The Sinners Last Sentence, Chapter 45
CHAP. XLV. Another excuſe for ſins of Omiſſion (which is a cauſe of them) that they would be unſeaſonable, and ſo are deferred to that time which never comes, with the anſwer to it.
2. A Second excuſe that men have for their Omiſſions, is the unſeaſonableneſs of the performance of their Duties. They grant, that they ought to perform them, that God requires it of them, and they muſt be done; but the preſent time is very inconvenient, other affairs now call for their preſence, and an another time they may be done with more advantage. So the Jews ſerved God about building his Houſe, Hag. 1.2. They acknowledged it was very fit that Gods Houſe ſhould be re-edified, and very ſad that his Houſe ſhould lie waſt, whilſt their own were ceiled, but the time was not yet come, it was unſeaſonable at preſent; they being amongſt wicked Neighbours, who would poſſibly ſcoff at them, and oppoſe them, if they ſhould go about it; it was beſt to defer it till another ſeaſon. Thus Felix, when Paul's diſcourſe of Judgment to come, had convinced him ſo far, that he trembled, moſt unhappily denieth him leave to proceed; but defers him to a more convenient ſeaſon, which never came that we hear of. Many perſons put off in a Morning Cloſet-Prayer, and Family-Duties, pretending they ſhall be better at leiſure before Noon, and thereby come to neglect them wholly for that part of the day. As Saul forbad the Prieſt to aſk Counſel of God, for want of leiſure, 1 Sam. 14.19. Others, when Alms are deſired of them, by fit Objects of Charity, will not deny them poſitively, but do it really, by deferring it till another ſeaſon, which the poor Creatures never ſee. Thus the Devil deſtroyeth many Souls, by prevailing with them to delay their Faith and Repentance upon pretence; hereafter will be time enough, and then ſuch and ſuch affairs will be over, and then they will be more at leiſure to mind them. If he can thus gain time of men, he doubts not but to make them loſe thereby an happy eternity; he is pleaſed well enough to hear men ſay, they muſt and will repent, they muſt and will believe, knowing there are few in Hell who enjoyed the Goſpel, but ſometime or other ſaid as much; but as long as it is in the future Tenſe, I will, and I will, and he can perſwade them that they are unſeaſonable Duties at preſent; he fears nothing, as knowing himſelf ſure enough of his prey.
To take away this cauſe of Omiſſions, I ſhall anſwer this excuſe.
1. I anſwer, by confeſſing (that it may be) that ſome poſitive Duties may at ſome times be unſeaſonable. The beſt ſort of Food is not always in ſeaſon. Solomon tells us, There is a time to ſow, and a time to reap, Eccleſ. 3.1, 2. All the year is not Seed-time, only ſome part of it. And it muſt be granted, that every thing is moſt beautiful in its ſeaſon, verſ. 11. then in its ſeaſon it is moſt luſtrous and lovely, moſt amiable and comely The grace and glory of an Action conſiſteth much in the right timing of it; therefore it is the praiſe of a good man, That he bringeth forth his fruit in due ſeaſon, Pſal. 1. And it highly advanceth the Wiſdom of God, that all his Actions are done in the neck, in the joynt, in the fitteſt opportunity poſſible. When the fulneſs of time was come, God ſent his Son, Gal. 4.3, 4. He hath out of his goodneſs allotted time for every Duty, Eccleſ. 3.1. There is a time to every purpoſe, and Duty for every part of time, ſo that a man can never ſay at this time, I have nothing to do. Nay, God hath allowed a ſeaſon, an opportunity for every thing, wherein, by a concurrence of helps and means, it may be done with moſt eaſe and advantage, Iſa. 50.4.
2. I anſwer, that ſome poſitive Duties are never unſeaſonable. To honour our God, to work out our Salvation, to keep a good Conſcience, to love and believe in our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, are always in ſeaſon. Theſe, and ſuch like, ought to be concommitant with every part of our time. Truſt in the Lord at all time, Pſal. 62.8. I will bleſs thy Name all the day. Bleſſed are they that keep Judgment, and do Righteouſneſs at all times, Pſal. 106.3. Therefore it is as ſome obſerve, that when Solomon mentions a time for ſeveral things, he mentions no time for doing evil, becauſe that muſt never be done; and no time for doing good, becauſe that muſt ever be done. That which ought to have no being, ſhould have no time to be in. That which ought always to be, needs not the mention of any particular time to be in.
3. I anſwer, that no Duties are unſeaſonable, when more good than hurt is done by the preſent performance of them. To reprove our Neighbour offending is a Duty; yet if I knew that my reproving him at this time would make him curſe and ſwear, and ſin more againſt God, I would defer it till another time; but if I thought that I ſhould not have another ſeaſon to do it in, and that preſent Reproof would only put him into a little pet or paſſion at preſent, but afterwards probably he would conſider it to his advantage, I would embrace the preſent opportunity. He that will omit that Duty till all things concur to his mind for the performance of it, muſt never perform it. There is hardly a ſtep to be taken in our Journey towards Heaven, but there is a block in the way to make us ſtumble at it, or go aſide for it: That if I will obſerve the Wind, I muſt not ſow at all.
4. I anſwer, Take heed that this pretence of the unſeaſonableneſs of Duties be not a device of the fleſh, and a wile of the Devil, to cloak and cover thy unwillingneſs to performance of them. It's eaſie to find ſome ſhift for every ſin; and truly there is none thou canſt live in, but Satan and thy own heart together will help thee to ſufficient grounds for them. Scarce any are gone to Hell without ſome reaſon on their ſide for going thither.
5. I anſwer, that we muſt conſult God and his Word for Wiſdom to know, and faithfulneſs to perform our Duties in their beſt ſeaſons. The heart of the wiſe diſcerneth both time and judgment, Eccleſ. 8.5. A good man that looks to God and his Word with a ſingle eye, deſiring to know what he ſhould do, and when he may do it beſt to the pleaſing of God, ſhall be taught and led by the Spirit of God in the way which he ſhould go in. The Word of God is perfect, and directs thee about the fitteſt ſeaſons for thy Duties. It teacheth thee when to mourn, Joel 2.13, 14. Iſa. 22.22, 23. when to rejoyce, Exod. 15.1, 2. Nehem. 8.10. when to pray, and when to ſing, James 5.13. when to reprove, and when to be ſilent, Amos 5.13. when to give, and when to forbear giving, Prov. 3.27. Yet ſtill there will be much need of Chriſtian prudence, and it may be helpful to thee to obſerve ſome general Rules.
1. That a greater good be preferred before a leſſer, and a more weighty Duty always have the precedency of what is leſs weighty. Though a leſſer good, and a leſs weighty Duty muſt be minded in their time and place, yet the greater muſt have the precedency, Matth. 6.33. Publick advantage muſt not be crouded out, and put by for private, nor ſpiritual good give way to temporal. Shimei ſhew'd his folly, in minding his wealth more than his life. And Mary, her wiſdom was, improving the preſent time for her Soul, when Martha was troubled about other things.
2. That generally the preſent time be laid hold on, and the firſt opportunity for the doing of good. Time is bald behind, and therefore its good to take it by the fore-lock. It's the Mariners wiſdom to take the firſt good Wind that offers it ſelf for his Voyage; and it may be the Merchants policy to take the firſt Chapman. The Apoſtle ſaith, While ye have time, do good to all, Gal. 8.10. implying, that they will not always have it, it is winged and flieth away.
Sometimes I confeſs it may be prudence (as circumſtances may be) when there is a probability of enjoying another ſeaſon to defer it at preſent; but uſually it is beſt to take the preſent, becauſe future time is uncertain, and then it may be ſaid, A price was in the hand of a Fool, and he wanted an heart.
3. That if it be evident, that more hurt than good will be done by our preſent performance of our Duties, we forbear and defer them. For thoſe Duties that do not bind us ad ſemper, God leaves much to the wiſdom of the faithful Chriſtian as to the ſeaſon of performing them.
4. That a certain good at preſent muſt be choſen before an uncertain future good, though greater than the former. If I have a price now in my hands to do my ſelf or Neighbour ſome good, and neglect to improve it; but defer it, hoping hereafter for an opportunity of doing my ſelf and Neighbour more good, this is ſinful. I doubt not, but Felix ſinned in putting Paul off till another ſeaſon, though he had intended to hear him afterwards for his own greater profit, (which he was far enough from) becauſe he muſt know that his own l…e, continuance in his Government, and Paul's life were all at the pleaſure of another, not at his own.
Reader, if thou art upright with God, what is ſaid will be ſufficient; but if out of the deceitfulneſs of thy heart, thy plea be only a pretence for the total omiſſion of thy Duty; know aſſuredly, that if thou canſt find no ſeaſon to do God Service, he will find no ſeaſon for thy Salvation.