TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 401 and to try one way when he cannot prevail by another, and to strengthen his temptations like a foolish sol- dier, who will stand"to be shot at, rather than assault the enemy. And the longer you delay, the more sin gets strength and rooting. If you cannot bend a twig, how will you be able to bend it when it is a tree ? if you can- not pluck up a tender plant, are you likely to pluck up a sturdy oak ? Custom gives strength and root to -rice: A blackmoor may as well change his skin, or x leopard his spots, as those who are accustomed to do evil can learn to do well.(t) If you stick at conversion as a difficult matter to- day, it will be more difficult to- morrow, or the next month, and the next year, than it is now. Yea, the very resistance of the Spirit doth harden the heart, and the delays and triflings of the soul do bring it to an insensibility and boldness in sin, and drive away the fear of God from the heart. Now it may be you are somewhat awakened, and begin to see that you must turn or die : but if you trifle or delay, this light may be gone, and leave you in greater darkness than before; and the voice that now awakeneth you, may be silent, and leave you to fall asleep again. Moreover you know that you are uncertain of the countenance of the gospel. You know not whether you shall have such lively serious preachers as you have now ; nor you know not whether you shall have such godly neighbours and company to encou- rage you 'and help you in the work. God will re- move them one after another to himself, and then you will have the fewer prayers for you, and fewer warn- ings and good examples, and perhaps be left wholly, to the company of deceived ungodly fools, that will do nothing but "discourage and hinder you from con- version. And you are not sure that religion will con- tinue in that reputation as now it is in. The times may turn, before you turn ; and godliness may become (t) Jer. xiii. 23. 13 3E
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