A26915:69
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 3
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.
But because the passage to his Thoughts and understanding is stopped up. And if you have eyes and see not, and ears and hear not, and wilfully cast it out of your thoughts, what good can any thing do to you that is spoken. It is not holding your meat in your mouth that will nourish you if you will not let it down: nor taking it into your stomach, if you will not keep it but presently cast it up again: But it must be kept till it be digested and distributed. So it is not the most excellent Truths in the world that will change your hearts, if you let them not down to your hearts, and keep them not there by Meditation till they are digested and turned into spiritual life. The plaster must be laid upon the sore if you would be cured. The wound and sickness is at your Heart: and if you will not take in the word to your heart, where the sickness is, I know not how you should expect a cure. The Soul will not be charmed into Holiness, by the bare hearing or saying over a few good words; as wizards use to cure diseases, or seem to cure them. ⟨p. 55⟩It must be Truth at the Heart that must change the Heart. And if you will not Think on it, and think on it again, how can you expect it should come at your Hearts.
But because the passage to his Thoughts and understanding is stopt up. And if you have eyes and see not, and eares and heare not, and willfully cast it out of your thoughts, what good can any thing do to you that is spoken. It is not holding your meat in your mouth that will nourish you if you will not let it down: nor taking it into your stomack, if you will not keep it but presently cast it up again: But it must be kept till it be disgested and distributed. So it is not the most excellent Truths in the world that will change your hearts, if you let them not down to your hearts, and keep them not there by Meditation till they are digested and turned into sprituall life. The plaister must be laid upon the sore if you would be cured. The wound and sickness is at your Heart: and if you will not take in the word to your heart, where the sickness is, I know not how you should expect a cure. The Soul will not be charmed into Holiness, by the bare hearing or saying over a few good words; as wizzards use to cure diseases, or seeme to cure them. ⟨p. 55⟩It must be Truth at the Heart that must change the Heart. And if you will not Think on it, and think on it againe, how can you expect it should come at your Hearts.