A Call to Delaying Sinners, Treatise (1 of 2)

A Call to Delaying Sinners · Treatise (1 of 2)

p. 1A CALL TO Delaying Sinners.

PSALM CXIX. Vers. 60.

I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy Commandments.

TO shew you the Coherence of these words with those that go before, I shall lay before you these six things worthy of your Imitation, which will bring us with haste unto the Text.

p. 21. You have the wise choice that Dav… made of God to be his Portion, Verse. 5… Thou art my Portion, O Lord. Some chu… the world for their portion, some chu… their pleasures for their portion; but al… these are but beggarly portions: We… says David, let others make choice … what they will, I'le chuse the blessed G… for my portion: I know that God will … a suitable portion, a durable portion, … sufficient and satisfying portion unto m… And here he makes his appeal unto Go… and says, O Lord, thou art my Portion.

2. You have David's fixed Resolution upon this choice, what he was resolved to do; I have said that I will keep the Word, in the same Verse.

3. You have David's supplication, h… earnest prayer to God, that he might … enabled to perform his Resolution, v. 5… I entreated thy favour with my whole hear… be merciful unto me according to thy wor… therefore now, upon my knees, I beg th… Grace, that I may perform thy Word. … had resolved that he would keep t… Word of God, and therefore he prays th… God would help him to keep his Word.

4. You have David's serious Reflection upon his ways and upon his Walkings, p. 3Ver 59. I thought on my ways. How few scarce do so much as seriously think on their ways, what they are a doing, and whither they are a going? You think of the world and you think of your Sins, so as to gratifie your Lust; but when do you seriously think of your way, in order to your turning to God;

5. You have David's resolution after he had thought upon his ways; I will keep thy word. I did wander, but I will not go on in my sin any longer; I thought on my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimony.

6. You have David's putting in Practice what before he did resolve; as in the Text, I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy Commandments.

Some men do not so much as resolve; some resolve, but do not pray; some do pray, but they do not consider, before and after prayer, whether they have walked in the ways of God or no; some do consider, but they do not turn; some do purpose to turn, but they do delay: But, here is a Copy for you all to write after! I delayed not to keep, &c. And so we are come to the Text. The words are plain and easie. The Doctain that I would speak unto from them is this;

p. 4That what the Blessed and Eternal God. Commands us to do, is to be done with all pos… ble Speed, with all hast, without delay.

O that you could say as David did … have made hast, and have not delayed … keep thy Commandments! Sirs, there is … room for delaying and trifling in t… matters of your God, and in the concer… of you Souls. Sirs, if any thing in t… World requires hast, this does: I w… give you four or five Instances, and … wish that every one may take it as … Copy to write after.

The first is, the instance of Abraha… Gen. 18. from the second verse to the eighth. There came three men to Abraham, that is, three Angels in the Shaped men, one of which was an increated Angel, the Blessed Son of God. They came to Abraham, and Abraham made hast to give Entertainment unto them, verse 2. When he saw them he ran to meet them verse 6. Abraham hastened into the Tent of Sarah and said, Make ready quickly. Sirs, it's Jesus Christ that is Preached unto you that is offered unto you in the Gospel Oh, where is the man that runs to meet p. 5with the Blessed Christ! Oh, who is it that Speaks unto him, and says, Make ready, O my Soul, make ready quickly, and give the best room in thy heart for this is Christ that now stands knocking at the door of thy heart.

2. I would allude to the Practice of the Israelites, that night they went out of Aegypt, Exod. 12. 11, 12. Ye shall eat it in hast; it is the Lords Passover. This is a Figure of poor Sinners being delivered by Christ out of worse than Aegyptian Bondage. Hast thou lived in thy Bondage state so long, and God Commands thee to come out, and wilt thou not make hast? Exod. 12. 33. The Aegyptians urged the People to send them out of the Land in hast, for say they We be all dead men; so say I, Sirs, make hast and get out of your Bondage state, or else you will be so many dead men: Mark my words you will be so many damned souls, Lu. 2. from the 8. to the 17. verse. There when they heard of Christ, that a Saviour was born, that a Redeemer was come into the world, say they, where is he? and when they were told, they made hast, and came and found our Saviour and Mary his Mother in a Manger, Verse 16.

p. 63. The 3d. is that of Zacheus, w… when our Saviour was passing by … up and climed upon the Tree to … him, our Saviour looked up to him a… said, Zacheus make hast and come dow… for this day I must abide at thy hous… and what did Zacheus do; Did he ling… and say, hereafter it will be ti… enough? No; he made hast and ca… down, and received him joyfully

4. A 4th Instance is Mary, who, wh… she heard that Jesus was nigh, John 1… 28, 29. as soon as she heard that Chri… was come, and that he called for her, … rose quickly and came to him; But ala… the poor Ministers of Christ, they com… one day after another to you saying, Sir… the Master is come, the Saviour of soul… is come, he alone that can Redeem yo… from Hell is come, and he calls for you… but one delays, and another loyters: A third, a twentieth, a hundredth, they make nothing of all this but delay.

Upon this Subject shall be shewn some Reasons; then the Application; but the whole shall be to urge you to make speed and haste, to come to Christ: Here I shall give you five or six Reasons why you should make all possible speed.

p. 7I. The things that God does command you to do, and set about, require all possible speed, that they should be set upon in haste without delay. Beloved Hearers, do you think the great eternal God, speaks to you about toys and trifles? Surely you think that they are no better, when you linger and loyter, one Sabbath after another, one Month after another, from Year to Year; you put off the work that God commands you to do, when there is nothing in this World that does so much concern you to do quickly, and with haste, and with speed. Let me entreat you, and beseech you, for Gods sake, seriously to weigh what are the Commands of the glorious God upon you; then tell me if they do not require all possible speed: Here are six things under this Head.

1. The dreadful God commands thee, Sinner, to repent of thy Sin, and tells thee Thou art damned if thou dost not. And wilt thou still delay and loyter, and linger, and not make haste? Beloved Hearers, you will find it true, That, except ye Repent, and that soon too, your Souls will be Damned. Now consider, Sinner must thy Soul be for ever Damned and p. 8be Tormented in the Lake of burning B… stone, and that for ever, except thou … pent; and wilt thou yet delay! … thou not make haste to Repent, and … to day! Ah Sirs, is here room for da… ing, to put off this work of Repenta… commanded you by God? to put it … the other year still, and the other M… still, when the Blessed God assures th… that if thou diest without Repentan… thou art lost for ever. Shall not the G… of Heaven be shut against thy Soul w… thou diest, except thou repent whil… thou livest; yet wilt thou linger? Turn and see what Christ says, Luke 13. 3. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise peris… Do not think that Christ speaks unadvisedly; for he says again, vers. 5. Except ye repent, ye shall surely perish.

2. Thou art Commanded by God to make thy peace with him. This work lies upon thy hand, and is yet undone by many of you, and will you still delay, will you not make haste, when it is to make your Peace with God? Oh do it quickly with all possible Speed: For i… thou dost not make thy Peace with God quickly, God and thy Soul will be Enemies for ever. Thou wast born an Enemy p. 9to God, and if thou dost not make hast … make thy Peace with God, thou wilt … an enemy to God. O methinks, if …u did believe these words, as you will …ortly find them true, you would delay … longer; but would now make hast … make your Peace with God; Poor Sinner! how canst thou sleep, and eat, and …ink in Peace, whilst thy Peace is not … made with thy God! What dost thou …ink, thou poor delaying trifler? Canst you make thy Party good with God? canst you resist Almighty Power? Was there …er a man since the Creation that did …den his Heart against God and pros…er…? …nd dost thou think that thou canst do …ore, than all the men fince the World …as Created could ever do? Come, I will …ive thee a Character. If thou canst stand …orth, and buckle on thy Armour; Rouse … thy self, and play the Man: If God Af…ict thee, do not flinch, do not crouch …nto him, and take thy Bed. If God Af…ict thee with the Gout, Stone, or Col…ick, or if thou be sick at the Heart, do not cry out. What, a stout-hearted sinner cry out, when God does but lay his …inger upon thee! When God shall Commission thee to the Grave, say Lord, I p. 10will not die! And make thy words g… if thou canst. When God shall Sente… thee to Hell, say, Lord, I will not … Damned; and make thy words good … thou canst: When God gives Devi… Commission to drag the to Hell, say… God, and Devils, that thou wilt not … Ah, poor Sinner! wilt thou thus stan… out against this God, that can turn t… into Hell, and into torments; and will … yet delay, and not make hast to m… your peace with God! Rather take … vice of Christ, Luke 14. 31. 32. What K… goeth to make War against another King, … sitteth not down first and consulteth, whe… with ten thousand, he is able to meet … that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Ah, so do you, Sirs! Consider whether you are able to stand with Almighty strength! And if you are n… send up your Prayers to Heaven, a… desire that God would be at peace with you.

3. This work lies upon thy hand, … get the pardon of thy Sins: To get off … Guilt that lies upon thy Soul. And this … quires haste; quickly, Sirs, or not at … Art thou not a Sinner? Hast not th… multitude of sins? And are not thy … hainous? Art thou not guilty of many … p. 11of Omission? Hast thou been always wont to pray? Would to God thou hadst. Have you always been wont to walk Close with God? I wish you had. Oh what have you omitted to do that God has commanded you? Are not you guilty of many sins of …ommission, that God did charge thee upon …ain of death not to do? Say yea, or nay; … thou sayst no, thy very Tongue will …rove the a lyer. O then make haste to Christ! besides, art not thou guilty of …reat and hainous sins? Hast not thou sinned against Knowledge and Conscience? Against Law and Gospel? Hast not thou sinned against the Mercy and Patience of God? How many Oaths hast thou sworn? How many times hast thou been drunk? How many Sabbaths mispent? How many Sermons slighted? Sinner, tell me, canst thou bear the punishment, that God will inflict upon thee for these sins except thou wilt speedily return to God? O Sirs, I wonder at my heart! I wonder how you can sleep all night and not dream of Hell! How sleep so securely, and not dream of being Damned, when you lye down with the guilt of so many sins upon your Souls, and not one Pardon'd, not one forgiven! I wonder p. 12how thou canst Drink and Sport, and … at so many merry Bouts, when thy … are not yet forgiven thee!

4. The Eternal God Commands th… upon pain of Damnation, to hasten … to Christ, to come away unto Christ, … receive him upon the Gospel Term. And doth not this require hast? Is h… room, Sirs, for delaying! For God sake, Sirs, consider, you are damned … you do not believe on Christ; Yet will you delay and stand trifling with the Eternal God, whither you shall believe or not! 1 John 3. 23. And this is his Commandment, that we shall Believe on the Name of the Son of God. O, why do you not hast, and not delay to do this Command of God! See how strictly God Char… es this upon your Souls, that if you believe not, you must be damned; M… 16. 16. Is here any room for trifling? Is here any time to delay, whilst thou art in danger of Damnation, as long as thou dost not believe! The Wrath o… God abideth on thee, whilst thou do… not believe in Jesus Christ, John 3. 3… But he that believeth not, the Wrath … God abideth on him. And is th… a case to be delaying in! Sinner … p. 13what tho thou hast Riches, if thou hast not Christ? What tho thou hast made hast to get an Estate? What is this without Christ? What is this without sanctifying Grace? What if thou hast …l the Pleasures that the World can afford? If thou hast all that heart can wish, … thou hast not Christ, thou art miserable. Sinner, remember, it is not riches, …t Christ that must save and keep thee …t of Hell! Without Christ no Peace! Without Christ no Pardon! Without Christ no Escaping the Damnation of Hell! Without Christ no entring into Heaven! And wilt thou yet delay!

5. Thou hast Death and Judgment to prepare for; and does not this require hast? Wilt thou yet dally, and delay, and not with all possible speed endeavour to be found in careful preparation for Death and Judgment! Tell me, Sirs, are you prepared to Die, if Death should seize you this ensuing Night? Are you prepared to Die? How many of you if you were now upon sick beds, Conscience would tell you, As yet you are not prepared to Die! No; What, and yet it still! O what ails thee, Sinner! what dost thou not see that thou art so near to p. 14another world! Art thou prepared … leave this world, yet didst never Rep… of thy sins? Art thou prepared to D… and go down to thy Grave, yet n… didst heartily beg for Christ and gra… Art thou prepared to die whilest t… art in the Gall of Bitterness, and Bon… Iniquity? Whilest a stranger to God, Christ, and Grace, thou art not fit to d… What and wilt thou yet fit still, a… past all danger? Or else canst thou … away the stroke of death by force … that ybu would see what reason the… to make haste, and not to delay, 2 … 3. 12. Looking for and hastening to the coming of the day of the Lord. Mark, you should be hastening for the coming of the Day of the Lord. Do you hasten… the coming of this day? Will you still and not make your peace … God? The day of Reckoning is comin… and all things will be set straight betwixt God and your Souls; and w… you delay, and not make haste?

6. And lastly, Thou art yet uncertain whether thou shalt be damned or sav… And does not this require all possible speed? Does not this call for all the h… that thou canst make to get an assur… p. 15of the Love of God, and of Salvation after death? How soon you may be upon death bed, you cannot tell. Now, suppose thou wast a dying, think, O, I must … farewel to all my Friends! I must take thy leave of my Husband, and Wife, of Children, Friends, and Neighbours: I must die! … whether I go next, I cannot tell! There one but two Places to receive Souls after death, Heaven and Hell; but which of these my Soul must be in, I do not know. No! not know, sinner! and sit still and yet delay, when the blessed God has Commanded thee to all diligence to make thy Calling and Election sure? Is this thy diligence, not so much as to go about it one year after another? Is this thy diligence that thou insest? Put this Question to thy Soul. What will become of it when thou leavest this World? For God's sake arise make haste, Sinner, make haste, least thou be shut out of this Kingdon, which thou takest no care to make sure of.

That is the first Reason or General He…d, why the Command of God should be set about with all speed without delay

II. Make haste Sirs, make haste, delay no longer; for all the time that is before you is little enough for you to do what p. 16God Commands you. He that begins … obedience to God's Commands soon… or at least in his youth, will have time little enough to do what God Comman… You that are in years, if you had beg… this work as soon as you began to understand things, you would have fo… work enough to have done, if so be y… had a thousand years to live in the world; but being you have but a little time to live, must not this little time … little enough for you to do the wo… that God set you in the world to d… Have you one Day to spare, or one H… to spare? O how many of this world… spend their time so as if they had time too much and work too little! Whe… God knows, your time is of the least.

There are these Five things more udder this second Head, which will inci… you to make hast: To delay not o… hour longer. O could I but prevail, b… with one sinner resolvedly to go hom… and to say, I will delay no longer: I w… make hast to keep the Commandments of … God! Consider therefore,

1. Thou hast a great Work to do, an… therefore shouldst not lose one Minute … time for the doing of it. Thou hast many … p. 17strong Lust to overcome: Many a Temptation to resist, Many Duties to perform: thou hast the knowledge of God and …rist to get, and of thy own heart, the knowledge of thy State now, and of thy …e hereafter: Many a Prayer to make, …ny an hour to be spent in searching … thy Heart, and trying of thy State. …d is not all the time that thou hast …ore thee, if thou begin to day little …ugh to do this great Work, that …d lays upon thee to do?

2. The Work enjoyned by God it is …cult Work, and hard Work too. …e more difficult your Work is, if you …wise, the more time you will take for … doing of it. Is not to set thy heart … thy love upon God, to love him …ove all, and to please him before all? …not think you this hard and difficult …ork, when the heart of a sinner natu…ly loves any thing better than God? … have thy Will to bow to Christ, and …mit to Christ, and accept of Christ, …n it is rebellious and stubborn? Is not … hard Work? to change thy heart …reak thy hard and stony heart, to …rm thy Life, is not this hard and …cult Work? And all commanded by p. 18God. If this Work be not hard, w… it not done? If it be hard why do … not go about it? Consider then that … difficult work that you have to do.

3. The work that you have to do … order to another World, it is nece… work: It is work that must be done … thy Soul will be undone and that for … And wilt thou yet delay, and wilt … yet stand dallying, and putting it … whether thou hadst best do it or no… the work were indifferent, whether … be done, or left undone, I could … blame you for making no more ha… but this is not the Case; this is more necessary than Food, when thou art an hungry; more necessary than Phisick, w… thou art sick. Beloved People, you m… be holy, or you must never see God, … to your Eternal Terrour; you must t… from sin, or burn in Hell! you must … pent, or you cannot be saved, so grea… Necessity there is for the doing of … work that God Commands you to d… Is it an indifferent thing, whether th… escape the Damnation of Hell, or not … not, behold holiness is the way to Heav… Faith in Christ is the way to Heaven! T… must be done, or thy Soul must … p. 19… saved. Sirs, if there be any business … this World that lies upon our hands … it is necessary to be done, this is it.

This Work that God Commands … to do, it is a Soul work: And I am … that soul work should not be delayed: … work should be done with all possible speed. O that you would resolve and … It is my Soul that must be Damned or …ed; therefore I will make haste! It is my … that must go to Heaven or Hell therefore …ll make haste to look after the Salvation of … Soul. Thou hast but one Soul, one …y soul, Wilt thou make haste to feed … Body, when hungy? Wilt thou …e haste to quench thy Thirst, when …? And send for a Physician, when … danger of Death, and to cry out to …ose about thee, O Stay not, make haste, …ng him away quickly, and yet in the mean …ile never think of thy soul? Is thy …dy better then thy soul? Is not thy …ul far the Better? Wilt thou take care … feed and cloath thy Body and delay … getting an Interest in Christ to save …y Soul? Why so careful for a dying …dy, that within a little while shall be …thing but a lump of lifeless dust? Do …t you know that e're long men shall p. 20carry your bodies on their shoulde… the grave, and lay them in the d… have them rotten? What! will you such care to make provision for a … ruptible Body, and yet neglect … Souls! What mean you, Sirs! … mean you! What ails men, that … dally thus with themselves? Are … besides their Wits!

5. And lastly, if you think nothing … has been said is worth regarding, … pray consider the work that God … mands you to mind in this World, i… Work for Eternity! And wilt thou … off for another year, Month, or W… Do you think, Sirs, that a short Life … Earth is not time little enough to prep… for an eternal life, for an endless etern… is a few years too much to be spent … all diligence, that thou mayst be re… for an everlasting State, to which t… art a hasting. Beloved Hearers, you … I are all before God this day, but h… soon we may be in an unalterable est… is unknown to us; you are now … Time, to morrow you may be in Eternity, you may be in an everlasting st… What, and yet make no more ha… Death is at your backs, Heaven and … p. 21before you, what! and yet delay! What! … the brink of an Everlasting State, and …e no more hast to do what God has …manded thee! Remember man, re…mber, it is Heaven that must be lost …on for ever! It is Eternal Joy, that … must have, or go without, when… you shall leave this World! It is …lasting Torments or Everlasting …sedness that you must enter into, …n you leave this World: Yet will … not make hast to do that Work, … God Commands you to do! Arise …er in the Name of God, awake, be … and doing, as thou lovest thy Soul: …ke hast, Sinner, make hast, begin …ay, before to morrow: Begin this …r, before the next, to do the Work …t God Commands thee; for all the …e that is before thee, is little enough … do it in.

This Work, Sirs, that God Commands you to do, must be now done, or …er. What, and yet sit still, and yet …ly! It must be now, or never. Sirs, … you will Repent, you must now Repent, or never to any purpose; if you … make your Peace with God, in must … done now, or never! God has set us p. 22in this World to make preparation another; God has set us in this Li… we may make ready for anothe… are in this world upon tryal, according as we behave our selve… mind out work, or let it alone, so it … be with us for ever. This World … place, this Lise the time, when wo… Heaven must be done or never be … Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do … thy might; for there is no work, nor d… nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, … ther thou goest, Eccles. 9, 10, O that … ry Trifler in the matters of his … and of his Soul, would write that upon his Chamber Door; in w… you may mind these three things,

First it is plainly said, that tho… going to thy Grave: Thou art upon … Journey to thy Grave: Thou art … thy way to the dust: Whether tho… sleeping or waking, thou art going … thy Grove: Whether working or p… ing thou art going to thy Grave; W… ther drinking or sporting, thou art … ing to thy Grave: In this Journey … neverstandest still; The Child is g… to its Grave as soon as it is born.

p. 232. In the Grave there is no work to … one; no Preaching there, nor no …s nor helps there. Of which more … after.

Therefore it follows, that what … thou hast to do, it should be done … all thy might, and with all haste … possible speed. What thou hast in …and to do, do it with all thy might; for … is no work to do in the Grave to which …art a going. Jesus Christ did work … more because his Time was but …t, I must work the work of him that …me, whilest it is day; for the night com… wherein no man can work. Behold … day is passing away! The Night …ming on! O do your work whilst …ay lasts, for when the night com…no man can work. You must Re… savingly now, or never! You … Believe on Christ now, or never! … must be made holy and become … Children of God now, or never! … methinks, these words, Now, or Ne… should Alarum the most drousie …er! But to set home this, that what … commands must be done Now or Never, …all lay before you these Seven …gs.

p. 241. After Death there shall be no … of Mercy, nor tenders of Pardon … Eternity, therefore now, or never: … must now do what God Command… not at all. Now God he calls and … he calls, and the Spirit he calls, and … nisters they call, That thou wouldest … thy Sin: But if thou stop thine ears … harden thy heart till death, after … none of these shall call to thee for … more! God did never send to Da… Souls; What say you now, will you … cept of Mercy now, will you have a … viour now, and hearken to God no … No, God never took this course as … and God will never do it.

2. After Death there is no Repent… nor Believing; therefore this must … done now or never. When Death h… shut thine Eyes, and separated thy S… from thy Body, if thou diest an U… liever, thou never afterwards shalt h… Faith. If thou diest Impenitent, t… never afterwards shalt Repent. P… bly Damned Souls may Repent in … that they did not Repent upon Ear… but Repentance in Hell, is but the …gravation of their Misery, it being fr… less Repentance. What think you … p. 25…y that would never be good whilst …y lived, be good in Hell! It is true, …re are many sins that men commit … Earth, that they shall not commit … Hell: The Drunkard there shall be … more drunk: The Gamester there … have no more jolly bouts; there… Now, or Never.

3. The Soul after Death enters into … everlasting State, where there shall … no alteration for ever; therefore …t you do for your Souls, must be …e Now, or Never. The Soul, when …e into another World, where it …t takes its Lodgings, it will be for …er. There once damn'd, and for ever …ned! Once in Hell, and for ever …e; therefore it must be Now, or Ne… If a man, in an Ʋnconverted state, …old dye to day, and tidings be brought … you to morrow, What is become of … Soul? The tidings would be, such a …e is Dead, and Damned too. You see …e Soul enters into an Everlasting state. …e 16. 22, 23. There Lazarus he died, … his Soul went unto unalterable Joys: …e rich Man he died, and his Soul went …o unchangeable Torments. When a … dies, he goes to his place: Every p. 26Soul has a place he must go to whe… leaves the Body, Acts 1. 25. Judas … ed and went to his own place. Hell i… Unbelievers own place.

4. When a Man dies, Wrath and … … stice take their turns; and whilst a … lives, Mercy and Patience do take t… turns; Beloved Hearers, the Attrib… of God, as I may so speak, take t… turns, now Mercy and Patience taket… turns. Mercy takes its turn, and s… Sinner, thou art undone: Here is a … for thee. Thou art miserable, come to … and I will help thee. This is Mercy's t… but the Soul does not yet regard, th… fore Patience takes its turn, and stay… the next Lord's Day; it may be, the … ner will be wiser then; if not, Pat… stays another, it may be the sinner … bethink himself then; and it may … Patience waits from one Year to a… ther; from one ten years, to another … years; Yet the sinner does not hea… nor regard. Then, when the Soul is … parated from its Body, Wrath and Ju… take their turns. Says Mercy. Lord, I … ed this man a Christ even as long as he li… yet I was refused. And says Patie… Lord, while the Sinner kept his eyes op… p. 27…ted upon bim, even now to his last gasp; …efore now, we Mercy and Patience deli… him up to the hands of Wrath and Ju…e; take bim. We Mercy and Patience …e done with this Man's Soul for ever.

5. Stay a little longer in thy sins, till …th hath closed thy Eyes; then thy …s and Calls, and Importunities for …cy, shall never be heard; God will … become a God not to be intreated. …w, if you beg for Mercy, you may …e it, If you beg and cry, and call for …don to God, upon the conditions of … Gospel, you may have it; but refuse …ttle longer, then if thou cry'st to all …rnity, thy Crys shall never be heard, … regarded: See this, Matth. 25. 1, 2, … &c. Lord, Lord, open to us. No, says …ist, not I. Luk. 13. 25, 26. See there … strong Crys that Men shall make, and …n vain. Luk. 16. 26. What strong …uests did the Rich Man put up in Hell, … all still deny'd. Should'st thou beg … for the least Mercy, as much as one … of Water, it could not be had.

6. What God Commands, it must be …e now, or never, because when once …e is past and gone, it can never be …ll'd. Sirs, The last Lord's Day will p. 28never come again, Sinner, the time th… thou shouldst have Prayed, but didst n… will never come again. All that th… canst give, will not buy back one h… again. And when thou art Dead a… gone out of this World, God will ne… trust thee with one day more, for to … that which thou didst not do while … this World. God will not say to a Dam… Soul in Hell, here was a fooling, an… delaying Sinner, that did delay to co… to God, while upon Earth, that ma… no hast to come to Christ, whilst Ch… might have been had. God will not s… Come, go thy way again: I will rele… thee for a while: go and sit under … same Minister again, I will try thee … other Life. O Sirs! this will never b… therefore, Now, or Never, Job 7. 6. … days are swifter than a Weavers Shutt… and are spent without hope. The eye of … that seeth me, shall see me ne more, &… Sirs, it is not long that you shall dwell… your Houses, and lodg in your Be… Death will quickly come and hale y… out, and take you out of this World, a… you must never come again, Job 14. 7. … There is hope of a Tree, if it be cut down, t… it will sprout again, but man dieth and was… p. 29…way, yea, man giveth up the Ghost, and where … he! verse 12. So man lyeth down, and ri…s not again, till the world vanish away. If … man dye shall he live again? i. e. shall he …ve upon Earth again? Shall he come …nd sit under the means of Grace again? …o: Heb. 9. 27. It is appointed for all men …ace to dye. Mark, a man shall dye but once a natural death: the Soul is but once to be separated from the Body, It is appointed for all men once to dye. O Lord, how well should that work be done that must be done but once! Must you die but once? O then how carefully should that work be done?

7. After death is the time of receiving …our wages of Reward; therefore your …ork must be now done or never. If thy …ork be done, thou goest away to Heaven, …f not done, thou goest away down to Hell. Immediately after Death, the Reward is given, or the Punishment is inflicted. When the Servant of the labouring Man is to be reckoned with at night, if his work is not done, can he expect a Reward? Canst thou look for Heaven when thou hast not believed nor repented, nor closed with Jesus Christ upon Gospel terms? So when the day of Judgment comes presently after death, thou hast not p. 30sowed, and canst thou expect to rea… … ternal Life? Or shall that be thy So… time, that should have been thy Rea… time? Sirs, this is now your Sowing t… your Praying time, and your Repe… time; therefore, do it now without d… for this must be done now or never. C… sider, Sirs, you must make hast, there i… room for delay, for what God Comm… you to do, it must be done now, or n…

IV. Therefore, God doth Comm… you without delay, to yield Obedi… to his Commands. The time is set … Commanded by God, as well as the … and duty it self. God does not only … you what to do, but he tells you w… you are to do it. The same God, Si… that commands thee to Repent, comma… thee to Repent to day. The same God … commahds thee to Believe and accep… his Son, commands thee to do it no… this very instant. The same God … commands thee to leave thy sin, and … to him, commands thee to do it … without delay. Where does God … liberty to any Man, to put off his … pentance till to morrow? Shew me… place if thou canst; Much less till t… art a Man; Much less till thou art … p. 31…t this is in the thoughts and hearts too … too many. Do not Repent as yet, this … the Voice of the Devil, and not of …d. Let Holiness alone for the pre…nt, this is the Language of thine Enemy, and of thy cursed corrupted Heart; … is not the Voice of God. Where does God allow to spend this day in a natural …ate? In what Chapter, or what Verse … it, that God gives thee space to slight Christ for one hour, and to neglect God and thy Soul for one hour? Shew me the place if thou canst; then let God alone, and Christ alone, so long as thou hast leave from God so to do; no, but this thou canst not: Will the Blessed and Holy God give you time to rebel against him? For one day will he give you leave so to do? No, but I can shew thee, Sinner, one place efter another, where God Commands thy speedy Return, Ec. 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth. Remember him, what to do? to Obey his Commandments, to Fear him; Remember him, to love him; Remember him, to make a speedy and voluntary Resignation of your Souls unto him. Observe in that Verse, it is not only said, Remember thy Creator in the days of p. 32thy youth. So you young Ones pe… may say, you do; and yet stay longer, … a year or two; but mark, there i… word more, Remember Now thy Creat… the days of thy Youth, 2 Cor. 6. 2. N… the appointed time: Now is the day of … vation. Sirs, their is not one of yo… can say to morrow is the day of S… … tion, or the next week, or the … Year shall be the day of Salvation, … 6. 33. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God … the Righteousness thereof. How cont… is the Commandment of God to … Practice of men? First for an Estate, … for Holiness, as I was told, was a sa… of one that I was lately with, that … under horrible Distress of Soul, that … eagerly bent to get an Estate, quic… and after he had done, he cryed, God … give me, Heb. 3. 7, 8. Wherefore as … Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will … his Voice, harden not your hearts, as in … Provocation, in the day of Temptation in … Wilderness, Heb. 4. 7. Again, he limit… a certain day, saying to day, if ye will … his Voice, harden not your hearts. N… seriously ponder this, then tell me … there be any room for your delays.

5. The last reason is this, There is … room for your Deliberation in this cca… p. 33ther you will obey the Commands of …d or no, and consequently there cen be … room for delay; there is no time to … spent, whether you should keep God's …mmand or no. 'There are some things …t do not come under Mens deliberation, to spend any time to deliberate …ether we are to do them or no.

As for instance, which of you do deliberate whether you shall Eat or Drink or …: No Man would, but for quantity or …lity, you may deliberate, but whether …t or Drink at all, you must not deli…e. So the Ʋltimate End of Man comes …r under Man's deliberation. No Man deliberates whether he shall be happy or …. Now such is your obedience to the …ommandments of God, Doing that which he Commands you to do; will you spend time to deliberate whether the blessed God should be Beloved or no? Will you spend time to deliberate whether the blessed Saviour shall be believed … or no? No, there is no room for deliberation in this Case: No Man will have …e face to dare to call these things in …estion. Now is there no room for deliberation; yet is there room for your …lay; So much for the Reasons; now p. 34for the Application of this Doctrin. … it is but one main Ʋse that I intend … this Subject, that is a Ʋse of Exhort…

Must the Commandments of Go… kept without delay? With all ea… hast and possible Speed, Oh then Belo… Hearers! Be exhorted in the fea… God, without delay, to set about Work that God commands you to … Come, Sirs, begin this day, before to … row. O come for God's sake, be per… ded to begin this Work, this very … before the next. Sinner, leave thy … just now, for the Eternal God comm… thee so to do; forsake thy Wicke… just now, for the Blessed and Glor… God does give it thee in charge so to … Turn to God, Believe in Christ, just … without delay. Oh that I could but … swade thee, to look about thee, to b… and doing. If any thing in this W… require hast, this does. For your S… sake arise, and be up and doing. If … Devil tempt thee to delay, do not h… ken unto him; but say, The Ete… God Commands me now to Repent … turn to Christ, and the safety of … Soul-work requires that I should d… with all possible speed. If thy s… p. 35Companions suggest unto thee, it is …me enough yet; reply and say, O it is not so, the Eternal God requires me presently to leave my Sins. If thy own corrupt and slothful heart should say the …me, O it is not so, the Eternal God re…ires me to make hast, and the safety … my Soul requires me so too. O you young Men, come away, you may not …e till you are old: You Young Children, that understand what I say, make …ste, for you may die while you are young. You Old Gray-headed Sinner, make hast and do not delay, for your …me is almost spent already.

To force this Exhortation, I shall …rge it with Ten several Arguments.

I. The Danger and the Miserable State that thy Soul is in, whilst thou art …nconverted, requires thee to make …ast: Thy Estate is wretched, thy Condition deplorable. O why dost thou make no more hast to get out of this Condition? Dangers seen and apprehended, do usually stir up to hasten: Tell me, Sinner, if a Bear were at thy heels, or a Lion at thy back, what hast wouldst thou make to get away from them, that thou mayst not be torn p. 36in pieces? If thou wast in a wild and … solate Wilderness, that is sull of Pits … Serpents, and wild Beasts, and ni… were coming on thce, what haste wou… thou make to get out? If thou wer… thy Bed, and at midnight a voice sho… be heard Arise, awake your house is … flame; wouldst not thou make hast, … not say, There is no need of hast, … turn and sleep, and take the other na… thy bed; Behold, thy danger is a thous… times more, whilst in thy sin; tell m… not thy Soul better than thy body … not thy soul better than thy goods? … wouldst thou rise in hast to save … body and thy goods, and wilt not t… make hast to save thy soul, and that f… Hell-flames too! Or wilt thou turn … self like a sluggard upon the Bed of … nal Security, and say, Let me alone, … sturbe me not, there is no such … Gen. 19. 15, 16, 17, and 22. verses. … case was, that Sodom was to be b… with Fire, and the People that wer… it; only God would have mercy u… Lot, and some with him; therefore … Angel came to hasten him to get a… because of his danger. This apply, … ner, thou art in a natural State, in … p. 37…er of a worse Fire than that of Sodom, …d God Commands thee to make hast …st thou be consumed. Still thou lingrest and loyterest. God sends to us again, …rying, Sinner, escape for thy Life, for thy Soul, look not behind thee, after the World, and after thy Sins and Lusts. …ast it is for thy life, David when he … as in danger of being seized upon by …aul, made great hast to get out of that danger. Jonathan, his Friend, had given him a sign, by the shooting of an Arrow, and words spoken to the Lad that should fetch the Arrow, that he should know whether it was good or evil that was appointed for him, 1 Sam. 20. 38. Ah! so say I to thee, Sinner, make hast, make speed, and tarry not, thy case is dangerous. Saul, when he was in danger, the … Philistians invaded the Land, he got away in hast. When David was comming against Nabal's house, Abigail made hast to pacify and turn away his anger. But alas, what was the danger of Lot unto thy danger! Or the danger of David, of Saul, or of Nabal's house, to the danger thou art in?

First of all, whilst thou delayest to keep the Commandmints of God, God p. 38himself is thy Enemy. There is E… ty betwixt God and thy Soul. Know t… whilst thou art trifling, God is angry w… thee. The Eternal God is provoked … thy Rebellion against his Law. An… this a State to be delayed in! If a Gr… Man was thy Enemy, what hast wou… thou make to be reconciled to him? … a Man upon whom is thy dependa… and livelihood, should become thy e… my, O how wouldst thou send to … his favour again! Would not the thoug… of his displeasure awaken thee out of t… sleep! Psal. 7. 11. God is angry with … Wicked every day, Mark, God is da… Angry with thee, whilst a Wicked Ma… Whilst thou breakest God's Commandments. And is this a condition to … continu'd in, when God is daily ang… with thee? God is angry with the Wicked every day in the week, every day … the year. Vers. 12. If he turn not, he w… whet his sword, he hath bent his bow, a… made it ready: He hath also prepared for hi… the instruments of Death. Behold, the angry God hath taken his Bow in his hand yea, he hath strung and bent his Bow… and he has taken his Arrow out of the Quiver, and put it to the String, and p. 39drawn to the top; and Sinner, if thou … the Mark that God aims at, if thou …t the Butt, he will shoot his Arrow in …ry, that so it shall strike to thy very …art, and who shall heal that wound! …ell me now, is this a State to be con…u'd in? O it is, because that thou dost …t know what God's Anger is! Couldst …ou speak with Devils, if they would … plain with thee, they could tell thee …hat God's Anger is. If thou couldst …eak with Damned Souls, they could tell thee what God's Anger is. O did you know and consider what God's anger is, you would say, O this is not a State for me to abide in a day longer.

Take these Six Properties of this Enemy of thine.

First of all, this Angry God is an Omnipotent God; and canst thou resist Almighty Power? Behold, he makes the Mountains to smoak, and the Earth, and Devils to Tremble. This, Sinner, is he that is Angry with thee every day.

Secondly, This God is Omniscient, and thou canst not deceive him, as to make him Believe, thou art his friend, when indeed thou art not.

Thirdly, This God that is Angry p. 40with thee every day, is an Omnip… God: And then in thy distress, w… canst thou hasten from him? Co… Sirs, you that will not hasten to … whither can you hasten from him? … that will not hasten to him, to a … Submission, and a voluntary resign… of your selves to God, whither … thou hasten from him?

Fourthly, He is a Righteous God, … is Angry with thee every day. T… canst not bribe him with thy G… Thy Silver and thy Gold he will abh…

Fifthly, He is Eternal too, and … never die. Behold this God that is … gry every day with thee, shall never … If a Man were thy Enemy, thou ma… die, or else he may die, so thou ma… be deliver'd from his Anger. But this … not the case between God and thy S… God ever lives to take vengeance … thee: He lives to all Eternity, to punish thee to all Eternity: To punish thee … thy Rebellion against him. And wh… thou diest, this does not deliver th… from this Angry God; no, but wh… thou diest, then thou fallest more especially into his hands.

p. 41Sixthly, and lastly, This God that is …gry with thee every day, whilst thou …ayest, is an unchangeable God. He … never change to be a Friend to thee, …cept thou dost change, to become an …edient Subject unto him, and yield …edience to his Commands.

Whilst thou dost delay to keep the …mmandments of God, thou art very …r …kin to the Devil. The Devil is thy …ther all this while, and thou art his ser…t and his child, And to you that say, …ou desie the Devil and all his works, …y do you yet delay to come off from … service and work? What think you, …rs, is this Relation to the Devil so honourable, and is his work so delightful, and will his wages be so desirable, that …ou are so loth to leave him and turn to God? That this is true, that there is his Relation and nearness of Kin betwixt he Devil and a wicked man, see Acts 13. 10. …ays the Apostle there of a wicked man, thou Enemy of all Righteousness, thou child …f the Devil. Ah, Sirs! may you that are …e Children of the Devil, be made the Children of God and will ye not make …ast to have this done? What if God …ould say to thee at last, Thou likest thy p. 42Relation well, thou wouldst have … Devil for thy Father; now thou are … parted, get thee down to thy Father … Devil, thou shalt have a whole Ete… with him.

3. All the while thou dost delay, … art under all the Curses of the Bo… God; all the Punishments and Th… nings in Scripture thou art liable to … God may without delay inflict the… upon thee, who dost delay to com… him, Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is he that com… eth not in all things that are written i… Book of the Law to do them. Thou hast … continued to do so much as one t… written in the Law. O then if God … Curse thee, who shall bless thee? Sin… didst thou never read this Book? … thou hast perus'd this Book, hast … thou beheld the Threatnings of Go… … gainst graceless Men, and ungodly … and Delaying Sinners? Or, dost thou … spise those sayings, and not make … to get out of that condition in w… thou thou art exposed to God's Wra…

4. Whilst thou delayest to keep… Commandments of God, thou art u… the Sentence of the Gospel too. Ah … if the Gospel condemns you, wh… p. 43… you appeal! I do not say, that yet, … Sentence is a Final Sentence; no, till … Ʋnbelief is final, this Sentence is not …l. Ah Sinner, come, Believe quickly, …else thy Ʋnbelief will be a final Ʋnbe…; then this Sentence of the Gospel …l be a final Sentence too. The Gospel … its Threatnings as well as the Law, …nd more severe ones too. You that … ready to say, That we are too sharp …our Preaching nothing but Hell and …mnation: Alas Sirs, I speak no more …m I find in the Gospel it self; and that …ist hath spoken himself. Do you think …, that we are too sharp, and too tart … our Sermons: alas, you cast the Reproach upon God, that tells us what we …l you. We do no more but tell you …hat this God says, and what you must …pect: and where you must shortly be, … you do not make hast and come away … Christ, Mark 16. 16. He that Believ… not shall be condemned. This is Christ …self that shall Judge you shortly, that …s you so, Joh. 3. 36. He that Believeth not … the Son of God, the wrath of God abideth … him, Heb. 2. 3. How shall we escape, if we …lect so great Salvation? Mat. 18. 3. Verily, …ily, I say unto you, except ye be converted, p. 44ye cannot enter into the Kingdom o… Luke 13. Except ye Repent, ye shall a… wise perish, Heb. 24. Without Holi… man shall see the Lord. Now what sa… Sirs, do we speak more than God sp… Or have we said more than God h… hath said? If thou canst not bear … Doctrine, tell me; Why wast not … one of God's Councellors, and why … not thou advise, and direct thy M… to make better Laws, and better … for Sinners, than in the Gospel he … done? Should thy Maker ask thee, … on what terms and Conditions … wouldst be Saved? thou must tak…e terms, or thou must not be Saved a… John 3. 18. He that believeth not, is … demned already. Mark that Sentenc… that does not believe. Ah poor Sinner … thou a Condemned Man, yet wilt … thou make hast, and wilt thou … still? And wilt thou come and … that thou mayst be Pardon'd?

5. All this while that thou dost … all thy sins stand uncrossed in the … God; and is this a safe condition … continued in? How many Oaths, S… hast thou sworn! How many Holy … baths hast thou Prophaned! How … p. 45…es hast thou derided Godliness? How …y hundred times hast thou neglect… Prayer? To Call upon God? And … many Lies hast thou told, and not … of them Forgiven? Poor delaying …fler! Dost not thou know, that thou …st be Pardoned, or Condemned? and Pardoned thou canst not be, while unsanctifi… and unconverted. O what wilt thou do …en thou leavest this World, and stan… in Judgment, and God shows thee the …ok of Knowledg, and thou find'st all … Sins stand uncross'd in this Book?

6. While thou dost delay to keep the …mmandments of God, thou art in dai… danger of Damnation. Sirs, are you not …sonable Creatures! Do you sit like …cks under the plain Preaching of the …ord? But if those things are true, as …ou wilt shortly know and find them … be, Oh, why dost thou delay still, …d make no more hast out of that …ndition in which thou art exposed to … much trouble! O this word Damnation, what a sound does it make in my …rs! If the Word be so dreadful, what … the Thing it self! Yet this is thy danger, while thou delayest to keep the …ommandments of thy God, What art p. 46thou in danger of? In danger of a … of utter Darkness: In danger of a … tomless Pit: In danger of a pla… Torment: In danger of a burning … Furnace: In danger of a Place of … nual Torment with Fire, and with B… stone. Sinner, when thou liest down, … art in danger of Hell, and thou kn… not, whether thou shalt awake, be… thou art in Hell. Sinner, consider … dangerous thou sleepest when … goest to Bed; Who dare assure thee … thou shalt not be in Hell before the… … rises again? While thou dost delay, … sit down at thy Table, thou eatest … drinkest in danger of Damnation? w… thou dost delay and art siting in thy S… thou sittest there in danger of Damnation. Methinks thou shouldst have but … tle heart to stand changing of Mo… when thy Soul is in danger of Damnstion… When thou art at thy sports and dr… ken bouts, thou art in danger of Damntion. O Lord, what ails the hearts of … that can sport, and drink, and game, … play in danger of Damnation! They kn… not but that they may be in Hell bef… another hour, and yet put it off! Sinn… remember what I say, Thou never di… p. 47… that hour yet in all thy life, in which … couldst say, now I am past danger … being damned: Now I have a Promise … God, that my Soul shall not be cast in… Hell: Sirs, what do you mean: Belov… People, What do you think on: How … you sit here as not concern'd! How … you eat and drink, and sleep, as if … were not in danger of Hell! Canst … bear the Wrath of God, the Torments of the Damned! Canst thou endure …nner? If thou canst then let Christ a…e still! But alass, to feel the Torments … Hell will be another thing, than to …k of them. O Sirs, hearken to this nsel, from one that earnestly desires … salvation of your Souls.

… come now to the Second Particular. …. To urge you to make hast, Con…r, what hast most do make in the …rld to Sin against God, to break the …ommandments of their God; so hast …ou done too, this has been thy praise. O what hast hast thou made to … How fast do many men Swear! How often are many men Drunk! How … hast do many make to their wicked …panions! How fast does the Whore… hast to his Harlot! Shall others p. 48make hast to Hell, and wilt not … make hast to Heaven! Shall others … such hast to provoke God, and wilt … thou make hast to please thy God! … we cannot make you to be slow: … we would fain have you to stop, to … but you will not do it: If we fetch A… ments from God, from the Wrath of … from the Justice of God, to stop … course in Sin; yet you will go on. … fetch Arguments from the Promi… God, from the Threatnings of God, … true and terrible, yet for all this, the … ner will make hast on in his Sin, … we tell you, that Sin is the way to … the undoing of your Souls; yet, fo… this, you will make hast to Hell, … Sinner, art thou afraid that thou … not get to Hell soon enough, or … enough! Behold, you that make … to Sin, I Call and Cry this day, … such hast, Sinner; why poor Sin… why such hast? Why dost thou … sten so fast to run on in that couse … will certainly bring thee to that p… of Torment? Stop thy course, … Sinner, turn back, the place that … art hastning to, is not a pleasant pl… the Torments that thou art … p. 49…g to, are insufferable torments; turn …k again then to God, and instead of …king hast to Sin, make hast to God. …lieve me Sinner, believe me, if that …ou comest to hell forty years hence …ou wilt find that thou art there soon …ugh. Why then shouldst thou make … hast! O the blindness of Mens …rts, that make more hast to Damn …ir Souls than to Save them; that …ke more hast to hell, than to hea…; that make more hast to Devils, … to God! That Sinners make hast … sin, you have Proof enough in your … observation, besides the Scripture, …v. 1. 16. Their feet run to Evil, they …e hast to shed blood. Prov. 7. 23. The sin… maketh hast, as a bird that fleeth from …nare. Mark. 6. 25. Herodias Daughter …de hast to bring a Charger to have John …ptists head.

III. To press you to make hast, …onsider, what hast most in the world … make to be Rich upon Earth; as if … sent Men upon Earth to mind no…g so much as the Riches of this …orld. Do you not see men make hast … yet the World, as if they could not … happy without it? As if they were p. 50undone if they were not Rich! W… do these Men make hast for Rich… and wilt not thou make hast for Gra… Tell me, is not Grace better than … ches, and God, better than Gold? A… are not the joys and happiness of … unseen World, a great deal better t… the outward enjoyments of this pre… World. Take Solomon's Counsel, Pr… 3. 14, 15. Wisdom (meaning Christ … better than Rubies and all that the heart … wish or desire, are not to be compar'd … him, Phil. 3. 7, 8. There Paul co… ted all things but dross, and no bet… than dung, in comparison of Jesus Chr… Ah Sinner, when Death shall co… and thou lye on a Bed of Sickness … thy Conscience be then awakened, … not, then at the furthest, when t… shalt lye in Flames, thou shalt cry … of thy folly, and say, O wretched Sin… that I was, that made such hast to get … World, but no more hast to get the Fav… of my God, that made such hast to … Silver and Gold, but made no more h… get the Favour of God, and an Intere… Christ.

IV. Yet consider, when Man was … len into misery, and was a lost Creat… p. 51…e Blessed God made hast to held him …t. When Man had Rebelled, Mercy made hast to Pardon: When Man had …st his way to Heaven, the God of Heaven did make hast, and come himself, and Preach the way of Salvation unto …m. O wonderful! That God should make hast to Man. and Man will not make hast to God! That God should make hast to come and help Man, and …t Man will not make hast to accept of …is help! What would have become of …ankind, if God had delayed, if Mercy …d delayed! but Mercy was upon the …ng, Mercy fled away apace towards …en Man: The very same day that …an did sin, God did make hast, that …ry day, to come and Preach a Saviour …to him: Read Gen. 3. 7, 8, and 15. …rses, There you read of Adam's Sin, …w he had Sinned, and it is said, In … cool of the day, God came making hast, … find out lost Adam, saying, Adam, where … thou? The God of Heaven came to …k after the Sinner! As if he should …, Is this the man that I made in my own …age, and is become liable to my Wrath, …ect to my Curse, and to the Torments of …ll for ever! O my bowels yearn, I must p. 52make hast to convince him of his sin; … then to Preach a Saviour unto h… Gen. 43. Joseph made hast, for his b… ye arned towards his brethren, and he s… where to weep, and he entred into his C… ber and wept there. So does God's b… els yearn towards poor sinners.

V. To press you to make hast, … time is coming, when thou wilt … that case, that thou wilt cry and ca… God to come and help thee. What … thou think, Sinner, will sickness n… come? Shalt thou never be paine… thy Bowels? Shall thy time of Dy… never come? Yes, it will, it will, a… is a hastning. When thou art full of … with Gout or Stone, if thou canst not … upon thy Bed, O what will thy say, … sinner, then be! O that God w… make hast and ease me, and give … some relief! O this sickness I cannot … dure! This will be thy request … long, and will it not be the breakin… thy heart, if God should say to th… thy distress, as now thou sayst to … in thy prosperity; God says, make … to come to me; yes, thou sayst i… heart, after one year I will, or … ten Years, then I will? then wh… p. 53…ou, when under such pain shouldst …y to God, Help Lord! God should say, …ter one year, or ten years, then I will, …t till then, thou must lye in thy Di…ess: Psal. 40. 13. Be pleased O Lord, … deliver me, O Lord make hast to help me. …erse 17. Thou art my Help and my Deli…rer, make no tarrying O My God. Thou …ouldst not have God to tarry then one …y longer, not one Hour longer; thou …uldst begin and end thy Prayer in …y Distress, with this Request, Make …st O God to help me, as the Psalmist …es in Psal. 71. 12. O God, be not far …m me, O God make hast for my help; even …ery Pharoah will cry for help, when …dgments are upon him.

VI. All the Provisions and Preparations that the Blessed Glorious God has …de to welcome Sinners, when they …me to him, do all cry aloud to you, … make all earnest hast. The Eternal …d has made a great Preparation for …e: this Blessed God invites thee: Sin…r make hast and come to me, thou …t be Damned if thou dost not; O sin…, make hast, and come quickly un…me; thou wilt perish for ever if thou …st not come quickly unto me; I have p. 54a Pardon for thee, come to me, I hav… Heaven for thee, come to me I ha… prepared a Kingdom and a Crown … thee, and loe thou shalt dwell with … for ever; though thou hast Rebelle… will Pardon thee if thou wilt com… me; though thou hast deserved He… will give thee Heaven, if thou wilt … to me: Behold, this Blessed God m… hast to send his Son, and Jesus Ch… made hast to come and dye, the Sp… makes hast to come and move up… thy Conscience, and the Ministers … Christ make hast to come and o… Christ to thee; now shall God make b… and Jesus Christ make hast, and … Spirit make hast, and Ministers m… hast, and wilt not thou make hast?

VII. My Sevnth Argument shall … to Confider your time that you have … come to God.

First of all, The time that thou … allowed thee to come to God in, it is … short, and but a little time, a few m… Years or Months. Weeks or Days, … thy Life will be ended. O Sinner, csider where thou standest! Upon … brink of Eternity, upon the Borde… another World; thou art near, exc… p. 55…g near to Heaven or Hell, and yet …lt thou make no more hast?

2. This little time that thou hast, it is hastning away quickly. O how …wift does yonder Sun in the Firmament move! Sirs, do you not see how the Day and one Night rouls away after another, and one Week, one Sabbath goes away after another, and thy …me is a hastning, whether thou art … Drinking, or a Sporting? Sinner, except thou canst stop the Suns going of its Race, stay in thy Sins no lon…er.

3. This hastning time it is very un…rtain too when it shall end, when an …d shall be put unto it; Sinner, canst thou tell, that thou shalt live till to Morrow: let the man stand forth, that …an say, I am sure I shall live till to Morrow; Which is the Man amongst …ou all that can say, This hour I am …re of the next, and this Lord's day, …hat can say, I am sure of another? Who knows, but thou art keeping thy last Sabbath, and hearing thy last last Sermon? Who knows, but thou art making the …st appearance in a publick Congregation? Boast not thy self of to Morrow, for p. 56thou knowest not what a Day may bring forth. Ah Sinner, thou wilt be found to be the Fool of all Fools, that dost not know how soon thou mayest depart this World, yet triflest and delayest, and wilt not make hast to come to God.

4. Thy time that is past, will never come again; if thou wouldst give thousands for Yesterday, it cannot be Recalled: Or for last Lord's day, it cannot be Recalled again: Consider your time, then judge if it be not high time for you to make hast, and to delay no longer.

VIII. Yet I pray you consider, all the time you do delay you are abusing the Mercy of God, and abusing of the Patience of God; Is this a thing to delay in? Does the Eternal God stay, yet does not Damn thee, and cast thee down to Hell, which he may do every Hour at his Pleasure? And does he tarry and not Punish thee? And dost thou tarry and wilt not come and submit to him? This God is intreating of thee to accept of Mercy, and is loth that thou shouldst Perish, or lose thy poor Soul. Now is offering of the Rich Blessings, Purchased so dear, as by the blood of his own Son? and while thou dost neglect, p. 57What dost thou but say in thy heart I care not for God, nor for his Christ neither? Ah Sinner, remember the time is coming, the hour is hastning, that thou wouldst give Ten Thousand Worlds if thou hadst them, for that Grace which now thou despisest, Rom. 7. despisest thou the goodness of God, not considering that the Patience and Long-suffering of God should lead thee to repentance!

IX. Thy Delaying has in it a great deal of bold, and blind Presumption. Thou dost presume, Sinner, of such things that thou hast not any grounds to make reckoning of. There are three or four things that a trifling Sinner, a delaying Sinner presumes of.

1. Thou dost presume that thou shalt live longer yet; thou dost presume, that thou hast more time to spend in this World; thou dost suppose that thou mayst have another Year yet, another Month still, another Week still; Tell me if this be not in thy Heart; Thou art worse than a mad-man indeed, that wilt not make hast and come to Christ? but this is a bold presumption; thou talkest of another Year, when thou mayst not have another Hour.

p. 582. Thou dost presume, that thou canst Repeut when thou wilt, and turn to God when thou wilt; thou dost presume that thy own will is of thy own strength; but Sinner either thou canst Repent when thou wilt, or thou canst not; if thou canst and dost not, behold thou art inexcusable; but if thou canst not Repent now, dost thou think thou canst better Repent hereafter, when thou hast hardened thy Heart yet more in Sin?

3. In thy Delaying, thou dost presume, that the Spirit of God will help thee hereafter, as well as now, for if this were not in thy hopes, if thou didst not suppose this, if thou wert not bereaved of thy Understanding, Wouldst not thou Repent now, while the Spirit of God moves upon thy heart? How dost thou know, but hereafter the Spirit of God may let the alone, and give thee up to the hardness of thy own Heart? God may say to thee, as to Ephraim, Hosea 4. 17. Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone. Ah Sinner, if God says once, Let him alone, then all the Sermons in the world will do no good: If God would say to the delaying Sinner, My Spirit let him alone, and mine Ordinances p. 59let him alone, and my Ministers let him alone; That tho you have the voice of the Gospel in your Ears, yet God will let thy heart alone.

X. And the last Argument to persuade you to make hast is this, it may be you may be loth to hear it; I wish, Sinner, that by the yeilding to all the rest, thou wouldest give me Reason to forbear to speak it; but if all that has been said, will not move thee to make hast, then know that thy Damnation is hastening, the time of thy lying in Torment is hastening, the hour of thy being thrown down to Devils, and lying in Chains of Darkness, is hastening. Sinner, tho thou slumberest, yet thy Damnation does not slumber, 2 Pet 2. 3. Whose Judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their Damnation lingereth not. Thou lingerest and loyterst, ay, but thy Damnation does not slumber, Deut. 32. 35. Consider of that place, To me, says God, belongeth Vengeance and Recompence; their foot shall slide in due time, for the Day of their Calamity is at hand, and the thing that shall come upon thee maketh hast. Mark, the Day of thy Calamity is at hand, and the p. 60thing, the Wrath of God that shall come upon thee maketh hast; the Justice of God that shall overtake thee, makes hast. O then, if thou would'st make hast to escape those dreadful things that are hastening, do you make hast and delay not to keep the Commandments of your God.

Thus I have given you many Arguments and Motives; and if I thought that you had made hast and come away to Christ, I would change my Text and go upon another Subject, but I doubt, after all, that thou art lingring; I would therefore yet try to put thee on, and would direct this Exhortation to five sorts of People.

First of all, I would perswade such of you as are Young, that you would make hast, and not delay, even you that are Children, little Children, the youngest amongst you that understand what the sense is of any of these things. O do you make hast you young Men in your Youth make hast and do not delay.

II. I would direct this Exhortation to such of you as are old, old Sinners, for God's sake make hast, you that are threescore years old and more, make hast.

p. 61III. To such of you as are Strong and Healthful of Body.

IV. To you that are Sickly and Crazy Persons, often Sick and seldom Well, for God's sake make hast.

V. To such of you as have been Sick, and now are Well, as have been upon Beds of Sickness near to Death, but God hath set thee upon thy Legs again. O make hast, and do not delay to keep the Commandments of God.

First then, You that are young, you that are yet in your Childhood, you young Children, you Young men and Maids; O do you make hast, and do not delay to keep the Commandments of God. I would rather press this Counsel upon you, because you chiefly lye under the temptations of delay; for you Children have very naughty hearts, and loth to be good, and come to God; you are apt to think, that you have time enough yet: that you may take your Pleasure and mind your Sports now, and think of God hereafter, and think of Heaven and Hell hereafter. But I have Ten Questions to propose to you, you Young ones, and by that time I have come through these, I hope you will see p. 62that there is no Reason for you to delay, tho you are young.