The way to true happiness in a serious treatise /

Thou beginnest at the wrong end, if thou disputest first about thine election. Prove thy conversion, and then never doubt of thine election. Or canst thou not yet prove it? Set upon a present and through turning. Whatever Gods purposes be (which are secret) I am sure his promises are plain. How desperately do rebels argue? If I am elected I shall be saved, do what I will: If not, I shall be damned, do what I can. Perverse sinner, wilt thou begin where thou shouldest end? Is not the word before thee? What saith it? Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, Acts. 3. 19. If you mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live, Rom. 8. 13. Believe and be saved, Act. 16. 31. What can be plainer? Do not stand still, disputing about thine election, but set to repenting and believing. Cry to God for converting grace. Revealed things belong to thee, in these busy thy self. 'Tis just (as one well) that they that will not feed on the plain food of the word, should be choked with the bones. What ever Gods purposes be, I am sure his promises be true. Whatever the decrees of Heaven be, I am sure, that if I repent and believe I shall be saved; and that if I repent not, I shall be damned. Is not here plain ground for thee: and wilt thou yet run upon the rocks.

Thou beginnest at the wrong end, if thou disputest first about thine election. Prove thy conversion, and then never doubt of thine election. Or canst thou not yet prove it? Set upon a present and thorow turning. Whatever Gods purposes be (which are secret) I am sure his promises are plain. How desperately do rebels argue? If I am elected I shall be saved, do what I will: If not, I shall be damned, do what I can. Perverse sinner, wilt thou begin where thou shouldest end? Is not the word before thee? What saith it? Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, Acts. 3. 19. If you mortifie the deeds of the body, you shall live, Rom. 8. 13. Believe and be saved, Act. 16. 31. What can be plainer? Do not stand still, disputing about thine election, but set to repenting and believing. Cry to God for converting grace. Revealed things belong to thee, in these busie thy self. 'Tis just (as one well) that they that will not feed on the plain food of the word, should be choaked with the bones. What ever Gods purposes be, I am sure his promises be true. Whatever the decrees of Heaven be, I am sure, that if I repent and believe I shall be saved; and that if I repent not, I shall be damned. Is not here plain ground for thee: and wilt thou yet run upon the rocks.