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minds being renewed, our losses supplied, and our persons recommended. 'Tis an argument of the feverest 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 sluggard's mind is overgrown with thistles. 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.

d may add, that time is burdensome, if we have not employment for it. We have a phrafe, To drive away time; alas for its consequence; ab hoc momento pendet æternitas; there is a reference of time to eternity. We should be sure to carry on our main work with the time; and if we be short in circumstances, not to fail in substance : let nothing less than this be the account of the improvement of time, that our minds are difcharged of all unnatural dispositions, whatsoever 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 away after 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

tion and temper, in conversation and practice, conformable to Christ's doctrine, through Chrift def troying in us the works of the devil, and communi cating to us the divine nature: that our persons be reconciled, pleasing, acceptable to God, through Christ's mediation and interceffion. 'Tis a reproach to us to number ourselves by years, fifty, seventy 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 impossible for him to repent; for I know not the extent of God's grace.

Secondly, I say 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 forfake our own mercies, let us take the advantage of God's particular application to us; then act, when God acts upon us. The sacred scriptures thus declare, Prov. i. 23. Turn ye at my reproof; behold I will pour out my fpirit unto you. Prov. viii. 17. Whoso feeks me early, shall find me. Pfal. xxxii. 6. For this shalt 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, calt upon him while he is near. For this business of religion is no flight or perfunctory work; 'tis expressed in scripture, by what imports a mighty change, being made new creatures, not by transubstantiating our natures, but by transforming our minds, and mending our tempers; by being parD 3 takers takers of the divine nature; by being created after God in righteousness and true holiness; not by being Godhead with God, but by being renewed in the spirit of our minds. By perfecting holiness in the fear of God. By crucifying the old man and his deeds. By purging ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit. By putting off the body of fin: And by mortifying the flesh, with the affections and lufts.

Can we reasonably think that such a work can be done in a moment, or in the most inconvenient circumftances of old age, and the decays of nature, or on a death-bed? for is not old age burden enough, except it be attended with the fad remembrance of a careless life?

3. Recover time lost, so far as is possible, with double industry, care, and diligence, Eph. v. 16. upon this encouragement, habenti dabitur; to him that hath shall be given, and ab utente non auferetur, and from him that useth it shall not be taken away. Think that for this purpose, God hath so long continued thee in being. 'Tis safe to make the best interpretation of God's dealing with thee, which is to encourage application to him; for this is the contrary to turning the grace of God into wantonness. The credit of a good beginning is loft, if we perfevere not in goodness. The difrepute occafioned from the vanity of the younger years, is abated by the seriousness and stayedness of the age of understanding. Since we cannot absolve ourselves from any ill use or abuse of time paft, confidering the improveableness of time, and the reference thereof to eternity: let us carefully redeem that

which remains; rescue it out of the huckster's hands; vindicate it to the nobleft purposes, that the remainder of it through true improvement, may anfwer the account of the whole.

Nothing will lie heavier upon our minds,, when we come to die, than that we have neglected the day of grace, been wanting to ourselves in preparations for eternity, by bad use of time; depraved our minds, so as to go out of the world in far worse state and condition than we entred into it..

The perfuafives hereunto are,

1. That here is hearts-eafe and fatisfaction in the motion of repentance; in that we have revoked, and morally voided that which should not have been done. The first best is not to have done ill; the fecond, is to condemn it: this is all we can do in the cafe, all else must be left to God; and this makes the cafe compaffionable; and when the cafe is such, there is nothing to hinder God to shew mercy.

2. Entrance into eternity, mainly depends upon the immediate disposition of the mind; wherefore we are to take all care to depart hence in renunciation of the guise of this mad world; in reconciliation with the rule of righteousness; in agreeableness of temper with the heavenly state.

3. We have done a great deal of harm in the world, by bad example, strengthning the hands of the wicked: let us take it off by renunciation of it, by condemning ourselves in it, by giving teftimony to truth and right; this is the least that can be done in all reason; else we may be faid to be alive to do mischief in the world, when we are dead and gone.

DISCOURSE IV.

The Joy which the Righteous have in GOD.

Preached in the New Chapel, December 7. 1668...

PSALM Xxxiii. 1.. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praise is come

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ly for the upright.

ND can we meet in this new structure and

perform the duty of the text? If I be not. mistaken, this is the first that is again employed in. facred use, since the dismal and fatal fire. Let those that are here present, give a good example to all that, shall follow after; and let us now, as the text calls upon us, rejoice and triumph in the divine goodness, for praise is comely for the good and upright man. The remarkable providences, and happier difpensations of God, call upon us to be glad in the Lord, and thankful for his benefits. God hath not only given us leave to rebuild our ruins, and repair our waste places, but he hath been with us, and given us encouragement to this good undertaking. We read that the Jews when they returned out of captivity, and had but rebuilt their walls, they haď meetings of joy and triumph; as you find it among other

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