The divine life in three treatises

Nay if you have not walked with God in the spirit, but walked after the flesh, though your repentance should be sound and true at the last, it will yet very hardly serve to comfort you, though it may serve to your salvation: because you will very hardly get any assurance that it is sincere. It is dangerous lest it should prove but the effect of fear (which will not save) when it cometh not till death do fright you to it. As Augustine saith, Nullus expectet, quando peccare non potest: arbitrii enim libertatem quaerit Deus, ut deleri possint commissa; non necessitatem, sed charitatem, non tantum timorem: quia non in solo timore vivit homo. Therefore the same Augustine saith, [Siquis positus in ultima necessitate voluerit accipere poenitentiam, & accipit; fateor vobis, non illi negamus quod petit; sed non praesumimus quod bene hinc exit: si securus hinc exierit, ego nescio: Poenitentiam dare possumus, securitatem non possumus. You see then how much it is needful to the peace of conscience at the hour of death, that you walk with God in the time of life.

6. Moreover, to walk with God is an excellent preparation for sufferings and death, because it tendeth to acquaint the soul with God, and to embolden it both to go to him in Prayer, and to Trust on him, and expect salvation from him. He that walketh with God is so much used to holy Prayer, that he is a man of Prayer, and is skilled in it, and hath tried what prayer can do with God: so that in the hour of his extremity, he is not to seek, either for a God to pray to. or a Mediator to intercede for him, or a Spirit of Adoption to enable him as a child to fly for help to his reconciled Father. And having not only been frequently with God, but frequently entertained and accepted by him, and had his prayers heard and granted, it is a great encouragement to an afflicted soul in the hour of distress, to go to such a God for help. And it is a dreadful thing when a soul is ready to go out of the world, to have •• comfortable knowledge of God, or skill to pray to him, or encouragement to expect acceptance with him: To think that he must presently appear before a God, whom he never knew, nor heartily loved, being never acquainted with ⟨p. 276⟩