A39678:515
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.
Of the Hazards attending Conversion.
IF the Lord shall in his rich grace and mercy to your Souls stir up in them the thoughts and resolutions of a change of your course, great care ought to be taken in the time of this change, lest they miscarry in their remove from one State to another. Multitudes miscarry betwixt a State of ⟨p. 137⟩Profaneness, and true Godliness. To continue in the State of Profaneness, is to be certainly lost; and so it is to take up short of Christ in mere Civility and Formality in Religion. This middle state takes up multitudes by the way, who do but change the open Road for a more private way to Hell.
IF the Lord shall in his rich grace and mercy to your Souls stir up in them the thoughts and resolutions of a change of your course, great care ought to be taken in the time of this change, lest they miscarry in their remove from one State to another. Multitudes miscarry betwixt a State of ⟨p. 137⟩Prophaneness, and true Godliness. To continue in the State of Prophaneness, is to be certainly lost; and so it is to take up short of Christ in meer Civility and Formality in Religion. This middle state takes up multitudes by the way, who do but change the open Road for a more private way to Hell.
Mere Civilized Nature is Unregenerated Nature still. They return, but not to the most high; they are like a deceitful Bow, saith the Prophet, Hos. 7. 16. They seem to aim at Christ and Salvation; but as an Arrow from a weak Bow, it goes not home; or as from a deceitful Bow, it slants aside, and misses the Mark. 'Tis true, they are not openly profane, as they were before; but they take up, and settle in an Unregenerate State still. Their Condition is the same, tho their Company be not.