1583-1665
Smith was an English presbyterian puritan who was ejected from the Anglican Church in 1662 at the Great Ejection of 2,000 ministers. The Council of Publication for the 1800’s reprint of Smith’s work below included James Begg, Thomas Crawford, William H. Goold and Andrew Thomson.
David’s Blessed Man: or, a Short Exposition on the First Psalm, Directing a Man to True Happiness, 1614, here from the 1635 edition, being reprinted in the 1868 edition in the Nichol’s Series of Commentaries, reprinted by Tentmaker in 2001, p. 48
Doctrine 6… Everything has his time and season, ‘Seek the Lord while He may be found, and call upon Him while He is near,’ Isa. 55:6,7. Out of which words we gather, that as there is a time when the Lord will be found of them that seek Him (which time is a godly man’s season, for now does He seek the Lord) so there is a time when the Lord will not be found, and that a blessing cannot be obtained at his hands, though a man seek it with tears, as Esau did, for so says the Lord, ‘Because I have cried and called unto you, and you would not hear; therefore the time shall come, that you shall cry and call unto Me, and I will not answer,’ Prov. 1:24,28. Again, ‘Exhort ye one another daily, while it is called today,’ Heb. 3:13…. Men know their times, and take their opportunities, even then when it shall stand with their best advantage. Oh that we could be as wise for our souls, to purchase the true treasure which will make us rich unto salvation, as we are for these temporal things which do last but for a time. Surely it is the care of a godly man. As the mariner watches for the wind, and when it comes, hauls up sail; as the captain and soldier in the field wait their time; yea and as the birds, swan and crane, the beasts, swallow, and pismire, wait their times, and then take the occasion and season offered; so the child of God does in his heavenly wisdom wait the time, and take the occasion to do good. As Joseph in the seven years of plenty, provided for the seven years of dearth; so the godly man brings forth fruit in due season,– that is, in time convenient. As when the Lord calls man to repent, he repents; when occasion is to pray, he will pray; when the season is to hear, he will hear; when to reprove, he will reprove; when to give to the poor, he has his hand ready; so as when occasion is offered he takes it…
Use [Application] 1. This reproves the folly and carelessness of most men, who neither wait the time, nor yet take the occasion offered. The Lord calls men to prayer, to call on his name, they make light of it. The Lord calls men to hear his word, men contemn it. The Lord offers occasion to reprove sin, they will not open their mouths to reprove the swearer, blasphemer, cursed speaker, etc. The Lord offers occasion to relieve the poor, they shut up the bowels of mercy against them. In the matters of the world, oh, men are wise to take their time, the merchant, the mariner, the husbandman, etc. But in the matters of God, which concern the salvation of our souls, we are like that sick man that let every man step in before him [John 5:3-7].
Related Pages
The Sincere Free Offer of the Gospel
Historic Reformed Quotes on the Sincere Free Offer of the Gospel