506 of the StonyHeart, andHeart ofAlb. S e c r.X. the world is able to fay fo, I will give men other hearts. 2. The mercy promifed, and that is t. By removing the obnruiion or contrary, I Will rake away the flan' heart. 2. By the pofition of the good vouchfafed, and that is fet down, I. In the root, in the habit or fountain, A heart offiefh. a. In the fruir, fiream oraé}ual operations, I will caufe them to *akinmy fiatutes, &c. 3. There is obfervable, t.' The mannerof Gods vouchfafing this, it is by way ofpromife, I will do thus and thus ; an abfolute promife,not fufpendedupon mansmerits or prerequifites. z. The manner ofthe workingof this, its irreuftably, infupera- bly, omnipotently : So that the heart of a man is a fubjeft meetlypatient to re- ceive it ; not a free Agent to cooperate with this mighty grace In all thefe particulars, we shall findewhat Sampfon did in theLyons carcafs, many honey combs of spiritual honey: And let us begin with the first, Thefole efficient caufe, who hath the dominion over mens hearts : I will rake away theheart of florae -; he that by his omnipotent word could fay, Let there be light, and there Was light ; doch alto here fay, Let theffóny heart become foft,' let thehard heart become tender, and it prefentlyyields, it Both not withfland God as ifGod had Paid, I know your hearts are too hard for you, you cannot mafter them, you cannot change them, but I cando it : Whenceobferve, obferv. That Godbath an immediate dominionand power over menkearts. This is the foie prerogative of God, he can rile what terror and horror he pleafeththere, and all the world cannot affwage it : He alto can give peace and comfort, and all the Devils in hell cannot take it away : If they were fo affeet- ed, as to cry out, What manner of perfon is this, Whom the Windsandfeat obey ? how much rather maywe cry out, What is that God,how great and wonderful, who works in the heartsof men what he pleafeth ? Thus Psalm ;3. t q. anex- cellent Psalmagainft Atheism, wherein thePfalmift giveth several arguments to prove the providence of God, that things arenotcarried in this world, as mens lulls and counfels would have it, but as God orders ir, either inmercy or ¡unite : This,I fay, the Pfalmift would have men believe; for whenwe fee things done inthe world, contrary to that we judgerighteoufnefs, andyet no judgementsimmediately following, we are readyto be tempted about our faith. As Pompey, when he was overcome byCafar, fled to Athens, and there difpnted there was no providence, becaufe be thought he was defected ina juft caufe : But this is tobe ignorant of God, and not tobe able to plough with his heifer, to underftand theScripture, by which all thofe Divine Riddles maybeopened. Nowamong other arguments, he brings one that confirms my Dolhrine, He falhaneth their heartalike; The Argument is this, He that makes the heart,know- eth every thing in the heart, and can make it think, willand love,as he pleafeth. As the Artificer that makes a clock, he knoweth all things about the clock, and makes it ftrike whenand where he pleafeth : And thewords are Emphatical, He fafhioneth ; the fame word is used of Gods fashioningmans body out ofthedun at first : So that God can as eafily form and fafhion the foulsof men, as he can their bodies he can as eafily mike them with fear, as thebody with difeafes. Again, Refafhioneth them alike; in the Hebrew Vin' Simul;-that is, asCome expound, all mens hearts, there is not one mans excepted ; or else as others, totally andwholly, there is nothing can arife in the heart,not the lean thought, or thelean motion, but it comes by Gods providence. HenceProv.znr. the Kings heart is laid to bein thehandof the Lord : A Kings heart, the greatest of men, and whofe counfels and purpofes kern to be moil hidden, and moil potent to beeffefted ; And itsin the hand of theLord: Anotable expreflion, to fhew how calmly-he can govern and turn as be pleafeth ; and thenbe ufeth an excellent fimilitude, He turneth it as the Rivers of waters s That as a stream of `water running down the torrent, can eafily by the husbandmanbe flops and turneddown another course, either to refresh his ground, or annoy it : Thus the Lord turneth the heartsof chofe thatrule inthe world, either for mercyor judgement,
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