estate afterwards repents himself but rather looks back upon his diligence with delight So did you ever hear of any when they were to dye that ever cryed out O that I had not spent so many dayes in the service of God! O that I had never taken such pains in seeking after Christ But you have heard of many on the contrary that have cryed O that I were to live over my dayes and time again would I ever be so careless of an immortal Soul would I ever indulge my carnal sloth at that rate I have done would I miss so many precious seasons of Grace for my Soul as I have done 1. Poor Soul do not many strive and never win into the harbour had not thou need cast off thy sloth then 2. Work out thy salvation with fear and trembling who then would give way to flesh 3. It is a business of eternal consequence who would be slothful in a business of such great concernment 4. All our diligence is little enough therefore God calls for violence in the case to take heaven by violence this is honourable 5. The fruit of diligence will be peace upon a death bed 2 Pet. 3.14 Be diligent is Peters exhortation but what motive doth he use That you may be found of him in peace 5. Fifth hinderance to young Seekers after Christ is hope of a longer lease of their lives they hope there is no such hast Some years hence when they have gotten an estate in the world then they will look after these things but why should they be so early with Christ will not two seven years hence serve and thus they delay their seeking after Christ 1. It is worth considering what if thou do live longer and be hardened in sin While Plants are tender they may be dealt with but when they are grown they are too sturdy Alas poor Sinner thou mayst be hereafter a sturdy sinner an hardned sinner an Atheist a Scoffer a Persecutor what if God shall give thee up after thou hast refused to hearken unto him and say of thee Psal 81.11 12. as of Israel of old But Israel would have none of me so I gave them up to their own hearts lusts 2. Is it not worth considering whether the motions of the Spirit be not irrecoverably forfeited by such Souls as delay seeking after Christ upon hope of a longer day There have been Souls that have irrecoverably forfeited the Spirits gales and then what a sad condition would thy poor Soul be in God hath said his Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man 3. What if while thou art hoping for a longer day God should send thee a summons by the black Serjeant Death to tell thee this night shall thy Soul be taken away It was so with him while he was saying Soul take thine ease thou hast goods laid up for many years 4. What if thy day of Grace should be over and Christ wooe no more tender himself no more but his abused love turn into incensed wrath 5. Consider how thy puts off and delayes have grieved Christ Hast not thou wearied out the Lord Jesus while he hath stretched his arm all the day long 6. Consider how your delays will sting you upon a death bed or in another world O how often was I called and yet delayed The remembrance of every delay will go to your hearts like a dagger and bleed in your conscience for ever 6. Sixth Hinderance to morning Seekers after Jesus Christ is perswasions of Christs unwillingness to receive them or be found of them because of their unworthiness This very case discourages many a poor Soul from seeking after Christ they have taken in hard thoughts of God and Christ And O how doth Satan now haunt the Soul taking all opportunities to blow up their unbelieving jealousies against Christ 1. Poor Soul would Jesus Christ wooe thee if he were not willing to be found of thee Would he knock if he were not willing to come in upon thy opening Would he hold out his Golden Scepter for thee to kiss if he were not willing to be reconciled to thee 2. Poor Soul would he wait if he were not willing What speaks his great patience and long suffering towards thee but his willingness to be found of thee Why doth he not only knock but stand and knock Behold I stand at the door and knock Rev. 3.20 He is not yet gone from your doors which notes his willingness to be in 3. Poor Soul would he complain of poor Sinners unwillingness to receive him if he were not willing If it stick not on the sinners side there then is no ground for complaining on Christs side O the sad complaints and groans that have proceeded from Christ upon this account You will not come unto me that ye might have life He was grieved because of their unbelief and hardness of their hearts 4. Poor Soul would the Lord Jesus Christ send his voice behind thee so often prompting thee on to seek after Christ if he were not willing O how doth the voice still keep behind thee in Ordinances in Afflictions whispering to thee thy duty We read of the Spirit saying Come as well as the Bride saying Come it is the Spirit of God is the great maker up of the match betwixt the Soul and Christ and this argues Christ is willing because he sends his messenger so often to thee upon the errand 5. Poor Soul would the Lord Jesus Christ have been so willing to come a Salvation-errand into the world if he were not willing to be found of Sinners What was Christs errand from Heaven unto Earth He came to seek Souls to seek and to save that which was lost He came not to call the Righteous but Sinners to repentance Would he seek you if not willing to save you O let not Christ lose his pains by your harbouring unbelieving jealousies of his love 7. Seventh hinderance to morning Seekers after Jesus Christ is they hope they may repent upon a death bed or sick bed after they have spent their youthful time in sin and vanity this is very incident to all but especially to young persons 1. Poor Soul what if the grim Serjeant Death serve a Writ on thee unawares If thou be struck on a suddain where then will be thy repentance Dost thou know the manner of thy death any more than the time of death What if thou poor young man who hast slighted so many warnings shouldst have none given thee when the great stroak comes What if the Lord come upon thee in an hour thou lookedst not for him 2. What if thou be given up to a seared conscience on a sick bed or death bed A seared conscience at any time is sad but most sad on a sick bed have not many died seared and hardned in sin yea in their very youth But as they lived so they died without sense or feeling of their sad and sinful state 3. Poor Souls what if
how many Souls have lived and died without the tenders of Christ How many that never heard of a Christ as they said We have not so much as heard of an Holy Ghost How many that sit in darkness and the shadow of death How many parts of the world that are the dark places of the earth full of the habitations of Cruelty You do not hear such Sermons in India as you do in England you do not hear Christ so preached and tendred at Guiny at Jamaica Suppose those poor Indians and Natives that you converse with there should know what you have heard of Christ here and what you have professed of Christ here they would certainly seeing no more of Christianity no more of likeness to Christ among you certainly they would say this Christ is an Impostor and this Christianity a cheat a delusion to gull the world withal Therefore upon this account it is that a woe was denounced against Chorazin and Bethsaida If I had never spoken unto you sayes Christ you had not had sin O Sirs if Christ had never been preached to you never been tendred to you never beseeched you never wooed you you had been under less guilt but now your sin remains and how can you escape who have neglected so great salvation You may think to escape you may think you have some back door to creep out at but alas how can you escape as Christ said to the Pharisees the damnation of Hell 6. These times of Christs being willing to be found will not last alwayes O what stronger reason to observe them My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man You think poor Sinners that I will alwayes wait on you alwayes wooe you alwayes beseech you O no poor Sinners times are coming on that my Bowels will be shut up in displeasure against you my Bridge of Mercy shall be drawn and my Gate of Mercy shall be shut and then what will you do O poor Sinners what standing will there be without in that day what crying Lord Lord open unto us Do you think to have a trade-wind to heaven do you think the wind will alwayes blow fair in your voyage for Eternity The time is coming that the Lord Jesus as it is said of those Angels will keep the winds in his hands Rev. 7.1 and not suffer them to blow on a poor Soul That was good Counsel of our dear Lord work while it is day the night comes wherein no man can work Your day will not alwayes continue the night comes May it not be said by many poor Sinners Woe unto us our day goeth away And alas poor Sinners the night is no time for working in 7. Reason There are no Christ finding times beyond this life No Christ-finding times in the Grave whither we are all going That is excellent counsel Pecl. 9.10 what thou findest to do do it with all thy might Now is the doing time this present time is only the doing time and the reason is very cogent for there is no work in the Grave whither we go then it is past time to work for Heaven to work for an interest in Christ O that word is a sad word it is past time As the Tree falls so it lies to all Eternity there is no turning of it on the other side O then poor Souls had need look to it and make sure when they fall they fall right that they fall Heaven-ward When you die then all the tenders of Christ cease 8. Reason Because it is not long that Christ will call that Christ will offer himself to be found of you The Mart-dayes for your poor Souls will not long continue the shadows of the evening are stretched upon us the Sun of the Gospel declines apace Time is short Gospel-time is short life-time is short liberty is short God is cutting us short O now how should we observe the finding times of Christ It is said 2 Kings 10. â—â— the Lord began to cut Israel short but now the Lord hath been cutting England short a great while cutting us short of Trading of Liberties of Priviledges and all that we may observe the times of Christ in which he is willing to be found The Angel within a little time will swear Time shall be no more Application Is it so that Sinners should observe these times of Christ 1. It doth inform us of the great stupidity and senselesness that is upon the Souls of poor Sinners naturally They go on in the neglects of Christ untill the Lord Jesus meet them and stop them They do not consider Nay it was the complaint of the Lord against his own people that they were worse than brutes Isa 1.3 4. The Oxe knows his owner and the Ass his masters crib and yet my people do not know they do not consider O the bruitishness of our hearts The Turtle and the Crane observe the time of their coming c. The Psalmist cautions us be not as the Horse and as the Mule that want understanding O may not every poor Sinner when God comes to convince at first the Soul say Surely I am more brutish than any man 2. It informs us that it is not the having times of Christs offering himself but it is the observing of these times that we are especially to look after It is indeed a great Mercy to have them but it is a greater to observe them We may say in this case as in that who is wise will observe these things and the prudent shall know them There are many poor Souls who are now in Hell that have lived under the Calls of Christ under the offers of Christ. What say you to Chorazin and Bethsaida You may hear Christ forty years together preached nay you may profess Christ nay you may follow Christ for loaves many years and after all this be Cast-awayes nay a man may preach Christ and at last be a Cast away 3. It informs us that the Spirit of God doth not alwayes breath alike and strive alike The Spirit of the Lord came upon Sampson by times and the Angel came down at a certain season The wind of the Spirit blows by gusts many times upon poor Souls it blows where it listeth and it blows when it listeth It may be not in that Ordinance thou expectedst most but in that Ordinance thou expectedst least Or ever I was aware my Soul made me sayes a poor Creature like the chariot of Aminadab There is a set time to favour Zion So there is a set time for the Spirit of God both to convince and comfort the poor Soul 4. It informs us that in every poor Sinners miscarriage to all Eternity there is room to justifie God We must not think to lay it at Gods door as too many would do but we must lay it at our own doors Hos 13.9 O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self Perditio tua ex te will be the Motto written upon Sinners backs in Hell Will not
set and watered that they might become Trees of Righteousness Therefore he hath his Nurseries to debauch and corrupt them like Herod he is all for killing Christ in the cradle O this puts him upon that rage and wrath in pursuing poor Souls as soon as their Convictions begin to stir in them As Pharaoh pursued Israel when he saw them attempting an escape so doth Satan follow poor Young Ones as soon as ever they look out of their miserable Captivity under which they are in their natural estates and conditions 11. I have observed that the Lords effectual working upon the hearts of Young Ones is and hath been a token of some approaching appearance of God on the behalf of a People or a Nation It argues God hath still some work there some thing to do there that he would not leave that place and people He doth not beget Children for the murtherer he doth not use to beget Children and send away the breasts from them And on the contrary when Conversion-work ceases O then some heavy blow comes Some National stroak is at the door When the Harvest is inn'd then the labourers are called home and this portends a storm Ambassadours calling home looks like a War 12. I have observed the sad and doleful heart-breaking lamentations of many Godly Parents over the Souls of their dear and dead Children many Families mourning over their dead There was a great cry throughout the Land of Aegypt when the First-born was dead Exod. 11.6 O what a cry hath gone through the Land for the Souls of poor dead Children One Family crying Lord this dear Child is dead his Soul is dead while he lives 1 Tim. 5.5 as is said of some while they live in pleasures are dead and that which cuts poor Parents to the heart is this they fear they shall ere long hear such a cry for their Childrens Souls as was in the night time in the great Plague some times Cast out your dead cast out your dead O then sayes one Family LORD how many have we to cast out So many Children and so few of them made alive to God so few that have Christ formed in their precious Souls O you Young Ones that are the Seed of Godly Parents if you miscarry to all Eternity your Parents Tears and Frayers I must tell you will be as so much oyl to make Hell flames burn so much the more vehemently upon you If you that are Children of the Kingdome by Education be shut out this will aggravate your condemnation dreadfully 13. I have observed that the wandring of such Young Ones in the by-wayes of Sin as have sprung from and have been nursed up in Godly Families have rolled much reproach upon Gods Covenant If the reproach was only upon their Persons it would not be so laid to heart though for a Son to be an occasion of reproach to his Father and Family is sad but that which goes deeper is the Covenant of God is reproached The world say they see no difference betwixt the posterity of the Godly and the Vngodly and this is an over-whelming consideration to them And O Young Ones is neither the Name of God nor the Name of your tender Parents nor your Families nor your immortal Souls precious in your eyes How may that Endictment be drawn up against you Mic. 7.6 The Son dishonoureth the Father and the Daughter riseth up against her Mother Lastly I have sadly observed a spirit of stubbornness and rebellion hath taken possession of many Young Ones towards their dear and tender Parents 2 Tim. 3.2 which indeed is a sin of the highest rank Rom. 1.30 therefore reckoned among ihe sins of the later times and so on the contrary obedience to Parents is reckoned among the most Religious Duties Lev. 19. ◠You shall fear every man his Mother and his Father and keep my Sabbaths I am the Lord your God Yea in the punishment of this sin we may read the heinousness of it the Rebellious Son was to be stoned to death under the Law Deut. 21.18 19 20 21. and sure the sin is not less now in gospel-Gospel-times than it was then Now Young Men these were some of those Observations I have made that tendered my heart towards the everlasting good of your immortal Souls and prevailed with me to put these papers into your hands hoping the Lord may in some measure succeed them with his blessing which is and shall be the hearty Prayer of Your unfeigned Souls Friend and Servant in the Ministry of the Gospel J. R. Decem. 9. 1672. Advertisement to the Reader There is published by the same Author a Book Entituled A Plat for Mariners or the Sea-mans Preacher in several Sermons upon Jonah's Voyage In 8 vo Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and they that seek me early shall find me THat young Inquirers after the Lord Jesus Christ may be encouraged in their following on to know him notwithstanding the temptations they meet with without them and within them this Text of Scripture is very considerable The Words are the Promise of Christ to young Seekers by way of encouragement to continue and hold on in seeking him 1. We have the Persons to whom the Promise is made They that seek me early they that seek me in the morning so the word because that which is done in the morning is always done most vigorously the Spirits being more raised and lively Therefore we read of the morning as an especial praying time as a time of worship I direct my prayer unto thee in the morning Prov. 15.14 The word is uused Psal 130.6 and will look up and at another time says he my soul waits for thee more than they which wait for the morning Psal 130.6 viz. than the Watchmen that give notice of the morning Tempus matutinum Hebraeis dicitur Boker à Bokkar Est quaerere magis conatu studio Pro. 15.14 It signisies to seek by suing and praying by asking direction and counsel of them that are able to give it that they may offer up their Sacrifice says Mr. Ainsworth These are the Persons under the Promise that seek him in the morning of their time in their youth 2. We have the Person that makes this Promise They that seek me viz. Jesus Christ It is apparent all over the Chapter that is meant of Christ who is here called Wisdom who indeed is the Wisdom of the Father I need not take up time in proving this the very Text carries its own Evidence in it O Poor Soul Christ himself is your Encourager what ever Discouragements you meet withall and this he doth by his own Promise 3. Here is the Promise it self they shall find me They are poor mourning Seekers early Seekers and young Seekers but they shall be sure and certain finders They shall not seek as God threatned them in the Prophet they shall seek me with their Herds and their Flocks Hosea 5.6
time in which God will not be found For this shall the Godly pray unto him in a time when he will be found 1. There is a day coming in which the Spirit of God will leave striving with you and then seeking will be out of season Can you seek if the Spirit strive not What is that which puts poor Sinners upon seeking of Christ but the strivings and convictions of the Spirit 2. There is a day coming wherein the things that concern your peace will be hid from your eyes Thus God told Jerusalem But now the things that concern your Peace are hid from your eyes You will be judicially hardened 3. There is a day coming in which Gods bowels will be shut up in displeasure against you You are hardened against God and God against you O that is a terrible Text I will not answer when you call What will God then do Prov. 1.25 26. I will laugh at your Calamity and mock when your fear comes 4. There is a day coming when ordinances shall be ineffectal to you God sayes Make the bea rt of this people fat O dreadful word to have Ordinances given to harden and not to soften 5. There is a day coming that death and hell shall look ghastly upon you and will this be a seeking time Will not Christ tell you O poor Sinner this is but a force Now when you see no way but damuation before you now you seek after me this is only to serve your own ends of Christ O poor Souls be perswaded to seek Christ before these dayes come upon you 2. Motive in the morning of your dayes to be seeking the Lord Jesus Christ such Souls shall live in him you may have life life is only to be had in him therefore he is called a Believers Life He is the Way the Truth and the Life and he is called the Living Stone You will not come to me that you might have life The poor Sinner is dead while he lies at distance from Christ thou mayst have gifts and parts as dead bodies may be stuck with flowers and strawed with herbs but this is but dubbing the dead all this while there is no life in the man it is only he that hath the Son hath life 1. First They that seek Christ have living influences from Christ he is the head that sends living influences into all his members O what a supply of influences is to be had from Jesus Christ You must seek all you have from him it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell 2 Pet. 2.4 5. and this as believers head And we read of believers being called Lively Stones active for Jesus Christ not only Christians but lively Christians How comes this to pass being built up in him united to him as the superstructure is to the foundation the living Stone sends up living influences into all that are built upon him therefore he is the Vine that by his communicating influences doth keep Souls not only living but thriving 2. Secondly He communicates living comfort to such as seek him That is a precious Prophecy concerning Christ Psal 22. The meek shall eat and be satisfied they shall praise the Lord that seek him your heart shall live for ever They shall eat by Faith the Lord Jesus Christ and be satisfied viz. be comforted in their Soul Who The poor meek humble Seekers of Christ in the sense of their own vileness who have been cast down in the sense of their own unworthiness for by the meek are meant such What then They shall live for ever Gen. 4.5.27 not be rejoyced and comforted for a while for this is meant by the heart living it shall be revived and comforted O but may the poor Soul say this comfort will not last O yes Psal 69.33 Their heart shall live for ever The like Promises we have in other places 3. Thirdly They that seek Christ have living Graces from him we receive of his fulness Grace for Grace all we have must be in a way of seeking not only Grace at the first effusion when he sayes to the Soul live but the lively exercises of Grace are from him The Spicknard gives a pleasant smell viz. the Graces of the Spirit Faith and Hope and Love and Zeal they are all exercised they put forth lively acts What is the matter the King is at the Table 3. Motive to seek the Lord Jesus in the morning of your day your Rest must be found in Christ O whither will not a poor burdened sin-ladened Soul go for Rest O what will not a poor distressed Sinner do in hope to obtain Rest Rivers of Oyl and thousands of Rams if it were possible to expiate their sin Nay they will not stick at their first-born What is the reason the blind Papists appoint so many Penances so many Pilgrims so many Fasts and Scourgings but they hope these are expiatory But alas all this will but be seeking that they will never find If you will have the desirable mercy of Soul Rest you must go to him for it Mat. 11.29 Come unto me all ye that are weary and laden and you shall find rest for your Souls The verse before sayes I will give it this you shall find it But might the poor Soul say Lord if we seek it here shall not we miss of it No you shall be sure to find it Isa 11.10 To him shall the Gentiles seek and what then And his rest shall be glorious Some Interpreters it is true take it for his Church which is Christs Rest it shall be glorious Others carry it his rest the rest which he shall give it shall be glory It shall be the glory of a Soul to seek and find rest from him What is it you young ones would have is it this true spiritual rest and peace never think to have this short of Christ. 4. Motive to seek the Lord Jesus Christ in the morning of your day you know not what your evening may prove or your mid-day may prove What if you should have an afternoon filled up with afflictions do you know what God will fill up your day withall 1. What if God should fill up your day with temptations Will it not then repent you that you sought him not in the morning If you should be exercised with that one dismal thought that the day of Grace is over O how it will grieve you that you looked out so late after Christ O what a wretch am I to be so much behind with Christ and my own Soul And O how many objections will such a thought cast in thy way 2. What if God fill up thy day with sharp tryals with weakness of body losses in thine outward estate Will this be so fit a time to seek Christ in when thou wilt have enough to do to bear up under these tryals O then how will thy poor Soul wish thou had been laid in better for such rainy
of Christ though the Soul be not convinced of it 3. The misery of a Soul out of Christ is in this it is eternal misery The eternity of the misery is the sting of Hell and the very emphasis of damnation To be miserable a thousand years and then to come out of it the very thoughts of a better estate would be some kind of ease to the oppressed mind but their misery is like to be endless and this compleats the misery It is called everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord c. 2 Thes 1.8 This brings me orderly to the next head 4. Poor Sinners seek not out to the Lord Jesus because they are not convinced throughly of a future state of the Soul They are not under the powerful sense of the Souls immortality Who will seek out to Christ if they be not convinced that the Soul is an immortal being Christs errand from Heaven to Earth is in vain his whole series of suffering is in vain his whole undertaking of the work of mans redemption in vain if there be no future state of the Soul But because we live in a time and day that Atheism doth abound let me offer by way of conviction some few Arguments to prove the future state of the Soul Alas men look not out after Christ because they are not taken up with Eternity 1. Argument is taken from Christs death 1 Thes 1.10 which was to deliver from wrath to come Then there is such a thing as wrath to come which could not be if there were no future state of the Soul 2. Argument of a future state is from the horrour that wicked men feel sometimes in their consciences when they are awakened O what Magor Misabibs are they to themselves sometimes Crying out Wo is them that ever they were born to sin such wrath upon their own heads These are the sparks of Hell that are gotten into the Conscience in this life this is the gnawing of that worm that never dyes 3. Argument is taken from the wishes of the wicked that they might dye the death of the Righteous as Balaam desired 4. Argument is taken from the sufferings of Saints What will it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul which is brought in to the Disciples to caution them against Apostasie O say poor believers we may lose our Souls and therefore we may not apostatize from God and therefore they will suffer the loss of all The poor people of God make a sad bargain of it if they suffer and yet there should be no reward 5. Argument is taken from the great desires that sometimes Believers have to be dissolved as Paul did which if there were no enjoyment of God after would greatly be to believers loss because they enjoy something of God here 6. Argument is taken from the great joy that many Saints have had in their passage into another world How have they gone off the stage of this present life with triumph and died boasting and glorying in God 7. Argument is taken from Saints Communion with God If there be such a thing here then much more hereafter what we enjoy here is but a drop to the Ocean 8. Argument is taken from mens natural unwillingness to dye Certainly there some thing follows death that the Soul cannot endure to think on It is true the dissolving of the marriage-knot betwixt such two dear lovers as Soul and Body is tedious to think of yet there is some preapprehensions of eternity that trouble the Soul that it cannot think of death with any quiet or comfort 9. Argument is taken from the end of Christs appointments God hath appointed the means of Grace in reference to the salvation of poor Souls That thou may save thy own Soul and them that hear thee 10. Argument from the endeavours of Satan seeking whom he may devour or drink up as the word is Satan would spare his pains if there were no future state of the Soul Now it is no wonder if poor sinners seek not the Lord Jesus when they lay not their souls under the convictions of the state of the Soul after death 5. Poor Sinners seek not after the Lord Jesus Christ because they are diverted by their worldly enjoyments and employments We read of some that made excuses and all their excuses were from their worldly business they could not come I have observed that young persons who have been under some notable convictions and resolutions to close with Christ and seek after Christ if ever they have abated and cooled in their first love it hath been when they have entred upon the world changed their conditions set up for themselves the world hath stoln their hearts from God O how sad is this The world broke the bargain betwixt Christ and the young man in the Gospel O but sayes a poor Soul I know not how to seek Christ I am a poor Gentile Sinner that have sate in darkness and am in my dark state of Gentilism to this day and how shall I seek the Lord Jesus that is you say thus willing to be found of me 1. Seek the Lord betimes If you would be speeding Seekers of Christ Job 8.5 you must not be loyterers there is but in time and out of time Make no delay therefore poor sinner in seeking the Lord Jesus Christ take the present time by the fore-lock While it is to day hearken to his voice Now acquaint your selves with God We must take hold of the present time They that seek me early shall find me shall morning me the Hebrew is We must in our seeking give the morning to God It is observable in the morning Jacob got the blessing in the morning the Lord looked through the cloud and discomfited the Aegyptian Host Nay Christ himself is called the Hinde of the morning the morning-star and all to teach us to seek him in the morning The first fruits were to be dedicated to the Lord the firstling of every Creature was to be offered up in Sacrifice to the Lord but the firstling of an Ass being so dull a Creature God would not accept it in sacrifice 1. We should seek the Lord early because the present time is the only time to seek the Lord in Now is the acceptable time now is the day of salvation c. Upon this monosylable Now depends Eternity sayes one There is a present time and a present Truth for us to lay hold on It was a good saying of him when invited to dinner to morrow sayes he I have not promised myself a to morrow this many years Who knows sayes Solomon what to morrow may bring forth What is in the womb of to morrow What if thy death nay thy damnation should be in the womb of another day We read of death and what was at the heels of death and Hell immediately followed him 2. Seek the Lord early you cannot promise your selves any more seasons of Grace
Christ and yet miss of him so nigh the Kingdom and never come at it O how it grieves a man to miscarry that had once a fair wind O had I but taken the opportunity of a wind how happy had I been Who can think of it but with dread to look back upon all the motions that you have lost all the breathings you have lost and to say under the sense of all these being lost Now your Souls are lost too 3. Especial finding time is in a time of universal calamities and judgments upon nations When the deluge is abroad upon the face of the earth then he is willing to ask Souls to let them have room in himself Psal 32.6 For this shall every one pray unto thee in a time when thou wilt be found and observe what follows Surcly in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh thee Some Expositors take it of a finding God in a time of general trouble and calamity Therefore we have that sweet counsel Seek ye the Lord Zeph. 2.3 seek meekness if that you may be hid in the day of the Lords anger When the Lords Judgements are abroad he calls upon poor Sinners to sue to him after an especial manner O poor sinners How can your hearts endure or your hands be made strong in the day that I shall deal with you saith the Lord. You will be like the man-slayer that had no City of Refuge to fly to when the avenger of blood was upon him And was not this a very sad case Well may it be said to such What will you do in the day of your Visitation and where will you leave your Glory Isa 10.2 3. and whither will you flee for help God would never have given that especial counsel when he was to march in his anger through Israel therefore prepare to meet thy God O Israel if he did not aime it should be an especial time of finding him O what a Christ seeking nay finding time was the plague when death and danger faced you every day nay every hour when the Grave and Hell opened their mouths wide to swallow you 4. Another especial time of finding is a time of personal affliction when sinners months are upon them in their months one shall find her Jer. 2.24 spoken of the wild Ass So it is with a poor Sinner He cannot be tamed cannot be brought to hand brought to the hand of Christ but when affliction is upon the sinner O then it is an Ephraim Thou chastisedst me and I was chastised Jer. 37.18 19. as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke but yet the Lord tamed the Bullock Manasseh as wild as he was was thus tamed and brought to seek the Lord when he was in the bryars and fetters Now is a time for the sinner to return from iniquity Job 36.9 so Job hath it In their affliction they will seek me early 5. Another especial time of finding Christ is when the Soul is under the sense of its bewildred lost estate and condition O then the Soul looks out after Christ sees it is undone without Christ a perishing lost Soul for ever This put the Prodigal upon returning to his Father and I perish by hunger The Lord allures the Soul into the wilderness it knows not what to make of its condition it is in a wilderness of doubts and objections but yet Christ now is found of it and speaks comfortably unto it Now the Soul doth as the four Lepers in the gate of Samaria they were under the sentence of death in their own apprehensions and therefore they conclude they could but dye So they resolve to go into the Assyrian Camp rather than dye in the Gate they would dye in the Field Thus sayes a poor Soul I can but dye therefore I will go out to Christ and if I dye I will dye at his foot if I perish I perish Now this is a time wherein the Lord is found of poor Souls 6. Another especial time is a time of violent and fierce assaults and temptations from Satan Paul looked upon this time to be an especial praying time Paul besought the Lord thrice 2 Cor. 12.7 8. and it was an answering time my Grace is sufficient for thee Satan he is the great Seeker after Souls seeking whom he may devour O now the Soul runs from Satan to Jesus Christ to take sanctuary in Christ. Some poor Souls have cause to bless God for their temptation-experiences upon this very account that Satan's assaults have hastened them to Christ Thus God out-shoots Satan in his own bow 7. When the Soul meets with disappointments from the Creature this is another especial finding time The poor Church speaks as a disappointed people Hos 6.1 Come let us return unto the Lord. We have been big-bellied with expectations and hopes from the Creature but all proves but a tympany come therefore say they let us return unto the Lord He will not disappoint us The Lord was resolved to make up a hedge of disappointments against the poor Church and now she resolves what to do Hos 2.7 I will return to my first Husband it was better with me then than it is now Disappointments have been the occasion of the conversion of many The Prodigal would fain have filled his belly with the husks the Swine did eat here was his desire no man gave him to eat here was his disappointment And what then does he resolve on O then he resolves to arise and go to his Father Application Is it so that there are some especial times of finding Christ then it is a word of counsel O then let no such times slip you Lay hold of the fore-lock of your especial times There is time and opportunity and we distinguish betwixt them opportunity is time filled up with seasons of Grace O be sure then poor Souls you redeem opportunities It is the same counsel that the Apostle gives them Eph. 5.15 16. Redeem the time and the reason is very cogent for the dayes are evil A man hath a fair wind he hath waited long for it and now it is come about he will not neglect it O when the wind presents be sure then you take it O poor Soul hast thou not laid long without a wind for Heaven Well now it is come about O then improve it O poor Soul put not off these precious gales say not come again to morrow 1. These especial seasons and times you must be accountable for And can you answer it before the Great God Sinners that you did trifle with those seasons that did concern your immortal Souls God puts every Sermon upon account every Sabbath upon account every Motion nay every Conviction upon account they are all bookt down in Gods book of Remembrance and though you have forgotten them yet he hath not O what horrour will fill your Souls and what confusion of face will be upon you when you shall be called