TO A SOUND CONVERSION. 397 is no promise in scripture that you shall be pardoned, if you almost repent and believe : or be saved, if you be almost sanctified and obedient : but, on the contra- ry, the Lord hath plainly resolved, that you must turn or die, though you almost turn ; and repent or perish, though you almost repent; and that you shall not en- ter the kingdom of heaven, without conversion and a new birth, though you come ever so near it. God hath resolved upon the terms of your salvation; and it is in vain to hope for salvation upon any other terms. God will not change nor come down to your terms. It is you that must change and come quite over to his terms, or you are lost for ever. If you come ever so near them, you are but lost men if you come not up to them. The Lord well knew what he did, when he made his covenant and law, and he imposed nothing on the sons of men but what his infinite wisdom told him it was fit for him to impose ; and he will not now compound with sinners, and take less than he requir- eth ; that is, less than the pre - eminency in their hearts ; nor will he ever come down to any lower terms with you, than those which he propounded to you in his gospel. And therefore, poor sinners, as you love your souls, do not stand dodging and halving with God; stop at the beginning of conversion, but go through with it, till you are become new creatures indeed ; or you are undone when you have done all. A half unsound convert will as certainly perish as a drunkard or a whoremonger ; though his torment may not be so great. 2. Consider also. ,That if you do not go through . with the work when you are upon it, you may per- haps make it more difficult than it was before ever you meddled with it, and make it a very doubtful case whether ever it will be done. As it is with a wound or other sore ; if you tamper with it with salves that are not agreeable to it, or are disorderly applied, or if you skin it over before it be searched to the bottom, it must be opened, again and will cost you double pain before it be cured. Or, as I have seen it with
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