The Privilege of the Saints on Earth, Part 4 – Title page 2
2d Branch of Exhortation.
Let the ſecond Exhortation be to call upon you to value your Opportunities, & to make the beſt improvements of time whil'ſt you are in the Land of the living, ſo as the World is often called. For Hezekiah began now to conſider the price of time,Ver. 10. who but lately was at the Gates of the Grave, and deprived (as he thought) of the reſidue of his years, that is, which he might have lived according to the ordinary courſe of Nature. Saith he, Mine age is departed, and removed from me as a Shepherds Tent, That is, which the Shepherd removeth from Plain to Plain, according to his occaſions, as the matter ſhall require.
Now I am living here,foreign à peniculamento, quod Textor in extrema tela relinquit. by and by my Body muſt lodge in the Tent of the cold Grave, and my Soul return to God that gave it. I have cut off like a Weaver my life, he (that is, God) will cut me off from the Thrum, Ver. 12. I have cut off my life by my Sins, and God hath cut it off by his righteous hand upon me. Saith he, I reckoned till morning, Ver. 13. I ſhall be dead by the morning. And now Hezekiah begins to prize time, and cries, The living, the living he ſhall praiſe thee. Thus when once the ſwift Shuttle of your life is come to a Thrum, then you will ſee the value of Opportunity, and cry, The living, the living, &c. and reckon till the morning, and ſay, There is but one day more between my life and Eternity. And it may not be long ere that Morning or Evening cometh. For little did Hezekiah a few dayes before think that he had been ſo near unto death, being now but thirty nine years old, and God having wrought ſo wonderfully for him in his late preſervation from Senacharib: Ver. 17.For ſaith he, Behold, for peace I had great bitterneſs. God lately deſtroyed the Hoſt of the King of Aſſyria, and gave me peace, and I ſaid, I ſhall now now dye in my Neſt, and multiply my dayes as the Sand, but I little thought of ſuch a ſickneſs to enſue my peace.
It ſeems he was ſurprized; and ſo may you be, if you look not well to it, for God now gives fair warning of it. They that will not prize Opportunity, ſhall have an opportunity to prize it: If they prize it not living, they ſhall prize it dying. Wherefore manage your ſeaſons for the beſt ends while you have them, and fill up your dayes with duty, and be not ſo eager upon the World, and the things thereof. Opportunity is a golden Mattock to dig for Heavenly Treaſure; do not wear it out, as many do, in digging for Pibbls, and at your latter end become a fool.
Beware therefore of idleneſs on the one ſide, and cumbring your ſelf with Worldly Occaſions on the other; but conſider, wherefore hath God given you life and time, but to be ſerviceable in your day, and to work for him in whom you live. He did not give you time to play the Truant, and deſign and labour to be rich, and to grow great in the World, and to arrive at ſuch a Revenue, and proportion of worldly Eſtate; but he ſent you into the World to do his work, and to improve your Time and Talent for him.
And therefore, when the World, or the Fleſh is putting ſuch Employments upon you, which will devour much time, and divert you from the one thing neceſſary, tell them; That you muſt give an account of your time, and you muſt not rob your Lord and Maſter of his hours, which he ſent you to improve in his ſervice, &c.
And certainly it is an undervaluing alſo of Heaven, to think to go thither, and to do little or nothing for God upon Earth, though yet the recompence of reward is purely gracious, or of meer Grace, let our Labours for the Lord be never ſo many; for what are all our Studies, Works, Sweat, and blood, and Spirits, and Coſt; and Care, and Time expended upon Chriſt, in compariſon with an exceeding Eternal weight of Glory? Prize therefore and improve your times.
Here are ſeveral of you that are young,1. Particularly. or in your middle age, or about Hezekiah's years. Call your ſelves to an account, and enquire of your own hearts what you have done: Peradventure but little for God, and what will turn to a comfortable account. What then, if God ſhould now lay you (as he did Hezekiah) upon your ſick Bed, and threaten to cut off the Thrum of your lives? Would you not with him turn your faces to the wall, and weep ſore? And yet I tell you, Hezekiah had done a great deal of Work for God, during the time of his Reign unto this ſickneſs. He loſt no time, but fell hard to the Work of Reformation in the firſt monethmonth of the firſt year of his Reign.2 Ch. 29. 3. And he did a great deal during his fourteen years before his ſickneſs,Iſa. 38. 3. and he did it alſo in Truth, and with a perfect heart.
But ſtill, what have you done, if you were now as near the gates of the grave, as here he was? And to theſe Gates you muſt come at laſt, and paſs through them alſo to the higheſt Tribunal, to anſwer to this Queſtion, What haſt thou done? How haſt thou improved time, occupied with thy Talent, filled up thy Relations, maintained good Works for neceſſary uſes, been active for the higheſt end?
Peradventure you will plead your ſmall capacity,Obſerv. and that you are but of mean degree, an obſcure perſon, and ezerciſed in Low Employments, and of weak parts, &c.
Yea,Sol. but ſtill what ſaith Hezekiah? The living, the living he ſhall praiſe thee. And are not you living? Are you not alive? For any Man or Woman living may praiſe the Lord, or elſe Hezekiah ſaith not well; But it is true what he ſaith, for any Man living may do his his generation-work. Is your capacity than ſuch, that you cannot praiſe the Lord?Pſal. 148. 11, 12. what ſaith the Pſalmiſt? Praiſe ye the Lord; who? Kings of the Earth. Yea, they are in a capacity indeed. Such as Hezekiah may do much that way, they are great Men, and have great opportunities. But what followeth? Kings of the Earth, and all people: Princes and all Judges of the Earth. Both young Men and Maidens, and old Men and Children. Let them praiſe the Name of the Lord. Men and Maids, old and young, all may; and all muſt attend the ſervice, none excepted.
And therefore plead not your mean capacity,Matth. 25. but ſerve your age according to your Talent. For he that had but one Talent, doth not ſay, Lord, I had but one, and what can a Man do with one? My fellow-ſervants had, one five Talents, the other two, and they might well employ and improve them. No, he ſaith not thus; He was convinced that one Talent might be improved to advantage as well as five, and that every one is bound to be Trading for God with what he hath given him; for, ſaith the Text,Ver. 15. He gave to every Man according to his ſeveral ability. So that all of them had an ability, though ſeveral … One had a five-fold ability, another a two-fold, another a ſingle. And he that had but a ſingle capacity, was called to an account for his unprofitableneſs, and caſt into outer darkneſs. The meaneſt therefore among you hath ſome ability, and woe be to him, if he doth not improve it. A young Man, a Servant, a poor Man, a mean Man, may do many things in tendency to God's Glory, and the good of others, whil'ſt he is living, and the living, the living, he ſhall praiſe thee.
You that are ſtricken in years,2ly. you have much to account for. For you have lived lon, and perhaps are now grown old, but have you been old Traders? Yes, as to a worldly account: Yea, but there is another, and a better Trade, & what have you done therein? God will call you to a reckoning for your worldly Trade, and eſpecially for your Spiritual. You have gained thus much in the world, he will ſay, but what redounds to my ſhare of all that you have done? This is the great Queſtion. Think ye; Oh how many opportunities have you out-lived, which will never have their Reſurrection: If therefore you ſhould ſay as John Baptiſt's hearers, what ſhall we do then? I anſwer,
Firſt, Be humbled for your former neglects, and miſpence of time, who in doing much, have hitherto done nothing; and judge your ſelves for your omiſſions, before your Lord and Maſter calleth you to account.1 Cor. 11. 31. For if you judge your ſelves, you ſhall not be judged.
Bring forth fruit mee… for Repentance. For though it is as impoſſiibe, that your former individual opportunities ſhould return, as that you ſhould grow young again, yet God may pleaſe to miniſter new occaſions to you upon your repentance, whereby to bring forth fruit in old age. It ſeems, that Nicodemus was an old Man when he came to Chriſt by night;John 3d. For, ſaith he, Can a Man be born when he is old? As much as to ſay, As I am. But when he is converted, he thrives apace, and comes to Chriſt at noon, and owns him in the place of publick Judicature, and is a mean to diſſolve the Seſſion.John 7. 50. And afterward he owns Chriſt crucified, and is at much coſt to embalm him,—19. 39. when his Diſciples deſerted him. The Old Man got the ſtart of them all, and of many others that ſet out before him.Mat. 19. 30 So it is ſometimes, The firſt are laſt, and the laſt firſt.
Now therefore beſtir your ſelves, and redeem loſt time by improving what remaineth to the utmoſt, and ſee what you can do with a little remnant of life, and whether you cannot grow as faſt as Old Nicodemus did. Project improvments of life, which is a kind of Saveall, now that your light is near extinguiſhing.
Make up in affection what may be wanting in action. If you cannot do much, yet love much. and you have cauſe enough to do ſo, in that God hath given you to live ſo long, who have done ſo little. If our Servants ſhould work no better for us, than many have done for God, we ſhould ſoon turn them out of doors. And therefore love the Lord the more, and that will alſo provoke you to do the more.
Stir up others to work for God, that what you cannot do by your own hands, you may do by others. For you ſhall have a ſhare in their good actions, who work by your incitement. What good was done by the hands of thouſands in the dayes of the reforming Kings of Judah, is ſtill imputed to the Reformers that ſet them on work, as you may ſee in the Reign of Aſa, Jehoſaphat, Hezekiah, and Joſiah. And though the perſons imployed might act from Principles of Hypocriſie,Jer. 3. 10. as ſome (at leaſt) did in Joſiah's Reformation; Yet the works were done in ſincerity, as to the Reformers: They were done in Hypocricy as to the Inſtruments, in ſincerity as to the principal Agent.
Your time therefore is but ſhort, and you cannot do much with your own hands, ſee what you cad do by others, as by your Wife, Husband, Children, Relations, Friends, Neighbours, and it ſhall be imputed unto them, if they do it ſincerely, but to you howſoever, if you did ſet them on work in the uprightneſs of your heart.
Pray for death-bed Grace, Faith, Hope, Patience, Peace of Conſcience, compoſedneſs of Spirit, & ſuch a frame as is fit to glorifie God, and edifie others at your laſt farewel to friends. This is that which we ſhould all pray for, and it is that which God is pleaſed to grant to ſome, and it is a great mercy where it is vouchſafed, for it is not ſo eminently granted unto all that fear the Lord. Had Hezekiah now dyed, his Diſtemper was ſo violent, that he could not have dyed ſo comfortably,Ver. 13, 14 I reckoned till morning, that as a Lion, ſo he will break all my bones: From day even to night, wilt thou make an end of me. Like a Crane, or a ſwallow, ſo did I chatter; I did mourn as a Dove: Mine eyes fail with looking upward: Oh Lord, I am oppreſſed, undertake for me. But they that have done but little for the Lord, and are not now like to do much, had need to pray more, eſpecially, that thus they may finiſh their courſe.
And if God grant you this mercy, you may perhaps do as much good dying, as ever you did living. The few words of the penitent Thief have done good to thouſands, though he was a Man that never did good, but much evil, till he was converted upon the Croſs. And thus much for the Exhortation to value Opportunities,Luke 23. 40, 41, 42. and to make the beſt improvement of time while it laſteth.
3d Ʋſe of Exhortation.
If there are opportunities of performing ſervice to God in this world, which are not to be enjoyed after death, and that the Saints do that for God here, which they cannot do in Heaven; Then, be not too eager in your deſires to dye. It was Jobs weakneſs, though indeed he was then in great diſtreſs and miſery.Job 3. 21. He longed for death, and digged for it more thân for hid Treaſures. We muſt not be too forward to dig our own Graves: We may prepare them, as Joſeph of Arimathea did, and alſo we muſt prepare for them; but let us not dig them impatiently, or importunately.
Life is a great mercy, yea, and length of dayes. It is annexed to the obedience of the fifth Commandment.Pſ. 91. laſt. With long life will I ſatisfie him, and ſhew him my ſalvation. Why? will not a Child of God be ſatisfied without length of dayes? Yes, he is ſatisfied to dye when God pleaſeth. If God will take him away ſooner or later, he he is ſatisfied. It is ſaid of Abraham, Iſaac, David, and Job, that they dyed full of dayes. And it was true, both paſſively, in that they were old Men; and actively, in that they were well ſatisfied to live ſo long. And therefore Job left off digging for death, long before he dyed. Peradventure you have your exerciſes both outward and inward, and withall you have good hopes of a bleſſed ſtate in a better world; and now you long for death, and would fain be gone. Take heed, it is time enough to go to a glorious Eternity, and when you are there, you will never ſay, you came not thither ſoon enough. Here is, more ſervice for you to do: Do not love your Reward beyond your Work. A lazy ſervant will be often liſtening to the Clock, or looking upon the Sun, and longing for the Evening, not minding ſo much his Work as his Wages.
It is ſaid of Jehojada alſo, 2 Chr. 24. 15.that he was full of dayes, when he dyed, being one hundred and thirty years old. He was full of days paſſively, and full actively, he was ſatisfied with this great length of dayes, and very well contented and thankful to live ſo long. He was deep in years (I ſuppoſe about, if not above, an hundred years old) when his Nephew Joaſh came to the Crown.2 Chr. 24. 3, 4.— For he lived to ſee Joaſh married, and after that the Temple repaired. And he died not long before Joaſh, who reigned but forty years. But few men lived ſo long in thoſe dayes, and yet he did a great deal of good ſervice unto the laſt. And when he died, they buried him in the City of David among the Kings, becauſe he had done good in Iſrael, both towards God, and towards his houſe. And the moſt of it was done in his old Age.
4th Uſe of Exhortation.
If the people of God can do more ſervice for him on Earth than in Heaven; Be exhorted to prize their lives pray for them, and improve them. If Hezekiah here had died of his ſickneſs, the people of God would ſoon have miſſed him, as when (at laſt) he died, they did, for you know what came after. Conſider what a deal of good ceaſeth with the li…e of a good Man: It is true, his Works live, but his working is dead. Miniſters ſhall preach no more; Church-Officers rule no more, diſpenſe no more; Benefactors lay out themſelves no more; publick Spirits act no more. True; their Examples, Sayings, Writings, Memorie, Fruits of their former Works may ſurvive: But their perſons, perſonal actings, delightful preſence, ſweet fellowſhip, wholeſome Counſels, and ready helpfulneſs are dead and gone. Whereas theſe are great mercies, and many will ſay ſo when they are gone, who made but little of them while they had them. You know how the Elders of Epheſus, and the Brethren at Miletus wept at Paul's parting, ſorrowing moſt of all, that they ſhould ſee his face no more; and yet after that he lived many years, and wrote an Excellent Epiſtle to the Church at Epheſus. Oh, how would they have wept, had he then dyed at Miletus! But few precious ones are prized enough till dead, and perhaps not then neither.1 Sam. 25. 1. The Iſraelites did not ſufficiently value Samuel when he grew old, but when they had taſted what Saul was, and that Samuel alſo was taken away by death, then they all lamented him. Yea, and Saul himſelf alſo wanted him, who little regarded him whil'ſt living.1 Sam. 28. 11. Bring me up Samuel, ſaith he to the Witch at Endor. He that before would not go to Samuel, will now go to the Devil for him. Bring me up Samuel; Yes, Rake him by all means out of his Grave: And, oh, that Saul could but once more ſpeak with Samuel!
How few are they who have a juſt valuation of theſe living mercies, or that duly lay to heart the loſs of them?Iſa. 57. 1. For it is our duty alſo to bewail the death of ſuch,Acts 8. 2. as when the Church loſt Stephen, devout Men carried him to his burial; and made great lamentation over him. Oh know the price of living Saints, eſpecially the moſt uſeful ones.
You that are Children, and have godly Parents, who have made known the Truth to you, take heed you think not they have lived too long; but know that it is your mercy, if they dye full of years, and come to their Graves in a full age, like as a ſhock of Corn cometh in its ſeaſon. Improve their lives, and lament their deaths. Sarah was an hundred twenty and ſeven years old when ſhe dyed, and yet Iſaac lamented the loſs of her for the ſpace of three years, and nothing could comfort him, but his marriage with a dear Rebekah. Gen. 24.I beſeech you love and honour your godly Parents, beg their continuance with you, and your profiting by them, and be very obedient to the firſt Commandment with a Promiſe. Joaſh had that benefit by his old Uncle Jehojada, who was inſtead of a Father to him, that it went well with him and his Kingdom whiles he lived, but miſerably with both afterwards. Many Children have loſt themſelves together with their Parents.
Conſider what I ſay. And then you that have ſuch Miniſters of Jeſus Chriſt, as labour in the Word and Doctrine, and watch for your Souls, prize them, pray for them, and improve them, for you know not the conſequences of their removal.
5th Uſe of Exhortation.
Laſtly, Seeing there is more ſervice to be done on Earth than in Heaven; how ſhould this exalt Chriſt Jeſus in our hearts, and enlarge them in love to him, who as he wrought ſo much for us on Earth, ſo ſtill is he at work for us in Heaven? He, He is the great Worker in the higheſt World. You know what he ſaith in his prayer to his Father,Joh▪ 17. 4. I have glorified thee on Earth, I have finiſhed, the work which thou gaveſt me to do. Yea, but we are to underſtand it of his Work upon Earth, for his Work in Heaven is not as yet finiſhed, nor will before the end of the world.
Alas! we can do little for Chriſt in Earth, and leſs in Heaven. Yet Jeſus Chriſt, whether in Earth or Heaven, is ſtill at work for us. It is not with him as with us. Heaven takes the work out of our hands, but it puts it into his. For thither is he gone to take and keep poſſeſſion, and to prepare places for us. There he executeth his Mediatory-Office, continually appears and makes interceſſion for us, ſheds abroad his Spirit, gives Commiſſion to the Angels, and Gifts unto Men, calleth and gathereth in his Elect ones, enableth us to work on Earth, governs the World, upholds his Church, and ſubdues their Enemies. All the Work of Heaven lies upon Chriſt's hands; and it is well it doth, o… what would become of us on Earth!
And as this ſhould raiſe our Eſteem an… Love of Chriſt, ſo ſhould it quicken us the more to work for him on Earth, ſeeing he is ſtill at work for us in Heaven. He wrought above thirty years for us here on Earth, but in Heaven above ſixteen hundred, and thus he will continue his work to the end of the world.
To him therefore be glory, and honour, for ever and ever. Amen.
A ſhort Diſcourſe OF THE NATURE AND EXTENT OF THE Goſpel-Day, Reaching from the Deſtruction of the OLD, to the erection of the NEW JERUSALEM:
Zach. 14. 6, 7.
And it ſhall come to paſs in that day, that the Light ſhall not be clear, nor dark.
But it ſhall be one day, which ſhall be known to the Lord, not day nor night; but it ſhall come to paſs, that at evening time it ſhall be light.
By W. H.
London, Printed for John Wilkins, and are to be ſold at his ſhop in Exchange-Alley, next door to the Exchange-Coffee-Houſe, over againſt the Royal-Exchange, 1673.