A39678:13
The reasonableness of personal reformation, and the necessity of conversion
The reasonableness of personal reformation, and the necessity of conversion; the true methods of making all men happy in this world, and in the world to come Seasonably discoursed, and earnestly pressed upon this licentious age. By J.F. a sincere lover of his native country, and the souls of men.The reasonableness of personal reformation, and the necessity of conversion; the true methods of making all men happy in this world, and in the world to come Seasonably discoursed, and earnestly pressed upon this licentious age. By J.F. a sincere lover of his native countrey, and the souls of men.
London: printed for Thomas Cockerill, 1691
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.
In case of absolute and obstinate refusal to hear them, they order me to tell you, If you will not talk with them now, they'll talk with you shortly whether you will or no. If you say, you are not now at leisure, having other business to do; they both desire you to consider, First, You can have no Business in the World of equal importance with theirs. Secondly, That whatever other lawful Affairs you are pursuing, their Business with you will no way obstruct, but greatly promote it. And Lastly, That a greater Person than any of you lost his Life by pocketing up a Letter at Night, saying, To morrow is a new Day; and it proved to him indeed D•es novissima, his last Day, he losing by that Neglect the only Opportunity of living longer.
If you demand how your Reason came to be bound up in this little Book, and say, That which is Reason ⟨image 3⟩to this Author, may be folly and non-sense to you; I am bid to tell you, you are obliged first to read and compare, else your own Reason will presently call it your own folly and non-sense so to pronounce. Sound Reason is uniform, and like it self all the World over. Its true Laws and Dictates equally oblige one, as another, in like cases and circumstances.
If you say, there have been some Jars and Disgusts betwixt you, and your Reasons and Consciences; you and they have fallen out so oft, that you have no great fancy to come near them in private, for you expect nothing but harsh and chiding Language from them, and therefore are fain by continual Diversions and quick Successions of Business, to maintain your Peace, by keeping at as great a distance from them as you can.
If you say, there have been some Jars and Disgusts betwixt you, and your Reasons and Consciences; you and they have fallen out so oft, that you have no great fancy to come near them in private, for you expect nothing but harsh and chideing Language from them, and therefore are fain by continual Diversions and quick Successions of Business, to maintain your Peace, by keeping at as great a distance from them as you can.