The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 11 – Chapter 12

The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant · Religious treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 11 – Chapter 12

p. 555CHAP. XI. God gives a heart of fleſh.

Doct. 3. THat God will not only take away the heart of ſtone from his people, All the people of God have a ſoftned heart given them.but alſo he will give them an heart of fleſh; or that all the people of God have ſoft and tender hearts given unto them.

And by the way, before I inſiſt upon this Point, obſerve two things.

1. That Gods works in reſtoring and renewing of man, are no… terminated in Privatives, or Negatives; but they are Poſitive alſo and Collative: Evill is removed, and good contrary to that evill, comes in the place of it. He doth take away the old heart, and alſo he gives a new heart; he takes away the heart of ſtone, and alſo he gives an heart of fleſh: He takes away ignorance, and gives knowledge; he takes away pride, and gives humility; God is a wiſe and perfect Agent; he will not only deface and aboliſh Satans Image, but alſo he will repair his own Image; he will not only root up what is evil, but alſo he will plant and lay foundations, and build up. Therefore have a care of your ſelves, that you be not deceived in the judgement of your conditions; you are not ſo wicked as you were; but what good is wrought in your hearts? what contrary quality unto the former evil, &c?

2. That as to the converſion or change of the ſinner, all the work reſts on God; he doth all, he works all; if the heart of ſtone be to be removed, he muſt do that work, he muſt take it away; and if the heart of fleſh be to be enjoyed, he muſt alſo do that work; he muſt give unto us the heart of fleſh; power againſt evil, and power to any good, all from God; we are the Patients, he is the Agent; we are the receivers, he is the giver; you cannot take away the hardneſs of your own hearts, nor can you give unto your ſelves an heart of fleſh; both of them are the work of God.

Theſe things being briefly premiſed, I now come to the Propoſition it ſelf; viz. That the people of God are the people of ſoft and tender hearts; God gives unto them (unto every one of them) an heart of fleſh; (i. e.) a tender and ſoft heart. An heart of fleſh (in this place) ſtands in oppoſition to the heart of ſtone, to the unſenſible, unmournful, ſtubborn, unyielding, reſiſting heart, and it notes a ſenſible mourning, relenting, yielding, complying, tender, teachable and tractable heart.

p. 556But for the opening of this excellent Point, I ſhall diſcuſſe theſe three Queſtions.

1. What this heart of fleſh is? what this ſoft and tender heart is?

2. How it may appear that the people of God are a people of ſoft and tender hearts?

3. Why the Lord gives ſuch an heart to all his people?

SECT. I.

Queſt. 1. VVHat this heart of fleſh is? or what the ſoft and tender What a heart of fleſh is.heart is?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. This is but an outward and ſeeming ſoftneſs.

2. If any thing of it may be ſaid to be inward, yet it flows not from any work of grace, but from the Rules of Moral Philoſophy, admitted i…to the underſtanding, as fit to be received and practiſed for a mans reputation in the world.

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

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

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

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

p. 5573. The ſinner is quickly weary of this tenderneſs, and would with all his heart be rid of it; but ſo it is not in the right ſoftneſs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. In reſpect of his Attributes: His mercifulneſs melts the heart, and p. 558leads it to Repentance; his goodneſs melts and draws it to more obedience; his greatneſs and power, and wiſdom awes the heart; O who would not fear and ſerve ſuch a God?

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

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

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

SECT. II.

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

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

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

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

Secondly, Eaſie convictions: A reproof (ſaith Solomon, Prov. 17. 10.) entereth Eaſie Convictions.more into a wiſe man, than an hundred ſtripes into a fool; and ſo doth any conviction, if the people of God have ſinned: Chriſts look to Peter; p. 559Nathans word to David; ſometimes a glance, an hint, a paſſage in a Sermon, or in Diſcourſe is enough; for conſcience is very tender, and takes preſently, and yields, and confeſſeth, &c.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

p. 560SECT. III.

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

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

1. Convictions in a privative way, that many perſons are utterly deſtitute of ſpiritual ſoftneſs of heart.

2. Convictions in a defective way, that many perſons deceive themſelves with a falſe ſoftneſs of heart.

3. Demonſtrations of the manifold miſeries incumbent upon, and incident unto all perſons deſtitute of ſoftneſs of heart.

4. Teſtimonies and true Characters of a heart really ſoftned by grace.

1. Convictions in a privative way, that many perſons are utterly Convictions that many are deſtitute of it. By the diſpoſition of their hearts to ſin. Six things ſhew this. Eaſineſs to ſin.deſtitute of ſpiritual ſoftneſs of heart.

Firſt, By the diſpoſition of their hearts unto ſin, by which only God is offended and grieved, and diſhonoured; yet there are ſix things evidently appearing in in many men about ſin, which ſhew that there is no ſpiritual ſoftneſs or tenderneſs of heart in them at all: v. g.

Firſt, Eaſineſs to ſin: Solomon ſpeaks of ſome who will tranſgreſs for a piece of bread, Prov. 28. 21. The Prophet▪ ſpeaking of Ephraim, ſaith, that he willingly walked after the commandment, Hoſea 5. 11. Ahab ſold himſelf to work wickedneſs, 1 Kings 21. 25. Judas goes and offers himſelf to betray Chriſt, Matth. 26. 15, 16. and the chief Prieſts and Captains were glad, Luke 22. 5. When a ſmall temptation is bait and hire enough, but a look, but a thought, but a word, and the man is preſently ready to ſin, hath he a ſoft and tender heart to fear the Lord? any temptation will maſter him, nay, he will ſin without a temptation.

Secondly, Boldneſs in ſinning: When a perſon makes no bones of great tranſgreſſions, Boldneſs in ſinning.but can ſin with an high hand, and dares to venture on preſumptuous ſins, and yet is not aſhamed at all. Iſa. 3. 9. They declare their ſin as Sodom, they hide it not. Jerem. 6. 5. Were they aſhamed when they had committed abominations? nay, they were not at all aſhamed, neither could they bluſh! When people can ſwear and for-ſwear, and curſe and blaſpheme, and commit whoredom, and ſteal and oppreſs, and lye and murder, and with the Whore in the Proverbs, Wipe their mouths, and ſay, What evil have I done? doth this ſhew the leaſt of tenderneſs of heart, which quakes at leſſer iniquities?

Thirdly, Joy and delight in ſinning: Solomon ſpeaks of ſuch who rejoyce to Delight in ſinning.do evil, Prov. 2. 14. and the Prophet in Iſa. 66. 3. Their ſoul delighteth in their abominations; and the Apoſtle in Phil. 3. 19. Whoſe glory is in their ſhame; and the Pſalmiſt, Pſ. 10 3. The wicked boaſteth of his hearts deſire: Who can ſay that any man hath a tender heart leaſt he ſhould ſin, and after he hath ſinned, who makes his very ſins the object of his delight and joy, and rejoycing and boaſting, ſuch a time of his filthineſs, another time of his drunkenneſs, &c?

Fourthly, Diffuſion or ſpreading of ſin; of ſuch Solomon ſpeaks, Prov. 4. 16. Spreading of ſin.They ſleep not except they have done miſchief, and their ſleep is taken away, unleſs they cauſe ſome to fall; like Jeroboam the ſon of Nebat, which made Iſrael to ſin, 1 Kings 16. 26. or like Manaſſeh, who made Judah and the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem to erre, 2 Chron. 33. 9. or like the Whore in the Proverbs, With much fair ſpeech ſhe cauſed him to yield, with the flattering of her lips ſhe forced him, Prov. 7. 21. O where is this ſoftneſs and tende…neſs of heart, p. 561when it ſufficeth us not all alone to offend, and anger, and diſhonour the Lord, but we will alſo cauſe others to ſin againſt the Lord! draw others to drunkenneſs, and uncleanneſs, ſeduce others to errors and profaneſs, make others to neglect Ordinances and duties, to break the Sabbath, to ſteal and purloine, to lie, and forſwear themſelves, &c.

Fifthly, Progreſſe in ſin, to go from evil to worſe; not only to multiply ſins Progreſſe in ſin.in ſeveral kinds, but to heighten and raiſe ſins in further degrees, and ſtill to ſtep on further in ſinful wayes; to be like Ezekiels waters which did riſe from the ancle to the feet, from the feet to the knees, and then into a river. Or as the Prophet ſpake, Iſa. 2. 7. There is no end of their Charets; ſo there is no end of their ſinning, but they overflow in wickedneſs and revolt more and more, and adde drunkenneſs to thirſt.

Sixthly, Ʋnalterable reſolution to ſin: when men will not forſake their ſins, but Unalterable reſolution to ſin.will hold them faſt, and will not ceaſe from evil, though the Lord expreſly threatens them, and although the Lord puniſheth others for the ſame ſins, nay, although the Lord doth in eminent manner judge them themſelves, and puniſh them for their wicked doings, as in Amos 4. 6, 7, 8, &c. and made them ſick in ſmiting of them, and deſolate becauſe of their ſins, Micah. 6. 13. Who can ſay that theſe obſtinate and perverſe ſinners who dare thus to contend with God himſelf, and will try to the utmoſt, and provoke him (when he inflicts his wrath on them for provoking of him) have in them the leaſt degree or pretence of ſoftneſs and tenderneſs of heart!

Secondly, By the carriage of their hearts towards the Word of God; which is ſuch By their carriage towards the word.as palpably proclaimes they have no ſpiritual ſoftneſs or tenderneſs of heart; and that appears in four particulars.

Firſt, They care not to know it, nor to be taught by it the mind and will of God, They care not to know it.Job 21. 14. They ſay unto God depart from us, for we deſire not the knowledge of thy wayes. Hoſe. 8. 12. I have written unto them the great things of my Law, but they were accounted a… a ſtrange thing. Prov. 1. 23. Though the Lord ſaith, I will make known my words unto you, yet ver. 24. they regarded not: but ver. 29. they hated knowledge. Let him that hath an ear hear what the ſpirit ſaith to the Churches, Rev. 2. 7. Be ſwift to hear, James 1. 19. Let the word of Chriſt dwell in you richly in all wiſdom, Col 3. 16. Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the houſe of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his wayes, Iſa. 2. 3. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy ſtatutes, Pſal. 119 33. But many people, they have no deſire to hear the Word, nor any heart to be taught by the Word: Nay they think the Word is much beholding to them, if they will vouchſafe him an hours time to come and hear; have theſe men tender hearts to pleaſe God, who care not at all to know the mind of God?

Secondly, They will not walk according to the rules and preſcriptions of it, but They will not walk according to it.eſteem of them as burthens which they would caſt off, and as cords which they would break aſunder, Pſal. 2. 3. or as ſuperfluous niceties, and preciſeneſs which they need not to regard. Their wills are abſolutely incomplying with the will of God, and condemning the will of God, and perking up above the will of God: Can any rational man imagine that ſuch perſons have ſoft and tender hearts, to fear the Lord, to obey his voice, whoſe heart will not yield to his Word, nor ſubmit at all unto it!

Object. But will ſome ſay, Are there any ſuch men?

Sol. 1. There have been ſuch amongſt thoſe to whom the Word hath come: Jer. 44. 16. As for the word which thou haſt ſpoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. And ver. 4. I ſent unto you all my Prophets, ſaying, O do not this abominable thing that I hate. ver. 5. But they harkned not, nor inclined their ear to turn from their wickedneſs, to burn incenſe to other gods. ver. 17. But we will certainly do whatſoever thing goeth out of our own mouthes, &c. Zach. 7. 9. Thus p. 562ſpeaketh the Lord of H…ſts, Execute true judgement, and ſhew mercy and compaſſion every man to his brother. ver. 10. and oppreſs not the widow or the fatherleſs, the ſtranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil againſt his brother in your heart. ver 11. But they refuſed to hearken, and pulled away their ſhoulder, and ſtopped their ears that they ſhould not hear.

Secondly, And there are ſuch amongſt our ſelves who will not conform unto the will of God, nor obey his Word. The Lord ſaith, ſwear not at all, Matth. 5. 34. but they will ſwear by their faith, and by their troth, and by the creatures, &c. The Lord commands every man everywhere to repent Acts 17. 30. but they will not leave their ſins; he that was proud is proud ſtill; and he that was filthy is filthy ſtill; and he that was drunken is drunken ſtill The Lord commands us to keep the Sabbath day holy, Exod. 20. 8. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy; but men will not hearken to the Lord in this; they will have their delights, and will ſell their wares, and will have their paſtimes, and meetings on that day, &c. The Lord commands Parents to teach and inſtruct their children, and to bring them up in the nurture of the Lord; and Governours of Families to ſet up his worſhip and fear in their houſes; but men will not do this, &c. The Lord commands us all to walk ſtrictly and circumſpectly, Epheſ. 5. 15. and according to the rule, Gal. 6. 16. But we will not be bound up to the ſtraight path of life, we will allow our ſelves ſuch a looſneſſe of Opinion, and ſuch a looſneſs of ſpeaking, and ſuch a looſneſs of walking, which the Lord doth not only not allow, but expreſly forbids and condems in his Word; aſſuredly this is farre from the frame of tender and ſoft hearts.

Thirdly, They do ſlight and mock at the threatnings of the Word, and miſuſe They ſlight the threatnings of the Word.the Meſſengers of the Lord: Iſa. 21. 11. Watchman, what of the night? watchman, what of the night? Jer. 23. 23. What is the burden of the Lord? Chap. 5. 12. They have belyed the Lord, and ſaid, It is not he, neither ſhall evill come upon us, neither ſhall we ſee ſword nor famine. Jer. 6. 10. Behold, the Word of the Lord is a reproach unto them. 2 Chron. 36. 16. But they mocked the meſſengers of God, and deſpiſed his words, and miſuſed his Prophets. Acts 2. 13. Others mocking, ſaid, Theſe men are full of new wine. Unqueſtionably ſuch men as theſe are far from ſoftneſs and tenderneſs of heart, which when any have it, they do fear the Word of the Lord, and do tremble at his threatnings. Nevertheleſs we do find it among our ſelves, that many perſons do ſlight and mock at the reproofs and threatnings of the Word, and do miſuſe the Meſſengers of God when reproving their ſins, and applying thoſe threatnings which God himſelf hath denounced againſt them for their ſinnings: As (like Solomons fool) they do make a mock of ſin, ſo like thoſe hardned Jews, they do make but a mock of Gods threatnings for their ſins, deſpiſe and laugh at them, whereas they ſhould humble their hearts under them, and repent of their ſins, that ſo they may avoid that wrath which God threatens them for their ſinnings.

Fourthly, They will not be brought under the obedience of it, let the Lord do what he will: Hoſe. 6. 5. I have hewed them by the Prophets, I have ſlain them by They will not be obedient to the Word.the words of my mouth, and thy judgements are as the light that goeth forth. ver. 7. But they like men have tranſgreſſed the Covenant, there have they dealt treacherouſly againſt me. Zeph. 3. 5. Every morning doth he bring his judgement to light, he faileth not, but the unjuſt knoweth no ſhame. ver. 6. I have cut off the Nations, their Towers are deſolate, I made their ſtreets waſte, that none paſſe by; their Cities are deſtroyed, ſo that there is no man, that there is no inhabitant. ver. 7. I ſaid, Surely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive inſtruction, ſo their dwellings ſhould not be cut off, howſoever I puniſhed them; but they roſe early and corrupted all their doings.

Thirdly, By untowardlineſſe and untractableneſſe of their hearts under all the mercies By untractableneſſe under mercies.of God, and all the merciful dealings of God. Beloved, that man is certainly under the dominion of hardneſs of heart, and without all ſoftneſs and tenderneſſe, p. 563on whom no mercies of God will work; why, nothing will work, if mercy will not work.

Now there are ſix choice merciful dealings of God, which yet work not to any purpoſe on the hearts of many men; viz. 1. Gods merciful Providence. 2. Gods merciful Treaties. 3. Gods merciful Strivings. 4. Gods merciful Waitings. 5. Gods merciful Warnings. 6 Gods merciful Repentings.

Firſt, Gods merciful Providence, in manifold, nay in daily fruits of preſervation, His merciful Providences.and deliverance, of goodneſs and bleſſings; the Lord it is who gives us life, and all things that pertain to life; he feeds our bellies, and clothes our backs, and maintains our health, and multiplies our ſeed ſowen, and makes us to proſper, and thrive, and with this hedge hath our portion been ſecured. Yet this Providential mercy and goodneſs of God doth not work kindly and effectually on the hearts of many men; no penitential plyableneſs and obedience at all: Hoſ. 11. …. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love, and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and laid meat unto them. Ver. 5. But they refuſed to return. Rom. 2. 4. Deſpiſeſt thou the riches of the goodneſs, and forbearance, and longſuffering of God, not knowing that the goodneſs of God leadeth thee to repentance? ver. 5. But after thy hardneſs and impenitent heart, &c. Nay inſtead of yielding unto and complying with God by reaſon of his good hand of bleſſing, many ſinners do therefore grow more diſobedient and wicked: I ſpake unto thee in thy proſperity, but thou ſaydſt, I wilt not hear, Jer. 22. 21. Deut. 32. 15. But Jeſuron waxed fat, and kicked; then he forſook God which made him, and lightly eſteemed the Rock of his Salvation.

Secondly, Gods merciful Treaties. The Lord ſends the Goſpel unto a people, His merciful Treaties.and by that ſets open his Mercy-ſeat, and ſets up his Throne of Grace, and proclaims himſelf to be the Lord, the Lord gracious and merciful in goodneſs and truth, and by it reports unto ſinners, that he hath raiſed up an horn of ſalvation for them, that he hath (out of his infinite love) ſent his own Son Jeſus Chriſt into the world to ſave ſinners, and that whoſoever believes on him ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life. And he offers his Chriſt unto ſinners, invites them, commands them, earneſtly urgeth them to come unto him, to receive him, to believe on him, and aſſures them of the pardon of all their ſins, and of eternal life; nay, intimates clearly, that though they have no worthineſs, yet they may come and drink of the water of life freely. O what merciful dealing is this, and yet after all this, the hearts of many ſinners are no more ſtirred or drawn than the ſtones or Rocks! Who hath believed our report! ſaith the Prophet. Who hath believed our report! ſaid Chriſt. Matth. 23. 37. Who hath believed our report! ſaid the Apoſtle; Sinners are not gathered, and ye will not come unto me that ye might have life, Joh. 5. 40.

Thirdly, Gods merciful Strivings; what he offers by his Word, he preſſeth the His merciful Strivings.ſame (ofttimes) by his Spirit, who follows our hearts with one work after another; with Humiliation, and then with Conviction, and then with Pulſation, and Excitation; the Spirit of God doth (ofttimes) make ſinners to ſee their ſins, and their need of Chriſt, and that their life, and health, and hope is o…ly in him, and in no other Name; and that they ſhall certainly periſh and be damned if they believe not; nay, he troubles their Conſciences, and ſets them a work to regard Jeſus Chriſt, and to comply with his excellent ſelf and gracious offers; and yet all this is loſt; many ſinners harden their hearts, and will not put their necks into his yoke, they will not have him to raign over them.

Fourthly, Gods merciful waitings: The Lord doth not preſently take the denial His merciful Waitings.and forfeiture, but waits that he may be gracious; comes to the door again, renews the offer, ſends one ſervant, and a ſecond, and a third; gives yet more time, he waits thus on ſinners; more than three years, ſometimes more than twenty years, ſometimes more than fourty years, ſometimes more than ſixty years (for ſo long, and perhaps longer doth he p. 564continue his Goſpel to them) yet after all his patient waiting, many ſinners do continue as they were, ignorant, proud, obſtinate, impudent, and unbelieving, and are not drawn either by the goodneſſe, or by the patience of his grace.

Fithly, Gods merciful warnings; when all this works not on ſinners, then the His merciful Warnings.Lord gives notice unto them, that if they will not hearken unto his voice of mercy, he will forſake them, he will give them up unto their own hearts luſt, and they ſhall periſh, and never enter into his reſt: Joh. 8. 24. If ye believe not that I am he, ye ſhall dye in your ſins. Hebr. 2. 2. If the word ſpoken by Angels was ſtedfaſt, and every tranſgreſſion and diſobedience received a juſt recompence of reward; ver. 3. How ſhall we eſcape, if we neglect ſuch great ſalvation, which at the firſt began to be ſpoken of by the Lord! Heb. 12. 25. See that ye refuſe not him that ſpeaketh; for if they eſcaped not who refuſed him that ſpake on earth, much more ſhall not we eſcape, if we turn away from him that ſpeaketh from heaven! And yet all the warnings of God that he will not bear any longer, that he will cloſe up the day of grace, that refuſers of his grace in Chriſt ſhall not eſcape, but ſhall receive a juſt recompence of reward for their diſobedience; I ſay, all theſe move not many ſinners at all; but though they muſt die in their ſins, periſh and be damned for their unbelief, yet will they not yeild to come to Chriſt.

Sixthly, Gods merciful recoilings or repentings, (i. e.) when the Lord (being ſo His merciful Repentings.contemned and provoked by proud and obſtinate ſinners) draws out his wrath, and is now ready to execute vengeance on them that obey not his Goſpel; his hand is even ſtretched out to deſtroy, yet his bowels work within him, and his mercy prevails with his juſtice for a little forbearance and trial: Luk. 13. 7. Behold theſe three yeers I come ſeeking fruit on this figtree, and find none? cut it down. O Lord let it alone this year alſo, &c. Hoſe. 11. 8. How ſhall I give thee up Ephraim? how ſhall I deliver thee Iſrael? how ſhall I make thee as Admah? how ſhall I ſet thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together? ver. 9. I will not execute the fierceneſſe of mine anger, I will not return to deſtroy Ephraim, for I am God and not man. Nevertheleſs though God repents of his wrath, yet how few do repent of their ſins! they do not return to the Lord, nor ſeek him, for all this! by all which it doth evidently appear that many ſinners are deſtitute of all ſpiritual ſoftneſs and tenderneſs of heart.

2ly. The convictions in a defective way, that many perſons do deceive Convictions that many deceive themſelves in a falſe ſoftneſs.themſelves with a falſe ſoftneſs of heart.

There are ſix ſorts of ſoftneſs or tenderneſs of heart with which many do deceive themſelves, inſtead of this true ſpirituall ſoftneſs of heart. v. g.

1. Exigential ſoftneſs.

2. The Legal ſoftneſs.

3. The Partial ſoftneſs.

4. The Temporary ſoftneſs.

5. Worldly ſoftneſs.

6. The Deſperate ſoftneſs and tenderneſs.

Firſt, The Exigential ſoftneſs and tenderneſs; I mean that which ariſeth only from fear of puniſhment, as in Ahabs caſe, or from that preſent ſenſe of puniſhment, An exegential ſoftneſs.as in Pharaohs caſe: You would not imagine what tenderneſs may appear in men while the rod is held over them, or whiles the rod lies heavy upon them; penal evils have a marvellous contrariety unto our natures, and they have (many times) a ſtrong authority with us; the rod of God commands and obtains that from us which the Word of God cannot, becauſe our natures are ſervile, and are more ready to act out of fear, than out of love. Hence is it that we read of ſuch a quick plyableneſs in diſtreſſed and puniſhed ſinners unto the will of God. Pſal. 78, 34. When he ſlew them, then they ſought him, and they returned and enquired early after God. ver. 35. They remembred that God was their Rock, and p. 565the high God their Redeemer. Nevertheleſs, ver. 36. they did flatter him with the mouth, and they lyed unto him with their tongues. Hoſe. 5. 15. In their affliction they will ſeek me early. Chap. 6. 1. Come and let us return unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath ſmitten, and he will bind us up. Judg. 10. 15. And the children of Iſrael ſaid unto the Lord, Do thou unto us whatſoever ſeemeth good unto thee. ver. 16. And they put away the strange gods from among them, and ſerved the Lord. How many perſons in times of common judgements, and in perſonal ſickneſſes, how mournful, prayerful, dutiful! yet their hearts are not ſoftned.

Secondly, The Legal ſoftneſs, which is when Conſcience is awakened with the Legal ſoftneſs.ſenſe of Gods wrath; O what a ſoftneſs, what a tenderneſs, what a plyableneſs doth there appear in perſons at ſuch a time as this? they will weep moſt bitterly; they will pray moſt earneſtly; they will hear moſt diligently; they will not come near to ſin, or the occaſions thereof, they ſet upon a …eformation; what may not God have now from them? what reſolution, Covenants? yet all this is but iron in the fire; all this is but a Mariner in a ſtorm, but a Sea ſickneſs; all this is but forced work; all this crouching is but to compound the ſooner; ſelf-love, and ſelf-eaſe, and ſelf-fear, and ſelf-deceit are the Grounds and Reaſons of this ſoftneſs or tenderneſs: And when this Conſcience troubled ſinner hath got ſafe to land, and all grows quiet and calm, then his tenderneſs and plyablneſs is gone; he laies aſide his cares, and fears, and tears, and reformations, and reſolutions, and he returns to folly again, and his heart grows more hard, and more unſenſible, and unmournful, and unflexible and diſobedient than before.

Thirdly, The Partial ſoftneſſe, which is, when the heart of man is uneven in Partial ſoftneſſe.this work of tenderneſs; it appears in ſome things, but not in other things, v. g. In trouble for ſin, where the ſin hath been foule and notorious, now the man is ſenſible and troubled, but not ſo for ſpiritual ſins which are more diſhonouring of God, and more dangerous, though leſs infamous amongſt men; ignorance, guile of heart, unbelief, &c. In commiſſion of ſin, a tenderneſs is like to be diſcovered when it is with them as with thoſe, Job 24. 17. If one know them, they are in the terrors of the ſhadow of death, but none, if it may be carried with ſecurity; Jehu is againſt Ahabs idolatry, but not againſt Jeroboams idolatry. Some have a tenderneſs not to ſwear, but no tenderneſs to lye, and ſlander, and ſpeak idly: In practice of obedience there may be a tenderneſs, not wholly to neglect it, but no tenderneſs conſcienciouſly to perform it; a tenderneſs in duties to man, but no tenderneſs in duties to God.

Fourthly, The Temporary ſoftneſſe, which may be great, even to zeale, and yet at length it wears away; what an earneſtneſs have we ſeen in ſome againſt ſin! Temporal ſoftneſs.and what a forwardneſs in duties! nay they have ſeemed very much to bewaile their own ſins, as well as to bewail the ſins of others; and to put on themſelves as well as others to the practice of duties both publick and private; and yet after a while this tenderneſs is loſt; their jealouſie, and watchfulneſs, and provocation of themſelves and others, it is gone; they grow very negligent, very careleſs, and may perhaps be found amongſt the companions of profaneneſs, and ungodlineſs: Again, ſome in the hearing of a Sermon, in good company, &c. as Felix when he heard Paul, may expreſs much tenderneſs. This tenderneſs doth nor ariſe from renewing grace, but from ſome ſecret laſh in conſcience, or from ſome inconſiderateneſs of ſpirit, or from ſome carnal deſign, or from vain glory, &c..

Fifthly, The Worldly ſoftneſs: I have obſerved a kind of tenderneſs, and plyableneſs, and ſoftneſs in ſome perſons.

Firſt, When they would get ſome worldly things, as the Shechemites would be Worldly ſoftneſs.circumciſed upon this ground, Shall not their cattel and their ſubſtance be ours! Gen. 34. 22, 23. O how many perſons will come to the publick Ordinances, hear the beſt Miniſters, be acquainted with them, order their converſations p. 566demurely, and inoffenſively, yea, and religiouſly; and all this is but to get ſome good match, or ſome rich place.

Secondly, When they have loſt ſome worldly things, a Husband, a Wife, a Child, a Parent, a Friend, an Eſtate; now they melt into tears, mourn, and will not be comforted! they accuſe their ſins, and ſend for a Miniſter, and what muſt they do! But this ſoftneſs is only worldly ſorrow, and a…ſeth from natural affections; and is quickly alayed and cured by the acceſſe of ſome other worldly comfort and bleſſing.

Sixthly, The Deſperate ſoftneſſe, and tenderneſs of deſpair: And indeed when Deſperate ſoftneſſe.any one doth deſpair, there is in him an exceeding and ſurpaſſing ſenſibleneſs; he is deeply ſemſible of his ſins, and dejected, and overwhelmed in the apprehenſion of them, and often cries out in an amazing manner concerning them, and the wrath of God for them, and the expectation of judgement and deſtruction. But this is alſo a falſe tenderneſs of heart, and it comes not from faith, and is not raiſed by mercy, drives the ſoul from God, keeps up impenitency, and hardens the heart againſt all help and hope.

3ly The demonſtrations of the manifold miſeries incumbent The miſery of …erſons deſti…ute of ſoftneſs of heart.upon, and incident unto all perſons deſtitute of ſoftneſs and tenderneſs of heart.

I will mention ſome of them unto you.

Firſt, Certainly there is no work of grace in ſuch perſons; they are ſtill in their ſins, under the power and dominion of them, in a dead and unconverted condition, There is no work of grace in them.without the Spirit and the life of Chriſt: For where renewing grace is wrought in the heart, there is alwayes an heart of fleſh, a ſoft heart, a plyable heart; the heart is brought in and made willing, and obedient, and ready, and ſerviceable unto God: Now a graceleſs condition is a moſt miſerable condition.

Secondly, Certainly theſe people are out of Covenant; God is not their God, nor are they his people: For God doth give unto all his people in Covenant an heart They are out of Covenant.of fleſh (i. e.) a ſoft and tender heart: Now remember that as it is our only happineſs to have God to be our God (Bleſſed are the people whoſe God is the Lord) ſo it is our greateſt miſery to be none of the people of God, not to have the loving God to be our God, not to have the merciful God, the pardoning, bleſſing, comforting, ſaving God to be our God.

Thirdly, It cannot but be a moſt dreadful and reproachful frame of heart, To be at an utter incompliance with God, and contradiction unto his will; his will They are at an u…er incompliance with God.being a Holy, Good, Righteous, Perfect, Soveraign will, unto which every creature ſhould yield.

What would you think of that Child, or of that Servant who caſts off all acknowledgement of a Father, or of a Maſter, and will not own their commands, but will ſet up their own wills againſt their wills! Mal 1. 6. If I be a Father, where is my honour? And if I be a Master, where is my fear? So what ſhould we think of thoſe men, but as of a company of Atheiſts, who will not acknowledge the Lord God, and will not obey his voice, but reject his Word, and deſpiſe his Counſels!

Fouthly, It ſeems to be a very hopeleſſe and deſperate condition, and ripe for deſtruction, when no word of God doth a man any good, and no bleſſings do him It is a hopeleſs condition.any good, and no afflictions do him any good, but ſtill he goes on in his wickedneſs, ſtill he refuſeth Chriſt, ſtill he is unmoved and unperſwaded; why! what will the end of this man be at the laſt!

Fifthly, Although nothing doth this ſinner good, yet he muſt be accountable to God He muſt be accountable to God for all means.for all the means which have been uſed to do him good, and he ſhall be judged of the Lord, becauſe his hard heart hath received no good by them: God will call him to an account, for every diſobedience to every command of God, and for his p. 567ſlighting of every requeſt and warning, and threatning of his Word, and for neglecting and refuſing every offer of Chriſt, &c.

Sixthly, A ſinner that is deſtitute of all ſpiritual ſoftneſs and tenderneſs, he is He is in danger of every temptation.in danger of the powerful efficacy of every great temptation, which may eaſily prevail upon an heart void of Spiritual tenderneſs. For as a man is preſerved from leſſer ſins, when there is tenderneſs in his heart: ſo he is open and obnoxious to great ſins, where there is no tenderneſs of heart; And verily that he doth not upon every temptation and occaſion fall into great ſins, it is not becauſe the ſins are great, and that God will be greatly diſhonoured by them, but only becauſe of ſhame and trouble which may befall him.

Seventhly, He can never be recovered out of his loſt eſtate, by repentance and faith, till his heart be ſoftned.

4ly The Teſtimonies or Characters of a heart Spiritually Characters of a heart ſpiritually ſoft and tender.ſoft and tender.

Now I come to the diſcovering evidences by which we may know whether we have indeed the hearts of fleſh (i. e.) the ſoft and tender hearts which God hath promiſed to give unto his people in Covenant. If there be ſuch a ſoft and tender heart given unto us, it will appear

1. By our behaviour toward ſin.

2. By the ſpecial activities in Conſcience.

3. By the reſpectiveneſs of our hearts to the Word of God.

4. By the ſenſe and expreſſions of our ſoules, in the caſes of Gods honour and diſhonour.

5. By the performance of our duties both for matter and manner.

6. By the temper of our ſpirits in times of temptation.

Firſt, If you have hearts Spiritually ſoft and tender▪ this will appear by the diſpoſition and behaviour of your heart towards ſin. v. g.The diſpoſition of our hearts towards ſin. Shame for ſin.

Firſt, Shame for ſin; one of a ſoft heart is aſhamed of ſin, and for ſin, as one who is aſhamed of any deformity in his body, or of any thing that is a reproach and diſhonour unto his name: Ezra 9. 6. O my God, I am aſhamed and bluſh to lift up my face unto thee my God; for our iniquities are increaſed over our heads, and our treſpaſſes are grown up to the heavens. Here are two expreſſions directly contrary to thoſe in hardned ſinners, mentioned Jer. 6. 15. Were they aſhamed when they had committed abominations? Nay, they were not at all aſhamed, neither could they bluſh: But ſoft-hearted ſinners are aſhamed, and they do bluſh for ſhame that they have offended their God. Jer. 31. 10. Surely after I was turned I repented; and after I was inſtructed, I ſmote upon my thigh; I was aſhamed, yea even confounded, becauſe I did bear the reproach of my youth. In the former place there was ſhame and bluſhing; in this place there is ſhame and confuſion: Ephraim was aſhamed and confounded for the reproach of his youth: Confounded (i. e.) amazed, knew not what to ſay, or do, could not open his mouth; O ſuch a ſinner hath ſinned againſt God! Job 7. 20. I have ſinned, what ſhall I do unto thee, O thou preſerver of men! Luke 18. 13. The Publican standing afar off, would not lift up ſo much as his eyes to heaven, but ſmote upon his breſt, ſaying, God be merciful unto me a ſinner! One that is aſhamed, keeps a loof off, looks with a dejected countenance, and is angry and vexed with himſelf for doing what was unworthy, and reproachful, and would fain have his offence and reproach wiped away: Thus was it with the Publican (and thus is it with every ſoft-hearted perſon▪) he doth by reaſon of his ſinning judge himſelf unworthy unmeet to draw near to God, or to look up unto him; he is aſhamed of what he hath done; dejected, vexed troubled at his ſins which are appearing with him before God, and earneſtly begs the Lord to remove them out of his ſight by a merciful forgiveneſs, that his ſhame may appear no more.

Secondly, Grief for ſinning: A ſoft and tender heart is a mournful and ſorrowful p. 568Grief for ſinning.heart; no heart ſo ſtout againſt ſin as a ſoft heart; and no heart ſo mournful for ſin as a ſoft heart, which is therefore called a broken heart, and a grieved heart, and an affl…cted heart, and a weeping and lamenting heart. A perſon of a ſoft heart mourns more for one ſin, than a hardened perſon doth for all his ſins; how bitterly did Peter weep for his one ſin! yet Pharaoh never mourned for his many ſins; a perſon of a ſoft heart mourns more for one ſin, than for all the afflictions that ever have or ſhall befall him; dolore appreciationis, & dolore voluntatis, & dolore perennitatis & durationis. He that hath a ſoft heart, mourns and grieves

1. For his own ſinnes: Ezek. 7. 16. They that eſcape of them, ſhall eſcape, and ſhall be on the mountains like Doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity. David that man of a ſoft heart, how mourning and lamenting for his ſin! My ſin is ever before me, Pſal. 51. 3. I water my couch with my tears, Pſal 6. 6. Thoſe in Zechary mourning as one mourneth for his only ſon; And in bitterneſſe as one that is in bitterneſſe for his firſt born, Zech. 12. 10. Mary Magdalen weeping and waſhing the feet of Chriſt with her tears, Luke 7. 38. Peter remembred the words of Jeſus, who ſaid unto him, Before the cook crow twice thou ſhalt deny me thrice; and he went out and wept bitterly, Mat. 26. 75. The Penitent Corinthian, ſo mourning for his ſin, that Paul writes unto the Church, by all means to forgive and comfort him, leaſt he ſhould be ſwallowed up with over much ſorrow, 2 Cor. 2. 7. Now by the way obſerve, that perſons whoſe hearts have been really ſoft and tender, they have mourned not only for their groſs ſins, but alſo for their leſſer ſins; not only for corporal ſins, but alſo for their ſpiritual ſins; for pride, hypocriſie, vain-glory, unbelief; not only for outward ſins, but alſo for inward ſins; not only for the ſins in life, but alſo for their ſins in heart; for the ſin of nature (original ſin) and the ſecret motions thereof; not only for his ſinful doings, but alſo for his ſins which do accompany his beſt doings; not only for the ſins which they have committed alone, but alſo for the ſins which they have cauſed others to commit, either by their perſwaſion, or by their evil example: Not only for their ſins of knowledge, but alſo for their ſins of ignorance, as he prayed, Lord forgive me my known ſins, and Lord forgive me my unknown ſins; ſo, &c. not only for preſent ſins, but for ſins long ſince committed and pardoned.

2. For the ſins of others, as well as for his own ſins: Pſal. 119. 136. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, becauſe they keep not thy law. Ezek. 9. 4. Go through the mid'ſt of the City, through the mid'ſt of Jeruſalem, and ſet a mark upon the foreheads of the men that ſigh, and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the mid'ſt thereof. Jer. 13. 17. If you will not hear it, my ſoul ſhall weep in ſecret places for your pride. Exod. 32. 31. Oh this people have ſinned a great ſin, and have made them Gods of gold! Luke 19. 41. When he came near, he beheld the City, and wept over it. The ſins of others do grieve the Lord; (Fourty years long was I grieved with this generation, Pſal. 95. 10.) and diſhonour him; and how can a tender heart endure to ſee his God and Father grieved and diſhonoured, but his ſoul muſt grieve and mourn, be afflicted and troubled! Paul reproves the Corinthians becauſe they grieved not for the ſin of the inceſtuous Corinthian.

Thirdly, Fear to ſin: True tenderneſs of heart alwayes breeds the greateſt care to pleaſe God, and the greateſt fear to diſpleaſe God: where there is no Fear to ſin.fear to ſin, there is no tenderneſſe of heart; and where there is true tenderneſſe of heart, there is an exceeding fear to ſin againſt God: Prov. 23. 17 Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. Act. 9. 31. The Churches walked in the fear of the Lord.

There is one who ſets out ſeven degrees of fear, which are to be found in every truely tender-hearted child of God. viz.

p. 5691. He is afraid to commit groſſe ſinnes, though never ſo ſecretly, as you finde in Joſeph when tempted by his Miſtris; O ſaith he, How can I do this great wickedneſſe and ſin againſt God! Gen. 39. 9. And in David when he was ſtrongly tempted to take revenge of his mortal enemy, and had an opportunity alſo put into his hands, yet he durſt not do it, and why, becauſe he durſt not ſin againſt God! Who can stretch forth his hand againſt the Lords Anointed, and be guiltleſs! 1 Sam. 26. 9.

2. He is afraid to commit little ſins: what a ſmall matter had it been for Daniel and the three children being brought into Babylon, to have eaten of the meat, and to have drunk of the wine which Nebuchadnezzar appointed for them? but Daniel ſaw it was ſuch meat as was contrary to the Ceremonial Law then in force, and therefore he would not defile himſelf with it, Dan. 1. 8.

3. He is afraid to omit the leaſt duty: Moſes was commanded to fetch the people of Iſrael with their cattel and ſubſtance out of Egypt: Pharaoh conſents for the people and their little ones, but he would have the Flocks and Herds ſtayed; by no means ſaith Moſes, Our Cattel alſo ſhall go with us; there ſhall not an hoof be left behind, Exod. 10. 24, 26. So in the ſetting up of the Tabernacle, and in all other Services commanded by God, he was faithfull in all things, he durſt not leave out one knop, not one tach, not one pin which the Lord preſcribed about the Tabernacle, &c.

4. He is afraid to ſerve the Lord careleſly and negligently: Awake Pſaltery and Harp, I my ſelf will awake early, Pſal. 108. 2. With my whole heart have I ſought thee, Pſal. 119. 10. Not ſlothful in buſineſſe, fervent in Spirit, ſerving the Lord, Rom. 12. 11.

5. He is afraid to do any thing that is of evil report, which though in itſelf it may be lawful, yet if advantage may thereby be taken to cauſe Religion or the profeſſion to be reproached and evil ſpoken of, he is afraid to do that thing: 1 Cor. 6. 1. Dare any of you having a matter againſt another, go to Law before the unjust, and not before the Saints? And why might they not do ſo, what unlawfulneſſe was there in that? Is not civil Magiſtracy ordained of God? 'tis true; but though all things are lawful, all things are not expedient, 1 Cor. 6. 12. At that time ſuch applications would have expoſed the Chriſtian Religion and Profeſſion unto ſcorn and contempt amongſt unbelievers, &c. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God; he ſpeaks it concerning things indifferent, 1 Cor. 10. 32.

6. He is afraid not only of apparent evils, but alſo of the appearance of evil. 1 Theſ. 5. 22. Abſtain from all appearance of evil; if it hath the look or ſhew of evil, it is enough to a tender heart to avoid it, and abſtain from it. If it looks like pride, if it looks like unchaſtity, if it looks like unbefitting ſervice of God, if it looks like perſecuting of the Goſpel, &c. like error, idolatry, &c.

7. He is afraid not only to do any thing that is evil (Let not any iniquity have dominion over me, Pſal. 119. 133.) nor only to ſpeak any evil (Set a watch O Lord, before my mouth, keep the door of my lips, Pſal. 141. 3.) but alſo to think any thing that is evil: Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy ſight, Pſal. 19. 14. So Deut. 15. 9. Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart; the ſeventh year, the year of releaſe is at hand; and thine eye be evil againſt thy poor brother, &c. So Ezek. 7. 10. Let none of you imagine evil againſt his brother in his heart. So Job 31. 26. If I beheld the Sun when it ſhined, or the Moon walking in brightneſs. ver, 27. and my heart hath been ſecretly entiſed, or my mouth hath kiſſed my hand, &c. You ſee by all this, that where there is true ſoftneſs or tenderneſs of heart, there is a ſingular fear to ſin againſt God, or to offend him.

Fourthly, Zeal againſt ſin: A ſoft and tender heart is a zealous heart; a heart p. 570Zeal againſt ſin.earneſtly and inflamedly ſet againſt ſin; not coldly and faintly, but ſtoutly and couragiouſly; And that

Firſt, Against our own ſins: a perſon of a tender heart is zealouſly carried againſt his own ſins; which appears thus.

1. By the impartial oppoſition of them; he will not hide and ſpare any one ſin in himſelf, neither pleaſant nor profitable, nether great nor ſmall, neither open nor ſecret, but he hates every falſe way, Pſal. 119. yea he hates all vain thoughts, and cleanſeth himſelf from all filthineſs of the fleſh and ſpirit, 2 Cor. 7. 1.

2. By the deep and deadly perſecution of them: It doth not ſuffice that he diſallows and condemns ſin in reſpect of his judgement, not that he abſtains from ſin in reſpect of his practice, but he ſtrives after the utter extirpation of ſin; He layes the Ax to the root of the tree, Matth. 3. 10. Crucifies the fleſh in the affections thereof, Gal. 5. 24. And mortifies the members of ſin, Col. 3. 5.

3. By the Irreconcilable reſolution againſt them; He will never admit of league, or friendſhip, or have any peace with them, but loaths and hates, and reſiſts, and conflicts, and fights with them all his dayes; and if at any time he be ſurprized and foiled, he riſeth again and renews the war more firmly againſt them, by calling in all the helps and powers that make againſt his ſins; the power of Chriſt, and the power of the Spirit, and the power of the promiſes, and the power of grace.

4. By cutting off all the Succors of ſin, in occaſions and temptations, yea many times denying himſelf the uſe of lawful things, leſt by them he ſhould be accidentally overcome by ſin.

5. By watching his deceitful heart, and binding it with ſpecial vows and Covenants from ſtarting aſide, and hearkning unto ſin in the motions of it any more.

Secondly, Againſt the ſins of others. A ſoft and tender heart would not ſin itſelf, nor would that any other ſhould ſin againſt God, and offend him, and therefore (in a proportion to its ſphere) it will act againſt ſin whereſoever it finds ſin: Sometimes by entreating, as Lot unto the men of Sodom, I pray you brethren do not ſo wickedly, Gen. 19. 7. Sometime by directing: Judah ſaith unto his brethren, What profit is it if we ſlay our brother, and conceale his blood? Gen. 37. 26. Come and let us ſell him to the Iſhmaelites, and let not our hand be upon him, for he is our brother and our fleſh; and his brethren were content, ver. 27. Sometimes by reproving, as Elijah to Ahad; I have found thee, becauſe thou haſt ſold thy ſelf to work evil in the ſight of the Lord, 1 King 2. 4. And Nathan to David, thou art the man, 2 Sam. 12. 7. and Job to his wife; thou ſpeakeſt as one of the foliſh women ſpeaketh, ſhall we receive good at the hand of God, and ſhall we not receive evil? Job 2. 10. Sometimes by vuthoritative oppoſing and puniſhing, domeſtically in the family, as David: Pſa. 101. 7. He that worketh deceit ſhall not dwell within my houſe; he that telleth lies ſhall not tarry in my ſight. Publique in the ſtate, and for this remember three admirable inſtances of zeale againſt ſin by godly perſons of publique place and authority.

The firſt in Aſa, who removed Maacha his Mother from being queen, becauſe ſhe had made an idol in a grove, 2 Chron. 15. 16.

The ſecond in Joſiah, who burnt all the veſſels made for Baal, and put down the idolatrous Prieſts, and Groves, and brake down the houſes of the Sodomites, defiled Topheth, beat down all their Altars, and high places, and images, and all old reliques of I dolatry. The third in Nehemiah: See the hiſtory of his zeal, Nehem. 13. 15. In thoſe dayes ſaw I in Judah ſome treading wine-preſſes on the Sabbath, and bringing in ſheaves, and lading Aſſes, as alſo Wine, Grapes, and figs, &c. and I teſtified againſt them in the day wherein they ſold victuals &c. ver. 17. Then I contended with the Nobles of Judah, and ſaid unto them, What evill thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day? ver. 21. I teſtified againſt the Merchants and ſellers, Why do ye lodge about the wall? if you do ſo again I will lay hands on you. From that time forth came they no more on the Sabbath. ver. 23. In thoſe dayes alſo ſaw I Jews that had married wives of Aſhdod, of Ammon, and p. 571of Moab. ver. 24. And their children ſpake half in the ſpeech of Aſhdod, &c. ver. 25. And I contended with them, and curſed them, and ſmote certain of them, and pluckt off their hair, and made them ſwear by God, ye ſhall not give your daughters unto their ſons, nor take their daughters to your ſons, or for your ſelves, &c.

Fifthly, Special cares, and requeſts to be kept, and bleſſings when kept from ſin: Pſal. 18. 23. I kept my ſelf from mine iniquity. Job 31. 1. I made a covenant with mine eyes, why then ſhould I look upon a maid? Pſal. 39. 1. I ſaid I will take Special requeſts to be kept f…om ſin.heed unto my wayes, that I ſin not with my tongue; I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked is before me. Pſal. 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not ſin againſt thee. Pſal. 119. 133. Order my ſtep; in thy Word, and let not any iniquity have dominion over me; and ſo for bleſſing when kept from ſin. 1 Sam. 25. 32. David ſaid to Abigail, Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, who ſent thee this day to meet me. ver. 32. And bleſſed be thy advice, bleſſed be thou which hast kept me this day from coming to ſhed blood, and from avenging my ſelf with mine own hand: So when the ten Tribes and an halfe returned, the reſt bleſſed God that they were kept from ſinning, Joſh. 22. 33.

Sixthly, Reſtleſneſſe under the commiſſion of ſin, and importunity for the pardon Reſtleſtneſſe under the commiſſion of ſin.of it, and the teſtimonies of Gods reconciled favour. O how doth the tender heart take on, and judge, and condemn it ſelf, if at any time it fall into ſin! O what a fool! what a beaſt! and why have I dealt thus with my God! why did I deal ſo unkindly with my kind God? is this my love unto him? is this my fear of him? is this my tenderneſs of his glory? O my ſoul! what haſt thou done! why haſt thou broken the bonds of friendſhip! what hath the Lord been to thee, that thou haſt thus ſinned againſt him! And now the man falls a weeping, and lamenting, as if his heart would break; and after ſome reſpite he thinks of his father again; but he is aſhamed to come to him, and yet he will go to him and return with weeping and ſupplications: O I cannot live thus, I will home again to my fathers houſe, and ſay, I have ſinned, and am no more worthy to be called thy ſon, Luke 15. Though ſhame and confuſions belong to me, yet mercies and forgiveneſs to him; Dan. 9. O Lord, heal my backſlidings, and forgive my backſldings, and reoeive me graciouſly, Hoſe 14. 2. And return again in mercy, and make thy face to ſhine upon thy ſervant for the Lords ſake!

Thus have I opened unto you the firſt Character or evidence of a heart ſpiritually ſoft and tender; it is a heart filled with ſhame for ſin, and with grief for ſin, and with fear to ſin, and with zeal againſt ſin, and with care to be kept from ſin, and with reſtleſtneſs till it can find God mercifully pardoning ſin! O that ſuch tenderneſs, and that ſuch fruits of tenderneſs might be found in all our hearts!

Secondly, A ſecond Character by which we may know that we have the true The activity, and life, and power in conſcience.ſpiritual ſoftneſs and tenderneſs of heart, is the activity, and life, and power in conſcience; when God gives any one a ſoft and tender heart, he gives him a conſcience arrayed and enabled with other qualities and powers than in times paſt. The Conſcience heretofore was aſleep, but now it is awakned; heretofore it was blind, but now it ſees; heretofore it was ſilent, but now it ſpeaks; heretofore it was looſe and large, but now it is ſtrict and narrow; heretofore it was dull and weak, but now it is quick and powerful; heretofore it was ſtupid and ſenceleſs, but now it is apprehenſive and active: But I muſt not ſpeak of all things about this; that which I will pitch on, is this, the ſpeciall Activities of Conſcience (where the heart is indeed tender)

1. Concerning the good eſtate and welbeing of our ſouls.

2. Concerning particular facts, as to our doing or walking.

Firſt, Where the heart is tender, there Conſcience becomes active to clear out The conſcience is active to clear our ſtate.the good and ſafe eſtate, and well-being of our ſouls; It will not ſuffer the poor ſoul to delude and deceive itſelf in matters of life and death; to lay no grounds, p. 572nor to venture all upon falſe bottoms and grounds of ſalvation and damnation, of favour and wrath. O, ſaith Conſcience, thy ſoul is immortal and is for eternity, and there are wayes to that eternity of Gods making, and of mens making; there is a reall relation to Chriſt, and there is a ſeeming relation to Chriſt; there is the power of godlineſs, and there is the form of godlineſs; there were virgins with oyle, and there were virgins with lamps only; there are ſome which believe and are ſaved, and there are ſome that believe but for a time, and periſh: If a man miſtake himſelf, he is undone for ever; hereupon it is, that Conſcience in tender hearts dares not take up the eſtate of the ſoul upon truſt, and proud confidence, and vain pretences, or common grounds, or every appearance, but puts them on, and makes them to ſtudy the Word of God, and to prove what is the good and acceptable will of God, and what indeed are the marks which do accompany ſalvation; what are the infallible tokens of life, of union with Chriſt, of the new creature, of a child of God born of the Spirit; it cauſeth us to ſearch our hearts, and try our wayes, to prove and examine our ſelves whether Chriſt be in us of a truth, to give all diligence to make our calling and election ſure, and to work out our ſalvation with fear and trembling; it will not ſuffer us to be careleſs, ſluggiſh, dallying, delaying, &c. Conſcience takes thoſe ſaving promiſes of the …ord as unqueſtionable, that a man muſt believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt that will be ſaved, and that he muſt repent that will have his ſins pardoned, and that he muſt be regenerated and born again who will enter into the kingdom of heaven: And hereupon Conſcience puts us on (if our hearts be tender) exceedingly to make clear and evident the aſſumption: I do truely believe, I do truely repent, I am born again, and my ſins are pardoned, and my ſoul ſhall be ſaved. A tender heart would be ſure that it is in a ſtate of life and favour.

Secondly, Where the heart is tender, there conſcience is alive, in reſpect of the particular facts of our lives whether good or evil.

For good actions which concern us in our places and callings, Conſcience puts us upon the careful and ſincere practice of them, will not ſuffer us to omit and neglect them, but enclines and hearkens unto them, although danger and trouble be incident unto us for the performance of them: Act. 4. 19. But Peter and John anſwered and ſaid unto them, Whether it be right in the ſight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. ver. 20. For we cannot but ſpeak the things which we have ſeen and heard. Act. 21. 13. Then Paul anſwered, What mean you to weep and break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but alſo to dye at Jeruſalem for the name of the Lord Jeſus. Joſh. 24. 25. If it ſeem evil unto you to ſerve the Lord, chuſe you this day whom you will ſerve, whether the gods which your fathers ſerved, that were on the other ſide of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites in whoſe land ye dwell; but as for me and my houſe we will ſerve the Lord.

For evil actions, Conſcience puts forth itſelf againſt them, partly by warning, It is evil if thou do it not; partly by threatning, It will be bitter unto thee, it wlll deceive thee, and break thy peace and confidences; partly in ſtriving with us, and preſenting argument upon argument, conſideration upon conſideration; Gods favour on the one hand, and Gods diſpleaſure on the other hand: the happineſs of walking uprightly, the ſhortneſs of ſins deceitful pleaſures, &c. and all to keep us from ſinning; which if they prevail not, then Conſcience begins to be unquiet, and it ſmites for ſinning, and accuſes, and condems, and The reſpectiveneſs of our hearts to the Word of God.troubles, and vexes, and will never be quiet untill repentance be renewed, and God appears to be pacified.

Thirdly, If we have hearts ſpiritually ſoft and tender, this will appear by the respectiveneſs of our hearts to the word of God.

p. 573And there are ten Properties of a tender heart in relation to the Word of God.

1. It ſets up the Word as a Light and Rule: So Pſal. 119. 105. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my paths. ver. 133. Order my ſteps in thy Word.

2. It ſtudies the Word, and meditates therein, to underſtand the mind of God concerning it: Pſal. 119. 15. I meditate in thy precepts, and have reſpect unto thy ways. ver. 148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy Word.

3. It layes up and gives ſpecial heed unto what God ſaith in his Word: 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have alſo a more ſure word of Propheſie, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed. Pſal. 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid within my heart, that I might not ſin againſt thee. Prov. 7. 1. My ſon, keep my words, and lay up my commands with thee. ver. 3. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

4. It ſtands in awe of the Word: Pſal. 119. 161. My heart ſtands in awe of thy Word.

5. It is led and guided by the Word: Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel, Pſal. 73. 24. Thy teſtimonies are my delight and my counſellors, Pſal. 119. 24. My ſheep hear my voice, and follow me, Joh. 10. 17.

6. It keeps cloſe to the Word in all matters of faith and practice; receives all, and admits no more; will not go without it, and dares not ſtrive againſt it.

7. It conformes itſelf unto the Word: Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes, and I ſhall keep it even to the end, Pſal. 119. 33. All that the Lord hath ſaid, will we do and be obedient, Exod. 24 7. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy ſtatutes! Pſal. 119. 5. He will teach us his wayes, and we will walk in his paths, Iſa. 2. 3. Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine whereto ye were delivered, Rom. 6. 17. Moulded, caſt.

8. It is quickly reduced, wrought upon, and recovered by the Word: As in Davids caſe, when Nathan ſaid, Thou art the man: 2 Sam. 12. 7. David ſaid unto Nathan, I have ſinned against the Lord, ver. 13. So Judges 2. 2. Ye have not obeyed my voice; why have you done this? ver. 4. And it came to paſſe when the Angel of the Lord ſpake theſe words unto all the children of Iſrael, that the people lift up their voice and wept. ver. 5. And they called the name of that place weepers Bochim, and they ſacrificed there unto the Lord.

9. It will often review and try itſelf by the Word, leſt it hath ſinned, or leſt it ſhould ſin againſt God: Pſal. 77. 6. I communed with my own heart, and my ſpirit made diligent ſearch. Pſal. 119 59. I conſidered my wayes, and turned my feet unto thy teſtimonies.

10. It deſires and endeavours to comply with all the Word of God, and to fulfill all the will of God, and to walk according to it in all things: I have lived in all good Conſcience unto this day, Act. 23. 1. We truſt we have a good conſcience, Heb. 13. 18. I have reſpect unto all thy commandements, Pſal. 119. 6. Zachary and Elizabeth walked in all the Commandements and Ordinances before the Lord blameleſs, Luke 1. 6.

Fourthly, If we have hearts Spiritually ſoft and tender, this will appear by By our ſenſibleneſs in caſes of Gods honour or diſhonour.our ſenſibleneſs and choice behaviour in the caſes of Gods honour and diſhonour: This I think is one of the fulleſt diſcoveries of a ſoft and tender heart, and therefore I will inſiſt the more upon it by ſhewing unto you,

1. The ſeveral wayes how God is honoured.

2. The ſeveral expreſſions of a tender heart in relation unto Gods honour.

3. The ſeveral wayes of Gods diſhonour.

p. 5744. The ſeveral affections and workings of a tender heart in the caſe of Gods diſhonour.

Firſt, The ſeveral wayes of Gods being honoured; God may be and is honoured,How God is honoured: As … his Name and Attribu…es.

1. As to his glorious Name and Attributes; (Deut. 28. 58. That thou mayeſt fear this glorious and fearful Name, the Lord thy God.) When we do acknowledge, and admire, and exalt God in his holineſs and goodneſs, and mercifulneſs, and Omnipo…ency, and wiſdom, and greatneſs, and authority and juſtice, and faithfulneſs, &c. Exod. 15. 11. Who is like unto thee, O Lord, amongſt the Gods! who is like thee, glorious in holineſs, fearful in praiſes, doing wonders! Job 9. 4. He is wiſe in heart, and mighty in ſtrength. Exod. 34. 6. The Lord, the Lord God merciful, and gracious, long-ſuffering, abundant in goodneſſe and truth. Ver. 7. Keeping mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniqui…y, tranſgreſſions and ſins, and that will by no means clear the guilty. Deuter. 7. 9. Know that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandements to a thouſand generations.

2. As to his worſhip and ſervice: Pſal. 29. 2. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name; or as it is in the Hebrew, the honour of his Name; worſhip the As to his Worſhip.Lord in the beauty of holineſs. When we ſet up the true worſhip of God, and ſerve him only, and worſhip him only in Spirit and in truth, and keep faithful unto it, now we do honour and glorifie our God: Thou haſt not honoured me with thy ſacrifices, Iſa. 43. 23. The place where God is worſhipped, is called the place where his honour dwelleth.

3. As to his Word and truths, when they are magnified, believed, and embraced, At his Word.and upheld, and obeyed; when they have liberty, and proſperity, and ſucceſs of efficacy,

4. As to his works of Providence, whether merciful, reſpecting the good As to his Works.of his people; or judicial, reſpecting the puniſhment of his adverſaries, in both which very much of God is to be ſeen, and admired and bleſſed.

Secondly, Now a ſoft and tender heart is exceedingly affected with Gods honour How the tender heart is affected in caſe of Gods honorand glory; and with all the wayes (publick and private) for the honouring of God: Such a perſon will take much pains to recover and reſtore the honour of God, as you may ſee in Jehoſhaphat and Hezekiah, and Joſiah, to reſtore the true worſhip of God; ſuch a perſon will be at much coſt to promote the honour of God: 1 Chron. 29. 3. Becauſe I have ſet my affection to the houſe of my God, I have of mine one proper goods, of gold and ſilver, which I have given to the houſe of my God (over and above all that I have prepared for thy holy houſe) even three thouſand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and ſeven thouſand talents of refined ſilver to overlay the houſe withall: ſuch a perſon will exceedingly rejoyce in any way by which God is honoured: 2 Joh. ver. 4. I rejoyced that I found of thy children walking in truth. 3. Joh. ver. 3, 4. So Paul in Phil. 1. 18. That Chriſt is preached I do rejoyce, yea and I will rejoyce: So David, Pſal. 122. 1. I was glad when they ſaid unto me, Let us go into the houſe of the Lord: Such a perſon will be content to loſe his own honour, ſo that God may have honour: David will be yet more vile, and counted ſo, that he may the more promote Gods honour; 2 Sam. 6. 20, 21, 22. John muſt decreaſe, that Chriſt may increaſe, and this was the fulfilling of his joy: Joh. 3. 29, 30. Such a perſon will make all his parts, his gifts, his graces, his power and authority, yea his very life ſerviceable to the honour and glory of God, yea his very eating and drinking; Whether ye eat or drink, er whatſoever you do, do all to the glory of God, &c. 2 Cor. 10. 31.

p. 575Thirdly, Now on the contrary, there are ſeveral wayes of diſhonouring of God, The wayes of diſhonouring God.both publick and private, as ſwearing, blaſpheming, looſeneſs of walking, pulling down his true worſhip, ſetting up a falſe worſhip; forſaking the truth, and holding error; reproaching the true God, the Perſons of the Trinity, the Goſpel, the whole Scripture, the Ordinances of Chriſt, and the practical wayes of Chriſt in holineſſe and godlineſs, &c.

Well, A ſoft and tender heart is paſſionately ſenſible and working in the apprehenſion The workings of a tender heart in caſe of Gods diſſion…rof any diſhonor caſt on God; a perſon of ſuch a heart will be troubled and mourn in this caſe: When Hezekiah heard the blaſphemies vomited out by Rabſhakeh againſt the Lord, he rent his clothes, and covered himſelf with ſackcloth, and went into the houſe of the Lord; this day is a day of trouble, and of rebuke, and of blaſphemy, Iſa. 63. 1, 2, 3.

Will be ſtirred in his ſpirit; as Paul when he ſaw the people of Athens given to idolatry, his ſpirit was ſtirred in him, Act. 17. 16. he could not bear it, he could not hold, he muſt teſtifie againſt it.

He will put himſelf to the utmoſt of his place and power, as Phineas did againſt Zimri and Coſby; and as Joſiah did againſt all the idolatry and wickedneſs in his dayes.

Will hazard and expoſe all his honour, and eſtate, and his very life, as Elijah did, and Daniel did, and the three children, and thoſe in Rev. 12. who loved not their lives to the death.

Will bear any reproach and injury done unto themſelves, more patiently and quietly, than thoſe done to God; he can ſit down under them, and weep, and makes his moan to God, when they tear his own name; but when comes to Gods Name, now his zeal is kindled, &c.

Fifthly, If we have hearts ſpiritually ſoft and tender, this will appear by By the acquitting of our ſelves in duties, both for matter. He makes conſcience of duties to God and men.the acquitement of our ſelves in duties both for matter and manner.

1. For the matter; concerning which, obſerve theſe concluſions.

1. A perſon of a tender heart makes conſcience of duties both to God and to men, not only of duties unto God, nor only of duties unto men, but of the duties which he doth repectively owe unto them both: Acts 24. 16. Herein do I exerciſe my ſelf to have alwayes a conſcience void of offence toward God, and toward men. Mat. 22. 21. Render therefore to Ceſar the things which are Ceſars, and unto God the things which are Gods. Tit. 2. 11, 12. The grace of God teacheth us to live ſoberly, and righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world. Mar. 12. 29, 30. The firſt of all the Commandments is, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy minde and with all thy ſtrength. verſe 31. And the ſecond is like, namely this, Thou ſhalt love thy neighbour as thy ſelf. Many plead a conſcienciouſneſs of duty unto men, they dare not but deal juſtly, and ſquarely, and honeſtly; and yet they make no conſcience of duties unto God; no conſcience of praying, of keeping the Sabbath, of fearing an oath, of walking holily; and many pretend a conſcienciouſneſs of duty unto God, but yet they make no conſcience of duty unto men; they dare to revile, and to controle, and to oppreſs, and rob a man of his right, and to ſlander and reproach: Neither of theſe are perſons of ſoft and tender hearts, but of deceitful and hypocritical hearts, who fear not God, and follow not him, but their own luſts; A perſon of a tender heart indeed, dares not with-hold from God what is due to God, nor from man what God requires to be done in way of duty unto man: but as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſubjection unto powers ordained of God, That it muſt be for conſcience ſake, Rom. 15. 5. ſo ſay I of a tender heart, it performs duties to God, and duties to man, even for conſcience ſake; it dares not defraud the one or the other.

Object. But will ſome ſay, What if God and man be contrary in their commands, how can I obey and perform duty to them both?

p. 576Sol. I anſwer.

1. There is no duty which God commands to himſelf, and unto men, which admits of contrariety, but of ſubordination.

2. If man commands any thing of us contrary to Gods command, we muſt do (as the Apoſtle did) obey God rather than man.

Secondly, A perſon of a tender heart, makes conſcience of all duties to God, and of all duties unto all ſorts of men unto whom he ows duty. Of all duties unto God; He makes conſcience of all duties to God and man.of fearing of him, as of praying, and of praiſes, as well as of rejoycing in him; of repenting of ſinnes, as well as of believing the pardon of ſinnes; of walking uprightly, as well as of truſting in the promiſes; of keeping the Sabbath, &c.

Of all duties unto all ſorts of men: If they be his Superiors, to honour and yield obedience to them; if they be his Inferiours, to regard and condeſeend unto them; if they be his enemies, to love them, and to pray for them; if they be poor, to pity and help them; on whatſoever, and to whatſoever God is pleaſed to lay a command, there the perſon of a tender heart, hath a readineſs and willingneſs to obey.

Thirdly, The perſon of a tender heart makes conſcience of relative duties: There is a Relation twixtHe makes conſcience of relative duties.

1. The Magiſtrate and the people.

2. 'Twixt the Miniſter and his flock.

3. 'Twixt the husband and his wife.

4. 'Twixt the Parent and the child.

5. 'Twixt the Maſter and the Servant.

And many are the duties which reciprocally do concern all theſe perſons in all their ſeveral relations; and any one who is of a ſoft and tender heart, makes conſcience of them all.

The tender Magiſtrate makes conſcience of governing and ruling, and believing, and protecting, and reclaiming, and puniſhing, and rewarding; and dare not be unjuſt, neglect, or unfaithful, or oppreſſing, or out-facing, or over-bearing; and ſo people of tender hearts dare not to be diſobedient, unruly, reviling, deſpiſing, &c.

The tender Miniſter makes conſcience of feeding his flock with wholſome food, and not to keep back any of the counſel of God concerning them; he is inſtant and diligent in his work, he inſtructs and exhorts, and warns, and reproves, and comforts according to the ſeveral conditions of his people; and the people will pray, will love, will honour, will encourage, will obey them that have the rule over them in the Lord.

The tender husband will love and cheriſh his wife; and the tender wife will love and pleaſe, and reverence her husband.

The tender Parent will pray for, will inſtruct, will teach his children, and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and the tender child will hearken, &c.

Fourthly, A perſon of a tender heart and ſoft heart, makes conſcience of all He makes co…ſc…ence of all duties … the …im…s.the duties reſpecting the times and changes that do befall him. He meets with times of adverſity, and with times of proſperity; with times of love, and with times of hatred; with times of peace, and with times of trouble; with times of light, and with times of darkneſſe; with times of Gods clear preſence, and with times of Gods deſertions. And there are ſeveral and diſtinct duties proper unto theſe variations, the which he ſtrives to draw out, and act in their time.

If his time be the time of proſperity, he is doing whilſt he hath that time, and to honour God with his increaſe, and to bleſſe him, and to do for him; and if his be the time of adverſity, he deſires patient ſubmiſſion unto p. 577the hand of God, and ſpecial inſtruction, and improvement, and refining, &c.

In an high eſtate he will love his God, and in a low eſtate he will by faith live ſtill upon his God.

Fifthly, A perſon of a tender heart, will make conſcience of duties.

1. Though never ſo ſmall and little; thou ſhalt not lay a ſtumbling block before the blind, nor cauſe the deaf, &c. thou ſhalt fear the Lord thy God.The ſmalleſt.

2. Though never ſo great and difficult, and ſtrict; to deny himſelf, to enter in at the ſtrait gate, to render good for evil, bleſſing for The greateſt.curſing.

3. Though contemned and reproached by profane men, and erroneous Moſt contemned.men, or diſaccepted by thoſe unto whom it is performed.

4. Though dangerous and expoſing, &c. as Daniel of praying, the three children Moſt dangerous.of worſhipping God only, the Apoſtles of preaching Chriſt.

2ly For the manner of performing theſe duties;The manner of performance of duties.

A tender heart hath a ſpecial regard unto that; he will ſerve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, Heb, 12. 28. And as David, after the due order, 1 Chro. 15. 13.

The duties which he performes they are by him done

1. Willingly: Pſal. 110 3. Thy people ſhall be willing in the day of thy power. Rom. 7. Willingly.19. The good that I would do. And Iſa. 26. 8. The deſire of our ſoul is to thy Name: freewill-offerings.

2. Delightfully: 1 Joh. 5. 3. His Commandements are not grievous; Nay, Delightfully.Pſal. 40. 8. I delight to do thy will. It was Chriſts meat and drink to do the will of his Father that ſent him, Joh. 4. 34.

3. Humbly, as Paul; Act. 20. 19. Serving the Lord with all humility of Humbly.mind, and with many tears.

4. Believingly; reſting on the ſtrength of Chriſt for their performance: Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth me. And he acknowledgeth Believingly.all that is done, to be done in his ſtrength: 1 Cor. 15. 10. I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me: and expecting all the acceptance of duties for Chriſts ſake: Rev. 8. 3. The prayers of the Saints were offered up with incenſe upon the golden Altar.

5. Sincerely; with a plain, honeſt, obediential heart, with all his heart▪ Sincerely.with his very ſoul and ſpirit; in truth without guile; and with a direct, pure, and ſingle reſpect unto Gods glory.

Theſe are the deſires, and theſe are the endeavours thus to ſerve and obey the Lord, by every truely ſoft and tender heart; and if he miſſeth, or is interrupted in any of theſe, his heart is troubled and grieved, and he ſtrives and wreſtles with God to cloth him with the ſtrength of his Spirit, that he may thus ſerve his God according to his will.

Sixthly, If our hearts be ſoft and tender hearts, this will appear by the temper of our ſpirits in the occurrences of temptations.

There are temptations and ſuggeſtionsBy the temper of our ſpirits in temptations. From Satan.

1. From Satan; he many times preſents unto the minds (even of the people of God) thoughts of Atheiſm, and blaſphemy, and other vile and inglorious thoughts. O what an affrightment, amazement, and grievous burden are theſe unto a perſon of a ſoft and tender heart! they do even crack and cruſh his ſpirits, and take away all reſt from him, and fill his heart with tears, and complaints, and prayers.

2. From the World, to withdraw from God and Chriſt, and the truth and From the World.holy walking, partly by reproaches, ſcoffs, threatnings, reſtraints, and puniſhments; theſe a tender heart will bear, and ſuffer, and rejoyce in; and by them grows p. 578more reſolute for Chriſt, and to hold faſt his truth, and to walk with him: And partly by profits, pleaſure, friendſhip, fears, and honours: theſe a tender heart will trample under foot, rather than ſin againſt Chriſt; Like Moſes, who refuſed to be called the Son of Pharaohs daughter, Hebr. 11. 24. Ch…ſing rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleaſures of ſin for a ſeaſon. ver. 25. Esteeming the reproach of Chriſt greater riches than the creaſures of Egypt, ver. 26.

3. From our own hearts, in ſeveral wicked motions, to ſeveral vile affections: From our own hearts.And if your heart be tender, it will not dally with them in contemplation, nor yield unto them in proſecution, but will reſiſt them, and pray againſt them, and ſtrive to have them mortified and ſubdued, and inſtead of them, would have a daily frame of holy and heavenly thoughts raigning in the mind.

SECT. IV.

Ʋſe 2. DOth the Lord promiſe to give unto all his people a ſoft and tender Get ſuch a heart.heart, an heart of fleſh? Then by all means let every one of u… ſtrive to get this heart which God promiſeth to give.

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

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

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

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

p. 579Thirdly, The excellency of this heart; As an hard heart is a baſe heart, ſo The excellency of it.the ſoft and tender heart is an excellent heart; Pharach ſtands upon Record for a hard heart, and it is his infamy as long as the world laſts. And Joſiah ſtands upon Record for a perſon of a tender heart, and it will remain for his glory as long as the world continues.

There are five things which are a mans glory and excellency.

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

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

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

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

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

Fourthly, The Benefits and helpfulneſs of this heart: It would be of wonderful uſe and advantage unto you ſundry wayes.The benefits of a tender heart. A help to repentance.

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

2. It would be a dayly preſervative againſt ſin, and temptations unto ſin: A preſervative againſt ſin.tenderneſs is the foundation of fear, and fear is the Guardian of the ſoul againſt p. 580ſin. No man is more ſecured againſt ſin, than the man of tenderneſs, and of faith, and of fear; as the hardened ſinner is preſumptuous, and will venture on any ſin, and on the occaſions thereof; ſo a tender heart is fearful of the leaſt ſin, and keeps off from all the occaſions thereof: And from theſe two Conſectaries do flow: viz.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. It fills the heart with a hatred and fear of all ſin, that it may not offend the p. 581Lord in any thing, nor at any time, nor in any place: Still ſeeing him who is inviſible: Job 31. 4. Doth not he ſee my wayes, and count all my ſteps! Prov. 5. 21. The wayes of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1. He can make us to ſee, to feel, to remember, to conſider our ſins, and our doings p. 582which have not been good: Job 34. 32. That which I ſee not, teach thou me, &c. Job 13. 26. Thou makest me to poſſeſſe the iniquities of my youth: Ezek. 16. 61. Then ſhalt thou remember thy wayes and be aſhamed.

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

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

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

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

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

Sol. I anſwer.

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. You muſt know that the efficacy of ſpiritual means doth not depend upon the meer preſence of the means, but upon the concomitancy and influence of the Spirit of God, who ſometimes doth put forth his power through thoſe means, and ſometimes doth not ſo. The Word by its own natural and proper vigour, doth not convince, nor convert, nor ſoften the heart (for then every one that hears it ſhould be convinced, and converted, and ſoftned) nor then ſhould it be a means, but a principal efficient; but thoſe effects it doth work on all who hear it, when the Spirit of God comes with the Word unto their hearts in his mighty power, working that grace in us which the Word commands from us: And therefore p. 583when we come to hear the Word, to have our hearts ſoftned, we ſhould look on the Word as the means; but withall on the Spirit of God as the principal cauſe, who works that effect by the Word; nor ſhould we ever hear the Word without ſpecial prayer and requeſts, that the Lord would by his Spirit make his Word a lively and effectual means of knowledge, of faith, of all grace unto us; and if we did do ſo, the Lord would be found of us, and he would give this ſoftneſs of heart which he promiſeth in his Covenant.

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

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

Queſt. What Faith will ſome ſay?

Sol. I anſwer, a Faith

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

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

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

Fifthly, If we would compaſs ſoft and tenderneſs of heart, we muſt then Get hearts to love the Lord.get hearts to love the Lord; Did we love him, we would be tender of his glory, and tender of his love; tender to pleaſe him, tender not to diſpleaſe him, tender to obey him, and tender to honour him. Joh. 14. 23. If a man love me, he will keep my words. ver. 24. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my ſayings. Love (you know) is of all affections the moſt tender, moſt watchful to obſerve, the moſt carefull to pleaſe, and the moſt fearful to offend: If we did love the Lord, we would not, we could not grieve him. Beſeech therefore the Lord to circumciſe your hearts, that you may love him; and conſider the exceeding greatneſs of his love to you, that you may love p. 584him again (We love him, becauſe he loved us firſt, 1 Joh. 4. 19.) And this love would raiſe a tenderneſs of heart in us, in all the effects of tenderneſs which you have heard.

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

Ezek. 36. 27.

And I will put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes, and ye ſhall keep my judgements and do them.

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

1. The matter promiſed (I will put my ſpirit within you.)

2. The vertue or benefit of this promiſe; which is twofold.

1. Obedience (and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes)

2. Perſeverance (and ye ſhall keep my judgements and do them.)

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

CHAP. XII.

Doct. 1. THat all the people of God have the Spirit of God; or, that God will put his Spirit within his people (I will put my Spirit within God will put his ſpirit within his people.you) Pſal. 51. 11. Take not thy holy Spirit from me. Zech. 12. 10. I will poure upon the houſe of David, and upon the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem the Spirit of grace and of ſupplication. Rom. 8. 15. Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba, Father. 1 Cor. 2. 12. We have received not the ſpirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given of God. 1 Cor. 7. 40. I think alſo that I have the Spirit of God. 1 Theſ. 4. 8. Who hath given unto us his holy Spirit. 1 Joh. 3. 24. Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. Chap. 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us, becauſe he hath given us of his Spirit.

p. 585For the opening of this excellent Point, I will ſpeak unto theſe particulars.

1. In what ſenſe the Spirit is given, or put within the people of God.

2. How it may be demonſtrated, that the people of God (every one of them) have the Spirit of God.

3. Why the Spirit is put within every one of the people of God.

4. Whether all the people of God, do in the ſame meaſure partake of the Spirit.