The Saints Guide, Sermon 3
THE PLANTATION OF The RIGHTEOVS.
PSAL. 1.3.
But he ſhall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in due ſeaſon, his leafe alſo ſhall not wither, and what ſoever he doth ſhall proſper.
IN the begining of this Pſalme the Prophet David giveth ſomewhat a generall, and confuſed veiw of bleſſedneſſe, which is the deſire of all our hearts, the end of all our hopes, and travails; and then he firſt, pointeth out the by-paths in which thoſe that walke, ſhall be ſure never to attain unto this bleſſedneſſe, 2. He ſetteth out the true and ready way to happineſſe, and the ſeverall ſtations therein, which are but two, delighting, and meditating in the word of God, 3. In the words of the text he doth more particularly, and diſtinkely diſcover this happineſſe, that ſo he might win upon mens affections, and make their ſoules be enamored therwith. 4. He ſheweth the woefull eſtate, and condition of thoſe that doe not walke in this way, that leadeth to happineſſe, they are not ſo, but the winde of Gods Wrath ſhall drive them away like chaffe. Laſtly, he giveth the reaſons of it, for the Lord knoweth, that is, doth approve and proſper the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked ſhall periſh.
Now in the third verſe, here is firſt a familiar Similitude of a Tree, and this tree is further diſcovered,
1. By the nature of it, it is a planted tree, not a wild tree.
2. By the place where it groweth, and that is, by the rivers of waters.
3. By the property of it, it bringeth forth his fruite in due ſeaſon.
4. By ſome effects.
1. A perpetuall flouriſhing, his leafe ſhall not fade.
2. A good iſſue to every undertaking, what ſoever he doth ſhall proſper. As it is with a Tree digged out of a barren land, and tranſplanted into a fruitfull Soyle, and ſet by a river of water, it bringeth forth much fruite, and remaineth in a flouriſhing eſtate; So it is with thoſe who having bin rooted out of the drie wilderneſſe of ſin, and are by the great Husbandman God the Father, tranſported into the true Vine Jeſus Chriſt, and ſet by the Rivers of his word and Ordinances, they grow fruitfull in grace and goodneſſe, bringing forth flouriſhing fruite, and that in due ſeaſon, when it may make moſt for the Glorie of God, and the good of his people, and their fruit ſhall neither fade, nor periſh, untill they attaine unto perfection, and a full fruition of Happineſſe with Chriſt in Glorie.
So that this third verſe doth in particular diſcover the difference betwixt a godly, and godleſſe man: They are contrary in their principalls, and wayes, They are contrary in their fruites, and they ſhall be contrary in their accounts at the laſt Day.
Now for the preſent I ſhall wave all the other Characters of a godly man, and treat only upon this: viz. That as he bringeth forth fruite, ſo it is fruite in due ſeaſon: So the Point hence conſiderable is this: Doct.viz. It is the duty of a godly man, not onelyonly to performe thoſe duties, diſcharge thoſe ſervices that God requireth of him, but to doe them in the fitteſt ſeaſon; Or take it thus in breife, The duties of Saints ought to be ſeaſonable.
The point may ſeeme ſtrange to ſome, it is little knowne and leſſe practiſed amongſt moſt. I ſhall therefore
1. Prove the point.
2. Shew the grounds and reaſons of it.
3. Apply it.
Firſt, for the proofe of it, the Lord commands it, Numb. 9.2, 3. The Children of Iſraell ſhall celebrate the Paſſover at the time appointed thereunto: In the foureteenth day of this mounth at Even ye ſhall keepe it in his due ſeaſon, according to all the Ordinances of it, and according to all the Cerimonies of it ſhall ye keepe it. That is, in all points as the Lord hath inſtituted it, if they did not obſerve the right time and ſeaſon the Lord would not accept it. And as the Lord commandeth it, So Exod. 12.1. Levit. 23.5 28.16. Deut. 16.2.ſo he practiſeth it, Pſal. 145.15. The eyes of all waite upon thee, and thou giveſt their meat in due ſeaſon. And the Prophet Eſay ſheweth that for this end the Lord ſent him to his people Iſraell, Eſay 50.4. The Lord God hath given mee the tongue of the Learned, that I ſhould know how to miniſter a word in due ſeaſon to him that is weary. And Chriſt ſheweth in the parable of the Vineyard, Mat. 21.41. That God will let out his Vineyard to ſuch husbandmen as will deliver him the fruites in their ſeaſons. And he ſhall be Steward of Gods Houſhold who will give unto his fellow-ſervants their meate in ſeaſon, Luke 12.42. And it is ſaid, Eccleſiaſt. 10.16, 17. Woe to thee O Land, when thy King is a Child (that is without wiſedome and councell) and thy Princes eate in the morning: that is, out of ſeaſon, more for juſt, then for neceſſity: But bleſſed art thou O Land, when thy King is the Sonne of Nobles, (that is noble for vertue, and wiſedome,) and thy Princes cate in due time, for ſtrength, and not for drunkenneſſe. And Prov. 15.23. How good is a word in due ſeaſon; for there is a ſeaſon for words, as well as for actions, and everie good thing is proper onelyonly in its place, and a thing in it ſelfe prayſe worthy, loſeth its commendation unleſſe it be ſet in its proper ſeate: So we ſee that the point is plaine, that the Saints of God ought to obſerve the fitteſt ſeaſons and opportunities for their performance of duties and that is a thing both commanded, and commended.
Queſt. But now the Queſtion will be, How ſhall a man be able to diſcerne the due ſeaſon for his ſervices, the ſit time for thoſe duties that are to be diſcharged by him?
Anſ. Firſt, in the generall, when all circumſtances and occaſions doe concurre for a duty, that is the ſeaſon, and the time for that duty: As for inſtance, the day time is a ſeaſon for a man to walke in, there is time enough for it in the night, but that is not a ſeaſon, and when the winde and tide ſerveth, then the Sea-fairing man is to lance forth, or elſe though he may have time enough afterwards, yet he may waite long enough for a ſeaſon; So when the Goſpell is cleerely preached, and the deep myſteries thereof diſcovered, and the hazard that ſuch men run as neglect theſe opportunities fully layd open, then it is a fit ſeaſon for a man to bethink him ſelfe of repenting and returning; For in hell a man ſhall have time enough to repent, but there he ſhall want a ſeaſon, an opportunity: therefore a Chriſtian ſhould be wiſe to obſerve his ſeaſon, and when occaſions, opportunities and abilities: Sure, to take that time for the performance of his duties.
1. In particular: 1. We muſt be ſure to let each time have his allowance that concernes that day, and that time; ſaith Chriſt, Mat. 6.34. Take no thought for to morrow, for ſufficient to the day is the evill thereof. Every day bringeth evill enough with it, there are ſinnes, failings, and imperfections enough this day, therefore no neede to take care for a ſecond or third day, it is ſeaſonable therefore to ſet our thoughts upon our preſent condition, for as ſufficient to the day is the evill thereof, ſo ſufficient to the day are the duties thereof, that dayly taske that God hath ſet us, may be ſufficient to take up our whole thoughts; we are every day to beg our dayly bread, to ſue out the pardon of our ſinnes, to make our peace with God, we know not whether we ſhall live till the morrow, therefore we ought dayly to diſcharge thoſe dutyes that are ſuited to the preſent day.
Secondly, that time is moſt ſeaſonable for the diſcharge of our duties, when we finde our bodies, and Spirits beſt diſpoſed for ſuch ſervices: we ſhould ſtrike while the iron is hot, faſhion the veſſell while the clay is ſoft, ſo we ſhould ſet upon dutyes when we are in full ſtrength, and activity of ſpirit: It is not ſeaſonable for a man to goe to pray when almoſt aſleepe, or when in bed, but when his ſpirit is awake, active and ſtirring. For a man to put off his repentance and making his peace with God, till he is old, and weake both in body and ſpirit, and then thinke of ſerving of the Lord, when he can ſerve the devill no longer, this is not ſeaſonable, what man would accept of ſuch ſervice? This is juſt as if a young man that is in his prime ſtrength, ſhould ſay here is ſuch a burden that I muſt carry upon paine of death before I dye, I will let it alone untill I am old and weake, and then I will carry it; Doth not this man loſe his ſeaſon? As Water-men take the advantage of the tide, ſo ſhould we learn to take the advantage of our natures. The Holy Ghoſt giveth this charge Honour the Lord with the firſt fruits of thine increaſe, Pro. 9.10.and to ſuch he annexeth this promiſe, So ſhall thy barnes be filled with plenty. And in the old Law the Lord required the firſt that opened the wombe; that alſo is here conſiderable, Malac. 1.13.14. The Prieſts and the people were weary of ſerving the Lord, and regarded not what ſacrifices they offered up unto him, therefore ſaith the Lord, Curſed be the deceiver, that hath in his flock a male, (that is ability to ſerve the Lord according to his word and ſacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing, that is, ſerveth the Lord according to his covetous minde.
Thirdly, that our duties may be ſeaſonable, we ſhould ſo diſcharge them, that one may be helpfull and not hindering unto others, and we ſhould learne ſo to forecaſt the buſineſſes of our outward calling, that we might loſe no opportunities for our ſoules advantage; Further we muſt ſo diſcharge our duties, that any particular may not croſſe the generall, as we muſt not take up ſo much time in our owne buſineſſes, as to deprive ourſelves of time, and ſtrength, for the dutyes of Gods worſhip; So, neither muſt we ſo ſpend our ſtrength in one duty, as thereby to make us unfit for others, for though we have time for duties, yet if we want ſtrength, and ſpirit, it cannot be ſeaſonable.
Now for Duties occaſionall, therein we muſt obſerve two rules.
Firſt, if it be ſuch an occaſionall duty, as may be omitted without prejudice to any, and if diſcharged an opportunity for the doing of another good would be neglected, then a man may paſſe it by: But if a dutie commeth in a mans way that requireth preſent diſcharge, and if neglected, cannot be recalled nor recovered, when as the duty of his common courſe may be regained againe, if it be for the preſent paſſed by, now this is a ſeaſon for an occaſionall duty; as for inſtance, it is a mans dutie daily to pray in his familie, now if a neceſſary occaſionall dutie be caſt in, which cannot be diſcharged afterwards, a man muſt omit prayer for the preſent, and diſcharge that other duty: In many caſes God will have merciemercy, and not ſacrifice, if our Neighbours houſe be on fire, and we have our dutie to performe, we muſt for the preſent paſſe by our duty, and helpe our neighbour, and our Saviour ſheweth that it is lawfull for a man to pull his Oxe, Mat. 12.11.or his Aſſe out of the pit upon the Sabboth day, in ſuch caſes God will have merciemercy, and not ſacrifice.
Que. 2 If one duty muſt be loſt, and if we cannot regaine both of them, which then muſt be taken up, and performed?
Looke which duty is moſt excellent and neceſſary, take up that and let the other paſſe, and herein know that duties of the firſt table, are to be diſcharged before duties of the ſecond, we muſt ſerve God before men, that duty which is higheſt in place, and worth, muſt firſt be diſcharged, this is ſeaſonable.
How can a man know the preheminence of any duty?Que. 3.
That which concerns Gods Glory is to be preferred before that which concernes a mans ſelfe, Anſ.that which is for my good muſt give place to that which is for Gods Glory, for we muſt have an eye more to Gods glory, then to the Salvation of our ſouls, in all the duties that we performe.
Secondly, for thoſe duties that concerne our neighbour, though I muſt doe nothing to others, that I would not have done to my ſelfe, yet I muſt learne to doe good to my ſelfe in the firſt place, if the duties that are to be diſcharged in reference to others be of the ſame ranke and quality, with thoſe that concerne my ſelfe, then I muſt preferre my own occaſions before another mans, my goods before his, my body before his, my life before his, ſerve my ſelfe in the firſt place, and my neighbour in the ſecond, but I muſt not preferre my body before his ſoule, my temporalls before his ſpiritualls, nor my goods before his life. If we take ſuch like directions as theſe, then our duties will be ſeaſonable, and ſo acceptable with the Lord.
Reaſ. 1 Firſt, if the ſeaſon of doing duties be thus obſerved, it beautifyeth all our actions, Prov. 25.11. A word ſpoken in ſeaſon is like apples of Gold in pictures of Silver. If a man ſtrike while the mettell is hot, glorious formes may be effected; So in the worke of grace, if a man take the opportunity while the wind is blowing, the word preaching, the Spirit lifting, and ſtirring in the Soule, then a glorious worke, a new creation may be wrought, but if men delay untill their eyes be dime, their limbes feeble, their ſtrength ſpent, their ſpirits weake, and corruption ſtrong and faſt rooted in the Soule, this ſeldome proves a ſeaſon for the doing of ſuch a Soule good, for if conſcience now cometh to be awakened, and the ſinfull Soule to ſee, what opportunities God hath vouchſafed it, what profers he hath made, what ſeaſons for the doing, and receiving of good have beene afforded: all which he hath abuſed and trifled away, and the Soule now fearing that it ſhall never have ſuch ſeaſons more, but that the day of grace ſhall ſet upon it, hereupon it is driven to deſpaire.
Reaſ. 2 Becauſe things are ſweeteſt, & find beſt acceptance when they come in their ſeaſon; Oh, how ſweete is bread to the hungry, and water to the thirſtie, becauſe then they are ſeaſonable; when a full ſtomacke loathes the honie-combe; that ſeede thrives beſt that is ſowen in its ſeaſon, and that worke goeth on the beſt that is undertaken in a fitting time, therfore the Preacher, Eccle. 12.1. calls upon men to remember their Creatour in the dayes of their youth, whilſt the evill dayes come not, nor the years approach wherein thou ſhalt ſay I have no pleaſure; For old dayes are likely to be evill daies, unleſſe we make our peace with God in our young daies for that is the ſeaſon that God lookes for, and calls for, that men ſhould remember him in, and God ſeldome giveth the grace of repentance to men in their declining yeares, who have deſpiſed it in the daies of their youth. A thing out of ſeaſon is like phyſick brought to a dead man, which if it had bin ſeaſonably applied, might have done him good: Be wiſe to take every opportunity to doe good to others, and to receive good for your owne ſoules, leaſt ye repent with a ſad heart, when it is too late, when ye have loſt the ſeaſon of grace and merciemercy; conſider what the Lord ſaith, Prov. 1. 28, 29. They ſhall call upon mee but I will not anſwer, they ſhall ſeeke mee early, but they ſhall not finde mee, becauſe they hated knowledge, and did not chuſe the feare of the Lord, they would none of my councell, but deſpiſed my correction, therefore ſhall they eate of the fruite of their owne doings, and be filled with their owne deviſes.
Is it ſo that the Saints of God ought to doe their duties in ſeaſon, Uſe 1.then let this be for triall to every one of our ſoules, and let us examine our ſelves whether we have ſeaſonably diſcharged thoſe duties that the Lord requireth of us both in our generall, and particular Callings, and be humbled if we finde our ſelves blame worthy. If we doe conſider our waies, and looke backe upon our former carriages, and veiw over the whole courſe of our lives, I doubt that the beſt of us ſhall finde, that many opportunities, many bleſſed ſeaſons, for the hoarding up of comfortable proviſion againſt the evill day have bin neglected, how often hath this gratious Proclimation from heaven ſounded in the eares of us notorious Rebells, that whatever our ſins have bin, for the nature, for the number of them, yet if we would but come under the garment of Chriſt & ſtoopeto that Royall Scepter of Chriſt, and accept of the promiſe of life in Jeſus Chriſt, we ſhould be ſaved by Chriſt, yet how many of us have refuſed theſe glorious profers of grace, and unſpeakable loving kindnes offered to our ſoules. How many Markets for the buying of Spirituall foode hath the Lord vouchſafed unto us, and yet ſtil we have come empty away. Let us now look back & confider, how many Sermons we have heard, how many times we have received the Sacrament, and there renued our covenants with the Lord, how many motions Gods Spirit hath made at our hearts to repent, and returne, when we have bin hearing of the word, and likewiſe in our private meditation, ſaying unto our ſoules why will ye dye; yet (ſinfull wretches that we are) have we not flighted theſe motious, and caſt them behinde our backs, as though they did not concerne us? let us now look backe upon all ſlightings of grace, and mercy offered unto us, and ſay with Pharaohs Butler, Gen. 41.5.I will call to remembrance my faults this day, and let our ſouls be deeply humbled under the remembrance therof before the Lord.
Uſe 2 For inſtruction, it teacheth us, that the life of a Chriſtian, is not an idle, but a laborious life, that will coſt a man much paines and travell, if he will indeavour for to be ſincere in his profeſſion, and walke uprightly with the Lord in an holy converſation. watching all ſeaſons, and readily imbracing all opportunities, as he ought to doe, that ſo whatſoever he doth may rend to Gods glory, and to the good of his Church and people.
Uſe 3 For incouragement, ſeeing God doth now vouchſafe unto us ſo many glorious ſeaſons & opportunities, which if improved might be to the eternall welfare of our ſoules, now to ſtep in that we may be cured, even while the Angell is moving in the waters of the Sanctuary, for ſo long as the Goſpell is preached unto us, and tenders of merciemercy offered, ſo long our ſeaſon of grace doth laſt, we ſhould therefore now take theſe opportunities by the forelocke, for we know not how ſoone they may be removed from us, or we from them, and when the dore is once ſhut, though with the fooliſh virgins we may knock, yet it ſhlal not be opened unto us: and for our helpe herein we ſhould remember the former directions, and likewiſe learne ſo to order, and overlooke all our buſineſſes, that we may be able to allot to every imployment a proportionable time, and we muſt alwayes take eſpeciall care that our duty to our neighbour never juſtly out that homage and ſervice that we owe unto our God, we muſt therefore never over-charge our ſpirits with multiplicitie of worldly buſineſſes, but keepe our ſouls in ſuch a frame, that we may be able when ever we goe to converſe with God, in nny holy ordinance, to ſet aſide all worldly occaſſions, that neither our hearts, nor our thoughts, may run out upon them.
Uſe 4 For direction, we ſhould therefore labour to prevent the time in getting aforehand with it, ſaich David, Pſal. 119. 148. Mine eyes prevent the night-watches, to meditate in thy word. He was more earneſt in the Study of Gods word, then they that kept the Watch were in their Charge, and Pſal. 63.6. When I remember thee on my bedde, and meditate on thee in the night-watches: He got up before his Nobles when others were aſleepe, he was awake, ſo that he had performed his duty to God, before any State matters were brought before him, before his thoughts were ſcattered upon the Affaires of his Kingdome, he is a good Preſident in this for all of us to imitate.
Laſtly, we ſhould learn how to cut off all unneſſary expence of time; if it be ſinfull to ſpend that time which ſhould be for ſpirituall imployment, in worldly buſineſſes, which in themſelves are lawfull, if ſeaſonable diſcarged, how much more ſinfull is it to ſpend it in ſinfull ſports, and pleaſures; we ſhould therefore learne how. to redeeme the time out of the hands of our luſts and corruptions, which have too long imployed many precious houres, and glorious opportunities in ſuch ſervices, as doe directly tend to the eternall ruine of our immortall ſoules, even now whilſt it is called to day, leaſt the Lord ſweare in his wrath that our ſoules ſhall never enter into his reſt.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Hooker, The Saints Guide (1645)