Exposition of Ezekiel 30-48, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 36 · Verses 21-24 · Textual commentary 24
The Excellency of a tender heart.
Firſt, Its the Manſion of Gods holy Spirit. When the heart is tender and fleſhy, God puts in his holy Spirit into it, as in the next verſe appears. The Spirit it ſelf is a tender thing, and takes no content in an hard heart, Iſa: 57.15. Its in the heart of humble and contrite ones that the Spirit dwells. The Corinthians were babes in Chriſt, very tender, and they were Temples of the Spirit, 1 Cor. 3.1.16. How excellent is a tender heart that the Spirit of Grace, Heb: 10.29. the Spirit of Glory, 1 Pet: 4.14. ſhould take it up for its habitation? It was there before as an Agent, not as an Inhabitant.
Secondly, It cannot endure the diſhonour of God; its much affected, yea afflicted thereat. When Rabſhakeh blaſphemed and reviled the God of Iſrael, how was Hezekiah afflicted at it? He rent his cloaths, covered himſelf with ſackcloath, and went into the houſe of the Lord, ſends for Iſaiah, begs his prayers, ſpreads the blaſphemers Letter he had received before the Lord, and cryed unto him for help to vindicate his own name, 2 Kings 19.1, 2, 3, 4, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. Hezekiah had a tender heart, and herein was the excellency of it, he was deeply affected with the diſhonour of God. Davids heart was touched throughly when men violated the Law of God, and diſhonoured his name, Pſal. 119.136. Rivers of water run down mine eyes becauſe they keep not thy Law. None of his own afflictions, his perſecution by Saul, his expulſion by Abſolom, did draw ſo many tears from him as the diſhonour of Gods name, that made his tender heart like a Fountain which ſends forth Rivers; the heathens who had hard hearts ſaid of their heatheniſh King, Its not meet for us to ſee the Kings diſhonour, Ezra 4.14. And can Chriſtians ſee the diſhonour of the God of Heaven? Thoſe that have hearts of fleſh cannot endure to ſee it, if they cannot help the ſame, they will mourn, and mourn abundantly for it.
Thirdly, Its a ſtrong defence againſt all ſin; it quickly feels the nature of ſin, and ſo flyes from it. Touch tender fleſh with a Needle or Pin, it endures not the ſame, it cryes out againſt, and removes them. Some bodyes are ſo delicate that they feel every wind, every little diſtemper, and ſo fortifie themſelves againſt them; and ſome hearts are ſo tender that corruption or the Devil cannot ſtir but they diſcern, feel, and find them, and ſo ſet themſelves againſt them. When Joſephs Miſtriſs tempted him to folly, his heart ſtartled at it, and cauſed his tongue to ſay, How can I do this, and ſin againſt God? Gen: 39.9. A tender heart ſticks at the appearance of evill, and will not venture there: Abraham would not take any thing of the ſpoyl recovered, but returned all into the hands of the King of Sodom, leaſt he ſhould ſay, I have made Abraham rich, Gen: 14.23. This was an excellent frame of ſpirit; and proceeded from the tenderneſs of his heart, ſuch tenderneſs Antidotes a man againſt the poyſon of ſin. Jobs heart was fleſh, not ſtone, and not his Friends, Wife or Devil could draw him to commit ſin; his heart was ſenſible of his ſons ſinning, and on their behalf he offered ſacrifice continually, Job 1.5. and that tenderneſs preſerved him from ſinning. Davids heart ſmote him when he cut off but the lap of Sauls garment, 1 Sam: 24.5.
Fourthly, Its active for God. When Pauls heart was turned into fleſh, preſently ſaith he, Lord what wilt thou have me to do? I am now ready to do ought for thee, Acts 9.6. And ſtraight way he preached Chriſt in the Synagogues, verſ. 20. Joſiah was of a tender heart, and he acted notably for God, he deſtroyed the groves, altars, high-places, images out of Judah and Jeruſalem, and other places, he repaired the Temple, he cauſed the Law to be read, the people to enter into Covenant with God, he kept a moſt ſolemn Paſſeover, ſuch as had not been from Samuels dayes before, 2 Chron: 34. & 35. Chap: A hard heart is active againſt God, and a ſoft heart is active for God. Manaſſeh through the hardneſs of his heart, did more wickedly then any, 2 Chron: 33. And David through the tenderneſſe of his heart, fulfilled all the wills of God, Acts 13.22. He durſt not neglect any duty the Lord call'd for, nor do it remiſly when he went about it.