The Christian Warfare Part 1, Book 2 · Chapter 39
CHAP. XXXIX. Of that hardneſſe of heart which is ioyned with ſenſe and feeling thereof.
§. Sect. I Of hardneſſe of hart, ioyned with ſenſe and feeling thereof.THe ſecond ſort of hardneſſe of hart, is that which is ioyned with ſenſe and feeling, when as we ſee and with ſorow feele our dulneſſe and blockiſhneſſe in Gods ſeruice, our obdurate inflexibleneſſe to holy obedience, our hardneſſe of heart, which at the hearing either of the terrible threatnings of the law, or ſweet promiſes of the Goſpell, cannot relent nor reſolue it ſelfe into the teares of vnfained repentance; and this hardneſſe of heart is commonly incident vntounto Gods deare children being at the ſame time in the ſtate of grace, and is a part of that inbred corruption and fleſhly old man which before our calling wholy poſſeſſeth and ouerruled vsus, and after alſo beareth ſome ſway in vsus euē when we are regenerate til with al our other corruptions we lay this aſide alſo by death. And this appeareth in the exāple of the Prophet Dauid, who deſireth the Lord to create in him a cleane hart, & to renew a right ſpirit within him. Pſal. 51.10.Pſal. 51.10. in which words he implieth that his hardneſſe of heart was ſo great, and the corruption thereof ſo abominable that it was euen paſt mending, and therefore he doth not pray the Lord to purge and reforme his old hart,Ezech. 11.19. but to create a new one, and to take quite away his ſtonie hart, & to beſtow vponupon him a hart of fleſh, as though his hart were like a building exceeding ruinous which could no longer be repaired, vnleſſe it were razed downe euen to the foundation and all new built vp againe. So whereas he praieth the Lord to renew his ſpirit in him, he giueth vsus to vnderſtand that he hath loſt the feeling of the ſpirit of adoption crying in his hart Abba father, and that there was in him ſuch an intermiſſion & ſurceaſe of the actions & fruits therof that it ſeemed vtterly quenched and departed from him. So els where he praieth vntounto the Lord to quickē him according to his louing kindneſſe,Pſal. 119.88. that he might keepe the teſtimonies of his mouth. Whereby hee intimateth his drowſineſſe and deadneſſe in Gods ſeruice. The Prophet Eſay likewiſe in the behalfe of himſelfe, and the people complaineth thus: Eſay 63.17.Eſay. 63.17. O Lord why haſt thou made vsus to erre from thy waies, and hardned our hart from thy feare. By all which it appeareth that euen the deare children of God do oftentimes ſee and feele to their great griefe their hardneſſe of hart, which is ioyned with exceeding dulneſſe and drowſineſſe in Gods ſeruice. Yea in truth this kind of hardneſſe of hart is incident vntounto them alone. For whileſt men are worldly and carnall though their harts are moſt hard and obdurate yet they doe not diſcerne it, neither are they any whit diſpleaſed with their eſtate, but fondly flatter themſelues imagining that they are in exceeding good caſe and very deuout in Gods ſeruice which indeed (as they perfourme it) is meerely formall, cuſtomable rather then conſcionable, in ſhew and externall but not in ſpirit and truth; but when the Lord by the miniſtery of his word made effectuall by the inward operation of his holy ſpirit, doth pull of the thicke skinne of carnall ſecuritie from of their hearts and cauſeth the ſeales of ignorance to fall from their eyes, then and not before doe they plainely diſcerne and ſenſibly feele that huge maſſe of inbred corruption, their dulneſſe and drowſineſſe in Gods ſeruice, their hardneſſe of hart and impaenitencie, and now they are much vexed and grieued with them, which in former times neuer troubled them. And therefore let not ſuch be diſmaied nor debarre their ſoules of that cōſolation which of right belongeth to them, for fleſh and bloud hath not reuealed this their corruption, hardneſſe of hart, dulneſſe and deadneſſe in Gods ſeruice but the good ſpirit of God, which hath begunne already to worke in them, ſhewing them their corruptions and moouing them to an vnfained diſlike of them, and therefore they may aſſure themſelues, that he who hath begunne this good worke in them, will alſo bring it in his good time to perfection: OnelyOnly (as the Pſalmiſt exhorteth,) Let them tarrie the Lords leaſure, Phil. 1.6.waite vponupon and truſt in him and he ſhall comfort their hearts.
§. Sect. 2 Now this ſenſible or diſcerned hardneſſe of hart is alſo of two ſortes:2. Sortes of ſenſible hardneſse of hart. The firſt ioyned with the vſe of the means wherby it may be ſoftned. the firſt is of them who carefully vſe all good meanes and indeauour with all diligence to better their eſtate which they ſee to bee moſt miſerable and to mollifie their hard hartes, and to attaine vntounto harty and vnfained repentance. Which who ſo doth hee may aſſure himſelfe that hee is the child of God and in his louelove and fauour; for earneſtly to deſire repentance, and carefully to vſe the meanes whereby we may attaine thereunto, to be diſpleaſed with our hardneſſe of heart and to labour that it may bee mollified, to bee ſorry that wee can bee no more ſorry and to bee diſpleaſed with our ſelues becauſe wee can no more bee diſpleaſed with our ſinnes, is very acceptable in the ſight of God though wee ſee but a little progreſſe in godlineſſe, and but a ſmall increaſe of repentance which wee deſire in great meaſure, for the Lorde eſteemeth the will for the deed, and the affection for the action, and wee may aſſure our ſelues that if on our part wee be not wanting in the vſe of the meanes, the Lord will not bee wanting on his part to ſupply our wantes, and to ſatiſfie all our Godly deſires.
Of this hardneſſe of heart which verie often befalleth the deareſt of Gods children wee hauehave many examples.Examples of this hardneſſe of heart. Pſal. 77.2. The prophet Dauid thus complaineth Pſal. 77.2. In the day of my trouble I ſought the Lorde, my ſore ranne and ceaſed not in the night, my ſoule refuſed comfort. 3. I did thinke vppon God and as troubled, I prayed and my ſpirit was full of anguiſh. 4. thou keepeſt mine eyes waking; I was aſtonied and could not ſpeake. So the church complaineth thus Cant. 3.1.Cant 3.1. and 5.6. In my bed I ſought him by night whom my ſoule loued. I ſought him but I found him not. and chap. 5. ver. 6. I opened to my welbeloued but my welbeloued was gone and paſt: mine heart was gone when hee did ſpeake I ſought him but I could not find him, I called him but hee anſwered me not. Whereby it is manifeſt that euen the deare ſaints of God are often times deſtitute of all comfort and voyde of all feeling of Gods fauour, and of the powerfull working of the graces of Gods ſpirit which they hauehave receiued, though they vſe the meanes appointed of God for the ſtirring vp and increaſing of grace in them, which commeth to paſſe by reaſon of their hardneſſe of heart, and drowſie dulneſſe of ſpirit in theſe ſpirituall excerciſes.
And hence it is that many of Gods children doe grieouſly afflict their ſoules becauſe they ſee theſe their corruptions and imperfections, and hereby often times are mooued to thinke that they are deſtitute of faith, and of all ſauing graces of Gods ſanctifying ſpirite, becauſe though they vſe the meanes ordayned of God for the begetting and increaſing of grace in them, yet they cannot perceiue any fruite that commeth thereby, nor feele in their ſoules any true comfort or ioy in theſe ſpirituall excerciſes. For example ſome complaine that though they continually heare the word yet they feele no increaſe of any grace, no more knowledge, no more faith, no more zeale of Gods glory, no more mortification of their old corruptions, nor any reformation at all of their former ſinfull liues, and therefore they thinke that they heare the worde of God without any profit, nay that the more they heare it the more wicked and rebellious they are; and that for this cauſe it were much better not to heare the worde at all, for as much as it will but agrauate their ſinnes and in creaſe their condemnation, for hee that knoweth his maiſters will and doth it not, Luk. 12.47.ſhalbe beaten with many ſtripes.
§. Sect. 3 But let not ſuch poore mourning ſoules depriue themſelues of that true comfort which of right belongeth to them:Conſolations for ſuch as complaine of their imperfections in hearing the word. and to this end let them know firſt that this is a vſuall complaint of thoſe children of God which profit moſt in hearing of the word though in truth they doe therein deceiue themſelues; for in cōplaining that they profit not, they ſhew they profitt. For whereas men naturally blinded with ſelfe louelove and carnall ſecuritie neuer diſcerne any ſuch want and corruption in themſelues, and therefore though they profit nothing by hearing the worde of God yet it neuer troubles them, nay they imagine that it is ſufficient to preſent their bodies into Gods aſſemblies and to heare Gods worde with their outward eares, though they vnderſtand it not nor retaine it in memorie, nor bring forth any fruits thereof; theſe humbled ſoules by the hearing of the worde are freed from this ſelfe louelove and carnall ſecuritie, and hauehave the blind eies of their vnderſtandings opened ſo as they ſee their faultes and corruptions, and hauehave their harde hartes ſoftened ſo as they are grieued and diſpleaſed with them, & their wills alſo are in ſome good meaſure ſanctified, ſo that they earneſtly deſire to be freed from their corruptions, and to heare the word of God with more profit, whereby it appeareth that though they cannot profit ſo much as they deſire yet they hauehave made a good progreſſe, and the Lord in his good time will perfect that good worke which hee hath begun in them; and the ſame ſpirit of God which hath wrought in them this deſire of profitting by hearing the word, will alſo accompliſh it, & ſo open their dull eares and ſoften their hard harts that they ſhall profit and reape manifould fruites of the ſeede of the word which is ſowed in the furrowes of their hearts. In the meane while the Lorde may in his heauenly wiſedome feed them for a time with a ſparing hand to the end that hee may truly humble them vnderunder the ſight and ſenſe of their corruptions, and that he may hereby ſo ſharpen their appetites that they may with more hungering deſire, and earneſt indeauour feed vponupon the heauenly manna of his word; but as this ſhould increaſe their diligence, ſo it ſhould not decreaſe their hope and comfort, for moſt aſſuredly when the Lorde hath a while whetted their ſtomacke, and by pulling backe his hande mooued them more earneſtly to deſire, and more highly to eſteeme this precious foode of their ſoules, he will fully ſatiſfie their hungring deſire, nouriſh them in all ſpirituall graces, and make them who are but babes ſtrong men in Chriſt. In the mean time let them not faint, but wait vponupon the Lorde, bee ſtrong and truſt in him and hee will ſurely comfort their heartes as the pſalmiſt ſpeaketh Pſal. 27.16.
§. Sect. 4 Secondly wheras they complaine that they doe not after the hearing of the word,Conſolations for ſuch as bewaile their want of feeling the fruits of their hearing. perceiue in themſelues any increaſe of knowledge, faith or any ſauing grace, they are to knowe that howſoeuer no man ought to reſt contented in this eſtate but are to laboure more and more, not only to hauehave but alſo to diſcerne an increaſe of grace in them, and a progreſſe in al vertue and godlineſſe, for otherwiſe though they may be the children of god who for a time liue in ſuch a caſe yet they can not attaine vntounto the aſſurance thereof nor feele the comfort of it in there owne conſciences, neuertheles there is no reaſō why they ſhoulde deſpaire or bee vtterly diſcouraged, for though they find no fruits of their hearing, yet if in obedience to Gods commaundement, they will with care and diligence continue ſtill hearers of the word, they ſhal vndoubtedly in the ende attaine vntounto their deſire and diſcerne in themſelues a greate increaſe of grace and godlineſſe. Wee knowe that the ſeede doth not preſently bringe foorth fruite when it is caſt into the ground, but firſt it ſeemeth to rott and periſh and then it ſprouteth vp in a greene blade, and then it beareth an eare and a great increaſe and much fruite; and ſo it fareth oftentimes in hearing the worde of God, for at firſt it ſeemeth quite loſt and periſhed being ſowne in ſome groundes, and yet afterwardes it bringeth foorth not onelyonly a faire greene blade of an outward profeſſion, but alſo a greate increaſe of the ripe fruites of true godlineſſe. So alſo the ſicke patient taking ſoueraigne phyſicke is not preſently cured, nay in ſtead of feeling any eaſe thereby hee is made much more ſicke in his owne ſenſe and feeling, and yet after the phyſick hath a while wrought with him and purged him of ſome ſuperfluous and hurtfull humours hee findeth ſome amendment, and ſo by little and little hee is reſtored to his former health; and ſo it is alſo with the ſpirituall ſicke patient, hee doth not alwaies preſently find eaſe and quiet peace of conſcience, nay many times hee is tormented and vexed after hee hath receiued the ſpiritual phiſicke of the ſoule the word of God, more then euer in former times, but yet notwithſtanding in proceſſe of time when this phiſicke hath effectually wrought with him, it purgeth him from his filthie corruptions and ſtrengtheneth him in all grace and godlineſſe. And therefore though we feele preſently no profitable fruits of hearing let not this diſcourage vsus from hearing, nay rather let it ſerue as a ſharpe ſpurre to pricke vsus forwarde to more diligence, and let vsus ioyne therewith hartie prayer, deſiring the Lord to water the ſeed of his word ſowne in our hearts with the dew of his holy ſpirit, and then vndoubtedly the Lord in the end will heare vsus, and to our exceeding comfort ſhew vntounto vsus the plentifull fruits of all our labours.
§. Sect. 5 Thirdly whereas they complaine that the more they heare the greater are their ſinnes and rebellion againſt God,Conſolations for ſuch as complaine that the more they heare the more they abound in ſin. in this they much deceiue themſelues; for the worde of God doth not make them more ſinfull, but whereas heretofore they liued in carnall ſecuritie and hardneſſe of heart, hauing their vnderſtandings darkned and their conſciences ſeared ſo as they could neither ſee nor feele their ſins though they were manifould and grieuous, now the worde of God made effectuall by the inward operation of his holy ſpirit like a glorious light hauing diſpelled the darke foggie miſts of ignorance, and illuminated the eyes of their vnderſtandings with the knowledge of Gods law, they better diſcerne their ſinnes and miſerable eſtate then in former times. And this the Apoſtle Paul ſheweth vntounto vsus in his own example Rom. 7.9.Rom. 7.9.10 For (ſaith he) I was once aliue without the law, but when the commaundement came ſin reuiued 10. but I died: and the ſame commaundement which was ordeyned vntounto life, was found to be vntounto mee vntounto death. and ver. 13. was that then which was good made death vntounto mee? God forbid: but ſinne that it might appeare, ſinne wrought death in mee by that which is good, that ſinne might bee out of meaſure ſinfull by the commaundement. So that the preaching of the law doth not make vsus more ſinfull but reuealeth thoſe ſinnes vntounto vsus which before we diſcerned not. As therefore the ſunne ſhining vponupon ſome filthie place doth not make it ſo filthie, but onelyonly doth make it manifeſt which was not ſeene in the darke, and as the wholeſome phyſicke is not the cauſe of thoſe corruptions which it purgeth out, but by expelling them out of the bodie ſheweth them vntounto vsus, ſo the heauenly light and ſoueraigne phyſicke of Gods worde doth not worke in vsus our filthie corruptions, and hurtfull humors of ſinne but it reuealeth them vntounto vsus whereas before times by reaſon of our ignorance and blindneſſe they were ſecret and hidden,
§. Sect. 6 When therefore out of the former premiſſes this concluſion is inferred either by Sathan who continually like a malicious enemie ſeeketh our deſtruction,That we are not to neglect hearing the word becauſe of the former imperfections. or by our owne corrupt fleſh (which is impatient of any rough handlinge, and therefore would rather hauehave vsus ſicke ſtill then indure any paine in beeing cured) that it were better for vsus to ſurceaſe the hearing of gods word as ſeruing to no other end but to encreaſe our condemnation, let vsus in any caſe reſiſt ſuch motions as beeing moſt daungerous tentations which being entertained will bring vsus to vtter ruine and endleſſe deſtruction; for if wee depriue our ſelues of this heauenly light the diuell will eaſily lead vsus hudwincke vntounto all fin & wickedneſſe, if we long abſtaine from this comfortable food of our ſoules they will be hungarſtarued, and all the graces of Gods ſpirit will waxe faint and die in vsus, if wee diſarme our ſelues of this ſword of the ſpirite, Sathan without any reſiſtance will ouercome vsus and take vsus captiues, forcing vsus as his miſerable ſlaues to commit all thoſe workes of darkneſſe in which hee will imploy vsus. And therefore as wee tender the ſaluation of our owne ſoules, let vsus not be diſcouraged from hearing the word of God by any ſuggeſtions whatſoeuer, no not though we ſeeme vntounto our ſelues eueryevery time wee come into the Church to goe a ſtep towards hell; for whileſt we vſe Gods ordinance which is appointed as the meanes for our conuerſion and ſaluation, there is ſome good hope, but when we vtterly neglect it our ſtate is moſt deſperate.