sent by the Father he Joh. 12. 44 49. did not step in as a private Person nor of himself take this Office upon him but came as a publick Person sent forth from God his Righteous Servant a Isa 53. 11. Son by Nature a Servant by Office to justify many God and Christ the Father and Son were one in this Work and therefore as no Sin dishonours God more than Unbelief a Sin that of all he will the least bear with because it dishonours the Father by dishonouring the Son not only as he is of one Nature with the Father but as one set apart by the Father for this Work so no Grace honours God more than Faith nor is there any that he so highly esteems of in that it gives him the Glory of all those Attributes viz. the Depth of his Wisdom the Omnipotency of his Power the Exactness of his Justice the Beauty of his Holiness and Greatness of his Love that so eminently appear'd in this Work and gives Honour to him by receiving Christ as sent to accomplish it Faith honours God as it approves of all that he has done in this great Work and God honours Faith as set apart by him to receive the benefit by it by receiving Christ the Author of John 1. 12. it Upon this account it is that Faith is a Grace of such singular worth and excellency as a Quality it has no more worth in it than any other Grace in some respects less but as design'd to so Manus mendicans noble an Office as that of justifying Sinners before God which no Grace else is it has and is preferr'd before all it being as necessary to it necessitate medii as Christ himself he as a Mediator and Faith as a Means of applying him for we are not justified before we believe nor by any thing but by believing Satisfaction made on Christ's part is nothing without Application made on ours Of the Nature of Faith Faith Is not a bare Assent it is more than that Is not Assurance it is less than that It is not a bare Assent Christ appears in his Royalty in the Gospel viz. as the only and All-sufficient Saviour the Persons are described who are interested in him and the Terms specified upon which they are viz. not Devils but Men nor all Men but Believers only A knowledg of and an assent to this Declaration as incomparably good and undoubtedly true is necessary but not enough for as there is no Faith where there is no Assent so there is no Justifying Faith where there is no more For Assent Is a Faith in common with all those kinds of Faith that are not saving it may consist with Despair and necessarily attends it and with the Sin against the Holy Ghost for as it is commonly understood it cannot be committed without it it may be found in the worst of Men it was in the stony ground in the Parable and in Simon Luke 8. 13. Acts 8. 13 23. Jam. 2. 19. Magus who was in the Gall of Bitterness it may be found in Devils for they believe and in Hell as well as upon Earth Assent is necessary and antecedent to justifying Faith and is contain'd in it as the Vegetive and Sensitive Soul is in the Reasonable but it is not that for that is but General Faith but this is Particular and appropriating that is in the Understanding only without any quickning Influence on the Will but this has an Operation there and is represented under the Notion Of seeking Christ Which implies diligence Psal 27. 8. in the use of Means Of coming to Christ Which implies the Mat. 11. 28. Motio est actio totius compositi Act of the whole Soul going out to him with Affections and Desires the feet of the Soul to find that in him which it has not in it self Of running to Christ Which implies Isa 55. 5. the fervor of the Motion Of receiving Christ Whereby it is entitled John 1. 12. Jus ad rem sequitur jus ad personam to all the Privileges purchased by him None can use Christ to their benefit unless they have him nor have him until they by Faith receive him It is not Assurance Faith in time may bring Assurance It does not Competere omni soli semper and often does and for a time it may not for it is seldom crown'd with Assurance until it is of some standing it many times ends in Assurance but never begins in it for it goes in Time and in Nature before it 1. In Time Faith goes first and Assurance follows â— John 5. 13. after first believing and then knowing that as the necessary Antecedent this as the Consequent for all must believe before they can know they do as they must before they can be justified by it 2. In Nature Faith is the Condition required on our part in order unto Life believe and be sav'd Faith not Assurance for if that was required then our Sins would be forgiven before we believed Reprobates would be damn'd for 2 Cor. 13. 5. Reprobation may be taken either in opposition to the Eternal Decree of Election or in opposition to Soundness and Reprobates for such as are either rejected absolutely or such as reprobate Silver as are cast off for the present Jer. 6. 30. not believing a Lie viz. that they are in a state of Life when they are not and all would be commanded to believe an Untruth viz. that they are pardoned Mark 16. 16. before they are Assurance Is properly an Act of Experience and not an Act of Faith which is a true Perswasion tho not ever a full one or an Act of the Mind only but Faith is an Act of the whole Soul it is rather God's Act than ours rather the Eminency than the Essence of Faith and relates more to its well-being than being if not then none belong to the Houshold of Faith but such as are assur'd when-as Assurance tho it many times accompanies them yet it does not constitute and make them so That Child which knows neither Father nor Mother may be as true a Child and as much of the Family as those that are come to perfect Knowledg and they as true Members of the Houshold of Faith that want Assurance as they that have it For Tho all that believe are justified yet all that are justified are not sure they are Then Faith and Doubts are inconsistent which sometimes they are not for they are not opposite to one another as Life and Death but only as Cold and Heat in remiss Degrees and may consist as Contraries in some Degree and do when those Doubts are accompanied with Shame and Sorrow attended with earnest desires after the Things doubted of with solicitous Enquiries and Endeavours to get them and with a full purpose of Heart to follow hard after God and cleave close Isa 50. 10. to him in a way of trust
and dependance notwithstanding those Doubts nothing but perfect Faith casts out all Doubts and where is it to be found They that never doubted never believed Then Faith might be lost for Assurance may in that tho some are assur'd but not fully and some fully yet none immutably Then Damnation would be not for want of Faith but of Assurance which is necessary not for our Safety but Comfort only and Salvation would be by the reflex and not by the direct Act of Faith for Assurance consists in a reflex Act contrary to the tenure of the Promise of Salvation made Not to the Act of Assurance but of Faith and not to the Degree but Truth of it They that make Assurance to be Faith do more than is needful for Assurance is but a Fruit of Faith and Faith may be alive without it as a Tree may though for a time without Fruit though Assurance cannot be without Faith for God never sets his Seal where he has not first set his Hand They that make Assent to be Faith do less than is needful For Tho Justifying Faith cannot be without General Faith yet General Faith may be without that for it is not a single but complicated Act not the single Act of the Understanding but of the whole Composition not an Act of the Understanding only to Actus complicatus totius compositi know and believe a Divine Revelation as true but of the Will also to receive it as good a Consent as well as an Assent an Assent of the Understanding as it begins there and a Consent of the Will as it ends in it without which the first will avail but little For It is not Christ as dying but as believ'd on nor as tender'd by a hand of Love but as receiv'd by a Hand of Faith that saves So that it appears that Faith is neither an Act of Assent only nor of Assurance but an Act of Affiance also which is more than the first and less than the second viz. That Grace wrought by the Spirit through the Word whereby sensible Sinners are enabled to receive Christ as offered in the Gospel trusting to and relying upon him for Salvation I. It is the Work of God's Spirit It is not our Work but God's Not our Work For Of our selves we are no more able to perform the Articles of the second Covenant than those of the first nor to believe the Gospel than we are to keep the Law But God's Work It is call'd God's Work not only John 6. 29. in regard of Excellency but Efficiency it is not the Work of Men nor of Angels but of God only the powerful Work of his Spirit preparing us for it and enabling us to it we believe through Grace and come to Christ by Acts 18. 27. 1 Cor. 12. 9. Christ To him by Faith from him II. It is the Work of the Spirit through the Word Faith comes by hearing and hearing by Rom. 10. 17. the Word the hearing of Faith wrought by the Spirit as the Efficient and by the Word as the instrumental Cause of it Through the Word viz. both Law and Gospel by one Occasionally and Indirectly by the other Properly and Directly First By the Law not properly but Occasionally and Indirectly 1. Not Properly for the Law has no Power of its own either to Convert or Comfort Sinners Not to Convert them It shows them the sinfulness of their corrupt Nature and Lives but prescribes no Cure and tells them what their Duty is but gives no strength to the performance of it The Law commands Obedience The Gospel enables to it Not to Comfort them It wounds but pours no healing Lex graves manus habet Balm into those Wounds arraigns and condemns but allows no Psalm of Mercy for the Voice of the Law is He that has sinn'd shall die The Law condemns but the Gospel acquits and saves 2. But Occasionally and Indirectly 1. By discovering Sin Sin is the Burden and that which Rom. 3. 20. 5. 20. Gal. 3. 19. makes it feel heavy is the Law For by the Law is the knowledg of Sin viz. a knowledg of Guilt by it Where there are no Bounds there can be no Trespass nor any Transgression where no Law 2. By discovering Wrath due to Sin Where there is no Law there Rom. 2. 8 9. 4. 15. is no Sin and where there is no Sin there is no Curse but where Sin is there a Curse is due to it and the knowledg of it is necessary not to merit Mercy but to dispose to it The Law is the Ministration of Death 2 Cor. 3 7. The Gospel is the Ministration of Life 3. By afflicting and wounding under a sense of Guilt and Wrath due to it It is a fiery Law that has Heat as Deut. 33. 2. Galat. 3. 20. well as Light in it Light to discover Sin and Heat to afflict and torment for it The Law works by Fear The Gospel works by Love 4. By discovering an impossibility for them to help themselves being under a Guilt they cannot expiate obnoxious to a Wrath they cannot flee from shut up in a Prison they cannot break and surrounded with a misery that they cannot redress The Law shows the Wound The Gospel shows the Cure The Help of Salvation is from God Your Destruction is of your selves Hos 13. 9. Thus as Moses brought the Israelites to the Borders of Canaan so something there is of the Hand of Moses viz. something of the Law though but occasionally and indirectly in the Work of Faith Secondly By the Gospel viz. Properly and Directly The Law shews Misery as an Indictment shews the Offence and works Fear the Gospel as a Remedy shews the Disease and works Faith By discovering 1. A remote possibility of Mercy No absolute necessity they should tho' Sinners be damn'd because Grace is rich and free 2. A tender of Mercy indefinitely Isa 55. 1. John 3. 10 The Voice of the Gospel is All that will come may none are excluded but such as wilfully exclude themselves An Indefinite is equivalent to a Vniversal 3. A Suitableness Fulness and Willigness in Christ 1. A Suitableness As being Wisdom Righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. Sanctification Redemption Healing Life and Salvation for the relief of blind guilty polluted captiv'd sick dead lost and undone Sinners No Fountain like this Jordan to wash in for Sin and Vncleanness Zech. 13. 1. 2. A Fulness Meat and Drink are a suitable Good John 1. 16. Col. 2. 9. to the hungry and thirsty because Hunger and Thirst are Appetites determined to those Objects but a Crum or a Drop is not enough in that tho' it is a suitable yet it is not a full Good but in Christ there is a fulness of Merit to justify and of Spirit to sanctify that which is every way commensurate to the Desires and Necessities of distressed Sinners If they have him they are made If not they are
that are terrified by the Law assaulted by the Devil haunted by Sin tempted by the World and through fear of Death subject to Bondage beholding the Conquest over these Enemies may triumph and bid defiance to them all The Curse of the Law is abolish'd by Heb. 2. 15. Rom. 8. 3. 6. 6. the Satisfaction made by Christ to Divine Justice Sin is condemn'd in the Flesh by him the Sacrifice for it and Crucified with him the Devil the Prince of this World is judg'd and cast out by him the World is conquer'd John 12. 31. 16. 11 33. and Death vanquish'd in his Victory over them Let us then triumph in our Victory and give thanks unto God who through Christ has given us Victory The Devil is a captiv'd damned Enemy his Captives are ransom'd redeem'd rescued out of his hands and he himself become Captive rage he may for that is part of his torment but rule he shall not for greater is he that is in 1 John 4. 4. Rom. 12. 10. us than he that is in the World he may accuse and he will but his Charge shall be made void and all his Accusations answered by Christ who ever lives to plead either our Innocency or our Pardon The Law that was Sin 's strength 1 Cor. 15. 56. not as encouraging to Sin but as condemning for it is now become weak for its killing damning Power Rom. 8. 1 3. Gal. 3. 13. is taken away by the Virtue of the Cross Sin that was once a living reigning conquering Enemy is now subdu'd as a routed Enemy it may rally again but shall never conquer Sin shall not have dominion for it is a Body of Death it has receiv'd its death's Wound Rom 6. 14. 7. 24 25. by the Power of the Cross and shall e're long give up the Ghost Death is unstung it is swallowed up in Victory the Power of the Grave is weakned Death that Destroyer is destroy'd we must fall by its hand but shall rise again it will end our 1 Cor. 15. 53 55 56 57. Mortality but not our Life for this Mortal shall put on Immortality We must be Prisoners in the Grave for a time but we shall not be perpetual Prisoners Christ who broke the Bars of that Prison will redeem us from the Power of Grave the time of Psal 49. 15. Isa 16. 19. Ezek. 37. 5 12. Redemption for our Bodies will come our dead Bodies shall rise our dry Bones shall live again the Graves shall be opened the Captives redeem'd and then Destructions shall come to a perpetual End for we shall live and never die more Awake and sing all ye that dwell in the Dust The Devil is captiv'd the Law is silenc'd Sin is condemn'd the World is conquer'd and Death destroy'd Who can hurt us What need we fear they are all conquer'd Enemies and the Conqueror is ours thanks be to God who has given us Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ and always causeth us to triumph in him through Rom. 8. 37. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Over-over-comers whom we are over all these more than Conquerors The Warfare of Faith ends in Victory and the Victory must be crown'd with Triumph Of the Inseparable Evidences of FAITH All have not Faith some have not 2 Thess 3. 2. the Faith of Assent and therefore cannot have the Faith of Adherence some think they have a Faith of Evidence and Assurance who have not attained to a Faith of Adherence and Dependance and some have Faith in the Habit but little or none in the Act or Exercise How is it that ye have no Mark 4. 40. Faith and by reason of it walk as uncomfortably as if they had none it concerns us therefore to examine whether we are in the Faith and the Faith 2 Cor. 13. 5. in us and what that Faith is whether a General or a Particular and an Appropriating Faith a Temporary and Perishing or a Sound and Lasting one Col. 2. 12. a Faith of the Operation of God or of the Devil Holy or Unholy Feigned or Unfeigned Dead or Alive Common and Ordinary or Special and Saving the Faith of Reprobates or of God's Elect that Faith which they Jude â—0 2 Tim. 1. 5. Jam. 2. 26. Titus 1. 1â— and none but they have and which all of them have and never can lose The Acts of Faith for a time may cease but the Habit abides Faith 1. Arises from a sense of misery out of Christ 2. Begets a Superlative Love to Christ 3. Is fruitful in good Works 4. Is accompanied with Holiness 1. It arises from a sense of Misery out of Christ Spiritual Poverty is the nearest capacity of believing for Faith is the Act of a weary heavy-laden distressed undone self-condemned Sinner going out to Christ for Rest Life and Salvation Humiliation is not Faith no more than the preorgination of the Body is the Soul but a disposition to it going to Christ without it is building without a Foundation resting in it without going to Christ is laying a Foundation without building upon it a House without a Foundation will be of little use a Foundation without the superstructure will be of no use Without Humiliation Faith is as a House without a Foundation and without Christ it will as a rotten Foundation break under us there is nothing to warrant or encourage our going to Christ before we are humbled for we go before we are call'd nor any thing to assure Salvation to us if we do not go when we are that without him cannot help us he without that will not for we must be lost sick and damn'd in our own sense and apprehension before he will seek heal or save us A Faith of Education is a Weed of Infidelis fiducia Presumption that grows in common Ground Saving Faith is a Plant of Renown growing upon the brink of the Infernal Pit that like self-grown Corn will wither and come Ps 92 13 14. Mat. 15. 13. Jam. 3. 18. to nothing this will flourish that begins in Presumption and ends in Despair this begins in Despair viz. of our selves and will end in Comfort 2. It begets Superlative Love to Christ Christ as consider'd in the Glory and Comeliness of his Person the Graces and Perfections of his Nature and the great Offices he was anointed to viz. of a King above all Kings in Order Power and Authority of a Priest above all Priests in Nature Compassion Sacrifice Merit of a Prophet above all Prophets in Primacy Infallibility and Efficacy is beyond all compare there is nothing in him but what is lovely nor any thing lovely but is eminently in him he is fairer than the Children of Men yea than all the Angels and Saints in the highest Heavens more full of Beauty than the Sun or Morning-Star the Brightness Heb. 1. 3. of his Father's Glory his first and best-beloved the Joy and Delight of the Saints in Heaven
King and Law-giver and become Saviours to our selves for in effect we say That we do not need him We never trust in him as a Saviour but with a distrust in our selves nor can we have any benefit by him unless we do Christ is a compleat Saviour and admits no Partner with him in the Work of Salvation for it is a Royalty proper to him alone We make void his Rom. 10. 3 4. Phil. 3. 9. Righteousness by establishing our own we must therefore renounce ours and take sanctuary in his cast off the Rags of our Righteousness that go hardly off as the blind Man in the Gospel Mark 50. 10. did his Garment and go naked to Christ become nothing in our selves that he may and without which he will not be all unto us All Sacrifices were sprinkled with Blood by the Priest in Type and by Christ in Substance and what there is of worth or value in all Duties is from him we must therefore be poor in Spirit in the midst of them and humble after them we must not ascribe any thing to our selves But as Joab gave the honour of the Victory to David when he fought with his Forces so we must set the Crown on Christ's Head and give the Glory and Honour of all unto him by whom they were performed and through whom accepted Joseph's Brethren carried Spices with them as a present to Joseph but durst not appear without Benjamin nor can we expect the acceptance of our Services without Christ Without them Gen. 43. 4 5 11 12. we cannot avoid Hell nor without him obtain Heaven They as Moses may lead us to a sight of Canaan but it is Joshua Christ alone that can lead us into it A TREATISE OF REPENTANCE There is a two-fold Repentance 1. A Repentance that is call'd a Care of mind such a one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as consists in Sorrow under Terrors for Sin the effect of a troubled Head and may be found Mat. 27. 3. in Hypocrites Many were stung in the Wilderness that never receiv'd Healing and Numb 21. 6. many have been humbled for Sin and yet never saved from it 2. A Repentance that is call'd a Change of Mind such a one as consists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a turning from Sin the effect of 2 Cor. 7. 10. a wounded Heart which from this Repentance receives the Name of a New Heart not physically in regard of Secundum animam sumus secundum hanc benè sumus the Substance but morally in regard of the Qualities of it and is found in none but those that are sincere We may be humbled for Sin and yet perish in it and shall unless we are so humbled under it as wholly to depart from it Repentance is an Evangelical Grace necessary in order unto Pardon Acts 2. 38. The Law knows neither Repentance for Sin nor Remission of it but the great Work of the Gospel is to call us to Repentance It comes with quickning Motives to it For It gives clear and strong Convictions Rom. 13. 12. John 16. 8. of Sin clearer and stronger than those under Nature and the Law It produces strong Arguments to it For It reveals Christ crucified for Sin and those Hearts are hard indeed Zech 12. 10 11 that will not be softned by his Blood shed for it It reveals Repentance and accepts it Mark 6 12. The Law promised Life to the Righteous but the Gospel assures it to the Unrighteous repenting It works Repentance It is not only a Light to discover it John 17. 17. 〈◊〉 1. 11 12. but a Covenant-will to give it and teaches it as a Worker as well as a Tutor viz. by Efficacy as well as by Doctrine It pronounces a Curse upon the neglect of it The Gospel has a terrible Voice as well as the Law a Curse for our Luke 13. 3. Sins except ye repent ye shall perish a Curse more terrible than that of the Law there is no condemnation Heb. 2. 3. 10. 28 29. like to that in the Court of Mercy Repentance was a part of the sum of Christ's Doctrine he taught the necessity Mat. 3.2 4.17 â—8 20 Mark 6.12 Luke 24.47 Acts 20 2â— of it and of the Apostles Doctrine and all that laid the Foundation of Christ's Kingdom right laid this not only as a Stone in the Building but as a Foundation-stone It is the Foundation of all Gospel-Righteousness that which disposes for the receipt of Gospel-Grace for without it we are uncapable of it and that which shall continue as a necessary means on our part in order to it as Luke 24. 47. long as the Gospel shall continue Repentance is not matter of Dignity but Duty whereby God is glorified to our Benefit not to his and necessary not as a Satisfaction to Justice but as a Qualification for Mercy not to merit it for Adam before he sinn'd could not merit much less then can we by our Repentance for it but to dispose to it and goes necessarily before it Not in the accidental Properties of it they are usually Antecedent but not necessary for God by his Prerogative Royal can in a moment work on the Heart Nor in the exercise of it as in the Case of Children and Lunaticks for the Promise is made to the Principles of Grace Nor in the several Measures of it for the Promise is made not to the degree but truth of Repentance and it is not the weakness but want of it that ruins But in order of Nature the Sun is before the Beams in order of Nature and so is Repentance before Pardon and as the Subject before the Adjunct for Repentance qualifies the Subject for Pardon and makes it meet for it not in a way of Merit but Condecency both to receive and prize it The Means are before the End viz. in Execution as the End is before the Means in Intention Union is before Mark 1. 4. Acts 3 19. Communion for all Communion flows from it Vocation is before Justification and a Real Change before a Relative we are not justified until converted adopted until renew'd nor sav'd unless sanctified that which is necessary to the renewing of Pardon as Repentance is is no less to the first procuring of it and the contrary of that which makes us uncapable of Pardon as impenitency does must necessarily as Repentance does go before it For There can be no Remission without Repentance no more than there can be any Salvation without Remission To assert the contrary Deprives God of the Design of his Elective Love for Election is to Holiness as well as to Happiness and saves none without it divests Christ of one of his Offices viz. his Regal Office makes void the Office of the Spirit as to its sanctifying and comforting Work for it gives neither Peace nor Joy in a way of Sin robs Heaven of its greatest Royalty viz. Holiness the Condition required on
before we die because Paul was or be rais'd to Life when dead because Lazarus was as to find Mercy upon a late Repentance because this dying Thief did Who that rightly understand themselves would venture their Lives in that Physician 's Hands that never cured but one of all that he undertook the cure of eat of that Food of which all but one that eat died turn Thieves because one of those many that did was pardon'd much less run the hazard of a late Repentance from this single Instance because at the same time there was an Instance of Mercy in him there was one of Justice in the other one sav'd that none should despair and but one that none should presume And yet how many are there viz. of the Gentiles to whom the Cross of this Thief has prov'd a stumbling-block as that of Christ's in 1 Cor. 1. 23. another sense was to the Jews at which they have stumbled and fallen into Hell and this great Instance of Salvation through an ill use of it prov'd an occasion of Damnation Some through prophaneness cast off all thoughts of Death and Repentance and some through Presumption the Thoughts of a sudden Death and early Repentance Some cast off all thoughts of Death Though they are hourly departing as fast as the Heavens can turn about Day and Night yet think not of it this day they have no thoughts of it nor to morrow They do not say as those Epicures Let us eat and drink Isa 22. 13. for to morrow we shall die no more than they did believe it though they said so but with them in St. James Jam. 4. 13. To morrow we will go into such a City and continue there a Year buy and sell and get Gain Or as they Let us fill Isa 56. 12. our selves with Wine and strong Drink and to Morrow shall be as this Day and much more abundantly This Day we live to morrow we shall live also and the next day too and thus in their vain Imaginations dream of an endless Life here eke out Time to Eternity and live as if they should never die or never think their Time is come until it is almost gone nor believe themselves Mortal until Death strikes its Dart into their Hearts and gives them their mortal Wound Some cast off all thoughts of a sud Death and early Repentance They know they are Mortal and such as must die and may suddenly too for some they see die so but yet hope that they shall die not by a violent but natural not by a sudden but lingring Death Upon which they presume that either they shall not die until they are old as if with Achilles they were only mortal in the Heel of their Age or if they do that then it shall be by a wasting Disease that shall give them a sufficient warning to prepare for Death to go out and meet it half way They believe that unless they repent they shall perish therefore intend to repent before they die but put it off as the last Work of their Lives in worldly Matters they act with Reason Matters of Importance they dispatch after the best manner and in the fittest time they send to a Physician as soon as they are sick bind up a Wound without delay sow their Seed in season they do not put it off to the time of Harvest gather in their Fruits when ripe quench a Fire as soon as it breaks out they do not stay to see if it will go out of it self rise early when to go a long Journey and desire Security when they lend out their Mony because they are mortal But when called to Repent then they conclude they are immortal or that they have time enough to consider of it and that hereafter may do well enough and never think of begging Mercy till they In articulo mortis have but one breath to fetch They lie on the River's side until the Waters are risen so high that there is no passing over and neglect their Cause until the Court is risen and God gone from his Mercy-Seat with a resolution never to return to it more A folly to be bewail'd if it could be with Tears of Blood They that would have their Watches go true must set them not by the Clock but by the Sun-dial and they that would walk regularly and safely must walk not by Example but by Rule for though Rules in other Arts are from Example yet here Examples are regulated by Rules The Rule we are to be guided by directs to present Repentance This Example of the Thief repenting secures none in the neglect of it for though he did not repent till he came to die yet it cannot be prov'd that he did desperately and wittingly put it off till then Therefore none should defer it to the last moment of Life nor say of it as Diogenes of Marriage when young That it is too soon lest they say as he when old That it is too late Nor think that they have time enough lest God leave them and then they find that Time is past Nor resolve that as yet they will not repent lest God say They shall not and they at last by sad experience find they cannot as Hannibal when he wanted a Will to conquer when he had a Power and a Power when he had a Will It is better to repent a day too soon si modo fiat than an hour too late FINIS