SZ4 of theStony Heart, andHeart offefh. S n c r: X. Helms. and by faith we finde the rockinefs of our heart fubdued, and we readily yielding unto God. 3. Thirdly, The motive, Which is the very fame thing in Morals, that thefpecifi- calform ilia naturals ; in thie there rs agreat gulf betweenoneand another: For the onelymotive of this natural tendernefs, is outward evil and mifery, not fin, or the difpleafure of God : There are hundreds of people , that for the lofs of dearfriends, or outward comforts, can weep till they are able to weep no more, but are as a rock, andas hardas a ftone,inrefpedof any confideration about fin ; yet fin is thegreaten evil, and that which depriveth the foul of the moll excellent good : Thou art therefore very prone to figh, to be troubled, thy heart is like a fountain of water ; But what is the reafon ? outwarddifcon- tents, want of fuckmercies as rho.: doeft prúpound to thy felf : Alas, this is not an heart offlefb, in the fenfe of the Text ; indeed it is toomuch an heart of flefhin another fenfe ; for itis wholly carnal, and is carried out uponcarnal con- fiderations : If therefore thy tendernefsand foftnefs of heart, be in the want of Gods favor , and the apprebenfion of his difpleafure, as David: fo of- ten was; no doubt but thou haft then felt the power of this promife to thee, Fourthly, Anatural foftnefs and tendernefs, is flexible to any evil, itWill receive any imprefion offin: But this gracious foftnefs, though it be flefh to what is good, it doth eafily receive that ; yet its a (tone and an adamant to what is e- vil ; and this is a remarkable difference : you have many foftand flexiblehearts, and that is their fault, 'for none fo infnared as they ; they are like wax, that receive the (tampof any teal upon them ; they are like the reed that is fhaken up and down with every wind ; now this is a great fin. It was Reuben,curfe, To besingable like Water : Tobe for good in good company, and for evil in evil company ; to befilch a Chamelion according to every company, is contrary to thofe many commands, To be fledfafl and immoveable in the Work of the Lord, I Cor.i 5.58.And to confefs Chrifl and his truth, in the midflof acrookedand per- verfegeneration, Luke 12.8. Theiryea /hould beyea, and their nay, nay: Oh do not judge this the graciousheart of flefh ; for he that bath thisgrace,thoughhe, be likea Lamb, and all fweetnefs of carriage be in him; yet he is alfo likea Lyon, in refpedof courage and boldnefs forwhat is good : So theta confider, thatas thework ofgrace is in one fenfe making man tender ; fo in another fenfe it doth eftablifh and fettle upon a rock. 5, Laftly, This natural tendernefscan, and often doth confifi, Without any trouble andgrieffor the difhonor of God, Wrought by other mens fins. Now you have heard, that a gracious heart of flefh was eafily wounded and torn afunder in pain, for the wickednefs of others: You heard, David had rivers of waters running down his eyes, becaufe men kept not the Lawof God ; but howmany may ye fee of tender foft fpirits, that are very fenfelefs (tonesof the blafphe- mies and impieties that others are guilty of l They have fuch in their families, they have furls in their company, and in their delight ;, How can he be cal- led a godly man, to whom a wicked ungodly man is not a torment and a bur- then: Horror hash taken hold on me, faith David, becaufe of the Wicked, Pfal. 119.53. Oh if thy heart were fenfible of Gods glory, horror and trembling would furprife thee, to fee or hear others commit iniquity , even as if thou II. did(' fee them falling into thefire, ordeepwaters. Inordinate Secondly, In the next place, letus confider the otherfinful tendernefs, and tendernefs in that is, When the heart is indeedgodly for the main, but there as a degeneration : chafe the, for This tendernelsdoth go beyond its bounds : God indeed by his grace doth emily.pare wound the heart, but then it bleeds too much, and fo groweth the weaker oddly. The finfeinefs thereby : Now the finfulnefs Of this foftnefs will appear thus of io. Firn, When it hinders a man from thofe ether gracious duties that God dothre- t. quire: All grace is confonant,and one grace is tobe added to another, and they are
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