538 AN EPISTLE TO TIIE vinced sinners. If we could but open the blind eyes, there were hopes we should shortly raise the dead. " Sinner, of a truth thou art in an evil case whe- ther thou know it or not; thou art among the dead, and there is but one step between thee and hell. Thou wilt not believe it, though it be told thee : yet once again let me beseech thee, come to the glass that is here presented to thee, and narrowly observe whether the very marks of the dead be not found upon thee. " If there be miscarriages in this first work, if thou wilt not understand thy misery and thy danger, there is an end of all hope concerning thee. Whilst self - ignorance abides upon thee, all the counsels that are necessary to a man in thy case will do thee no good; they are never like to prosper with thee, because thou wilt not count them proper for thee. Who will be per- suaded to do that which he believes is already done? Who will take the counsel of the physician, that does not think himself sick ? The man of God may spare his pains of persuading thee -to conversion, whilst thou art confident thou art converted already. Who will be at the pains of repentance, that concludes he hath re- pented ? Who will be at the labour and pangs of the new- birth, that is confident he is already passed from death unto life? "But, friend, -let me reason a little with thee Thou art confident it is well with thee; yet why wilt thou not yield to this much at least, to put it to the question, Am I not mistaken ? Thou art worse than mad, if thou thinkest such a question may not be put. Dost thou not know, that the heart is false and de- ceitful ? Yet because it speaks good concerning thee, Must it not be questioned whether it speaks true or no? Be so wise as to conclude, I may be mis- taken ; and thus come to the trial whether thou art mistaken or not. "And if upon trial, by the marks that are before thee, thou corne to be undeceived, and see thyself wrapped up in that misery which hitherto thou wouldst not suspect, the next news I expect to hear from thee is, What shall I do to be saved ? O were it come
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