The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant

SECT. I.

Doct. 1. THat Sanctification is promised unto the people of God as well as Justification, or with Justification: God doth promise not only to pardon the sins of his people, but also to sanctify and renew the hearts of his people (a new heart also will I give you.)

For the opening of this precious Truth, I will show unto you

• 1. The distinction or difference between Justification and Sanctification; for the word (also) imports as much.
• 2. The Connection between them both.
• 3. The Reasons why God promiseth the one with the other.

First, The distinction or difference 'twixt Justification and Sanctification; for they are promised as two distinct or several gifts (I will also, &c.) which could not be spoken if they were both of them one and the same thing.

They differ thus,

First, There is in Justification a change of the state; he who was in the state of death, and wrath, being justified, is in the state of life and love (he is passed from death to life) but in Sanctification of the heart, he who was unholy, is now made holy, his heart is changed.

Secondly, Justification looks at the guilt of sin, and frees us from condemnation (There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ, Rom. 8. 1.) But Sanctification looks at the filth of sin, and frees us from the dominion of sin: Sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not under the Law but under grace, Rom. 6. 14.

Thirdly, In Justification there is the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, for which God accounts us righteous; but in Sanctification there is grace infused into us, by which we are made conformable unto the image of Christ; that depends upon the merit of Christ, and this depends upon the Spirit of Christ.

Fourthly, The matter of ••••• ification is perfect, and without any defect and exception (the justice of God cannot find any want in the obedience of Christ which was full and complete, and perfectly satisfied the Law of God) but the matter of our sanctification is imperfect, and weak, and we cannot stand before God's Judgment-seat with it.

Fifthly, All who are justified, are justified alike; there is no difference amongst believers as to their Justification; one is not more justified than another (for every justified person hath a plenary Remission of his sins, and the same righteousness of Christ imputed) but in Sanctification there is difference amongst believers; everyone is not sanctified alike, but some are stronger and higher, and some are weaker and lower in grace.

Sixthly, In Justification there is nothing of sin remaining, which hath any cotrariety to the justified estate; but in Sanctification there is something of sin remaining in the sanctified person, which is contrary to that grace which is wrought in us by the Holy Spirit; Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and these are contrary one to the other, &c.

2ly The Connection of Sanctification with Justification. You may read in Scripture of a four-fold conjunction of these two great gifts of God unto his people.

First, In the promises of the Covenant, they join hand in hand, come forth like twins out of the womb of grace; Jer. 33. 8. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me, and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned and whereby they have transgressed against me. Here you see them both expressed together in the same deed: I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, there is our sanctification promised: And I will pardon all their iniquities, there is justification promised: Mich. 7. 19. He will subdue our iniquities, and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Here you find them again in promise: He will subdue our iniquities, this is sanctifying; and he will cast all, &c. there is justifying: Heb. 8. 10. I will put my Laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts; (there is the promise of sanctification? Ver. 12. And I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins, and their iniquities will I remember no more (there is the promise of justification.) Rev. 2. 17. I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, &c.

Secondly, In people of the Covenant: All who are effectually called and brought into Covenant, they are justified, and they are sanctified, they partake of mercy, and they partake of grace: If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, 2 Cor. 5. 17. He is made holy; so 1 Cor. 6. 11. Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. And in 1 Cor. 1. 30. Of him are ye all in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us Righteousness, and Sanctification. So Ephes. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, Chap. 2. 1. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.

Thirdly, In the desires of the people of the Covenant: Their hearts are drawn forth with the desires of both; Psal. 51. 1. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness: according to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions: Here is earnest prayer for mercy to pardon sin. Ver. 10. Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me; here is earnest prayer▪ for grace to sanctify.

Fourthly, In the Mediator of the Covenant, who is the Head of his Church, as well as the Savior of his body, Ephes. 5. 23. And gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word. Ver. 26. as well as to wash it from its sins in his own blood. Rev. 1. 5. And gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. Tit. 2. 19. And bare our iniquities in his own body on the tree, that we being dead to sin, should live unto Righteousness; by whose stripes we are healed: 1 Pet. 2. 24. He was anointed not only to be our Priest to take away our sins by his body, but also to be a Prophet to reveal unto us the whole will of God: (And this is the will of God, even our sanctification, 1 Thes. 4. 3.)

3ly The Reasons why God doth promise these two great Gifts of holiness and forgiveness; to sanctify his people as well as to justify them. There may be these Reasons for their Connection.

First, Both of them have a necessary respect to the salvation of the people of God: A man must be justified if he will be saved; and a man must be sanctified if he will be saved; he cannot be saved without both▪ he cannot be saved unless he be justified: Rom. 8. 30. Whom he called, them also he justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified: None are justified: but such as are called, and none are glorified but such as are justified: Mar. 16. 16. He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned: He cannot be saved unless he be sanctified: Joh. 3. 5. Jesus answered. Verily, very, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God: Heb. 12. 14. And holiness without which no man shall see the Lord: Here you see a necessity of both of them in reference to salvation; we many times think that if our sins are pardoned, there needed no more to save us, but we are deceived; for as forgiveness is necessary, so is holiness necessary to our salvation; as no unpardoned person, so no unsanctified person shall be saved.

Secondly, The people of God do stand in need of them both; neither can they be restored or repaired without both; for the sins which are in them, are

1. Guilty obligations; they bind them over to wrath and curse.

2. Filthy pollutions; they do stain and defile them, and make them odious in the eyes of God: Under the first notion they are a debt; and under the other notion they are a disease; and under both they render us needy of mercy and of grace. Pardoning mercy alone doth not answer the sinful condition of man, for that is a remedy only against the guilt of sin; sanctifying mercy is also required to be a recovery from the filthy pollution of sin: As if one be a sick Malefactor, this man hath a double need; he needs a pardon as he is a Malefactor, and he needs a healing medicine and plaster as he is sick. Now the Covenant of grace is a full remedy to the sinner, and it is a full recovery: Ergo, God promiseth to sanctify as well as to justify.

Thirdly, God doth intend an everlasting communion twixt his people and himself in the Covenant; a communion in this life, and a communion in the other life; and indeed the people of God, their fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ: 1 Joh. 1. 3. They are made nigh by the blood of Christ, and have access unto him: But they must be sanctified as well as justified for the enjoying of that communion; because two things are opposite to our communion with God.

1. One is enmity.

2. The other is inconformity. Whiles God and we are enemies, how can there be communion between us? Therefore in justification that enmity is removed and slain by the blood of Christ; and whiles God is holy, and we remain unholy, there is such a dissimilitude, and inconformity of our natures, that there can be no communion neither; and therefore God doth sanctify our hearts by his Spirit, that we partaking of the Divine Nature by way of similitude, may have fellowship and communion with him: Pardon of sins only, makes not sufficient way for this communion; for notwithstanding that pardoning mercy, the heart of man is so sinful, that God cannot endure us, being of purer eyes than to behold sin: Put away your iniquities from before mine eyes, and then come and let us reason together, &c. Isa. 1.

Fourthly, We cannot glorify God, unless he sanctify us: Beloved, the people of God are formed by him to show forth his praise; they are the only people that do glorify him, and honor him: But this cannot be unless he were pleased to sanctify them; God indeed can glorify himself towards us, though we be not holy; but we cannot glorify him until we are made holy; we cannot glorify him in our hearts; for what glory can God have by an unbelieving, impenitent, hardened, sensual, ignorant, proud, ungodly heart? Nor in our actions; for they are as our hearts are; the fruit is as the tree is, &c. What can a dead or a sick man do for service?

Fifthly, we should have small comfort and peace, if the Lord did not sanctify as well as justify us; to have sinful lusts still reigning, and ruling, and breaking out, this would make our life uncomfortable.

Sixthly, Are not the people of the Covenant his children? and would you have the holy Father to be the Father of unholy children? is this to be born of the Spirit? Whatsoever is born of the flesh is flesh; and whatsoever is born of the Spirit is Spirit, Joh. 3.

Use 1. This serves to reprove those men who divide those things which God hath jo • ned together; who are altogether for Justification, but nothing at all for Sanctification: They exalt the Righteousness of Christ, but they cry down the holiness of Christ: They would have men to be believers of Christ, but they would not have men to be holy; and why not holiness as well as Faith? because (say they) holiness cannot justify us: But this is both an Erroneous and Ridiculous Opinion; as if Christians had nothing to look after but Justification; and as if the gracious works of the Spirit must therefore be rejected, because they are not able to justify us! Luther arguing upon this Point, saith, that we must give unto everything that which is proper unto it: would you (saith he) conclude that because your monie, and lands, and eyes and hands, do not justify you, therefore you must reject all these? So because holiness doth not justify you, will you conclude that you must reject it! As the Righteousness of Christ hath its proper excellency to justify us, so hath holiness its proper excellency to renew us, to conform us unto Christ; and to make us to walk as becometh men in Christ: Besides, would God have made Christ to be our Sanctification as well as our Righteousness, if holiness did not concern us as well as faith? and would he have joined Remission of sins with the sanctifying of our hearts, if 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 that alone were all that concerned us! Nay, Faith is said to sanctify us, as well as to justify us.

Use 2. It also reproves the general presumption of men, who think of nothing in order to their salvation but God's mercy; they talk much of mercy, and sometimes seem affectionate for mercy to pardon their sins, and never mind holiness, nor how to get their hearts to be sanctified? Nay, they oppose holiness, and scoff, and scorn at holiness. These men will lose their souls, because both of these which God hath promised, are necessary for salvation; you must have your sins pardoned, or else you cannot be saved; and so you must have your hearts sanctified, or else you cannot be saved.

Quest. 1. But you may say unto me, why do men look only after mercy, and not also after holiness, seeing God hath joined them together in his promise, and both must be in persons which will be saved?

The Reasons may be these:

First, Holiness is more contrary to man's sinful nature than mercy: Mercy indeed relieves the sinner in a more easy and delightful way; but holiness though it doth relieve the sinner, yet it doth it in a way more cross to our sinful love, for it fights against our sins, and doth purge, and work them out from our hearts, and will not suffer sin to bear Rule there.

Secondly, Though holiness be the way to heaven, yet sinful men do not look on it as so; but they look on it as the way of trouble and reproach, as a way that is contradicted, and exposing them to crosses, losses, and contempts, and which is too severe against their carnal liberties, and pleasures, and wills, and therefore they like it not. No man reproacheth another because he is justified, but because he is sanctified; for sanctification is a reproach and condemnation to the evil ways of men.

Use 3. Doth God promise to sanctify his people as well as to justify them? Then be not content with the one without the other, but join them in your prayers, which God hath joined in his promises: Be not satisfied that you sins are pardoned; neither be satisfied that your hearts be sanctified; as he cried out, Domine! de penitentiam & da indulgentiam; so do you, Lord give me grace, and Lord give me mercy. God is a holy God as well as a merciful God; and Jesus Christ came by water and blood, 1 Joh. 5. 6. Let your hearts be earnestly carried out for both; To this end remember six Conclusions.

First, Though your Right and Title to heaven lies in Justification, yet your meetness and fitness for heaven lies in your Sanctification: Col. 1. 12. Giving thanks unto God the Father, who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. Acts 20. 32. I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified. Is it meet or fit that an ungodly person should be in heavenly glory! The Leper had a right to his house, yet was not fit to dwell in it until he was cleansed.

Secondly, When you look at the pardon of your sins, you seem to look more at yourselves (your own safety, your own peace, your own deliverance from wrath and hell) but when you look after sanctification, you rather look more at God's glory how you may be enabled to honor him more: 1 Pet. 2. 9. Yea are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar people, that you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Thirdly, We should be complete in Christ, Col. 2. 10. And in all the will of God, Chap. 4. 12. How can this be, if Christ be not your sanctification, as well as Righteousness, if you be not partakers of his Spirit, as well as of his merit! if you do not die and live with him.

Fourthly, It is a sign of a naughty heart; when mercy alone is desired, and that only will satisfy: In an exigence the most wicked man will cry out for mercy, but he never cries for sanctity. Pharaoh put Moses upon it to pray that God would forgive his sin, but never that God would heal his hardness.

Fifthly, As God promiseth the one as well as the other, so he will never give the one without the other: If he justifies you, he likewise sanctifies you; and if you are not sanctified, assuredly you are not justified: when you are by Faith united to Christ, your communion immediately falls in for sanctification as well for Righteousness: And it is impossible that Christ should be yours, but you must have the Spirit of Christ; (Rom. 8. 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his) and that Spirit quickening us with a new life, and mortifies our lusts: Some hold that sanctification is an inseparable effect of justification, but unquestionably it is a companion of it, and a lively testimony of it.

Sixthly, Because he promiseth both, therefore seek for both; Consider,

• 1. God promiseth nothing that is superfluous, or useless; but it is good, and for our good.
• 2. He promiseth no good, which he 1. Is not able to perform: And 2ly willing to perform.

Holiness is an excellent good; it is the image of God, it is the glory of God, it is called glory, 2 Cor. 10. it is the glory and excellency (an unholy person is but vile and base) the Saints are the excellent on the earth; Psal. 16. 2. It is our perfection, it is the highest elevation of our names here on earth, and hereafter in heaven; it is the prime work of the Spirit, it is the scope of election▪ he hath chosen us that we should be holy. Ephes. 1. 4. It is the scope of vocation; God calls us unto holiness, 1 Thes. 4. 7. And this God hath promised to give, &c.

But I shall speak no more at present of this general Observation; I will touch a little also upon the next general Proposition, and then I will come to the principal matter in the Text.

SECT. II.

Doct. 2. THat God himself undertakes in promise to sanctify the hearts of his people (I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you) Levite. 20. 8. I am the Lord that sanctifieth thee. Luke 11. 13. How much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him! Joh. 17. 17. Sanctify them through thy truth, thy Word is truth. 1 Thes. 5. 23. The very God of peace sanctify you wholly.

Quest. Why God undertakes it?

First, Else it were impossible to be effected. Consider

First, That no creature can make itself holy; it cannot change itself, no man can change his own sinful heart, Who can say I have made my heart clean? Prov. 20. 9. And this will appear by two particulars.

1. No sinful man hath any supernatural power in him to produce any superdatural work in himself; he is without all strength; without me (saith Christ) ye can do nothing, Joh. 15. 5. We are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves. saith the Apostle in 2 Cor. 3. 5. And we are dead in trespasses and sins, Ephes. 2. 1.

Secondly, There is in every natural man a resistance, a contrariety and opposition to the work of holiness: Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. Ephes. 4. 18. Being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them. Jer. 13. 27. Woe unto thee O Jerusalem, wilt thou not be made clean?

Secondly, That no creature can make another holy; we may wish holiness to others, and we may pray the Lord to sanctify others, and we may direct others to the ways of holiness, but make them holy we cannot. For

1. No man can impart any of his own grace unto another; he cannot divide the grace which he hath, as he can the earthly estate which he hath amongst his children: The actings of his grace may extend to others; but the habit or quality of his grace he can no more impart to others, than he can his own soul or life.

2. All that we can do for others (to work grace in them) is but in a moral way of counsel, and exhortation, and entreaty, and reasoning; but we cannot open their ears to hear that counsel, nor their hearts to receive that grace unto which they are by us exhorted; nor can we expect that our exhortations should have more power to prevail with men than God's exhortations; yet these alone were not sufficient to change any sinner without some inward workings of his Spirit, upon the spirits of men.

3. Besides, to change the heart of a sinner by grace, is a work proportionable with Creation, and with the resurrection of the dead (so the Scripture stiles our conversion or sanctification) for which Omnipotency must put forth itself, to sanctify us.

Secondly, God can sanctify, or graciously change the heart of a sinner; which may thus appear.

1. He hath dominion and power over the heart; he can turn, and command, and rule it as he pleaseth.

2. He hath dominion over all grace; he can give it, and work it in the heart of men by his Almighty Spirit and Power. If he will say to the dead, Live, the dead shall live; if he will say to the blind, See, the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and they shall see: If he will say to the deaf, Hear, the ears of the deaf shall be opened, and they shall hear. If he will say to the most wicked heart, Be thou changed, it shall be changed and healed; for by his Spirit he can infuse that grace into the heart, and with that power, and with that efficacy, as shall be sufficient to beat down and subdue all the resistances of sin, and to renew and alter the whole soul.

Thirdly, God doth undertake this sanctifying work in promise for his people;

1. That they may know that be alone is the Original and Author of all their Spiritual good: No Fountain of mercy, but their God of mercy; and no Fountain of grace, but their God of grace; no Fountain of peace, and salvation, and comfort, but their God of peace, but their God of salvation, but their God of comfort.

2. That their hearts might be supported under the sense of their sinfulness, and under the sense of their want of holiness, and under the sense of their own insufficiency, and inability to give themselves any holiness. Though they cannot, though no creature can help their hearts to holiness; yet their God can and will; for he hath promised it to them, and he is able to perform what he hath promised, and is also able, and will do it.

3. That he might have the glory, that we may glory in him, and not in ourselves; for what have we that we have not received?

1. Use. Doth God himself undertake to sanctify the hearts of his people? Then let none take upon him this work upon a confidence of his own will, and power, and sufficiency: will you take the work of God out of his hand! When Rachel said to Jacob, Give me children or else I die? he said, Am I in God's stead! Gen. 30. 1, 2. So when the King of Syria sent Naaman to the King of Israel to heal him of his leprosy, said he, Am I God, to kill, and make alive, that this man doth send to me to recover a man of his leprosy! 2 Kin. 5. 7. So, will you be in God's stead! will you be God's to yourselves, that you take on you to change and sanctify your own hearts! and yet men are frequently presumptuous in this, they will change their hearts, and they will become new men. Is not this a presumptuous, nay is it not an impossible work? will you create, will you quicken the dead?

Object. But doth not God bid us? Make unto yourselves a new heart, and a new spirit? Ezek. 18. 31.

Sol. The Precepts of God in this kind,

• 1. Shew our impotency, and convince us thereof; they do not imply our power.
• 2. He commands us this, for this very end, that we should seek unto him to work this.
• 3. That we might apply ourselves to the means through which he will work this.

2. Use. In the sense of want of holiness, be not discouraged, give not up the work as impossible; say not I shall never see a change in my heart, my sins are so strong, and my power is nothing; but go to God, remember that he hath undertaken to sanctify; Master, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean, said the poor Leper; said Christ, I will, be thou clean;

Remember five things in this that God himself undertakes to give grace or holiness by promise.

First, He intends to give what he promiseth in any Particular.

Secondly, He is able to work it; nothing is able to stand against his promise; nothing can hinder it; all the power of hell, and of thy sinful heart cannot hinder him from the healing and sanctifying according to promise.

Thirdly, He doth put thee but upon coming, and asking, and trusting: He will give hiss holy Spirit to them that ask, Luke 11. 13. Believe only and thou shalt be saved, and thou shalt see his power.

Fouthly, You cannot put up a request that doth more concern his own glory; Lord let me not dishonor thee anymore, grieve thee anymore; sanctify and change my heart that I may bring thee glory.

Fifthly, He never denied any heart that was serious and fixed in desires of holiness.

I Now come to the principal matter (here) distinctly promised by God unto his people, viz. A new heart, and a new spirit.

SECT. I.

FOr the opening of this great and necessary Truth, I will speak unto a few Questions.

Quest. 1. What is meant by heart and spirit?

Sol. The word (heart) is taken

Sometimes Physically, for that noble and vital part of man, which is the seat of the soul, and life in man: Thus it is not looked on in this place. Sometimes it is taken for the soul of man which hath its principal residence in the heart: Gen. 6. 5. God saw that every imagination of the thoughts of man's heart was only evil continually (of man's heart (i. e.) of man's soul) Prov. 23. 26. My Son, give me thy heart; (i. e.) thy soul, thy will, thy affections; thus it is taken in this place.

Secondly, That word (Spirit) is in Scripture taken sometimes in opposition to the body of man, as in Eccles. 12. 7. Then shall the dust (i. e.) the body of man return to the earth as it was; and the spirit (i. e.) the soul shall return to God who gave it.

Sometime it is put in a direct distinction from the soul, as in 1 Thes. 5. 23. I pray God that your whole spirit, and soul, and body be preserved blameless, &c. Here the Spirit denotes the intellectual part, and the soul denotes the will and affections. And so I humbly conceive the word (Spirit) is taken in the Text: Namely for the mind and judgment (called the intellectual part of man) and the word (Heart) is taken for the will and affections; and by both is meant all the soul, the whole soul in all the faculties of it.

2. Quest. What is meant by the newness of heart, and by the newness of spirit? for this is the thing promised.

Sol. A thing may be said to be new, either in respect of substance, or in respect of qualities.

First, There is a substantial newness, where all the materials are so; as an house is new, and a garment is new, and a ship is new, being all made of new materials: under this notion God doth not give a new heart, and a new spirit unto his people; (i. e.) he doth not give unto them another soul for substance from what formerly they had; they have one and the same substantial soul still, &c. all the same essential faculties of the soul still, the same faculty of understanding, the same will, the same affections still.

Secondly, There is an accidental newness, where the substance remains the same, yet the qualities supervinient, or super-added to the substance are new: [Simile.] As when a Garment is cut into a new fashion; or a piece of Plate is melted and purged of its dross, and made clean and pure, we call those new, though not for substance, yet for qualities: Naaman was the same man when he was a Leper, and when he was cured, the cure was accidental. In this respect God gives a new heart, and a new spirit, (i. e.) he doth (as it were) new shape the heart and spirit; he puts into them such gracious qualities which are opposite to the wicked or sinful qualities in them before.

And these are called new, not in opposition to our Creation (for God made us holy and righteous) but in opposition to our degeneration; for by the fall we lost all our excellencies, and corrupted our hearts, and filled them with all unrighteousness, with sinful corruptions: when God doth purge out of our hearts, and infuseth into them the graces of his Spirit, then are our hearts said to be new, and our spirits are said to be renewed. This only in the general: Now I shall more particularly discover unto you what this newness of heart is which God doth promise unto his people.

It is that great and eminent change wrought in all the soul by the Spirit of Christ, infusing a new principle of grace, which inclines and conforms the heart to the whole will of God, and opposeth and mortifieth all the old sinful lust formerly residing and prevailing in the heart.

There are many particulars in this description which I shall in order unfold unto you.

First, A new heart is a changed heart; Newness (in the very nature of it) implies an alteration; for whatsoever is altogther the same that it was, cannot be said to be new. If the heart was ignorant, and so remains still; if it was proud, and vain, and filthy, and earthly, and so remains still; this heart is an old heart still, there is no newness, because no change. Newness of heart peremptorily implies a change of the heart; therefore it is (in Scripture) called a new birth; (Joh 3. 3. Except a man be born again.) And a quickening from the dead; (Luke 15. 24 This my son was dead, and is alive again.) And a turning from darkness to light; (Act. 26. 18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.) And a transformation; (Rom. 12. 2. Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.) And a translation; (2 Cor. 5. 17. Old things are past away, all things are become new.) And a washing, and a cleansing, and a refining; 1 Cor. 6. 11. 2 Cor. 7. 1. Mal. 3. 2, 3.

Secondly, When the heart is made new, there is a great and eminent change made in it: There are three great changes of man's heart.

• 1. One was by sin; when man being in honor abode not, but fell by transgression, and became like the beasts that perish. This was a woeful change, like that of the apostatizing Angels from heaven to hell.
• 2. Another is by grace, wherein we are changed into the very image of God.
• 3. A third is by glory, when we shall be like God himself; For we shall see him as he is, 1 Joh. 3. 2.

The change which makes newness of heart is a great and eminent change, reckoned therefore amongst the wonders of God, called a Creation, and a Resurrection, and the opening of the eyes of the blind, and unstopping the ears of the deaf, Isa. 35. 5. And loosing the tongue of the dumb. It is such a change that others beholding it, stand amazed at, as they did when they saw Paul appear another man at Damascus from what he was at Jerusalem, Acts 19. 21. Yea the very Angels are affected with it, and rejoice: I say unto you there is joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth, Luke 15. 10. I call it an eminent and great change, because it surpasseth all other changes which may be found in men who yet have no newness of heart.

There may be a change

• 1. From rudeness of life to civility of conversation.
• 2. From profaneness of walking, to formality in Religion.
• 3. From ignorance and blindness of mind to knowledge.
• 4. From the practice of sin to a forbearance of sin.
• 5. From quietness of Conscience to perplexity and trouble of Conscience; and yet no newness of heart: The change which constitutes a new heart, is a very deep change, it makes man to be a new creature, it doth quite alter the frame and estate of a man's heart and Spirit.

Thirdly, When the heart is made new, there is a change made in the soul, and in the whole soul.

1. It is a change in the soul: [Simile.] It is one thing to plaster an old house, and it is another thing to build a new house: It is one thing to adorn a dead man, and it is another thing to inform or enliven a dead man. Newness of life doth principally respect the root and spring The work of renewing grace begins where sin begins; it begins the Reformation where sin begins the deformation; it begins to change and cleanse where sin begins to corrupt, and defile, and that is in the soul: Outward Reformation is one thing, and inward Reformation is another thing: The Pharisees made clean the outside of the cup, and they were painted Sepulchers, which within were full of rotten bones. Hypocrisy can make a new garb of visible actions, but it can never make an new heart; it never changes and alters the soul; that still remains under the love and power of sin: But when the heart is made new, there is some inward work of grace by which the soul is changed from death to life, from unholiness to holiness.

2. It is a change in the whole soul; when the heart is made new, all the soul is divinely changed: Therefore this newness or Renewingness is compared to the light which disperseth itself into the whole body of the Air, so that there is not any one part of the Air which is not enlightened: To the ointment which fills the whole room with sweet Odor: To leaven, which diffuseth itself over the whole lump. As it is with Original sin, it is an universal defilement, it infects all the soul, there is not one faculty of the soul but it is defiled by it: So it is with Renewing grace, or newness of heart, it is an universal alteration or change; it alters all the soul, and all the faculties of the soul; when a new heart is given, there is a change made.

1. In the mind or understanding, which now is freed from darkness, and enjoys an heavenly light to know the things of God, and to discern things that are excellent; and the mysteries of Christ and salvation appear in their glory. We all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, &c. 2 Cor. 3. 18.

2. In the Judgment, which is now freed from mistakes, and Errors, and high imaginations, and carnal reasonings and disputes, and is now captivated to the Truth, and approves of what is good, and condemneth what is evil: It counts sin the g • eatest evil, and Christ the most incomparable happiness, and the enjoyment of God the only portion: I count all things but dross for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, said Paul, Phil. 3. 8. Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none on earth that I desire besides thee? saith David, Psal. 73. 25.

Thirdly, In the Will, which was proud, and stubborn, and unwilling, and averse, and perverse; nothing would persuade it to hearken to Christ, to yield, to receive, to obey, all the arguments of mercy and glory would not • ffect and take it: Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life, Joh. 5. 40. But when the heart is made new, the Will also is changed; now it falls down before Christ, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do, Acts 9. 6. Draw me, and I will run after thee! Cant. 1.

4. In all the affections of the soul: Never was there such a change, such a newness! how they fall out with one another; Grief falls out with Love, and Love with hatred; nay, they seem to be changed one into another: Joy into Grief, and Love into Hatred, and Hatred into Love: what a man did love, he now hates, and what a man did hate, he now loves: and what a man desired, he now fears; and what a man delighted in, he now grieves at it! Nay, look on them distinctly in their several motion. The desires were, Who will show us any good? Now the desires are, What shall we do to be saved? The delights were in sin, in sensualities, in vanities, in vain societies; now they are in the favor of God, in Christ, in pardoning mercy, in holy and heavenly society in doing the will of God: The like may be said for love, for grief, for fear, &c.

Fourthly, This change (which constitutes newness of heart) is wrought by the Spirit of Christ: Therefore our Sanctification (which is the same with the giving of a new heart) is called the Sanctification of the Spirit, 1. Pet. 1. 2. And our change into the image of glory, from glory to glory, is by the Spirit of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3. 18. And the newness of heart is the work of the Spirit of Christ; no man changeth or renews his own heart, but the Spirit doth all: And therefore he is called the Spirit

• 1. Of Knowledge, because he illuminates and gives knowledge and light, 1 Cor. 12. 8.
• 2. Of Grace, and holiness, because he makes us holy, Ephes. 4. 30.
• 3. Of Faith, because he causeth our hearts to believe, 2 Cor. 4. 13.
• 4. Of Love and joy, because he worketh these in our hearts. All saving good comes from the Father as the Fountain, and through the Son as the Mediator, and is wrought in us by the Spirit. As in the Creation the Spirit moved upon the waters, and so did as it were brood and frame all the Creatures; To in Regeneration, the Spirit descends upon the hearts, and by his vigor doth form all the newness and spiritual change in it.

Fifthly, The Spirit works this change in the heart by infusing a new Principle or quality of grace; A new Principle is necessary to make a new heart, there must be something put into the heart to change the heart; in all alterations thus it is. [Simile.] If you would have the cold removed from the water, heat must come in; and if you would have darkness removed from the Air, the light must come in; and if you would have sickness removed, health must come in: For all cha • ge amongst qualities is made by contrary qualities: And so it is when God changeth the heart (when of old he makes it new.) He doth this by in • using a new Quality into the heart contrary to the old quality of the heart. which quality is Regenerating or Renewing grace, and is called sometimes holiness, sometimes the New man, sometimes the Inward man, sometimes the Law of the mind, sometimes the Spirit, sometimes Christ, sometimes the Anointing, sometimes the seed of God; and according to the several ways of working, it hath several names; v. g. As it is the forming of an heavenly being in the soul, it is called Regeneration. As it is the turning of the heart, it is called Conversion. As it is the humbling of the heart, it is called godly sorrow. As it is the turning of us from sin, it is called Repentance. As it is the bringing of the heart in to Christ, it is called Faith, &c. As it is the abasing of the heart, it is called Humility. As it is the gentle tempering of the heart, it is called Meekness. As it is a submitting of the heart to God in sufferings, it is called Patience; and as it is the raising of the heart to the allowance of God, it is called Contentment and Self-denial, &c.

Sixthly, Into the Elect and Called of God] Renewing grace is peculiar and proper to the Elect people of God; the Papists and Arminians do hold that Reprobates and Apostates may have the same truly renewing and sanctifying grace which the Elect of God have; and that the grace in the one, and in the other, differ not quantum ad essentiam, (as to truth) but only quantum ad permanentiam, as to continuance.

But this opinion we reject as unsound and dangerous; for although we do grant unto some Reprobates and Apostates the common gifts and works of the Spirit; as

1. Illumination; whereby they may know the revealed will of God, and assent unto the truth of the Word; which appears by the Parable of the stony ground, and in Simon Magus, &c.

2. And some transient working on their affections, as upon hearing the Word, to receive it with joy (Herod heard John the Baptist gladly, and the temporary believers took in the Word with joy) and with fear as Felix did, and with humbling as Ahab did.

3. And some kind of external Emendation or Reformation, as Herod did many things, Matth. 6. 20. Nevertheless no Reprobate attained unto the state of Renovation or Adoption, or Justification; they were never renewed intensively by the Holy Ghost, never had a new heart given unto them; because

First, The state of Renovation is founded in God's Election. He hath chosen us that we should be holy, Eph. 1. 4. therefore none but the Elect are renewed.

Secondly, This Renovation flows from union with Christ. 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.

Thirdly, All renewed persons are in special Covenant with God; he is their God, and they are his people; and he will put his fear into their hearts, that they shall never depart from him.

Seventhly and lastly, Newness of heart arising from grace infused by the Spirit of Christ, consists, 1. In a Rectitude of Inclination. 2. In a powerful mortification.

First, A Rectitude of Inclination; every faculty of the soul is now brought into its due place and order, and inclines and conforms unto God, whereas before it was turned from him; now we approve the will of God, and choose the way of God. Newness is the conformity of our nature with God's nature, 2 P • t. 1. 4. and of our inclinations and actions to God's will; what God likes, we like; what God disallows, we disallow; what God sets up, we set up; what God would have done, we would have done; and in what God takes delight, in that do we also take delight; and in that manner that God would have it done, we love with simplicity, we pray with fervency, and we hear with reverence, and we give with cheerfulness, and we walk with sincerity.

Secondly, In a mortification of old lusts; this is called a cleansing from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, 2 Cor, 7. 1. and a crucifying of the flesh with the affections and lusts, Gal. 5. 24. and a putting off the Old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, Ephes. 4. 22. and a dying unto sin, Rom 6. 2. and a not suffering sin to reign, that we should obey it in the lusts thereof, Rom. 6. 12. Beloved, this is most certain, that newness of heart is

1. An universal contrariety to all our sinful corruptions; and therefore where newness of heart is, there is a constant hatred of sin, and a continual conflict or combat with it.

2. A real predominancy; renewing grace is stronger than remaining sin, and will never suffer it to rule the heart, and sway as in former times.

Quest. 3. Why God will give unto all the people of his Covenant a new heart, or an heart renewed by grace?

Sol. The Reasons may be these.

First, God predestinates them unto the means as well as unto the end: God's predestination in the aim or end of it, respects the glorifying of his people, (who are therefore called Vessels of mercy, afore prepared unto glory, Rom. 9. 23. and are said to be chosen, and called to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ, 2 Thes. 2. 14.) and God's predestination in the means tending to that glory, is his eternal will and purpose to communicate effectually to his people all that is requisite to bring to the participation of that glory; therefore saith the Apostle, Rom. 8. 29. Whom he did fore-know, he did predestinate to be conformable to the Image of his Son. Ver. 30. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called, them he also justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified: Mark, predestination hath a respect to the means as well as to the end; to calling and justifying as well as to glorifying; (and calling is to holiness as well as to happiness) to conformity to the Image of his Son, as well as unto an inheritance by his Son, and what is that being conformed to the Image of his Son, but (amongst other things) to be changed into his Image? 2 Cor. 3. 18. And what is that but to have our heart renewed by the Spirit of grace?

Secondly, God will give unto his people all that Jesus Christ hath purchased for them, and which was the very design of his death: Now Jesus Christ did by his death make a threefold purchase.

1. Of the Persons of all the Elect; he bought them with a price: Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price, 1 Cor. 19. 20.

2. Of all the Services of the Elect: He hath delivered us out of the hands of our enemies, that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness, Luk. 1. 74, 75. He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. 2. 14.

3. Of all Graces for the Elect▪ the donation of the Spirit (as to all the effects of grace) is the fruit of his death and purchase; not only eternal glory, but renewing grace is purchased by Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, The Lord doth put several duties and services upon his people, which are impossible for them to perform, unless he did give them a new heart, an heart changed and renewed by grace. They must deny themselves, they must love the Lord their God with all their soul, and all their might. They must hate every evil way. They must walk uprightly. They must be contented in all conditions. They must resist temptations, and wrestle against principalities, and against Rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places. They must overcome evil with good. They must love their enemies, bless them that curse them, and do good to them that hate them. They must be ready to do every good work. They must take up the Cross, and suffer reproaches and losses; they must persevere to the end. It is impossible for a natural heart to perform these: Is there not then a necessity of renewing grace to enable the heart for these?

Fourthly, Again, The people in Covenant, they have a new and choice relation, and must have natures suitable to it: No people have such a relation as they, and unless they were renewed by grace, they could never hold that relation. God is their God, and their Father, and they are his children, they are his sons and daughters, 2 Cor. 2. 18. I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, (saith the Lord Almighty) and Ver. 16. Ye are the Temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people; this is their relation, but then mark what he infers from this, in Ver. 17. Wherefore come from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. q. d. Holiness is necessary for this relation, you must be separate, you must be renewed, you must have no communion with sin, you must be another kind of people, you cannot hold communion with me, nor will I own you for my people and children if you do so, &c.

And Christ is their head, and they are his body, this is another relation, (Colos. 1. 18. He is the head of the body, the Church) Now is Christ the head of profane and ungodly men? Is he the head of the dead, or of the living? Do not the head and the body agree in the same kind of nature and life? Are not they who are joined to the Lord one spirit? 1 Cor. 6. 17. Certainly as all who come from the first Adam do bear his image, so all who are of the second Adam do bear his image. Ergo. They must be a redeemed and sanctified people.

Fifthly, I will add one reason more why God will give unto all his people a new heart, and it is this, The congruity of it for that conversation which they are to have amongst men, both good and bad.

First, For good men, they are to have society and communion with them in all holy things, and in all holy duties, their hearts should be knit unto them in love, their delight should be in them, as in the excellent of the earth; and you know the mutual comfortings and edifyings, and strengthnings, and spiritual supportings which believers should be to one another: But this requires a new heart, until that be given, there can never be that love, that delight, &c.

Secondly, For wicked men, the people of God are to shine amongst them as lights, Phil. 2. 15. and to win them by their godly walking, at least to stop their mouths, and make them ashamed that falsely accuse their good Conversation in Christ; they are to convince them, and reprove them, &c. But all these things would fail, they could not be, if God did not renew and change the heart of his people by grace, &c.

SECT. II.

Use 1. Doth God promise to give unto all his people a new heart and a new spirit? here it follows that many people are not the people of God in Covenant, because they have not a new heart given unto them; but they have still their old hearts, and old spirits, their old corrupt lusts, which they obey and serve, and which they will hold fast, and will not forsake: For the managing of this Use, I will briefly show you two things.

• 1. The infallible Characters of an old and unclean heart.
• 2. The woeful miseries of people still retaining those old hearts.

1. The Characters of an old or unrenewed heart.

The Scripture gives us five Characters of an old heart; (i. e.) of an heart never yet changed or renewed by grace.

First, Ignorance; generally the sinful estate is set out by ignorance. 1 Pet. 1. 14. Not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance. Eph. 4. 18. Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them. Acts 17. 30. The times of this ignorance God winked at.

There are three things, of which if a man be ignorant, he is unquestionably in an old sinful estate.

• 1. Himself; if he knows not what a wicked, wretched, vile and miserable heart is within him, and how accursed he is by reason of it.
• 2. Jesus Christ, and the mystery of salvation in and by Christ.
• 3. The excellency and necessity of the new creature, of Regeneration and renewing grace; this man is still in his sins, he is in the gall of bitterness, he is dead, &c. The first work of the Spirit is, to open the eyes, and to turn men from darkness to light, Acts 26. 18. And to give knowledge of salvation, Luk. 1. 77. To enlighten the understanding, Eph 1. 18. There begins the first change and dawning of Christ and grace; therefore if that be not done, the old heart remains.

Secondly, Carnal security and quietness, a perpetual silence and rest, (Luk. 11. 21. When a strong man armed keepeth his Palace, his goods are in peace) where sin reigneth, and still keeps poss • ssion, all is qu • et; the man feels not his burden, nor wounds, not wants, nor spiritual trouble; no conflict is to be found in his heart. What lack I yet? said that desuded covetous young man in the Gospel. And I was alive once without the Law, said Paul, Rom. 7. And I stand in need of nothing, said Laodicea, Rev. 3 All is well, and all is safe, and all is quiet; sin is no enemy to itself: [Simile.] Cold doth not contend with cold, nor darkness with darkness; all contention or conflict ariseth from contrariety; and the flesh is not contra • y to the flesh; it is the Spirit which is contrary to the flesh, &c.

Th • rdly, Enmity to godliness in the power of it, and to grace in the life of it, and holiness in the practice of it. Rom. 8. 7. The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be. Eph. 4. 18. Being alienated from the life of God. Joh. 3. 20. Everyone that doth evil, hateth the light. Prov. 29. 27. He that is upright in his way, is abomination to the wicked. Amos 5. • 0. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. Psal. 2. 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. This is an evident sign of a wicked heart, of an heart far from renewing grace: Thou child of the Devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, said Paul to Elymas, Acts 13 10. and Cain hated his brother, &c. Why do you not love such a child as well as the other? and countenance such a servant as well as the other? and regard such a one of your Kindred as well as another? and why do you not speak evil of such a neighbor, rather than of another? Live they not as peaceably and as inoffensively? and deal they not as justly and squarely? O but he is godly, he is religious, he will not run with us to the same excess of Riot, he will not Swear and Drink, and play the Good-fellow, &c.

Fourthly, Bondage unto sinful lust; spiritual slavery is a real testimony of an old heart; when a man is held fast with the cords of his sins, when he is a servant to sin, obeys it in the lusts thereof, hath an heart that cannot cease to do evil, doth project for sin, and is at the commands of it, and will not forsake it, but takes pleasure in unrighteousness; his heart and sin are joined and matched together as it were by Covenant; he will reject Christ, and renounce mercy, and be contented to forfeit salvation, and venture to damn his own soul, rather than he will forsake his sin, and come under the power of changing and renewing grace.

Fifthly, Unchangedness of Conversation; when the Leopards spots continue, and the Blackmores skin remains, and the scum of a vain, graceless life departs not, but a person walks still in the paths of unrighteousness and ungodliness; what he was, that he is; as he hath lived, so he dieth, and so he will live and die; hates to be Reformed, scorns to be a Changeling, is Proud still, is a Drunkard still, a Whoremonger still, a Sabbath breaker still, a Swearer still, a Scoffer still, &c.

2. The woeful misery of persons continuing in their old sinful condition.

I will but mention the sum of their misery.

First, Certainly they are out of Covenant, and therefore God is none of theirs, he neither doth nor will own them for his; and if God will not own them, then mercy will not own them.

Secondly, They belong not to Christ at all; for in 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. O how cursed is the sinner who hath not Christ to redeem him from the curse.

Thirdly, They shall never be saved; for Hebr. 12. 14. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.

Fourthly, They shall certainly be damned. 2 Thes. 2. 12. That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

SECT. III.

Use 2. DOth God promise to give unto all his people in Covenant a new heart and a new spirit? then let us search our hearts, and look what newness God hath wrought there? We find new fashions upon the backs of persons; and we find new opinions in the heads of persons; and we find new changes in the Civil State; and we find new afflictions upon our persons; and we find new fears in the hearts of men; and we find new and strange dispensations of God's Providence; but where is this new heart? one looks after a new place, and another after new preferment, and another after new pleasures, and another after new friendship, and another after new safety; but who looks after the old truths, the good Christ, and the new heart; who of us can say in a spiritual sense, what he spake in a corporal sense, One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see, Joh. 9. 25. May it be affirmed of us, what Paul spake of the Ephesians, Ye were sometimes darkness, but now ye are light in the Lord, Eph 5. 8. Or what he spake of some of the Corinthians, Such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, &c. 2 Cor. 6. 6. And what he spake of the Romans, Ye were the servants of sin, but you have obeyed from your heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Rom. 6. 17. And being made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness, Ver. 18.

Object. But will some reply, we are much deceived if that we have not new hearts and changed spirits?

Sol. I answer, ye may be deceived, and in nothing sooner than in your own hearts; the Prophet saith, that the heart is desperately wicked, and withal he saith, it is deceitful above all things, Jer. 17. 9. Nothing so wicked, and nothing so deceitful as man's heart, and as in many other things it may deceive us, so especially in this one thing of newness, it may make us believe that it is changed and renewed by grace, when indeed there is no such matter, which may arise, 1. Partly from the Ignorance in us, what newness of heart is. 2. Partly from Self-love and self-flattery; we are apt to make the most of what makes the most for us, as we are apt to make the least of what makes against us. 3. Partly from a slothfulness of spirit, to take pains, to search and try the truth of our spiritual conditions. 4. Partly from the partial resemblances which some things have with that which is called newness of heart or renewing grace, and yet they differ from it, toto coelo. Now because this is one of the greatest and commonest grounds by which persons do deceive themselves, I shall therefore insist the more fully upon it.

There are four things which have a resemblance (lesser and greater) with renewing grace, and yet renewing grace is quite another different thing from them.

• 1. Civil Righteousness, especially if joined with the true Religion.
• 2. Restraining grace, in the forbearance of sins, especially notorious and flagitious.
• 3. The presence of common gifts, which man had not before.
• 4. The powerful effect of an awakend conscience.

SECT. IV.

Use 3. I Shall now proceed to a Use of Discovery, wherein I will propound unto you some Characters by which you may know whether God hath indeed bestowed upon you this new heart and new spirit which he hath promised to give unto all his people in Covenant.

The Signs and Characters are these ten.

• 1. A New Sight and Feeling.
• 2. A New Judgment and Opinion.
• 3. New Cares and Requests.
• 4. New Principles.
• 5. A New Combat and Conflict.
• 6. New Abilities and Powers.
• 7. New Works and Obedience.
• 8. New Delights and Satisfactions.
• 9. New Society.
• 10. New Rules.

First, To whomsoever God doth give a new heart, unto him he doth give a new sight and feeling of their spiritual condition; before the Lord renews the heart by grace, there were two qualities predominant in it.

One was ignorance or blindness; an unregenerate man is a dead man, Ephes. 2. 1. and an ignorant man, he understands not, he knows not what he is, nor what he doth, nor what his condition of soul is: We were never in bondage, said they in Joh. 8. 33. The way of wickedness is as darkness, they know not at what they stumble, said Solomon, Prov. 4. 19.

Another was hardness and unsensibleness; a wicked man hath a wicked heart, but he is not sensible of it; and his heart is desperately wicked, but he is not sensible of it: He is ignorant and proud, and impenitent, and malicious, and serving divers lusts, and under the curse and wrath of God, but he is not sensible of it: His sin abounds in heart and life, and rules, and bears sway, and he is a slave unto them, but he is not sensible of this; but when the Lord renews the heart by grace, there is (presently) a spiritual life, and presently a spiritual sense; the man sees that in himself, which he never saw before, and experimentally feels that in himself which he never felt before: Alas saith he, What a wretched creature am I? and what a sinful heart is here? full of wickedness, desperately evil; here is no good dwelling in me; here is that sinfulness abounding in me; here is that ignorant, vain, worldly, stubborn, sensual, rebellious, unbelieving, hardened heart, of which the Lord speaks, and which the Lord threatens, and the man groans under this burden of his sinful heart and life: Psal. 38. 4. and exceedingly complains of it: Rom. 7. 24. and now loathes himself in his own eyes: Ezek. 36. 31. and bewails his condition with trouble of heart.

Secondly, To whomsoever the Lord gives a new heart, he doth give unto them a new judgment and opinion; before the Lord renews a man's heart, he hath a corrupt and false judgment:

Partly of himself, in respect

• 1. Of his estate; that he is alive, that he is righteous, that he needs no Repentance, that he stands in need of nothing.
• 2. Of his own ways; that they are the wisest for safety, and best for delight and profit.

Partly of God's commands and ways; that of all other they are most unequal, and most burdensome, and most undelightful, and for the most part needless; what needs a man to trouble himself so much for his sins, and what needs a man presently to set upon the practice of Repentance, and what needs a man to make so sure of Christ and mercy, and grace, and heaven: But when the Lord gives a man a new heart, his judgment is rectified, and he hath now another opinion than formerly he had, his judgment is divers from what it was, in respect of himself and his ways. As the Apostle spake, I was alive without the Law once, but when the Commandment came, sin revived, and I died, Rom. 7. So before renewing grace came into the heart, a man thinks high thoughts of himself, and of his ways; but when that comes, then he judgeth of himself as he is, and of his ways as indeed they are, and have been. Psal. 73. 22. So foolish was I, and ignorant, I was as a Beast before thee, 1 Tim. 1. 15. To save sinners, of whom I am chief; and for his ways, he now looks on them as ways of death, and paths of hell, in which who so walks, shall find no rest nor peace.

In respect of God and his ways: God is now looked upon as an only happiness, and could I enjoy him for my God in Christ, I were blessed forever; and his ways are righteous, and good, and holy, and most pleasant, and only safe; the way of Repentance, the way of faith, the way of holiness, the way of a godly Conversation; how excellent, how beautiful, how desirable are all of them to an heart renewed by grace, which yet in former times were judged with scorn and contempt, and hatred.

Thirdly, Where the Lord gives a new heart, there he gives new cares and requests: Before the Lord renews the heart by grace, a sinner is very careful, and very careless.

He is very careful for two things.

One is for the world; What shall I eat? and what shall I drink? and wherewith shall I be clothed? Matth. 6. His heart is set on the world, and he minds earthly things, and his heart goes after his covetousness, and who will show us any good? his affections are set on things below.

The other is for his fleshly lusts: They that are after the flesh, mind the things of the flesh, Rom. 8. 5. And they make provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof, Rom. 13. 14. But he is very careless about his soul, therefore he is said to despise his soul, and not to know the day of his visitation, nor the things which concern his peace, and to make light of the invitations of Christ. But when the Lord begins to renew the heart by grace, there are new cares and new desires: O how the soul is taken with the soul, and for the soul: Lord, What will become of my poor soul? and what shall I do for my poor soul? if I get not Christ, my soul is lost; and if I get not mercy, I am undone: Take the world who will, and take sinful pleasures who will, but O Lord be merciful to me a sinner, and O Lord be thou reconciled to my soul, and lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me: Every new heart hath new thoughts, and cares, and desires: What shall we do, said they to John the Baptist? Matth. 3. And What shall we do, said they to Peter? Acts 2. 37. And What shall we do to be saved, said he to Paul and Silas? Acts 16. 30.

Fourthly, If a new heart be given, there will then be found in you the presence of all new principles, which are contrary to all the old principles in the old sinful heart; there is not any one spiritual and heavenly principle respecting salvation, but they may be found in you; v. g.

1. Ignorance, that is one principle of an old heart, the contrary unto it; viz. Knowledge is given when you come to partake of a new heart. Colos. 3. 10. And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge. Eph. 5. 8. Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord.

2. Carnal wisdom, that is another principle of the old heart; the contrary unto that, is given to a person when God renews his heart; viz. Spiritual and heavenly wisdom, a wisdom for salvation. 2 Tim. 3. 15. A wisdom unto that which is good. Rom. 16. 9. A wisdom to approve the things that are excellent. Phil. 1. 10. A wisdom to know the times or seasons of grace, and to embrace and improve them: Hebr. 3.

3. Vanity of spirit, that is another old principle in the old heart; an old heart is a vain heart, and an old mind is a vain mind; but when the Lord gives a new heart, he then gives a spiritual seriousness unto the heart, To work out its salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2. 12. And to serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear, Hebr. 12. 28. And to give all diligence to make your Calling and Election sure, 2 Pet. 1. 1 • . And taking heed of neglecting so great salvation, Hebr. 2. 1, 3.

4. Hardness, this is another principle in an old heart; the heart is a stony heart, Ezek. 36. 26. and an heart of Adamant, Zach. 7. 11, 12. But when God gives a new heart, there is a principle contrary unto this put into the heart, namely a soft and tender, and mournful heart. Josiah had a tender heart, 2 Chron. 34. 27. God maketh my heart soft, Job 23. 16. They shall mourn, as one mourneth for his only son, Zach. 12. 10

5. Pride, this is another old principle of the old heart. Mark 7. 22. so Psal. 73. 6. Pride compasseth them about as with a chain: So Jer. 48. 29. We have heard the pride of Moab, (he is exceeding proud) his loftiness, his arrogancy, and his pride, and the haughtiness of his heart: So Rom. 1. 30. Deceitful, proud boasters: But when the Lord gives a new heart, there is a principle of humility given, which is contrary unto that pride of heart. Deut. 33. 3. All his Saints are in thine hand, they sit down at thy feet, everyone shall receive of thy words. Psal. 131. 1. Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty, &c. Ver. 2. Surely I have behaved and quieted myself as a child that is weaned of his mother, my soul is even as a weaned child. Acts 20. 19. Serving the Lord with all humility of mind.

6. Stubbornness of resistance and unyieldingness, this is another principle of an old heart, an old heart is a stubborn heart; as for the Word which thou hast spoken in the Name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee, said they to Jeremiah, Jer. 44. 16. Ye always resist the Holy Ghost, ye stiff-necked, and uncircumcised in heart, said Stephen unto them in Acts 7. 51. But when God gives a new heart, there is given a contrary principle unto this, even a yielding and obedient spirit to the Word and Will of God: Acts 9. 6. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Acts 10 33. We are all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God. Isa. 66. 2. To him that trembleth at my Word. Psal. 119. 161. My heart standeth in awe of thy Word. Rom. 6. 17. Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered you.

7. Hypocrisy, this is another principle in the old heart; an old heart is an hypocritical heart; it is full of guilt and deceit. Jer. 17. 9. Deceitful above all things: But when the Lord gives a new heart, he gives a principle contrary to this; viz. sincerity and uprightness of heart, and a true heart. John 1. 47. Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our Conversation in the world.

8. Unbelief, discontentment, impatience, discord and variance, these are other principles of the old heart; but when the Lord gives a new heart, then he works in us contrary principles unto these; viz. faith: Phil. 1. 29. Unto you it is given to believe; Repentance. Acts 11. 18. God hath granted to the Gentiles also repentance unto life. Contentment: Phil. 4. 11. I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content. Patience: 1 Cor. 4. 12. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it. Love: 1 Thes. 4. 9. Ye are taught of God to love one another. I could name many more such heavenly principles and qualities contrary to the old sinful principles and qualities which are certainly found (though not in the same measure or degree, yet in true • h) in every man whom the Lord doth give a new heart.

Fifthly, Whensoever the Lord gives a man a new heart, there is presently a new combat and conflict: Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusheth against the Spirit, and the Spirit lusteth against the flesh, and they are contrary the one to the other, &c. Rom. 7. 23. But I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind. The flesh (which is our corrupt heart or nature, the old man, the Law in our members) and the Spirit (which is our new heart, or renewed nature, the new man, the Law of our mind) these are both in the same regenerate person, and they are dispersed over every faculty of the soul, and they are contrary the one to the other, and do war one against another; and that war is from the first moment that renewing grace enters into the heart, to the last moment that the soul leaves the body.

Object. Now here it may be objected, that this cannot be a true and real sign of newness of heart, because in a natural and unregenerate man, there is many times a combat and conflict between their judgment, and their affections, and between their conscience, and their temptations unto sin?

Sol. That there are such combats and conflicts in unregenerate men, I grant; but then they are of another nature, different from those in a renewed or regenerate person.

First, In their Principles: The conflict in the one ariseth from servile fear; the conflict in the other ariseth from spiritual hatred. A natural Conscience may see the danger of sinning, and thereupon oppose the affections inclining to sin; but a renewed heart sees the baseness of sin, and thereupon inclines the heart to hate it: As sin a coal of fire, there is the fire which burneth, and there is the coal which defileth; so in sin, there is considerable, the wrath unto which it doth expose, and the filthiness whereby it doth pollute the soul: The fear of burning wrath, this makes the unregenerate conscience to hold off, and to argue against the temptations to sin: but it is the defilement and pollution by sin which makes the renewed heart to abhor and contest with it: Not only or principally the evil by sin, but the evil of sin which is so extremely contrary to God in his Nature, and Will, and Glory, which we entirely love, &c.

Secondly, In the Seat and place of combat; [Simile] The combat in unregenerate men, is like that between Soldiers in several Forts; and that in renewed persons is like the fight of Soldiers in the same Fort where every ones sword is against everyone: The conflict or combat in the unregenerate, is only 'twixt one faculty and another distinct faculty; the affections go one way, and the judgment and conscience another way: But when a man's heart is renewed by grace, there now ariseth a war and combat within every faculty: The judgment is divided against the judgment; and the will is divided against the will; and the affection against the affection: The reason whereof is this; because there is flesh and Spirit, sin and grace co-existent, and co-habiting in every faculty of the soul; sin is not driven up to one faculty, whilst grace possesseth the other faculties: but renewing grace is in every faculty; and remaining corruption is also in every faculty: [Simile] Like Jacob and Esau struggling in the same womb; or like heat and cold in the same water, and in every part of it.

Thirdly, In the Extent of the combat; that in unregenerate persons is only with some gross, scandalous, and infamous sins; but for secret sins, or other sins which the world applauds, these are still favored and harboured; the natural man can go no farther than his light, which in him cannot make a clear and full discovery of sins; nor will he quarrel with his sins further than he needs must, to save his ease in Conscience, and credit with men: But when the heart is renewed by grace, there the combat is against all known sin, the reason whereof is this, because the ground of opposition is not accidental and particular, but natural and universal: the newness of the heart is not an humor, but a contrary nature to that of sin, and therefore the heat doth conflict with all that is cold, because it is naturally contrary unto it; so doth renewing grace combat with all sin, because it is a nature contrary to sin as sin; not as little or great, secret, or open, &c. but as sin.

4. In the event: In regenerate men the issue of the conflict is either a plain giving up to the will of lust in the affections (the man being tired and vexed with the violent solicitations of them, as Sampson was with Delilah's importunities) or in case that natural conscience doth prevail, it is not to the mortifying of any sin, but only to a temporary repressing and restraining of sin; but the combat ends otherwise where the heart is renewed by grace; for it makes a more constant and resolute resistance, and at the last (though perhaps after some foils) it gets the victory over sin, and wins the field: Thus you see that the new spiritual combat or conflict, is a true character of a heart indeed renewed by grace: It is not a sign of true grace that a man hath no sin, but that his heart is conflicting with all sin,

Sixthly, Whensoever a new heart is given by God unto any person, then are there given new abilities unto that person.

Beloved, two things I take for granted.

1. That renewing grace is in itself a very powerful quality: There is a Spirit of power and might in it, and going along with it; if it were not so, it could never change the heart of a sinner, nor unthrown sin, nor maintain conflict with all the powers of sin and Satan; nor send out such high works of services as it doth.

2. That it doth confer an ability or power on the soul; to what end else is it given unto us, if by it we have no more power than what we had before in our natural condition? When we are renewed by grace, we are said to be quickened who were dead; which necessarily implies that there is a power imprinted in us when we are renewed.

Now there is a twofold power given when renewing grace is given.

• 1. One is to do such things which no natural or unregenerate person ever did, or could do.
• 2. Another is to do such things which we ourselves were not able to do, before God did renew our hearts by grace.

First, take me the bravest Heathen that ever was, or the most accomplished Hypocrite that ever was, and consider what they have done, how far they have gone; if you are not able to go beyond them in doing some things which they could not rise unto, assuredly your hearts were never renewed by grace: As Christ spake, Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven, Matth. 5. 20. So say I, except you be able to do more than the choicest Heathen, or exquisite Hypocrite, or any unregenerate person in the world, your hearts were never changed by renewing grace.

Object. Will some say unto me, what do you mean, for many unregenerate men have gone very far, and so high, that it is a question whether some of the people of God have risen so high?

Sol. First, Let them go as far as unregenerate men may or can go; yet every regenerate or renewed person goes far beyond them, and the demonstration of it is this: renewing grace is the highest elevation and perfection of man's nature; common gifts (with which alone unregenerate men are possessed) are far below, and behind it in excellency, and abilities.

Secondly, But plainly to open my mind unto you; there are six things unto which renewing grace doth enable a man, and unto which no unregenerate person could ever attain.

• 1. Self-denial in a man's opinion and affections, and worth, and ways, and ends.
• 2. Sincere love of Jesus Christ, and of all that do belong to Christ.
• 3. A cordial compliance with the whole revealed will of God.
• 4. A submission of the whole heart to Christ in all his offices, and with all his conditions.
• 5. An unfeigned hatred of every sin.
• 6. To live by faith upon the promises of God in all the contingencies and occurrences of the world. No unregenerate person ever did or could (in that estate) rise unto any one of these things, and every renewed person doth attain unto them in the truth of them; therefore if you find a power to do those things, assuredly your hearts are renewed by grace.

Secondly, Moreover, you may discern the presence of renewing grace, by that power and ability to do such works as you yourselves were never able to do before. Heretofore you were not able to shed a tear for sin, to forsake any one beloved sin, to send up an affectionate prayer to God, to prize Christ above all, and to thirst after him; to take any delight in God, to suffer any reproach for Christ: But now ye are able to mourn for your sins, and to abhor them. 2 Cor. 10. 4. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds. To forsake the dearest lusts, and to cry mightily to God, and to take delight in him, and in his will and ways, and to prize Christ above all, and to hunger and thirst after him as the only chiefest good and happiness, and you can do for Christ, and you can suffer for Christ, &c. Do you find it thus with you? then are your hearts renewed by grace.

Seventhly, You may know whether God hath given a new heart, by the new works, and the new means of working: We say, that ut res se habent in essendo, sic se habent in operando: All works and operations are answerable to the nature in us; the old nature finds out old works, and the new nature finds out new works. Before the Prophet healed and seasoned the spring of water, it did send out bitter and unwholesome water, but afterward the waters (the spring being healed) were sweet and wholesome, 2 Kings 2. 21, 22. So before the Lord doth heal our old hearts, the works flowing from them are bitter, corrupt, vile, abominable, (that which is born of the flesh is flesh, Joh. 3.) but when he heals the heart by renewing grace, there are new works of holiness and righteousness answerable to a renewed heart, (whatsoever is born of the Spirit is Spirit.)

Now then take a survey of your former Works, and of your former Conversation, and compare them with the present works and course of life, and be yourselves the Judges what newness you find in them. Have you left your former works of uncleanness, of drunkenness, of profaning the Sabbath, of scoffing at holiness, of misspending your precious time in gamings, and in vain pleasures: Are you not still to be found in the same paths and ways, and works of wickedness? Are there not still the same fruits growing out of the old root? and the same stream flowing out of the same corrupt spring? How can ye say that you have new hearts, when still you live old lives, and go on in the old course of sin? Beloved, this is most true, that a new life ever attends a new heart; if the heart be changed, the life will be changed; newness of heart will appear in newness of Conversation. Did Paul, did Mary Magdalene, did Zacchaeus, did any (of whose Conversion you read in Scripture) lead such lives as formerly? Did they not put off concerning the former Conversation, the Old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts? Eph. 4. 22. Have they not had their fruit unto holiness? Rom. 6. 22. Therefore let no man deceive himself, saying, though I walk as in former times, and live still as I have lived, yet my heart is as good as the best; thou dost but delude and destroy thyself in this vain boasting, for the Tree is known by his fruits; it is impossible that thy heart should be a new heart, as long as thy Conversation remains a wicked Conversation.

Object. But you may say, Do you not see that hypocrites do appear in good works, and yet they are wicked persons; and good men sometimes appear in evil works and actions, and yet they are not wicked: Ergo. This appearance in new works cannot be a sure sign of a new heart:

Sol. To this I answer.

First, Whatsoever the good works may be which a wicked man may do, I shall not at this time dispute; but this may suffice you, that where there is no newness of life, there is no newness of heart.

Secondly, It is not this or that particular passage in the life which denominatively declares the estate of the heart either way; one particular good action may be done by him whose heart is naught; and one particular ill action may be done by him whose heart is good, and truly renewed by grace. As the new heart brings forth new works, so it doth act them after a new manner of working; it is possible that an unregenerate man may do many works which are morally good, but then he doth not perform those works in such a manner as that man doth, whose heart is renewed by grace.

There are four qualifications as to the manner of working, or performance of duties which are found in the renewed person, and in no other man.

1. He performs them in the strength of Christ, by virtue of union and communion with him, [Simile.] as the members of the body do act by virtue of their union and communion with the head: I can do all things (said Paul) through Christ that strengthens me, Phil. 4. 13. And as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the Uine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me, Joh. 15. 4.

2. He performs them as with love; the love of Christ constraineth me, said Paul, 2 Cor. 5. 14. If a man love me, he will keep my Word, said Christ, Joh. 14. 23. Now when a man doth works of obedience out of love, he is ready and willing to do them; the work is written in his heart, he takes delight in the doing of them: I delight to do thy Will O God, Psal. 40. 8. And make me to go in the paths of thy Commandments, for therein do I delight, Psal. 119. 35. It is a man's meat and drink to do the will of God, Joh. 4. 34. The yoke is easy, and the Commandments are not grievous, 1 Joh. 5.

3. He performs them with fervency of spirit, not coldly, and carelessly, and indifferently, but closely, and seriously, with a fervent spirit. (Rom. 12. 11. Fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord) he seeks the Lord with his whole heart; an heavenly impetus & aestus, & vigor, &c.

4. He performs them with integrity of intention; looks not at himself, but the glory of God in Christ, &c.

Eighthly, You may know that God hath given you a new heart, if you find new delights and satisfactions. There is not a man in the world but the frame of his heart may be known by that which he takes delight, and contentment, and satisfaction in. If one hath a proud heart, the vanities, and fashions, and dresses, and braveries of the world are his delight and satisfaction. If one hath an ambitious heart, the honors and applauses, and dignities, and preferments, and powers of the world are his delight and satisfaction. If one hath a covetous heart, the riches and profits, and treasures of the world are his delight and satisfaction. If one hath a sensual and unclean heart, the filthiness and actings of lusts are his delight and satisfaction: And there is no unregenerate person, but either some worldly object, or some sinful object is his delight and satisfaction; might he have wealth enough, or honor enough, or pleasure enough, he would desire no more, here he would rest, and with this he would be contented and satisfied: But now when the Lord changeth and reneweth the heart by grace, that which delights and contents, and satisfies other men, will not delight and satisfy him; nay, those very objects which formerly satisfied himself, will not now by any means satisfy him; but he hath new objects, and new ways of delight and satisfaction: If the Lord should say unto a regenerate and renewed person, I will give thee all the world, this would not satisfy him or delight him, though heretofore a little of it would have gone far, and have done much. The renewed person sees what a vanity of vanities the world is, and what a hell of hells sin is; and his delights and satisfactions are now in objects suitable to his new nature, the highest and best objects, these are suitable with the highest and best heart. A God, a reconciled God, the favor of God, the knowledge of him as so, the fruition of him as so, the meditations on him as so, the communions with him as so, the manifestations of him to the soul as so, the hopes of the future and eternal enjoyment of him as so, Psal. 73. 25. These, these are the delights, the contentments and satisfactions of an heart (indeed) renewed by grace. The excellent glories of Christ, a near relation unto Christ, the life of Christ, the peace by Christ, the comforts of Christ, the enjoyments of and by Christ, the love of Christ, the powers of Christ, the presence of Christ, and fellowship with Christ, these are the new delights, the new contentments, and the only satisfactions of a new heart; these are food and raiment, these are houses and lands, these are parents and friends, these are treasures and pleasures to a renewed heart; these are the rest of it, and the heaven to it; one sight of God in Christ, one smile of his love, one word of peace and joy from Christ, delights and satisfies a renewed heart more than all which the world can afford.

Ninthly, Another sign of a new heart, is new society; when God gives a man a new heart, that man hath a new Master, and new work, and new friends, and society. Psal. 119. 63. I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. 1 Joh. 3. 14. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the Brethren. 2 Cor. 6. 14. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? Psal. 139. 21. Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee? O what a burden is it to a good heart to be in ungodly company? Woe is me that I so journ in Mesech, that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar, Psal. 120. 5. And what a delight is it to a renewed person to be in the company of renewed persons. Psal. 16. 3. To the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent in whom is all my delight. Psal. 42. 4. I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise. Holy society is the only society for persons of holy hearts; and in that society can no man take delight, until God renews his heart by grace.

Tenthly, Lastly, When God gives a man a new heart, he doth presently set up a new rule of life to walk by; and according to that is his course ordered all the days of his life; and what is that rule? not our own judgment, not revelations, not our own will, not our own lusts, not our own affections, not the opinion of men, not the customs of the world, not the applauses of the world, not the ways of worldly advancements and advantages: But the rule which a renewed heart sets up to guide and prescribe him, is none other but that which God himself sets up for his people to walk by, and that is his written Word. Psal. 119. 105. Thy Word is a Lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Ver. 133. Order my steps in thy Word. This rule he sets up for all matters of faith, and for all matters of fact; this I must believe, because God reveals it and commands me to believe it; this I receive for truth▪ because God delivers it for truth; and that I reject as erroneous, because the Word of God condemns it as contrary to the truth: And this work I do, and that way I walk in, because God sets it out in his Word for me; and that I do not do, and so and so I dare not walk, for I have no Word of God for it; nay, the Word of God is against it; why? man's heart is right indeed, it is renewed by grace; but if a man will walk contrary to this rule, if he will not speak and live, according to this Word, it is because there is no light in him, Isa. 8. 20.

SECT. V.

Use 4. DOth God promise to give unto all his people in Covenant with him a new heart and a new spirit? then there is comfort and joy to all those who find the new heart given unto them; it is true, that when the Lord doth renew the heart of any by his grace, and separate them from the world unto himself, that

1. They shall meet with many troubles and scoffs, and reproaches, and persecutions from the world: All that will live godly in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecutions, 2 Tim. 3.

2. They shall meet with many temptations and oppositions from Satan; if he cannot hinder grace, and conquer grace, yet he will molest and disquiet grace.

3. They shall meet with many conflicts and warrings within their own hearts, and with many weaknesses and failings, and trials; nevertheless their condition is a very happy and comfortable condition, and there are eight choice comforts which are proper to every renewed person, and which may cheer up his heart all his days; v. g.

• 1. Newness of heart is a sure and infallible testimony of the best, and of the greatest matters which can concern the soul.
• 2. This newness of heart is an unquestionable effect of our union with Christ.
• 3. It is the noblest and highest elevation of the soul here on earth, and the clear evidence of the presence of the Spirit of Christ.
• 4. It enables you for all heavenly communion and serviceableness to Divine glory.
• 5. God will own and accept of it, and the fruits of it, though but little and weak.
• 6. He will strengthen and uphold, and perfect it unto the day of Christ.
• 7. He will pour upon every person who enjoys it, all necessary blessings for this life, and will take special notice of him, and care for him in the days of adversity.
• 8. Renewing grace shall (without all doubt) bring us at the last to eternal happiness.

First, Newness of heart is a sure and infallible testimony of the best, and of the greatest matters which can concern the soul.

There are six things which do concern the soul as nearly I think as any can, and of everyone of them is renewing grace a sure testimony. 1. The love of God. 2. The election of God. 3. A relation to God. 4. A change from death to life. 5. The pardon of sin. 6. The hope of glory.

1. Of the love of God, that the Lord doth indeed set his special love, his very heart upon a person. 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God. Psal. 146. 8. The Lord loveth the righteous; for any to be made the sons of God, this is an effect or fruit of the love of God; now all the sons of God are new born, they are born again of the Spirit, Joh. 3. 5. Ephes. 2. 4. But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us. Ver. 5. even when we were dead in sins and trespasses, hath quicked us together with Christ. As it is one of the greatest testimonies of God's hatred and wrath, for any to be left to his old sinful heart and lusts, and ways; so it is one of the greatest testimonies of God's love, when he pities them in their sinful condition, and delivers them out of it, and gives his Spirit to enliven and renew them by grace.

2. Of the Election of God; for this see two places: 1 Thes. 1. 4. Knowing (Brethren, Beloved) your Election of God. Ver. 5. For our Gospel came unto you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost. Eph. 1. 4. He hath chosen us in him that we should be holy. Holiness (or renewing grace) it is (as one speaketh) the counterpane of God's decree of Election; God by his own eternal prescience knows whom he intends for salvation, and we by that work of renewing grace in our hearts, come to know that eternal purpose of his grace concerning us, it being given unto us an effect flowing from his Election, and in order unto that happiness unto which he hath chosen us.

3. Of our Relation to God as our God and our Father; as none but his people and children are holy, so all his people and his children are holy. Isa. 63. 18. The people of thy holiness; they are, 1 Pet. 2. 9. an holy Nation, and a peculiar people. 2 Cor. 6. 17. Come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch no unclean thing. Ver. 18. And I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

4. Of our translation from life to death; See Isa. 4. 3. He that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even everyone that is written among the living in Jerusalem. Ezek. 16. 6. When I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live. Luk. 15. 32. This my son was dead, and is alive again. Rom 6. 11. Likewise reckon ye yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto God. Renewing grace is one of the strictest differences between men of death, and men of life; not any man hath it, but he who is made alive by Christ, and is in the state of life; no profane person hath it, nor doth any hypocrite partake of it.

5. Of the pardon of our sins; if any man fancieth that his sins are pardoned, and yet his sinful heart remains, he deceiveth himself; for when God pardons sins, he changeth the sinner. Jer. 33. 8. I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, and will pardon all their iniquities. Mal. 4. 2. The Son of righteousness shall arise with healing in his wings. 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified.

6. Of the hope of glory; Christ is the hope of glory, as a meritorious cause: Colos. 1. 27. And renewing grace is the hope of glory as a testifying means: 1 Pet. 1. 3. Who hath begotten us again to a lively hope. Ver. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible, &c. 1 Joh. 3. 2. We know that when he appeareth we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Ver. 3. And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as he is pure.

Secondly, Newness of heart is an unquestionable effect of our union with Christ; Is it no comfort to you that you belong to Christ, that Christ is yours, that you are in him of a truth! hear what the Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, &c. 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man he in Christ, he is a new creature. Beloved, this is most certain, that unction flows from union; you are not first sanctified and renewed, and then brought into Christ; but you are first brought into Christ, and so are you sanctified and renewed by the Spirit of Christ, partaking of him, you do partake of life; none have their hearts renewed by grace, but such as are in Christ; and all that are in Christ have their hearts renewed by grace: Joh. 1. 16. Of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.

Thirdly, Newness of heart is the noblest and highest elevation of our hearts, As the degenerate and corrupt nature is of all other the worst and basest (for there is nothing more vile than that which is most sinful) so the renewed nature which is directly opposite unto it, is of all other the most excellent and raising; it is therefore called, the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. The image of God, Col. 3. 10. The image of his glory, 2 Cor. 3. 18.

There are three things which may convince any Christian, that renewing grace or newness of heart is our highest elevation and perfection.

1. One, because it is the nearest resemblance of that nature which is in God himself; when you are renewed by grace, then you are like unto God himself: 1 Pet. 1. 16 Be ye holy, for I am holy.

2. Another, because it is the choicest work or effect of the Spirit of God, who though he produceth many other works, yet this is the chiefest of them, herein is his Arm revealed; and in this doth his glory most appear, and shine.

3. A third is, because it is our nearest conformity to Christ our Head, in whom the image of God doth most appear. The image of God doth consist in knowledge, holiness, and righteousness, as you may see if you compare Col. 3. with Ephes. 4. and this image was perfect in Christ who was the image of his Father; and unto this are we conformed (in our proportion) when we are renewed by grace; for we are then changed into the same image, 2 Cor. 3 18. And upon this one account are they said to be one Spirit with him who are joined with him, 1 Cor. 6. 17.

Fourthly, Newness of heart enables you for all heavenly communion, and serviceableness to Divine glory. Now you may aproach, and come near, and stand in the presence of your God, and he will take delight in you, and impart himself unto you; when you call, he will answer you, and say, Here I am; and when you hear his Word, he will meet you, and teach, and guide, and rejoice your heart. When God renews our hearts, he doth then set us apart for himself, owns us as his jewels, looks on us as his Hephziba and Beulah, as his beloved, as such in whom he delights, as his friends, as his favorites; you may open all your wants, and desires, and conditions unto him, and he will open all his goodness, and kindness, and mercies unto you: Your hearts are now become his temples in which he will dwell, and walk, and appear with glorious manifestations of his love, and grace, and help. Besides this newness of heart makes you serviceable unto his glory; you can glorify him in your hearts by believing on him; in your lives by heavenly, upright, humble, obedient faithful walking.

Fifthly, God will own and accept of it, and the fruit of it, though but little and weak; As the least degree of newness doth denominate the condition, so the weakest expressions of it are accepted; He will not despise the day of small things, Zach. 4. 10. The bruised reed he will not break, nor will he quench the smoking flax, Matth. 12. 20. But he will spare his people as a man spareth his son that serveth him, Mal. 3. 17.

Sixthly, Nay he will stand by it, and uphold it, and strengthen it, and perfect it: When you are under spiritual conflicts with your corruptions and temptations, he will be present with you; he will put forth his strong hand upon your weak hand; he will make his power to appear in your weakness, he will strengthen what he hath wrought, and finish what he hath begun.

Seventhly, Certain blessings, and special cares are for all whose hearts are renewed by grace: No people on earth have such a title to earth, nor such a sure revenue, nor such tender care for them, as renewed and regenerate persons. The Lord is near unto them, he is round about them, he is in the midst of them, he will do them good, he will surely bless them, no good thing shall be wanting to them, he will never leave them nor forsake them, he will be a present help unto them in the time of trouble, he will know their souls in adversity, and will contend against all who do contend against them.

Eighthly, Renewing grace will at the last bring you to the enjoyment of eternal happiness: Matth. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Rom. 6 22. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. Why! It is the first fruits of the Spirit; the earnest of the Spirit; the seal of the Spirit; holiness is happiness begun; grace is glory begun already, &c.

SECT. VI.

Use 5. DOth God promise to give a new heart? Then let the next Use be for Exhortation to use the means by which everyone of us may at length enjoy it.

For the managing of this Use, there are three things I will offer unto you.

• 1. Motives to persuade you to strive after a new heart.
• 2. Cautions what to avoid if you would get the new heart.
• 3. Scripture-informations what the ways are, which if you take, will certainly bring you to the enjoyment of a new heart.

1. The Motives to persuade us to look and strive after this new heart.

They are these three. 1. The misery of an old heart. 2. The necessity of a new heart. 3. The possibility to be delivered from that, and to be possessed of this.

1. The misery of an old heart: It is such an heart that (remaining under the power of it) you cannot please God; Rom. 8. 8. Nay, you cannot but displease God, you cannot but still sin against him, cannot cease from sin, 2 Pet. 2 14.

But more particularly, the old heart,

First, Is a fleshly and corrupt heart (the old man which is corrupt, Eph. 4. 22. It is called the plague of the heart, 1 King. 8. 38. It corrupts all your thoughts, and all your affections, and all your speeches, and all your actions.

Secondly, Is an abominable heart; the Lord loathes and abhors it, as the defacing of his image, as the workmanship of the Devil, as that which is most contrary to his Nature, to his Will, and to his Glory.

Thirdly, Is a debasing heart; it makes us more vile than the vilest of creatures, it makes us like the Devil, it makes us his children, his slaves, his captives and bondmen.

Fourthly, A prejudicing heart, it keeps us off from God, from Christ, from all heavenly communion, from all ability to do good, or to receive good; it holds up our distance from mercy, from blessings, from heaven, and from all hopes thereof: Ephes. 2. 12. Without Christ, having no hope, and without God in the world.

Fifthly, It is a deceitful heart: Jer. 17. 9. It tempts you, and deceives you; it promiseth one thing, and pays you another thing; it pretends but to a little more sinning, and yet it is insatiable: It tells you that it will bring you off from sinning, and yet still it engageth you to farther sinning: It makes you to believe that you shall have mercy, and yet it continues you in a course of sinning which will lose you mercy; it saith that you shall at last repent, and yet it makes your heart more hardened and impenitent; it gives you vain pleasures, and so cheats you of all true joy; it feeds you with some empty profits, and thereby deprives you of all true riches; it brings in (sometimes) a little of earth, but then it makes you to lose Christ and your own souls.

Sixthly, Is a dreadful heart: It is the root of gall and wormwood, and the fruits of it are terror, and wrath, and death, and hell. All the terrors of conscience spring from it; all the wrath of God breaks out upon you by reason of it; all the bitter feelings, and all the dreadful fears and expectations depend upon it; you cannot know peace whiles you live under the power of it: Neither God, nor Christ, nor his Spirit, nor his Word, nor Conscience will speak peace unto you in that condition. But on the contrary, the Law of God threatens and condemns you, and the Gospel doth as much and more, and God and Conscience are all in arms against you; and every judgment of God (which respects your soul and body for this life and the next) doth await but one word and commission from the just God to fall on you, and to torment and destroy you.

2ly The necessity of a new heart.

You know there is a twofold necessity.

One is absolute, without which a thing cannot be at all, as the union of the soul with the body to make a man. Another is Hypothetical; if one would be in a well-being, then such or such a thing is necessary: Now you can never be in a well-being, unless the Lord give you a new heart; renewing grace is necessary as to that. Our well-being respects either this present, or that future life; and newness of heart necessarily concerns both.

1. For this life; we cannot be well whiles we are under the curse for sin, and under the power of sin; to deliver us from the first of these, it is necessary to get Christ, and to be justified; and to deliver us from the last of these, it is as necessary to get renewing grace, and to be sanctified.

2. For the future life of blessedness, it is also necessary, forasmuch as there cannot be a fruition of that, without an antecedent fruition of this: Joh. 3. 5. Except a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Heb. 12. 14. Without holiness no man shall see the Lord.

3ly The Possibility of getting this new heart.

I confess, that though newness of heart be necessary, yet if it be impossible to be attained, it were in vain to put you upon the seeking for it; but as it is necessary to enjoy it, so it is possible to find it; and three things may convince us of that.

First, One is the power of God, to whom nothing is hard or impossible: 'It is true, that an Almighty power must be put forth to make a Creature, and to make a new creature: But God is able to quicken the dead, and to restore his own image, and to slay and subdue the power of our sins, and to create in us a new heart, and to put another spirit within us; whatsoever he doth command and require, he is able to give and work.

Secondly, The second is the promise of God; you see here that he promiseth to give a new heart, and upon this condition, if men will inquire of him for it, as he likewise upon the same terms promiseth to give his holy Spirit to them that ask it, Luke 11. 13. Now the promise of God as it includes his power to perform what he hath promised, so it doth express his intention and will to give what he promiseth to give, if we seek unto him, and rely upon him.

The third is the work of God: He hath according to his Word of promise given this new heart to many thousands in the world; we find large Records of this in the Scripture, Act. 2. 4. and we see manifold instances amongst ourselves what changes he makes in the hearts and lives of men, and many times of such as have been very wicked, and utterly unworthy.

2ly. The Cautions what to avoid if we would get a new heart.

If ever you would seek for, and obtain a new heart, then remember these five Cautions.

First, Beware of a self-deceiving opinion that you have it already; and that you (for your part) stand not under the want and need of it. This is that which undoth many hearers, when we press Christ and faith upon them, O they have believed on him: And when we press repentance, why, they need no repentance, they have repented long ago; and when we tell them they must be converted, they must be new creatures, they must get new hearts, O they need them not, their hearts are as good as the best, and they have very good natures and dispositions: With this the Pharisees deceived themselves; they were righteous and needed no repentance, and so they rejected Christ; and with this, Laodicea deceived herself; She was rich and increased, and stood in need of nothing; and yet she was blind, and wretched, and naked, and poor.

Secondly, Beware that you hearken not to the exceptions and prejudices of your old and corrupt hearts, which are blind and cannot see the excellency of renewing grace, and which also are averse, and have a natural antipathy unto it. You would not imagine (until you come to the trial) what exceptions and oppositions there are in our hearts against their Conversion and Renovation; Sometimes we look on it as a melancholy and troubling humor: sometimes we look on it as a needless and vain preciseness; sometimes we look on it as a proud and unsociable quality; sometimes we look on it as too low and mean a state and practice for persons of our greatness; sometimes we look on it as that which will expose us to the contempts, and scoffs, and reproaches of men; sometimes we look on it as the grave of all our delights and profits; sometimes we look on it as a business utterly impossible for any man on earth: Now if any of these prejudices, or if any other besides these prevail with us, we will then sit quiet and contented with our old heart, and will never be persuaded to look out for new hearts; therefore beseech the Lord to deliver you from the lying vanities and prejudices of the old heart.

Thirdly, Beware of consulting with worldly men, or setting up the favors or frowns of them: O if I should become a new man, and lead a new life; if I should regard holiness, and life godly, I should lose favor, and hopes; how would my Parents look on me? what would my friends and acquaintance think of me! what opposition would befall me! how would men scoff and jear at me! and what reports and reproaches would they raise of me! let me tell thee plainly and faithfully, that if the Lord doth not in much mercy mortify and subdue this weakness (that I say not wickedness) of spirit in thee, that thou art contented rather to enjoy thy old heart and courses with the applauses of the world, than to yield in thy heart to Christ, and be willing and resolute to get thy heart renewed by the Spirit of grace, although for this thou mayest meet with all sorts of afflictions and reproaches from the world, thy poor soul will be forever lost.

First, Beware that you rest not on your own strength and sufficiency, to renew or change your hearts; if you do, two fruits there will be of it.

1. You will either not seek to the Lord at all, or if you do, you will then seek him in a careless and unbelieving way.

2. Another is, you will but labor in vain, you will never be successful; for you have no strength and sufficiency of your own: Without me, saith Christ, ye can do nothing, Joh. 15. 5. And it is God (saith the Apostle) that worketh in us to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Fifthly, Beware that you neither delay, nor dally in using the means to get this new heart: Do not say tomorrow, the next year, when I am sick, when I am old; these may be too late, and these may provoke the Lord to turn away his mercy, and to deny his Spirit, because you put him off, he may therefore justly put you off: Neither dally in the use of means, one while attending, another while neglecting; one while being fervent, and another while being remiss; one week going forward, and then for a year to fall backward, but resolve to seek this new heart with all your heart, and with all your pains, following on, and pressing forward, and running till you enjoy this new heart, which God hath promised to give unto them that seek it.

3ly The ways or means to get a new heart.

First, Strive to be willing that God should make your hearts new, that he should change and renew them by grace; Pars est sanitatis velle sanari; Jer. 13. 27. O Jerusalem, wilt thou be made clean? Joh. 5. 6. Jesus said unto him, wilt thou be made whole? O that we could get thus far, O Lord, I am weary of my old sinful heart, I am willing that thou shouldest heal it, and reform it: If the unclean person were willing that God should cleanse him from his filthiness; and the proud person were willing that God should make him humble, this would be a fair step to newness of heart.

Secondly, Express this willingness in earnest Prayers to God, who only is able to give a new heart: Jer. 17. 14. Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, O Lord, and I shall be saved. Psal. 51. 10. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

And let your Prayers have three Ingredients or Concomitants.

1. Sincerity; let them come from your very hearts, let them be the desires of your souls: My soul follows hard after thee, Psal. 63. 8. With my soul have I desired thee in the night, yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early, Isa. 26. 9. That the Lord may see that in very deed you would have your hearts changed, and nothing will satisfy you till he grant you that request.

2. Faith; give up your earnest request for this in Faith, 1. Of Credence, that he can give it. 2. Of Reliance, that for his Christ's sake, and for his promise sake he will do it: Lord! It is thy promise to give a new heart, and all thy promises in Christ are Yea and Amen; none doth need the new heart more than I do, and none can give that heart but thyself; and thou hast promised to give it unto them that ask; I come unto thee in the Name of Christ, and do beseech thee for his sake to answer me according to thy Word; thou art able and faithful, thou wilt give what thou promisest to give to them that seek thee; I believe all this, Lord help my unbelief, &c.

3. Perseverance; hold on this request; and against all the rebellious workings of your old heart, and against all the fears, and disputes, and discouragements of your old hearts, yet lift up one Prayer more, and one Prayer more; you shall certainly prevail if you can persevere in Prayer.

There are three Requests which a poor broken-heart is sure to speed in, if he will pray always, and not faint; One is for a Christ, and another is for pardoning mercy, and a third is for a new heart.

Thirdly, Diligently and patienly attend the Word, by which God converts, and changeth, and renews the heart: Psal. 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect, converting souls. Jam. 1. 18. Of his own Will begat he us with the Word of Truth. Ephes. 5. 26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word. How many old sinful hearts hath God convinced and converted by his Word, that have come unto it with ignorance, and been sent from it with knowledge! that have come to it with hardness, and have been sent from it with tenderness! that have come to it with pride, and have been sent from it with humility! that have come to it with all manner of profaneness, and have been sent from it with all manner of holiness, with the Love of God, and fear of God, and hatred of sin, and real purpose to walk with God in newness of obedience; O therefore attend the Word of the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, and therefore the power of God to Renovation, &c.

Fourthly, Lastly, beseech the Lord to give you the uniting faith; that faith which will unite your hearts to Jesus Christ, which will effectually bring you into relation with him, as Members of the Body of which he is the head; as Branches of himself the true Vine.

Object. Why, what will this do, may some of you say?

Sol. I will tell you what it will do; it will infallibly bring in renewing grace to your hearts: You can never be changed and renewed Creatures, unless you be in Christ, 2 Cor 5. 17. For our spiritual life is in and from him; he is the Author of life unto us, as Adam was the author of death unto us: And he was anointed with the Spirit, that we from him might be Anointed with the Spirit: And if once you be united by Faith unto him, you partake of his Spirit to sanctify and renew, and conform you unto himself; He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit, 1 Cor. 6. 17.

T Hese words are yet a further Declaration of the gracious will and intention of God towards the people of his Covenant: Two things already hath God promised unto them; one was to justify them, to pardon all their sins; another was to sanctify them, to renew all their hearts.

And there are two more choice mercies and blessings which he doth graciously undertake to bestow upon them.

First, One is, to take away the stony heart out of their flesh.

Secondly, The other is, to give them an heart of flesh: O what a mercy is it to be rid of the stone in the body which puts us to such exquisite pain and torment! your mercy is infinitely greater, to be delivered from the stone in the heart, which is the depth of sin, and the height of judgment.

There are three Propositions which these words do hold forth unto us; viz.

First, There is a stony heart, or an heart of stone in every man.

Secondly, That God will take away the stony heart from his people.

Thirdly, He will not only take away from them the heart of stone, but he will also give them an heart of flesh.

SECT. I.

Quest▪ 1. WHY is the hard heart called a stony heart?

It is so called, for the resemblance which it hath with a stone; and in five particulars. 1. Unsensibleness. 2. Unflexibleness. 3. Resistingness. 4. Heaviness. 5. Unfruitfulness.

First, Because it is an unsensible heart: What sense is there in a Rock? in a Stone? in the Adamant? in Ephes. 4. 18, 19. hardened sinners are said to be past feeling; and that expression, past feeling, seems to be taken from the hands of laboring men, which are so thickened, and hardened by pains, that they can grasp nettles and thorns, and yet not feel the sharpness nor sting; the natural heart is in this respect a stony heart, (i. e.) unsensible. Though he hath as many sins upon the soul which makes the very Creation to groan, and to travail in pain: Rom. 8. 22. yet he neither complains nor feels, he goes on f • om day today, and adds drunkenness to thirst, and drinks up iniquity as water, yet he saith, What evil have I done? and there is no iniquity in my doings; though the judgments of God be very near him, and the tokens do abundantly appear, yet like Ephraim, when gray hairs were here and there upon him, he perceived them not, Hosea 7. 9. Yea▪ though the anger of the Lord be poured upon him, and sets him on fire round about, yet he knows it not; nay, though it burn him, yet he lays it not to heart, Isa. 42. 25. Such a gross stupidity is there in the natural and stony heart. What one spake of himself in an humble way; Erubescenda video nec erubesco, dolenda intueor nec doleo, peccata inspicio nec geno; This, and much more may be said of him that hath the hard and stony heart; he blushes not, he grieves not, he sighs not for his sins; nay, he rejoiceth and boasteth, and makes but a mock of sin, so utterly unsensible is he of sin.

Secondly, Because it is an unflexible heart; you may bow a stick, and melt the brass, and bend the very iron; but you cannot bow nor bend the stone; the stone may be broken in pieces, yet you can never so mollify it as to make it to bow, it is naturally hard, and naturally unyielding. Thus it is with the heart which is hard, it is unflexible and unyielding; it will be what it hath been: Ezek. 3. 7. It will not hearken, it will not obey, it will receive no instruction, advice, counsel; let God speak, and do what he will; let men speak, and do what they can, yet a hard heart fears not God, nor regards man. God sends Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh with a command to let Israel go; he rejects this command, Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice? &c. Then they show wonders before him, yet he will not yield; then God sends plagues upon the fruit and corn, and cattle, and servants, yet he will not yield nor obey. Thus when the Israelites fell sick of the stone, I mean, when their hearts became hardened, then they became unflexible and unyielding. 2 Chron. 36. 15, 16. The Lord sent Prophets to them early and late, but they mocked the Messengers of God, and despised his Word, and misused his Prophets: You may read in Amos the 4th. how God dealt with them in manifold ways of judgment, yet there was no yielding; in ver. 6. He sends them cleanness of teeth, and want of bread, yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the Lord; in ver. 7. He withheld rain from them, yet ver. 8. have ye not returned unto me; in ver. 9. He smites them with blasting and mildew; yet have ye not returned unto me; in ver. 10. He sent the pestilence among them after the manner of Egypt, yet have ye not returned; in ver. 11. He overthrew some of them, as he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and the rest were as a fire-brand plucked out of the fire, yet have ye not returned: O this is the hard heart, which when God speaks, it will not hear; when God calls, it will not yield; though God intreats it by mercies, yet it will not yield to leave sin; though God threatens it with wrath for continuing in sin, yet it will not forsake sin; though God plucks away mercies after mercies; though God lets down judgment after judgment; though he wounds the conscience; though he throws it into hell, yet it will not yield to obey the voice of the Lord, to turn from sin.

Thirdly, Because it is a resisting heart; the hard stone doth not only not receive impression, but it resists and turns back the strokes; even so when the heart is hard, it doth not only not admit the Word, but instead of yielding, it opposeth the Word, and resists the Spirit of God. Jer. 44. 16. As for the Word which thou hast spoken unto us in the Name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. Ver. 17. but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our own mouth. Zach. 7. 11. They refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears that they should not hear. Ver. 12. And made their hearts as an Adamant stone, lest they should hear the Law. Acts 7. 51. Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost. Hence it is that sinners of hard hearts are said to make light of the Word, to despise it, to reject it, to mock at it, to contradict it, to blaspheme, and speak against it, as the Pharisees and the Jews, &c.

Fourthly, Because it is an heavy heart; the stone is naturally heavy, descending and inclining downward; if you will find it, you must look for it in the earth; and if you throw it up, it will fall down again to the earth; that is its center, thither it inclines, and there it resteth: So the hard heart, it is an heavy heart; not only heavy in a way of indisposition and untowardliness to what is good, (no mind to pray or hear, or repent, &c.) but also heavy in a way of inclination; it is an heart which inclines downward to worldly lusts, and sinful lusts; in them it delights and rests as in its center. Although sometimes in an exigence of outward trouble, and inward anguish of conscience it seems to be lifted up, yet upon the cessation of their working, it returns again to its old love and practice of sin.

Fifthly, Lastly, The hard heart is called a stony heart, because it is a barren and unfruitful heart: What fruit is to be gathered from the stone or rock? Cast the seed on it, let the rain come down from heaven upon it; let the Sun shine with its beams upon it, yet the stone is a stone still, a barren and unfruitful lump of earth: And thus is it with an hard heart; though the man lives under many precious means of grace, and manifold helps, and daily opportunities; and though others are wrought upon by the Word, the Word brings forth in them the fruits of knowledge, of godly sorrow, of repentance, of faith, of love, of newness of heart and life, &c. yet in him it is unfruitful; though he lives under it many years, yet his heart is ignorant still, and proud still, and earthly still, and filthy still, he is not humbled nor changed, nor reformed at all.

Thus you have some Reasons why the hard heart is called a stony heart: Now in the next place lets inquire:

Quest. 2. What kinds of stonyness or hardness of heart is to be found in man? that so we may the more admire at the greatness of God's mercy, who promiseth to take it away out of our natures.

Sol. For this, know, that there is a threefold hardness incident to the heart of man.

1. One is Natural.

2. The second is Habitual or Contracted.

3. The third is Judicial or Penal.

First, Natural hardness of heart, (is that Tomb-stone of sin and death) it is one part of that wretched nature conveyed unto us by the fall of Adam, by which our hearts are made dark and unsensible of our sins, and untoward, and disobedient, and gain-saying, and unyielding, and refractory, and obstinately set against the commands and ways of God, and the strivings of his Spirit, and all his dealings, either in ways of mercy, or in ways of judgment. This natural hardness, as it is in every man by nature, so it is in every part of man, in every faculty of his soul. In his understanding there is a wonderful incapacity and stupidity, and inapprehensiveness of them, though distinctly opened, and often revealed truths and ways of God. In his memory there is such a hardness, that all the heavenly delivery of the mind of God in things pertaining to salvation, fall away as waters from the Rock, are forgotten, and they slip away; they stay not sometimes one minute, though other discourses are held fast. In his judgment there is such a hardness that raiseth enmity and resistance, and affords a world of carnal reasonings to oppose and put by the truth In his will there is such a hardness of obstinacy and perverseness, that when all is said that can be said by Law or Gospel, yet men will not hear, Joh. 5. 40. though they may be saved; nor will they hear, though therefore they shall be damned. In his affections there is such an hardness, that men sin without fear, and without all compunction and sorrow of heart; and though the glorious things of Christ are revealed and offered, and pressed upon them, yet no delight, no love, no desire at all can be raised in them, &c. In his conscience, which under all the threats of God, and terrors of God revealed, remains quiet, unstirred, scared, and careless, as if these were fables, and impertinent notions.

Secondly, The Contracted hardness is that which we bring upon our sinful hearts (and add unto them) by the frequency of our sinning actions or practices, or by a voluntary opposing of all the means which do tend to the softening our heart. And by the way let me tell you, that there are three kinds of sinning which do extremely super add to the hardening of man's heart.

One is the sinning against clear light.

The second is the sinning with delight.

The third is the customary way of sinning; long going in a path, often beating the anvil.

Thirdly, The Judicial hardness, which is that unto which God gives the stubborn sinner up for not hearkening unto him, but still continuing and persisting in a sinful course; and therefore he leaves him unto himself, and to his own lusts, and his Spirit shall no more strive with him; and hereupon the sinful heart being left unto itself, breaks forth into all manner of wickedness, and so doth exceedingly obdurate itself; it becomes more unsensible, and more fearless, and more enraged against all that is good, &c.

Now the stony heart, or hard heart spoken of here in the Text, is principally that which is natural; and I will not deny that the Contracted hardness may be meant, but not the Judicial.

Quest. 3. But how then may it be demonstrated that naturally every man's heart is a stony or hard heart?

Sol. There are six things which may convince us that it is so.

First, The forwardness in men to sin; every natural heart is ready to sinful acts, and easy unto them: Ephes. 4. 19. If temptations present themselves, the natural heart presently entertains them, and complies with them; and if no temptations from Satan and the world present themselves, the natural heart will tempt itself; why this is a conviction that the heart is hard; for if it be a good sign of a tender and soft heart, when it is afraid to sin: How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God, said Joseph? Gen. 39. 9. Then surely it is a sign of a hard heart when it is forward to sin, and greedy to sin, and easily and willingly lets out itself to sin, and fears not at all to sin; but every man's heart (naturally) is so forward and bent to sin, that it cannot, and it will not be restrained from sin. Gen. 11. 6. Nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Zeph. 3. 5. The unjust know no shame.

Secondly, The silence and quietness in conscience under all sinnings: Men neglect all holy duties, and swea • , and lie, and deceive, and are drunken, and commit adultery, &c. and conscience saith nothing to them. Assuredly this is a strong conviction, that their hearts are hard; for where there is any softness of heart, there conscience is alive, and hath some power to warn and check, and oppose before sinning; and likewise to accuse and condemn, and trouble after sinning: But now natural men (generally) find it thus, that conscience is dead, and takes no notice, or it is weak, and can do nothing with them; before sinning it appears not, and after sinning it troubles not. Ergo. their hearts are hard.

Thirdly, The security of heart: Taken me any one broken-hearted sinner; why under the sense of any one transgression he goes heavy all the day long, and he weeps bitterly, and he waters his couch with his tears, and he is afraid of the Lord whom he hath provoked, and he makes in earnestly for reconciliation and peace with God; and why doth he so? because his heart is soft and tender. But on the contrary, the natural man he sins, and is confident; exposes himself to wrath, and yet is secure; and though God saith he is offended and displeased with him; and though God threatens him with wrath; and though he knows that God hath destroyed some for the same sin of which he is guilty, yet the man goes on in his sinful practices, and makes no account of this. And what is the cause of it? it is this, his heart is hard, and hardened: Were not the man under a reprobate sense, infinitely stupid and seared, he could not rest so secure.

Fourthly, The absence of all penitential works: Whensoever the Lord gives a soft heart (which is opposite to this stony heart) then ariseth presently

• 1. A sight and solemn consideration of sin.
• 2. An humble mourning and lamenting for sin.
• 3. A self-judging confession of sin.
• 4. A cordial aversation from sin.
• 5. Importunate supplication for pardoning mercy and grace.
• 6. A serious application of the heart to Christ.

And on the contrary, where the heart is hard, there are none of these; no hard heart considers of its ways, saying, What have I done? no man smites on his thigh, and is humbled; no man repents; no man seeks after the Lord; no man cries out for mercy, or for grace, or for Christ. Certainly so much as there is of impenitency, so much there is of hardness of heart; but naturally every man's heart is impenitent, and he is not only a stranger to these penitential works, but also he is an enemy unto them: Ergo.

Fifthly, The inefficacy of the Word; the Word of God is compared sometimes

1. To the Sun, which enlightens and quickens.

2. To water, which softens and cleanseth.

3. To the hammer, which bruises and breaks.

4. To fire, which heats and melts, and refines; but on the natural heart either it hath no efficacy at all, or it is a long time before it can make any impression, and yet a longer time before it make any saving impression; either the heart will not suffer us to hear the voice of the Word, or it will not suffer us to acknowledge the truth of the Word; or it is so hard, that it will not suffer us to do anything according to the Word; indeed the heart is so hard, that unless the Lord himself be pleased to put out his Almighty power, it will never yield unto any saving operation of the Word.

Sixthly, I will add one Demonstration more of the hardness of man's heart, which is this, the unsensibleness of that hardness of heart; naturally the heart is so hard, that it doth not, and cannot perceive its own hardness indeed; when grace comes into the heart, then a spiritual sensation comes into the heart, then we can feel our sins, and feel our hardness, and complain of the one, and bewail the other: O Lord, why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear? Isa. 63. 17.

But while men are in this natural, sinful condition, they are not sensible of their finful burdens, nor are they sensible of the unsensibleness of their stupidity and hardness of their hearts. They are sensible of this loss, and of that want, and can complain of this, and take on for that; but when did you ever hear a natural man complain of his hard heart? O I have such an heart so full of sin, and yet I cannot mourn for sin; so unteachable, so intractable, so resisting, so opposing the Word of God, and ways of God! What shall I do? whether shall I go? O it is a burden that I cannot bear, &c. Why, this unsensibleness that our hearts are hard, it is a demonstrative conviction that they are hard; and indeed no heart is more hard than that heart which is not sensible that it is hard.

Now I come to the useful Application of this unto ourselves.

SECT. II.

[Use 1] IS there a stony heart in every man? is the heart of every man (naturally) a hard heart? Then wonder not to see so little good done upon men; wonder not

1. That our own private instructions, and counsels, and entreaties, and reproofs usually come to nothing. How often do we find parents abounding in cares and watchings, and teachings, and advising, and checking, and correctings of their children! and when they have said and done all they can, they fall a weeping and a sobbing, and sighing; why what's the matter? O nothing will work on my child! and what's the reason of it? thy child hath a hard heart, and an hard heart is an unteachable and an intractable heart.

2. Wonder not that [Simile.] the public pains and labors in the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ, many times proves but like rain that falls upon the house top, or upon the rocks; little or no fruit comes of studies, of prayers, of doctrines, of exhortations, of reproofs; but people remain still what they were, as proud, as vain, as profane, as impudent in sins as before. And Ministers are apt to be discouraged, and complain that they spend their strength in vain, and labor for naught, Isa. 49. 4. And some imagine, if other Ministers came into their room, the matter would be much mended; and other Ministers do come, and then awhile they fall a weeping and complaining, What a people are these, that no part of the Word of God will work on? and no kind of delivery of the same will take hold of them; if we entreat them, they slight us; and if we plainly reprove them, they grow worse: Now I say, wonder not at this; Christ himself met with such kinds of people, when he preached here on earth, and he did hit upon the right cause of all this untowardliness and averseness, and that was the hardness of men's hearts: I have heard some preach that if Ministers would use clear convictions in their preaching, that their hearers would be taken, for they were reasonable creatures; alas, that they should proclaim their own ignorance; that men are rational creatures, a Philosopher can teach us; but that men are sinful creatures, and have hard hearts, the Scriptures teach us; and all the convictions and demonstrations of the will of God will never make impression, unless the Lord take away the stony heart out of them.

3. Wonder not that all the Providential Dispensations of God work not better amongst men; you see many times that personal affections do no good at all, though one loseth husband, wife, children, estate, he fears not, he returns not, he mends not; wonder not at this, for the man hath an hard heart. You find many times public judgments in a Nation, and God pouring contempt and wrath upon it, and on all sorts of men; and yet the Inhabitants thereof do learn no righteousness, but he that was ignorant, is ignorant still; and he that was filthy, is filthy still; and he that was proud, is proud still; and men grow more wicked under the judgments and plagues of God upon them; wonder not at this, for their hearts are hard hearts, and nothing whatsoever will or can effectually work as long as the heart continues hard. Thou mayst pity and pray, and weep, and fear; but persons of hard hearts will do none of these, until God take away the stony heart from them.

[Use 2] Is there a stony heart in every man? then let us make a stand, and wonder at the exceeding patience of the Lord, and his longsuffering; that he can bear so much, and forbear, and hold in his wrath, and not make an end of sinners, and utterly destroy them. You cannot possibly comprehend what affronts and injuries the hard heart puts upon God; and what continued provocations that heart daily sends forth, and raiseth against him. O what careless neglects of his commanding will? What proud slightings of his severe threatenings? What contemptuous refusals of his gracious offers of mercy? What audacious resistances of his Spirit? What desperate boldness in sinning? What an obstinate course and progress in offending of him? What unteachableness and barrenness after all the pains that God takes with it, all the cost that he is at to work upon it for good, and yet the Lord is patient towards it, and renews offers of grace, and sends early and late, and there is line upon line, and precept upon precept, and yet he doth not leave the sinner for all this, but for a long time stands at the door and knocks, and waits that he may be gracious, and gives him time, and expects him when he will consider and hearken, and return! Truly the hardness of man's heart is wonderful, which will not bow after so many gracious dealings of God, and the patience of God is more wonderful, who will bear so many, and so long affronts from a proud and hard heart. If the Husbandman hath a piece of ground, which (after all his Tillage) still bears briars and thorns, he will cast it off. If the School-Master hath a Scholar, which (after long teaching and instructing) continues dull and uncapable, he will meddle no more with him; Sir, I can do no good on your child. If a Master hath a Servant or an Apprentice, who (after all his care and pains to instruct him in his Trade) yet remains unapprehensive and stupid, and perhaps vicious, he longs to be rid of him. If a Parent hath a child that is naught and stubborn, and will not hearken, nor be reclaimed, the Parent is. weary of him, and casts him out of doors, or sends him into another Country.

Thus none but God will bear with a hard and stubborn heart; God I say, who is most provoked by it; therefore unquestionably his patience is exceeding great, it is wonderful towards sinners.

[Use 3] Is there a stony heart in every man? this may then inform us of three things.

First, That the conversion of a sinner is even a miraculous work: We wonder that so few persons are converted by the Word; nay, but we should rather wonder that any person is converted by it; because there is such a stony and hard heart in every person, which is so unsensible of its own miserable condition, which is so uncapable to be taught the knowledge of the matters of salvation, which is so opposite and averse, and unyielding, and resisting as to all the means and ways of grace; where there is a blind and proud judgment that will not be persuaded, where •• there is such a stubborn will that will not be made willing; and where •• there are so many vile affections which w • ll not be tamed and awed, and subdued. It is matter of greater wonder that any one sinner is brought in by grace, than if all sinners should fall into hell.

Secondly, That it is from grace, and from that alone, if any sinner be converted; it is from the freeness of God's grace, and from the power of God's grace, not from anything at all in the person converted: And my reason is this, because the heart of every sinner is (naturally) a stony heart, a hard heart; and a stony heart is not only an impotent heart, but also a resisting heart to grace: Verily the best man may, and must confess that it is only of the Lord's mercy that he was not consumed; and that his present life and estate in grace was never of himself who is called, but only from the favor and power of the grace of God who did call him: What I am, I am by the grace of God, said Paul, 1 Cor. 15. 10. Our hearts were hard hearts, and therefore contradicting and opposing, until beaten down and conquered by the love and might of divine grace.

Thirdly, That God is most righteous in all his judgments here on earth, and in all those future and eternal punishments of sinners in hell; for sinners have hard and hardened hearts: Why if sinners will not hearken to God; if they will not obey his voice; if they will stop their ears, and withdraw their shoulders; if they will not receive his Laws; if they will not receive instruction, and take warning; if they will not know the day of their visitation; if they will not know the things which concern their peace, but harden their hearts; it is righteous with God to reject them who do reject him; to cast them off who do cast him off; to abhor them who abhor him; to punish and plague, and destroy them who harden their hearts against him.

Object. We have many amongst us who do wonder at God's judgments abroad in the world, and at all the changes and miseries which they have seen, and perhaps felt.

Sol. And why do ye wonder at them? rather wonder at the hardness of your own hearts, which under all the judgments of God continue so proud, and so scorning at holiness, and so hating to be reformed, and so manifestly irreligious and profane; it is righteous with God to punish hard-hearted sinners. Who ever hardened his heart against him, and prospered? Job 9. 4. If we will never be instructed to repent, God will certainly destroy us: Prov. 29. 1.

SECT. III.

[Use 4] IS the heart of every man a stony or hard heart? then let every man as he loves his soul, Strive all that he can to be cured of the stone in the heart: (i. e.) to use all spiritual means to be delivered from hardness of heart.

And for this let me propound unto you, 1. Some Motives which possibly may work on you. Secondly, Some means for the cure of it.

1. The Motives to look after the cure of a stony or hard heart, are these.

First, The Consideration of those sins which are included in this one sin of hardness of heart, which make it to be exceeding sinful; What sins will you say? There are three sins in this sin.

1. Stupidity and senselessness of spirit; O how dangerous! there are three very dangerous qualities.

A Seared Conscience, this is the worst of all Consciences.

A Reprobate Mind, this is the worst of all Minds.

A Senseless Heart, this is the worst of all Hearts; tanto pejior, quanto insensibilior. This is to be at the farthest distance and hope of conversion; Vicinior saluti dolor poenitentis quam stupor non sentientis, saith Austin. [Simile.] This is a condition worse than that of Judas, who was sensible, and cried out, I have sinned; nay, (in some respect) worse than that of the Devils, who do believe and tremble. Isa. 6. 9. Go and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see you indeed, but perceive not. Ver. 10. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and convert, and be healed.

2. Contempt of God: O what a child is he who will not hearken to his father? and what a sinner is he who will not hearken to his God? [Simile.] yet every hard heart refuseth to hearken unto God; and what is this but to displease the Lord, and scornfully to set him at naught? q. d. What tell you me of God, or of his will? I care not for him; what care I what he saith? I will follow mine own hearts lusts, I will not be guided and commanded by him.

3. Desperate wickedness: I will be sinful still, and I will go on in my sinful ways, though I lose mercy and heaven; yea, though I shall be damned forever: O Lord, What a condition is this? yet this is the condition of hardness of heart.

Secondly, The Consideration of the Losses unto which you will certainly expose yourselves, if you get not the cure of your hard and stony heart.

There are six losses which do and will befall you by it.

1. You lose the benefit of Christ; hardness and unbelief ever go together; the same word which we render hardness, doth signify unbelief many times; and the same word which we render unbelief, sometimes signifies hardness; but certainly hardness of heart keeps you from Christ; for it keeps you from the sense of your sins, and seeing a need of Christ; and it keeps up a rebellious ••• unyielding, and unsubjection to the voice of Christ. Hebr. 3. 7. Therefore saith the Holy Ghost, To day if ye will hear his voice. Ver. 8. Harden not your hearts.

2. You lose the benefit of pardoning mercy; for hardness of heart and impenitency go together: Rom. 2. 5. After thy hardness and impenitent heart; an hardened sinner is an impenitent sinner, and neither the one nor the other (remaining so) shall have mercy. Prov. 28. 13. Whoso confesseth and forsaketh his sins, shall have mercy. Ver. 14. But he that hardeneth his heart, shall fall into mischief.

3. You lose the hope of heaven; Read the Apostle, Rom. 2. 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up wrath unto thyself against the day of wrath.

4. You lose the benefit of all the Ordinances of Christ, all of them are in vain unto you; the Word of the Gospel cannot profit you, and the Seals of the Gospel cannot comfort you; nay, you will pervert the one, and abuse the other; and will g • ow more wicked, and more hardened after them, as the Clay by the shining of the Sun, &c.

5 You will lose the benefit of all the Providences of God; if the Lord shines upon you with outward prosperity, you will sin the more, by how much the more he blesses you; and if the Lord visits you with afflictions, the more he strikes you and smites you, the more stubbornly and frowardly will you go on in your sinful ways.

6. You will lose all the benefit of the workings of the Spirit of God, whom by the hardness of your hearts you do resist, and despite, and grieve, and quench.

Thirdly, Consider the sad effects and fruits of an hard and hardening heart.

1. You grieve the Lord by it exceedingly, and cause him to complain of you bitterly: Psal. 95 10 speaking of the hardened Israelites, Uer. 8. he saith, Forty years long was I grieved with this generation. Mark 3. 5. Christ was grieved at the hardness of their hearts. As a father grieves at the continued course of wickedness in his child, Alas all my counsels and corrections are lost, they do no good, &c.

2. You provoke the Lord by it; the day of hardening the heart, is the day of provocation: Hebr. 3. 15. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation; you do incense him to wrath against your own souls; Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly.

3. You will cause him to leave you, and forsake you, and to give you up to yourselves. Psal. 81. 11. But my people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me. Ver. 12. So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust, and they walked in their own counsel. What a sin is it for a sinner to forsake God? what a judgment is it for God to forsake a sinner? Woe unto them when I depart from them, Hosea 9. 12. [Simile.] It is worse than if the Pilot forsakes the Ship, or if the Sun forsakes the world, &c.

4. You will cause him to punish you; the hard heart is like the barren ground, which is near to the curse, Hebr. 6. 8. Now you shall find three sorts of punishments which God hath inflicted upon hard hearts.

First, Corporal: Pharaoh hardened his heart, and he was drowned: Exod. 15. 17. The Jews hardened their hearts, and they were carried away captive: 2 Chron. 36. 16. Nebuchadnezzar hardened his heart, and he was driven out amongst the beasts of the Field: Dan. 4. 33. with 5. 20. Jerusalem hardened her heart against Jesus Christ, and is a desolation to this day.

Secondly, Spiritual: God gives up the hard heart to a reprobate mind, Rom. 1. 28. To vile affections, and unnatural lusts, Rom. 1. 26. To the efficacy of Satan's temptations: 2 Thes. 2. 11. To delusions, to belief of lies, and frequently to final impenitency.

Thirdly, Eternal: 2 Thes. 1. 8. The Lord Jesus shall come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel. Ver. 9. And to punish them with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; so true is that of Solomon, Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

2ly. The means to cure the hardness of heart.

Concerning this there are three questions unto which I desire to speak.

• 1. Whether stonyness or hardness of heart be a curable disease or no?
• 2. If any hardness of heart be curable, then What is the way of the cure of it?
• 3. How one may know that he is cured of the hardness or stonyness of his heart?

Quest. 1. Whether stonyness or hardness of heart be a curable disease yea or no?

Sol. For answer unto this, know that there are three sorts of hardened sinners.

First, Some are so hardened in their heart and ways, that they are obstinately resolved to walk in them, and are likewise desperately set against all counsel and reproof; they do not only decline and disregard them, but also do make a mock and scorn of them; they stop the ear, and with-draw the shoulder, and refuse to hearken, and the Word of the Lord is a reproach unto them; they hold fast their iniquities, and refuse to return; and the more they are spoken unto, the more are their hearts enraged: We may say of this voluntary and malicious hardness of heart, what the Prophet spake, thy Wound is incurable. And there are five things which declare it to be so.

1. Such persons will put and keep themselves out of all ways of cure, (how then can the Patient be cured?) they will not come in public to hear the Word, and they will not in private call upon God, they forsake the Lord.

2. They do not only forsake the means of cure, but also do reject and despise them; the words and ways of God are abomination unto their souls.

3. They do continually strengthen themselves in the hardness of their hearts, by adding drunkenness to thirst, and iniquity unto iniquity; and by a willful progress in sinning, they do make their hearts more uncapable, and more intractable, and more averse.

4. They do not only quench the Spirit of God in all his motions, (so that he will no longer strive with them) but also they do (by their daring presumptions) extinguish also all the light and power of conscience in them, so that conscience is stupefied and seared.

5. They are rejected of God, and judicially given up to their own hearts lusts; and having resisted and despised his grace and mercy, he will now never give grace, nor show mercy unto them. Ezek. 24. 13. In thy filthiness is lewdness; because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy silthiness anymore, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee, Ver. 14. I the Lord have spoken it, it shall come to pass, and I will do it: I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent, &c.

Secondly, There are some hardened sinners whose hearts still take delight in their sinful ways,