the World and the things of the World he draws them away from God and intices them into the way which leads to Hell When he Tempted the Captain of our Salvation he hoped that all the Kingdoms of the World and all the Glory of them would be lookt upon as a considerable offer Mat. 4. And though our Lord disdained the World and commanded the God of it to get behind him yet the offer of the World is taking with the most and therefore our fear and jealousie should be raised The World is apt to seize upon our time and thoughts and love And truly many give the World their whole time they slight Spiritual things as imaginary which yet are most real and pursue after the World all their days and though in old Age they have one foot as it were in the Grave yet their covetousness after it does not abate but is rather augmented When we are prone to lavish out our time upon the World that Scripture should check us 1 John 2. 15 17. Love not the world neither the things that are in the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him The world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever 4. Fear may relate unto our selves Our spirits are treacherous therefore we should fear lest they deal deceitfully with God and with us Our Souls are of great worth therefore we should fear continually while we are in this World lest any wrong be done to them and especially lest they be lost and miscarry for ever If we are sensible of the worth of our own Souls and fear their being injured surely we shall be sensible of the worth of time too and take care that it be improved to the Souls advantage 5. Fear may relate unto our Time We should fear lest it be all gone before our great work is done Oh how fast doth it post away Our glass has been running ever since we were born and 't is nearer and nearer being out every moment and when once 't is out the glass will be taken down and never turned or set up any more Time is painted with wings and is bald behinde should we not fear and catch Time by the forelock The Country-man that saw the River run so fast concluded unreasonably that the water would quickly be all gone then he might go over dryshod But when we behold time running away 't is reasonable to conclude 't will quickly be all gone and therefore should fear dallying and delaying as to that great business for which our time was given us Time is hastening to an end oh let us fear and hasten our escape from the windy Storm and Tempest Let us hasten to the Lord Jesus that we may be reconciled healed and saved let us make hast and not delay to keep Gods commandments Psal 119. 60. It is called to day and to day may be the last call and therefore harden not your hearts any longer Heb. 3. 7 8. In the second place I am to give you the Reasons why our Time should be past in fear 1. This fear will make us watchful and to stand upon our guard and thus to do is for our Interest considering we are militant are engaged in a war with enemies which are powerfull and unwearied and exceeding watchfull to take all advantages against us The great Captain gives this Word Watch unto all the Saints and Souldiers Mar. 13. ult What I say unto you I say unto all Watch. 2. This fear should make us Pray And to how good an account does that Time turn which is spent in the duty of prayer The Devil dreads Prayer God is delighted with it and how is the soul both pleased and profited He that gives himself to prayer gives himself unto God and what will God deny to such an one 3. This fear will make Time to be redeemed former negligence will be lamented and diligence for the future doubled 4. This fear will cause us to work out our own Salvation and to depend on God to work in us both to will and to do and then we shall will sincerely then we shall work to purpose Phil. 2. 12 13. Vse I. Of reproof to wicked men who insteed of passing their Time in fear are most sottishly and securely prodigal of it If an house be lost by fire if a ship be lost by Sea if an Estate be lost by fraud or if an husband wife or childe be lost by death how passionately are these losses talked off But the loss of Time who laments Secure souls look upon this loss as not worth taking notice of Consider O transgressours and shew your selves men Is it reasonable for you to squander away your Time still who have not one sin pardoned who have not set one step in heavens way who have not done the least work for God and who have not made any the least provision for Eternity Vse II. It serves to inform us of the wisdom as well as happeness of those who fear always Prov. 28. 14. Happy is the man that feareth alwayes but he that hardneth his heart shall fall into mischief They are indeed the fools who were not afraid that sin and the world should have their time and Hell and the Devil their Souls but they are truly wise that fear God and employ their time in keeping his commandments for this is the whole of man Vse III. Of Exhortation Let me perswade all to pass the time of your sojourning here in fear Let the time past of your life suffice to have made provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts of it and be prevailed with to live the rest of your time in the flesh not to the lusts of men but unto the will of God 1 Pet. 4. 2 3. I. Consider when you are tempted fearlessly to mispend time what apprehensions others have of time 1. Some perhaps are upon a sick bed their consciences awakened and in a raging manner reproaching them with their folly in counting time no more precious they are upon the brink of despair and ready to conclude that the day of grace is past and the mercy of the Lord clean gone for ever Oh mihi praeteritos referat si Jupiter annos they wish they had their dayes to live over again that God and Christ their souls and heaven might have more of their time and pains and labour 2. How many serious Christians may be upon their knees when thou art triâ—ling thy time away they are spending theirs in prayer and supplication with strong crying and tears they lament their sin they wrestle earnestly for pardon and grace oh with what violence do they cry to be delivered from the bondage of corruption and from eternal condemnation they do not put the evil day far from them but take care to use all the time well before it comes that it may not come upon them as a snare at unawares Luk.
may this present time be called an accepted time for while this lasts Christ may be accepted by the Sinner and the Sinner returning with his whole heart will be accepted and received by the Father 1. Christ may be accepted by the Sinner He is seriously and generally offered the Gospel is to be preached to every creature All this day long he stretches forth his hand even to them that are disobedient and gainsaying Rom. 10. ult The Fountain in the Gospel is an open Fountain all that thirst are invited to come Rev. 22. 17. The Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth say come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him drink of the waters of life freely And as the thirsty may come for Satisfaction so the defiled may come for Sanctification Christ is now preached Christ is now tendered and to as many as receive him he will be made Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption 2. During this accepted time the sinner returning will be accepted and received by the Father Prodigals though they come home in Raggs and urged by Necessity being ready to perish in the farr Country yet shall not find the door shut against them The Father exceedingly rejoiced when his Riotous Son first came to himself and then came home Luk. 15. 32. It was meet that we should make merry and be glad for this thy Brother was dead and is alive again he was lost and he is found The greatness of Guilt the most abominable Defilements shall not be an impediment unto a sinners reception if he confesses his Wickedness and looks to Jesus and consents to be cleansed as well as pardoned Isa 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts let him be willing to be made Holy in his Conversation and pure in his very Heart also and let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him and to our God and he will abundantly Pardon 4. The Time that is afforded us is a time of Salvation 2 Cor. 6. 2. Behold now is the day of Salvation therefore receive not the Grace of God in vain the tidings of salvation should be very welcom to lost sinners nothing more suitable nothing more needful unto such then salvation and the more sad it is to be lost and to perish to Eternity the more should that Everlasting salvation which the Gospel does reveal be valued Now is the onely time to repent and believe and receive the onely Saviour who delivers from sin and wrath to come if once any dye in their sins there is no comming unto Christ to make peace afterwards We read in Scripture of a middle wall of partition and of a gulph fixed the middle wall of partition that sin has made between God and the sinner though it be high and great yet upon Faith and Repentance it will be broken down Ezra acknowledges that their Iniquities were increased over their heads and their Trespass was grown up to the Heavens Ezra 9. and yet they were pardoned But hereafter a gulph will be fixed and fixed Eternally and then salvation will be impossible Luk. 16. 26. And besides this there is a great gulph fixed between us and you so that they who would passe from hence to you cannot neither can they pass to us that would come from thence 5. The Time that is afforded us is the last time 1 John 2. 18. Little Children it is the last time Oh be not so spiritually childish as to play and sin it all away In the Original it runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is the last hour to shew how quickly it will be at a perpetual end so as no more is to be expected Shortly the Oath will be swore that there shall be time no longer Rev. 10. 6. If you prodigally lavish out your present time of Life and Grace you will indeed have an Eternity to lament your Folly and Madness in but you shall never be turned into the World again nor trusted with a season and means of Grace and Salvation any more And since it is the last time we should conclude that we have none to spare for sin and that we have none to spend in vain In the Second place I am to inform you to what end Time is afforded us in this World 1. That we may seek the Lord. He looks down from Heaven to see if any do understand and seek God Psal 14. 2. And surely all that do understand God or themselves will seek him with their whole Heart Now he is near and may be found this is great encouragement to seek Isa 55. 6. Seek the Lord while he may be found and call upon him while he is near Psal 105. 4. Seek the Lord and his strength seek his face evermore Time is given us to seek his favour to turn to him in whom our health and happiness lies What is there in this world that deserves our pursuit Methinks when we are eager after wealth and pleasures we are just like Children runing after Feathers and Bubbles blown up in the air But if we seek the Lord we shall find that he is good nay that he is Best Communion with him will cause the fullest joy they shall have abundant cause to praise the Lord that seek him and their hearts shall live for ever Psal 22. 26. 2dly Time is given us that we may obtain liberty by Jesus Christ And if he make us free we shall be free indeed He can deliver us from condemnation and from the guilt of sin which makes us liable thereunto He can redeem us from the curse of the law and rescue us out of the hand of Satan who is compared to a strong man armed and who leads all impenitent Sinners captive at his pleasure He can redeem us from the bondage of Corruption which is worse than the bondage in Egypt or Babylon And now is the time to obtain redemption The price is already paid all that we have to doe is to come to Christ to receive him and to resign our selves to him that the redemption which he has purchased may be applied 3dly Time is given us that we may seek an inheritance in another world that we may seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality A Kingdom is revealed to us on purpose that we may be violent and take it by force In a short time how many Kingdoms did Alexander the Great Conquer But a better and more Glorious and Lasting Kingdom should be in our Eye And it should be our great design that our time may end in a blessed Eternity 4thly Time is given us that by Grace and Holiness we may be made meet for Glory Grace does not indeed merit Heaven but it makes us meet to be admitted thither When we are delivered from the Power of darkness and translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God when we walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being
fruitfull in every good work and increase in the knowledge of God then we are making meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1. 10 11 12 13. Now follows the Application Vse I. Is time afforded us Let us be thankfull for 't is a talent of great value Oh how much may be gain'd in time So much as may cause praises and rejoycing to Eternity Peace may be now made with God Sanctifying grace may be now wrought and a title unto and assurance of Glory may be now obtained The triumphant Saints what improvement did they make of time when they were in the world and what bright Crowns do they now wear God hath dealt otherwise with Man then he did with the Apostate Angels no time at all between their Sin and Punishment He spared not the Angels that sinned but immediately cast them down to Hell and delivered them into chains and darkness to be reserved unto the Judgment of the great day 2 Pet. 2. 4. There was no door of hope opened to them no offer of grace no reprieve granted no time or season of mercy allowed them but they fell like lightning suddenly remarkably and by such a force that they could not withstand and that from the highest Heaven to the lowest Hell The Devil envies sinfull man his time and would fain steal it from him therefore Man should be the more thankfull for it and be the better Husband of it Vse II. If time be afforded us here in this world then we should be the more vigilant least it be stolen away from us A great many theives of time there are which we should watch against The works of darkness require time to do them in Ungodly company how much time do they consume Impertinent and corrupt communication causes hours to pass away unsensibly which can never be recalled Sinfull thoughts unruly passions wicked projects worldly cares speculative filthiness and uncleanness ambitious and covetous designes oh what insatiable cormorants are all these of precious time Most lose both time and souls by such things as these therefore Watch and Pray that your time may be better employed then to be wasted all of it so contrary unto the end for which it was vouchsafed namely unto Gods dishonour and your own destruction Vse III. If time only be afforded here in this world then surely we have enough to do with it The Favour of God is to be intreated The Nature is to be changed innumerable lusts are to be mortified Satan is to be resisted who is subtle powerful and unwearied in his assaults The World is to be Conquered Self is to be denied and overcome The Heart is to be watch'd and kept with all diligence because so Treacherous and Deceitfull Many Ordinances are to be engaged in and in every ordinance we should be sincere and spiritual The Commands of God are exceeding broad and yet we must have respect unto them all Every Relation calls for Duty and every Duty should be filled with Grace We have Souls that are of great worth and in great danger to save We have Hell to escape Heaven to secure and Eternity to provide for Surely Here 's work enough to do Hippocrates of old complained in the beginning of his Aphorisms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Art was long but Life was short but much more to the purpose may it be said that a Christians work is long and great but his time is short to do it in Where is loytering then it is excluded Surely foolish as well as cursed is he that wasts his time and neglects to do his main work or does it negligently Doct. 2. The second Doctrine follows which is this A Christians time is a time of Sojourning David lookt upon himself as no other then a Sojourner and confesses that all his Fathers were so before him Psal 39. 12. Hear my prayer O Lord give ear unto my cry hold not thy peace at my tears for I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my Fathers were A Christians time may well be called a time of Sojourning For while he is in this World He is absent from his own Country His heart is upon his Country He is going towards his Country And it will not be long ere he be arrived safe in his Country 1. While the Christian lives here he is absent from his Country The time of Sojourning is in the Original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now they are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sojourn who are Strangers in another country and are not yet come to their desired home Christians are not of this World but in regard of their new Nature they are born 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above Joh. 3. 3. Christ speaks thus concerning his Disciples They are not of the World even as I am not of the World Sanctifie them through thy truth thy word is truth Joh. 17. 16 17. The Christian before his Conversion is a stranger to God and a forreigner but assoon as ever he is regenerated he is chosen out of the World and becomes a stranger in it and is made a Fellow-citizen with the Saints and of the houshold of God Eph. 2. 19. In regard of his new Birth he is of Heavenly extraction God is his Father the Heavenly Jerusalem his Mother his Inheritance and Mansion is above and while at home in the body he is absent from the Lord and from his Mansion and can never be at rest till he has left the body and is present with the Lord in those Mansions which he is gone to prepare 2. While the Christian lives in this World his Heart is upon his Country His Treasure is there no wonder if his heart be there also Mat. 6. 21. There are many indeed who walk as Enemies to the cross of Christ whose end is Destruction whose God is their Belly whose glory is in their shame and who mind earthly things But the sincere Christian his Conversation is in Heaven Phil. 3. 18 19 20. His Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen and by the eye of Faith he looks within the Vail and rejoyceth in hope of the Glory of God He sees his Salvation approaching nearer and nearer every day under all his heaviness he comforts himself with that joy which is set before him and he patiently labours and is unwearied though he abounds in the work of the Lord knowing that his labour will not be in vain for all his pains will be fully and for ever recompenced by that rest that remains for the People of God Heb. 4. 9. 3. The Christian is continually going towards his Country This World is the Inn where he lodges the way where he passes but his face is towards Zion Just like our Lord who though he passed through a Village of the Samaritanes yet set his face stedfastly towards Jerusalem Luk. 9. 51 52 53. All the good actions of a
down the presence of the creature should not lift you up 'T was observed concerning an Heathen that being banished by an ungratefull Country and afterwards recalled he went and came back with the same countenance neither was his sorrow excessive when he went nor his joy when he returned but there was an unchanged evenness in his spirit though there was so great a change in his condition It was a notable saying of Seneca Res severa est gaudium Joy is a very serious thing therefore 't is unreasonable to rejoyce in a thing of nought Worldly joy is madness and carnal mirth what doth it If you rejoyce barely because you prosper in the world and increase in Riches and have sensual delights at command of how little a matter makes fools merry Many that are despairing in Hell were once thus merry as well as you Oh let your joy be turned into a right Channel Reioyce in God and his great goodness rejoyce and work righteousness rejoyce in Christ Jesus here 's no danger of excess though joy be unspeakable and full of Glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. 4. You that buy be as though you possessed not Why should your hearts be glued to an estate why should you stick fast in the thick clay Riches are not for ever neither doth a Crown endure to every Generation You brought nothing into this world and 't is certain you can carry nothing out 1. Tim. 6. 7. You present substance is not enduring and therefore though you have it in your hands let it not get into your heart David Cautions If Riches increase set not your hearts upon them Psal 62. 10. they are uncertain Riches at the best That is a Scripture which should wean the heart from an estate and draw it unto God Psal 39. 6 7. Surely every man walketh in a vain shew surely they are disquieted in vain he heepeth up Riches and knoweth not who shall gather them And now Lord what wait I for my hope is in thee 5. You that use this world should take heed of abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Cor. 7. 31. Licitus perimus omnes Take heed of perishing by the abuse of those things the use of which is lawfull It is said concerning the Old World before the Flood came and concerning Sodom and Gomorrha before there overthrow by Fire and Brimstone they eat they drank they bought they sould they planted they builded they married and were given in marriage Luke 17. 26. 30. None of these things were in themselves unlawfull but they were to eager after them their hearts were so set upon them that God and Duty and Heaven were neglected and they grew secure in their Earthliness and Wickedness and then followed sudden and signal ruine and destruction 6. Since your time is short and but a time of sojourning by your serious diligence declare plainly that you seek a better Country than is to be found on earth By your pains and striving convince a careless world thaâ— Heaven does not deserve to be neglected Imitate those worthy and believing Strangers and Pilgrims of old whom the Apostle speaks of Heb. 11. 14 15 16. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a Country and truly if they had been mindfull of that Country from whence they came out they might have had opportunity to have returned but now they desire a better Country that is an Heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City Be not slothfull but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises A Crown an Eternal Inheritance a Kingdom is before you Be not weary in well doing Fight the good Fight of Faith lay hold on Eternal life hold fast and hold out unto the end that no man take your crown from you Rev. 3. 11. Doct. 3. I come unto the third and last Doctrine which is this our time of sojourning is to be past in fear Fear is a grace of so great necessity and usefulness that sometimes it is put for the whole of Religion Job 28. 28. Vnto man he saith behold the fear of the Lord that is Wisdom Religion is the truest wisdom in the World and to depart from evil is understanding As nothing can be done acceptably without faith so nothing can be done seriously without fear We must feed our selves in fear we must worship in fear and pass our time in fear In the handling of this Doctrine I shall first speak concerning this fear and secondly give you good reasons why our time is to be past in fear and then conclude with the Uses In the first place I am to speak concerning this fear And 1. Fear may relate unto God We ought to sanctifie him in our hearts by making him our fear and by making him our dread 'T is excellent counsel of Solomon Prov. 23. 17 Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long We should set God alwaies before us and stand in awe of him perpetually this would make us to walk exactly and look better to our wayes and hearts At all times believe that you are observed by an allseeing eye believe that God is all powerfull as well as allseeing and that he is infinitely pure and holy and righteous as well as powerfull so that he can take no pleasure in wickedness but hates all the workers of iniquity Remember that God is Testis Judex Vindex a witness of all that 's done at present He will judge the world in righteousness and he will take vengeance on them that know not God and who disobey the Gospel Nay let his very goodness stirr up fear in you lest you miss of that goodness and least slighted goodness end in the sorest and greatest severity Let that Prophecy be accomplished in you Hos 3. 5. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter dayes 2. Fear may relate unto Satan We ought to be jealous and afraid lest that evil One rob us of this Treasure of Precious Time He had never any time of Mercy granted to him therefore he envies ours and indeavours to hinder our Repentance though we have space to Repent in We that have such an Adversary to deal with who has so many Wiles and Devices to bring about our ruine and who if he can but make us trifle out our present time will compass his end which is our Eternal Destruction it certainly concens us to have our eyes in our heads to be sober and vigilant and to resist him being stedfast in the Faith and there should be a continual fear lest we be beguiled through his subtlety 1 Pet. 5. 8 9. 2 Cor. 11. 3. 3. Fear may relate unto this World The World is so suitable unto the senses and fancies of men that 't is the great Engine which the Prince of the Power of the Air uses to batter Souls with with this bait he catches them By