A LETTER AGAINST hardness of heart.A LETTER AGAINST hardnes of heart.

A LETTER AGAINST hardness of heart.

A LETTER AGAINST hardnes of heart.

I Beseech God, the Father of Jesus Christ, to give me his good spirit; in writing to give advice, and you in reading to receive it. Amen. Since the time that I received M. S. Letter, wherein he declared his careful compassion over your estate: I have been not a little grieved, because partly for want of a convenient messenger, and partly because of my manifold distractions with the like occurrences, and other weighty affairs, I have been hindered ⟨image 34⟩from writing hitherto unto you. And albeit even still I be in the same case, yet conscience towards God, & love and compassion towards you, forceth me to overcome lets, which hardly I could otherwayes prevail against. And albeit I cannot speak as I would, yet of that which I shall write, proceeding from the forenamed grounds; I look for some blessing of God through Jesus Christ: If you will not toe much faint in faith, and yield to the Adversary; yea if you will but hope so well of your self as (in the fear of God I write it) I hope of you. First, whereas it seemeth you are sometimes grieved, because you tarried not still at Cambridge, according to my advice; you must know, that I advised it not as a thing necessary, but more convenient as I then supposed; but yet as I advised you to obey your Father, if his pleasure still continued to have you home, whereunto you yielding, I cannot see how you offended, it being your Fathers pleasure you should so do. And who knoweth whether being here, you might not as much have been troubled, there being no privilege for persons and places in such cases. And who knoweth whether it be the Lords pleasure for ⟨image 35⟩the example and instruction, and I hope the consolation of others in the end. And albeit, you wish that here you were nearer the more and stronger means, yet know you and be persuaded, that God can and doeth in such cases, work by fewer and weaker means, according to his good pleasure: besides, it is in our corrupted nature to make much of such means as we cannot have, and not so to esteem those which God doth offer us as we should do. I beseech you therefore in the name of Jesus Christ, humbly to praise God for those means which he offereth in mercy unto you, and to use them in faith accordingly; and so God will bless you by them:

I Beseech God, the Father of Iesus Christ, to giue me his good spirit; in writing to giue advice, and you in reading to receiue it. Amen. Since the time that I receiued M. S. Letter, wherein he declared his carefull compassion ouer your estate: I haue beene not a little grieued, because partly for want of a convenient messenger, and partly because of my manifolde distractions with the like occurrances, and other waightie affaires, I haue beene hindred

and then by such conference as you may have from hence by Letters, wherein if I may stand you in any stead, rather for the good opinion you have of me, than for any great matter I am able to perform: I shall be ready to offer my office of love unto you, as God shall enable me, and so far forth as I shall be instructed in your particular estate, by some letters sent from you by convenient messengers: by which I presently perceive by M. S. Letters, that you are afflicted with the blindness of your mind, and hardness of your heart, which cannot be ⟨image 35⟩moved, either with the promises of Gods mercies, or fear of his Judgements; nor affected with love and delight of the things which be good, or with hatred and loathing of the evil: great cause you have of grief I confess, but no cause of despair do I grant; because I am persuaded, that your persuasion is somewhat false; partly for want of a sound judgement in your estate, & partly for some defect of faith, somewhat through your own default. First therefore, know you for a certainty, that this is no other temptation, than such as divers of Gods children have for a time been humbled with, and afterwards have had good issue thereout: and if it please God to move you to credit me, I my self have known others as deeply this way plunged as you can be: Remember therefore, that God is faithful, and will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you shall be able to bear. 1. Cor. 10. 13. and yet further to confirm you herein, the holy Scriptures do record, that this way God heretofore hath humbled his own people, in whose person the Prophet Isaiah lamentably thus complaineth, 63. 15. O Lord, look down from Heaven, and behold from the dwelling ⟨image 36⟩place of thy holiness, and of thy glory: where is thy zeal and thy strength? the multitude of thy mercies & of thy compassions are restrained from me: And afterwards, O Lord, why hast thou made us err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear: And in the next Chapter, verse 6. We have been all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness is as filthy clouts, and we all do fade like a leaf, and our iniquity like the wind taketh us away, and there is none that calleth upon thy name, neither that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee; for thou hast hid thy face from us, and hast consumed us because of our iniquities. And in the 59.

Chapter, verse 10. We grope for the wall like the blind, and we grope as one without eyes, and we stumble in the noon day as in the twi-light, we are in solitary places like dead men, we roar like Bears, and mourn like Doves. Soe complains Hezekiah in the bitterness of his soul 34. 14. of Isaiah. Like a Crane, or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a Dove. And Psal. 51. 10. where David ⟨image 36⟩crieth, Create in me, O God, a clean heart, and renew in me a right spirit: restore to me the joy of my salvation, and stablish me with thy free spirit. Doth he not declare, that his heart was unclean, that his spirit was crooked, that the way of his salvation was lost, and himself subject to the spirit of bondage: so that wanting the spirit of liberty or adoption, he could not cry Abba Father, nor have any power against sin. Thus you see how Gods children may be blinded in mind, and hardened in hart for a time: so that they feel in themselves the graces of the holy spirit, to be as it were perished and dead. Further, to relieve the infirmity of your judgment in this part and point, (because I know it may much distress you) you must understand there be two kinds of hardness of hart: the one which is not perceived & felt, the other which is perceived & felt: and of the former, that there be two sorts: the first, which is most fearful, when any do purposely resist the motions of God his spirit, & willingly refuse the means of their salvation: of the which Zechariah speaketh, 7. 11. They refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears ⟨image 37⟩that they should not hear; yea they made their heart as an Adamant stone, lest they should hear the Law, and the words which the Lord of Hosts sent in his spirit by the ministry of his former Prophets. The outrageous sin of these men, the Prophet Isaiah expresseth in these their own fearful terms. 28. 15. We have made a covenant with death, and we are at agreement with hell; though a scourge run over and pass through, yet it shall not come at us; for we have made falsehood our refuge, & under vanity are we hid. This was a fearful estate indeed: yet for all that, no man can say, but some of them having hardened their hearts, might be, and were afterwards converted:

Chapter, verse 10. Wee grope for the wall like the blind, and wee grope as one without eyes, and we stumble in the noone day as in the twy-light, wee are in solitarie places like dead men, wee roare like Beares, and mourne like Doues. Soe complaines Hezechias in the bitternes of his soule 34. 14. of Esay. Like a Crane, or a swallowe, so did I chatter: I did mourne as a Doue. And

the other kind of hardness of heart, which is not felt nor perceived, or if perceived, yet not felt, (which albeit is less fearful, yet is dangerous enough) is in such, who although they wilfully resist not Gods spirit in good means, yet securely, carelessly, & willingly they lie in sin; and that without any remorse of it, or any taste of good things. Such was Davids state by the space of a year, before Nathan the Prophet came to reprove him, and rouse him from his ⟨image 37⟩lulled sleep: both these kinds I am persuaded you are free from; other ways than in temptation, Satan may sometimes move you thereunto. The other kind of hardness of hart, which is perceived and felt, is of two sorts: the one in them who are desirous of means, whereby to be relieved; although they do find small or no grace in themselves for a time: In this kind the Prophet Isaiah, in the want of some of Gods people, complaineth. Isaiah 63. 15. And such was Davids state after Nathan had reproved him, and Gods spirit began to work with him; yet crieth he out as ye heard before, of the loss of Gods graces: and when he saith, that God will accept of no sacrifices, be they never so many or precious, without a contrite heart & broken spirit: he showed, that for a time (even after the Prophet had reproved him) he wanted both. This is your case, and therefore in the state of salvation: for David was in this case even after he had confessed his sin (as my trust is you do) and after he had received absolution and pardon from God by the ministry of Nathan, although he never felt any joy thereof, nor true grief for the other: yet because in truth of heart he confessed his sin, as I hope ⟨image 38⟩you do; and was certainly persuaded of the pardonableness of it by Gods mercy, as you must be if you will have mercy (although he was far of from feeling it, or applying it to his woeful conscience) his state was good and very well to be hoped of, and you must know, and be persuaded of Gods Saints; namely, of David and Peter, & such others, that they are ensamples for us, if we will stay our selves upon the word of God in the ministry of his servants, and wait upon the Lords good time, until he come nearer unto us by his spirit;

the other kind of hardnes of heart, which is not felt nor perceiued, or if perceiued, yet not felt, (which albeit is lesse fearefull, yet is dangerous enough) is in such, who although they wilfully resist not Gods spirit in good meanes, yet securely, carlesly, & willingly they ly in sin; and that without any remorse of it, or any tast of good things. Such was Davids state by the space of a yeare, before Nathan the Prophet came to reprooue him, and rouse him from his

nearer I say, for he was come already unto you (or it may be he never went from you) because to be grieved & humbled with blindness of mind and hardness of heart, to believe certainly the servants of God which bring unto us glad tidings of salvation, and the truth of Gods promises in general; and to long after comfort, using the means of the word, and prayer; the Sacrament of the supper, & the company of Gods children, contrary to hope under hope; yea without any present feeling: all this is a certain argument that Gods spirit is with such, and therefore with you. This estate though it be very grievous, yet it is never dangerous, much less is it fearful, ⟨image 38⟩unless any be so wilful, that they do persevere and continue in desperate refusing of all good means. Unless they persevere I say, for that through the subtle sleights of the spiritual adversary & his forcible power, whereby God suffereth him sometime for a season to winnow them as wheat: they are so bewitched and intoxicated, that they are carried with violent force of temptation to wax weary of it, or to refuse all kind of comfort by fits; yea almost to have no desire at all unto them, yea sometimes even to speak evil of them: but all this is but in temptation, therefore God will be merciful unto them for Christs sake. Thus Job cursed the day of his birth, and wished to be strangled. Jeremiah almost repented that ever he preached in the name of the Lord: both scarcely abstained from blasphemy. David moved with the spirit of ambition, though dutifully admonished, yet wilfully went on in numbering the people. Peter also vain-gloriously presuming of his own strength, being most wisely & effectually premonished of his weakness, even by our Lord Jesus: yet wittingly rusheth as an horse into the battle, and then very cowardly yieldeth and doubly denieth, ⟨image 39⟩yea strengtheneth his sin with a threefold cord, and fasteneth it with banning and cursing; and yet all these obtained mercy bountifully: for why, as Satan had desired to winnow them, so our Saviour Christ prayed for them; that their faith, although it was battered, yet it should not be destroyed; although it were sore oppressed, yet it should not be extinguished. And here be you fully persuaded, that though Luke 22.

neerer I say, for he was come already vnto you (or it may be he never went from you) because to be grieued & humbled with blindnes of minde and hardnes of heart, to beleeue certainly the servāts of God which bring vnto vs glad tydings of salvation, and the truth of Gods promises in generall; and to long after comfort, vsing the meanes of the word, and praier; the Sacrament of the supper, & the company of Gods children, contrary to hope vnder hope; yea without any present feeling: all this is a certaine argument that Gods spirite is with such, and therefore vvith you. This estate though it be very grievous, yet it is never dangerous, much lesse is it fearfull,

the words seem to run as belonging to Peter (I have prayed for thee, that thy faith should not fail) yet that he prayed as well for the rest of the Apostles, yea for all the faithful: for first he saith not, Simon, Satan hath desired to winnow thee, but you: why then saith he, I have prayed for thee? Verily, because he should more grievously offend than the rest (although their offence was very great) therefore his and our most blessed Saviour applied to him the promise, but did not appropriate it to him only and restrain it from the rest: and compare with this place, John 17. 20. and you shall see that the heavenly verity affirmeth, that he prayed not only for the Apostles, but for all those that should believe through their word: ⟨image 39⟩Yea further, our Lord Jesus Christ was yester day, and to day, and shall be for ever. And as the Fore-fathers were baptised into him, and did eat his flesh and drink his blood; so was his prayer effectual, even to them under the Law, much more unto us under grace: and when you can find testimony of your heart, that when you would do well, yet evil is present with you, and that you do the evil you would not: then do not you it, but sin in you, when it leadeth you captive. Rom. 7. Much more then, when Satan worketh with all, buffeting you, assure your self that God hath pity on you, and that the virtue of his power shall be perfect in your weakness. 2. Cor. 12. 9. If you believe, according to your faith be it unto you; but you will say, you cannot believe, that this vile and crooked hardness of heart, can be remitted and renewed. And this was the second point, within the former part of my Letter, I gave you to understand, what was the cause of your excessive distress. I beseech you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you will not willingly lye, nor offer injury to Gods spirit, nor to your self, who have received it: tell me what is the reason why you think you have no faith? ⟨image 40⟩verily because you have no feeling nor no other fruits thereof as you think: well, first then agree with me herein (as you must if you will not disagree with the trueth) that feeling is but an effect & a fruit of faith: and therefore there may be faith without feeling, as the cause may be without the effect, and the tree without any appearance of fruit, yea of sap for a season.

And as a man sore wounded or diseased, may for a season be deprived almost of all operations of the natural life to the outward show, and his own judgement and feeling: so may a spiritual man be sore wounded by Satan, and be diseased by present sight and feeling of his sinful corruptions; specially, in that the life of the spirit ts not in him. Thus Peters holy fail (as you have heard) or else the prayer of our Saviour prevailed not. Thus when David Psalm. 51. 12. declared that his heart was unclean, and his spirit crooked and unstable: and verse 14. that he had lost the joy of his salvation, and the spirit of liberty or adoption: yea vers. 13. he prayeth that God would not take his holy spirit from him: therefore he was not deprived of the spirit of sanctification. Here seemeth repugnance, but there ⟨image 40⟩is none: he was deprived for a season of the graces of the sanctifying spirit, but not of the holy Ghost, wherewith he was sanctified: which graces as God restored unto him, so I am persuaded that he will unto you: yea I doubt whether you are deprived of them; but only that partly melancholy, and partly Satan working therewith, makes you do injury to your self, & to the graces of the spirit in you, which I beseech you take heed of. But the Messenger cannot stay, I therefore cannot write as I would, either of this, or of the remedies you should use: which hereafter I will, if God shall enable me. And I pray you, let me understand as I requested in the beginning, of your estate in particular somewhat more, & that by this bearer if you can: because he is of your acquaintance, and will bring it unto me faithfully. Only I add now unto that which I have written of hardness of heart at large, that you must diligently observe the word Create, which David useth, Psal. 51. declaring how he had no feeling of his heart. To this join that which the Prophet Isaiah speaketh in the person of God. 57. 3. I create the fruit of the lips to be peace, as well to him that is far off, ⟨image 41⟩as to him that is near. Therefore, in Faith you may as well pray with the hope to obtain, as did David: therefore say with him often, and with Gods people, Isaiah 64. 12. O Lord, thou art our Father, we indeed are clay; but thou art our maker and we are the work of thine hands, &c. Know you, that God can cause Wolves, Lyons, & Leopards, &c.

wallowing with lambs, calves, and kine. Isaiah 11. 6. And that which is unpossible unto men, is possible unto God, even to cause a cable rope to go through a needle's eye: that is, to change the heart of the unbelieving, covetous, and wretched man; much more yours: yea, know you, that all things are possible to him that believeth: Cry then, I believe, oh Lord help mine unbelief: and I do promise you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you shall have your desire in goodness. Thus abruptly I must make an end, I commend you unto God, and the word of his grace which is able for to build you up, and to give you the right of inheritance amongst them which are sanctified. And the very God of Peace, sanctify you throughout, that your whole spirit, ⟨image 41⟩soul, and body, may be kept blameless until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Faithful is he which hath called you, and vvill do it. I pray you pray for me, and I trust as I have, so I shall pray for you and much more.

wallowing with lambs, calues, and kyne. Esay 11. 6. And that vvhich is vnpossible vnto men, is possible vnto God, euen to cause a cable rope to go through a needels eye: that is, to change the heart of the vnbeleeuing, covetous, and vvretched man; much more yours: yea, knowe you, that all things are possible to him that beleeueth: Crye then, I beleeue, oh Lord help mine vnbeliefe: and I do promise you in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ, that you shall haue your desire in goodnesse. Thus abruptlye I must make an end, I commend you vnto God, and the vvorde of his grace vvhich is able for to builde you vppe, and to giue you the right of inheritance amongst them vvhich are sanctified. And the very God of Peace, sanctifie you throughout, that your vvhole spirit, ⟨image 41⟩soule, and body, may bee kept blamelesse vntill the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ: Faithfull is hee vvhich hath called you, and vvill do it. I pray you pray for me, and I trust as I haue, so I shall pray for you and much more.

Yours in Jesus Christ to use in any need R. GREENHAM.

Yours in Iesus Christ to vse in any neede R. GREENHAM.