The Sincere Convert

Seventhly, The way of carelessness, when men feeling many difficulties, pass through some of them, but not all, and what they cannot get now, ⟨p. 153⟩they feed themselves with a false hope they shall hereafter: they are content to be called Precisians, and fools, and crazy brains, but they want brokenness of heart, and they will pray (it may be) for it, and pass by that difficulty; but to keep the wound always open, this they will not do, to be always sighing for help, and never to give themselves rest, till their hearts are humbled; that they will not; these have a name to live, yet are dead.

Seventhly, The way of carelesnesse, when men feeling many difficulties, passe through some of them, but not all, and what they cannot get now, ⟨p. 153⟩they feed themselves with a false hope they shall hereafter: they are content to be called Precisians, and fooles, and crazie braines, but they want brokennesse of heart, and they will pray (it may be) for it, and passe by that difficultie; but to keep the wound alwayes open, this they will not doe, to be alwayes sighing for helpe, and never to give themselves rest, till their hearts are humbled; that they will not; these have a name to live, yet are dead.

Eighthly, The way of moderation or §8honest discretion, Rev. 3. 16. which indeed is nothing but luke-warmness of the soul, and that is, when a man contrives and cuts out such a way to Heaven, as he may be hated of none, but please all, and so do any thing for a quiet life, and so sleep in a whole skin. The Lord saith, He that will live godly, must suffer persecution: No, not so, Lord. Surely (think they) if men were discreet and wise, it would prevent a great deal of trouble and opposition in good courses; this man will commend those that are most zealous,