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…

If thou lay by the Book, and go away the same, and no persuasion will do any good upon thee, but unholy thou wilt still be, and sensual, and worldly still thou wilt be; I call thy Conscience to witness, that thou wast warned of the evil that is near thee; and Conscience shall obey this call, and bear me witness whether thou wilt or not: And this Book which thou hast read, which I intended for thy Conversion and Salvation, shall be a witness against thee: Though age or fire consume the leaves and lines of it, yet God and Conscience shall bring it to thy memory, and thou shalt then be the more confounded to think what Reasons, and earnest persuasions thou didst reject in so plain, so great, and necessary a case.

If thou lay by the Book, and go away the same, and no perswasion will do any good upon thee, but unholy thou wilt still be, and sensual, and worldly still thou wilt be; I call thy Conscience to witness, that thou wast warned of the evill that is neer thee; and Conscience shall obey this call, and bear me witness whether thou wilt or not: And this Book which thou hast read, which I intended for thy Conversion and Salvation, shall be a witness against thee: Though age or fire consume the leaves and lines of it, yet God and Conscience shall bring it to thy memory, and thou shalt then be the more confounded to think what Reasons, and earnest perswasions thou didst reject in so plain, so great, and necessary a case.

But if the Holy Ghost will now become thy tutor, and at once both put this Book into thy hand, and his Heavenly light into thy understanding, and his life into thy heart, and effectually persuade thee to Resolve and Turn, how happy wilt thou be to all Eternity? Make no more words on it; but answer my request, as thou wouldest do if thou wert in a burning fire, and I entreated thee to come out. Thou hast long enough grieved Christ and his Spirit, and long enough grieved thy friends and Teachers: Resolve this hour, and Rejoice them that thou hast grieved; and now grieve the Devil, that thou hast hitherto rejoiced; and hereafter grieve the wicked, and thy own deceitful flesh, whose sinful desires thou hast hitherto followed: And if thou also grieve thy self a little while, by that moderate sorrow that thy sin hath made necessary for thee, it will be but a preparative to thy endless joys, and the day is promised, and coming apace, when Satan that thou turnest from, shall trouble thee no more, and God that thou turnest to, shall wipe away all tears from thy eyes. And if the reading of this Book, may be but a means