z3z A LETTER AGAINST HARDNES OF HEART. ,°ä Befeeeh God , the Father of Ieftis Chrift, to giue me his good fpirit; in writing to giue aduife, &you in reading toteceiueit, Amen. Since tbetime thatI receiued M.S. Letter, wherein he declared hiscareful' compaffion oueryour eflate: I haue beene not a little grieued,becaufepartly for want of aconuenient inefenger, and partly becaufe of my manifolde diftradfions with the likeoc- currences , and other waightie affaires, I haue beene hindered ° from writing hitherto vnto you. Acid albeit eucndfill 1 be in the fame cafe, yet confcience towardes God , and loue and+ compaffion towardes you, forceth mee to ouercomc lets, which hardly I could otherwaies preuaile-a- gáinft. And albeitIcannot fpcakeas I would, yet of that which I shallwrite(proceeding In temptations from the forenamed grounds) I looke for fumeblefling of God through Irfus Chrift, if fr sueto/taud_ youwill nottoo much taintin faith, and yeeld to the aduerfar e : yea ifyouwill but hope °° th,and fo well ofyour felfe as (inthe feareof GodI writeit)I hopeof you: F,irft, whereas it fee- orfari meth you are fometimcs rimed becaufe you: tarried notilíll at Cambridge accor- ibeaduerfarie. Y ß e Y ding to mine adwfe,'yiou muff know I.aduifed itnot as a thing neceffary, but ipiore conuenient, as I then fuppoled, but I aduiled you to obey your father,if his pplea- fure'till continued to haueyou haine : whereunto you yeeldmg, I cannot leehowe you offended, it being your fathers pleafure you should fo doe. And who know- ith whether. being there you might not haue beene as much troubled, there being no priuiledge for perfons and places in filch cafes e And who knoweth whetherit be the Lords pleafure, for the example and inferufftion( and I' hope the.conlolation) our corruption of others in the end? And albeityouwill nowthmkethathereyouwere neerer the moe de lire, audde- and ftronger meanes,yet knowyou andbe perfwaded, that God can and :doth.in inch fights an the cafes workeby fewerarid-weaker, accordingto hisgood pleafure. Befides,it is ;n our cor- meaneswe can- rut nature tomake muchof lochas we cannot haue and not fa to efteeme. thole which not have. Goddothoffer vs,as wefhould. Ibefeech you therefore inthe naine ofIefus Chrift,hurn- bly topratfeGod for thofe meaneshe offereth inmercyveto>ou, and tovfe themin faith accordingly ; and foGod shallblelle you bythem.. And then by fuch conference as you may liaucfrom henceby letters, whereinifdmay Rand you inany Read , rather for the good opinion youhaueof me, than for anygreat matter lainable toperforme, I (hall be readiet° offer anyofficeof loue votoyou, asGod fhall enable me ; and fo farre forth as I(hall beat any time initruéted in yourparticular eftatein foine Lettersfentfrom you &indnesof by-conuenientinelkngers. That which Iperceiveprelently by M.S. Letter.. is,that you mind es. bard- are afflt&ed with.theblindneffe ,fyour Mind,and hardnesof your heart, which cannot sinofheart. be mooned eitherwith the promifesof Gods mercies,or feare of his judgements ; nor af- fafwfaome fefedwith the loue.and delight of the thingswhich begood , nor with the hatredand to riseroeake loathing of the curl'. Great taufe you haueof griefe I tonfeffe, but no caule of defpaire far momof dare Igrant; becaufeI am perlwaded that your perfivafonisfomewhatfalie; partly. for found rndge- want ofa found iudgement ofyour eftate,and partly for forne defeaoffaith, fomewhat mein.. through
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