A39678:16
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.
'Tis their desire you should here know, First, That their debates with you will be as calm and friendly, as they are seasonable and necessary. Secondly, That they both profess (and you may believe them) they neither do, nor can design any thing but your good. Thirdly, That that Person is certainly in a very bad Case, that cannot endure to converse with himself. Fourthly, That you herein deny a Civility to your own Reasons and Consciences, which you daily pay to Strangers and Inferiors. And in a Word, that they desire a reconciliation with you, upon as fair and honourable terms, as can well be desired. And that this being done, they will both stick faithfully by you in all the troubles and dangers of your Lives, and follow you as your inseparable Friends, into any thing but Sin.
If you say, This is but a Wheedle to draw you into a Book, that will make you melancholy, and perhaps mad.
'Tis their Sense and Judgment, that of all men living, you have least reason to pretend the one or the other in this Case. For they are very confident you are now in the most Melancholy circumstances men can ordinarily be in on this side Hell. And for Madness, they desire to know what you your selves would call that man, that is running with such posthaste to Hell (as will not admit of two or three hours stop upon the Road) to prove himself to be no Mad-man, but in his right mind and wits?