Sincerity, or, The upright mans walk to heaven in two parts shewing I. that sincerity is the true way to happiness, II. that the keeping of our selves from our own iniquity is the true way to sincerity / delivered in several sermons in the parish church of St. Michael in Long-Stratton Norfolk by James Oldfield, late minister there.

2. Do not set a time for this work but begin it presently. This is the great folly of Christians in cases which concern their Souls they set times for them, but in cases which concern only their Bodies or Estates they set on that presently; some set the time of sickness when well; when sick set the time after their recovery; some set that time when they are married and have a setled Family, others that are Married and have Familes set the time when they break up house; so we post of the time from time to time, till at last we loose ma∣ny

of us both our time and our Souls; for the World we never think we can begin soon enough, for our Souls we always think it too soon. I have heard many old men say, O if they were young again O what Husbands would they be, how would they provide for the World, but you shall sel∣dom hear those that are old say if they were young, O what penitents would they be. Consider the folly of this setting of time, vid. Fullers good thoughts in bad times.

1. 'Tis a means to wast and mispend our time; we loose all the time wherein we leave this great work undone, the longer we defer it the stronger grows our sin, and the weaker grow we; sin always gets by our delays, and we loose by them.

2. Hereby we discover our despising of God and his commands, leaving his work to the very last; 'tis an affront and a great affront to God, after we have served the world, sin, lusts, our pleasures, then to say that we will serve God.

3. The sooner we begin this work the easier will it be to us; fire is soon quench∣ed when it is but newly kindled, a young thorn or bramble is easily pulled up, the

fierce Lion may be tamed when he is a whelp; O the longer you bear with your sins the harder will it be for you to get them out of your hearts.

4. The sooner you begin the more plea∣sant will the work be. Repentance I can compare it to nothing so well as to Butter, we say Butter is Gold in the Morning, Sil∣ver at Noon, but Lead at Night; O so is Repentance, in the Morning of our days 'tis Gold for its rarity, Gold for its purity, Gold for its weight, Gold for its price; at Noon in the middle of our Age, 'tis Silver, 'tis of great value but not so pure as in the Morning, we contract more dross and filth to our Souls by that time; but at Night, O then Repentance is like lead to a man, upon his Death-bed 'tis an hard tedious un∣pleasant work. O do not put it off so long you loose the price and the benefit of it.

5. Take heed of staying too long least it prove too late. It is reported of Thales one of the Wise Men of Greece, that being urged by his Mother to Marry, he told her at first it was too soon; and afterward when she urged him again, he told her it was too late. O Brethren, hearken to this word; when we exhort you to part with

your own Iniquities, we are urging a match, an espousal between Christ and your Souls, Christ will consent if you will but part with this sin, O do not say, 'tis too soon, 'tis too soon, perhaps before you hear another Sermon Christ may say to some of you now 'tis too late. O make good use of the present seasons, that is all the time you can promise to your selves.