The Way to True Happiness, Treatise · Part 4
OF SOFTNESSE OF HEART.
EZECH. 11.19.
And I will giuegive them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you, and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will giuegive them an heart of flesh.
YOu hauehave now often heard what it is that the Lord doth here vndertake for his people, viz. that hee will make them to be of one heart, that he will giuegive them a new heart, and that hee will giuegive them a soft heart.
We are now vponupon the last of these three: where 1. we desired you to consider what mans heart is when God first lookes on him hard and stony. 2. Next, what heart that is, that he bestowes on his people, sort and fleshy. The first of these, we entred vponupon the last iourney, at which time we shewed you, what mans heart is in and of itselfe. In this depraued estate, wherin now we stand, Man hath a very hard and stony heart: We hauehave shewed what is meant by heart here in the text, what by stony, what are the signes and symptomes of the stone in the heart, &c.
After other vses made of this point, we came at length to a vse of
Ʋse. Comfort to all such as find in themselues a softned heart, and that God hath wrought some cure vponupon their inside this way, blesse God for this mercy; for it is he and he alone, that by his Almighty Power can draw the stone out of mans heart, and make it soft and tender.
OnelyOnly that we be not deceiued in the businesse; there lyes on eueryevery one of vsus a great taske, that we make a right difference betweene softnesse and softnesse:The differences betweene spiritual softn…sse and others, as …. natu…all softnesse. For you must know that there is a foure-fold softnesse of heart found among men. 1. naturall. 2. morall. 3. legall. 4. Euangelicall or spirituall.
This last only is here intended, as being that alone that carries the blessing. The better to distinguish the 4. seuerall kinds of softnesse, it shall not bee amisse to take notice os some particulars, wherein they differ.
And 1. to begin with naturall softnesse of heart, it is in its spheare, and in its own way a thing commendable in a sort: but not as we are to speake of softnesse in this place; for it ariseth oftentimes from some weakenesse in the body, and not from strength of the soule. An instance hereof you hauehave in Rehoboam king of Iudah, who though he bee otherwise censured by the holy Ghost, yet was he foreign, a man of a tender heart, as his sonne testifieth of him, 2 Chron. 13.7. My father Rehoboam, saith he, was young and tender hearted, &c; of a tender disposition, and (as we vse to phrase it) a softly man, he was naturally so. Now the differences betweene this softnesse naturall, and that which we call spirituall, are two.
First, naturall softnesse comes vponupon vsus without our indeauour, it costs vsus no labour: for why? we are borne so: but spirituall softnesse costs a man a great deale of paines; he that gets it, shall know how he comes by it, it will cost him many a Sermon, many a Chapter, many a Prayer, many a teare, &c.
2. naturall softnesse is vsually vniforme, that is, it ordinarily worketh after one manner, is easiely wrought to one thing aswell as another. Moue such a man to goe to Gods house with you, he will go for he cannot deny any thing to his friend Carry him along from thence to an ale-house, hee is content to follow you, if it be thither too. Bring him to a Sermon, if it be well set on, and deliuered with power, he will seeme greatly affected therewith, euen to the shedding of teares sometimes: take him at another time to a play, let him see a Tragedy well acted, and he will bee as ready to weepe there too, as he was before at Gods house: In short, you may draw him any way, though vsually hee is more inclinable to that which is euill, then to that which is good; as wee see in the said Rhehoboam. On the other side, spirituall softnesse makes a man tractable and malleable onelyonly in that that's good. Bring an argument to moue him to any goodnesse, it swayes him streight: but in case, a motion be set on foot to that which is euill, you shall find him most stiffe against it, most resolute and peremptory. In a word, no man is so easily wrought vponupon by a good motion, as he that is softhearted, no man is so hard to yeeld to sinne, to be drawne to wickednesse, as he.
2. Morall.The second sort of softnesse is, that we call morall, and this is somewhat more then naturall softnesse: In some people, breeding and Education doth very much to the mollifying of their dispositions; conuersement with the Heathen Sages, and much reading of their morall writings, may somewhat alter a man, and make him better; It is true of Art in this kind that the Poet speaketh.
Emollit mores; nec sinit esse feros.
It ciuilizeth a man, and makes him tame and tractable: whence it was that that Heathen bringing his child to a Philosopher for education sake, requested him so to order the matter with his son that one stone might not sit vponupon another: thereby intimating that he was of a stony and vntractable nature, till such time as he should be grammar'd and grounded in Philosophie; so that morall softnes doth in some sort alter and ciuilize a man; but it differeth from that which is spirituall, thus:
First morall softnesse seldome peirceth to the heart, it goes not deepe enough; it oyles the face, and smoothes the outside onelyonly, it barbes and shaues ouer sinne (as wee hauehave often told you before from that author) but doth not pluck it vp by the rootes, and make an vtter riddance of it. This ciuill softnesse is like a ripe plum, smooth and soft on the out-side, but open it, and you shall finde a stone within, &c.
Second, this morall softnesse hath respect to man principally, indeed it goes no higher lightly than man, being wonderous stiffe to motions that come from heauen: it stands more vponupon complements and ciuilities toward men, then it doth on duties to God. If a man of this temper chance to passe by such a friend, and forget to salute him, to inuite him home to his house or the like: he is exceedingly troubled thereat; what hauehave I done? such a one meet me, and I saluted him not, forgot to offer him the curtesy of my house, &c. Thus obseruant is he in points of ciuility toward men: But now for God, tis otherwise with him; he can go on from day to day, yea, from monethmonth to monethmonth; and neuer salute his Father in the duty of prayer, or in any other ordinance, and yet at this he is no whit troubled. On the other side, spirituall softnesse, though it will teach one his duty toward man too, according to his education, and make him humble and modest in his behauiour toward eueryevery man respectiuely, yet it stayes not here; but is most of all busied about duties of the first table, and is especially troubled for his hardnesse, rudenesse and irreuerent carriage toward his heauenly Father.
3. LegallThe third kind of softnesse, we call a Legall softnesse, this is somewhat more then the two former: and it is when the apprehension of Gods dreadfull iudgements threatned or executed, doth break the spirit of a man, melts him with an inward fire, fills him with feares and terrours, &c.
The difference of this from spirituall softnesse is this: First legall softnesse (if it bee meerely Legall, and goe no further) is inuoluntary; he suffers indeed, he is smitten and wounded, but it is against his will, he doth not wound himselfe: he hath some kind of feares in his heart, and legall terrours, but he would faine cast them off if hee knew how; In a word, he is meerely passiue in his softnesse Contrarily, hee that is spiritually softned, is an Agent in the worke, he reacheth after softnesse, he labours it all he can, he prayes for it, he is glad and thankfull, if he can any way come by it and obtaine it, yea, though it cost him some crosses and losses in his outward estate.
Secondly, Legall terrours breake the heart indeed, but doe not soften it, the hardnesse remaines still neuerthelesse, as it doth in a stone that is broken all to shiuers, and yet the hardnesse is not taken off, but disperst rather into the seuerall parcels of it: So it is with the heart of man in this respect. The law may fall vponupon it with all its weight, crush it, breake it, wound it, terrifie it, but it doth neuer melt it: whereas now spirituall softnesse not onelyonly breakes the heart, but changeth it too; it takes out that which is hard and stony, and puts in the roome thereof that's soft and fleshy, as the Lord here promiseth.
Thus you hauehave seen some differences described bewteen softnes & softnes. Now therfore that we may returne to the vse of comfort. Doth any man feele his heart kindly broken? hath mercy melted him? hath the louelove and goodnesse of God led him to repentance? doth hee finde in his heart some louelove to God, some disposition to bewaile and mourne ouer those dregges, and that hardnesse that yet still abides in him? Oh blesse God for hauing thus begunne to cure you of the stone in the heart, which is a farre worse matter then the stone in the reynes or bladder. And so wee dismisse this point also
Now see in the next p…ace, what it is, the Lord promiseth to bestow vponupon his people in place of their heart of stone, I will giuegive them (saith he) an heart of flesh, that is, a tender heart (as Austin somwhere rightly expounds it) a soft and flexible heart, such a heart as is opposed to that heart of stone before spoken of.
God bestowes vponupon his people in their first conuersion, a soft and flexible heart. Doct. Deut 32.5.They hauehave their spot (as Moses speaketh) their mark wherby they are distinguished by God from all others,Gods people hauehave softned hearts. and that is a soft, a fleshy, and a tender heart. Loe, this is the point: and this the holy Scripture giues witnesse vntounto in many places.
Col. 3.12. There this soft and fleshy heart is described by the Apostle to be in all Gods Elect: put on (saith he) as the Elect of God holy and beloued, bowels of mercies, kindnesse, hu…blenesse of mind, meekenesse, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiuing one another, &c. Hereby the Apostle giues vsus to know that whensoeuer God executes his decree of Election vponupon any one by an effectuall calling of him, he presently changeth his bowels into bowels of mercy, kindnesse, &c: and giues him a gentle, humble, meeke, long-suffering heart. See a like place, 2 Cor. 3.3. Ye are the Epistle of Christ ministred by vsus, written not with inke, but with the Spirit of the liuing God; and where? not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. And when was this? but then when the word fell in power vponupon them, and they were effectually called. And this is it that Salomon also tells vsus,This softnesse discouers it selfe towards God, man, the creatures. Prou. 12.10. A righteous man (so merciful he is that he) regardeth the life of his very beast, but the bowels of the wicked are cruell, they are as it were made of yron and steele, his whole inside is of stone, whence also it is that, Prou. 17.10. he tells vsus that a reproofe enters more into a wise man, then an hundred stripes into a foole. A foole, let a man lay vponupon him once, twice, twenty times, an hundred times, he is still one and the same, he regards it not at all, wheras to a wise man, one word of Gods mouth is sufficient to carry him to any good course.
Moreouer, this spirituall softnesse makes a man hauehave a tender heart toward man, Ps. 112 5. A good man is mercifull and lendeth, he is gracious, full of compassion and righteous. And as it faceth God, and refers to him, it breakes the hart, and makes a man tremble at Gods Word, Esay. 66.2. to this man will I look euen to him, saith the Lord, that is poore, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at my Word Such an heart had good Iosiah, 2 Chron. 34.27. when the Words of Gods Law were read in his eares, his heart thawed and melted within him, it fell a sunder in his bosome, like drops of water, and he humbled himselfe before God, and rent his cloathes and wept: &c. And such an heart had Nehemiah, Ezra, Daniel, &c; who when they considered Gods Iudgements on the one side, and their owne sinnes, and the sinnes of their people on the other side, they were euen dissolued into teares, as it were, they emptied themselues, and powred out their soules in lamentation and weeping before the Lord.
Now for the better vnderstanding of this point, let vsus open it a little, and shew 1. what this Euangelicall softnesse is. 2. what's the seate of it. 3. what are the causes of it.
For the first of these: softnesse,What spirituall softn…sse is. as it here stands in opposition to an hard and stony heart is nothing else but a gracious frame of mans heart, wherby it is easily wrought vponupon by God, and is apt to worke that which is good. So that by this description of softnesse, it appeares to be double; 1. passiue, when the heart is apt to be wrought vponupon to any good motion, 2. Actiue, when it puts forth it selfe freely, and is apt to set it selfe a work on that which is good.
Next, the seate of this softnesse is the whole man; 'tis true, if wee speake of the chiefe Throne of this grace, it sits eminently in the will, but not onelyonly, the whole man is the seate of spirituall softnesse: The vnderstanding is made apt thereby to conceiue of that that's good: the will is ready to sit downe by it, and rest in it: the conscience being checked for the neglect or abuse of it, will checke vsus for the same: the affections will easily turne and stop, and the outward members will concurre obedientially, as men speake.
Now for the causes of this softnesse: the Efficient, you see, is God himself; I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and giuegive them an heart of flesh: it is his worke alone. He vndertakes it here in our text, and the same you may reade,God works this softnesse in the 1. generall conuersion of his, 2. in the partiall conuersion of them after. chap. 36. And hee performes it too in the conuersion of his children; See it in a few instances. Manasseh had sanguin'd and flesht himselfe in blood, for hee shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Ierusalem therewith from corner to corner: Yea, he had hardned himself in his sinne by very strange courses, for he built altars for all the hoast of heauen, in the two courts of the house of the Lord. And he caused his children to passe through the fire in the vally of Benhinnom; yea, he vsed witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizzards: thus he wrought much euill in the sight of the Lord to prouoke him to anger. And yet euen this man thus farre gone in sinne as you hauehave heard, the Lord softens him, by sending him captiue into a farre countrey, casting him into cold yrons, &c: so that he humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his Fathers, who made him of a lion to become a Lambe, as profitable now, as before hee was mischieuous. The like you may see in Paul, he before his conuersion was euen mad against Gods people, going vp and downe from place to place on purpose to doe mischiefe, to make hauocke of the Church, and to bring bound to Ierusalem all that called vponupon the name of Iesus. Loe, this was his errand to Damascus, Act. 9. but God meetes him by the way, as he was going about his mischeiuous intendments, vnhorses him, takes him downe, holds him vponupon the wracke for three dayes space together, melts him with an inward fire, and mouldes him anew, in that manner, that neuer any man since Pauls death, was of so tender and gracious a heart as he was. Such a change doth the Lord make in his people, when he takes in hand to conuert them. Neither doth hee thus soften them onelyonly at the first, but when they stand in need of a second conuersion vponupon som particular out-let and out-stray, as you may see in Dauid, who grew miserably hardned vponupon his fall into adultery, dissimulation and murder, but God so wrought him afterwards, that he became more soft and tender-hearted then euer he had beene before.
You hauehave seene who is the efficient cause of this spirituall so…tnesse, God alone.
Now for the matter of it; It is habituall grace infused into a mans soule from aboue. Saint Iames calles it the wisedome from aboue, Chap. 3.17. and tells vsus further, that it is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easie to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruites, &c: In a word, God infuseth into the hearts of his people, such grace as maketh them gentle, pliable and malleable eueryevery way.
For the formall cause or manner, how the Lord softens his people, it is thus: first, he takes the stone out of their flesh, and then bestowes on them an heart of flesh. 2. He not onelyonly giues them reasons to perswade them from their natuarall and habituall hardnesse, but mightily workes softnesse in their hearts: the power of God is exercised in this businesse, he puts to his hand aswell as his mouth, for the effecting of it.
Lastly, for the finall cause or end, wherefore the Lord thus softens the hearts of his people, it is laid downe in the 20. verse of this chapter, that they may walke in his statutes, and keepe thy ordinances and doe them; that they may comply with him, and so they may be his people, and hee may be their God: Hee hereby brings his people home to himselfe, takes off the diuels brand, and claps on his owne, euen that Image of his consisting in holines and righteousnes, and so conformes them to his son Christ, that he may be the first born among many brethren. This is the generall end, why God softens his people, as hath been said in their first conuersion.
In particular, the ends are 1. to make them capable of the good he intends to doe them, which till then, they are not. To what end should a man sow good seed, if the ground be not softned first, if it be not torne vp by the plough, and so made fit to receiue it? or to what purpose should one goe about to set a stamp on wax that is not softned, and temperd that it may take impression? So here, mans heart must be first plowed, thawed, melted, made soft before the seed of Gods grace be cast into it: for till then, the word cannot hauehave any sound or settled impression therupon: for man hath naturally and of himselfe a sturdy spirit, a proud heart, such as will not stoope or veyle, no not to God himselfe, till hee hath taken it downe by his Almighty power, it scornes to learne of man, it is too high for heauen it selfe.
Secondly, God softens the hearts of his people, to make them therby actiue in that which is good when mans heart is once growne hard and crusted ouer, as it were, it is quickly off from all holy performances, as eueryevery Christan knowes by daily exrience: then he would pray if he could tell how; he heares and reads Gods Word, &c; but he doth it very vngainely, vntowardly. This God seeth to be the case and condition of his people many times therfore that he may make way to the performing of holy duties with some easinesse and delight, he makes their hearts to become soft and pliable.
This serues first for examination: Is this the estate of eueryevery one that hath right to the new couenant, that he hath a soft and tender heart? then let eueryevery man reflect vponupon himselfe, and make triall of his owne heart, whether it be a hard heart or a soft heart, whether it bee made of a rocke or of flesh? For if a mans heart be hard in extremity, so as that he is yet vnderunder the power of hardnesse, it is certaine, that Satan hath set his marke vponupon that man for his owne; for he writes all his marks and sets all his names in stone, and makes those whom he hath in possession, of a rocky disposition: As on the other side, if a man find his heart softned and kindly humbled and broken within him, he may safely conclude, this is the Lords owne doing, the finger of God hath been here, and I am truly one of his. Now therefore, search and try what is written on your hearts, hardnesse or softnesse; and accordingly your may be bold to make iudgement of your owne spirituall estates: for the estate is, as the man is; the man as his heart is; and that which discernes the heart, is softnesse or hardnesse.
Obiect. This seemes to be no good argument (may som say) sith it is certaine, that a wicked mans heart may bee softned; and on the other side, a good heart may bee hardned: Lord, why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy feare, saith the Church, Esa. 63.
Solut.It is true, that the wicked may hauehave a kind of softnesse, namely, such as is naturall, morall or legall, as hath been said before; but not that softnesse which we here commend vntounto you, for this is of another nature, as hath beene shewed already. All those former softnesses be either inuoluntary, a man is meerely passiue in them, or else they thaw on the wrong side, as we may say, for they thaw not toward God, but toward sinne, and towards man: But now spiritual softnes melts the heart the right way, makes one tractable to that which is hood. No man is so peremptory, so set downne, so resolute against sinne, as he that hath the softest heart: for euer the more soft, and easie to be entreated by God, the more hard he is and opposite to a motion vntounto euil. Try thy selfe therfore by this marke, if thou hauehave an hard heart against sinne, if thou hauehave a face to put off a motion that's made to that which is euill, and that tends to the dishonour of God; if on the other side, thou be easie and apt to any worke of piety, to any worke of mercy, to any worke of Iustice, &c: if thou be tractable and facile this way, thy softnesse is a spirituall softnesse, and such as no wicked man can euer attaine vntounto.
And for the second thing obiected: that the godly themselues are oftentimes hardned by the deceitfulnesse of sinne, &c: we grant that also to be a truth; for though Gods people are cured of the stone in the heart at their first conuersion, and some measure of softnesse infused into them, yet still there remaine some dregges behind of their old disease; so as they feeele a kind of hardnesse still vponupon their hearts, and if they be not wonderous chary, these dregges will congeale, another stone: but yet withall, we must tell you that ther's a great difference betweene hardnesse and hardnesse, in party and party: for there's 1. a hardnes raigning, and such is that in the wicked, who are vnderunder the power of it. 2. hardnesse subdued and mortified, and such is that of Gods people, who could be content with any paines, with any cost to hauehave it remoued, and doe therfore trauell with themselues, and do their vtmost endeuour to get it off: or if at any time the Christian be vnderunder a temptation, or a desertion, so as he cannot feele his former tendernesse, yet he contents not himselfe with that estate, but is restlesse and vnsatisfied, he blesseth those Saints, that hauehave soft hearts, as he sometimes hath had, and would giuegive all the shooes in his shop (as we say) that hee might so hauehave againe,What a Saints hardnesse is. In short, the hardnesse of a seruant of God is but partiall, and not throughout; it is but graduall, and in som degree only; it is but occasionall, and for a time: wee'll explaine it vntounto you by this similitude. There's great difference betweene the hardnesse of stone, and that of water congealed and frozen: This latter hardnesse indeed may bee so great, as that a man, nay, a beast may goe ouer it in safty, but yet it is not intrinsecall to the water to bee thus hard, but onelyonly occasionall: for let but the heauens looke chearily, and the sunne smile vponupon it with its beames and warmth and it will soone dissolue againe and returne to its owne liquid nature. But now it is farre otherwise with a stone: for let the sunne shine neuer so hot vponupon it, it melts not, it yeelds not, nay, it is made much the harder by the often striking of the Sunne-beames vponupon it. And so it is here: The wicked man hath the hardnesse of a stone we thin him and therefore let him enioy neuer so many mercies, he is no whit moued the more to amend his life, let God speake to him, let him smile vponupon him, let him frowne vponupon him, all's one to him, nay, he growes eueryevery day vnderunder the best meanes more hard and impenitent. Contrarily, the faithfull Christian howsoeuer like water, hee may hauehave an ice vponupon him for a time, and so contract hardnesse, yet bring him to the word and ordinances a while, let God shine vponupon him once again with the light of his countenance, and he will melt presently, he will thaw, and recouer his former tendernesse, you vnderstand me, I say no more to that. These rubbes being thus remoued out of the way, and our way smoothed, as it were, we now proceed in the vse. The euidence, you see, remaines still very right and sound, if our hearts be spiritually, rightly, kindly melted, we need make no question of it, but that we are in speciall Couenant with the Almighty.
How shall we certainely know, Quest. that wee hauehave these hearts of flesh, this spirituall softnesse here promised?
Looke to these two things. 1. Answ. what patients you are towards God. 2. what Agents toward God and men, and accordingly make right iudgement of your hearts,
For the first, if you be spiritually soft,More signes of true softnesse. you will easily yeeld to God, and be wrought vponupon by eueryevery of his attributes, his power will awe you, his iustice feare you, his mercy melt you, his truth moue and affect you, yea, cause you to secure and repose your selfe thereupon, committing your selfe to him in well-doing. And as his attributes will worke on you, so his word and eueryevery part therof wil make impression vponupon you, his precepts will binde you, his promises melt you, his threats affright you, &c.
The like we may say of the works of God. If you be spiritually softned, corrections will melt you more: a true Christian yeelds and submits so soone as God beginnes to reckon with him, and to shake his rod: And as crosses, so mercies much more affect him, and make him come in, indeed, he hath not a face to stand out against God when he hath tasted of his bounty.
And as the workes of God hauehave their worke vponupon him, so he is very sensible of the contempts that are cast vponupon God. The reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen vponupon me, saith Dauid. If God be dishonoured in his name, dishonoured in his ordinances, dishonoured in his seruants, this galles and peirces him to the heart, as much or more then if himselfe were wounded, reproached, 'tis here as in all other relations, though the entity be not great, the efficacy is much, the husband is wounded most in his wife, the father in his child, the Christian in his God.
Secondly, if you would be sure you are rightly softned, obserue what agents you are toward God and men: for there is an actiue softnesse in eueryevery one of Gods people. Art thou still calling vponupon, and stirring vp thy selfe to take hold of God, with awake ô my soule, &c; Lord, quicken me by thy spirit, &c? art thou still lifting at the stone that thou feelest in thine heart, and wouldest faine be more affected with God & enlarged toward him? dost thou continually trauel with thy hart this way, &c? Loe, here a Dauids (that is a softned) heart. Againe, hath this softnesse of heart an influence into thy outward man, and doth it order thee towards others? Art thou soft in speech? hast thou a tender hand to helpe those that neede thee? canst thou bleed in other mens wounds? be hungry in their staruings? shudder and shake in their coldnesse and nakednesse? &c: Loe, here a Iobs, (i.) a softned hart. Adde one thing more to the former: the more soft any one is toward God, the more he stiffens and obstinates himselfe against sinne. Such a man makes a couenant with his eyes, as Iob did, indents with himselfe, yea, takes an oath of himselfe, as Dauid did, I hauehave sworne and will performe it: That I will keepe thy righteous Iudgements: And againe, Away from me, ye wicked; for I will will keepe the Commandements of my God. Now therefore, that we may summe vp all in one: If you finde such a tendernesse in your hearts, as that you are easily wrought vponupon by the attributes of God, by the word of God, by the works of God: If the contempt cast vponupon God do wound & pierce you to the quicke; If you call vp your hearts to be yet more in louelove with God, and doe condemne and rate them because they be so dull and slow: If you carry tender bowels of compassion toward others that be in misery so as you can mourn with them, dye with them, suffer and bee afflicted with them eueryevery way, then there's true tendernes, there's this heart of flesh here promised: which if you finde in your selues, see great cause of thankfulnesse: if not, your next worke must be to seeke out and enquire after it, &c.
THat grace which the Lord here vndertakes for his people, is described vntounto vsus from all the causes of it. For the matter, first, it stands in the goodnesse of the heart: Now the heart is then said to be good, when it is made one heart, a new heart, a soft heart. Secondly, for the manner, how it is wrought, God will giuegive it vntounto his people, and put it into them. Thirdly, for the authour, it is Gods selfe, I will doe this for them. Fourthly, for the end of all this, it is that they may walke with God, and hold communion with him, as it lowes, vers. 20.
We are yet vponupon the materiall cause, and now are come to the last thing therein promised, and that is a soft heart; what mans heart is by nature, we hauehave seene already, it is a heart of stone, a very rock: Doct. what God makes it, we hauehave now in hand.
The Lord bestowes vponupon all his people a fleshy and soft heart.
Wee hauehave shewed you what is meant by softnesse, together with the seate and the causes of it, &c: we came to the application of the point, and for present made onelyonly one vse, and that was of
Vse Examination, eueryevery man to make triall of his right to the couenant, by the trial of his own heart whether it bee hard or soft: And for this looke what patients you are toward God, what agents toward God and man, &c. For if the heart be soft, it will be easily wrought vponupon to God: EueryEvery attribute of God will worke on it, eueryevery Word of God will make impression vponupon it; eueryevery work of God affect it, eueryevery contempt that falles vponupon God, falles vponupon it, and makes it bleed.
And for the actiue part, see what freenesse of heart you hauehave to serue God and walke in his wayes, what tendernesse toward the Saints, what mercy toward the miserable, &c; what earnest desire to presse forward and to put on others.
We come on now to shew you signes of an heart that's hard in extremity,Signes of vnmortified hardnesse. that's vnderunder the power of hardnesse. And 1. of hardnesse toward God. 2. toward men. For the first sort, you may see them all set down and couched together by the Apostle, Ephes. 4.17, 18, 19. This I say therefore, and testifie in the Lord, that ye henceforth walke not as other Gentiles walke in the vanity of their mindes, hauing the vnderstanding darkned, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindnesse of their heart, who being past feeling, hauehave giuen themselues ouer to lasciuiousnesse, to worke all vncleannesse with greedinesse: Out of which words these signes of an hard heart may be gathered.
First, vanity of the mind and vnderstanding part: when the mind is voyd of sauing light, voyd of conuiction of faith, of humility, and those other graces as vsually are lodged there, and should soften it. Neither is there onelyonly an emptinesse of needfull graces, but something positiue in the minde of such a man, for he hath his vnderstanding darkned, saith the Apostle, and is estranged from the life of God through the ignorance that is in him, that is, him mind is stuff'd vp with pride, vnbeliefe, selfe-conceit, selfe-deceit, and all manner of presumption and wickednesse: Thus when the minde of a man is voyd of all sauing grace, and stuffed with pride, ignorance, &c; it comes to congeale a stone.
Secondly, for the heart wherby he vnderstandeth the will and affections, hee giues these two signes of hardnesse in those parts. 1. that they are estranged from the life of God, that is, from a godly life, they not onelyonly are strangers to it (for so all men are naturally) but estranged, that is, an enemy thereunto, as the Apostle expounds it, Colos. 1.21. You that were sometimes alienated and enemies, &c: 2. that they are not onelyonly set against good, but seared, and senslesse in that which is euill, being past feeling, saith the Apostle: so that a man that is thus hardned, sinnes, and perceiues it not by himselfe, sinne drops from him, and he is not aware thereof, a world of guilt lyes vponupon his conscience and he feeles it not, shrinkes not vnderunder it. These be the symptomes of an hardned will.
To these the Apostle addes other signes respecting the out-side, for a mans walke and conuersation.
1. Such a one as is thus hardned, hee resignes himselfe ouer to his lusts, he giues himselfe vp to lasciuiousnesse; hee hath no power at all to resist any ill motion, &c, and as he is facile to euill, so he is obstinate to good, as wee hauehave shewed before.
2. As he cannot say nay to any sinfull motion, so he cannot satisfie himselfe in sinne, he commits it in despite of all admonition with a great deale of greedinesse, he workes all vncleannesse (saith the text) with couetousnesse, as the originall word signifies, he couets sin as much as any earthly-minded man can couet gold and siluer: These be the notes of an heart vnderunder the power of hardnesse, in respect of God.
The signes of an hard heart, as it referres to man, are set down together by the same Apostle, Rom. 1.29, 30, 31. where he describes a man giuen vp to his owne affections, and to a reprobate minde, and in that respect hath Gods curse, at it were, vnderunder seale.
First, they are filled with all vnrighteousnesse, fornication, wickednesse, couetousnesse, maliciousnesse, full of enuy, murder, &c. A man that is vnderunder the power of hardnesse, makes no bones of any sinne that lyes in his way, hee can swallow them downe easily without remorse, he can digest yron, and neuer straine for the businesse.
Next, he is an inuentor of euill things, for not satisfied with other mens inuentions of euill, hee studies how to discouer new plots and deuises, how to finde out new mischiefes, whereby to vex mankind.
Thirdly, he is disobedient to parents, and to all authority. Let magistrate, minister, father, mother, and all the friends in the world fall vponupon him to aduise him for his good, he stāds inflexible, he knows no more how to yeeld then a very stone.
Fourthly, he takes all that's said or done to him for his good, in euill part, he receiues that with the left hand, which you offer him with the right, being without vnderstanding, hee conceiues not of your good will in aduising him, but interpretes it as an act of pride in you, of busy-bodinesse, of vncharitablnesse; he makes no good construction of any counsell you shall giuegive him.
Lastly, he is vnsociable, implacable, vnmercifull: he can giuegive nothing when he looks vponupon the miserable, nor forgiue any thing, when he lookes vponupon an enemy, &c.
These are the markes of a man that is vnderunder the power of hardnesse. Now what remaines but that we put our selues vponupon the triall, and iudge whether our hearts are hard or not. If we finde in our selues such a minde, such a heart, such a disposition and conuersation, as these two places hauehave described, 'tis in vaine altogether for such to lay claime to the couenant of grace, for these hauehave made a couenant with death and with hell It is in vaine for such to pray, Our Father which art in heauen, for they must owne a father in hell, this being the very guise and disposition of the deuill himselfe, for he is a rebell, he is vnmercifull, he is implacable, insensible, committing sinne with greedinesse and delight. Neither let any such man call the Church his mother, but some Tigresse or Rock rather, as the Poet speakes of him, &c. For God giues vntounto all his children a soft and tender heart as here in the text.
Since this is an infallible note of a child of God, Ʋse. to hauehave a heart of flesh, if euer you would proue that you appertaine to him, make it good to your selues, that you hauehave a heart soft and tender: This is to be followers of God, as deare children. Hee is so excellent in himselfe, that hee is beyond all passiue softnesse, but actiuely he is soft, kind, tender, gentle, easie to be entreated, full of bowels of compassion, &c. And if you will call God Father, you must looke that you hauehave a heart like vntounto him.
Againe, Christ is both wayes soft and tender, the rebukes of his Father fell vponupon him, he wept ouer others hardnesse, he groaned in the miseries of others, and shewed himselfe most ready to tender and commiserate the afflicted, and to helpe them out in their streights and exigencies. If therefore you will proue Christ to be your head, you must be like-minded, as he was.
Againe, wheresoeuer the holy spirit comes, hee turnes the tables of the heart, and makes them of stone to become flesh: And the fruite of the Spirit is in all goodnesse, &c. Eph. 5.9. If therefore you will proue your selues Temples of the holy Ghost, make good you hauehave a soft heart: All Gods ordinances tend to soften vsus, and if we be right, will certainely worke some softnesse in vsus: Yea, all Gods people (when they are themselues at least) and all that doe any way come neare them, and dwell in their Sun-shine, are soft and tender hearted, as Benhadad could say of Ahab, who liued onelyonly within the smoake of the Church, as I may so say, that he was a mercifull man, &c: So that if you would proue God your father, Christ your Sauiour, the Saints your bretheren, &c: you must labour after a soft heart.
Quest. What can wee do toward it? it is not in our power to soften our selues.
Answ. True: but yet it is in our power to harden our selues, to adde a further hardnesse to that we hauehave all by nature:What man must doe toward the softning of his hea…t. Here, therefore, take heed that when God speakes, you stop not your eares, when God shines vponupon you, that you shut not your eyes, that you winke not hard with the Pharisees; doe not receiue the grace of God in vaine, doe not future your repentance, nor make delayes, when called to amendment: you must not obstinate your selues in sinnefull courses, and when God seekes to reclaime you, get not obiections to oppose to his counsels, seeke not euasions, and arguments against your own good, but when the word findes you out in your sinnes, take Gods part against you selues, stablishing your hearts in the assured truth of all the promises of God, of all the threatnings of God, &c; say to your selues: This is the Word of God that is deliuered; and hee is truth it selfe, and therefore all these things will surely fall vponupon me, vnlesse I make a timely vse of that I hauehave been aduised. This you may doe all, and this you must doe, if you desire to be softned, at least you must be of Pauls disposition,2 Cor. 13. we can doe nothing, saith he, against the truth, but for the truth: so here, you must doe nothing against God in the worke, but plead all for him; strengthening and furnishing your selues with arguments, to make your selues beleeue that it is God that speakes vntounto you, that he is in good earnest, and meanes as he saith, &c: and not to pick out arguments to ward off Gods strokes, and to put by that's spoken, so to stiffen your selues in a course of sinne.
Againe, you must present your selues before the Lord in his ordinances, if you intend to be softned: for you must concurre as subiects (as wee hauehave often told you) you must tender your selues to God in the meanes of Grace, applying the word to your selues, for that hath the power of an hammer (as the Prophets calles it) to breake the stony heart into shiuers, and the property of fire to melt it, when it is broken:Ierem. 17. In which respect also it is compared in holy Scripture to the former and latter raine, the nature whereof is to soften the earth and make pliable: And so will the word of God the hard and stony heart of man, if we doe not ward off the blowes of it, but gather and apply it to our owne consciences.
But the maine thing is here, that yee set faith aworke: Consider that God hath entred into a couenant with thee, euen a couenant of salt, he hath brought thee into his house, sealed vp a couenant with thee, and that not once onelyonly in the Sacrament of baptisme, but often in the Lords Supper, &c. Therefore take to thy sel…e words, and come before him, and say, Lord thou hast promised, nay, thou hast sealed it vp to me by couenant, that thou wilt take away this cold, this frozen, this hard heart of mine, and giuegive me instead thereof an heart of flesh. Now sith it is thy couenant, stand I pray thee, to thy word, stand to thy hand, stand to thy seale: Thus if you doe, he will shew himselfe to be no couenant-breaker, he will surely fulfill his Word.
Next, looke wishtly vponupon Christ, if you would be softned. The Poets tell vsus of some that transformed such as beheld them, into stones: But if we cast our eyes vponupon the Lord Christ, of stones we shall be turned into men, of hard, soft and fleshy: If wee but looke on this Sunne of righteousnesse, our frozen hearts will melt within vsus, you may reade in Zach when they looked vponupon him whom they had peirced, they mourned ouer him, as one mournes for his onelyonly sonne, chap. 12.10. If therefore you would bee softned, thinke much and often vponupon the sufferings and passion of Christ, steepe your thoughts in the blood of the Lambe, and this will dissolue your stone and make you relent, when you see a man carried to the place of execution, and behold, how ruefully he lookes, and what moane he makes, though hee be a malefactor, and it is iust vponupon him that he suffers, yet the very sight of him will worke vponupon you, and euen cause your bowels to turne within you through pitty and compassion: How much more then must you needs be affected with sorrow to see Christ, as he is crucified before your eyes in his ordinances, to looke vponupon him, as an innocent person suffering death, and for your sakes too;Gal. 3.1. yea, done to death for vsus, and brought to his end for our transgressions, &c. Oh stand awhile and behold, how he was attached, how he was condemned, how he was executed for me, for thee, for our offences, our transgressions: this will surely wound, this will deepely affect thy heart; especially, if we shall consider his infinite louelove in sealing vsus a pardon with his owne blood. This apprehension of mercy in God through the merits and sufferings of Christ wil be very auaileable to soften and melt our hearts. HaueHave not you seene a malefactor goe with dry eyes to the place of execution, but returne againe weeping and full of teares? whence was this? The apprehension of Iustice and no mercy shewed him by the Magistrate, makes him hard and desperate at his going thither: but if being now vponupon the tree, and looking for nothing but that death he hath deserued, there bee brought him newes of a pardon beyond expectation and desert, this makes him melt and relent at the consideration of the Kings goodnesse and his owne vngraciousnesse: So here, when a sinner lookes onelyonly vponupon the law, vponupon God, as a Iudge; or vponupon the word, as written in letters of blood, it makes him feare, it makes him despaire, it makes him euen ready to fly in Gods face, and to teare in pieces the sentence of death written against him: But bring him to Christ, and there let him see God reconciled vntounto him, through his death, and an offer of free mercy made and applied vntounto him: Lo, this melts him, this winnes him, this takes him off from a peremptory course of sinne, and renders him pliable to that which is good. Therefore dwell, dwell much on the passion of Christ, and see his louelove to your soules, if euer you desire to be softned.
Lastly, exercise the gifts that God hath giuen you, blow vp your sparks, awake your sleepy habits, but especially, these of faith and louelove, for these doe soluere gelicidium (as one speakes) melt and thaw our frozen hearts. Action breeds heate in a cold body: And running water is nothing so apt to freeze, as that that stands still: so that man that's euer in action, renuing his faith, setting on worke his louelove, &c; shall bee sure to keepe his heart in warmth, and to retaine some degree of softnesse.
Ʋse. Comfort to them that can finde in their hearts any measure of softnesse, if it be of the right stamp at least (that is not naturall, or meerly morall or legall only, but Euangelicall and sprirituall) they are happy men, as those that hauehave right to Gods speciall Couenant.
Obiect. Alas, what comfort is this to me, who finde in my selfe still a great deale of hardnesse, and that I am little or no whit affected with the mercies of God, with the Word of God, with the executions of God, with the miseries of the Saints, &c? what shall I doe in this case?
Answ. How comes it to passe that thou findest this by thy selfe? Corruption discouers not corruption, death is not discerned but by life; cold but by heat, hardnesse but by softnesse. He that feeles this stone in his heart, groanes vnderunder it, prayes against it, and withall applyes himselfe carefully to the meanes of softnesse, this man hath a soft heart in a measure, and if he continue to wait vponupon God in the vse of his meanes, he will surely soften it more and more.
Oh but here's my misery: Obiect. I can weepe abundantly for other euills that befall me, but in the matter of sin, I am as dry as a stone, I cannot bring my heart to weepe ouer Christ?
But dost thou iudge thy selfe for this hardnesse of thy heart, drinesse of thine eyes, &c?Solut. som men cannot shed teares, as others can, by reason of the temper and constitution of their bodies, &c.
But the matter lyes not so much in shedding of teares, vnlesse it be those inward teares, as Austin calles them, deep sighes and groanes of the heart: As for those outward teares, —Lachrymae simulare docentur. Many men can counterfeit teares at pleasure, as one saith.
Besides, some griefe is bigger then teares, and aboue them, as in that father, who when hee saw his owne sonne led forth to execution, he was so ouer-charged with griefe,Aristitl Rbet…. that he could not let a teare, but at another time, when hee beheld his friend brought to beggery, he wept abundantly. This latter was a thing vnderunder teares, that former was aboue teares; there, all the griefe went inward, but here, outward. And so it fares eftsoones with a Christian; sometimes he is so surprized with sorrow for sin, so confounded at the sight of his owne vilenesse and Gods deserued wrath, that he is not able to shed a teare, or make his moan to God, and sometimes he can againe, &c. The mater is not much, if his drynesse proceed from his natural temper or complexion, or if he can groane vntounto his God in spirit, if hee can entertaine that rationall sorrow, wee hauehave sometimes told you of, though he cannot vent himselfe in passionate sorrow for his sinnes, as he desireth.
Obiect. Oh, but yet still my hardnesse continues with me;
Solu.Apply thy selfe to the meanes still, and thou shalt be helped. And here remember for thy comfort, thou hast more strings to thy bow then one left thee in the words of this text, say, thou hast not yet that soft heart here promised, yet see if thine bee not one heart, whether thou hast not pitcht vponupon God as thy chiefe treasure, whether God be not all thou desirest in heauen and earth: see secondly, whether thou hast not this new spirit here promised: So that thou art changed from that thou hast beene heretofore, &c. If thou finde in thy selfe this onenesse, this newnesse, in any measure, then though thy heart be not yet a soft heart, or not so soft as thou wouldest hauehave it, he will in time giuegive thee that too, if thou be constant in vsing the meanes.
And I will giuegive them one heart. &c.
HItherto of the materiall cause the of grace of Sanctification, wherein hauing stood ouerlong, wee will make you amends with breuity in the rest followes next to speake somewhat of the Efficient and formall cause, both which wee will put into one, and so handle them together; I will giuegive them one heart, &c. I'll do't, 'tis God you see that giues his people one heart, a new heart, a soft heart, he bestowes vponupon them all grace from the beginning to the end.
It is God alone, Doct. that from the beginning to the end giueth his people all sanctifying grace; he beginnes it, he continues it, he perfects it, he crowns it: he is the Alpha and Omega, the author and finisher of all our spirituall goodnesse. In the proofe of this point, the holy Ghost is very punctuall. The whole worke is ascribed to God, 1 positiuely Iam. 1.17, 18. EueryEvery good gift, and eueryevery perfect gift is from aboue, and commeth downe from the Father of lights, with whom is no variablenesse, neither shaddow of turning; Of his owne will begate he vsus, &c. Note here 1. the thing, goodnesse, perfection, all that tends to perfection, and to amend vsus. 2. Note the author and fountaine, it comes from aboue: how is that? from the Father of lights (saith the Apostle) which is in the Church, what the Sunne is in the world, here's the originall. 3. Note the continuance: with him there's no such alteration, as with the Sun, no variablenesse nor shaddow of change, no omission, no intermission. 4. Note the motiue, it is a gift proceeding from his owne will, verse 18. This comes home to all, cheifly for the beginning of Grace.
Adde 1 Pet. 5.10. which is as full for the accomplishment of Grace: The God of all Grace, who hath called vsus to his eternall Glory by Christ Iesus, after that ye hauehave suffered awhile, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. Note here, the worke desired and vndertaken, and the workeman. The worke is confirmation of grace to the end, set forth in a gradation. The worker is God, who will perfect them to the last. And why? 1. hee hath already called them. 2. to partake of Christs eternall glory. 3. he is the God of all Grace: Of grace preuenting, grace regenerating, grace confirming, crowning all. Thus positiuely 'tis proued.
2. This is deliuered exclusiuely also: The holy Ghost thought it not sufficient to ascribe all to God, vnlesse withall, hee did expressely deny all to man. Thence those Scriptures, Iob. 15.4. without me (a new roote, a quickning head and Spirit) ye can doe nothing,Vid. August. Epist. 106. Pauli Rom per totum. and what lesse then nothing? Againe, what hast thou that thou hast not receiued? And if in more common gifts of the Ministry, the highest of ministers, Apostles, and the chiefe of Apostles, Paul his sufficiency reacheth not to a thought, 2 Cor. 3.5. what then can we doe in matters of that life, whereto we are dead, Eph. 2. Surely, if God be the God of all grace, a creating God, and cause of all, then Man is cause of none: If all and eueryevery grace come from aboue, then none from below. If we hauehave no more then we hauehave receiued, then we contribute nothing toward it. Indeed the Apostle mought well say, the God of all grace: for grace can hauehave no author, but God; who workes it out of nothing, and onelyonly vponupon his owne motiues, being first and freest, and were any creature able to deriue grace for any other head, in that respect, hee should be absolute and independant in regard of God, and owe him no seruice with his grace, as I owe no rent or homage to that Lord, of whom I hold no benefit, and from whom I deriue no title: But there's no grace but it tyes me to God, and I am bound to honour him with it, therefore I receiue it from him, for what's for him, is of and through him, Rom. 11. vlt.
But this will not be face to face denyed, let's a little more nearely looke vponupon this truth, and consider the particulars that accompany it. That God is the vniuersall cause of all good naturall & spiritual, is in word acknowledged, Pelagius will not deny it, onelyonly the dimensions and motiues hauehave been doubted of. Therfore, view this worke of grace in the depth, bredth and length of it, and then come to the mouing cause:The manner and measure and motiues in this worke are considered. For the greatest enemies of Grace hauehave euer yeelded grace in mans renuing; but what grace? A preuenting grace, a reuealing grace, a propounding, perswading grace. This is a grace, but is this all? Doth God onelyonly lay before vsus diuine truthes, and giuegive reasons, why we should follow them, and so work grace onelyonly as a morall Agent? No, he not onelyonly perswades and illightens a man, but passes also an act of power vponupon him, hee puts grace into him, he puts his hand into the bowels of a man, and pulls out the stone first, and then puts softnesse in the roome thereof. A morall agent conveyes no real effect, as when I perswade my child to learne, I doe not with those words make him learned: But God workes some thing in vsus, and some thing permanent: Therefore, the Apostle resolues it into the power and mighty power of God, and great and exceeding great, euen that whereby he created the world, and raysed Christ from the graue, Ephes. 1 19, 20. That ye may know (saith he) what is the exceeding greatnesse of his power to vsus-ward who beleeue according to the working of his mighty power, which hee wrought in Christ, when he raysed him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in heauenly Places. Did God onelyonly perswade Christ, to rise or the world to be created? No, but he put forth his Almighty power for the effecting therof, and so stands the case here.
Againe, if God did onelyonly concurre as a morall cause, then man should bee more an agent in his owne saluation than God. For a morall cause is reduced stil to a higher cause, and is not the cheife cause of the effects, but a mouing cause onelyonly: As when I stirre a man vp to works of mercy, the motion is m…ne, the act his: So then, if there bee no more in it, man is the chiefe cause of grace, of saluation, of all; God but an Inferiour Mouer.
Againe, the diuell perswades and iniects ill motions into bad men: Is God no further the Authour of mans grace, then the diuell of mans sin? If so, then as man is iustly reputed the chiefe cause of his own ruine, notwithstanding the diuels perswasion; so good men should be the chiefe cause of their owne happinesse, notwithstanding Gods perswasions. This were horrible to say, yet Bellarmine compares them thus, God puts in good thoughts and desires, as the diuell doth euill imaginations and lusts.
Lastly, if God onelyonly perswade, what's his work more than mans, than the ministers; betweene which, the Apostle makes so wide a distance? They may perswade to grace, &c.
But God doth it in better manner: Obiect.
This is but magis and minùs, Solu.a difference in the degrees onelyonly of working: But God doth more then so, intùs suadet, intùs docet, as that Father said, there is an inward worke of Gods Power vponupon the heart, whereby hee makes vsus capable of his owne reasons and arguments. God doth more then stand without doore to knock at mans heart, and perswade him to be saued, he changeth him inwardly, and works him to conuersion, hee translates him powerfully from death to life, &c.
Thus for the depth of this worke of grace: Now for the bredth and extent how farre goes it. Truly all inward worke was not denyed by Pelagius, is not by the Iesuites: They yeeld a worke vponupon the vnderstanding, inlightning that, a worke also vponupon the affections inuiting them, but the question was and is about the will, what worke God hath vponupon that?
Pelagius distinguisheth betweene the power of willing, and the first and second Acts of will. The power he ascribes to God, he hath giuen vsus that faculty which is free, yea, God awakens the will, saith he, but the act of willing is mans. And this is the same (I trow) the Iesuites teach:Vid Bellar. do …ib. arb. looke what a lightsome obiect is to the sight, that grace is to the will: A man hath an eye and a seeing power, but seeth not actually without light: So a man hath some power of will, but acts it onelyonly when the grace of light is presented. The will then is bound vp, till the vnderstanding and affections be wrought vponupon, &c: But this I waue, 1. there's no such power in nature, for the heart is extreamely corrupt, Gen. 6. In our flesh dwells no good thing. Rom. 7. and that which is born of the flesh, is flesh, Io. 3. The naturall man neither is nor can be subiect. Ro. 8. This is either a naturall and fatall impossibility (& that's Manichisme) or moral, and then the wil is impotent (willingly I confesse yet) impotent: And either originall sin spred not ouer the whole man, or else it taints the wil too indeed that most, which is the immediate princ…p…e of moral acts, so I should think, but I louelove not brawls and disputes de modo.
Secondly, not onelyonly the power, but the act too is from God. 1. the word is cleare, Phil. 2. he works in vsus both to will and to doe, &c. 2. else man should do the better part of his saluation, for act is more excellent than power. 3. then mans will is the principall cause of his good, not grace, which onelyonly sets the scales vpright, the will swayes them. 4. then God doth no more for Peters conuersion than Iudasses, for both hauehave sufficient grace (according to the Iesuites tenets) to conuert. 5. the couenant is for act too, Ezech. 36. And here's the difference betweene the two Adams. 6. then mans saluation and calling depends not on Gods power, but mans will, contrary to Rom. 11.
For the length, see the bounds 1. where it begins, God giues the first grace, the birth of it, Ioh. 3. Iam. 1. 2. as he puts …i… feare into our hearts, so he keepes and perfects it, how long? to the last, he neuer repents, but proceeds till he hath brought iudgement into victory, the will into deed: Ther's some interruption for degree, but no entire intermission or excision, no dying the second death, such shall neuer see death, they are past it, Christ liues in them, and because he liues, they shall liue also, 'tis his owne conclusion, Ioh 14.
Now secondly, for the mouing cause, whence it is that God giues grace, Pelagius said, that grace is giuen secundum merita, according to mens good behauiour to God, and so the Iesuites hold much what to like purpose,Vid. Becan. they hauehave dream't so long of a preuision, that they thrust it at length into predestination it selfe. But may Paul be beleeued. Phil. 2.13. It is God that worketh all of his good pleasure. And of his owne will begat he vsus, Iam. 1.18. And he hath chosen vsus, &c: according to the good pleasure of his will: And, euenso, Father, for it seemed good in thy sight, Matth. 11. And here in the text, I will giuegive them one heart; I, is emphaticall and exclusiue, I and onelyonly I. And, not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord God, (in a further explication of this couenant, Ezech. 36 32) be it known vntounto you; be ashamed and confounded for your owne ways, &c. The only motiue then is, because it so pleaseth him, we can goe no further, we know his proceedings are reasonable, but it becomes vsus to stay here, the rest we shall know at last, as Austin speaks in one place.
These truths we shall do wel to beleeue; the obiections made by Iesuites, we onelyonly touch vponupon.
1. If it be thus (say …hey) then man shall not bee the Master of his owne acts, but God shall be said to beleeue, repent, &c: man shall do nothing, but all shall be resolued into God.
1. The denomination is from the subiect and formall and immediate cause. May not man bee said to vnderstand, though God do powerfully inlighten, or to hate, louelove, &c: They yeeld that God worketh vponupon the vnderstanding and affections, and yet, man vnderstands and affects, and why should not the same be true of the will too?
August. de gra. & lib. arb cap. 61.2. God works all things 1 in vsus and then by vsus. He preuents and acts vsus, and then we worke vnderunder God. Hee workes not in vsus as brute instruments (as the Iesuites report vsus) we will, when we will, but the question is, whence we will, &c.
But then, what neede exhortations or other meanes: True, if God onelyonly wrought, and did not perswade too; but the Councell of Trent can speake to this point. The word shewes, what our power was, our duty is, our prayer must be. And Bellarmine, who makes the obiection elsewhere, makes an answer; for when the like is said against predestination,Lib 2 cap. 15. de lib &c. he can then say, that predestination doth not deny, but confirme exhortations, because he prescribes meanes for attaining the end.
Obiect. This takes away all merit, all praise, from man:
Solut.None, but what's diuine, and 'tis mans happinesse, if he can carry it home and place it where it is due.
Obiect. This takes off all endeauor? nay, this quickens our care and endeauour, if St. Paul may be heard. Phil. 2.13. Therefore we must worke out all, because we depend vponupon God for all, saith hee: but we hauehave held you ouer-long, and therefore must needes adiourne the application and vses to the next time.
So much for the Doctrinall part, as the Question lies betwixt vsus and Iesuites, as for priuate differences betwixt moderne Diuines within themselues, the best answer that my ignorance can make, is silence.