FIFTY REASONS. nant with God, the devil would be almost out of hope, and the very heart of his temptations would be ·broken. He would see that now it is too late; there is no getting you out of the arms of Christ. But as long as you delay, you keep him in heart and hope; he hath time to strengthen his prison and fetters, and to renew his snares; and if one temptation serve not, he bath time to try another and another; as if you would stand as a mark for Satan to shoot at, as long as he pleases. What likelihood is there that ever so foolish a sinner should be recovered and saved fi·om his sin? 7. Moreover, Your delaying is a vile abuse of Christ and the Holy Ghost, and may so far provoke him, as to leave you to yourself, and then you are past help. If you delight so to trample on your crucified Lord, and will so long put him to it by refusing his grace and grieving his Spirit, what can you expect but that he should turn away in wrath, and utterly forsake you. S. Consider also, I beseech you, If you ever mean to turn, what it is that you stay for. Do you think to bring down Christ and heaven to your own terms, and to be saved hereafter with less ado? Sure, you cannot be so foolish: for God will be still the same; and Christ the same; and his promise hath still the same condition, which he will never change; and godliness will be the same, and as much against your carnal interest hereafter as it is now. When you have looked about you ever so long, you will never find a fairer or nearer way; but this same way you must go or perish. If you cannot leave sin now, how shall you leave it then? It will still be as sweet to your flesh as now: or if one grow stale by the decay of nature, another that is ·worse will spring up in its stead, and though the acts abate, they will all live still at the root; for sin was never mortified by age. So that if ever you will turn, you may best turn now.
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