Gospel reconciliation, or, Christ's trumpet of peace to the world

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And then another way is this. Come in before God, even with a Rope about thy neck, and with Sackcloth upon thy loins, cast thy self down before the Lord, and beseech him to write his own terms, give up thy heart unto God as it were a Blank, and pray the Lord to write his own Conditions, only that God might be at peace with thee. And if thou dost so indeed, then manifest the truth of it thus. That if afterwards any temptation to any sin comes, or if thou beest cast upon any duty, and findest thy heart backward thereto, make use then of the disposition of thy heart: think thus: Was there not a time when I did seek to make my peace with God? was there not a time when I did cast my self before the Lord, and did then give up my self as a blank to God, and entreated him to write his own conditions? and now God requires this duty of me, and I am loth to come to it, O, I do not do now so as I said I would do when I was seeking for peace. Here is such a temptation to sin; O how opposite is this to that which I promised to God when I gave up my heart unto him. My Brethren, I put this to you, either you have come into Gods presence, and as poor humbled souls have given up your hearts to God as Blanks for him to write his own terms upon; or you have not: If you have not; then you are not at peace with God, and so you may go away assured that you have nor done that great work which concerns you ten thousand times more than your breathing in the Air.

And then another way is this. Come in before God, even with a Rope about thy neck, and with Sackcloath upon thy loynes, cast thy self down before the Lord, and beseech him to write his own tearms, give up thy heart unto God as it were a Blanck, and pray the Lord to write his own Conditions, only that God might be at peace with thee. And if thou do'st so indeed, then manifest the truth of it thus. That if afterwards any temptation to any sin comes, or if thou beest cast upon any duty, and findest thy heart backward thereto, make use then of the disposition of thy heart: think thus: Was there not a time when I did seek to make my peace with God? was there not a time when I did cast my self before the Lord, and did then give up my self as a blank to God, and intreated him to write his own conditions? and now God requires this duty of me, and I am loth to come to it, O, I do not do now so as I said I would do when I was seeking for peace. Here is such a temptation to sin; O how opposite is this to that which I promised to God when I gave up my heart unto him. My Bretheren, I put this to you, either you have come into Gods presence, and as poor humbled souls have given up your hearts to God as Blanks for him to write his own tearms upon; or you have not: If you have not; then you are not at peace with God, and so you may go away assured that you have nor done that great work which concerns you ten thousand times more than your breathing in the Ayre.