The sound believer, or, A treatise of evangelical conversion discovering the work of Christs…The sound beleever, or, A treatise of evangelicall conversion discovering the work of Christs…

¹Of lamentation for the hardness of mens hearts in these times: as it is said the Lord Jesus mourned when he saw the hardness of the peoples hearts, Mark 3.5. are there not some so far from this, as that they take pleasure in their sins, they are sugar under their tongues, as sweet as sleep, nay as their lives? and you come to pull away their limbs when you come to pluck away their sins: ⟨p. 117⟩though they have broke Sabbaths, neglected prayer, despised the word, hated and mocked at the Saints, been stubborn to their parents, curst and swore, (which made Peter go out and weep bitterly) though lustful and wanton, (which broke Davids bones) though guilty of more sins then there be moats in the Sun or Stars in heaven, though their sins be crimson, and fill heaven with their cry, and all the earth with their burden, yet they mourn not; never did it one hour together: nay they cannot do it, because they will not; if you are weary and loaden, where are your unutterable groans? if wounded and bruised, where are your dolorous complaints? if sick, where is your enquiry for a Physician? if sad, where are your tears, in the day, in the night, morning and evening alone by your selves, and in company with others? Oh how great is the wrath of God, hardening so many thousands at this day! whence comes it that Christ is not prized, but from this senselessness? name any reason why the blessed Gospel of peace, and all the sweet promises of life are undervalued, but from hence: and what do you hereby poor creatures, but only aggravate your sins, and make those that are little, exceeding great in the eyes of God? whence it is that you treasure up wrath against the day of wrath, ⟨p. 118⟩Rom. 2.2, 3, 4, 5. This hardness is that which blunts the edge of all Gods ordinances, whence Gods poor Ministers sit sorrowful in their closets, seeing all Gods seed lost upon bare rocks; oh this is the condition of many a man, and which is most fearful, the means which should make the heart sensible, make it more proud and unsensible. Tyre and Sidon, and Sodom, are more fit to mourn, then Chorasin, and Capernaum, that have enjoyed humbling means long. Nay how many be there that mourn out their mournings, confess out their confessions, and by their own humiliations grow more senseless afterward? did we ever live in a more impenitent secure age?