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…

But the Opinionist, either fasteneth on smaller matters, or else holdeth these great matters but as bare Opinions, and therefore they have no such interest in his heart, as to stablish him against shaking trials, and temptations: For two sort• there are of these Opinionists: the on• sort have no Zeal for their own Opinions; because they are but Opinions: And these are time-servers; and will change as the King, or their Land-lords change; and fit their Opinions to their worldly Ends. The other sort have a burning Zeal for their Opinions; and these use to wander from one Opinion to another, not able to resist the, subtlety of seducers; but are taken with fair, and plausible reasonings; not able to see into the heart of the cause. These are as Children tossed to and fro, and carried about with ⟨p. 346⟩every wind of Doctrine, by the slight, and cunning craftiness of men, whereby they lie in weight to deceive Eph. 4. 14. When with great confidence they have held one sort of Opinions a while, and railed against those that were not of their mind, ere long they will themselves forsake them, and take up another way, and be as confident in that, and take no warning by the experience of their former deceit. And thus they go oft from one Opinion to another, till at last finding themselves deceived so oft, some of them cast off all Religion, and think there is no certainty to be found in any: Suspecting Religion, when they should have suspected their false hearts: And all this comes to pass because they never received the Truth in the love of it, that they might be Sanctified, and Saved by it, 2 Thes. 2. 10, 11, 12. Nor ever gave it deep entertainment in their hearts, that it might throughly Convert them; but took it as a bare Opinion into the brain to polish their tongues, and outsides, and deceive themselves as much as others.

But the Opinionist, either fasteneth on smaller matters, or else holdeth these great matters but as bare Opinions, and therefore they have no such interest in his heart, as to stablish him against shaking tryals, and temptations: For two sort• there are of these Opinionists: the on sort have no Zeal for their own Opinions; because they are but Opinions: And these are time-servers; and will change as the King, or their Land-lords change; and fit their Opinions to their worldly Ends. The other sort have a burning Zeale for their Opinions; and these use to wander from one Opinion to another, not able to resist the, subtilty of seducers; but are taken with fair, and plausible reasonings; not able to see into the heart of the cause. These are as Children tssed to and fro, and carried about with