Sermons and Discourses Volume 2, Sermon 2
A SERMON Preached before the KING, IN LENT, 1671.
Heb. III.13.
Exhort one another daily while it is called to day, leſt any of you be hardened through the deceitfulneſs of ſin.
AMong the many conſiderations which the Word of God and our own Reaſon offer to us to diſcourage us from ſin this is none of the leaſt conſiderable, that he that once engages in a vicious courſe is in danger to proceed in it, being inſenſibly trained on from one degree of wickedneſs to another: ſo that the farther he advanceth, his retreat grows more difficult, becauſe he is ſtill puſhed on with a greater violence. All errour, as well of practiſe as of judgment, is endleſs; and when a man is once out of the way, the farther he ſhall go on the harder he will find it to return into the right way. Therefore there is great reaſon why men ſhould be often cautioned againſt the beginnings of ſin: or if they have been ſo unhappy as to be engaged in a bad courſe, why they ſhould be warned to break it off preſently and without delay, leſt by degrees they be hardened in their wickedneſs, till their caſe grow deſperate and paſt remedy. And to this purpoſe is the Apoſtles advice here in the Text; Exhort one another daily while it is called to day, leſt any of you be hardened through the deceitfulneſs of ſin.
From which words I ſhall
1. Endeavour to repreſent to you the growing danger of ſin; and by what ſteps and degrees bad habits do inſenſibly gain upon men, and harden them in an evil courſe.
2. I ſhall from this conſideration take occaſion to ſhew what great reaſon and need there is to warn men of this danger; and to endeavour to reſcue them out of it. And then
3. I ſhall apply my ſelf to the duty here in the Text, of exhorting men with all earneſtneſs and importunity to reſiſt the beginnings of ſin; or if they be already entred upon a wicked courſe, to make haſte out of this dangerous ſtate; leſt any of you be hardened through the deceitfulneſs of ſin.
I. Firſt, I ſhall endeavour to repreſent to you the growing danger of ſin; and by what ſteps and degrees bad habits do inſenſibly gain upon men, and harden them in an evil courſe. All the actions of men which are not natural, but proceed from deliberation and choice, have ſomething of difficulty in them, when we begin to practiſe them; becauſe at firſt we are rude and unexerciſed in that way: but after we have practiſed them awhile, they become more eaſie: And when they are eaſie, we begin to take pleaſure in them: And when they pleaſe us, we do them frequently, and think we cannot repeat them too often: And by frequency of acts a thing grows into a habit: And a confirmed habit is a ſecond kind of Nature: And ſo far as any thing is natural, ſo far it is neceſſary, and we can hardly do otherwiſe; nay, we do it many times when we do not think of it. For by vertue of a habit, a mans mind or body becomes pliable and enclined to ſuch kind of actions as it is accuſtomed to, and does as it were ſtand bent and charged ſuch a way; ſo that being touched and awakened by the leaſt occaſion it breaks forth into ſuch or ſuch actions. And this is the natural progreſs of all habits indifferently conſidered, whether they be good or bad.
But vicious habits have a greater advantage, and are of a quicker growth. For the corrupt nature of a man is a rank ſoil, to which vice takes eaſily, and wherein it thrives apace. The mind of man hath need to be prepared for piety and virtue; it muſt be cultivated to that end, and ordered with great care and pains: But vices are weeds that grow wild and ſpring up of themſelves. They are in ſome ſort natural to the ſoil, and therefore they need not to be planted and watered, 'tis ſufficient if they be neglected and let alone. So that vice having this advantage from our nature, it is no wonder if occaſion and temptation eaſily draw it forth.
But that we may take a more diſtinct account of the progreſs of ſin, and by what ſteps vice gains upon men, I ſhall mark out to you ſome of the chief and more obſervable gradations of it.
1. Men begin with leſſer ſins. No man is perfectly wicked on the ſudden.Juven. Sunt quaedam vitiorum elementa; there are certain rudiments of vice, in which men are firſt entered, and then they proceed by degrees to greater and fouler crimes. For ſin hath its infancy and tender age, and its ſeveral ſtates of growth. Men are not ſo totally degenerate but at firſt they are aſhamed when they venture upon a known ſin, though it be but ſmall in compariſon. Hence it is that at firſt men are very ſollicitous to palliate and hide their faults by excuſes; but after they have frequently committed them, and they grow too viſible to be concealed, then they will attempt to defend and maintain them; and from thence they come by degrees to take pleaſure in them, and in thoſe that do the ſame things.
2. After men have been ſome time initiated in theſe leſſer ſins, by the commiſſion of theſe they are prepared and diſpoſed for greater: ſuch as lay waſte the conſcience, and offer more violence to the light and reaſon of their minds. By degrees a ſinner may grow to be ſo hardy as to attempt thoſe crimes which at firſt he could not have had the thought of committing without horrour. Like Hazael, who when he was told by the Prophet Eliſha what barbarous cruelties he ſhould one day be guilty of towards the people of Iſrael, when he ſhould come to be King of Syria, he abominated the very thought and mention of them; Is thy ſervant a dog that he ſhould do this great thing? and yet, for all this, we know he did it afterward. 'Tis true indeed when a ſinner is firſt tempted to the commiſſion of a more groſs and notorious ſin, his conſcience is apt to boggle and ſtart at it, he doth it with great difficulty and regret; the terrours of his own mind, and the fears of damnation, are very troubleſome to him: But this trouble wears off by degrees; and that which at firſt was difficult, does by frequent practice and long cuſtome become tolerable.
3. When a man hath proceeded thus far, he begins to put off ſhame, one of the greateſt reſtraints from ſin which God hath laid upon humane nature. And when this curb once falls off, there is then but little left to reſtrain and hold us in. At firſt ſetting out upon a vicious courſe men are a little nice and delicate, like young Travellers, who at firſt are offended at every ſpeck of dirt that lights upon them; but after they have been accuſtomed to it, and have travelled a good while in foulways, it ceaſeth to be troubleſome to them to be daſhed and beſpatter'd.
4. After this, it is poſſible, men may come to approve their vices. For if mens judgments do not command their Wills and reſtrain their luſts it is great odds but in proceſs of time the vicious inclinations of their Wills will put a falſe byaſs upon their judgments: And then it is no wonder if men come to boaſt of their ſins, and to glory in their vices, when they are half perſwaded that they are generous and commendable qualities. Thus much is certain in experience, that ſome men have gotten ſo perfect a habit of ſome ſins, as not to know and take notice many times when they commit them: As in the caſe of ſwearing, which ſome men have ſo accuſtomed themſelves to, that without any conſideration they do of courſe put an oath or two into every ſentence that comes from them. And it hath been obſerved of ſome perſons that they have told an untruth ſo often, and averr'd it with ſo much confidence, till at laſt, forgetting that it was a lie at firſt, they themſelves have in proceſs of time believed it to be true.
5. From this pitch of wickedneſs men commonly proceed to draw in others, and to make proſelytes to their vices. Now this ſignifies not only a great approbation of ſin, but even a fondneſs for it, when men are not content to ſin upon their own ſingle accounts, but they muſt turn zealous agents and factors for the Devil; become teachers of ſin and miniſters of unrighteouſneſs, and are factiouſly concerned to propagate together with their Atheiſtical principles their lewd practices, and to draw followers and Diſciples after them.
And when they are arrived to this height, it is natural for them to hate reproof, and to reſiſt the means of their recovery; to quarrel againſt all the remedies that ſhall be offered to them, and to count thoſe their greateſt enemies who have ſo much courage and kindneſs as to deal plainly with them, and to tell them the truth. And then all the wiſe counſels of Gods Word, and the moſt gentle and prudent admonitions in the world, when they are tendered to ſuch perſons, ſerve only to provoke their ſcorn or their paſſion. And ſurely that man is in a ſad caſe, that is ſo diſpoſed that in all probability he will turn the moſt effectual means of his amendment into the occaſion of new and greater ſins.
But that which renders the condition of ſuch perſons much more ſad and deplorable is, that all this while God is withdrawing his grace from them. For every degree of ſin cauſeth the Holy Spirit of God with all his bleſſed motions and aſſiſtances to retire farther from them: And not only ſo, but the Devil (that evil Spirit which the Scripture tells us, works effectually in the children of diſobedience) does according as men improve in wickedneſs, get a greater and a more eſtabliſh'd dominion over them. For as they who are reclaimed from an evil courſe, are ſaid in Scripture to be reſcued out of the ſnare of the Devil, and to be turned from the power of Satan unto God; So, on the other hand, the farther men advance in the ways of ſin, ſo much the farther they depart from God, from under the influences of his grace, and the care of his protection and providence; and they give the Devil, (who is not apt to neglect his advantages upon them) greater opportunities every day to gain the firmer poſſeſſion of them.
And thus, by paſſing from one degree of ſin to another, the ſinner becomes hardened in his wickedneſs, and does inſenſibly ſlide into that ſtate in which without a miraculous grace of God he is like for ever to continue. For the mind of man, after it hath been long accuſtomed to evil, and is once grown old in vice, is almoſt as hard to be rectified, as it is to recover a body bowed down with age to its firſt ſtreightneſs. The Scripture ſpeaks of ſome that commit ſin with greedineſs, and that drink up iniquity as the Oxe drinketh up water, with a mighty appetite and thirſt, as if they were not able to refrain from it. And to expreſs to us the miſerable condition of ſuch perſons, it repreſenteth them as perfect ſlaves to their vices, that have ſold themſelves to do wickedneſs, and are led captive by Satan at his pleaſure. And when men have brought themſelves to this paſs, they are almoſt under a fatal neceſſity of ſinning on. I do not believe that God hath abſolutely predeſtinated any man to ruin; but by a long courſe of wilful ſins men may in a ſort predeſtinate themſelves to it, and chooſe wickedneſs ſo long till it almoſt become neceſſary; and till they have brought themſelves under all imaginable diſadvantages of contributing any thing towards their own recovery; being bound in the chains of their own wickedneſs, and held in the cords of their ſins: Nay, like Sampſon, not only bound by thoſe luſts which they have embraced, but likewiſe robbed of all their ſtrength whereby they ſhould break looſe from thoſe bonds. God grant that none of us may ever have the woful experience of it: But I am horribly afraid it is too true, that a ſinner may arrive to that confirmed ſtate of impiety as almoſt totally to loſe his liberty to do better: He may attain to that perfection in vice, as to continue to be a bad man upon the ſame account that the Hiſtorian extravagantly ſays Cato was virtuous,Vell. Patere. quia aliter eſſe non potuit; becauſe he could not be otherwiſe. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his ſpots? It is the Scripture compariſon to ſet forth to us how hard a thing it is for a man to be brought to goodneſs, that hath been long accuſtomed to do evil. He that is thus deeply engaged and entangled in a bad courſe, will ſcarce ever have the heart and reſolution to break looſe from it, unleſs he be forced violently out of it by ſome ſevere affliction, by a ſharp ſickneſs, or by a terrible calamity, or by the preſent apprehenſions of death and the terrours of a future Judgment. Nor will theſe be effectual neither to change ſuch a perſon, without an extraordinary degree of Gods grace; which, conſidering the greatneſs and the continuance of his provocations, he hath very little reaſon to expect or hope God ſhould ever beſtow upon him. Wretched man! that haſt brought thy ſelf into this miſerable ſtate, out of which there is but juſt a poſſibility left of thy being reſcued: that haſt neglected thy diſeaſe ſo long, till it is almoſt too late to apply remedies: that haſt provoked God ſo far, and ſinned to ſuch a prodigious height, that thou haſt reaſon almoſt to deſpair both of his grace and aſſiſtance for thy repentance, and of his mercy for thy pardon. I ſpeak not this to diſcourage even the greateſt of ſinners from repentance. Though their caſe be extremely difficult, yet it is not quite deſperate. For thoſe things which ſeem impoſſible with men, are poſſible with God. But I ſpeak it on purpoſe to ſtop ſinners in their courſe; and to diſcourage men from going on in ſin till they be hardened through the deceitfulneſs of it; and have brought themſelves by inſenſible degrees, into that dangerous and difficult ſtate which I have all this while been repreſenting to you. I come now to the
II. Second thing I propounded, which was; from this conſideration to ſhew what great reaſon and need there is to warn men of this danger; and to endeavour to reſcue them out of it. The Apoſtle directs this precept to all Chriſtians. Exhort one another daily, leſt any of you be hardened through the deceitfulneſs of ſin. That is, leſt you be hardened by degrees, and be finally ruined. And ſurely, every man is concerned to do what in him lies to reſcue his brother from ſo imminent a danger; It is every ones place and duty to endeavour to ſave thoſe whom he ſees ready to periſh: Much more does it concern thoſe who are peculiarly ſet apart for this work; I mean, the Miniſters of Gods holy Word; whoſe proper office and buſineſs it is to exhort and warn every man day and night; who are ſet as watchmen to the houſe of Iſrael; and whoſe blood, in caſe any of them miſcarry through our neglect, ſhall be required at our hands. So that if we believe the threatnings of God, which we declare to others; if we have any apprehenſion of the dreadful miſery of another world; if we have any ſenſe of our own duty and ſafety; if we have any pity for periſhing ſouls, we cannot but be very importunate with ſinners to look about them, and to conſider their danger, and to bethink themſelves ſeriouſly of the miſerable event and iſſue of a wicked life: We cannot but be earneſt with them to break off their ſins, and to give glory to God by repentance, before darkneſs come, and their feet ſtumble upon the dark mountains. When we are convinced more fully than we can deſire, that miſery and deſtruction are in their ways; when we plainly ſee the evil day haſting toward them a-pace, and deſtruction coming upon them like a whirlwind; heaven above threatning them, and hell beneath moving her ſelf to meet them at their coming, can we poſſiby do leſs than to warn ſuch perſons to flee from the wrath which is to come, and out of a ſad apprehenſion of the danger that hangs over them, to caution them againſt it, and endeavour with all our might to reſcue them from the miſery which is ready to ſwallow them up? Indeed one would be apt to think it a very vain thing to diſſwade men from being miſerable; to uſe great vehemency of argument to hinder a man from leaping into a pit, or from running into the fire; to take great pains to argue a ſick man into a deſire of health, and to make a priſoner contented to have his ſhackles knocked off, and to be ſet at liberty; one would think all this were perfectly needleſs: But yet we ſee in experience ſin is a thing of ſo ſtupifying a nature, as to make men inſenſible of their danger, although it be ſo near, and ſo terrible. It is not ſo with men in other caſes: When we labour of any bodily diſtemper, it is much to find a man that is patient of his diſeaſe; but when our ſouls are mortally ſick, that we ſhould be contented with our condition, and fond of our diſeaſe, that we ſhould fight with our Phyſitian, and ſpurn at our remedy; this ſurely is the height of diſtraction, for men to be thus abſolutely bent upon their own ruin, and to reſolve to make away themſelves forever. And we who are the Meſſengers of God to men, muſt be born of the rocks, and have hearts harder than the nether milſtone, if we can patiently look on and endure to ſee men periſh, without uſing our utmoſt endeavour to ſave them. Therefore I ſhall in the
III. Third and laſt place apply my ſelf to this work of Exhortation, the duty commanded here in the Text. And here I ſhall addreſs my ſelf to two ſorts of perſons.
1. To perſwade thoſe who are yet innocent of great crimes, to reſiſt the beginnings of ſin, leſt it gain upon them by degrees.
2. To preſs and urge thoſe that are already entered upon a wicked courſe, that they would make haſte out of this dangerous ſtate; leſt, at laſt, they be hardened through the deceitfulneſs of ſin.
1. To perſwade thoſe who are yet in ſome meaſure innocent, to reſiſt the beginnings of ſin leſt it gain upon them by degrees. Vice may eaſily be diſcouraged at firſt. 'Tis like a ſlight diſeaſe; which is eaſie to be cured, but dangerous to be neglected. The firſt approaches of ſin and temptation are uſually very modeſt; but if they be not diſcountenanced they will ſoon grow upon us, and make bolder attempts. Every inclination to ſin, every compliance with temptation is a going down the hill: While we keep our ſtanding we may command our ſelves; but if we once put our ſelves into violent motion downward, we cannot ſtop when we pleaſe.
Omne in praecipiti vitium ſtetit—
All Vice ſtands upon a Precipice; and to engage in any ſinful courſe, is to run down the hill. And if we once let looſe the propenſions of our nature, we cannot gather in the reins and govern them as we pleaſe: If we give way to preſumptuous ſins, they will quickly get dominion over us. It is much eaſier not to begin a bad courſe, than to put a ſtop to our ſelves after we have begun it. Stulta res eſt nequitiae modus. Seneca.'Tis a fond thing for a man to think to ſet bounds to himſelf in any thing that is bad; to reſolve to ſin in number, weight and meaſure, with great temperance and diſcretion, and government of himſelf: That he will commit this ſin, and then give over; entertain but this one temptation, and after that he will ſhut the door and admit of no more. Our corrupt hearts when they are once in motion, they are like the raging ſea, to which we ſet no bounds, nor ſay to it hitherto thou ſhalt go and no further. Sin is very cunning and deceitful, and does ſtrangely gain upon men when they once give way to it. It is of a very bewitching nature, and hath ſtrange arts of addreſs and inſinuation: The giving way to a ſmall ſin does marvellouſly prepare and diſpoſe a man for a greater: By giving way to one little vice after another, the ſtrongeſt reſolution may be broken. For though it be not to be ſnapt in ſunder at once, yet by this means it is untwiſted by degrees, and then 'tis eaſie to break it one thread after another. 'Tis ſcarce imaginable of what force one ſinful action is to produce more: For ſin is very teeming and fruitful; and though there be no bleſſing annext to it, yet it does ſtrangely encreaſe and multiply. As there is a connexion of one virtue with another, ſo vices are linkt together, and one ſin draws many after it. When the Devil tempts a man to commit any wickedneſs, he does as it were lay a long train of ſins; and if the firſt temptation take, they give fire to one another. Let us then reſiſt the beginnings of ſin; becauſe then we have moſt power, and ſin hath leaſt. This is the firſt.
2. To perſwade thoſe who are already engaged in a wicked courſe, to make haſte out of this dangerous ſtate. And there is no other way to get out of it but by repentance; that is, by a real change and reformation of our lives; for herein the nature of true repentance does conſiſt. And without this all the devices which men uſe, to get rid of the guilt of their ſins, are vain and to no purpoſe. 'Tis not to be done by a formal confeſſion and abſolution, nor by a long pilgrimage, nor by one of thoſe little Tickets from Rome, which they call Indulgences. A wiſe man would much ſooner perſwade himſelf that God would not at all puniſh the ſins of men, than that he would forgive them ſo eaſily, and receive great offenders to favour upon ſuch ſlight terms. Let us not deceive our ſelves; there is one plain way to Heaven, viz. ſincere repentance, and a holy life; and there is no getting thither by tricks. And without this change of our lives, all our ſorrow, and faſting, and humiliation for ſin, which at this ſeaſon we make profeſſion of, will ſignifie nothing. There is an excellent paſſage of the Son of Syrach to this purpoſe, Eccleſ. 34.25, 26, He that waſheth himſelf after the touching of a dead body, if he touch it again, what availeth his waſhing? ſo is it with a man that faſteth for his ſins, and goeth again and doth the ſame things, who will hear his prayer, or what doth his humbling profit him? There is this plain difference between trouble for ſin and repentance; ſorrow only reſpects ſins paſt, but repentance is chiefly preventive of ſins for the future: And God therefore requires that we ſhould be troubled for our ſins, that we may reſolve to leave them.
And to oblige us to a vigorous and ſpeedy reſolution in this matter, let us conſider that we have engaged too far already in a bad courſe; and that every day our retreat will grow more dangerous and difficult; that by our delays we make work for a ſadder and longer repentance, than that which we do now ſo ſtudiouſly decline: Let us conſider likewiſe, that our life is concerned in the caſe; that except we repent and turn, we ſhall die; and that the evil day may overtake us, while we are deliberating whether we ſhould avoid it or not: that vice is ſo far from being mortified by age, that by every days continuance in it we encreaſe the power of it; and ſo much ſtrength as we add to our diſeaſe, we certainly take from our ſelves: And this is a double weakning of us, when we do not only loſe our own ſtrength, but the enemy gets it, and imploys it againſt us. The deceitfulneſs of ſin appears in nothing more than in keeping men off from this neceſſary work, and perſwading them to hazard all upon the unreaſonable hopes of the mercy of God, and the uncertain reſolution of a future repentance. I do not think there are any here but do either believe, or at leaſt are vehemently afraid that there is another life after this; and that a wicked life, without repentance, muſt unavoidably make them miſerable in another world; and that to caſt off all to a death-bed repentance, puts things upon a mighty hazard. And they have a great deal of reaſon to think ſo: For alas, how unfit are moſt men at ſuch a time for ſo great and ſerious a work as repentance is, when they are unfit for the ſmalleſt matters: And how hard is it for any man, then to be aſſured of the truth and reality of his repentance, when there is no ſufficient opportunity to make trial of the ſincerity of it. I deny not the poſſibility of the thing; but it is much to be feared that the repentance of a dying ſinner is uſually but like the ſorrow of a malefactor when he is ready to be turned off; he is not troubled that he hath offended the Law, but he is troubled that he muſt die. For when death is ready to ſeiſe upon the ſinner, and he feels himſelf dropping into deſtruction, no wonder if then the mans ſtomack come down, and he be contented to be ſaved; and ſeeing he muſt ſtay no longer in this world, be deſirous to go to Heaven rather than Hell; and in order to that, be ready to give ſome teſtimonies of his repentance: no wonder if when the rack is before him, this extort confeſſion from him; and if in hopes of a pardon he make many large promiſes of amendment, and freely declare his reſolurion of a new and better life. But then it is the hardeſt thing in the world to judg, whether any thing of all this that is done, under ſo great a fear and force, be real. For a ſick man as he hath loſt his appetite to the moſt pleaſant meats and drinks, ſo likewiſe his ſinful pleaſures and fleſhly luſts are at the ſame time nauſeous to him; and for the very ſame reaſon: For ſickneſs having altered the temper of his body, he hath not at that time any guſt or relliſh for theſe things. And now he is reſolved againſt ſin, juſt as a man that hath no ſtomach is reſolved againſt meat. But if the fit were over, and death would but raiſe his ſiege, and remove his quarters a little farther from him, it is to be feared that his former appetite would ſoon return to him, and that he would ſin with the ſame eagerneſs he did before. Beſides, how can we expect that God ſhould accept of his repentance at ſuch a time; when we are conſcious to our ſelves, that we did reſolve to put off our repentance till we could ſin no longer. Can we think it fit for any man to ſay thus to God in a dying hour; Lord, now the world leaves me, I come to thee. I pray thee give me eternal life, who could never afford to give thee one good day of my life: Grant that I may live with thee, and enjoy thee for ever, who could never endure to think upon thee. I muſt confeſs that I could never be perſwaded to leave my ſins out of love to thee, but now I repent of them for fear of thee: I am conſcious to my ſelf that I would never do any thing for thy ſake; but yet I hope thy goodneſs is ſuch, that thou wilt forgive all the ungodlineſs and unrighteouſneſs of my life, and accept of this forced ſubmiſſion which I now make to thee. I pray thee do not at laſt fruſtrate and diſappoint me in this deſign which I have laid, of ſinning while I live, and getting to heaven when I die. Surely no man can think it fit to ſay thus to God; and yet I am afraid this is the true interpretation of many a mans repentance who hath defer'd it till he comes to die. I do not ſpeak this to diſcourage repentance even at that time. It is always the beſt thing we can do. But I would by all means diſcourage men from putting off ſo neceſſary a work till then. 'Tis true indeed when 'tis come to this, and a ſinner finds himſelf going out of the world, if he have been ſo fooliſh and ſo cruel to himſelf, as to put things upon this laſt hazard; repentance is now the only thing that is left for him to do; this is his laſt remedy, and the only refuge he has to fly to: And this is that which the Miniſter in this caſe ought by all means to put the man upon, and earneſtly to perſwade him to. But when we ſpeak to men in other circumſtances, that are well and in health, we dare not for all the world encourage them to venture their ſouls upon ſuch an uncertainty. For to ſpeak the beſt of it, it is a very dangerous remedy; eſpecially when men have deſignedly contrived to rob God of the ſervice of their beſt days, and to put him off with a few unprofitable ſighs and tears at the hour of death. I deſire to have as large apprehenſions of the mercy of God as any man; but withall, I am very ſure that he is the hardeſt to be impoſed upon of any one in the world. And no man that hath any worthy apprehenſions of the Deity, can imagine him to be ſo eaſie, as to forgive men upon the laſt word and intimation of their minds; and to have ſuch a fondneſs for offenders as would reflect upon the prudence of any Magiſtrate and Governour upon earth. God grant that I may ſincerely endeavour to live a holy and virtuous life; and may have the comfort of that when I come to die: And that I may never be ſo unwiſe as to venture all my hopes of a bleſſed eternity upon a death-bed repentance.
I will conclude all with thoſe excellent ſayings of the Son of Syrach, (Eccleſ. 5.6, 7.16.11, 12.18.21, 22, Say not, Gods mercy is great, and he will be pacified for the multitude of my ſins. For mercy and wrath is with him; he is mighty to forgive, and to pour out diſpleaſure: And as his mercy is great, ſo are his corrections alſo. Therefore make no tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from day to day: For ſuddenly ſhall the wrath of the Lord come forth, and in thy ſecurity thou ſhalt be deſtroyed. Humble thy ſelf before thou be ſick, and in the time of ſins ſhew repentance. Let nothing hinder thee to pay thy vows in due time, and defer not till death to be juſtified.