In the words immediately going be­fore, you have the course which Da­vid took for the reforming of his life, and the success of that course; I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. A serious reflection upon the past errors and miscarriages of his life, produced the reformation of it. And you have a considerable circumstance [Page 2] added in the words that I have now read to you, viz. that this reformation was speedy and without delay, I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy com­mandments. Upon due consideration of his former life, and a full conviction of the necessity of a change, he came to a resolution of a better life, and immedi­ately put this resolution in execution; and to declare how presently and quick­ly he did it, he expresses it both affir­matively and negatively, after the man­ner of the Hebrews, who when they would say a thing with great certainty and emphasis, are wont to express it both ways, I made haste, and delayed not; that is, I did with all imaginable speed be­take my self to a better course.

And this is the natural effect of Con­sideration; and the true cause why men delay so necessary a work, is because they stifle their reason, and suffer themselves to be hurried into the embraces of pre­sent objects, and do not consider their latter end, and what will be the sad issue and event of a wicked life. For if [Page 3] men would take an impartial view of their lives, and but now and then reflect upon themselves, and lay to heart the miserable and fatal consequences of a sinful course, and think whither it will bring them at last, and that the end of these things will be death and misery: If the carnal and sensual person would but look about him, and consider how many have been ruin'd in the way that he is in, how many lye slain and wound­ed in it, that it is the way to hell, and leads down to the chambers of death, this would certainly give a check to him, and stop him in his course.

For it is not to be imagined, but that that man who hath duly considered what sin is, the shortness of its pleasures, and the eternity of its punishment, should re­solve immediately to break off his sins, and to live another kind of life. Would any man be intemperate and walk after the flesh, would any man be unjust and defraud or oppress his neighbour, be pro­phane and live in the contempt of God and Religion, or allow himself in any [Page 4] wicked course whatsoever, that considers and believes a Judgment to come, and that because of these things the terrible vengeance of God will one day fall up­on the children of disobedience? It is not credible, that men who apply them­selves seriously to the meditation of these matters, should venture to continue in so imprudent and dangerous a course, or could by any temptation whatsoever be trained on one step farther in a Way that does so certainly and visibly lead to ruine and destruction.

So that my work at this time shall be, to endeavour to convince men of the monstrous folly and unreasonableness of delaying the reformation and amendment of their lives; and to perswade us to re­solve upon it, and having resolved, to set about it immediately and without de­lay, in imitation of the good man here in the Text, I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments. And to this end, I shall

First, Consider the reasons and excuses which men pretend for delaying this necessary [Page 5] work, and shew the unreasonable­ness of them.

Secondly, I shall add some farther Con­siderations, to engage us effectually to set about this work speedily and without delay.

I. We will consider a little the rea­sons and excuses which men pretend for delaying this necessary work, and not only shew the unreasonableness of them, but that they are each of them a strong reason and powerful argument to the contrary.

1. Many pretend, that they are abun­dantly convinced of the great necessity of leaving their sins and betaking them­selves to a better course, and they fully intend to do so; only they cannot at present bring themselves to it, but they hope hereafter to be in a better temper and disposition, and then they resolve by Gods grace to set about this work in good earnest, and to go through with it.

I know not whether it be fit to call [Page 6] this a Reason; I am sure it is the great­est cheat and delusion that any man can put upon himself. For this plainly shews, that thou dost not intend to do this which thou art convinced is so necessary, but to put it off from day to day. For there is no greater evidence that a man doth not really intend to do a thing, than when notwithstanding he ought up­on all accounts, and may in all respects better do it at present than hereafter, yet he still puts it off. Whatever thou pretendest, this is a meer shift to get rid of a present trouble: It is like gi­ving good words and making fair pro­mises to a clamorous and importunate creditour, and appointing him to come another day, when the man knows in his conscience that he intends not to pay him, and that he shall be less able to discharge the debt then, than he is at present. Whatever reasons thou hast a­gainst reforming thy life now, will still remain and be in as full force hereafter, nay probably stronger than they are at present. Thou art unwilling now, and [Page 7] so thou wilt be hereafter, and in all likelihood much more unwilling. So that this reason will every day improve upon thy hands, and have so much the more strength, by how much the longer thou continuest in thy sins. Thou hast no reason in the world against the pre­sent time, but only that 'tis present; why, when hereafter comes to be present, the reason will be just the same. So that thy present unwillingness is so far from being a just reason against it, that 'tis a good reason the other way; because thou art unwilling now, and like to be so, nay more so hereafter, if thou intendest to do it at all, thou shouldst set about it immediately, and without delay.

2. Another reason which men pretend for the delaying of this work, is the great difficulty and unpleasantness of it. And it cannot be denied, but that there will be some bitterness and uneasiness in it, proportionably to the growth of evil ha­bits, and the strength of our lusts, and our greater or less progress and conti­nuance in a sinful course: So that we [Page 8] must make account of a sharp conflict, of some pain and trouble in the making of this change, that it will cost us some pangs and throws before we be born again. For when nature hath been long bent another way, it is not to be expected that it should be reduced and brought back to its first streightness without pain and violence.

But then it is to be considered, that how difficult and painful soever this work be, it is necessary; and that should over­rule all other considerations whatsoever: that if we will not be at this pains and trouble, we must one time or other en­dure far greater, than those which we now seek to avoid: that it is not so dif­ficult as we imagine, but our fears of it are greater than the trouble will prove; if we were but once resolved upon the work and seriously engaged in it, the greatest part of the trouble were over; it is like the fear of children to go into the cold water, a faint trial increaseth their fear and apprehension of it; but so soon as they have plunged into it, [Page 9] the trouble is over, and then they won­der why they were so much afraid. The main difficulty and unpleasantness is in our first entrance into Religion, it pre­sently grows tolerable, and soon after easie, and after that by degrees so plea­sant and delightful, that the man would not for all the world return to his for­mer evil state and condition of life.

We should consider likewise, what is the true cause of all this trouble and dif­ficulty; 'Tis our long continuance in a sinful course that hath made us so loth to leave it; 'Tis the custom of sinning that renders it so troublesome and uneasie to men to do otherwise; 'Tis the great­ness of our guilt, heightned and inflamed by many and repeated provocations, that doth so gall our consciences, and fill our souls with so much terror; 'Tis because we have gone so far in an evil way, that our retreat is become so difficult; and because we have delayed this work so long, that we are now so unwilling to go about it; and consequently, the longer we delay it, the trouble and difficulty [Page 10] of a change will encrease daily upon us. And all these considerati­ons are so far from being a good reason for more delays, that they are a strong ar­gument to the contrary: Because the work is difficult now, therefore do not make it more so; and because your de­lays have encreased the difficulty of it, and will do more and more, therefore delay no longer.

3. Another pretended encouragement to these delays, is the great mercy and patience of God. He commonly bears long with sinners, and therefore there is no such absolute and urgent necessity of a speedy repentance and reformation of our lives. Men have not the face to give this for a reason, but yet for all that, it lies at the bottom of many mens hearts: So Solomon tells us, Eccles. 8. 11, Because sentence against an evil work is not execu­ted speedily, therefore the hearts of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

But it is not always thus. There are few of us but have seen several instances [Page 11] of Gods severity to sinners, and have known several persons surprized by a sudden hand of God, and cut off in the very act of sin, without having the least respite given them, without time or liberty so much as to ask God forgive­ness, and to consider either what they had done, or whither they were a-going. And this may be the case of any sinner, and is so much the more likely to be thy case, because thou dost so boldly presume upon the mercy and patience of God.

But if it were always thus, and thou wert sure to be spared yet awhile lon­ger; what can be more unreasonable and disingenuous, than to resolve to be evil because God is good, and because he suffers so long, to sin so much the lon­ger, and because he affords thee a space of repentance, therefore to delay it and put it off to the last? The proper de­sign of Gods goodness is to lead men to repentance, and he never intended his patience for an encouragement to men to continue in their sins, but for an [Page 12] opportunity and an argument to break them off by repentance.

These are the pretended reasons and encouragements to men to delay their repentance and the reformation of their lives, and you see how groundless and unreasonable they are; which was the first thing I propounded to speak to.

II. I shall add some farther conside­rations, to engage men effectually to set about this work speedily, and without delay. And because they are many, I shall insist upon those which are most weighty and considerable, without be­ing very curious and solicitous about the method and order of them: For provi­ded they be but effectual to the end of perswasion, it matters not how inartifi­cially they are rang'd and disposed.

1. Consider, that in matters of great and necessary concernment, and which must be done, there is no greater argu­ment of a weak and impotent mind, then irresolution; to be undetermined, where the case is so plain, and the necessity so [Page 13] urgent; to be always about doing that, which we are convinced must be done.

We are always intending to live a new life, but can never find a time to set about it. This is as if a man should put off eating and drinking and sleeping from one day and night to another, till he have starved and destroyed himself. It seldom falls under any mans deliberation, whether he should live or not, if he can chuse; and if he cannot chuse, 'tis in vain to deliberate about it. It is much more absurd to deliberate, whether we should live virtuously and religiously, so­berly and righteously in the world; for that upon the matter is to consult, whe­ther a man should be happy or not: Na­ture hath determined this for us, and we need not reason about it; and con­sequently, we ought not to delay that which we are convinced is so necessary in order to it.

[Page 14] 2. Consider, that Religion is a great and a long work; and asks so much time, that there is none left for the delaying of it. To begin with Repentance, which is commonly our first entrance into Re­ligion: This alone is a great work, and is not only the business of a sudden thought and resolution, but of executi­on and action: 'Tis the abandoning of a sinful course, which we cannot leave till we have in some degree mastered our lusts; for so long as they are our masters, like Pharaoh they will keep us in bondage, and not let us go to serve the Lord. The habits of sin and vice are not to be plucked up and cast off at once; as they have been long in contracting, so without a miracle, it will require a competent time to subdue them and get the victory over them: for they are con­quered just by the same degrees that the habits of grace and virtue grow up and get strength in us.

So that there are several duties to be done in Religion, and often to be re­peated; many graces and virtues are to [Page 15] be long practised and exercised, before the contrary vices will be subdued, and before we arrive to a confirmed and set­led state of goodness; such a state as can only give us a clear and comfortable evi­dence of the sincerity of our resolution and repentance, and of our good condi­tion towards God. We have many lusts to mortifie, many passions to govern and bring into order; much good to do, to make what amends and reparation we can for the much evil we have done: We have many things to learn, and ma­ny to unlearn, to which we shall be strongly prompted by the corrupt incli­nations of our nature, and the remaining power of ill habits and customs: and perhaps we have satisfaction and restitu­tion to make for the many injuries we have done to others, in their persons, or estates, or reputations: In a word, we have a body of sin to put off, which clings close to us, and is hard to part with; we have to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of God; to [Page 16] encrease and improve our graces and virtues, to add to our faith knowledg, and temperance, and patience, and brotherly kindness, and charity; and to abound in all the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to the praise and glory of God: We have to be useful to the world, and exemplary to others in a holy and virtuous conversation; our light is so to shine before men, that others may see our good works, and glorifie our father which is in heaven.

And do we think all this is to be done in an instant, and requires no time? That we may delay and put off to the last, and yet do all this work well e­nough? Do we think we can do all this in time of sickness and old age, when we are not fit to do any thing, when the spirit of a man can hardly bear the infir­mities of nature, much less a guilty con­science and a wounded spirit? Do we think that when the day hath been idlely spent and squandered away by us, that we shall be fit to work when the night and darkness comes? When our understanding [Page 17] is weak, and our memory frail, and our will crooked, and by a long custom of sinning obstinately bent the wrong way, what can we then do in Religion? what reasonable or acceptable service can we then perform to God? when our candle is just sinking into the socket, how shall our light so shine before men, that others may see our good works?

Alas! the longest life is no more than sufficient for a man to reform himself in, to repent of the errors of his life, and to amend what is amiss; to put our souls into a good posture and preparation for another world, to train up our selves for eternity, and to make our selves meet to be made partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light.

3. Consider, what a desperate hazard we run by these delays. Every delay of repentance is a venturing the main chance. It is uncertain whether hereafter we shall have time for it, and if we have time, whether we shall have a heart to it, and the assistance of Gods grace to go tho­rough with it. God indeed hath been [Page 18] graciously pleased to promise pardon to repentance, but he hath no-where pro­mised life and leisure, the aids of his grace and holy Spirit to those who put off their repentance: He hath no-where promised acceptance to meer sorrow and trouble for sin, without fruits meet for repentance, and amendment of life: He hath no-where promised to receive them to mercy and favour, who only give him good words, and are at last contented to condescend so far to him, as to pro­mise to leave their sins when they can keep them no longer. Many have gone thus far in times of affliction and sickness, as to be awakened to a great sense of their sins, and to be mightily troubled for their wicked lives, and to make solemn promises and professions of becoming better; and yet upon their de­liverance and recovery all hath vanished and come to nothing, and their righte­ousness hath been as the morning cloud, and as the early dew which passeth away: And why should any man, meerly upon account of a death-bed repentance, reckon [Page 19] himself in a better condition than those persons, who have done as much, and gone as far as he; and there is no other difference between them but this, that the repentance of the former was tryed, and proved insincere, but the death-bed repentance never came to a tryal; and yet for all that, God knows whether it were sincere or not, and how it would have proved if the man had lived longer. Why should any man, for offering up to God the meer refuse and dregs of his life, and the days which himself hath no pleasure in, expect to re­ceive the reward of eternal life and hap­piness at his hands?

But though we do not design to de­lay this work so long, yet ought we to consider, that all delays in a matter of this consequence are extremely dangerous; because we put off a business of the grea­test concernment to the future and in so doing, put it to the hazard, whether ever it shall be done: For the future is as much out of our power to com­mand, as it is to call back the time [Page 20] which is past. Indeed if we could ar­rest time, and strike off the nimble wheels of his charriot, and like Joshua bid the Sun stand still, and make opportunity tarry as long as we had occasion for it; this were something to excuse our delay, or at least to mitigate and abate the folly and unreasonableness of it: But this we cannot do. It is in our power, under the influence of Gods grace and holy Spi­rit, to amend our lives now, but it is not in our power to live till to morrow; and who would part with an estate in hand, which he may presently enter up­on the possession of, for an uncertain re­version? And yet thus we deal in the great and everlasting concernments of our souls; we trifle away the present op­portunities of salvation, and vainly pro­mise to our selves the future; we let go that which is in our power, and fondly dispose of that which is out of our power, and in the hands of God.

Lay hold then upon the present op­portunities, and look upon every action thou dost, and every opportunity of doing [Page 21] any, as possibly thy last; for so it may prove, for any thing thou canst tell to the contrary. If a mans life lay at stake, and he had but one throw for it, with what care and with what concern­ment would he manage that action? What thou art doing next may, for ought thou knowest, be for thy life, and for all eternity. So much of thy life is most certainly past, and God knows thou hast yet done little or nothing towards the securing of thy future happiness: It is not certain, how much or how little is remaining, therefore be sure to make the best use of that little which may be left, and wisely to manage the last stake.

4. Seeing the delay of repentance doth mainly rely upon the hopes and encou­ragement of a future repentance, let us consider a little how unreasonable these hopes are, and how absurd the encou­ragement is which men take from them. To sin in hopes that hereafter we shall repent, is to do a thing in hopes that we shall be one day mightily ashamed of it, [Page 22] that we shall one time or other be hear­tily grieved and troubled that we have done it: It is to do a thing in hopes that we shall afterwards condemn our selves for it, and wish a thousand times we had never done it; in hopes that we shall be full of horrour at the thoughts of what we have done, and shall trea­sure up so much guilt in our consciences as will make us a terror to our selves, and be ready to drive us even to despair and distraction. And is this a reasonable hope? Is this a fitting encouragement for a wise man to give to himself, to any action? And yet this is plainly the true mean­ing of mens going on in their sins, in hopes that hereafter they shall repent of them.

5. If you be still resolved to delay this business, and put it off at present; consider well with your selves, how long you intend to delay it. I hope not to the last; not till sickness come, and death make his approaches to you. This is next to madness, to venture all upon such an [Page 23] after-game. 'Tis just as if a man should be content to be shipwrackt, in hope that he shall afterwards escape by a plank, and get safe to shore. But I hope none are so unreasonable; yet I fear that ma­ny have a mind to put it off to old age, though they do not care to say so. Se­neca expostulates excellently with this sort of men; ‘Who shall ensure thy life till that time? Who shall pass his word for thee, that the providence of God will suffer all things to happen and fall out, just as thou hast design­ed and forecast them? Art thou not ashamed to reserve the reliques of thy life for thy self, and to set apart only that time to be wise and virtuous in, which is good for nothing? How late is it then to begin to live well, when thy life is almost at an end? What a stupid forgetfulness is it of our morta­lity, to put off good resolutions to the fiftieth or sixtieth year of our age, and to resolve to begin to do better at that time of life, to which [Page 24] but very few persons have reach­ed?’

But perhaps thou art not altogether so unreasonable, but desirest only to respite this work, till the first heat of youth and lust be over, till the cooler and more considerate part of thy life come on: that perhaps thou thinkest may be the fittest and most convenient season. But still we reckon upon uncertainties, for perhaps that season may never be: how­ever, to be sure it is much more in our power, by the assistance of Gods grace, which is never wanting to the sincere en­deavours of men, to conquer our lusts now, and to resist the most heady and violent temptations to vice, than either to secure the future time, or to recover that which is once past and gone.

Some seem yet more reasonable, and are content to come lower, and desire only to put it off for a very little while. But why for a little while? why till to morrow? To morrow will be as this day, [Page 25] only with this difference, that thou wilt in all probability be more unwilling and indisposed then.

So that there is no future time which any man can reasonably pitch upon. All delay in this case is dangerous, and as senseless as the expectation of the Ideot, described by the Poet; who being come to the river side, and intending to pass over, stays till all the water in the ri­ver be gone by, and hath left the chan­nel a dry passage for him.

But the river runs, and runs, and if he should stay a thousand years, will ne­ver be the nearer being dry. So that if the man must go over, and there be a necessity for it, (as there is for Re­pentance) the onely wise resolution to be taken in this case, is to wade or swim over as well as he can, because [Page 26] the matter will never be mended by tarrying.

6. Lastly, consider what an unspeak­able happiness it is, to have our minds settled in that condition, that we may without fear and amazement, nay with comfort and confidence, expect death and judgment. Death is never far from any of us, and the general Judgment of the world may be nearer than we are aware of; for of that day and hour knoweth no man: And these are two ter­rible things; and nothing can free us from the terror of them, but a good conscience; and a good conscience is on­ly to be had, either by innocence, or by repentance and amendment of life. Happy man! who by this means is at peace with God, and with himself; and can think of death and judgment, with­out dread and astonishment. For the sting of death is sin, and the terror of the great day only concerns those, who have lived wickedly and impenitently, and would not be perswaded, neither [Page 27] by the mercies of God, nor by the fear of his judgments, to repent and turn to him: But if we have truely forsaken our sins, and do sincerely endeavour to live in obedience to the Laws and Commands of God, the more we think of death and judgment, the greater matter of joy and comfort will these things be to us. For blessed is that ser­vant, whom his Lord when he comes shall find so doing. Let us therefore, as soon as possibly we can, put our selves into this posture and preparation; according to that advice of our blessed Saviour, Luke 12. 35, 36. Let your loins be gird­ed about, and your lamps burning, and ye your selves like unto men that wait for their Lord.

And now I hope that enough hath been said, to convince men of the great unreasonableness and folly of these de­lays; nay, I believe, most men are convinced of it by their own thoughts, and that their consciences call them [Page 28] fools a thousand times for it: But O that I knew what to say, that might prevail with men, and effectually per­swade them to do that, which they are so abundantly convinced is so necessa­ry.

And here I might address my self to the several ages of persons. You that are young, and have hitherto been in a good measure innocent, may prevent the Devil, and by an early piety give God the first possession of your souls; and by this means, never be put to the trouble of so great and solemn a repentance, having never been deeply engaged in a wicked life: You may do a glorious, I had almost said a meritorious thing, in cleaving stedfastly to God, and resolving to serve him, when you are so importunately court­ed, and so hotly assaulted by the De­vil and the World. However, you may not live to be old; therefore upon that consideration begin the work presently, and make use of [Page 29] the opportunity that is now in your hands.

You that are grown up to ripeness of years, and are in the full vigor of your age; you are to be put in mind, that the heat and inconsiderateness of youth is now past and gone; that rea­son and consideration are now in their perfection and strength; that this is the very age of prudence and discretion, of wisdom and wariness: So that now is the proper time for you to be serious, and wisely to secure your future hap­piness.

As for those that are old, they me­thinks should need no body to admo­nish them, that it is now high time for them to begin a new life, and that the time past of their lives is too much to have spent in sin and folly. There is no trifling where men have a great work to do, and but little time to do it in. Your Sun is certainly going down and near its setting, therefore you should quicken your pace, considering that your [Page 30] journey is never the shorter because you have but little time to perform it in. Alas man! thou art just ready to dye, and hast thou not yet begun to live? Are thy passions and lusts yet unsub­dued, and have they had no other mor­tification than what age hath given them? 'Tis strange to see, how in the very extremities of old age, many men are as if they had still a thousand years to live, and make no preparation for death, though it dogs them at the heels, and is just come up to them and ready to give them the fatal stroke.

Therefore let us not put off this ne­cessary work of reforming our selves, in what part and age of our lives soever we be. To day, whilst it is called to day, least any of you be hardened thorough the deceitfulness of sin. Nay, to day is with the latest to begin this work, had we been wise we would have begun it sooner. 'Tis Gods infinite mercy to us, that it is not quite too late, that the day of Gods patience is not quite [Page 31] expired, and the door shut against us. Therefore do not defer your repentance to the next solemn time, to the next occasion of receiving the blessed Sacra­ment: Do not say, I will then reform and become a new man, after that I will take leave of my lusts and sin no more. For let us make what haste we can, we cannot possibly make too much ‘—properat vivere nemo satis.’

No man makes haste enough to be good, to cease to do evil, and to learn to do well. Be as quick as we will, life will be too nimble for us, and go on faster than our work does; and death will go nigh to prevent us, and surprize us un­awares.

Do, do sinner, abuse and neglect thy self yet a little while longer, till the time of regarding thy soul and working out thy own salvation be at an end, and all the opportunities of minding that [Page 32] great concernment be slipp'd out of thy hands, never to be recovered, never to be called back again; no, not by thy most earnest wishes and desires, by thy most fervent prayers and tears; and thou be brought into the condition of prophane Esau, who for once despising the Blessing, lost it for ever, and found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

To conclude: Art thou convinced, that thy eternal happiness depends up­on following the advice which hath now been given thee? Why then, do but behave thy self in this case, as thou and all prudent men are wont to do in matters which thou canst not but ac­knowledg to be of far less concernment. If a man be travelling to such a place, so soon as he finds himself out of the way, he presently stops and makes to­wards the right way, and hath no incli­nation to go wrong any farther: If a man be sick, he will be well presently [Page 33] if he can, and not put it off to the future: Most men will take the first opportunity that presents it self, of be­ing rich or great; every man almost catches at the very first offers of a great place or a good purchase, and secures them presently if he can, least the op­portunity be gone, and another snatch these things from him. Do thou thus so much more, in matters so much grea­ter. Return from the error of thy way, be well, save thy self as soon as possi­bly thou canst. When happiness pre­sents it self to thee, do not turn it off, and bid it come again to morrow. Per­haps thou mayest never be so fairly offered again; perhaps the day of sal­vation may not come again to morrow; nay, perhaps to thee to morrow may ne­ver come. But if we were sure that happiness would come again, yet why should we put it off? Does any man know how to be safe and happy to day, and can he find in his heart to tarry till to morrow?

[Page 34] Now the God of all mercy and pa­tience, give every one of us the wis­dom and grace, to know and to do in this our day, the things that belong to our peace, before they be hid from our eyes; for the sake of our blessed Savi­our and Redeemer; To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all ho­nour and glory now and for ever.

Amen.