The Godly Man's Picture

Object. 2 But I fear I am not bruised as I should be, I find my heart so hard?

Object. 2 But I fear I am not bruised as I should be, I finde my heart so hard?

Answ. 1 We must distinguish between ⟨p. 327⟩hardness of heart, and an hard•heart; the best heart may have some hardness, but though there be some hardness in it, it is not an hard heart; denominations are from the better part; if we come into a field that hath Tares and Wheat in it, we do not call it a field of Tares, but a Wheat-field; so though there be hardness in the heart, as well as softness; yet God, who judgeth by that part which is more excellent, looks upon it as a soft heart.

Answ. 1 Wee must distinguish between ⟨p. 327⟩hardness of heart, and an hard•heart; the best heart may have some hardness, but though there be some hardnesse in it, it is not an hard heart; denominations are from the better part; if we come into a field that hath Tares and Wheat in it, we do not call it a field of Tares, but a Wheat-field; so though there be hardnesse in the heart, as well as softnesse; yet God, who judgeth by that part which is more excellent, looks upon it as a soft heart.

2 There is a great difference between the hardness in the godly and the wicked; the one is natural, the other is only accidental; the hardness in a wicked man, is like the hardness of a stone, which is an innate continued hardness; the hardness in a child of God, is like the hardness of Ice, which is soon melted with the Sun-beams; perhaps God hath at present withdrawn his spirit, whereupon the heart is congealed as Ice, but let Gods spirit as the Sun, return and shine upon the heart, now it hath a gracious thaw upon it, and it melts in love.