Winter meditations directions how to employ the leisure of the winter for the glory…

And then, sure they that are already come to Old Age, had need make sure of Conversion, before it become altogether too late, hopeless, helpless, & unattainable. My Fathers, you are now got into the winter of your Lives; Old Age begins to Snow upon your heads; & your whole face, is that of the earth in winter. The Jews generally interred their Dead under and Oak: [see 1 Sam. 31.13.] pleased perhaps with some such parallel as this; that as the Tree seemingly dead in the winter, had every Spring an Annual ⟨p. 80⟩and Notable Resurrection, so the Dry Bones of men, shall have a new Sap of Life infused into them, at the Day of Judgment. Indeed, you that are under the Decays of Age, are like the Tree casting of its Leaves in Autumn, every thing is now apace dying with you every day; you•l wither, till your being sunk into the ground make it a perfect winter with you. You shall have a Resurrection; but O tis high Time for you, to gain a good Assurance, that it shall be, The Resurrection of Life, and not, The Resurrection of Damnation; in a word, That nothing may succeed, but An Eternal Spring. The Philosopher said, Before Old Age, my care was to Live well; but now under Old Age, my care is to Die well. Truly, Now winter is come, you have nothing else to take any Care about. If you have not in all this while, Secured a Saving Interest in the Lord Jesus Christ, or if you are not yet Purged from your old Sins, most horrid and monstrous has been your Impenitency! And yet I am to tell you a very Glorious Thing; That Interest may still be Secured. There was once a pretty Old man in some Distress, and it is said, in Joh. 5 6. Jesus kn•w he had been a Long Time Ill, and said unto him, W••t thou be made Whole? Even so, The Lord Jesus Christ comes this Day, to you, Old men, that have been a Long Time in your Sins, and says, Old man, shall I yet be the Saviour of thy Soul? O then with Conquered and Consenting Souls, now give your selves unto that Glorious Lord. But know, That if you do it not, before the winter of This Year, as well as of Your Age, be out, it will probably never be done at all. And then, ⟨p. 81⟩