The right method for a settled peace of conscience, and spiritual comfort in 32…

ANSWER.

1. A Soft heart consisteth in two things, 1. That the Will be persuadable, tractable and yielding to God, and pliable to his will: 2. That the Affections or Passions be somewhat moved herewithal about spiritual things. Some degree more or less of the latter, doth concur with the former; but I have told you that it is the former wherein the heart and life of Grace doth lie and that the latter is very various, and uncertain to try ⟨p. 425⟩by. Many do much overlook the Scripture-meaning of the word Hard-heartedness. Mark it up and down concerning the Israelites who are so oft charged by Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and other Prophets, to be hardhearted, or to harden their hearts, or stiffen their necks; and you will find that the most usual meaning of the Holy Ghost is this; They were an intractable, disobedient, obstinate people: or as the Greek word in the New Testament signifieth, which we often translate Unbelieving, they were an Unpersuadable people: no saying would serve them. They set light by Gods Commands, Promises, and severest Threatenings, and Judgements themselves: nothing would move them to forsake their sins and obey the voice of God. You shall find that hardness of heart is seldom put for want of tears, or a melting weeping disposition; and never at all for the want of such tears, where the will is tractable and obedient. I pray you examine your self then according to this Rule. God offereth his Love in Christ, and Christ with all his benefits to you: Are you willing to Accept them? He commandeth you to worship him, and use his ordinances, and Love his people, and others, and to forsake your known Iniquities, so far that they may not have dominion over you: Are you Willing ⟨p. 426⟩to this? He commandeth you to take him for your God, and Christ for your Redeemer, and stick to him for better and worse, and never forsake him. Are you willing to do this? If you have a stiff Rebellious heart, and will not Accept of Christ and Grace, and will rather let go Christ then the world, and will not be persuaded from your known iniquities, but are loth to leave them, and love not to be reformed, and will not set upon those duties, as you are able, which God requireth, and you are fully convinced of, then are you Hard-hearted in the Scripture sense.