nothing by them they shall now all be banished let the morrow take thought for it self each day hath enough with his own grief Christian Geography and Arithmetick Psalm 90.12 So teach us to number our Dayes that we may apply our Hearts unto Wisdom TO omit what might be spoken of the Pen-man Scope Division and principal matter of this Psalm I come presently to draw out the Observations and Doctrines which may be raised from the Text. Doct. 1. The dayes of Men are numbred it is appointed for all Men once to Die I shall endeavour to open the point and then apply it for the opening of it I shall enquire into the import of the phrase of numbring Dayes or what is implied in this expression of numbring our Dayes 1. This that our Dayes are numbred does denote the shortness of them Eternity cannot be numbred what ever is in God is incomprehensible and innumerable the Dayes of God are not to be numbred We say he is a Poor man that can number his Flock that can tell how many sheep and cattel he has the Dayes of a Man are soon told they are quickly reckoned up he that hath but a little skill in Arithmetick may cast up the number he that is but newly entered into the Table of Numeration may count them if he know Units and Tens he may do it he need not go as far as hundreds David tells us how the account went in his Dayes and since his time the number is not increased Sin has rather shortened them and cut them off The Dayes of our Years are threescore years and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years yet is their strength labour and sorrow for it is soon cut off and we stee away 2. It holds forth the fixedness of the bounds of them the time of their ending is set and fixed and there is no passing beyond those bounds which the Lord hath made there is no altering no removing of them God is exact to his numbers he will not upon any consideration revoke his decree and determination in this kind Seeing his daies are determined the number of his Moneths are with thee purely in thy power thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass The time of the Israelites captivity was out in the Night and though in 430 years as we use to say a Day would break no square much less a piece of a Night yet that the Lord might be exact to his own prefixed time he will be at the charge to light them out rather than stay till the morning So Belshazzar was slain in the night because as some think then the Captivity was out If a man could give all the World he could not purchase one hour beyond his appointed time Death 's not to be delayed it will not be bribed it wil fetch a Man out of his bed at Midnight and not stay till Morning it will seize upon a Man when he is abroad and not suffer him to go home and take his leave of his Family and set his House in order it will not give a Man time to make his Will nor to speak a few words which might prevent abundance of trouble and Law-suits that fall out about the division of his Estate where-ever thou art what ever thou art doing when the minutes of thy Life are expired Death strikes thee and there is no avoiding it 3. It sets forth the transitoriness the slipperiness the swiftness of our Daies How does the Scripture labour for similitudes to set this forth certainly to know and believe this is of very great importance to our Faith or else the Spirit of God would never gather so many illustrations from sense it would be worth while to gather them up and open them but they are frequently done by others and ly so obvious to your search that I need not spend so much time about it only give me leave seeing it is a business of so great consequence and so very little minded to deal a little plainly and pathetically with you Alas alas where is that Professor that sits down and seriously thinks with himself how swiftly his time passes away who knows not that time is short and passes swiftly away away it is a theme for School-Boyes ay but let me tell you few consider it or live under the power of it it is a Meditation fit for the best Saint upon Earth and without dispute to live in the right belief of it would be an especial and principal means to recover the power of Godliness which is so much decayed in this last age Do you think that Professors could be so Formal and Secure and Worldly if they lived every day as their last and performed every Duty as their last would there not be more Zeal and Life and Love and Heavenly-mindedness Do you believe that we spend our years as a Tale that is told as a Word as a Meditation swifter than a Weavers Shuttle That our life is as wind and vanisheth away as the Cloud That our dayes are swifter than a Poste You know how swift a Poste is he passes by so fast you can take no notice of him you get but a glimpse of him you could not know him again if you saw him so do our dayes post away how are we hurried in haste haste post-haste from one thing to another poste to Bed at night put off your Clothes post-hast poste up in the morning and put them on again pst to your Meals and post from them again post to your business and post from it how do Sabbaths and Sermons and Opportunities post by and that in such hast that you cannot remember them when they are gone it may be in twenty four hours you have forgot all How many Sermons that you have heard have lived a moneth with you What was the Message of God to you this day moneth the Matter as it was passing by did much affect you you were much taken with it and thought you should have known and remembred that matter as long as you had lived but it seems it went by in such haste the time of the Meeting passed away so swiftly that it has happened to you as to a man that looks his natural Face in a Glass he beholdeth himself and goes away and straight way forgets what manner of man he was so you have forgotten what manner of matter it was that you heard that you were so affected with and melted under that your Soul did so fully close with you could so evidently witness to the truth of it how lively it was represented to you how experimentally you did receive it what goodness you tasted in it and thought that taste would have never gone out of your mouth now no impression remaining the Text and every word of the Sermon so posted away so far gone that they cannot be recalled or recovered If a Painter would take the Picture of a Man the Man must
of the Spirit after them that they fell not a whit short of Heaven what wrestling was there then of Faith what strugling then of hope what working and striving of patience then thou came to know effectually the meaning of those Scriptures Hope maketh not ashamed we are saved by hope in patience possess ye your Souls thou then felt more charity more bowels more compassion more fellows-feeling of others troubles then thou came to know better the meaning of that Text which perhaps in thy fair Dayes thou never considered so much Remember them that are in Adversity as being your selves also in the Body having paslible weak Bodies subject to all the like miseries which you see in others and what the Preacher intended when he exhorts to give a portion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the Earth whether such evil may not be in the World that may bring thee to like need How was thou then weaned from the world how didst thou contemn it the pleasures honours and riches of it thou did experience the mutable and tranfitoty Nature of them thou gave earnest heed to our Saviour's Counsel Lay not up for your selves treasures on Earth where moth and rust corrupt and where thieves break through and steal but lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven where neither moth nor rust can corrupt nor thieves dig through and steal and then thou conned over the Apostle Pauls hard lesson and got it pretty perfect That they that had Wives should be a though they had none they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not they that buy as though they possessed not for the fashion of this World passeth away Thus though there was a decay upon thy outward-man by reason of Affliction yet the inward man was renewed day by day those dayes which helped thee nearer Heaven and made thee more fit and more willing to die were good dayes now painful and tormenting so ever they were in the passing through them and those dayes which delighted thy fleshly desires and carnal part which were very pleasant to the outward-man but did make thee neglect duty or slubber it over did deaden thy Spirit in it and caused a decay in thy zeal and Love and delight in God and made thee less mindful of the great concerns of thy pretious Soul those dayes though seemingly happy and blessed in their spending were not so good dayes be careful therefore of reckoning and numbring right about your conditions and out ward states and beings in the World and mourn over the disorder thou hast put thy self into by not placing thy condition right and placing thy self aright in it but by bustling and quarrelling at some times with thy state and thy over pleasedness again another time with it Thou hast been still disturbing and doing harm both to thy self and others what hard and loud words have passed between thee and thy adverse state have hot some over-heard thee saying that thou thought no Bodies condition was worse than thine none so straitned none so perplexed what sickness thou didst undergo what pain thou went through what poverty and pinching thou endured what crosses every way thou met with and wishing thou had had not been born or that thou might quickly die and be removed out of this troublesome World or that God would but be so kind to thee that thou might but live as such and such do though their conditions are not looked on as the best c And to answer this chiding temper has not that witness for God in thy own Conscience and of his kindness to thee in every condition made this smart reply Oh what a murmuring unbeleeving Creature art thou What nothing but complaints look about thee canst thou find nothing to thank God for is thy case so bad that all comfort is shut out of it thou art out of Hell which thou deserves every moment that 's a Mercy art not thou in health many would give thousands to enjoy as much of that as thou dost art thou harbourless knows not where to have a lodging to night that 's the condition of many a good Soul where cruelty and persecution Reigns art thou hungry and knows not where to get bread this day it's a great Mercy to have bread for the day and a greater to be able to beg and believe on God for bread for the day a lesson which I heard a worthy Minister say the Lord had taught him and an high piece of Learning it is The Apostle knew what he said and that it was a great degree he had attained to when he professed I have learned in the things wherein I am therewith to be self-sufficient there is a kind of self-sufficiency in every good contented mind he is rich not that has much but that does not desire much Art thou thirsty and knows not where to get some good water art thou cold and knows not where to get a covering to keep thee warm But for thy Spiritual estate art thou tempted so was Christ who was in all points tempted likeas we are that we might come boldly to the Throne of Grace that we may obtain Mercy and find grace to help in time of need and has promised that he will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able and is it your misery that you are called to follow the Captain of your Salvation in the honourable path of suffering the highway to peace and rest and Glory Art thou under the tidings of his love did not the Lord Jesus cry out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me Art thou unwilling that the Lord should make a trial of thy Love and faithfulness to him whether thou will abide for him and that by endear himself more to thee and prepare thee for fuller manifestations and them for thee Dost thou complain of an hard unbelieving Heart its a mercy thou feels it to be so how many hard Hearts in the World that are not felt they that can say and cry out save us Master we perish shall never sink if there be sense there is life though that life may be a very sickly Life thy condition is sase though it it may be very uneasie where there is the root of the matter where there is the living substance if circumstances be a little troublesome it may be born better a little crying here than weeping and wailing hereafter pains and pangs and gripings here are kindly and not at all dangerous To conclude this wilt thou for the future keep a better account of thy condition wilt thou number and place the Providences of God towards thee in better order this right reckoning will reconcile thee to all the difpensations of God and make you long Friends this will be your Wisdom and this is your way to true Wisdom and so much for this Ufe of Lamentation and Humiliation It is much to be bewailed and that because
one day be laid for Worms meat in their Graves with their Washballs their Spunges their PaintBoxes and their Looking Glasses under their Heads the wise and learned shall ere long be laid in the grave with their books papers under their heads finally the Men of appetite that now delight themselves in their Drinks dainties shall in a very litle while be laid in their Graves with their revelling Cups and service Dishes under their Heads think but of this phrase of laying thus one Day all these things under your Heads and lay them not now too near your Hearts Mark our Saviour's Answer to those that shewed him the Temple and how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts Are these the things ye look upon and admire The daies shall come wherein there shall not be one stone left upon another which shall not be thrown down the Day will come that thy Riches shall be but a poor winding sheet and thy pleasures to have the clods of the valley sweet unto thee yet 40 dayes Nineveh shall be overthrown yet 40 dayes it may be less and all thy Glory and Prosperity with thy Life shall have an end and yet thou art Jolly and Frolick and never thinks of that time or the length of Eternity that theresore thou maist not when it is too late cry out call time again call time again learn to make good Vse of it now It 's easier for to lose than find a Day there are time-servens and there are time-savers and redeemers the errand of this piesce is to make thee one of the latter sort if God will bles s this to any ones Soul I shall think my self abundantly satissied for my pains and my great Design is answered I expect no Praise and for censure if it be deserved it will come too late for I have already placed the defects to my own account if undeserved and errata's I shall gain by it let me have the benefit of thy Prayers whoever thou art that reads these lines To conclude this is no Point of Controversie but rather an effectual means to reconcile Differences those that cannot now joyn together in Prayer will in a very little while if they be true Saints sit together Praising God Rejoicing in and Loving one another in a langer measure than ever they Loved their most Dear Relations or intimate Friends upon ' Earth The shortness of time there is to differ in the absolute necessity and incomparable Excellency and Sweetness of mutual Love bere and full Communion hereafter I desire may sway with me to watch over my own Heart that I stand not at a distance in Spirit from any Saint of God upon the account either of apprehension or injury as for the Former I do not know that I was ever under a Tentation to Love any one less for his True Conscience though not of my size That thou mayest be fully instructed in the right Art of numbring thy dayes and prepared for the Evils and Afflictions which thou must of necessity meet with in them is the Hearty desire of Thy Friend willing to serve thee in time about thy Everlasting Concerns T.H. CHRISTIAN Geography and Arithmetick Matth. 6.34 Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof THere are two things which we find in the course of the Evangelists to lie with much weight upon the heart of Christ and which he seems to press upon his followers with a more than ordinary seriousness argumentativeness and affectionatenest The one is holy carelesness about the things of this life The other is holy watchfulness and preparation for his coming for this read over at your leisure these Scriptures Mat. 24.42 to the end and 25.13 Mar. 13.32 to the end Luke 21.36 The former is that which at present falls more directly under my Consideration having already treated of the latter in divers Sermons That I may make way to my Text be pleased to take notice of our Saviour's general Dehortation Ver. 25. Take no thought c. Observe how particular he is as if he designed to answer all the secret Objections and Surmisings of an unbelieving heart if I have Meat what shall I do for Drink and if I have both how must I get Clothes why saies he be not careful about any of these and he gives us several weighty Reasons for what he sayes 1. In the latter end of Ver. 25. Is not the life more than meat c. It is an Argument from the greater to the less he that has given life will he not maintain it It 's less trouble and charge for him to make a Coat for thy Body than to frame thy Body which was curiously wrought rare Embroidery curious Needlework a skin will serve for the Back and the slesh will serve for the Belly but the placing of the Bones was not so easily done 2. Argument lies in Ver. 26. From God's care of the inferiour Creatures the Animals the Fowls of the Air and this is an Argument from the lesser to the greater It 's your heavenly Father that feeds them The Master of the house will not feed his Cattel without and suffer his Children to perish for want of bread within If God cares for Oxen then much more for Saints Are ye not much better than they 3. Ground ab inutili from the unprofitableness of this anxious perplexing care in Ver. 27. Which of you by taking thought c for neither if you be solicitous are you the better and if you be not are you the worse 4. Reason lies especially against taking care for Raiment from the consideration of the Lillies of the Field the Vegetables more inconsiderable than the the Fowls for they have life and sense these only life but Men have Life Sense and Reason and Christians have more for they are made partakers of the Divine Nature and the life of God If your Reason will not help you here one would think your Faith should help you can you think that immortal souls for whom God hath prepared such glory shal be slighted here and yet the fading withering perished Grass be so much regarded which way soever a Christian looks he may find Food for his Faith â— When I see the Fields so adorned can I think that God will suffer me to go naked for want of a Covering 5. Inducement is ab absurdo in the beginning of Ver. 32. It 's not ingenious not at all becoming you to be so carking and caring it is a Gentilish property poor Heathens that know of no better things may be allowed to seek after these earthly matters but it is not suitable for those that have been acquainted with things of an higher nature and of Eternal duration it is not worthy not Christian your Education and Expectation should teach you better things and spirit you to a more Noble and Honourable search and endeavour 6. Incitement is a non-necessario in the latter end of Ver. 32. For your heavenly Father
is I this dispensation has Love in it it is for thy good it wil not hurt thee be not so afrighted not an hair of thy Head shall perish by thy affliction thou shall lose nothing but what would have done thee harm to have kept how afterwards the Lord quieted composed and satisfied his Soul made him see how much need there was of such a severe Providence such a sharp Passage such a bitter Dispensation as also how much Love and Goodness there was in it which at first sight carried so much of the Face of enmity disturbance and destruction so that he comes to say this Affliction this Loss this great Trial though I thought at first I could not have born it yet I now see I could not have been without it as he said once I had been undone if I had not been undone I had perished if I had not perished and lastly how he no sooner had got through one Affliction but the Lord brought him to the borders of another he was no sooner Landed and safe in his Harbour but God bids him prepare for another Voy age in those dayes was Hezekiah seek unto Death see Isa 38.1 comp with 3 last verses of 37. cha To hear him tell you how gladly now he would have taken a little rest and was thinking surely he should now meet with no more Troubles so dismal when presently another messenger came to tell him that the Lord did intend to try him again the first chapter of Job did not conclude his combate and bid him make ready for a new on-set either in the same or another kind how he treated the Messenger and spake wisely and kindly unto him in such language as this it is but lately that my Lord laid an heavy and an amazing Affliction upon me it found me much unready and unprepared I did storm and rage at it I was as a Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke I was cast down and dejected I did murmur and repine many an hard thoght had I of my maker and several unhandsom and unbecoming expressions came from me some that favoured of despair Oh I shall never have a comfortable day more my good dayes are gone better for me that I had never been Born than to live to see this Trouble why does the Lord let me live why does he not destroy me it would be an happiness for me if some would come and take a Knife and cut my throat its happy for them that are Dead they endure no such tormenting pain they sustain no such losses they know not tht meaning of such piercing Heart-breaking Sorrows c. But it plesed the Lord by degrees to bring me to more sober expressions he began to convince me that I had deserved a great dealmore it is a wonder I was out of Hell he set my sins in order before mine eyes and then I saw that he had Puhished me less than mine Iniquities did deserve that if I had my Due I should be in Endless Easeless and Remediless Torment and then I came to acknowledg him his Justice his Mercy and to fall down at his Feet he then began to speak some comfortable Words to me to give me a little reviving a little Faith and Hope in himself and to let me see his end and design ih Afflicting me he shewed me my work and my transgressions wherein I had exceeded he opened my ear to Discipline and commanded me to depart from Iniquity and now he has recovered me and made me to live in his sight if it be his pleasure to bring me into the fire again I know it is for the purging away of my Iniquity I desire I may not dishonour him and then let him do with me what he pleases I hope he will lay no more upon me than he will enable me to bear and then his will be done thus you see what great experience is to be got by Affliction how needful it is for the exercise of Grace Reason third The Lord fills our day with trouble for distinction sake that we may know Earth from Heaven and God from the Creature To Know the meaning of that text there remaineth therefore a rest for the People of God if it were not so we should be apt to say it is good being here There are two things the World is hardly brought to Believe First That quietness and peace and rest cannot be obtained here And Secondly That it is to be enjoyed hereafter and in himself Now it is impossible that we should ever meet with any full contentive good under Heaven if one could show me that which the Tempter shewed our Saviour even all the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them they are too beggarly a good to give content excellently to this purpose one of the Antients O Lord saies he thou hast made us for thy self and our Hearts cannot be at quiet till they come to rest in thy self I tumble and toss this way and that way upon Back and Belly this side and that side and every way to get a little ease and yet I find every thing to be hard and God is the only true Rest No satisfaction to he had from any thing here below look but upon the several Conditions of Men in City Court and Country and see if every one would not be a little higher a little Richer and a little bettered in estate or else what means their endless carking and caring what means so many hands working and Heads hammering about this thing and that thing there is not the veriest frock and apron but by little and little it would hirstle up to the Rob and Purple not the poorest Friars cowle but by step and step have at the Popes mitre This unsatisfied desiring of one thing after another which Is very troublesome and grieving the Preacher elegantly calls the walking of the desire better saies he is the sight of the Eyes that is the comfortable beholding and enjoying these things we have then the walking of the desire the rambling of it after the things we have not or as some render it the walking Soul a walking Soul is very uncomfortable to be haunted night and day with a Spirit of greediness and unsatisfiedness to have its company going out and coming in lying down and rising up nay to have disturbing and troublesome dreams too The Lord never intended that the world should be a quiet place do you know any place upon Earth that a man may go to have one day of rest and freedom from care and trouble within and without I would go many miles to see that place and enjoy such a Day he that kept the key of such a place would quickly heap up Treasures what flocking would there be thither from all quarters of all sorts of People you would see great numbers of Great-one and Noble-men posting thither The Apostle dehorts us from seeking things that are upon the Earth the reason is
sit in a steady posture but our Comforts perish in the using they are not sitting Comforts we are so interrupted crowded that we get little of the company and enjoyment of them Solomon had a mind to have the comfort of Wine and he got it alone for he acquainted his heart with Wisdom and was freed from those excesses extravagances and disturbances which commonly keep company with the drinkers of Wine but he concludes that all was vanity and vexation of Spirit and there was no profit under the Sun A man can have no time to sit with his comfort and enjoy them but he is either interrupted or the comfort is gone But to leave this Similitude he sayes his dayes are swifter than a Post It is well observed by Mr. Caryl that a Poste staies to change Horses but the Chariot of the Sun which is the natural measure of time never staies but is in continual motion I might add this also that the Artificial Measures of Time which are continued by men are in continual motion the Sands in the Hour-glass are always running or else it is of no use the Wheels in the Clock and Watch are alwayes moving or else they are of no use at all if the Watch be down it is good for nothing for it 's only use lies in motion You may see this Similitude of a Post excellently laid open by Mr. Caryl upon the place as also those two more which they find in Job 9.26 My dayes are passed away as the swift ships as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey Ships upon the Sea under sail before the Wind pass away very swiftly and leave no impression The Eagle is a Bird of the strongest Wing the swiftest Fowl and a greedy Fowl she soares alost and is quick-sighted and soares down upon her Prey as a Thunderbolt as a Bullet as an Arrow and she leaves no impression in the Air. Now saies Job My dayes are passed away as the Eagle that hasteth to the Prey I shall forbear the Prosecution of other Similitudes our dayes are compared to Smoke to a Dream to a Shepherds Tent to a Vapour to a Shadow to a Flower c. the aptness of which Similitude I leave to your own considerations 4. This that our dayes are numbered does likewise imply thus much that our work is numbred to our day our work is cut out for the day God makes no empty dayes as every day has its trouble so every day has its work To every thing there it a Season and a time for every purpose under the Sun and it is as true that there is a purpose for every Season as well as a Season for every purpose and happy is that man that knows his Season for his purpose and his purpose for his season that knows his day for his work and his work for his day and does his dayes work upon his day when our work is finished then our dayes shall be ended But alas for wicked men their dayes end before they begin their work they do work that God never allotted or allowed any time for There is a time to build and a time to plant and a time to morn c. but there is no time to sin Some know their work yet do not do it and these will be beater with many stripes The great Correction-house of Hell is prepared for those that would not work whil'st they had day and time and light and opportunity and assistance and whatever might have an influence upon the promoting of their work Be sure thou examine the work thou art about and ask thy self strictly these two Questions 1. Is this work for any time is it to be done at all 2. Is this work proper for this time does the work and the time correspond and suit one another it may be sinful thoughts arise when thou art at Duty let them know there is no time allotted for them much less at such a time it may be worldly thoughts come in about thy family and calling let them know there is a time for them but they must keep their place and due distance at such a season perhaps some good thoughts may come in which yet are not suitable to the work which thou art engaged in tell them they shall be encouraged in their proper time God is a God of order and not of confusion and distraction there is a time to Read a time to Hear a time to Meditate a time to Pray a time to confer about good things and these duties help one another in their place and order But it is not unusual for him that sometimes transforms himself into an Angel of light to inject even good things in an unseasonable manner which tend only to distraction and not to edification and promoting Communion with Gods and he is a Wise Christian that knows how to manage himself that there may be no interfering of duties I cannot but break out and tell you how hard a thing it is to be a right Christian a Chriitian indeed even-squared according to Gospel-rule and proportion The misery of Man is great upon him because he knows not his work and his time the Devil takes great advantage of poor Christians that have strong affections and but weak judgments and does so bewilder them and cast such mists in their way even upon this very account that we are speaking of that I begin not to wonder at the many complaints I daily hear from Christians of unbelief unprofitableness under ordinances and the means of grace discontentedness falling out with their conditions they are much unacquainted with their proper work in its proper season Satan is a Spirit of disorder and confusion and he knows how to entangle the belt duty thou doest and perplex the most regular exercise of thy Graces the only way thou hast to help thy sely is seriously to consider whether this and the other notion and suggestion comes from God is this according to rule does the Gospel bid me think this and speak this and do this to the Law and to the testimony Let me take my Bible into my hand and see whether I can find a fixed a stated rule for such imaginations for such perplexities for such becalmings for such expressions and actions what faith the Scripture and how readest thou my Lord and Saviour answered the Devil still with a Scriptum est it is written if I cannot tell him it is written I may ask him the question is it written Dost thou speak from the Word of God Dost not thou wrest the Word of God Dost not thou add nor diminish Does the Lord indeed require and call for this thing at my Hands is it any part of that work that he has appointed for me in my Day that I should at any time distrust him or look upon his care as insufficient either for my Soul or Body are not the alsufficient merits of the Lord Jesus tendered to me without any exception
and please themselves to play upon the borders of that unpardonable sin they do deride the very Actings and Breathings of the Holy Spirit of God because of some that are but pretenders to it but never had it let me tell thee O thou that draws such consequences and conclusions that the Gospel is an Holy Gospel Religion is a real and substantial thing There are Ordinances of Chirist which we must be walking and waiting upon God in and if we that profess the Gospel do not walk according to it we must repent and sue out our pardon God will scourge and correct us severely as he has done in all Ages and we must justify him in it and he will make us know that it is an evil and a bitter thing to depart from God and to bring reproach upon Religion and the Name of God and to open the mouths of such as thou art I will not name thee but would willingly know by what name thou conceives thy self to be called in Scripture and would desire others that they would likewise consult Scripture and find out thy Character there but I would tell thee further before we part that if we do transgress we pay dear for our sin Repentance is too great a rate to be given for the most profitable Corruption upon Earth we are chastened of the Lord that we might not be condemned with the World Besides know this that if we be true Saints though we may have our infirmites and must repent of them consequently so antecedently we must be such as do sincerly resolve against all sin that do not allow or indulge our selves in the least evil that carefully avoid and shum the occasions of sins that hate every false way We must be such as must have respect to all Gods Commandements according to our Light in them and Knowledge of them not be found neglecting any thing that we know to be a Duty we should be very careful of our words how we spend our time and be continually preparing for our dying hour And if there be such as are indeed very Hypocrites among us as there has been in all Ages and will be to the end of the World and no avoiding it for we cannot know mens hearts and for external Worship and Holiness a wicked man may do them as well as a Saint nay a Hypocrite may possible do them better than a Saint because he does not carry weight with him he takes no heed to the heart which is the principal thing in a Duty I say grant there be such if they discover themselves in gross impieties and prove obstinate the Gospel has given Rules for Admonitions sharp and cutting Reproofs even to the quick for withdrawing from them for casting them out of the Society of Gods people and Gospel-Professors and delivering of them up to Satan and if they do remain covered and concealed till the Judgement of the great day then the Lord will discover them and them a portion in the lowest place in Hell The Scripture seems to make them the freeholders and first-born of Hell Mat. 24.51 He will appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites there shall be weeping and ganshing of teeth Well therefore thou mightest spare thy self the expence of a great many words for business is quickly summed up either thou calls a true Saint an Hypocrite because of his infirmites and some Hyporisite which discovers it self in him which he repents of which the Lord gives him a pardon for cleanses him from and at last receives him to his Glory and if this be thy Case I am much afraid thou wilt come under the last of that Scripture which I will take the pains to turn to it is in the Epistle of Jude ever 14 15. Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints to execute vengeance upon all and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed and of all their bard speeches which ungodly sinner have spoken against him But Secondly If this be thy Case that thou calls those Hypocrites that are indeed so what need thou be so concerned both God and Man are against them they have shame here however the Lord does most severely tourment them to all Eternity thou might spare thy bad Language they are punished enough without it But Thirdly If this be thy mind to take occasion hence to speake evil of Religion and holy Profession the Graces and Fruits of the Spirit make a mock and derision of all these that because many men that pretend to Religion are very wicked men therefore to cast off all Religion and Zeal and Love to God and Faith in Christ Jesus and the workings of the Spirit as Fancies and Shadows having no substance or reality in them then I must needs say that thou art in the high way to Atheism and I do nor know how I am fallen upon it but I cannot possibly avoid it according to my casting up the Account it amounts to neither more nor less thou art a down-right Atheist I did not think I should have had occasion to have used this word for I do not love words that carry reflection with them I have been studying the ninth Verse of the Epistle of Jude railing Language does not become my Mouth I confess I may be mistaken in my casting up and I should be glad to see where my Errour lay that I may rectifie it I can say I love Truth better than Opinion or my own Conception and Imagination Methinks I hear thee disowning the name and thing pleading for Righteousness and Honesty and Worship and Sacraments c. The truth is thou hast now confimed me fully in judgment of thee for the Scripture is not more express in any thing than in discovering a sort of people that plead for a Form of Godlinese that they may more effectually oppose the power of it that use the name of God that they may fight against the Nature Word and Works of God that pretend to set up Christ that they may destroy his Person and all his Offices Men of corrupt minds reprohate concerning the Faith That profess they know God but in works deny him being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate Enemies to the Cross of Christ If so be then that thou art an Atheist the Scripture in plain terms calls thee a Fool Psal 14.1 Thou hast read the place but I will read it to thee again The Fool hath said in his heart there is no God He has no fear of God no awe of the great God upon his Spirit no sense of his Holiness Power Justice Omnisciency his Word his Will his Works what he hath done what he will do what joy he hath laid up for the Serious Sincure Humble seekers of him and that truly believe on the name of his Son and are careful to maintain good Works what torment he has prepared for the wicked and
disobedient and those that believe not and obey not the Gospel which he has revealed and sufficiently made it evident to be his will But I must leave thee and answer thee no more having respect to both those Rules of the Spirit of God given forth by Solomon Prov. 26 4 5. Answer not a fool c. What I have more to say about thee shall be only to God so as I am taught Jude 9. the last words of the verse I now return from whence I have digressed beyond my purpose and intention but sometimes we may be most in our way when we seem to be out of it the Lord has various methods a word out of course a word by the way sometimes does more good as God can bless it than that which seems to lie most direct and in order intended and prepared I am an admirer of Method and am no friend to Foolish Preachings to impertinencies and repetitions that proceed frorn emptiness and barrenness of matter but I must confess I have often thought what there might be in the foolishness of Preaching it pleases God by the foolishness of Preaching to save that do Believe When a gust of the Spirit comes when zeal and Affections are stirring and transport a Man he is driven out of his road But to the points I was telling you the great danger Men were brought into when they did not lay hold of their season and opportunity did not number their work for their day were not wise but foolish in letting time go and leaving work undone I have one Scripture more which I have promised you and that is in Rom. 2.4.5 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance But after thy hardness and impenitent Heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God The Lord did spare thee and continued thy life to thee day after day thou hadst much time and many advantage and thou didst not consider for what end God did this to thee he laid out time for thee and thou shouldest have laid out work for that time have filled the vessel of time with good actions the fruits of Righteousness that thou mightest have said with the Spouse Here are all manner of pleasant Fruits new old which I have laid up for thee O my Beloved But instead of this thou art laying a foundation for everlasting misery by thy hardness and impenitency thou art doing a work which thou wilt find wages for the wages of unrighteousness Because to every purpose there is a time and judgment therefore is the misery of Man great upon him For he knoweth not that which shall be for who can tell him when it shall be For Man knoweth not his time as the Fishes that are taken in an evil net and as the Birds that are caught in the snare so are the Sons of Men snared in an evil time when it falleth suddenly upon them I now come to the Application Vse 1. Are our dayes numbred in this sence as you have heard then it affords matter of Humiliation to Saints Churches that they have not numbred their Daies and their work better truly my Brethren we had better confess our own sins than have other folks to confess them to charge our selves is the way to be discharged both by God and Man I have sometimes thought that if the People of God had been more in condemning themselves they would not have been so much condemned by the World let us say as the Church of old As for our transgressions we know them I remember what I have met with in a learned Author who writing freely of the faults and miscarriages of Ministers comes to answer an Objection which Ministers comes to might make against his publishing their failings to the World who were so ready to be offended with them and to stumble at every thing or if he would have discovered them he might have writ in Latine and so they might have been concealed from vulgar notice he answers to this purpose saies he if we had sinned in Latine then our Sins might have been reproved in Latine but seeing our failings have been obvious let out acknowledgements Confessions and Repentace be so too it is no disparagement or lessening to any Man that is guilty to make confession but an effectual way to remove Reproach and Scandal and to silence accusers accusations have little place either with God or Man where persons are willing to accuse themselves though there are some that are come to that height of Wickedness in this Age which is so fruitful of Monsters that take occasion from the confessions of sin which God's People make to him to charge them as it were out of their own Mouths as the vilest Creatures on Earth to draw out an accusation against them out of their own Confessions a Bill of inditement against them from what they do acknowledge of themselves but these Men are little acquainted with the Scriptures and the Mystery of Godliness The Lord tells us that his waies are not as our waies nor his thoughts as our thoughts He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find Mercy by God's own appointment confession is clearing Indeed I grant that among Men confession of the party is evidence in Law but in the Court of God at his Tribunal confession of the party takes away evidence there is no more danger of our confession of our sins to God in the World 's hearing than of doing it in private in Satan's hearing It s against all reason to charge a Man that is charging himself if you would take a way sins testimony joyn testimony with it among the Latines two Negatives make an affirmative but among the Greek's two affirmatives make a Negative if the World accuse us let us accuse our selves too and this is the way to be cleared a Christian is never so much in his Glory as when he is justifying God and condemning himself It will silence the railing Rashakehs of this Age for professors to charge themselves deeply and particularly before God we have sinned we have done foolishly we have broken thy Covenant we have sinfully complied we have been too much partakers with wicked men of their wickedness we have been unprofitable careless worldly covetous greedy after the World with our tongues have we dishonoured God and our Conversations have been such as have but given too much occasion to the Wicked to blaspheme we have given them just cause to open their mouths against Religion for our sakes we have not discovered that humility meekness impassionateness weanedness from the world mortification of fleshy lusts that might have been attractive and alluring of others to a good likeing of the professing of the Gospel and Christianity we have been seeking our selves and setting up our selves when we should have been seeking and setting up the
day come in to your minds that might well be spared and indeed Ought not to be admitted you cannot pray in quiet for them you cannot eat and sleep in quiet for them you ought to watch against them and beg of the Lord divine Teaching how you may suppress them 2. Unprofitable discourses are great devourers of time that tend to no good at all neither to information nor reformation nor to prepare or fit the mind for work and business much talk about others Mens affairs matters that we are not concerned in and are forbid to meddle with study to be quiet and to do your own business and yet you cannot but observe it with half an Eye How much time is spent among Christians when they meet together about other Mens Actions Trades Shops Families c. and its strange if there is not mixture or backbiting envy uncharitableness and evil speaking throughout such discourses He that considers time rightly and knows how to number his Dayes as he should will see cause to wave such needless chat and fill his time with better conference that may leave a more sweet savour and relish upon his own heart and the spirits of the company The Lord knows how much we are to blame in this matter that we cannot fit together or meet together but with Augustus Caesar we must be taxing all the World especially such as it may be differ from us a little in some smaller circumstances we cannot have a good word for them nor hear a good word of them but can be greedy and gape at half a word that is reflecting and disparaging at a semblance at an appearance true or false My Brethren these things ought not to be I profess I often think of that place James 3.2 In many things we offend all but if any Man offend not in word the same is a perfect Man and able also to bridle the whole Body and let me tell you he that can manage his time aright will quickly order his tongue aright Oh that I could perswade you and my self that redeeming time lies at the very bottom of the power of Godliness Again how much needless and unprofitable talk about future events and contingencies about the Lord's matters his dispensations and providences what may come to pass in the World besides murmuring and discontented speeches about them it does not become us to sit in consistory upon God's providences to judge and pass hard censures upon them no time appointed by the Lord for it It was no small impiety in Pompey to rail against the god's and condemn the Providence that suffered him to be soiled by Caesar his cause being as he thought far better than Caesar's was he standing for the defence of the Common-Wealth like a good Patriot and Caesar like an Usurper aiming at a Monarchy and those Queries in Tully are but the symptomes of Atheism That if God govern the World then Why should persidious Hannibal be suffered to slay Marcellus why the barbarous Carthaginians to torture Regulas why bloody Cinna to slay so many Citizens why Marius to command Catulus his head a man far better than himself c. This was a thing that much displeased God Mal. 2. in that some there said and wearisome words they were to God that because the wickedest were suffered to play such 〈…〉 icks and domineer over others that either God favoured the wicked or was no Judg of the World ye have wearied the Lord with your words yet ye say wherein have we wearied him when ye say every one that is evil does good in the sight of the Lord and where is the God of Judgment as if God could not make his Judgments good if he suffered the Wicked to be such Judges of the Earth to slay whom they would and whom they would to keep alive to fit up whom they would and whom they would to pull down as Daniel said of wicked Nebuchadnezzar When Anthony the great was troubled with this and the like questionings about the Providence It is said that he heard a voice saying Anthony Anthony look thou to â—hy self and to thy own duty and let God alone with Governing the World he 〈◊〉 wise and just and powerful enough to do what is to be done Gersoh And Austin well answers the questionist asking him Why God suffers the Wicked to slay the Innocent see saies he whether in the first place it be not your duty to consider such plain Texts as these that more concern your self Break thy Bread to the hungry and bring the poor that are cast out to thy houfse when thou seest the naked cover him and hide not thy self from thy own flesh That would be time well-spent and God would allow for it Wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before your eyes cease to do evil learn to do well seek Judgment relieve the oppressed Judge the Fatherless plead for the Widow come now and let us reason together you would be disputing saies he with God about Providence before you have made your self fit to dispute with him Come now and let us reason together now when you have done all the former that more nearly concern you and it were good that many of the questions of this overcurious age were also thus answered But besides this answer he goes on and tells him that perhaps the party whom he thought was innocent was not so for how could he pry into his Heart or search into all his Life to know whether he had not thought or done any thing amiss wherefore God might justly suffer him to be put to Death But again suppose he were innocent indeed what then Christ was innocent and yet we know God's counsel to have been good and just in suffering him to be put to Death by the wicked seeing therefore by God's revealment thou hast found out his counsel why he suffered the unjust to slay that just one and such counsel as thou likest of very well thy self believe also that in others God does the same upon good counsel but it is perhaps concealed from thee lay aside therefore such Discourses about God's Transactions or if thou will discourse do it as the Prophet Jeremie does chap. 12.1 Who layes down this for a ground that God is righteous in them all if thou does thus thou wil easily light upon this solution v. 3. pull them out lihe sheep for the slaughter and prepare them for the day of slaughter I might add in the last place vain and foolish talking and discoursing with jesting which is not convenient which has nothing but frothines and unsavouriness in it ministers no edification but tends to put the Soul in a careless posture and set it at a greater distance from the fear of God which should alwayes be maintained as the Souls watch and overseer 3. Confused musings and dark reasonings spending much time holding a parley with Satan's suggestions and
objections God has allowed no time since Adam's fall to spend in conference with Satan his plain rule is to resist him and then he will flee from us how are poor Souls bewildred and spend much pretious time in hearing what he has to say against them their State their Duties their Comforts betake your selves to the strong hold of Scripture and there you will find safety rest and peace time spent in searching the Scriptures and meditating upon them is well-spent time and will cause Satan to depart from thee 4. Callings and necessary diversions and avocations take up much time a gracious Soul many times does begrudge the time he spends in eating and drinking and sleeping and in the necessary duties and labours of his calling he could wish with all his heart he had more time for God and that his business did not ly so hard upon him though this he cannot do without Divine Teaching the Men of the World and I fear many Professours too think their time well enough spent in the forementioned affairs 5. Idleness is a great feeder upon time doing nothing or next to nothing though no Man can be idle for the Devil imployes every one whom he finds idle he that is imployed by the Devil he may be sure it shall not be about building of chappels and hearing of Sermons not about any good and godly imployment The old Monks of Egypt were wont to say that the working Monk had only one Devil haunting and tempting him but the idle Monk had a number of Devils still about him to tempt him the idle body is haunted and followed with a Kennel of Hell-Hounds still about him to tempt him to naughtiness the unclean Devil to tempt him to uncleanness the prodigal Devil to tempt him to wastfulness what wastfuller than Idleness two of the best labourers would have much to do to maintain one loyterer one drone would devour more honey in a day than two Bees could gather the proud Devil to tempt him to Pride for what Prouder than Idleness that hath nothing to do but to trick and prick up it self the slandersome detracting Devil to tempt him to slander and detraction for who runs over all their neighbours in passing consures on them but they that talk away time they are so idle see 1 1 Tim. 5.13 Where the idle the tattlers and busie-bodies are ranked together the ristous drunken Devil to tempt him to drinking and who so faulty that way as they that must drink away time the sins of Sodom are made to be fulness of Bread and abundance of idleness why is fulness of Bread and abundance of Idleness such great sins no but he mentions these as causes and occasions of a great many sins give me a place where there is abundance of Idleness and I will not doubt to say there is abundance of naughtiness too thus for the sixth particular the wasters and devourers of time 7. The seventh particular is this none can know the periods of time without Divine Teaching and none can number his natural Dayes aright that does not in some measure understand Metaphorical and Mystial dayes he cannot perform his duty aright that does not understand what dispensation he is under in some degree see Revel 13.18 Here is wisdom let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast for it is the number of a Man and his number is six hundred threescore and six Our Saviour blames the Pharifees that they did not discern the sings of the times the Men of Issachar are commended that they were men that had understanding of the times We read of seneral number of dayes and times in Daniel 9.25 and 12.11 12. and Revel 11.3.11 ans 12.6 14. and its true that several have been guilty og misses and mistakes in their calculations but all argee that we are fallen into the very last dayes of Antichrists reign perillous times wherein the Devil is come down in great rage and that the signs of the times recorded Mat. 24. and Luk. 21. are upon us and therefore we come to understand what our duties are that are required in such times as watchfulness Prayer c. which are likewise clearly laid down in both the forenamed chapters now to take out these lessons and live in the practice of them and not fall into that fatal security unbelief sensuality and those other sins which make the last times dangerous does require Teachings from above None can know the successor of time without Divine teaching 't is impossible for a Man to number his dayes aright that does not know time's successor 1. That time will certainly have a successor and that it will cease and be no more 2. What kind of successor it will be not of the same Nature with time Eternity is quite differing from time in the Resurrection there will be no eating nor drinking nor marrying nor giving in marriage nor buying nor selling no Turkish Paradise to entertain us with carnal plasures nor yet a Popish Purgatory to cleanse us from sins unrepented of in time Vse 1 For Application I note this in the first place how few there are that are under Divine Teachings in this point of numbring dayes aright We live bySense and not by Faith Oh what is time to endless conceiveless Eternity but alas alas where is the Soul that sits down and thinks of Eternity for half an hour together David's History of the Men of his day is a Prophecy of the Men of our day Psa 49.11 Their inward thought is that their Houses shall continue for ever and their dwelling places to all generations though Man being in honour abideth not but is like the beasts that perish Vse 2. Beg of God this blessed skill and art of numbring your daies aright do not think it a needless Petition thou does not know that thou shalt die unless God reveal it to thee thou does not know that time will end that there is an Eternity thou lives in this World very forgetful how transitory the state of all these things are the vulgar Proverb bears witness to vulgar practice I thought as much of it as of my Death as of the day of doom as of the worlds end I was much pleased with what I met with lately in the Book of wisdom chap 8.9 which though it be Apocriphal yet it is Canonical truth For I was a witty Child saies he and was of a good Spirit nevertheless when I perceived I could not enjoy her that is wisdom except God gave her that was a point of wisdom also to know whose gift it was I went unto the lord and besought him c. Witty Men Learned Men Old Men Holy Men unless they be all taught of God will be at a loss in the point of numbring their dayes of living under the powerfull perswasion of the shortness swiftness and determination of dayes and times Let me add one thing which was slipt in the proof of the
and time and strength has been mostly imployed about their own outward Man and their Families and Children how to get them Bread and Livings and Portions and in the mean while have made no provision for their long home for Eternity for their precious Souls but let them lie at sixes and sevens hunger'd starved defiled naked and bare He that reckons of the fewness of his dayes reasons and resolves thus let me secure an interest for my Soul in the Lord Jesus let me be assured of a kind reception beyond the Grave and a mansion in Glory and then if I have time I may look a little after the World but if I leave the former undone I shall be undone for ever I may leave the latter undone and no great loss God will take care of my Children he is bound to it and for my self if I be in the meaner condition here as we use to say to Children no body will ask them or tell them when they come to be Men what cloaths they did wear when they were Children so when I come to Heaven it will be all one then whether I had two coats here or never a whole one whither I lived in plenty here or sometimes was in such a strait that I did not know where to get my dinner let my Soul be once in a safe condition and then I am sure there can be nothing much amiss in other things 2. It is a Point of Wisdom to foresee an evil and to avoid it the Wise-Man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself but the simple pass on and are punished He that numbers his dayes aright that knbws the shortness of time the certainty and suddenness of Death does prepare himself accordingly he gets himself hid in the rock the Lord Jesus he has got an hiding place so that when Death comes to strike and Satan watching for the Soul and the Grave which can never have enough gapeing for the Body all on a sudden the Soul is carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom and the Body laid as seed in the Earth not detained as a Prisoner under the grave's power to be raised again a Glorious Body at the Resurrection of the Just the Soul is continually whilst here fortifying it self by Faith and Repentance and humility and self-denial which are Armour of proof in every evih day 3. He is a Wise-Man that knows how to carry himself suitable to his condition The right numbring his dayes conduces much to this as you have already heard and therefore I need not enlarge upon this Head only this he reckons his time is so short that it never concerns him whether he be in an high or in a low condition it 's no matter where or how I fit I am not like to fit so long no matter what part I act I shal quickly be gone off the stage I can take any part that is allotted me it 's no matter how I buy and sell or pofesess for I must do all as though I did it not because of the shortness of time so that in short as numbring our dayes aright is the fruit of Divine Teachings so it is the way and means to obtain Divine Wisdom 4. He is a Wise-Man that is well-read in antient Records and History and has a good reach with him about what things may fall out hereafter and manages himself accordingly Now to number our dayes aright will put us upon a search of the dayes that are past what times have been before and that which is is but what hath been and is gone and past and so must what lies before us top and therefore we shall be looking after something that is lasting not so flitting and fading as these earthly things are a Man that knows no more than the present day will mind nothing else but the present things will be alwayes muddling and moyling and scraping in the World and never looks about him to see what has gone before him or what will come after him which if he once did he would quickly come out of his muddy hole and shake himself and seek about for some surer foot-hold some better standing some other imployment than what he is now engaged in and taken up with 5. He is a Wise-Man what knows things of deep reach and search of profound enquiry things that are out of other Mens thoughts that never enter into their head 's the right numbring of our dayes will much help to this knowledg for he that considers that time will quickly end and Eternity presently begin which will never end will begin to inquire what things are conversant and in use in the other world and when he finds that Communion with God beholding Christ in his Glory freedom from all sin the society of Saints c is the condition of the place he presently turns out Worldly thoughts and designs and discourses about Houses and Lands and Money and Pomp and Glory and Pleasures and dives into the Mystery of the Gospel the Word of reconciliation a Life of believing the work and sealing of the Spirit the priviledges of God's People c and falls upon studying the work of repentance of self-denial of mortification together with all those works of meekness love and charity by which Persons are made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light and are prepared for an Eternal state and condition alas faies he why do you trouble me with these trifles as Eating and Drinking and Trading c. It 's true they are of use in and are calculated for this present infirm state and must have their place but the main work and business is quite another thing the usages and customes of this World are quite differing from and contrary to those of the next and therefore I must begin the life here that I expect to live in the next and must be practising Non-conformity to and living above this present evil World I must come out of it I must be out of Love with it I must keep it at due distance I must use it as not abusing it as if I used it not that I may be ready and fitted for the condition and company of the World to come when-ever the messenger of Death comes for me which I am to expect every hour For I am commanded to watch alwaies with my loins girt about and my light burning that when my Lord comes and knocks I may open to him immediatly 6. We count him a Wise-Man who is willing to be taught and nothing like the numbring of our dayes will further that it cures trewantry he that does a thing as his last will be willing to do it the best way he can and will be glad of any help persons that have difficult business to do which must be done in such a time are ready to receive advice and take it kindly and this does argue them to be wise for willingness to learn is a sign of Wisdom he is
knows c. He that made you knows what you stand in need of what your Constitutions do require how much will serve how little Nature requires and how much less Grace needs if you have but little do not call it Poverty but Discipline he is your Father 7. Motive is a proprio medio from the proper and most effectual way and means to secure a competency and that is by seeking first of all the kingdom of God Ver. 33. He that would make Earth sure must first of all make Heaven sure shall I be taking thought what to eat and drink here and never fear begging a drop of water hereafter shall I be solicitous for Clothes and do not know but my Soul and Body may lie naked in the scorching flames of the wrath of God to all Eternity besides I have a Promise of God for outward things if I make it my business to seek after Heavenly it is a very needless care God provides meat for me that I may not be taken off my work to seek after it 8. Ground lies in my Text and it is taken from the Consideration of that sufficient trouble that each day is filled with you need not fetch the misery of another day unto this day it hath enough full enough of its own some read it The day hath enough with his own grief I now came to the Observations Doct. 1. Which is implyed The life of a Christian is to be reckoned by the day Sufficient unto the Day not to the Week or Month or Year but to the Day I need not insist upon the proof of the Point What saies old Jacob Fen and evil have the dayes of the years of my life been It is observable that dayes is four times repeated in that verse So Job Man that is born of Woman is of few dayes His dayes are determined Turn from him that he may accomplish as an Hireling his day Take a third witness of this and it is no other than a King and a Prophet David The dayes of our years are threescore years and ten c. But a greater than all these is our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who tells us in the Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard that they were hired for a day which is the time of life and he calls his own life a day Abraham rejoyced to see my day There is a Natural day and there is a Metaphorical day a day of time and a day of opportunity season and dispensation mark the expression of our Saviour I must work the works of him taht sent me whilst it is Day the Night cometh when no man can work whil'st I have time time and whil'st I have opportunity So we read of the dayes of his flesh I might make this further appear by shewing to you 1. That we are taught to beg our Bread for the day Give us this day our daily Bread and forbid to take thought for to morrow for why should I take thought for Meat when I know not whether I shall have a Mouth to put it in or for Clothes when I know not whether I shall have a Body to put them on 2. We are to beg our pardon for the day and to forgive our Brother to day forgive us our Trespasses this day for as Jacob sayes Thou may'st seek me in the morning and I shall not be and for our Brother The Sun which is the measure of the day must not go down upon our wrath And if we come to the Altar and there remember that our Brother hath ought against us we must leave the Gift before the Altar c. we must not say that we will do it to morrow 3. Every night is a resemblance of Death Death is called a Sleep and the Grave is called a Bed the Sun rises and sets which measures time 4. The Commands and Promises in Scripture run for the present day and none for to morrow Heb. 3.7 To day if ye will hear his voice Ver. 13. Exhort one another daily whil'st it is called to day now is the accepted time But to conclude the Proof of this Point I shall and this that our whole life-time is very fitly compared to a Natural Day 1. As a day is but a short space of time so is our life what is a day to a thousand years what is our time to Eternity 2. As a day is cut off by the night so is our life cut short cut off somtimes sooner somtimes later some dayes are longer than others but none very long some mens lives are longer than others but never a long life among them all of them cut short all of them cut off 3. The day is succeeded by the night so is this life by the darkness the dayes of darkness which shall be many There is a day which shall not be succeeeded by night and there is an evening which shall be succeeded by light but it is not this day I now come to the Reasons of the Point Why must our lives be reckoned by the day and they are principally these four Reason 1. Because our Breath is in our Nostrils our Lives hang by a small Threed how soon are our Countenances changed and we sent away how many that have been well in the morning have been dead before evening gone out in health and a dead Carcase brought home or else they have died and been buried abroad and never came within their own doors more how many ways may a mans breath expire and how quickly is it done Ah my Brethren how little is this considered though nothing is more ordinary than to say I little thought such an one would have been gone so soon what an healthful lusty Man was he it was but such a day I saw him and I thought he never looked better since I knew him I thought I should have died long before him was not he at such a place at such a Meeting but a few dayes ago c. Oh Friend Know his Breath was in his Nostrils and so it is with thee there may not be a step between thee and Death for any thing thou knows a lurking Distemper in thy Body may rise up and pull thee by the Throat and all thy friends stand about thee and none be able to rescue thee and save thee from that deadly Hand A slip a fall a cross accident a Surfeit c. presently the health is gone As it is with a Venice-Glass very useful whil'st it is whole but one fall upon the ground breaks it and than it 's good for nothing but the broken pieces are thrown out to the Dungbild So whilst breath is there thou art very useful for many things can walk and work and advise and manage Affairs but when once thy breath is gone and thy life like water spilt upon the ground which can not be gathered up again thy dead Carcase must be taken up and carried out and laid in