s á c T.X. Of the Stony Heart, andHeart of P.O. 4 a5 are to cooperate one with another, even chofe that teem tobe ar the grearel diltance; thus Joy and trembling, faith and fear, are toaccompany :óne ano- ther Now there are tome graces, that it is very hard to have co. operate with this heart of Beth; and therefore wemull take heed that our gold become not drofs, that we donot takeeven fin for grace : This is werfe'then to take Iohn Baptif#for Chrift,this km take a falte Chrift for the true one : And this is done Grit, when they call both their eyes upon their fins onely , not at all eying Chrift ; as ifthe Ifraelite wounded by a Serpent, fhouldalways have cryed out of his pain and rotting, but never look up to the exalted Serpent : This the inceltuous perfon was blamed for, he wasready to be fwallowed up with for- row : When thy foul is fo deleted, that it refufeth the comfort of the Go- fpeT, fuffer no oil to be poured in its wounds, this is a flnful foftnefs; this is as wetted paper, the moulureof it hindersanywriting upon it ; and fo the foftnefs of thy heart makes the glorious promife of the Gofpel not to be writ on thy foul ; foras God writes the Lawof obedience in the hearts of the godly, fo alto the Gofpel of comfort in theirfouls : And as hardnefs of heart hinders the former writing, fotoomuch foftnefsand moifture the latter : Know then, that all tendernefs and foftnefs, which keeps off from Chrift, which re je&s thepromife of grace, is flnful, and is not of God. Secondly, If thy tendernefs and foftnet's onake thee more unable and unfit for any fervice unto God: If it weaken thee; that thou anti not pray, do or fuller for God, this is alto finful ; when it makesthee. have feeble hands and knees; as the children bones and joyntsare fo loft at flr[t, that they cannot go, this is frnfnl. The trees that have not their fap and juiceexcoetedout, are not able to bear upanybuilding; and fo the foul that is inordinately tender, and fin- fully foftned, it cannot go -through with the workof the Lord: See there- fore that thy tendernefs makes thee not lets ferviceable. Laltly, If thiatendernefsmake[theeflavifhlyandignorantlyfcrupulout, that that 3. cauft not enjoy the Liberty of the Gofpel, and thefreedomofthefpirit, Which Chrift bath purchafed for thee : Though this may feem wonderful tendernefs, yetit is not fo indeed t Its true indeed, as we toldyou, the godly through their ten- dernefs, abltain from all appearances of evil, and they fear fin may be, where it is not; yet they do not incourage a flavith, fcrupulous difpofrtion; but they labor for a found minde, and a filial frame wrought by the fpirit ofadoption : So that although there are too too few in the world, that need theregulating or moderating of their tendernefs ; yet force thereare, and this maybe a word of feafon to them, Do not take that doubtful, fearful fpirit of chine, for this heart of Beth; letnot the water; overflow the banks, for then it prefently gets foil, and is turned into mud. Let theconclufion be by way of Information, concerning the curled and miferableeftate of thofe, who have not this promifed mercy of An heart of flefh. As Etekiels Scrol had woe and lamentationwritten withinandwithout ; fo bath fuch a wicked man the inward and outward auks of Gods word be.-- longing to him : Oh thou rock and lone I that art neither by the infrufth. ons, exhortations or reproofs of the word, foftned ; noryet by his mercies or judgements mollified t How could thy heart indure againl all chofe ways God bath ufed tomelt thee. Confider, that thy heartis naturally, an heart of Beth, inrefpeftof the frailtyand weaknefs of it Why then fhould it not be an heart of Beth in a gracious fenfe ? Were thy heart of brats, andiron ; were itimmortal, andfuchas couldnot dye; then thou mightea goonWith bold- nefs inthy tin, and fay, Who fhall contradiec? but it being an heart of flab, fainting, miferable, and alwaysdying : Oh why fhould not this lit theeup to be partaker of this ineihmablemercy I Oh cry out, and fay, Lord, my weak frail flelh, cryeth out for that tender.heavenly Beth; and further, thy heart being naturallyof Beth, how unable is it tocombare with the wrath ofGod, who,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=