THE Wise Man in this Religious Check, at the same time rebukes and cautions those Slothful Triflers, whom he saw shuffling off the most necessary Business of their Lives, what they themselves acknowledg'd must needs be done; but yet vainly flatter'd their own Hearts, that they might enjoy this Day's Pa­stime, and be early enough for that Work to Morrow: And certainly, it may most properly be apply'd now to the Case of every Christian, fondly deferring his Repentance, that most ne­cessary Work, upon which Salvation it self de­pends: It is not the Doctrine of Repentance, Men scruple to acknowledge; no, the Scriptures are too plain, and peremptory in this Particular (Except ye repent, ye shall all perish) for such as embrace them, to out-face the Necessity of Repen­tance: But the Point, wherein they are unsettled, is about the Time; tho' they must Repent, yet [Page 2]this Day's Temptation flatters them, to Morrow will be time enough; and then to Morrow's Lust advises, a Week hence will not be too late: Thus, if Youth determines the Case, its warm and heated Blood, coneludes the Duties of Re­pentance, namely, a Serious Constancy in our Devotions; the Works of Mortifications and Self-denials to be most suitable to the Sedateness and Gravity of Age: If we consult those in the Strength of their Years, their Plea immediately is this, That they are now in the Prime of their Days, in that part of their Life, which is most proper for the concerns of this World; in the very Critical Moment, for advancing their pre­sent Honours, or Establishing the Happiness of their Posterity: That they feel themselves Strong, and Healthy, past those Dangers which encom­pass Youth, far enough from Death, and the Grave, and therefore under no such pressing Obligations to be hastening their Repentance, which will be more becoming our declining State: Nay, if old Age it self be Umpire, it presently resolves, That it is more seasonable still to cherish, than to check the perishing Heat, and even with one Foot in the Grave, deems its most impor­tant Business which remaineth in this World, is to be still Careful in Supporting Life: [Page 3]even then, when Men have gone on so long, they think it too early still to look back, and because they find themselves greatly disabled for Sinning, they are apt to imagine, that they are as greatly disengaged from Repenting: Thus from the Cradle to the Grave, from the very Beginning to the End of Life, we are all shift­ing and putting off the most necessary Business of our Lives: Thus, though in all Degrees of our Age, as Christians, we acknowledge it ne­cessary to Repent; yet, in no degree of our Life, to which we are arrived, as Men, do we judge it time to begin Repentance. Give me Leave therefore, in Conformity to this holy Season, and upon the very Importance of the Subject it self, here to take up the wise Man's Admonition, and with the most religious Application, press upon you the absolute Necessity of our present per­forming this great Work; shew you how very unreasonable it must be in us Christians, who ac­knowledge Repentance to be a Work so indis­pensible towards our Salvation, that if it be not done before Death, we must die for ever, to depend upon to Morrow to do it in, when we know not, in what Circumstances this very Day may leave us: Now, this I shall endeavour in these Three Particulars:

First, By shewing you the dangerous Uncer­tainties, which all delaying Men have to depend upon.

Secondly, How improper the Times resolv'd on by such Men to Repent in, will be for the Work of their Repentance.

Thirdly, I shall make it appear, That there is no Excuse or Pretence whatsoever which Men may now urge, in favour of their Delays; but what, if seriously considered, must, even in Wis­dom, oblige them to hasten their Repentance.

I. As to the dangerous Uncertainties, which all delaying Men have to depend upon.

Can any Thing be more dangerous and un­certain in the Business of our Salvation, than that which has no Certainty in the Gospel of Christ? Now, though 'tis true, its Heavenly Voice is this, Repent and live; yet, we may observe, it still directs us to the time present: As for a future Repentance, there is no such thing hinted at in Scripture. God no-where calls upon us to Re­pent to Morrow, or assures us, That our next Year's Penitence shall be sufficient for this Year's Transgressions: No, all the Promises of his Help, [Page 5]and of the Assistances of his holy Spirit for this Purpose, are given to such as seek him early, to such as call upon him whilst he is near. Now, God is said to be near us, when our Sins have not set us far from him: That is, when by our long and habitual Impenitence, we have not chased his blessed Spirit far from his Temple, which is our Body. If we address, before the vitious Distemper grows inveterate, we may find Life and Consolation in the comfortable Refresh­ments of God's Holy Spirit; but if we deferr and suffer him whilst he is near, to forsake us, without working up our Souls for this Heavenly Undertaking, can we imagine, we shall be able to perform it, at God's greater distance from us? I am sure we have no Authority from God to presume we shall: No, Those Men who are so willing to flatter themselves in the Per­swasion, that they may go on sometime securely in their Sins, that they shall certainly return at last, and seek after God, wou'd do very well to consider, that they are without any Promise in the Scriptures, either that they shall have Grace enough to return at last, or if they should seek him, that he will then be found by them; nay, there is not one instance throughout the whole Gospel, that a late Repentance, shall be [Page 6]available in such Men, who now knowingly and wilfully deferr Repenting: I say, who knowingly, and wilfully deferr, upon these two Accounts, 1. Because I take this to be the case of all us here present; who, I trust have long since been baptized into the Faith of Christ, and the Essen­tial part of our Baptismal Covenant with God, is a present Repentance. 2. I say knowingly, because this plainly sets before us, the manifest difference between our case now, and that of the Thief upon the Cross heretofore; which is the only instance that looks this way; and that such a one, through the mis-understanding of which, too many Men, I fear, do deprive their own Souls of this blessed Means of Salvation: To set your Understandings right as to that particular, you may observe, That though in respect of this Life, the Thief's Repentance was as late, as it is possible, that of the most loytering of us all can be, even as late as Death it self; yet in respect of the time when he came to the Knowledge of God, it was very early; even as early as Faith began; he no sooner beheld the Glory of Christ's Majesty, but he humbled himself under the sense of his own vileness; so soon as he knew God, he re­nounced the World, and in a Penitential Con­fession, [Page 7]humbly besought Christ's merciful Re­membrance in his Kingdom: Now, if we reflect upon these Circumstances, what can we discover in them which any ways relates to our own Case, who have long enjoyed the Know­ledge of God's Truths, and yet long lived in an habitual Neglect of all the present Oppor­tunities of Salvation; wilfully confiding in the imaginary Hopes, in the vain Uncertainties, of a future Repentance: I say, the vain Uncertainties of a future Repentance; for that there is nothing, but Vanity, Danger, and Uncertainty in a future Repentance, from the very first, to the last Circumstances of it; I shall farther make appear in these following Considerations.

First, What certainty can there be in that, which depends upon so uncertain a Foundation as the Life of Man? or rather let the Quaere go thus; With what Wisdom shall any Man de­pend upon the certainty of that which is not now, and which, that it ever be, must depend upon the certainty of our time to come in this World, which may never be: who, as we are not able to add one Cubit to our Stature, to make one Hair black, or white; so, much less can we presume, that the certainty of Life is in our Power? If thou wilt repose the certainty of thy [Page 8]Life in a Repentance hereafter, must it not then become thee, to ensure an Hereafter for thy self to Repent in? If this be beyond thy reach, then consider thou hast shuffled off thy Salva­tion to that which is beyond thy Power, thou hast only purpos'd to Repent then, when, for ought thou knowest, thou shalt be no more. I see but one thing, with which impenitent Men may satisfie their Consciences against the force of this Reasoning; and it is this: A Perswasion that God is a Being essentially too kind, and gracious, to take Men out of this World, before they have Repented, that is, whilst they are unfit to Die; but is not this also vain, and an uncer­tainty, inconsistent with the most certain Do­ctrines of God's Holy Spirit, which frequently acquaint us that the Wicked, namely, such as the Deceitful and Blood-thirsty Men, shall not live out half their days? And to argue this upon the common Principles of Reason, Can we in rea­son believe, that there can lie any Obligation upon God to prolong our lives, when it is our contemptuous Neglect of God's Grace, our daily Violations of God's righteous Judgments, which now renders us unfit for Death? Can any Man hope thus to put off Death, by his Rebellions against the Lord of Life?

2. As Life is uncertain, so is the continuance of God's Grace uncertain also; nay, accor­ding to what our Lord hath taught us in the Parable of the Talents, 'tis almost certain, That, if we neglect or misuse it now, it shall not be continued to us; for there our Saviour plainly tells us, From him that hath not, shall be taken away even that which he hath; that is, that Man that shall not apply in the blessed Works of Holiness, and good Living, the Portion of God's Grace this Day ten­dered to him, to Morrow he shall be left Graceless: And then what certainty can there be of our Repentance, where there can be no certainty of the Grace of God, without which, 'tis impossible we shou'd Repent at all, Repentance being the kindly Operation of his heavenly Grace, which softens the Heart, and melts all our frowardness into contrition?

II. And thus I pass to the Second Thing propounded, and that is to shew how im­proper the times resolv'd on by delaying Men to Repent in, will be for the Works of their Repentance:

We must either all resolve upon a present Re­pentance; (and oh! that any thing I now speak may be able to effect such a blessed Resolution in us all) or else we must fix upon such Seasons as these to Repent in: That is to say, either the time of Sickness, the time of Old-Age, or the time of Death. I shall therefore distinctly examine each of these, and particularly shew, how very improper any one of them will be for the Performance of our Repentance.

1. Then; As for the time of Sickness, can this be a proper time to begin Repentance, when one of the most comfortable Effects of a sincere Repentance, indeed, the only Comfort it can afford us in this Life, is to refresh and sweeten our Consciences upon our Bed of Sick­ness? Can Sickness be the proper Season for Re­pentance, which requires a calm and sedate Soul, a free and apprehensive Understanding, that may either occasion such heats as will di­stract, such Fumes as may oppress, or those affrighting Apprehensions, which may both con­found our Senses and terrify the most judicious Faculties of our Souls? Shall we then be best fitted to make our Peace with God, when we may be all Agony and Distraction? when all the Faculties of our Souls and Bodies are in [Page 11]Confusion and Disorder? Let us but reflect with our selves, how every little Indisposition of Body indisposes our Souls; also, how often we have excused to our own Consciences (if we have lived with any Conscience of doing our Duty to God) the Omission of our Pray­ers and other religious Exercises, upon this very Plea of the Illness of our Bodies; and if these ordinary Interruptions of our Health do so far affect our Souls, as to divert us from the blessed Works of Faith and Holiness, can we imagine, That a Sickness even unto Death, whose Malignity lays hold on all our Powers, whose Rage or Stupefaction stops or employs all the Faculties within us, shall prepare or dis­pose our Hearts with more than ordinary In­clinations for the Works of Righteousness? Certainly we must all think Repentance an easy Task indeed, if we can judge our selves strong enough for that, when we shall be disabled for every thing besides. Whether we shall have a time to be sick in, I mean, such a Space of time as may be proportionable to the Occa­sions of our Transgressions, is such an Un­certainty which no mortal Man can assure himself of: But put the Case we might pre­sume upon a fit of Sickness (which I must [Page 12]confess to be the very Subject of the Ar­gument I am speaking to,) yet after all, me­thinks it must be a most unaccountable Piece of Discretion in any Man, to cherish one mortal Disease; nay, such a Foulness in the Soul as is Impenitence, which tendeth to Death and everlasting Destruction: To deferr I say, and put off its timely Cure till another fatal Distemper shall seize, and so the more despe­rately endanger him: Were there no other Considerations to convince us in this Parti­lar, yet in this one, we may discover how im­proper Sickness must be, to be fix'd upon for the Performance of our Repentance; name­ly, because no Man can be certain what Ope­rations Sickness may effect in him, whether its Anguish may not harden, or its Gentle­ness prevent his holy Resolutions to Repent. We have daily Instances of such Distempers, which deprive Men of their Hopes and Wits together, and of others too, whose indiscer­nable Decays too often lull them in Impeni­tence. And now can Sickness be a proper Season for Repentance, which contains our Sorrows for our past Irregularities, which is our actual returning into the Paths of Health and Wisdom, when Sickness, many times, [Page 13]puts us but still more besides our selves? Can that be the proper time to qualifie our Griefs for Sin, which has so many Uneasi­nesses, and Distractions of its own?

And thus I pass to the Second time, in which many purpose to Repent, and that is the time of old Age: Where I shall not stand now to consider the im­probability, whether One in Five hundred of those who fix upon this time, ever live to be old; nor yet that Observation which daily Experience seems but too constantly to instruct us in; namely, That a vicious, and impenitent Youth, too frequently con­cludes in a hardened, and an unrelenting old Age; but I shall now suppose, That by the good Providence of God, we may all here live to be old; and so reason upon this Supposition. Now then, Shall old Age be proper for this Work? What? Shall that be mastered with see­ble Joints, and trembling Knees, which has so long been victorious over all our strongest Resolutions? Shall the Dregs, and refuse of Life, be the properest Sa­crifice for our God? Shall we then be best qualified to set forth the Greatness [Page 14]of his Mercies, when all those excellent Endowments, which God has bless'd us with, on purpose that we might glorifie his Heavenly Majesty, have been consu­med on Sin, and are worn out in the Works of Unrighteousness? Shall that be our fit time, for the Fear of God which is the beginning of Wisdom, when we are reduced to the Weakness of Child­hood? Can that be the fittest Season for us to take the Review of our Lives past, when we have lost our Memories? that a time to look back, when we shall scarce be able to see before us? In a word, Shall that be a fit time, for a free, voluntary, and conscientious forsaking of Sin (wherein true Repentance does con­sist) when Sin it self will forsake us? 'Tis wonderful to observe, how Men act contrary to those received Principles of Wisdom which directs them in other Matters, in this greater Business of their Salvation; if we examine them as to their Concerns relating to this World, this Ex­cuse they make for their present Cares, Cravings, and immoderate pursuit after the Things of this World; is this, To keep, [Page 15]and refresh them when they shall be un­fit for Cares, to make old Age happy, and easie. How insatiable are they in securing the greatest Stores against that time, when the least may satisfie? But as for those Heavenly Treasures which will be the more needful the nigher we ap­proach the Grave, they think it time enough to be seeking these, when they shou'd actually enjoy them. They think there is no Necessity to be careful for these which are most necessary, till by the in­veterate habits of their Vices, they are in­deed rendered unfit for all the watchful Cares of true Devotion: What a Con­tradiction is here? That Men shou'd pre­tend they wou'd have their old Age hap­py, and yet load it with all the Pains, and bitter Labours of Repentance? Can old Age thus be happy, when all this may be too little; when we may cry and not be heard, when we may weep, and languish, and Repent, and yet, like Esau, find none to Comfort, none to restore the Blessing? When that God, whom now in the Beauties of our Youth, and Perfection of our Age, we have con­temned, [Page 16]shall in his Wisdom and Justice contemn our craziness? Wou'd'st thou be happy when thou art old? thou must then needs be Godly now thou art young: That which often disturbed the Soul of David, was the sence of his Sins; tho' he lived in an habitual Repentance, yet we find this frequently wounded him in the midst of his Enjoyments. Let me, therefore, earnestly beseech ye that are young, or in the Strength of your Years, to Remember your Creator now in these Days of Youth and Strength: And that, as for many others, so especially upon these two Considerations: First, Because, If ye will not Serve God now, whilst ye are fit for the Services of the World, ye can expect no Blessings from God then, when ye shall be past Transgressings. Se­condly, Because, If ye will not Serve God now, ye will not be Able to Serve him hereafter, there being no Service at all, in that, it will be the effect of Impotency, and Necessity; it being no Service at all to God, that thou wilt abstain from Sin­ning, when the vicious humour has been fulfilled before, and thy Natural Decays [Page 17]render thee unfit for Sinning. Consider 'tis now, in these Days of Youth and Strength, that Temptations flow about thee; 'Tis now, that Ambition pricks, and the World besets thee with Enchant­ments; 'Tis now, that the unruliness of thy Blood, and the evil propensities of thy Flesh, prompt thee to Rebellion against thy God; and therefore it must be now that is the properest Season for all the holy Actions of true Devotion: If thou cast off the care of thy Soul now, think not that God will take it up; think not that He will accept thy refuse, much less, in Wisdom, or Religion can'st thou ima­gine, that notwithstanding thy present contempt of so precious a Treasure, he will at last Exalt and Glorifie thee. Old Age, shou'd God bless us with it, will be the beginning of our Harvest; the time when we shall in some Measure, reap the bless'd Fruits of a present Piety, and Repentance; and therefore very im­proper to be appointed by us for the time of Seed, i. e. for the time of begin­ing of our Repenting.

And thus I am brought to speak to the third Time resolved on by too many Men, for the Work of their Repentance; which, though it be a Time which all must come to, yet certainly, a later Hour they can­not think on, for 'tis the Hour of Death. Now is not this a monstrous Resolution? I will begin then to live righteously, when I may conclude with my self I shall live no longer: I will there fix the Assurance of my Eternal Happiness, where I am taught, will end all the Opportunities of making sure my future Happiness. Wilt thou, say'st thou, Repent at Death? Wilt thou indeed, trust all to one Moment? then give me Leave to represent unto thee, how desperately the State of thy Salvation standeth; thou wilt Repent.

Alas! It will not be in thy Power to Repent at Pleasure; 'tis neither he that wil­leth, nor that Man that now resolveth, but of the Grace of God that we Repent at all: And will it not be just in God, whom thou hast so contentedly forgot thy whole Life, either to forget thee at thy Death, or by withdrawing his Grace, leave thee to be forgotten by thy self? Again, [Page 19]Why wilt thou deferr till Death? Dost thou think the time of this Life, which is given us on purpose that herein we may make our Calling and Election sure, too early for us to be working out of our Salva­tion? Will not Consolations be more sea­sonable in the Hour of Death, than Sor­rows and Remorse? Will it not be more comfortable to reflect on a sincere Repen­tance past, than to depend upon such a sudden Repentance, which may either not come, or if it do, have no Sincerity at all in it; none I am sure, which any wicked Man that hath not before, either actually set upon a good, or reflected upon an evil Course, can possibly be assured of? And my Reason is, because our Repentance may be as sick and weakly as our Bodies; we may easily mistake the Weariness of our Limbs, for the Uneasiness of our Souls; our pre­sent Impotency and want of Strength to Sin, for a real Aversion to Sin; nay, for the very Reformation of our sinful Inclina­tions; therefore, I shall conclude this Par­ticular with the Opinion of St. Augustine, who being ask'd his Thoughts of those who did then what too many now do, [Page 20]deferr their Repentance to the last Moment, answers his Friend who put the Question to him, in these Words, I avouch not that he can be saved, nor positively that he shall be condemned; but if thou wouldst be saved, O Friend! let me advise thee, be thou sure to Repent now thou art well.

III. And thus I come to the last General Head of my Discourse, to shew how every Pretence or Excuse which Men may now make, in Favour of their Delays, must, if seriously considered, even in Wisdom, oblige them to hasten their Repentance.

One of the Excuses, with which some Men countenance their Delays, is this, That upon the Examination of their own Ways, they find their Sins are yet but small, and such as they may easily cast off at Pleasure: But give me Leave to rea­son against these Deluders of their own Souls. Are thy Sins small? Then why wilt thou deferr, since the Work of thy Repentance will be the lighter? May they easily be cast off? Then why wilt not thou immediately part with them, since the least Grain is infectious, and every wilful Detainment tendeth unto Death? [Page 21]Again, consider, though they may be light now, yet the shortest Continuance will make them heavier; their Guilt increases every Moment, and the longer they possess thy Soul, the more violently will they keep Pos­session. Another Excuse is, the contrary to this, namely, the Greatness of our Sins, and the mighty Difficulties in Repentance: But may we not consider here, That though the Work be great and difficult indeed, yet still 'tis necessary; and again, That the longer we deferr, the more difficult we shall find the Task: For, does the Burden of thy Sins feel heavy to Day, and canst thou think to Morrow's Weight will make it lighter? Is it not in this very Case of our Transgressions, that we may apply that of the Holy Spirit, sufficient to the Day is the Evil thereof; and then, must not every Day add to thy Tale, and so the Portion of thy Repentance increase daily? But fur­ther, if it be really so hard and difficult to subdue them now, whilst thou art in full Strength and Vigour; and as thou may'st fansie, hast length of Days before thee, canst thou imagine, that they will [Page 22]the easilier be removed under the Faint­ings of Sickness, Decays, and Impotencies of Age, or the surprizing Pangs of Death? Dost thou now fear their Greatness, and wilt thou not, by thy Repentance, endea­vour to prevent their growing greater; or canst thou believe, that whilst thou sinnest on, thy Account will the easier be made up at last? Is not such a Conclusion as this, much more rational; that Work which is so hard and difficult to Day, may, if we do not immediately set about it, indeed grow invincible to Morrow? Another Pretence still, with which Men seem to satisfie themselves under their Delays, is, The necessary Imployments of Life, the indispensible Occasions of this World: These, say they, often divert us from the Work of Holiness; these are those things which ever interrupt us in our Attempts this Way. But to answer this, no doubt, whilst we are in this Life, subject to those Decays and Infirmities which require a Supply of the things of this World for our Support, we must be allowed so much of them as is necessary [Page 23]for our Replenishment; and consequently, so much time as is convenient for the Ob­tainment of them: Yet after all, this World certainly is not the Christian's Business, nor our time in it so much our own, that we may imploy it upon the World as we please: No, every Day of our Lives is so much God's, that in no part of any Day, we may forget him; but then in some part of every Day, we must needs forget all things besides him: The necessary Oc­casions of the World we may give Room to, but then we must remember withal, that we ought not to make more Ne­cessaries than God has appointed: For Instance, we must not shorten the Hours of our Devotion, to gain Time to spend upon our Lusts; or to secure to our selves Opportunities, wherein to en­rich our Stores with Superfluities; what­ever we may think of it, whilst we are in our eager pursuits after this World, we shall all certainly find at the last, that God will never accept of such an Ac­count of our time from us, as this, spent upon my Pleasures, upon the occasions of [Page 24]my Ambition, in the prosecution of my ex­cessive Gettings, Ten, Twenty, perhaps Thirty Years: these (God knows) are too often the indispensible Occasions which prevent us in our Holy Duties: They are these Excesses in our Labours, these su­perfluous engagements of our Pride (where­of we ought all seriously to Repent) which chiefly hinder us, in the business of our Repentance. Let us consider, That every Day, nay, every Moment, consumes some­what of the Thread of Life; and that of all Business, and Employments, none is more requisite, than our making Peace with God; of all Necessaries, this one thing is most necessary in us Christians, to mortifie our Affections which are upon the Earth, to cleanse our Hands, and pu­rifie our doubt Minds; to lay up Stores in Heaven, and be every Day in the Works of Faith, Charity, and Obedience; securing and improving our Interest in the Kingdom of the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ; the Sum and Sub­stance of whose Gospel is this, If we do now, whilst he gives us time for it, [Page 25]turn unto God in a true Faith, and with a hearty Repentance, we shall at his Com­ing, be made Partakers of his Eternal Kingdom, where there shall be no time to terminate our Enjoyments of him. To which Bless'd State, vouchsafe, O blessed Father, to bring us all, through the Me­rits of Christ Jesus thy Son, to whom with thee, and the Holy Ghost, be all Honour and Glory, for ever and ever. Amen.