A wise Man being to go a far and foul journey,1 will not lay the heaviest burden upon the weakest horse. And with what conscience canst thou lay the great load of repentance on thy feeble and tired old age, whereas now in thy chiefest strength ⟨p. 130⟩thou canst not lift it, but art ready to stagger under it. Is it wisdom for him that is to sail a long and dangerous Voyage, to lie playing and sleeping, whilst the Wind serveth and the Sea is calm, the Ship sound, the Pilot well, Mariners strong; and then set forth when the Winds are contrary, the Weather tempestuous, the Sea raging, the Ship rotten, the Pilot sick, and the Sailors languishing? Therefore, (O sinful Soul) begin now thy conversion to God, whilst life, health, strength, and youth last: before, those† years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. God ever required in his service, theb first-born; and thec first-fruits; and those to be offered unto him without delay. So justd Abel offered unto God his firstlings, and fattest Lambs: and reason good, that the best Lord should be first, and best served. All God's servants should therefore,e remember to serve their Creator in the days of their youth; andf early in the morning, like Abraham, to sacrifice unto God the Young Isaac of their Age. gYe shall not see my face (saith Joseph to his Brethren) except you bring your younger brother with you. And how shalt thou look in the face of Jesus, if thou givest thy younger years to the devil, and bringest him nothing but thy blind, lame, and decrepit old age? Offer it unto thy hPrince, saith Malachi. If he will not accept such a one to serve him, how shall the Prince of Princes admit such a one to be his servant? ⟨p. 131⟩If the King of Babel would have young men (well favoured, 10and such as had ability in them) to stand in his palace, 11shall the King of Heaven have none to stand in his Courts, but the blind the lame, such as the soul of David hated? Thinkest thou when thou hast served Satan with thy prime years, to satisfy God with thy dotage? take heed l•st God turn thee over to thy old Master again: that as thou hast all the days of thy life done his Work, so he may in the end pay thee thy Wages. Is that time fit to undertake by the serious exercises of repentance (which is the work of works) to turn thy sinful soul to God, when thou art not able with all thy strength to turn thy weary bones on thy soft bed?
A wise Man being to go a far and foul journey,1 will not lay the heaviest burthen upon the weakest horse. And with what conscience canst thou lay the great load of repentance on thy feeble and tired old age, whereas now in thy chiefest strength ⟨p. 130⟩thou canst not lift it, but art ready to stagger under it. Is it wisdom for him that is to sail a long and dangerous Voyage, to lie playing and sleeping, whilst the Wind serveth and the Sea is calm, the Ship sound, the Pilot well, Mariners strong; and then set forth when the Winds are contrary, the Weather tempestuous, the Sea raging, the Ship rotten, the Pilot sick, and the Sailers languishing? Therefore, (O sinful Soul) begin now thy conversion to God, whilst life, health, strength, and youth last: before, those† years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. God ever required in his service, theb first-boorn; and thec first-fruits; and those to be •ffered unto him without delay. So justd Abel offered unto God his firstlings, and fattest Lambs: and reason good, that the best Lord should be first, and best served. All God's servants should therefore,e remember to serve their Creator in the days of their youth; andf early in the morning, like Abraham, to sacrifice unto God the Young Isaac of their Age. gYe shall not see my face (saith Joseph to his Brethren) except you bring your younger brother with you. And how shalt thou look in the face of Jesus, if thou givest thy younger years to the devil, and bringest him nothing but thy blind, lame, and decrepid old age? Offer it unto thy hPrince, saith Malachy. If he will not accept such a one to serve him, how shall the Prince of Princes admit such a one to be his servant? ⟨p. 131⟩
- 1Heb. 3. 13.
- †Eccl. 12. 1.
- bExod. 13. 2.
- cEx. 22. 29.
- dGen. 4. 4.
- eEccl. 12. 12.
- fGen. 22. 3.
- gGen. 43. 3.
- hMal. 1. 8.
- 10Dan. 1. 4.
- 112 Sam. 5. 8.
