A26915:478
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.
For if we once knew you would not turn, we would soon have done with you, and leave you to the Justice of God. But if ⟨p. 430⟩still you say, you will turn, when will you do it? You will do it, and you hope you shall, but when? How long would you have us wait yet? Have you not abused us enough? Nay I must tell you, that you even weary God himself. It is his own expression, Mal. 2. 17. Isa. 43. 24. Thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities, Isa. 1. 14. And I must say to you as the Prophet, Isa. 7. 13. Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but you will weary my God also? Consider what it is that you do.
46. Consider also that you are at a constant unspeakable loss every day and hour that you Delay your Conversion. O little do you know what you deprive your selves of every day. If a slave in the Galleys, or prison, might live at Court as a favourite of the Prince, in honour, and delight, and ease, would he delay either years, or hours? Or would he not rather think with himself, Is it not better to be at ease, and in honour, then to be here. As the Prodigal said, How many hired servants of my fathers have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger? All this while I might be in plenty, and delight. All the while ⟨p. 431⟩that you live in sin, you might be in the favour of God; in the high and Heavenly employments of the Saints; you might have the comforts of daily Communion with Christ, and with the Saints; you might be laying up for another world, and might look death in the face, with Faith and confidence, as one that cannot be conquered by it; you might live as the Heirs of Heaven on Earth: All this and more then this, you lose by your delays: All the Mercies of God are lost upon you: Your food and raiment, you health and wealth, which you set so much by, all is but lost and worse then lost, for they turn to your greater hurt: All our pains with you; and all the Ordinances of God which you possess; and all your time, is lost and worse. And do you think it indeed a wise mans part to live any longer at such a loss as this, and that wilfully and for nothing? If you knew your loss, you would not think so.