Directions and persuasions to a sound conversion for prevention of that deceit and damnation…Directions and perswasions to a sound conversion for prevention of that deceit and damnation…

3. To avoid this, some run into the contrary mistake, and think that sorrow and tears are unnecessary, and that they may Repent as well without them, as with them; and they lay all in some dull uneffectual wishes; and so they think, the Heart is changed. But certainly God made not the Affections in vain. It cannot be that any man can have a Sanctified Will, but his Affections will hold some correspondence with it, and be commanded by it. Though we cannot mourn in that Measure as we desire, yet some sorrow there will be wherever the Heart is truly changed. And appretiativè this sorrow will be the greatest. No man can heartily believe, that sin is the greatest evil to his Soul, and not be grieved for it. And indeed our Liveliest Affections ⟨p. 160⟩should be exercised about these weightiest things. It's a shame to see a man mourn for a friend, and whine under a Cross that toucheth but the flesh, and yet be so insensible of the plague of sin, and the anger of the Lord, and to laugh and •est with such mountains on his Soul. Though grief, and tears be not the heart, or principal part of our Humiliation, yet are they to be looked after as our duty; yea sorrow in some measure, is of absolute necessity: and the want of tears is no good sign in them that have tears, for other things. Indeed the sense of our folly and unkindness should be so great, that it should even turn our hearts into sorrow, and melt them in our breasts, and draw forth streams of tears from our eyes: and if we cannot bring our selves to this; we must yet lament the hardness of our hearts, and not excuse it.

3. To avoid this, some runne into the contrary mistake, and think that sorrow and teares are unnecessary, and that they may Repent as well without them, as with them; and they lay all in some dull uneffectual wishes; and so they think, the Heart is changed. But certainly God made not the Affections in vain. It cannot be that any man can have a Sanctified Will, but his Affections will hold some correspondence with it, and be commanded by it. Though we cannot mourn in that Measure as we desire, yet some sorrow there will be wherever the Heart is truly changed. And appretiativè this sorrow will be the greatest. No man can heartily believe, that sinne is the greatest evil to his Soul, and not be grieved for it. And indeed our Liveliest Affections ⟨p. 160⟩