6 02 'The mi(fing o/time bringetbmifery. ofthe Church, the good ofthe Cornon-wealth the good ofparticularn1en:There is atimewhen (it may be) 2 mans voyce, or fuffrage would haveturncd the fcale ofa bufineffe, that cancer ri~d much the Common ·wealth; or thefociety Byfptakir.g forth~m. where ~e lives: but when that opportunity is pall:, it can be recalled no more. There is·atime when amansfpeakingmaydoe muchgood,and hisfi!ence is ftnfnll,and doth much hurt, by the 1offeit brings. Such timesandfeafonsareto be . ·obferved,fuch opportunities there be. There is an opportunity ofpreventing a mifchiefe to a Commo~·wealth, .or to aKingdome, whenwe negleCt that opportu~ity,it c~ufeth the miftry o · man to 6egredt11pon hzm,'J.Swe heard before. So for particular Cafes: There is a time&afeafon; By .1elceving ofthem.. · and an opportunity of comforting thebowels of I I '·• ·the Saints, of relieving& entertaining offiran'- · gers, ofdoing goodtop,~r~nts,ofeducatingand bringing toGod children . and'fervants, fucrh as are committedto our charge: This is but a.lhort time and opportunity,which whenit is pall:,can be recalled no more. The miffing ofthe.fr tim·es and opportunities,is that which caufeth the mi- · feryofman to be great upon him. You know, at the day of judgement, becaufe men did not fuch and fuch adions, becaufe they lofr their opportunity, they did not vifit the prifoners, 'they did notcloaththe n:iked,norfeedthehun– gry, therefore this eternall mifery falls upon them; Much more temporall·miferies,upon a ·.· man, aKingdome,ora King. . The: •
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