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minds being renewed, our loffes fupplied, and our 'perfons recommended. 'Tis an argument of the fevereft reproach and challenge, that a man is at -years of understanding, and yet his mind is not informed; no rule of life and action confidered and examined this is to moralize Solomon's proverb, · Prov. xxiv. 30. I went by the field of the flothful, &c. Every ones mind is his field, and the fluggard's mind is overgrown with thistles. A man may be -afhamed to have lived fo long in the world to fo little purpofe; when his time is gone, and his work not done wife for other things, only uninftructed, or elfe careless in matters of the highest concernment and greatest importance between God and their confciences.

I may add, that time is burdenfome, if we have not employment for it. We have a phrafe, To drive away time; alas for its confequence; ab hoc momento pendet æternitas; there is a reference of time to eternity. We fhould be fure to carry on our main work with the time ; and if we be fhort in circumftances, not to fail in fubftance: let nothing less than this be the account of the im-provement of time, that our minds are discharged of all unnatural difpofitions, whatsoever we have acquired that jarrs with the principles of God's creation in us; that we have gotten the victory of our paffions, taken ourfelves off from foolish affecti-ons and fond imaginations, from being carried away after the guife of this mad and finful world: that our faculties be planted with divine graces, fruits of the divine Spirit: that we be in conftitu

tion and temper, in converfation and practice, con-; formable to Chrift's doctrine, through Chrift deftroying in us the works of the devil, and communicating to us the divine nature: that our perfons be. reconciled, pleafing, acceptable to God, through Chrift's mediation and interceffion. 'Tis a reproach to us to number curfelves by years, fifty, feventy, eighty thefe things being not done, in which the. only true account of time is. Further I add by way of caution, notwithstanding the difference of time.

First, I tell no man (take him as I find him) that it is impoffible for him to repent; for I know not the extent of God's grace.

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Secondly, I fay to no man, that if he does repent, it will be too late to find mercy; for know not the length of God's patience, and repentance doth alter the cafe but this I feriously advertife. If we will be true to our own fouls, and not for fake our* own mercies, let us take the advantage of God's particular application to us; then act, when God acts upon us. The facred scriptures thus declare, Prov. i. 23. Turn ye at my reproof; behold I will out my spirit unto you. Prov. viii. 17. Whofo feeks me early, fhall find me. Pfal. xxxii. 6. For this fhall every one that is godly pray unto thee, in a time when thou mayeft be found, Ifa. lv. 6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. For this business of religion is no flight or perfunctory work ; 'tis expreffed in fcripture, by what imports a mighty change, being made new creatures, not by tranfubftantiating our natures, but by transforming our minds, and mending our tempers; by being parD 3 takers

takers of the divine nature; by being created after God in righteousness and true holiness; not by being Godhead with God, but by being renewed in the fpirit of our minds. By perfecting holiness in the fear of God. By crucifying the old man and his deeds. By purging our felves from all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit. By putting off the body of fin: And by mortifying the flesh, with the affections and lufts.

Can we reasonably think that fuch a work can be done in a moment, or in the most inconvenient circumstances of old age, and the decays of nature, or on a death-bed? for is not old age burden enough, except it be attended with the fad remem¬ brance of a careless life?

3. Recover time loft, fo far as is poffible, with double industry, care, and diligence, Eph. v. 16. upon this encouragement, habenti dabitur; to him that hath fhall be given, and ab utente non auferetur, and from him that ufeth it shall not be taken away. Think that for this purpofe, God hath fo long continued thee in being. 'Tis fafe to make the best interpretation of God's dealing with thee, which is to encourage application to him; for this is the contrary to turning the grace of God into wantonnefs. The credit of a good beginning is loft, if we perfevere not in goodness. The disrepute occafioned from the vanity of the younger years, is abated by the seriousness and ftayedness of the age of understanding. Since we cannot abfolve ourselves from any ill use or abuse of time paft, confidering the improveableness of time, and the reference thereof to eternity: let us carefully redeem that

which remains; refcue it out of the huckster's hands; vindicate it to the nobleft purposes, that the remainder of it through true improvement, may answer the account of the whole.

Nothing will lie heavier upon our minds, when we come to die, than that we have neglected the day of grace, been wanting to ourselves in preparations for eternity, by bad ufe of time; depraved our. minds, fo as to go out of the world in far worse ftate and condition than we entred into it.

The perfuafives hereunto are,

1. That here is hearts-eafe and fatisfaction in the motion of repentance; in that we have revoked, and morally voided that which should not have been done. The first beft is not to have done ill; the fecond, is to condemn it: this is all we can do in the cafe, all else must be left to God; and this makes the cafe compaffionable; and when the cafe is fuch, there is nothing to hinder God to fhew mercy.

2. Entrance into eternity, mainly depends upon the immediate difpofition of the mind; wherefore we are to take all care to depart hence in renunciation of the guise of this mad world; in reconciliation with the rule of righteousness; in agreeablenefs of temper with the heavenly state.

3. We have done a great deal of harm in the world, by bad example, ftrengthning the hands of the wicked: let us take it off by renunciation of it, by condemning ourselves in it, by giving testimony to truth and right; this is the least that can be done.:: in all reason; else we may be faid to be alive to da mifchief in the world, when we are dead and gone....

DISCOURSE IV.

The Joy which the Righteous have in GOD.

Preached in the New Chapel, December 7. 1668.

P'S ALM Xxxiii. r..

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praise is come~ ly for the upright.

ND can we meet in this new structure and fabrick, raifed out of its former ruins, and not

perform the duty of the text? If I be not miftaken, this is the first that is again employed in facred ufe, fince the difmal and fatal fire. Let thofe that are here present, give a good example to all that fhall follow after; and let us now, as the text calls upon us, rejoice and triumph in the divine goodness, for praise is comely for the good and upright man. The remarkable providences, and happier difpenfations of God, call upon us to be glad in the Lord, and thankful for his benefits. God hath not only given us leave to rebuild our ruins, and repair our wafte places, but he hath been with us, and given us encouragement to this good undertaking. We read that the Jews when they returned' out of captivity, and had but rebuilt their walls, they had meetings of joy and triumph; as you find it among

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