The young man's guide through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan…

7. Consider, Though sound repentance is never too late, yet late repentance is seldom sound; like untimely fruit, it rarely cometh to any perfection; as may evidently appear from the usual practise of such as recover of their sickness, who in the time of affliction seemed mightily troubled for their wicked lives, and outwardly bewailed their sins, crying out against them; yea, made many vows and promises of newness of life, and better obedience, professing, for the time to come, utterly to renounce their former lewd courses, and to serve God in true holiness and righteousness all the remaining part of their days; yet being recovered to their former health again, forgetting the vows and promises they made in the time of their sickness, with the Dog, they have returned to their former Vomit; and with the Sow, wallowed again in the filth of sin, and mire of sinful filthiness, embracing the same sins which they had formerly lamented, and so become worse than before. It was the observation of that worthy Divine Mr. Robert Bolton, that he never knew or heard of any man unwrought upon under conscionable means, who after recovery, performed the vows and promises of a new life, which he made in his sickness, and time of extremity; which methinks should be a strong Motive to persuade every one of us to turn from our sin, and to give up our selves entirely unto God in our health and strength, that so we may have some comfortable Evidence of the truth and soundness of our Repentance.

7. Consider, Though sound repentance is never too late, yet late repentance is seldom sound; like untimely fruit, it rarely cometh to any perfection; as may evidently appear from the usual practise of such as recover of their sickness, who in the time of affliction seemed mightily troubled for their wicked lives, and outwardly bewailed their sins, crying out against them; yea, made many vows and promises of newness of life, and better obedience, professing, for the time to come, utterly to renounce their former lewd courses, and to serve God in true holiness and righteousness all the remaining part of their days; yet being recovered to their former health again, forgetting the vows and promises they made in the time of their sickness, with the Dog, they have returned to their former Vomit; and with the Sow, wallowed again in the filth of sin, and mire of sinful filthiness, imbracing the same sins which they had formerly lamented, and so become worse than before. It was the observation of that worthy Divine Mr. Robert Bolton, that he never knew or heard of any man unwrought upon under conscionable means, who after recovery, performed the vows and promises of a new life, which he made in his sickness, and time of extremity; which methinks should be a strong Motive to perswade every one of us to turn from our sin, and to givup our selves intirely unto God in our health and strength, that so we may have some comfortable Evidence of the truth and soundness of our Repentance.