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…

I much fear (and not without apparent cause) that abundance among us, that think themselves Christians, do worship, and serve God, but as some Indians are said to offer sacrifice to the Devil, not for any love they have to him, or his service, but for fear he should hurt them. And there are few Hypocrites but will pretend it is from very love.

I much fear (and not without apparent cause) that abundance among us, that think themselves Christians, do worship, and serve God, but as some Indians are said to offer sacrifice to the Devil, not for any love they have to him, or his service, but for fear he should hurt them. And there are few Hyporcites but will pretend it is from very love.

O Sirs, it's a greater matter to resign, and give up your selves, and all you have to God, and heartily to quit all claim to your selves, and all things, then many a thousand self-deluding professors do imagine. Many look at this, but as some high extraordinary strain of Piety, and the Papists almost appropriate it to a few that live in Monastical orders, when indeed the sincerity of this Resignation, and Dedication, is the very sincerity of Sanctification it self.

O Sirs, it's a greater matter to resign, and give up your selves, and all you have to God, and heartily to quit all claim to your selves, and all things, then many a thousand self-deluding professours do imagine. Many look at this, but as some high extraordinary strein of Piety, and the Papists almost appropriate it to a few that live in Monastical orders, when indeed the sincerity of this Resignation, and Dedication, is the very sincerity of Sanctification it self.

And let me tell you, that the Unfeigned Convert that attains to this, hath not only plucked up the Root of sin, (though all of us have too many strings of it left) nor only stopped up the spring of temptation, and got the surest evidence of his uprightness, but also is got himself into the safest, and most comfortable state. For when he hath absolutely resigned himself, and all to God, how confidently may he expect that God should accept him, and use him as his own; and how comfortably may he commit himself, and his cause, and all good affairs to God, as knowing that God cannot be negligent, and careless of his own. It's an Argument that may make us confident of success, when we can say as David,