Heaven Opened, Treatise · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. An Heart of Fleſh.
4. AN Heart of Fleſh, Ezek. 36.26. I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh, and I will give you an Heart of Fleſh. The old heart is a ſtone; cold as a ſtone, dead as a ſtone, hard as a ſtone; but I will take away the ſtone, and give an heart of fleſh.
An heart of fleſh, is a ſoft and tender heart; Fleſh can feel any thing thats contrary to it, puts it to pain; Sin makes it ſmart; it cannot kick, but it is againſt the pricks, by its rebellion, and reſiſtance againſt the Lord, it receives a wound; it cannot hit, but it hurts it ſelf. A ſoft hand gets nothing by laying on, on an hedge of thorns. A ſoft heart when it hath been medling with ſin, is ſure to ſmart for it. It can neither eſcape the pain, nor yet endure it: and what it cannot bear, 'twill take warning to avoid it.
Fleſh will bleed. A ſoft heart will mourn, and melt, and grieve, when hard hearts are moved at nothing. Fleſh will yield. Its apt to receive impreſſions. The power of God will awe it; his juſtice fear it; his mercy melt it; his holineſs humble it, and leave the ſtamp, and image of it upon it. And as the Attributes, ſo the Word and Works of God, will make ſign upon it. Who ſets a ſeal upon a ſtone? or what print will it receive? upon the wax, the print will abide. God ſpeaks once and twice, but man, hardned man will not regard it. Neither his Word, nor his rod, neither his ſpeaking, nor his ſmiting will make any ſigne on ſuch hearts. 'Tis the heart of fleſh that hears and yields. And with ſuch hearts the Lord delights to bee dealing. Acts 28. The heart of this people is waxed groſs; they will not hear, they will not underſtand; and the next word is, away to the Gentiles, they will hear. Hee will no more write his Law on tables of ſtone: hee'l write in fleſh; there the impreſſion will take, and go the deeper: and therefore, where-ever hee intends to write, hee prepares his table: makes this ſtone fleſh, and then engraves upon it. Particularly this tenderneſs admits of a double diſtinction.
1. Reſpecting the object of it: ſo there is a tenderneſs,
1. Of Sin.
2. Of Duty.
3. Of Suffering.
1. Of Sin; and tha'ts twofold, ſuch as diſcovers it ſelf,
ante factum.
poſt factum.
1. Ante factum. Or before the commiſſiion. Whileſt it is under a temptation, or feels the firſt motion to ſin. A tender heart ſtartles, ſtarts back at the ſight of a ſin, as at the ſight of a devil, Gen. 39.9. How ſhall I do this great wickedneſs, and ſin againſt God? the manner of the ſpeech, preſents Joſeph as a man in a fright, ſtartled at the uglineſs of the motion. So David, when hee had an opportunity, and a temptation to ſlay Saul, 1 Sam. 26.11. rejects it with an abſit. God forbid. The Lord forbid that I ſhould ſtretch forth my hand againſt the Lords anointed. And that not onelyonly at the higher and greater, but it reſiſts the little ones, the ſmalleſt of ſins. Is it not a little one? is no plea with it. Little or great, 'tis a ſin, and that's enough.
2. Poſt factum. After the Commiſſion; if it hath been brought on upon ſin, yet it cannot go out with it. The skirt of Saul's garment, was too heavy for David's heart to bear. His heart ſmote him pteſently, 1 Sam. 24.5. Sin in the review, looks dreadfully. Its pleaſant flowers quickly turn to thorns; it pricks the heart how much ſoever it pleas'd the eye. It ordinarily enters by the eye; and often runs out the ſame way it came in; runs out in tears. When hee thought thereon, hee wept. At leaſt, it warns, and makes more watchful after. Thou ſeeſt what 'tis, take heed; take it for a warning, and do no more. The pain of ſin, if it do not force a tear, 'twill ſet a watch.
2. Of duty. A tender heart will neither ſlight a ſin, nor neglect a duty. It's loth to grieve and offend, and careful to ſerve and pleaſe the Lord. It would not that he ſhould ſuffer by it, nor ſo much as loſe his due. It watches againſt ſin, and unto duty. It cares how to pleaſe the Lord, and its care is tender. It would not diſpleaſe by its neglects or performances; all muſt bee done that ought, and as it ought to be done. It will neither ſtand out with its offering, nor will it offer an unclean thing. It conſiders not onelyonly what, but how. Both matter and manner, ſubſtance and circumſtance, all muſt bee right, or 'tis not at eaſe. It will keep time, and as much as may bee, keep touch with the Lord in every point. It is not ſatisfied that it prayes ſometimes, it would not loſe a praying time. God will not, and it cannot loſe a duty. It would neither loſe by non-performance, nor loſe what is performed. It would neither leave undone, nor do amiſs; any failing, not onelyonly in the matter, but in the principle, end, affection, intention; any failing pains.
3. In point of ſuffering. A ſoft heart will not bee careful what, or how much, but why, and upon what account, hee ſuffers. Will neither ſinfully ſhun the croſs, nor run upon it unwarrantably. He waits for a call, and then follows. Hee is patient under the hand of the Lord, but not inſenſible; can be touched with an affliction, though not offended at it. The hand of the Lord hath touched mee. Hee ſuffers more than his own, his brethrens ſufferings. His brethrens burthens, all lie on his ſhoulders. Hee weeps in their ſorrows, bleeds in their wounds, his heart is bound in their chains. As the care, ſo the trouble of all the Churches, come daily upon him. Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? hee eſpouſes all the ſufferings of Chriſt as his own. In all his afflictions hee is afflicted.
2. Tenderneſs may bee diſtinguiſhed in reſpect of the ſubject of it; and ſo there is a tenderneſs of
the conſcience.
the will.
the affections.
1. Tenderneſs of conſcience ſtands in theſe three things.
1. Clearneſs of Judgment.
2. Quickneſs of ſight.
3. Uprightneſs or faithfulneſs.
1. Clearneſs of judgment. When its well inſtructed, and underſtands the rule; and can thence diſcern betwixt good and evil. Heb. 5.14. There is a tenderneſs that proceeds from cloudineſs; ſcrupuloſity; that fears every thing, ſtumbles at ſtraws, ſtarts at ſhaddows; makes ſins; picks quarrels at duties; and ſo ſometimes dare not pleaſe, for fear of offending God. This is the ſickneſs, or ſoreneſs of conſcience; not its ſoundneſs. 'Tis the ſound conſcience that is truly tender.
2. Quickneſs of ſight, and watchfulneſs. I ſleep, but my heart waketh. It can eſpie the leaſt ſins, and ſmalleſt duties. It can ſee ſin in the very temptation; it can diſcover the leaſt ſin under the faireſt face, and the leaſt duty, under the fouleſt vizor. Call it ſingularity, nicety, cloud it with reproaches; yet conſcience can diſcover light ſhining through all the clouds; duty within, whatſoever unhandſom face it bee preſented in, the former ſtands in conſciences underſtanding the rule, as was ſaid, this in ſtrait applying the rule to caſes; and diſtinguiſhing of them by it. The truly tender hath his eyes in his head; and his eyes open, to diſcover and diſcern all that comes, bee it good or evil, little or great. If but a thought comes in, what comes there, ſaies conſcience? what art thou? a friend or an enemy? whence art thou? from God, or from beneath? 'twill examine whatever knocks, before any free admiſſion. O what a croud of evils do thruſt into looſe and careleſs hearts; the devil comes in in the croud, and is never diſcovered. If the eye bee either dim, or aſleep, there's entrance for any thing. Little do wee think oft-times, who hath been with us, what loſſes and miſchiefs wee have ſuſtained, while our hearts have been aſleep; which had they been wakeful, and watchful, might have been prevented.
3. Uprightneſs, and faithfulneſs. Which diſcovers it ſelf,
1. In giving charge concerning duty.
2. In giving warning of ſin.
3. In giving check for ſin when committed.
1. In giving charge concerning duty, look to it ſoul, there's a duty before thee, which God calls thee to; do not ſay, 'tis no great hurt to let it alone, 'tis no great hurt to do it, it is queſtionable, whether it bee a duty or no? Many wiſer than I think otherwiſe; do not ſay, 'tis a nicety, 'tis but a punctilio, 'tis meere folly, and preciſeneſs; and there will bee no end of ſtanding upon ſuch ſmall matters; ſee to it, 'tis thy duty, beware thou neglect it not, the baulking of the leaſt duty, is the neglecting of the great God of Glory.
2. In giving warning of Sin; Take heed to thy ſelf, ſin lyes at the door, thou art under a temptation, the Devil is entring upon thee; do not ſay, 'tis but a little ſin; as little as 'tis, there's Death and Hell in the bowels of it, look to it, 'tis ſin, have thou nothing to do with it, keep thy ſelf pure, and though it run upon thee, ſhake it off.
3. After commiſſion, it gives check for it; reproving, judging, and laſhing the ſoul for it, where haſt thou been Gehazi? ſay not thou haſt been no where; went not this heart with thee and ſaw thee, running out after thy covetouſneſſe, gadding after thy pleaſures, feeding thy pride, dandling thy luſts, playing the Hypocrite, playing the Harlot from thy God, pampring thy fleſh, pleaſing thine appetite; and where haſt thou been? What haſt thou done ſoul? think not to excuſe or mince the matter, it cannot be excuſed; thou haſt ſinned againſt thy God, and now bear thy ſhame. This is our heart ſmiting of us, 2 Sam. 24. Our hearts condemning of us, 1 John 3.20. If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things.
2. Tenderneſſe of the Will, that ſtands in its flexibleneſſe, and pliableneſs unto the Will of God. And this is that tenderneſs wherein chiefly ſtands the bleſſing of a ſoft heart; an hard heart is ſtubborn and obſtinate; thy neck is as an Iron ſinew, and thy brow Braſſe. Thou wilt not bee rul'd, there's no bending thee, or turning thee out of thy courſe, thy Iron is too hard for the fire, it will not bee melted, and for the Hammer, it will not bee broken; there's no dealing with thee, thou art an untractable piece, thou wilt go neither led nor driven; thine heart is ſet in thee to do evil, thy will is ſet upon ſin, and thou art ſet upon thine own will. The word which thou hast ſpoken to us in the Name of the Lord, wee will not do, but wee will do, whatever proceeds out of our own mouth; Jer. 44.16,17. Wee will do what we will do; who is Lord over us? Pſal. 12. and Jer. 2.25. Thou ſaidſt there is no hope: no, for wee have loved ſtrangers, and after them we [will] go, come what will of it, ſay what thou wilt againſt it; Be ſilent Scriptures, hold thy peace, Conſcience, 'tis to no purpoſe to ſpeak more, there is no hope of prevailing; wee are at a point, wee will take our own courſe. Theſe are hard hearts, ſtubborn, obſtinate hearts.
When the Iron ſinew is broken, when the rebellion and ſtubbornneſſe of the Spirit is ſubdued, and tamed, and made gentle, and pliable, then it becomes a tender heart.
There may bee ſome tenderneſs in the Conſcience, and yet the will bee a very ſtone; and as long as the will ſtands out, there is no broken heart. Conſcience may bee ſcared and frighted, Conſcience may fly upon the Sinner; what doſt thou mean ſoul? whither are thy rebellions carrying thee? look to thy ſelf, hearken or thou wilt bee loſt e're thou art aware. But however, God hath gotten conſcience on his ſide, yet the Devil ſtill rides the Will; and there ſin takes up its reſt. There's a double reſting of ſin in the ſoul,
In Peace.
In Power.
1. In Peace, when it dwells and rules in the ſoul without diſturbance, or contradiction; when it carries all ſmoothly before it; when God lets it alone, and conſcience ſpeaks not a word againſt it; When notwithſtanding thoſe Armies of luſts, fighting againſt the ſoul, there's not ſo much as one weapon lift up againſt them; not a prayer, nor a tear, nor a wiſh for freedome; nor the leaſt fear concerning the iſſue; this is the moſt dreadful hardneſs.
2. In Power, When though it can have no Peace, yet it hath ſtill a Place in the heart. Though it can have no quiet, but conſcience is ſtill quarrelling with it, and warning it away; yet it ſtill holds its power over the Will, the Maſter of the houſe, is content to bee its Servant, O how many perſons are there, even amongſt the Profeſſors of Religion, who cannot ſin in quiet, they are proud, or paſſionate, or intemperate, or covetous or falſe in their words, in their dealings; they are formal, and hypocritical, and ſlight, in their duties; but they cannot go out with it with any quiet. Conſcience ſmites them for it, they feel many a pang, and deadly twinge in their heart; inſomuch that ſometimes they cry, and groan, and roar in their ſpirits; O for redemption, O for deliverance from this falſe, this proud, this covetous and wicked heart; and yet after all this, the Will remains a captive ſtill; Sin holds its power there; though it cannot carry it on in peace, though it cannot bee proud, or play the Hypocrite, or be covetous, or an oppreſſour, without ſome galls, and gripes in the ſoul; yet on it goes, the ſame trade is kept up, the ſame courſe is held on. God commands, caſt yee out, caſt yee out, come off from all your wickedneſſe, and evil waies, and I will receive you; No, though Conſcience would, the Will cannot come, whatever rendings, and tearings; whatever terrours and torments, and worryings, ſuch ſouls are at any time under, whatever ſtings, and plagues, and fires, they find their ſins to be in their ſouls and bones; what-ever wiſhings and wouldings they wring forth, that they were well rid of theſe plagues; whileſt the will is ſtill for them, there's an hard heart; damnably hard; there's none of this heart of fleſh. When the will is once broken looſe from ſin; when it will be content to let all go, and give up its ſelf to the dominion of the Lord, there's a broken heart. Now ſpeak Lord, and I will hear. Now call Lord, and I will anſwer. Now command me, impoſe on mee what thou wilt, I will ſubmit. None but the Lord; none but Chriſt; no other Lord, nor lover. I am thine Lord, thine own, do with thine own, demand of thine own, what-ever thou pleaſeſt. What God will have mee bee, vvhat God vvill have mee do, that vvill I do, and bee. No longer vvhat I vvill, but the Will of the Lord bee done, When 'tis come to this, there's a tender heart; there's the bleſſing of a broken ſpirit; the ſtone hee hath taken away, hee hath given an heart of fleſh.
Chriſtians, never truſt to tears; never talk of terrours, trouble of conſcience; of the paſſionate workings, and meltings, which at any time you feel upon your ſpirits; though there be ſomething in theſe, as you ſhall ſee more by and by; yet theſe are not the things you are to look at. A ſubdued, tractable, willing, obedient heart, that's the tender heart. Iſa. 1.19. If yee bee willing and obedient, yee ſhall eat the good of the Land; but if yee refuſe and rebel, yee ſhall bee ſlain with the ſword; the mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it.
3. Tenderneſs of the affections. I ſhall inſtance onelyonly in three, viz.
Love.
Fear.
Sorrow.
The tenderneſs of love is ſeen in its
Benevolence.
Jealouſie.
1. In its benevolence. Our goodneſs extends not to the Lord, but our good will does. Our love can add nothing to him; can a man bee profitable to God? Job 22. If thou bee righteous what giveſt thou to him? chap. 35.7. Yet though it can adde nothing, it would not that any thing be detracted from him; whileſt hee can have no more, it would that hee ſhould have his own; all that is due; his due praiſe, his due honour, and homage, and worſhip, and ſubjection, from every creature; it would have no abatement, not the leaſt ſpot or ſtain upon all his glory. What's an affront to God, is an offence to love. Love beareth all things, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 13. all things from God, all things from men. And yet there are two things, the love of God cannot bear;
his diſhonour.
his diſpleaſure.
1. His diſhonour. Love would have God to bee God; to live in the glory of his Majeſty, in the hearts and eyes of all the world. His reproach is grievous to him that loves, for this is the cloud that takes God out of ſight. Hee loves and honours, and would that God ſhould bee loved and honoured of all; hee fears, and would that the whole world ſhould fear him. Hee would receive in his own breaſt, every arrow that's ſhot againſt his maker; hee would that his own name, and ſoul might ſtand betwixt his God, and all reproach, and diſhonour. Hee would bee vile, ſo the Lord may bee glorious; ſo God may increaſe, he's content to decreaſe. Hee's not ſo tender of his own heart, and bowels, as of the holineſs of his God. Hee would ſuffer, and die, and bee nothing, rather than that God ſhould not bee all in all. Hee would rather never think, nor ſpeak, nor bee, rather, then not bee, in word, and thought, and life, holineſs to the Lord. But O what, or where would hee bee, rather than his own hand ſhould bee lift up againſt him?
To ſee the Lord robb'd of his holineſs, wrong'd in his wiſdome, or his truth, or his ſoveraignty; to ſee ſin, that devil; to ſee the world, that Idol, ſet up in the throne, and the God of glory made to ſtand aſide as inſignificant; to hear that blaſphemy, God is not worth this luſt, or not worthy this labour, (and what is ſaid leſs in every ſin) is a ſword in his breaſt. The reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon mee. Love hath taſted of God, it hath fed on his fulneſs, it hath its nouriſhment from his ſweetneſs, it hath been warmed in his boſom, all his goodneſs hath paſſed before it; upon this it lives and feeds; and having found and felt what the Lord is, its impatient that all this goodneſs ſhould be clouded or belyed. Love kindled from heaven, is keen; and the keen is a tender edge; the leaſt touch of what offends, will turn it. Lam. 1.20. I am in diſtreſs, my bowels are troubled, mine heart is [turned] within mee, for I have grievouſly rebelled, Pſal. 42.3. My tears have been my meat, continually, while they daily ſay unto me, where is thy God! Where is that care, and help, and that ſalvation of thy God, thou truſtedſt in! thy God is not ſuch an one, as thou boaſtedſt him to bee: when I remember, when I hear ſuch things, my ſoul is poured out within mee. Love is large; hee that loves hath a large heart, hee can never receive, or do too much; hee would have all hee can, and he would give all hee hath to the Lord. Hee's tender how any thing bee withheld that is due, how any thing bee waſted elſewhere, that might bee uſeful to the Lord.
2. His diſpleaſure. The diſpleaſure of men it bears and rejoyces; the wrath and rage of Sathan, it bears and triumphs? though all the world, and hell to boot, bee diſpleaſed, and provoked, ſo God ſmiles, 'tis well enough. Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon mee, and mine heart is glad, Pſal. 4. Thou didſt hide thy face, and I was troubled, Pſal. 30.7.
Let him correct mee, but O not in fury; let him ſmite, but not frown; let him kill mee, ſo hee will but love mee. And though hee ſmite, though hee kill mee, yet will I love and truſt in him. O my God, let mee rather die in thy love, then live in thy diſpleaſure; there's life in that death, this life is death to me. Let mee not be dead whileſt alive; turn away thine anger which kills my heart.
It is impatient of divine diſpleaſure, and thence 'tis grievous to it that it does diſpleaſe; thence it quarrels with ſin, and falls ſo foul with it ſelf for it. Is this thy kindneſs to thy friend? loveſt thou God, ſoul? what and yet provokeſt him thus daily? love, and yet neglect to ſeek, and follow thy God? love, and yet ſo lame, and ſo ſlow, and ſo heavy, and ſo ſparing in thy ſervices to him? Is this all thy love will do? not deny thine eaſe, or thy pleaſure, or thy liberty, or thine appetite, or thy companion, for the ſake of the Lord? chuſe rather to pleaſure thy friend, or thy fleſh, than to pleaſe God? Is this thy love? Is this thy kindneſs to thy friend? O falſe heart, O unworthy, unworthy ſpirit; how canſt thou look thy God in the face? how canſt thou ſay I love thee, when thine heart is no more with him?
2. In its Jealouſie. Hee that loves the Lord is jealous; and Jealouſie hath a tender edge; hee is Jealous, not of, but for the Lord, not of his God, but of himſelf; leaſt any thing ſhould ſteal away his heart from God. Love would bee chaſte, would not beſtow it ſelf elſewhere: and yet is in great Jealouſie it may bee enticed and drawn away. Hee that loves the Lord, there is not any thing, whether Wife, or Childe, or Friend, or Eſtate, or Eſteem, that gets near his heart, but hee's jealous of them, leaſt they ſteal it away: Get you down, keep you lower, this heart is neither yours, nor mine; O my God, 'tis thine, 'tis thine Lord, take it wholly to thee, keep it to thy ſelf, let no other Lovers bee ſharers with thee.
2. There's a tenderneſs of fear; The tender heart is a trembling heart, the tenderneſs of fear is manifeſted in its
Suſpition.
Caution.
1. In its Suſpition, the fearful are ſuſpitious; they look farther then they ſee, hee that is in dread, will bee in doubt, what may befall him, hee ſuſpects a ſurprizal; every buſh is a theef, every bait, he doubts may have an hook under. There is a fooliſh, and a cauſeleſs fear; and there is a prudent, and an holy fear; this fear is a principle of wiſdome, Pſal. 111.10. Prov. 22.3. The prudent man fore-ſeeth the evil, but fools go on; the ſnare is never nearer, than to the ſecure; bold venturous ſinners never want woe, the Devil may ſpare his cunning, when hee hath to do with ſuch; nothing that looks like ſin, offers it ſelf to a tender heart, but hee preſently ſuſpects it; every pleaſant morſel, every pleaſant cup, every pleaſant companion that comes; any thing that tickles, and gratifies the fleſh, hee looks through it e're hee will touch with it, leaſt it betray his ſoul from God; there may bee a ſnare in the diſh, a ſnare in my cup, a ſnare in my company; and what if there ſhould? he feeds himſelf with fear, dwells, walks, converſes, works, recreates himſelf, vvith a trembling heart, and jealous eye.
2. In its Caution; Fear is warie; ſome Commanders have ſet their ſcout watches unarmed, that fear might make them watchful, a fearful Chriſtian, will take heed what, and whom hee truſts; hee dares not truſt himſelf in ſuch company, as may bee a ſnare unto him, hee dares not truſt his heart among temptations, hee'l keep the Devil at a diſtance, hee will not come near where his Nets do lye. Bleſſed is hee that thus feareth alwaies? O the unſpeakable miſchief! O the multitudes of ſins that wee run upon, through our ſecure hearts; I never thought of it, I never dreamed of any ſuch danger; Oh I am undermined, I am over-reach'd, I am ſurprized; my foot is in the Snare, the grin hath taken mee by the heel, my ſoul is among Lyons; Sin hath gotten hold on mee; mine heart is gone e're I was aware, the enemy hath come in and carryed it away; hath given it to luſt, to the world, to pleaſure, to divide it amongſt themſelves, my faith hath failed, my conſcience is defiled, my love is grown cold, my grace withered, my comforts waſted, my peace broken; and my God, O! where is hee become? Woe is mee, the evil that I feared [not] is come upon mee, had I feared, I had not fallen: O that I had been wiſe, had kept my watch, had ſtood upon my guard; had I thought, had I thought, I had eſcaped all this danger: O Chriſtians, bee wiſe in ſeaſon, and take heed of the fools, too late [had I wiſt]
3. There's a tenderneſs of ſorrow; Sorrow is the melting of the heart, the ſtone diſſolved, ſorrow is the wound of the heart, a wound is tender, love is tender, and therefore Godly ſorrow, which is the ſorrow of love; you may call it a love ſickneſs, love is both the pain and pleaſure of a mourning heart, 'tis love that wounds, and love that heals; it is both the weapon and the oyle; this ſorrow hath its joy, the melted is the moſt joyful heart; 'tis love that makes it ſad, it therefore weeps becauſe it loves, and 'tis love that makes it glad too; It therefore joyes becauſe in its ſorrows, it ſees it loves. 'Tis love that makes the wound, the matter of this ſorrow being love abus'd, what haſt thou done Soul? who haſt thou deſpiſed? againſt whom haſt thou lift up thy ſelf? thou haſt ſinned, thou haſt ſinned, and haſt thereby ſmitten and grieved thy God that loves thee, and whom thou loveſt; Thou haſt but one friend in Heaven, and earth, and him thou haſt abuſed; to pleaſure thy luſt, thou haſt pierced thy Lord, thou haſt tranſgreſſed his Commandements, and trampled upon his Compaſſions; haſt broken his Bonds, and kick'd at his Bowels; his greatneſs, and his goodneſs; his Law and his very Love hath been deſpiſed by thee; him who loved thee haſt thou ſmitten. Is this thy kindneſs to thy Friend? O vile ungratious, unkinde, unthankful, unnatural heart; what haſt thou done?
Put all this now together, and you have the heart of fleſh which the Covenant promiſes, a Tender Heart; an heart that is tender of ſin and duty, that carefully ſhuns ſin, or is ſure to ſmart for it; that neither ſlights ſin, nor duty; that ſayes not of the one or the other; 'tis but a little one; that can feel ſufferings, but not fret at them, a Tender Conſcience; that will neither winck at ſin, nor excuſe the ſinner, that will not hold the ſinner guiltleſs; nor ſay unto the wicked, thou art righteous; that will not bee ſmitten, but it will ſmite again, that will give due warning, and due correction, a flexible tractable heart; that will not reſiſt and rebel; that ſayes unto the Lord, what wilt thou have mee to do? and will not ſay of any thing, hee will have; any thing but this. A willing, ductile heart, ſtiffe againſt nothing but ſin, that a word from Heaven, will lead to any thing. An Heart of Love; that bears good will to the Lord, and all that hee does or requires; in which good will lies, radically every good work; that ſaies not of any duties or ſufferings, this is too great, or of any ſin, this is nothing; that would bee any thing, or nothing; So God may bee all. That would rather bee diſpleaſed, than diſpleaſe; that is not diſpleaſed, where God is pleaſed. A trembling Heart, that fears more than it ſees, and flies from what it fears, whom fear makes to beware. A melting Heart, a mourning heart, that wounds it ſelf in the wounds it hath given to the Lord, and his Name; that can grieve in love, and can love and grieve, where it cannot weep. In ſumme, 'tis an heart that can feel, that can bleed, that can weep; or at leaſt that can yeild and ſtoop, where it cannot weep, nor feel but little, that will eaſily bee commanded, where it is not ſenſibly melted, this is a ſoft heart, this is the heart of fleſh; I will take away the ſtone, and give them an heart of fleſh.
Oh what a bleſſing is ſuch an heart! what a plague is an hard heart! oh what priſoners are the men of this evil world: in priſon under Sathan, in priſon under ſin, bound under a curſe, ſhut up under unbelief, and impenitence: the hard heart, is the iron-gate, that ſhuts them in that they cannot get out. Rom. 2. Oh what an hoſpital is this world become: of blind, and lame, and ſick, and creeples, and wounded creatures! whence are all the calamities and diſtreſſes that befall them, but from the hardneſs of their hearts? the ſtone in their hearts breeds all their diſeaſes, brings all their calamities: hath blinded their eyes, and broken their bones, and waſted their eſtates: there is not one miſery that befalls them, but they may write up over it, this is the hardneſs of my heart. Oh what a Sodom is this world become, for wickedneſs as well as for wrath: what drunkenneſs, what adulteries, what oaths, what blaſphemies, and all ſorts of monſtrous ſins do every where abound! whence is all this, but from the hardneſs of mens hearts! if you ſay 'tis from other cauſes: 'tis from unbelief, from ignorance, from impotence, from temptations; let it bee granted: yet ſtill 'tis from hardneſs of heart. They are wilfully ignorant, wilfully weak, vvilfully run into temptations; they ſhut their eyes, and ſtop their ears, they wil not ſee, they will not believe. Oh what loſſes do they ſuſtain! how many Sabbaths are loſt? how many Sermons are loſt? how many reproofs, counſels, corrections are loſt? a Goſpel loſt, and ſouls thereby like to bee loſt for ever! oh what prodigies are they become? under all this ſin and miſery? and yet merry, jolly, laughing, and ſinging, and ſporting, and feaſting, and braving it out, as if nothing ail'd them. Feeling nothing of all that is come upon them, and fearing nothing of all that is coming. Warn them, reprove them, beſeech them, 'tis all but preaching to a ſtone. It may bee you have ſometimes wondred, to ſee a company of thieves in priſon, to bee drinking, and carouſing, and milking merry, when they know that in a few daies they muſt bee brought out, and hanged. When thou wondreſt at theſe, wonder at thy ſelf. What bitter complaints do wee ſometimes hear, even from the beſt of Saints! oh this hard heart, oh this ſtubborn ſpirit; I cannot mourn, I cannot ſtoop, I cannot ſubmit. Iſa. 63.17. Why haſt thou hardned our heart from thy fear? Or why haſt thou left us, or given us up to an hard heart? why haſt thou not ſoftened, and humbled, and broken us? thou haſt humbled us, and wee are not humbled; broken us, and wee are not broken; thou haſt broken our land, broken our peace, broken our backs, but the ſtone is not yet broken; oh for one breach more Lord; our hearts, our hearts, let theſe bee once broken; our ſtreets mourn, the Cities of our ſolemnities mourn, the wayes of Sion mourn, oh when wilt thou give us a mourning ſpirit?
Oh what ſorrow-bitten ſouls are the Saints, for want of ſorrow! I mourn Lord, I lament, I weep, but 'tis becauſe I cannot mourn, or lament as I ſhould; If I could mourn as I ought, I could bee comforted; if I could weep, I could rejoyce; if I could ſigh, I could ſing; if I could lament I could live; I die, I dye, mine heart dies within mee, becauſe I cannot cry: I cry Lord, but not for ſin, but for tears for ſin; I cry Lord, my calamities cry, my bowels cry, my bones cry, my ſoul cries, my ſins cry, Lord, for a broken heart; and behold, yet I am not broken.
The Rocks rent, the Earth quakes, the Heavens drop, the Clouds weep, the Sun will bluſh, the Moon bee aſhamed, the foundations of the earth will tremble at the preſence of the Lord, but this heart will neither break nor tremble; O for a broken heart! If this were once done, might my ſoul have this wiſh, thenceforth my God might have his Will; what would bee hard, if my heart were tender? Labour would bee eaſie, pains would bee a pleaſure, burthens would bee light; Neither the Command nor the Croſs would bee any longer grievous, nothing would bee hard but ſin. Fear, where art thou? come and plough upon this Rock; Love where art thou? come and thaw this Ice, come and warm this dead lump; come and enlarge this ſtraitned ſpirit, then ſhall I run the way of his Commandements.
Oh Brethren, how little, how very little of this tenderneſs is there to bee found amongſt the moſt of Chriſtians? The ſacrifice of God, is a broken heart; Oh how far muſt the Lord go to finde himſelf ſuch a Sacrifice? wee do but caſt ſtones up to Heaven, when wee lift up our hearts; 'Tis a wonder, that ſuch hearts as wee carry do not break themſelves; that our marble weeps not; that if nothing elſe will do it, our hardneſs doth not make us relent; that wee ſhould ſo labour under, and complain of, and yet not bee ſick of the Stone.
Broken hearts, yeilding and relenting ſpirits, tender conſciences, Oh where are they? afraid of ſin? tender of tranſgreſſing? or mourning under it? when ſhall it once bee? our luſts no more broken? our pride, our paſſion, our envy, our earthlineſs no more broken? So venturous on temptation, ſo bold on ſin, ſuch liberty taken to tranſgreſs, ſuch mincing, and palliating, and excuſing of ſin, as wee finde: Is this our brokenneſs? wee are tender, 'tis true; but of what? of diſhonouring God, of abuſing Grace, of neglecting Duty; of defiling Conſcience, of vvounding of our Souls? No, 'tis of our fleſh, that wee are ſo tender; tender of labour, tender of trouble, tender of our carkaſſes, of our credits, of our Names and reputations, a tender ſhoulder, a tender hand, a tender foot; they can bear nothing, nor do nothing; nothing can touch our fleſh, nothing can touch our Idols; our eaſe, or our eſtates, but wee ſhrink, and ſmart, and are put to pain. God may bee ſmitten and wee feel it not; the Goſpel may bee ſmitten, the Church may bee ſmitten, conſcience may bee ſmitten, and it moves us not; Wee can fear an affliction, fear a reproach, Oh did wee ſo much fear a temptation, or a ſin! wee cannot want bread but wee feel it, wee cannot want cloathes, or an houſe, or a friend, but wee feel it; Wee cannot want our ſleep, our quiet, our pleaſure, our reſpects from men, but wee feel it, any thing that pinches upon our fleſh pierces our hearts. Wee cannot pine, or languiſh in our bodies, but wee feel it; a feaver; or an ague, or a conſumption, or a dropſie, or any bodily ſickneſs; Oh it makes us ſick at heart; a froward yoak-fellow, an unthrifty ſervant, an ill neighbour, a ſcoffe, a ſleight cannot bee born; but Oh! how much ſin can bee born, while our fleſh will bear nothing? Oh! how can conſcience bear, and never complain?
Chriſtians conſider, when our fleſh muſt be thus tendred, what ever come of it; muſt be tenderly fed, muſt have ſoft rayment, ſoft lodging, ſoft uſage, deal gently with it, though to maintain it, Conſcience muſt bee racked, and wracked and waſted.
When our Wills cannot bee croſſed, our appetites cannot bee denied, but a tumult follows, the ſoul is in an uproar; and conſcience mean while, muſt be denied, rated, and muſt go away in ſilence.
When the Word works no more, when the prints of it are not received; the power of it is reſiſted; when the rod works no more; when our ſtripes make no ſign, when the laſhes on our backs fall all beſides our hearts; when wee remain ſo vain, and ſo wanton, ſo wilful, and ſo carnal, and ſo earthly; after the Lord hath been preaching, and whipping of us into a better frame, when wee ſtand upon our terms, keep our diſtances, our animoſities, our heats, and heighths of ſpirit, our cenſurings, our quarrellings one with another, Chriſtian with Chriſtian, Profeſſour with Profeſſour, after the Lord hath been beating us together, to make us friends, and all to learn us more humility, and charity; Is this our brokenneſs? is this our tenderneſs? when upon any the Lords rougher dealing with us, ſpitting in our faces, throwing us on our backs, trampling us in the dirt, wee are yet no more brought on our knees; Is this our brokenneſs? when the Lord hath been awakening us out of ſleep, putting his ſpurres and goads in our ſides, to quicken us on our way; calling to us, ariſe ſleepers, put on ſluggards, ſtirre up your ſpirits, mend your pace, I will not bee put off as I have been; no more, ſuch loitering, and idling, and trifling, and halting, as hath been; I muſt have other manner of ſervice, other manner of praying, and hearing, and walking, and working, than hath been; be zealous, and amend, more labour, more care, more watchfulneſs, more activity, more of the Spirit, and Soul of what you profeſſe: When the Lord hath been thus goading, and ſpurring us on, and though our fleſh feels, yet our hearts will not feel, nor anſwer the Goad or Spur; Is this an argument of tenderneſs?
When great duties are little, and leſſer are none; when great ſins are infirmities, and little ones are nothing; when lying and defrauding, when falſe weights, and falſe wares, and falſe dealings; when defaming, back-biting, tale-bearing, railing, reviling, do ſtand for little more than cyphers; when fellowſhip, and familiarity, with evil men in their ſins; when compliance with, or connivance at their wickedneſs; when ſinful courtings, and complementings of ſuch, to the fleſhing them, and hardning them in their waies, do paſs for virtues, and civilities; when frothy, vvanton diſcourſe, and communication; vvhen ſcoffing and making a ſport at the ſins, or infirmities of others; vvhen ſinful vain jeſting, vvherein rather Conſcience than wit muſt bee deny'd; when all theſe paſs for our ornaments, rather than our evils. Where's our tenderneſs?
When upon the auditing of our accounts, the examining our books, and reckoning up our ſcores; where a talent is owing, wee bid conſcience take thy bill, and write down a ſhekel; where twenty or an hundred ſins to be reckoned for, take thy bill, and write down ten or but one, and that a little one, when wee are ſo free in multiplying, and ſo falſe, in numbring our iniquities; where's our tenderneſs?
Well Chriſtians, the Lord hath promiſed a tender heart, to make theſe ſtones fleſh; and ſomething poſſibly is done already upon you, towards it; O let this ſad ſight now laid before you, this view of what's wanting, have ſome influence upon the making it up; let the ſenſe of no more done, work what is yet undone; as is ſaid before, let your unbrokenneſs break your hearts; let the ſtone that yet remains, make your fleſh to bleed. If you yet feel no more, may you at leaſt feel this, that you feel not.