Directions and persuasions to a sound conversion for prevention of that deceit and damnation…Directions and perswasions to a sound conversion for prevention of that deceit and damnation…

10. Consider also, That fin gets daily Victories by your delay▪ We lay our batter•es against it, and preach, and exhort, and pray against it, and it gets a kind of victory ⟨p. 392⟩over all, as long as we prevail not with you to turn. It conquereth our persuasions and advice: It conquereth all the stirrings of your Consciences: It conquereth all your heartless purposes, and deceitful Promises. And these frequent Conquests do strengthen your sin, and weaken your resistance, and leave the matter almost hopeless. Before a Physician hath used remedies, he hath more hope of a cure, then when he hath tried all means, and finds that the best Medicines do no good, but the man is still as bad or worse. So when all means have been tried with you, and yet you are unconverted, the case draws towards desperation it self: The very means are disabled more then before; that is, your hearts are unapter to be wrought upon by them; When you have long been under Sermons, and Reading, and among good examples, and yet you are unconverted, these Ordinances lose much of their force with you: Custom will make you slight them, and be dead-hearted under them. And it is these very same Means and Truths that you have frustrated that must do the work, or it will never be done: The same Plaster must heal you, that ⟨p. 393⟩you have thrown off so oft; And what a sad case is this, that there is no hope left, but in the very same Medicine which you have taken so oft in vain.

10. Consider also, That fin gets daily Victories by your delay▪ We lay our batter•es against it, and preach, and exhort, and pray against it, and it gets a kind of victory ⟨p. 392⟩over all, as long as we prevail not with you to turn. It conquereth our perswasions and advice: It conquereth all the stirrings of your Consciences: It conquereth all your heartless purposes, and deceitfull Promises. And these frequent Conquests do strengthen your sinne, and weaken your resistance, and leave the matter almost hopeless. Before a Physician hath used remedies, he hath more hope of a cure, then when he hath tried all means, and finds that the best Medicines do no good, but the man is still as bad or worse. So when all meanes have been tried with you, and yet you are unconverted, the case draws towards desparation it self: The very means are disabled more then before; that is, your hearts are unapter to be wrought upon by them; When you have long been under Sermons, and Reading, and among good examples, and yet you are unconverted, these Ordinances lose much of their force with you: Custom will make you slight them, and be dead-hearted under them. And it is these very same Means and Truths that you have frustrated that must do the work, or it will never be done: The same Plaister must heal you, that