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

Consider. 2. The exceeding danger which is in neglecting the present season. This is marvellous dangerous, because there is no promise for to morrow, but only for to day, Heb. 37. [To day] if you will hear his voice; and again, Verse 14. Exhort one another [daily] while it is called [to day;] and Verse 15. [To day] if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Thus doth the Lord say, To day, ⟨p. 170⟩To day, To day; but you will no where find in all the Book of God, any promise, that, To morrow if you will hear his voice, it shall go well with you. The Devil and a mans own treacherous heart may promise for to morrow, but God doth not so. It may be either now or never; all times will not serve for Soul-saving purposes. Hence is that, Isa. 55.6. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near. There is then a time wherein God may be found, and a time wherein he will not be found: If you delay and put off God for the present, it may be he will not be found for the future; Oh therefore make thy peace with God quickly, lest it be too late, Mat. 5.25. Know this for certain, that the longer you delay your Repentance, the harder work you will find of it; the longer any man liveth in sin, the harder it is for him to turn from sin, Jer. 13.23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? then may you do good, that are accustomed to do evil. This very Delusion, that man will repent hereafter, & therefore that they may venture to neglect the present season, hath been the Eternal ruin of millions of Souls. Oh Sirs, if some of you could but speak with your old Companions in sin, that are dead and gone to ⟨p. 171⟩their own place, they would tell you dismal stories to this purpose; they would say to you, Ah Fools that we were, to neglect the present season, out of a vain Confidence, that hereafter we would repent and turn to God: This hath brought us into the place of Torment, from whence there is no Redemption.

Consider. 2. The exceeding danger which is in neglecting the present season. This is marvellous dangerous, because there is no promise for to morrow, but only for to day, Heb. 37. [To day] if you will hear his voice; and again, Verse 14. Exhort one another [daily] while it is called [to day;] and Verse 15. [To day] if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Thus doth the Lord say, To day,