BAXTER'S FIFTY REASONS. 549 when they are old ; that opinion or practice that they have been brought up in, they think that they should not then forsake : to learn when they are old, and to turn when they are old, you see how much they are against it. Besides, how unfit is age to be at that pains that youth can undergo ! How unfit to begin the holy warfare against the flesh, the world, and the devil? God's way is to list his soldiers as soon as may be, when in youth : but the Devil will persuade them that it is yet too soon ; and when he can no longer persuade them that it is yet too soon, he will then persuade that it is too late. O what a happy thing it is to come unto God betimes, and with the first ! What advantage bath youth ! They have the vigour of wit and of body ; they are not rooted and hardened in sin, nor filled with prejudice and obstinacy against godli- ness, as others are. 12. You have such times of advantage and encour- agement as few ages of the world have ever seen, and few nations on earth do enjoy at this day. What plain and plentiful teaching have you ? What abundance of good examples, and the society of the godly ! Pri- vate and public helps are common. Seldom has the church seen such days on earth. And yet is not the way to heaven fair enough for you ? Yet are you not ready to turn to God? When should men make hay, but when the sun shines? Will you delay till this harvest time be over, and the winter of persecution come again ? . Have you sun :Ind wind, and tide to serve you, and will you stay to set out in storms and darkness? 13. Moreover, your delay Both cast your conversion and salvation upon hazard, yea, upon many and grievous hazards. And is your everlasting happiness a matter to be wilfully hazarded, by causeless and unreasonable delays ? 1. If you delay to-day, you are utterly uncer- tain of living till to- morrow. If you put by this one motion, you know not whether ever you may have another. Alas, that ever . the heart of man should be so senseless, as to delay, when they know not but it
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