The Return of Prayers

But let those that are in such a case, take heed they be not hardened through the deceitfulness of sin and of all the times, that pass over you, in your lives, these are the most climacterical, and critical, and most dangerous. For God will not always strive, but if thou beest his child, if such thawings will not do it, he will use some great afflictions, in the end to divorce the heart, and thy sin; his love will one way or other, overcome thee, and in the end prevail. As when Israel went on stubbornly in the way of his heart, (says God) I have seen his ways and will heal ⟨p. 389⟩him and guide him, Isaiah 57. & the Lord may so heal thee, as those lusts of all other shall not in that gross manner, break forth any more. And in those times, when God dealeth thus with him, a man will after say, that in such passages of his life, he had more free love spent on him, then in all his life time, before or after: and when he is freed and healed, he will be more thankful, and fearful then ever before, or then otherwise he would have been; and so get ground by his stumblings. If any of you, being now in such a conflict as this, in such a vicissitude and chance of war: ⟨p. 390⟩If yet thou findest a constant fight against thy sin; and that those breakings, and meltings of thy heart by God, do win ground of it; and that the comforts, and hope, which at times are vouchsafed, do strengthen, & stablish thy heart in well doing: as 2. Thess. 2. ult; and makes thee more fearful, every time thou risest, then ever; so as to look upon another fit if it should come, (which knowing the deceitfulness of the heart, thou fearest,) as the fit of some great sickness, lest it should return again: esteeming it as the greatest cross that can befall thee; which ⟨p. 391⟩thou wouldest buy off with thy blood; and bleedest most of all to think, that thou hast so unconstant a heart, which as it hath abused Gods love formerly, so thou fearest, will do so again; if thus thou go on to fight it out, the love of God will in the end overcome in thee; but if thou findest that those encouragements from God, do through thy corruption, (which turns Gods grace into wantonness) nourish thy lusts, and make thee less fearful against the next time; and thy heart harder, and secure, and to slight sin more, because thou hast been so oft visited from