of the diligent maketh rich Prov. 10. 4. I heard of one who being a prisoner in a dark dungeon when the light was brought to him for a little time to eat his diet would pull out his Bible and read a Chapter saying he could find his mouth in the dark but no read in the dark An Argument that he made conscience of redeeming his time Sirs to be watchful diligent laborious in the faithful improvement of all your time talents gifts graces is the thing here intended The precept is for labour Luke 13. 24. 2. Pet. 1. 10. And the diligent in duty hath the promise of the Glory Heb. 11. 9. To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternal life Rom. 2. 7. 2. What time must be redeemed Answ All time Time is so precious that not any of it must be lost The whole time of our life must be imployed either about our souls in the service of God or in the works of our callings or in order thereunto Particularly 1. The time of youth 2. The time of health and strength 3. The time of affliction 4. The time of Gospel 5. The time of the Sabbath or the Lords day in special must be redeemed 1. First The time of youth must be redeemed The great God stands much upon priority to have the first and best The first ripe fruits the first that openeth the womb O then offer the Isaac of thy youth the spring and flower of thy age to God and stay not until the evil day Begin first with him from whom thou hast thy being go about the grand affair and work of thy dear and never dying soul before thou dost ingulf thy self in the cares of this world Resolve to present the first ripe fruits to that good and gracious God who desireth the first ripe fruits In the bright morning of thy life match thy soul to the King of glory and become his Bride before thou art defloured and defiled by sin and the World If the Celestial seeds of grace be sown in the morning the pleasant and sweet flowers springing out of these seeds will invite the Lord Jesus to come and walk in his Garden Cant. 5. 1. If thou would be the Temple of the Holy Ghost let him that made the house be the first and chief Inhabitant and suffer not thy heart to be a habitation for Dragons and Devils which will be thine undoing to all eternity You young-men and young-women know that the infinitely gracious God holds out the Golden Scepter and inviteth you to come unto him The ruddy David the Child Samuel the young Timothy God calls 1 Samuel 1. 11 12. 1 Sam. 3. 10. 1 Tim. 4. 12. and the sooner you come the better it will be Say then this instant behold we come thine we are thine we will be come now and take thine own God will accept you and take it kindly his arms and bosom are open to you Jer. 2. 2 3. I remember the kindness of thy youth the love of thine Espousals when the first fruits was Holiness to the Lord. If you would have the respect and kindness of a God offer unto him the finstlings of the flock Gen. 4. 4. viz. thy youthful days If a company of aged feeble persons or cripples were tendered to the King for service he would not accept them 1 Sam. 14. 52. Mal. 1. 8 13 14. David from his youth and Josiah while he was young began to seek the Lord Psal 71. 17. 2 Chron. 34. 3. Young men if you receive the seed of Grace in the morning of your age it will take the deeper root and impression upon your hearts and cause you to bring forth fruit in old age Cloth will keep color best that 's dyed in the Wool and the Vessel will scent longest of that liquor with which it is first seasoned O then Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth Eccl. 12. 2. 2. The time of health and strength is to be improved You that are now strong and lively must not expect to be so always You as well as others must count upon diseases sickness weakness which will confine you to your Houses Chambers and Bed Now then while your strength and health of body and natural vigour is continued be mindful of your work and time The great duties and difficulties in Heavens way are set forth by striving Wrestling fighting running which requires the best of our time and most of our strength Can a sick and weak man run so as to obtain or so strive and conflict as to overcome judge ye King Saul chose the strong and valiant for his service 'T is the strong must run the race Psal 19. 4. and the young must overcome the evil one 1 John 2. 14. If a man had a business of great concernment or a matter of life and death that requireth time strength and diligence for the doing of it and should omit it until he were stricken in years or until sickness and weakness invade him every one would be ready to charge him with folly If a Carrier amongst many stout strong Horses hand one poor lame sick Horse and should lay the burden of the greatest weight and worth upon that poor weak jade we should conclude that either he was cruel or that he wanted the understanding of a man This is our case the great affair of Immortal souls requireth time strength diligence and all little enough And shall we charge the whole stress of our everlasting state upon a few days sickness and weakness before our death God forbid Eccles 12. 3 4. 3. The time of affliction must be redeemed Christians in the day of adversity we must consider Eccles 7. 14. it was the time of Jacob's trouble when the Apostle exhorted believers to redeem the time God speaks by his rod as well as by his Word to both which we must have an ear God sometimes teacheth his as Gideon the men of Succoth Judg. 8. 16. with Thorns and Bryars of the wilderness Let the affliction be of what kind or degree soever either upon our Persons Names Estates Families Church or Kingdom yea and of long continuance we are to look upon it as from God and for our good For every affliction speaks to us in the Language of Ehud to Eglon I have a message unto thee from God And God will reckon with us for the rods he lays upon us I shall speak more to this in another place 4. The time of the Gospel must be redeemed Gospel time is our spiritual harvest and it is notorious folly to sleep or loiter in Harvest The time of the Gospel is a time indeed viz. a time of light a time of love a time of life a time of liberty Now the trumpet of Jubilee soundeth and all debts and morgages may be taken up and released Here 's liberty for the poor Captives and the opening of the Prison to them that are bound
you will be eternally undone Whilst it is called to day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts Do not spend so freely of this swift and precious stream of Time every drop of which hath an influence upon Eternity Knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep The night is far spent the day is at hand cast off therefore the work of darkness and put on the Armour of light Let us walk honestly as in the Day not in Rioting and Drunkenness not in Chambering and Wantonness not in Strife and Envying but put you on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the Flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof Rom. 13. 12 13 14. 6. If Time and every part and moment of it must be improved this serves to confute those that reproach serious diligence in Duty as a needless thing If the business of our immortal soul did not require great care and diligence why doth Paul here enjoyn us to walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Christians 't is your wisdom to know your work and the time to do it There 's no trifling about eternity now is the day for the things of your peace let it not be hid from your eyes It will be very sad when you are passing into the other World to see that you have all your life time been sowing the wind Use 2. Examination Try whether you are redeemers of time or not Reflect upon what I have said and thy Conscience will tell thee thou hast spent more of thy time in sin and vanity How fruitful are thy duties Are thy hours for God Do Time and Duty go hand in hand Maist thou not cry out many a time Diem perdidi daily I lose a day Examine your selves don't silence stop the mouth of Conscience if so it will cry aloud another day Let me ask you these few questions 1. Have you seriously bewail'd the loss of time and begg'd the pardon of it 2. Have your souls sincerely closed with Jesus Christ and freely and fully given up and resigned your selves to him to be his for ever 3. Do the great concerns of Gods glory and your salvation bear down all before them Canst thou say though I follow my Calling and take care for my Family yet I am most solicious about my everlasting condition whether they be pleasures or profits I can say Pleasures of sin be gone world stand by There is a God to serve and honour I have a soul must be sanctified and saved I have a short time to redeem I have a debt to pay an account to give a Sentence to receive an Eternity to live This is not to be slighted I must and will save my soul Hell iI most intollerable and eternal 4. Will you now promise and stand to it that for the future you will trade more for eternity and get better evidences for Heaven Go about the work of Faith and repentance speedily lest death should call and you not ready Use 3. Of Lamentation That Professors should bo so far from redeeming of time or of doubling their diligence that they neglect their duty I may cry out with the Prophet call for the mourning women for who is not guilty in this kind Amos 5. 16. Sirs for this should our souls mourn in secret places the serious consideration of which is enough to fetch blood from our hearts and flood of tears from our eyes How little care is taken in spending that well which when it is gone we have no hope it can be restored to us again Do not you complain of the want of time seeing you waste time There are many poor frivolous excuses the Servant will say that he hath a hard cruel Master the wife complains of her wicked Husband the Child of his Ungodly Father another of the poverty of his Family he can spare no time Whoever pretends the want of time let me tell thee Thou hast a carnal dead sinful slothful heart the cause of all Hast thou not time for every other thing namely a time for eating drinking sleeping potting piping playing and none for Heaven Can you rise early go to bed late and eat the bread of carefulness to get the meat that perisheth and find no time for God and your Souls will this excuse thee another day thou careless ignorant deluded soul Your Corn Cattel your Sheep your Swine your Hawks your Horses and Dogs are cared for but for the better part there 's no care at all Wilt thou tell the great and terrible Judge at the last day I would have been saved but I had no time There are many that eat their bread by the sweat of their brows that take time for their souls who will be brought in as witnesses against you at the last day Will you squander away your time and the days evil and opportunities for your souls hardly come at O consider it 's high time to awake out of sleep Exhortation to redeem Time Use 4. You have heard what it is to redeem time and how time must be redeemed Now let all resolve without delay to put this so necessary a Duty into practise Let young ones resolve upon it and the middle-aged with the hoary-heads Tender unto thy God the cream and flower of thy age and time and think it not too soon In things of far less moment you are for hast and speed If you were starving for want of bread you would think every hour long till you had a supply If your bodies were tortured and tormented with pain and sickness would you think that ease and health might come too soon If a man were in the Sea near sinking can a Boat come to soon Or can a condemned Malefactor receive his pardon too soon hast thou lived without God and Satan's Slave and in danger of dropping into Hell fifteen or twenty years and canst thou get into Christ to secure thy immortal soul too soon Hast thou not been the Devils too long already Suppose thou hadst dyed in thy Christless state where had thy soul been Is is not better to be the Lord's servant then Satan's Slave Ask the Godly man that hath made tryal and he will tell thee The sooner thou art in a state of Grace the fitter thou wilt be for glory Make speed in thy work do thy spiritual business thy wages is sure and thou shalt be blessed Consider there was never any one repented living or dying that they were the Lords and converted betimes And for you that have past the time of youth in the satisfying youthful lusts and liv'd it may be thirty forty or fifty years in a course of sin and vanity is it not more then time for you to bethink your selves In so many years you have made sad work who can tell how often you have offended that have been profane Swearers Drunkards Lyars Sabbath-breakers so long if you were certain of living so many years to come yet the Devil the
'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
look to your near and dear Relations for whom you expose your selves to so much pain care and trouble Look to Abraham your Father and to Sarah that bare you as the Prophet speaketh in another case to your Husbands Wives Children Parents Friends Neighbours Magistrates Ministers are these for ever No Many of them are gone down to the dark Valley already and shall return no more or look to those brave Heroes Alexander Caeser Pompey and where are they are they not all conquered by the King of terrors and held in the Prison of the Grave for many hundred years Look to your Silver Gold Pearl Perfumes costly Cabinets stately Structures Princes Pallaces are these for ever No They are corruptible things and cannot deliver in the day of the Lords wrath Kings Palaces are desolate places ready to become a heap Crowns are translated from head to head Scepters pass from one hand to another and Kingdoms have their rise and they have their ruine And will you sell your precious souls for pelf and transitory trash which indeed is more in expectation then in fruition consider how little that is worth for which you run the dreadful hazard of losing Heaven But now if you are Believers lift up your eyes to the everlasting Hills and put the Eagles eye of Faith within the Vail there 's the Ancient of Days God your Father the chiefest good and highest happiness there is Christ your dear Redeemer the Prince of Glory and a House not made with hands eternal in the Heavens and upon the favour of God the love and Righteousness of Christ you may see Eternity Again turn your eyes inward to the hidden man of the heart is there the seed of God or impress of his Image and the Divine Nature 1 John 3. 9. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Is there an active living springing principle of Grace John 4. 14. On this thou maist read Eternity Grace is the Heir of glory every drop of which runs into the Ocean and nothing else can befriend you For the things that are seen are temporal but the things that are not seen are eternal 2 Cor. 4. 18. 5. Consider which of the two Eternities you are going towards I would have you deeply and seriously consider That there is one place for the Sheep and another for the Goats one place for the Righteous and another for the Ungodly one place for Believer and another for Unbelievers one place for the Dead and another for the Living An eternal Night or eternal Day eternal Pains or eternal Pleasures eternal Bliss or eternal Burning an eternal Life or eternal Death an eternal Heaven or an eternal Hell Now Sinners stop here and consider unto which of the two do you belong Have you any certainty of a blessed and glorious Eternity that Heaven not Hell will be your place and portion for resolving of which consider and answer to these Queries Have you unfeignedly believed repented and turned to God with the renting of your hearts and resigned your whole souls to him do you find your hearts affectionately and venemently carried out to Jesus Christ so as not to be satisfied without Union and Communion with him Is Jesus Christ the Beloved and Darling of your Souls Have you being sensible of what you have done against him and of your unworthiness of him by a deep and heart humiliation laid a Foundation for Heaven and Happiness You must Sow before you can Reap and they that Sow in tears shall Reap in joy Psal 126. 5. Are you Heaven-born or born after the flesh only If by a sound work of conversion you are become new creatures indeed 2 Cor. 5. 17. It is well stand and wonder at amazing mercy if not fear and tremble for if you fail here you are utterly undone for ever Further are you risen with Christ or dead in trespasses and Sins Eph. 2. 1. Are you partakers of the first resurrection or are you in your graves rotting stinking in your sins being past feeling are you truely at odds with Sin and every sin or do you take pleasure in unrighteousness are you for Godliness in the life and power of it and is there no reigning allowed sin in your hearts and ways doth sin and every sin look ugly feel heavy taste bitter and no Idol of the heart to keep Christ out of his Throne no secret sin lived in against Conscience Do you pray and desire to live in the fear and as under the eye of God making conscience of secret sins and of secret duties with a sincere respect to Gods glory and your own good doth the heart-searching God find you in your Closets on your knees morning and evening pouring out your souls before him every one that is Godly will pray Psal 32. 6. Are you crucified to the World or do your souls cleave unto the dust have you a Treasure in Heaven or treasure in the Field onely Have you bought the Pearl or are you content with Pebbles Who are your Associates The Devils Herd or Christs Flock are you companions for Swine and filty Dogs the World of Ungodly or of the Doves and Lambs of Christ whose mark have you the mark of Sheep viz. Holiness humility innocency or the mark of Goats viz. Lust Pride and uncleanness who keeps the Throne the King of Saints or the God of this World do your hearts and lives speak Heaven Heaven Heaven or Hell Hell Hell Hell is not more the place of the devil then the heart of a wicked man Can you look upwards and say Our Father â—hich art in Heaven or must you look down-werd and say Our Father which art in Hell How can you take comfort in any thing of this World that are like to be unspeakably and eternally miserable in the other World Suppose you had as much of the Riches Pomp and glory of the World as any man that ever liv'd upon the face of the Earth If you could say this Crown this Kingdom this Countrey is mine this Gold this Silver or this Shop these Goods this Manner this Farm these Fields these Flocks this Corn these Cattle and these Mines these Pearls these Jewels are mine what would all avail you if your souls are the Devils Now how stands the case of your precious souls are they secured have you made a real preparation for death and judgement or left all undone Are you vessels of honour prepared unto Glory or Vessels of wrath fitted for destruction Rom. 9. 22 23. Let conscience speak commune with your hearts Psal 4. 4. Consider your ways Hag. 1. 5. Search and try your selves Lam. 3. prove your own work examine your selves whether you are in the Faith 2 Cor. 13. 5. Whatsoever you sow you shall certainly reap Gal. 6. 7 8. And in the place where the Tree falleth there it shall lye Eccl. 11. 13. If it falleth to the North it lyeth to the North if it falleth towards the South it lyeth towards the South If you live and dye towards
in your ears as thorns darts and swords in your flesh as poyson in your bowels as fire in your bones to compel and force you speedily tocurb and check the reins of your hellish lusts that you so might five from wrath to come Did you but view that dark and cold grave and hot hell that is so neer you would rather starve or dye then run to that excess of riot you could not sleep and snort dance and sport upon the pits brink under such a consideration But forget all this banish the thoughts of God death and hell and you will run and rush into sin as the horse into battel Luk. 12. 45 crying peace peace till danger death and destruction cometh 1 Thes 5. 3. This was that mighty sin that ripened Jerusalem for ruine and brought her down wonderfully her filthiness is in her skirts she remembreth not her last end The Lord complaineth by the Prophet Isaiab of the same thing Israil doth not know my people doth not consider but what follows ah sinful Nation a people laden with iniquity a seed of evil doers they have forsaken the Lord they have provoked the holy one of Israel compare Lam. 1. 9. Isa 1. 3. 4 But he that doth that which is lawful and right shall save his soul alive who is that he that considereth and turneth away from all his transgressions that he hath committed he shall save his soul whosoever doth perish that man shall never perish Ezek. 18. 14. 28. Reas 4. The consideration of your latter and will be a powerful incentive to make you exert and put forth the greatest industry in a way of duty yea it will certainly have an influence upon all our duties and upon all our graces for considering and doing are frequently joyn'd together Psal 41. 1. Prov. 31. 16. she considereth a field and buyeth it I thought on my wayes or considered my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Psal 119. 59. Lam. 3. 40. Heb. 10 This if any thing will make you serious diligent and constant in any duty and to work while it is day before the night cometh wherein no man can work The Apostle exhorts to consider one another to provoke to love and good works and so much the more as ye see the day approaching Heb. 10. 24 25. The remembrance of the day of our death and of our passing into eternity with a deep impression of it upon the heart will be as a voice of thunder speaking to the secure sensless sinner awake awake thou that sleepest open thine eys stand upon thy feet and behold and see what a sea of blood and wrath is here See and beleive beleive and consider consider and fear fear and fly and make hast in thy work Thy work is great and weighty diversions are many adversaries are strong thy strength is small thy time is short thy account is great death and judgement are at the door therefore up and be doing now or never You slow and slothful souls Let your apparent and inevitable danger suddenly provoke and spur you unto your duty to seek the Lord in a time accepted before the door of life beshut God with-drawn and mercy quite gone The prophanest Sea-man will sigh mourn pray promise vow if death and danger looks him in the face when the ship was like to be broken and death threatned immediately to surprize them the Marriners were sore afraid and cryed every one to his God And this the very light of nature dictated to the ship-master though a Heathen that then it was no season to sleep what meanest thou O sleeper arise and call upon thy God if so be that God will think upon us that we perish not Joneh 1. 6. and the most notorious thieves and murderers will pray in prison or when they come to the Gallows the place of execution When the most righteous Judge sent his destroying Angels to the City of London and other places in the year 65. for the dreadful fear of which many thousands did flye and many thousands did fall viz. the carkases of men like dung upon the ground and as handfuls after the Harvest man When death did knock at a thousand doors in one night Owhat confessing of sin fastings crying and importunate knocking was there at the throne of grace and it may be by many persons families that prayed but little before or since that God would pity pardon and remove that amazing sweeping judgement which is now almost forgotten Upon an unwakening apprehension of Ninevehs fatal ruine the King and his Nobles decreed and proclaimed a Fast and injoyned every one to cry mightily to God Jonah 3. 7. Sinners were you but truly sensible of your peril you would pray to purpose viz. more ardently more in wardly more deeply more affectionately then ever you have done It was a supposed danger and that of death that caused Jacob to weep and make supplication for Esau hated Jacob and said in his heart the dayes of mourning for my Father are at hand then will I stay my brother Jacob Gen. 27. 42. and Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed Gen. 31. 7. Which made him so importunate with God for deliverance and he prevailed Gen. 31. 11. Hos 12. 4. Poor sinners your case is dangerous I will not say desperate but you are ignorant of it you do not know that you are poor miserable blind and naked were you but sensible that you are liable to the wrath of God the stroke and sting of death every moment it would constrain you to cry mightily to God for pardon Holy Job when he considered of Death and Judgement set prayer to work and said Why dost thou not pardon my transgression and take away mine iniquity for now shall I sleep in the dust O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave that thou wouldest keep me secret until thy wrath be past that thou wouldest appoint me a set time and remember me Job 7 21. 14. 13. This also made those two gracious Kings Hezekiah and David to weep and pray in the bitterness of their souls In those dayes was Hezekiah sick unto death and Isaiah the Prophet came unto him and said thus saith the Lord set thine house in order for thou shalt dye and not live then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and wept sore and prayed to the Lord Isa 28. 1 2 3. David when the sorrows of death compassed him and paines of hell got hold of him then said he I called upon the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul Psal 116. 3 4. Jonah that could sleep in the ship prayed in the Whales belly Out of the belly of hell I cryed and thou heardest my voice Jonah 2. 2. The Apostle Peter and Christ himself presseth prayer from the consideration of the end of the world The end of all things is at hand be ye therefore sober and watch unto prayer 1 Pet. 4. 7. and pray saith Christ that you may escape
the Silver Trumpet the Sun will go down over the Prophets Therefore while the watchmen are upon the walls take warning and finish your work while you have the light O Sirs improve for your eternal advantage those plain and powerful Sermons which you hear and read and let it not be accounted legal preaching Who were more severe in their preaching then our Lord and his fore-runner whom we ought to imitate otherwise we draw the horrible sin of bloud-guiltiness upon our souls Ezek. 3. 18 9. 'T is observ'd that there are more dreadful doctrines scatter'd up and down in the New Testament then in the Old the powerful application of which is very necessary both for secure sinners and drowsie Saints Holy David after his fall fell into a deep sleep and did not awake until Nathan came and told him plainly and particularlly of his sin And of the Virgins we read while the Bridegroom tarri'd they all slumbred and slept Mat. 25. O how many sleepy souls are there in the world and in many Cities Towns and Parishes in this Nation that will either living dying or after death sadly bewail the not improving the labours of their faithful Pastors 2. All your awakening Providences by which God warns and calls will have an end The great and glorious God for a long time together hath been speaking and calling to us by his Word and of late year she hath spoken by his dreadful Rod and that very terribly The Sword the Plague the Fire the decay of trade and other Judgements are the loud voice of an angry God Those afflictions on our Families Relations Estates Persons are in order to awakening us out of sleep and so for our profit When Manassch was among the thorns bound with fetters carried into Babylon he be sought the Lord and humbled himself greatly 2 Chron. 33. 11 12 13. After Ephraim was chastised he awaked turned and repented for the bonds and cords of affliction do open the car to instruction then he sheweth them their work and their transgression and commandeth that they turn from iniquity Jab 6. 9 10. Jer. 13 18 19. Now to have a deaf ear to the rod and word to be hardned and secure and go on in sin under awaking and amazing providences is a dreadful judgement that which ripens men for ruine 2 Chron. 28. 22. This is that King Ahaz who in the time of his distress did trespass yet more against the Lord Jer. 5. 3. 3. Your awakening Convictions will have an end too Those secret and powerful workings strivings and struglings of the Spirit of God under the rod and in the word will be suspended Christ will not always be at the door calling knocking and his Spirit that is so much greived and oppos'd will not alwayes strive and struggle with your hearts and conciences Gen. 6. 3. Now sinners if you have any love or regard to your immortal souls before all these helps be taken away be wise to consider and prepare for your end Lest God should speedily resolve and say to you as to the Jews Isa 1. 5. Why should ye be striken any more or as Hosea 4. 17. Ephraim is joyned to Idels let him alone They will have their lusts and they shall have them As I live saith saith the Lord this iniquity shall not be purged till youdie Sith nothing will prevail I am resolved saith God they shall never hear an awakening soul-Searching Sermon more never have a Correction or Conviction more till they go down to hell Motive 5. Consider that the earnest cries tear prayers of unbeleivers when they comes to die it will be in vain fruitless and unsuccesful though you speak in the anguish of your souls and complain in the bitterness of your spirits when your flesh upon you shall have pain and your souls within you shall mourn it will be to no purpose You that will not seek God betimes and make supplication to the Almighty that will not pray while you have time to pray helps to pray health to pray encouragements to pray Now God invites you may have audience and find acceptance your prayers in a dying hour will be but the expressions of your fears and terrors arising from the sence and nearness of your danger when there will be but a step between your departing souls and the state of Devils God seldom hears from some men unless trouble sickness fear distress and anguish cometh upon them then pain will make them pray and how upon their beds and 't is but howling not Praying Hos 7. 14. But will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him saith Job 27. 9. No saith the Lord I will not be enquired of by you Ezek. 20. 3. Because it cometh from an evil mind or stinking breath proceeding from a corrupt rotten cursed heart and then it must needs be abominable Prov. 21. 27 15. 8. I will saith David wash mine hands in innocency and then compass thine Altar for if I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my prayer Psal 66. 18. If God would not hear a Davids prayer a man after Gods own heart he will not hear a Devils prayer nor the prayer of a Swearer Sabbath-breaker Drunkard he heareth not sinners that like and love their lusts No saith the holy God though they seek me early they shall not find me Here note That there is a two fold early namely Gods early and mans early Gods early is in the morning of our life in the time of youth then God cals and invites to come Prov. 1. 24. Eccl. 12. 1. Mans early is in the evening or at the end of life or when man is high unto death when pain sorrow and anguish cometh upon him In their afflictions they will seek me early Hos 5. last When fear cometh as desolation and destruction cometh as a whirlwind then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but shal not find me Prov. 1. 27 28. God will say to all such sinners remember it as Isaac to Abimelech Gen. 26. 27. Wherefore come ye to me seeing you hate me and have sent me away from you Or he will say as once to the Children of Israel that cryed to him in their sore distress Go cry to the Gods which ye have chosen let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation as for me I will not deliver you Judg. 10. 14. You have served the Devil embrac'd the world satisfied your lusts joyn'd with mine enemies go to the Devil go to your lusts to your wicked company let them deliver you in your distress Now death and devilsare come for you I will not own you nor your prayers your soul abhorred me my soul abhors you and your prayers depart from me I know you not Motive 6. It s the great comfort of the godly mans life to hope and know that he is fit for death Whatever be their lot and Portion in this
world be assured it shall go well with them in the other world Art thou in astate of grace at odds with fin and truly in love with Christ and holiness Be of good chear go thy way and eat thy bread with joy and drink thy wine with a merry heart for the bitterness of death is past The king of terrors that had the power of death is conquered by the Lord of life Terrible death that rides on the pale horse is dismounted by thy dear Lord that rides on the white horse under whose bloody Cross thou mayest see him disarmed wounded and dead death that raigned from Adam to Moses is now swallowed up in victory Isa 25. 8. I will ransoms thee from the power of the grave I will redeem thee from death O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction The beleiving soul is dead with Christ while he lives Rom. 6. 8 and is delivered not only from the damnation of sin but the dominion of sin and there is hope in his death When he dyeth he shall die in the Lord Rev. 14. 13. he shall sleep in Jesus 1 Thes 4. 14. his end shall be peace Psal 37. 37. This made the Apostle after his sad conflict Rom. 7. to triumph over the last enemy death 1 Cor. 15. 55. Motive 7. If you should not prepare for death yet you will wish you had as many do when it is to late You that are for making provision for the flesh and so eagerly pursuing the world When you shall be cast upon the bad of languishing you will wish in the very torment of your minds and flames of horrour that I had parted with my sin O that I had been careful to please and honour God and to get an interest in Jesus Christ then should I have now dyed the death of the righteous but this I wholly slighted I prosecuted the world with might and main and got so many thousands for my Posterity I liv'd a merry and jovial life but for my soul for my eternity things of infinite worth I have done nothing I forgat my soul Now here 's the Messenger of death come for me to imprison my body in the Grave the Chambers of darkness and to carry my soul I know not whither I fear to hell O that I had been wise to under stand this to consider my latter end What would I now give to live but a few years more to make provision for this soul that must now enter the gulf of endless eternity Motive 8. Consider the gaines will be exceeding great As will appear by these following particulars Would you haue sin as hell and be more truly holy Consider your latter end This is most certain that all the evil antecedents and dreadful consequences of death spring and grow out of this bitter root what is it that wounds stings paines and kills what is it that brings Diseases threatens death that murders the body and that damns and burnes the soul What is that doth necessitate the to make use of Physick Physicians whilst alive and bringeth thee to a Coffin and Grave when thou art dead is it not sin which thou embracest in thy bosom You poor blind deluded souls as little and as lovely as sin looks in your wanton eyes it is the Mother and Nurse of all your miseries hacht in hell the Devils spawn or excrement He that committeth sin is of the devil 1 Joh. 3. 8. This is that evil thing and bitter that hales death and hell at the heels of it yea that arms death devils and hell against us Were it not for this black ugly fierce ouer and bloudy adversary Law or Justice could not condemn us Death could not kill us Devils could not torment us Hell could not burn us Sin is the Traitor and Murderer of your immortal souls and those nails that will shortly dig your Graves will you hug hide and hold it fast Will a woman put that knife into her bosom that hath kill'd or murder'd her dear Child or Husband no by no means it must be broken and cast away for ever Now Sirs if sin be the enemy use it as an enemy or murderer kill it take the sacrificing knife and cut the throat of it or strike the heart vein and let it bleed until it dies Deal by it as Samuel by Agag cut it in pieces Did you think seriously of death and hell you would hate it to purpose and say away to hell with it from whence it came and it would put you upon a desire and earnest endeavour after holiness Being expos'd to a dissolution what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness 2 Pet. 3. 11. But if you forget death you will make dreadful work namely your accounts greater and hell the hotter you will increase your sin and God will heap up wrath against the day of wrath And if ever God shâ—w mercy it will cost you dear your souls must mourn your hearts must break and bleed for sin for unless you repent you will certainly be damned Luk. 13. 5. 2. Would you speedily call off your hearts from the world lay up treasure in heaven Remember your latter end In the greatest affluence of worldly prosperity alwayes consider that you must die Poor worldlings that make gold your hope whose plottings and ploddings are for earth If death and eternity were more in your thoughts you would let go that in your affections which you cannot hold in your possession and love that but a little that will be lost and which you cannot love long Riches have wings and they will be gone Consider how little the things of the world will stand you in stead in the evil day your gold and silver cannot keep you from diseases while you live nor from hell after you are dead Prov 11. 4. Psal 49. 6 7. It falleth out with many of the great storers of this world as it doth with a Sumpter Horse who all the day carrieth a great treasure on his back but at night it is taken from him and he thrust into a foul Stable So many wealthy worldlings that tire them selves to get and carry worldly treasure when death cometh it s taken from them and they for their ill getting or ill using of it are thrust down to hell the rich man dyed and in hell lift up his eyes And if you would deaden your hearts to this empty earth and look after a treasure above a happiness beyond the grave that shall last as long as your souls shall last think often of death this would divert your worldly cares and projects Remember from this day to your last day cannot be long your Journey or Voyage is short and a little Provision is enough neither Poverty nor Riches but food convenient is the desire and choice of a Citizen of Sion Converse more with death and be often looking into eternity and thou mayest here as it