594 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS wronged God too long ; sin gets strength and rooting while you delay. Your conversion will grow more hard and doubtfil. You have much to do, and there- fore put not all off to the last, lest God forsake you, and give you up to yourselves, and then you are undone for ever. IX. If you will turn and live do it unreservedly, absolutely, and universally. Think not to capitulate with Christ, and divide your heart betwixt him and the world ; and to part with some sins, and keep the rest. This is but self:deluding ; you must forsake all you have, or else Oil cannot be his deciple4 q) If you will not take God and heaven for your portion, and lay all below at the feet of Christ, but must needs also have your good things here, and have an earthly por- tion, and God and glory is not enough for you,it is in vain to dream of salvation on these terms : for it will not be. If you seem ever so religious, if yet it be but outside righteousness, this is as certain a way to death, as open profaneness, that it be plausible. X. If ,you will turn and live, do it resolvedly, and stand not still deliberating, as if it were a doubtful case. Stand not wavering, as if you were yet uncertain whe- ther God or the flesh be the better master ; or whether heaven or hell be the better end ; or whether sin or ho- liness be the better way. But away with your former lusts, and presently, habitually, fixedly resolve : be not one day of one mind, and the next of another ; but be at a point-with all the world, and resolvedly give up yourselves and all you have to God. Now, while you are hearing or reading this, resolve. Before you sleep another night, resolve. Before you stir from the place, resolve. Before Satan have time to take you off, resolve. You never turn indeed till you do resolve; and that with a firm and unchangeable re- solution. And now I have done my part in this work, that you may turn at the call of God, and live. What will become of it, I cannot tell. I have cast the seed at God's command, but it is not in mv power to give the (q) LuLe. xiv.
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