We see that waters of the same colour have not the same nature and effect, for hot waters are of the same colour with plain ordinary waters, yet more effectual; so the words of man coming from a man may seem at first to be the same with others, yet notwithstanding, the words of God coming from the Spirit of God carry a more wonderful excellency in them even to hearts of kings. Therefore Huldah speaks to the king, “Thus saith the Lord,” etc. Josiah in uprightness sends to inquire, and the Lord returns him a full and upright answer. Whence we may learn--
I. That God doth graciously fit prophets for persons, and His word to a people that are upright in their hearts. Where there is a true desire to know the will of God, there God will give men sincere prophets that shall answer them exactly. But those that are false-hearted shall have suitable teachers, who shall instruct them according to their lusts. If they be like Ahab, they shall have four hundred false prophets to teach falsehood to please their lusts (1Ki_22:6); but if they be Davids they shall have Nathans. If they be Josiahs they shall have Huldahs and Jeremiahs. God commended Josiah because his heart was tender. A tender heart is--
1. Sensitive.
2. Pliable.
3. Yielding.
II. That it is a supernatural disposition of a true child of God to have a tender, soft, and a melting heart. All by nature have stony hearts in respect of spiritual goodness. Say what you will to a hard heart, it will never yield. A hammer will do no good to a stone. It may break it in pieces, but not draw it to any form. So to a stony heart all the threatenings in the world will do no good. You may break it in pieces but never work upon it. It must be the Almighty power of God. All that are gracious must of necessity have soft hearts.
III. Therefore i will show--
1. How a tender heart is wrought. It is made tender by Him who made it (Eze_11:19).
1. God through the use of means softens it by His Word, in producing apprehension of judgment.
2. It is wrought by an apprehension of tenderness and love in Christ. Many say that an adamant cannot be melted with fire, but by blood. I cannot tell whether this be true or no; but I am sure nothing will melt the hard heart of man but the blood of Christ.
3. When the heart is made tender by the Spirit, many things will work tenderness.
(1) The works of God.
(2) His judgments.
(3) The Word and sacraments.
(4) God’s promises.
2. How it may be preserved and maintained.
(1) Keep under the means whereby God’s Spirit will work.
(2) Seek to realise the forlorn state of the Church abroad.
(3) Labour for a legal and evangelical faith.
(4) Associate with those who are tender-hearted.
(5) Take heed of the least sin against conscience. As water, when it begins to freeze, will not endure anything, not so much as the weight of a pin upon it, but after a while will bear the weight of a cart; even so at the beginning, the heart being tender, trembles at the least sin, and will not bear with any one; but when it once gives way to sins against conscience, it becomes so frozen that it can endure any sin, and so becomes more and more hard.
(6) Take heed of spiritual drunkenness; that is, be not drunk with an immoderate use of the creatures (Hos_4:11).
(7) Take heed of hypocrisy.
(8) Take heed of great sins.
(9) Consider the miserable estate of hardness of heart.
8. How it may be discerned from the contrary. By applying of the soul unto objects--
(1) To God. As it is tender from God, so it is tender for God. He that hath a tender heart cannot endure to dishonour God himself, or to hear others dishonour Him.
(2) To His Word. A tender heart is sensitive to--
(a) Its threatening (Isa_66:2; 2Co_5:11; 2Pe_3:11); its promises, its directions (Isa_6:8; Psa_27:8).
(3) To the works of God. A tender heart quakes when it sees the judgments of God upon others.
(4) To our regard of the estate of others, whether they be good or bad (Psa_119:136; Php_3:18; Mat_23:37; Mat_11:25).
Conclusion:
1. What an excellent thing a tender heart is (Isa_57:15).
2. It fits a man for the end for which he was created. The service of God.
3. It is fit for any blessedness. It is capable of any beatitude.
4. Consider the wretched state of a heart that is not tender, and will not yield. (R. Sibbes.)
A tender heart
I. Give a general account of a tender heart. It implies--
1. A quick and ready sense and feeling in spiritual things.
(1) Quickness of apprehension.
(2) Ready reflections of conscience.
(3) A disposition to be easily affected.
2. A pliable disposition to yield to Divine influences.
II. Describe the way in which such a temper should express itself.
1. In relation to the Word of God. A man of religious tenderness of spirit will--
(1) Make it his business to acquaint himself with the mind of God.
(2) Pay ready subjection to the authority of God in His Word.
(3) Be afraid to do anything which he doubts to be disagreeable to God’s Word.
(4) Will frequently compare hisheart and life with God’s Word.
2. In relation to sin.
3. In relation to providential events.
4. In relation to the honour of God.
III. What foundation is laid for such a temper in Christianity.
1. The rule of our faith and practice is more complete.
2. The recompenses of the life to come are more fully revealed to us.
3. Richer discoveries of grace are made to us.
4. Ceremonials have given way to substantials of religion.
5. The softening spirit is more plentifully communicated.
IV. Inferences.
1. Discern the differences between a truly Christian temper and some things mistaken for it. It is not--
(1) Natural easiness of disposition--
(2) Occasional.
2. Let us all seek after and cultivate this tenderness of spirit.
3. If conscious of its possession, take the comfort of it as good evidence of a renewed and Christian state. (J. Evans, D.D.)
And thou didst humble thyself.
Self-humbling
I. The acceptable act.
1. It was a real and personal act.
2. It was voluntary. “Thou didst humble thyself.”
3. It was a sincerely devout act.
4. It was a very deep and thorough one.
II. Reasons for imitating it.
1. A deep sense of sin, its heinousness and the punishment it deserves.
2. Our origin and our end.
3. The sovereign grace which has made us to differ.
4. The greatness of God.
5. The life and death of Christ.
III. The encouraging results which followed.
1. Humiliation will often avert judgment.
2. It always brings a positive blessing with it.
3. It will improve our spiritual health.
4. It promotes ourusefulness. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The art of self-humbling
I. That it is a disposition not unbefitting kings to humble themselves before God.
II. That the actions of grace are reflected actions. They begin from a man’s self, and end in a man’s self. Yet we must not exclude the Spirit. For the further expression of this humbling of ourselves before God, we will consider--
1. The kinds and degrees of it.
(1) Inward.
(a) Humiliation in the mind in regard of judgment and knowledge, when our understandings are convinced, that we are as we are.
(b) Affections of humiliation, shame, sorrow, fear.
(2) Outward. As manifested in words and in outward behaviour and carriage.
2. Some directions how we may humble ourselves,
(1) Get poor spirits, that is spirits to see the wants in ourselves and in the creature; the emptiness of all earthly things without God’s favour; the insufficiency of ourselves and of the creature at the day of judgment.
(2) Let us bring ourselves into the presence of the Great God and consider His attributes, His works of justice abroad in the world, and upon ourselves in particular (Job_42:6; Joh_1:27; 1Co_15:9; Mat_8:8; Gen_32:10).
(3) Let us be content to hear of our sins and baseness by others.
(4) Look to the time to come, what we shall be ere long, earth and dust; and at the day of judgment we must be stripped of all.
(5) Let us set before us the example of our blessed Saviour.
(6) Let us work upon our own souls by reasoning, discoursing, and speaking to our own hearts.
3. The motives to move us to get this humiliation.
(1) Consider the promises that aremade to this disposition (Isa_57:15; Jam_4:10). As examples we have Peter, David, Manasseh, Josiah. Every branch of humiliation hath a promise. A humble heart is a vessel of all graces. Humility emptieth the heart for God to fill it. God hath but two heavens to dwell in; the heaven of heavens and the heart of a poor humble man. When a man is humbled he is fit for all good. As all the water that is upon the hills runs into the valleys, so all grace goes to the humble.
(2) All outward actions benefit other men; but this inward action of humbling a man’s self makes the soul itself good.
(3) A humble soul is a secure and safe soul.
4. The notes whereby it may be known.
(1) Holy humiliation is voluntary.
(2) It is ever joined with reformation.
(3) Sin must appear bitter to the soul. There is in every renewed soul a secret loathing and hatred of evil, and is expressed--
(a) In a serious purpose and resolution not to offend God in the least kind.
(b) There must be a constant endeavour to avoid the occasions and allurements of sin.
(c) There must be a hatred and loathing of sin in our confessions (Psa_51:4).
(4) True humiliation proceeds from faith. It quakes, at the foresight of judgment, but the wicked never humble themselves but when judgment is upon them.
(5) With true humiliation is joined hope.
(6) Hypocrites are sorrowful for the judgment that is upon them, but not for that which is the cause of judgment, but the child of God is humbled for sin.
(7) True humiliation is a thorough humiliation. It is not like Ephraim’s morning dew, quickly gone. (R. Sibbes.)
The art of mourning
“Rending of clothes” was a thing frequently used in old times, andit was a visible representation of the inward sorrow of the heart (Job_1:20; Job_2:12; Act_14:14; Mar_14:63; Isa_37:1). It was frequently used among the heathen also. Observe--
I. That the body and soul must join together in the action of humiliation.
II. That when God will afflict or humble a man, it is not a kingdom that will save him.
III. That tears and mourning for sin, when it comes from inward grief, is a temper well befitting any man.
IV. That it concerns magistrates above all others, to take to heart any danger whatsoever that is upon their people.
V. That it is the duty of every Christian to take to heart the threatening of God against the place and people where he doth live.
VI. That God takes a particular notice and understands the prayers we make unto Him. God hears our prayers, because--
1. He is gracious and merciful.
2. He is our Father.
3. He has promised to do so (Psa_50:15).
4. They are the motions of His own Spirit (Rom_8:26-27).
5. They are offered up in the name of a Mediator.
6. They are made according to His will.
Conclusion: If we would have God hear us, then--
1. Let us hear God as Josiah did.
2. Our prayers must proceed from a broken heart.
3. We must add to them the wings of love, faith, hope and earnestness, as Josiah did here.
4. Let us have such a resolution and purpose of reformation like Josiah’s. (R. Sibbes.)
