from her the time of repentance Thus after he had threatned a Deluge and destruction vnto the old world hee gaue them many yeeres to repent before hee washt them away with the waters of his wrath He gaue Sodom Gomorrah two sinfull Cities hee gaue them a time to repent Niniue had a time Ierusalem had a time two and fortie yeeres after the passion of Christ the Figge Tree had a time Chrys obseruat the foolish fiue Virgins had a time when they might haue entred nay God giues a time and lends a long space vnto the most prophane to make them the more inexcusable Cursed Cain prophane Esau desperate Iudas they had all a time This gracious proceeding doth the Lord obserue and keepe and will vnto the worlds end hee giues vnto some of vs twenty yeeres vnto some thirty vnto some forty vnto some fifty euen vntill gray-headed Age the blossome of the graue Hec momentum vnde depēdet aeternitas Aug. bids vs prepare our winding sheete And if in all this time which in all is but a spanne a moment a small scantling wee let it slippe vntill our glasse bee all runne out and the thred of our life cleane cut off then are wee left without excuse and our end is damnation The children of this world are wise in their generation they take their time and opportunity The Marchant buyeth while the Mart lasteth the Souldier fighteth while the battell indureth the Husband-man soweth while it is winter reapeth when it is summer That faithfull measurer of time heauens great Ornamēt obserueth his rising and setting The Sunne the Moone and Starres keepe their constant reuolution according to the will of their Maker in the first Creation The Storke the Turtle and the Crane know their appointed time Ierem. 8.7 But man neglects his time and lets it steale away one day after another vntill the day of grace bee closed vpon him Wee are called vpon to repent in the dayes of our youth before sin is habituated custome of sinning hath taken away the sense of sinne Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Eccles 12.1 But men for the most part refuse to repent vntill they be old and so by a iust iudgement of God they goe downe to the graue hauing their bones full of the sinnes of their youth for how almost is it possible that we should repent truely when wee be old repentance is so hard and difficult a thing a heauy burthen a difficult duty Age of it selfe is a burthen a sicknesse a languishing disease the Sergeants and Officers of Death haue arrested euery limbe haue taken vp the whole body as an habitation of death One crieth with the Shunamites child Non vita longa sed longa aegritudo Alas my head alas my head another with with Antiochus My belly my belly the third with Asa Shaking Palsie My feet my feete this mans limbs tremble as a reed shaken with the winde another mans limbes are like the dead boughes of a dying barke Dead Palsie one laboureth in one disease another in another one in the chollicke another in the stone this mans eyes begin to waxe dimme his eares deafe his wind-pipes euen stopt vp with flegme his teeth falling out of his head his hands possest with the palsie his legges not able to beare vp his body his knees strike one against another his backe not able to beare the waight of a Grashopper and when man is brought vnto such an exigent that hee cannot put off or put on his owne clothes how shall he put off sins and put on newnesse of life Surely I see not how he can repent vnlesse hee repents that he hath liued too long and therfore they wish for welcome death when little doe they well consider that death is the dissolution of a miserable life but a passage to a worse a gate an entrance to hell if they dye vnrepentant Augustine his counsell in this case is very heauenly and very worthy to be embraced Lib. de Vtilitat poen agend Age poenitentiam dum sanus es si sic agis dico tibi quod securus es quia poenitentiam egisti eo tempore quo peccare potuisti si vis agere poenitentiam quando iam peccare non potes peccata te dimiserunt non tu illa Repent while thou art in good health if thou dost so I tell thee thou art safe because thou repētedst whē thou couldst haue sinned if thou dost repent when by reason of the weakenesse of thy body thou art not able to performe the workes of darknesse sinne hath left to saue mee Acts 3.19 Repent therefore that thy sinnes may bee done away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of God and that with all speede Pharaoh bad Moses pray for him to morrow but doe thou repent to day thou knowest not whether thou shalt liue vntil to morrow thy life is but a flower flourishing to day fading to morrow but a bubble soone blowne vp soone blowne out thou maist dine in all thy royalty with Balthasar carouse in golden bowles yet ere thy dinner be ended such is the vncertainty of our fleeting life thy soule may bee diuorced from thy body and thy body fit for no company but the wormes It is not to morrow that God requireth but to day To day if you wil heare my voice Heb. 3.15 Remember that there will be a day when there will be iudgemēt without mercy when if thou neglectst this day of saluation this acceptable season thou shalt bee cast to Hell and there shalt lye in misery howling and crying out O miserable wretch that I am what did I meane that I did not confesse my sins repent and turne to God when I was vpon earth now I see others partakers of heauenly ioyes and I thrust out and cast into these miserable torments where thou shalt bee inforced to say O how iust are Gods iudgements I was spoken vnto but I would not heare I was instructed out of Moses and the Prophets and intreated by the Ministers of Christ to repent but I stopped mine eares against their admonitions How doe I iustly feele that which nothing could make me feare Let vs not therfore neglect this opportunity this space which is our life time a time which God in mercy hath allotted vnto vs to repent in after this time repentance will neuer be preached any more nor sinnes pardoned Nazian Hic namque peccatorum remissio vbi peccatorum commissio hic nobis prompt a medela est post autem clausa est omnis medicinae falutis For sinnes are remitted here where as they were committed Heere onely haue wee the Balme of Gilead to cure the wounds of a sinfull soule but hereafter all medicines of saluation shall bee lockt from vs and we from them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Basil This present time in which wee liue is the time of repentance and remission of sinnes Frustra sibi homo post hoc corpus promittit quod in hoc corpore comparare neglexit Augustine August And therefore in vaine doth man promise vnto himselfe that after this life which he doth neglect to obtain this life This is our day the next is the Lords day wherein he wil come to iudge euery man according to his wayes as the Tree groweth so it falleth and as it falleth so it lyeth as men liue so they die and as they die so they come to Iudgement In what sinnes sosoeuer wee dye vnrepented of in the same shall wee bee iudged and condemned Let vs learne therefore in our growth to grow the right way let vs looke toward Ierusalem growe toward heauen that is let vs liue wel that wee may dye well so that at the worlds generall Iudgement at the resurrection of the iust wee may meet our Sauiour in the ayre and be euer with him Amen Come Lord Iesus come quickely FINIS
Sonne of God the Sauiour of the world the Redeemer of Israel For the great day of his wrath is come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iude 6. the great day where we may note the vniuersality of it all the dayes of iudgement going before were but types and figures but Epitomes and compends of that day that great day that is to come the drowning of the old world was a great day the burning of Sodome and Gomorrah a great day the ransacking of Ierusalem a great day yet all these together will not expresse and shew forth the least part of that dreadfully incomparable great day that is to come And who can stand It is a Metaphor drawne from those that whiles some eminent danger hangeth ouer their heads cannot looke vp but speedily they flie away vntill they are out of breath their spirits spent so they fall groueling to the ground so saith our Sauiour Christ mens hearts shall faile them for feare and for looking after those things that shall come to the world Luke 21.16 The cause of this their flying is not only the fearefull apparitions of heauen as presages and prognostications of their dismall doome but Erynnis conscientiae as Melancthon cals it the sting of conscience like a fiend of hell dogs and driues them for the wicked flie when none pursueth them Pro. 28.1 They therefore are said to stand that are not terrified appaled which are not cast downe neither in body nor minde but doe confidently expect and wait their Masters comming therefore it was our Sauiours counsaile vnto his Disciples and in them vnto his whole Church hauing forewarned them that he would come vpon them at a time that they wote not of as trauell vpon a woman as a thiefe in the night he doth fore-arme them too by willing them to be frequent in watching feruent in prayer Watch therefore pray continually that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that you may bee able to stand before the Sonne of man Luke 21.36 Thus hauing Analysed the whole Chapter diuided my Text and expounded the wordes I draw forth this generall doctrine and it flowes naturall of its owne accord without any violent strayning or iniury vnto the Text this is the doctrine 1. Doct. that the state and condition of the wicked is full of horror at the day of iudgement This is proued by phrases of Scripture First It is called the Lords day the day of the Lord intimating thereby that as the wicked haue had their day the terme of their life wherein they dare as boldly to commit sinne as if they should neuer come to iudgement and as the Prophet Amos speaketh putting farre off the euill day and approching to the seat of iniquity Amos 6.3 so likewise the Lord will haue his day and these are the dayes of vengeance saith our Sauiour Christ Luke 21. v. 22. wherein the Lord will execute the seuerity of his wrath vpon sinne and sinners Secondly it is called the day of wrath now the wrath of a King is the messenger of death how much more the wrath of the Lord of Hosts the breath of whose nostrils kindleth that euerlastingly burning Tophet and his wrath abideth for euer vpon the children of disobedience in that burning Lake of hell fire for they that haue iustly prouoked the Lord vnto wrath in this their life time by fornication by vncleannesse by inordinate affection by euill concupiscence by couetousnesse which is Idolatry by wrath by anger by maliciousnesse by cursed and filthy speaking Colos 3.5.8 shall be sure to finde the recompence and their reward wrath for wrath the very fruit of their owne fruitlesse works for for these things sake the wrath of God commeth vpon the children of disobedience Colos 3.6 temporally by manifest iudgements of his wrath and eternally in hell where his wrath abideth for euer and for euer in that dungeon of Dogs that is among the wicked whose estate is worse then a Dogs as namely Inchanters Whoremongers Murtherers Idolaters and whosoeuer loueth or maketh lyes Reuel 22.15 Thirdly our Sauiour Christ speaking of that day saith that it should come vpon the world as trauell vpon a woman with child which is not onely to be vnderstood of the vncertainty of it when it will come yet as sure will it come as trauell vpon a woman with child but the similitude holds true in another sense that as a woman with child drawing neere to her trauell is in sorrow and cryeth in her paines Isay 26.17 a punishment peculiar to that sex by reason of our first Parents transgression Gen. 3.16 she doth oftentimes send foorth bitter sighes and sobbes grieuous grones lamentable cryes vncertayne whether her issue will bee a Beniamin the sonne of her right hand or a Benoni the sonne of her sorrow death yet still doth shee lift vp her eyes vnto the Hils from whence commeth her helpe so the wicked shall lift vp their eyes vnto the Hils for they shall cry vnto the Hils for helpe vnto the Mountaynes for succour and vnto the Rocks for safety yet they shall receiue none from neither Me thinkes I heare not onely Ieroms Trumpet sounding in mine * Surgite mortui venite ad iudicium eares but a horrible howling of a promiscuous multitude a greater mourning weeping and lamentation was neuer heard in Rama Matt. 2.18 Parents weeping for their children children for their parents the husband for the wife the wife for the husband yet can they not helpe one another but as they haue beene companions in sin so shal they be cōpanions in torments and such torments that are matchlesse farre beyond the paynes of women for her paynes end either with a happy birth or with as happy a buriall for better is the day of death then the day wherein we are borne but the paines of the wicked are endles easelesse remedilesse and as they haue conceiued iniquity so shall they receiue the fruit thereof Fourthly S. Iohn describing the miserable estate condition of the Church vnder Antichrist doth very liuely set forth the desperate estate and cōdition of the wicked at the day of iudgemēt they shall seeke for death in those dayes and shall not finde it they shall desire to dye and death shall flye from them Reuel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist l. 3. Ethic. 9.6 Death according to the Philosopher is of all terribles the most terrible and vnto the naturall man it is euen death to remember death yet full glad would the wicked bee if they might returne to their graue againe neuer heare and feele that dreadfull doome of diuine iustice denounced and inflicted vpon them at that last euerlasting iudgement in Hell Gregor Moral Vbi erit miseris mors sine morte finis sine fine defectus sine defectu quia mors ibi semper incipit deficere nescit where the wicked shal be
wicked Infidels shall be iudged the one being cleared the other condemned in their owne conscience Ambrose thinketh that the righteous only shall come into Iudgement quia festinant innoxij adiudicium the righteous they do hasten to Iudgement and long to heare that cōfortable sentence pronounced Come yee blessed of my Father c. But the places may better be reconciled thus there is a twofold Iudgement a Iudgement of absolution and a Iudgement of condemnation The wicked shall not stand in that Iudgement which the righteous shall receiue as namely to bee quitted and absolued The latter part of the verse thus expounding the former nor the sinners in the assembly of the righteous and the righteous shall not come into Iudgement that is shall not bee condemned with the wicked for they shall both be iudged apart the one at the right hand Mat. 25.34.41 Non iudicabitur .i. no◠condemnabitur Irenaeus the other at the left hand of Christ and shall receiue a farre different doome as farre as a curse differs from a blessing hell from heauen so that the Texts alleaged are thus to bee reconciled The righteous shall not come into Iudgement that is into condemnation the wicked shall not stand in Iudgement that is they shall be conuinced in their owne conscience of the iust sentence and deserued condemnation that they shall not be able to gaine say or contradict Now the strictnesse of their account will appeare if wee consider how many things they shall bee call'd vnto an account for First De cogitationibus of the thoughts of our heartes though neuer so secretly contriued though neuer vttered by the tongue though neuer acted by the hand yet if there be a deliberate consent and free approbation of the will and affections and a full resolution to put the same in practice if we had place and fit opportunitie I say this sinne of thought shall not goe for nought at the day of Iudgement else why should the Lord take notice of all the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart Genes 6.5 why should the Lord desire so much the heart My sonne giue mee thy heart but because it is the roote and fountaine either of good or euill If it be the storehouse of good things and Treasurie of diuine meditations it is a Temple meete for God to dwell in but if it bee a cage of vncleane birds of euill thoughts it is already possessed with so many deuils If the euil thoughts of the heart were not sinnes and so by a consequent come to Iudgement Why should the Lord stile himselfe the searcher of the heart and trier of the reines were it not so punish according to the saying of the Wise man There shall inquisition be made for the thoughts of the vngodly there shall not a wicked thought passe in Iudgement Wis 1.9 If adultery be a sinne and lusting after a woman though it breakes not out into act be adulterie Matth. 5.28 And no adulterer shall enter into the Kingdome of Heauen 1. Cor. 6.9.10 then are the thoughts of the heart sinne and so by a consequent they shall come to Iudgement and shall preuaile in Iudgement If manslaughter be a sinne as indeede it is a crying sinne 1. Ioh. 4.15 and if he that hateth his brother be a manslayer and no man-slayer shall inherit the Kingdome of Heauen Reuel 21.8 then are the thoughts of the heart sinne and they shall bee brought foorth to the condemnation of the wicked at the day of Iudgement Hence is it that our Sauiour Christ so sharpely inueigheth against the Scribes and Pharises who stood so much vpon their owne righteousnesse in fulfilling the Law thinking that if they did not violate the Law in act by killing or committing adultery or by any other actuall transgression contrary to the Law of God that they had performed the Law to a haires bredth But our Sauiour reproouing them and their righteousnesse which they did so much extol that they should not enter into the Kingdome of Heauen notwithstanding this their righteousnesse sheweth that there was a stricter course required in performing the Law for whosoeuer is angry with his brother vnaduisedly shall bee culpable of iudgement Matth. 5.22 The Law condemneth euery inclination to be euill and the heart doth kill as well as the hand in will in wish in desire the heart committeth adultery the heart doth steale as well or rather ill as the outward members For if we consent to those wicked motions suggested by Satan though wee neuer performe them outwardly in act yet before God wee haue done the sinne and if the thought bee truly sinne farre greater is that sinne of act Yea the sinne of thought is not onely a sinne but is the very originall the fountaine and roote from whence all other sinnes do spring and therefore saith our Sauiour Christ That which goeth into the man defileth not the man but those things which come forth from the hart as euil thoughts murders adulteries fornications thefts false witnesses blasphemies these defile the man Mat. 15.19 So that there is not a sinne of what nature soeuer great or small from the least infirmitie to the highest blasphemie but it had its first beginning from the heart thought is the seede of all sins and though but a spark at the first yet wil it encrease into a flame if it be not repressed For this is sins gradation first Hall Meditat there is presented a fit obiect from the obiect is raised an il suggestion suggestion brings on delight delight consent consent endeuour endeuour practice practice custome custome excuse excuse defence defence obstinacie obstinacy boasting of sinne and boasting of sinne a reprobate sense when the custome of sinne hath taken away the sense of sinne and miserable man is sold as a bondslaue vnto Satan to commit wickednes euen with greedines And therefore Salomons counsel in this kind is very worthy to be embraced Keepe thine heart with all diligence for thereout commeth life If thou keepest it not diligently and warily thereout will proceed death Prouerbs 4.23 As Christs aduice vnto the Church is that the little * Heresies Foxes be taken and bee kild whilest they are but Cubs not that they can doe much harme but if they liue vntill they bee Foxes they will spoile kill and make a prey of any thing whatsoeuer euen so the thoughts of the heart at the first may seeme to be but small sinnes but if they bee not slaine at the first and smothered as soone as they be conceiued they will breake forth into actuall transgressions and so lade the soule with sinne kill therfore these Cockatrices in the egge slay them whilest they be but Cubs Oh happie is he that taketh these young children and dasheth their braines against the stones and so much the rather because they are sinnes and shall come to Iudgement for the Lord shall iudge the secrets of men Rom. 2.16 Secondly Inquisition shall not
Disciples It is not for you to know the times and the seasons Act. 1.7 I will conclude with the saying of Augustine Ne nos addamus inquirere quòd ille non addidit dicere Aug. Epist 146. Secret things belong vnto the Lord reuealed things vnto vs Deu. 29. verse 29. Let vs not dare to pry into the Arke of the Lord striuing to know that which is impossible for vs to know it being reserued vnreuealed within the secret bosome of his sacred Maiesty The word of God affoordeth vs certayne signes and prognosticks whereby wee may conclude of a certainty that that day is not farre off the first is this The reuealing and comming of Antichrist Antichrist must first come Antichrist the forerunner of the end of the world so saith the Apostle That Man of sin must first bee reuealed before that day come that sonne of perdition 2. Thess 2. ver 3. Little children saith S. Iohn it is the last time and as you haue heard Antichrist shall come euen now are there many Antichrists whereby we may know that it is the last time 1. Ioh. 2.18 I neede not proue that the Pope of Rome is Antichrist many by their writings haue made this plaine and apparent and discouered that Man of sinne vnto the whole world as manifest to bee Antichrist as he is Pope The second signe that the day is at hand is an Apostasie from Faith and from sound Doctrine of which the Apostle speaketh Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giuing heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of Deuils 1. Tim. 4.1 And is not this time come to passe already are not many carryed about like vapours in the ayre with euery blast of vaine Doctrine hauing itching eares affecting alwayes some new fangled point or other what a dispute beginnes there to bee about that Twinne of our saluation Faith and Repentance touching the priority of them which makes me thinke that either men haue no repentance or else no faith vnlesse both consist vpon the tippe of the tongue in prattling not in practice The third is the promulgation of the Gospell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throughout the whole world So saith our Sauiour Christ And this Gospell of the Kingdom shall bee preached throughout the whole world and then shall the end come Mat. 24.14 It must bee published among all Nations Mar. 13.10 And is not the sound thereof already gone forth into the ends of the earth is it not spred already from Dan euen vnto Beersheba from one Sea coast vnto another The fourth is the rising vp of false Christs and false Prophets Many shall come in my name saith our Sauiour Christ saying I am Christ and the time draweth neere Luke 21.8 And many false Prophets shall arise and deceiue many Matth. 24.11 The fift signe is Iniquity shal abound The fift signe is the generality of sinne Matth. 24.12 There shall bee such a generall infection of sinne Men shall be louers of their owne selues couetous bosters proude blasphemers disobedient to parents vnthankefull vnholy without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good Traytors heady high minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God hauing a forme of godlines but deny the power thereof 2. Tim. 3.1.2.3.4 And this is Gods ordinary proceeding against sinne hee doth neuer punish generall vntill sinne bee growne generall God neuer washt away the inhabitants of the earth with the waters of his wrath vntill all flesh had corrupted his way vpon the earth vntill the earth was filled with cruelty and all the imaginations of the thoughts of mans heart were euill onely euill continually euill Gen. 6.5.11.12 The Lord neuer rayned downe fire and brimstone from the Lord out of heauen vpon those two Cities Simeon and Leui like sisters in sinne vntill hee had made enquiry whether there were any righteous men amongst them for the Lord had it not derogated from his Iustice and so consequently from his glory in not being a iust reuenger of sinne was as willing and as well contented as Abraham that Sodom should be saued for euery petition returned vnto Abraham with some aduantage and most comfortable is it the Lord neuer ceased graunting till Abraham ceased asking but in the end there being such a penury such a scarcity such a nullity of good men that the Lord destroyed them with fire and brimstone and so it remaines vntill this day as a monument of Gods wrath Mare mortuum a Sea of fire and brimstone If we trauell vnto that great City Ierusalem the Metropolis of the world the Lady of the earth the perfection of beauty wee shall finde it but a heape of stones But what did moue the Lord to destroy so famous a City called the City of God the habitation of the most Highest a place where he did delight to dwell yet sin had made her infamous and odious in the sight of God the contagion and infection of sinne was generall and that not only some kinde of sinnes but all sinne all oppression that is all kinde of sinne Synechdoche speciei and well may it bee for oppression is a crying sinne and they that make no conscience of great sinnes surely will not make conscience of lesser and these sinnes were not committed in corners or by-lanes but in the open streets in the market place men were growne impudent in sinne all oppression was in the midst of Ierusalem Ierem. 6. vers 6. sinne was growne generall Ierusalem was a denne of Theeues there was no righteous man found throughout the whole City that executed iudgement and sought the truth No nor at the Court amongst the great Men amōgst the Rulers amongst the Noblemen These haue altogether broken the yoke and burst the bond no nor yet amongst the Prophets for they prophesie falsely and the Priests beare rule by their meanes that is both agree together in a mutuall and meere collusion of the people as the Pope with his orders of begging Fryers first they robbe and deceiue the people and then they diuide the spoile Ierem. 5.1.5.31 To conclude sinne was as generall in Ierusalem as euer it was in the old world when it was destroyed with water or in Sodome that City of pride luxury idlenesse when it was burnt with fire so Ierusalems punishments were paralell to her sinnes her sinnes were generall her iudgements were as generall There is not one stone left vpon another of so many stately buildings on which the Iewes so confidently presumed Ioseph l. 6. hist Iud. and so presumptuously insulted ouer the Romanes saying that if the Romans had wings yet they could not flye ouer their wals and inuade their City And is not sinne growne as generall in this world as euer 't was in the old world or in Sodome or in Ierusalem may we not as iustly take vp the complaint of Isay in his time Both head is sicke
the silent night onely is guiltie of these vnchast actions and secret chambers are only priuie vnto these works of darkenesse this sin is more suspected then knowne and yet knowne too well to be too too generall Drunkennesse may be the third head of this monstrous Hel-hound and Cerberus of sinne how generall is this shamelesse swinish idle base beastly sinne growne It was once but one mans sinne and of infirmity too as not knowing the vertue of the grape Chrysost nor the qualitie of that liquor and long since it hath beene scorned as the beggers fault Hence came the Prouerbe As drunke as the Begger But now adayes it is reputed not only the Seruingmans complement but the Gentlemans grace Seneca spake wel of these times Habebitur aliquando abrietati honor plurimum caepisse vini virtus erit The time shall come that honour shall be attributed to drunkennesse and to drinke much wine shall bee accounted vertue and valour How many now adaies draw their whole Patrimonie thorow their throate making a practice almost a profession of drunkennesse rising vp earely to follow strong drinke and so continue vntill night till wine enflame them Isaiah 5.11 And as the Wise man speaks tarrie long at the wine Prou. 23.29 Our Tauernes our Innes and Alehouses were they well lookt into by the Magistrate would yeeld too many of such kind of stayers by who vnder pretence of drinking a pot or two fill their braines ere they go away and emptie their purse I will not insist any longer in discoring Satans kingdom From the generalitie of these sins we may conclude an vniuersalitie of all the rest What sin is there but is growne as generall as euer the Plague was in any citie or countrie like Naamans leprosie it hath ouerspred the whole body From the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head there is no soundnes but wounds swellings putrifying sores Isa 1.6 Sin is growne vnto such an height and to such a head that it is safer for a man to commit sin then to reproue it and hee that refraineth his foote and runneth not into the same excesse of riot shall be a prey a scorne a by word a derision a laughing stocke Behold the regions are white vnto haruest sinne is ripe euen to the full growth and therefore assuredly it will not be long ere the Lord sends foorth his Labourers those winged executioners of his wrath with sickles in their hands to gather the wicked into bundles that they may be cast into hell It is the Lords gracious and mercifull dispensation to prorogue a while the tearme of his comming because wee should haue a little more time to repent in and so be left without lesse excuse Let vs then vse the Lords patience as a spurre and prouocation vnto repentance so saith the blessed Apostle prophesying of the Atheists of our time who doe not sticke to say VVhere is the promise of his comming Sheweth what vse they should make of the seeming slacknes of his comming his long suffering is an argument that the Lord is not willing that any should perish but that al should come to repentāce 2. Pe. 3.9 And thus mercifully the Lord dealt with the old world after hee had threatned their destruction hee gaue thē one hundred and twenty yeeres to repent in Gen. 6.3 Put not then off farre from thee the euill day if the Lord seemes slack it is because thou shouldest flye speedily with Lot vnto Zoar that is accelerate thy repentance Almighty God hath already whet his sword and bent his bow and made it ready how soeuer he may seeme slack yet he may easily come before thou art ready if hee doth come thou being vnprepared and vnprouided assuredly he will pay thee home for thus abusing his patience The Heathen writer could say thus much Valer. Max. Deum grauitate supplicij compensare tarditatem puniendi the greatnesse of his punishment shall recompence the slacknesse of his comming when he doth come when Deus dies vltionum conuenerint when the God of vengeance and the day of vengeance shall meet together thou shalt bee payed home for altogether I will conclude with that questioned Authour to the Hebrewes Yet a very little while and he that shall come wil come and will not tarry Heb. 10.37 The last vse shall bee an exhortation to repentance and that betime while wee haue time Walke saith our Sauiour Christ in the day Iohn 11. v. 9. that is in thy life which is but a moment a spanne of time The night commeth wherein no man can worke Iohn 9. v. 4. that is the night of thy death which is the conclusion of the day of thy life and then there is no more time to worke out our saluation For an Angell hath sworne from heauen by him that liueth for euermore that time shall be no more Apoc. 10.6 that is after this acceptable time no more time for repentance no more daies of saluation The Apostle wils vs to doe good while we haue time intimating therby that after this time Cypr. there is no more time Vitae aut hic amittitur aut tenetur cùm isthinc excessum fuerit nullus poenitentiae locus nullus satisfactionis effectus Life here is either got or lost for when we goe out of the body there is no place for repentance no effect of satisfaction if we haue sinned to day and haue not repented it may be wee shall haue leaue of the Lords patience to learne it better another day but after the transmigration of the soule from the body there remaines nothing else but a fearfull looking for of iudgement It stands vs therefore vpon the saluation of our soule to looke before wee leape to be certaine that wee haue one foote vpon the border of Canaan before wee leaue our earthly tabernacle Let vs make our election sure vnto vs by true and speedy repentance and seale vp this comfortable conclusion to our soules that our sinnes are pardoned in the bloud of Christ Suppose that the generall day of Iudgement were farre off and that this day of saluation were to shine vpon this Land still on to the worlds end yet what is that to thee or mee the day of grace endeth to thee and mee at the day of our death after that the Lord shall neuer offer mercy vnto vs. It is the gracious and merciful dispensation of almighty God who when hee may iustly cut thee off as thou art committing of sinne and throwe thee downe to hell yet hee giues thee space and time to repent of this thy sinning and so thy sinnes may bee done away Thus our Sauiour speaking of that woman Iezabel for so the holy Ghost points her out by the finger as it were in contempt saith That hee gaue her space to repent of her fornication and shee repented not Reuel 2.21 Meaning hee did let her liue to repent whereas if hee had cut her off before hee had taken