Of`Semrtone. s4; Having fuch notable proms made to Repentance, roman is to draw backe from theprattife of it , becaufeofthemultitudeof his Ens, but rather to do it ThePharïfies raid toarias difciples.Why.eatesyotsr mafer with Publicanes and formers? When leftts heard vrto there, Thewhole need not the Philtian, 6t,t they that are fickc. And, l'camenot to rgat.9., z, call the riOteoue,but (inners to repentance. And,Verily lfay untoyou, that Ma4ar.3j. Publicanes and harlots fhillgo beforeyou into the 1k:.:gdome of God. CAP. X. Ofthe time.ofRepentance. He time ofrepentance is the time prefent, without any delay at all : as the holyGhoft faith, To clay ifyeewill hearehie voice. A nd,Exhort Hcb.3.7,13. oneanother daily, while it is called today : leas` any ofyou be hardened rho. rough thedeccitfulnefee offinne. Reafons hereofare thefe. LLife is unter- taine : for noman knowes at what houre or moment , and after what manner lie (hall go forthof this world. Beye altopreparedtherefore, for Luk., aqo, the fonne of manwill corn at anhonre when ye thinkenot. Thisone thing fhould make a.man to haflenhis repentance;&the rather,becaufemany aredead, whopurpofedwith themfelves to repent in time to come; but were preventedby death,and (hall never repent.. I I. The longer aman lines in any finne , the greater daunger : becaufe by prathfefinne gets heart and flrength. Cu(tome is of fuch force,that that which men ufe to do in their life time, the fame they do and fpeake when they are dying. One had three pounds owing to him to be paide three feverall yeares whenhe was dying , nothingcouldbegot of himbut threeyeares,three pounds. Againe,by deferring repentance,men treafureupwrath againft Rom.$.,. the day ofwrath. Ifa inalefa çor for hispunifhment, fhould be appoin- ted tocarry every daya ftickeofwood to an heape to burne him twenty yeares after: it rnuft needs be anexceeding great punifhment and mi- ferie and this is the cafe ofevery fr:rner,who neglcfting repentancefret day to day,doth therby imploy himfelf in heapingup thecoles ofGods wrath to burne his foule inhell, when the dayofdeath comes. III. The more the time is prolonged, theharder it is to repent : the longera man goes in his ficknef%without phificke, the harder is the recover:e< And where thedevill dwels long, hewill hardly be removed. The be(t way tokill á ferpent is, tocrufhit in the head when it is young. III1. It isas meareand drinke to thedcvill to fee men line in their finnes, deferring repentance : as on thecontrarie, there is great ioyamong the angels of God inheaven, when a (inner doth repent. V. Late repentance is feel- domeor never true repentance. For if a man repent whenhe can notfin as informer time,as namely in death : thenhe leaves not finne,but finne leaves hire wherefore the repentance which men frame to themfelves
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