Chapter I. That no body can be converted to God, unless he be prevented by the Will of God, and by his Voice crying unto him within

You are met together, as I believe, to hear the Word of God; for indeed there does not occur to me any other cause of this your so fervorous a concourse. By all means I approve of this your desire, and congratulate with you for your laudable zeal. For blessed are they which hear the Word of God, but provided also that they keep it. Blessed are they that remember his Commandments, but to the end that they may do them. For he has the words of Eternal Life, and the Hour is come (and would to God it were now) when they shall hear his voice, and they that shall hear it, shall live. For life is his will. And if you desire to know it, his will is our Conversion. In fine, hear himself. Is the death of the impious my will, says the Lord, and not rather that he should be converted, and live? Ezek. 18. v. 23. By which words we evidently see how that true life is not to be had by us, but by Conversion, nor can we enter into it any other way. Our Lord telling us plainly; Vnless ye be converted, and made like little ones, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 18. v. 3. And with good reason do little ones enter; for the little Child conducts them, who for this end was born, and given us. I ask then, what voice is that which the dead hear, and when they have heard it, live? for perhaps it is necessary to Preach the Gospel even to the dead. And opportunely there occurs a short word, but a full one, which the mouth of the Lord has spoken, as his Prophet testifies. Thou hast said, (says he, speaking, without doubt, to the Lord his God,) Be converted O ye sons of men, Jer. 3. And indeed deservedly does Conversion seem to be required from the sons of men, to wit, absolutely necessary for sinners. For to the supernal Spirits, that praise which becomes the just, is rather commanded; the Prophet singing, Praise thy God, O Sion, Psal. 147. And in that the Prophet says, Thou hast said: in my judgment it is not carelesly to be passed over, nor heedlesly to be heard. For who dare compare what God has said to the sayings of men? Verily the Word of God is lively and efficacious, and his Voice is in magnificence and power. In fine, he said it, and all things were made. He said, Let there be light, and the light was made. He said, Be ye converted, O ye sons of men, and they were converted. So it is indeed; the conversion of Souls is the work of God's Voice, and not of man's. Simon, the Son of John, a Fisher of men, although called and constituted for this very purpose by our Lord, yet in vain shall even he labour all night, and catch nothing, until by the word of our Lord casting his net, he shall be able to inclose in it a great multitude of Fish. And I would to God we could also to day in this Word cast the net of the Word, and experience what is written: Lo, he shall give to his Voice a Voice of power, Psal. 67. If we speak a lye, it's plain that's of our own. But perhaps even then also our words will be judged to be our own, not our Lords, if we seek our own Concerns, and not the things of Jesus Christ. Moreover, although we speak the truth of God, and seek the glory of God, we must even then from him alone hope the effect, and of him ask it: that he would please to accompany his own Voice with a Voice of power. To this internal Voice therefore I exhort you to listen with the ears of your heart; and that you would make it your business rather to hear God speaking within you, than man speaking without you. For that is a voice of magnificence and power, searching the deserts, making to tremble the deserts, shaking off the stupid torpor of Souls.