Three Sermons, Sermon 2
THE PLANTATION of the RIGHTEOVS.
PSAL. 1.3.
But he ſhall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in due ſeaſon, his leafe alſo ſhall not wither, and whatſoever he doth ſhall proſper.
THis third verſe diſcovers a third branch of the difference of a godly, and alſo a godleſſe man; they are contrary in their practiſes, and in their wayes and doings, and ſo likewiſe ſhall they be contrary in their accounts at the laſt day. Three particulars in the verſe, doe diſcover themſelves unto us; Firſt, this righteous man, he brings forth fruit; ſecondly, it is his owne fruit, not another mans; thirdly, it is in his fitteſt time, and in the beſt ſeaſon, it's ſeaſonable fruite; and this wee are to ſcanne, and a little to treat withall: and the Doctrine that doth preſent it ſelfe to our conſideration, is this, namely,
Doct. 1. A good man doth not onelyonly what he ought to doe, he doth not onelyonly performe this duty, and what God requires of him, but he doth it in the fitteſt ſeaſon and opportunity. In a word, the duties of Saints ought to bee ſeaſonable: the point is ſomewhat ſtrange to ſome, one that is little knowne, and as little practiſed among moſt; a marvellous skill is in it, and but litle skill men have to obſerve it; marvellous great good in it, and but little labouring to attaine that good; whereas it is a part of prudence to obſerve times as the Text cals on us, to redeeme the time: and therefore we will open the point, and then treat with it; and firſt we will prove the ſame; ſecondly, wee will ſhew the grounds and reaſons; thirdly, apply the ſame; firſt, for the proofe of it, Eccleſ. 3.2. There is a time and a ſeaſon for every thing; that is Gods will and pleaſure. Eccleſ. 10.6. It is there accounted one of the greateſt woes and curſes, as it were, and evils that befall men. Woe to thee, O Land, when thy King is a childe, and thy Princes eate in the morning: But on the contrary; Bleſſed art thou oh Land when thy King is the ſonne of Nobles, and thy Princes doe eate for ſtrength, and not for drunkenneſſe. Thus we ſee what a great curſe it is to any Land to have Princes eat and drinke not in ſeaſon, and in Prov. 25. the Text there ſaith, That a word ſpoke in due ſeaſon, is like Apples of gold, with pictures of ſilver. So there is a ſeaſon both for words and ſpeeches, as well as for actions and deeds, and words in their beſt ſeaſon, are worth Pearles and Rubies: So that the proofe is plaine, that the Saints of God muſt have their opportunities for the performance of duties, and a thing much to bee oberved; Froſt wee know is ſeaſonable in Winter. Harveſt is ſeaſonable in Summer time, every thing is beſt in the ſeaſon.
Queſt. The difficulty that hence ariſeth, is, how a man may diſcerne the ſeaſon of a ſervice and duty that is to bee performed by us; for here is the maine waight of the point.
Anſw. Firſt, in the generall; ſecondly, in particular: Firſt, when all the circumſtances and occaſions do concurre for a dutie; that is, the ſeaſon and the time for the dutie, as inſtance thus: it is the ſeaſon for a man to walke in the day time, in the light, and not in the the darkneſſe. It is true, it is time enough, in the night to walke in, but it is not the ſeaſon; it doth not fit the ſeaſon ſo well as in the day time; in the light, Wind and Tide for a Seafaring man; warme weather is the ſeaſon for ſowing, and for caſting the Seed into the ground; ſo it is in this caſe, a Chriſtian ſhould obſerve the ſeaſon, and take the beſt time for dutie in this caſe, when all occaſions and circumſtances ſuite; and this is in the generall.
Secondly, in particular, there is a ſeaſon that a man muſt look at, both in his particular, & in his generall cal…ing, both in regard as he is a Chriſtian, and in reſpect of he place God hath ſet a man …; in the which we ought …or to make our ſeaſon: for …e doing of our duties and …e rules for our direction …erein, are theſe, namely;
Firſt, We muſt be ſure to …each and every time have …e allowance, or the …are, as I may ſo ſay, …at concerne that day, and …at time; as there are …anges, for to morrow …ervices; for a firſt, and a ſecond day, and third day, an… that of our Saviour Chri… is obſervable, Matth. 6… Take no thought for to mor… row, for ſufficient to the day… the evill thereof: Every day… brings evill enough with i… there are ſinnes enough th… day, and faylings, and impe… fections enough this day, a… therefore no need there … to take care for a ſecond a… third day; every day bri… ſinnes enough with it, … enough with it, and theref… we had not need to take … for another day, what ſh… be to morrow, and not … Munday to take care … Tueſday, not on Tueſday care for Wedneſday, … cauſe each day bringeth … nough care and trouble w… it; for every time hath as it were, a challenge to it ſelfe, this day can ſay, this is mine; another can ſay, this is mine; there is a time and a ſeaſon for every ſervice, ſufficient to the day is the evill thereof: So likewiſe ſufficient to the day is the duties thereof; there is prayer for this day, and prayer for that day, not …or another day, that is un…ertain whether it will come, but there is ſervice ſuted, and to be performed for the day preſent; God requireth to …eepe the preſent day, and to …doe duty that is for the preſent.
Secondly, Looke when we find our bodies and natures beſt diſpoſed for ſervices, then we ought to take them up, and then to beſto… our ſtrength on the beſt … our ſervices; inſtance, for… man to goe to prayer, wh… hee is fitteſt to ſleepe, … when ſleepe comes on hi… or when he is in his bed, th… is not ſeaſonable; It is th… out of it's ſeaſon and ti… that inſtead of prayer, a … goeth to ſleeping and wr… gling with the dutie: a… therefore wee muſt ta… the advantage of our natu… in this caſe, as men that uſe… take advantage of Wind a… Tide, to ſale forwards: … muſt a Chriſtian take adv… tage of his nature in this ca… then when time is moſt ſ… ſonable, they muſt perfo… duties: It is that God ca… not away with, when w… …ill ſerve him onelyonly in a …iny day, when he can doe …othing elſe; when every …ing elſe is done, then God muſt be ſerved laſt; this is …he next way to bring a curſe … us, and our ſervices that …ve doe performe to him. … is the charge the Holy Ghoſt giveth; Honour the …ord with the firſt-fruites of …y increaſe, and to ſuch hee …nexeth his promiſe, ſo …all thy barnes be filled with …lenty, ſaith the Text; and in …e Old Law God required …he firſt that opened the …ombe, and therefore a man …uſt take the riſe of a lazie …ature, and to take heed of his ſinne, as that that brings … great curſe with it, as you …ay ſee, Malac. 1. latter end, Curſed be the deceiver, … who ſhouldſay, He is a d… ceiver indeed that offers… female to God, when h… hath a male in his flock… when a man hath ſtrong … ſires for himſelfe, male ſ… rowes for his own ends, … female for God: this is th… ſecond perticular.
Thirdly, Wee ſhould … take up duties, ſo order the… that one ſhould bee helpful to another, and not a hind… rance; No man can looke … many Irons in the fire … once, but when the iron… hot, then to ſtrike; that … the ſeaſon for it to be… wrought on; So a Chriſti… an muſt take the ſeaſon … forecaſt duties, not to hind… one with another, but every du…ie muſt be ſo performed, that it may further and not hinder another: as it is with a Wagon, the little Wheeles goe before to make way for the greater that come after them, and the greater follow after, and ſerve to drive on the former. Thus one is helpfull to the other; ſo ſhould we doe with duties, ſo to forecaſt it, and ſo to performe it, that one duty may further another, and not hinder; ſo that this is the ſeaſon when one dutie maketh way for another in the kinde; and hence follow ſeverall paſſages, as grounds of application. Firſt, it is hence cleare that a man ſhould ſo performe duty to God, that the one may put forwards another to hel… another on. The ſecond ru… hence is alſo cleare, that … man muſt ſo forecaſt duties that the particular may no… croſſe the generall, nor th… generall the particular; a ma… muſt not ſpend himſelfe, ſ… in his calling in particular, as to make him unfit for performance of duties, in his generall calling; he muſt not take up time in his own buſines, as therby to deprive himſelfe of time and ſtrength for duties of Gods worſhip.
Thirdly, a man may hence learne, that he ought not to ſpend his ſtrength in one duty, as to make him unfit for another, for that is not in ſeaſon; then we miſſe of the ſeaſon; though hee allow time for the dutie, if yet he ſpend his ſtrength in one as to be unfit for another; this is unſeaſonable.
Now for duties occaſionally: and we may obſerve two rules for the clearing of the point.
Firſt, if they be ſuch occaſions that may be omitted, as likewiſe they would hinder another, a man may paſſe it by; but if a duty that comes in a mans way, that requireth preſent ſupply, and that the duty in a mans common courſe may be gained againe, and if the other be omitted, that can never be recalled againe, or recovered: Now this is a ſeaſon for an occaſionally duty, as thus; a man to pray in his family: now if a neceſſary occaſion come that cannot be done afterwards, a man muſt omit prayer for the while, for that may afterwards be gained, but the other it cannot be recovered againe.
Secondly, if the caſe be ſo, that one duty muſt be loſt, a man cannot regaine both of them; what then muſt wee doe, both cannot be omitted, which then muſt be taken up and performed? To this ſeverall rules might be added; but take this, looke what duty is the moſt excellent and neceſſary, take up that duty, and let the other paſſe; if a duty that is more excellent then another, take up that, and let the other give place to it: as for example, God will have mercy and not ſacrifice, and hee delights in mercy more then ſacrifice; if a man have a houſe on fire, and another hath his duty to performe before hee can helpe the other: why God requires mercy, he will have mercy rather then ſacrifice, and therefore I muſt leave the duty and help him, becauſe God requireth mercy as a duty that is higher in place, and of more worth and excellency; other duties muſt give place, and ſuch duties muſt take the place, that is the ſeaſon for the inferiour to give place to the greater.
Queſt. How can a man know the preheminence of any duty? That which concernes firſt Gods glory moſt, that ſervice is to be performed, before the other that concernes a mans ſelfe, the good of man gives place to Gods glory; ſometimes workes of mercy are moſt to Gods glory, and all things are to be to Godsglory.
Secondly, in thoſe duties that concerne man, I muſt take notice of the things themſelves, and of my relation to them; as I muſt looke to mine owne occaſions before other mens, in the ſame ranke, in things of equality; as my goods before his, my body before his, but not my body before his ſoule; onelyonly I ſay comparing equall things together concerning other men: if they be both equall to me, let the chiefeſt things take place, as life before goods; Why a man ſhould be ſo carefull for his ſeaſon.
Reaſ. Firſt, becauſe this addes beauty to all occaſions, and the workes come off with much content, ſeaſonably, ſweetly, with much ſuccour; Oh how good is a word ſpoken in due ſeaſon! Prov. 25. and 11. when a man ſayles with the Tide, and ſtrikes while the yron is hot, and not to delay duties to a crowd, then is the ſeaſon: So in the worke of grace, when men delay untill the laſt houre, and the dimme eye, and death bed, when death and conſcience, and all begin to crowd on a man. Conſidering the opportunities God hath beſtowed, and he abuſed all, and now is not like to have them again; theſe ſuit not with occaſions, and fit not the ſeaſons, but will adde more wounds and griefe to the ſoule of man; whereas if they were in their beſt ſeaſon, they would come off with a great deale more eaſe.
Secondly, becauſe things find beſt ſucceſſe when they come in ſeaſon: the corne that is ſown in ſeaſon, is moſt like to grow and thrive, by reaſon of the ſeaſon that it was ſowne in, ſo that the ſeaſon makes the worke to goe on the better and the eaſier; and therefore the wiſe man calls on men, Eccleſ. 14. To remember their Creator in the dayes of youth, before old and evill dayes come, for old are but euill daies; then is out of ſeaſon, it is not the beſt ſeaſon then: for a thing out of ſeaſon, is like Phyſicke that is brought to a man when he is dead, we ſay you ſhould have come ſooner, and then there might have beene ſome hope of life and recovery; when a man is in ſtrength, then is the time of praying, reading, and hearing the Word, &c. but God ſeldome gives the grace of repentance in the dog-dayes of his yeares. Be wiſe now in the dayes of your youth, or elſe you will repent with a ſad heart at the laſt when have loſt the ſeaſon of grace and mercy.
Vſe. Is it ſo that men doe their duties in ſeaſon, let this then bee a word of try all and examination in this caſe, to ſee how we have beene faulty and have failed in this kind, to ſee and be humbled for what hath beene amiſſe in us: let each man lay his hand on his mouth, and bewaile and looke backe, and view our former courſe, to conſider the opportunities and ſeaſons we have had for our good, or might have enjoyed at leaſt for our good, and wee have neglected them; that God hath ſet open his hand, and offered his grace and kindneſſe, and beſought us to be reconciled to him, as it were, and hath given us a market day, a faire gaile, and yet have come empty from it; looke backe to the chamber where ſometimes a man hath beene, and ſome ſweet motions, God hath put into his mind, oh pray now for your ſelves, and the Church, and yet hath caſt all theſe motions behind his backe, and ſlighted them as things of no moment or wight at all; let us looke to all theſe former neglects, and ſlightenings of grace and mercy, offered to us; and as Pharaohs Butler ſaid, ſo let us: I call to remembrance my faults and ſinnes this day; and thus much for the firſt: the ſecond followes, and that is this, namely, of Inſtruction;
Vſe. It teacheth us thus much, that the life and converſation of a Chriſtian is a marvellous, tedious, and laborious life that wil marveilouſly put a man to it, if eve… he come to be ſincere, and to walke uprightly with the Lord in a holy converſation of life.
Thirdly, a ground of encouragement; ſince then tha… we know what we ſhould, t… labour to do what we know; ſince we know what God requireth, and will pleaſ… him, let us ſet about that h… commands, and will be ſo acceptable in his ſight; ſeeing wee know what God hat… chalked out before us, and what will beſt delight him, and alſo be exceeding comfortable to our ſelves, let us ſet about this; let us pray in ſeaſon, heare the Word in ſeaſon, performe duties in ſeaſon, let our words and ſpeeches be in due ſeaſon ſpoken, becauſe duties performed to God in ſeaſon, are very pleaſing to him, and will bring great comfort to our owne ſoules and conſciences; and any thing out of ſeaſon, is diſpleaſing unto God; a thing out of ſeaſon, a man cannot away with it; therefore how is it, to meditate, pray, heare, reade, conferre, and doe all holy duties in ſeaſon; but the queſtion here groweth, how ſhall we doe this? for our rules of direction herein are theſe, namely;
Anſw. Firſt, ſee and view the compaſſe of all buſineſſes, foreſeeing all occaſions, and then allotting to every time, and to each occaſion, range it all proportionably to each occaſion, a ſeverall time, as will ſuit it beſt, obſerving the former rules that was mentioned: ſo in the next place, labour we to prevent the time and the ſeaſons, get beforehand, as it were, with time for the duties of Gods worſhip and ſervice, in this caſe, take time in the morning, I will prevent the morning watch, ſaith David; he got beforehand with his Nobles, that when they were come, hee might bee fit to goe and conferre and take their time together: when all was faſt, then he got himſelfe to his duty; ſo we ſhould prevent the time, and when we have ſo done, to improve it.
Fiftly, then cut off all unneceſſary expence of time; Labour to be beforehand in the world, get that wiſedome, that courage, and that care that may ſhake off all ſleeveleſſe occaſion that are not worth the while, both for your care and conſideration.
Pſalm. 1. v. 3. His leafe alſo ſhall not wither.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Hooker, Three Sermons (1638)