Gospel Fear, Sermon 1
SERMON I. June 9. 1644.
2 Kings 22.14. Because thine heart was tender, (or did melt) and thou hast humbled thy self before the Lord, when thou heardest what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy cloathes, and wept before me: I also have heard thee, saith the Lord.
THere are two Gracious Dispositions of the Soul, whereby the Name of God is Sanctified in the hearing of his Word. — First a Trembling Heart. Secondly; a Melting Heart. The first we finished the last Day, and have chosen this Text to handle the Second.
The Words read unto you are a part of that Famous Story that shews us how Josiah a Gracious Godly King was affected with hearing God's Word, how he was moved at the hearing of God's Displeasure, partly against himself, and partly against the People. The Sum of the Story is this; In the Eighteenth Year of his Reign, there was a great deal of care for repairing of the Temple of the Lord; and in the repairing of the Temple, there was found the Book of the Law, which it seems they had not had the sight of for a long time. It was read in the presence of Josiah the King: Upon the hearing of the Book read, his Heart presently melted, and he began to be very much troubled, so as he could not be satisfied till he knew further of the Mind of God concerning what was read in that Book. He sends to Huldah the Prophetess to know God's Mind: This Huldah sends him an Answer that concerns partly the People, and partly the King. And the words read unto you, they are the special part of the Answer of God concerning the King; Because thine Heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thy self, &c. Therefore I have heard thee, saith the Lord, and thou shalt die in peace. Now in this Story there are these Four Queries that are very useful for the opening of it.
The First is, What this same Book of the Law was, that was read unto Josiah?
Secondly, How it came to pass that he sends to Huldah rather than to Jeremiah the Prophet, for he was in those times?
Thirdly, The reason of the severe Answer the Lord made by her against the People, notwithstanding they were in a hopeful way of Reformation, yet God prof…sses that Evil should be brought upon them.
And then Fourthly. How that was fulfilled that God did promise to Josiah that he should die in peace, as in the latter end of the Chapter, which if you read afterwards in the Story, you shall find that Josiah died in War. I shall only speak to these Four things to give a little light to the History, and then we come to the words read.
First, For the Book that here was found, the Text saith plainly, That it was the Book of the Law: It is strange that they should not have the Book of the Law, that the Book of the Law should be kept from the People of the Jews, and that they should not have it now, it were a very strange thing. It is one of the strangest Passages that we read of in the Scripture, that it should be accounted such a wonderful thing in Josiah's time to find the Book of the Law. There is a great deal of do among Interpreters about this; Some say it was burnt in Ahaz time, he burnt all the Copies he could find, because they might not be testimonies against him for his departing from the true Religion, as it hath been the way of wicked Princes to burn Scriptures; Dioclesian he sought to burn all that he could of Scripture. But yet God hath miraculously preserved the Scripture to this day. There was never any Book had so much opposition, and that was sought to be utterly obliterate and destroyed, as this Book of the Scriptures, and yet God hath preserved this Book above all Books, for it is the ancientest Book in the World. It was long before any Book that ever was written, that we have extant in the world, and yet none more opposed; which is a good Argument that God doth own it.
But it cannot be imagined that in Abaz daies the Copy was burnt, and that they should not have it, because between these two Reigns, there was that gracious Reign of Hezekiah; So that it seems that it may be in Abaz time, many of the Copies were burnt, so they had but a few in Hezekiah's time. Then comes Manasses after Hezekiah, which was a wicked Prince, and he reigned Fifty five years, and it is like that almost all his time he continued in Wickedness, and set himself against God and all Godliness; and then his Son Ammon he comes after, and he was for his time as wicked as he: So that in these two wicked Kings Reigns, it is like that there were very few Books of the Law to be found.
Chrysostome in his Sermon upon Mat. and the Cor. he thinks it was only the Book of Deuteron. And so many I find, that think it was some part of the Law at least that was not extant at that time, and specially it is thought to be the 27, and 28 Chapters of Deuteronomy that were read before Josiah at this time, that did so move his Heart.
Now by the way we may learn what cause we have to bless God, that we have not only the Book of the Law, but the Book of the Gospel, and the Prophets; Not only most, but all the History of the Kings, and Judges, and the Psalms, and the Prophets, and Gospel, and Epistles, and Revelation, we have all these Books in our Houses that we may read continually. It seems in Josiah's time it was a strange thing to have some places of the Book of the Law read, and that before the King.
Secondly, When Josiah heard this Book read, and those Chapters most likely, his Heart was mightily affected, for there he saw he had gone on in Sin against God, though in Ignorance, but he knew that that would not excuse him, indeed he did not before understand: It appears by his being so affected now, that he did not understand the danger of those Sins that He and his People had continued in: But for all that, assoon as ever he came to know what Sins they were, and in what danger they were, his Heart was exceedingly troubled.
Which teaches us, That we should not think our Ignorance excuses from our Sins, but assoon as ever God brings his Word among us to reveal the Danger of our Sin, God expects that our Hearts should be humbled before Him for our Sin; and he was so humbled as he could not be at rest: And indeed a Heart truly sensible of the evil of Sin, cannot be at rest till it knows further of God's Mind towards it, but will be enquiring by all means that can be, to know further of the Mind of God concerning it: How can I sleep quietly, when I perceive that wrath is out against me, till I know whether God be reconciled to me yea or no; This was the Case of Josiah.
Quest. 2. But now in that he sends to Huldah. Why? Jeremiah he was a Prophet in Israel at the same time; Why did he not send to Jeremiah that was a famous Prophet. For Jeremiah began his Prophecy in the Thirteenth year of Josiah.
Therefore some would give this Reason, Because Jeremiah he was but a young Prophet: For Jeremiah began his Prophecy in the Thirteenth year of Josiah, he had been but five years in the Ministery, and he saith of himself, that he was a Child and could not speak, and therefore they think that Josiah did not think it so fit to send to him as to Huldah, having more experience, though a Woman. But that I cannot conceive to be the Cause of his not sending to Jeremiah; but rather this; It is like Jeremiah was not at hand so near as Huldah was: For indeed the Town where Jeremiah dwelt was not at Jerusalem, he dwelt at Anathoth, and it was like he was there. Now the good King was so earnest to know God's Mind, as he would be willing to know it by any though never so mean. Let them be what they will be, so it be we may but come to know what the Mind of God is by them.
Quest. 3. A Third Quere that is observable, is in the Answer that this Prophet doth give to the Messengers that the King Josiah sent; Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the Inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the Book which the King of Judah hath read. It is a very strange Answer; What! was not the Countrey in a good and hopeful way for Reformation, that the King of it shall have his Heart to melt, and shall fall a weeping, upon the apprehension of God's displeasure for their Sins that he was convinced of before; but assoon as he was convinced he fell a weeping, and mighty desirous he was to know God's Mind. Were they not now in a mighty hopeful condition for Reformation; and yet for all this there is this Answer sent, That I will bring upon this place, and upon the Inhabitants thereof, all the words of the Book which the King of Judah hath read. This holds forth unto us a very sad Instruction, which is this;
That a People may be in such a Condition, as all the Reformation, and all the Repentance in the world, shall not keep them from Temporal Afflictions from the hand of God to be out against them in regard of Temporal Evils: For if you read afterwards in the Chapter, you shall find that there was a mighty Reformation: And yet all the words of this Book must be fulfilled.
We see what Sin is, it may make such a breach between God and us, as let us do what we can, it shall not keep us from Temporal Afflictions here in this world. We know, all the Repentance of Moses could not keep Moses from that sad Affliction of being cut off before he came to the Land of Canaan, the Lord would not hear Moses: Yet no question but Moses did repent of that Sin that he did provoke God by, but he would not hear him, he must not go to the Land of Canaan. But now, because …he Lord doth not reveal this particularly concerning a People now as he did then: We have no cause to determine this against our selves, but only to make use of this so, as we do not dally nor trifle with God, lest the Decree come forth against us, and there be no help for us.
Quest. 4. I but you will say, This Answer that the Lord made concerning Josiah hath a great deal of difficulty in it, and that is, The Lord would be merciful unto him, and promised him that he should die in peace; and yet in the progress of the Story we find, that Josiah was killed in War, he was killed in the Ba…tle: How can this be true now that he should die in peace?
Answ. For the Answer to that, I know it is ordinary thus, Tha… Josiah died in Peace, because his Peace was made with God, his Sins were pardoned, there was Peace between God and his Soul; and therefore let a man die how he will, yet if there be peace between God and him, he dies in peace. Let there be never such Tempests and Storms abroad in the world, yet he dies in peace, so long as there is Peace between God and his Soul.
But I think there is a great deal more than so: We must make this Word of God to be true with a further Answer, and that is, he died in Peace; namely with the Peace of the Kingdom, and indeed that was as Peace to him: For the War that he died in, it was not a War that came against the Kingdom; as you may read after in the Story, about his going to War, the Kingdom did not suffer those dreadful Evils that were threatened: Before Judah was carried into Captivity the Lord took him away, so that when he died, he left the Kingdom in a good condition for the present, and he left the Ordinances of God among them: And so it was accounted a dying in Peace, in regard of the Kingdom: And this doth seem to be interpreted thus in 2 Chron. 38.28. where you have this Story repeated again, Behold, I will gather thee to thy Fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace, neither shall thine eyes see all the Evil that I will bring upon this place, and upon the Inhabitants of the same. So that he was gathered to his Fathers in peace, because his Eyes did not see the Evil that after his daies did come upon his Kingdom.
And indeed, let a man die how he will, if so be the Kingdom where he lives, and the Church be in Peace, and enjoy their Liberties and God's Ordinances, this Man may be said to die in peace, it is peace to me that I leave the Church in Peace, and leave the Kingdom in peace.
Especially knowing that not long after, there shall grievous Distresses befal the Kingdom, he dying before that time: he is here said to die in peace. But this for the giving a little light to this notable and Famous Story, we come now more close to the Words. The answer of the Prophetess concerning the King: it begins in ver. 18. But to the King of Judah which sent you to enquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Because thine Heart was tender. As for the People, I will not be intreated for them, saith God: they shall certainly feel my stroke, and shall have all the Words written in the Book to come upon them.
Obs. From hence the note may be, That when the Lord is bringing Publick Calamity upon a People, he uses to make his Buts; his differences: But to the King of Judah. What is there any Tender Broken Heart, that is Broken for the Sins of the Nation? I will have an Eye upon them: But such a one. It's true, sometimes Godly ones may be taken away in the Judgments of a Nation, but it is when God hath some special Work to bring by their Deaths.
But we do not find, that God hath his Buts now, for Godly ones are taken away as well as others. Surely my Brethren: It is to make us all Tremble, and to make us that we rest not upon any thing, neither Fasting nor Prayer, but to ly at the Goodness of the Lord to do with us what he pleases. And tha… God makes not his Buts now; It is for some Great Work that God hath to bring about, that yet is kept hid from us. But this we must be Confident of, that God will have as much Glory from their Deaths, as he should have had from their Lives; and howsoever the waies of God are so Dark towards us for the present, yet there is a a time when God will make his Buts, when there shall be known a difference between him that Fears God, and him that Fears him not. There are very few (though they are hunted for the Sins of the Nation, yet) that have a Faith for Deliverance from Temporal Judgments, and that might be one Cause. Though the Lord promises Deliverance, yet he would have our Faith to reach unto that promise at least, to roul our Souls upon it more than we do: though it is very hard for any to have such a Faith, to be able to conclude certainly and fully that they shall be delivered from a Temporal Affliction. We are to admire at God's dispensations in this; and to wait for further Revelation of what God intends towards us: well, he makes his But concerning the King of Judah.
O it becomes the Greatest Ones in the World, Kings and Princes, when God threatens to have their hearts to melt before him, no Man is too great to humble himself before the Great God. Though it is True, we have a vile wretched Generation of Men, that many times though they will quake and shake at the threatnings of one that is their Superiour, yet every vile wretch thinks himself good enough to Sin against the Lord, and to stand out against God's Word; but he did not so.
I but you will say, Perhaps he was but a Child? No, he was a King in his full Vigor and Strength; he was twentie-six years of Age: and that time is the time of the Greatest lustiness that can be; especially for Courtiers and Great Men: yet King Josiah at twentie-six years of Age, in the midst of his Nobles, though he was not in any present Danger to the outward view, yet upon the hearing of the Word of the Lord, he doth humble himself, and weeps before the Lord, and therefore this is the answer that comes from God concerning him, Because thine Heart was tender, &c. I have accepted thee, and thou shalt have peace.
So that in the Words there are these four things Considerable.
1. What it was that wrought upon the Heart of Josiah; What were the occasions of Josiahs Heart being made tender?
2. The Frame and Disposition of Josiah's Heart; it did melt.
3. The Fruit of this.
First, He did humble himself.
Secondly, He did rend his Cloaths.
Thirdly, He did Weep before the Lord.
Fourthly, and lastly, God's Gracious acceptation of this, I also have heard thee, saith the Lord.
I shall not come at this time to handle the Disposition of Josiah in this melting frame, all that I shall be able to go through, shall be a point or two about the occasion of this, for so we have that in the Text, thy Heart was tender: and thou hast humbled thy self before the Lord. When thou Heardest what I spake against the Inhabitants &c.
How did he hear it?
By Shusan the Scribes bringing a few old torn rotten Papers, as it is like they were, for they had been hid it may be in some hole of the Wall of the Temple among the Rubbish for many years together, and it is like they were very old Papers, and these were brought before the King and Read, and the Text saith, that Josiahs Heart was tender, and he did humble himself when he did hear what God spake. God did not speak to him by a Prophet nor from Heaven. If God had spoken by an audible voice from Heaven to him, and told him of the sins of his Court and Kingdom, then it had been somewhat for him to have his Heart melt; or if the Lord had raised up some extraordinary Prophet to come and denounce Dreadful threatnings against him, it had been something: but it was onelyonly upon the hearing of a few Papers that had been found amongst the Rubbish in the Temple. From whence there are these two notes of Observation.
First, When the Lord is pleased to humble any Soul, he can do it with a very little pains.
Secondly, That it is very acceptable to God for the Souls of People presently to relent and yield, and humble themselves presently as soon as ever they hear God's displeasure made out against them. These are the two notes from the cause of the Disposition of Josiahs Heart.
The first, is a very sweet and excellent point, when God is pleased to Work upon the Heart of a Sinner, a very little matter will make his Heart to relent and yield to God. You have some that will stand out against it very much, and some again, O they yield upon a very little — what a difference is there between Josiah and Pharaoh, here are two Kings: Pharaoh God sends to him an extraordinary. Messenger, he comes in the Name of God and works miracles before him, many miracles, such as none in his Nation could do. And, besides the miracles, he doth bring more Fearful Judgments upon the whole Kingdom, and upon Pharaoh himself, such hideous Judgments as would make a Mans hair almost stand on end, to hear the very relation of them: & he doth follow him with ten Judgments one after another, and yet his Heart will not yield to God; And Josiah he doth but hear a little out of some old Papers and his Heart yeilds presently. — O when God shall work, it is no great matter what the means are, the means may be very little, weak and poor, and yet the heart shall be brought to yield to God in a Gracious and Holy manner. We read in 1 Kin. chap. 19. ver. 20, It is a very observable History, So he departed thence and found Elisha the Son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of Oxen before him, and Elijah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him: and that was all he did: Now Elisha was a Man of very good Rank, though he were at Plow, his twelve yoke of Oxen were his own. And Elijah did but come by and cast his mantle upon him, and the Text saith, he lest the Oxen and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee kiss my Father and Mother, and then I will follow thee, and he said unto him, Go back again, for what have I done to thee? I but there was a secret Vertue went together with the casting of the mantle of Elijah upon Elisha, and then his Heart was towards him, so that none could hinder him from going along with him. So, when the Lord's time is come to gain the Heart of a Man or Woman, the least thing in the World will do it then, he will come in presently: it is just like that concerning Peter in Luk. 22.61. Peter had sinned exceedingly against Christ, and the Text saith, that Christ did but look upon him, and upon that Peter went out and wept bitterly. He did throw himself out, that's the propriety of the word, did cast himself out with a kind of violence, he had enough of it; The Lord Christ did but give him a look, and he goes and weeps bitterly. Oh there are many that the Lord Christ speaks to again and again, and their hearts are not stirred; but when the Lord is pleased to work upon the Heart, it is but God's giving a look to a Soul.
It may be some of you that are going on in sinful waies, and you have heard much against them, and your Hearts are not stir'd. But if the Lord's time be come, it is b…t one look upon thee, and to open thine eyes, that thou maist have but one view of that God that thou hast sinned against, and the thing will be done. We read in Cantic. 5.4. Saith the Church there, My Beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my Bowels were moved for him. The Church being secure, she falls a reasoning against her coming out to Christ, and saith, I have put off my Coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?
O it will be a great deal of trouble, and she was loth to be put to any trouble: But mark this fourth Vers. My Beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels were moved for him. He did but put in his hand at the hole of the door, and my heart was moved: Why was that more than knocking? For he did knock before, I but the time was not come. So it may be with many a Soul; the Lord may stand knocking at the door of thy Soul again and again, from time to time, and yet thou maist have one excuse or other to put Him off; But when God's time is come, He doth but give one touch to thy Heart, and the thing is done. A little labour will do it when God's time is come. In Isai. 11.6. it is prophesied there of the times of the Gospel, that they shall be so yieldable to the Truths of God, that a Child shall lead them. Any Truth of God that is delivered by the meanest, by the weakest, by a Child, shall lead them.
And that is very famous in Isai. 30.21. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. What follows, Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven Images of Silver, and the ornament of thy molten Images of Gold, thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth, thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. This people were much set upon their Idolatry, and the Prophet did find it a very hard thing to take off their hearts from their Idolatrous waies: But now the Lord promises a time that they should hear but a word, and that behind them too, an inkling, and what shall be the effect of it, Thou shalt take away the covering of thy graven Images of Silver. For they were wont to have their Images cloathed very rich, but they should take all that rich and glorious work, and cast it away as a menstruous Cloth, and with indignation say, Get thee hence. What a change is here, but with hearing a word behind one!
And when God's time is come for poor Souls that have heard many Sermons, and yet have stood it out against God and his Word; yet, I say, when the time of God is come, and they hear a voice behind them, saying, O Sinner, Oh sinful Soul, thy waies are not good, look about thee. Some such thought that God doth but hint into their Mind, perhaps doth work more in their Hearts, than all the Sermons that ever they heard, They shall hear a voice behind them. And that in Joh. 1.48, 49. is as observable concerning Nathaniel.
When Christ was about to call Nathaniel to him, what a poor thing was it did work upon Nathaniel's Spirit, Nathaniel saith unto him, whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the Fig-tree, I saw thee. Mark what follows, Nathaniel answered and said unto him, Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said, I saw thee under the Fig-tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these. A little thing will work upon the Heart, when the Lord is pleased to call the Sinner. And you know concerning Matthew, He did but say, Come and follow me; and so of Zebedee's sons, He did but say, Come and follow me, and they presently left the Ship, and their Father, and Nets; and Matthew he left his receipt of Custome, and followed him. And so the Story, which I suppose you know (that are acquainted with Scripture) of Zacheus, he was a very vile, covetous wretch, and very few of those are wrought upon; Well, he had heard a fame of Christ, of such a strange kind of man that was abroad in the World, and he would needs go see him; and because People did so flock after him, and he being so low of Stature, he gets upon a Tree: wel Christ passing by and looking up, saith unto him, Zacheus come down, Salvation is come to thy Soul: he comes down presently and crieth out, Behold the two parts of my goods I give to the Poor; and if I have wronged any Man, I will restore four-fold. For a Covetous Man to be willing to part with two part of his Goods to give it to the Poor, and to make restitution four-fold of all the wrong that he hath done; what a deal of do should we have to work upon Zacheuses, not to give two parts of their goods, but a little to the poor People of God that are in distress at this time! but now a little will do the business when the time of the Lord is come.
But for the further handling of this Truth which is so sweet for us to meditate upon.
The first Reason of it is from the Power of the Truth; the Truths of God that concern God and our own Souls they are of a mighty Efficacy; if the Truth can get to the Heart, it is no matter what the means be: as now, such kind of Physick as is very strong and operative, if it can but get into the Body, though it be, by a little posset Ale, yet if you can set it in, there it will work: so the Truths of God have such abundance of Efficacy, that if they get but into the Heart, they will be Working. As the Broad-Seal of the Kingdom, you know, if it be brought unto a Man, let the Messenger that brings it, have never such a weak-hand, and be never such a poor and contemptible Man, yet it carries Authority with it because it is the Broad-Seal: so the Truths of God have a great deal of Authority, and let them but come to hearts, they will work exceedingly, and indeed let the means be what it will be, it is not the means, that works, but God in the means. And as Asa said concerning the Lord, 2 Chron. 14.11. It is easie with thee, O Lord, to be seen by few as well as by many. So it is all one with God to strike by little and weak, as by strong means.
Object. You will say? What need we then so much Preaching, and such Arguments to work upon our Hearts?
Answ. Yes, we are bound to do what befits Creatures to do, and to leave God to do what pleases him: though the Lord may sometimes take weak means, yet the Lord would have us to make use of all the means that possibly we can; let us attend upon the Lord in all the means that possibly we can, when the Lord is pleased to come … work, let the means be what it will be the thing will be done, because there is the Power of God put forth when at any time the means doth Work.
Suppose one come and preach the most powerful Sermon that ever was, yet except God were pleased to go out with the Word, it would never work savingly to Humble your Souls, you will be hard-hearted for all that. — And on the other side, let but any hint of a word, though from a Child, yet if God be pleased to put forth his Arm, it shall break the stoutest heart upon the Earth when the Lord is pleased to put forth his Arm.
Another Reason is, because the Lord is pleased sometimes to put the Heart into a better preparation for receiving the Truths than at other-times. And that's the reason some-times why weaker means do good, when stronger will not.
Quest. You will say then, are there preparatory works that can prepare us for Grace?
Ans. Why truly thus far; so prepare, as to take away many things that hinder, and prepare the Heart for taking in of the Truths, but they cannot be preparatory Works so to prepare, as either of congruity to merit, or that God should be ingaged to come in with his Grace, but to prepare, to take away the hinderances: as thus, it is in many Mens Hearts as it is in Wood, sometimes you have Wood that is very knotty, and a great many blows will not rive it asunder: and other Wood one little knock will do it. — And as it is with the Ground, the Ground when it is dry and hard after a drought, if you put in the Plow it will break: but when the Ground is softned by the Rain, the Plow will easily go then. Jer. 4.3. The Work of Humiliation is compared to the Plowing up of the Fallow Ground of the Heart. Physick a little you know sometimes will Work, when a great deal will not Work at other times. So the Soul is in a Disposition at sometimes to be wrought upon, by lesser means than at another: but yet still the power is all from God. But yet God is pleased still to work suitably to the Disposition of Men and Women: and God is pleased to take the hints and the Advantages of Men and Womens Hearts, for they are not alwaies in the desperate opposition against the Truth; when the Lord comes with the Storm and Rain of Affliction upon the Hearts of Men and Women, O how soft and yeildable are they to any thing that God shall say to their: the Lord is pleased now to take hints and Advantages of such a Condition that Men are put into.
I should have shewn you of some special Dispositions, that are wrought upon more easily than others (I do not now speak of those that are wrought upon for Conversion, but to be humbled before God for Sin sooner than others.
As now, the more Fear of God there is upon a Heart, the more easily will such a Heart be wrought upon. In Prov. 18.14. There the Fear of God, is opposite to the hardness of Mans Heart. If the Fear of God be there, it will not be hardned, but if the Fear of God be not, then it is hardned.
And so where the Heart is a humble Heart, there a little matter will work upon it, as the Text Isa. 66. Trembling at God's Word is join'd with a contrite Heart, and poor in Spirit.
And so where there is a meek Heart, that is wrought upon by little means. Jam. 1.21. If your Heart be froward and perverse it will cast off the Word; but let it meddle with a meek and quiet Heart, and it easily receives in the Word into it.
And so one that hath bin Ignorant a long time, but not affected Ignorance; when the Lord is pleased to discover himself to the Soul, the Soul is ready to take hold on the Word of the Lord: and so Saul, though he were Ignorant, when the Lord did but say, I am he whom thou persecutest, O then he Fears and saith, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?
And so when the Heart is not hardened with the Custom of sin; less means ordinarily Work upon them than upon old ones: as now young ones, a little hint of God will work upon them. The Hearts of Men and Women that are not hardned in sin, when God pleases to work upon them, a less matter doth it, and brings them over to the Will of God.
But by Way of Application.
In the first place, it may be a use of a great deal of Incouragment to all the Ministers of God to Preach to People; it may be sometimes they are even discouraged and think with themselves, Lord, how hard are the Hearts of Men, and how difficult is it to Work upon the Hearts of Men! I have laboured with all my might, I have studied and sought to invent all the Arguments that possibly I could, the most moving Arguments that possibly I could imagin: when I have bin in my Study I have thought with my self, Surely if the Lord be pleased to bless these Truths that I am to deliver, they will work upon the Hearts of People, and when it comes to, perhaps the Minister finds that they are not at all stirred one whit. Why Lord, what shall I do then, I cannot think ever to speak things that are more powerful than those that I have spoken, and those have done no good: therefore I am afraid I shall never do good. O no, do not say so; nor do not think it. For the Lord is pleased sometimes to shew us our Vanity this Way, and to rebuke us, many times the Lord will not go along with the Ministery of the Word, when it comes with the greatest Power and the strongest Arguments; & yet at another time, the Lord will be pleased to bless a Word that you speak, but by the bye; and it shall do more than all the other. There is scarce any one faithful Minister in the world that doth observe the Work of God upon his Ministry, but doth find this. But yet this is no Argument why a Minister should not labour with all his might, and come with the most strong Arguments; he is bound to do his Duty. I but be not discouraged, he may afterwards prevail, and God, I say, may bless many things that comes from him. And therefore I would exhort those that are to speak to such an Auditory, in the words of Eccles. 11.6. In the Morning sow thy Seed, and in the Evening with-hold not thy hand; for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be a like good.
Therefore let Ministers go on, and sow their Seed, and Preach still. And though that which they have spoken, as perhaps they have been delivering of Arguments that they thought would have moved the heart of a Devil, they have been opening the miserable condition of men, and opening the Riches of Jesus Christ. Well, but there must be no discouragement, but go on, and sow thy seed in the Morning, and in the Evening with-hold not thy hand, go on and preach still again and again, and let the Word of God be presented before the hearts of people; though it have not wrought at one time, yet it may work at another time: Yea, though thou shouldest grow weaker and weaker, yet for all that the Lord may do good to thee, even when thou art at the weakest. In 2 Tim. 2.25. saith the Apostle there to Timothy, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give them Repentance. Peradventure this Day a Truth may be handed from God to a Soul, peradventure this Text, peradventure that Text, and so the Soul may be brought in.
Ʋse of Incouragement.
One Ʋse more shall be by way of Incouragement to those that feel their Hearts wrought upon by little means: And when God doth but hint a Truth to you when you are reading a Chapter, or at your Tables, and conferring one with another, and especially when you come to hear the Word, you hear but some droppings of God's Word, and they work very powerfully upon thy Heart. Are there any such here? Be encouraged, the Lord accepts of this Disposition: Therefore for thy Comfort know,
First; That this is a Sign of a very Child-like disposition in thee: As now, a Father will be very well pleased when-as he doth but hold up his Finger to his Child, and the Child comes and falls down upon his Knees presently. A Slave would fall down if you come with blows to him, but a Child with the least look: In Prov. 17.10. A Reproof entereth more into a wise man, than an hundred stripes into a fool. Indeed those that are fools, and of base slavish Dispositions they will not be wr…ught upon by any means: But one that is of an ingenuous Disposition, a word works upon them. And dost thou find thy Heart so tender that a Word works upon thee? This is a Sign of the Wisdom of God that is in thy Soul.
And further, Know it is a Sign that God is in his Word, and that God doth accompany what is said to thee: And that's a very comfortable Meditation to think, That, blessed be God, when I hear his Word, any little thing comes to my Heart. And if thou find thy Heart to be of this temper, that thou findest every thing that is said almost to stick upon thee, thou maist have this Comfort, that the Lord doth not absent himself from thee in his Word.
Thirdly, Certainly thou maist have this Comfort, that thou canst not go far from God. Why? Because if a little thing will work upon thee, thou must needs be wrought upon every day: And if thou hast a tender Heart, and wrought upon by a little, I say there is no fear that ever thou shouldst go far from God. Indeed Souls that have stout and stubborn Hearts, they go far off from God; Hearken to me ye stout-hearted, that are far from Righteousness, saith the Prophet. Stout Hearts they are far from Righteousness; but now your yieldable Hearts they can never be far from Righteousness. A man that hath a stout Spirit, he may be gone from God a mighty distance before he is aware; but one that is of a yieldable Disposition needs never fear that ever he shall go far off from God. Indeed I may daily fall as others but this hope I have, I shall never go far from God.
Fourthly, Doth thy Heart yield to God upon a little? O be of good Comfort, the Lord hath great things to make known to thy Soul; the Lord will make known great things to that Soul that is moved at a little. That place which is named before in Joh. ….49. &c. is remarkable for this: You know what Christ said to Nathaniel, Dost thou believe, because I said, I saw thee under the Fig-tree? thou shalt see greater things than these. So say I unto thy Heart, What, Doth thy Heart relent and come in, and submit to God upon hearing of any little that is made known to thee? O be of good Comfort, O thou Soul. Thou art a Soul that the Lord intends to do great things for, and to reveal great things unto, The Secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will shew them his Covenant. Is there a Soul that hath the Fear of God, so that every thing works upon that Soul? The Secret of the Lord is with that Soul, and the Lord will reveal his Covenant to that Soul.
Do thou make much of this Disposition of Heart, and when thou seest other men have hard and stout Hearts, bless God that hath given thee such a Disposition of Heart, that a little will serv… the turn.