The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant

SECT. I.

Quest. 1. THe manner how God takes away the hardness of heart from his peeople?

Sol. For Answer unto this, remember that hardness of heart may be taken away,

• 1. Preparatively.
• 2. Effectually.
• 3. Successively.
• 4. Perfectly and completely.

First, The Lord takes away the hardness of heart Preparatively, when he lets in such a powerful work of his Spirit, by the Law which doth both convince and break the heart of a sinner: The Spirit by the Law doth let in the sense of sin and wrath which is irresistible upon the Conscience, which is of that authority and force, that it rents the heart, and fills it with fear, and trembling, and astonishment. This is that which the Schoolmen call Attrition: And our Divines usually style Legal preparation, and the Scripture the spirit and bondage whereby all the powers, and presumptions, and confidences of the soul are shaken, and the heart is made so sensible of its transgressions, that it quakes, and trembles, and hath no rest nor peace, but is filled with bitterness, and terror, and cries out with woeful complaints, I have undone myself, I have sinned, I have sinned, and what will become of me! I feel the wrath of God, and what shall I do to be delivered! I cannot live thus, and I dare not die thus! if the Lord show me not mercy, I perish forever!

Secondly, The Lord takes away the hardness of the heart Effectually; and this he doth when he di • solves and melts the stonyness of the heart. It is one thing to break a stone into pieces, and it is another thing to melt a stone (as it were) into water: [Simile] The Lord doth by the Law break the stony and stout heart of a sinner; but he melts and dissolves the heart by the Gospel, and on this wise he doth dissolve and melt it;

1. By revealing of mercy, and hope of mercy to the broken and distressed sinner; thus and thus hast thou •• nned against me, and now thou seest and findest it to be an evil and bitter thing to slight my Word, and resist my Spirit, and to harden thy heart; thou art now fallen into the hands of the living God, and I can make all my wrath to fall on thee, and to destroy thee at once for all thy rebellions; But I am the Lord, merciful and gracious; I desire not the death of a sinner, but rather that he turn and live. Lo! I have given mine own Son Jesus Christ to die for sinners, and I have said that whosoever believes on him shall not perish, but have everlasting life, Joh. 3 16. Therefore go thou broken-hearted sinner, go thou unto him and be saved; accept of him, and thou shalt find mercy to pardon all that is past; he is able to save thee to the uttermost, and he is a merciful High Priest. O how this works on that sinner! but is it possible that there should be such a surpassing goodness in God? what, and to such a proud and stout-hearted sinner as I have been? what mercy to one who hath so often slighted mercy? and Christ for one who hath so often refused Christ? this begins to melt the hard heart of the sinner.

2. By the offer of mercy, and particular invitation of the broken-hearted sinner to lay hold on it: The Lord Jesus comes as it were to the very house of this sinner, and knocks at the door, and saith, Here dwells a broken-hearted sinner, and my Father hath sent me to him that I may save his poor soul: Come, come unto me, be not afraid, I myself do call thee to come unto me: And I do assure thee in the word of a Savior that I will not reject thee, but I will pity, and help, and refresh thee; I will answer for thy sins, and I will make thy peace; though thou hast been very wicked, I will not stand upon that; and though thou art utterly unworthy, yet I will not stand on that neither; only receive me, and I will be thine, and mercy and salvation shall be thine freely and a • suredly.

3. By the collation of Faith which makes the sinner willingly and really to close with Christ: The Lord by his Spirit doth enable the broken-hearted sinner to receive Jesus Christ, and to take livery and seizin of a reconciled, merciful, loving, blessing God in and by him. And now the apprehension and possession of all this rich mercy, and great love, and exceeding goodness of God in Christ melts and dissolves the stonyness of the heart, this works in him a tenderness, a mournfulness, a pliableness, and all that is contrary to hardness of heart.

Thirdly, The Lord takes away the stony heart from his people, successively, or by degrees; indeed the dominion of it is taken away in an instant, as soon as ever the sinner is brought into Christ, as soon as he is called and converted, the reigning power of hardness is taken away, the man shall never have such a stubborn, opposing, resisting, base heart any longer.

But yet the grudging of the stone, the remaining gravel, the relics of hardness are taken away by degrees; the remaining hardness the Lord takes away

First, one while by Afflictions: Psal. 119. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I have kept thy Word.

Secondly, Another while by mercies and kindnesses: Ezek. 16. 60. I will remember my Covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, I will establish unto thee an everlasting Covenant. Ver. 61. Then shalt thou remember thy ways and be ashamed. So Hose▪ 3. 5. Afterwards shall the Children return and seek the Lord, and shall fear the Lord and his goodness.

Thirdly, Sometimes by his Word and Ordinances, which are like Refining fire to melt and purge away our dross. How frequently do the people of God find the Word of God to be the power of God to melt away their carelessness, and their indisposition of heart, and deadness of heart, and backwardness, and unruliness of heart!

Fourthly, The Lord takes away the stony heart from his people perfectly and completely, Root and Branch; so that no part of it, and no degree of it shall ever be found in their hearts anymore. This shall be done in the very moment of death; when we come to the dissolution of soul and body, we shall then come to the perfect dissolution of all hardness, and of all remaining sinfulness of heart.

Quest. 2. Now to the second question, why the Lord will take away the stony heart from his people? and why he himself doth undertake it by promise?

Sol. The Lord will take away the heart of stone from his people, That

First, They may be his people, and receive him for their God and Lord: Beloved, as long as hardness of heart prevails on any people, it is impossible that they should become the people of the Lord; they will not hearken to his voice, nor obey his voice, nor receive his Laws, nor fall in with his offers and entreaties; but will reject his Word, and despise his counsel, and will follow the lusts of their own hearts; and therefore of necessity the Lord must take away the hardness of heart; if he will have any people to be his people, he must break down the pride, and stoutness, and resistance, and rebellion of their hearts; there must be a mutual will, and consent, and agreement, which cannot be, till resistance in our hearts be removed, that so our hearts may be made willing to comply with him, and with his will, and with his ways, and with his works.

Secondly, That he may bring them all into union with Jesus Christ; his people are a people given unto Christ from all eternity (Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, Joh. 17. 6.) And as they are given to Christ by an eternal compact; so they must be given in to Christ in time by effectual vocation in a way of believing: And for this reason also he will take away the hardness of their hearts, which is imcompatible with closing with Christ; Heb. 3. 7. To day if ye will hear his voice; ver. 8. harden not your hearts.

Thirdly, That he may enjoy communion with them, and they with him: This is one Reason why he makes us to be his people, that he might make known all his love and goodness unto us, and that our hearts might be taken up with him, and set on him in love, and fear, and desire, and joy and hope: None of which will or can be, unless the Lord were pleased to take away the heart of stone from his people, &c.

Fourthly, That he may bring upon them all the good which he hath promised unto to his people, viz. All the blessings of mercy, and peace, and comfort, and joy, of which they are not capable until the Lord take away the hardness of their hearts. Would you have the Lord to settle pardoning mercy on a hard heart! and to speak peace to a hard heart, and to revive with comfort and joy the soul of an hardened sinner, who will hold fast his iniquities, and who will not obey his voice, and will none of him, This is as it were a foundation-work for the other works of the Covenant.

Sol. 2. Again, the Lord himself doth again by promise undertake to take away the stony heart from his people, upon a twofold account.

First, On the impossibility of the work without his own Omnipotency: None but the Almighty can cure the stone of the heart; neither Angels, nor Men, nor Ministry, nor Self-power; for the hard heart is too hard for all means whatsoever; only the Lord is too hard for it; he can subdue all the powers of sin, and he can pull down all high imaginations which do exalt themselves, and he can abase the pride of man, and he can circumcise all the stoutness of the heart, so that the rebellious shall submit themselves.

Secondly, The other, that his people (when they are made sensible of their hardness) may not despair, but may apply themselves unto him who is able to work all their work in and for them, and to heal all their diseases, and to subdue all their iniquities. Beloved, a Promise of God (in any kind) is a singular foundation for Faith and Prayer: And so it is in this business of hardness of heart; if the Lord promise to take it away, then the work is possible, it may be done, and it is likewise de futuro, it shall be done: As the Lord is able to perform whatsoever he promiseth to his people, so he is faithful and will perform the same. And both these are grounds for Faith and Prayer to go unto the Lord and beseech him, and trust upon him, that he will according to his word take away the hardness of our hearts.

Quest. 3. How this can be affirmed for a truth, seeing that much hardness of heart remains in all the people of God, all the days of their lives?

Sol. This hath been answered in part already, in the manner how God takes away the hardness of heart from his people: only I will add, that there is a vast difference 'twixt the hardness of heart remaining in the people of God, and that hardness of heart abiding in ungodly men, v. g.

First, Though hardness of heart (in some degrees) remains in the people of God, yet they are sensible of it as their great evil and burden, and do exceedingly bewail it, and complain to the Lord of it, and cry out, Why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear? Isa. 63. 17. But wicked men are unsensible of the hardness of their hearts, they are past feeling, and their consciences are seared as with a hot iron, as the Apostle speaks, 1 Tim. 4. 2. When a part of the body is feared with a hot iron, it becomes utterly stupid and unsensible, &c.

Secondly, The hardness of heart remaining in the people of God, it is still mortifying and decreasing; the more they feel it, the more they pray against it, and never give over till they have obtained more grace and strength against it, until they find their hearts more tender and pliable: But the hardness of heart in ungodly men, as it is reigning, so it is raging, it still increaseth unto more hardness; ungodly men sin more and more, and still oppose the means of softening their hearts; and the more they do sin, the more they do harden their hearts; and the more they do oppose the light and means of softening, the more they do augment their sins and hardness.

Thirdly, Though hardness of heart doth remain in the people of God, yet

1. They do not willingly and advisedly give up themselves to any ways and courses which tend to the hardening of their hearts; as to the neglect of the Ordinances, to the omission of holy duties, to the commission of sins against the light of the Word and of Conscience.

2. They do cordially use all the means to work off the hardness of their hearts, as frequent self-examinations, humble confessions, and self-judgings, earnest Prayer for more Faith, and fear, and tenderness of spirit, and the Lord doth graciously • ear them in these Requests. But thus it is not with ungodly men whose hearts are hardened, they practice wickedness, and they sell themselves to work wickedness in the sight of the Lord, 1 King. 21. 25. And give themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness, Ephes. 4. 19. And trample under feet the light of the Word, and the actings of Conscience, and whatsoever stands in their way to restrain them from sinning, and are so far from improving any means for the removing of the hardness of their hearts, that they deride and scorn at them, and reject and abhor them. When did you ever see any ungodly hardened sinner judging himself for his hard heart, and begging of the Lord to heal it! or willingly applying himself to a 〈◊〉 heart-breaking Ministry! &c.

SECT. II.

Use 1. DOth the Lord promise that he will take away the stony heart from his people! and doth he really do so in his time! Hence it will follow;

First, Then they are none of the people of God, whose stony heart doth still abide in them, and completely reign in them; and then in what a woeful condition are many people ( • fear) amongst ourselves! e. g. All those who are unsensible of their sinful estate! all those who incorrigibly go on in their sinful ways! all those who were never wrought on by the Word of Christ! all those who oppose, and reject, and slight the Word in the threatenings and precepts thereof! all those who do continue impenitent and unbelieving, notwithstanding all the offers and invitations of grace, &c.

Secondly, Then no marvel that the people of God are of another spirit, and of another temper than the common sort of people are! that they dare not run into the same excess of riot with others, nor live so as other men do live; that they are so much altered as to themselves: Heretofore they were frequent in swearing, and now they fear an oath; heretofore they made nothing of great transgressions, and now a small sin (even a little neglect, carelessness, remissness) doth exceedingly disquiet and deject their hearts; heretofore they could neglect the Word as well as others, and scoff at it, and refuse to be ordered by it; but now they stand in awe of the Word, they are presently bound up by it, and wholly molded, and fashioned, and ruled by it. The reason of all this is, because God doth take away the hardness of our hearts, &c.

Thirdly, Then it is no sign of an evil estate to be troubled for our own sins, or for the sins of others: David did water his couch for his own sins, Psal. 6. 6. And rivers of tears did fall from his eyes for the sins of other men, Psal: 119. 136. When your former sins are your grief, and your present sins are your burden, and future sins are your fear, and other men's sins are your sorrow, this is a clear evidence that the stony heart is taken away; and therefore you stand in relation to God as his people. To sin and not to be troubled for sin, is a sign of an hard heart, and of an evil condition; but to fear sin, and to be grieved for sinning, this is a sign of a changed and broken heart.

Fourthly, Then it is very unjust to accuse and discountenance any of the people of God (as ill affected) for this reason only, Because they do oppose the Heres • es, and blasphemies of these times; and because they do so earnestly contend for the Gospel and Ordinances of Christ by Prayers, and tears, and speaking, and writing, &c. Why, are you angry with them that God hath taken away from them the heart of stone? must we be sensible of God's dishonor, or must we not! And if if Christ wept at the hardness of heart in Jerusalem because she would not receive the Gospel, is there not much more reason to weep and pray because of the hardness, nay of the desperateness of any man who endeavors to pull down and extirpate the Gospel! I say the Gospel in which all the love and goodness of God is revealed, and in which all the glory of Christ is interested, and in which all the salvation of poor sinners souls is so necessarily concerned.

Use 2. Will the Lord take away the heart of stone from his people? what cause then have those people to bless the Lord, who do find this cure wrought in their hearts! O it is an unspeakable mercy and favor! whether you respect the evil from which you are delivered, or else the good which falls in upon the removal of hardness of heart.

First, If that you do consider the evil from which you are delivered, by being delivered from an hard h • art. One saith it is the greatest sin in the world; another saith it is the greatest judgment in the world: Certainly it is one of the strongest holds of sin, and it was the hardness of heart which kept up all the power of your sins, and all the sinful pract • ses; it was the foundation of your long impenitency; you had long ere this repented, had not your hearts been hardened. If the Lord had not in wonderful mercy by his exceeding power of grace taken away the hardness of your hearts, your souls would never have been brought in to Christ, but you would have gone on in your sins, and died in your sins, and been damned for your sins: And yet again, that after the long re • stance of God's grace, offers of mercy, callings of the Gospel, strivings and resistings of his Spirit, the Lord shall pass by all this, and mercifully cure thy foolish, proud, stout, self-destroying▪ soul; O what mercy was this, and what grace was this?

Secondly, If you do likewise consider the good which falls in upon the removal of hardness of heart, certainly you have great cause to bless God, &c. e. g.

• 1. An immediate receptivity or capacity to have the Law or will of God written and engraven on your hearts, [Simile.] as when the wax is softened, it is thereby made capable of any impression.
• 2. A spring of repentance is set up in the heart to bewail all our sins and transgressions; and fear to transgress anymore.
• 3. An obediential principle appears in making of us ready and willing to comply with the precepts of God; liberty and ability, &c.
• 4. The great work of Faith to receive the Lord Jesus into our hearts.
• 5. Affectionate communions with God, and a special delight in his presence, and Ordinances, and Services.
• 6. A liberty, and confidences in our accesses unto the throne of grace.
• 7. In one word, a newness of heart, and a newness of relation unto God as our God and Father. All these flow in upon the soul when God takes away the hardness of the heart; and in time all the good of the Covenant; and therefore unquestionably you have great obligations lying on your hearts to bless God if he doth take away the hardness of your hearts.

Object. I, will some say, no question it is a great blessing to be delivered from an hard heart! but we fear it is not so with us; for we find sometimes, such

• 1. A strange indisposition to what is good.
• 2. A marvelous unsensibleness, and cannot mourn for our sins.
• 3. No delight in communion with God, cannot pray.

Sol. For your help in these cases, know

First, Melancholy is one thing, and hardness of heart is another thing: Melancholy breeds an indisposition to all works Religious and Civil; unfit to Pray, and unfit to Trade: But hardness of heart is rather an opposition than an indisposition: Melancholy indisposeth for a time, for a fit; but when that is off, the soul is free again.

Secondly, Indisposition from temptation is one thing, and from affection is another: Temptations may deject the heart, and distract it; but these are grievous and burdensome to the soul.

Thirdly, Indisposition is absolute; no heart at all; or comparative, not so full, free, quick, and lively as at sometimes.

Fourthly, Constant, And transient, approved, resisted, and bewailed.

And to that of unmournfulness;

First, There is direct grief, and there is reflexive grief; a mourning because we cannot mourn.

Secondly, There is dolor voluntatis, which is displeasing; and dolor passionis, which is vexing; this not always, nor always alike.

Thirdly, Though you find not your hearts so mournful, yet you have hearts to beseech the Lord to give a Spirit of mourning, Zach. 12. 10.

We cannot pray!

First, What, not at all, never, no desires!

Secondly, Not at sometimes, with that freedom, fullness, cheerfulness, uninterruptedness.

Thirdly, Yet you will pray, you will look up.

Fourthly, Three things may comfort and quiet you, though you cannot pray with that earnestness, and enlargedness; yet if you can can pray, 1. With a believing heart. 2ly With an humble heart in the sense of it. 3ly With a sincere heart and desire, God will accept you.

SECT. III.

Use 3. DOth the Lord himself undertake to take away the heart of stone from his people? O then let all such who are the people of God (whose hearts God hath cured of this Spiritual disease of hardness) let them in a special manner beware that they suffer not their hearts to harden themselves again.

Perhaps this may be a word in season to some of us this day, who have lost our former tenderness of heart, and do now find a strong obduration upon our spirits, and we know not therefore what to think of ourselves and conditions.

With your favor I will speak three things unto this Case.

• 1. The real Symptoms of an heart harding in a godly man.
• 2. The sadness of that condition.
• 3. Directions in this case for recovery.

I. The real Symptoms of an heart hardening in a godly man.

First, A listlestnesse of heart to the Ordinances; the man hath not that flying spirit unto them [Simile.] (flies not as Doves to the windows) nor that hungering spirit after them as heretofore; he longs not for a Sabbath, nor doth his soul complain for his appointed food. It is with him as with a man on whom a disease is seasing; his stomach begins to fail him, and he minds not his meat as he was wont to do: So it is with a good man on whom hardness of heart is seasing; the Ordinances are not so precious and dear to him as heretofore, he falls in the high estimation of them, and in the wonted affectionateness of them, and the man can miss many a Sermon quietly, and neglect any Ordinance: Ah friend, remember from whence thou art falling; consider whither thou art going: Hardness is growing, when carelessness is rising, &c.

Secondly, A flatness of spirit under the Ordinances: The time was that the man's heart was to the Word, as wax to the seal; every part of the world would have wrought, and imprinted something on his heart; a threatening would have startled him; a Precept would have guided him; a promise would have revived him; there was ordinarily a vigor and warmth falling from the Ordinances upon his heart. But now his heart is chill, and cold, and formal, and dead under the means of life; he is little or nothing stirred or moved: He comes and hears the sound of the Word, but he seldom meets with the power of the Word; there is not that mourning, nor joy, nor fear, nor trusting as formerly: Divine Precepts do not quicken his heart; Divine Promises do not establsh his heart; Divine Exhortations do not encourage and enlarge his heart; Divine Trials and discourses do not make him to search his heart; Divine Rewards do not affect and open his heart as heretofore they have done.

Thirdly, A carelessness of mind after the Ordinances: Heretofore when the man had heard the Word, home he would go, and retire himself, and consider, and confess, and pray, and bless the Lord; Lord! in such a Point thou didest discover my sin and failing, O pardon and heal me! in another thou didst clear my doubts, be pleased still to settle and quiet my soul; in another Point thou didst show me more of my work, O now grant unto thy servant more of thy strength; in another Point thou didst raise my faith, and comfort my soul; my soul did therefore love and bless thee. You would not imagine what pains the man took with a Sermon; after a Sermon what wrestlings with God; what tears and cries to take out the lessons of God, to be cast into the mould of every Divine Truth.

O but now it is not so with him, he hath quickly done with the Word, after he hath read or heard the Word; the Word doth not dwell with him, nor go home with him; he is seldom in after Meditations, in after Applications, in after Supplications: The Word of God comes and goes; is heard and laid aside; perhaps the man speaks a little of it, but minds it not as a Message or Errand from God to him.

Fourthly, A remissness concerning private duties; when these begin either to be omitted, or seldomly to be performed; rather out of course than Conscience, without that intentiveness of mind, and without the labor of the heart and affections which God requires, and which the Christian formerly found and expressed. v. g. The Christians confessions, were wont to be with singular sense of sin, compunction, and brokenness of heart▪ judgings, mournings, shames, and condemnings of himself; his Prayers were wont to be strong cries, importunate wrestlings, vehement strivings and pleadings in the name of Christ; humble urgings and pressings of the promises of God, unsatisfiable thirsts after mercies, graces, comforts. O but now they are not so, or are very seldom so: This poor Christian is scarce sensible of the sins which he doth now confess; and scarce apprehensive of any Spiritual good which he seems to crave; he doth not insist on these with his ancient affections, and ancient expectations; he seems to be satisfied with what he doth, and not with what he desireth: Ah friend! when the edge and fervor of the spirit is gone, when fervency daily degenerates into formality, surely tenderness is falling into hardness of heart.

Fifthly, A watchlesnesse over the spirit or soul; it is not minded, observed, looked unto in its motions, affections, transactions as formerly; but the guard is drawn off; there is less fear, and more security; less diligent care and more loose presumption. The man was wont to keep his heart with all diligence, narrowly observing the passages and workings of his Spirit, the inclinations of his heart, temptations of Satan, behaviours of every day, alone and in company; and accordingly did apply himself with variety of petitions to God, and humbled himself for what was amiss, and renewed his strength in the Lord for the time to come: O but now it is not thus; the precious soul is neglected, the City is not watched, the thoughts, and affections, and actions are not observed, the poor man is asleep, and drowsy, and his spiritual frame is impaired, and he considers it not.

2ly The sadness of this condition.

First, It is a very evil and naughty distemper; an hard heart softening, that is good; but the soft hardening again, that's very evil. Was it good to tremble at the Word? what is it now not to be moved by the Word! was it good to think of sin, and mourn? what is it now to hear of thy sins, and not to be troubled at all! was it good to act duties with affections and life? what is it now to neglect the duties, or to act them with a heavy and careless Spirit!

There are four things which show this hardening to be very evil.

1. The marvelous ingratitude in it, that the Lord should show so much mercy to heal the disease, and yet you relapse into it again.

2. There is an express self-condemnation; why! you were exceedingly troubled at the hardness of your hearts, and prayed against it, and sought the prayers of others, and now to harden your hearts again!

3. There is presumption in it, you do tempt the Lord by it; Do you mean to continue in this case? then you are undone; do you mean to come out of it? why do you then tempt the Lord by falling into it, and presuming on his grace to recover you?

4. If you look not speedily to yourselves, where think you will this hardening end! perhaps in some great desertion, perhaps in some great transgression! perhaps in some exceeding great and long trouble of conscience.

Secondly, It is a very uncomfortable condition: How is thy Sun eclipsed! and thy Spring cut off! what is become of that spirit of Prayer? what is become of that excellent assurance of which thou hast so much spoken? where is that sweetly excusing testimony of Conscience! what is become of that joy in the Holy Ghost? and that peace with which thou wast wont to work? Ah! thou hast suffered thy heart to harden again, and God looks not on thee as he was wont, and Conscience speaks not as it was wont, and the Spirit of God manifests not himself as he was wont, and Ordinances smile not on thee as they were wont, nor doth Providence shine upon thy Tabernacle as it was wont: But instead of these, thou meetest with many a sharp affliction, with many piercing reproofs, with many a sad item, and reckoning, and scourges, which no man knows and feels (in the sting and bitterness of it) but thou thyself.

Thirdly, It is a very formal and empty estate; how may it grieve thee to see a fruitless Vintage of thy soul? Tell me what returns hast thou had all this while that this hardening distemper hath been upon thee! thou hearest carelessly and negligently; what hast thou been the better for all the Sermons which thou hast heard! thou prayest coldly and formally; and what good hath returned upon thy soul after them! thou hast had no trading all this while at heaven! how dull must grace be which is not used! and how decaying must thy Spiritual strength be, which all this while recovers no more strength?

Fourthly, It is a very dangerour posture; though it be not absolute Apostasy, yet it looks toward it. Though I will not say that it is the turning of the grace of God into wantonness, yet it bends towards it: Though it be not falling from grace, and though it be not a forsaking of God; yet unquestionably it is a g • ieving of God, and a provoking of him, and for which he may very far leave a person.

3ly. Directions in this case for recovery.

First, By all means find out the cause or causes of the hardening; observe well

1. What conscience tells thee in thy bed at night, or in the day of fear and affliction, or in a day of Solemn Humiliation, or in the meditation of thy short appearances before God.

2. What the Word of God hints and points at in thee, at what it levels and strikes; there is an arrow (some time or other) shot which falls into thy very heart; a message that is secretly delivered in way of conviction and reproof, which saith, Thou art the man, and this is thy way and thy doings.

3. What thy faithful and watchful friends say unto thee; what their suspicions and fears are, and unto what their friendly counsels do tend. A thousand to one but some of these things (which I shall mention) have brought on thee this new hardness upon thy heart.

1. Either spiritual pride, this hath made thee to neglect thy watch, and to neglect the Ordinances.

2. Or a worldly surfeit; thou hast been taking in too much of the world, and worldly business, and this hath robbed thee of thy precious time, to converse at heaven, to meditate, to examine, to read, to hear, to pray, to confer with thy Fellow-Christians.

3. Or the deceitfulness of sin: Thou hast ventured on lesser sins, and they have ensnared thee, and drawn thee to greater sins, and these have brought upon thee the hardness of thy heart again, &c.

Secondly, When you have found out the spiritual causes by which your hearts have been hardened, then judge yourselves and repent; remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent, said Christ unto Ephesus, Rev. 2. 5. Nay, do not stay to look when this hardening will fall off from thee; but hasten, but compel thyself to retiredness, and to a penitential consideration of thy hardening with the causes of it, and the great evils in it, and fall down before the Lord in humble confessions of thy great backslidings, and pour out prayer upon prayer: O wrestle with the Father of mercies for his Christ's sake to pity, and pardon, and heal, and once more to cure and recover thee: Follow on to seek the Lord, though he doth secretly upbraid thee, though for a while he delays thee; though to thy apprehension thy heart is more hardened, yet pray, and yet pray that God would heal thy backslidings: Praise the Lord in the Name of Christ, presenting his Covenant unto him, wherein he promiseth to take away the heart of stone. And this contains in it not only the natural or original hardness of heart, but also the accidental contracted hardness by his people; the Covenant of taking away the heart of stone extends to both of them: O Lord, cure this hardening as well as the former hardness: I have hardened the heart which thou hast softened, O do thou soften the heart which I have hardened; revive thy work, and quicken my almost dead heart, restore my soul, and recover my ancient estimations, affections, tenderness, love, fear, care, zeal, &c.

Thirdly, If the Lord (at length) begins to make thy heart to relent by his Word or by his Rod, or by his Spirit, O bless his Name; He is come, he is come, said the Martyr; so, &c. get thee into a corner, help on the spring, pump the water when the water comes, enlarge thy confession, abound now in supplications.

Fourthly, Be earnest with God to pardon thee, and to give thee assurance of the pardoning of this hardening, and be importunate with him for it; I tell thee such a gracious assurance will presently soften and melt thy soul, assuredly raise and restore thy soul to those careful and tender communions with God, and watchful walking with him.

Fifthly, When you are recovered, then bless God and keep up tenderness of heart, and beware of suffering hardness to grow upon your hearts again.

Quest. What is to be done for this?

Sol. I answer.

First, Never trust hardening causes anymore; as Eliphas spake, in Joh. 15. 31. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity, for vanity shall be his recompense. After your great humblings, and prayings, and wrestlings, and prevailings with God, do not now go and tamper with sin and sinful occasions again; and do not go and over-world yourselves again; and do not go and renew familiarity with wicked company again; and do not neglect the Ordinances anymore, &c. If you do, you will harden your hearts more than ever.

Secondly, If at any time you do espy any hardness creeping and rising upon your spirits, O make a present resistance, and wrestle against it, even unto present victory: When you pray, if you find coldness and formality in your spirit, O stir up Prayer, stir up the heart, and stir up the grace • ; [Simile.] blow the spark, break the ice when it begins to harden, &c.

Thirdly, Be often in the search of your hearts; and keep a daily and strict watch over them and your ways: Blessed is the man that feareth always, Prov. 28. 14.

Fourthly, Constantly and seriously attend the Ordinances, which do beget, and preserve, and increase softness and tenderness of heart.

I Have finished two Propositions already from these words, viz.

• 1. That there is a natural hardness in every man's heart.
• 2. That God will take away that stonynesse, or hardness of heart from his people.

I shall now proceed unto the third and last Proposition from the Text, which is this.

SECT. I.

Quest. 1. WHat this heart of flesh is? or what the soft and tender heart is?

Sol. To understand this, you must remember that there is a fourfold softness or tenderness.

First, One is Natural, and this is that which we call commonly a good nature, and tender disposition, and a softly spirit, on which anything is apt to work, any harsh word, any sad news, any affliction, any cross, anything that hath the notion of calamitous or grievous.

This tenderness or softness:, is not the soft heart here in the Text; for

1. It is no heavenly quality, nor is it let in by heavenly means; a man never got this tenderness by praying, or hearing, or reading, or meditating, &c.

2. It is such a softness as leaves a person in as great a pliableness (nay greater) to evil, than to good: You may as soon draw them to an Ale house, and Play-house, and Gaming-house, as to God's house; they cannot deny their friend and request, &c.

3. Notwithstanding this softness and tenderness, yet a man's heart remains spiritually hardened; for take me this soft natured person which can weep almost at everything, and put him upon mourning for his sins, for his long ignorance, for his manifold profaneness, for his exceeding unprofitableness under the means of grace; why, this soft-natured man now cannot shed a tear, and is ordinarily so far from relenting and mourning that even his heart riseth against what you speak, and is extremely incensed, &c.

Secondly, The second is Moral, which ariseth from education and learning, and is of that force as to restrain and civilize, and scour off the barbarous rudeness of spirit and behavior, and trims up the person to a gentleness of conversation; but neither is this the heart of flesh in the Text; for

1. This is but an outward and seeming softness.

2. If anything of it may be said to be inward, yet it flows not from any work of grace, but from the Rules of Moral Philosophy, admitted i • to the understanding, as fit to be received and practiced for a man's reputation in the world.

3. It is Human and not Divine; it is a tenderness to respect men, when all this while there is a stubbornness, and resistance, and unyieldingness, and a constant irrespectiveness to God and his will and ways.

Thirdly, The third is a legal tenderness, which is the yielding tenderness and pliableness of the heart under the sense of God's dreadful wrath for sin; what will not a sinner do in such a case? he will pray and hear, and forbear, and do what God will have him to do, and forsake what God will have him forsake; but this is not the heart of flesh neither; for

1. This is but anguish of heart, it is not tenderness of heart.

2. This will off when anguish is off; like Iron that is softened in the fire, when the fire is taken away, it grows more hard: Pharaoh yet hardened his heart more, when God gave him some respite.

3. The sinner is quickly weary of this tenderness, and would with all his heart be rid of it; but so it is not in the right softness.

4. The fourth is Evangelical tenderness or softness of heart; and this is a gracious temper of heart given or formed by God himself, whereby the whole soul becomes me •• ing and yielding, and pliable, flexible to God, in respect of his Attributes, Word and Works; here observe,

First, It is a gracious temper or frame of heart] no man hath it, but first he partakes of the Spirit of grace; his heart is converted and renewed by grace; before the work of grace, the heart is stubborn and rebellious, disobedient and gain-saying; the natural man is a child of disobedience as well as of wrath; he is stiff-necked, and unto every good work reprobate; but when grace enters into the heart, now his heart is changed and subdued, and mollified, and is easy to be entreated, and is ready to take any impression that God will stamp upon it. Acts 10. 33. We are all here present before God, to hear all things commanded thee of God.

Secondly, It is a temper or frame of heart] it is not an occasional and transient work, but an inherent and permanent, and fixed work upon the soul; [Simile.] even wicked and hardened sinners may have some fits and appearances of softness, as some hard stones (in change of weather) appear to be moist; Pharaoh under some of God's judgments did relent; and Ahab under those sharp threatenings of God did humble himself; and Felix upon the hearing of Paul, did tremble; and the Israelitet in their distress did cover the Altar with tears; and Judas with the terror of conscience did repent; but these were fits and passions only, they did not last and abide on their hearts▪ when exigencies were off, their natural hardness appeared again. It is not thus when God gives an heart of flesh; (i. e.) a tender and soft heart; for this dwells and reigns, and continues in all estates, in all changes; in perplexity, and in adversity; in freedom, and in danger; under blessings as well as under afflictions.

Thirdly, It is such a temper, whereby the whole heart becomes a melting and yielding heart, and pliable, and flexible; the Scripture calls it sometimes a contrite heart, Psal. 51. 17. sometimes a trembling heart, Isa. 66. 2. sometimes a tender heart, 2 Chron. 34. 27. sometimes a mourning heart, Zach. 12. 10, 11. sometimes an obedient heart, Rom. 6. 17. sometimes an heart that bows and stoops to receive the Word of God, Deut. 33. 3.

And this softness and pliableness spreads over the whole soul when God gives an heart of flesh.

First, The mind is willing to see, and to be taught, and know the mind of God; his will, his way, his work concerning us. Teach me thy truth, and teach me thy way, and teach me thy will, saith David, Psal: 27. 11. Let us go up to the house of the Mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths, Isa. 2. 3.

Secondly, The judgment is willing and ready to assent, and to acknowledge the truths and commands of God; the Law is good and holy, said Paul, Rom. 7. I esteem thy precepts to be right, said David, Psal. 1 19.

Thirdly, The will is made tender and pliable: I will keep thy statutes, Psal. 119. 8. I will run the way of thy Commandments, Ver. 32. The Lord is our God, and him will we serve, Josh. 24. 18.

Fourthly, All the affections are tender and pliable: O what propensions to mourn for sin (they that escape of them shall be on the Mountains as Doves of the Valley, all of them mourning, everyone for his iniquity, Ezek. 7. 16.) and so a tender fear, they fear the Lord and his goodness, Hosea 3. 5. a tender love, a tender delight, &c.

Fourthly, This frame of tenderness and softness appears towards God;

1. In respect of his Attributes: His mercifulness melts the heart, and leads it to Repentance; his goodness melts and draws it to more obedience; his greatness and power, and wisdom awes the heart; O who would not fear and serve such a God?

2. In respect of his Word: Promises work on the heart, and threatenings, and precepts, and reproofs; the promises draw and raise the soft heart; threatenings awaken, and awe the soft heart; precepts direct and bind the soft heart; reproofs do pierce and recover, and mend the soft heart.

3. In respect of the Works and Dealings of God, all of them make impression on the soft heart; those of mercy, and those of judgment; those of blessing, those of affliction, they all work kindly.

Fifthly, The Author and Cause of all this is, God himself: Job 23. 16. God maketh my heart soft: Zach. 12. 10. They shall look on him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn, &c. The Lord doth give this soft and tender heart, when he doth effectually call and convert a sinner, as you may see in Paul's conversion; and thus you see what the heart of flesh is, what a soft and tender heart is.

SECT. II.

Quest. 2. NOW to the second Question, How it may appear that the people of God are people of soft and tender hearts?

First, By Instances all the Scripture over; I will mention some. David was a godly man, and he was a man of a soft and tender heart; when he did cut off the lap of Saul's garment, his heart smote him; as soon as Abigail spake with him, he was with-drawn from his rash and dangerous resolution: Nathan spake but one word unto him (Thou art the man) and presently he is struck (I have sinned) and that made him to water his couch with tears. Josiah was a godly man, and he was a man of a soft and tender heart; see 2 Chron. 34. 27. Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the Inhabitants thereof; and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rent thy clothes, and weep before me, &c. Joseph was so both to God (Gen. 39. 9. How can I do wickedness, &c?) and to Man; How tender to his father and brethren? Job was so, and so was Peter, on whom one look of Christ did work so kindly, that he went out and wept bitterly. What should I speak of Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah, Nehemiah, Ezra, Daniel, or of Paul, or of the Corinthians? 2 Cor. 3. 3. Ye are the Epistle of Christ, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart; nay, see more of this softness and tenderness: 2 Cor. 7. 11. Behold this same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves; yea, what indignation; yea, what fear; yea, what vehement desire, &c.

Secondly, By Practice; and there are eight things appearing in their practice, which do show that they are persons of soft and tender hearts.

First, Quick apprehensions, even of a frown, and of God's displeasure afar off; in the beginnings, in the threatenings, in a with-drawment, in any stop or estrangedness of communion and visits, and unusualness, in these cases presently the heart of them begins to misgive and fear, Is all well? is not the Lord angry? He looks not on me, I hear not from him as formerly, Have not I offended him, &c?

Secondly, Easie convictions: A reproof (saith Solomon, Prov. 17. 10.) entereth more into a wise man, than an hundred stripes into a fool; and so doth any conviction, if the people of God have sinned: Christ's look to Peter; Nathan's word to David; sometimes a glance, an hint, a passage in a Sermon, or in Discourse is enough; for conscience is very tender, and takes presently, and yields, and confesseth, &c.

Thirdly, Great griefs for lesser trespasses: Great sins trouble not an hard heart, [Simile.] no more than the nettles and thorns do the hardened hand; but little sins do exceedingly trouble the hearts of the godly, being soft and tender; [Simile.] if a mote fall into the eye, it causeth vexation, because the eye is tender; the omission of duty, the coldness of performance, distraction in services, vain and idle thoughts, unprofitable words, losing of time, sit heavily upon the hearts of God's people, &c.

Fourthly, Special care of sure warrant for special actions: They must have a light, and a voice going before them, This is the way, Walk in it: May I do this? and may I do that? Doth the Lord command such a work? and doth he enjoin me? and am I sure and clear that I do not transgress if I should venture upon it?

Fifthly, Wise Caution in doubtfuls: Where if the work or way seems doubtfully good, or doubtfully evil, the godly person makes a pause, a stand, a stop; he dares not to act boystrously; if it be but (a perhaps) it is evil, but (a perhaps) God may be dishonored, or his Gospel prejudiced, he will abstain until he gets more light to clear his steps; as Job offered sacrifice in the case of perhaps.

Sixthly, Present obedience: When God commands, no delays, no shufflings, no consultings with flesh and blood; their hearts are indeed at God's command: I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandments, Psal. 119. 60. You need not use many arguments and persuasions to the people of God, a word of God's command is of easy authority, &c.

Seventhly, And Choice obedience; they would serve the Lord with their spirits. Rom. 1. 9. and seek him with their whole hearts. Psal. 119. 10. and serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Hebr. 12. 28. and love him with all their might.

Eighthly, Earnest supplications, that they might not offend; or if they have offended, that they might not offend; so David, Keep thy servant from presumptuous sins, Psal. 19. 13. Let not any iniquity have dominion over me, Psal. 119. 133. And in case of offense, O take away iniquity: I have sinned, I have done exceeding foolishly; O Lord forgive, be merciful unto my transgressions, heal my backslidings, return in mercy, speak peace; whence is all this, but from the tenderness of their hearts? [Simile.] they cannot live out of doors, under frowns, having any difference 'twixt their God and their souls, no more than the tender wife or child, &c.

Quest. 3. Why the Lord gives a heart of flesh, a soft and tender heart to his people?

Sol. The Reasons may be these, which I will but mention:

First, God will teach them (they shall be taught of God) and write his Law in their inward parts. Ergo.

Secondly, His people must be his servants, they must serve the Lord their God, be at his command to do his will and his work. Ergo.

Thirdly, They must be like unto their God and Father, and have a nature answerable to his nature; God is a God of very merciful nature, very tender, and gentle, easy to be entreated, and (if I may so say) to be wrought on; sometimes a prayer works on him, sometimes a tear, sometimes a groan and sigh.

Fourthly, That they may walk without offense to God and man; tenderness of heart is a ground of circumspection and holy jealousy, and that is a ground of unblameable walking; not to do anything (willingly) by which God may be dishonored, or men (justly) offended.

SECT. III.

Use 1. DOth God give unto all his people in Covenant a soft and tender heart, a heart of flesh? Let us then carefully survey and search our hearts, whether God hath bestowed on them this heavenly quality, this Jewel, this Covenant-grace of softness or tenderness of heart?

This Point is of wonderful consequence, and therefore I must carefully dispense it, and manage it, which shall be in this manner.

• 1. Convictions in a privative way, that many persons are utterly destitute of spiritual softness of heart.
• 2. Convictions in a defective way, that many persons deceive themselves with a false softness of heart.
• 3. Demonstrations of the manifold miseries incumbent upon, and incident unto all persons destitute of softness of heart.
• 4. Testimonies and true Characters of a heart really softened by grace.

SECT. IV.

Use 2. DOth the Lord promise to give unto all his people a soft and tender heart, an heart of flesh? Then by all means let everyone of u • strive to get this heart which God promiseth to give.

Now for this I will propound, 1. Some Motives to persuade you to get a soft and tender heart. 2ly. I will show you the way and means to compass and enjoy it.

1. The Motives to get a soft and tender heart.

First, The possibility of getting this heart; God can give it, therefore it is possible to get it; God can take away the heart of stone, and he can give the heart of flesh. Again, God hath promised to give it, therefore it is possible; why should any one think it more impossible for God to give any spiritual good which he hath promised, then to give any outward good which he hath promised? he having as much power, and willingness, and faithfulness to perform spiritual promises, as he hath to perform temporal promises. Nay once more, he hath given this soft and tender heart; do you not read in Scripture, and do you not find in your own experiences many persons of soft and tender hearts? and who but God hath made their hearts soft? it was God who subdued the pride, and stoutness, and hardness, and rebellion of their hearts; and it was God who made their hearts humble, and sensible, and mournful, and teachable, and pliable; is not God as able, as willing, as powerful now, as ever he was?

Secondly, The necessity of having this heart; can you be saved without it? what will become of an hardened sinner? of the disobedient sinner, of the sinner that doth and will walk contrary unto God, that will not hearken unto him; shall heaven open to to let him into glory, who will not open his heart to let in grace? can you be brought into this without it! if your hearts continue hardened, will they not continue unbelieving! and if they continue unbelieving, will they not continue Christless! and if they continue Christless, will they not continue hopeless! Ephes. 2. 12. Without Christ, having no hope: For Collos. 1. 27. It is Christ in you the hope of glory: can you find pardon of your sins without it? Do you find in all the Bible pardon of sins either conferred, or promised unto the hardened sinner! wrath and destruction are threatened unto unto that sinner; but mercy and forgiveness are promised only to the soft, and mourning, and tenderhearted penitent. Thus you see that there is a necessity to get this soft and tender heart, if you will be saved, if you will have Christ, or be Christ's, and if you will be pardoned. Ergo.

Thirdly, The excellency of this heart; As an hard heart is a base heart, so the soft and tender heart is an excellent heart; Pharach stands upon Record for a hard heart, and it is his infamy as long as the world lasts. And Josiah stands upon Record for a person of a tender heart, and it will remain for his glory as long as the world continues.

There are five things which are a man's glory and excellency.

1. One that he belongs to God in a special relation, that God is his Father, and that he is one of the children of God; why! the person of a soft and tender heart is indeed in this relation; he is in Covenant with God, God is his God and Father, and he is a child of God.

2. A second, that he is a new creature; that new creature is an excellent creature, he is a glorious creature, he is changed into the glorious image of Christ, 2 Cor. 3. 18. And made partaker of the Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. Now every person whose heart God hath made soft and tender, he is a new creature; God hath changed his heart, which was a heart of stone, but now is made an heart of flesh.

3. A third, that he is an humble person: Humility is an ornament, and God much esteems of the humble, and puts honor upon them, and will give grace to them; but he abhors and resists the proud: Now every tender-hearted person is an humble person; and the more softness of heart there is, the more humbleness of heart there is; they always go together, as hardness of heart and pride do; David, Hezekiah, Josiah, Job, Paul, the Publican, the Prodigal, were persons of soft hearts, and of humble hearts.

4. A fourth, that he is one who loves the Lord exceedingly: Is not this a man's honor and excellency to love his God! O love the Lord all ye Saints, Psal. 31. Saw ye him whom my soul loveth! Cant. 3. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, &c. [Simile.] Is it not an honor to the wife that she loves her husband! and to any of us to love our friend! and to the child that he loves his father! Thus doth every person of a soft and tender heart, he loves his God; he fears to sin and offend his God, why! he loves him; and he is zealous against any dishonor done to God, why! because he loves him.

5. A fifth, that he is obedient to the voice and will of God; ready to hearken, ready to follow, willing to obey, careful to come up fully to the mind and command of God: Is not this our honor and our excellency? Speak Lord, for thy servant heareth; And O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Surely it is a shame and reproach to be disobedient to God; For 1. Sam. 15. 22. To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of Lambs. Ver. 23. But rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry: And certainly the tender heart is an obedient heart, very ready to receive the Law from the mouth of God.

Fourthly, The Benefits and helpfulness of this heart: It would be of wonderful use and advantage unto you sundry ways.

1. It would be an help to repentance, both initial and renewed: It would help you to repent of your old sinful course of life, to bring you off from it with shame and grief, it would not suffer you to continue in such ways of dishonoring God any longer; but would hasten and compel you out of it, with grief and detestation; you would quickly cast away your sins as a menstruous cloth, saying, Get ye hence; if the heart were once made soft and tender, it would recover you out of particular falls, you would quickly see and acknowledge them, and bewail them, and return to your first husband, and do your first works, if you had but soft and tender hearts; as David, Hezekiah, Peter; and the Church of Ephesus, &c.

2. It would be a daily preservative against sin, and temptations unto sin: tenderness is the foundation of fear, and fear is the Guardian of the soul against sin. No man is more secured against sin, than the man of tenderness, and of faith, and of fear; as the hardened sinner is presumptuous, and will venture on any sin, and on the occasions thereof; so a tender heart is fearful of the least sin, and keeps off from all the occasions thereof: And from these two Consectaries do flow: viz.

Great peace in conscience; For it is sin committed which disturbes and disquiets the Conscience, and breaks up the peace of it; but the more that any person is kept from sin, the better doth he walk with peace and joy of Spirit: Great peace have they that keep thy Law, Psal. 119. 165.

Great confidence in access to God: 1 Joh. 3. 21. If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God. And (ver. 22.) Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his Commandments, and do those things which are pleasing in his sight. Psal. 66. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. ver. 19. But verily God hath heard me, be hath attended to the voice of my Prayer. Job 11. 13. If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hand toward him. ver. 14. If iniquity be in thine heart, put it far away. ver. 15. then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot: So Zophar.

3. It would be a Table-book for God to write his will upon: what the Apostle spake of the Corinthians, that would be affirmed of us: 2 Cor. 3. 3. Ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in Tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart: The heart of flesh is the Table on which the Spirit of God writes the will of God; his will is there engraven, it makes impression, it admits and receives the will of God, there it is to be seen and read: Thy Law is within my heart, said David, Psal. 40. 8. How kindly would the Word of God take with us! how powerfully and effectually would it work upon us! how easily would it prevail, and rule, and order us, how wonderfully would it prosper amongst us, run and be glorified! why, all our souls would be convinced, and converted, and allured, and brought into Christ, and walk in Christ, and be obedient to the faith, and become the servants of righteousness; if we had soft and tender hearts, we would no longer walk contrary to God, or to his Word, we would no longer hate instruction and despise counsel, and resist the Spirit, but would presently fall down at the feet of God, and desire to be taught the ways of God, and be willing, and ready, and glad to walk in his paths.

4. It would be a means of upright walking: There are three sorts of people in the world;

Some that walk not at all with God; as all profane Atheists, who walk without God, and contrary unto God, by reason of the blindness and hardness of their hearts.

Some that walk unevenly with God, only in some things, and in some places, and at sometimes; as hypocritical and temporary believers, by reason of the unsoundness and deceitfulness of their hearts.

Some that walk cordially and uprightly before the Lord, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left, keeping close to the rule in the whole course of their life: (Isa. 66. 7. The way of the just is uprightness) they are undefiled in the way, do no iniquity, but seek the Lord with the whole heart: walk in the Law of the Lord, and in his ways, Psal. 119. 1, 2, 3.

Now softness or tenderness of heart is a special means of this upright walking: For

1. It raiseth in the heart an universal regard to all the Commandments of God, Psal. 119. 6. And ver. 10. would not wander from the Commandments, and to walk in all well-pleasing before him.

2. It fills the heart with a hatred and fear of all sin, that it may not offend the Lord in anything, nor at any time, nor in any place: Still seeing him who is invisible: Job 31. 4. Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps! Prov. 5. 21. The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.

3. It lifts up the glory of God; that is the great end, and aim, and scope, and motive to a tender heart; he doth all to the glory of God, and so that Christ may be magnified.

5. It would be a means of promoting the knowledge of Christ, and the power of godliness, and of casting down whatsoever is contrary to sound Doctrine, and unto the ways of godliness; for it would fill the hearts of men with spiritual compassion to souls with zeal, and it would draw out their graces, and gifts, and powers in a right way for God, and for the good and salvation of others. If Magistrates had but as much tenderness of heart in relation to the interest of God, as to their own interest, they would be more quick and active for God than for themselves; they would justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked; they would countance the faithful in the Land, and contemn the profane; they would honor and exalt the truth of God, and disgrace and repress the errors and blasphemies against God and his truths; they would encourage every godly person, and they would appear against all open ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.

If Ministers had more tenderness of heart, they would (in their places also) give all diligence to make Christ known, and the truths of Christ, and contend for them, and oppose men of corrupt minds, and that which is Antichrist indeed, and they would exceedingly persuade, and encourage even to the knowledge of the truth, and to the love of the truth, and to walk in all manner of holiness and godliness: and they would reprove, threaten, warn, and declare the wrath of God against all sorts of wickedness in all sorts of men.

If Parents, and Masters of Families had this tender heart, they would not suffer ignorance and looseness in their dwellings; but on the contrary would study and take pains to instruct and teach their children and servants, and would reprove and correct, &c. How would they pray and strive on the behalf of knowledge, and faith, and holiness, and fear of God, and of walking with God! Verily the whole Land would in a short time, be made an habitation of holiness, a Land flowing with knowledge, and fear of the Lord, had we more of this tenderness of heart, which would undoubtedly make us more zealous, and industrious for the glory of God.

6. It would be a special help unto stedfastness, and perseverance to hold out and continue to the end: Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear into their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. As long as fear holds, stedfastness doth hold; and as long as tenderness of heart continues, the fear will continue. Again, where the heart is soft and tender, it makes us to be much in Prayer, and diligent and serious in our communion with God, and to rest on his Arm, acknowledging that our standing and safety is not in our strength, but in the presence and influence of his grace.

2ly The Means how to compass a soft and tender heart.

First, You must go to the Lord by Prayer for it; a sinner can harden his own heart, but God only can soften the heart. If four things were wrought in the heart; it would be soft and tender. viz. 1. An experimental Sensation. 2. A mournful Humiliation. 3. A spirit of Fear. 4. An yieldingness and plyableness of the heart to the will of God.

Object. True, will some say; but who can work these things in the heart?

Sol. That can God, and he hath promised to work everyone of them in our hearts, if we do earnestly and unfeignedly seek him:

1. He can make us to see, to feel, to remember, to consider our sins, and our doings which have not been good: Job 34. 32. That which I see not, teach thou me, &c. Job 13. 26. Thou makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth: Ezek. 16. 61. Then shalt thou remember thy ways and be ashamed.

2. He can make the heart mourning, and humbling, and lamenting: Zac. 12. 10. They shall look on him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn, &c. Ezek. 7. 16. All of them mourning, everyone for his iniquity.

3. He can put his fear in their hearts: Jer. 32. 40. I will put my fear in their hearts. And Hose. 3. 5. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness.

4. He can make the heart yielding and pliable unto his Word and Will: Psal. 68. 18. Thou hast received gifts for men, yea for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell amongst them. Acts 9. 6. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts.

Secondly, You must to his Word, which is the hammer to break, and the fire to melt the heart: Acts 2. 37. When they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter and the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 2 Chron. 34. 27. Thou diddest humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his Word, &c.

Object. But many men hear the Word, and that a long time, and yet their hearts are not at all softened by it; therefore it cannot be a means to soften the heart.

Sol. I answer.

1. It is true, that many men do hear the Word, and for many years, and are not softened, but their hearts are more hardened under it; nevertheless this induration comes not from the Word, which is a means to soften; but from the pride and perverseness of the hearts of men, who do hear the Word, but will despise and reject the Word.

2. It is also true, that though many men have not their hearts softened by the Word: yet many others have their hearts softened by it: [Simile.] as although many who take Physic, are nothing better by it, yet many who do so are recovered by it; and this we find by experience, that though the Word be the savor of death unto death unto some, yet it is the savor of life unto life unto others: And as we must not conclude that the Word is not the means of saving faith, because all that hear the Word do not believe; so neither must we deny the Word as a means to soften the heart, because many who do hear it, do remain hardened; but if we find

First, that God hath instituted his Word for such a purpose and end.

Secondly, That God hath blessed his Word, and made it effectual to that purpose.

Thirdly, Doth call even sinners to come and attend, that they may attain that blessing depending upon this Word.

And lastly, that without the attendance upon the Word, there is no enjoyment of that softness of heart; but a greater access and confirmation of hardness of heart. Thence we may confidently conclude, that the Word of God is a means to soften the heart: But, &c

3. You must know that the efficacy of spiritual means doth not depend upon the mere presence of the means, but upon the concomitancy and influence of the Spirit of God, who sometimes doth put forth his power through those means, and sometimes doth not so. The Word by its own natural and proper vigor, doth not convince, nor convert, nor soften the heart (for then everyone that hears it should be convinced, and converted, and softened) nor then should it be a means, but a principal efficient; but those effects it doth work on all who hear it, when the Spirit of God comes with the Word unto their hearts in his mighty power, working that grace in us which the Word commands from us: And therefore when we come to hear the Word, to have our hearts softened, we should look on the Word as the means; but withal on the Spirit of God as the principal cause, who works that effect by the Word; nor should we ever hear the Word without special prayer and requests, that the Lord would by his Spirit make his Word a lively and effectual means of knowledge, of faith, of all grace unto us; and if we did do so, the Lord would be found of us, and he would give this softness of heart which he promiseth in his Covenant.

Thirdly, If you would have softness of heart, you must then get newness of heart: Your hearts can never be softened, until they be renewed; and if they were renewed, certainly they would be softened: The old heart is an hard heart, and the new heart is a soft heart. You may as well expect that a dead man should weep, and mourn, and go, and come, as that an old sinful heart (dead in trespasses and sins) should be a soft and mournful heart for sins, or be willing and ready to obey the will of God; why! hardness in all the causes of it, and in all the effects of it, is predominant and reigning in an unconverted graceless heart. But if the heart were once changed by renewing grace, then softness must needs fall into it: Forasmuch as the change made by renewing grace, brings into the soul another nature, quite contrary to our sinful nature, and other principles quite contrary to all our old principles, Light contrary to darkness; and humbleness contrary to pride; and yieldingness contrary to stubbornness; and softness contrary unto hardness.

Fourthly, if we would have softnses or tenderness of heart, then we must get Faith; for faith is indeed the foundation of a soft and tender heart; and the more of Faith, the more of tenderness.

Quest. What Faith will some say?

Sol. I answer, a Faith

1. Of Knowledge, or Credence, that God is, that he is a great God, the living God, the Almighty God, the dreadful God, most knowing, most holy, most righteous, and faithful, who will be so to us, as his Word reveals him, who will be merciful to the penitent, and will by no means clear the guilty.

2. Of union and compliance to bring us into Christ, and to make us one with him, and to give us fellowship with him, and to make us one Spirit with him, and to change us into the glory of his image; if we had this faith, the work were done: Now we should be made like unto him in meekness, and humbleness, and tenderness of heart.

3. Of dependence and reliance upon God's Promises, believing that what he hath promised, he will also perform; that all his promises are Yea and Amen in Christ Jesus; that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him; that he is mindful of his Word, and remembers his Covenant, and will not suffer his faithfulness to fail; and therefore he will give unto us (humbly seeking and waiting upon him) this soft and tender heart which he hath promised. How quickly and easily would such a faith prevail with, and obtain from such a Father and God!

Fifthly, If we would compass soft and tenderness of heart, we must then get hearts to love the Lord; Did we love him, we would be tender of his glory, and tender of his love; tender to please him, tender not to displease him, tender to obey him, and tender to honor him. Joh. 14. 23. If a man love me, he will keep my words. ver. 24. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings. Love (you know) is of all affections the most tender, most watchful to observe, the most careful to please, and the most fearful to offend: If we did love the Lord, we would not, we could not grieve him. Beseech therefore the Lord to circumcise your hearts, that you may love him; and consider the exceeding greatness of his love to you, that you may love him again (We love him, because he loved us first, 1 Joh. 4. 19.) And this love would raise a tenderness of heart in us, in all the effects of tenderness which you have heard.

Sixthly, What shall I say more? if you would have softness and tenderness of heart indeed, and to some purpose; Then get the assurance of God's love, and mercy, and favor sealed unto your consciences by the testimony of his Spirit; this would melt, &c.

T Hese Words are one gold link more of the precious chain of Promises in the Covenant of grace: They do contain in them another excellent promise unto the people of God, wherein you have

• 1. The matter promised (I will put my spirit within you.)
• 2. The virtue or benefit of this promise; which is twofold.

• 1. Obedience (and cause you to walk in my statutes)
• 2. Perseverance (and ye shall keep my judgments and do them.)

I begin at this time with the matter promised (I will put my Spirit within you.)

SECT. I.

Quest. 1. IN what sense the Spirit is given, or put within the people of God? Sol. There is a fore fold opinion concerning this.

First, Some have held, that the Spirit is so given unto the people of God, as to make them one person with himself, and to communicate unto them his very personal propriety; so that they in their own persons, are that person in the Trinity which is called the Holy Ghost.

This was the desperate opinion of Montanus the Heretic, and I fear some wild persons amongst us, are of the same wicked opinion.

But this cannot possibly be; because

1. No Creature is capable to be God, which yet he should be, if he could be the person of the Holy Ghost, for the person of the Holy Ghost is God: 1 Joh. 5. 7. There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.

2. If any man were the person of the Spirit, and the very Holy Ghost; then 1. He is eternal, for the Spirit is the eternal Spirit: Heb. 9. 14. Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself, &c. And 2ly He is Omnipresent in every place, for the Spirit is so: Psal. 139. 7. Whether shall I go from thy Spirit. And 3ly. He is Omnipotent, for the Spirit is so: Who raised Jesus Christ from the dead, Rom. 1. 4. And quickens, and changeth the hearts of sinners: Joh. 6. 36. 2 Cor. 3. 18. And 4ly He is Omniscient, for so is the Spirit: Who searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God, 1 Cor. 2. 10. And lastly, then he might be adored and worshipped with Divine Worship; be prayed unto, be trusted on, &c.

Secondly, Some do hold, that although the Spirit be not so given as to make us one person with himself, yet he is given personally unto the people of God, (i. e.) he is personally in them; not only his gifts and graces are in them, but also his very person is in them; and they do allege several places of Scripture to make good this their Opinion: Joh. 14. 16. I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever. Ver. 17. Even the Spirit of truth. Ver. 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things. Joh. 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, &c. Whence it is thus argued; That Comforter which proceedeth from the Father and the Son, is the person of the Holy Ghost; but that Comforter dwelleth and abideth in us: Ergo, the person of the Holy Ghost doth dwell in us: 2 Tim. 1. 14. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep, by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us: Hence it is also argued; the Holy Ghost that keepeth the good gift (or gifts) in, us dwelleth in us; but the Holy Ghost which keepeth these gifts, is not the gifts, but the person of the Holy Ghost distinguished from them. Ergo, it is the person of the Holy Ghost, and not his gifts only that dwelleth in us: Rom. 8. 11. If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Hence also 'tis thus argued; the Spirit that dwells in us, is the Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, and shall likewise quicken our mortal bodies: But it is not the gifts and graces of the Spirit, but the person of the Spirit himself that raised up Christ from the dead, and that shall quicken our mortal bodies. Ergo, the person of the Spirit himself dwelleth in us.

Thirdly, Some do hold that the putting of the Spirit within the heart of the people of God, denotes only the donation of the gifts and the graces of the Spirit: And so is the Spirit often taken in Scripture by a Metonymy of the Cause for the Effect: Luke 1. 15. He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his Mothers womb. Act. 6. 3. Look you out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost, and of wisdom. Ver. 5. And they chose Stephen a man full of faith, and of the Holy Ghost. 1 Thes 5. 19. Quench not the Spirit. (i. e.) the gifts or graces of the Spirit, for the Spirit in himself (either Essentially or Personally considered) is not capable of being quenched; there is no abating, or remission, or vacation possibly incident unto him.

Fourthly, Some do hold that the giving of the Spirit unto the people of God, is only the letting in of his vigor and assistance for the works which they are to do; and not any Inherent presence of the Spirit in the people of God, either as to his person, or as to his graces: But as a Bowle moves from that power and strength which the hand lends unto it; so do the people of God act and move from the vigorous influence which the Spirit of God puts into them, and not from any inherent principle of grace which they deny to be in them.

But this Opinion is not sound; for the people of God do possess the Spirit, not only in way of assurance to do good; but also in way of inward influence to make them good: Therefore they are said to be born of the Spirit, Joh, 5. 6. And to be washed and renewed, Tit. 3. 5. And sanctified by the Spirit, 1 Cor. 6. 11. which notes an inward change made by the Spirit, and not a bare assistance only.

And besides here in the Text, the Lord saith, that he will put his Spirit within us, which certainly is something more than external assistance.

Again, They who do hold the donation of the Spirit as to assistance only; hold likewise free-will to supernatural good; that there is in the will of man such a power unto the same, that it needs not any renovation by the Spirit; but only the assistance of the Spirit to that purpose, &c. which is a dangerous Error. Well then, the meaning of this expression (I will put my Spirit within you) is principally to be understood of the person of the Spirit.

And there are three Reasons which incline me thus to think.

1. One is, because the graces of the Spirit were promised before in the 26. ver. A new heart will I give you, and a new Spirit will I put within you: which unquestionably takes in the renewing graces of the Spirit; and if in this 27. verse. by putting his Spirit within us, should be meant only the graces of the Spirit, then one and the same thing only should be promised: But this is no way probable or congruous to affirm, q. d. I will give you the graces of my Spirit, and I will give you the graces of my Spirit, &c.

2. Another is, because the Spirit here in this verse promised, is that Spirit which doth cause us to walk in the Statutes of God, and to keep them; which cause of such walking cannot well be attributed to any but the Spirit himself.

3. Unto which I may add a third, viz, The usual way of trial and evidencing whether we have the Spirit here promised, namely by the graces of the Spirit; which were very improper, if by the Spirit in the place were meant the graces of the Spirit, q. d. you may know that you have the graces of the Spirit, if you do find in you the graces of the Spirit.

Quest. 2. How may this be demonstrated, that all the people of God in Covenant have the Spirit of God within them?

Sol. Besides these Scriptures already, produced, which do bear witness unto this truth, it may be further demonstrated thus;

First, All that are Christ's, have the Spirit of Christ (for saith the Apostle, Rom. 8 9. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And 1 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.) But all who are in Covenant are Christ's; because all that are in Covenant are believers, and all believers are Christ's; Ergo, all that are in Covevant have the Spirit.

Secondly, All that are in Covenant are the Sons of God; God is their Father, and they are his sons and daughters, 2 Cor. 6. 18. Now saith the same Apostle in Gal. 4. 6 Because ye are Sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba Father.

Nay, Thirdly, all the people of God have a fellowship and communion with every person of the Trinity; and so high is that fellowship, that every person of the Trinity doth (as it were) take up his mansion, and make his abode, and dwelling in them: They have a fellowship with every person of the Trinity; 1 Joh. 1. 3. Our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. Phil. 2. 1. If there be any fellowship of the Spirit, &c. Every person of the Trinity dwells and abides in them: Joh. 14. 23. If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come and make our abode with him. Ver. 16. The Father shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you forever. The Father dwells in us: 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell in them. The Son dwells in us: Ephes. 3. 17. Christ dwells in your hearts by Faith. The Spirit dwells in us: Rom. 8. 11.

Fourthly, That all the people of God have the Spirit of God, may plainly appear by the works • f the Spirit, which are to be found in everyone of them.

• 1. They are sanctified by the Spirit: Ye are sanctified by the Spirit of our God, 1 Cor. 6. 11.
• 2. They are led by the Spirit: As many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God, Rom. 8. 14.
• 3. They are upheld and strengthened by the Spirit: Psal. 51. 12. Uphold me with thy free Spirit. Ephes. 3. 16. To be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.
• 4. They are partakers of the first fruits of the Spirit: Rom. 8. 23. Our selves have the first fruits of the Spirit.
• 5. They are helped by the Spirit: Rom. 8. 26, The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, and the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with groans which cannot be uttered.
• 6. They are taught by the Spirit: Joh. 14. 26. The Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name, he shall teach you all things.
• 7. They are comforted by the Spirit: Acts 9. 31.