A09473:101
Two treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat…Tvvo treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat…
Two treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat of the flesh and spirit.Tvvo treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat of the flesh and spirit.
Cambridge: printed by John Legate printer to the University of Cambridge. 1593., 1593Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legate printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge. 1593., 1593
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
CAP. IX. Of the time of Repentance.
The time of repentance is the time present, without any delay at all: as the holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice. And,1 Exhort one another daily, while it is called to day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Reasons hereof are these. I. Life is uncertain: for no man knows at what hour or moment, & after what manner he shall go forth of this world. Be ye also prepared therefore, 2for the son of man will come at an hour when ye think not. This one thing should make a man to hasten his repentance; and the rather, because many are dead, who purposed with them selves to repent in time to come; but were prevented by death, and shall never repent. II. The longer a man lives in any sin, the greater danger: because by practise sin gets heart & strength. Custom is of such force, that that which men use to do in their life time, the ⟨p. 56⟩same they do and speak when they are dying. One had three pounds owing to him to be paid three several years: when he was dying, nothing could be got of him, but three years, three pounds. Again, by deferring repentance, men treasure up wrath against the day of wrath. As if a malefactor for his punishment, should be appointed to carry every day a stick of wood to an heap, to burn him twenty years after. III. The more the time is prolonged, the harder it is to repent: the longer a man goes in his sickness without physic, the harder is the recovery. And where the devil dwells long, he will hardly be removed. The best way to kill a serpent, is, to cruse it in the head when it is young. IIII. It is as meat and drink to the devil to see men live in their sins deferring repentance: as on the contrary, there is great joy among the angels of god in heaven, when a sinner doth repent. V. Late repentance is seldom or never true repentance. For if a man repent when he cannot sin as in former time, as namely in death: then he leaves not sin but sin leaves him: wherefore