though never so many This is evident in the example of the Jaylor who for the loss of his prisoners was so tormented that he would have kill'd himself before he was convinced of the dreadful state of his soul that was in danger of ruin Act. 16. 27 28 29 30. Then he fell and cried out Sirs what shall I do to be saved 2. To wish for death because of the evils attending this life is very wicked and dangerous interpretatively and in effect it is to wish your souls in hell Consider and mind this also that your present sorrowes crosses troubles of what kind or degree soever they be are the fruits of your ill-doings and fatless then you deserve for its a wonder you are not in hell and will you dare to be so audacious as to flye in the face of your faithful Creator when you should be deeply sensible of your horrible wickedness and humble under Gods hand and accepting of the punishment of your sinye should repent and turn to God take away the cause and the effect will cease 3. You can please and gratifie the Devil your deadly adversaty in nothing more you wish for death so doth the devil too if you are his now you must be his then his here and his for ever He waits and longs that your breath were gone your souls separated therefore he would have you poyson hang drown starve or stob your selves that you might be dead damn'd and burn'd with him in hell 4. Moreover if you were dead you would suddenly repent and change your mind and if it might be give the world to be alive again with all the wants pains and greif you now endure Had you but a peeping hole into hell to see and here what they endure you would confess your sins judge your selves and close with Christ before you dye that so you might not come into that dreadful place of torment Now that you may hear and fear and do no more so wickedly Let me ask you 1. What think you of the sting and bitterness of death when a man comes to dye Conscience being awakened roaring like a Lyon death the King of terrours standing by when the guilt of past-sins and loss of precious time will be as so many fiery darts and stinging scorpions biting and gnawing on the heart What think you it will be to dye unconverted to dye in a state of sin and wrath a Trator to God in a state of unbelief and impenitency the soul-damning sins to dye with an evil heart an accusing conscience self condemn'd cast in your own breast to dye which is worst of all 2. What think you of the sadness and amazing terrour of approaching judgment the second death when a man comes to take a dreadful view of the other world and begins to reflect and think Wherefore was I born what have I been doing are all these my sins O where shall I leave them or how shall I be rid of them now I am dying whither am I going what will be my company where shall be the place and how near am I to it what must I endure and how long how long and conscience will answer to all eternity misery without end This will amaze confound and overwhelm the soul with fear and perturbation when it sees that heaven is lost and that it must down down to the Region of darkness and company of Devils in that state of everlasting wo. The killing thoughts of which made a great man wish that he might live though bur the life of a Toad 3. What think you of the impartiality of the Judge that will not spare the guilty must and will Judge and sentence according to the fact and reward every man according to his works He would not spare the Angels that sinn'd but cast them down to hell 2 Pet. 2. 4. not Adam but cast him out of paradise and set a flaming word against him neither will he spare any impenitent sinner in the day of his wrath justice obliges him to justifie the righteous and condemn the wicked 4. What think you of the impossibility of having any appeal There will be no Moses to mediate no mediator to plead no Daniel Noah or Job to intercede or to stand in the gap not an Intercessor in Earth or Heaven to be found to speak a word There can be no appeal to God his Calls and Councels have been refused his Interest opposed his Enemies countenanced his laws violated his Anger will burn like fire No appeal to Jesus Christ his Government hath been slighted his Grace and Person rejected or to the Holy Ghost he hath been quencht and greived or to angels or Saints all will be against you 5. Whar think you of the resignation of soul and body to the executioner and tormentor the red dragon 't is sad to see a poor malefactor committed to the Jaylor or Hangman but O how much more dreadful will it be for ever-living souls in the face of men and Angels to be delivered into the hands of that raging roaring Lyon the Devil When God the righteous Judge shall say in sight of the whole world here are the men that brak my Statutes prophaned my Sabbaths that hated my Saints that served the Devil in the satisfying their Lusts the open and professed Adversaries to my Name and Interest that would not though I often intreated them come at my call accept of my love receive my Son or endure a life of holiness or by any means be drawn and perswaded to think of and prepare for death and judgement though they had time and opportunity enough Now take them devil and away to hell with them for my soul abhors them Thy Covenant servants
much brokeness of heart confess his sins pray and plead with God in Christ for pardon even to the wonder and amazement of those Ministers and Christians who where present And he being asked how often he prayed answered five or six times a day and it was with such meltings and multitudes of teares that did move the very bowels of the Auditors and as they said turned them into tears Thus you see how a powerful conviction of death and judgement may prevail upon the heart to make them cry to God that never prayed before As for you that can lye down at night rise up in the morning and go about the world without secret or family prayer I must tell you that you have but slight if any thoughts of death and eternity and no sence of or regard of your everlasting condition which is a sad symptom of a Christless state 6. Would you do good to others to their bodies and to their souls consider you must dye for after death you will be utterly incapacitated of doing any thing The wise man speaking of the season of doing and of the vicissitudes of mans life namely that there is a time to be born and a time to dye and he having observed the issues and changes of providence that hath made every thing beautiful in its season concludes that it is best for a man to do good in his life Eccles 3. 12. As we have therefore opportunity saith the Apostle let us do good to all men Gal. 6. 10. When it is in the power of thine hand to to do it Prov. 3. 27. Sirs the real thoughts of death will prompt you to give a portion to six and also to seven and that in season for when death comes all is gone then it s no more in power of thine hand to do Did you now beleive and consider that you must dye and give an account to God the great Landlord and Donor of all your good things great Reciepts having great accounts you would not contract your hearts and shut up your bowels against those many miserable objects who are so often in your view Now that you may be like sheep and not like swine be good in your life and let your acts of mercy be distributed in the morning the fittest season to sow this seed therefore speedily draw out thy soul to the hungry before death separate thy soul and body for with such sacrifices God is well pleased Isa 58. 10. Heb. 13. 14. 7. Would you get and keep sincerity a precious Pearl indeed think often of death and judgement Then it will be tryed then it will stand you in stead Sincerity the Scripture persection is the best of a Christian the grace of every grace for faith unfeigned and love in sincerity are the very nerves sinews of Christianity The next best to the precious blood and righteous of our glorified Redeemer to plead for us at the hour of death and in the Court of Heaven is truth in the in ward parts Isa 38. 3. To be a mourner in Sion is matter of solace and real comfort but to be a sinner in Sion is sad and it will be a matter of torment A Judas among the Apostles a Devil in Samuel's Mantle is a Devil indeed The sinners in Sion are afraid and cause enough for to live and dye a hypocrite is most dreadful because hypocrisie will certainly bring you down to hell yea the hottest place of that devouring fire and everlasting burning shall be the Hypocrites portion Isa 33. 14. Mat. 24. 5. 8. Lastly would you redeem your time and be greedy of getting grace in the day of grace for the present spiritual and eternal salvation of your souls think seriously of your end You sleepy secure souls did you consider that the night of death will come certainly and may come suddenly you would work while it is day and not be so mad as to put off beleiving repenting and soul afflicting-work self-trying and approving work until the evil day of old age a sick bed or dying pangs seize upon you Consider a death-bed repentance is seldom had and seldom good or a sick-bed repentance is seldom a sound but often a sick repentance Now if you would imitate your Lord to work while it is day remember you must dye John 9. 4. Directions and helps to consider of your latter end Direct 1. Search diligently to find out what it is that keeps you and the serious thoughts of death and eternity at so great a distance and cry mightily to God and speedily to remove it If it be either Ignorance Atheisme Unbeleif Sensuality Earthly-mindedness or Security be deeply sensible of it and set Prayer to work pour out thy very soul to God with greatest fervour and importunity Say as Meses Who knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy fear so is thy wrath So teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom Psa 96. 11 12. Sirs 't is spiritual wisdom will cause you to consider then cry after knowledg and lift up thy voice for understanding Prov. 2. 3 4. For she is thy life Prov. 4. 13 it s as much as thy life and soul is worth Then enter into thy Closet and fall down upon thy knees and pray to God in the name of Christ for spiritual wisdome we must seek it Ezek 36. 37. And god will give it James 1. 5. Beg more then for thy life for a truly wise and awakened heart withou which the great concerns of God and thine Immortal soul be for ever neglected Direct 2. Diligently and faithfully use and improve the most awakening means which have a tendency hereunto 1. Set your selves under a powerful faithful and soul-searching Ministry who make the conversion of souls their main business A lazy sleepy minister is nor like to waken a secure sinner the conviction and conversion of souls is not the mark they shoot at Resolve to hear have countenance and encourage those that grapple most with the conscience and earnestly endeavour to drive and draw soules to Jesus Christ by setting the blessing and the curse life and death before them Conviction leads the way to conversion as the needle to the thread what 's a plaistâ—r worth where there is no wound 't is the broken bones cry out for help the whole need not the Physitian General overly preaching is like the sword in the scabbard that doth not cut or wound or like Physick in the bottel that doth not penetrate or work but plain particular convincing preaching such as Nathans to David or Peters to the Jews 2 Sam. 12. 7. Acts 2. 36. is like the sword in the bowels or Physick in the body that will pain to purpose Those Preachers that have no faculty of reproving and convincing sleepy secure sinners are like a company of drone Bees that have lost their sting being good for nothing But they that have the charge of so many Golden Fleeces
'T is now an accepted time a day of Salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. A time to accept or a time to be accepted a golden and glorious time indeed Behold now there is a broad and clear way to the Mercy seat the flaming sword is gone the partition wall is down all Bars and Gates are removed an Act of indempnity is proclaim'd and there is a free admission for all to come and be saved pardons are ready Isa 55. 6 7. Isa 45. Sinners your dear Lord Jesus the great Peace-maker is now an impotant Suitor unto your perishing souls namely an inviting knocking waiting promising Christ Prov. 22. 9. 4. Isa 65. 2. Math. 11. 28. Rev. 3. 20. Cant. 5. 2. John 6. 36. The treasures of grace are opened and offered to sale upon easie terms without money and without price Isa 55. 1. Rev. 3. 17. O make speed and come make the purchase buy the pearl of price that 's better then Rubies and you shall have a treasure in heaven The favour of Gods precious blood white raiment tryed gold and the eternal life of your never dying souls is worth the having Consider also that now the Holy Ghost calls and offers his assistance to close the bargain to tye the marriage knot between Christ and Souls Heb. 3. If you lose this opportunity you may never have the like The Spirit and the Bride say come Rev. last 17. 5. The time of the Sabbath or Lords day must be redeemed we must have a specially care of sanctifying that day it being the Sabbath of the Lord our God This golden day from morning to night must be spent in the service and worship of our Lord either in publick private or secret duties and no part of it must be lost Take no liberty upon that day for frothy vain and unprofitable discourse or recreations or to ride buy sell or work This dreadful God provoking sin of Sabbath-breaking is a sin in fashion hundreds in this Nation serve the Devil more upon the Lords day then on other dayes Then men are at leisure to serve the Devil and satisfie their lusts to go to the Ale-house or to exercise themselves in sports and pastimes O that Magistrates Ministers Masters of Families and Parents would look to it Neh. 13. 17. The Lord of the Sabbath commandeth thee that thou and thy Son thy Daughter thy man servant and all within thy gate keep that day holy The Sabbath is called a holy convocation Lev. 23. 2. and the Lord of the day is an infinitely holy just and jealous God The Sabbath heretofore was called Regina dierum the Queen of days in the New Testament it is called the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. a day in which we commemorate the greatest mercy viz. the glorious Resurrection of our crucified Lord and that which the purest Christians in the purest times did carefully observe In the Primitive times a serious and strict observation of the Lords day was a trial or badge of Christianity When the question was propounded Servasti Dominicum hast thou kept the Lords day the answer was turn'd Christianus sum intermittare non possum I am a Christian and cannot intermit it It was a saying of an eminent Divine that he would judge of a mans Religion according to the reverence and care he had of keeping the Sabbath Christians you are to keep your Lords rest and perform the holy duties of his worship chearfully reverently spiritually Joh. 4. 24. If ever you think to celebrate an eternal Sabbath with God in glory be careful of this duty To enforce it consider 1. How strictly the holy God imposeth it and to what end it is Remember the Sabbath day to keep it Holy Exod. 20. 8. This blessed day for communion with God is to be premeditated upon before it cometh therefore in the evening before the Sabbath let all your necessary occasions be done up that you may have nothing but what becometh the work of that day Be like David's good man Ps 112. 5. ordering your affairs with discretion especially your Spiritual affairs If you expected the company of some worthy friend would you be found in a sluttish posture or sweeping and cleansing your houses on that day and all out of order On the Lords day you should vehemently expect the approach and presence of the King of glory therefore make all ready to entertain him 2. Remember the excellent Epithetes and Titles of this blessed day it is called a High day a Holy day the holy of the Lord honourable Isa 58. 13. Therefore let it be redeemed lose no more Sabbaths 3. Consider the blessings and soul benefits of that day if it be rightly observed It is your Lords Market day in the which you have the precious Oyl the Golden Mines and treasures of grace opened that day There are spiritual dainties for your hungry souls to which you are by Christ invited that day Isa 54. 1. The Holy Ghost doth breath and blow that day by the secret and sweet gales whereof Saints mount up toward Heaven The great God comes down and gracious souls ascend that day Rev. 1. 10. And the Eunuchs that keep Gods Sabbaths have the promise of a name in his house for ever Isa 56. 4 5. I might add the severe threatnings and Gods signal judgements upon the prophaners of the Sabbath or Lords day The man that was found gathering sticks upon the Sabbath by an immediate command from God was stoned to death Numb 15. 32 34 35 36. How time must be redeemed 1. By taking and improving all opportunities for the glorifying of God 2. By laying hold on the present time and now a day of grace for settling and securing your everlasting state 3. By improving the present means of grace for your speedy growth in grace 4. By doing all the good you can to others while you may 5. By labouring to keep up constant communion with God in holy duties 6. By improving every providence and outward cross for inward and spiritual advantages 7. By casting up your accounts every day that you may make even with God 8. By labouring to order every days work in reference to your last day that having finished you work you may be fit to leave this World 1. By taking and improving all occasions for the glorifying of God Dear Christians this is your Fathers business and the great Errand for which you had your being You were born and new born to serve the interest of the holy and blessed God in the World this is that glorious end for which you should spend your strength and time and lay out your selves to the very utmost That which is the chief end of your life viz. to display and propagate Gods glory in the World must not be neglected other things are infinitely inferiour and must be subordinated unto this For the thoughts and designs of serving the Interest of your Lord is that which you must be always driving on in this evil
World God expects it Thou shalt have no other God before me Exod. 20. 3. God will be exalted in the heart and in our life too I will be glorified saith the Lord before all the people Lev. 10. 3. One way or other the great Creatour will have glory by all his creatures God made all things for himself the world to be a visible and wonderful declaration of excellent glory so that it is due debt Psal 29. 1 2. Psal 96. 8. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name To walk with God in our whole course to design his glory is the prime mark of our Saint-ship and sincerity This is the white in the mark we should aim at the thing we should pursue resolutely vigorously with all our might Whether we Pray or Preach or read or hear or celebrate Sabbaths or converse exhort or reprove or indeed buy sell plow sow eat drink let it not be done for the World or the interest of the flesh We should have such a high esteem of God and such strong desires and strong affections to him that the pleasing praising and magnifying of of God in all our ways might be our main endeavour Christians you are chosen out of the World to be Gods witnesses if you do not appear for God his honour and interest none will All saith the holy Apostle seek their own Phil. 2. 21. but you are to deny and keep under self which is directly opposite to the honour of your God Wicked men are bold and resolute in a way of sin to bear up the interest of the Prince of darkness and will not you be as active for the interest of your Lord The Martyrs would rather dye then dishonour God who burning with zeal to Gods glory would glorifie him in the very fire God hath made you honourable Isa 43. 4. being Kings and Priests and inrolled you amongst the first born that are written in Heaven You have a place in his heart and a name in his house you are vessels of honour and shall be honoured that we might be to the glory of his grace Your everlasting Father hath mark'd you and set his stamp and seal upon you and put a principle of life within you that we might love him and live unto him The man that refus'd to bear up his deceased brothers name Deut. 25. 9. was to have his face spit on in the face of the Congregation But shame and everlasting contempt will be upon their faces that will not stand up for the honour of the holy God Dan. 12. 2. Christians 't is the sin that reflects dishonour on Gods name therefore allow it not in your selves and prevent it what you can in others Redeem your time and redeem Gods glory your days are evil and you have but a few days for this work do it and God will own you and advance you to a Kingdom Beloved in the Lord though you differ in other things agree in this to glorifie God on Earth that you may with one mind and one mouth glorifie God Rom. 15. 5. Every one that 's godly crying out with holy David Psal 34. 3. O magnifie the Lord with me and let us exalt his Name together 1 Cor. 10. 32. John 14. Ephes 1. 6. As many as are perfect will be thus minded Psal 3. 2. By laying hold upon the present time or now-day of grace for the setling and securing your everlasting state or blessed Eternity Your souls concerns are the greatest yea of infinite moment and the things of Eternity claim a superiority If you purpose to do your souls good you must first seek the Kingdom of God Matth. 6. 33. and take the Kingdom of heaven with violence Matth. 11. 12. Let me dye the death of the righteous or a Lord have mercy on me when you come to dye will not do Numb 23. 10. Mat 25. 11. And know sinner it must be done in this thy day now or never Luke 16. 49. While the door of grace is open before the Bridge be drawn and Mercy gone Isa 55. 6. This must be done 1. By complying with the present call of the Gospel in closing immediately with Jesus Christ and in giving and resigning your selves wholly unto him This is that one thing necessary that must be done speedily to secure your souls to provide for their everlasting welfare Therefore do not procrastinate or delay it for a World 'T is thy grand affair that must make thee or marr thee to Eternity He that believes shall be saved he that believes not is condemned already John 3. 36. John 8. 24. John 1. 12. If you do not now embrace the Lord Jesus upon the great and glorious terms of the Gospel you will as certainly be damn'd as if you were in Hell amongst Devils already 2 Thes 1. 8 9. Heb. 2. 3. and 3. 18. You that want Christ will you welcome Christ saying with thy soul Come in thou blessed of the Lord enter thou King of Glory Psal 24. 7. Thine is the Kingdom take the Throne sit upon the chiefest Chariot take up thy lodging in my heart for ever and suffer not the dead Child to lye in the place of the living Child a dead World and damnable lusts where my Lord should lodge O blessed day and happy hour in which the Heir of Heaven and perishing Sinners meet and are married Here 's a match for you Will you renounce all others Sin the devil and carnal Companions and joyn your self to the Prince of Life Speak the word and the work is done open the door and he will certainly come in and take up his abode for ever All that the Father hath given him shall come to him and him that cometh he will in no wise cast out John 6. 37. Rev. 3. 23. Isa 26. 13. Isa 44. 5. 2 Cor. 8. 5. Acts 16. 30. 2. By repenting without delay This is the second great work in which you must make speed for untill this be done you are in danger every moment of dropping down to Hell Remember the sad story of the woman who when her house was on fire had her Child burned while she was saving some of her goods Sinners your danger is great your opportunities are flying fly you as fast Let me say to thee as the Angel to Lot Gen. 19. 16 17. when in danger of being burned Escape for thy life stay not lest thou be consumed The life and salvation of thy soul cannot be secured without this Acts 11. 18. 2 Cor. 7. 10. Luke 13. 3. Therefore labour to know the plague of thy heart 1 Kings 8. 38. and plow up the fallow ground sow in tears and set about it this instant before this day be ended this Sermon ended lest it should be said of thee as of that woman Jezabel Rev. 2. 21. I gave her space to repent and she repented not and so Gods fury fury come forth like fire and burn and none can quench it Jer. 4. 3 4. 3. By making
it your great business to secure an interest in Christ getting your evidences for heaven bright and clear Christians till you have gotten the pledges and tokens of Gods love to your souls till you are assured of the truth of your faith and the sincerity of your repentance and hereby of the pardon of sin and of your interst in the Lord Jesus you can have little comfort in your souls or boldness towards God Therefore with might and main work out your salvation Phil. 2. 12. Make your calling and election sure that upon certain grounds you may say as the Church Lam. 3. 24. The Lord is my portion faith my soul Doubtless thou art our Father Isa 63. 16. Or as holy Job in his deep affliction Job 19. 25. I know my Redeemor liveth I am thine save me Psal 19. 91. Truely I am thy Servant I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine Cant. 2. 16. Christians this assuring-Faith is attainable pray for it and vigorously press after it that you may be sealed up unto the day of redemption that so an entrance may be ministred unto you into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 1. 10 11. And O how well have they redeem'd their precious time that have secured their never-dying Souls Know this that assurance requires both diligence and perseverance therefore you must be constant in the use of means and lay hold on every opportunity of enjoying the Gospel This your Lord commendeth in Mary calling her attendance on the Word preached a chusing the good part Luke 10. 42. There you will taste the Chrystal streams and view the golden Mines of sound Doctrine and Wells of Salvation This is the place of spiritual wonders where the Dead are raised the Lepers cleansed the eyes of the Blind opened and the Devils ejected Gospel Ordinances are the Golden galleries where the King of glory Walketh The Bed where immortal souls are begotton unto God and in which the broken hearts do travel till Christ be formed in them Through these Golden Pipes the Water of Life is poured out upon thirsty panting souls for the chearing of their spirits Here is the Doctrine preach'd and words whereby thou must be saved Acts 10. Here Christs Mother found him it being the place where the Bridegoom and the Bride meet and solace themselves together Do not forsake the solemn Assemblies remember what Thomas lost by being absent when Christ came O come to the Posts of Wisdom's doors and with empty Pitchers set your selves under the Spouts of the Sanctuary 'T is upon these waters the Angel moves and souls are healed This is the School where all Gods children are taught of God and instructed unto the Kingdom of heaven 3. By improving the present means of Grace for your speedy growth in Grace that so the grain of Mustard-seed might become a great Tree Math. 13. 52. The Christian course is compared to a Race a walk to the morning light 1 Cor. 9. 24. Rom. 8. 1. and therefore you must go on and be progressive whilst you live Believers should be as greedy of grace as the men of the World are of gain because one grain of Grace is more worth then a house full of Gold yea better then Rubies You are compared to Stars to fruitful Trees planted by the Rivers of Water and you should glister and shine in this dark night of hellish profaneness and live down and convince this accusing debauched generation The Trees of the Lord should be full of sap Psal 104. 16. being grafted in the true Olive and under the sweet dews of Heaven you should flourish in the Courts of the Lord and bring forth fruit in old age Psal 92. 12 13 14. Christians keep your Lamps burning and hold on your way that the David of grace may wax stronger and stronger Make no stop but strain to get and keep before that you may win the prize Growth of Grace is required of the highest Gyants as well as the lowest Dwarf in Grace They say of the Crocodile he groweth as long as he liveth and when he ceaseth to grow he ceaseth to live How many poor creeping Christians are there who can hardly keep life and soul together being like the door upon the hinges Prov. 26. 14. and why but because they are come to a pitch and past growth as soon as sprung up above ground If there be the truth of grace there will be an endeavour after the strength of grace where is life there is growth 2 Pet. 2. 2. The path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day Prov. 4. 18. Sirs up and be doing press toward the mark add to your faith vertue to vertue knowledge to knowledge temperance to tempirance patience to patience Godliness that ye be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Be ye therefore stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord. And if you do these things you shall never fall 1 Cor. 15. vers last 2 Pet. 1. 5 6 7 1. 4. By doing all the good we can to others while we have opportunity As we have therefore opportunity let us do good unto all men Hereby we imitate that character of divine goodness Ps 116. 88. Thou art good and dost good Let every one please his neighbour for his good to edification Rom. 15. 2. These four ways ye must do good to others 1. First This must be done especially in your Familiesâ— to them that are more immediately under your charge and for whom you must shortly give an account to the dreadful Judge of quick and dead If Christ be come to thy heart Let Religion be set up in thy house without delay If thou art really gracious be relatively good seeking the profit of many that they may be saved 1 Cor. 13. 33 Sirs if you would not be guilty of soul-blood soul-murther resolve to set up the worship of God in your Families and let Family-work stoop to Family-worship Endeavour to teach thy children and servants to know obey and serve the Lord who is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him If you are the Children of saithful Abraham do as he did and walk in his path John 8. 39. The holy heart-searching God witnesseth of Abraham Gen. 18. 19. I know him that he will command his Children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord. 'T is a great trust to have the care and charge of souls therefore let not your Children and Servants live as they list but command them out of the way of sin which will certainly bring them to Hell O that Parents and Masters of Families would take up holy Joshua's resolution Josh 24. 14. As for me and my House we will serve the Lord. But on the contrary many seem as it were to have banish'd God and the practice of Piety out of their houses as
if Parents and Children Masters and Servants were resolved to serve the Devil and go to Hell John 8. 44. The neglect of Family-duties is a dreadful and provoking sin and that as a Godly Minister said which will untile the house and causeth God to rain curses upon the Table Read and tremble at the Prophets imprecation Jerem. 10. 25. Pour out thy fury upon the Heathen that know the not and upon the Families that call not on thy Name How many Prayerless husbands do give occasion to their Wives to say to them as Zipporah to her husband Exod. 4. 25. A bloody Husband art thou to me Your Wives Children and Servants will sadly bewail it and cry out living or dying O that ever we were married to such husbands born of such Parents bound to such Masters that had no regard to serve God or care of souls If you are Christians indeed let a constant course of reading in the Word Catechising and Prayer be kept up in your houses for when death hath separated you and your relations it will grieve you to the heart that you did no more to further the good of their precious Souls Acts 13. 2 30. 2. By taking all occasions where-ever you are or come to further the conversion of perishing sinners If you have tasted that the Lord is gracious and are taken out of the Iron Furnace as fire brands out of the burning where is your pity and bowels to souls in perils Can you be contented to be happy Jud. 22. and to go to Heaven alone to endeavour by your prayers counsels and examples to perswade and draw others into Heavens way Wicked men are active for the Devil who like Snails leave their slime behind them where ever they come and are emptying the poyson of sin one into the other and so furthering their damnation What multitudes do you see weltring in their blood and making post-hast to Hell whose desperate and deplorable case should excite your compassion and cause you to speak a word in season for their salvation Your Dear Lord whom you should imitate Went about doing good Act. 10. 38. He improved his opportunity John 4. to convert a notorious sinner though weary and thirsty was not careful of hastning the meat because he preferred the opportunity to bring her soul out of Satans snare and so save her When at your Tables or buying or selling or travelling opportunity may be taken to speak of God and the things of God and to leave some conviction upon the company Thus Philip falling in with the Eunuch whilst he was riding on his way homewards from Jerusalem closed with him and was an instrument to save the soul of him he never saw before Act. 8. And by the heavenly discourse that dropped from the mouth of Mr. Carter Pastour of Brainford in Suffolk a Gentlewoman was converted while she was waiting on him in his Chamber warming his Bed A Word spoken in season through Gods blessing may save a soul and it is our duty to endeavour it Mr. Ignatius Jordan of Exeter was exceeding instrumental this way who would go from house to house to put his neighbours in mind of their Soul-concerns Holy David was not afraid or ashamed to speak of God hefore Kings and to tell what God had done for his soul and said he I will teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee Psal 5. 13. for he that converteth a sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death Jam. 5. 20. When at any time your neighbous are sick and under the hand of God take that opportunity to visit them to put them in mind of Death and judgment and to make them sensible of the necessity of Faith and repentance without which there can be no hope of Heaven Our Proverb is To strike while the Iron is hot Upon a bed of languishing when death looks men in the face they seem serious and fit to receive the impression of faithful counsel for their souls To which joyn serious prayer for The prayer of faith saith the Apostle shall save the sick and it may save the soul 3. By provoking and encouraging our fellow-Brethren in the way to heaven West must exhort one another daily while it is called to day Heb. 3. 13. And provoke one another unto love and to good works and so much the more as we see the day approaching Heb. 10. 24 25. Wicked men and the Children of the Devil have their go with us and do stir up one another in the way to Hell and shall not Saints edifie and build up one another in the most holy Faith Rom. 14. 19. 15. 2. 1 John 5. 11. Eph. 4. 26. 1 Cor. 14. 26. Jude 20. They that feared the Lord speak often one to another Mal. 3. 16. Christians ought and should spend that time in serious and profitable discourse which others spend and wast in idle and vain discourse Say with the man after Gods own heart Come all that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul That which you have seen and heard you must declare to one another 1 John 3. 3. Hereby be helping forwards towards Heaven and comforting one another by the comforts wherewith our selves are comforted of God 2 Cor. 1. 4. When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren Luke 22. 32. 4. We must do good to others by distributing to their outward wants and necessities and hereby lay up a treasure in Heaven before our treasure in Earth fail and we lose both Mat. 19. 21. This is to honour the Lord with your substance Prov. 3. 9. This is to make friends with the unrighteous Mammon and to provide your selves bags which wax not old a treasure in the Heaven that faileth not Luke 12. 33. This duty must not be forgotten Heb. 13. 16. because 't is a sowing of seed 2 Cor. 9. 6. and it will spring and bring forth a crop or harvest in this or the other world Eccl. 11. 1 6. God will not forget it Heb. 6. 10. The Lord Jesus will certainly reward it Mat. 25. 40. A well done from Christ hereafter will compensate all the service of well doers here Mat. 25. 31. 5. By labouring to keep up constant communiou with God in all holy duties Christians you may lose time in the very service of God if you are not careful therein to converse with him Take heed of a slight spirit in serious performances God looks upon the heart and most there Some serious preparation is necessary before you approach the presence of the high and holy God Joseph shav'd himself before he would come into Pharaohs presence Let your heaven-born souls in every duty with the love-sick Spouse go out to meet your Lord and taken up with nothing else 'T is not the picture of the husband but the presence of the husband that can satiate the truely loving longing spouse It is a blessed sight to see souls working towards
World and your Hellish lusts have had half your time O let the time past suffice Know your times are in Gods hands Psal 31. 15. So that you are not certain of a day to come therefore begin and make speed in you work And for the gray-headed against whom death hath raised his batteries you can have but a few sands in your glass your departing hour cannot be far your Candle is within the socket and it may be is come to a stinking snuff Do you not see the Keepers of the old rotten house begin to tremble and the strong men bow themselves Expect the next blast the house to fall If you that are leaning on your staves and looking through your spectacles being ready to enter upon Eternity don't mind your work immediately Wo wo be unto you for ever If God should work a spiritual Miracle in converting and pardoning an old grey-headed Sinner that hath been idle till the leventh hour Mat. 20. 6. would it not be matter of amazement and wonder to Men and Angels For the Devil to be cast out of possession after he hath an Inhabitant threescore years and more for such an one to be born again would be strange indeed I have heard of an old man who being really converted not long before his death caused this to be written on his Tomb Here lyeth a very aged man of Three Years Old He reckoned all his time and life before as lost and worth nothing Now that you that have put off God and hazarded your souls so long already might lose no more time consider these motives 1. The present time is Gods time and must be yours 2. God the Righteous Judge will reckon with you for your time 3. You have solemnly promised to redeem it 4. Men take and improve opportunity for other things 5. Satan your deadly enemy is always busie and will lose no time 6. Saving-grace is an active and springing principle 7. Time once had and lost cannot be recalled 8. Cons How they prize time that have lost it 9. God hath joyned Time and Duty together 10. On this moment of Time Eternity depends Motive 1. Consider The present time is Gods and it must be yours Don't you hear the Holy Ghost say It is now high time to seek the Lord and calling to you Come away make speed Hos 10. 12. Delayes and Laziness are the two great Gulphs in which multitudes of souls are drowned and perish How many are now in Hell that purposed and promised to turn to God as you do hereafter O fear and tremble lest it should be your case To enforce this take these few hints 1. The present time hath most Precepts and Gods Commands like warrants in the Kings name must be obeyed on sight thereof We say Must is for the King If thou art young read Eccles 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Psal 95. 6. First seek the Kingdom of God Mat. 6. 33. You must not stay long Hos 13. 13. Bless God and wonder the golden thread of precious time is spin'd out so long 2. It hath most promises and they are great and precious I will receive you saith the Lord. They that seek me early shall find me The present time is an accepted time in which God may be found Psal 32. 6. Now God calls Heb. 3 7. and you may come and welcome John 6. 37. And it will be matter of unspeakable comfort to a man dying looking into Eternity to know he hath done the work for which he had his life and time 3. You have the hest examples And 't is our duty to imitate and follow them who are gone to Heaven before Your dead Lord would lose no time I must do the work of him that sent me while it is day When faithful Abraham was to offer his Son Isaac he made hast Gen. 22. 31. He rose up early in the morning Mary Magdalan came early in the morning to enquire after and to see the Lord Jesus whom her soul loved Mark 16. 2. Motive 2. God the righteous Judge will reckon with you for your time Not onely for your health wealth strength parts graces memories but for every minute of your time If at the day of judgement we must give an account for every idle word much more for so great a Talent so rich a Treasure as Time A Heathen could say that every wise man must tam otii quam negottii rationem reddere give an account of his business and of his idleness You may like fools waste your time neglect your duty and stand out against the call of God but it will cost your dear Eccl. 11. 9. Rejoyce O young man in thy youth and let thine heart chear thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes but know thou for all these things God will bring thee unto judgement The great Landlord of your time is at great expence to continue it Those Luminaries of Heaven over your heads and principally the Prince of all the lights of Heaven the Sun that glorious and mighty Gyant the Prince and Crown of all corporal Creatures do tire and waste as it were their Celestial vigour to beget and give Time Time is so rich a Jewel that God would have one man value it to another If one man had hurt another he was to pay both for his cure and loss of time Exod 21. 18 19. So must you at the great day of account for all your time for every Sermon you have heard for every Sabbath and Sacrament you have had all your days Motive 3. You have all promised to redeem your time The Vows of Jehovah are upon you Say with David I will pay my Vows If the Godly man will perform his promise to his hurt Psal 15. 4. Much more should you for your profit Take the Counsel of the Wise Man Eccles 5. 4 5. When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it pay that which thou hast vowed better it is that thou should not vow then to vow and not pay How often you have engaged your selves to leave your known sins and to live soberly and righteously and Godly in this present World let Conscience witness If you that have resolved to read pray sanctifie the Sabbath c. should still waste and trifle away the time it will not only be a breach of promise but a sin against light for which thy heart will reproach thee and if thine heart condemn thee God is greater then thine heart and knoweth all things 1. John 3. 20. Remember the promises thou didst make at such a Sacrament or when struck at the heart by such and such a Sermon or when death was at thy Family or thy self near unto it and defer not to perform thy Covenant God who is a God of truth will not be mocked and
that you shall know ere it be long Jeptha would perform his vow to God I have said he opened my mouth unto the Lord I cannot go back Judg. 11. 34 35. Herod for his Oath sake murdered John the Baptist Matth. 14. 9 10. How many times hast thou engagest to dedicate and devote thy self to God and his Service therefore say Lord for my promise sake I will sacrifice my self and become thine redeeming my time for thy glory and mine own Salvation Motive 4. Cons Men take and improve opportunities for other things The fittest and best time is taken for buying selling plowing sowing and gathering into Barns and especially in evil and hard times Men will rise early run ride and labour in the very fire as the Prophet speaketh Redeeming the time 't is a Metaphor taken from Merchants that will be early in the Market lest the opportunity of buying the best Commodities should be lost The Proverb is that Time and Tide stay for no man and that we must make Hay while the Sun shineth There 's none but the sluggard will sleep in Harvest the diligent Husband-man will not lose a day then Christians in this great affair of your precious immortal and never-dying souls do as men about other things Millers and Marriners observe and improve every gale of wind yea the Stork in the Heaven the Turtle the Crane and the Swallow know and observe the time of their coming Jer. 8. 7. They that say to day or to morrow we will go into such a City and buy and get gain Jam. 4. 2. will as we say turn every stone and lose no time to buy a good bargain to make a rich purchase and shall we redeem our time and make the best of our spiritual markets to make provision for our souls that are more worth then all the world Motive 5. Satan that Enemy and grand Soul-deluder is always busie He is an active Devil and he loveth to find us idle Christians this old Serpent is never more at work then when we are idle for idleness layeth a man open to all his Hellish Snares and temptations and then if temptations come you are out of Gods way and if Satan find you on his ground he will be too hard for you The Apostle tells us he goeth about and still offers temptations for the wasting of our time This roaring Lyon hath a large circuit for ever since he was cast out of Heaven he hath been going to and fro in the Earth and walking up and down in it John 1. 7. His grand design is to devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. This black Prince loves to prey upon precious souls the soul being that sweet morsel he is still gaping at This Adversary hath his several walks he is in the Shop in the Market in the Street in the Chamber in the Closet and every where where sin is and he is also in the Congregation among the Assemblies of the Saints when they are about spiritual service When Joshua the High-Priest stood before the Lord Satan was standing at his right hand to resist him Zech. 3. 1. This deadly enemy was with Christ and his Disciples at the Passover for there he entred into Judas John 13. 26 27. Therefore Christians we have need to work and watch too The devil that hates you and all mankind doth bestir himself he goeth forth into the broad way of prophaneness and there he tenders and tempts men with sensual objects and he entreth in the by-path of error appearing as an Angel of light and enticeth wanton wits to suck down the poyson of his damnable doctrine And when once he hath injected his poyson into the head how much time is spent in writing and disputing to defend his delusions We read that it was while men slept this enemy Satan came and sowed Tares among the Wheat Matth. 13. 25. 39. He is a working busie Devil never at leisure but is always spreading his Baits and casting his Snares and Nets to catch souls Therefore be ye sober vigilant and watch unto prayer and employ this talent of precious time well Idleness is Satans Shop and the Mother of Mischief David was at leisure and on the roof of his house when Satan prevailed by that sad temptation 2 Sam. 11. 3. Therefore set God alwayes before you keep in his way and be doing your duty that you may be kept from his fiery darts The flying Bird is seldom shot The cautious diligent active soul is most secure Motive 6. Time once gone cannot be recalled Time past is gone for ever Time present if we may so call it is going future Time is most uncertain neither Men or Angels can hinder or stop it turn or bring it back again If opportunities be not now taken they may never be had Be good husbands of your time and work now or you may never work Time's redemption may be your salvation therefore follow and improve the light before darkness overtake you You all know that yesterday or the last hour will never come again If thou hadst as much treasure in thy custody or power as the whole world is worth it cannot purchase one minute of time past You that are old may as easily call back your youth or become young again as recover any part of this precious time Luke 19. 42. Motive 7. The nature of saving-Grace is working and springing up which turneth all the powers and faculties of the Soul Heaven-ward Such is the activity and vigour of this gracious nature that it will bring a man to a What wilt thou have me to do Acts 9. 6. Ephes 2. 10. 'T is not a lazy and languid thing but full of life and power The state of sin in Scripture is described by death and darkness which are a cessation and privation of life and light and motion and the state of Grace is described by life Eph. 2. which is powerful and most vivacious like the Sword of the Lord and Gideon doing great things It is no wonder to see the men of the world that are born after the flesh to be dull sluggish and unactive But you that have a Divine Nature and a Spirit of life and power in your hearts should be diligent and laborious 2 Tim. 1. 6. Rom. 8. 2. This living principle of Grace made the holy Apostle who excited others to redeem their time so to employ his Talent the Grace of God in him made him labour more then they all 1 Cor. 15. 10. The streams of grace that flow into the Soul are called Rivers of Living Water John 7. 31. and a Well of water springing up unto eternal life John 4. 14. So that Christians have greater advantage of doing good and of living to Gods glory Therefore stir up the grace of God that is in you cast off slothfulness and put on diligence and laying aside every weight rejoyce as the Son to run the Race that is set before you Motive 8. Consider How highly they prize time that