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No. For, first, you may err in judging of yourself. Secondly, if you do not err, you can judge only this, that you are not yet in a state of grace: but in the use of the means, you may be. God can as well convert an hypocrite, as a pagan. For though now you be dross and refuse, you may ere long be pure gold. For God, in making vessels of honour, does more than all earthly kings, and all their goldsmiths can do: for they, by their prerogative and skill, can make current coin, and rich vessels, if they have pure metal to work upon: but they cannot make good metal of base stuff, nor make gold of brass. But such is the power of God's word and Spirit, that whereas they find you base and drossy stuff, they, by imprinting the character and stamp of God's image upon your hearts, do transform you into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord, 2 Cor. iii. 18. As soon as you are truly anointed with this Spirit, you shall become good gold and silver vessels of honour, fitted for the Lord's use whereunto you were appointed.

SECT. 6. FEARS ARISING FROM LATE REPENTANCE, ANSWERED.

There are yet others, who object fearfully, saying that they are cast-aways, and that God will not have mercy on them, because now it is too late; they have passed the time and date of their conversion, they therefore will not use, or at least have no heart in using God's means to convert them, such as prayer, reading, hearing the word, &c.; nor yet willingly will suffer others to pray either with them, or for them; and all because they think it is now too late, and in vain; mistaking this, and such other Scriptures: Because I have called, saith God, and you have refused - they shall call on me, and I will not answer, Prov. i. 24, 28; and because they think they sin when they pray, and hear the word, and that the more means is used to save them, their condemnation shall be the more