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…

You say you would gladly have Christ and grace, and are ready to lay the blame on God, because he doth not give it you, and say, We cannot convert our selves. But would you have the Spirit come in, while you hold the door against him? He knocks and desireth you to open and let him in, and you wish him to come in, but you bolt the door, and no entreaty will procure you to open it. It is Consideration of the saving doctrine of the Gospel, that openeth the heart and giveth it entertainment. Set you selves therefore on purpose to this work, & open the doors of your heart which are now shut, and let the King of Glory come in. Who will believe that you love the Light, when you shut the windows, and draw the curtains? If you will set your selves to consider of the Truth, the windows of your Soul will be set open, and then the light will certainly come in. Now you read over whole Chapters, and hear Sermon after Sermon, and either they never stir ⟨p. 56⟩you, or at least, it's but a little for a fit, like a man that hath a little warmed him at the fire in the winter, and when he goes from it is colder then before: But if you would but set your selves to consider of what you hear or read, one line of a Chapter, or one sentence of a Sermon would say you in tears, or make you groan, or at least do more then now is done. Satan hath garrisoned the heart of every carnal man: And consideration is the principal means to cast him out. If by considering of the terrible threatenings of the word, you would discharge these Canons of God against them, what a battery would it make in the corruptions of your Souls. Our God is a consuming fire, and the fire of hell is threatened in his Law, as the wages of sin: By serious Consideration you may as it were, fetch fire from God and from his word, and set to the very gates of Satan's garrison, and fire him out of many of his holds.

You say you would gladly have Christ and grace, and are ready to lay the blame on God, because he doth not give it you, and say, We cannot convert our selves. But would you have the Spirit come in, while you hold the dore against him? He knocks and desireth you to open and let him in, and you wish him to come in, but you bolt the dore, and no intreaty will procure you to open it. It is Consideration of the saving doctrine of the Gospell, that openeth the heart and giveth it entertainment. Set you selves therefore on purpose to this work, & open the doores of your heart which are now shut, and let the King of Glory come in. Who will believe that you love the Light, when you shut the windows, and draw the curtains? If you will set your selves to consider of the Truth, the windows of your Soul will be set open, and then the light will certainly come in. Now you read over whole Chapters, and hear Sermon after Sermon, and either they never stir