The Sin of Hardness of Heart, Title page – Dedication
THE SINNE OF Hardneſſe of Heart: THE Nature, Danger, and Remedy of it.
Opened in a SERMON, PREACHED TO The Honorable Houſe of Commons, July 2…. 1648. being the day of their Solemne Monethly Faſt.
By STEPHEN MARSHALL, B. D. Miniſter of Gods Word at Finchingfield in Eſſex.
Publiſhed by order of that Houſe.
Pſalme 95. 7, 8.
To day if you will heare his voyce, harden not your hearts, &c.
Prov. 29. 1.
He that being often reproved hardneth his neck, ſhall ſuddenly bee deſtroyed, and that without remedy.
London Printed by R. Cotes, for Stephen Bowtell, at the Signe of the Bible in Popes-head Alley, 1648.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL The Lady Trevor, Wife to my moſt worthy and approved Friend, Sir Iohn Trevor.
Madam,
YOu have been long taught of God, and therefore are not ignorant that ſpirituall ſickneſſes differ many wayes from bodily, this one is notable, The more any ſpirituall diſeaſe increaſeth, the leſſe it's felt, and the more any ſoule is ſenſible of it, the leſſe power it hath over him; This is found moſt true of the greateſt of ſpirituall plagues, the ſinne of hardneſſe of heart, none more confident of the goodneſſe of their heart, then the moſt obſtinate and rebellious ſinner, where as the moſt tender-hearted Chriſtian complaines moſt of hardneſſe, the ſpirit that is moſt flexible to God, moſt laments its obſtinacy; Madam, I may apply this to your ſelfe, all ſuch ſervants of God who know and converſe with you can diſcerne that God hath in great meaſure taken out of you the heart of ſtone and given you a heart of fleſh, upon the ta…les whereof he hath written his holy Law, and that it is your delight to walke with him, to live to him and pleaſe him in all things; yet did I never heare you beſtow one good word upon your heart, but rather upon every occaſion you are declaming againſt it, and complaining of its hardneſſe and obſtinacy. But Madam to feele hardneſs of heart is ſoftneſs of heart, and did you but cleerly underſtand how much the Lord delights in ſuch a frame of ſpirit as hee hath given you, you would ceaſe to bee ſo ſuſpitious as you are of your owne ſpirituall condition, and would ſpend the reſt of your dayes rejoycing in your portion and ſerving him without feare: I hope this plaine Sermon may through Gods bleſſing bee ſome helpe to make you judge more rightly of that grace which God hath ſo plentifully beſtowed on you, and to bleſſe his Name who hath in great meaſure delivered you from this deſtroyer, even this plague of a hard heart; I humbly preſent it unto you, as a pledge of my thankefulneſſe, for all the many and great refreſhings I have found in your family, where I have conſtantly found your reſpect and tenderneſſe towards mee more like that of a mother then a ſtranger: The good Lord pardon my unfruitfulneſſe among you, and requite you and your good husbands love toward me a thouſand fold into your boſomes, and multiply his favours upon your whole family, and continue to guide you by his counſell till you come to his glory.
Your La. moſt obliged, STEPHEN MARSHALL.