Directions and Persuasions to a Sound Conversion, Direction 11

Directions and Persuasions to a Sound Conversion · Direction 11

p. 381DIRECT. XI. The next part of my Advice is, If you would not have this Saving Work misearry, Turn then this present day and hour, without any more Delay.

Somewhat I have spoke of this already, and therefore shall say the less. But yet I shall back this Direction with such Reasons as will certainly convince you, if you be not unreasonable, of the folly of Delay, and shew you that it concerneth you presently to Return. And though my Reasons will be numerous, it is not the Number but the Strength of them that I shall urge you principally to Consider; and because of the Number, I will go over them with the greater brevity.

1. Consider to whom it is that you are commanded to Turn: and then tell me whether there can be any Reason for delay. It is not to an empty deceitfull creature, but to the faithfull All-sufficient p. 382God: To him that is the cause of all things; the Strength of the Creation; the Joy of Angels; the Felicity of the Saints; the Sun and Shield of all the Righteous; and Refuge of the Distressed; and the Glory of the whole World. Of such Power, that his Word can take down the Sun from the Firmament, and turn the Earth and all things into nothing; for he doth more in giving them their being and continuance. Of such Wisdom, that was never guilty of mistake, and therefore will not mislead you, nor draw you to any thing that is not for the best. Of such Goodness, as that evil cannot stand in his sight; and nothing but your evil could make him displeased with you; and it is from nothing but evil that he calleth you to Turn. It is not to a malitious Enemy, that would do you a mischief, but it is to a gracious God, that is Love it self: Not to an implacable Justice, but to a reconciled Father; not to revenging Indignation, but to the embracement of those Arms, and the Mercy of that compassionate Lord, that is enough to melt the hardest heart, when you find your self as the poor returning p. 383Prodigall, Luk. 25. 20. in his bosome, when you deserved to have been under his feet. And will the great and blessed God invite thee to his favour, and wilt thou delay and demurre upon the Return? The greatest of the Angels of Heaven are glad of his favour, and value no Happiness but the light of his countenance: Heaven and Earth are supdorted by him, and nothing can stand without him: How glad would those very Devils be of his favour, that tempt thee to neglect his favour: And wilt thou delay to turn to such a God? Why man, thou art every minute at his mercy: If thou turn not, he can throw thee into Hell when he will, more easily then I can throw this Book to the ground; And yet dost thou delay? There are all things imaginable in him to draw thee: There is nothing that is good for thee but it is perfectly in him; where thou maist have it certain and perpetuated. There is nothing in him to give the least discouragement: Let all the Devils in Hell, and all the Enemies of God on Earth, say the worst they can against his Majesty; and they are not able to find the smallest blemish in his absolute Holiness, and p. 384Wisdom, and Goodness: And yet wilt thou delay to Turn?

2. Consider also, as to Whom, so to what it is that thou must Turn. Not to uncleanness, but unto Holiness: not, to the sensual life of a Beast, but to the Noble rationall life of a man, and the more Noble Heavenly life of a Believer: Not to an unprofitable worldly toyl, but to the gainfullest Employment that ever the Sonnes of men were acquainted with: Not to the deceitfull drudgery of sinne, but to that Godliness which is profitable to all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come, 1 Tim. 4. 8. Sirs. Do you know what a life of Holiness is? You do not know it, if you turn away from it: I am sure if you knew it, you would never fly from it, no nor endure to live without it. Why, a life of Holiness, is nothing but a living unto God: to be conversant with him as the wicked are with the world; and to be devoted to his Service, as sensualists are to the flesh. It is to live in the Love of God and our Redeemer, and in the foretasts of his Everlasting Glory, and of his Love: and in the sweet fore-thoughts of that blessed life p. 385that shall never end: and in the honest self-denying course that leadeth to that blessedness. A godly life, is nothing else but a sowing the Seed of Heaven on Earth; and a learning in the School of Christ, the Songs of praise which we must use before the Throne of God; and by suffering, a learning how to Triumph and reign with Christ. And is there any thing in this life which you have cause to be afraid of? The sinnes and weaknesses of the godly are contrary to Godliness; and therefore Godliness is no more dishonoured by them, then health and life is dishonoured by your sicknesses. As health is never the worse to be liked but the better, because of the painfull grievousness of sickness; so Godliness is to be liked the better, because the very failings of the Saints are so grievous. If a true Believer do but step out of the way of God, he is wounded, he is out of …oynt, he is as undone till he come in again; though it was but in one particular. And can you endure to continue strangers to it altogether so long. I know you may find faults in the godly, till they are perfect: but let the most malicious Enemy of Christ on Earth find p. 386any fault in Godliness if he can.

Can you delay to come into your Fathers Family; into the Vineyard of the Lord; into the Kingdom of God on Earth; to be fellow Citizens of the Saints, and of the Houshould of God; to have the Pardon of all your sinnes, and the sealed Promise of Everlasting Glory? Why Sirs, when you are called on to Turn, you are called to the Porch of Heaven; into the beginning of Salvation: And will you delay to accept Everlasting life?

3. Consider also from what you are called to Turn: and then judg whether there be any reason of delay. It is from the Devil your Enemy: from the love of a deceitfull world; from the seducement of corrupted bruitish flesh: It is from sinne the greatest evil: What is there in sinne that you should delay to part with it? Is there any good in it? Or what hath it ever done for you, that you should love it? Did it ever do you good? Or did it ever do any man good? It is the deadly enemy of Christ and you, that caused his death, and will cause yours, and is working for your damnation, if p. 387converting and pardoning Grace prevent it not: And are you loath to leave it? It is the cause of all the miseries of the world, of all the sorrow that ever did befall you, and the cause of the damnation of them that perish: And do you delay to part with it.

4. Your Delaying shews that you Love not God, and that you preferre your sinne before him, and that you would never part with it if you might have your will. For if you loved God, you would long to be restored to his favour, and to be near him, and employed in his service and his Family. Love is quick and diligent, and will not draw back. And it is a sign also that you are in love with sinne: For else why should you be so loath to leave it? He that would not leave his sinne and turn to God, till the next week, or the next MonethMonth or year, would never turn if he might have his desire. For that which makes you desirous to stay a day or week longer, doth indeed make you loath to turn at all. And therefore it is but hypocrisie to take on you, that you are willing to turn hereafter, if you be not willing to do it now, without delay.

p. 3885. Consider but what a Case you are in while you thus delay. Do you think you stand on drie ground, or in a safe condition? If you knew where you are, you would sit as upon thornes, as long as you are unconverted: you would be as a man that stood up to the knees in the Sea, and saw the tide coming towards him; who certainly would think that there's no standing still in such a place. Read what I have said of the state of the unconverted, in my first Treatise of Conversion. In a word, you are the drudges of sinne, the slaves of the Devil, the enemies of God, the abusers of his Grace and Spirit, the despisers of Christ, the heirs of Hell. And is this a state to stay in an hour? You have all your sin unpardoned; you are under the Curse of the Law; the Wrath of God is upon you; and the fulness of it hangs over your heads; Judgment is coming to pass upon you the dreadfull doom; the Lord is at hand; death is at the door, and waits but for the Word from the mouth of God, that it may arrest you, and bring you to Everlasting misery: And is this a state for a man to stay in?

p. 3896. Moreover, Your Delaying giveth great advantage to the Tempter. If you would presently turn and forsake your sinnes, and enter a faithfull Covenant with God, the Devil would be almost out of hope, and the very heart of his temptations would be broken: He would see that now it is too late: there's no getting you out of the arms of Christ. But as long as you delay, you keep him still in heart and hope: He hath time to strengthen his prison and fetters; and to renew his snares; and if one temptation serve not, he hath time to try another, and another: As if you would stand as a mark for Satan to shoot at, as long as he please. What likelihood is there that ever so foolish a sinner should be recovered and saved from his sinne?

7. Moreover, Your Delaying is a vile abuse of Christ, and the holy Ghost, and may so farre provoke him as to leave you to your self; and then you are past help. If you delight so to trample on your crucified Lord, and will so long put him to it by your refusing his Grace, and grieving his Spirit; What can you expect but that he should turn away in wrath, and p. 390utterly forsake you, and say, [Let him keep his sinne, seeing he had rather have it then my Grace: Let him continue ungodly, seeing he is so loath to be sanctified: let him take his own course, and die in his sinne, and repent in Hell, seeing he would not repent on Earth?] You provoke Christ thus to give you up.

8. Consider also I beseech you, if you ever mean to turn, what it i… that you stay for. Do you think to bring down Christ and Heaven to lower rates, and to be saved hereafter with less adoe? Sure you cannot be so foolish: For God will be still the same; and Christ the same; and his Promise hath still the same Condition, which he will never Change; and Godliness will be the same, and as much against your carnall interest hereafter as it is now? When you have lookt about you never so long, you'l never find a fairer or nearer way; but this same way you must go or perish. If you cannot leave sinne now, how should you leave it then: It will be still as sweet to your flesh as now: Or if one sinne grow stale by the decay of nature, another that's worse will spring up in its stead, and though the acts abate, they p. 391will all live still at the root; for sinne was never mortified by age. So that if ever you will turn, you may best turn now.

9. Yea more then that; The longer you stay, the harder it will be. If it be hard to day, it is like to be harder to morrow. For as the Spirit of Christ is like to forsake you for your wilfull delayes, so custom will strengthen sinne: and custom in sinning will harden your hearts, and make you as past feeling, to work all uncleanness with greediness, Eph. 4. 19. Cannot you crush this Serpent when it is but in the Spawne; and can you encounter it in its Serpentine strength? Cannot you pluck up a tender Plant, and can you pluck up an Oak or Cedar? O sinners, what do you do, to make your recovery so difficult by delay? You are never like to be fairer for Heaven, and to find Conversion an easier work, then now you may do▪ Will you stay till the work be ten times harder, and yet do you think it so hard already?

10. Consider also, That fin gets daily Victories by your delay▪ We lay our batter…es against it, and preach, and exhort, and pray against it, and it gets a kind of victory p. 392over all, as long as we prevail not with you to turn. It conquereth our perswasions and advice: It conquereth all the stirrings of your Consciences: It conquereth all your heartless purposes, and deceitfull Promises. And these frequent Conquests do strengthen your sinne, and weaken your resistance, and leave the matter almost hopeless. Before a Physician hath used remedies, he hath more hope of a cure, then when he hath tried all means, and finds that the best Medicines do no good, but the man is still as bad or worse. So when all meanes have been tried with you, and yet you are unconverted, the case draws towards desparation it self: The very means are disabled more then before; that is, your hearts are unapter to be wrought upon by them; When you have long been under Sermons, and Reading, and among good examples, and yet you are unconverted, these Ordinances lose much of their force with you: Custom will make you slight them, and be dead-hearted under them. And it is these very same Means and Truths that you have frustrated that must do the work, or it will never be done: The same Plaister must heal you, that p. 393you have thrown off so oft; And what a sad case is this, that there is no hope left, but in the very same Medicine which you have taken so oft in vain.

11. Moreover, Age it self hath many inconveniences, and youth hath many great advantages; and therefore it is folly to delay. In age the understanding and memory grows dull; and people grow uncapable and almost unchangeable. We see by our every daies experience, that men think they should not change when they are old; that opinion or practice that they have been brought up in, they think that they should not then forsake▪ To learn when they are old, and to turn when they are old, you see how much they are against it. Besides, how unfit is age to be at that paines, that youth can undergo? How unfit to begin the holy Warfare against the flesh, the world, and Devil? Gods way is to list his Souldiers as soon as may be; Even in their infancy; which they must own as soon as ever they come to age: And the Devil would not have it done at all; and therefore he would have it put off as long as may be: In infancy he will tell the Parents with the Anabaptists▪ It is p. 394too soon to be dedicated to God, and entred into his Covenant: when they come to their childhood, and youthfull state, he will then perswade them that it is yet too soon; and when he can no longer perswade them that it is yet too soon, he will then perswade them that it is too late. O what a happy thing it is to come unto God betimes, and with the first. What advantage hath youth? They have the vigour of wit and of body: They be not rooted and hardned in sinne, nor filled with prejudice and obstinacy against Godliness, as others be. Besides, the capacity of serving God, of which anon.

12. You have such times of advantage and encouragement as few ages of the world have ever seen, and few Nations on Earth do enjoy at this day. What plain and plentifull teaching have you? What abundance of good examples; and the society of the godly; private and publique helpes are common. Godliness is under as little suffering as ever you can expect to see it: yea, it is grown into repu…ation among us; so that it is an honour to serve God, and a dishonour to neglect it (as well it may) Our Rulers p. 395countenance the Practises of Godliness: they proclaim themselves the forward Professors and Patrons of it, and take this as their Glory. And this is not ordinary in the world. Seldome hath the Church seen such daies on Earth. And yet is not the way to Heaven fair enough for you? Yet are you not ready to turn to God? When should men make Hay but when the Sun shines? Will you delay till this Harvest time be over, and the Winter of persecution come again? Can you better turn to God, when a godly life is the common scorn of the Countrey, as it was a while agoe? and when every one will be deriding and railing at you? Or when it may possibly cost you your lives? Have you Sun, and winde, and tide to serve you, and will you stay to set out in stormes and darkness.

13 Moreover, Your del…y doth cast your Conversion and Salvation upon hazard; yea upon many and grievous hazzards. And is your Everlasting happiness a matter to be wil…ully hazarded, by causeless and unreasonable delays? 1. If you delay to day▪ you are utterly uncertain of living till to morrow. If you p. 396put by this one motion, you know not whether ever you shall have another. Alas, that ever the heart of man should be so sensless, as to delay, when they know not but it may prove their damnation; and when Heaven or Hell must certainly follow; that they dare put off a day or hour, when they know not whether ever they shall see another. 2. And as your life is uncertain, so are the means uncertain, by which God useth to do the work. He may remove your Teachers, and other helps; and then you will be further off then before. 3. And if both should continue, yet Grace it self is uncertain. You know not whether ever the Spirit of God will put another thought of turning into your hearts: Or at least whether he will give you hearts to turn.

14. Moreover, The delay of Conversion, continueth your sinne, and so you will daily increase the number, and increase your guilt, and make your souls more abundantly miserable. Are you not deep enough in debt to God already, and have you not yet sinnes enough to answer for upon your Souls? Would you fain have one years sinnes more, or one daies sinnes p. 397more to be charged upon you? O if you did but know what sinne is, it would amaze you to think what a mountain lyeth already upon your Consciences. One sinne unpardonned will sink the stoutest sinner into Hell: And you have many a thousand upon your Souls already: and would you yet have more. Me thinks you should rather look about you, and bethink you how you may get a pardon for all that's past.

15. And as sinne increaseth daily by delay, so consequently the Wrath of God increaseth; you will run further into his displeasure; and possibly you may cut down the bough that you stand upon, and hasten even bodily destruction to your selves. When you live daily upon God, and are kept out of Hell, by a miracle of his mercy, me thinks you should not desire yet longer to provoke him, least he withdraw his Mercy, and let you fall into misery.

16. And do but consider, what will become of you, if you be found in these delaies. You are then lost body and Soul for ever. Now if you had but hearts to know what is good for you, the worst of you might be converted, and saved: p. 398for God doth freely offer you his Grace. But if you die in your delaies, in the twink of an eye you will find your selves utterly undone for ever. Now there is hope of a change: but when delays have brought you to Hell, there is no more change, nor no more hope.

17. Consider, that your very time which you lose by these delaies, is an unconceivable loss. When time is gone, what would you then give for one of those years, or daies, or hours, which now you foolishly trifle away. O wretched sinners; are their so many thousand Sous in Hell, that would give a world if they had it, for one of your daies; and yet can you afford to throw them away, in worldliness, and sensuality, and loitering delaies. I tell you, Time is better worth, then all the wealth and honours of the world. The day is coming when you will set by time: When it is gone you will know what a blessing you made light of. But then all the world cannot call back one day or hour of this precious time, which you can sacrifice now to the service of your flesh, and cast away on unprofitable sinning.

18. Consider also that God hath given p. 399you no time to spare. He hath not lent you one day or hour, more then is needfull for the work that you have to do: and therefore you have no reason to lose any by your delaies. Do you imagine that God would give a man an hours time for nothing; much less, for to abuse him, and serve his enimy. No, let me tell you, that if you make your best of every hour; if you should never lose a minute of your lives, you would find all little enough for the work you have to do. I know not how others think of time, but for my part I am forced daily to say, How swift, how short is time? and how great is our work; and when we have done our best, how slowly goeth it on. O precious time … what hearts have they, what lives do those men lead, that think time long? that have time to spare, and pass in idleness.

19. To convince you more; consider I beseech you the exceeding greatness of the work you have to do; and tell me then whether it be time for you to delay. Especially you that are yet unconverted, and strangers to the heavenly nature of the Saints; you have far more to do then other men. You have a multitude of p. 400head-strong passions to subdue, and abundance of deadly sinnes to kill; and rooted vices to root up… You have many a false opinion of God, and his waies, to be plucked up; and the customes of many years standing to be broken: You have blind minds that must be enlightned with heavenly kowledg; and abundance of Spiritual Truths, that are above the reach of flesh and blood, that you must needs learn and understand: You have much to know, that is hard to be known, You have a dead Soul to be made alive, and a hard heart to be melted; and a scared Conscience to be softned, and made tender; and the guilt of many thousand sinnes to be pardoned: You have a new heart to get, and a new End to ayme at, and seek after, and a new life to live: abundance of Enemies you have to sight with and overcome: abundance of temptations to resist and conquer. Many Graces to get, and preserve, and exercise, and increase: and abundance of holy works, to do for the Service of God, and the good of your selves, and others. O what a deal of work doth every one of these words conteine! and yet what abundance more might I name! And have p. 401you all this to do, and yet will you delay? And they are not indifferent matters that are before you: It is no less then the saving of your Souls; and the obtaining the blessed Glory of the Saints. Necessity is upon you: These are things that Must be done, or else wo to you that ever you were born: And yet have you another day to lose! Why Sirs, if you had a hundred mile to go, in a day or two, upon paine of death; would you delay? O think of the work that you have to do, and then judg whether it be not time to stirre.

20. And me thinks it should exceedingly terrifie you to consider, what abundance by such Delayes do perish: and how few that wilfully delay are ever converted, and saved. Many a Soul that once had purposes hereafter to repent, is now in the misery, where there is no Repentance, that will do them any good. For my part, though I have known some very few Converted when they were old; yet I must needs say, both that they were very few indeed, and that I had reason to believe, that they were such that had sinned before in ignorance, and did not wilfully put off Repentance, when p. 402they were convinced that they must turn. Though I doubt not but God may convert even these if he please, yet I cannot say that I have ever known many, if any such to be converted. Sure I am that Gods usual time is in Child-hood, or youth, before they have long abused grace, and wilfully delaid to turn when they were convinced. Some considerable time I confess many have before their first convictions, and purposes be brought to any great ripeness of performance: but O how dangerous is it to delay.

21. Consider also; Either Conversion is Good, or Bad for you: Either it is needfull, or unnecessary. If it be bad, and a needless thing, then let it alone for altogether? But if you are convinced that it is Good, and necessary, is it not better now then to stay any longer? Is it not the sooner the better? Are you afraid of being safe, or happy too soon. If you are sick, you care not how soon you are well: If you have a bone out, you care not how soon it is set: If you fall into the water, you care not how soon you get out: If your house be on fire, you care not how soon it be quenched: If you are but in fears by any doubts, or p. 403ill tidings, you care not how soon your fears be over. And yet are you afraid of being to soon out of the power of the Devil, and the danger of Hell; and of being too soon the Sons of God, and the holy, justified heirs of Heaven.

22. Consider also: Either you can turn now, or not. If you can, and yet will not, you are utterly without excuse. If you cannot to day, how much less will you be able hereafter; when strength is less, and difficulties greater, and burdens more. Is it not time therefore to make out to Christ for strength; and should not the very sense of your disability disswade you from delay?

23. Consider how long you have staid already, and put Gods Patience to it by your folly: Hath not the Devil, the world, and the flesh, had many years time of your life already? Have you not long enough been swallowing the poison of sinne? and long enough been abusing the Lord that made you, and the blood of the Sonne of God, that was shed for you, and the Spirit of Grace, that hath moved and perswaded with you? Are you not yet gone far enough from God? and have you not yet done enough to the p. 404damning of your selves, and casting away Everlasting Life. O wretched sinners; it is rather time for you, to fall down on your faces before the Lord, and with tears and groans, to lament it, day and night, that ever you have gone so far in sinne, and delayed so long to turn to him as you have done. Sure if after so many years rebellion, you are yet so far from lamenting it, that you had rather have more of it, and had rather hold on a little longer, no wonder if God forsake you, and let you alone.

24. Have you any hopes of Gods acceptance, and your Salvation, or not? If you have such hopes, that when you turn, God will pardon all your sinnes, and give you Everlasting Life: is it think you an ingenious thing to desire to offend him yet a little longer, from whom you expect such exceeding Mercy, and Glory as you do? Have you the faces to speak out what is in your hearts, and practice; and to go to God with such words as these; Lord I know I cannot have the pardon of one sinne, without the Blood of Christ, and the riches of thy Mercy: Nor can I be saved from Hell without it: But yet I hope for all this from thy Grace: I beseech p. 405thee let me live a little longer in my sinnes; a little longer let me trample on the Blood of Christ, and despise thy commands, and abuse thy Mercies; a little longer let me spit in the face of thy Goodness, and prefer the flesh, and the world before thee, and then pardon me all that ever I did, and take me into Glory. Could you for shame put up such a request to God as this? If you could, you are past shame: If not, then do not practise and desire that, which you cannot for shame speak out and request.

25. Moreover, it is an exceeding advantage to you, to come in to God betimes, and an exceeding loss, that you will suffer by delay, if you were sure to be converted at the last. If you speedily come in, you may have time to learn, and get more understanding in the matters of God, then else can be expected: For knowledg will not be had but by time, and study. You may also have time to get strength of Grace, when young beginners can expect no more then an infant strength: You may grow to be men of parts and abilities, to be usefull in the Church, and profitable to those about you, when others cannot go or p. 406stand, unless they lean on the stronger for support. If you come in betime, you may do God a great deale of service; which in the evening of the day, you will neither have strength, nor time to do. You may have time to get Assurance of Salvation, and to be ready with comfort when death shall call: When a weakling is like to be perplexed with doubts, and fears, and death is like to be terrible, because of their unreadiness.

26. And did you ever consider, who and how many do stay for you while you delay? Do you know who it is that you make to waite your leisure. God himself stands over you with the offers of his Mercy, as if he thought it long till you return, saying, O that there were such a heart in them! and when will it once be? How long ye simple will you love simplicity, and scorners delight in scorning, and fools hate knowledg? Turn you at my reproof. Deut. 5 29. Jer. 13. 17. Prov. 1. 22. And do you think it wise, or safe, or mannerly for you to make the God of Heaven to wait on you, while you are serving his Enimy? Can you offer God a baser indignity, then to expect that he should support your lives, and feed p. 407you, and preserve you, and patiently forbeare you, while you abuse him to his face, and drudg for the flesh, the world, and the Devil? Should a worm thus use the Lord that made him? You will not your selves hold a candle in your hands, while it burns your own fingers; nor will you hold a nettle, or a wasp in your hand to sting you; nor will you keep a dog in your house, that is good for nothing but to snarl at you, and bite your Children, or worry your sheep: And yet God hath long held up your lives, while in stead of Light, you have yielded nothing but a stinking snuff; and in stead of graps you have brought forth nothing but thorns and thistles; and while you have snarled at his Children, and his Flock, and done the worst you could against him. And would you indeed put God to wait on you thus, while you serve the Devil yet one day more. Must God as it were hold the drunkard the candle while he reeles and spues? Must he draw the curtain, while the filthy wretch doth once more please his fleshly lusts? Marvaile not, if he withdraw his supporting Mercy, and let such wretches drop into Hell.

p. 408And it is not God only, but his Servants, and Creatures, and Ordinances, that all are waiting on you. The Angels stay for the joy that is due to them upon your Conversion. Ministers are studying, and preaching, and praying for you. Godly neighbours are praying, and longing for your change. The Springs, and rivers are flowing for you: The winds blow for you: The Sunne shines for you: The clouds raine for you: The Earth bears fruit for you: The beasts must labour, and suffer, and die for you: All things are doing, and would you stand still? or else do worse. What hast makes the Sunne about the world, to return in its time to give you light? What hast make other Creatures in your service? And yet must you delay. Must God stay, and Christ, and the Spirit stay; Must Angels stay, must Ministers stay, must the Godly stay, and the Ordinances stay, and all the Creatures stay your leasure, while you are abusing God, and your Souls, and others, and while you delay, as if it were too soon to turn?

27. Consider, that when you were lost, the Sonne of God did not delay the p. 409work of your Redemption. He presently undertook it, and turned by the stroak of damning Justice. In the fulness of time he came and performed what he undertook: he failed not one day of his appointed time. And will you now Delay to accept the benefit, and turn to him? Must he make such hast to save you at so dear a rate, and now will you delay to be saved.

28. Moreover, God doth not delay to do you good: You have the day and night in their proper seasons: The Sunne doth not faile to rise upon you at the appointed time: You have the Spring, and Harvest in their meetest seasons: the former and later raine in season. When you are in want you have seasonable supplies: and when your are in danger, you have seasonable deliverance: And is it meet or equal that you should refuse to bring forth seasonable fruit, but still be putting off God with your delaies?

29. Moreover, When you are in trouble and necessity, you are then in hast for deliverance, and relief. Then you think every day a week till your danger or suffering be past. If you be under the pain of a disease, or in danger of death, or p. 410under poverty, or oppression, or disgrace, you would have God relieve you without delay: And yet you will not turn to him without delay. Then you are ready to cry out, How long, Lord, how long till deliverance come: but you will not hear God, when he cryeth to you in your sinnes, How long will it be ere you turn from your transgressions: when shall it once be? When you are to receive any outward deliverance, you care not how soon; the sooner the better: but when you are to turn to God, and receive his Grace, and title to Glory, then you care not how late, as if you had no mind of it. Can you for shame beg of God to hasten your deliverances, when you remember your delaies, and still continue to trifle with him, and draw back?

30. Your present prosperity, and worldly delights are posting away without Delay: and should you delay to make sure of better in their stead? Time is going; and health is going; youth is going: yea life is going: your riches are taking wing: your fleshly pleasures do perish in the very using: Your meat, and drink is sweet to you little longer p. 411then it is in your throat. Shortly you must part with house, and lands, with goods, and friends, and all your mirth, and earthly business will be done. All this you know; and yet will you delay to lay up a durable treasure which you may trust upon, and to provide you a better tenement before you be turned out of this? What will you do for a habitation, for pleasures and contents, when all that you have now is spent and gone, and Earth will afford you nothing but a grave? If you could but keep that you have, I should not much wonder, that knowing so little of God, and another world, you look not much after it: But when you perceive death knocking at your doores, and see that all your worldly comforts are packing up, and hasting away, me thinks, if you have your wits and sense about you, you should presently turn, and make sure of Heaven, without any more delay.

31. Consider also whether it be equal, that you should delay your Conversion, when you can seasonably dispatch your worldly business, and when your flesh would be provided for, you can hearken to it without Delay. You have wit enough to sow p. 412your seed in season, and will not delay it till the time of harvest: You will reap your corn when it is ripe, and gather your fruit when it is ripe, without delay. You observe the seasons in the course of your labours, day by day, and year by year: You will not lie in bed when you should be at your work, nor delay all night to go to your rest; nor suffer your servants to delay your business: You will know your dinner time, and supper time day by day: If you be sick you will seek help without delay, lest your disease should grow to be uncurable. And yet will you delay your Conversion, and the making sure of Heaven? Why Sirs, shall these trifles be done without delay, and shall your Salvation be put off? In the Name of God Sirs what do you think of? Do you imagine that you can better suffer Hell-f…re, then hunger, or nakedness? Or that you can better bear the loss of Everlasting Joyes, then the loss of your commodities, and provisions in the world. Sure if you believe the life to come, you cannot think so. And can you have while for every thing, except that one thing, which all the rest are meerly to promote? p. 413and in comparison of which they are all but dreams? Can you have while to work, to plow, and sow, and reap, and cannot you have while to prepare for Eternal Life? Why Sirs, if you cannot find time yet to search your hearts, and turn to God, and prepare for death; give over eating, and drinking, and sleeping, and say, you cannot have time for these. You may as wisely say so for these smaller matters, as the greater.

32. Moreover; if men offer you courtesies, and commodities for your bodies, you will not stand Delaying, and need so many perswasions to accept them. If your Landlord would for nothing renew your lease; if any man would give you houses, or lands, would you delay so long before you would accept them? A beggar at your doore will not only thankfully take your almes, without your intreaty, and importunity, but will beg for it, and be importunate with you to give it. And yet will you Delay to accept the blessed offers of Grace, which is a greater thing?

33. Ye Consider, that it is God that is the Giver, and you that are the miserable beggars, and receivers: And therefore p. 414it is fitter that you should wait on God and call on him for his Grace, when he seemeth to delay, and not that he should waite on you. He can live without your receiving, but you cannot live without his giving. The beggar must be glad of an alms at any time; and the condemned person, of a pardon at any time: but the giver may well expect that his gift be received without delay, or else he may let them go without it.

34. And me thinks you should not deal worse with God, when he comes to you as a Physician to save your own Souls, then you would do with a neighbour, or a friend, when it is not for your own good, but for theirs. If your neighbour lay a dying, you would go and visit him without delay: If he fell down in a swoon, you would catch him up without delay: If he fell into the fire, or water, you would pluck him out without delay: Yea you would do thus much by a very beast. And yet will you delay when it is not another, but your selves, that are sinking, and drowning, and within a step of death, and desparation? If a woman be but in travaile, her neighbours will come to her without delay: p. 515And yet when their own Souls are in bondage to sinne, and Satan, and a state of death, they will let them lie there, year after year, and when we desire them to be Converted, here's nothing but delaies.

35. If yet you perceive not how unreasonably you deale with God, and your Souls, I beseech you consider whether you do not deal worse with him, then you do with the Devil himself. If Satan or his servants perswade you to sinne, you delay not so long, but you are presently at it: You are ready to follow every tipling companion, or gamester that puts up the finger. You are as ready to go, as they to invite you: The very sight of the cup doth presently prevaile with the drunkard: and the sight of his filthy mate prevaileth with the fornicatour; and sinne can be presently entertained without delay. But when God comes, when Christ calls, when the Spirit moveth, when the minister perswadeth, when Conscience is convinced, we can have nothing after all, but wishes, and purposes, and promises, with Delaies. O what a stomack hath that man, or what a brain, that will snatch at poyson, p. 416and swallow dung and dirt with greediness, without any chewing; and when you offer him meat, stands sighing, and looking on it, and hardly will be perswaded to put it in his mouth: and if he do, he is chewing it so long, that at last he even spits it out againe, and cannot get it down. Thus deal ungodly wretches, between their poisonous sins, and the saving means, and Grace of Christ.

Nay more then this, so eager are they on their sinne, that we are not able to intreat them to delay it. When the passionate man is but provoked, we cannot perswade him to delay his rayling language, so long as to consider first of the issue. We cannot intreat the drunkard to put off his drunkenness but for one twelve-month, while he tryeth another course: All the ministers in the Country cannot perswade the worldling to forbear his worldliness, and the proud persons their pride, and the ungodly person his ungodliness, for the space of one monethmonth, or week, or day. And yet when God hath a command, and a request to them, to Turn to him, and be saved, here they can Delay without our intreaty.

p. 41736. Consider also that it is not possible for you to turn too soon; nor will you ever have cause to repent of your speediness. Delay may undoe you: but speedy turning can do you no harm: I wonder what hurt you think it can do you, to be quickly reconciled to God. And why then should there be any Delay, where it is not possible to be too hasty. Do you think that there is ever a Saint in Heaven, yea or on Earth either, that is sorry that he stayed not longer unconverted? No: you shall never hear of such a repentance from the mouth of any that is indeed converted.

37. But I must tell you on the contrary side, that if ever you be so hapy as to be Converted, you will Repent it, and an hundred times Repent it, that you delayed so long before you yielded. O how it will grieve you when your hearts are melted with the Love of God, and are overcome with the infinite kindness of his pardoning, saving Grace; that ever you had the hearts to abuse such a God, and deal so unkindly with him, and stand out so long against that compassion that was seeking your Salvation? O how it will grieve your hearts to consider, that you p. 418have spent so much of your lives in sinne, for the Devil, and the flesh, and the deceitfull world. O you will think with your selves; was not God more worthy of my youthfull daies? Had I not been better have spent it in his Service, and the work of my Salvation? Alas, that I should wast such precious daies, and now be so farre behind hand as I am! Now I want that Faith, that Hope, that Love, that Peace, that Assurance, that Joy in the Holy Ghost, which I might have had if I had spent those years for God, which I spent in the service of the world, and the flesh. Then I might have had the comfort of a well spent life, and with joy have now lookt back upon those daies, and seen the good I had done to others, and the honour I had brought to God: whereas I must now look back upon all those years with sorrow, and shame, and anguish of mind. You will think to your selves then a hundred times, O that▪ I had but that time againe to spend for God, which I spent for sinne! and to use for my Soul, which I wasted for my bruitish flesh. Believe it, Sirs, if ever you be converted, you must look for these Repenting sorrows for all your p. 419Delaies. (and that is the best that can come of it) And who would now wilfully make work for sorrow?

38 And I pray you consider, whether it belongs of right to God or you, to determine of the day and hour of your coming in? It is he that must give you the pardon of your sinnes; and doth it not then belong to him to appoint the time of your receiving it? You cannot have Christ, and life without him: It is he that must give you the Kingdom of Heaven: And is he not worthy then to appoint the time of your Conversion, that you may be made partakers of it? But if he say, To day, dare you say, I'l stay till to morrow.

30. Nay consider, whether God or you be likelier to know the meetest time. Dare you say that you know better when to turn, then God doth. I suppose you dare not: And if you dare not say so; for shame let not your practice say so God saith, To day, while it is called to day, hear my voice, and harden not your hearts. And dare you say, It's better stay one monethmonth longer, or one day longer, God saith, Behold this is the accepted time▪ behold this is the day of Salvation, p. 4202 Cor. 6. 2. And will you say, It's time enough to morrow? Do you know better then God? If your Physician do but tell you in a plurisie, or a feaver, you must let blood this day before to morrow; you will have so much reason as to submit to his understanding, and think that he knows better then you: And cannot you allow as much to the God of Wisdom?

40. Consider also, that the speediness of your Conversion when God first calls you, doth make you the more welcome, and is a thing exceeding pleasing to God. Our Proverb is, A speedy gift is a double gift: If you ask any thing of a friend, and he give it you presently, and cheerfully at the first asking, you will think you have it with a good will: but if he stand long delaying first and demurring upon it, you will think you have it with an ill will, and that you owe him the smaller thanks. If a very beggar at your doore must stay long for an alms, he will think he is the less beholden to you. How much more may God be displeased, when he must stay so long for his own, and that for your benefit? God loveth a cheerfull giver; and consequently a cheerfull p. 421Obeyer of his call: And if it be hearty and chearfull, it is the liker to be speedy, without such delaies.

41. And I would desire you but to do with God as you would be done by▪ Would you take it well of your Children if they should tear all their cloaths, and cast their meat to the doggs, and tread it in the dirt, and when you intreat them to give over, they will not regard you? Would you stand month after month, intreating and waiting on them, as God doth on you, in a foolisher course? Or rather would you not either soundly whip them, or take their meat from them, till hunger teach them to use it better? If your servant will spend the whole day and year, in drinking and playing, when he should do your work, will you wait on him all the year with intreaties, and pay him at last, as if he had served you? And can you expect that God should deal so by you?

42 And consider I pray you, that your Delay is a Denial, and so may God interpret it. For the Time of your Turning, is part of the Command. He that saith Turn, saith Now, even To day, without delay. He giveth you no longer p. 422day: If time be lengthned, and the of…er made again and again, that's more then he promised you, or you could have promised your selves. His Command is, Now Return and Live. And if you refuse the Time, the Present Time, you refuse the offer, and forfeit the benefit. And if you knew but what it is, to give God a denial in such a case as this, and what a case you were in if he should turn away in wrath, and never come neer you more, you would then be afraid of jesting with his hot displeasure, or dallying with the Lord.

43. And me thinks you should remember, that God doth not stay thus on all as he doth on you. Thousands are under burning and despaire, and past all remedy, while patience is waiting yet upon you. Can you forget that others are in Hell at this very hour, for as small sinnes as those that you are yet intangled, and linger in? Good Lord, what a thing is a sensless heart? That at the same time when millions are in misery, for delaying or refusing to be Converted, their successours should fearlesly venture in their steps. Surely if Faith had but opened your ears, to hear the cries of those p. 423damned Souls, you durst not imitate them by your Delaies.

44. And I must tell you, that God will not alwaies thus wait on you, and attend you by his patience, as hitherto he hath done. Patience hath his appointed time. And if you outstay that time, you are miserable wretches. I can assure you Sirs, the glass is turned upon you; and when it is runne out, you shall never have an hour of patience more: Then God will no more intreate you to be converted. He will not alwaies stand over you with Salvation, and say, O that this sinner would Repent and live! O that he would take the Mercies that I have provided for him! Do not expect that God should do thus alwaies with you: for it will not be.

45. Your Delaies do weary the Servants of Christ, that are employed for your recovery. Ministers will grow weary of preaching to you, and perswading you: When we come to men that were never warned before, we come in hopes, that they will hear and obey: and this hope puts life, and earnestness into our perswasions: But when we have perswaded men but a few times in vaine, and leave p. 424them as we found them, our spirits begin to droop and flag: Much more when we have preached and perswaded you many years, and still you are the same, and are but where you were: This dulls a Ministers spirit, and makes him preach heavily and coldly, when he is almost out of heart and hope. I do not justifie Ministers in this, and say, they should do thus: I know they should not; and if they were perfect they would not: but they are but men, and imperfect themselves: and what man is able to be as lively and fervent in his work, when people stir not, and he sees no good done on the miserable hearers, as if he had the encouragement of success? O when we do but see the hearts of hardned, stubborn sinners relent, and break, and melt before the power of the Word, and when we hear them cry out for Christ and Mercy, and cry out against themselves for their former folly, and confess their sinnes, and ask us what they shall do to be saved? and are but willing to be ruled by Christ the Physician of their Souls; this would put life into a Preacher that was cold and dull; this would even make a stone to speak. But when we tell men p. 425of Gods threatnings till they are past believing them, and tell you of Gods Anger till they seem to be past fearing it, and tell them of the plague of sinne, till they are past feeling; when in stead of preaching men to Faith, and Repentance, and fear, and tenderness of heart, we preach them into greater unbelief and carelesness, and dead stupidity, this is enough to dull or break the heart of almost any Preacher in the world: What man is able to sollow so fruitless a work with liveliness? And then it's you that will have the loss, and danger of it: When you have dried the brests, the child may famish: If your Preachers could not awake, and change you with all their convincing arguments, and fervency, how quietly may you sleep on when you have flatted them by discouragements: If Satan can either dismount, or make useless these Cannons, that were wont to batter his garrison, he may then possess you Souls in peace. You talk against persecutors that silenced Ministers: But O Sirs, it is you that are our greatest persecutours, that refuse and delay to yield to the calls of Christ by our Ministry, and make us labour so much in p. 426vaine: Though it be not in vaine as to our own Souls, yet you make it in vaine as to yours: When we have studied till we almost break our braines, and preached till we have quite broke our strength, and we are consumed, and worn away with labour, and bodily paines that it procureth, then you come after, and make us requital by breaking our hearts, by your delaies, and refusing to turn and live. Truly Sirs, I must tell you for my own part, that if it had not been for those that gave me better encouragment by their obedience, I should never have held out with you a quarter of this time: If all had profited as little as some, and all had stuck as fast in an unconverted state as some; if the humble penitent, obedient ones among you, had not been my comfort, and encouragment under Christ, I had been gone from you many a year ago; I could never have held out till now: either my corruption would have made me runne away with Jonas; or my judgment would have commanded me to shake the dust of my feet, as a witness against you, and depart: But to what end do I speak all this to you? To what end? Why? to let you p. 427see how you abuse both God and man, by your Delaies and disobedience. You cannot possibly do us that are your Teachers, a greater injurie or mischief in the world. It is not in your power to wrong us more. Are our studies, and our labours worth nothing, think you? Are our watchings and waiting, worth nothing? Are our Praiers, and tears, and groane; to be despised? God will not despise them if you do: Believe it, he will see them all on your score, and you will on… day have a heavy reconing of them, and pay full deare for them. Is it equal dealing with us, that when we are watching for your Souls, as men that know we must give an account, you should rob us of our comfort, and make us do it with sighes and sorrow? Heb. 13. 17. Yea that you should undo all that we are doing, and make us lose our labour and our hopes: And yet do you not think to pay for this? I tell you again, unconverted sinners, we are wearied with your delaies: Many years we have been perswading you but to Turn and live, and yet you are unturned: You have been convinced long, and thinking on it, and wishing long, and talking of p. 428it, and promising long, and yet it is undone, and here is nothing but delaies. We see while you delay, death takes away one this week, and another the next week, and you are passing into another world apase; and yet those that are left behind will take no warning, but still delay: We see that Satan delaies not while you delay: He is day and night at work against you: if he seem to make a truce with you, it is that he may be doing secretly while you suspect him not: We see that sinne delaieth not while you delay: It is working like poyson, or infection in your bodies, and seazing upon your vital powers; it's every day blinding you more and more; it's hardening your hearts more, and searing up your Consciences, to bring you past all feeling and hope: And must we stand by, and see this miserable work with our peoples Souls, and all be frustrate, and rejected by themselves, that we do for their deliverance? How long must we stand by with the light in our hands, while you are serving the flesh, and neglecting that which we are sent to call you to? It is not our business to hold you the candle to play by, or to sleep by, p. 429or to sinne by: these are works that better agree with the dark: But God sent us to you on another message; even to Light you out of your sinnes to him, that you might be saved. Truly beloved hearers, I must needs say, that the time seems long, and very long to me, that I have been preaching so many yeares to you for Conversion, and for an Holy, Heavenly life, even since I first knew you, and that yet so many of you are drown'd in sinne, and ignorance, and are unconverted; when I think your very Consciences tell you that it is a thing that must be done: I tell you all these years do seem to me a long time to wait on you in vain: Blessed be the Lord that it hath not been in vaine with some; or else I would scarce preach any more then one other Sermon to you, even to bid you farewel. I pray you deal but fairly with us, and tell us whether ever you will turn or not: If you will not, but are resolved for sinne and Hell, say so that we may know the worst; speak out your minds, that we may know what to trust to: For if we once knew you would not turn, we would soon have done with you, and leave you to the Justice of God. But if p. 430still you say, you will turn, when will you do it? You will do it, and you hope you shall, but when? How long would you have us wait yet? Have you not abused us enough? Nay I must tell you, that you even weary God himself. It is his own expression, Mal. 2. 17. Isa. 43. 24. Thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities, Isa. 1. 14. And I must say to you as the Prophet, Isa. 7. 13. Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but you will weary my God also? Consider what it is that you do.

46. Consider also that you are at a constant unspeakable loss every day and hour that you Delay your Conversion. O little do you know what you deprive your selves of every day. If a slave in the Gallies, or prison, might live at Court as a favourite of the Prince, in honour, and delight, and ease, would he delay either years, or hours? Or would he not rather think with himself, Is it not better to be at ease, and in honour, then to be here. As the Prodigal said, How many hired servants of my fathers have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger? All this while I might be in plenty, and delight. All the while p. 431that you live in sinne, you might be in the favour of God; in the high and Heavenly employments of the Sants; you might have the comforts of daily Communion with Christ, and with the Saints; you might be laying up for another world, and might look death in the face, with Faith and confidence, as one that cannot be conquered by it; you might live as the Heirs of Heaven on Earth: All this and more then this, you lose by your delaies: All the Mercies of God are lost upon you: Your food and rayment, you health and wealth, which you set so much by, all is but lost and worse then lost, for they turn to your greater hurt: All our pains with you; and all the Ordinances of God which you possess; and all your time, is lost and worss. And do you think it indeed a wise mans part to live any longer at such a loss as this, and that wilfully and for nothing? If you knew your loss, you would not think so.

47. Nay more, you are all this while doing that which must be undone againe, or you will be undone for ever. You are running from God; but you must come back again or perish when all is done. You p. 432are learning an hundred carnal lessons, and false conceits, that must be all unlearnt again: You are shutting up your eies in wilful ignorance; which must be opened again: You must lean the Doctrine of Christ, the great Teacher of the Church, if you stay never so long, or else you shall be cut of from his people, Acts 3. 22. & 7. 37. When you have been long accustoming your selves to sinne, you must unlearn, and break all those customes again: You are hardning your hearts daily, and they must again be softned. And I must tell you that though a little time, and labour may serve to do mischief, yet it is not quickly undone again. You may sooner set your house on fire, than quench it when you have done. You may sooner cut and wound your bodies, then heal them again: And sooner catch a cold, or a disease, then cure it: You may quickly do that which must be longer a undoing. Besides; the cure is accompanied with paine: You must take many a bitter draught, in groanes or tears of godly sorrow, for these delaies: The wounds that you are now giving your Souls, must smart, and smart again, before they are p. 433searcht and healed to the bottom. And what man of wisdom would make himself such work and sorrow. Who would travail on an hour longer, that knowes he is out of his way, and must come back again? Would you not think him a mad man that would say, I will go on a little further, and then I will turn back?

I know Mr. Bilney the Martyr was offended with this comparison, because he thought it was against Free Grace. But comparisons extend not to every respect: There are two things in your sins to be undone: the one is the Guilt, and the other is the Habit and power of sin: the first indeed is done away, when you are Converted: but at the cost of Christ, which should not be made light of: And yet some scarres may be left behind, and such twigs of Gods Rod may fall upon you as shall make you wish you had come sooner in. And for the habit of sinne, though Conversion break the heart of it, yet will it live and trouble you while you live: and those sinnes that now you are strengthning by your delaies, will be thorns in your sides, and rebels in your Country, and find you work as long as you live. And thus I may well say that p. 434you are doing that while you delay, that must be long in undoing, and will not be undone so easily as it is done; and you are going on that way, that must be all trod backward.

48. And me thinks if it were but this, it should terrifie you from your Delaies; that it is likely to make your Conversion more grievous, if you should have so great Mercy from God, as after all to be Converted. There is very few scape that are so exceeding long in travaile: but if you come to the birth, it's like to be with double paine. For God must send either some grievous affliction to fire and frighten you out of your sinnes, or else some terrible gripes of Conscience, that shall make you groane, and groane againe, in the feeling of your folly. The pangs and throws of Conscience, in the work of Conversion, are far more grievous in some then in others. Some are even on the wrack, and almost brought besides their wits, and the next step to desperation, with horror of Soul, and the sense of the Wrath of God; so that they lie in doubts and complaints many a year together; and think that they are even forsaken of God. And to Delay your Conversion, p. 435is the way to draw on either this or worse.

49. Consider also, that Delaies are contrary to the very nature of the work, and the nature of your Souls themselves. If indeed you ever mean to turn, it is a work of hast, and violence, and diligence that you must needs set upon: You must strive to enter in, for the gate is strait, the way is narrow that leads to life, and few there be that find it. Many shall seek to enter, and shall not be able, Luke 33. 24, 25. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the doore, and ye begin to stand without, and knock at the doore, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, he shall answer, I know you not whence you are: depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity, vers. 27. It is a race that you are to run, and Heaven is the prize. And you know that they which run in a race, run all: but one receiveth the prize: and therefore you must so run, as that you may win and obtain, 1 Cor. 9. 24, 25. And what is more contrary to this then Delay? You are Souldiers in fight, and your Salvation lieth on the victory: and will you trifle in such a case, when death or life is even at hand? You p. 436are travailers to another world, and will you stay till the day is almost past, before you will begin your journey? Christianity is a work of that infinite consequence, and requireth such speedy, and vigorous dispatch, that Delay is more unreasonable in this then in any thing in all the world.

And besides, your Souls are Spirits, of an excellent active nature; that will not be kept idle: and therefore Delay is unsuitable to their excellencie. The best and noblest creatures are most active: The basest are most dull, and unfit for action: The earth will stand still: You may easily keep clods and stones from moving: But fire and winds that are purer things, and the Sunne, and such nobler sublimer creatures, you are not able to keep idle for an hour. Who can cause the Sunne to delay its Course? or who can stay the ascending flames? And therefore to your more excellent immortall Souls, and that in a work that must needs be done, how exceeding unsuitable are Delaies?

50. If all this will not serve turn, let me tell you, that while you are Delaying, your Judgment doth not delay; and that p. 437when it comes, these Delaies will multiply your misery, and the remembrance of them, will be your Everlasting torment. What ever you are thinking of, or what ever you are doing, your dreadfull doom is drawing on apace; and misery will overtake you, before you are aware. When you are in the Ale-house little thinking of damnation, even then is your damnation coming in hast: when you are drown'd in the pleasures, or cares of the world, your judgment is still hastening. You may delay, but it will not delay. It is the saying of the Holy Ghost, 2 Pet. 2. 3. Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbreth not. You may slumber, and that so carelesly that we cannot awake you: but your damnation slumbreth not, nor hath not done of a long time, while you thought it slumbred; and when it comes, it will awaken you. As a man that is in a coach on the road, or a boat on the water, what ever he is speaking, or thinking, or doing, he is still going on, and hastening to his journeies end, or going down the stream: So what ever you think, or speak, or do, whether you believe it, or mock at it, p. 438whether you sleep or wake, whether you remember it or forget it, you are hastening to damnation, and you are every day a day neerer to it then before: and it is but a little while till you shall feel it. Behold the Judg standeth before the doore, Jam. 5. 9. The Holy Ghost hath told you, The Lord is at hand, Phil. 4. 5. The day is at hand; the time is at hand; the end of all things is at hand, Rom. 13. 12. Rev. 22. 10. 1 Pet. 4. 7. Behold, saith the Lord, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be, Rev. 22. 12. And do you as it were see the Judge approaching, and damnation hasting on, and yet will you delay?

And withall consider, that when it comes, it will be most sore to such as you: and then what thoughts do you think you shall have of these Delaies? You are unable to conceive how it will torment your Consciences, when you see that all your hopes are gone, to think what you have brought your selves to, by your trifling: To feel your selves in remediless misery, and remember how long the Remedy was offered you, and you Delaied to use it, till it was too late. p. 439To see that you are for ever shut out of Heaven, and remember that you might have had it as well as others; but you lost it by Delay. Oh then it will come with horrour into your mind, How oft was I perswaded, and told of this? how oft had I inward motions to return? how oft was I purposed to be holy, and to give up my heart and life to God? I was even ready to have yeelded; but I still delaied, and now it is too late. Then you shall pay for all our warnings, and all the Sermons and motions which you lost.

And now having laid you down no less then fifty moving Considerations, if it be possible to save you from these Delaies, I conclude with this Request to you whoever you be that read these words; that you would but consider of all these Reasons, and then entertaine them as they deserve. There is not one of them that you are able to gainsay; much less all of them. If after the reading of all these, you can yet believe that you have reason to delay, your understandings are forsaken of God: But if you are forced to confess that you should not Delay, what will you do then? Will you obey God, and your p. 440own Consciences, or will you not? Will you Turn this hour without delay? Take heed of denying it, lest you have never such a motion more: You know not, but God that calls you to it, may be resolved, that it should be now or never. I do beseech you, yea as his messenger I charge you in his Name, that you Delay not an hour longer, but presently be resolved, and make an unchangeable Covenant with God; and as ever you would have favour in that day of your distress, delay not now to accept his favour, in the day of your visitation. O what a blessed family were that, which upon the Reading of this, would presently say, We have done exceeding foolishly in Delaying so great a matter so long: Let us agree together to give up our selves to God without any more Delay. This shall be the day: we'l stay no longer. The flesh, and the world, and the Devil, have had too much already: It's a wonder of patience that hath borne with us so long: we will abuse the patience of God no longer; but begin to be absolutely his this day. If this may be the effect of these exhortations, you shall have the everlasting blessing: But if still you Delay, I hope I p. 441am free from the guilt of your blood.