for the occasions fit oportunities that fall out now for this now for that in this space it is some more skill to finde them out and make vse of them Now these seasons are all of two sorts First such whereby a man may more easily get some good to himselfe Secondly such whereby a man may with more fitnes and ease doe some good Of the first sort namely seasonable opportunities to get good I will name three perticulars which are most needfull to bee considered and by proportion of which any man may come to the knowledge of other like The first when God continues the Gospell offring dayly the word and Sacraments calling to repentance and amendment of life This is the season of repenting this is the haruest wherein we may reape Christ if we be not negligent This is the acceptable yeer of the Lord in which one shall be receiued if hee returne Whilst wisdome lifts vp her voice whilst her messengers come daily to inuite vs whilst her gates stand open her dinner stands ready drest whilst her message is done vnto vs all this time if a man will striue and endeuour to turne from his sin to leaue his folly forsake his scorning hee shall bee a welcome guest she will accept him help him and giue him an increase of grace till he be become strong with her meates Whosoeuer liues vnder the preaching of the Gospell hath this priuiledge annexed to the outward teaching that if he will but striue and pray to God to giue him strength to repent and amend his waies and to turne to him God will vpon his promise heare his prayers and assist him but when the Gospell is gone then the date is past a man may call and not be heard and cry and not be regarded So then euery man redeemes this season of the Gospell when he giues himselfe to consider sereously of those faults which he findes in himselfe and heares sharply reproued in the word herevpon resolues to forsake them doth alone doe his owne best indeuour but earnestly cals vpon God for his help without which his power is but weaknesse ineffectuall when he doth also duely ponder vpon the holy commandements that he heares pressed those exhortations that are daily sounded in his eares to moue him to do such duties as god requires hereupon concludes with himselfe to set about this worke and craues the strength of God to beare him through in the same And when he doth aduisedly thinke of the promises that are generally proclaimed and labours to get some assurance that hee is such a one to whom the right of these promises appertaine Thus doing I say one redeemes the time wisely makes his aduantage of the Gospell while it continues which is a thing that all men should do but so rare in the world as that it is wonder the Lord hath so patiently continued his louing voice when men scoffe at it and will not heare The Lord hath and doth send his prophets amongst vs as he did among the Iewes rising vp early and sending them which with all earnestnesse doe proclaime the dangerous euent that shall follow vpon profanenesse neglect and contempt of Gods word breaking of his Sabboth railing wrathfulnesse whordome wantonnes couetousnesse the euing oppressing slandering lying and the like Yet how many run on in these euils presumtuously rushing like the horse into the battaile with an vnreasonable boldnesse not fearing any danger and shutting their eares against these reproofes as the deafe Adder doth that they may not be moued by them to amendment Ah how contrary is this to redeeming the time If any man haue hitherto lost the season let him now grow wise and euen at this time turne to God and beg power to forsake these sins How often how earnestly are men exhorted to all good works by the continuall voice of God speaking vnto thē by his seruants to read the word of God daily to pray priuately to meditate vpon the word to watch ouer their daies to cal themselues to a reckning euery day for the faults cōmitted in the day Yet who regards this voice who marks these exhortations wher is one that hath inioyned himself to some constancie in praying reading and the forenamed duties This is to sleep in haruest a most foolish practice vnwise wherfore whilst there is yet a little time left whilst wee haue the light let vs walke in it that we be not ouertaken with darknes He that hath not yet begun let him bee sorry that he hath put it off so late and now set foot into these waies of God whilst God sets out his word as a candle to direct him as his hand to lead him by The promises of God are in like sort published amongst vs. Happines is held vp as a reward of all true hearted christians and the crowne of life is proposed to those which are sound and faithfull members of Iesus Christ And yet as though all were sure to get it or it wer not worth seeking by any the most men flatter themselues in their sins and will needs promise these good things to themselues when they haue no assurāce or proofe out of gods word wherby to lay claim or title to them This is a greeuous a dāgerous neglecting of time And if any haue not yet made sure work this way let him euen now set about it whilst the world as a touchstone is before him by which he may try himselfe and which will make him such a one as he should be if he will striue to follow it and pray for abilitie to be ruled by it So then whilst God holds out his benefits and stands with his armes open to accept vs let vs take his benefis and be perswaded to come vnto him in good earnest let it be too late to trauaile when midnight shall come in stead of noone day This is the first and cheefest oportunitie of getting good namely to ioine with the gospell and follow it with our endeuours and praiers by which it shal be made effectuall vnto vs. The second opportunitie of getting good is in time of youth and health whilst the vigor strength of the body and mind is fit for labour and capable of instruction And Salomon in his booke of penance viz. Ecclesiastes bids remember the creatour in the dayes of youth beefore the euill daies come These daies of youth and health are good daies when hee which wil vse them hath his memory stedfast to call to minde his euill waies that he may bewaile them and to treasure vp good instructions promises that may guide and comfort him when the lims will ioyne with the mind and the mind hath the body as a fit instrumēt to seek the kingdome of heauen if a man will addresse himselfe vnto it but the dayes of old age and sicknes faile much of the commodious fitnes for good The memory is cracked the head and
not wicked exercises doth not this wast and poure forth time ouer lauishly Or can that man haue so much rest and quiet or so much fitnes opportunitie to do good to his soule as his wise care in cutting of these needlesse recreations or vexations rather would haue afforded him For these vaine pleasures are not alone mischeeuous hinderers of this thrift in that they consume the very houres thēselues but as much or more also in that they dissettle the heart and pull the affections out of ioynt so that a man is driuen to take as much paines to set his heart to a good exercise as would well haue dispatched the dutie had hee not beene thus vnfitted Now what a miserable losse is it when a man is robbed of his time and of his heart both at once And by both kept from reading praying meditating examining his heart or any such good exercise for his soules aduantage Wherfore if any man would so preuent these vaine foolish sports that they should not spoile him of his heart and houres let him obserue these two rules in his sports and then he shall doe well in these respects First this being presupposed that he doe not vse any recreations but those which he can proue to be in themselues lawfull first I say for the beginning of recreation let euery man know that recreation must follow labour for the most part or if at any time it goe before it it must be very little onely to fit one for labour The Lord allowes a man no sport though neuer so lawfull in it selfe vntill such time as his body or mind do stand in neede of it cheefly when they haue beene busied in some such honest affaires as by wearying them haue made them vnfit for further labour so that they must againe be fitted thereto by recreation Vntil paines-taking haue made the body or minde not so well able to take paines there is no allowance ordinarily for recreation All our sports and recreations if we wil vse them well I speake of those which are lawfull must bee to our body or minde as the mowers whet-stone or rifle is to his syth to sharpen it when it growes dull He that when his syth is dulled wil not vpon a desire to doe more worke take time to whet it shall cut lesse and with more paine more vnhandsomely then he need to doe so he that when his body or mind is tired or heauie will not vse some honest refreshing shall doe lesse and with lesse dexteritie then he might But on the other side if the mower should doe nothing from morning to noone or from noone to night but whet whet whet rubbing his syth he would both marre the syth and bee counted an idle worke-man also for loosing his dayes work so he that will run after the most honest delights when neither the wearinesse of his body nor heauines of his minde requires the same but onely vpon a fond lust or longing after them shall in time destroy his wit and strength and in the meane season maruailous vnthriftilie mis-spend his time Therefore let not a man beginne the day with play though neuer so lawfull vnlesse his body or minde require some necessarie exercise to make it more apt for his calling Hee that sets into the day sportingly shall bee sure to go through it either lumpishly or sinfully much more if he spend all the day from morning to night in playing let it be neuer so much holy day or haue he what other excuse he wil. This rule is for the beginning of sports The second is for the measure and continuance of them where this is a generall and a firme direction That it is not lawfull for a man in an ordinary course to spend more time in any pastime vpon any day then in religious exercises I meane cheefely priuate religious exercises I say it is vtterly vnlawfull to bestow a larger time any day vpon the most lawfull delight then in priuate religious exercises or at least in a customable course so to doe This is plainely proued by that which Christ speakes to vs saying First seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof You see here commanded to prefer the seeking of heauen before any other thing whatsoeuer to let that haue the cheef place in our soules and in our liues Now he that first seekes the kingdome of heauen cannot bestow more time in sports of any sort then in those things which doe directly make for the obtayning of eternall life and that righteousnesse which will bring one thereunto such as are hearing and reading the word praying meditating examining the heart conferring and the like And surely this is a most equall thing that the most needful duty should haue the most time bestowed vpon it Yea it is a most easie rule to all sorts of men that haue seasoned their hearts with the true feare of God For if a mans calling lye in bodily works then the very exercises of religion are a refreshing to his body in that he doth for the space while they continue desist from his bodily labour and his calling affords sufficient stirring of the body for health so that if he be religiously minded and haue indeed set his delight on God he may well giue as much time to these actions as to any carnall sports But if any mans calling lye in study or such like labour of the minde first the change is a great refreshing and varietie a delight and then there bee religious exercises which will refresh the minde as well as any sports and for so much exercise as health requires it is not long in vsing because nature is here as in other matters content with a little howsoeuer men seeke excuses by belying her so that at the least an equall portion of time must be allotted to God and religion as to sports and delights euen of students if they will first seek the kingdome of God Therefore let a man measure out the time of sporting and recreating himselfe by the time hee takes to pray to read to meditate to sing Psalmes to confer of good things or the like and know that he hath not libertie from God to imploy ordinarily so much time neuer to imploy one minute more in the most vnoffensiue sports then in these seruices of God Now let a man conforme himselfe to these two rules Begin not play till need of body or minde exact it Continue not sports longer then a man hath or shall continue some godly priuate exercise of religion and he shall saue his time well from this first theefe Now comes to bee considered the next spender or rather robber of time that is Idle twatling or babling And concerning this our Sauiour Christ deales plainely with vs saying That of euery idle word which men shall speak they shall giue account at the day of iudgement Think well of this sentence and lay vp euery word Thou must not alone
So that to want occasion of good thoughts in this varietie of matter is to want light at noonetide that proceeds from nothing but from want of eyes But this is a great help to him that can see to set his soule a work first on the good things For if one haue let his heart loose at first he shall not without much paines and toyle catch it againe and haue it within command Thus doeing a great part of vaine cogitations shall be cut off Now comes to be handled the fift and worst of all the fiue consumers of time which is so much the more dangerous because it is in some honest reckning among most men and is esteemed as the right Lord and true owner of that time which for the most part it holds by vsurpation and iniurie This is the immoderate care of the world and of things of this life though in themselues honest and lawfull when a man doth winde himselfe into such a laborinth and maze of affaires as hee can not get out at fit times to spirituall and religious duties at least not to those which are priuate when the heart is so surcharged with bargaines and purchases and bying and selling and building and such like that God and goodnesse Christ and Saluation heauen and hell come not into a mans minde once in a day scarce once in a weeke or at least if they come they bee quickly shut out and haue no long nor quiet entertainement there when the soule is ouerwhelmed with the names of caring thinking deuising and striuing how to grow great here and is so tossed in the gulfe of earthly matters that it cannot come to land as it were to settle it selfe in any proportion to thinke how it may grow great in heauen and how it may get possession of the true treasure This is a wonderous consumer of good houres digging them all into the dunghill of this world Christ findes fault with this in the parable The men bidden to the feast had farmes and Oxen and wiues and such matters in hand businesse forsooth of more importance then so and therefore could not come And the thornie ground had so much carking and caring how to liue that it doth euen choak the word the good seede could not grow thereby And the Lord complains of them of the captiuitie of Iudah that they could find time to build their owne houses yea and to seele them too but they said it was not time to build the house of God So this sinne doth ingrose all the time to it selfe and will not giue elbow roome to any good exercise especially to any priuate exercise without which the publike are but as meate without digestion And yet it comes like an honest and approueable thing painted with the name of thriftinesse and paines in ones lawfull calling To fence our selues against this rauenous and lurking fault wee must binde our selues to these three rules which all depend vpon the rule of Christ that bids vs first seeke the kingdome of God first in time and first in affection And againe Lay vp your treasure in heauen Hence I say three rules may bee collected to which hee that would not bee spoyled of good occasions to the soule by worldlinesse must more and more frame himselfe and his life The first is that no man suffer himselfe to enter vpon so many businesses or any so egerly as that his ordinary affaires should hinder himselfe or his familie from the performance of ordinary religious exercises The common and daily matters of this world in any mans calling whatsoeuer should not draw him or his familie from common and daily duties of religion such are reading praying meditating and religious obseruing of the Sabboth For here a man must take care for his houshold as well as for himselfe that hee do not hinder them from taking conuenient time to pray and read c. by forcing vpon them an ouer great burthen of ordinary businesse For if the soule bee to bee preferred before the body and heauen before earth then those customable matters that pertaine to the sauing of the soule must be set before must more stand equall with the things that pertaine to the body Secondly the extraordinarie workes of our calling if any fall out must not barre vs from the extraordinary workes of religion As for example haruest and hay-time or the like are extraordinary times for the businesse for the body so preparation to the Sacrament fasting if neede so require and such like are extraordinary works for the soule Now the care of inning ones corne or grasse must not keepe him from taking time to prepare himselfe to the Sacrament or to fast at his neede So the receiuing of the Lords Supper is matter of more then ordinary vse for the soule and some needfull iournie stands in the like manner for the body But a man must rather defer his iournie if it may be put of without ouer much hinderance to him then omit the receiuing of the Lords supper The same rule must be kept in al other particulars For if the soule bee more worth must be more carefully atteÌ„ded on theÌ„ the body as it is no reason the hand-maide should take place of the mistrisse then those things which doe after a peculiar manner concerne the good and profit thereof must not bee neglected for such as doe more specially help the state of the body outwardly Lastly if some outward dutie of religion haue beene put of from the time wherein it should be performed by some suddaine and vnexpected busines that required such hast as in such case ordinary duties of religion may be deferred then some ordinary businesse of lesse waight must in recompence giue place to that exercise afterwards and a man must finde time for that whether it bee reading praying or meditating by leauing vndone for that space something that may be better spared And thus you haue heard what be those speciall euils which lye in wait to cousin vs of our good time how they may be preuented And so y e first point is haÌ„dled namely from what time is to be redeemed Now follows to shew what it is that is to be redeemed and so you shall fully know wherein this duety consists Now by time the Apostle meanes two things First the very passing away of houres and minutes the space and leasure of any thing And secondly the good occasions or oportunities that fall out in this space For the word in the originall signifies not alone the very sliding of minutes but the space considered also with some speciall fitnes that it hath for some good which we call the season of it Now for the first it shall not be needfull to say any more being that euery one knows that euery thing must haue some space wherein â—o bee done And he that will auoid the fiue forenamed euils shall neuer want time or the space wherein to doe or get good But
vnderstanding is weak especially the time of sicknes is so filled with paine so shaken with distractions and incumbred with greefes sorrows that one is nothing fit to repent or pray or heare or to do any such thing Now when a man in the prime of his daies and in the fulnesse of his health will giue himselfe to seeke heauen will heare the word meditate vpon it apply it to himself will confesse his sins and force himselfe to bewaile them will pray to God for good things and set the whole course of his life in a right frame he hath well taken the opportunitie he shall haue rest in his latter dayes much quiet and contentment at least much strength assistance in his sicknesse because hee hath somthing in store against the time of want But alas how doe the common sort of men beewray their monstrous folly in this behalfe What more common then that sottish brutish speech at least such ignorant and prophane thoughts men will repent when they be old and cry God mercie when they feel themselues sick amend all when they be ready to go out of the world And foolish man thou knowest not whether thou shalt dye suddainly whether thou shalt haue thy wits and sences or whether thou shalt haue power of heart to make the least colour of repentance in those extremities How many haue died suddainly How many sottishly And yet how do men for all these warnings defer the best busines namely the work of repentance turning to God which will require the whole strength of the soule to the worst and most crasie time of sicknesse or old age As if a prisoner at what time a man was offring him a pardon and calling vpon him to take it some good space beefore the Assises should say Nay let me alone I will not looke after my pardon till immediately before I am to come before the iudge This were a most fond part especially if it were so that theefe knew not whether or no the next day should be the day of his arraignement so the case stands betwixt the Lord and vs. If any man therefore haue beene so little carefull of his owne eternall good as to put off repentance and conuersion till that dead time or doth foster any such harmefull conceit in his heart let him now cast it out now that he hath his health and strength vpon better deliberation take in hand this work Be not so extreemely mad as to giue more time to the diuell then to God especially to giue the principall time He were a foolish trauailer that would willingly gallop all the day quite cōtrary to his way being told of it would answere when it drawes towards Sun-set I will turne into the right way Why bee men thus blockish for their soules that knowing themselues to be out of the way to life will yet of purpose deferre to set their feete into the right path till sicknesse or age when the sunne of their life is at the point of setting Ah let our prouerbe teach vs more wit Make hay while the Sun shines Turne turne whilst thou hast health and strength vse all to get repentance saluation The last cheef opportunitie of getting good is when a man hath company and is in the societie of some godly wise man able to giue sound councell and direction able to answere all doubts obiections and scruples of ones minde now there is a fit opportunitie to grow in wisdome to be resolued of all doubts and to seeke direction So then a man ought not to suffer bashfulnes or other foolish matters to put by that good communication whereby he might enrich his soule It it a speciall fauour of God that anie man can come where his seruants are that haue excellent gifts and hee doth depriue himselfe of much good that wil not seeke to benefit himselfe by them When the woman of Samaria perceiued Christ to be a Prophet she proposed her doubt vnto him albeit he was a stranger When Iohn Baptist might be come to the Publicans sinners came and asked what they should do Whilst the Iayler had Paul in his keeping he came to aske that needefull question What shall I doe to be saued So if there be any man whose heart is perplexed with some doubt or ouerburdened with some temptation or ouermastered by some sin it is a part of good discretion for such a one to go and seek the aduice of some able Christian or wise man before that eyther himselfe be too far gone or he want the opportunitie of such a councellor or helper These be three speciall occasions of obtaining good to a mans own soule from things without him In all which to take the time is a most commendable point of wisedome but to be negligent is such folly as Salomon reproues whē he saith That a foole hath a price in his hand to get wisdome but hee wants a heart Oh that men would beware of this hartlesnesse and take heed of loosing their price by which they might get wisdome Now I come to speake of the occasions of doing good And these are eyther in others or in out selues First in others and that for their soule body Sometimes a man shall finde a kinde of tractablenesse in those with whom hee hath to deale that their ears stand open and they are readie to drink in an exhortation or reproof by reason of some affliction that is vpon them or some need they haue of our help or such like occasion Here is time for a kinde and sound admonition then a man ought in all loue and yet with all plainnesse to follow the occasion striking as our prouerbe is whilst the iron is hot speaking when he sees him in the melting vaine ready to take all wel and in good part And so Elihn notes that when a man is bought to his death bed and to abhor all worldly delights then his eares are bored and then there is work for an interpreter Before the bones clattered and the mourners looked for the funerall an interpreter was despised but now his words are obserued Thus a man may doe much good to his neighbours or seruants soule if he waite for a time when he is fit to receiue admonition then giue it him as the husbandman in dry weather waites for a showre of raine and then sets in his plow Againe for the body sometimes one shall meet with one that hath true need that is in distresse for his bodily estate and doth indeed want reliefe This is an occasion and fit time to shew liberalitie Now a man must open his purse and be ready to giue freely I meane not that euery time a man meetes a beggar he should be giuing for to those a man should not giue but in the very extremitie of necessitie but if our brother hath beene afflicted by any losse through fire or such like that he doe not make himself needy