3. How little they can make out their recovery to God, and Interest in Christ, who are not sensible of any change wrought in them. They have their old Thoughts, their old Discourses, their old Passions, and their old Affections, and their old Conversations still; the old darkness and blindness which was upon their Minds, the old Stupidity, Dullness, Deadness, Carelessness that was upon their Hearts, knowing little or nothing, or regarding nothing of God; the old end and scope governeth them, to which they formerly referred all things. If there were a change, there would be some hope the Redeemer had been at work in their Hearts. You can remember how little savour you had once of the things of the Spirit, how little mind to Christ or Holiness, how wholly you were given up to the Pleasures of the Flesh, or the profits of the World; what a mastery your Lusts had then over you, and an hard servitude you were in: Is the case altered with you now? is your taste of Fleshly Delights deadened, your Souls taken up more with the Affairs of another World? Is the drift, aim, and bent of your Lives now for God and your Salvation, and the great business you attend upon the pleasing ⟨p. 388⟩of God, and the saving of your Souls? Are ye not Servants to your Senses and fleshly Appetites, and things here below, but can ye govern your selves, and master these Desires? This is a change indeed. But in many that profess Christ, and pretend to an Interest in him, there is no such change to be sensibly seen; their old Sins, and their old Lusts, and the old things of Ungodliness are not yet cast off. Surely so much old Rubbish and rotten Building should not be left standing with the New. Old Leaves in Autumn fall off in the Spring, if they continue so long; so old things should pass away, and all become new.
3. How little they can make out their recovery to God, and Interest in Christ, who are not sensible of any change wrought in them. They have their old Thoughts, their old Discourses, their old Passions, and their old Affections, and their old Conversations still; the old darkness and blindness which was upon their Minds, the old Stupidity, Dulness, Deadness, Carelesness that was upon their Hearts, knowing little or nothing, or regarding nothing of God; the old end and scope governeth them, to which they formerly referred all things. If there were a change, there would be some hope the Redeemer had been at work in their Hearts. You can remember how little savour you had once of the things of the Spirit, how little mind to Christ or Holiness, how wholly you were given up to the Pleasures of the Flesh, or the profits of the World; what a mastery your Lusts had then over you, and an hard servitude you were in: Is the case altered with you now? is your taste of Fleshly Delights deadned, your Souls taken up more with the Affairs of another World? Is the drift, aim, and bent of your Lives now for God and your Salvation, and the great business you attend upon the pleasing ⟨p. 388⟩of God, and the saving of your Souls? Are ye not Servants to your Senses and fleshly Appetites, and things here below, but can ye govern your selves, and master these Desires? This is a change indeed. But in many that profess Christ, and pretend to an Interest in him, there is no such change to be sensibly seen; their old Sins, and their old Lusts, and the old things of Ungodliness are not yet cast off. Surely so much old Rubbish and rotten Building should not be left standing with the New. Old Leaves in Autumn fall off in the Spring, if they continue so long; so old things should pass away, and all become new.
