O f hardnejfé o f heart, 489 repelling andbeatingbacke the meanes of their conuerfion, the outward miniflerieoftheword, and the inward motions ofGods fpirit, that theyproceed fromcareleffe fenfelefneffe, andnegligent fecuritie,towilfuI1 prophanneffe and obf}inate rebellion. And this hardneffe ofheart is moil commonly incident vetoworldlings, and is nothing eisbut carnali fecu- ritie, whereby they ref+contented with their miferable and wretched eflate, neither louing that which is good, nor ha- ting that-which is euill, nor vfing anymeanes to better them- felues, becaufc they either thinke theyare good enough, or at leaf+ neuer enter into confideration of their eflate, nor come to the fcnfe and feeling of their euill corruptions, in which theyare wholy plunged andouerwhelmed.Yea fome- times and in fonemeafure, this befalleth the deare children ofGod through their careleffenegligence, and want of the due examination of themfelues (as may appeare in the ex- ampleof Dáurdy who many moneths together lined-in his finne ofadulterie andmurther,without any ferious and found repentance, till it pleafed the Lord to rouze him out ofthis fpirituall lethargie by the miniilerie of the Prophet Na- than) but yet the Lord doth not finally kaue them, but by thepreaching of the word, godly admonitions and repre_ henfions, and alto with the inward motions and fecret ope- ration ofhis holy fpirit, hee pulleth them out of this wret- ched eflate,giuing.vnto thema fight and feelingoftheir fins, and mollifying their hard hearts, working in them- an ha- tred anddeteflation oftheir finnes, and an carneí+ defire to be vnburthened ofthen. But howfoeuer this may befall the children of God, yet this canbee no incouragement vnto any to continue full in this wretched cafe : for howfoeuer theymayhe indeed the children ofGod, yet affuredly they can neuer haue any true'affurance in their confciences that theyare hischildren and in his fauour,till their hartsbe mol- lified and refolued into the teares ofvnfained repentance, at leaf in forne meafure. And thereforelet euery one beware ofcarnal! fecuritie, and ofhardening their hearts through careleffenegligence, andby committing firmes againfi their knowledge andconfcience, let thembewareofrefifling the minifterie:.
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