2. Fear. It is always made a preservative against hardness of heart: Isa. Ixiii. 17, ' 0 Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear ? ' Fear argueth a constant sense of God's presence, and a deep respect to him, so as that we are loath to offend him ; it makes the soul to walk as in God's company, and there- fore it is kept humble : Prov. xxviii. 14, * Happy is the man that fear- eth alway ; but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.' It will make us tender of offending God, and yielding to our own cor- ruptions, though never so secret. Who is the man that is opposed to him that hardeneth his heart ? ' He that feareth alway.' Careless- ness breedeth senselessness ; but now, when we are continually watchful, and say, Shall I thus and thus offend God ? the heart is kept in a good frame.
218 SERMONS UPON MARK III. 5.
Tliirdly, There are two ordinances — the word and prayer ; for water, if never so scalding, will return to its natural coldness.
1, The word : 2 Chron. xxxiv. 19, ' It came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his clothes ; ' and ver. 27, ' Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me, I have even heard thee also, saith the Lord ; ' Heb. iii. 7, 8, ' To-day, if 3'e will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.' A conscionable hear- ing the word will prevent hardness of heart : Jer. xxiii. 29, ' Is not my word like a fire, saith the Lord, and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces ? ' There is the double work of the word — legal and evangelical ; the breaking and the melting power of it. There is a great deal of difference between breaking the ice with a staff, and thaw- ing or melting it : break it in one place, and it f reezeth in another ; melting is more universal. There are legal breakings and gospel melt- ings ; there sin is discovered, here it is subdued. But then you must use the word as an ordinance, receive it in faith and obedience ; use it in obedience, when you are discouraged in point of faith: Luke v. 5, ' Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing ; never- theless at thy word I will let down the net.' But use it not only in obedience, but in faith ; you must hear the word, not only as a moral lecture or legal discourse, or as a means of literal instruction, but evan- gelically, Avaiting for the power and presence of God.
2. Prayer. God will be specially owned in this work. No creature in the world can soften and turn the heart, but only God. He that made the heart can only change it : Ezek. xi. 1 9, ' And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within j'ou ; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh.' It is God only that gives a teachable mind, a pliable will, and ready aflfec- tions. Go, then, and practise this duty ; beg of God to give you a heart more pliable to the work of grace, more capable to be renewed, more soft and ready to receive the impressions of grace, and be earnest with him for this.
I shall now give you some further advice.
1. In the first place, begin with conversion to God ; look for a change of state. Eepentance in particular cases is neither right nor acceptable, as long as men do not mind conversion to God, and a change of state by regeneration. When the tree is good, then the fruits are answerable. Get the heart of stone taken away, and then labour to preserve a tender frame. It is a fruitless course to look after a good frame, till we are brought into a good estate. Natural hardness is the cause of habitual hardness ; till that be taken away by regeneration all Cometh to nothing.
2. Be tender how you use your light. Men wax bold by sinning against light, and seem to get a victory over tlieir consciences. When the candle is put out, lust will be stirring. Light and reason is God's bridle on man to keep him in awe. Well, then, use your light ten- derly. If it be bat an half light, search further ; if it be a full light, walk by it. If you are children of the light, you will have no fellow- ship with the unfruitful works of darkness.
SERMONS UPON MARK lU. 5. 219
3. After you have sinned, take up betimes ; as Peter went out, and wept bitterly ; for sin will fret, and soak in more and more.
4. Use frequent recollection and commuumg with your hearts. Man hath reason, and can talk with himself. God, that cannot err, surveyed every day's work, and found it good. Cast up your account at the foot of every page. He that runneth in debt, and never casteth up his accounts, will sink at last. A man is insensibly hardened for want of searching and ransacking his conscience ; there is no serious repentance without it : Lam. iii. 40, ' Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.' Grod will search you if you leave the work to him.