was one of the sixe Cities of refuge whither if a man had slaine a man at vnawares Iosu 20.8.9 and as wee say by chance medley then he was to flie thither and there the Priests and Leuites making inquiry of the fact if they found that the murder was of ignorance and that hee hated not his brother in times past but slew him against his will then the murderer was to stay there til the death of the high Priest and then he was at liberty againe Now this City What City Gilead was it was the place where the Priests and Leuites did dwell which were set apart to teach the people to instruct them to offer sacrifice for them to pray for them for they were to bee the light of the world they must carry the Vrim and Thummim light and perfection And Gilead should haue beene as a speciall Sanctuary for holinesse piety and true religion a Nurse and Mother City to direct others and as a fountaine from whence pure religion the knowledge of God should haue beene deriued into all the land But alas the Prophet complaines of Gilead that it was so farre from being a Nurse to Religion that it was rather a cruell steppedame to banish Religion and piety so farre from a holy City and Sanctuary of the Lord that it was euen a denne of theeues a harbour for all villany impiety and prophanesse Now this was a wonderful thing that the Priests and Leuits in whom there ought to haue shined great holinesse that should haue bin an example to the common people that all men seeing their good example their holines and piety might the rather haue followed them that they should bee euen Captaines and ringleaders to all impiety cruelty and miserable abhominations Then wee see why the Prophet is so sharpe to inueigh against Gilead and to cry out against this City namely because it should haue heen a Sanctuary of the Lord full of knowledge piety and godlinesse but the same was rather a denne of deuils and an harbour for all manner of sinne and impiety Thus hauing seene the meaning of the wordes now let vs see what Doctrines doe arise from them This is a grieuous accusation of the Lord that that City of whom the Lord might expect most care most holinesse and duties of religion who should haue been most instructed in the wayes of God hauing bestowed so many meanes vpon them that they should thus degenerate and grow more vile then any other to be the harbour of all sin and impiety Doct. 1 Then hence wee learne that those places which haue great meanes of knowledge of instruction and therfore should abound in all holy duties Those that haue the greatest meanes of knowledge should abound most in holy duties If they grow more wicked and abound more with sin their iudgement is fearefull and very grieuous Wee see this in Gilead here how the Lord complaines of it here that those that should haue beene euen a Nurse to religion yea a Mother City from whence religion should haue flowed into the Country was notwithstanding a wicked Citty full of bloud and full of all manner of iniquity Euen so whensoeuer the Lord comes to iudgement against a land or against a kingdom those Cities Townes or Parishes vpon whom the Lord hath bestowed most meanes if they profite not by them but bee like vnto Gilead here full of bloudie sinnes pride swearing lying drunkennes whoredome couetousnesse vsury oppression the like then the Lord doth shew his anger and displeasure most against them as Gilead here that should haue gone before others in piety and religion hauing so many meanes seeing they become so vile as that they went before others in sinne they went before others in punishment And this wee shall find to bee most true by the course of the whole Scriptures that those which haue had most meanes of knowledge and instruction and so should goe before others in knowledge and Christian piety if they haue not made a sanctified vse of the same they haue euer receyued a greater measure of iudgement then others The Lord in the punishing of Ierusalem Ezech. 9.7 bids them begin at his Sanctuary because they should haue heen most holy and were found to bee most wicked So againe in another place The enemy hath stretched out his hand vpon all her pleasant things Lam. 1.10 for shee hath seene the heathen enter into her Sanctuary Ierusalem that was called the beauty of perfection and the wonder of the World when shee became full of sinne and vncleannesse then the Lord made her a spectacle of his iudgments aboue others This Doctrine is further cleared by the grieuous threatnings denounced by our Sauior Christ against those Cities where his Word had been preached and professed most and the greatest part of his miracles had beene wrought and shewed Mat. 11.21.22 Woe bee to thee Corazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the great works which haue beene done in you had beene done in Tyrus and Sydon they had repented long agoe in sackcloth and ashes Mat. 23.38 but I say vnto you it shall bee easier for them in the day of iudgement then for you And thou Capernaum which art lifted vp to heauen shalt bee throwne downe to Hell for if the great works which haue beene done in thee had beene done amongst them of Sodom they had remayned vnto this day But I say vnto you it shall hee easier for them in the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for thee These Cities of Corazin Bethsaida and Capernaum they were such places as Christ had honoured aboue Tyrus Sydon and Sodom both in respect of the preaching of the Word as also in respect of the myracles that were wrought amongst them yet because they made no sanctified vse of them but abounded in all manner of sinne and iniquity therefore our Sauiour tels them that their iudgement shall bee heauier then those places that neuer heard the sound of the Word And Gilead which before other Cities was honoured to bee a City of refuge a Nursery of the Priests and Leuites by which meanes the Lord might haue reaped much honour by it Gilead being found a Citie of iniquity must bee made a spectacle of Gods iudgement aboue other Cities Againe let vs behold and marke where the Doct. 2 iudgements of God are in most grieuous manner executed and wee shall see that in those places especially which haue had more excellent meanes then others Those places that haue had most meanes shall bee most seuerely punished for the neglect thereof where the Prophet of God and the Ministers of the Word haue a long time taken pains to instruct them in the wayes of God there I say wee may behold the greatest calamity and distresses because the Lord cannot abide that Gilead that is any place where hee bestowes much meanes should so degenerate and grow worse then others and that such places
vnto himselfe Wee are deliuered out of the hands of our enemies that wee might serue God In righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of our life Luke 1.57 1. Cor. 6.20 And againe the Apostle sayth Yee are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your body and in your spirit for they are God So that God must haue all we may not take so much as one houre no not so much as a minute of an houre to bestow the same vpon the world the flesh Tit. 2.11.12 or the Deuill Excellent is that place to Titus The grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that wee should deny vngodlinesse and would by lusts and that wee should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world The meaning is that the doctrine of saluation is preached vnto all not to embolden men in sinne but to vrge them to lay aside all prophanesse and to renounce their owne lusts and to haue their fruit in holinesse as they hope to haue the end euerlasting life And to these may be added that of the Apostle Peter 1. Pet. 1.17 Passe the time of your dwelling here in feare knowing that we were redeemed not with corruptible things c. And therefore in all these respects you see wee must immediately without any further delay apply our hearts to wisdome to seeke those things which doe concerne the glory of God onely and to take no more care for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof So that nothing is to bee preferred before the Lord but the Lord before all things so that our repentance is not to bee deferred any time but the works thereof are to be done out of hand that so God may haue his due and right in being serued and obeyed before all things as hee ought to be The vse of this Doctrine serueth to reproue those Vse 1 that are negligent in the performance of this duety who haue had many good purposes in their hearts but for want of timely prosecuting of them alas they haue proued but as the morning cloud Hos 6.4 quickly dispersed I haue knowne many that while they haue beene vnder the Ministery of the Word haue beene touched with sorrow for their sinnes their consciences being conuinced and for the time present they haue purposed to forsake them Act. 26.28 So that as Agrippa sayde to Paul Thou hast almost perswaded me to be a Christian So they haue almost beene perswaded to a better course but alas how sodainely it hath been forgotten it may appeare by their falling into the same sinne againe for so soone as they haue beene out of the Church they remember it no more but returne to their former courses As the dogge to the vomite 2. Pet. 2.22 Others againe when the hand of God hath been vpon them by sicknesse losse of goods c. and when their consciences haue beene as it were vpon the Racke they haue then made vowes vnto God and promised reformation of life that they will neuer doe as they haue done but that they would become new men and walke more carefully and conscionably then euer they did before but as soone as euer the Lord hath remoued the rod and set them at liberty they neuer remember it more And herein they deale with the Lord as the people of Israel did who Psal 78.33 when God brought any iudgement or calamity vpon them then presently they returned and sought God earely but when the iudgement of God was remoued they started aside like a broken bow Then the swearer maketh great protestation to leaue his swearing the drunkard his drunkennesse the whoremaster his whoredome c. But if the Lord restore them to their health againe they fall a fresh to their sinnes againe which they made shew to haue forsaken Oh then let vs not deferre the time of our repentance but so soone as euer we heare our sinnes reproued and the iudgements of God threatned against them that our consciences are conuinced Oh let vs then with speed addresse our selues to performe it If we should heare of a man that hauing committed treason against his Prince and for the same should die vnlesse he would seeke to pacifie his wrath and to stay the execution against himselfe that would deferre it from time to time and make light account of it would not all men condemne him and say hee were worthy to die Well this is the folly or rather extreame madnes of many a poore soule who though they know how to asswage the anger of God that is kindled against them for their sinnes yet deferre the same and put it off from time to time And herein the Deuill deales with men like a racking Vsurer who is wont to giue day after day of payment vnto a man vntill at last hee winde his inheritance into his hand Euen so doth the Deuill deale with sinners hee doth harden them on still from day to day in their sinnes vntill at the last hee hath gotten them into his owne inheritance and made them partakers of eternall darkenesse with himselfe for euer Oh let vs not then giue place to the Deuill and strangle our good motions by prophanesse but let vs immediately prosecute them that they may worke the good effect of grace in vs. Here we are taught that if we haue hitherto fayled Vse 2 in the performance of this Christian duety of repentance that we deferre the same now no longer but while it is called to day to spend the time of our being here in the practise of it and indeed the end of all our endeauours while we liue should bee this Luke 13.5 to gette a roome in the Kingdome of God which wee can neuer haue without repentance and he which omitteth the present occasion when it is offered can neuer repent This made our Sauiour to weepe for Ierusalem Luk. 19.42 and say Oh if thou haddest knowne at the least in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace And againe Shee knew not the time of her Visitation Now then if thy conscience tell thee that thou hast not yet repented and that thou art not yet a liuely member of Iesus Christ Oh delay no longer no not one minute of an houre but with all speed repent and turn vnto God bring forth the fruits worthy amendment of life that thou mayest haue comfort when the houre of death Gen. 22.3 or the day of iudgement shall be And as Abraham rose vp earely in the morning to sacrifice his dearest sonne which made much for the commendations of Abraham that hee went about the commandement of the Lord so cheerefully so doe thou likewise it is not thy sonne that thou art to sacrifice but thy sinne which otherwise will cut the throat of thy soule Oh rise vp earely with Abraham deferre no time this shall bee the best sacrifice that euer we offered vp vnto God Now all of vs doe
their honour in a moment of time is turned into dishonour their glory into shame and confusion Haman one day the happiest man in a Kingdome next to the King the next day the most wtetched Hest 5.12 7.9 one day honoured the next day hanged Yea it is the condition of the godly themselues as wee may see in Dauid Who greater in Sauls Court then Dauid made the Sonne in Law of the King and Captaine of the Hoast yet by and by disgraced degraded and in perill of his life But it is not so with God for whome hee loueth once he loueth euer He doth not change hee cannot lie his gifts are without repentance Oh then let vs seeke for his fauour aboue the fauour of Princes and when wee haue it make much of it for the estate of that man is happy and blessed hee is at peace with heauen and earth with men and Angels with himselfe and all others with life and with death and hath this comfort and assurance from the almighty that nothing shall bee able to do him hurt Indeed the child of God hath no promise to bee freed from trials and temptations sicknesse pouerty and the like but the child of God hath this promise that these things shall neuer hurt him the Lord will sanctifie them to his children and they shall bee sure to leaue a blessing behind them This is it which the Prophet Dauid handleth at large Psa 91.1 c. Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty Surely hee shall deliuer thee from the snare of the Hunter and from the noysome pestilence c. Not that the godly shall bee freed from all these calamities but the meaning is they shall not hurt the godly but the Lord will euer giue them a sanctified vse of them that they shall gaine more in the Spirit then they can lose in the Flesh so that wee see what a maruellous comfort it is that wee are at peace with God that hee is our friend and that he hath no controuersie against vs for if God were against vs who should bee able to stand for vs but being iustified by faith wee are at peace with God Besides that wee are at peace with the elect Angels of God with the children of God with the creatures of God and with himselfe for if a man were at peace with all the world with men and Angels and yet were at warre in himselfe that his owne sinnes did muster themselues against him hee should then see what a blessing it is to haue a cleare conscience But he is at peace with himselfe so that the godly man alone that repents of his sins is hee alone that is the blessed man Hee liues in Gods sight Fourthly and lastly seeing that he that repents Turnes vnto God is hee alone That liues in Gods sight Vse 4 that is in Gods fauour Alas then how fearefull and wretched is the estate and condition of all those that are yet in their sinnes and are out of Gods fauour Ah poore soules they haue no rest they can looke for no peace for both heauen earth and all creatures shall conspire against them And as it was sayd of Ismael his hand should bee against euery man euery mans hand against him God is become their enemy the Angels of God are armed to destroy them and their owne consciences conuince and condemne them Heauen gates are shut against them Hel opens her mouth maruellous wide to swallow them there is not any thing in the whole world that can truly and properly bee called a wicked mans but hell and damnation and this one day shall sure bee his portion Marke then the difference betweene the child of God and the wicked the condition of the godly is many times in shew miserable to the outward appearance 2. Cor. 6.9 but yet in it selfe most blessed and happy They are as vnknowne and yet knowne as dying and behold they liue as chastened and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alway reioysing as poore and yet making many rich as hauing nothing and yet possessing all things Whereas on the other side the estate and condition of the wicked is in shew many times blessed and happy whereas indeede and in trueth it is in it selfe most desperate most wretched and miserable for if those that Repent and Turne vnto God Liue in Gods sight in his fauor then those that are yet in their sins are vnder Gods wrath heauy displeasure Wee shall liue in his sight or before his face that is Vel conspectu illius wee shall endeuour to leade holy liues and godlie conuersations euen as wee liued and stood before the eyes of the Lord himselfe denying all vngodlinesse and worldly lusts liuing soberly iustly and godly in this present world Doct. This Phrase that wee must liue as in the presence of God shewes how wee must behaue ourselues in this world Godly liue as in Gods sight Gen. 5.12 Gen. 22.1 namely that in all we doe we must consider that wee bee euer in the blessed presence of God So it is sayd that Enoch walked with God that is in his whole life behaued himselfe as in the presence of God So Gen. 22.1 I am God all-sufficient walke before mee and bee thou perfect And surely it is a worthy fruite of true Repentance and a sound note of a man regenerate Gen. 39. when as in all his waies hee walkes and liues as in the sight of God So did Dauid I haue set God at my right hand that I might not fall It is a true note of him that repents truely when hee doth walke as before the face of God and is afraide to sinne because he would not offend his God in whose presence hee stands Phil. 3.20 Our Conuersation sayth the Apostle is in heauen from whence we looke for a Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Dauid makes this question Psal 15.1 Lord who shall rest in thy mountaine that is in heauen not as Pilgrimes for a time but as heyres for euer Ver. 2. And God maketh this answere Hee that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnesse that is hee that liueth holily heere as in Gods presence he shall liue for euer hee that loueth the face of God in his Church shall one day see the face of God in his Kingdome hee that professeth the Gospell and is carefull of his wayes not walking with a leg and a stumpe as they doe who seeme religious and liue ill appearing righteous and yet prophane Hee shall stand before the Lord for euer And indeede Ps 24.3.4 though wee haue our beeing heere in this vayle of misery yet our conuersation must bee in heauen We are but Exiles heere in this world our Country is heauen We are Pilgrimes and Strangers heere our home is heauen therefore we must liue according to the lawes of our Country euen as if wee were in
what profite should wee haue if wee should pray vnto him And againe It is in vaine to serue the Lord and what profit is it that we haue kept his commandement Poore Soules they thinke themselues to bee in good estate that they haue knowledge inough so long as they can say the Lords Prayer the ten commandements and the Creed and so it comes to passe that they despising knowledge and contemning the meanes especially the Ministery of the Word they remaine so blinde and so ignorant as they bee The third maine cause of ignorance is mans naturall corruption 3 Naturall corruption of man Ier. 10.14 Euery man by Nature is a beast by his owne knowledge Man by Nature hath no more knowledge of God then a beast When Adam fell hee lost that excellent knowledge of God and now by Nature wee are blind ignorant without the true knowledge of God in Iesus Christ till the Lord doe enlighten vs and open our eyes and reueale his Sonne Iesus Christ vnto vs in the Ministerie of his Word the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ Now let vs come to the remedies Ignorance of Gods word is a great sinne Remedies of Ignorance and a fearefull iudgement of God vpon any people for they can neuer come to faith repentance obedience and etetnall life so long as they liue in it no they must needs liue in all sin against God and man Well 1 To see our ignorance and to repent of the same would you know how to get out of your ignorance and so from vnder this fearefull and heauy iudgement of God that lies so heauy vpon you would you come to knowledge to know God the Father and his Sonne Iesus Christ which is the onely way to eternall life You must then repent of your ignorance Io. 17.3 Act. 17.20 you must carefully see it and acknowledge it that you bee extreame ignorant in Gods matters blind in Gods word without the true Knowledge of God in Iesus Christ you must see it and confesse it and withall bee sorry for it and bewayle your estate that you haue liued so long in ignorance and withall you must desire the pardon of the same at Gods hands and labour to come to knowledge in time to come Secondly if you would get out of your wofull ignorance and come to true knowledge 2 Attend vpon the ministery of the Word preached 1. Pet. 2.2 Rom. 1.21 10.14 1. Cor. 1.21 Act. 2.37 you must then carefully vse all holy meanes to come thereto First aboue all the rest you must hunger and thirst after the Word of God the preaching of the Word Frequent Sermons and tread in Gods house where wisdome cryes vnto you and vtters her voyce The preaching of the Word of God is the most excellent meanes to bring men out of the gulfe of their ignorance to sauing knowledge true faith and eternall life A third meanes to get out of ignorance and to attaine vnto this sauing Knowledge 3 To reade the Scriptures is the diligent carefull reading of the holy Scriptures the olde and new Testament according to that of our Sauiour Search the Scriptures Io. 5.39 Psal 119. Psal 1.2 So that serious reading of the Word with meditating vpon the same it is a most excellent meanes to get out of ignorance and to come to knowledge 4 The reading hearing of godly Catechismes A fourth meanes to get out of ignorance and to attaine to this sauing Knowledge is the reading learning of Catechismes which containe the summe of Christian Religion It is a speciall means to bring men to knowledge and howsoeuer men thinke base of this kind of teaching yet it is exceeding profitable and necessary and a speciall means to bring men to knowledge and as for those that vnderstand not the Principles of Religion certainely their case is dangerous for Faith is not without the knowledge of these Principles in some measure of the Law the Gospell Faith Sacraments Prayer the Trinity of persons c. The last speciall means to get out of ignorance and to attaine to true and sauing Knowledge 5. Care to practise that wee know is for a man to frame his life according to the Word of God to leade a holy a Christian and a godly life that howsoeuer his knowledge is not great yet his care and desire to walke with God Luk. 12.47 to lead a holy and sanctified life to liue according to his knowledge this pleaseth the Lord well Hos 6.6 for I doubt not but little knowledge when the same is found in Christian obedience is farre better 1 Sam. 15. more acceptable with God then much knowledge when obedience is wanting Well to conclude this point the vse of this Doctrine concernes both Minister and people Vse 1 First the Ministers who take vpon them the charge of mens soules The Ministers duty Io. 21. and stand bound vnto God by a solemne vow and obligation To feed the Flocke of God that depends vpon them and ouer which they bee made Ouerseers and Shepheards and therefore woe vnto such Ministers as bee themselues ignorant 1. Pet. 5. Hos 4.6 Ezec. 3. and cannot teach or prophane and vnconscionable and therefore will not take the paines to teach the people of God but suffer them to lye and rotte in their ignorance and so suffer them to perish for want of knowledge How will such answere it in the day of the Lords wrath when God will lay the bloud of mens soules to their charge And surely Soule-murder it is the highest degree of murder Christ was mooued with pitty when he saw the people scattered abroad as sheepe hauing no shepheard Mat. 14.14 But these Dumbe-dogs that cannot barke so they may haue the Flesh and the Fleece they care for no more Christ sayth that his Ministers that loue him will Feed his Lambes and hee giues this commandement three times to Peters Io. 21. as the tryal of his loue to Christ but if wee may try the loue of Ministers to Christ Iesus by this marke namely their careful conscionable and continuall feeding of Christs Sheepe Wee may then say the loue of many to Christ is like that of Iudas he kissed him killed him al at once betraying him into the hands of his enemies to bee crucified These contrary the members of Christ by them betrayed into the hands of the Deuil to destroy both soule and body in Hell fire and therefore all such vnconscionable Ministers as eyther preach not at all or else but coldly carelesly though they should sweare that they loue Christ Iesus yet the loue of Christ is not in them Oh then let this admonish all Ministers of Gods Word that as they loue their owne soules yea as they desire Gods glory and loue the Lord Iesus Christ and haue any pitty of the poore Soules of his members that they may not perish for euer in hel so they would
off their sinnes which were preuented by death and neuer performed the same Yea although thou diddest know that thou shouldest liue long yet oughtest thou to repent soone for then is thy repentance most acceptable to God when thou doest offer it in the prime of thy youth and in the flower of thy age In the sacrifices of the Lord Deu. 15.21 Mal. 1. Pro. 1. Mat. 25.11 they were commanded to offer a Male of a yeare olde withou spot and blemish and they that offered the blinde and the lame were reproued How then should the Lord accept of thy crooked sacrifice of olde age which is as lame and blind before God and the Lord doth seldome accept of it Nay it is rather most iust with God that at the last hee should reiect vs and our prayers who haue before contemned him in the strength of our yeares when that God did cry and call vnto vs. Oh what yelling and crying wil there bee at the last Lord Lord open vnto vs. When that heauy Depart from mee yee cursed I know you not shall bee their portion Oh that men were wise then would they consider their latter end Let vs looke vnto the practise of men in temporall affayres and learne to bee wise What makes the husbandman to breake his sleepe to rise vp so earely and to bee so diligent in plowing digging and sowing Aske him and hee will tell thee the season requires it and the time lost cannot bee redeemed And shall wee thinke that wee haue repentance at commaund no no thou mayest seeke it at last euen with teares Heb. 12.17 as Esau did and yet goe without it if thou omittest the season time when God doth now offer the same vnto thee Let this that hath bin spoken serue for the confirmation of the euerlasting truth of this Doctrine that men must defer no time to repent to turn vnto the Lord. Now let vs see some reasons that may enforce the same The first reason shewing the necessity of timely repentance Reasons to shew the necessity of timely repentance may bee taken from the great vncertainty of mans life if hee omit the present occasion when it is offered for God doth call home from his worke some in the morning some at noone and some at night For as his Labourers enter into his Vineyard so they goe out that is in such manner and at such howres Mat. 20 1.2. c some dye in the dawning of their life passing as it were from one graue to another some dye in their youth as in the third howre some at middle age and some stay vntill the euening of mans yeares that is old age yet more before ten then after threescore Luk. 12.20 Gen. 6. That rich man in the Gospell that promised vnto himselfe many yeares to come had in a moment of time his soule taken from him The old world neuer thought themselues more freer or surer from vengeance then when they were eating drinking Luk. 17.27 marrying wiues c. But then did the iudgements of God ouertake them The morning was fayre when Lot went out of Sodom Gen. 19.23 and yet before night lay Sodom in ashes Herod was well when he beganne his Oration to the people but by and by after Act. 12.23 1. Thes 5.3 the Angell of the Lord stroke him that hee was eaten vp of worms and so gaue vp the Ghost What then is our life and how vaine and false is our hope of long life Shall any say with Agag Surely the bitternesse of death is past 1. Sam. 15.32 because wee dye not so soone as others when wee heare a solemne knell we say some body is departed and why should we not thinke that the feet of them who carryed out that body is at the dore to carry vs out also Act. 5.9 so that if wee deferre our repentance but one day yea but one houre we haue no warrant to assure vs that wee can repent the next but that the Lord may preuent vs by death and so we perish Secondly if wee slip the oportunity of well doing when God doth offer the same vnto vs we shall bee more vnapt and vnfit afterwards whilest the waxe is plyable it is the fittest time to set on the seale whereas if it coole againe it will then hardly receiue any impression Euen so if our hearts euer beginne to soften and to yeeld if wee now resist the spirit of God and the worke of grace we shall hardly haue the like oportunity againe as at the first And therefore that which Salomon exhorteth in the case of vowes is to bee practised of all holy purposes and good desires Eccl. 5.3 Wee must not deferre nor bee flacke to performe them And this hath beene carefully practised of the godly Psal 119.60 Dauid sayth of himselfe I haue considered my wayes and turned my feet into thy testimonies I made hasâ—â— Luk. 19.6 Act. 8.36 and prolonged not the time to keep thy commandements Dauid doth not take any dayes with God like a bad debter day after day and keepe none of them but whatsoeuer good duty hee had purposed in his heart he would presently performe the same Zacheus came downe hastely and receyued Christ ioyfully The Eunuch being instructed in the sauing knowledge of his saluation by the preaching of Philip so soone as euer he name where water was hee would be baptized land receiue the Seale of grace and as this care is to bee had of euery Christian in the performance of all holy duties so especially in the worke of repentance because the longer a man doth put off his repentance the harder will it bee for him to performe the same at last Ier. 13.23 Can the Blacke-More change his skin or the Leopard his spots Then may they do good that haue beene accustomed to doe euill The Prophet doth account it as a thing almost impossible for a man that hath a long time continued in sinne to leaue the same and to become a good man at the last Oh when sinne growes vp with a man it will grow at the last to bee so inward with him as his dearest friend and being so long acquainted together and bred in the bone they will handly part or out of the flesh Oh that men would consider this that the custome of sinne causeth a hardning in sinne for so sayth the Apostle Rom. 2.5 Thou after thine hardnesse and heart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath And that custome will adde to nature turne sinne vnto nature that a man can bee no more without it then his naturall food This is the danger that those are in that defer their repentance the harder is their recouery at the last Reas 3 Thirdly and lastly all our seruice whatsoeuer is onely due vnto the Lord our selues our soules and bodies and all that wee haue the Lord doth iustly challenge