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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	eternal_a	life_n	soul_n	7,461	5	5.0564	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02741	Tvvo treatises I. The purchase of Grace, shewing the excellency of Christ, and the graces of his spirit. II. The soules delight in Gods tabernacles, shewing the excellency of time, spent in duties of God's solemne service. Instances in the chiefe, viz. prayer, word, and sacraments. Motives and directions for right performance. Lastly, the chiefe usurpers of time discovered, with apt remedies against each of them. The contents of the booke are methodically exprest in the margent, which to the diligent reader may serve instead of a table. By William Harrison, Mr. of Arts, and minister of the Gospell at Canwicke neare Lincolne.	Harrison, William, minister at Canwick.	1639 (1639)	STC 12871; ESTC S103879	208,196	400

Sacrament is meant the very Body and Bloud of Christ which are verily and indeed taken and received of the faithfull in the Lords Supper And for the proofe of this we have the expresse words of our Saviour Take eate this is my Body So that herein Christ Iesus with all the merits of his Body and Bloud are offered unto us and bestowed really and effectually on all worthy receivers 2. By receiving of this Sacrament we joyntly professe our common interest in Christ and our communion with him and one with another and hereupon this Sacrament is fitly called the communion 1 Cor. 10. 16. 3. Hereby the promises of God and the merits of Christ are sealed up unto us So that hereby we come to have both Gods Hand Seale to assure us of the pardon of our sins and of eternall happinesse in which respect the Sacraments are called the Seales of righteousnesse Rom. 4. 11. Fourthly Hereby our corruptions are mortified and the graces of Gods Spirit greately augmented and confirmed in us These Ordinances through the speciall blessing of God doe nourish and feede our soules unto life eternall So that most true we shall finde that speech of our Saviour Ioh. 6. 55. For my Flesh is meate indeed and my Bloud is drinke indeed Yea ver 51. I am the living Bread which came downe from heaven if any man eat of this bread hee shall live for ever and the bread which I will give is my Flesh which I will give for the life of the world Only remember that all this must bee understood of spirituall eating as our Saviour Himselfe in the same place giveth us expresly to understand for when his grosse hearers made that carnall question saying How can this Man give us his flesh to eate verse 52. Our Saviour doth earnestly confirme it still ver 53. Except ye eate the Flesh of the Sonne of Man and drinke his Bloud you have no life in you c. Yea when many of the Disciples were offended and murmured at it see how he giveth them satisfaction ver 63. It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words which I speake unto you they are Spirit and they are life to shew that all this must be spiritually understood for the foode is spirituall and so of necessitie the eating and drinking must needs be So that this is enough to perswade us to value and highly to esteeme this Ordinance because therein Christ Iesus is verily and indeed taken and received to the eternall benefit and comfort of all worthy receivers an argument sufficient not only to perswade us to take all opportunities of receiving this Sacrament our selves but also to perswade others hereunto in regard of the great benefits that are here offered and exhibited to the soules of all worthy receivers Fifthly Hereby we have the commemoration of Christs death most lively and effectually represented unto us So that we may in this case use the benefit of our eyes to see the Bread broken and the Wine powred out to signifie the death of Christ and the shedding of his Bloud so that our hands do as it were handle the Word of life Christ as 1 Iohn 1. 1. The Word foundeth in our eare but in the Sacrament the same is most lively represented unto our eyes sc. the death of Christ So that as often as wee eate that bread and drinke that cup we shew the Lords death till he come faith the Apostle 1 Cor. 11. 26. Yea and this is a speciall end for which this Sacrament was ordained at the first Doe this in remembrance of me saith our Saviour Matth. 26. Yea the Sacraments are most lively representations of the sufferings of Christ as if therein Christ was really againe crucified before our eyes according to that speech of the Apostle to the Galathians chap. 3. 1. O foolish Galatians Who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth before whose eyes Iesus Christ was evidently set forth even crucified amongst you How was he crucified among them but only in the Word and Sacraments So that where the Word is faithfully preached and the Sacraments duly celebrated there is Iesus Christ so evidently set forth as if he was even crucified among that people Oh how this also should perswade us not only to serve God our selves but also to doe our best to perswade others to spend time in Gods service especially if we remember the Doctrine which is the ground of this whole discourse namely this that time spent in the duties of Gods service is absolutely and incomparably the best spent time then certainely we would easily be perswaded not only to spend much time in Gods service our selves but also earnestly to doe our best endeavour to cause others to doe the like especially 〈◊〉 ●amilies and those which are more especially committed unto our charge that so we may not only save our selves but also them that belong unto us 1 Tim. 4. 16. FINIS The context and coherence Division parts of the Text. Explication 3. Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3. Doct. Doctrine 1. That Christ and the saving graces of his Spirit are fitly compared unto Gold tried in the fire Reason Precious like gold 2. Reason Fit to pay debts or keepe out of prison 3. Reason Because pure like gold 4. Reason Because fit for purchase 5. Reason In respect of beautie and ornament 6. Reason Of sweet smell Dulcis odor lu●●●●e re qualibet 7. Reason Vses 1. Instruction The worth and excellency of true grace Grace better then gold 1. Gold is fading and perishing but grace is permanent and lasting 2. Grace is able to help in the day of wrath Grace leadeth to glory 2. Instruct. Gracious Religious people most excellent 1. They come of excellent parentage The wicked children of wrath Are borne to a most excellent inheritance A most rare and excellent portion Have most excellent attendance 3. Instruct. To justifie the care paine to get grace Diligence to get true grace Be not discouraged by the opposition of wicked men Grace will bring joy comfort in death Vse 2. For Reprehension of such as neglect and despise the meanes to get grace Folly of such as neglect to get grace 2 Cor. 4. 3. Contempt of the means of grace a fearefull signe of perdition or reprobation 3. Vse Examination whether wee have true grace yea or no. Motive 1. Toperswade us to examine whether we have true grace sc. the difficulty All sorts of men apt to be deceived in judging in this case The wicked deceived Godly deceived in thinking he hath no grace when indeed hee hath Grace a Treasure hid in the field Much counterfeit grace in the world Melting the chiefe meanes to discerne which is the true gold Some kinde of Innocency without true grace 2. Motive The danger of being mistaken 3. Motive The possibilitie of prevailing notwithstanding the difficultie Reason Of the possibility of being assured that wee have true

the lesse in this case in regard of that which I have already said as also in respect of a Treatise written to this purpose called The Redemption of time Yet because I would not leave the point imperfect I will briefly insist upon some few particulars 1. Therefore all men must very carefully and watchfully subdue and suppresse all those great mispenders of time which like so many gracelesse spend-thrifts doe wast and consume many precious houres and much golden time that was farre better spent in Gods worship and service which are especially sixe 1. Sinning 2. Sleeping 3. Carking and caring 4. Sporting or recreations with immoderate feasting 5. Foolish thinking 6. And lastly idle speaking which is usually a fruit of the former because Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh whereof some of these must bee mortified and put to death and others againe restrained and regulated or bound as it were to the good behaviour 1. The first and the worst and chiefe mispender of precious time is Sinning when we spend time in doing that which is directly naught as lying swearing drunkennesse wantonnesse and such like works of the flesh and of the Devill this is the worst spent time of all as being directly contrary to that which is spent in Gods service as I have already shewed in the first use of the point Now this thiefe is utterly to be mortified and put to death imprisoning or binding to the good behaviour will not serve the turne for indeed this is a desperate ruffian or swaggerer that is not capable of any good behaviour and therefore must needs be put to death and wholly suppressed We must endeavour as much as in us lyeth that wee spend no time in sinning but carefully mortifie the deeds of the body by the Spirit this is the Apostles rule Colossians 3. 1 2 5. If ye then be risen with Christ seeke those things which are above be heavenly minded set your affections upon things above Let your conversation be in heaven Phil. ● 30. But what course must wee take to this end That the Apostle sheweth verse 5. Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth Where wee see this truth most clearely manifested that all that would spend much time in Gods service and holy performances must carefully mortifie their members here on earth and put sinfull lusts to death For this horrible thiefe and great mispender of precious time is like some mischievous person or desperate ruffian that flyeth in a mans face and will either kill or bee killed and therefore must needs be killed that hee doth not kill us for the wages of sinne is death Romans 6. 23. So that wee must either kill our corruptions or they will bring our sonles to death Rom. 8. 13. For if yee live after the flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the body ye shall live Where you see that our precious soules cannot live but by the death of our corruptions the life of the one is the death of the other as Ahab lost his owne life for preserving Benhadads Thy life shall goe for the life of him in 1 Kings 20. 42. so our soules must eternally perish if we suffer our corruptions to survive But how should we so mortifie our lusts that we may spend little or no time time in vicious courses and so consequently more time in Gods service An. 1. Let us diligently search that we may plainly discover and finde out that speciall sinne wherewith we have beene formerly most pestered It is impossible to execute a malefactor untill he be found out and apprehended diligent search is first made and Hue and cry sent after him to finde him out so wee must deale with those lusts wherein formerly wee have spent too much time Lamentations 3. 40. Let us search and try our wayes and turne to the Lord our God This was Davids practise Psalme 119. 59. I examined or considered or thought on mine owne wayes and turned my feete unto thy Testimonies yea because he knew his heart was deceitfull and fraudulent Ier. 17. 9. Hee doth beseech God to assist him in it and to doe it for him Psalme 26. 2. Examine me O Lord and prove me try my reines and my heart Like a man that heareth proclamation for the apprehension of such and such a Traytor hee not only searcheth his owne house himselfe but he setteth open the doore and intreateth the officer to enter and make what diligent search he can that if there be any traytor lurking there hee may bee found out and executed so David search me ô Lord examine my heart and house and see if there bee any sinfull lust there and let them bee all mortified To the same purpose is that we have Psal. 139. 23 24. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting Loe here was sincerity and this was the best way to finde out our most secret lusts and hidden corruptions O therefore let us not be strangers at home but examine our owne hearts as the Psalmi●● speaketh Psalme 4. 4. A sweet place for this purpose is that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whither yee bee in the faith or no prove your owne selves know you not your owne selves i. e. what an absurd thing is it for you to bee skilfull in others affaires and neglect your owne to know other men and not your owne selves what greater hypocrisie The Hypocrite is sharpe sighted abroad but blinde at home He can see a mote in the eye of another but doth not discerne the beame that is in his owne it is our Saviours character of an hypocrite Matthew 7. 5. But on the contrary the advise of the Apostle is excellent Galathians 6. 4. But let every owne prove his owne worke seeke to finde out his owne lusts then shall hee have rejoycing in himselfe and not in another Secondly When we have found out this waster and apprehended this Traytor then let us directly smite it with the two edged sword of the Spirit upon the head which is the Word of God a speciall part of a Christians armour and so much the more excellent in this case because it is a weapon both defensive and offensive Ephesians 6. 16. And take the Helmet of salvation and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Wo●d of God See what admirable worke our Saviour made with this spirituall weapon in the single combate that he had with Sathan hand to hand Matthew 4. Scriptum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 4. And againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verse 6. And see the event of this combate v. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then the Devill left him c. This put him utterly to flight And no marvell for the Word of God is quicke and powerfull

TVVO TREATISES I. The Purchase of Grace shewing the Excellency of Christ and the Graces of His Spirit II. The Soules Delight in Gods Tabernacles shewing the Excellency of Time spent in Duties of GOD'S Solemne Service Instances in the chiefe viz. Prayer Word and Sacraments Motives and directions for right performance Lastly The chiefe Vsurpers of time discovered with apt remedies against each of them The Contents of the Booke are Methodically exprest in the Margent which to the diligent Reader may serve instead of a TABLE By William Harrison Mr. of Arts and Minister of the Gospell at Canwicke neare Lincolne LONDON Printed by the Assigne of T. P. for Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith at the Golden Lion in Paul's Church-Yard 1639. THE PVRCHASE OF GRACE A Treatise Shevving the excellency of Christ and the Graces of his Spirit the true Gold Rules to discover the Gold of true Grace from counterfeit The Christians true riches in the enjoyment of this Gold With Directions how and of whom to purchase this wealth PROV 3. 13. Happy is the man that findeth Wisedome VER 15. She is more precious then Rubies and all the things thou canst desire are not to bee compared with her MAT. 25. 9. Goe to them that sell and buy for your selves By William Harrison Mr. of Arts and Minister of the Gospell at Canwicke neare Lincolne LONDON Printed by the Assigne of T. P. for Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith and are to bee sold at their Shop at the Golden Lion in Paul's Church-Yard 1639. TO The Right VVorshipfull the Master Wardens Assistants and Communalty of the Mystery of the Mercers in London my right worthy friends and Patrons c. Right Worshipfull c. MOst lamentable it is to see mens eager pursuit of earthly vanities and their wofull neglect and contempt of true saving grace which is durable riches To which two may be fitly applyed that which was said of Saul and David the two first Kings of Israel sc. that the one hath slaine thousands and the other tenne thousands both which arise chiefely as I conceive from mens ignorance or the want of the knowledge of the worth and excellency of piety and true feare of God or saving grace For as our Saviour said to the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 10. If thou knewest the gift of God c. So if they knew these gifts of God in the true resplendent nature of them if men were but acquainted with the worth and excellency of this precious and golden commodity of true saving grace they would not labour so immoderately for the meat that perisheth but for the meate that endureth to everlasting life as our Saviour himselfe speaketh Ioh. 6. 29. yea they would not be so cumbred with Martha about many things whilest in the meane time the one thing needfull is neglected but rather with Mary choose the better part which should never be taken from them Luk. 10. 42. To this end I at first fastened my meditation upon this portion of Scripture and tooke into my serious consideration this clause of holy Writ yea and have still fixed my saddest thoughts upon this golden Counsell of our blessed Saviour wherein the great Counsellor of heaven and earth doth give his blessed advise to the sonnes of men whom hee generally findeth like the Church of Laodicea sc. wretched and miserable and poore and blinde and naked now unto all such whom he findeth in this wofull and wretched condition He propoundeth this sweete and heavenly counsell and direction which is the ground of this ensuing discourse contained in the words of this Text Rev. 3. 18. I counsell thee to buy of mee gold tryed in the fire that thou mayest be rich Wherein our Saviour directeth us unto the true riches indeed and commendeth unto us the worth and excellency of Himselfe his merits and graces of his Spirit that they are all of a right precious nature and of great worth and value even gold tryed in the fire and such as will truely enrich us unto life eternall In prosecuting of which Text I have runne this course and endeavoured to shew the great worth and transcendent excellency of true saving grace that it is most fitly resembled to Gold tryed in the fire yea indeed to be farre preferred before it and that in sundry respects yea not only the worth and excellency of grace it selfe but also the admirable worth of such as do enjoy this precious Iewell that all such are most excellent and golden persons indeed as comming of golden parentage having a golden portion and inheritance and also golden attendants having the holy Angels of God daily to pitch their Tents round about them for their safety Farther by way of application I have earnestly pressed and perswaded unto the duty of examination that wee should all try what metall our graces are made of whether they be of a right golden nature yea or no. And because herein we are all of us naturally backward I have therefore endeavoured to enforce the duty by sundry Motives drawne from the consideration of the difficulty of the duty the danger of being mistaken as also the possibility of performance and comfort that will hereby redound unto us when the worke is once throughly performed And that we may not bee deceived about it nor gul'd with Sathans devices in a businesse of such importance I have therefore also endeavoured to manifest and discover the true markes and characters of this golden metall together with the comfortable and happy estate and condition of all such as doe enjoy this precious commodity 2. I have endeavoured to prove that all such as have true grace are absolutely and incomparably the richest persons in the world and that piety is the best and surest way to make us truly and spiritually rich So that if there be any that are ready to say Who will shew us any good Let such come and see the shortest and yet the surest way to get wealth yea durable riches and righteousnesse Lastly if any be so farre wrought upon as to cry out with those in the Gospell Lord evermore give us this bread this wealth this precious treasure I have therefore in the last place endeavoured to discover the direct meanes to obtaine it and that is Buying And the rather to encourage us to the making of this happie bargaine for our soules I have here described the excellency of the Chapman that is readie to sell us this rare commoditie of saving grace Here you shall also finde a description of all the particulars requisite to the making up of this bargaine with Christ. Here you shall finde the price of true grace and the great varietie of such customers as are readie in appearance to bargaine with this spirituall and heavenly Chapman Here have you the summe and substance of this TREATISE Whereunto I have adjoyned another of like argument shewing the worth and excellency of the time that is spent in Gods service or in the use

Then looke upon him in the fire of adversitie rich Iob bountifull and liberall poore Job patient and thankefull Iob 1. 21. The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken blessed be the Name of the Lord. True it is he shewed some drosse in the melting but looke upon him when he came out of the fire oh then he was pure gold indeed this he was assured of while he was melting Iob 23. 10. He knoweth the way that I take and when he hath tryed me I shall come out like gold golden Iob indeed when hee came out of the furnace of affliction But now the wicked as they are but drosse Psal. 119. 119. so they shew their drossie nature in every estate if they be rich and wealthy then they are proud and confident and given to oppression ready to deny God and trust in their wealth and if they be poore then they steale and take the Name of the Lord in vaine Pro. 30. 8 9. They are drosse still in every condition the more God melteth them the worse they are Why should they be smitten any more for they do fall away more and more Isa. 1. 5. See an experiment of this in that close-hearted hypocrite Ahaz for all his faire shewes he did shew himselfe but drosse both in prosperity and adversitie the more he prospered the more he sinned if he be victorious he ascribeth the victory to himselfe and his friends and the gods of Damascus must be sacrificed unto and a patterne of a new Altar must be fetched from thence 2 Kings 16. 10. Well if God take him in hand and begin to melt him in the fire of affliction he findeth him drosse still so that hee was forced at last to cast him away and set a marke upon him for notorious drosse altogether that none should ever take him for gold any more 2 Chr. 28. 22. And in the time of his distresse he sinned yet more against the Lord. This is that King Ahaz brand him up score him up set a marke upon him for ever for most notorious d●osse indeed because the more hee was afflicted the worse hee was the more hee was melted the more plainely hee appeared still to bee nothing but a plaine lumpe of drosse I pray let us try our selves by this marke if wee can cary our selves aright in every estate it is a signe we are pure gold if not we have cause to suspect our selves to bee but drosse Looke upon the golden Martyrs in all ages see what pure gold they proved themselves especially in the fire of affliction consider these golden Christians Hebr. 10. 34. They suffered with joy the spoyling of their goods knowing that they had in heaven a better and a more enduring substance wee glory in tribulation Here was bright shining gold indeed gold tryed in the fire as it is in our Text. Secondly Right currant gold is that which commeth from the right place from the Kings Minting house and hath his Majesties stampe upon it when they brought the Tribute money to Christ Mat. 22. 20. he enquireth immediately Whose Image or superscription hath it and they tell him Caesar's So look upon the gold of those graces which thou hast and seriously consider whence thou hadst them and how thou camest by them Did they come from the Minte of Gods Ordinance Were they begotten at first and are they still nourished in thee by these meanes Didst thou get them by prayer and attending at the postes of Wisedomes gates then it is a good s●gne thy gold is good thy graces are sincere because they are begotten and increased by the Word of Gods grace Acts 20. 32. Thus Paul sendeth them still to the Minte to get more grace and to try their graces And now brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace which is able to build you up farther c. And so for the Throne of grace Hebr. 4. verse 16. Let us goe boldly to the Throne of grace whereby wee may finde mercy and grace to helpe in time of need I pray let us try our graces by this touchstone How did we come by our graces By what meanes were they begotten in thee And how are they nourished if not by these meanes And it may be thou canst give no account how thou camest by them I begin straight to suspect them for you know it is suspicious for a man to have goods and know not how he got them Consider thy faith then Art thou sure it is precious Of the right stampe More precious then gold Then sure it came from the Minte it was given thee from above Philip. 1. 29. To you it is given not onely to believe but also suffer c. If it be right faith it was begotten by the Word of faith Romans 10. 8. For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God But he that boasts of his faith and telleth me that he hath beleeved ever since he could remember as if the gold of faith grew there by nature I would no more beleeve he had true faith then I should thinke he said true that should boast that he had a purse full of gold which came out of his purse bottome and grew there by nature I pray let us examine our selves by this mark true gold commeth from the Minte and so doth true grace from the Minte of Gods Ordinances if it grew in thine heart by nature or is begotten and nourished in thy heart by any other meanes thou hast great reason to suspect that such gold is but counterfeit c. Thirdly Gold tryed in the fire if it come from the right Minte is currant money with the Merchants As Abraham's silver was which hee weighed to Hephron the Hittite Genesis 23. 16. Now gold is not currant with the Merchant though it seeme pure for the matter if it want weight and therefore Abraham weighed his silver before the people of Ephron so true grace is good weight give it but the allowance of the imperfection in respect of degrees and it is full weight in respect of parts both in regard of the subject wherein it is and the object of it weigh it in the ballance of the Sanctuary and it will be found weight for hee that hath true grace in every part grace in the head or understanding facultie of the soule and grace in the heart in the will and the affections he is sanctified throughout 1 Thes. 5. 23. in his whole spirit soule and body so that true grace is universall Now an hypocrite whose grace is but counterfeit whose gold is Copper sheweth it selfe defective in one kinde or other If he have a little knowledge swimming in the braine and therefore is able to speake well as if he had grace yet this worketh no reformation in the outward man there it wanteth weight he is prophane still he liveth in the secret practise of some knowne ungodlinesse he hath some Rimmon with Naaman some Delilah with

and the betrothed Damosell cryed and there was none to save her So in this case when the Devill findeth us at some advantage and doth force us to some sinne yet if we struggle and cry out against him though he doe prevaile with us for the act yet in the Lords great mercy it is not imputed Let this encourage us to confesse our sins to God and cry out against our corruptions and judg● our selves for them Excellent to this purpose is that direction of one A man saith he must ever and anon be saying thus with himselfe Ah vile sinfull wretch and hate worthy creature that I am have I not sin●ned against God and mine owne soule i● such a passionatenesse in such wantonnesse in such injustice and the like Oh that I could even detest my selfe for this Who but a very beast or a foole would have beene so often and so grossely overtaken It is not possible to imagine unlesse one doe take experience of his owne practice how much the renewing of this holy anger against a mans selfe for his sinnes past will strengthen him against the same and abate the power of his corruptions And therefore saith hee put thy selfe often in minde of thy former sins being out of love and conceit with thy selfe saying Ah vile creature How could I finde in my heart to doe such things would any man have thought it possible for any creature from whom all reason and piety both were not ●anished to runne out into such words such deeds c. Thus hee piously and sweetely And surely if we would thus ●udge and condemne our selves we should not be judged of the Lord saith the Apo●tle 1 Cor. 11. ●2 An excellent direction and a most sure and speedy may to prevaile against our strongest lusts and most preva●ent corruptions if we can thus pray and ●ry out against them As the Lo●●●●●sisteth ●he p●ou● so He givet● grace to the humble The more we see and discerne our want of grace the more fit are wee to receive it Excellent to this purpose is that of another Gods grace is free hee looketh not at any ●hing in us in the bestowing of it What Doest thou thinke that thou art uncapable of grace because thou art unworthy of it This is a meere fallacy Doe not cast away thy confidence because thou seest not in thee that goodnesse which thou desirest It is some goodnes in thee to be bad enough in thine owne esteeme be but vile enough base enough bad enough and then thou art good enough to partake of grace thine emptinesse will make some way to fulnesse Thus he sweetely For this will make a man cry out for Gods gracious aide and assistance Helpe Lord for these lusts of mine like the sonnes of Zerviah are too hard for me This is the way to breake the heart of our lusts and to mortifie our earthly members that we shall never spend so much time in vicious courses as we have done Thus David cryed out against covetousnesse Psalme 119. 35. Encline my heart to thy Testimonies and not to covetousnesse He beggeth the Lord Chiefe Iustice his warrant to apprehend it as one doth wittily observe in that case And this is the third Remedy Fourthly and lastly If we would prevaile against sinne that we may not spend any time at all at least much lesse time in the service of it wee ●ust daily possesse and furnish our soulas with holy meditations 1. Consider the odious loathsome and filthy nature of sinne which in the booke of God is not only called filthy and that excrementally but it is even filthinesse it selfe 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these promises let us cleanse our selves from the filthinesse of the flesh and Spirit Yea Iames 1. 21. Let us lay aside all filthinesse and superfluitie of maliciousnesse and receive with meeknesse the ingrafted Word which is able to save your soules the word signifieth properly the filth that is under a mans naile Yea to shew the filthy nature of it it is compared to the Sowes wallowing in the mire and the vomit of a Dogge it is even the metaphor of the Holy Ghost 2 Peter 2. 22. How could we finde in our hearts to live in sinne and spend our time this way if we consider this 2. Not onely filthy but dangerous in many respects It bringeth body and soule and name and estate and all to ruine It is the losse of our very soules if we continue in it without repentance Luk. 12. 19. Thou foo●e this night shall they fetch away thy soule and then see what our Saviour inferreth from heaven Matthew 16. 26. For what is a man profited if hee shall gaine the whole world and loose his owne soule Thirdly Consider how odious to God his very soule abhorreth it as the greatest evill in the world It is the breach of his Law most contrary to his holy and purest nature It was the death of the Lord Iesus for he was delivered up for our sins Rom. 4. 25. It killed the Prince of life and pierced the heart and shed the bloud of Gods onely Sonne and therefore must needs be mortified and put to death Yea nothing will sooner doe it then these and such like meditations Now if we thus subdue and mortifie yea crucifie this notorious thiefe that thus robbeth God of his glory and man of Gods favour we shall be able to spend much time in Gods service This is the first mispender of precious time that must of necessitie be mortified and put to death Secondly Another great let or impediment that must be removed another great waster of time that must be speedily suppressed is immoderate or excessive sleeping and sluggishnesse This also is a most dangerous mispender of precious time although not so bad as the former Thus the Prophet Ionah mispent his time as he was in a Ship sayling to Tarshish when hee should have gone to Ninev●h He was fast asleepe in a very dangerous storme when he stood in more need to have been wrestleing with God by humble earnest and heartie prayer Ionah 1. 6. See how pathetically the Heathen Mariners awake him and rouse him up The Ship-master came to him saith the Text and said unto him What meanest thou ô sleeper Arise and call upon thy God if so bee that God will thinke upon us that we perish not i.e. Is this a fit time to sleepe when we are all ready to perish and be ready even every moment to bee swallowed up of the waves Oh therefore arise and bestirre thy selfe and call upon thy God and for shame learne to spend the time better then in sleeping especially in such and so great and apparent danger their being as it were but even a step betweene us and death Thus Salomon awaketh his fluggard Proverbs 6. 9 10. How long wilt thou sleepe ô sluggard When wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe Marke now the sluggards drousie slumbring senselesse answer