410 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS plainly reprove you, we may look you should take it in good part ; for you have that within you that saith as we say, and is at deadly enmity with the sin which we reprove. If we provoke you to love and to good works, we dare almost promise ourselves that you will obey for you have that within you that disposeth you to the duty, and preacheth our sermons to you over again. O what an advantage it is to our teaching, when you are all taught of God within, as well as by his messengers without ! But when we speak , to the unconverted, we have little to work upon : we give physic to the dead, we speak all against the bent of their souls ; and every reproof and exhortation to holiness goes against their very nature : and therefore what wonder if we have smaller hopes to prevail? Fourthly, If the work be thoroughly done at first, it will help to resolve many doubts that may be after- wards cast into your minds. You need not be still at a.loss, and looking behind you, and questioning your foundation, but may go cheerfully and boldly on. O what an excellent encouragement is this ! to know that you have hitherto made good your ground, and left all safe and sure behind you, and have nothing to do but to look before, you, and press on towards the mark, till you lay hold of the prize ! whereas if you be in any great doubt of your conversion, it will be stopping you, and discouraging you in all your work : you will be still looking behind you and saying, What if I should yet be unconverted ? When you should cheer- fully address yourselves to prayer or sacraments, how sadly will you go, as being utterly uncertain whether you have a saving right to them, or whether God will accept a sacrifice at your hand? When you should grow and go forward, you will have little heart to it, because you know not whether you are yet in the way ; and this will damp your life and comfort in every duty, when you must say, I know not whether yet I be thoroughly' converted. O therefore stop not the work at first.
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