N00341:91
The greatest sinners exhorted and encouraged to come to Christ, and that now without…
The greatest sinners exhorted and encouraged to come to Christ, and that now without delaying. Also, the exceeding danger of men's deferring their repentance. : Together with a discourse about the day of judgement. And on several other subjects. / By Increase Mather teacher of a church at Boston in N. England. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]
printed by R.P. for Joseph Brunning i.e, 1686
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Consider. 2. That no man ever repented him that he turned to God too soon, but every man in the world either has or shall be sorry that he turned no sooner. There never was an Instance of a man truly converted, who wished he had not been converted so soon. There have been some that have turned from Sin in their youth, ⟨p. 49⟩yea, in their Childhood; ask any such, do you repent of your early Conversion, they will say no, but we wish we had turned a great deal sooner. Austin, I remember saith, Nimis sero Te amare cae•i! Alas O Lord, I began to love Thee later than I wish I had done. And there is no unconverted sinner in the world, but he will one day wish that he had turned from his evil ways sooner. If ever the Lord give him Repentance unto life, then will he be sorry in his heart, that he was so long before he had any saving acquaintance with God and with Jesus Christ. Paul speaketh sorrowfully of his late Conversion. 1. Cor. 15.8. And last of all he was seen of me, as of one born out of due time. He was troubled to think that he had lived so many years in the world before he knew Christ Or if a sinner shall be so unhappy as to dye in his evil way, he will for ever wish, when it is too late, that he had hearkened to the Call of the Gospel requiring him to turn Now. Prov. 1.28. Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer, they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. When the day of Grace is past, and when the day of life is spent and gone, Sinners will reflect upon themselves with infinite anguish, and say, What Fools were we that did not turn from sin in time, but now the sun is set, and the day ⟨p. 50⟩is become dark over us for ever. Had we sought after Reconciliation with God sooner, we might have obtained it: but Woe and Alas for us, now it will never be.
Consider. 2. That no man ever repented him that he turned to God too soon, but every man in the world either has or shall be sorry that he turned no sooner. There never was an Instance of a man truly converted, who wished he had not been converted so soon. There have been some that have turned from Sin in their youth,