--------~----------------------------------------~--'~- ~,~~----- . ·Rc!lctmtng tl)c time._ .. .ta •I ou wzhbtar my voice barde11 not your hearts, laid God to Ifrael ; but they h.ar<;f11(.i' the{. hearts, and therefore God [~Part to them ill_ hit wrath that t~ry Jhould.ne~ .,er enter into his re{f. Ifit be fo with us as it was wtth Ifrael m the W!l<!crne(s,__ wc doe not know but this very day the Lord may clap an Oat(t up!Jn our !)cads, that .w~ !hall never enter into his refi. 0~ then that we ,we>u~d l~arn ef t!Je. A?.'• that _ga~ ther~rh her meat in the Su~mer-llme ! Oh that wh1lc ,we have.thts yme of grac~, we would redeem the time m praymg, readmg, hearmg, medllatmg, and t~eafunng up the things belonging to our peace! This time is a fct· tim~ th~t ~a~ens. away:and wecanMt Wtth Jo.fhua,bid the Sun fiand fiill: O_then let \IS fay,Thti If •t<t."m;,~11il 'therefore ,.bat we wiUdo for our Sot<ll, we ..,,u do tt HO..,, Surely ~eu~r tt •.s _to .re– deem it now, than 10 with in ·pain and torment for the rime agam wh~n 1t lti paft 'redemption. . . . ·. " ! 7 . The tim~ is a commg, yea 1t IS near, even at the door, wh~n ltme lhall_be , 'nJ more. Tlais is the voice of the feventh Angel, And the -Angelwbtcb I fa{ jland,ng 1:\ev. 10 , f· <~: upon the Sea and upon the Earth, lifttdup his band t• Heaven, and]wa" )! him that livttb for tverana ever,that thert jhould be time no longer. Who wasthis? a man .? n(), anLlngel 1 : and what, did he fay it~ no, he[ware it: ho':" fware it, by himfdf? no, he fware it by him that /;ves for e••r; and what i' that lime lhould be la tie? no, 1t fuould be n.o longer, timejhould bt no more. Needs mufi this time come, that hat/1 all thefe circumltances to confirm ir. And whar ifthis timt lbould come even in your time? what ifnow the fcventh Angel lbould lilt up his hand to He•ven, and take th 1s O•th? If this timt be far offas to the general Judgment (-which I cannot think) yet fure.I am, and without all peradventure, that it is not far offto thee and me. It may be before this year, this month, thiS week, thiS ~1gh_r Jre done, that ?od may fay to his Aogel,Goto{ucb a man,a11d[ucb a woman.,l lil'tll grve the'!' no mornu~e;bring them bitber,andhert ltt them grve.allaccount R'hat they have done 'lf!Jth all th"r llme, 'for I muft h•vea rtc/zyning of aU timt ptft• And then comes in, lmprilliif, fo much time in Drinking and Revelling; 11fm fo much time in Idling, Sporting, playing, &c. Oh, will God fay, """' tl;e[e tbings I gitvtyou time for? no, Ho, jt was for Htavm and Sal- 'llation you badyour time; and ifthilt time bemifimproved, away, away time, andn•w enter Eternity up~~ th•f• Soult•. is not here a motive to make us look about us? Oh my brethren, now, now ifever; i~decm the time , for anon time will be gone, and th:n fuccceds eternity, eternity, eternity. ' , · But what are the means for.redeemi>l'{ time? f anfwcr.- ' ' They are fo many, that I may ha~e notime to cnudtcraie the Pakticulars ; !hall we inllancc in fome? you mufi pray, readj hear the Word, meditate, and watch o– Ver your hearts with cxtrabr~inary induilry ; milrtilie your m~mbers w,hich are upon the Earth, as pride, c~vctoulnefs; lulls, &c. grow up in grace, clear up your eviden– ces agamfi that day wlien alllhalllland naked before that great and glorious J udgc, &c. And thefe, and all other Duties (ofwhich anon ) mufi be done while the day lafierh. Hnt's agreat work, and a little rime 1 doth it nor concern you to btllir. yo~r [elves ? If a man have much to write, and but a little PafCr to write on, he mull wllte fmall, and thick, and clofe as ever he can: So mufi you db. ·1vcri'ly believe there's not one Soul among(! us but he may find out hundreds and rhoufands of fins ro · repent him of; he may find out many and many a Puticular Duty that he lbould be exercifed in from morning lo evening 1 and from evening to morning; fo that 'tis ;i, wonder how he can fpare any time. at all for any thing elfe. Well then, up and be domg1lofe nota mmute, but be m the ufe and exercife of fomc ofrhefe Dutys: Thete arc the means, and in the ufe of thefe tneans you may ( by the Lords help and 8race concurring ) rtdermyour time. · • One ObjcCl:ion I ~ould remove, It may he tbt day ofgrace i~ done, t/;t 'gate.ofmtrcj rt already ]hut; and if fo, how is it pof!ible for me to redeem the time~ I an• fwer- . I·. By way ofConctflion. I belie.ve rh~rc is a day ofgrace ind,ed, and i( that Sun ·•f<t, 11 wtll never, ne_vcrrife again. If th"i hadff'k,norim, even tbo, allea{f iil tbit thy _ ~ay, the tbmgt btlo11gmg lllhJ peact, but now •re they bidfrom tbimeye.r. q. d. Now Luk.19. 4"• ' ts rhc gate of mercy lbut, there is no mtans ofgrace or Salvation for ever hereafter to · be l.!oped for• . A•:thcre is no Market or Fair·day that lall<th alwayes; if the Country will not corn~ 10, the Tradef•man will at !all put up his wares : So the Lord'~ <il , _, tlanding·
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