A discourse concerning old-age tending to the instruction, caution and comfort of aged persons…

Its true, late Repentance is seldom true, but yet true Repentance is never too late. O then lay all business aside, and set your selves about the New creature. Now or never, now and ever. If you turn the deaf ear unto God now, beware lest he deny you either the space, or the grace to repent hereafter; lest he answer you, Ubi consumpsisti farinam, &c. where thou hast spent the flour of thy life, there bestow the bran of it. Take warning by that Penitent in story, who had often determined to begin his Amendment from some eminent time, as the First day of the year, or his Birth day, that so his Repentance might have some Remarkable date; but when that Time came, he was ready to adjourn it till another time: Who thereupon ⟨p. 246⟩concluded, that he would make that present Day, though it were obscure in the Calendar, yet memorable to his Soul by his turning, through divine assistance, unto God.

Its true, late Repentance is seldom true, but yet true Repentance is never too late. O then lay all business aside, and set your selves about the New creature. Now or never, now and ever. If you turn the deaf ear unto God now, beware lest he deny you either the space, or the grace to repent hereafter; lest he answer you, Ubi consumpsisti farinam, &c. where thou hast spent the flour of thy life, there bestow the bran of it. Take warning by that Penitent in story, who had often determined to begin his Amendment from som• eminent time, as the First day of the year, or his Birth day, that so his Repentance might have some Remarkable date; but when that Time came, he was ready to adjourn it till another time: Who thereupon ⟨p. 246⟩concluded, that he would make that present Day, though it were obscure in the Calender, yet memorable to his Soul by his turning, through divine assistance, unto God.

Do you not perceive how you are in danger to be trapanned by Satan, who suggested to you in the time of youth, that Repentance was then too early, and who will now persuade it is grown too late? ye have deerr'd this work long enough already, now you must use double diligence about it. It is said of the Mulberry tree, that it casts out its buds latest, but then thrusts them all out in a night: You are late in the Vineyard, you must work the harder. The whole business of your life hitherto stands for nothing; if you be not new born, you will cease to be in this world, before you begin to live