566 BAXTER'S FIFTY REASONS. plenty and delight. All the while that you live in sin, you might be in the favour of God, in the high and heavenly employment of the saints; you might have the comforts óf daily communion with Christ, and with the saints ; you might be laying up for another world, and might look death in the face with faith and con - fidence, as one that cannot be ,Conquered by it ; you might live as the heirs of heaven on earth: All this, and more than this, you lose by your delays; all the mercies of God are lost upon you; your food and rai- ment, your health and wealth, which you set so much by, all is but lost, and worse than lost, for they turn to your greater hurt ; all our pains with you, and all the ordinances of God which you possess, and all your time is lost, and worse. And do you think it indeed a wise man's part to live any longer at such a loss as this, and that wilfully and for nothing ? If you knew your loss you would not think so. 47. Nay more; you are all this while doing that which must be undone again, or you will be undone for ever. YiOu are running from God,. but you must come back again, or perish when all is done. You are learning an hundred carnal lessons, and false conceits, that must be all unlearned again you are shutting up your eyes in wilful ignorance, which must be opened again you must learn the doctrine of Christ, the great Teacher of the church, if you stay never so long,, or else you shall be cut off from his people, Acts iii. 22, and vii.: i7. When you have been long accustoming yourselves to sin, you must unlearn and break all these customs again. You are hardening, your ,hearts daily, and they must again be softened. And I must tell you, that though a little time and labour may serve to do mischief, yet it is not quickly undone again. You may sooner set your house on fire, than quench it; you may sooner cut -and wound your bodies, than heal them again ; and sooner catch a cold, or a disease, than cure it ; you may quick- ly do that which may be longer undoing. Besides, the cure is accòmpanied with pain; you must take many a bitter draught, in groans or tears of godly sor- row for these delays; the wounds that you are now
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