A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

7. It is a day: That requireth present improvement; because it is followed with a night, a night that is dark as pitch. The night cometh wherein no man can work. (So saith our Lord Joh. 9.4.) There is neither work nor invention in the grave. In the dark thou mayest see to bewail thy not working in the light; but in the dark there is no working. Sorrow then will not help thee, couldst thou make hell to swim with thy tears. Thy tears are only of worth in time. Put not off your working, till the time wherein you must leave work. It is perfect madness, not to think of beginning to work till the time of working is at an end. Nemo finitis nundin•s exercet mercaturam. What man after the fair will go then to buy and sell? There is no negotiation, but in the time of the fair, the season of grace. The spiritual manna of grace is only to be gathered in the six days of thy life. The time after this is a time of rest, wherein there is no more work to be done to procure Salvation. If this be the day of thy death, tomorrow cannot be the day of thy repentance. It is miserable to have that to do for lack of time, which is to do for loss of time. Thus I have shown you, how we are put upon present improving the season of Grace, As 'tis here termed a day or in respect of the nature of the Season.

7. It is a day: That requireth present improvement; because it is followed with a night, a night that is dark as pitch. The night cometh wherein no man can work. (So saith our Lord Joh. 9.4.) There is neither work nor invention in the grave. In the dark thou mayest see to bewail thy not working in the light; but in the dark there is no working. Sorrow then will not help thee, couldst thou make hell to swim with thy tears. Thy tears are only of worth in time. Put not off your working, till the time wherein you must leave work. It is perfect madness, not to think of beginning to work till the time of working is at an end. Nemo finitis nundin•s exercet mercaturam. What man after the fair will go then to buy and sell? There is no negotiation, but in the time of the fair, the season of grace. The spiritual manna of grace is only to be gathered in the six days of thy life. The time after this is a time of rest, wherein there is no more work to be done to procure Salvation. If this be the day of thy death, tomorrow cannot be the day of thy repentance. It is miserable to have that to do for lack of time, which is to do for loss of time. Thus I have shewn you, how we are put upon present improving the season of Grace, As 'tis here termed a day or in respect of the nature of the Season.