N02150:75
Religious societies. Proposals for the revival of dying religion, by well ordered societies for…
Religious societies. Proposals for the revival of dying religion, by well ordered societies for that purpose. : With a brief discourse, offered unto a religious society, on the first day of their meeting. : [One line from I Thessalonians]
Boston: printed by S. Kneeland for John Phillips, 1724
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
IN this, the Children of GOD have Their Day. They are therefore so instructed; John IX. 4. I must Work while it is Day; the Night comes in which no Man can Work. Our Time of Living, is our Time for Working. As the Fourth Commandment has it, Six Days shalt thou Work and Rest the Seventh: So GOD sends us into the World, and says, I have some Work for thee to do; some Glory to be brought about by thee in the World; Thou hast but a little Time to do it in. What thy Hand finds to do, do it with thy might. I have betrusted thee with some Talents. Improve them Faithfully, Prudently, Diligently. And when I send my Messenger DEATH to call thee, thou shall find a Crown reserved for thee.
YEA, and in this they lie still Dead in their Trespasses and Sins, have Their Day too▪ GOD is all their Days Calling on them▪ Stretching out His Hands unto them all the Day long. Earnestly Calling, How long, ye Fools; Will you hate Knowledge? But when the Term of Life is just Expiring, and the last Sand in the Glass is running, and He has continued inviting them into His Vineyard, until the Eleventh Hour be out, and the Last Hour be upon them; and their Destruction comes as a Whirlwind, GOD then laughs at their Destruction, and leaves them in the Dimness of the Anguish of Death, and the Griping Talons of a dreadful Eternity. The Living, The Living, They may Praise GOD, and get into Peace with GOD. But they that go down into the Pit cannot Hope for any more. The Things of our Peace have taken an Eternal Farewell of them.
Secondly, THE Means of Grace, help to make Our Day for us. The Old World, whose Foundation was overflown with a Flood, enjoyed a Day, while they had Noah, a Preacher of Righteousness among them. This Preaching was no sooner over, but their Day was done. Cries to Heaven for Succour were now to little Purpose. The Ark being now shut, the Ear of GOD was also shut upon them. Sodom had a Day, whilst Righteous Lot was beating his Testimonies there. But when he is gone, their Day goes with him. The Vengeance of Eternal Fire seizes them. They sadly found,