N00341:99
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.
Let these Considerations awaken every one that is in a State of Sin, Now to turn and live. There are some of you that have continued a long time in a natural unregenerate estate: Perhaps you have lived in the world, 30, or 40, or it may be sixty years, and in an unconverted estate to this day. It is time to seek the Lord. 'Tis high time for you to consider your ways and to look about you. Think not with thy self, I'll repent when I come to lye down upon my sick bed. How dost thou know that thou shalt lie upon a sick bed at all? It may be some sudden Stroke will take thee out of the world, and where will thy soul be then? Or if thou shouldest be visited with Sickness, that's no suitable time to repent in▪ perhaps thou wilt then lie unto God with thy mouth, and ⟨p. 59⟩flatter him with thy lips. Sick-bed-Repentance is very seldom true. How often do we see, that Sinners on sick beds make fair promises, to God and man, but when they are recovered they become as bad or worse than ever they were before. Yes, and it may be then thou wilt cry out, it is too late now. Did you never hear of a man who delaying his Repentance till he came to lie upon his sick bed, when he was told he must repent of sin, replied, all too late: and when he was exhorted to pray unto God for pardon of his past transgressions, he made the same reply, All to late! If I had hearkened to this Counsel sooner, it had been happy for me, but all's too late now! If thou delayest thy Repentance till then, perhaps this will be thy bitter Cry when thou shalt feel thy departing soul going into the other world.
Let these Considerations awaken every one that is in a State of Sin, Now to turn and live. There are some of you that have continued a long time in a natural unregenerate estate: Perhaps you have lived in the world, 30, or 40, or it may be sixty years, and in an unconverted estate to this day. It is time to seek the Lord. 'Tis high time for you to consider your wayes and to look about you. Think not with thy self, I'le repent when I come to lye down upon my sick bed. How dost thou know that thou shalt lie upon a sick bed at all? It may be some sudden Stroak will take thee out of the world, and where will thy soul be then? Or if thou shouldest be visited with Sickness, thats no sutable time to repent in▪ perhaps thou wilt then lie unto God with thy mouth, and ⟨p. 59⟩