An Alarm to Unconverted Sinners

Alas, with shame and grief we do confess, that we never speak to you of these things as their truth and weight deserve, nor with the skill and wisdom, the affection and fervency which beseemeth men engaged in the saving of poor souls. But yet you may perceive that we are in good sadness with you. (For God is so.) What else do we study for, labour for, suffer for, live for? Why else do we so much trouble our selves, and trouble you with all this ado, and anger them that would have had us silent? For my own part, I will make my free confession to you to my shame; that I never grow co•d and dull and pitiless to the souls of others, till I ⟨image 7⟩first grow too cold and careless of my own (unless when weakness or speculative studies cool me, which I must confess they often do.) We never cease pitying you, till we are growing too like you, and so have need of pity our selves.

Alas, with shame and grief we do confess, that we never speak to you of these things as their truth and weight deserve, nor with the skill and wisdom, the affection and fervency which beseemeth men engaged in the saving of poor souls. But yet you may perceive that we are in good sadness with you. (For God is so.) What else do we study for, labour for, suffer for, live for? Why else do we so much trouble our selves, and trouble you with all this ado, and anger them that would have had us silent? For my own part, I will make my free confession to you to my shame; that I never grow co•d and dull and pittiless to the souls of others, till I ⟨image 7⟩first grow too cold and careless of my own (unless when weakness or speculative studies cool me, which I must confess they often do.) We never cease pittying you, till we are growing too like you, and so have need of pitty our selves.

When, through the mercy of my Lord, the prospect of that world of souls which I am going to, hath any powerful operation on my self, O then I could spend and be spent for others. No words are too earnest, no labour too great, no cost too dear, the frowns and wrath of malignant opposers of the preaching of Christ's Gospel are nothing to me. But when the world of spirits doth disappear, or my soul is clouded, and receiveth not the vital illuminating influences of Heaven, I grow cold first to my self, and then cold to others.