The way to true happiness in a serious treatise /

Here (saith the convinced sinner) here I will venture, and if I perish, I perish: If I die, I will die here. But Lord suffer me not to perish under the pitiful eyes of thy mercy. Entreat me not to leave thee, or to turn away from following after thee, Ruth 1. 16. Here I will throw my self. If thou kick me, if thou kill me, Job 13. 15. I will not go from thy door.

Here (saith the convinced sinner) here I will venture, and if I perish, I perish: If I die, I will die here. But Lord suffer me not to perish under the pitiful eyes of thy mercy. Intreat me not to leave thee, or to turn away from following after thee, Ruth 1. 16. Here I will throw my self. If thou kick me, if thou kill me, Job 13. 15. I will not go from thy door.

Thus the poor soul doth venture on Christ, and resolvedly adhere to him. Before Conversion, the man made light of Christ, minded the Farm, Friends, Merchandise, more than Christ: Mat. 22. 5. now Christ is to him as his necessary food, his daily bread, the life of his heart, the staff of his life, Phil. 3. 9. His great design is, that Christ may be magnified in him, Phil 1. 20. His heart once said, as they to the Spouse, What is thy beloved, more than another? Cant. 5. 9. He found more sweetness in his merry company, wicked g•mes, earthly delights, ⟨p. 51⟩than in Christ. He took Religion for a fancy, and the talk of great enjoyments for an idle dream. But now to him to live is Christ. He sets light by all that he accounted precious for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ,