when they can continue in them no longer. Many, in times of affliction and sickness, have gone so far as to be mightily troubled for their wicked lives, and to make solemn professions of becoming better; yet upon their deliverance and recovery, all hath vanished; their righteousness hath been as the morning cloud, and as she early dew which passeth away. Why then should any man, merely upon account of a death-bed repentance, reckon himself in a better condition than those persons who have done as much, and gone as far as he; and between whom and himself there is no difference but this, that the repentance of the former was tried and proved insincere, but the death-bed repentance never came to a trial? Yet God knows whether it was sincere or not, and how it would have proved, if the man had lived longer. Why should any one, for offering up to God the mere refuse of his life, and the days which himself hath no pleasure in, expect to receive the reward of eternal life and happiness?

But though we do not design to delay our repentance so long, yet ought we to consider, that all delays in a matter of this consequence are extremely dangerous; because we put off an affair of the greatest concern to the future; and in so doing hazard its ever being done: for, the future is as much out of our power to command, as it is to call back the time past,

It is in our power, under the influence of God's 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, for an uncertain reversion? And yet thus we deal in the great and everlasting concerns of our souls: We trifle away the present opportunities of salvation, and vainly promise ourselves the future; we let go that which is in our power, and fondly dispose of what is in the hands of God.

Lay hold then upon the present opportunities, and look upon every action thou dost as possibly thy last; for so indeed it may prove. If a man's life lay at stake, with what care would he manage the action on which it depended? What thou art doing next, may, for ought thou knowest, be for thy life, and for all eternity. So much of thy life is already past, and God knows thou hast yet done little towards securing thy future happiness! It is not certain how much or how little is remaining; therefore be sure to make the best of what is left, and wisely to manage the last stake.

4. Since the hopes that we shall hereafter repent, are the chief encouragement to delay our repentance, let us consider a little how unreasonable it is to take any such encouragement from these hopes. This is to do a thing in hopes that we shall be one day mightily ashamed of it; and heartily troubled that we

have done it; in hopes that we shall afterwards condemn ourselves for it, and wish a thousand times we had never done it ; in hopes that we shall be full of horror at the thoughts of what we have done, that our consciences will make us a terror to ourselves, and drive us almost to despair. And is this a reasonable hope? Is this sufficient to encourage a wise man to any action? And yet this is plainly the true meaning of going on in our sins, in hopes that we shall hereafter repent of them.

5. If you be still resolved upon delay, consider well with yourselves, how long you intend it. Surely not to the last; not till sickness comes, and death makes his approaches to you. I hope none are so unreasonable; yet I fear that many have a mind to put off their reformation to old age. With this sort of men a wise Heathen (Seneca) excellently expostulates. "Who," says he, "shall ensure thy life till that time? Who shall pass his word, that the providence of God will suffer all things to happen as thou hast forecast them? Art thou not ashamed to reserve the reliques of thy life for thyself, 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 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 a time of life to which very few arrive."

But perhaps thou art not altogether so unreasonable, but desirest only to delay thy repentance till the heat of youth be over, and the cooler and more considerate part of thy life come on. Yet still we reckon upon uncertainties, for perhaps that season may never be; however, it is certainly more in our power, by the assistance of God's grace, which is never wanting to the sincere endeavours of men, to conquer our lusts now, and to resist the most violent temptations to vice, than either to secure the future time, or to recover that which is past.

Some seem more reasonable, and desire only to put off repentance for a very little while. But why for a little while? Why till to-morrow? To-morrow will be as this day, only with this difference, that thou wilt in all probability be then more unwilling and indisposed. So that there is no future time that any man can reasonably pitch upon.

All

delay, in this case, is dangerous. The only wise resolution to be here taken, is to embrace the present opportunity, because the matter will never be mended by tarrying.

6. Lastly, Consider what an unspeakable happiness it is to have our minds so settled, that we may with comfort and confidence, expect death and judgment. Death is never

far from any of us, and the general judgment may be nearer than we are aware of; for of that day, and hour, knoweth no man. And these are two terrible things; nor can any thing free us from the dread of them, but a good conscience; which is only to be had by innocence, or repentance. Happy man! who by this means is at peace with God, and with himself! and can think of death and judgment without astonishment! For the sting of death is sin; and the terror of the great day only concerns those who have lived wickedly, and would not be induced either by the mercies of God, or by the fear of his judgments, to repent. But if we have truly forsaken our sins, and do sincerely endeavour to live in obedience to the laws of God, the more we think of death and judgment, the greater will our joy and comfort be: for blessed is that servant, whom his Lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing. Let us, therefore, instantly put ourselves into this posture; according to that advice of our blessed Lord, Luke xii. 35, 36. Let your loins be girded about, and your lamps burning, and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord.

And now I hope that enough hath been said, to convince you of the unreasonableness and folly of delaying to reform your lives; nay, I believe most are convinced of it in their own consciences. But, O that I knew what