of it but fail in the Principle and Manner of the Duty and never look to the [g] The end of all Exercises of Piety and Devotion is more and mine to dispose our Hearts to the Love and our Wills to the Obedience of our blessed Creatour and Redeemer And busying our selves in any of them without this Design may well be counted in the Number of the fruitless and unaccountable Actions of our Lives Thus to do is prodigally to waste and mis-spend our Time as the Jews were upbraided by one of their Adversaries with doing upon the account of their Sabbath saying They they lost one Day in seven Dr. Fowler 's Design of Christianity pag. 186. End of the Duty have no real Design and hearty Intention to please and glorify God thereby and to gain and encrease in true Holiness of Heart and Life If you act not out of a Principle of Love and inward Life and Liking but only out of some external respect If you perform your Services not out of a filial ingenuous Disposition but merely out of a Slavish Fear of being beaten or of losing the Wages you expect for your Work If you use only a careless and supine Devotion If you matter not at all how little you do for God or what is the Frame of your Minds and Hearts in what you do If you give way to vain Thoughts in holy Duties If you be not intent in your religious Services but instead of using the World as if you used it not you use good Duties as if you did not use them observe the Lord's-Day as if you observ'd it not confess and repent as if you did no such thing hear as if you heard not and pray as if you prayed not If you pray only out of Custom and do not mind and well consider what you say nor are affected with what you speak nor desire what you ask If you pray and reade and hear only because you are brought up so to do and have taken up such a Practice or because you would satisfy natural Conscience and have the good Opinion and Word of all in your Families and be commended by your Neighbours for religious Persons and do not pray to this necessary End that so you may enjoy Communion with God and get and obtain Pardon and Grace and Strength from God nor reade the Scripture and good Books and hear the Word preached that so you may know your Duty in Order to the Practice and Performance of it all the Time that is thus spent in Duty is in a manner Time lost and mis-spent in so doing you lose your Duties and you lose your Time too But especially if any shall dare to do nothing but whisper and talk and laugh to mock and jeer at the Word and the Minister of it to be undecent and rude and profane in their Carriage and Behaviour in a Christian Assembly in the Time of Divine Worship in the [i] Vae mihi quia ibi pecco ubi peccata emendare debeo Bernard de interior Domo c. 33. Presence of the great God and in the Sight of the holy * 1 Cor. 11.10 Angels This is to lose the Time of publick Duty if it be to be lost at all This is to lose the Time of Duty with a Witness And so I have done with the third Vse namely of Reproof and Rebuke to several Sorts of Persons who are guilty of the Loss the lamentable Loss of their precious Time and unvaluable Opportunities CHAP. VI. The fourth and last Vse is of Exhortation to Magistrates Ministers the People in general Six quickening Motives to press the Duty of Redemption of Time 1. Consider how notably Jesus Christ redeem'd the Time when he was here in the World 1. He redeem'd the Time to save us 2. He redeem'd the Time to be an Example to us 2. Consider further that as Christ did once redeem the Time to save us So the Devil does daily redeem the Time to destroy us 3. Consider how very notably many of the Saints and Servants of God have improved and redeemed their Time 4. Consider that it is an Act of spiritual Wisdom to rodeem the Time and mere Madness and gross Folly not to redeem the Time 5. Consider that if now thou losest and squanderest away thy Time thou wilt at last be forced thy self to condemn thy foolish Neghgence and to justify the Care and Diligence of others that were wiser for their own Souls then thy self 6. Consider that do what we can to redeem our Time we shall never repent at last of any Care we have had to redeem it but shall certainly blame and find fault with our selves for being so careless of our Time so negligent of good Opportunities as we have been Serious considerative Christians do blame themselves for their Loss of Time even in their Life-time but they are especially sensible of it and exceedingly ashamed of themselves for it at their Death THe fourth and last use shall be of Exhortation to put you upon the Duty of Redeeming Time Let Magistrates vigorously redeem the Time in the faithful Execution and impartial Administration of governing Justice and in being active and zealous bold and couragious in the Cause of God and Goodness * Rem 13.3 in being a Terrour to Evil and not to good Works and in acting for the †i Pet. 2.14 Punishment of Evil-doers and for the Praise of them that do well in repressing Vice and checking Profaneness and daily dashing Sin out of Countenance and in countenancing and encouraging nourishing and cherishing Sobriety and Temperance Vertue and Godliness Holiness and Religion Let Ministers industriously redeem the Time in ‖ Acts 20.27 not shunning to declare to the People all the Counsel of God in urging Truths upon their own Hearts and pressing and enforcing them upon others Souls in labouring abundantly in the Lord's Vineyard in (*) Verse 28. taking heed unto themselves and (†) 1 Tim. 4.16 to their Doctrine and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made them Over-seers in feeding the Church of God with the wholsome Food of sound Words in (‖) Heb. 13.17 watching for Souls as they that must give Account in [*] Acts 20.31 daily warning Sinners with Tears in perswading Men with Earnestness and Importunity as those that well [†] 2 Cor. 5.11 know the Terrour of the Lord in endeavouring to [‖] 1 Tim. 4.16 save themselves and them that hear them to () Jude 23. save some with Fear pulling them out of the Fire in taking all possible Care lest they [] 1 Cor. 9.26 beat the Air and * Gal. 2.2 Phil. 2.16 run in vain and labour in vain left their Peoples †Ezek. 3.18 Blood be required at their Hands and lest when they have preached to others they themselves should become * 1 Cor. 9.27 Cast-aways in discharging their Duty so painfully and faithfully that though
one another's sinning and to promote the Work of Grace and Holiness in one another's Hearts Take Occasion to warm not so much one another's Houses as one another's Hearts Visit one another in the Evening meet together and confer one with another at leisure hours and on daies of Recreation * Mal. 3.16 Speak often one to another concerning the things that belong to the Peace of one another's Souls and concern the Conditiion of the Church of Christ Build up †Jude 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one another on your most holy Faith ‖ 1 Thess 5.11 Comfort your selves together and edify one another (*) Heb. 3.13 Exhort one another daily while it is called To day Let your Exhortation be mutual and reciprocal frequent and continual seasonable and speedy lest any of you be hardened through the Deceitfulness of Sin Take the first Opportunity of dealing with thy Friend as the case and need of his Soul requires lest Death remove him unexpectedly out of the reach of thy Charity to all Eternity Consider with thy self that should thy Companion live longer yet he may continue in the omission of some Duty because you only purpose to put him upon it Or he may go on in the commission of some Sin grow more and more in Love with it and fall more under the Power of it because you have only some thought and intention to turn him from it Support preserve and keep one another from falling and in the Spirit of Meekness raise and recover (†) Gal. 6.1 restore and (‖) Jam 5.19 convert one another when overtaken and fallen in any degree and measure either into Sin or Errour * Le◠19 17. Hate not your Friend or Brother in your Heart in any wise rebuke your Neighbour and never suffer Sin upon him when you find him offending against God or Man And * Mat. 18.15 if a Friend or Brother shall plainly trespass against thee go and tell him his Fault between thee and him alone not seeming to reproach him by chiding and reprehending him in publick nor offering to back-bite him by talking privately to others against him †Col. 3.16 Rom. 15 14. Teach and admonish one another and let it appear that you practise your own Precepts and take your selves the Counsel you give to others Follow Tertullian's excellent Advice [p] Oportet constantiam commenend proprtie conversationis autheritate dertgere ne icta faciis aesictent thus crubescant Tert. de patientia initio strengthen your friendly Admonition and Exhortation with the Authority of your own Conversation that your want of Deeds may not make you blush at your own Words and let me add that your Friend and Companion may not neglect and reject your Sayings because he knows too well your Doings As oftentimes you thrust away the good Light of a Candle for the ill savour which the stinking Tallow yields Let none have reason to retort and say ‖ Luke 4.23 Physician heal thy self (*) Rom. 2 21. Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy self What Mr. Herbert speaks of Ministers may be sitly accommodated to the Exhortations and Admonitions of Christian Friends [q] The Windows Doctrine and Life Colours and Light in one When they combine and mingle bring A strong Regard and Aw but Speech alone Doth vanish like a flaring thing And in the Ear not Conscience ring (†) Heb 10 24. Consider one another to provoke unto Love and to good Works or to [r] Dr. Ham of frat Admon or Correp p. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sharpen or provoke in one another Charity and good or laudable Works You are apt to forget and prone to neglect your selves you have need enough of one anothers spiritual Care and Help 't is necessary that others should watch and observe incite and assist you be at some trouble and take some pains with you your own and others Consideration and Provocation of you is little enough to stir and move you Ponder and [s] Dr. Hum. Par. in loc weigh all Advantages that you can have one upon another to excite and extimulate to engage and quicken one another to the Exercise of Charity and all Actions of Piety whensoever you find any thing of fainting or growing cold in one another Search and enquire into one anothers spiritual Estates mind and study the Cases and Conditions of one anothers Souls the Causes and Cures of one another spiritual Distempers Be very solicitous for one anothers present and future Good carefully consult the spiritual Prosperity and eternal Welfare of one another Consider one another to provoke one another not to Sin and Wickedness to Vanity and Folly to uncertain Opinions to Faction and Division to Siding and Party-taking not to that which is highly provoking but exceeding well-plealing to God not to Wrath but to Love not to Evil but to Good Works Consider and provoke one another not as the Devil considers and provokes Men by his Temptations but as God considers and provokes Men who watches over us continually prevents us daily with his Grace strengthens us against Temptations affords us his Counsel instils many good Motions into our Minds and often incites and stirs us up to the Duties incumbent on us And as Christ consider'd and provoked Sinners when he was here on Earth to Faith and Repentance good Works and Obedience who went about doing Good doing good to Mens Souls as well as Bodies who freely convers'd with them frequently instructed them affectionately exhorted them powerfully press'd them plainly reprov'd them was grieved for the Hardness of their Hearts lamented and wept over their Impenitency and Insidelity Consider thy Companion at such a season when it is most likely that he may consider what you say to him Provoke him to Good when in all probability it may do most good Remember to consider and provoke one another in a serious manner Never offer to utter a few cold dull dead Words between Jest and Earnest but earnestly perswade and pathetically expostulate one with another and let one another plainly see that every Application does arise and proceed from Love and Compassion and that it is the Desire of your Souls to save one another's Souls Let your Words be as * Eccl. 12.1 Goads as the Wise Man speaks to prick one another forward in the way of Religion Instead of detaining one another unnecessarily from the Publick Assembly stir up one another with an holy Zeal and say one to another in the Words of the Prophet * Zech. 8.21 Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts I will go also Be not Quench-coals but as live Coals begetting Heat in those that are next you Let Christian Acquaintance use their utmost Endeavours to bring one another more acquainted with God and with their own spiritual States and Conditions Let Christian Neighbours study
you have no better improved Christian Fellowship and Communion no more awaken'd quicken'd comforted and spiritually served one another Grudg not to bestow a little Labour in watching over thy Friend and Neighbour this Work and Task will be quickly over And take not amiss anothers taking care of thee Count the Christian Religion lovely and amiable upon this Consideration that it makes such excellent and admirable Provision for the Welfare and Safety of Souls for the spiritual Security and eternal Felicity of the Professors of it Prize and value the rich Mercy and abundant Kindness of God to thee that he should appoint every Friend about thee to be a spiritual Help to thee and make it part of his Office and Business to take care of thy Soul And when you find any Friend faithful in the Exercise of his Duty and Discharge of his Conscience toward thee bless God that he is so And be truly thankful to him also for so high an expression of his charitable Affection Let his sincere and hearty Love to thee make him appear * 1 Sam 29.9 good in thy sight as an Angel of God and cause his †Rom. 10 15. Feet as well as Face to be truly [x] Quid tam alsurdum quà m delectari multis inanibus rebus ui honore ut glorià ut aedificio ut vestitu culiú jue cerporis animo autem virtute praedito eo qut vel amare vel ut enini remuneratione benevolentiae nthil vicissitudine studiorum essicier úmque jucundiù Lael apud Cic. de amic beautiful to thee Never be provoked with an ill Provocation against the Person of a Friend who sharpens and provokes you with a good Provocation Be not angry with any that provoke you to Love nor render evil for good to such as labour to provoke you to good Works If thy Friend and Companion rebuke thee know how to accept a great Kindness take his Love and Good-will well and shew that thou hast good Flesh to heal Say with holy David ‖ Ps 41.5 Let the Righteous smite me it shall be a Kindness and let him reprove me it shall be an excellent Oil which shall not break my Head And reckon this to be one of the saddest Strokes that God inflicts for God to say (*) Hos 4.4 Let no Man strive nor reprove another Be so wise and good natured as to [y] Plurimim in amicitia amicorum bene suadentium valeat autoritas eáque adhibeatur ad monendum non moaò aperrè sed etiam acriter si res postulabit autoritati adhibitae pareatur Id. ib. suffer a Word of Exhortation and Admonition from a truly loving Christian Friend When thou aut in Company with thy Friends do †1 Kings 20.23 as Benhadad's Servant did in the Presence of Ahab diligently observe whether any good thing will come from any and hastily catch it Shew thy self much pleased and delighted with any good Discourse that is started and labour to keep it up and maintain it But know that if now thou refusest to hearken to the Counsels and follow the Advices and submit * Eph. 5.21 thy self to the Reproofs and Reprehensions of prudent pious Christian Friends and art ready to strive against all their earnest passionate Strivings with thee then they that contended and laboured in vain with thee here shall surely †1 Cor. 6.2 judg thee at Last Day and bring in Evidence and Testimony against thee that they would have healed thee and thou wouldst not be healed that they by all means would have helped thee to Heaven and thou wouldst hasten and hurry to Hell ‖ Jer. 51.9 The eleventh Direction If we would earnestly redeem the Time we must remember and consider perform and answer our solemn Sacramental Vows Occasional Promises and Sick-bed Resolutions 1. Our solemn Sacramental Vows 1. Our Promise and [a] Of the Vow of Baptism see Dr. Hammond's Pract. Cat. l. 6. the latter part of sect 2 and 3. And his notions contracted in the VVhole Duty of Man partit 2. par 33 c. Vow made in Baptism Which Promise made by Persons baptized when adult or of full Age is called as some understand and interpret that Place the stipulation or * 1 Pet. 3.21 answer of a good Conscience towards God At the time of our Infant-Baptism we were dedicated to the Service of God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and solemnly entred into a sacred Covenant Then we indented and engaged to renounce the Devil the †Eph. 6.12 2.2 Ruler ‖ Joh. 12 31. Prince and (*) 2 Cor. 4.4 God of this World And all his Works All that the Devil labours by any means to set us about and employ us in But especially and principally all those Sins which carry particularly the stamp and character the image and resemblance of Satan upon them and have (†) Joh. 8.44 from the beginning been practised by him such as Pride Lying Slandering Malice Envy Killing and Destroying Tempting and Soliciting others to Sin We covenanted expresly to abandon and abomine all Diabolical Works And to forsake and disclaim the Pomps and Vanities or Pompous Vanities the profane Spectacles the Luxury the ostentatious vain-glorious Bravery of this wicked World To abhor and avoid the evil Company and to resist the applauded vile vicious Customs and popular Temptations of the World To take care not to accompany the Ungodly in their Sins To deny Vngodliness and worldly Lusts and all the sinful Desires Affections Appetites of the Flesh◠to abstain from fleshly Lusts and from all the Works of the Flesh to make no provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof To endeavour to moderate and subordinate all our Desires to the Will of God And by God's Grace and under the influence of Divine Assistance according to our Abilities obediently to keep God's holy Will and Commandments and not only to take a few Steps but to walk in the same and that not only for a spurt or a few daies but all the daies of our Lives And since we came to years of Discretion and were of age sufficient to use our Reason and act understandingly we have personally owned openly and deliberately confirmed our Baptismal Vow taken the obligation in our own names by actual consent yielded and resigned devoted and delivered up our selves to become the teachable tractable Disciples the ready and voluntary Servants of the blessed Trinity Now to make this grand Promise good were to redeem the Time indeed Let 's never offer or dare to live as if we had been initiated in the impure Mysteries of the Heathen as if we had been baptized in the name of Bacchus or Venus baptized in the very Devil's name devoted to his Drudgery and deeply engaged against God and Christ and the Holy Spirit against the Gospel and Godliness against the Members of Christ and the People of God But look and see we live as those who
intimate Communion and Fellowship with the Wicked but rather to reprove their evil Deeds and wicked Works from the seventh to the fifteenth verse And to that end to walk circumspectly and wisely and to express their Circumspection and Christian Wisdom by this excellent good Effect of it the Redeeming of their Time in the 15th and 16th verses See then that ye walk circumspectly not as Fools but as wise redeeming the Time because the Daies are evil The Words of my Text do easily break into these two Parts 1. A Duty redeeming the Time and 2. a special Ground and Reason of the Duty because the Daies are evil I begin with the former It is the Duty of a Christian to redeem the Time For Explication of the Duty I shall shew I. What it is to redeem the Time II. What the Time is that is to be redeemed I. What it is to redeem the Time The Word in the Original imports and signifies several things 1. The greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is commonly rendred redimentes redeeming Now to redeem Time is properly to buy back the Time that is past to regain Time formerly misspent to recover as it were the Jewel of Time that has been formerly lost Time once let slip is indeed physically irrecoverable We can never truly and properly live one Day one Hour of our Lives over again But in a moral Consideration Time is accounted as regained 1. When we seriously consider and [a] Oportebat quidem si fieri posset revivere me ut it a loquar denuò quod malè vixi sed quia hoc non possum faciam recogitando quod reoperando non possum Bernard serm de Cantic Ezechiae Regis sadly think upon our former evil Waies [b] Tempus redimimus quando anteactam vitam quam laserviendo perdidimus flendo reparamm Gregorius lib. 5. Eposit Moral c. 28. weep and wall over our past Sins lament and repent of all our lost and misspent Time and wish with all our Hearts and Souls that we had ordered aright the whole Course of our Conversations and lived and acted alwaies as we ought and by condemning our selves for our old Follies undo as far as in us lies whatever formerly we have ill done And 2. when by double Diligence and extraordinary Care and Endeavour we do that in the remaining Part of our Life which should have been in some good measure done before and which is ordinarily work enough for a Man 's whole Life As a Traveller that has staied too long by the Way when he sinds the Day is far spent and that it is not long to Night he puts on and makes all haste and speed and goes as many Miles in a few Hours as he did before in many Or as a Merchant who has suffered very great Losses doubles his Diligence in his future Traffic and so gets up his Estate in which Sence both the Traveller and Merchant are said to redeem their Time Thus the Christian by his Activity and Industry extraordinary does as it were recover his lost Time he does in effect redeem it To live much in a little Time is in a manner as good as if the very Time past were really lived over again it is in some sence as much as if the same Time were return'd into our hands because the same thing which should have been done in the whole course of our Life is effectually done in some one Part of it better employed than the rest of it Neither is this any Encouragement to a wicked Person to loose and let go the present Time because it may be redeem'd again after a sort for they that thus redeem it must pay fall dear for it and 't is very uncertain whether he that now lets it slip shall ever have the happiness to redeem it hereafter though at the highest Rate that can be That is the first particular it is to buy back the Time that is past and this comes nearest to the Latin Word redimentes redeeming the Time 2. The Greek Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not necessarily suppose a former Possession of what is now bought but properly signifies [c] A Lapide in loc buying only or the parting with one Thing for the purchasing of another The word is properly rendred emercantes and may be well translated buying the Time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then may signify not only to buy back the Time that is past but to buy up the Time that is present and this is rather intended by the Apostle in the Text. Now if we take redeeming here to signify no more than buying or purchasing it speaks then these [d] Bayne in loc two Things 1. Redeeming the Time is the forgoing of any thing that would any way hinder us from taking the Time 2. The making it our own by using and improving it to all possible Advantages as in buying a thing 1. we pay the Price of it then take it into our Possession and Use 1. Redeeming or buying the Time it is the forgoing of any thing that would any way hinder us from taking the Time For if you part with nothing says [e] Perde aliquid ut Deo vaces Ex eo quod perdis pretium est temporis c. August in text Hom. 10. inter 50. St. Austin and yet get something you had not before you either found it or had it given you or got it by Inheritance but when you part with somewhat to purchase somewhat then you buy a Thing Beza upon the Place makes the Redeeming here to be a Metaphor taken from Merchants who very curiously and carefully consider what the several Wares and Commodities be and ever prefer a little Profit before much Pleasure and choose a small Gain before great Delights We daily see that they who use Markets and Fairs will lay aside their Pleasures and Recreations and often lose their sleep and their set meals and deny themselves many Conveniencies for the present that so they may closely attend their Businesses and know and take their Advantages and may not lose any good Bargain but be sure to meet with the best [g] A Lapide in loc Wares and to lay out their Money for the choicest Commodities Thus in a spiritual Sence we should be greedy and covetous Buyers of the Time we should be wise [h] No Man is a better Merchant than he that lays out his Time upon God and his Money upon the Poor Bp. Taylor 's Rule of Hol. Lif. c. 1. p. 3. Merchants let any thing go to gain the Time be willing to bestow our Care Pains [i] To redeem the Time is properly to buy the security of it at the Pate of any Labour and honest Arts Id. ib. cap. 1. sec 1. Rule 20. Labour Diligence which is as it were our Money which we give for the Commodity of an opportunity of doing or receiving good be ready to forgo and part with our Ease or Pleasure our Profit and
hearty Thankfulness to Christ for it your Obedience to your Lord who does not only vouchsafe it as a Priviledge but command it as a Duty Do this in Remembrance of me Perform this easie sweet Command of thy dying Lord and Saviour who has freed and delivered thee by his Death from the heavy Yoke and grievous Bondage of Jewish Sacrifices and Observances O let our Hearts at such a Time be broken and bleed at the Remembrance of our Sins which brake Christ's Body and shed his Blood Behold in the Sacrifice and bloody Death of Christ represented in this Sacrament the odiousness and baseness of your own Sins and resolve to be the Death of that which was the Death of Christ and rather to die than willingly to do that for which Christ died Abhorr the Thoughts of wilfully choosing so great an Evil as once brought so great a Punishment upon so great a Person as the holy Jesus the well-beloved Son of God Consider seriously upon this Occasion that if God would not spare Christ when he who knew no Sin was by voluntary charitable Assumption of our Guilt to answer for our Sins to be sure then he will not spare us if we wilfully run on in Sin and obstinately allow our selves therein notwithstanding so convincing a Demonstration of his sin-hating Holiness and vindicative Justice Upon due Meditation draw this Conclusion which is the excellent Reasoning of the [p] Facilis est collectio si Deus ne resipiscentibus quidem peccata remittere voluit nisi Christo in poenas succedente multò minùs inultos sinet contumaces Grot. de Satisfact Christi learned Grotius that if God would not pardon the Sins no not of penitent Persons unless Christ did substitute himself in their Room and stand in their Stead to bear the Punishment much less will he suffer unreclaimable Rebels and contumacious Sinners to go unpunished When Christ is set forth in this Sacrament crucified before your Eies think how he intended and aimed at our Mortification and Sanctification in his Death and Passion * Tit. 2.14 Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purify to himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works †Pet. 2.4 Who his own self bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree that we being dead to Sin should live unto Righteousness Let us yield that Christ should have his End in his Death and never allow our selves to live in Sin which will render us uncapable of receiving the Benefit of Christ's Death Think how the Unholiness of our Lives is a greater wrong to Christ than the Jews being the very Death of him because as the [q] D. Jackson Vol. 3. p. 343 344 345. learned Dr. Jackson notes it is more against the Will and Liking and good Pleasure of our Saviour whose Will was regulated by Reason and was a constant Rule of Goodness for though a painful shameful Death and that inflicted by his own People went much against his human Will yet he chose rather to die and to suffer the most afflictive Circumstances of Death for us than to suffer us to live and die in our Sins and in the Servitude and Power of Satan Shall we pretend when we approach to the Table of our Lord affectionately to remember a loving dying Saviour and to desire to have his Memory continued and transmitted to Posterity and yet so much forget him upon the return of any Temptation as to repeat that which was the Death of him Shall we weep at the Sacrament and seem to be hugely troubled for those Sins which were the Cause of Christ's Sorrows and yet go about again to destroy and to crucify Christ afresh Shall we commemorate at the Lord's Supper our wonderful Redemption by the precious Blood of Christ and when we have done shall we do the Devil more work and service than the Lord Christ O what a Reproach is this to Christ and what a Sport to the Devil that they that pretend to remember Christ's Dying for them should not find in their hearts to live to him [q] Ego pro istis quos mecum vides nec alapas accepi nec flagella sustinui nec crucem pertuli nec sanguinem fudi nec familiam meam pretio passionis cruoris redemi sed nec regnum illis coeleste promitto nec ad paradisum restitutâ immortalitate denuò revoco Tuos tales Christe demonstra vix tui meis pereuntibus adaequantur qui à te divinis mercedibus praemiis coelestibus honorantur Cypr. de Opere Eleemosynis p. 220. St. Cyprian brings in the Devil boasting and bragging against our Saviour and insulting over us silly and sinful Wretches in this manner I have endured no Buffetings nor born Smitings with the Palms of Men's Hands I have suffer'd no Scourgings nor under-gon the Cross for any of these nor have I redeem'd my Family with the Price of my Passion and Blood-shedding yet shew me O Christ so many so busy so painful so dutiful Servants of thine as I am able to shew thee every where of mine Bring forth if thou canst such a Number of Persons who devote themselves and give their Labours Estates and Time to thee as I can easily produce of those who do all this to me When thou professest to remember that Christ died for thee O die to that for which he died Offer thy self to him and lay out thy self for him who once offered himself for us and in the Sacrament offers himself to us Think no Duty too much for him For Shame for Shame do not serve any longer a bloody Murtherer instead of a blessed Saviour and merciful Redeemer Let our Thoughts and Meditations dwell upon the Demonstration given us in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper of Christ's exceeding incomparable Love to Mankind See there how contrary the sweet and kind Nature of Christ is to the cruel and execrable Nature of the old Tyrant the Devil For as the learned [r] His Mystery of Godliness p. 133 245. Dr. More very well observes whereas the Devil who by unjust Vsurpation had got the Government of the World into his own hands tyrannizing with the greatest Cruelty and Scorn that can be imagined over Mankind thirsted after humane Blood and in most Parts of the World required the Sacrificing of Men which could not arise from any thing else but a salvage Pride and Despight against us This new gracious Prince of God's own appointing Christ Jesus was so far from requiring any such villainous Homage that himself became at once one grand and all sufficient Sacrifice for us to expiate the Sins of all Mankind and so to reconcile the World to God Shall not all this disengage us from Sin and Satan and win and gain us over to Christ And let Christ's Death make thee study to do something answerable to the dearest Love of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has
and make a mock at Sin and hear the Relation of another's Wickedness with an inward Tickling and secret Delight As if the Reproach and Dishonour of God were a very good jest and the eternal Damnation of immortal Souls were a Thing fit to make sport with 4. Once more Let it make our very Hearts ake to take notice-of some who instead of vexing themselves with the unlawful ungodly Deeds of the Wicked do daily vex and afflict themselves with the lawful and godly Deeds of the Righteous Who miserably trouble and torment themselves with the Goodness and Holiness and not with the Vileness and Wickedness of others Who storm at others Strictness and fret and fume at others Forwardness in the Way of Holiness and are mad at heart that any that live among them refuse to run with them into all Excess of Riot To whom the very Presence and Company of a good Man is oftentimes as offensive and troublesome as would be the visible Appearance of the Devil among them Who heartily vex to hear at any Time any serious savoury good Discourse from them and are tormented before their Time by the gracious Lives and good Conversations of serious conscientious Christians 5. And after all Let it be no small trouble and grief to us to find so few troubling themselves with such Matters as these That Men too generally should only regard themselves and mind their own Bags and Backs and Bellies and Bodies and feel nothing but that which touches their outward Estates and nearly concerns their worldly Interests but wholly neglect and disregard the Cause and Interest of God and Goodness in the World That so many so patiently can see and hear and bear any open and common Wickedness and if they can be respected themselves matter it not much tho' God be dishonoured So they themselves be pleased care little or nothing though God be displeased and if they themselves can but get gain let God and Religion lose what they will for them That Men should count it a piece of over-much Righteousness to take any notice of others Faults and think it enough to cry God mercy for their own Sins without afflicting and tormenting themselves with the Sins of others That Magistrates should be so little sensible of daily Affronts done to God That Ministers should see their Flocks running on to Destruction and have no more Bowels of Compassion That Masters of Families should not at all lay to heart their Servants Offences and frequent Trespasses against their heavenly Lord and Master That Parents Hearts should even ake again if any little Hurt or Illness come to their Children's Bodies and their Bowels never yearn at all though mischief and Misery through Sin and Iniquity fall upon their Souls to all Eternity That Men should kindly do their Neighbours any friendly Offices in Civil Matters relieve them if in Want visit them if they be sick pull out their Ox or Ass if fallen into the Ditch and if their House be on Fire presently run and help to quench it and yet-never be affected with the sad and lamentable shiritual Estate of their Neighbours That Men should see and suffer those about them to make Shipwrack of a good Conscience to lose their Peace lose Heaven lose their God lose their Souls to be just falling into Hell-fire to grow violently sick of the Plague of the Heart to die in their Sins before their Eyes and perish in their Iniquities before their Faces without fetching one Sigh or dropping one Tear for them or speaking one Word to them or lending a seasonable Hand to help them How ought they to be ashamed that can be passionatly affected in other Matters and yet have no Passion no Trouble no Tears for the common and dangerous Sins of the Times and Places in which they live and to which they belong Let us be affected with their Want of Affection upon so great and urgent an Occasion Are the Daies evil in respect of evil Men and their evil Manners let us be troubled at the Evil of them That 's the first 2. Are the Daies thus evil Let us then see that we be not made worse by them Let 's * Eph. 51.11 have no Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of darkness as the Apostle adviseth †Philip. 2 15. Let 's be blanieless and hurmless the Sons of God without Rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation as the same Apostle exhorteth Where you see the Apostle argues from the ill Quality and bad Condition of those among whom they conversed for as [p] Erant enim eo tempore mores Judaeorum Gentium non conversarum ad Christum corruptissimi Grotius in loc Grotius observes the Lives and Manners both of the Jews and unconverted Gentiles were at that Time exceeding corrupt And here the Argument holds these two Waies 1. It concern'd the Philippians to be sincere and upright [q] Quod agerent inter maloi qui pro animi sui pravitate etiam bene facta criminarentur Estius in loc because they lived with such wicked Persons who were ready to slander that which was good and therefore would be sure to aggravate that which was bad So Estius And this same Duty greatly concerns our selves this Day for the same reason 2. It behoves us to be careful of our Conversation in the midst of a wicked and adulterous a crooked and perverse Generation [r] Vt nihil ab illis malitioe pravit at is nobis affricars sinamus Zanchius in loc that we our selves be not corrupted and depraved with the evil Manners of those among whom we live So Zanchy upon the Place Let 's be careful to avoid all Occasions of Sin and to resist all Temptations to tlie Sins which reign and abound in the Times and Places wherein we live Though we dwell among the Wicked let 's not communicate in their Sin nor give any countenance to their Wickedness But beg and use God's Grace and Help implore and employ the divine Strength for the overcoming and conquering the Temptations both of Men and Devils And heartily bless God that we are not left and forsaken of God and given up to the reigning Sins and Vices of the Times Let 's not be conformed to this World to the evil Customs and vicious Manners that generally prevail and take place in it nor follow a multitude to do evil If never so many should stab themselves at their very Hearts or drown themselves in the Thames or sore their Houses with their own Hands to consume and destroy themselves would this induce any wise Man to do the like Why then should any offer to * 1 Tim. 6.9 drown themselves in destruction and perdition to throw themselves into Hell-fire and to cast away their Souls for ever because many others do so When Vice grows into Fashion Singularity is a Vertue When Sanctity is counted Singularity happy is he that goeth in a Manner alone and walks
and solemn-Prayer this is the right instant for Ejaculations whether orally utter'd or only poured forth inwardly in the Heart Fuller's Medit on all kind of Prayers p. 77. This is an excellent way to redeem the Time in the want of a proper Place for larger Prayer Wherever thou art though never so far from a Church or Oratory yet as to the Use of this kind of Prayer thou maiest be the Temple of God thy self and pray within thy self Yea once more This is an admirable way to redeem the Time in the greatest straits of Time in the midst of much Company in the Multiplicity Croud and Hurry of worldly Businesses and Employments For this is the Advantage and rare Priviledg of Ejaculation that the Work of God is performed in it and [a] Media inter praelia semper Stetlarum coe ique plagis superisque vacavi Caesar apud Lucan l. 10. v. 185. no secular Affair or worldly Occasion hindred or retarded impeded or interrupted by it It is a gaining of Time for the Exercise of Religion without any Prejudice Let or Hindrance to your Calling It is a taking Time for a spiritual Duty without taking it away from your civil Employment [b] The Field wherein Bees feed is no whit the barer for their biting when they have took their full repast on Flower or Grass the Or may feed the Sheep fat on their Reversions The reason is because those little Chymists distil only the refined part of the Flower leaving the grosser Substance thereof So Ejaculations bind not men to any bodily Observance only busy the spiritual half which maketh them consistent with the prosecution of any other Employment Fuller loc cit p 78. VVe should make some improvement of that Time in which we do the works of our particular Callings to some spiritual Advantage if our Employments be such as exercise the Hand and not the Head by some useful Meditations as some will plant their Hedg-â—owes with fruit-fruit-trees reckoning that what they get thereby is clear Gain because they take up no room which might be put to any other Use so what we get by such Meditations is clearly gained because it doth not hinder any other Employment Lukins Pract. of Godl p. 53 54. Art thou as much against this that worldly thoughts should mingle themselves with thy solemn Prayers as that holy thoughts should be mingled with thy worldly Business This shews the rottenness of thy Heart that thou wilt admit the VVorld to come and speak with thee in the midst of thy solemn Duties or converse with God but wilt not afford God a word or a look while thou art conversing with the VVorld White 's Power of Godl p 214. You may at the same instant follow your particular proper Vocation and send up an holy Ejaculation The Husbandman may dart forth an Ejaculation and not make a Balk the more The Tradesman may mind his Shop never the less for minding God in such a way as this Thy Ejaculatory Prayers will sanctify instead of hindring thy Employments will influence thy Conscience and keep thee from sinning in thy Calling and will draw down a Blessing upon every Business and Undertaking In a Word To give our selves to holy and heavenly Ejaculation this is the way * 1 Thess 5.17 to pray without ceasing And surely the Frequency and Number of Ejaculatory Prayers will bring us in very great and large spiritual Gains and notable rich Returns 'T is a noted and approved Saying That much Meditation short Prayers and often make an excellent Christian The eminently learned and holy Andrew Rivet did much accustome and inure himself to these short Prayers He used in his old Age as he himself declares [c] Ego sanè mi srater à multis annis hanc orationem singults diebus saepe hor is repoto qui sentio mihi haec eadem convenire Andr. Rivet ep ad Guil. Fratr De Senect bon p. 1260. in an Epistle to his Brother for many Years every Day and often every Hour to repeat * Psal 71.17 18. those Words of the divine Psalmist which were suitable to the Circumstances of his own Condition O God thou hast taught me from my Youth and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous Works Now also when I am old and gray-headed O God forsake me not until I have shewed thy Strength unto this Generation and thy Power to every one that is to come The seventh Direction If we would redeem the Time we must set our selves to the daily frequent diligent Reading and serious studying of the sacred Scriptures for 1. This is a gaining and making Advantage of all that Time past which the Scripture gives you the History and Account of Seneca advises his Friend Lucilius by the Peregrination of his Mind to go to the ancient Worthies and renowned great Men and by Cogitation to behold them in order to an Imitation of them This he proposes to him as a prudent way to get Vice extirpated and Vertue farther planted in him He would have him by Contemplation go live and converse with the Cato's with Laelius Tubero Socrates Zeno Chrysippus Posidonius These will instruct you saies [a] Hi tibi tralent divinorum humanor â—â—mque netitiâ—â—m Hi juâ—tbunt in opere esse Sen. ep 104. he in the knowledg of things divine and humane and will command and enjoin you to be busied and employed in some good Action Let me advise and counsel you that are Christians to travel srequently through the holy Scriptures to keep a constant Course of attentive reading those sacred Writings and they will give you the happy Advantage of spiritual and fruitful Converse with the Patriarchs and Prophets with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob with Moses and Elias with Noah Job and Daniel with David and Solomon with St. Peter and Paul and James and John with Christ and his Apostles and the Primitive Christians There you may get Acquaintance with and make use of those rare Persons that have been most exemplary and serviceable in their Generations and most deservedly famous in the several Ages of the Church of God and Christ and may take the Benefit of their holy Discourses their excellent Lives and vertuous Actions And what the same Philosopher wisely Discourses in his excellent Book of the Brevity of Life encouraging Persons to a daily familiar Acquaintance with Zeno Pythagoras Democritus Aristotle Theophrastus What he saies there to invite and engage Men to reade the Writings of such as excess in useful Philosophical Learning and good Arts is more truly applicable by way of Motive to prevail with Men to give themselves to the reading of the Pen-men of the sacred Scriptures and of the Sayings of those wise and holy Persons that are introduced discoursing therein [b] Nemo horum nen vocabit nemo non venientem ad se beatiorem ama 〈◊〉 émque sui dimittit Hi tibi dabunt ad aeternitatem iter te in iâ—um iocum ex
think yet farther That it will be an Act of Justice for God to do this That though he Sin yet he does not revoke the Sentence but in due Time will execute Judgment and Vengeance upon it for the first Sin that Man committed and for all the rest that have been acted in it That Man not only being a Tenant at will but having unworthily broken his Covenant and forfeited his Possession by breaking the Articles of his Lease his Lord at last will turn him out of Doors or rather pull down his House about his Ears and not suffer it to be alwaies a Nest of Rebels and Covenant-breakers That this World the Creature made for the Use of Man being defiled and abused by him to serve him in his Sin when the Sins of the Inhabitants of the Earth as of the * Gen. 15.16 Amorites of old shall arrive to a * Gen. 15.16 Fulness when once the rebellious Generations of Adam shall have fill'd up the Measure of their Iniquities and are ripe for Judgment the Day of Dissolution will then certainly come called expresly †2 Pet. 3 7. the Day of Judgment and Perdition of ungodly Men That then the wicked and abominable Men shall be burnt in the Place of their Wickedness and the Objects and Instruments of their Sin shall be destroyed with them and become the Instruments of their Punishment For so the Garden of Eden wherein Man was at first plac'd was destroyed and defac'd when once he had sinned in it And what more usual even among Men than to order the Execution of notorious Malefactors in the Places where they have committed their Wickedness and to sentence the Houses wherein themselves and their Families liv'd to be demolished ‖ Dan. 3.29 Their Houses shall be made a Dunghill You have heard of great and terrible Fires in the World and of famous Cities consum'd thereby and have seen not many Years since the devouring desolating Flames of London the Metropolis and chief City of our Nation But think with thy self that all this is nothing at all to that great Fire which one Day God will kindle at once setting Heaven and Earth in a Flame together Let me here assist your Meditation by proposing and presenting to you a notable Description given by a very learned [k] Dr. More 's Myst of Godl p. 238. Concerning the Partibility of the Conflagration of the Earth See there Book 6 c. 7 8. Doctor of the general and final Conflagration of the Earth Christ will cause saies he such an universal Thunder and Lightning that it shall rattle over all the Quarters of the Earth rain down burning Comets and falling Stars and discharge such Claps of unextinguishable Frie that it will do sure Execution wherever it falls so that the Ground being excessively heated those subterraneous Mines of combustible Matter will also take Fire which inflaming the inward Exhalations of the Earth will cause a terrible Murmur under Ground so that the Earth will seem to thunder against the tearing and ratling of the Heavens and all will be fill'd with sad remugient Echo's Earth-quakes and Eruptions of Fire there will be every where and whole Cities and Countries swallowed down by the vast gapings and wide Divulsions of the Ground And this fiery Vengeance shall be so thirsty that it shall drink deep of the very Sea nor shall the Water quench her devouring Appetite but excite it Wherefore the great Channel of the Sea shall be left dry and all Rivers shall be turned into Smoak and Vapour so that the whole Earth shall be inveloped in one entire Cloud of an unspeakable Thickness which shall cause more than an Egyptian Darkness clammy and palpable to be felt which added to this choaking Heat and Stench will compleat this External Hell Consider how the Scripture testifies that God will do this and the Power of God assures us that he can do it for nothing is hard or difficult to him much less impossible Think of the Creation God's raising and building this Frame of the World out of nothing and reason thus with thy self Cannot he that made it by the Word of his Power easily dissolve it And argue further in this manner Cannot he that destroyed the old World by a Floud of Waters destroy this by Fire and cause this to die of a Feaver as the did of a Dropsy Cannot he that turned Sodom and Gomorrah into Ashes do the like with the World it self also Is not he that made Mount Sinai shake and smoak at the giving of the Law able to dissolve all these Things The close and intent Meditation of this general Dissolution will clearly convince thee that Sin is an evil and a bitter Thing and will move thee to hate and abhor to shun and avoid Sin which is of a Nature so mischievous and destructive which is the meritorious procuring Cause of so dreadful a Judgment which not only of old brought the Floud of Water upon the World of the Vngodly and forced down Gehennam de Coelo as Salvian speaks caused God to rain Hell-sire and Brimstone from Heaven * Jude 7. 2 Pet. 2.5 6. upon Sodom and Gamorrah and miserably destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple and turned their fruitful Land into a barren Wilderness but will one Day set this World on fire and put it in a flame and turn this stately Structure and beautiful Frame into a rude confused Chaos The deep and earnest Thoughts of this will affect and influence thy Heart and Life and quicken thee exceedingly to all Sincerity Diligence and Zeal in the Exercise of Godliness to an holy Fear and Aw of him who can and will destroy the World 'T will constrain thee to use the Words of the Apostle and to say in good Sadness * 2 Pet. 3.11 Seeing then that all these Things shall be dissolved what manner of Person ought I to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness Seeing this Destruction shall thus involve all what an engagement does this lay upon me to live the most pure strict Life that ever Man liv'd It will incite thee by a constant course of true Piety wisely to provide for thy Escape in that Day to save and secure thy self from the Evil and Danger of it that thou maiest not be undone by this general Dissolution nor suffer Loss in this Conflagration nor perish in this Burning 'T will put thee in mind to sit thy self for this Day of Dissolution of all Things by getting the Works of the Devil throughly dissolved in thee and the Kingdom of God set up and established in thy Soul The due Consideration of this general Dissolution and final Conflagration will certainly keep thee from setting thy Heart inordinately upon any outward earthly Things from heaping up Treasure to thy self here from dreaming that any of thy Houses here shall continue for ever from having unlimited everlasting Affections for flitting fugitive transitory Things for the World the †1
course wherein every Act is a step to Perdition To restrain thee from great Sins especially Thou wilt not chuse to live without God in this World for fear thou shouldst be forc'd to live without God in the other World Thou wilt not dare to continue in wilful Ignorance or Disobedience considering that Christ will come * 2 Thess 1.8 9. in flaming Fire to take Vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of Christ Thou wilt not give way to Vnbelief considering it is the damning Sin Nor live and die in wilful Impenitency lest thou perish eternally Thou wilt not surely be boldly guilty of such open Profaneness and gross Impiety as to bid God damn thee damn thee Body and Soul and the Devil take thee Thou wilt never use such cursed Forms of Speech thy self and wilt tremble to hear such horrid and worse than hellish Words proceed from the Mouths of mad and desperate Sinners Nor wilt thou offer to cherish and nourish hidden Hypocrisy since Hell is prepar'd of purpose for Hypocrites and the Punishment of Hypocrites is made the Standard of the Infernal Sufferings of other Sinners whose * Mat. 24.51 portion shall be appointed with Hypocrites Thou wilt not indulge thy self in Sensuality and Voluptuousness which has a terrible †Isa 5.11 12 14. Wo denounc'd against it Thou wilt not destroy thy Soul for the Pampering of thy Body lose fulness of Joy for the pleasing of a single Sense rivers of Pleasures for a superfluous Cup of drink Pleasures at God's Right Hand for evermore for the Pleasures of Sin which are but for a season for a minute for a moment Thou wilt not take thy short Pleasure to pay so dear as to suffer eternal Pain for it Thou wilt not allow thy self in Intemperance Nor venture to walk after the flesh in the Lust of Vncleanness remembring that the Lord knoweth how to ‖ 2 Pet. 2 9 10. reserve such Persons chiefly unto the Day of Judgment to be punished And well knowing (*) 1 Cor. 6.9 10. that neither Fornicators nor Adulterers shall inherit the Kingdom of God Thou wilt not burn in the fire of Lust lest at last thou beest scorch'd in the slames of Hell Thou wilt set the Fire of Hell in opposition to the Fire of Lust that the one may abate and put out the other As it is storied of a vertuous Christian Woman that being tempted and earnestly solicited to yield to commit Folly with a certain Wanton who made profession of great Love to her and how ready he was to do any thing for her sake To convince him and to deliver her self out of the Temptation she strait requested this one thing of him that he would hold the Tip of his Finger in the Flame of the Candle for one Quarter of an Hour He shrunk and wondered at the Proposition But if you be loth said she at my desire to indure such Pain for a Quarter of an Hour how can you expect that I for your pleasure should expose my self to suffer for Ever in Soul and Body the Wrath of God and the eternal Flames of Hell-fire Thou wilt resolve deliberately and endeavour carefully to refrain bad Company Whenever idle and evil Companions tempt thee and say Come to thee thou wilt be ready to think presently how Christ will say at Last Day Depart from me Thou wilt take heed of doing the Devil's Work for fear of suffering the Devil's Punishment Thou wilt have no Intimacy and Familiarity with the Devil now thou wilt not give him heart-room nor house-room lest thou beest compell'd to bear him company in Hell-fire for ever hereafter Thou wilt by no means be of the Devil's Party nor side and associate with the Ungodly and so deserve to be kept and continued in that Society which was formerly chosen by thee and acceptable to thee Thou wilt also zealously flee Idolatry and hate and abominate that Religion wherein the practice of gross Idolatry is made necessary the Worshipping of Images of Bread and Wine in the Eucharist the Worshipping and Invocating of Saints and Angels Considering * 1 Cor. 6.9 that Idolaters are of the Number of those that shall not inherit the Kingdom of God but are appointed to have their †Rev. 21.8 part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone Nor wilt thou fall inconsideratly into damnable Heresy nor hold so grossly corrupt Opinions as may bring upon thee ‖ 2 Pet. 2.1 swift Destruction nor be deluded to believe the Lies of Antichrist to thy utter * 2 Thess 2.10 12. perishing and eternal undoing Thou wilt abhor wilful Lying to save thy Credit or get Gain and hate to set thy [t] Servum nolle mentiri nova religio est Plaut Servants to tell Lies to vend thy Wares and put off thy Commodities Thou wilt be loth by a gainful Lie to cheat thy Brother of Twelve-pence and to lose thy Soul by the bargain remembring that Lying is a damnable Sin and that †Rev. 21.8 all Liars shall have their part in the Lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone which is the Second Death Thou wilt be fearful of speaking any thing that looks like Detraction still minding thy self that ‖ Rom. 1.29 30 32. Whisperers and Back-biters are join'd in the Catalogue with Haters of God who are worthy of Death And that he that (*) Ps 15.1 3. Back-biteth with his Tongue and taketh up a Reproach against his Neighbour is not likely to dwell in God's holy City That if thou shouldst prove such a Devil incarnate thou wilt be fit to keep company perpetually with the Devil and his Angels That if thy Tongue should here be so set on Fire of Hell it would presage that without Repentance and Reformation it will surely be set on Fire in Hell Thou wilt watch against the rising of rash Anger which is a Sin that has Hell at the heels of it and be careful to prevent its breaking out in Expression or Action revolving in thy Mind that of thy Saviour (†) Mat. 5.22 Whosoever shall say Thou Fool to his Brother shall be in danger of Hell-fire Thou wilt dread the Thoughts of Vnfruitfulness under Means having fixed and imprinted this in thy Mind that * Mat. 3.10 every Tree which bringeth not forth good Fruit is hewn down and cast into the Fire †11.23 And that Capernaum which was exalted unto Heaven by her enjoyment of special Means was threatned for want of answerable Improvement to be brought down to Hell Thou wilt not harden thy Heart in Vnmercifulness pondering in thine Heart how Dives in Hell wanted the refreshment of a [u] Desiderabat guttam quia non dedit micam Aug. Drop of Water for refusing to give poor Lazarus the small comfort of a Crumb of Bread when he himself fared so sumptuously and feasted deliciously every Day Thou wilt not be unmerciful in not
from whom we may reap and receive most spiritual Good or from whom we may reap and receive most spiritual Benefit Study and strive to chuse such an one for thy Friend to whom thou maiest give such reverential Respect in thy Carriage and Behaviour as may restrain thee from many uncomely sinful Actions which you might take more Liberty to commit in other Company Take him for thy special Friend and peculiar Companion who will be a constant Physician careful Tutor and spiritual Benefactor to thy Soul who will be a familiar tutelar guardian Angel to thee who will be as [k] Dr. Alle. bâ—â— Serm. p. 57. The second Soul and Conscience Dr. Ham. of srat Admoa and Correp p. 8. one well expresses it an [k] Dr. Alle. bâ—â— Serm. p. 57. The second Soul and Conscience Dr. Ham. of srat Admoa and Correp p. 8. assistant Conscience to thee who will not fail to perform that Office which the benumm'd or sleepy Conscience within thee shall at any time neglect Who will be as faithful a Monitor to thee as thy own Conscience should be Who daily does so improve in Vertue and Profit in Piety that whenever he comes into thy Company he will give thee the great Pleasure not only of seeing whom you would but of seeing such an one as you would Who will be careful to [l] Herb. Church-porch p. 6. salute himself before he visits thee and will surely bring himself a great Gift to thee as [m] Conspectus praesentia conversatio al quid habet vivae voluptatis utique si non tantum quem velis sed qualem velis videas Affer itaque te mihi ingens munus Prepera ad me sed ad te prâ—us Sen. ep 35. Seneca counsels his Friend Lucilius to order compose and carry himself toward him Chuse such Persons for thy intimate Friends who will be Friends and Helps in the best things to thee Friends in the concernments of the Life to come that will prize and value and on all occasions readily shew some real Kindness to thy Soul that will observe thy Motions and help to guide and direct thy Actions that will have a constant watchful Eye upon thy Life and Manners and not willingly suffer thee to misearry to Eternity for want of careful looking after Acquaint and accompany with those in the enjoyment of whom you may enjoy somewhat of God himself and whose sweet and gracious Converse will be a little Image of Heaven to you Take those for your Consorts and Associates here with whom you may desire and hope to keep joyful Company for ever hereafter If we make any Reckoning of our Time let us first make a good Choice of our Friends 2. And then a good Improvement of our Company and Society with them Be prudent and pious in the Vse as well as in the Choice of your Friends Let not your Friendship be a meer nominal formal empty juiceless thing Let your ordinary Visits to your Friends be out of Conscience as well as out of Courtesy out of a real Design to do some Office of Love especially to their Souls and to bring some spiritual Advantage to them [m] See p. 216. to the end of 219. Time is commonly lost by meer complemental Visits wherein no civil Business is dispatch'd no Service done to the Bodies Estates or Souls of others Let Christian Friends take heed especially that they come not together of purpose to waste their Time in unseasonable immeasurable Play and Sport that they be not found notoriously guilty of spending commonly and customarily as many Hours in Play together as if Gaming were not their Recreation and Diversion but their Trade and Profession their Calling and Occupation Can this be reckon'd a well redeeming the Time in evil Daies Would not some of that Time be spent more fruitfully and comfortably in the Communication of your Experiences and the Observations you have made relating either to God's Word or Works or in reading together some select and seasonable Scripture or else some part of practical Divinity or good Morality or useful History and in discoursing and conferring thereupon as you have Ability and find Occasion Let not Cards and Dice swallow up and devour the most of the Hours you spend together Nor ever suffer any Friends and Companions to rob you of your Time by [m] Nulla est excusatio peccati si amici causâ peccavâ—â—â— Strectum statuerimus vel concedere amicis quicquid veltur vel impetrare ab amicis quicquid velimus perseâ—â—â quideus â—pientià sumus si nibil habeat res vitu Haec prima lex in amicitia sanciatur ut neque rogemus res turper nec factamus rogati c. ut ab amicis honesta petamus amitorum can a honesta faciamus Lael apud Cic. de Amic yielding to them and complying with them when they unreasonably exact of you to hold out with them in their Sports If you perceive that any particular Game or Play does steal away your Heart and Time 't is high time then rather to lay it quite aside than to suffer such Detriment by Continuation of the Use of it When Bp. Vsher in his tender Years was taught by some of his Friends to play at Cards and found himself so delighted therewith that it not only took place of the Love of his Book but began to be a Rival with the spiritual Part in him upon apprehension thereof as [n] In the Life of Bp. Usher p. 24. Dr. Bernard informs us he gave it over and never played after When Christian Acquaintance meet together let them be as useful and profitable as helpful and beneficial as holy and heavenly in their Discourses as may be You may do more good by an honest Hint and a serious savoury Speech in Company than it may be a Minister may do by many Sermons Labour to spiritualize and ennoble your Friendship by making it a State of Love and Purity an Opportunity and Advantage of amending and reforming of benefiting and bettering one another [o] Dr. Ham. of frat Admon or Corrept p. 29. Let such as live either with or by one another by solemn Compact and Agreement strictly and strongly oblige one another to take some special spiritual Care of one another's Souls This would be real spiritual good Neighbourhood an high Advancement a rich and gainful Improvement of Friendship You that are Intimates and Familiars look upon your selves as one another's * Gen 4.9 Keepers Take a spiritual Charge one of another †Phil. 2.20 Naturally care for one another's spiritual State ‖ Heb. 13.17 Watch over one another's Souls as they that must give account an Account of one another as well as of your selves that you may do it with Joy and not with Grief Be (*) 2 Cor. 11.2 jealous over one another with a Godly Jealousy and shew your selves such fast Friends to one another's Souls as to do your best to prevent
disabled to do any Work and wholly unfit for Labour and Service What baseness is it to deal worse with God than fair condition'd and ingenuous Men deal one with another * Prov. 3.28 Say not unto thy Neighbour saies Solomon Say not unto God say I Go and come again and to morrow I will give when thou hast it by thee Thou hast thy Endeavours and thy Heart and Affections more by thee now than thou art likely to have hereafter and therefore do not causlesly and trislingly put God off The †Lev. 19.13 Wages of an hired Servant were not to abide with an Israelitish Master all Night until the Morning Nor may we defer the Payment of the Debt which we all ow to our great Landlord when it is at present justly demanded and he cannot in honour remit or forbear it Shall we unworthily and wickedly oppose our Wills to the Wisdom and Will of God who best understands what is the fittest Time and has Right to appoint and Authority to determine the Time of our Work as well as the Work it self When God so plainly saies To day Is it meet for us to say To morrow Shall we continue to delay when we promise so often to break off our Delaies Shall we make God wait who so pathetically calls and cries ‖ Deut. 5.29 O that there were such an Heart in them (*) Jer. 13.27 When shall it once be 'T is unworthy to deal worse with God than we would deal with Men. But how highly unworthy is it to deal worse with God than we have dealt with Sin and with the Devil himself To come on in the Service of God as slowly as a Snail when we used to * Jer. 8.6 turn to our sinful courses as engerly and violently as the Horse rusheth into the Battel To deny God continually what he requires and reasonably expects when we have so frequently satisfied and fulfilled the Desires of the Flesh and not once said Nay to the Devil's Temptations To linger and delay to keep God's Commandments who have made the greatest haste and speed and never in the least delayed to do the Lusts and Works of the Devil Once more What shameful Vnworthiness is it to deal worse with God than God himself deals with us When we stand in need of God God makes no unnecessary Delay Christ is represented as †Cant 2.8 coming leaping upon the Mountains and skipping upon the Hills [e] Bp. Reyn. in loc When the Time of Deliverance is come Christ makes haste and rejoiceth to save and no Mountains nor Hills either of Sin or Misery can stop him And shall we secretly justify maintain and plead for our Delaies by objecting the many Mountains of Difficulties that stand in the waies of Christ's Commands When at any time we want any thing it does not content and satisfy us that God at last will give us the Mercy but we are impatient till he does it We are ready to cry with David ‖ Ps 40.13 17. O Lord make haste to help me make no tarrying O my God We would be loth to be serv'd so by God as we do usually serve God When God himself has no delight to put us off what unworthiness is it for any of us to find in our Hearts to put God off God makes indeed many great and very long Delaies with relation to the Execution of his Judgments But here it is highly disingenuous for us to delay because God delaies Is it not an indication of an ill Nature a plain discovery of a bad Temper for any to defer their Repentance because God defers their Punishment and by prolonging and lengthning out our Disobedience to make God suffer from us because we do not suffer from him What wretched baseness is it to take liberty and encouragement to continue still in an evil way and run on presumptously in a course of Sin because God is merciful patient and long-suffering and * Eccl. 8.11 Sentence against an evil Work is not executed speedily whenas the Goodness and Patience of God should lead and oblige us to speedy Repentance And nothing in the World can possibly appear more unbecoming and a more ungrateful return to the Kindness of Heaven than to be bold to be evil because God is good What can be more contrary to all Ingenuity than to say in your Hearts and signify in your Lives though you will not for shame speak out such a thing that you earnestly desire to have some further Time afforded you to live in Sin and offend God yet a while longer by abusing his Mercies and disobeying his Commands and when all is done to receive at last a general Pardon upon a short and slight Repentance and Confession and without the Trouble of a holy Life or taking any pains in working out your Salvation to be freely and fully made Partakers of the Riches and Treasures of Mercy and Glory Shall we shew our selves so monstrously disingenuous as to delay to repent and obey when in the case of his Judgments God is so gracious as to delay But in the case of his Mercies he is so kind as not to delay to give what he sees we are fit to receive 2. Delaies are unworthy in respect of our selves For 1. The very Act of deferring plainly discovers a false rotten corrupt unsound and unsincere Heart Some are so weak as to think there is somewhat of Goodness in them because they resolve to redeem the Time by becoming penitent and obedient hereafttr But I think it is a Sign of great Baseness A Man that purposes to keep God's Commandments hereafter and delaies to keep and observe them at present the plain truth of it is he has no real honest good Mind to keep them at all He is just like a cheating Debter that puts off the Payment from day to day with good Words and fair Promises not because he really designs to discharge the Debt at the Time appointed but because he never intends to pay it if he can possibly shift and avoid it That which makes you now desirous to defer the Redemption of your Time will make you loth to redeem it hereafter as well as now 2. To delay the Redemption of our Time is very unworthy in respect of our selves because it infers the misimprovement and misemployment of our rational Faculties and the great Abuse of our bodily Members during our Delaies When every one of us have Souls capable of doing God and our Generation good Service what an unworthy thing is it either not to employ or to misemploy the noble Powers of our reasonable Souls which are alwaies fit for higher Services and better Uses than the dilatory Sinner puts them to Does it not too plainly speak a mean and low and base Spirit to chuse to continue a Slave to Sin a Drudg and Bondman to the Devil when thou might'st be busied and set a-work in God's Service and very honourably and gainfully
stedfastly resolvest and earnestly endeavourest to work the Work of God now when there is some Opportunity remaining and Power left which if thou wouldst thou couldst employ in the Devil's Work if indeed this be thy case if truly it be thus with thee then be of good comfort for I dare assure thee that God in Christ will graciously accept thee and gloriously reward thee Remember and consider that they that were hired about the * Mat. 20.9 12. eleventh Hour received every Man a Penny and were made equal unto those which had born the Burden and Heat of the day This indeed gives no Encouragement to any that study to delay from day to day because these Persons in the Parable were never call'd before the eleventh Hour they stood no longer idle but went into the Vineyard as soon as they were call'd without any the least delay Nor does it afford sufficient comfort to a [m] As concerning the man which was called the last Hour of the day to labour in the Vineyard I pray you take notice that this man was a Labourer and though he took pains but for a short time yet Labour he did whereas he that shall defer his Repentance and Amendment of Life till his last Hour if he indeed prove sorry for his Sins yet labour he cannot the best that he can do is to make Offers and Resolutions to work the good VVork of God if it shall please him to snare him Life But that those Resolutions of his shall be accepted with God instead of real very Labour indeed I find no Commission to assure you Chillingworths serm 6. on Luke 16 9. p. 397. Death bed Penitent because these Persons that went in late laboured soundly and wrought full hard for the space of an Hour before they received their Pay which Death-bed Penitents have no time to do But yet this Passage gives good ground of great Comfort to all such Persons as timely think upon their Waies turn their Feet unto God's Testimonies and enter into the Race of Godliness when they could stand idle a while longer or still continue and run on further in foolish Waies and sinful Courses To conclude all I exhort and beseech you and let me effectually perswade and prevail with you by all that with any reason has been offer'd to your consideration to [n] Quare vis procrastinare propositum tuum Surge in instant â—â—ncipe die Nunc tempus est faciendi nunc tempus est pugnandi nunc tempus est emend indi A Kemâ—is l 1. c. 22. n. 5. break off all your Delaies Excuses Discouragements and to give all speedy careful chearful Diligence to redeem the Time to work out your Salvation and to make your Calling and Election sure by bringing forth the seasonable proper plentiful Fruits of an undelayed Repentance Take the excellent Counsel of the wise Son of Sirach * Ecclus 18.19 10 21 22. Vse Physick or ever thou be sick Before Judgment examine thy self and in the day of Visitation thou shalt find Mercy Humble thy self before thou be sick and in the time of Sins shew Repentance Let nothing hinder thee to pay thy Vow in due time and defer not until Death to be justified Follow likewise the Advice and practise according to the profitable Direction of the Learned Gerhard Timely and faithfully [o] Vtamur mediis conversionis salutis vivamus in vero timore Dei insistamus precibuâ— resistamus peccatorum principus ne cogitatio prava delectationem delectatio consensum consensus opus gignat opus consuetudinem consuetudo necessitatem necessitas pertinaciam pertinacia desperationem desperatio damnationem pariat Gerhard Harm c. 201. p. 2000. use the means of Conversion and Salvation live in the true Fear of God pray without ceasing resist the Beginnings of any Sins lest an evil Thought raise Delight Delight draw on Consent Consent produce an evil Work evil Works beget an evil Habit an evil Habit induce a kind of Necessity of sinning and such Necessity breed Pertinacy Pertinacy cause Despair and Desperation end in Damnation FINIS