Englands duty under the present gospel liberty from Revel. III, vers. 20

Divers things may be done by poor sinners with their own Hearts, which are not done; and though in themselves they are insufficient, yet being the way and method in and by which the Spirit of God usually works, we are bound to do them. As for Example, (1.) Though it be not in your power to open your Hearts to Christ▪ yet it is in your power to forbear the external acts of sin, which fasten your Hearts the more ⟨p. 66⟩against Christ: Who forceth thine Hands to steal, thy Tongue to swear or lye, who forces the cup of excess down thy Throat? (2ly.) Though you cannot open your Hearts under the Word, yet it is in your power to wait and attend upon the external Duties and Ordinances of the Gospel: Why cannot those Feet carry thee to the Assemblies of the Saints, as well as to an Ale-house? (3ly.) And though you cannot let the Word effectually into your Hearts, yet certainly you can apply your minds with more attention and consideration to it than you do: Who forces thine Eyes to wander, or closes them with sleep, when the awful matters of eternal Life and Death, are founding in thine Ears? (4ly.) Though you cannot open your Hearts to embrace Christ, yet certainly you can reflect upon your selves when the obvious characters of a Christless state are plainly held forth before your Eyes; God hath given you a self-reflecting power; The spirit of a Man knoweth the things of a Man, 1 Cor. 2. 11. When you hear of Convictions of sin, compunctions of Heart for sin, deep concernments of the Soul about its eternal state, hungerings and thirstings after Christ, restless and anxious Days and Nights about Salvation, others have felt; you can certainly turn in upon your selves, and examine whether ever it were so with you; and if not, methinks it were not hard to aggravate your own misery to take your poor Souls aside, and bemoan them, saying, Ah my poor Soul, canst thou endure everlasting burnings? What will become of thee if Christ pass thee by, and his Spirit strive no more with thee? Why can't you throw your selves at the ⟨p. 67⟩Feet of God, and cry for mercy? Prayer is a part of natural Worship, distress usually puts Men upon it that yet have no Grace, Jonah 1. 5. Do but this towards the opening and saving of your own Souls, which though it be not in it self sufficient, nor puts God under any meritorious obligation or necessity, to add the rest;