fpeak a word; as they that die of apoplexies, lethar gies and the like. Many die before either they themfelves, or they that are about them, are aware; but if they die not fo foon, a man may be non compos mentis, through the height of his disease: and if not so, there is very great danger of despairing; if the foundation of hope be not laid before; for, take it for granted, there are none fo much in danger of despairing at the time of death, as they which have been moft preSumptuous in the courfe of their lives.

Again, the enemy of our fouls, who hath been fo ready to deceive us in life will double his diligence at the hour of death, So that, if we are not now able to withstand his temptations, how shall we be able to do it, when we shall have less ability, and he come upon us with more force and violence.

Further, fometimes men expect affistance from friends; but they may be abfent when we want them; or they may prove like Job's friends, mifcrable comforters. But if this should be otherwise, it is then too late to begin a new scene of life, and learn the knowledge of religion; for knowledge is leifurely gotten, and with difficulty; but however, that is no time for practice. If a man could be made fit for it, and taught in a moment, he hath no time to perform and exercise religion. The mind cannot be discharged of its ill habits in a moment, which have been settled by conversation, and the work of a man's life.

VII. And lastly; now, and hereafter, the present and the future, this world and the world to come, are not alike, for the concerns of our fouls. For now VOL. I

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is the time of working out our falvation; the next world will be for reckoning, and in judgment: As this life leaves us, eternity will find us. See therefore what great advantages we have in this day, and let us make use of them. We have the direction of holy fcripture, which we may read as often as we will: we have friends and guides for the inftruction of our fouls; we have all God's inftitutions and appointments, and the divine Spirit's affistance, and the gospel promises to affure us that our applications to God shall not be in vain, if they be fincere. But then for hereafter; what word of promise in all the bible, for any thing that is to be done by us hereafter? what fcripture doth fay, that that may be done hereafter which is now neglected? No; we read, Prov. i. 26. That because I called, and ye would not answer, I will then laugh at your destruction, and mock when your fear cometh and Luke xvi. we read of the rich glutton, that he is tormented; and poor Lazarus, that made an advantage of his poverty, and did his work in this world, he is comforted. If therefore we are real, fincere, and hearty in our religion, we shall not put it off. Matters of weight and moment we do not put off at large, but we ap point a fit and convenient time; and if the thing be of concernment, we will appoint a time near and certain; for delays and put-offs are next to denials. From hence, I infer,

1. That we are to difcern the time.

2. That we are to use the time. And

3.

That we are to recover the time which is loft or mifpent.

'I. That

1. That we are to difcern the time. This was wanting in them, Luke xii. 56. Ye hypocrites, ye can difcern the face of the sky, and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not difcern this time? This, as it argues ftupidity, fo it is a forerunner of ruin, Luke xix. 44. They fhall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee, and they fhall not leave in thee one stone upon another, because thou kneweft not the time of thy vifitation. This is an account of Jerusalem's doom. To know time and feafon in every profef→ fion and way of living, is a principal piece of skill. No good is to be done in any way, if this be not understood, Ecclef. iii. 11. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time, and ver. 1. To every thing there is a feafon, and a time to every purpose under heaven and the mifery of man is great, because he does not difcern this time, Ecclef. viii. 6. Because to every purpose there is time and judgment, therefore the mifery of man is great upon him. For the purpose of religion, the time of youth, and nature's ftrength; the time before men are acquainted with evil; the time of God's affiftance, indulgence, grace, and favoura ble acceptance, are moft proper: these make the time properly for working. Elder years are attended with weakness and infirmities, which greatly in dispose for action, especially if we are to begin a new thing. This is rather a time of patience and paffion, than of work.

2. That we ufe the time. That time is loft that is not used; the virtue of it confifts in the use of it. The true improvement of time, is in the recovery of our felves by reconciliation with God: our

trinds 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 thiftles. A man may be afhamed to have lived fo long in the world to fo little purpose; when his time is gone, and his work not done wife for other things, only uninstructed, or else careless in matters of the highest concern< ment 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 sure 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 improvement of time, that our minds are discharged of all unnatural difpofitions, whatfoever we have acquired that jarrs with the principles of God's creation in us; that we have gotten the victory of our paffions, taken ourselves off from foolish affectiens and, fond imaginations, from being carried aafter the guife of this mad and finful world : shat our faculties: be planted with divine graces, fruits of the divine Spirit: that we be in conftitu

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tion and temper, in conversation and practice, conformable to Chrift's doctrine, through Chrift def troying in us the works of the devil, and communi cating 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 ourselves by years, fifty, feventy eighty these 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 knew not the extent of God's grace.

Secondly, I fay to no man, that if he does repent, it will be too late to find mercy; for I know not the length of God's patience, and repentance doth : alter the cafe but this I feriously advertise. If we will be true to our own fouls, and not forsake our own mercies, let us take the advantage of God's particular application to us; then act, when God acts upon us. The facred fcriptures thus declare, Prov. i. 23. Turn ye at my reproof; behold I will pour sut my fpirit unto you. Prov. viii. 17. Whofo feeks me early, fhall find me. Pfal. xxxii. 6. For this shall 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 transubftantiating our natures, but by transforming our minds, and mending our tempers; by being partakers

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