li 404 DIRECTIONS AND PERSUASIONS abusing Christ, and grace, and ministers, and friends, that would save your souls.' This is the condition that every one of you are in, till you are converted. And can you fear lest conversion would bring you into a worse condition than this ? Sirs, these truths are sure and plain ; and if you stick at it, your error is so palpably gross, that, unless you are madmen; I may be bold to say, it is a wilful error. And if you love to be deceived, and wilfully choose a lie, you Must take that you get by it. 3. Consider further, That half-conversions do often prove an occasion of deluding men's souls, and mak- ing them quiet in a miserable state, and so of keeping them from being converted to the last. If you had never ddne any thing in it, you would more easily be persuaded that your case is bad, and that there is still a necessity of your change. But when you have had some convictions and troubles of mind, and fears and sorrows, and so have fallen into an outside par- . tial reformation, and now are persuaded that you are truly converted, when it is no such matter, what a dangerous impediment to your conversion may this prove! And all because you slumber over the work, and cut it off before it reacheth to sincerity, and strive' against the workings of the Spirit, and break away from your Physician before he ,hath done the cure, and would not follow it unto the end. I know. that a half-conversion, if it be known to be no more; is much better than none, and doth often prepare men for a saving work. But when this half-conversion is taken for a true and saving change, as too commonly it is, it proves one of the greatest impediments of salva- tion. Whenever Christ shall afterwards knock at your door, you will not know him, as thinking that he dwells with you already. If you read any books that call on you to be converted, or hear any preachers that call on you to turn, you have this at hand to.cozen yourselves witiq, and frustrate allyou will think, nis is not spoken to me ; for I am converted al- ready. allow quietly do such poor deluded sinners
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