Part 1 › Chapter 4 › Part 1: Directions against UNBELIEF., A Christian Directory by Richard Baxter (1673) | AskReformation

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6. Therefore a Prophet among the Jews was known to be such, usually, before these Recorded Prophecies of theirs, which we have now in the Holy Scriptures: 1. The spirits of the Prophets which are subject to the Prophets, were judged of by those Prophets that had indeed the Spirit: And so the people had the testimony of the other Prophets concerning them. 2. The Lords own direction to know a true Prophet by Deut. 18. 22. is the coming to pass of that which he foretelleth. Now it is like that before they were received into the number of Prophets, they had given satisfaction to the societies of the Prophets, by the events of things before foretold by them: 3. Or they might have wrought miracles before to have satisfied the members of the College of their calling, though these Miracles are not all mentioned in the Scripture. 4. Or the other Prophets might have some Divine testimony concerning them, by visions revelations or inspirations of their own. So that the people were not left to the credulity of naked unproved assertions, of any one that would say that he was sent of God.

6. Therefore a Prophet among the Jews was known to be such, usually, before these Recorded Prophecies of theirs, which we have now in the Holy Scriptures: 1. The spirits of the Prophets which are subject to the Prophets, were judged of by those Prophets that had indeed the Spirit: And so the people had the testimony of the other Prophets concerning them. 2. The Lords own direction to know a true Prophet by Deut. 18. 22. is the coming to pass of that which he foretelleth. Now it is like that before they were received into the number of Prophets, they had given satisfaction to the societies of the Prophets, by the events of things before foretold by them: 3. Or they might have wrought miracles before to have satisfied the members of the Colledge of their calling, though these Miracles are not all mentioned in the Scripture. 4. Or the other Prophets might have some Divine testimony concerning them, by visions revelations or inspirations of their own. So that the people were not left to the credulity of naked unproved ass•rtions, of any one that would say that he was sent of God.

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§. 1. IT is necessary that some Christians be better informed what Hardness of Heart is who most complain of it. The Metaphor is taken from the Hardness of any matter which a workman would make an impression on: And it signifieth the passive and active Resistance of¹ the heart against the Word and Works of God: When it receiveth not the impressions which the Word should make, and obeyeth not Gods Commands, but after great and powerful means remaineth as it was before, unmoved, unaffected, and disobedient. So that Hardness of heart is not a distinct sin, but the habitual power of every sin, or the deadness, unmoveableness and obstinacy of the heart in any sin. So many duties and sins as there be, so many ways may the heart be hardened against the W•rd which forbiddeth those sins, and commandeth those duties. It is therefore an ex•or that hath had very ill consequents on many persons, to think that Hardness of Heart is nothing but a want of passionate feeling in the matters which concern the soul; especially a want of sorrow and tears. This hath made them over-careful for such tears, and grief, and passions, and dangerously to make light of the many greater instances of the Hardness of their Hearts. Many beginners in Religion (who are taken up in penitential duties) do think that all Repentance is nothing, but a change of opinion, except they have those passionate griefs, and tears which indeed would well become the penitent: And hereupon they take more pains with themselves to affect their hearts with sorrow for sin, and to wring out tears, than they do for many greater duties: But when God calleth them to Love him, and to Praise him, and to be Thankful for his Mercies, or to love an enemy, or forgive a wrong; when he calleth them to mortify their earthly mindedness, their carnality, their pride, their passion, or their disobedience, they yield but little to his call, and show here much greater Hardness of Heart, and yet little complain of this, or take notice of it. I entreat you therefore to observe, that the greater the Duty is the worse it is to Harde• the Heart against it: And the greater the sin is, the worse it is to Harden the heart by obstinacy in it. And that the great duties are, The Love of God and man, with a mortified and heavenly mind and life, and to resist Gods Word commanding these is the great and dangerous Hardening of the Heart.

§. 1. IT is necessary that some Christians be better informed what Hardness of Heart is who most complain of it. The Metaphor is taken from the Hardness of any matter which a workman would make an impression on: And it signifieth the passive and active Resistance of¹ the heart against the Word and Works of God: When it receiveth not the impressions which the Word should make, and ob•yeth not Gods Commands, but after great and powerful means rem•ineth as it was before, unmoved, unaffected, and disobedient. So that Hardness of heart is not a distinct sin, but the habitual power of every sin, or the deadness, unmoveableness and obstinacy of the heart in any sin. So many duties and sins as there be, so many wayes may the heart be hardned against the W•rd which forbiddeth those sins, and commandeth those duties. It is therefore an ex•or that hath had very ill consequents on many persons, to think that Hardness of Heart is nothing but a want of passionate feeling in the matters which concern the soul; especially a want of sorrow and tears. This hath made them over-careful for such tears, and grief, and passions, and dangerously to make light of the many greater instances of the Hardness of their Hearts. Many beginners in Religion (who are taken up in penitential duties) do think that all Repentance is nothing, but a change of opinion, except they have those passionate griefs, and tears which indeed would well become the penitent: And hereupon they take more pains with themselves to affect their hearts with sorrow for sin, and to wring out tears, than they do for many greater duties: But when God calleth them to Love him, and to Praise him, and to be Thankful for his Mercies, or to love an enemy, or forgive a wrong; when he calleth them to mortifie their earthly mindedness, their carnality, their pride, their passion, or their disobedience, they yield but little to his call, and shew here much greater Hardness of Heart, and yet little complain of this, or take notice of it. I intreat you therefore to observe, that the greater the Duty is the worse it is to Harde• the Heart against it: And the greater the sin is, the worse it is to Harden the heart by obstinacy in it. And that the great duties are, The Love of God and man, with a mortified and heavenly mind and life, and to resist Gods Word commanding these is the great and dangerous Hardning of the Heart.

1[…]〈…〉

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The life of grace lieth 1. In the preferring of God, and Heaven, and Holiness in the Estimation of our minds before all worldly things: 2. In the Choosing them, and Resolving for them with our Wills, before all others: 3. In the Seeking of them in the bent and drift of our Endeavours. These three make up a state of Holiness. But for strength of parts, or memory, or expression, and so for passionate affections of sorrow, or joy, or the tears that express them, all these in their time, and place, and measure are desirable, but not of necessity to salvation, or to the life of grace. They follow much the temperature of the body, and some have much of them that have little or no grace, and some want them that have much grace. The work of Repentance consisteth most in loathing and falling out with our selves for our sins, and in forsaking them with abhorrence, and turning unto God; And he that can do this without tears, i• truly penitent, and he that hath never so many tears without this, is impenitent still.¹ And that is the hard hearted sinner that will not be wrought to a love of Holiness, nor let go his sin, when God commandeth him; but after all exhortations and mercies, and perhaps afflictions is still the same, as if he had never been admonished, or took no notice what God hath been saying o• doing to reclaim him. Having thus told you what Hardness of heart is, you may see that I have given you Directions against it at large before Chap. 3. Direct. 6. & 8. but shall add these •ew.

The life of grace lyeth 1. In the preferring of God, and Heaven, and Holiness in the Estimation of our minds before all worldly things: 2. In the Choosing them, and Resolving for them with our Wills, before all others: 3. In the Seeking of them in the bent and drift of our Ende•vours. These three make up a state of Holiness. But for strength of parts, or memory, or expression, and so for passionate affections of sorrow, or joy, or the tears that express them, all these in their time, and place, and measure are desireable, but not of necessity to salvation, or to the life of grace. They follow much the temperature of the body, and some have much of them that have little or no grace, and some want them that have much grace. The work of Repentance consisteth most in lothing and falling out with our selves for our sins, and in forsaking them with abhorrence, and turning unto God; And he that can do this without tears, i• truly penitent, and he that hath never so many tears without this, is impenitent still.¹ And that is the hard hearted sinner that will not be wrought to a love of Holiness, nor let go his sin, when God commandeth him; but after all exhortations and mercies, and perhaps afflictions is still the same, as if he had never been admonished, or took no notice what God hath been saying o• doing to reclaim him. Having thus told you what Hardness of heart is, you may see that I have given you Directions against it at large before Chap. 3. Direct. 6. & 8. but shall add these •ew.

1Non tamen ideo beatus est, quia patienter m••er est▪ A••••• ▪ •e •i••••l 14 c. 25

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§. 3. Direct. 2. Think well of the unspeakable greatness and importance of those Truths and Things ¹which should affect you, and of those duties which are required of you: Eternity of I•y or Torment is such an amazing thing, that one would think every thought, and every mention either of it, or of any thing that concerneth it, should go to our very hearts, and deeply affect us, and should command the obedience and service of our souls. It is true, they are things unseen, and therefore less apt in that respect to affect us, than things visible: But the Greatness of them should recompense that disadvantage a thousand fold. If our lives la• upon every word we speak, or upon every step we go, how carefully should we speak and go? But O how deeply should things affect us which our everlasting life is concerned in? One would think a thing of so great moment, as dying and passing into an endless life of pain or pleasure, should so take up and transport the mind of m•n, that we should have much ado to bring our selves to mind, regard, or talk of the inconsiderable interests of the fl•sh. How ⟨p. 205⟩unexcusable a thing, is a senseless, careless, negligent heart, when God looketh on us, and Heaven or Hell is a little before us? Yea, when we are so heavily laden with our sins, and compassed about with so many enemies, and in the midst of such great and manifold dangers, to be yet senseless under all, is (so far) to be dead. Will not the wounds of sin, and the threatenings of the Law, and the accusations of conscience make you feel? He that cannot feel the prick of a Pin, will feel the stab of a Dagger, if he be alive.

§. 3. Direct. 2. Think well of the unspeakable greatness and importance of those Truths and Things ¹which should affect you, and of those duties which are required of you: Eternity of I•y or Torment is such an amazing thing, that one would think every thought, and every mention either of it, or of any thing that concerneth it, should go to our very hearts, and deeply affect us, and should command the obedience and service of our souls. It is true, they are things unseen, and therefore less apt in that respect to affect us, than things visible: But the Greatness of them should recompence that disadvantage a thousand fold. If our lives la• upon every word we speak, or upon every step we go, how carefully should we speak and go? But O how deeply should things affect us which our everlasting life is concerned in? One would think a thing of so great moment, as dying and passing into an endless life of pain or pleasure, should so take up and transport the mind of m•n, that we should have much ado to bring our selves to mind, regard, or talk of the inconsiderable interests of the fl•sh. How ⟨p. 205⟩unexcusable a thing, is a sensless, careless, negligent heart, when God looketh on us, and Heaven or Hell is a little before us? Yea, when we are so heavily laden with our sins, and compassed about with so many enemies, and in the midst of such great and manifold dangers, to be yet sensless under all, is (so far) to be dead. Will not the wounds of sin, and the threatnings of the Law, and the accu••tions of conscience make you feel? He that cannot feel the prick of a Pin, will feel the stab of a Dagger, if he be alive.

1Direct. 2.

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§. 4. Direct. 3. Remember how near the time is when stupidity and senseless neglect of God will be banished ¹from all the world? and what certain and powerful means are before you at death and judgement, ²to awaken and pierce the hardest heart. There are but few that are quite insensible at Death: There are none past feeling after death, in Heaven or Hell. No man will stand before the Lord in the day of Judgement, with a sleepy or a senseless heart. God will recover your feeling by misery, if you will lose it by sin, and not recover it by grace. He can make you now a terror to your selves, Jer. 20. 4. He can make conscience say such things in secret to you, as you shall not be able to forget or slight. But if conscience awake you not, the approach of Death its likely will awake you; when you see that God is now in earnest with you, and that dye you must, and there is no remedy, will you not begin to think now whither must I go? and what will become of me for ever? Will you then harden your heart against God and his warnings? If you do, the first moment of your entrance upon Eternity, will cure your stupidity for ever. It would grieve a heart that is not stone, to think what a feeling stony hearted sinners will shortly have: When God will purposely make them feel, with his wrathful streams of fire and brimstone? When Satan that now hindereth your feeling, will do his worst to make you feel; and Conscience, the never dying Worm, will gnaw your hearts, and make them feel without ease or hope of remedy. Think what a wakening day is coming.

§. 4. Direct. 3. Remember how near the time is when stupidity and sensless neglect of God will be banished ¹from all the world? and what certain and powerful means are before you at death and judgement, ²to awaken and pierce the hardest heart. There are but few that are quite insensible at Death: There are none past feeling after death, in Heaven or Hell. No man will stand before the Lord in the day of Judgement, with a sleepy or a sensless heart. God will recover your feeling by misery, if you will lose it by sin, and not recover it by grace. He can make you now a terror to your selves, Ier. 20. 4. He can make conscience say such things in secret to you, as you shall not be able to forget or slight. But if conscience awake you not, the approach of Death its likely will awake you; when you see that God is now in earnest with you, and that dye you must, and there is no remedy, will you not begin to think now whither must I go? and what will become of me for ever? Will you then harden your heart against God and his warnings? If you do, the first moment of your entrance upon Eternity, will cure your stupidity for ever. It would grieve a heart that is not stone, to think what a feeling stony hearted sinners will shortly have: When God will purposely make them feel, with his wrathful streams of fire and brimstone? When Satan that now hindereth your feeling, will do his worst to make you feel; and Conscience, the never dying Worm, will gnaw your hearts, and make them feel without ease or hope of remedy. Think what a wakening day is coming.

1Direct. 3.
2Lento gradu ad vindicta•• su• Divina proc•dit ira▪ •arditatemque suppl••i• gravitare compensat. Valerius Ma•. de Dio•ys l. 1. c. 2.

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§. 6. Direct. 5. Labour for a full apprehension of the evil and danger of a Hardened heart. It is¹ the Death of the soul, so far as it prevaileth: At the easiest it is like the stupidity of a paralytical member, or a seared part: Observe the names which Scripture giveth it. The Hardening of the heart, Prov 28. 14. The hardening of the neck, Prov. 29. 10. which signifieth Inflexibility: The hardening the face, which signifieth impudency, Prov. 21. 29. The searedness of the Conscience, 1 Tim. 4. 2. The Impenitency of the heart: Rom. 2. 5. Sometime it is called, sottishness or stupidity: Jer. 4. 22. Sometime it is called a not caring, or not laying things to heart; and not regarding: Isa. 42. 25 . & 5. 12 . & 32. 9, 10, 11. Sometime it is denominated metaphorically from inanimates, A face harder than a rock: Jer. 5. 3. Stony hearts, Ezek. 11. 19 . & 36. 26. A neck with an Iron sinew: Isa. 48. 4. and a brow of brass. It is called sleep, and a deep slumber, and a Spirit of slumber, Rom. 13. 11 . & 11. 8. Matth. 25. 5. and Death it self, 1 Tim 5. 6. Ephes. 2. 1. 5. Col. 2. 13. Jude 12.

§. 6. Direct. 5. Labour for a full apprehension of the evil and danger of a Hardned heart. It is¹ the Death of the soul, so far as it prevaileth: At the easiest it is like the stupidity of a paralytical member, or a seared part: Observe the names which Scripture giveth it. The Hardning of the heart, Prov 28. 14. The hardning of the neck, Prov. 29. 10. which signifieth Inflexibility: The hardning the face, which signifieth impudency, Prov. 21. 29. The se•redness of the Conscience, 1 Tim. 4. 2. The Impenitency of the heart: Rom. 2. 5. Sometime it is called, sottishness or stupidity: Ier. 4. 22. Sometime it is called a not caring, or not laying things to heart; and not regarding: Isa. 42. 25 . & 5. 12 . & 32. 9, 10, 11. Sometime it is denominated metaphorically from inanimates, A face harder than a rock: Jer. 5. 3. Stony hearts, Ezek. 11. 19 . & 36. 26. A neck with an Iron sinew: Isa. 48. 4. and a brow of brass. It is called sleep, and a deep slumber, and a Spirit of slumber, Rom. 13. 11 . & 11. 8. Matth. 25. 5. and Death it self, 1 Tim 5. 6. Ephes. 2. 1. 5. Col. 2. 13.

1Direct. 6.