Answer.  To this doubt I would answer several things.

First, with respect to the day:  1.  Art thou jogged and shaken and molested at the hearing of the word?  Is thy conscience awakened and convinced, then, that thou art at present in a perishing state, and that thou hast need to cry to God for mercy?  This is a hopeful sign that the day of grace is not past with thee.

2.  Are there in thy more retired condition, arguings, strugglings, and strivings with thy spirit to persuade thee of the vanity of what vain things thou lovest, and to win thee in thy soul to a choice of Christ Jesus and his heavenly things?  Take heed and rebel not, for the day of God’s grace and patience will not be past with thee till he saith his Spirit shall strive no more with thee:  for then the woe comes, when he shall depart from them, and when he says to the means of grace, “Let them alone.”

3.  Art thou visited in the night seasons with dreams about thy state, and that thou art in danger of being lost?  Hast thou heart-shaking apprehensions, when deep sleep is upon thee, of hell, death, and judgment to come?  These are signs that God has not wholly left thee, or cast thee behind his back for ever.

All this while God has not left the sinner, nor is come to the end of his patience towards him, but stands at least with the door of grace ajar in his hand, as being loath as yet to bolt it against him.

4.  Art thou followed with affliction, and dost thou hear God’s angry voice in thy affliction?  Doth he send with thy affliction an interpreter to show thee thy vileness, and why or wherefore the hand of God is upon thee and upon what thou hast, to wit, that it is for thy sinning against him, and that thou mightst be turned to him?  If so, thy summer is not quite ended, thy harvest is not quite over and gone.  Take heed; stand out no longer, lest he cause darkness, and lest thy feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and lest while you look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

5.  Hast thou any enticing touches of the word of God upon thy mind?  Doth as it were some holy word of God give a glance upon thee, cast a smile upon thee, let fall though it be but one drop of its savor upon thy spirit; yea, though it stays but one moment with thee?  Oh, then, the day of grace is not past, the gate of heaven is not shut, nor God’s heart withdrawn from thee as yet.  Take heed therefore, and beware that thou make much of the heavenly gift and of that good word of God of which he has made thee taste.

Secondly, with respect to thy desires, what are they?  Wouldst thou be saved?  Wouldst thou be saved with a thorough salvation?  Wouldst thou be saved from guilt and filth too?  Wouldst thou be the servant of thy Saviour?  Art thou indeed weary of the service of thy old masters, the devil, sin, and the world?  And have these desires put thy soul to the flight?  Hast thou through desires betaken thyself to thy heels?  Dost thou fly to him that is a Saviour from the wrath to come, for life?