2. It is very dangerous to defer our penitential Executions or actings: Whether we consider, 1. The Resolutions themselves; 1they are but accidental, and not natural things; not such qualities (or rather motions) which arise from an in-bred principle, but are forensical to our natures, and being not presently cherished by acting, like little sparks of fire, may easily vanish, languish, and extinguish. We read of the Israelites, that they were an unsteadfast ⟨p. 143⟩people in Covenant, and like a deceitful Bow. Naked Resolutions will never ripen and abide; if you will not go beyond your Resolutions, you will quickly fall from your Resolutions. 2. Our own hearts, ah! how deceitful are they! how full of rebellion! how averse to all good! Like the cold hearth to a little fire; how cunning to keep up Sin in the Throne! how willing to break asunder all the bands of Obedience! with much ado resolving, with little ado dissolving those resolves again. Volebam (saith St. Austin) & nolebam; I would, and yet I would not; one while I would, and by and by I would not. It is the Genius of cur sinful hearts, to apprehend the present time for sin, and to crave the future time for repentance: Our worst work we would do instantly, our best work we would do negligently: Good motions are like a Bird falling into our hands, which if we presently catch not, she instantly flees away. Gracious purposes in our hearts, are like warmth in the water; the impression requires some degrees, and some blowing; but the recession is easy; the natural coldness in the water will instantly rise up and expel that heat: if you be not watchful, &c. 3. Extinguishing occasions. Repentance, in all the parts of it, hath many enemies and hinderances, some within us, some without us: the Resolutions are weak, but the Occasions are strong. Let the ship alone, and if the Pilot hath only a resolution to sail with, the next tide, or the next wind may carry the ship away. How ordinary is the experience, That the strength of occasions have beaten back, and put to flight many and many a resolution? like a cross wind, which hath carried back the ship unto the very harbour whence it came forth. Mere resolutions are but unarmed Soldiers, or as unwalled Cities. You shall find much of this truth, That meet resolutions are too weak for proper and sudden occasions. 4.
2. It is very dangerous to defer our penitential Executions or actings: Whether we consider, 1. The Resolutions themselves; 1they are but accidental, and not natural things; not such qualities (or rather motions) which arise from an in-bred principle, but are forensical to our natures, and being not presently cherished by acting, like little sparks of fire, may easily vanish, languish, and extinguish. We read of the Israelites, that they were an unstedfast ⟨p. 143⟩people in Covenant, and like a deceitfull Bow. Naked Resolutions will never ripen and abide; if you will not go beyond your Resolutions, you will quickly fall from your Resolutions. 2. Our own hearts, ah! how deceitfull are they! how full of rebellion! how averse to all good! Like the cold hearth to a little fire; how cunning to keep up Sin in the Throne! how willing to break asunder all the bands of Obedience! with much adoe resolving, with little adoe dissolving those resolves again. Volebam (saith St. Austin) & nolebam; I would, and yet I would not; one while I would, and by and by I wouldnot. It is the Genius of cur sinfull hearts, to apprehend the present time for sin, and to crave the future time for repentance: Our worst work we would do instantly, our best work we would do negligently: Good motions are like a Bird falling into our hands, which if we presently catch not, she instantly flees away. Gracious purposes in our hearts, are like warmth in the water; the impression requires some degrees, and some blowing; but the recession is easie; the natural coldness in the water will instantly rise up and expel that heat: if you be not watchfull, &c. 3. Extinguishing occasions. Repentance, in all the parts of it, hath many enemies and hinderances, some within us, some without us: the Resolutions are weak, but the Occasions are strong. Let the ship alone, and if the Pilot hath onely a resolution to sail with, the next tide, or the next wind may carry the ship away. How ordinary is the experience, That the strength of occasions have beaten back, and put to flight many and many a resolution? like a cross wind, which hath carried back the ship unto the very harbour whence it came forth. Meer resolutions are but unarmed Souldiers, or as unwalled Cities. You shall find much of this truth, That meet resolutions are too weak for proper and sudden occasions. 4.
- 1It is dangerous to delay.
