Christian Geography and Arithmetic, Doctrine 3
Doct. 3.
The third Obſervation is this, That the right Art and Skill of numbring Dayes, is a point of Divine teaching: one have the wiſdom to number their Dayes aright but thoſe that have it from above, and are taught it by God; you muſt go to God and beg of him, that he would teach you this leſſon. This appears from the Text, that we have it expreſſed in the form of Prayer; as if he had ſaid, though I have caſt up the acount of my dayes in the 10th verſe, yet there is a further Myſtery, which I cannot diſcern without thy teaching, without that Spiritual light and knowledg which muſt come from thee; and here you have the Emphaſis of the particle (10:) I have been taught this leſſon many a time, and can ſay it over; but I have not been ſo taught as they ſaid of Chriſt that never man ſpoke like him, ſo never any Man taught as God teaches; I have often conſidered the 14. Acts comp. v. 1. with 27. Where it is ſaid, that Paul and Barnabas ſo ſpake, that a great multitude of the Jews and alſo of the Greeks Believed. But when they came to give an account to the Church, the Text ſaies; that they rehearſed all that (God) had done with them, and how (he) had opened a door of Faith unto the Gentiles. If the Lord had not opened the door of the Heart, all their knocking would have ſignified nothing, if the Lord had not ſpoke with them, all their ſo ſpeaking would not have procured belief from our Souls; it was God that ſo ſpake with them that made the door of the Heart to open.
If the Lord Jeſus had only cryed, Lazarus come forth, and had not by a Powerful Hand communicated Life to him, he had never ſtirred out of his Grave. We read in Luke 24.27. That the Lord Jeſus beginning at Moſes, and all theProphets, he expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himſelf; but obſerve is ſaid in ver. 45. then opened he their underſtanding that they might underſtand the Scriptures: It is not enough, to, have the Scriptures opened, but we muſt have our underſtandings opened too; If you had the knowledge, of an angel, and could diſcourſe of Divine Truth with undeniable Evidence and Demonſtration, yet this will not amount to right Teaching, without Divine Bleſſing and Influence. I need not inſiſt much upon the proof of this, take that Text, Pſal. 39.4. Lord make me to know mine end, and the meaſure of my dayes, what it is; that I may know how frail Iam. When once he is taught this by God, then he can ſay with ſenſe and experience, as it follows, Behold thou haſt made my dayes as an hand-breadth, mine age is as nothing before thee, V. 5, 6, 7.verily every man at his beſt eſtate is vanity, Selah. Surely every man walketh in a vain ſhew, ſurely they are diſquieted in vain, he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who ſhall gather them: And now Lord, what wait I for, my hope is in thee, deliver me from all my tranſgreſſions, &c. You ſee that when he is taught this Leſſon of God, how feelingly, and ſweetly he breaks out; its only Faith and the Teachings of God that can give us to Heb. 11.be under the power of things of Senſe: as by Faith we underſtand that the World's were made, ſo by Faith we muſt be taught that our time is ſhort, that our dayes are numbred, that we muſt dye: though we ſee perſons daily carried to the Grave, that never reached our years, and we know we are made of the ſame Corruptible Materials, ſubject to the ſame Diſeaſes and Diſtempers, to the ſame Caſualties and Dangers, that our Breath, is in our Noſtrils, and may aſſoon be ſtopped as theirs.
Again, The Apoſtle Paul when he comes in ſo with his But, But this Iſay, brethren, 1 Cor. 7.29the time is ſhort; ſhews plainly that it was a Point that was not ſo well underſtood; I ſhall endeavour to Demonſtrate this further to you in theſe following Particulars.
1. None can know the uſe of time without Divine Teaching; and none can number his dayes aright, unleſs he know what uſe they are for: this has been already ſpoken to; I ſhall only add this, that as it is with a Merchant who Prepares his Ship for Sea, he provides only ſo much Victuals as may ſerve for the Voyage, he does not provide the Seaman ſoft Beds to lodge in, but only makes ſuch preparation as may ſerve the end of his ſending his Ship to Sea, the leſs burden ſhe has, the ſwiſter ſhe ſails, and the ſwiſter ſhe ſails, the leſs ſhe will need: Juſt ſo it is in this Caſe; We are ſailing through this World, our Port is Eternity, our buſineſs is only to provide our ſelves for quick ſailing, and lay in ſo much Proviſion only as will ſerve us for ſo many dayes Voyage as we ſhall be out: the leſs Cumber of the World we have, the ſooner we ſhall be ſit for Heaven; and the faſter we move thither, the leſs we ſhall need.
2. None can know the end of time, (ſc. that it will end) but by Divine Teaching: And none can number his dayes aright, that does not know their end. What made David pray, as you have heard, Lord, make me to know mine end, &c. Every one thinks he may live a day longer. When a man comes to dye, and to be juſt within the view of Eternity, then he ſees what is the proper work for time, and wiſhes he had his time to ſpend over again, he would ſpend it otherwiſe then he has done. Mr. F.Now it's ſtrange that Faith ſhould not do what Senſe will do; we pretend to believe that we ſhall have a laſt day, and why ſhould not this Faith have ſuch Effects as Senſe and Feeling will have.
3. None can know the Seaſons, Nicks, and Opportunities of time without Divine Teaching; and certainly none can number his dayes aright, that underſtands not his Seaſons; that knows not that Sabbath dayes are Seaſons to be improved, that the preſent time is a Seaſon that the Morning of the day is a Seaſon, that the time of youth is a Seaſon, that a time of affliction is a Seaſon, that times of Conviction are Seaons, &c. Now there is no Man can rightly know, and make of theſe Seaſons without Divine Teaching.
4. None can know the excellency of time without Divine Teaching. And ſure I am, that he that knows not the worth and preciouſneſs of time, Exod. 29.19.never knew how to number his dayes aright. Let us a little conſider the excellency of time. We read in the Old Law, that if one man ſmote another, he ſhould not only pay for his Cure, but for the loſs of his time: But more particularly;
1. Dayes and times are ſuch things as cannot be bought; did you yet ever know any dayes to be ſold, or underſtood what a day might be worth if it were to be ſold; we count thoſe things rare and excellent, that though ſome Men have them, Job 3.21.yet there are none of them to be got for Money. Let me therefore make much of my day; for if I loſe it, there is not one to be had if I would give all the World for it; a Man need not deſire more wealth than would by ſome be given him for one day if he had it to ſell. This puts me in mind of a paſſage concerning a worthy and Religious Lady which I do well remember; The Lady Barwick of Toulſton in Yorkſhire, to whom I had the happineſs to be Chaplain for ſeveral Years, and muſt ever own my ſelf to bemuch obliged, and no leſs to the Right Honourable the Lord Henry Fairtax her Son in Law, and my conſtant and Faithful friend in my ſufferings for Chriſt.ſhe had for ſeveral years been exerciſed with a ſore diſtemper of ſhortneſs of breathing, and did for a great while long to be diſſolved and to be with Chriſt, which ſhe did from that aſſurance of his Love to her Soul, which the Lord had been pleaſed graciouſly to give unto her. A Perſon coming to the Gate that had ſeveral Wares to ſell, deſired that the Lady might have notice of it; ſhe very gravely and ſeriouſly asked if he had any Graves to ſell; for faith, ſhe, I know nothing I want in this World ſo much as a Grave, and I have been long ſeeking for one, but cannot yet get it.
It is true, Graves are dear Commodities at ſome times, as Job tells us plainly, There are ſome that long for death, but it cometh not, Job. 3.21.and digg for it more than for bid Treaſures, which rejoyce exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the Grave. But Graves are not ſo dear as Dayes, for a Grave may be found, and will be found at laſt, but a day can not be purchaſed: Thus time cannot be bought.
2. Conſider the ſingleneſs and ſmalneſs of it, for thoſe that have it; Pearls are called Ʋniones for their rarity and ſcarceneſs. It is but the preſent time we have, and that is ſo little, it can hardly be diſcerned, for it's gone as ſoon as preſent. Time is ſuch a piece, ſuch a pretious Commodity, that there is not any man in the World has two of them to ſhew, that if he loſe one time, he can ſay he has another, or if he loſe one day, he can ſay he has another. Time paſt is not our's, that's gone irrecoverrably, time to come is out of our reach, it lies alwayes in God's hand; time preſent is only ours, and that's ſo little that a man muſt have a quick Eye that can behold it; and I never heard of more forts of time than that which is paſt, preſent, and to come.
3. For the excellency of time and dayes take notice of the abſolute neceſſity of it; whatever is done for God, or for a Mans own Salvation, muſt be done in time; Many Graces cannot have either Being or Exerciſe, but in time; what need have we of the Apoſtle Peters advice, Paſs the time of your ſojourning here in fear! 1 Pet. 1.17.What would have become of thouſands that are now in Heaven, but for time, if they had not had time! ſee Rom 2.4. Or deſpiſeſt thou the riches of his forbearance and long-ſuffering, not knowing that the goodneſs of God that leadeth thee unto Repentance. So Peter, alluding, as it is very likely, to this very place; Account (ſaith he) that the long-ſuffering of the Lord is Salvation,2 Pet. 3.5. even as our beloved Brother Paul alſo, according to the Wiſdom given unto him, hath written unto you.
Theſe two Apoſtles, Peter and Paul were very good accomptants; and it ſeems they both were of this mind, that there was much forbearance & giving a little time, towards the working out of a Man's Salvation, and ſetting his matters right with God; and indeed they might ſay ſomething by experience, eſpecially Paul; for where had he been, if he had been taken away, when he was perſecuting the Church, and breathing out threatnings againſt it? and for Peter he would have been in no good caſe, if he had been taken away, when he was curſing and denying his Maſter: where had Mary Magdalen been but a for little forbearance & time, if ſhe had been taken away when ſhe was a Proſtitute & playing the Harlot? Where had Auſtin been but for the patience of God, if he had been taken away, when he was both a perverſe Manichee and a diſſolute young Man? Whither ſhould I have gone then,Quo irem ſ…tunc obtrem, niſi in ignem & tormenta digna factis mcis &c. Cont. 5. ſaies he, if at that time I had been removed hence, but into everlaſting flames and torments, which my wicked deeds had juſtly deſerved at the Hands of God? Where alſo had many of your ſelves been, who now with Hearty thankſgivings can laud and praiſe the goodneſs of God in giving Time, and Patience that hath led you to Repentance; if you had been taken away in your Sins, before the work of Grace had been wrought in you? finally, where had moſt of thoſe been, who now have their Crowns in Heaven, but for Time and a few dayes Patience? had not long-ſuffering waited for their Converſions, they had been ſmoking firebrands in Hell, that are now ſhining lights, and glorious Saints in Heaven:*Niſi primo Deus per miſcre cordiam parceret non inveniret ques per Judiesum c…iona ret. unleſs the Lord, ſaies one of the Ancients, ſhould firſt a long time ſpare the wicked in his Mercy, he ſhould not find any Righteous whom he might afterwards Crown in his juſtice. Without Divine Teaching, we ſhall never come to underſtand what that clauſe of the Apoſtle means, which many a time I have ſat down and admired;Rom 3.25. Whom God ſaies, he, hath ſet forth to be a propitiation through Faith in his Blood, to declare his Righteouſneſs for the remiſſion of Sins that are paſt, through the forbearance of God. foreignThoſe laſt words, through the forbearance of God cannot be known without teaching from above, what need there is of a little time for Men that would would go to Heaven, that it was God's great forbearance that they were not taken away in their paſt ſins, till they came to believe in Chriſt, for the remiſſion of their ſins that were paſt. Go and learn what that means of the good Vineyard-dreſſer; Lord let it alone alone this year alſo: Luk. 13.8.he that gets a Reprieve, time may work him a pardon alſo God is not willing that any ſhould periſh, but that all ſhould come to Repentance. 2 Pet. 3. 2 Timo. 2.25.How many are called and ſaved at the ſixth hour, which had they been taken away at the third hour where had they been?Mr. G. How many at the ninth which had they been taken away at the ſixth hour, where likewiſe had they been? How many at the eleventh, which if they had been taken away at the ninth, where alſo had they been? the good Thief upon the Croſs, had he been taken away when he was robbing by the high-way ſide, what had become of him? in ſtead of, this day ſhalt thou be with me in Paradiſe, that very day and hour be had been in Hell with the Devil and the damned. And here let it not ſeem an impertinent ſolly, if I hence take occaſion to reprove a Spirit of murmuring and diſcontent; becauſe of the Lord's Patience towards wicked Men, and ſuffering them to continue ſo long in their rebellions againſt him, and injuries towards their fellow-Creatures: conſider thou hadſt benefit by the Patience of God, was not thou once wicked, and it may be ſo wicked that others murmured at thee, as now thou murmureſt at them? if thou art light in the Lord, remember thy former darkneſs: thou wouldeſt have God be haſty with others, and little thinks what danger thou eſcaped by God's Patience towards thee; becauſe thou art got over the Bridge, thou wouldeſt therefore have it drawn: but if thou thy ſelf did not put God to the expence of much time; and haſt been ſanctified even from the womb; yet haſt thou not ſome Son or Daughter, or Friend, or brother, whoſe wicked lives thou bewails? and wouldeſt thou have God to deſtroy them, to begin with them, to make them the firſt examples of his preſent revenge? Thou ſaies, why does God bear with the wicked ſo long? Why does God bear with thy Son, with thy Brother, with thy Kinſman? Thou wouldeſt deſire a little more time for them, and further forbearance in hope of amendment; that he would forbear them when they are young, for hope of reclaiming when they come to Man's eſtate, that he would forbear them then for hope of reclaiming when they grow old, that he would forbear them when they are old, yet one year longer, for hope of reclaiming the next, and ſo on; and therefore look either upon thy ſelf who once wert darkneſs, but now art light in the Lord, or upon Child or Friend who now are darkneſs, but happily one day may be light in the Lord, and then ceaſe to be offended at any patience of God towards the wicked whatſoever. To conclude this particular; how many damned in Hell if they had had the time and the forbearance that others have had might have been in the places of ſome that are in Heaven and they in their places, but for God's Patience? ſee Mat. 11.21.
4. For the excellency of Time, conſider the ſweetneſs of it; how comfortable do we reckon it, when we can get a little time with a friend to enjoy him without interruption, and not be called away! how ſweet to get a little time for retirement, a little time to hear a little time to pray, to read, to meditate a little time for buſineſs, a little time for buſineſs! we are ſo poſted from one exerciſe to another, from one duty to another, from one poſture to another, that we look upon it as a great happineſs, to get a little out of the hurry of time, and that the Chariot-wheels of it ſeem to ſtand a little ſtill and quiet, that for a little ſpace they do not drive on: what a reſt is it to a poor toſſed hurried Soul? a little communion with God, a little freedom from the cares, the noiſe, the diſtractions, the diverſions, the interruptions of the World; to be able to ſit down, and be a little at quiet, and take ones breath, and if a Man be in ſickneſs, as Job ſpeaks, to have a little time to ſwallow down his ſpittle.
5. The fifth particular is this, none can know the Lord of time without Divine Teaching, and certain it is, that none can number his Time aright that does not underſtand this, that our Time is not our own; God is the Lord of Time, we are but ſtewards of it; we muſt be accountable for it, we are not proprietors, and for us to make bold, (as untaught Popple we too often do) with that which is the Lord's peculiar is high preſumption and ſawcineſs: it's injury and ſtealth, for thee to meddle with thy fellow-creatures property without his leave; what is it then at will and pleaſure to diſpoſe of thy makers right? what Conſcience or prudence is it for thee to ſay, I will go to ſuch a place ſuch a day, and buy and ſell, or meet with ſuch a company and be merry? who gave either you or them power to name the day? you ſhould ſay if the Lord give leave, God permitting, if God grant Life and Health: Ah my Brethren, if we asked leave of God about the day, we ſhould alſo he brought to acquaint him with work we intend to do that day, and how many ill-done deeds and miſpent time might this prevent! you ſee what an intereſt the right conſidering of time has in every thing, and how great an influence it has upon all actions and affairs. What has thou to do to cut thongs out of another Man's hide, or carve at another Man's table without his licenſe? What Prodigals are we of that which is none of our own? canſt thou ſay that thou was ever worth an hours time of thy own in all thy life, and how is it that thou haſt ſpent ſo much and waſted ſo much? thou haſt no authority to appoint dayes or hours let me come cloſer to thee, thou haſt not only robbed God of that time which he has lent thee for thy own buſineſs, but thou haſt taken from him that time which he has ſeparated and incloſed and reſerved for his own work and Glory; review thy Sabbaths, and think with thy ſelf, how much holy time thou haſt ſpent upon thy own thoughts, thy own words, thy own actions; what great ſnippets of time thou haſt cut out of the Lord's holy dayes; canſt thou juſtify all this? is this the fruit of the Divine Teaching? No ſuch matter: our times are in God's hands and power, our times are not our own any more than our tongues; God is the Lord both over them and us; let us therefore when ever we have occaſion for any time be it never ſo little, or ſeemingly never ſo near at our hand, not dare to reach it and uſe it without firſt going to God, and asking his good will; by this means we ſhall not only pleaſe him, but likewiſe engage his aſſiſtance and direction in, together with his bleſſing upon, that work we have to do in that time: but if our work be naught them I confeſs we ſhould be unwilling, to go to him for time for it, leſt he ask us how we will imploy it, and we ſhall be afraid and aſhamed to tell him, nor indeed has he allotted any time for bad deeds, but let us know this that if we ſteal time for works of darkneſs, the Lord will ſeverely reckon with us both for our works and our time.
6. The ſixth particular is this; none can obſerve the waſters and devourers of time without Divine Teaching, and it is an undoubted truth, that no Man can number his Dayes, well, that is not an obſerver of theſe; theſe are Thieves and Robbers, theſe are eaters and conſumers of time, that do very much perplex Chriſtians; and many times put them beſides right numbring: I Will name ſome of them to you.
1. Unneceſſary cares; thoſe are very great intruders upon time, and will be cnotinually claiming a ſhare in it, though our Lord and Saviour has given poſitive order that no room ſhould be leſt for them;Mat. 6.34. take no thought for to morrow; and why take ye thought, &c. How many cares have you in a day come in to your minds that might well be ſpared, and indeed Ought not to be admitted you cannot pray in quiet for them, you cannot eat and ſleep in quiet for them; you ought to watch againſt them, and beg of the Lord divine Teaching how you may ſuppreſs them.
2. Unprofitable diſcourſes are great devourers of time, that tend to no good at all, neither to information, nor reformation, nor to prepare or fit the mind for work and buſineſs; much talk about others Mens affairs & matters that we are not concerned in, and are forbid to meddle with:1 Theſ. 4.11. ſtudy to be quiet and to do your own buſineſs; and yet you cannot but obſerve it with half an Eye, How much time is ſpent among Chriſtians when they meet together about other Mens Actions, Trades, Shops, Families &c. and its ſtrange if there is not mixture or backbiting, envy, uncharitableneſs, and evil ſpeaking throughout ſuch diſcourſes.
He that conſiders time rightly and knows how to number his Dayes, as he ſhould, will ſee cauſe to wave ſuch needleſs chat, and fill his time with better conference, that may leave a more ſweet ſavour and reliſh upon his own heart and the ſpirits of the company. The Lord knows how much we are to blame in this matter, that we cannot fit together, or meet together, but with Auguſtus Caeſar we muſt be taxing all the World; eſpecially ſuch as it may be differ from us a little in ſome ſmaller circumſtances, we cannot have a good word for them, nor hear a good word of them, but can be greedy and gape at half a word that is reflecting and diſparaging at a ſemblance, at an appearance, true or falſe. My Brethren, theſe things ought not to be, I profeſs I often think of that place, James 3.2. In many things we offend all, but if any Man offend not in word, the ſame is a perfect Man, and able alſo to bridle the whole Body; and let me tell you, he that can manage his time aright, will quickly order his tongue aright: Oh that I could perſwade you and my ſelf, that redeeming time lies at the very bottom of the power of Godlineſs; Again, how much needleſs and unprofitable talk about future events and contingencies, about the Lord's matters, his diſpenſations and providences, what may come to paſs in the World, beſides murmuring and diſcontented ſpeeches about them; it does not become us to ſit in conſiſtory upon God's providences, to judge and paſs hard cenſures upon them; no time appointed by the Lord for it. It was no ſmall impiety in Pompey to rail againſt the god's, and condemn the Providence that ſuffered him to be ſoiled by Caeſar, his cauſe being, as he thought, far better than Caeſar's was, he ſtanding for the defence of the Common-Wealth like a good; Patriot, De Net. Deor. 3.and Caeſar like an Uſurper aiming at a Monarchy; and thoſe Queries in Tully are but the ſymptomes of Atheiſm; That if God govern the World, then Why ſhould perſidious Hannibal be ſuffered to ſlay Marcellus? why the barbarous Carthaginians to torture Regulas? why bloody Cinna to ſlay ſo many Citizens? why Marius to command & Catulus his head, a man far better than himſelf? &c. This was a thing that much diſpleaſed God, Mal. 2. in that ſome there ſaid (and weariſome words they were to God) that becauſe the wickedeſt were ſuffered to play ſuch …icks, and domineer over others, that either God favoured the wicked or was no Judg of the World; ye have wearied the Lord with your words, yet ye ſay, wherein have we wearied him? when ye ſay, every one that is evil does good in the ſight of the Lord, and where is the God of Judgment? as if God could not make his Judgments good, if he ſuffered the Wicked to be ſuch Judges of the Earth, to ſlay whom they would, and whom they would to keep alive, to fit up whom they would, and whom they would to pull down, Dan. 5.17 Mr. G.as Daniel ſaid of wicked Nebuchadnezzar. When Anthony the great was troubled with this and the like queſtionings about the Providence; It is ſaid that he heard a voice, ſaying, Anthony, Anthony, look thou to …hy ſelf, and to thy own duty, and let God alone with Governing the World, he … wiſe and juſt, and powerful enough to do what is to be done, Gerſoh. And Auſtin well anſwers the queſtioniſt asking him; Why God ſuffers the Wicked to ſlay the Innocent? ſee, (ſaies he) whether in the firſt place it be not your duty, to conſider ſuch plain Texts as theſe that more concern your ſelf,Vide prus ne illud debeas-frange eſurienti panem tuum &c. Pſal. 61. Break thy Bread to the hungry, and bring the poor that are caſt out to thy houfſe; when thou ſeeſt the naked cover him, and hide not thy ſelf from thy own fleſh. That would be time well-ſpent, and God would allow for it.) Waſh you, make you clean,Eſa. 58.7. Eſa. 1.16, 17, 18. put away the evil of your doings from before your eyes, ceaſe to do evil, learn to do well, ſeek Judgment, relieve the oppreſſed, Judge the Fatherleſs, plead for the Widow: come now, and let us reaſon together;Diſputare vis anrequam facias unde dignus ſis diſputare &c. you would be diſputing (ſaies he) with God about Providence, before you have made your ſelf fit to diſpute with him: Come now and let us reaſon together, now, when you have done all the former that more nearly concern you; and it were good that many of the queſtions of this overcurious age were alſo thus anſwered: But beſides this anſwer, he goes on and tells him, that perhaps the party whom he thought was innocent was not ſo, for how could he pry into his Heart, or ſearch into all his Life to know whether he had not thought, or done any thing amiſs; wherefore God might juſtly ſuffer him to be put to Death? But again, ſuppoſe he were innocent indeed, what then? Chriſt was innocent, and yet we know God's counſel to have been good and juſt in ſuffering him to be put to Death by the wicked; ſeeing therefore by God's revealment, thou haſt found out his counſel why he ſuffered the unjuſt to ſlay that juſt one, and ſuch counſel as thou likeſt of very well thy ſelf, believe alſo that in others, God does the ſame upon good counſel, but it is perhaps concealed from thee: lay aſide therefore ſuch Diſcourſes about God's Tranſactions, or if thou will diſcourſe, do it as the Prophet Jeremie does chap. 12.1. Who layes down this for a ground, that God is righteous in them all; if thou does thus thou wil eaſily light upon this ſolution, v. 3. pull them out lihe ſheep for the ſlaughter, and prepare them for the day of ſlaughter. I might add in the laſt place, vain and fooliſh talking and diſcourſing with jeſting which is not convenient; which has nothing but frothineſ and unſavourineſs in it, miniſters no edification but tends to put the Soul in a careleſs poſture and ſet it at a greater diſtance from the fear, of God, which ſhould alwayes be maintained as the Souls watch and overſeer.
3. Confuſed muſings and dark reaſonings, ſpending much time holding a parley with Satan's ſuggeſtions and objections; God has allowed no time ſince Adam's fall to ſpend in conference with Satan, his plain rule is to reſiſt him and then he will flee from us; how are poor Souls bewildred, and ſpend much pretious time in hearing what he has to ſay againſt them, their State, their Duties, their Comforts! betake your ſelves to the ſtrong hold of Scripture, and there you will find ſafety, reſt and peace; time ſpent in ſearching the Scriptures, and meditating upon them is well-ſpent time, and will cauſe Satan to depart from thee.
4. Callings and neceſſary diverſions and avocations take up much time; a gracious Soul many times does begrudge the time he ſpends in eating, and drinking, and ſleeping, and in the neceſſary duties and labours of his calling; he could wiſh with all his heart he had more time for God, and that his buſineſs did not ly ſo hard upon him though this he cannot do without Divine Teaching; the Men of the World (and I fear many Profeſſours too) think their time well enough ſpent in the forementioned affairs.
5. Idleneſs is a great feeder upon time, doing nothing, or next to nothing; though no Man can be idle, for the Devil imployes every one whom he finds idle, & he that is imployed by the Devil, he may be ſure it ſhall not be about building of chappels, and hearing of Sermons, not about any good and godly imployment. The old Monks of Egypt were wont to ſay, that the working Monk had only one Devil haunting and tempting him, but the idle Monk had a number of Devils ſtill about him to tempt him; the idle body is haunted and followed with a Kennel of Hell-Hounds ſtill about him to tempt him to naughtineſs, the unclean Devil to tempt him to uncleanneſs, the prodigal Devil to tempt him to waſtfulneſs, what waſtfuller than Idleneſs?Queritur Egyſtus quare ſit factus adulter; in promptu ratio eſt deſidioſus erat. two of the beſt labourers would have much to do to maintain one loyterer, one drone would devour more honey in a day than two Bees could gather; the proud Devil to tempt him to Pride, for what Prouder than Idleneſs, that hath nothing to do but to trick and prick up it ſelf, the ſlanderſome detracting Devil to tempt him to ſlander and detraction, for who runs over all their neighbours in paſſing conſures on them, but they that talk away time, they are ſo, idle; ſee 1 1 Tim. 5.13. Where the idle, the tattlers and buſie-bodies are ranked together; the ristous drunken Devil to tempt him to drinking, and who ſo faulty that way as they that muſt drink away time? the ſins of Sodom are made to be fulneſs of Bread; and abundance of idleneſs; why is fulneſs of Bread, and abundance of Idleneſs ſuch great ſins? no; but he mentions theſe as cauſes and occaſions of a great many ſins; give me a place where there is abundance of Idleneſs and I will not doubt to ſay there is abundance of naughtineſs too; thus for the ſixth particular, the waſters and devourers of time.
7. The ſeventh particular is this; none can know the periods of time without Divine Teaching; and none can number his natural Dayes aright, that does not in ſome meaſure underſtand Metaphorical and Myſtial dayes; he cannot perform his duty aright that does not underſtand what diſpenſation he is under in ſome degree, ſee Revel. 13.18. Here is wiſdom, let him that hath underſtanding count the number of the beaſt, for it is the number of a Man and his number is ſix hundred threeſcore and ſix. Our Saviour blames the Pharifees that they did not diſcern the ſings of the times: Mat. 16 3.the Men of Iſſachar are commended that they were men that had underſtanding of the times. We read of ſeneral number of dayes and times in Daniel 9.25, and 12.11, 12. and Revel. 11.3.11. ans 12.6, 14. and its true that ſeveral have been guilty og miſſes and miſtakes in their calculations; but all argee that we are fallen into the very laſt dayes of Antichriſts reign, perillous times, wherein the Devil is come down in great rage, and that the ſigns of the times recorded Mat. 24. and Luk. 21. are upon us; and therefore we come to underſtand what our duties are that are required in ſuch times, as watchfulneſs, Prayer, &c. which are likewiſe clearly laid down in both the forenamed chapters; now to take out theſe leſſons and live in the practice of them, and not fall into that fatal ſecurity, unbelief ſenſuality, and: thoſe other ſins which make the laſt times dangerous, does require Teachings from above. None can know the ſucceſſor of time without Divine teaching, & 'tis impoſſible for a Man to number his dayes aright that does not know time's ſucceſſor.
1. That time will certainly have a ſucceſſor, and that it will ceaſe and be no more.
2. What kind of ſucceſſor it will be, not of the ſame Nature with time, Eternity is quite differing from time; in the Reſurrection there will be no eating, nor drinking, nor marrying nor giving in marriage, nor buying nor ſelling; no Turkiſh Paradiſe to entertain us with carnal plaſures, nor yet a Popiſh Purgatory to cleanſe us from ſins unrepented of in time.
Ʋſe. 1
For Application, I note this in the firſt place, how few there are that are under Divine Teachings in this point of numbring dayes aright; We live bySenſe and not by Faith; Oh what is time to endleſs conceiveleſs Eternity! but alas, alas, where is the Soul that ſits down and thinks of Eternity for half an hour together? David's Hiſtory of the Men of his day, is a Prophecy of the Men of our day, Pſa. 49.11. Their inward thought is, that their Houſes ſhall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; Ver. 12.though Man being in honour abideth not but is like the beaſts that periſh.
Ʋſe. 2.
Beg of God this bleſſed skill and art of numbring your daies aright; do not think it a needleſs Petition, thou does not know that thou ſhalt die, unleſs God reveal it to thee, thou does not know that time will end, that there is an Eternity; thou lives in this World very forgetful how tranſitory the ſtate of all theſe things are; the vulgar Proverb bears witneſs to vulgar practice, I thought as much of it as of my Death, as of the day of doom as of the worlds end. I was much pleaſed with what I met with lately in the Book of wiſdom, chap 8.9. which though it be Apocriphal, yet it is Canonical truth; For I was a witty Child (ſaies he) and was of a good Spirit; nevertheleſs when I perceived I could not enjoy her (that is wiſdom) except God gave her (& that was a point of wiſdom alſo to know whoſe gift it was) I went unto the lord and beſought him, &c. Witty Men, Learned Men, Old Men, Holy Men, unleſs they be all taught of God will be at a loſs in the point of numbring their dayes, of living under the powerfull perſwaſion of the ſhortneſs, ſwiftneſs, and determination of dayes and times. Let me add one thing which was ſlipt in the proof of the point, when your bagging of God this holy Wiſdom to number your daise aright, be ſure you be earneſt with the Lord, that when you number your daies he would ſtill help you to make the number come even; what is that? that that you may ſee your good dayes to be as many and as long as your evil ones, and your dayes to be full as good as any of your neighbours; thus to number will exceedingly conduce to give you content in your daies which the Lord numbers out to you in this World, and keep you from inordinate deſires after the changing of them, and having ſome other dayes in the room of them. The Wiſdom of God in ballancing Men's conditions in the World is much to be obſerved, though it is but little taken notice of; every day has it's ſuitable good as well as ſufficient evil, every Man may ſee in his own condition, if he has but his eyes open, as much cauſe of rejoicing as of mourning; and he may likewiſe ſee his own condition, take it all together, to be as good as any other Man's: what is the reaſon no Man is contented With his Lot and Portion? it is; becauſe they do not reckon right, they do not ſtand in right places to take a view and an eſtimate either of their own or others conditions; you ſtand on the inſide of your own, and on the outſide of another Man's, and by this means, your own ſeems to be much worſe, and his much better than indeed it is; do but change your ſtand, and go into the inſide of his, and the outſide of your own, and then you will ſet cauſe to change your Opinion; we may ſee the neatneſs of the ſhew but we little know where it pinches, and others at a diſtance will judge your ſtate very happy, which it may be you do not ſit ſo eaſily in, but might, ſit more eaſily if thou would not ſit alwayes in one place and poſture. I am perſwaded the Lord hath in his Wiſdom ſo ordered Mens conditions in this world, that there's no ods, not one better than another if we could but ſee the ends and ſides of them, no room left for choice, and that condition which every Man is in, ought to be concluded, the beſt for him of any in the World, the Beggar's condition is as good as the King's take it all together: no ſtate in the World can be an object either of meer pitty or meer envy, none ſo bad but a great deal of good is to be ſeen in it, none ſo good but a great deal of miſery is to be found in it: the Lord in Wiſdom and Goodneſs has fitted every Man's condition for him (that another would not fit him ſo well) and it will be our Wiſdom (if the Lord will give it us) to ſee our ſelves fitted to our conditions, and to obſerve in every point how well they fit us, Here a bunch of pride is growing, ſtraighten and check there ſaies God; there ſenſual delight would come in, ſtop that place; here ſtrength is ready to be running over to be imployed in vanity, pinch there with a little ſickneſs; there a grace or two want imployment, ſend a croſs or two to give them ſome work and exerciſe: here the Soul is ready to faint; ſlacken a little and give a cordial, and there the Soul is like to fall, clap an hedge or a wall quickly in the way, &c. What happy lives ſhould we lead in compariſon of what we do, if we did but know how well every thing we meet with fits us; what fitty dayes we enjoy: there is not the moſt croſs crooked thing comes to thee, but there is ſome part of thee that it will fit exceeding well; now the skill lies in putting it to the right part, a Man's ſhooe will not fit his head, nor his glove his leg; do not turn thy back to thy croſs when thou ſhould take it in thy armes, nor yet take it up at arms end, when thou ſhould bear it upon thy back; a little weight is heavy at armes end, which will be ſcarce felt upon the back which is a fifty place for a burthen: we muſt take up our Croſſes, as the Man did his ſheep upon his ſhoulder and away with it, trudging after the Lord Jeſus; ſome men lead their croſſes gingerly as a Man leads his young Child by the hand, and ſo make no way; ſome take them by the wrong end, and are not able to lift them up; ſome leap over them, ſome fall upon them, and many fall under them, and all for want of this bleſſed Teaching of the Lord: let us therefore never leave this out of our Parayers, that the Lord would teach us the even numbring of our dayes, and give us to ſee that every day we live, whatever falls out in it, is a fitty day; and that our condition, take it all together is at any time of the day as good as any Man's living, and take his all together too: If he have money, I have health; if he have Children, I have wealth; if he have power, I have peace; if he have proſperity, I have grace &c. And ſo much for the third obſervation; I come now to the,