The Application of Redemption, Book 4
BOOK IV.
2 COR. 6. 2.
As he saith in an acceptable time have I heard thee, in the day of Salvation have I succoured thee.
THe general Doctrine of Preparation being dispatched, Proeced we to a further enquiry of the Particulars under it; And there we have to enquire,
| The | 1 Quality. | 2 Parts of this Work. |
The Quality of this … wherein are Comprehended those Common Affections which firstly and properly appertain to this Place, and as the … and Spirits pass through the whole Body of a man; So these general Considerations, convey over a savor and virtue of such truths as they do contain, to all the Particulars which follow, and … in reason are to be handled before the rest.
The quality of this Preparation is to be attended in Two things,
1. The Freeness of the Work wrought.
2. The Fitness of the time wherein it is Effected.
For the Discovery of both which I have made Choice of this Text, as affording susficient ground for this Discourse; … he saith in an accept able time, &c. In the handling of which words we shall endeavor Three Things,
1 What the Scope of the Text is that so it may appear it naturally fits our purpose and the Point in hand, which comes to be ….
2 The Sense and Meaning of the words is to be … into, and such Truths to be Collected which serve-our turn and intendment.
3 We shall pursue the Explication of each of them in their Order.
The Scope of the Text (which I conceive worth the while a … to be attended) will appear, by the Connexion & … it hath with the foregoing …, and the dependance of it is to be fetched … the 17th … of the former Chapter; … from the Consideration of the priviledge and … they were advanced unto in Christ, the Apostle infers, and calls sor that newness of life, and obedience answerable to that kindness of the Lord, and the condition unto which … were advanced. … any man be in Christ, he must be a new …, bebold, old things are past, all things are made new. 2 Cor. 5. 17. And this he shews from the author of this Grace who disposeth of it, God: 2 From the Mediator who hath purchased it, Christ: 3 From the Means appointed to Convey and Communicate it, to such for whom it was ordained; to …, The Ministery of the Apostles, All things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself through Christ Vers. 18. And whereas the Corinthians being heathens might object, True, he hath reconciled you Jews, but what is that to us? He addes in … 19. That God was in Christ reconciling the world (… Beleevers, both of Jews and Gentiles) to himself: and for this cause, and to this end, hath … the word of Reconciliation to his Apostles for their good, that while they as Ambassadors entreated, God by them did beseech them to be reconciled unto him: And this was done upon susficient warrant, and in a way of righteous proceeding, for Christ who knew no sin, was made sin, even for them … who should beleeve that they might be made the righteousness of God in him, vers. last. Having thus shewed a full and … ground for their reconciliation, and also of his own Commission for that end: He further presseth it in the first Verse of … …. If God be thus Gracious, Christs … …, our Commission so Large, We … as … together with God, … you … you receive not the Grace of God (i. e. the …, that word of Grace that bringeth Salvation to …) in vain, … receiving benefit by it, and comfort from it to your own Conversion and Salvation. And whereas they might Reply, It is not in our power to receive the spiritual good of this word, nor … in you that are Apostles to work it, or if both were granted, its not yet the Season, fitter opportunity will be afforded hereafter: To all these the Apostle Answers, in the words of the text. True, the Blessing is the Lords, but the Endeavor … be Ours: We must Plant and Water, its in Gods Prerogative, and depends upon his good Pleasure to give Encrease; however, the Time now fits, the … are now afforded; and though we cannot Do what we should and ought, yet let us do what we can: and though we have no Power of our selves to Compass our everlasting Comforts, yet we have Gods own VVord and most gracious Promise, That in an acceptable time he will hear us: And that presumes then that we must pray: In the day of Salvation he will help, and by that its taken for granted, we must take pains: and behold now is the day of Salvation, now is the acceptable time: let us therefore now call earnestly upon him for a Blessing, walk painfully in doing our Duty, and let the Lord do what is Good in his own eyes: Evident therefore it is, That the Aim of the words carries us directly unto the first work of God upon the Soul, … the Prophet Isaiah expresseth in Isaiah 49. 5. 6. 8. That is the acceptable time wherein Jacob must be brought back again to God: Undeniable also it is, That this work of Preparation as the out-Porch and Entrance which makes way to all the rest is here pointed out Particularly by the Apostle, when he entreats them to … … VVord … …, signifying the entrance and admittance … the Lord when in the power of his Ordinances he stands and knocks at the door of the heart, which is then done when the Lord begins to lay hold upon the soul, and to grapple witn the sinner, in awakening and wounding his … for his …: And lastly beyond all Question, … 49 9. … thou maiest … …, Go forth: The Scope then of the … … … our intended ….
Search we then in the Second Place, the Sense of the …, … so those divine Truths which are there contained, may be Collected by us.
Time.] The word in the Original imports Season, or Opportunity; which is not so much the continuance of days, or months, or yeers; as the Concurrence and meeting together of … conveniences which may be … to any work, whereof more anon, when we handle the Point hence Collected.
….] Some Difference there is between the Apostle and the Prophet Isaiah, from whom this Testimony … taken, but all return to one Sense: The … in the Old Testament refers it to the VVork … God, the time of his acceptation, or good VVill: The Apostle in the New Testament applys it to the Time,
A Time accepted.] Yet so as the work of God isforeign … and comprehended under it: In the … then it intimates Three Things. 1 The time that is appointed. 2 The VVork of Grace put … … … for the Conversion of any soul 3 The … of all, it depends upon Gods pleasure, when he sees fit to accomplish the Decree of his Election, to Convert a sinner effectually to himself, and out of his free good will to take him into his …, by calling him out of the world to the knowledge of …; and his saving Grace in Christ.
Day of Salvation.] For the more full understanding of the Reason of the first word Day, we may enquire the nature and rise of it: In the beginning when the Lord made All, and amongst the rest the living Creatures, he furnished them with powers, and abilities for the performance of their work, he seated and set every one of them in his proper place, as upon a stage for the acting of his part: He set also bounds, and laid forth several periods and distances of time for each purpose: Now the Distinctions of time, i. e. the separation of Light and Darkness, made so many stops as it were in some or which there must be stayed: Thus in Creating every Particular; that is added, The Evening and the Morning were the first and second Day, &c. They had their Day of Creation, and their Day of Operation, so long as they continue that is their Day; for the Day and Night are the Distinction of all this Time here below, and serve as so many stops and stayes, in which each thing is stinted for its being and VVorking: And hence it may be it is, There is no Day nor Night in Heaven, Rev. 10. 6. neither shall there be any more Time there; that is, Distinction or Measure of Time by Day or Night after the last Judgement, (for that must needs be the meaning of the Text) because in Heaven and Hell, the state of things and so their times are unchangable: Hence to man His day is his life, … long as he breaths in the … and … this Sun, thats the Time allotted to him to act his part in, to trade for his everlasting State and Condition: Hence again (to descend yet lower) there is a special period, a stinted time, for every part of this life, and so many courses (as I may term them) and srames of occasions which belong to any; so many seasons and several limits of time hath he allotted to each particular: Thus the wise man, There is a time to gather, and a time to scatter, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up, Eccles. 3. 1. And these … are called Days in Scripture: Thus there are Troubles, and Tryals, Visitation, and Grace, which the Lord in the dispensation of his Providence allots to men, and there is a day for each of these, A day of trouble, Psal. 50. 15. A day of Tryal, Heb. 3. 8. A day of Visitation, Luke 19. 42. and a day of Salvation in this sense, as here in the Text.
Salvation.] Presumes alwayes danger and evil, and according to the quality and nature of the one, the other is to be considered, and conceived, here it is spiritually to be understood in the sul sense of it, to wit, from the danger of sin here begun in Preparation perfected in Glorification after this life: And that Speech by way of Similitude, seems well to interpret this manner of Speech, Heb. 3. 9. The day of temptation, when your Fathers tempted me, i. e. that moment of time when that rebellion was expressed; so here, That moment or instant wherein the Lord begins to put forth the work of his special Grace, about the Salvation of a sinner, by the means he hath in mercy appointed. And thus the Apostle expounds the word in the Verse following, Behold now is the day of Salvation; he saw it, they could not but perceive it, and all might acknowledg … much, because the Word of Salvation, Acts 36. 26. viz. The Grace of God, that is, The Gospel given by grace … bringeth salvation, did now appear, tit. 2. … So that it may be truly affirmed in a savory sense, This day is Salvation coming to such, to whom the word of the Gospel is come in the Ministery therof.
The Words thus Opened, The Collections which are of special weight and Consideration, are Four.
Faithful Ministers ought to be earnest in calling upon God, and faithful … the improvement of means, for the spiritual good of such to whom they are sent. This is taken … … in the Text, How shall God …, unless they Call? How shall God Help, unless they Endeavor?
They who are thus …, according to Gods Command, they may expect a … success according to Gods Promise: He …, I will Hear, I will Help. Therefore their Prayers shall be Answered, their Labors Blessed, for God will not falsifie his Word, nor … of his ….
Its in the meer good pleasure of the Lord to work upon the heart in the Ministery of the Word when he sees fit: It's in the day of Gods acceptation and good Will, that the Prayers of Faithful Ministers are heard, and their Pains made … for the Spiritual good of any.
While life lasts, and the Gospel is continued, that is the particular Season and Period wherein the Lord expresseth his good pleasure to work graciously upon the Souls of His. Its in this Season and day of Salvation he performs his Promise. For as the Lord may take what time he will, so hath he made it known, it is his Will to take this time and season, when he purposeth to fasten upon the Soul of a sinner for his Spiritual good.
To omit the Two Former wholly, the Two Latter Points we intend only, to trade in, and to entreat of. To Begin then with the First,
The Work of God is altogether Free.
Doct. 1It proceeds meerly out of Gods favor and good will, its his acceptation, not ours: Unless he put forth that Almighty hand of his, and take us unto his Grace; its not in our liberty nor ability to take hold of the offer of his Mercy, or to reap any saving benefit therefrom, Rev. 21. 6. To him that thirsts I will give of the water of life freely. Its a gift, and free also, though one thirst, never so earnestly desire it, never so constantly endeavor to attain thereunto, yet unless the Lord do more out of mercy, than any can procure by any sufficiency, or worth of his own, he will gain nothing: As it was in the Building of the Material Temple, the laying of the bottom stone upon which it was founded, and the adding of the top stone when it was finished, and attained its perfection: the whole multitude with one consent and one voice acknowledged the only Cause thereof, Grace, Grace, Zech. 4. 7. Much more is it true in the rearing up, and erecting of the Spiritual Frame in the Soul, from the first entrance of it in Preparation, till it come to be consummate in Glorification, all comes from the Favor and Free Grace of God.
This Freeness of this Work appears in Three Particulars.
First, Free it was for God whether he would provide any other Way and Means of Salvation, whether he would appoint another Covenant, when the first was broken and made void through Adams default. The Lord was not bound to set up Adam again, when by his carelesness and neglect, he had mispent that stock of Grace he had bestowed upon him. The Lord was not bound to Recover and Redeem Adam from the power of Sin and Death, when through his own folly he had cast away himself and posterity: In a word, Free it was to the Father to … this Covenant, Free to Christ to Undertake it, Free to the Holy Ghost to accomplish it. God gave his Son, Joh. 3. 16. Christ gave himself, Tit. 2. 14. Both gave, and sent the Holy Ghost, as Commissioner from them both, to be the finisher of this work, Gal. 4. 6. And if wholly given, then it must be wholly free.
As its Free for God to appoint, so it depends upon his good pleasure to reveal and make known the means of Grace as seems best to his heavenly Wisdom, why it rains upon one City and not upon another; why the dew of heaven, the Doctrine of his holy …, is sent to one people and not to another: That he reared up a wall of Separation between Jew and Gentile, Ephes. 2. 11. 14. That light is in Goshen, and darkness in all the parts of Aegipt besides, Exod. 10. 22. 23. That to the Jews were committed the Oracles of God, Rom. 3. 1. But he dealt not so with other Nations, neither have they not known his wayes, Psal. 147. last. Why Paul is sent for into Macedonia, and forbidden to go into …, Acts 16. 6, 7, 8, 9. The Apostles charged not to go into the way of the Gentiles, 'Mat. 10. 5, 6. not to enter into the Cities of Samaria, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel: His own will is the Rule of all this, and there is no other Reason to be rendered.
There were many Widdows in Israel when the … were shut up three yeers and six months, … … great … was through all the Land, but … of them was Elias sent, save only to that one Woman, a Widdow of Sarepta, Luke 4. 25. 26. There was many Leapers in Israel, in the time of Elizeus, but none Clensed save only Naaman the Syrian. In a word, All these Blessings are Gods Own, and may he not Do with his Own what he will?
Free Lastly in regard of the work of the Means; that ever they prove profitable unto any, or work … in the hearts of any for their eternal welfare, its only from Gods good pleasure to give good success to some, which he denyes to others: This is the ground which the Evangelist gives of this different Dispensation of a Blessing upon the same Means, Mat. 13. compare 11. with 13, 14. The Scribes and Pharisees in Hearing, they hear and not understand; in Seeing, they see and not perceive: that is, They attend dayly, and yet do not profit; observe dayly, and yet do not prosper in their endeavors; their hearts waxt fat, when others were humbled; their ears made heavy, when others were bored to entertain the truth. And if the cause be enquired, our Savior answers, Verse 11. To you (my Apostles) its given to know the Mysteries of the 'Kingdom, but unto them its not given.
It is beyond the compass of all inferior CausesAct. 9. …. that can be conceived, That Paul breathing out threatning; against the Church, coming in open field in …, and professed Rebellion against Christ, should have the Lord Jesus revealed to him, and in him; this (I say) is beyond the reach of any cause in Nature, and therefore the Apostle points at a higher hand, It pleased God (saith the text) to reveal his Son in me, Gal. 1. 15. And then also when he opposed and fiercely persecuted his Son in his Members, was there at this time, any improvement of natural abilities, or the remainder of the image left … man after his fall? was there at this time any … trading with the Talents of Common Graces, which should move the Lord in way of …, to give … and spiritual Graces? Was there any … … fitness now in the Spirit of Said to … and … the … of truth? … … are groundless dreams of men, meerly cozened and … with their own carnal devices.
Again, That the great Doctors of the Law who were honored as Guides of others for their Parts and… … …, 30. …, should despise the Counsel of God against themselves and the … and Publicans, people of most desparate and for … courses, should entertain the Baptists Doctrine and Gospel: The resolution of all at last must come to this, The … of the Lord shall stand, and … do whatsoever he will: Thither our Savior repairs, and there … rests, I thank thee O … Lord of Heaven and Earth, that thou hast hid these things from the … and prudent, and … revealed them unto … and …: Even so, O Father, for so it … thee, Matth. 11. 25, 26. The issue then is, If it proceed from Gods free pleasure that Means are …, revealed, blessed, then is there a full freedom … all; and it must be so for these Reasons,
There is nothing man hath that can Purchase this,… Simon Magus … …, and its probable enough … would nor have stuck at the price, had the … … never so great, Acts 8. 18, 19. And when … … that the Holy Ghost was given through … on of hands, be offered them 'Money to … … that …: But the Apostle Peter … with …, Thy Money … with thee, … … thou hast thought that the Gift of God may … … … Money … … and a … … think such a thing, impossible … for ever … … it. Purchases are made by such things as carry some kind of proportionable worth to that which is to be Purchased: But there is nothing that can be compared with wisdom, and the Spirituall Grace in Christ, Prov 3. 15. Much less can be accounted of an answerable Rate and value thereunto.
There is nothing a man can do of himself wherebyReas 2 he may procure and obtain this spiritual good. Rom. 9. 16. It is not in him that Wills, nor in him that Runs: It is not said, in him that goes carelesly about the work, but it is not in him that improves the best of his abilitie, and that with speed, though he … in this race, but it is in God only that shews …. If thou shouldest mark, O Lord, what is done a miss, who should abide it? Psal. 103. 3. The best are so far from obtaining favor, by any desert of their doings, that it is well with them they are not consumed by his displeasure for the failing of their best actions.
There is no Promise made to any Natural man… 3 whereby he can challenge this at the hands of the Lord: All men by nature are children of …, Eph. 2. 3. Heirs of perdition, if they have their own place its Hell, if they have no more but their own Portion, Confusion and eternal … is, that they must look for, if they have the fruit of their own tree, the wayes of their own work, its nothing but wo and misery, … 3. 11. All Promises are Yea and Amen in Christ, 2 Cor. 1. 20. made and performed in him alone, they that are out of Christ therefore, what they have besides Hell, is … Mercy. The Sum then is, It man by nature have nothing to Purchase any Spiritual good, can do nothing to deserve it, have no Promise to challenge it, it is freely out of Gods good pleasure that any … of any share therein.
Here then is matter of Thanksgiving to all the… 1 … of God who have been made partakers of so … favor, to wit, Their … should be filled with his praise, and their … with a … admiration of this so … a mercy, so much undeserved, and so … bestowed notwithstanding: The greater and more free the goodness of the Lord is, the greater should our … be in the receiving of it. This made the Prophet stand amazed, Who is a God like unto thee! Micah. 7. 18. Men will see somthing in us to move them, and expect some good from us to perswade them to shew favor, but who is like unto our God? who shews mercy, not because we can deserve it, or have any right to challenge it, not because we can please him, but because mercy pleaseth him, and he doth it only because he VVill, now his VVill be done, and blessed he his glorious Name for ever. Go thy way then in secret, thou that hast found this acceptation from the Lord, in sincerity of Soul present thy self as in his presence, and say, Good Lord! Why is it? How comes it? That since many that have lived … the same Place, dwelt in the same Family, sare in the same Seat, and heard the same Word, are yet in the Gall of Bitterness, in the Bonds of Iniquity, yet in the Kingdom of Darkness, under the Power of their Sins, and like to perish for them for ever: Lord! Lord! VVhy are mine eyes enlightned to know the things belonging to my peace? VVhy my heart touched with any saving remorse for my Sins? That I should have any desires after thee, any longings for thee: Oh its Grace; its thy Free Grace: Otherwise I had never been made partaker of any Spiritual good, nay, I had never known it: Father, VVhat am I that thou shouldest be thus mindful of me? that thou shouldest thus remember me? yea, mindful of me, when I was not mindful of my self; remembrest me when I had forgotten thy glory, my own soul, and mine own everlasting good: Was not I as blind as ever any, and knew not? as careless as ever any, and respected not? yea, stubborn and stout hearted; gainsaid I not, yea, rejected thy compassions so often tendered in the Ministery of the Word, and forced upon me by those heart-breaking Exhortations of thy faithful Ministers, to reveal these Spiritual good things, when out of negligence I did not know them, yea, then to press them upon my Conscience, and by the effectual work of thy Spirit then to prevail with my heart, when at first I did oppose and cast them behind my back; let me for ever return all praise to thy Majesty, out of whose free mercy it is that I have been made partaker of any saving work for the good of my Soul: Yea, I thank thee Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that thou hast revealed these things to babes and sucklings, and bid them from the wise and prudent: That the Learned of the world are befooled, and thou hast taught me, a poor ignorant silly wretch; That many noble and honorable are cashiered, and thou hast accepted of a base worm, plucked me out of a smoaky Cottage, out of a Corner of Hell, to receive me into the Kingdom of thy Christ, to bear me in thy own bosom, here wildering up and down in this valley of tears, that thou maiest glorifie me with thy self when all tears shal be wiped away from mine eyes: Oh! it is thy Free, thy Free Mercy, let my Soul for ever bless thee, and walk worthy of thee and it, that I may serve thee with a good, and a glad, and a free heart, as I have received freely from thine own Hand, whatsoever either I have, or Hope for.
Here is also ground of great Encouragement to allUse 2. distressed and disconsolate …, who labor under the weight of the guilt of their many sins, and sight of their own unworthiness: The right Consideration of the former truths may be as a spiritual Cordial whereby their hearts may be quickned to seek unto the Lord, as their hopes sustained to expect that succour and supply which may be most seasonable for their Relief: Because, as there is no worth on our parts that can move the Lord, so there is no vileness so great that can hinder him, from doing what good he intends to such undeserving ones as we be. His own good will being the only … of any saving work he is pleased to put forth upon the hearts of those who appertain to the Election of Grace. This was that which the Lord proclaims, and which he urges upon all drooping and discouraged Spirits, to make them put on more cheerfully in the pursuit of life and happiness, … 55. 1. Oh every one that thirsteth, come to the waters, and he … hath no money, come buy and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk without money, and without price. Its very remarkable how the Spirit of God labors to remove that which will, and most usually doth hinder the fainting hearts of dismaied sinners, in their endeavor after Mercy: They fondly conceit they must come with their cost, they must bring some Spiritual abilities and … with them, unless they have that money, they are like to miss of their market; they shall not be able to purchase Gods acceptance, the Graces and Comforts of his Spirit, signified by Wine and Milk: The Lord therefore that he might wholly dath these dreams, and take off these … thoughts, he puts it beyond all Question and Doubt by a … … to the contrary, He that hath no money; that is, No Spiritual … or worth, let him buy, question it not; yea, I speak it seriously, and mind what I say, therefore I say again, without money, doubt it not; yea, I … as I say openly and plainly, without money, or money worth, no in …, no weakness, no unworthiness shall hinder, be not needlesly suspicious, I intend not to sell my Graces and Comforts; but to bestow them freely upon such who have an open hand to take them, and an empty heart to carry them away: This was the ground of Encouragement whereby the Prophet emboldned those rebellious Jews to take words and resolution also to themselves, to press in with some hope to speed with the Lord, Hos. 14. 2, 3. Take unto … words, and say, Receive us graciously: But the Lord might have replyed, You have no worth in your selves, you deserve no favor; therefore its added, with thee the Fatherless find mercy: As if … should have said, Thou doest not vouchsafe mercy to sinners because of any excellency they have, any friends they can make, any abilities they can bring, but the helpless, friendless, fatherless, orphane souls, such as be destitute of all succour, no eye to pitty, no friend to provide, no strength to support themselves, such find mercy with thee; such we are; therefore Lord shew us mercy; If the Dole or Alms was to be bought and purchased, then the … who had most, and needed least, would … be possessors of it, but because its only out of the … to bestow it freely, he thats poor hath never a whit the less, but the more hope to receive it; so it is here in the Dole of Grace, when … thou considerest the infinite baseness of thy heart on the one side, the incomprehensible worth of mercy on the other, and withal conceivest an utter impossibility ever to attain it, ever to expect it; settle this Conclusion in thy heart, as matter of marvelous Encouragement, yet mercy is free, others have received it, and why not I Lord? If the multitude of thine … plead against thee, if Satan be busie to discourage thine heart, and drive thee to despair, Why dost thou? Canst thou? Expect any kindness from the Lord, since thy frailties so many, thy rebellions so great against the offer of his mercy, and the work of his Grace: How utterly unable … thou to do any thing to procure any Spiritual good? How unfit to receive it? And is it not a folly than to hope for it? Thou hast hence to Reply, Be it I am as base as can be imagined, yet my … cannot hinder the work of Gods Love, for its altogether Free. True, I have nothing to purchase it, Abraham had not; I can do nothing to deserve it, David could not; I have no right to challenge it at the hands of the Lord, nor yet had Paul any thing to plead for him in the like case; and yet all these were made partakers of mercy, and why not I Lord? Put in for thy particular, and plead for thy self, and say, Blessed Lord, thy mercy is not lessened, thy wisdom decayed, thy arm shortned; what thou didst freely for Abraham an Idolater, … a Rebel, for Paul a Persecutor, do for my poor … also: my vileness cannot hinder the freeness of thy Compassions.
If it be here Replyed, That this affords smallObject. ground of Comfort: for if the Dispensation of Grace depend upon Gods Free Will, he may fail us, as well as help us; he may deny it, as well as give it.
The Answer is, He may give it as well as deny it,…. and thats Argument enough to sustain our hopes, and to quicken our endeavors, put it then to the adventure: Thus the Prophet Joel pressed the Israelites to … to God for the removal of a Judgement, and the Pardon of their Sins, upon this very possibility, Rent your hearts and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord, who knows if he will return and leave a blessing behind him, Joel, 2. 13, 14. Thus the … Ninivites provoke themselves to importune the God of heaven for the with-holding of the destruction threatned, Let us cry mightily unto God, who can tell, if he will turn and repent: Jonah, 3. 8, 9.
When then thy Spirit sinks under the unsupportable pressure of thy sins, and the expectation of the righteous Judgements deserved thereby, here is that which will ad Comfort and Encouragement to look upward to the Lord for refreshing: Who knows but God may? who can tell but God will yet shew mercy, therefore I will yet hope, because no man can tell but I may at last be made partaker thereof.
Lastly, Those who want and seek for mercy fromUse 3. the Lord in the use of the means which he hath appointed, they are to be exhorted from the former truth, to arm themselves with patience to stay Gods time, and to … his pleasure, if it seem good to his Majesty to with-hold this Favour, or delay the work of his Grace: Beggars must not be chusers, we must not be Carvers of Gods kindness, its a Free Gift, and therefore as he may give what he will, so he may give it when it seems most fit to himself. Just cause we have to wait, no reason at all to murmure against him: Hast thou then endeavored after this work of Grace, and canst not attain it? Endeavor still. Hast thou begged it, and yet findest not thy desires answered? Crave still with perseverance: Its good to hope, and to wait also for the Salvation of the Lord, Lam. 3. 26. both must go together, to wait without hope is uncomfortable, and to hope without patience is unprofitable. We know … what time God will take, it is our duty and will be our wisdom, and comfort, to attend upon him at all …: Say not then out of the shortness of thy spirit, I have come often, begged much, and … long at the gate of grace, I find not the work yet done, my heart not yet throughly humbled for my …, … refreshed with the assurance of Gods Favor: Shall I wait any longer? Oh fearful Pride! Is it come to this? If you be in such haste, you may go to Hell time enough: What not wait? See who will have the worst of it. God can better keep his Compassions, than thou canst want them: And as its fit he should, so its certain he will make thee to know, thou must wait; nay, bless his Name that you may wait for his mercy: The … of all men that … breathed have done it: So David, Min eyes fail with looking for thy Salvation, saying, O when wilt thou comfort …? Psal. 119. 82. 123 Its enough we may beg the Grace of God as a … not command it as a Debt: Labor we then to …, and … those proud and impatient distemper whereby we repine and quarrel at the … on of Gods dealings with us, if he answers … Expectation to the full: Others seek, and the … hath bestowed, and they, have received a great … sure of Grace, with little labor, and in a short … When we have labored long, and … … and yet the Lord answers not our …, nor … us that Spiritual Good we need: Learn we now … … and controul those boystrous … … … Spirits, with that of the Apostle, Who art … … that reasonest against God? What if … will not? Rom. 9. 20, 21, 22. What if he will … ver … our hearts, never pacifie our Conscience pardon our sins, save our Souls? It is … his … …, he may do what he will, and therefore he doth us no wrong what ever he does: Fit then it is we should stay his times, who hath all times especially of Grace and Life in his own hands.
While this life lasts, and the Gospel isDoct. continued, that is the particular Season and Period wherein the Lord expresseth his good pleasure to work graciously upon the … of His.
The time of Grace and day of Salvation, is here discovered in the Two Periods of it, which make up the parts of the Doctrine. 1 Grace is only to be gained in this life. 2 While the means of Salvation are continued, thats the Season, which the Lord usually takes to work upon the Souls of those … belong to him, we shall severally open and prove both …, and after make joynt Application of them.
Preparation and Conversion of the Soul must be made in this life, Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, Isaiah, 55. 6. The time of our living is one of Gods whiles, the time of finding Grace and Mercy, if ever we come to share therein? The … of Jacobs Ladder is here on Earth, though the top of … unto Heaven? The Lord must dwell with … here in an humble and contrite heart, Isaiah, 57. 15. … else we shall never dwell with him in that high and holy place, whither Christ is gone to prepare a mansion for us; Now is the time of … and gaining Grace, in the other world we shall enjoy the fruit and sweet of it, here we must get the conquest if we think to wear the Crown in another world. Reasons are Two.
Because after the parting of the Soul from the body,…. 1 and the dissolution of the whole, Gods peremptory Sentence is passed, and the final doom of the Soul is determined a Sentence never to be revoked, a judgement never to be repealed, and therefore the sinner becomes irrevokably either miserable or happy, Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed for all men once to die, and after death comes judgement. Death and Judgement are coupled immediately one to another: the end of the one, is the entrance of the other; as Death leaves us, so Judgement will find us: Though the full and compleate execution of the Sentence is deferred until the great day of accounts, yet condemnation seizeth upon each part as soon as they be severed the one from the other, if they do deserve: The body is imprisoned in the dungeon of the grave, and the Soul (of him … is wicked) is taken instantly and dragged by the Devils into torment, Luke, 12. 20. This night shall they fetch away … Soul.
With the Saints contrariwise, Their bodies are laid in the Grave as in a bed of Down, perfumed with the precious Death and Burial of the Body of Christ, the ashes thereof carefully preserved, yea, loved by the Lord: So the Apostle, Rom. 8. last. I am perswaded that neither life nor death is able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus: So that the Lord loves the very dust of the bodies of his Saints in the Grave, and receives their Souls to himself in glory, as soon as Body and Soul are parted one from another (Luke 16. 22. The Soul of Lazarus was by the Angels carried into Abrahams bosome) For at the great day of accounts we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether good or …, 2 Cor. 5. 10. The Sentence we see shall not … according to that men do in Purgatoty, as the Papists dream; but according to that only which they did while they had Being and Breathing in this Natural life.
The Condition of a man after this life is …. For as the Godly after this life ended receive perfect Sanctification, and so become wholly … of the Spirit of God, and thereby fully and unchangeably confirmed in the state of Glory, never more to be pestered or annoyed with the presence of Sin or Misery, Rom. 8. 23. Here in this world we … but the first fruits of the Spirit; but there … then the full Harvest.
So contrarily, the Wicked after Death, are … delivered up to the tyranny and authority os … Corruptions and there settled, and that …, in a state of rebellion, and become utterly … of receiving any spiritual Grace, or … any spiritual Good, but sink down in … … without hope of either. For those … Graces whereby the Lord in the time of life … their distempers and those outward …, Word and Sacraments wholsome Laws and … Counsels and Examples which formerly … them from many notorious outrages, are now … away: Now the Lord plucks up the Hedge, … pulls down the VVall, takes away all the … Gifts of his Grace, vouchsafes not one … of his Spirit, to strive with the Sinner any more, … one check of Conscience to aw him, not the least … of any Good to affect him any more; … … the reins in the neck of the Rebel, and … … loose upon him to execute the fulness of the fierceness of his malice, to the uttermost; … his rage was consined before, he could do no … than his Commission allowed him, he had the … of his temptations set; but now he takes full possesion of the Soul after death, and hath free leave … exercise full dominion over it, as much as he will … can: Yea, the Lord in his severe, but … …, lets in the Sea of all sinful … as with a mighty slow and full tide into the … … heart, to carry him without all controul or stay from ever enjoying either Means or Hopes of … least expression of Gods presence, for any good … any kind: There is no heart to pitty the … Sinner, no Friend to pray for him, no Counsel … advise, Reproof to stop, no Exhortation to perswade any more, from the approving and … of whatever might dishonor God. In the dayes … his Life and Vanity, he was weary of all these, because they hindered him from having his full … in the wayes of wickedness; Now all these … Means, as so many banks which kept in the swelling and boystrous rage of his accursed lusts, are all … down; the bottomless depths of all abominations are opened; the power of all sinfulness, in all … … thereof, seizeth upon the Soul, and … and prevails in it to all eternity, without lessening restraint, or alteration: For to imagine that the fire of Purgatory should purifie the Sinner, from any Soul pollution, that a Material thing should … upon a Spiritual Substance such as the Soul is, yea, a Natural thing work a Supernatural disposition, … a senseless, and unconceivable Absurdity, not worthy the Consideration; much less any serious endeavor to Confute.
The Second Part of the Doctrine is, While the Gospel is …, that is the season of Gods acceptation, he then puts forth the power of his grace to prepare the heart; so the word implyes in the text, an opportunity of acceptation: It discovers … … in Three Particulars.
There is fitness of opportunity in regard of the cause of the accomplishment of any thing; when there is a concurrence or meeting together of many helps, for the bringing about … that we desire and would have, for the effecting of any work we intend: Thus we use to say, when we have wind and tide, then is the fittest season to sail; while we have health and strength, is the … time to set about works of greatest importance, not that the bare continuance of so many hours, or dayes, or yeers, makes any difference, for they are alwayes the same, in sickness and in health; in youth, and in crazy, and decrepit age, in a still calm, and in a fair gale; but the fitness lies in the causes and means which now are happily afforded unto us, which hereafter we may be deprived of, or not able to improve though we do enjoy them.
Thus then there is a season of Gods acceptation. when he affords means, sends his Messengers of glad … of Peace, when he sets open the stall of the Gospel before our eyes, cryes his commodities in our …, and proclaims the offer or his rich mercy to all Commers, Ho every one that will, let him come and take freely of the waters of the well of life and live for ever: Now is the Season of Gods gracious working and our receiving, greatest success in his Ordinances; this is the Exposition … the Apostle ads in the following verse, behold now is the acceptable time, whiles the light shines, whilest Wisdom cryes, and Ministers call, if ever there was opportunity of Conversion and Preparation now is the fittest of all other, for God to work it, for us to endeavor it; When the fat things are killed, and finest wines drawn and broached, servants sent to invite, and all preparations made ready to the marriage feast, Luke 14. 17. Then is it time to come, to feed, to refresh our selves; behold all is ready, only come, when the door is open, and warning given, behold the bridgroom cometh, then is the nick of opportunity to follow hard after, if we would find entrance into the Bride chamber, 'Matt. 25. 8, 9. But when the Feast is over, and the door shut, we may have time to come and knock, but never shall we find entrance, or acceptance, or welcome, because the season is past.
There is a fitness in reference to the work, which the thing now made might have, which hereafter happily could not attain; Thus came Esther to be Queen in a fit time, for Mordecais safety, the succor and deliverance of the Nation of the Jews; for though she might have possessed the same place, enjoyed the same Honor, and Royal Preheminence, afterwards; yet it had been too late to have defeated the Policies of Haman, or procured the Preservation of her People, from the Plots and pursuits of those who were armed for their utter ruine, Esther 4 Thus the Woman of Samaria was then called effectually by our Savior, John 4. when it was the pat opportunity to commuicate the notice of a Messias, and the work of his Grace to the Samaritans, who were as the regions of Corn, white unto the harvest, and ready to be cut and carried; so were the People ready to hear, attend, and embrace the glad tydings of Redemption through the Lord Jesus.
There is a fitness in regard of the Subject, which howsoever it gives no cause nor help to the accomplishment of the work now in doing, yet it makes way for the further manifestation of the skill and goodness of the workman, and holds our the work done to greater admiration. Thus our Savior is saidforeign. to come and reconcile all things in the fulness of opportunities, Ephes. 1. 10. because the Lord Christ came then when things were at the lowest eb, the state of the Church of the Jews in … extremity, when the root of David was dry, and the branches of the stock of David quite withered, Isa. 11. 1 that is, When the Scepter seemed to have departed from the Tribe of Judah, and a Law-giver from between his legs, Gen. 49. 10.
Now however the extremity of this distress was no cause of Deliverance, but rather a hinderance in it self; and though God the Father out of his own power and according to his own good pleasure might have sent his Son sooner, to have redeemed his people out of their distresses, yet now the greatness of misery made them such Subjects, wherein the glory of his rich Grace, might appear in the perfect beauty thereof.
Hence it is many times in the Dispensation of the work of Grace, the Lord takes the Sinner in the lowest and basest estate, in the most desparate condition when the distress grows deadly, the case to the eye of man is beyond cure and recovery, that so the soveraign vertue of his saving Grace might be set forth to the wonder of the World, and to the encouragement of those who should come to the like streights: Upon this ground it is that the Lord Christ chose that time to convert Paul when he was in the heat of his rage, when his fury was at the height, when breathing out threatnings against the Church, he came armed with authority, and hellish resolution to carry all to Prison, Acts 9. In a word, while Paul proceeds furiously with a … intention, to oppose Christ to persecute his Members, and in the issue to procure and hasten his own everlasting ruine, then our Savior prevents him and pitties him, and doth him most good, while he strives to do most harm, and to make havock of the Church, the truth, and his soul also: yea, then works his conversion, when he most seriously endeavors to work his own Confusion of himself, and such as professed the Faith in sincerity; the aim of God in all the Apostle directed by the Spirit expresseth to be this, 1 Tim. 1. 16. I was a Persecutor, but I obtained foreign.Mercy, to the end that the Lord in me might shew all long-suffering to the example of those that should beleeve on his Name. Such a forlorn Sinner at that time was the fittest subject to receive the full print of Gods love and compassion in great Letters, as it were, that he might be a pattern to all …, of the boundless compassions of the Lord. That as Seamen after a dangerous wrack and miraculous deliverance, set up a Monument of their Preservation to all that pass that way, to work fear in them to prevent shipwrack, and yet hope of Recovery if they do.
To the like purpose is the Conversion of the Apostle in this heat of his Rebellion set upon Record in publick view: As though the Lord should say, Look here you forlorn sinners, see a desparate Rebel running post-haste to his everlasting ruine, and behold withal the hand of Mercy then stopping of him in his way; Paul persecuting Christ in his Members, Christ then pittying and preserving Paul, the one most kind, when the other is most vile and …: Oh the madness of a deluded Soul … reason! But Oh the Compassions of a Savior beyond all compare! Be afraid you never proceed to such hellish folly, and yet bless God, That there is such a Savior if you do. These be the Seasons of Gods acceptation, the first here principally intended, the rest not excluded, and in these opportunities thus appointed by God in his Wisdom, according to his good will, he doth put forth the work of his Grace, to bring home the Souls of his unto himself.
Hence we learn, That a long life is a great blessingUse 1. in it self, a great temporal blessing as it comes from the Lord. Why? Because all that while a man is in the way: Mercy may meet with him, and he may meet with it: While there is life, there is hope (unless a man have sinned against the holy Ghost) Physitians observe all the while there is strength in Nature, there is hope the Physick may prove profitable; It is much more for the comfort of the Soul, while there is life, there is yet a possibility: Thy heart is stubborn, and rebellious, and proud; but thou yet livest, and the Lord lives, and his Mercy lives, therefore it may be he may shew mercy to thee: But when a man is dropped down into the grave, and the pit hath shut its mouth uponPsa. 146 him, then all his thoughts perish, then with a sad heart he may remember all the helps he had, the opportunities he had, but never had a heart to get any good by them: Then he reads over all the Sermons he heard, by the flames of Hell; and remembers all the kindnesses of the Lord, and then there is no hope.
You therefore that know your bosom abominations, you have your back doors, and your base haunts; you know your sins are not pardoned, you have not repented of them; when you are gone home, go your waies, and bless God that you live: For, let me tell you, This is all the hope in the world that yet you are alive, and therefore the Lord may shew Mercy to you; if your dayes were ended, and you gone down to Hell, then not all the world, nay not Christ, nor the Mercy of God it self could not save you then: therefore look as it was with a Child which was followed by a Bear into a pond, the Child cryed out to the people that were running and came to the ponds sides, Oh help, help; and still as the Bear … him, first his Arms, than his Legs, and still he cryed out, Oh help, help, yet I am alive, yet I am alive: this is your condition, beleeve it. Not Bears, but Sins and Devils are upon you, they have you in their clutches, tearing and devouring your Souls: Oh look to Heaven, and cry out unto the Lord, and say, Lord, a proud stubborn Creature, but yet I am alive, the Devil is Devouring my soul, but Lord, help me and deliver me, yet I am alive; bless God you are so, and know its all you have to shew for your everlasting welfare. For while there is Life, there is Hope.
Matter of Caution and Advice, to fence our soulsUse 2. and fortifie our selves against that hellish distemper of self-Murther, that our hearts may be carried with hatred of it, and our souls preserved from the commission of it: when partly from discontentments, and partly from terrors of Conscience, men are not able to bear with themselves; but they will run to a Halter or a Knife, they will put an end to their lives that they may put an end to their sorrows; they wil not live, that they may not live thus and thus. Why Consider, Art thou sure of a better life? They will Answer, No, thats my misery, I see all my sins before me, and Hell gaping for me, and the Devils attending to seize upon my Soul, and it makes me weary of my life. Weary of your life! Take heed of that, bless God for your life, and pray for life, and seek to preserve your life what you may, for while your life lasts, you are in the way to Mercy Dives had so much experience of the tormentsLuke 16 28. of Hell, that he sends to those that were alive, Oh take heed of coming hither, you are in a better condition than I, what ever your case be. Learn therefore for ever to fear and flie from temptations to self Murther, as that which would put an end to your life, and to put an end to all hopes and possibilities of Mercy from the Lord.
But the main Fruit of the Point, which properlyUse 3. belongs to this Place, is a Use of Instruction, which ought to be observed and settled upon the Consciences of us all. Doth the Lord then usually accept of the Soul, and do good to it while he provides and continues the means of Grace? What then remains but we should give all dilligence to attend upon his times, take his means, and improve all to the … for our Spiritual good. Suffer me here to stay a while, and urge the Collection with an Argument or Two, and yet go no further than the Words, nor take other Reasons than the Text will afford, for it issues amain and with a full sourse from all Particulars mentioned before, the foregoing Truths meeting together, like so many streams, to make this more forcible upon the Conscience, and like a mighty Current, to carry us along to everlasting happiness.
It is a Season, and therefore to be Observed; an Opportunity, and therefore to be Improved without Delay: We should address our selves presently to this so great a work, Redeem the time, Col. 4. 5. Having opportunity, let us do good to all, Gal. 6. 10 If unto others, much more to our selves: If to their bodies, especially to our own Soul; if to them in Temporal things, than most of all our best good in Eternal blessings is to be attended.
But the Season is not yet come, that Opportunity is not yet offered. Answ. … …, the Apostle points at it as at hand, and in view: Behold now: while I am Speaking, and you are Hearing, while the doors of the Sanctuary are yet opened, while we are in the land of the living, behold now is the acceptable time. Oh let us not harden our hearts, nor shut our eyes, … stop our ears, unto the voice of the Lord, but pursue opportunity present, strike while the iron is hot, … our Harvest while the heat and Sun-shine is upon us, while wind and tide lasts, sail we cheerfully towards the Haven, the end of our hopes, the Salvation of our Souls. This is the Argument which the Apostle presseth with so much eagerness, as having such apparent evidence in it. That considering the Season, it is high time we should awake from the sleep of security, our salvation is neerer than heretofore, Rom. 3. 11. The Lord now speaks to us as sometimes to the secure Church, Cant. 2. 10. Arise my Love, my Dove, and come away; For lo the winter is gone. the flowers appear, the voice of the Turtle is heard in our land, &c. I may truly say, This Scripture is this day fulfilled in our ears, wherein the Lord Christ by the Ministery of his Word calls, and that with all instancy, upon every corrupt …-hearted sinner to come to him, to receive the word of his Grace, and the power and comfort thereof upon his soul: Behold the foggy mists of Popery and ignorance are over, the shaddows of … are passed away, the flowers grow, and the … … apace, peace and prosperity, with abundance of outward blessings shoured down upon us, the voyce of the Turtle is heard in our Land, the sound of the Gospel, and the glad tydings of Peace, have been, and yet … proclaimed in our streets.
Arise, arise, therefore … secure and dead hearted Sinners, and come away. Arise ye drunkards, come … from your Cups and Companies; Arise ye Adulterous wretches, come away from your … …, and beds of dalliance; come to him who … kindly invites you, who promises to accept you, who is able and willing to save you. Oh! consider opportunities will not last alwayes, we have no … of them, much less command of them; and who knows whether we shall ever enjoy that which we now neglect? Especially, considering the Lord at the present, vouchsafes all helps to further and perswade us to this Preparation, dealing with us as … he did with the stubborn-hearted Jews by Ezekiel, who to strike their hearts with an open Conviction that they must go into Captivity, he is injoyned to carry out his stuff, in the most plain manner in their sight, from one place to another, and the end is added: If it be possible (as some translations reade it) if per adventure (as the propriety of the Hebrew bears it, all to one sense) they may consider it, Ezek. 12. 3. As if he should say, There is some small hope that somthing may procure their welfare, and if it be possible, this plain dealing is like to prevail: A lively picture and resemblance of Gods special bounty to us-ward, who enjoy the means of Grace above many others: The Lord hath seen other Countryes, but he hath settled his abode amongst us; he hath passed by many Congregations, but he hath lodged with those where he hath set up the Light of his Truth; the Son of … hath sent abroad his beams to many corners of the Earth, a glimpse of his goodness hath appeared unto many places, but his saving health like the Sun in his full strength, hath stood over our heads as it did once in Gibeon, and the Moon in the valley of Ajalon: Some people have had many means, and many people have had some, but almost all have met together to procure our good, and to make up the fulness of opportunities, even the fulness of all fitness, that if it were possible we might consider it, and … at the last convert and turn unto the Lord. The Birds of the Heaven, the Sinners upon Earth, and the Devils in Hell, know and pursue their … Opportunities; the one for the comforts of nature,Jer. 8. 7. that they may enjoy them; the other for their …,Job, 24. 15. that they may enjoy their lusts, though they perish for it: Ask then (thou sluggard) of the Birds of theRev. 12. 12. Heaven, and they will tell thee; demand of the Beasts of the Field, they will shew thee; nay, … of the Devils in Hell, and they will testifie how Opportunities ought to be prized, and how … improve them. Wilt thou be more unreasonable than the Beasts? More careless of thine own … Comforts, than the Devils be to procure thy own Confusion? Shall the Lord provide all … for our Good, and shall we neglect both him, and them, and our own everlasting welfare? Wo to our sluggishnes.
Object. True, let this Opportunity … great, so … the Continuance of it long, and therefore we may take it hereafter.
Answ. No: Its a Day saith the Text, very short, and yet most uncertain. It is but for the day … this Life, and who knows how soon it may end; there be Skuls of all sorts in Golgotha, Skins of all sorts in the Market; yong and old, aged and …, haste unto the rend: No man yet had a lease of … Life, which is as Grass, a Flower, a Bubble, and alas! how soon doth this Grass wither, this … fade, this Bubble break?
And our day being short, so is it almost …, many of us have past our highest point, the best … … time, our Evening draws on; and behold pale …, and feeble hands, crazy bodies, dangerous …, which are as Har bengers of our dissolution, … will soon bring us to the house of our age, to … dust of death; thus is our breath but a shaddow, … soon passeth away and we are gone: Oh! that we … wise to consider these things, and because our … is short, and passeth away, we would take hold … the opportunity present.
But the yong man Replyes; It is a good thing … the Eye to behold the Sun, Eccles. 11. 7. To … this Light, to enjoy the present Pleasures, to … the Rose while it is in the bud, to gather the … whilest it is fresh, while time and strength … take the pleasures of the world and enjoy the … of my heart; not now to sit moping in a …, go drooping and sorrowing for my sins; when … hair grows gray, and decrepit age comes on, … yeers hence, when my Sun grows neer the setting, … Life begins to decline, and my strength to decay, … shall than have leisure to talk of holiness, to turn … a new leaf, and betake my self to my Beads, and … of Grace; in the mean time these jolly …, speak unto Preparation and Humiliation, as … somtimes to Paul. Go your way for this …, and when we have a convenient time we will … for you.
Answ. Thou fool, this night may thy soul be … from thee, Luke 12. 20. How knowest thou but the Lord may pluck thee out of the land of the living, and send thee packing down to thy own place, give thee thy Portion with Unbeleevers and Despisers of his Grace? and then all thy thoughts perish, thy time is past, and Repentance too late, when the Pit hath shut her mouth upon thee, how fond to think to have leisure to Repent, when thou wilt not have time to Live?
2 Be it the day of thy Life continue, yet the day of Salvation may be ended; for this is but a minute or moment of that span of time, a point or … of that opportunity; If the Lord remove his …, take away the light of his Word, dam up the fountain of Grace, and stop the well-springs of Salvation, thou mayest perish for thirst, and live to … the folly of the neglect of Means, when happily thou shalt not know where they be, nor yet have liberty and ability to enjoy them if thou knewest: while therefore the day of our life, and the day … Salvation (the Mart of Mercy) lasts, both which are but short and uncertain, let us be watchful to observe, and careful to take all advantages to buy the chiefest and best Commodities, Humiliation and Faith. Especially considering it may be any … particular day, as our Savior to Jerusalem, Oh that thou hadst known at least in this thy day, Luke 19. 42. When the Word is mighty, and the Spirit speaks powerfully unto thy soul, when the undeniable evidence of the Truth convicteth thy judgement, and the keen threatnings thereof, cuts and lanceth thy corrupt Conscience to the Core, and the Lord raps at the door of thy heart, by the hammer of the law; Oh now follow those motions, and cherish them, make much of a little, and suffer the blessed Ordinance of God to have its full blow upon thy Soul; go aside and consider seriously with thy self, Certainly the Lord came home this day unto my heart, touched me to the quick, and met with my particular Corruptions, withstood me to my face, and by the authority of his Truth, like the naked Sword in the hand of the Angel stopped me in my Course, and bad me back again; assuredly this is my part, a Portion carved out in special … my Soul, this … is my day of Salvation, in which the … … to work the good work of his grace … me: True it may be so, and for ought that thou … I, or any under heaven know, it is so: Remember … thou hadst a fair offer, and take heed how … dost refuse it, lest thou never have the like …. Break therefore through all Oppositions, cast … … …, listen to no alurements to the …, … while … is called to day harden not thy …: And as Paul to his Company (Acts) August. in his Confessions.… thou never to see their faces more. I know (as one of the … brings in his sins) our old … like old … will threap kindness from …, plead prescription and continuance, we have … long, taken much sweet Counsel together, … much delight and content. Give us warning …, before you give us a discharge, let us … our … of … for the while, and hereafter let … think of amendment: Thus the same Father when … had often resolved to renounce his bosom …, and the beloved lusts of the flesh, still that sounded in his ears, To morrow, to morrow; as the burden of Satans song, To morrow soon enough, hereafter time enough; thus while he was startling and … by the terrors of his Conscience, he lulled him, and rocked him a sleep again by delayes, … at last in a holy kind of violence and indignation of heart, breaks through all, demurs nomore, delayes no longer, but cryes out, Why not to day, why not to day Lord? and from that day following God gave him victory. Go thy wayes and do thou likewise, stand not haggeling and dallying with the Almighty, set down a resolution like the Laws of the Meads and Persians, never to be revoked; that thou wilt from this …, and ever hereafter, wait upon the … of grace, and give way to the work therof. Dispute no more, but determine thus with thy self, Why yet am I here in the land of the Living, yet … this side the bottomless pit, the Lord still tenders the offers of Salvation, strives still with this sturdy heart of mine, I know not how soon I may be taken from the Means, or the Means from me, or the Blessing of the Lord from us both; while therefore the spirit speaks to my Soul, Seek thou my face; give me a heart to eccho back again, Thy face Lord will I seek this day.
After all this, the heart still sings loath to depart, and the deluded finner lingers after his lust, as Lot after Sodom, and therefore puts in a new Plea on this manner: Imagine the worst, should I put off this fair and kind Call of the Lord? Yet since it is in my power to entertain it hereafter, there is not so much danger though I now refuse it.
Answ. Be it granted, Thy life might be prolonged, the words of the text do most apparantly dash this presumptuous conceit, Its the Season of Gods acceptation; Its not in thy power, but depends meerly upon his good Will: We are not the Patrons of the means of Grace, much less of their work, it is not in our Gift; the Sending and Blessing of both issues only from the good pleasure of the Almighty: prolong not then, put not off the time, deny not Gods gracious offer, lest thou never have offer again; he that now holds out the golden Scepter of Mercy to receive thee, hath an Iron rod wherwith he can … thee to nothing, and break thee in pieces like a Potters vessel: He that hath the Keyes of David, and now sets open the gate of Salvation, he can shut it and no man shall open it any more; and when thou hast stayed too long, and comest too late, thou mayest knock hard with the foolish Virgin, and cry aloud with Esau, and yet receive neither Blessing, nor Birthright, and its just with God it should be …, that the Word which thou hast dispised, should … … a dead, or killing Letter, and never work …; the motions of his Spirit which thou hast …, should never stir more with thee. Thus Wisdom threatneth the scorners of her Counsel, Prov. 1. 24. Because I have called and they resused, I … stretched out my hand, and no man regarded, … they shall call, but I will not answer; they … seek me early, but they shall not find me.
Nay, it may be thou shalt not only not find what … …, and that with some eagerness, which is … state miserable enough, but shalt not have a heart … much as once to seek for Mercy, as many … have, and Hypocrites do; and this is a … next to the damned in Hell, unconceivably …. This was Jerusalems case just as the Lord … it, Oh that thou hadst known at least in … thy Day, the things belonging to thy peace, but … they are hid from thine eyes, Luke 19. 42. Christ … now weeping over the City, preaching his farewel … amongst them, yea, now come to die amongst them: the presence of the Means makes the Plague more remarkable, when through Gods just judgment for their contempt of the truth, they have eyes but they are made dim and see not, they have ears but … heavy and hear not, and hearts made hard even … the blessed Ministery of the Gospel, and so they understand not; they have all before their eyes, and … all hid from their eyes: The like Curse the Lord usually pours out upon the hellish despisers of the Doctrine of Grace, deliver them up to blind minds, and seared Consciences, reprobate senses, that they who shut their eyes against the power of Gods Ordinances, should never see nor be … of, either that or their own misery, which is the … misery of all.
Yet all this will not content, there is one cavil which the carnal heart Objects, and its most desperate; Be it, God will … vouchsafe Means nor Work by them, nor I receive any benefit therefrom, let me live as I list now, let me shift as I can hereafter; if I loose all, the loss is not great. Answ. What! … great? God forbid that such a Thought should be in any … Heart, such a Word come out of any mans Mouth. Its no less than Salvation it self, Its … day of salvation saith the text, … loss not to be valued, not to be recovered, will never, can … be repaired again; yea, I appeal to thy own Conscience, and … thy self in cold blood be thy own judge: Think but seriously … the Rivers of pleasure which are at Gods right hand, of … Psal. 16. last.Kingdom … undefiled, and that sadeth not away, … and consider of that Crown of Glory, that exceeding … 1 Pet. 1. 4.weight of glory reserved in the heavens; and weigh but with … 2 Cor. 4. 17.self, in thy most retired thoughts, the … Mercy of a God, the … Redemption of a Christ, the Comforts of a Spirit … glorious; imagine you heard that Sentence passed, Come ye Blessed, … the Kingdom, possess the Crown, enjoy … Pleasures, and if thou hast but the heart of a man, let it Answer: Canst thou lose all these, and account the loss little? and yet if the day of Grace be gone once, all these go too; neglect that now, and never think to enjoy these: An Argument able to stay any in the most eager pursuit … these lying vanities, and to cause him to …, and steer his course another way.
As Elisha said, Is this a time to take …? So when … consider all Opportunities, and Means, and Mercies, say, Is this a time, to follow the World, and the Profits thereof? to … our selves with sinful Delights, and forsake Christ, and his Gospel, and Salvation and all: Me thinks Nature would …, Reason would Perswade, It is a Day of Salvation, our Lives, … Hopes, our Comforts, our Salvation, and All depend upon …. It is the time that God hath bestowed for this end, therefore … sure to improve this time so, as we may attain this end. In … word, It is a Day, therefore a Season; and but a Day, … short; a Day of Gods Accepting; and a Day of Salvation; The Season so Fit, the Time so Short, and the Purchase so Great, what remains then, but we should improve this Time to our utmost, that we may Receive that Spiritual Good from the Lord in it, that he is willing to bestow, and we stand in … of, for our Comfort here, and our everlasting welfare in another World.
FINIS.