Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D.…

Answ. 1. A mans life-time in this World is to be improved. Thus Christ hath taught ⟨p. 149⟩us by his own unerring example, John 9.4. I must work while it is day, the night cometh when no man can work. A mans life is but a season, even a day which shall have a night follow it; and therefore it is to be improved: Yea, and it is but a short season, 1 Cor. 7.30. The time is short. He that hath longest to live, yet hath but a short time to be in this World; therefore James saith, What is your life? it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away, chap. 4. vers. 14. and David saith, Behold thou hast made my days an hand breadth, and mine age is as nothing before thee, Psal. 39.5. A mans time in this World is as nothing before God, that is to say, as nothing in comparison of Eternity; therefore this time ought so much the more carefully & diligently to be improved; and it may be a mans time is much shorter than himself doth think for. We read of one in the Gospel that was to foolish, as to dream of many years, when as he had not so much as one day to live: He said he had goods for many, not only days, but years, when as before this next day, his Soul was taken from him, Luke 12.20. Besides, when a mans life is once gone, it is irrecoverable, men must dye, and out of this World they shall go, and yet they dye but once, Heb. 9.27. It is appointed for men [once] ⟨p. 150⟩to dye: When once men are dead, the places that have known them, shall know them no more; the eyes that have seen them, shall see them no more; and the ears that have heard them, shall hear them no more. And thence if men do not improve their time whilst they are alive in the World, they lose their season for ever. When death is come, it is then too late to improve time; therefore Hezekiah saith, They that go down into the pit. cannot hope for thy truth, Isa 38 18. When a mans body is gone down into the pit of the grave, and his soul is gone down into the pit of Hell, he is past hope, & past help; he cannot hope for Gods mercy, he cannot hope for pardon of sin, he cannot hope for the salvation of his soul. Therefore life-time is to be improved.