A guide to Christ. Or, The way of directing souls that are under the…

1. Because those strivings that men may have, that shall never be Converted, are sufficient to bring men forward towards Christ. There is no necessity at all, that the Elect should have any other strivings for a time, than what are common to Reprobates; the Convictions that Reprobates may have, are sufficient to bring men forward towards Christ; those terrors that Reprobates may have, are sufficient to wean them from the World, to make them reform their lives, and labour to be Converted. If men have but such a sense of Hell as many Reprobates ⟨p. 57⟩have had, there is no danger but they will take pains to be saved, Psal. 78.34. Tho' this will not Convert them, yet it will bring them nearer to the Kingdom of God, then they were; it will make them travel towards Christ, and overcome several impediments that lay in the way of their Conversion; though they don't see the great evil of sin, yet they will be afraid of it; though they don't see the excellency of Holiness, yet they will seek after it: Common Convictions are a preparation for Conversion.

2. They that are to be Converted, are not capable of any strivings of the Spirit, but what are common, till they come to be humbled, and to believe. It is a pretty while after God begins to strive with the Elect, before they come to be humbled, and to believe in Christ; and before that, they are not capable of any strivings, but what are common. What can there be, but what is common to other men? Other men have fears of Hell and Judgment […] of Wrath, moral Convictions of […] Sin; encouragements, many […] of vileness in their own hearts, […] deceitfulness: And what can these have more before they are humbled? They are not capable yet to see the evil of Sin, the excellency of Christ, nor of godly sorrow, nor of sincere desires, because they are not Converted. Why may not a Reprobate have as much Conviction as they? What are they capable ⟨p. 58⟩