ber; but when we are dead in trespasses | and driven it away, can we hope to reand sins, so that all breath of holy af- cover it ?* fection is stopped, and no spiritual pulse from our heart doth appear; that all sense of duty is lost, all appetite to good doth fail, no strength or activity to move in a good course doth exert itself, that our good complexion is dissolved, and all our finer spirits are dissipated, that our mind is quite crazed, and all its powers are shattered or spoiled; when thus, I say, we are spiritually dead, how can we raise ourselves, what beneath omnipotency can effect it? As a stick, when once it is dry and stiff, you may break it, but you can never bend it into a straighter posture ;* so doth the man become incorrigible, who is settled and stiffened in vice. The stain of habitual sin may sink in so deep, and so thoroughly tincture all our soul, that we may be like those people of whom the prophet saith, Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may ye do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Such an impossibility may arise from nature; one greater and more insuperable may come from God. To an effectual repentance, the succour of divine grace is necessary; but that is arbitrarily dispensed: the Spirit bloweth where it listeth; yet it listeth wisely, with regard both to the past behaviour and present capacities of men; so that to such who have abused it, and to such who will not treat it well, it shall not be imparted. And can we be well assured, can we reasonably hope, that after we by our presumptuous delays have put off God, and dallied with his grace; after that he long in vain hath waited to be gracious; after that he hath endured so many neglects, and so many repulses from us; after that we frequently have slighted his open invitations, and smothered his kindly motions in us; in short, after we so unworthily have misused his goodness and patience, that he further will vouchsafe his grace to us; when we have forfeited it, when we have rejected it, when we have spurned *Frangas citius quam corrigas quæ in pravum induruerunt.-Quintil. i. 3. P Eph. ii. 1; Apoc. iii. 1; 1 Tim. v. 6. There is a time, a season, a day, allotted to us; our day, it is termed, a day of salvation, the season of our visitation, an acceptable time; wherein God freely doth exhibit grace, and presenteth his mercy to us: if we let this day slip, the night cometh, when no man can work; when the things belonging to our peace will be hidden from our eyes;" when (as the prophet expresseth it) we shall grope for the wall like the blind, and stumble at noonday as in the night, and be in desolate places as dead men: after that day is spent, and that comfortable light is set, a dismal night of darkness, of cold, of disconsolateness, will succeed, when God, being weary of bearing with men, doth utterly desert them, and delivereth them over to a reprobate mind; when subtracting his gracious direction and assistance, he giveth them over to their own hearts' lusts, and to walk in their own counsels; when they are brought to complain, with those in the prophet, O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? when, like Pharaoh, they survive only as objects of God's jus tice, or occasions to glorify his power;" when, like Esau, they cannot find a place of repentance, although they seek it carefully with tears; when, as to the foolish loitering virgins, the door of mercy is shut upon them; when the master of the house doth rise and shut the door," &c.; when that menace of divine wisdom cometh to be executed: They shall call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me; for that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord. And if, neglecting our season and present means, we once fall into this state, then is our case most deplorable: we are dead men irreversibly doomed, and only for a few moments reprieved from that pænitentia nunquam sera, modo seria, is an irrefragable rule. Yet nevertheless delay is very unsafe; for what assurance can we have, that God hereafter will enable us to perform those conditions of bewailing our sins, and forsaking them? Have we not cause rather to fear that he the stroke of final vengeance; we are vessels of wrath fitted (or made up) for destruction; by a fatal blindness and obduration sealed up to ruin; we are like the terra damnata, the earth (in the apostle) which drinking up the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bearing thorns and briers, is rejected, and is nigh unto curs-will chastise our presumption by withholding, and whose end is to be burned." Wherefore, according to the advice of the prophet, Seek ye the Lord when he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. It is true, that God is ever ready, upon our true conversion, to receive us into favour; that his arms are always open to embrace a sincere penitent; that he hath declared, whenever a wicked man turneth from his wickedness, and doeth that which is right, he shall save his soul alive; that if we do wash ourselves, make us clean, put away the evil of our doings, and cease to do evil, then, although our sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be like crimson, they shall be as wool; that if we rend our hearts, and turn unto the Lord, he is gracious and merciful, and will repent of the evil; that God is good and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all that call upon him; that whenever a prodigal son, with humble confession and hearty contrition for his sin, doth arise and go to his father; he will embrace him tenderly, and entertain him kindly; that even a profane apostate, and a bloody oppressor (as Manasses*), a lewd strumpet (as Magdalene), a notable thief (as he upon the cross), a timorous renouncer (as St. Peter), a furious persecutor (as St. Paul), a stupid idolator (as all the heathen world, when the gospel came to them, was), the most heinous sinner that ever hath been, or can be imagined to be, if he be disposed to repent, is capable of mercy those declarations and promises are infallibly true; those instances peremptorily do evince, that repentance is never superannuated; that if we can turn at all, we shall not turn too late; ing his grace? For although God faileth not to yield competent aids to persons who have not despised his goodness and longsuffering, that leadeth them to repentance; yet he that wilfully or wantonly loitereth away the time, and squandereth the means allowed him; who refuseth to come when God calleth, yea wooeth and and courteth him to repentance, how can he pretend to find such favour? We might add, that supposing God in superabundance of mercy might be presumed never to withhold his grace; yet seeing his grace doth not work by irresistible compulsion; seeing the worse qualified we are, the more apt we shall be to cross and defeat its operation; seeing that we cannot hope that hereafter we shall be more fit than now to comply with it; yea, seeing we may be sure, that after our hearts are hardened by perseverance in sin, we shall be more indisposed thereto; we by delay of repentance do not only venture the forfeiture of divine grace, but the danger of abusing it, which heinously will aggravate our guilt, and hugely augment our punishment. We should do well therefore most seriously to regard the apostle's admonition, Exhort one another to-day, while it is called to-day, lest any of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Now that we find ourselves invited to repent; now that we apprehend so much reason for it; now that we feel our hearts somewhat inclined thereto; now that we have time in our hands, and are not barred from hopes of mercy; now that it is not extremely difficult, or not absolutely impossible, let us in God's name lay hold on the occasion, let us speedily and earnestly set upon the work. Further yet, 6. We should consider, that we are mortal and frail, and thence any designs of future reformation may be clipt off, or intercepted by death; which is always creeping toward us, and may, for all we former visibly stand upon the brink of can tell, be very near at hand. You say eternity, the latter walk upen a bottomless you will repent to-morrow: but are you quag, into which unawares they may sure you will have a morrow to repent slump; who then can anywise be secure? in ?* Have you an hour in your hand, We are all therefore highly concerned to or one minute at your disposal? Have use our life, while we have it; to catch you a lease to show for any term of life? the first opportunity lest all opportunity Can you claim or reckon upon the least forsake us; to cut off our sinning, lest portion of time without his leave, who ourselves be cut off before it; and that bestoweth life, and dealeth out time, and the rather, because by lavishing, or misordereth all things as he pleaseth? Can employing our present time, we may lose you any wise descry the just measure of the future, provoking God to bereave us your days, or the bounds of your appoint- of it; for as prolongation of time is a ed time, without a special revelation from reward of piety; as to observance of the him, in whose hands is your breath; and commandments it is promised, Length of with whom alone the number of your days, and long life, and peace, shall be months is registered? Boast not thyself added unto thee; so being immaturely of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what snatched hence is the punishment awarda day may bring forth," saith the Wise ed to impious practice: so it is threatenMan; boast not of it, that is, do not pre-ed, that evil men shall be cut off; that tend it to be at thy disposal, presume not upon any thing that may befall therein;t for whilst thou presumest thereon, may it not be said unto thee, as to the rich projector in the gospel, Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee? Doth not, secluding hidden decrees, every man's life hang upon a thread very slender and frail? Is it not subject to many diseases lurking within, and to a thousand accidents flying about us? How many, that might have promised themselves as fair scope as we can, have been unexpectedly snapt away! how many have been cropt in the flower of their age and If, then, it be certain, that we must vigour of their strength! Doth not every render a strict account of all our doings day present experiments of sudden death? here; if, by reason of our frail nature Do we not continually see that observa- and slippery state, it be uncertain when tion of the Preacher verified, Man know- we shall be summoned thereto; if our eth not his time as the fishes are taken negligence may abridge and accelerate in an evil net, and as the birds are caught the term; is it not very reasonable to obin the snare, so are the sons of men snar-serve those advices of our Lord: Watch, ed in an evil time, so when it cometh sud- for ye do not know the day, nor the hour, denly upon them? Old men are ready to drop of themselves, and young men are easily brushed or shaken down ; the † Οὐκ οἶδας τι τέξεται ἡ ἐπιοῦσα. μὴ ὑπαγγέλου τὰ pn cá.—Bas. M. Exh. ad Bapt † Τί γὰρ οἶδας, ἄνθρωπε ἁμαρτήσας, εἰ ἡμέρας ζήσεις ἐν τῷδε τῷ βίῳ, ἵνα καὶ μετανοήσης, δες. *Οτι ἄδηλος ἡ ἔξοδός σου ἐκ τοῦ βίου ὑπάρχει, καὶ ἐν ἁμαρτία τελευτήσαντι μετάνοια οὐκ ἔσται, &c. Const, Ap. ii. 12. m Job xii. 10; xiv. 5; vii. 1; Psal xxxix. 4; xc. 12; Dan. v. 23; Prov. xxvii. 1. n Luke xii. 20. • Eccl. ix. 32. bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; that God will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his wickedness: the very being unmindful of their duty is the cause why men are thus surprised; for, If, (saith God) thou dost not watch, I shall come upon thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know when I come upon thee. And, If (saith our Lord) that servant doth say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming, &c. the lord of the servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him,” &c. when the Son of Man cometh. Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your heart be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning, and ye yourselves like take the counsel of the Wise Man, Make men that wait for your Lord:t and to P Prov. iii. 2. 4 Psal. xxxvii. 9; Psal. lv. 23; lxviii. 21. r Rev. iii. 3; xvi. 15. Luke xii. 45, 46. Matt. xxv. 13; xxiv. 42; Mark xiii. 33; Luke xii. 15, 35, 36. there any thing commonly more reproacful than want of courage: so bad are the causes of delay. 2. And the effects are no less unhap no tarrying to turn unto the Lord, and put not off from day to day; for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth, and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed, and perish in the day of ven-py, being disappointment, damage, trougeance." ble, and sorrow. As expedition (catchThese considerations plainly do showing advantages and opportunities, keephow very foolish, how extremely dangerous and destructive the procrastinating our reformation of life is: there are some others of good moment, which we shall reserve. SERMON XLIX. THE DANGER AND MISCHIEF OF DELAYING REPENTANCE. ing the spirit up in its heat and vigour, making forcible impressions wherever it lighteth, driving on the current of success) doth subdue business, and achieve great exploits (as by practising his motto, to defer nothing,* Alexander did accomplish those mighty feats which make such a clatter in story; and Cæsar, more by the rapid quickness and forwardness of undertaking, than by the greatness of courage and skilfulness of conduct, did work out those enterprises, which pur PSALM CXix. 60.-I made haste, and de-chased to his name so much glory and layed not to keep thy commandments. I PROCEED to the considerations which yet remain to be spoken to. renown;) so delay and slowness do spoil all business, do keep off success at distance from us; thereby opportunity is lost, and advantages slip away; our cour1. We may consider the causes of de-age doth flag, and our spirit languisheth; lay in this case (as in all cases of mo- our endeavours strike faintly, and are ment) to be bad, and unworthy of a man: easily repelled; whence disappointment what can they be but either stupidity, necessarily doth spring, attended with that we do not apprehend the importance vexation.f of the affair; or improvidence, that we do not attend to the danger of persisting in sin; or negligence, that we do not mind our concernments; or sloth, that keepeth us from rousing and bestirring ourselves in pursuance of what appeareth expedient ;* or faint-heartedness and cowardice, that we dare not attempt to cross our appetite or our fancy? All which dispositions are very base and shameful. It is the prerogative of human nature to be sagacious in estimating the worth, and provident in descrying the consequences of things; whereas other creatures, by impulse of sense, do only fix their regard on present appearances;† which peculiar excellency, by stupidity and improvidence we forfeit, degenerating into brutes; and negligence of that, which we discern mainly to concern us, is a quality somewhat beneath those, depressing us below beasts, which cannot be charged with such a fault; sloth is no less despicable, rendering a man fit for nothing; nor is 3. Again, we may consider, that to set upon our duty is a great step toward the performance of it: if we can resolve well, and a little push forward, we are in a fair way to despatch; to begin, they say, is to have half done ; to set out, is a good part of the journey; to rise betimes, is often harder than to do all the day's work: entering the town, is almost the same with taking it; it is so in all business, it is chiefly so in moral practice: for if we can find in our hearts to take our leave of sin, if we can disengage ourselves from the witcheries of present allurement, if we can but get over the threshold of virtuous conversa * Μηδὲν ἀναβαλλόμενος. Successus urgere su os, instare, &c.-Luc. i. † Plerisque in rebus tarditas et procrastinatio odiosa est-Cic. Philip. 6. Αἰεὶ δ ̓ ἀμβολιεργὸς ἀνὴρ ἄτῃσι παλαίει.Hes. Ep. i. 2. Μόνον ἀρχὴν ἐπιθὲς τῷ πράγματι, &c.-Chrys. tom. vi. Orat. p. 68. Τὸ δυσχερὲς καὶ δυσκατόρθωτον τοῦτο ἔστι, τὸ δυ νηθῆναι ἐπιβῆναι τῆς εἰσόδου καὶ τῶν προθύρων αψάσ θαι τῆς μετανοίας. Ib. p. 79. tion, we shall find the rest beyond expectation smooth and expedite; we shall discover such beauty in virtue, we shall taste so much sweetness in obedience, as greatly will encourage us to proceed therein.* 4. Again, we may consider, that our time itself is a gift, or a talent committed to us, for the improvement whereof we are responsible no less than for our wealth, our power, our credit, our parts, and other such advantages, wherewith for the serving of God, and furthering our own salvation, we are intrusted; To redeem the time is a precept, and of all precepts the most necessary to be observed; for that without redeeming (that is, embracing and well employing) time we can do nothing well; no good action can be performed, no good reward can be procured by us well may we be advised to take our best care in husbanding it, seeing justly of all things it may be reckoned most precious ;t its price being inestimable, and its loss irreparable; for all the world cannot purchase one moment of it more than is allowed us; neither can it, when once gone, by any means be recovered: so much indeed as we save thereof, so much we preserve of ourselves; and so far as we lose it, so far in effect we slay ourselves, or deprive ourselves of life: yea, by misspending it, we do worse than so; for a dead sleep, or a cessation from being, is not so bad as doing ill; all that while we live backward, or decline toward a state much worse than annihilation itself. Further, 5. Consider, that of all time the present is ever the best for the purpose of amending our life. It is the only sure time, that which we have in our hands, and may call our own ; whereas the past time is irrevocably gone from us; and the future may never come to us: it is absolutely (reckoning from our becoming sensible of things, and accountable for our actions), the best, as to our capacity of improving it; * Honestas, quæ principio anxia habetur, ubi contigerit, voluptati luxuriæque habetur. Vict. in Sep. Sev. + Πολυτελέστατον ἀνάλωμα. Omnia quæ ventura sunt in incerto jacent, protinus vive.-Sen. de Vit. brev. 9. Eph. v. 16; Col. iv. 5. Optima quæque dies miseris mortalibus ævi Our best days do first pass away, was 6. If at any time we do reflect upon the time that hath already slipped away unprofitably from us, it will seem more than enough, and (if we consider well) it will be grievous to us to lose more; the morrow will seem too late to commence a good life ;* ἀρκετός ὁ παρεληλυθώς χρόνος, The time past of our life (saith St. Peter) may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles," or to have continued in ill courses: more indeed it might than suffice; it should be abundantly too much to have embezzled so large a portion of our precious and irreparable time; after we have slept in neglect of our duty, ga idŋ ¿ɣegoñvùi, it is (as St. Paul saith) now high time to awake unto a vigilant observance thereof: this we shall the rather do, if we consider, that, 7. For ill living now we shall come hereafter to be sorry, if not with a wholesome contrition, yet with a painful regret; we shall certainly one day repent, if not of our sin, yet of our sinning; if not so as to correct for the future, yet so as to condemn ourselves for what is past: the consideration of our having sacrileg iously robbed our Maker of the time due to his service; of our having injuriously defrauded our souls of the opportunities granted to secure their welfare; of our having profusely cast away our most precious hours of life upon vanity and folly, will sometime twitch us sorely. There is no man who doth not with a sorrowful eye review an ill-past life; who would not gladly recall his mis-spent time; 0 mihi præteritos! O that God would re |