Christs Love and Affection Towards Jerusalem, Chapter 16
CHAP. 16.
It is everie mans wiſedome not to delay the time of ſeeking for merciemercy, but to ſet forward betimes, before the day of grace be too farre ſpent.
Chap. 16 AND in the ſecond place, take in this proviſo withall, to doe it ſpeedily, without delay; It is not enough for thee to lay out thy ſelfe in all uſefull imployments, but it is expedient alſo, to take the firſt hint and occaſion, to doe it as ſoone as thou canſt; this uſe Salomon makes of itaEccleſ. 9.10., Whatſoever thine hand findeth to doe, doe it inſtantly bJo. Ferus com. in loc. Quicquid tibi exequendū injunctum fuerit in hoc ſaeculo, id diligenter exequere, non eſt quod differas in aliud ſaeculum; te enim mortuo, ſimul tibi aufertur omnis operandi copia.; or, as ſome read it, with all thy power: the ſenſe may well admit of both readings: and the reaſon which is there rendred, doth ſufficiently confirme the former, which is, becauſe the day is comming wherein the occaſion of doing it will bee taken away: As if hee ſhould ſay, Now is thy day, now mayeſt thou lay out thy ſelfe, with infinite advantage to thine owne ſoule; and therefore whatſoever thine hand findeth to doe, doe it inſtantly, deferre not the time, but goe preſently about it; and that earneſtly, and with all thy might; for there is neither worke nor invention, nor knowledge, nor wiſedome in the grave, whither thou goeſt: and this is the counſell of him that was wiſer than Salomon; cMat. 5.25.Agree with thine adverſarie quickly, while thou art with him in the way, &c. ſo it was with David dPſal. 119.60., I made haſte, and delayed not to keepe thy righteous judgements; ſo it was with Peter and Andrew eMat. 4.20., they ſtraight way leave their nets, and followed CHRIST, ſo ſoone as he called them; and ſo it was with S. Paul, when hee was called to preach the GoſpellfGal. 1.16., He did not conſult with fleſh and blood, but immediately went about the worke: And ſo it ſhould bee with thee, and with every one elſe, becauſe thou haſt but thy day, therefore ſhouldeſt thou begin betimes to put thy worke in ſome forwardneſſe, before the day be too farre ſpent; and there is a great deale of good reaſon for it.
1 In regard of the ſhortneſſe of this day: Hee that hath a long journey to goe, and but a ſhort time for the diſpatching of it, had need to be going early, and take day before him: now ſo it is with a man that travels towards the celeſtiall Jeruſalem, hee hath a long journey to goe, as farre as it is from earth to heaven, and but a ſhort time allotted for the diſpatch of it; no more but a day; and therefore hath no need to loſe any part of it, but to ſet forward betimes, while hee hath day before him; as Abraham, who when hee was commanded to ſacrifice his ſonne, he ſtraight way prepared to goe to the place which the Lord ſhould ſhew him gGen. 22.3.. Many have cryed out of themſelves for delaying and putting off this duty ſo long, till their day was already paſt, and it was even now too late for them; but never any that repented himſelfe for beginning too ſoone; for the ſooner hee begins, the more ſervice he may doe unto God; and the more ſervice hee doth unto him, the greater recompence and reward ſhall he receive from him.
It is a generall complaint, as Seneca hSen. de brevit. vitae, cap. 1. Major pars mortalium de naturae malignitate conqueritur, quod in exiguū aevi gignimur, quod haec tam velociter, tam rapide, dati nobis temporis ſpatia decurrant, &c.well obſerves, that the day of life is but ſhort, but who is it that takes occaſion from the ſhortneſſe of it, to make the more haſte, and to lay out himſelfe betimes upon that maine buſineſſe for which hee came into the world? Nay, who is there that makes it not much ſhorter than it is, by ſuffering a great part of it to ſlip away, before hee applie himſelfe to the workes of piety and religion, for which this day of grace was afforded to him? In ſo much, that if this day of life were meaſured according to that ſpace of time, which is ſpent in matters that concerne the good of the ſoule, how many would bee found, who have beene in the world many yeares, and yet ſcarce lived one day? even as it is with a Mill-horſe that hath beene going all the day long, and yet is ſtill in the ſame place where hee was in the morning: it may bee ſaid of him, that he hath gone much, and yet travelled but a little way; or as it is with a Ship iSen. de brevit. vitae ca. 8. Non eſt quod quenquam propter canos, ac rugas putes diu vixiſſe: non ille diu vixit, ſed diu fuit. Quid enim illum putas multum navigaſſe quem ſaeva tempeſtas à portu exceptū, huc et illuc tulit, ac viribus ventorum ex diverſo furentium, per eadem veſtigia in orbem egit: non ille multum navigavit, ſed multum jactatus eſt.that hath been wheeled and circled about in a ſtorme and tempeſt, and at length is driven backe againe into the Haven; it may bee ſaid of it, that it hath beene long at Sea, and yet ſayled but a little way: ſo it may be ſaid of manie a one, that he hath been long in the world, and yet lived but a while, becauſe he hath ſcarce yet begun to lay out himſelfe upon thoſe imployments for which the day of life was granted to him; whereas all the day is little enough for the worke and buſineſſe that is to bee done in it; and therefore hee that wiſely conſiders the greatneſſe of the worke that is to bee done, and the ſhortneſſe of the day allotted for it, hee will not loyter out the time with lingring delayes, but ſpeedily applie himſelfe unto it. It was Nehemiahs anſwer, when his enemies called him from his worke to conferre with themkNehem. 6 3., I have a great work to doe, and I cannot come downe; why ſhould the worke ceaſe, while I leave it? Even ſo doe thou reaſon with thy ſelfe, I have a great worke to doe, and but a ſhort day allotted for it, why ſhould the worke be neglected, and left undone, while I delay to goe about it?
2 In regard of the nature of this day, which is made up out of ſuch particular conſiderations, as doe all of them perſwade thee, to ſet forward betimes; for,
1 It is not of a permanent, but of a ſucceſsive and fluent nature; it doth not make any ſtay, but is alwayes in motion, not tarrying for any, but continually going and paſſing away; like the oyle in the Lampe, which continually waſteth, or as the ſand in the houre-glaſſe, which continually runneth, till all bee runne out; and every part of this day it poſteth on ſo faſt, and is carryed with ſo ſwift a ſayle, that it ſeemes rather to flie, than runne, as the Heathen man obſerveslSen. de brevit. vitae, cap. 10. Praeſens tempus breviſſimū eſt, adeo quidem ut quibuſdam nullum videatur; in curſu enim ſemper eſt, fluit et praecipitatur, ante definit eſſe quam venit.; and therefore the Ancients they painted time like a young man with wings, ſitting in a Charriot, drawne with two horſes, whoſe motion is ſo ſwift, that they ſeeme rather to bee carried on wings, than feet. And therefore ſeeing thy day is ſo ſhort, as hath been ſhewed; and withall of ſuch a tranſient nature, that it is continually flying and paſſing away, and that with ſo ſwift a pace, there is little reaſon why any part of it ſhould be dallied out with needleſſe delayes; becauſe if all were laid out upon the beſt imployments, the day would ſooner bee ended, than the worke could bee brought to any great perfection; ſo that thy forwardneſſe, and readineſſe to lay hold on the day ſo ſoone as it comes, and to put thy matters in ſome good forwardneſſe, ſhould even ſtrive and contend with the ſwiftneſſe and celerity of it, and even prevent and out-goe it as farre as poſſibly may be; and the rather conſidering, that when thou delayeſt thy worke, thy day doth not abate any thing of her pace, nor ſtay for thee; ſhe walketh on her way, when thou ſitteſt ſtill;mAmbroſ. Pſ. 1. Sicut dormiens in navi vehitur ad portum, ita tu dormis, ſed tempus tuum ambulat. Sen de brevit. vitae, ca 9. Quid cunctaris? quid ceſſas? niſi occupas fugit; cum occupaveris tamen fugiet, itaque cum celeritate temporis utendi velocitate certandum eſt. as a man in a ſhip, hee is paſſing on towards the Haven, even then when hee ſleepeth, and perceives it not; ſo thy time paſſeth along, and carries thee on with an inſenſible motion, which will be clearely ſeene and acknowledged when it is gone, though it bee not diſcerned or perceived, while it is agoing. The finger on the Diall, ſeemeth to pace it very ſlowly; yea, it ſeemeth rather to ſtand ſtill, than move, becauſe the motion is inſenſible, and cannot bee diſcerned, till it bee finiſhed and paſt; and yet it paſſeth ſo farre within leſſe than the ſpace and compaſſe of an hour, that all the world may perceive, that it did not ſtand ſtill: Even ſo thy day, it paſſeth on with an inſenſible motion, thou diſcerneſt not while it is agoing, and yet thou ſhalt finde within a ſmall compaſſe of time, that it is ſo farre ſpent, that perhaps it may be neare unto a period, and even upon the very point of expiration. And therefore when thou heareſt the Clock ſtrike, and ſeeſt that the houre-glaſſe is runne out, thinke and conſider with thy ſelfe, how thine owne day paſſeth on, and deferre not to turne unto God, but ſpeedily apply thy ſelfe unto him, before it bee too farre ſpent.
2 And againe, as thy day is ſtill flitting and flying away, ſo the beſt part of it goes away firſt; like as it is in a veſſell of Wine, the beſt and pureſt part of it is drawne out firſt, and that which remaineth behinde, is not onelyonly leſſe, but worſe; for the dregs and lees remaine in the bottome: even ſo it is with the day of thy life, the firſt part of it is the beſt and pureſt, moſt free from that ſoyle and corruption, which it ſtill gathers, the further it goes on. The Heathen man could ſee this by the light of naturenOvid. l. 3. de art. amand. Vtendum eſt aetate, cito pede labitur aetas, Nec bona tam ſequitur, quam bona prima fuit. Sen. de brevit. vitae, c. 9. Optima quaeque dies miſeris mortalibus aevi, Prima fugit; Item ad Lucil. l. 19 ep. 109. & ep. 1. Non tantum minimum in imo, ſed peſſimum remanet. Et Epiſt. 108. Vt ex amphora primò ſinceriſſimum effluit, turbidumque ſubſidit, ſic in aetate noſtra, &c., and thereupon make this application, that time and opportunity it muſt bee uſed while it may bee had; and the rather, becauſe the beſt part of it is commonly ſooneſt had; the firſt opportunitie which is offered to any, either for the doing or receiving good, is commonly the beſt; and experience will learne him, that if he let this ſlip, hee ſhall not uſually meet with ſo fit an occaſion for it afterward: and indeed it is a great want of providence in any, to delay and put off the taking in of uſefull commodities, till the beſt ſeaſon be paſt, and it bee now the worſt time to goe about them. Hee were an unwiſe Merchant, that would neglect to buy his wares, when they are cheape, and come to the market, and are brought home to his doore; whereas afterwards he muſt bee conſtrained to ſend for them into farre parts, when the things themſelves are at a dearer rate, and travelling is more dangerous, and he muſt pay a higher price for the cariage of them: even ſo it is with thoſe that delay and put off the ſeeking of things that concerne their peace from day to day.
And yet further, thou knoweſt not how much of this thy day remaineth behind, or is yet to come; it will not alwayes laſt, and none can tell how ſoon it will end oTertull. de anim. c. 52. Vis eſt & illa navigiis cum longe à ſaxis, nullis depugnata turbinibus, nullis quaſſata decumanis, adulante flatu, labente curſu, laetante comitatu, inteſtino repente perculſu, cum totâ ſecuritate deſidunt: non ſecus naufragia ſunt vitae etiam tranquillae, mortis eventus.: the Sunne knowes the time of his ſetting and going downe, but the ſonnes of men know not the time when the ſunne of their life ſhall ſet, and the day of grace end with them; becauſe death, it doth not call out men according to their ſeniority, but ſometimes begins with the youngeſt; the tender Lambe comes to the Shambles, as well as the old ſheepe, and ſometimes before it; an earthen pitcher, it is as ſoone broken when it is new made, as afterward; young Ioſiah dies as well as old Methuſhelah. If a man had a full veſſell that contained a great quantity and meaſure of liquor in it, yet if it were alwayes running, and if hee did continually draw out of it, without ceaſing, it would ſoone be ſpent: ſo it is with the veſſell of time, with the day of grace, and the day of a mans life, it is alwayes running; God ſets it abroach as it were, ſo ſoone as a man comes into the world; and therefore it ſhould be every mans wiſdome not to delaypSen. de bre. vit. ca. 9. Velut ex torrente rapido, nec ſemper caſu…o cito hauriendum eſt., but draw out betimes that which he hath need of, before it be too late, before all be ſpent; and the rather, becauſe no man knowes how full this veſſell of time is, how many of his dayes are yet contained in it: it may be his laſt day is even running out, when he leaſt thinks of it. When Lots wife looked back towards Sodome, little did ſhe think that the veſſell of her time had beene then running out her laſt; that her death had beene ſo neere; that this ſhould have beene her laſt looke, and yet ſo it proved: ſhe looked back towards Sodome, and ſhe never lived to looke forward any more, but was turned into a pillar of ſalt, even in that very moment, while her face was towards SodomeqGen. 19.26.. The Deere in the Forreſt little thinks himſelfe to be aymed at, when the arrow is in the bow, and ready to be diſpatched at him; and yet immediately after, hee feeles the deadly wound in his ſide; Even ſo it is with the ſonnes of men, their laſt day is running out, when they dreame of many dayes yet to come. The rich foole in the Goſpell promiſeth to himſelfe many yeares of pleaſure, even then when he had not ſo much as one night more to live. And therefore little reaſon there is, why thou ſhouldſt delay the time, and in a matter of ſo great importance, as concerns the everlaſting welfare of thy ſoule, to put it off from this day to another, ſeeing thou knoweſt not whether this be thy laſt day, or whether thou ſhalt live till that other day come.
4. And yet there is one paſſage more, that hath ſome waight in it, to quicken thy dulneſſe, and haſten thy endevors, without further delay, to looke after the things that concern thy peace; becauſe if this day of grace be once ended, there never comes a new day for the finding of mercy: this is the day of ſalvation, and if grace and mercy be not ſought and obtained within the compaſſe of this day, it is loſt for ever, as hath beene ſhewed before.rCatul. Epig. 5. Soles occidere et redite poſsūt, Nobis cum ſemel occidit brevis lux, Nox eſt perpetuo una dormienda. The Sunne ſets, and riſeth againe; that which one day yeelds not, another day may bring forth; but if this day of grace, and the day of life be once ended, it can never be recalled; there is an everlaſting night of darkneſſe that comes after it; there is but one fountaine that can waſh away ſin, even that fountaine which is ſet open for Judah and Jeruſalem to waſh in: and as the old ſaying is,ſIn idē flumen bis non deſcendimus. there is none that deſcends twice into it; there is but one pitched field wherein ſalvation is to be won; and if one error happen in that battell, as the proverbe ſaith,tIn praelio non licet bis peccare. It leaves no place for a ſecond error to be committed.
3 In regard of the danger which doth accompany this delay; Delay breeds danger in all other matters, but moſt of all in this, of greateſt waight and importance; thou makeſt little or nothing of a day; nay the neglect of thoſe things that concerne thy peace, though it be for dayes, weekes, months, yeares, &c. it never troubles thee; but Chriſt here lets thee ſee in the example of Jeruſalem, what an infinite prejudice it may be to thine everlaſting happineſſe, to neglect the looking after theſe things, though it were no more than for one day uCart com. in lo. Si eo ipſo die reſipuiſſet quo Chriſtus urbē ingreſſus eſt, haec ſententia lata nō fuiſſet: quod quia neglexit, in poſterū nullus miſericordiae locus: ex quo liquet, quantū intereſt reſipiſcentiam, non dico in annum, ſed in diē differre.. If Jeruſalem had received Chriſt, even now at length, at leaſt in this day when he came unto her, the fatall ſentence of ruine and deſtruction had not gone out againſt her; but becauſe ſhee neglected him, and would not take notice of him in this her day, therefore her deſtruction is ſealed up againſt her, and ſhe never finds another day for the obtaining of mercy; ſo that it cannot be without certaine danger for thee, or any elſe, to delay and put off the laying forth of thy ſelfe upon thoſe deſignes which doe ſo nearely concerne thy peace, and that in regard of the uncertainty of the day and meanes of grace, the uncertainty of the future day of thy life, and the time to come upon which thou dependeſt, and the uncertainty of thoſe good motions and gracious helps which hitherto thou haſt had experience of.
1. There is an uncertainty in regard of the day and meanes of grace; there is no man that hath a patent of it. When Chriſt exhorted the Jewes, while they had the light to walk in it xIohn 12.35., hee gives them plainly to underſtand, that the having of the light, it was not an inheritance ſetled upon them for perpetuity, but onelyonly a grant paſſed upon condition of their obedience, ſo long onelyonly to be continued upon them, and enjoyed by them, as they ſhould continue to walke anſwerable to it; but if once they ſhould come to grow weary of the light, (as in time they did) then this light ſhould be taken away from them, and together with it life and ſalvation: for if the candleſtick be removed, hee that walketh in the midſt of the golden candleſticks will not ſtay behinde; and what will it availe thee then to looke after the food of thy ſoule, when there is a famine of the word, when thou maieſt wander from ſea to ſea, and run to and fro, even from the North unto the Eaſt, in ſeeking the word of the Lord, and ſhalt not finde it yAmos 8.11, 12? What will it availe thee then to apply thy ſelfe to the worke for which thou cameſt into the world, when the light is gone, andzIohn. 12.35. ſuch a night of darkneſſe come upon thee, that none can worke aMuſc. co. in loc. Qui in intinere ſunt veſperi, ubi animadvertunt imminere noctem, & parum adhuc ſupereſſe die…, ne tenebris nocturnis comprehendantur, ſtudi oſiùs promovent, nec ullas moras nectunt, quo civitatē ingredi valeant, antequā nox cuncta occupet; impedire non poſſunt ne nox invaleſcat, hactenus tamē commodis ſuis conſulere poſſunt, ut donec lucem habent, ambulantes in civitatē ſe recipiant, &c. hac itaque ſimilitudine, admonemur etipſi, quid nobis ſit faciē dum. q. l. utimini commoditate praeſenti, ad veſtram utilitatem, donec illiꝰ eſt copia, &c.? Now thou haſt the light, but it is uncertaine how long it will continue; now thou haſt the word of the Goſpel, but it is uncertaine how long thou ſhalt enjoy it: therefore delay not the time any longer, but even now from this day forward, begin to lay out thy ſelfe for thine owne advantage, and wiſely to apply thy ſelfe to the things that belong to thy peace. The Sea-faring-man makes uſe of the wind and tide when it ſerves his turne, becauſe hee knowes it will not alwaies continue, and therefore he launcheth forth into the deepe, when a proſperous gale of wind commeth. The way-faring man takes day before him, and travailes while it is light, becauſe hee knowes the night is comming. The husbandman makes hay while the ſun ſhines, becauſe he knowes it is not in his power to cauſe it to ſhine when he will. The Smith ſtrikes the Iron while it is hot, becauſe he knowes it will grow cold againe, and then it is not plyable to be wrought to his minde. The reaper obſerves when the regions are white unto the harveſt, and then puts in his ſickle, becauſe hee knowes the corne muſt be reaped, and inned in ſeaſonable time, elſe it will be loſt, and rot upon the ground. The Lawyer followes his ſuites, and entertains his Clients while the Terme laſteth, becauſe he knowes there will be a time of vacation, when all ſuch buſineſſe and imployments muſt ceaſe. Goe thou and do likewiſe; learn wiſdome from the men of this world, (for they are wiſe in their generation) and while the day and meanes of grace continue, lay out thy ſelfe for thine owne good; and becauſe it is uncertaine how long they will continue, delay not the time, but ſpeedily apply thy ſelfe unto it.
2. Againe, there is an uncertaintie of the time to come, upon which thou dependeſt; it may be this very day, is the laſt day that thou haſt to live; and then the neglecting of thy ſalvation, though it were no longer but for this day onelyonly, is the loſing of it for ever; this day thou maieſt reckon upon; but when this is gone, who can promiſe unto thee another day? nay, who can aſſure thee that thou ſhalt ſee the end of this day? no man knowes what the late evening may bring forth: the ſame day may find thee alive when it comes, and leave thee dead before it be gone. The very heathen could ſee this by the light of nature, and likewiſe the vanity of thoſe who build upon ſuch uncertaintiesbQuis ſcit an adjiciant hodiernae craſtina ſūmae, Tēpora dii ſuperi. Hora.. Whereupon Seneca adviſeth and incourageth his friend Lucilius, to lay hands upon all good houres ſo ſoone as they come, and not to feed himſelfe with the expectation of future uncertainties, or depend upon themcSen ad Lucil. ep. 1. Fac ergo mi Lucili, quod facere te ſcribis omnes horas complectere, ſic fiet ut minꝰ ex craſtino pendeas, ſi bodierno manū injeceris.. And it is the counſell of Solomon himſelfe, who was guided in his counſell by the Spirit of God, and ſo went beyond the wiſeſt of the heathens in this matter:dProv. 27.1. Boaſt not thy ſelfe of to morrow, for thou knoweſt not what a day may bring forth. As if hee ſhould ſay, Thou ſeeſt what falls out this day; but when this day is come to an end, there is no counting of thy chickens before they be hatched; there is no depending upon that which ſhall be to morrow, becauſe thou knoweſt not what that day may bring forth, whether thy converſion, or confuſion; hell is full of delayed purpoſes. If thou wouldſt come to heaven, thou muſt ſeek and find grace ſometime, at leaſt before thou die: and if thou wouldeſt be ſure of that, be ſure to doe it this day, becauſe thou art not ſure that thou ſhalt live to ſee another day. It is true indeed, he that came to labour in the Vineyard at the eleventh houre, he had his peny, and ſo ſhalt thou, if thou doe as he did: but truſt not to that, for thou mayſt be in hell long before that houre come. If thou couldſt certainly know how much of this thy day is yet to come, as well as thou knoweſt how much of it is paſt already; then there might be ſome pretence and colour for the putting off and delaying of this duty till ſuch a day; thou mighteſt ſo order and diſpoſe of things, that every buſineſſe might be ſure to have his day: but now it cannot be without certaine danger, to put off this daies worke to another day, becauſe it is uncertain if that day will ever come or not; for he that hath promiſed remiſſion of ſinnes to him that repenteth this day, hath not promiſed to afford him another day when this is goneeGreg. hom. 12. in Evang. Si ſciret quiſque de praeſenti ſaeculo quo tēpore exiret, aliud tēpus voluptatibus, aliud poenitentiae aptare potuiſſet. Sed qui poenitentiae veniam ſpoſpondit peccanti, diem craſtinum non promiſit..
3. Furthermore, there is an uncertainty of thoſe good motions, and gracious helps which hitherto thou haſt had experience of: the Spirit that ſtirs up in thee good motions this day, will not alwaies ſtrive with thee fGen. 6.3.: at leaſt in that degree and meaſure that now he doth: for though the day of grace, and the day of the Goſpell be of an equall extent, and there is none that can ſay that his day is paſt, or the date of acceptance and finding mercy with God expired, ſo long as the Goſpell is preached, and grace offered unto himgSee Scud. his chriſtians daily walke, cap. 16. § 3 pag. 540. & ſeq.: (and therefore the Spirit doth not wholly give over to ſtrive with him in the miniſtery of the Word) yet there is none but is in danger to be a great loſer, by delaying to cheriſh and entertain the good motions of the Spirit: for,
1. Whenſoever hee ſtirres up in thee any purpoſe or intention, any motion or deſire to ſuch a particular duty, or good worke, and thou ſuffereſt it to die, and be quenched, and come to nothing, it is uncertaine whether ever thou ſhalt have ſuch a kindly impreſsion wrought in thee any more. There was a time when Chriſt knocked at the doore of the Spouſe, when he put in his hand by the hole, and intreats her by all termes of love to open unto him hCant. 5.: but becauſe her heart was gone when he ſpake unto her, and ſhe puts him off with ſuch poor excuſes, that ſhe had put off her cloathes, and loath ſhe was to riſe out of her warme bed, &c. therefore when afterward upon her ſecond thoughts ſhee grows better adviſed, and reſolves with her ſelf to open the doore, her beloved was then gone.
2. Beſides, the more often that grace is refuſed, the more difficulty will there be in obtaining of it afterward: as God hath often called upon thee, and thou haſt neglected to heare; often tendered mercy unto thee, and thou haſt refuſed it; ſo hee will make thee often to ſeeke for it, before thou finde it; often and earneſtly to beg for it, before thou obtaine it; often and many a time to cry unto him for it, before thou have it.
3. And againe, the more that the Spirit is grieved and reſiſted in this kind, the more weakly and ſparingly will it ſtir up good thoughts and affections in thee; and the weaker thy receipts are in this kind, the more ſhall be abated of the reward and bleſſing which thou mighteſt have had, both in grace here, and glory hereafter.
4. Yea farther, the longer thou delayeſt to looke after grace in this thy day, the more hard and obdurate will thy heart be; and who can tel how far God may leave thee to thine owne hardneſſe, and heart that cannot repent, even to treaſure and heape up wrath unto thy ſelfe againſt the day of wrath, and of the declaration of the juſt judgement of God iRom. 2.5.?
4. In regard of the folly and impiety that is inſeparably linked and commingled with the delay of this great and waighty buſineſſe. It is both a fooliſh and a wicked thing for any to delay and put off the ſeeking after thoſe things that concerne the good of his ſoul, till the beſt and greateſt part of this day be gone: who was ever ſo fooliſh in other matters, that he could be perſwaded to endure a long and tedious ſickneſſe, and to neglect all preſent helps that might doe him good, onelyonly upon a bare and uncertaine hope of being cured afterward? yet ſo fooliſh are men in matters that concerne the welfare of their ſoule, as the Father obſerves,*Aug. tract. 33. in Ioan. Laegitur tibi Dominus ſpatiū correctionis, ſed tu plus amas dilationē quam emendationem. That they had rather continue ſick, than be preſently healed: yea he found it ſo in his own experiencekAug. conſ l. 8. c. 5. Modo et modo, ſine paululum, &c. modo et modo non habebant modū, & ſine paululū in longū ibat. Et cap. 7. Da mihi caſtitatem, ſed noli modo, &c.: for when firſt hee entertained thoughts and purpoſes of leaving his ſin, he was ſtill apt and inclineable to put them off with delayes; He would doe it anon, but not now; by and by, but not preſently; ſhortly after, but not yet; he prayed for chaſtity, but was afraid God would heare him too ſoone: in his ſecret thoughts he wiſhed to have it, but not yet: and ſo it is with many, they plead for delay, as Solomons ſluggard doth for ſleepe,lProv. 6.10. Yet a little ſleepe, a little ſlumber, a little folding of the hands to ſleepe.
When Moſes asked Pharaoh mExod. 8.10., When ſhall I take away this plague from thee? he anſwers, To morrow; even ſo do many deal with their ſins, though they bee no better than plagues, yea,nHag. 1.2. the greateſt plagues that can befall them; yet are they well content to keepe them this day, not willing to part with them, before to morrow; as the Jewes ſaid of the building of the Lords temple, build it they would, but it was not yet time; ſo it is with many, they will lay out themſelves upon thoſe imployments that concerne the good of their ſoules, but it is not yet time, the day is not yet come; like unthankfull debtors, when their day is already paſt, they crave a longer, and a longer, and yet a longer day, till all the day be almoſt runne out, before they finde any part of it to ſeeke after God: they have a day and will not take it; and therefore it is but juſt with God, as Fulgentius oS. Fulgent. de fide ad Pet. c. 3. Nullus hominum debet ſub ſpe miſericordiae Dei, in ſuis diutiùs remanere peccatis, cum etiam in ipſo corpore nemo velit ſub ſpe futurae ſalutis diutiùs aegrotare: tales enim qui ab iniquitatibꝰ ſuis recedere negligūt, et ſibi de Deo indulgētiā repromittunt, non nunquā ita praeveniuntur repentino Dei furore, ut nec converſi onis tempꝰ, nec beneficium remiſſionis inveniant.well obſerves, to cut them ſhort of that day, which they ſo fondly and fooliſhly dreame of, and even to prevent their expectations with ſuch unexpected judgements, that they never live to ſee either the day of their converſion, or a time for the obtaining of the remiſſion of their ſinnes. Now what greater folly can be imagined, than for a man thus to delay that, which can never either be begun too ſoone, or put off for the leaſt ſpace of time, without manifold danger? for the longer this worke is delayed, the more paines and labour it will require when it is done: as it is with a ruinous building, the longer it remaines without reparation, the more coſt and charge it will require at length: the longer it be before the plaiſter of grace be applyed to the ſoule, the more hard and difficult it is to doe a cure upon it; even as it is with a wound in the body, it is not ſo eaſily cured when it is feſtered and rankled, as when it is green, and but newly taken. The more ſtrength that ſin hath gotten through long cuſtome and continuance, the more adoe there will be to caſt it out: as it is with a plant, which may be eaſily plucked up while it is a tender twig, but not without much difficulty when it is grown up to a ſtrong tree: the more deeply that iniquity is rooted in the heart, the harder it will be to dig it out: as it is with a nayle that is driven into the wood, it is a harder matter to draw it out, when with many blowes it is driven to the head, than it was before, when with but few blows it was but weakly faſtned in it. Inordinate luſts and affections are not ſo eaſily mortified, when they have burned long in the ſoule, and are now come to an open flame; as when the fire of concupiſcence firſt begins to move & ſtir within it: as it is with a materiall fire, which is more eaſily quenched when it doth but begin to fly out in a little ſparke, than when it is growne to a full flame: and yet ſuch is the folly of moſt men, that they will not lay out themſelves for their owne good, but delay and put it off, till the fire of concupiſcence be growne to a full flame, till the nayle of iniquity be driven to the head, till the wild olive plant of ſin be grown to a tree, till that old ſore and diſeaſe of wickedneſſe be even rankled with corruption, yea till the earthly houſe of their bodies be growne ſo ruinous, that they are even ready to fall upon their heads. If any thing offend or trouble the eye of the body, no haſte is enough for the removal of it, as the heathē man obſervespHorat. 1. ep. 2. Quae laedunt oculos feſtinas demere; ſi quid Eſt animū, differs curandi tē pus in annum.: but if any thing troubles or indangers the ſoule, a yeares time is too little to conſider of the matter, before they can reſolve to goe about it. And what a height of impiety is this? what greater diſhonour can be done unto God, than to make him thus to wait upon thy leiſure? how doth it make him complaine of it,qEſay 65.2. I have ſtretched out my hands all the day long to a rebellious people?