The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 9

The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant · Religious treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 9

p. 527CHAP. IX. A heart of ſtone in every man.

Doctr. 1. THat there is a ſtony heart in every man, (I will take away the There is a ſtony heart in every man.ſtony heart out of your fleſh) there it was, elſe it could not be taken away; the natural heart is a ſtony heart; not Phyſically ſo, as if it were ſo indeed; but Metaphoriaclly ſo it is like the ſtone, it is a hard heart, ſpiritually hard, that is meant by the ſtony heart. Zach. 7. 12. They have made their hearts as an Adamant ſtone. Iſa. 48. 4. Thy neck is an iron ſinew, and thy brow braſs. q. d. Thy heart is exceeding hard like Iron, which will not bow; and like braſs, which will not change; both which are explained in the firſt words of the verſe, (Thou art obſtinate.)

For the opening of this Point, I will ſhew unto you:

1. Why the hard heart (which is in every man) is called a ſtony heart.

2. What ſtonyneſs or hardneſs of heart is to be found in man.

3. Several Demonſtrations or Convictions that the heart of every man (naturally) is a hard or ſtony heart.

p. 528SECT. I.

Queſt▪ 1. VVHY is the hard heart called a ſtony heart?Why called a ſtony heart.

It is ſo called, for the reſemblance which it hath with a ſtone; and in five particulars. 1. Unſenſibleneſs. 2. Unflexibleneſs. 3. Reſiſtingneſs. 4. Heavineſs. 5. Unfruitfulneſs.

Firſt, Becauſe it is an unſenſible heart: What ſenſe is there in a Rock? in a An unſenſible heart.Stone? in the Adamant? in Epheſ. 4. 18, 19. hardened ſinners are ſaid to be paſt feeling; and that expreſſion, paſt feeling, ſeems to be taken from the hands of labouring men, which are ſo thickned, and hardned by pains, that they can graſp nettles and thorns, and yet not feel the ſharpneſs nor ſting; the natural heart is in this reſpect a ſtony heart, (i. e.) unſenſible. Though he hath as many ſins upon the ſoul which makes the very Creation to groan, and to travail in pain: Rom. 8. 22. yet he neither complains nor feels, he goes on f…om day to day, and adds drunkenneſs to thirſt, and drinks up iniquity as water, yet he ſaith, What evil have I done? and there is no iniquity in my doings; though the judgements of God be very near him, and the tokens do abundantly appear, yet like Ephraim, when gray hairs were here and there upon him, he perceived them not, Hoſea 7. 9. Yea▪ though the anger of the Lord be poured upon him, and ſets him on fire round about, yet he knows it not; nay, though it burn him, yet he lays it not to heart, Iſa. 42. 25. Such a groſs ſtupidity is there in the natural and ſtony heart. What one ſpake of himſelf in an humble way; Erubeſcenda video nec erubeſco, dolenda intueor nec doleo, peccata inſpicio Bern. in Med. cap. 12. p. 1200.nec geno; This, and much more may be ſaid of him that hath the hard and ſtony heart; he bluſhes not, he grieves not, he ſighs not for his ſins; nay, he rejoyceth and boaſteth, and makes but a mock of ſin, ſo utterly unſenſible is he of ſin.

Secondly, Becauſe it is an unflexible heart; you may bow a ſtick, and melt An unflexible heart.the braſs, and bend the very iron; but you cannot bow nor bend the ſtone; the ſtone may be broken in pieces, yet you can never ſo mollifie it as to make it to bow, it is naturally hard, and naturally unyielding. Thus it is with the heart which is hard, it is unflexible and unyielding; it will be what it hath been: Ezek. 3. 7. It will not hearken, it will not obey, it will receive no inſtruction, advice, counſel; let God ſpeak, and do what he will; let men ſpeak, and do what they can, yet a hard heart fears not God, nor regards man. God ſends Moſes and Aaron to Pharaoh with a command to let Iſrael go; he rejects this command, Who is the Lord that I ſhould obey his voice? &c. Then they ſhew wonders before him, yet he will not yield; then God ſends plagues upon the fruit and corn, and cattle, and ſervants, yet he will not yield nor obey. Thus when the Iſraelites fell ſick of the ſtone, I mean, when their hearts became hardned, then they became unflexible and unyielding. 2 Chron. 36. 15, 16. The Lord ſent Prophets to them early and late, but they mocked the Meſſengers of God, and deſpiſed his Word, and miſuſed his Prophets: You may read in Amos the 4th. how God dealt with them in manifold ways of judgement, yet there was no yielding; in ver. 6. He ſends them cleanneſs of teeth, and want of bread, yet have ye not returned unto me, ſaith the Lord; in ver. 7. He with-held rain from them, yet ver. 8. have ye not returned unto me; in ver. 9. He ſmites them with blaſting and mildew; yet have ye not returned unto me; in ver. 10. He ſent the pestilence among them after the manner of Egypt, yet have ye not returned; in ver. 11. He overthrew ſome of them, as he overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and the reſt were as a fire-brand pluck't out of the fire, yet have ye not returned: O this is the hard heart, which when God ſpeaks, it will not hear; when God calls, it will not yield; though God intreats p. 529it by mercies, yet it will not yield to leave ſin; though God threatens it with wrath for continuing in ſin, yet it will not forſake ſin; though God plucks away mercies after mercies; though God lets down judgement after judgement; though he wounds the conſcience; though he throws it into hell, yet it will not yield to obey the voice of the Lord, to turn from ſin.

Thirdly, Becauſe it is a reſiſting heart; the hard ſtone doth not only not A reſiſting heart.receive impreſſion, but it reſiſts and turns back the ſtroaks; even ſo when the heart is hard, it doth not only not admit the Word, but inſtead of yielding, it oppoſeth the Word, and reſiſts the Spirit of God. 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. Ver. 17. but we will certainly do whatſoever thing goeth out of our own mouth. Zach. 7. 11. They refuſed to hearken, and pulled away the ſhoulder, and ſtopped their ears that they ſhould not hear. Ver. 12. And made their hearts as an Adamant ſtone, leſt they ſhould hear the Law. Acts 7. 51. Ye ſtiffe-necked and uncircumciſed in heart, ye do always reſiſt the Holy Ghoſt. Hence it is that ſinners of hard hearts are ſaid to make light of the Word, to deſpiſe it, to reject it, to mock at it, to contradict it, to blaſpheme, and ſpeak againſt it, as the Phariſees and the Jews, &c.

Fourthly, Becauſe it is an heavy heart; the ſtone is naturally heavy, deſcending A heavy heart.and inclining downward; if you will find it, you muſt look for it in the earth; and if you throw it up, it will fall down again to the earth; that is its center, thither it inclines, and there it reſteth: So the hard heart, it is an heavy heart; not only heavy in a way of indiſpoſition and untowardlineſs to what is good, (no mind to pray or hear, or repent, &c.) but alſo heavy in a way of inclination; it is an heart which inclines downward to worldly luſts, and ſinful luſts; in them it delights and reſts as in its center. Although ſometimes in an exigence of outward trouble, and inward anguiſh of conſcience it ſeems to be lifted up, yet upon the ceſſation of their working, it returns again to its old love and practice of ſin.

Fifthly, Laſtly, The hard heart is called a ſtony heart, becauſe it is a barren A barren heart.and unfruitful heart: What fruit is to be gathered from the ſtone or rock? Caſt the ſeed on it, let the rain come down from heaven upon it; let the Sun ſhine with its beams upon it, yet the ſtone is a ſtone ſtill, a barren and unfruitful lump of earth: And thus is it with an hard heart; though the man lives under many precious means of grace, and manifold helps, and daily opportunities; and though others are wrought upon by the Word, the Word brings forth in them the fruits of knowledge, of godly ſorrow, of repentance, of faith, of love, of newneſs of heart and life, &c. yet in him it is unfruitful; though he lives under it many years, yet his heart is ignorant ſtill, and proud ſtill, and earthly ſtill, and filthy ſtill, he is not humbled nor changed, nor reformed at all.

Thus you have ſome Reaſons why the hard heart is called a ſtony heart: Now in the next place lets enquire:

Queſt. 2. What kinds of ſtonyneſs or hardneſs of heart is to be found in man? The kinds of hardneſs in man.that ſo we may the more admire at the greatneſs of Gods mercy, who promiſeth to take it away out of our natures.

Sol. For this, know, that there is a threefold hardneſs incident to the heart of man.

1. One is Natural.

2. The ſecond is Habitual or Contracted.

3. The third is Judicial or Penal.

Firſt, Natural hardneſs of heart, (is that Tomb-ſtone of ſin and death) Natural hardneſs.it is one part of that wretched nature conveyed unto us by the fall of Adam, by which our hearts are made dark and unſenſible of our ſins, and untoward, p. 530and diſobedient, and gain-ſaying, and unyielding, and refractory, and obſtinately ſet againſt the commands and ways of God, and the ſtrivings of his Spirit, and all his dealings, either in ways of mercy, or in ways of judgement. This natural hardneſs, as it is in every man by nature, ſo it is in every part of man, in every faculty of his ſoul. In his underſtanding there is a wonderful incapacity and ſtupidity, and inapprehenſiveneſs of them, though diſtinctly opened, and often revealed truths and ways of God. In his memory there is ſuch a hardneſs, that all the heavenly delivery of the mind of God in things pertaining to ſalvation, fall away as waters from the Rock, are forgotten, and they ſlip away; they ſtay not ſometimes one minute, though other diſcourſes are held faſt. In his judgement there is ſuch a hardneſs that raiſeth enmity and reſiſtance, and affords a world of carnal reaſonings to oppoſe and put by the truth In his will there is ſuch a hardneſs of obſtinacy and perverſneſs, that when all is ſaid that can be ſaid by Law or Goſpel, yet men will not hear, Joh. 5. 40. though they may be ſaved; nor will they hear, though therefore they ſhall be damned. In his affections there is ſuch an hardneſs, that men ſin without fear, and without all compunction and ſorrow of heart; and though the glorious things of Chriſt are revealed and offered, and preſſed upon them, yet no delight, no love, no deſire at all can be raiſed in them, &c. In his conſcience, which under all the threats of God, and terrors of God revealed, remains quiet, unſtirred, ſcared, and careleſs, as if theſe were fables, and impertinent notions.

Secondly, The Contracted hardneſs is that which we bring upon our ſinful Contracted hardneſs.hearts (and adde unto them) by the frequency of our ſinning actions or practices, or by a voluntary oppoſing of all the means which do tend to the ſoftning our heart. And by the way let me tell you, that there are three kinds of ſinning which do extreamly ſuper adde to the hardning of mans heart.

One is the ſinning againſt clear light.

The ſecond is the ſinning with delight.

The third is the cuſtomary way of ſinning; long going in a path, often beating the anvile.

Thirdly, The Judicial hardneſs, which is that unto which God gives the ſtubborn ſinner up for not harkning unto him, but ſtill continuing and perſiſting Judicial hardneſs.in a ſinful courſe; and therefore he leaves him unto himſelf, and to his own luſts, and his Spirit ſhall no more ſtrive with him; and hereupon the ſinful heart being left unto it ſelf, breaks forth into all manner of wickedneſs, and ſo doth exceedingly obdurate it ſelf; it becomes more unſenſible, and more fearleſs, and more enraged againſt all that is good, &c.

Now the ſtony heart, or hard heart ſpoken of here in the Text, is principally that which is natural; and I will not deny that the Contracted hardneſs may be meant, but not the Judicial.

Queſt. 3. But how then may it be demonſtrated that naturally every mans Demonſtrations of it.heart is a ſtony or hard heart?

Sol. There are ſix things which may convince us that it is ſo.

Firſt, The forwardneſs in men to ſin; every natural heart is ready to ſinful The forwradneſs in men to ſin.acts, and eaſie unto them: Epheſ. 4. 19. If temptations preſent themſelves, the natural heart preſently entertains them, and complies with them; and if no temptations from Satan and the world preſent themſelves, the natural heart will tempt it ſelf; why this is a conviction that the heart is hard; for if it be a good ſign of a tender and ſoft heart, when it is afraid to ſin: How can I do this great wickedneſs and ſin againſt God, ſaid Joſeph? Gen. 39. 9. p. 531Then ſurely it is a ſign of a hard heart when it is forward to ſin, and greedy to ſin, and eaſily and willingly lets out it ſelf to ſin, and fears not at all to ſin; but every mans heart (naturally) is ſo forward and bent to ſin, that it cannot, and it will not be reſtrained from ſin. Gen. 11. 6. Nothing will be reſtrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Zeph. 3. 5. The unjuſt know no ſhame.

Secondly, The ſilence and quietneſs in conſcience under all ſinnings: Men neglect Quietneſs under ſinning.all holy duties, and ſwea…, and lie, and deceive, and are drunken, and commit adultery, &c. and conſcience ſaith nothing to them. Aſſuredly this is a ſtrong conviction, that their hearts are hard; for where there is any ſoftneſs of heart, there conſcience is alive, and hath ſome power to warn and check, and oppoſe before ſinning; and likewiſe to accuſe and condemn, and trouble after ſinning: But now natural men (generally) find it thus, that conſcience is dead, and takes no notice, or it is weak, and can do nothing with them; before ſinning it appears not, and after ſinning it troubles not. Ergo. their hearts are hard.

Thirdly, The ſecurity of heart: Taken me any one broken-hearted ſinner; Security of heart.why under the ſenſe of any one tranſgreſſion he goes heavy all the day long, and he weeps bitterly, and he waters his couch with his tears, and he is afraid of the Lord whom he hath provoked, and he makes in earneſtly for reconciliation and peace with God; and why doth he ſo? becauſe his heart is ſoft and tender. But on the contrary, the natural man he ſins, and is confident; expoſes himſelf to wrath, and yet is ſecure; and though God ſaith he is offended and diſpleaſed with him; and though God threatens him with wrath; and though he knows that God hath deſtroyed ſome for the ſame ſin of which he is guilty, yet the man goes on in his ſinful practices, and makes no account of this. And what is the cauſe of it? it is this, his heart is hard, and hardened: Were not the man under a reprobate ſenſe, infinitely ſtupid and ſeared, he could not reſt ſo ſecure.

Fourthly, The abſence of all penitential works: Whenſoever the Lord gives The abſence of penitential works.a ſoft heart (which is oppoſite to this ſtony heart) then ariſeth preſently

1. A ſight and ſolemn conſideration of ſin.

2. An humble mourning and lamenting for ſin.

3. A ſelf-judging confeſſion of ſin.

4. A cordial averſation from ſin.

5. Importunate ſupplication for pardoning mercy and grace.

6. A ſerious application of the heart to Chriſt.

And on the contrary, where the heart is hard, there are none of theſe; no hard heart conſiders of its ways, ſaying, What have I done? no man ſmites on his thigh, and is humbled; no man repents; no man ſeeks after the Lord; no man cries out for mercy, or for grace, or for Chriſt. Certainly ſo much as there is of impenitency, ſo much there is of hardneſs of heart; but naturally every mans heart is impenitent, and he is not only a ſtranger to theſe penitential works, but alſo he is an enemy unto them: Ergo.

Fifthly, The inefficacy of the Word; the Word of God is compared The inefficacy of the Word.ſometimes

1. To the Sun, which enlightens and quickens.

2. To water, which ſoftens and cleanſeth.

3. To the hammer, which bruiſes and breaks.

4. To fire, which heats and melts, and refines; but on the natural heart either it hath no efficacy at all, or it is a long time before it can make any impreſſion, and yet a longer time before it make any ſaving impreſſion; either the heart will not ſuffer us to hear the voice of the Word, or it will not ſuffer us to acknowledge the truth of the Word; or it is ſo hard, that it will not ſuffer us to do any thing according to the Word; indeed the heart is ſo hard, that unleſs the Lord himſelf be pleaſed to put out his Almighty power, it will never yield unto any ſaving operation of the Word.

p. 532Sixthly, I will adde one Demonſtration more of the hardneſs of mans heart, The unſenſibleneſs of it.which is this, the unſenſibleneſs of that hardneſs of heart; naturally the heart is ſo hard, that it doth not, and cannot perceive its own hardneſs indeed; when grace comes into the heart, then a ſpiritual ſenſation comes into the heart, then we can feel our ſins, and feel our hardneſs, and complain of the one, and bewail the other: O Lord, why haſt thou hardened our hearts from thy fear? Iſa. 63. 17.

But while men are in this natural, ſinful condition, they are not ſenſible of their finful burdens, nor are they ſenſible of the unſenſibleneſs of their ſtupidity and hardneſs of their hearts. They are ſenſible of this loſs, and of that want, and can complain of this, and take on for that; but when did you ever hear a natural man complain of his hard heart? O I have ſuch an heart ſo full of ſin, and yet I cannot mourn for ſin; ſo unteachable, ſo untractable, ſo reſiſting, ſo oppoſing the Word of God, and ways of God! What ſhall I do? whether ſhall I go? O it is a burden that I cannot bear, &c. Why, this unſenſibleneſs that our hearts are hard, it is a demonſtrative conviction that they are hard; and indeed no heart is more hard than that heart which is not ſenſible that it is hard.

Now I come to the uſeful Application of this unto our ſelves.

SECT. II.

Ʋſe 1 IS there a ſtony heart in every man? is the heart of every man (naturally) a hard heart? Then wonder not to ſee ſo little good done upon men; wonder Wonder not to ſee ſo little good done upon many. By private inſtructions.not

1. That our own private inſtructions, and counſels, and intreaties, and reproofs uſually come to nothing. How often do we find parents abounding in cares and watchings, and teachings, and adviſing, and checking, and correctings of their children! and when they have ſaid and done all they can, they fall a weeping and a ſobbing, and ſighing; why what's the matter? O nothing will work on my childe! and what's the reaſon of it? thy childe hath a hard heart, and an hard heart is an unteachable and an untractable heart.

Publick pains.2. Wonder not that Simile. the publick pains and labours in the Miniſtry of the Goſpel of Chriſt, many times proves but like rain that falls upon the houſe top, or upon the rocks; little or no fruit comes of ſtudies, of prayers, of doctrines, of exhortations, of reproofs; but people remain ſtill what they were, as proud, as vain, as profane, as impudent in ſins as before. And Miniſters are apt to be diſcouraged, and complain that they ſpend their ſtrength in vain, and labour for naught, Iſa. 49. 4. And ſome imagine, if other Miniſters came into their room, the matter would be much mended; and other Miniſters do come, and then awhile they fall a weeping and complaining, What a people are theſe, that no part of the Word of God will work on? and no kind of delivery of the ſame will take hold of them; if we intreat them, they ſlight us; and if we plainly reprove them, they grow worſe: Now I ſay, wonder not at this; Chriſt himſelf met with ſuch kinds of people, when he preached here on earth, and he did hit upon the right cauſe of all this untowardlineſs and averſneſs, and that was the hardneſs of mens hearts: I have heard ſome preach that if Miniſters would uſe clear convictions in their preaching, that their hearers would be taken, for they were reaſonable creatures; alas, that they ſhould proclaim their own ignorance; that men are rational creatures, a Philoſopher can teach us; but that men are ſinful creatures, and have hard hearts, the Scriptures teach us; and all the convictions and demonſtrations of the will of God will never make impreſſion, unleſs the Lord take away the ſtony heart out of them.

p. 5333. Wonder not that all the Providential Diſpenſations of God work not better amongſt men; you ſee many times that perſonal affections do no good at Providential Diſpenſations.all, though one loſeth husband, wife, children, eſtate, he fears not, he returns not, he mends not; wonder not at this, for the man hath an hard heart. You find many times publick judgements in a Nation, and God pouring contempt and wrath upon it, and on all ſorts of men; and yet the Inhabitants thereof do learn no righteouſneſs, but he that was ignorant, is ignorant ſtill; and he that was filthy, is filthy ſtill; and he that was proud, is proud ſtill; and men grow more wicked under the judgements and plagues of God upon them; wonder not at this, for their hearts are hard hearts, and nothing whatſoever will or can effectually work as long as the heart continues hard. Thou mayſt pity and pray, and weep, and fear; but perſons of hard hearts will do none of theſe, untill God take away the ſtony heart from them.

Ʋſe 2 Is there a ſtony heart in every man? then let us make a ſtand, and wonder at the exceeding patience of the Lord, and his long-ſuffering; that he can Wonder at the exceeding patience of God.bear ſo much, and forbear, and hold in his wrath, and not make an end of ſinners, and utterly deſtroy them. You cannot poſſibly comprehend what affronts and injuries the hard heart puts upon God; and what continued provocations that heart daily ſends forth, and raiſeth againſt him. O what careleſs neglects of his commanding will? What proud ſlightings of his ſevere threatnings? What contemptuous refuſals of his gracious offers of mercy? What audacious reſiſtances of his Spirit? What deſperate boldneſs in ſinning? What an obſtinate courſe and progreſs in offending of him? What unteachableneſs and barrenneſs after all the pains that God takes with it, all the coſt that he is at to work upon it for good, and yet the Lord is patient towards it, and renews offers of grace, and ſends early and late, and there is line upon line, and precept upon precept, and yet he doth not leave the ſinner for all this, but for a long time ſtands at the door and knocks, and waits that he may be gracious, and gives him time, and expects him when he will conſider and hearken, and return! Truly the hardneſs of mans heart is wonderful, which will not bow after ſo many gracious dealings of God, and the patience of God is more wonderful, who will bear ſo many, and ſo long affronts from a proud and hard heart. If the Husband-man hath a piece of ground, which (after all his Tillage) ſtill bears bryars and thorns, he will caſt it off. If the School-Maſter hath a Scholar, which (after long teaching and inſtructing) continues dull and uncapable, he will meddle no more with him; Sir, I can do no good on your child. If a Maſter hath a Servant or an Apprentice, who (after all his care and pains to inſtruct him in his Trade) yet remains unapprehenſive and ſtupid, and perhaps vicious, he longs to be rid of him. If a Parent hath a childe that is naught and ſtubborn, and will not hearken, nor be reclaimed, the Parent is. weary of him, and caſts him out of doors, or ſends him into another Countrey.

Thus none but God will bear with a hard and ſtubborn heart; God I ſay, who is moſt provoked by it; therefore unqueſtionably his patience is exceeding great, it is wonderful towards ſinners.

Ʋſe 3 Is there a ſtony heart in every man? this may then informe us of three things.Informs us: The converſion of a ſinner is a miraculous work.

Firſt, That the converſion of a ſinner is even a miraculous work: We wonder that ſo few perſons are converted by the Word; nay, but we ſhould rather wonder that any perſon is converted by it; becauſe there is ſuch a ſtony and hard heart in every perſon, which is ſo unſenſible of its own miſerable condition, which is ſo uncapable to be taught the knowledge of the matters of ſalvation, which is ſo oppoſite and averſe, and unyielding, and reſiſting as to all the means and ways of grace; where there is a blind and proud judgement that will not be perſwaded, p. 534where… there is ſuch a ſtubborn will that will not be made willing; and where… there are ſo many vile affections which w…ll not be tamed and awed, and ſubdued. It is matter of greater wonder that any one ſinner is brought in by grace, than if all ſinners ſhould fall into hell.

Secondly, That it is from grace, and from that alone, if any ſinner be converted; … is from gr…e that any are converted.it is from the freeneſs of Gods grace, and from the power of Gods grace, not from any thing at all in the perſon converted: And my reaſon is this, becauſe the heart of every ſinner is (naturally) a ſtony heart, a hard heart; and a ſtony heart is not only an impotent heart, but alſo a reſiſting heart to grace: Verily the beſt man may, and muſt confeſs that it is only of the Lords mercy that he was not conſumed; and that his preſent life and eſtate in grace was never of himſelf who is called, but only from the favour and power of the grace of God who did call him: What I am, I am by the grace of God, ſaid Paul, 1 Cor. 15. 10. Our hearts were hard hearts, and therefore contradicting and oppoſing, untill beaten down and conquered by the love and might of divine grace.

Thirdly, That God is moſt righteous in all his judgements here on earth, God is righteous in all his judgements.and in all thoſe future and eternal puniſhments of ſinners in hell; for ſinners have hard and hardned hearts: Why if ſinners will not hearken to God; if they will not obey his voice; if they will ſtop their ears, and withdraw their ſhoulders; if they will not receive his Laws; if they will not receive inſtruction, and take warning; if they will not know the day of their viſitation; if they will not know the things which concern their peace, but harden their hearts; it is righteous with God to reject them who do reject him; to caſt them off who do caſt him off; to abhor them who abhor him; to puniſh and plague, and deſtroy them who harden their hearts againſt him.

Object. We have many amongſt us who do wonder at Gods judgements abroad in the world, and at all the changes and miſeries which they have ſeen, and perhaps felt.

Sol. And why do ye wonder at them? rather wonder at the hardneſs of your own hearts, which under all the judgements of God continue ſo proud, and ſo ſcorning at holineſs, and ſo hating to be reformed, and ſo manifeſtly irreligious and profane; it is righteous with God to puniſh hard-hearted ſinners. Who ever hardened his heart againſt him, and proſpered? Job 9. 4. If we will never be inſtructed to repent, God will certainly deſtroy us: Prov. 29. 1.

SECT. III.

Ʋſe 4 IS the heart of every man a ſtony or hard heart? then let every man as he loves his ſoul, Strive all that he can to be cured of the ſtone in the Labour to be cured of this hard heart.heart: (i. e.) to uſe all ſpiritual means to be delivered from hardneſs of heart.

And for this let me propound unto you, 1. Some Motives which poſſibly may work on you. Secondly, Some means for the cure of it.

1. The Motives to look after the cure of a ſtony or hard Motives.heart, are theſe.

Firſt, The Conſideration of thoſe ſins which are included in this one ſin of hardneſs From the ſins included in hardneſs of heart. Stupidity.of heart, which make it to be exceeding ſinful; What ſins will you ſay? There are three ſins in this ſin.

1. Stupidity and ſenſleſneſs of ſpirit; O how dangerous! there are three very dangerous qualities.

p. 535A Seared Conſcience, this is the worſt of all Conſciences.

A Reprobate Mind, this is the worſt of all Minds.

A Senſleſs Heart, this is the worſt of all Hearts; tanto pejior, quanto inſenſibilior. This is to be at the fartheſt diſtance and hope of converſion; Vicinior ſaluti dolor poenitentis quam stupor non ſentientis, ſaith Auſtin. Simile. This is a condition worſe than that of Judas, who was ſenſible, and cryed out, I have ſinned; nay, (in ſome reſpect) worſe than that of the Divels, who do believe and tremble. Iſa. 6. 9. Go and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but underſtand not; and ſee you indeed, but perceive not. Ver. 10. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and ſhut their eyes, leſt they ſee with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and underſtand with their hearts, and convert, and be healed.

Contempt of God.2. Contempt of God: O what a child is he who will not hearken to his father? and what a ſinner is he who will not hearken to his God? Simile. yet every hard heart refuſeth to hearken unto God; and what is this but to diſpleaſe the Lord, and ſcornfully to ſet him at naught? q. d. What tell you me of God, or of his will? I care not for him; what care I what he ſaith? I will follow mine own hearts luſts, I will not be guided and commanded by him.

3. Desperate wickedneſs: I will be ſinful ſtill, and I will go on in my Deſperate wickedneſs.ſinful ways, though I loſe mercy and heaven; yea, though I ſhall be damned for ever: O Lord, What a condition is this? yet this is the condition of hardneſs of heart.

Secondly, The Conſideration of the Loſſes unto which you will certainly The loſſes you are expoſed to.expoſe your ſelves, if you get not the cure of your hard and ſtony heart.

There are ſix loſſes which do and will befall you by it.

1. You loſe the benefit of Chriſt; hardneſs and unbelief ever go together; the ſame word which we render hardneſs, doth ſignifie unbelief many times; and the ſame word which we render unbelief, ſometimes ſignifies hardneſs; but certainly hardneſs of heart keeps you from Chriſt; for it keeps you from the ſenſe of your ſins, and ſeeing a need of Chriſt; and it keeps up a rebellious … unyielding, and unſubjection to the voice of Chriſt. Hebr. 3. 7. Therefore ſaith the Holy Ghoſt, To day if ye will hear his voice. Ver. 8. Harden not your hearts.

2. You loſe the benefit of pardoning mercy; for hardneſs of heart and impenitency go together: Rom. 2. 5. After thy hardneſs and impenitent heart; an hardned ſinner is an impenitent ſinner, and neither the one nor the other (remaining ſo) ſhall have mercy. Prov. 28. 13. Whoſo confeſſeth and forſaketh his ſins, ſhall have mercy. Ver. 14. But he that hardeneth his heart, ſhall fall into miſchief.

3. You loſe the hope of heaven; Read the Apoſtle, Rom. 2. 5. But after thy hardneſs and impenitent heart, treaſurest up wrath unto thy ſelf againſt the day of wrath.

4. You loſe the benefit of all the Ordinances of Chriſt, all of them are in vain unto you; the Word of the Goſpel cannot profit you, and the Seals of the Goſpel cannot comfort you; nay, you will pervert the one, and abuſe the other; and will g…ow more wicked, and more hardened after them, as the Clay by the ſhining of the Sun, &c.

5 You will loſe the benefit of all the Providences of God; if the Lord ſhines upon you with outward proſperity, you will ſin the more, by how much the more he bleſſes you; and if the Lord viſits you with afflictions, the more he ſtrikes you and ſmites you, the more ſtubbornly and frowardly will you go on in your ſinful ways.

p. 5366. You will loſe all the benefit of the workings of the Spirit of God, whom by the hardneſs of your hearts you do reſiſt, and deſpite, and grieve, and quench.

Thirdly, Conſider the ſad effects and fruits of an hard and hardening heart.The effects and fruits of a hard heart.

1. You grieve the Lord by it exceedingly, and cauſe him to complain of you bitterly: Pſal. 95 10 ſpeaking of the hardened Iſraelites, Ʋer. 8. he ſaith, Forty years long was I grieved with this generation. Mark 3. 5. Chriſt was grieved at the hardneſs of their hearts. As a father grieves at the continued courſe of wickedneſs in his child, Alas all my counſels and corrections are loſt, they do no good, &c.

2. You provoke the Lord by it; the day of hardening the heart, is the day of provocation: Hebr. 3. 15. Harden not your hearts as in the provocation; you do incenſe him to wrath againſt your own ſouls; Ephraim provoked him to anger most bitterly.

3. You will cauſe him to leave you, and forſake you, and to give you up to your ſelves. Pſal. 81. 11. But my people would not hearken to my voice, and Iſrael would none of me. Ver. 12. So I gave them up unto their own hearts luſt, and they walked in their own counſel. What a ſin is it for a ſinner to forſake God? what a judgement is it for God to forſake a ſinner? Woe unto them when I depart from them, Hoſea 9. 12. Simile. It is worſe than if the Pilot forſakes the Ship, or if the Sun forſakes the world, &c.

4. You will cauſe him to puniſh you; the hard heart is like the barren ground, which is near to the curſe, Hebr. 6. 8. Now you ſhall finde three ſorts of puniſhments which God hath inflicted upon hard hearts.

Firſt, Corporal: Pharaoh hardned his heart, and he was drowned: Exod. 15. 17. The Jews hardned their hearts, and they were carried away captive: 2 Chron. 36. 16. Nebuchadnezzar hardned his heart, and he was driven out amongſt the beaſts of the Field: Dan. 4. 33. with 5. 20. Jeruſalem hardned her heart againſt Jeſus Chriſt, and is a deſolation to this day.

Secondly, Spiritual: God gives up the hard heart to a reprobate mind, Rom. 1. 28. To vile affections, and unnatural luſts, Rom. 1. 26. To the efficacy of Satans temptations: 2 Theſ. 2. 11. To deluſions, to belief of lyes, and frequently to final impenitency.

Thirdly, Eternal: 2 Theſ. 1. 8. The Lord Jeſus ſhall come in flaming fire to take vengeance on them that obey not the Goſpel. Ver. 9. And to puniſh them with everlaſting destruction from the preſence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; ſo true is that of Solomon, Prov. 29. 1. He that being often reproved, hardeneth his neck, ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed, and that without remedy.

2ly. The means to cure the hardneſs of heart.Means to cure a hard heart.

Concerning this there are three queſtions unto which I deſire to ſpeak.

1. Whether ſtonyneſs or hardneſs of heart be a curable diſeaſe or no?

2. If any hardneſs of heart be curable, then What is the way of the cure of it?

3. How one may know that he is cured of the hardneſs or stonyneſs of his heart?

Queſt. 1. Whether ſtonyneſs or hardneſs of heart be a curable diſeaſe yea or no?Whether it be curable? Three ſorts of hardned ſinners. Some hardned ſinners reject the means.

Sol. For anſwer unto this, know that there are three ſorts of hardened ſinners.

Firſt, Some are ſo hardened in their heart and ways, that they are obſtinately reſolved to walk in them, and are likewiſe deſperately ſet againſt all counſel and reproof; they do not only decline and diſregard them, but alſo do make a mock and ſcorn of them; they ſtop the ear, and with-draw the ſhoulder, and refuſe to hearken, and the Word of the Lord is a reproach unto them; they hold faſt their iniquities, and refuſe to return; and the more they are ſpoken unto, the more are their hearts enraged: We may ſay of this voluntary and malicious hardneſs of heart, what the Prophet ſpake, thy Wound is incurable. And there are five things which declare it to be ſo.

p. 5371. Such perſons will put and keep themſelves out of all ways of cure, (how then can the Patient be cured?) they will not come in publick to hear the Word, and they will not in private call upon God, they forſake the Lord.

2. They do not only forſake the means of cure, but alſo do reject and deſpiſe them; the words and ways of God are abomination unto their ſouls.

3. They do continually ſtrengthen themſelves in the hardneſs of their hearts, by adding drunkenneſs to thirſt, and iniquity unto iniquity; and by a wilful progreſs in ſinning, they do make their hearts more uncapable, and more untractable, and more averſe.

4. They do not only quench the Spirit of God in all his motions, (ſo that he will no longer ſtrive with them) but alſo they do (by their daring preſumptions) extinguiſh alſo all the light and power of conſcience in them, ſo that conſcience is ſtupified and ſeared.

5. They are rejected of God, and judicially given up to their own hearts luſts; and having reſiſted and deſpiſed his grace and mercy, he will now never give grace, nor ſhew mercy unto them. Ezek. 24. 13. In thy filthineſs is lewdneſs; becauſe I have purged thee, and thou waſt not purged, thou ſhalt not be purged from thy ſilthineſs any more, till I have cauſed my fury to reſt upon thee, Ver. 14. I the Lord have ſpoken it, it ſhall come to paſs, and I will do it: I will not go back, neither will I ſpare, neither will I repent, &c.

Secondly, There are ſome hardened ſinners whoſe hearts ſtill take delight in Some frequent the means.their ſinful ways, and are extreamly oppoſite to the Reformation of them; nevertheleſs they will preſent themſelves unto the means; they will come to hear the Word, although they cannot comply with the Word which they do hear; but do ſecretly diſlike and gain-ſay it, and go on in their wicked ways, which do harden their hearts: Now although this kind of dar…eſs is very fearful, and in it ſelf very damnable, and very difficult to be cured, yet it is not utterly uncapable of cure; it is not impoſſible for that hardned ſinner to be cured, who hath gone on in his wicked ways, contrary to the voice of the Word of God which he hath heard, and ſtill doth hear; which may thus appear.

1. Whiles any ſinner is in Gods ways, he is not utterly uncapable of Gods bleſſings; if yet the ſinner hath an ear to hear, who can tell but God may give him a heart to conſider, and to repent? Indeed it is confeſſed, that neither this ſinner, nor any other can convert or ſoften his own heart; to change the heart, and to mollifie the heart, is the proper work of the Almighty God; and as God can do it, ſo he doth it by the Word, which is his Hammer to break, and his Furnace to melt; and therefore whiles the ſinner will come and hear the Word, God may put out ſuch a power of grace upon his heart, as may break down the pride of his heart, and may take away the hardneſs and reſiſtance, and oppoſition of his heart.

2. All the ſinners who have been converted by grace, they have been ſuch hardened ſinners, … they have been diſobedient, and have ſerved divers luſts; they have oppoſed the Word, and they have gone on in wicked ways contrary unto the Word, and yet God did break in by the power of his grace, and overcome all the proud reſiſtances of their hearts, and made them to yield and cry out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Acts 9. 6. And what ſhall I do to be ſaved? Acts 16. 3.

3. Although it be true that there are many hardened ſinners on whom God will … never work, yet no particular hard heart may ſay that his cure is impoſſible, becauſe that grace (by which hardneſs of heart is cured) is gracious and very free; it is given unto whom God will pleaſe to give it, and when he pleaſeth to give it; ſometimes to one, ſometimes to another; ſometimes to one whoſe heart hath been leſs hardned; ſometimes to another whoſe heart hath been more hardned; ſometimes to one who hath been ſinning and hardning his heart twenty or thirty years; and ſometimes to one who hath been hardning his heart forty or ſixty years, &c.

p. 538Thirdly, There are ſome hardned ſinners who have been a long time unyielding Some are ſenſ…ble or their …dneſs.and diſobedient to the Word, and no threats of wrath, nor offers of mercy, nor treaties of the Spirit, nor ſtroaks of affliction could e…er yet make their hearts to bow or yield; but ſtill their baſe hearts would go on in their ſins, and they would not hearken unto Chriſt, and nothing that God hath ſpoken or done hath made them to ſtoop; but on they would in their ways and works of ſin which they had ch…ſen and loved. But now they are ſenſible of all their hardneſs againſt God, and likewiſe of the preſent hardneſs which lies upon them; ſenſible how ſtout and refuſing they have been, and ſenſible what reſiſting hearts ſtill they have, and ſenſible what unſenſible hearts they have of all their ſins.

Now concerning thoſe hardned ſinners, there is (without all juſt diſpute) a poſſibility of cure; becauſe,

1. There is in them a ſenſe of their diſeaſe of ſtonyneſs of heart, which is the beginning of the cure.

2. They are willing to uſe the means, and for this end, that they may be cured.

3. If any are under this promiſe of God to take away the ſtony heart, probably theſe are the men.

Queſt. 2. If this hardneſs of heart be curable, then what is the way, and what What is the means of care?is the means for the cure of it?

Sol. If indeed you would be cured of this ſtony and hard heart within you, then you muſt do as men who would be cured of the diſeaſe of the ſtone.

1. You muſt have a care to remove and forbear all which breeds and increaſeth the ſtone.

2. You muſt take ſuch Medicines as are proper to heal it.

Firſt, You muſt have a ſpecial care to remove and forbear all thoſe things which do Remove what breeds this hardneſs.breed and increaſe the ſtonyneſs or hardneſs of heart, or elſe you can never be cured.

There are ſix things which give being and ſtrength to the hardneſs of mans heart.

Firſt, One is ignorance of mind; you ſhall find in Epheſ. 4. 8. a conjunction Ignorance.'twixt the darkneſs of the underſtanding, and alienation from the life of God, and hardneſs of heart; the word is there rendered blindneſs of heart, but that is the original word; ſpiritual blindneſs breeds ſpiritual boldneſs, and boldneſs to ſin will preſently breed hardneſs of heart. O get off this ignorance, which knows not what it is to ſin, nor what is the danger of ſinning, and therefore leaves the heart to his own vile inclination, and unto Satans temptations.

Secondly, Pride of heart; you read of Nebuchadnezzar, that his heart was Ptide of heart.lifted up, and his mind was hardned in pride, Dan. 5. 20.

There are four curſed effects of pride.

1. One, It will not ſuffer the heart to obey the voice of God: Who is the Lord that I ſhould let Iſrael go? ſaid proud Pharaoh; Exod. 5. 2. As for the Word which thou haſt ſpoken unto us in the Name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee, ſpake thoſe proud men to Jeremiah, Jer. 44.

2. Another, It makes us Self-willed; we will have our will, and our own deſires, and our own ways; and who is Lord over us? ſo thoſe proud men, Pſal. 12. 3, 4.

3. A third is, It makes the Lord to abhor a perſon, (Every one that is proud in heart, is an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 16. 5.) and to leave a perſon, as the Lord left Hezekiah, becauſe his heart was lifted up, 2 Chron. 32. 25, 31.

4. A fourth is, It makes us ſelf-confident, (as in Peter) and therefore watchleſs and careleſs, and open to the ſtrength of temptations. And certainly all theſe will cauſe or occaſion exceeding hardneſs of heart; therefore if you would be rid of a hard heart, beſeech the Lord to cure you of a proud heart, which is above counſel, and without fear.

Thirdly, Ʋnbelief of heart: Take heed (ſaith the Apoſtle, Hebr. 3. 12.) leſt there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God; p. 539Unbelief.but (Ver. 13.) Exhorting one another daily, leſt any of you be hardened through the deceitfulneſs of ſin. One ſaid well, that Unbelief will in time make a man an Atheiſt; When a man believes not that there is a God, or that God is true in his threatnings, or in his promiſes, this man will not fear to ſin, (where there is no faith, there is no fear) and where there is no fear of God, there is no fear to ſin againſt God; and where there is no fear to ſin, there the heart will let out it ſelf to all wickedneſs; and who can now queſtion but all this will cauſe exceeding hardneſs of heart?

Fourthly, Hypocriſie of heart, this likewiſe breeds and ſtrengthens hardneſs Hypocriſie.of heart: When a man will d…ſſemble with God and godlineſs, pretends love to them, and zeal to them, and yet ſecretly his ſoul loves ſin, and keeps up a way of wickedneſs, and bears down the light and actings of conſcience, this man doth wofully obdurate his own heart, and fears his conſcience by ſpeaking lies in hypocriſie.

Fifthly, Deceitfulneſs of ſin. Hebr. 3. 13. Leſt any of you be hardned through Deceitfulneſs of ſin. Lib. de Conſc. p. 1749. Edit. Baſil.the deceitfulneſs of ſin. Bernard doth notably deſcribe the degrees by which a man ſteps up unto hardneſs of heart!

1. Saith he, the man with much ado ventures to commit a ſin, and this ſinful act or work, it is importabile; oh the terror and hell that it is unto him!

2. Then after a while, when the terror is off, he ventures to ſin again, and now that which was importabile, becomes grave, it is only a burden, but not a terror unto him.

3. Then after ſome little time he commits the ſin again, and now that which was grave, becomes love; it is no ſuch great matter, vulnera non ſentit, verbera non attendit.

4. After a leſſer ſpace he returns again to folly, and now leve becomes dulce; non ſolum non ſentit, ſed & placet; that ſin which was light, is now become delight and pleaſant.

5. And after this, Dulcedo becomes conſuetudo; that which was pleaſant to him, now becomes conſtant with him; it is no more to ſin, than it is to eat and drink.

6. And at laſt, Conſuetudo vertitur in naturam; whereas at the firſt it did almoſt ſeem impoſſible to draw him to commit the ſin; now it proves more impoſſible to reſtrain him from ſinning; ſic itur in averſionem & duritiem cordis; thus the ſinner makes way for the hardning of his own hea…t: Take heed of this, and keep far from this, and break off all progreſſive ways of ſinning, or elſe you will never get off hardneſs of heart, but you will dye and periſh under it.

Sixthly, Wicked Society: From this you muſt be removed if ever you would Wicked ſociety.have hardneſs of heart removed; wicked company will eaſily entice you to ſin, and will cunningly lead you on to more ſin, and will teach how to plead for ſin and how to deſpiſe and reject the counſel of friends, and the commands of God to turn from ſin.

2ly. You muſt take ſuch Medicines (you muſt uſe ſuch means) as are proper Medicines for cure.to cure the ſtonyneſs or hardneſs of your hearts.

Now theſe means I ſhall reduce unto, 1. Meditations. 2. Practical Actions.

1. The ſolemn and ſerious Meditations.

Firſt, Conſider and Meditate upon the multitude and greatneſs of our ſins, which Serious Meditations. Of the multitude and greatneſs of ourſins.are

1. A ſeparation from God. O what is this to be in ſuch a condition, wherein a mans ſoul is ſeparated from God and bleſſedneſs.

2. A vexing and a provocation of God: What is it to provoke the Lord to wrath, and to kindle his diſpleaſure againſt you!

3. A rebellion againſt God, and trampling under feet his holy and righteous will.

4. A diſhonouring of God; it had been better that thou hadſt never been born, than that God ſhould loſe ſo much of his honour by thee.

5. An expoſure to the curſe of God, who may every moment damn thee for thy wickedneſs and tranſgreſſion.

p. 5406. An unutterable madneſs, to ſet thy delight on that, and ſerve that, and take pains to accompliſh that which only brings all miſery and deſtruct on on you.

Secondly, Conſider and Meditate on the wonderful evil of an hard heart; by whichOf the evil of an hard hear….

1. You are ſo unlike to God; he is tender, and thy heart is hard; he is ſenſible of thy ſinnings, but thou art not ſenſible of them; he is troubled at thy ſins, but thou art not troubled for thy ſins; he cryes out againſt them, but thou cryeſt not out for them; forty years long was I grieved, &c.

2. You are unlike to Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God; Chriſt did g…ieve at the hardneſs of mans heart, and yet thou doſt not grieve at the hardneſs of thine own heart; he ſhed tears, and wept over the hardneſs of Jeruſalem, and yet thou weepeſt not at the hardneſs of thine heart; he complained of this, yet thou complaineſt not of this.

3. You are unlike to the Holy Ghoſt, the Spirit of God; thy hard heart grieves him who hath moved ſo often, and ſtriven ſo long with thee, yet thou grieveſt not, but rejoyceſt; thy hard heart vexes the Spirit of God, and yet thou art not ſenſible at all.

4. You are worſe than the Divels who tremble, but thou feareſt not by reaſon of any Word that God doth ſpeak, nor of any wrath or judgement which God hath threatned.

5. You have been more brutiſh than the very beaſts; they are teachable, and they are tractable, and they are ſenſible of love and anger; but nothing doth thee good, thou art unteachable and untractable, and unſenſible, and ſtupid.

6. You maintain an enmity and contradiction to God, whom you are bound to obey as creatures, as redeemed, &c.

Thirdly, Meditate of the judgements upon hardned ſinners; the judgementsOf the judgements of God upon hardned ſinners.

1. Threatned by God againſt them: Job 9. 4. They ſhall not proſper: Prov. 28. 14. They ſhall fall into miſchief: Rom. 2. 5. They treaſure up wrath againſt the day of wrath: Prov. 29. 1. They ſhall be deſtroyed ſuddenly, and without remedy.

2. Executed; Pharaoh drowned in the red Sea; Saul falling and dying upon his own Sword; the King Zedekiah, his eyes put out, and bound with chains, and carried into Babylon; the Jews ſcattered over all the world; Jeruſalem a deſolation by the Romans; Julian killed with a dart; Spira longing for death rather than life, &c. if the Lord ſhould let fall any of theſe judgements upon thee, what would become of thee!

Fourthly, Meditate on the patience of God, and on the goodneſs of God.Of the patience of God.

1. On the patience of God, who hath been ſo long provoked by thy hard heart, and yet hath ſpared thee, held off his hand from ſtriking of thee, hath all this while born with thee, and forborn to judge thee.

2. On the goodneſs of God both to thy body and ſoul; thou (who haſt ſo Of the goodneſs of God.much hardned thy heart againſt him) haſt yet every day taſted of his bounty and bleſſings; yea, and that he is treating with thy ſoul, ſends Miniſters, deals with thee in a Goſpel way, calls on thee to repent, offers thee Chriſt and mercy, and heaven, and aſſures thee, if thou wilt yet hearken, thy ſoul ſhall live.

2ly. Practical Actions, and they are theſe.Practical actions. Come and hear.

Firſt, Come and hear; 'Tis true, an hard heart cares not to hear the Word, yet becauſe thou haſt a power to come and hear the Word, as well as to go to any other place or work, uſe thy power rather to come and hear the Word, and that Word which is moſt convincing, piercing, humbling. Moſes rod made the waters to come out of the Rock: The Word of God is able to ſave a ſoul, and therefore certainly it is able to convert and ſoften the ſoul: The dead ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God, and live, Joh. 5. 25. All who have got the cure of hardneſs of heart, they have found it at the Word, and by the Word, which is the Sword of the Spirit, and the power of God.

Secondly, Go and pray, beſeech the Lord himſelf to circumciſe thy heart; he p. 541Go and pray.only can cure the ſtone in the heart, he only can take away the ſtony heart out of the fleſh; nothing is too hard for him; Lord, Lord, leave me not to the hardneſs of my heart; Lord, open mine eyes, make me ſenſible, over-power my ſtiffe and rebellious, and gain-ſaying heart.

Object. O but my heart is ſo hard that I cannot pray?

Sol. 1. Pray as thou mayſt, at leaſt grieve.

2. And ſigh under the burden of thy hard heart; cry out, O that I were made ſenſible, and that I could pray to God to be cured!

3. And go to them that can pray, beſeech them to beſeech the Lord for thee: O Sirs, be ſenſible of one who is not ſenſible of himſelf; pray for me who cannot pray for my ſelf.

Thirdly, Look a little on Jeſus Chriſt, whom thou haſt pierced, that thou mayſt Look on Jeſus Chriſt.mourn: Zach. 12. 10 Look on him, and what thy hard heart hath done unto him; thy hard heart it was which crucified him, which pierced him, which ſhed his precious blood. And now hearken what Jeſus Chriſt ſaith unto thee, O hard-hearted ſinner, thy ſins have put my ſoul to grief, thy ſins have drawn tears from mine eyes, and blood from my heart: Thou haſt been very cruel to me, I will not be ſo to thee; lo, I offer my ſelf unto thee, and my blood unto thee; it ſhall waſh thee from all thy ſins, it ſhall make thy peace, it ſhall ſave thy ſoul, if yet thou wilt no more harden thy heart, but forſake thy ſins, and receive my offers: Methinks this cannot but bow and melt thee; if this doth not, what will? if the love of Chriſt, if the blood of Chriſt will not, nothing will: They ſay that the blood of the Lamb is that which can ſoften the Adamant; if any thing will work on, will melt an hard heart, it is the blood which came from the heart of Chriſt.

Fourthly, If at any time the power of God appear on thy heart (in meditation or hearing, or praying, or affections, or ſecret workings of his Spirit) that it begins to yield, to hearken, and conſider, to relent, to ſoften:

1. Do not daſh and quench theſe by ſinning, by unbelief, or by wicked ſecurity.

2. But cheriſh them, work with theſe workings, keep them up, raiſe them up.

Queſt. 3. How may one know that he is cured of a ſtony and hard heart; at the How may one know that he is cured?leaſt that the cure is beginning?

Sol. The reſolution of this queſtion hath reference unto the ſecond Propoſition; viz. that God promiſeth to take away the heart of ſtone from his people; but to ſpeak unto the queſtion as it now falls.

Firſt, When hardneſs of heart is cured, or curing, there is inſtantly wrought a By a ſpiritual ſenſation.ſpiritual ſenſation, ſuch a ſight, and ſuch a feeling, as the poor ſinner never had the like in all his life. Simile. As when a man is delivered from a deadly palſie, he begins to feel and complain of the benummedneſs and heavineſs of his limbs, ſaith he, What ails my arms, and my feet; I can hardly ſtir them, there is ſcarce life in them, nor ſenſe, nor motion: So when the Lord is curing any ſinner of the hardneſs of his heart, he begins to ſee and feel, and complain: O ſaith he, What a hard heart have I? what a ſinful and wretched heart? I have heard of a proud and ſtout heart, of a careleſs and unbelieving heart, of an hard and rebellious heart, of an impenitent and obſtinate heart; alas, my heart hath been, and it is all this; O what an untoward heart do I feel in my ſelf to any good? what an unyielding heart to any thing which God commands? and an unwilling heart to part with ſin; what a gain-ſaying heart to ſtoop to Chriſt? this my heart I now feel to be like the flint, the Iron, the Adamant; no man hath ſuch an inſenſible hard heart as I.

This is the firſt evidence of the cure of an hard heart; viz. the ſenſibleneſs of the unſenſibleneſs and hardneſs of the heart.

Secondly, When hardneſs of heart is cured, or curing, then the ſinner will By judging of himſelf and ſins in another manner.judge of his …ns, and of himſelf, ſo as he did never before. He looks on his ſinful heart, as on a root of gall and wormewood; and he looks on his ſinful ways and doings as vile, and curſed, and wonders at himſelf what he meant to be ſo forward p. 542to ſin, and to be ſo obſtinate in ſinning, and to be ſo deſperately profane as to contend with God in ſlighting the knowledge of him, in refuſing to hearken unto him, in oppoſing of his Word, in rejecting all the gracious and ſaving offers of Chriſt. O my madneſs and folly! O my pride and miſery! to forſake my me…cies for lying vanities! to pitch on hell rather than heaven! to love darkneſs rather than light; O how j…ſt were it with God to reject me, who have rejected him! and never to hear me calling upon him, who have ſo often turned away my ears from hearing him when calling upon me! I am the chiefeſt of ſinners, and unworthy of any mercy, Lord be merciful to me a ſinner!

Thirdly, When hardneſs of heart is cured, or curing, then conſcience recovers Conſcience recovers it ſe… in all its offices.it ſelf in all its offices and operations; it was

1. Aſleep before, but now it is awakened; it was

2. Dead before, but now it is alive; it was

3. Silent before, but now it ſpeaks, and now it ſhews it ſelf with wonderful authority and power.

Firſt, Now it is an Accuſer, Theſe have been your ſins.

Secondly, Now it is a witneſs in teſtifying againſt thee, that thou waſt guilty at ſuch a time, and in ſuch a place, and in ſuch company.

Thirdly, Now it is a Judge, and condemns the ſinner; Wrath belongs to thee, f…om which thou ſhalt never eſcape unleſs thou get into Chriſt.

Fourthly, And now it wounds, and troubles the ſinner for what he hath done; thou didſt withſtand ſuch means of grace, and thou didſt reſiſt ſuch ſtrivings of Gods Spirit, and thou didſt ſcorn and mock at the Word of God, and thou didſt hate inſtruction and reproof, and thou didſt therefore harden thy heart, and wouldſt commit ſuch and ſuch ſins, becauſe thy ſins were diſcovered and reproved, &c.

Fourthly, When hardneſs of heart is cured, or curing, then the ſinner will not The ſinner will make out for counſel.reſt in the ſenſe of his miſerable condition, but out he goes for counſel to this Miniſter, and that Miniſter, and there he cries out with tears, O Sirs, what ſhall I do to be ſaved? Acts 16. 30. I have ſlighted God, and I have deſpiſed you, and mock't at your counſel, (the good Lord forgive it me) I now ſee what I ſaw not before, and my heart is over-whelmed within me, I know not what to do, what way to take; for the Lords ſake ſhew me the way of life and mercy, and peace.

Fifthly, When hardneſs of heart is cured, or curing, then there is a ſpecial teachableneſs He is become teachable.and tractableneſs fallen into the heart of a ſinner; the man can now hear reaſon, and he is content to receive the Law from the mouth of God; his ſlighting, mocking, deſpiſing ſpirit is departed from him, and now it is, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Acts 9. 6. and now it is, Cauſe me to know the way wherein I ſhould walk Pſal. 143. 8. Whiles hardneſs prevails upon the heart, no word of mercy, no work of affliction, no command of God, no counſel of man can do any thing, but the ſinner will hold on in his ſinful way, come of it what will; but when hardneſs is off, then the heart becomes like a tender branch, you may bend it which way you will; or like the ſoft wax, which preſently receives the impreſſion. Speak but one word, Take heed, do not ſuch a thing, it is evil; the heart preſently flies off; Have a care, do ſuch a work, the Lord requires it at your hands; preſently the heart yields, it ſtands in awe of the Word.

Sixthly, When hardneſs of heart is cured, or curing, then all the dealings The dealings of God will work kindlyof God will work kindly and effectually upon thee: When thou heareſt the threatnings of God, thy heart will tremble and melt, as Joſias did; when thou ſeeſt the judgement of God, thy heart will lament and mourn, as Davids did; when the Lord meets thee in a way of affliction, thy heart will humble it ſelf, and bow before the Lord; when the Lord ſhews thee any mercy and bleſſings, thy heart will receive them with tears, O how good is God to me a ſinner▪ when the Lord reveals himſelf in his Covenant and Promiſe, p. 543and ſets out himſelf in the exceeding riches of his grace and love, and mercy; why, thy bowels are ſtirred within thee, and tears do trickle down thine eyes, and longings riſe up in thy heart; O Lord, that thou wouldſt be my portion!

Seventhly, When hardneſs of heart is cured, or curing, then the ſinner He will never be quiet till he have Chriſt.will never be quiet untill he hath Chriſt, and untill he can ſee God to be at peace with him, and reconciled in Chriſt. There is no ho… with a broken and tender heart without a Chriſt, and without a reconciled God: Lord, give me Chriſt; and Lord, take away iniquity; and Lord, receive me graciouſly: O he is now ſenſible what a ſinner he hath been, and what injuries God hath received from him, and what God may do againſt him, and what need he hath of a Chriſt to make peace for him, and therefore his ſoul is impatient, and ſtrives, and wreſtles for Chriſt, and the diſtreſſed man indeed is become willing to part with all, ſo that he may have his part in Chriſt, and Gods reconciled favour.

Eighthly, What ſhall I ſay more? when hardneſs of heart is cured or curing, He hath a ſingular aptitude to prayer.the ſinner will find a ſingular aptitude to prayer, and his great delight will be to be with God, unto whom he can now open himſelf with enlarged confeſſions, and with floods of tears and grief, even for an heart to be given unto him to mourn and bewail his ſins, and to obey, &c. and that he would never ſuffer his heart to harden it ſelf any more.

Ninthly, When hardneſs of heart is cured, or is curing, there will be A ſingular fear to ſin.then a ſingular fear to ſin againſt God any more; the man would not live and do as formerly for all the world: How ſhall I do this great wickedneſs, and ſin againſt God? Gen. 39. 9. How ſhall we live in ſin any longer? Rom. 6. 2.

p. 544Ezek. 36. 26.

And I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh, and will give you an heart of fleſh.

You have heard ſomething of the firſt Propoſition, v… That there is a ſtonineſſe, or hardneſſe of heart in every man naturallyiz I now proceed to the ſecond Propoſition which is this.