2. That if we think our felves not able to do it now, we fhall be lefs able hereafter.

(1.) If we be unwilling to repent and amend now, it is not likely that we should be more willing or inclined to it at any other time: for the fame Reason that makes any Man defer it now, will be as forcible and prevalent at another time. Since the Man hath found no great Inconvenience from the Sins of the laft Week or Month, he fees not why he may not as well venture on them for another, and after that he fays he will certainly become a new Man; but when that time comes, yet ftill God continues his Patience, and is not weary of bearing with him, so that he'll think he may still venture to put it off once more, and then he will not fail to perform his good Intentions of amending his Life.

And this is moft probably the Confequence of fuch vain Purposes of leaving our Sins hereafter for the only Objection we have against doing it now, is because this time is prefent, and we are loth as yet to put our felves to fo much Trouble and Pain as this Work doth require; and therefore when to-morrow is as this day, and comes to be present too, we shall for the fame Reason for which we defer it till then, put it off ftill to another Day; and fo it will be always a Day or more to that Day when we shall begin to repent.

So that this ought rather to be called a full Purpose of committing Sin to-day, than a Refolution of leaving it to-morrow. He that

refolves

refolves to be virtuous, but not till fome time hereafter, refolves against being virtuous in the mean time; and as Virtue at fuch a dif tance is easily refolved on, fo it is as easy a matter always to keep it at that distance. The next Week, fays the Sinner, I will begin to be fober and temperate, ferious and devout; but the true fenfe of what he says, is this, I am fully bent to spend this prefent Week in Riot and Excess, in Senfuality and Profaneness, or whatever Vice it is that I indulge my self in; and if we do thus often, if it be our common course to put off our Repentance thus from time to time, this is a most shreud Sign that indeed we never intend to repent at all. This is only a pitiful Device and Excufe to shift off the Duty wholly; and fo we would interpret it in any Man who fhould deal with us after the fame manner in our worldly Affairs.

It is with wicked Men in this Cafe, as it is with a Bankrupt: when his Creditors are loud and clamorous, fpeak big and threaten high, he giveth them many good Words and fair Promises, appoints them to come another day, intreats their Patience but a little longer, and then he will fatisfy them all; when yet the Man really intends not to pay one Farthing, nor ever thinks of compaffing the Money against the time. Thus do Men endeavour to pacify and quiet their Confciences, by telling them they will hear them another time; but this is only to delude and cheat their Confciences with good Words and fpecious Pretences,

Pretences, making them believe, they will certainly do, what yet they cannot endure to think of, and what they would fain wholly excufe themselves from. But yet this is not all; for,

(2.) We fhall be lefs able to repent, and more indifpofed for the Work at another time than we are now. That which makes Men fo loth to be brought to reflect upon their Lives paft, is (as I before obferved) the Uneafinefs and Trouble they think they shall find in fuch a Work: fo a great Trader, that hath good reason to think he is run much behind hand in the World, of all things hates to look into his Books, cannot endure to hear of stating his Accounts; and yet the longer he defers this, his Accounts will become more intricate, he'll ftill run more in Debt, his Condition will every Day grow worfe and worse, till at last 'tis paft all Recovery. And thus it is with wicked Men, they would fain defer their Repentance as long as ever they can, they would not yet be interrupted with fuch grave and ferious Thoughts: but the mischief is, the longer they defer it, the more they have ftill to repent off; and not only fo, but they become more unable and unfit for fuch a Work; they are still more backward and averfe, as having been longer ufed and accuftomed to their Sins, and as having contracted greater familiarity with, and kindness for them and by fuch delay their ill Habits grow more confirm'd, their Lufts and Paffions be

come

come stronger and more potent, and even their very natural Powers and Faculties are by degrees weaken'd and difabled.

And for this Reason the fooner we begin a religious course of Life, the more eafy it will prove to us, not only because in the time of Youth we are most capable of any Impreffions, our Natures being then most soft and tender ; but also because if we begin betimes, there is fo much the lefs change to be made in our Lives and Tempers: our Repentance then is like a Man's returning into the right Road as foon as ever he was out of his Way, he hath but a few Paces to go back.

You therefore who have not yet loft all your natural Modefty, who yet blush at your Vices, whofe Hearts are not yet hardned in Sin, would you but prefently without any delay apply your felves to the Service of God, and Practice of Religion, what abundance of Care and Trouble might you fave your felves? How many fad Days and forrowful Nights might you prevent? It is in your power now upon eafy Terms to become good and virtuous; and the fooner you begin, the lefs Sorrow, the less Self-denial, the lefs Pains will fuffice.

Now therefore, even this very day, let us fet about it; and he that hath done wickedly, let him not dare to do the fame fo much as once more; let us refolve never to have any Parley with our Lufts, but to make fome confiderable Progress in our Repentance, before ever we give fleep to our Eyes, or flumber to

our

our Eyelids; let not any worldly Business, or the Cares of this Life, or even our neceffary Employments, much less finful and vain Pleafures, ftifle or choak any good Thoughts or Refolutions, that during this Exercise may be raised in our Minds: we have trifled too long already about a matter of fuch infinite moment, it is perfect Madness to dally any longer, when our Souls, which are ten thousand times more worth than our Lives, are at stake. If we begin this very moment, God knows, we begin late enough, and who knows but tomorrow will be too late? had we been wise, we should have begun fooner.

A long and eternal Adieu therefore (let us every one fay) to all the unlawful bewitching Pleasures of this World; I will no longer be fooled or impofed upon by them, nor one day more live in fuch a State as I fhall be afraid to die in; from this hour I change my Service, I now lay my felf down at the Feet of my blef fed Mafter; without any farther difputing the cafe, I will immediately begin my Journy to my Father's House; I will as foon defer eating, drinking or fleeping, as delay to fecure my everlasting Salvation; to become found and healthful, as to be at ease and in peace, to be fafe and happy.

And for our encouragement to this, I fhall only, for the conclufion of all, add, that however great and heinous our Sins have been, yet we cannot be more ready to ask, than God is to grant us our Pardon; we cannot be more forward