The way to true happiness in a serious treatise /

But Friend, let me a little reason with thee; thou art confident it is well with thee, yet why wilt thou not yield to thus much at least, to put it to the question, am I not mistaken? Thou art worse than mad, if thou thinkest such a question may not be ⟨image 16⟩put. Dost thou know that thy heart is false and deceitful, and yet because it speaks good concerning thee, must it not be questioned whether it speak truth or no? Be so wise as to conclude I may be mistaken, and thus come to the trial whether thou art mistaken or not.

And if upon trial by the marks that are before thee, thou come to be undeceived, and see thy self wrapped up in that misery which hitherto thou wouldst not suspect, the next news I expect to hear from thee is, What must I do to be saved? O were it come to that once! Then thou hast an answer at hand in those Means thou wilt find prescribed thee: And because they are such as thou wilt hardly be persuaded to use, take in the Motives that follow, and these will help down the means. Consider both the one and the other, and if thou dost not find the Means proper, and the Motives weighty, I think I shall do thee no wrong if I tell thee, thou art still of a blind mind, and an harder heart.

And if upon trial by the marks that are before thee, thou come to be undeceived, and see thy self wrapped up in that misery which hitherto thou wouldst not suspect, the next news I expect to hear from thee is, What must I do to be saved? O were it come to that once! Then thou hast an answer at hand in those Means thou wilt find prescribed thee: And because they are such as thou wilt hardly be perswaded to use, take in the Motives that follow, and these will help down the means. Consider both the one and the other, and if thou dost not find the Means proper, and the Motives weighty, I think I shall do thee no wrong if I tell thee, thou art still of a blind mind, and an harder heart.