A26915:471
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…
Directions and persuasions to a sound conversion for prevention of that deceit and damnation of souls, and of those scandals, heresies, and desperate apostasies that are the consequents of a counterfeit, or superficial change / by Richard Baxter.Directions and perswasions to a sound conversion for prevention of that deceit and damnation of souls, and of those scandals, heresies, and desperate apostasies that are the consequents of a counterfeit, or superficial change / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by A.M. for Nevil Simmons, 1658
Directions to Sinners that are purposed to Turn, and are under the… › Direction 11
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
41. And I would desire you but to do with God as you would be done by▪ Would you take it well of your Children if they should tear all their clothes, and cast their meat to the dogs, and tread it in the dirt, and when you entreat them to give over, they will not regard you? Would you stand month after month, entreating and waiting on them, as God doth on you, in a foolisher course? Or rather would you not either soundly whip them, or take their meat from them, till hunger teach them to use it better? If your servant will spend the whole day and year, in drinking and playing, when he should do your work, will you wait on him all the year with entreaties, and pay him at last, as if he had served you? And can you expect that God should deal so by you?
41. And I would desire you but to do with God as you would be done by▪ Would you take it well of your Children if they should tear all their cloaths, and cast their meat to the doggs, and tread it in the dirt, and when you intreat them to give over, they will not regard you? Would you stand month after month, intreating and waiting on them, as God doth on you, in a foolisher course? Or rather would you not either soundly whip them, or take their meat from them, till hunger teach them to use it better? If your servant will spend the whole day and year, in drinking and playing, when he should do your work, will you wait on him all the year with intreaties, and pay him at last, as if he had served you? And can you expect that God should deal so by you?
42 And consider I pray you, that your Delay is a Denial, and so may God interpret it. For the Time of your Turning, is part of the Command. He that saith Turn, saith Now, even To day, without delay. He giveth you no longer ⟨p. 422⟩day: If time be lengthened, and the of•er made again and again, that's more then he promised you, or you could have promised your selves. His Command is, Now Return and Live. And if you refuse the Time, the Present Time, you refuse the offer, and forfeit the benefit. And if you knew but what it is, to give God a denial in such a case as this, and what a case you were in if he should turn away in wrath, and never come near you more, you would then be afraid of jesting with his hot displeasure, or dallying with the Lord.