_Time_, as ever they can!
pray, let us learn some _good_, even from the _wicked One_ himself. It
has been advised, _Be wise as Serpents:_ why, there is a piece of
_Wisdom_, whereto that old _Serpent_, the Devil himself, may be our
Moniter. When the Devil perceives his _Time_ is but _short_, it puts him
upon _Great Wrath_. But how should it be with _us_, when we perceive
that our _Time_ is but _short_? why, it should put us upon _Great Work_.
The motive which makes the Devil to be more full of _wrath_; should make
us more full of _warmth_, more full of _watch_, and more full of _All
Diligence to make our Vocation, and Election sure_. Our _Pace_ in our
Journey _Heaven-ward_, must be Quickened, if our _space_ for that
Journey be shortned, even as _Israel_ went further the _two last_ years
of their Journey _Canaan-ward_, than they did in 38 years before. The
Apostle brings this, as a _spur_ to the Devotions of Christians, in _1
Cor. 7.29._ _This I say, Brethren, the time is short._ Even so, I _say_
this; some things I lay before you, which I do only _think_, or _guess_,
but here is a thing which I venture to _say_ with all the freedom
imaginable. You have now a _Time_ to _Get_ good, even a _Time_ to make
sure of _Grace and Glory, and every good thing_, by true Repentance:
But, _This I say, the time is but short._ You have now _Time_ to _Do_
good, even to _serve out your generation_, as by the _Will_, so for the
_Praise_ of God; but, _This I say, the time is but short._ And what I
say thus to _All_ People, I say to _Old_ People, with a peculiar
Vehemency: Sirs, It cannot be long before your _Time_ is out; there are
but a few sands left in the glass of your _Time_: And it is of all
things the saddest, for a man to say, _My Time is done, but my work
undone!_ O then, _To work_ as fast as you can; and of Soul-work, and
Church-work, dispatch as much as ever you can. Say to all _Hindrances_,
as the gracious _Jeremiah Burrows_ would sometimes to _Visitants_:
_You'll excuse me if I ask you to be short with me, for my work is
great, and my time is but short._ Methinks every _time_ we hear a Clock,
or see a Watch, we have an admonition given us, that our _Time_ is upon
the _wing_, and it will all be gone within a little while. I remember I
have read of a famous man, who having a _Clock-watch_ long lying by him,
out of Kilture in his Trunk, it unaccountably struck Eleven just before
he died. Why, there are many of you, for whom I am to