Kaina kai palaia Things new and old, or, A store-house of similies, sentences, allegories, apophthegms, adagies, apologues, divine, morall, politicall, &c. : with their severall applications / collected and observed from the writings and sayings of the learned in all ages to this present by John Spencer ...

[ 280] The vanity and danger of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Repentance.

IT is an exorbitant course while the Ship is found, the tackling sure, the Pilot well, the Sailors strong, the gale favourable, the Sea calm, to lye idle at Rode, carding, dicing, drinking, burning seasonable weather; and when the Ship leaks, the Pilot is sick, the Marrin••rs ••aint, the storm boisterous, and the Sea tumultuous, then to lanch forth,* 1.1 and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 up sail for a Voyage into far Countries; And yet such is even the skill of evening-repenters, who though in the morning of youth, and soundness of health, and perfect use of Reason, they cannot resolve to weigh the Anchor, and cut the Cable that withdraws them from seeking Christ;* 1.2 nevertheless they feed themselves with a strong perswasion, that when their wits are distracted, their senses astonied, all the powers of the mind, and parts of the body distempered; then, forsooth, they think to leap into heaven with a Lord have mercy upon me, in their mouths, to become Saints at their death, however they have demeaned themselves like devils all their life before.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Joh. Boys Po∣stills.
• * 1.2

  —Ser•• medici∣na paratur, Cum mala per longas conva∣lu••re 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ovid.