And then thirdly,1 It is an acceptable time, because now God calls upon you, and he holds forth the Sceptre of his Grace towards you, therefore it is now acceptable to seek God, seek him now and he will be found, 2 Cor. 6. Now is ⟨p. 475⟩the accepted time, 2the day of salvation, while you do enjoy the means of Grace, while God is offering mercy in the Gospel it is the accepted time, therefore now is the time to seek the Lord, The misery of man is great upon him for not knowing his time,3 in Eccles. 8. 6. There the wise man saith, There is a time for all things, but therefore is the misery of man great, because he knoweth not his time. Oh! 'tis true in this regard, we know not our time and therefore is our misery great upon us.4 O that thou haddest known at least in this thy day those things that concern thy peace; missing of time is a dangerous thing; That may be done at one time with ease, that cannot be done at another time with all the labour that possibly may be:5 Thou canst not tell what may depend upon one day, upon one minute, perhaps even eternity may depend upon this moment, upon this day. A man goes abroad from his family and gets into company, perhaps into an Ale-house, or Tavern to drink, and there spends the day in wickedness; thou doest not know but upon that time the day of thy eternity may depend, it may be cast upon that day; as Saul was cast upon that act of his, saith Samuel to him, The Lord had thought to have established thy Kingdom, but now he will not; so God may say, Well, notwithstanding all thy former sins I would have been content to have past by them, if thou haddest sought me upon this day: The consideration of this would make us take heed how we spend our time, how one spends any day in ones life. A Mariner may do that at one time that he cannot possibly do at another.6 He hath a gale of wind and now he may quickly get over Sea, but if he stays till another time, if he would give his heart blood to get over he cannot: and so sometimes thou hast such gales of the Spirit of God as may do good to thy soul for ever, take heed thou doest not lose them, if thou losest them thou mayest be undone for ever. Oh! 'tis fit to wait upon God for our time, and if God gives us time take heed we do not trifle and say, we shall have time hereafter: therefore in Phil. 2. 12. the Apostle ⟨p. 476⟩saith,7 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling:
And then thirdly,1 It is an acceptable time, because now God calls upon you, and he holds forth the Scepter of his Grace towards you, therefore it is now acceptable to seek God, seek him now and he will be found, 2 Cor. 6. Now is ⟨p. 475⟩the accepted time, 2the day of salvation, while you do enjoy the means of Grace, while God is offering mercy in the Gospel it is the accepted time, therefore now is the time to seek the Lord, The misery of man is great upon him for not knowing his time,3 in Eccles. 8. 6. There the wise man saith, There is a time for all things, but therefore is the misery of man great, because he knoweth not his time. Oh! 'tis true in this regard, we know not our time and therefore is our misery great upon us.4 O that thou hadest known at least in this thy day those things that concern thy peace; missing of time is a dangerous thing; That may be done at one time with ease, that cannot be done at another time with all the labor that possibly may be:5 Thou canst not tell what may depend upon one day, upon one minute, perhaps even eternity may depend upon this moment, upon this day. A man goes abroad from his family and gets into company, perhaps into an Ale-house, or Tavern to drink, and there spends the day in wickedness; thou doest not know but upon that time the day of thy eternitie may depend, it may be cast upon that day; as Saul was cast upon that act of his, saith Samuel to him, The Lord had thought to have established thy Kingdom, but now he will not; so God may say, Well, notwithstanding all thy former sins I would have been content to have past by them, if thou hadest sought me upon this day: The consideration of this would make us take heed how we spend our time, how one spends any day in ones life. A Marriner may do that at one time that he cannot possibly do at another.6 He hath a gale of wind and now he may quickly get over Sea, but if he staies till another time, if he would give his heart blood to get over he cannot: and so sometimes thou hast such gales of the Spirit of God as may do good to thy soul for ever, take heed thou doest not lose them, if thou losest them thou maiest be undone for ever. Oh! 'tis fit to wait upon God for our time, and if God gives us time take heed we do not trifle and say, we shall have time hereafter: therefore in
- 1Obs. 3.
- 22 Cor. 6.
- 3Eccl. 8. 6▪
- 4Luk. 19. 24.
- 5ex hoc momento Aeternitas.
- 6An apt simile.
- 7Phil. 2. 12▪ opened.
