The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit,…

But withal be thankful exceedingly, all you whose Hearts the Lord hath drawn and overcome; he came to his own People the Jews, and would oft have gathered them, but they would not, and therefore he forsook them, and left their Habitations desolate; Oh how oft would the Lord have gathered ⟨p. 126⟩you, and you would not! yet the Lord hath not forsaken you, but called you in whether you would or no; the Lord hath taken many a Man at his first Word, and left him at his first Repulse, shaken off the Dust of his Feet against him presently, Mat. 10.14. without any more Entreaties to accept of Mercy; yet thou hast not only refused, but even crucified the Son of God, yet he hath not been driven from thee, but his Bowels have been oft kindled together, when he hath been ready to give thee up: When thou hast been under the Hedges, and in the high Ways that lead to Death, and didst never think of him, nor didst desire him, yet he hath compelled thee to come in; he hath made thee feel such an extreme •eed of him, and made himself so exceeding sweet, that thou hast not been able to resist his Love, but to cry out, Lord, thou hast overcome me with Mercy, I am not able to resist any more, nay, which is more wonderful, when thou hast been gathered, and gone from me, and lost thy self, and him also again, and it may be hast been offended at him; yet he hath gone before thee into Galilee, and gathered thee up when thou hast been as Water spilt upon the Ground; What should be the Cause of this, but only this? The Work of Faith lies upon him, both to begin and finish; he must gather in all his lost Sheep, and therefore he hath put forth an irresistible Power of his Spirit upon thy Heart, which must carry thee Captive after him.

But withal be thankful exceedingly, all you whose Hearts the Lord hath drawn and overcome; he came to his own People the Jews, and would oft have gathered them, but they would not, and therefore he forsook them, and left their Habitations desolate; Oh how oft would the Lord have gathered ⟨p. 126⟩you, and you would not! yet the Lord hath not forsaken you, but called you in whether you would or no; the Lord hath taken many a Man at his first Word, and left him at his first Repulse, shaken off the Dust of his Feet against him presently,