Sac T. X. Of the Stony Heart, and Heart of f f, 5 09 not henken to good counfel, becanfe it was of the Lord to deftror them : Whom he Wild, hehardens, faith the Apoftle, Rom.9. But this is a tender point, Divines are largeabout it ; onely know, that God Both not infule hardnefs of heart, nor any evil difpofition in men. for he cannot be the author of that of which he is the Avenger ; but it is by withdrawing and denying his mollifying Grace : And then as the withdrawing of fire from the water, makes it prefently cold, and return to its native temperament; fo it is here, God forfaking the heart by denying his mollifying and foftningoperations, it cannot but grow fliffand obdurate againft God. Thirdly,in the laff place, Let us view theglaylous power ofGod,over the hearts of 1II. men Ma gracioasWay; and that is properly intended in the Text; I mill give histhe é of an heart of firj$. NowGodswork on the heart, when he changeth it, in thefe particulars : Firft, He convinceth and enlightens the minde With Each a glorious light, that a, the perfon converted flankamazed at it : That We lhould Jhe *forth his praifewho hathtranflated us oat of darknefs, into his marvellous light, r Pet,2.9 Arid you that Were darknefs, are now made light, Ephef. 4. This is the feeing eye that God vouchfafeth to fornemen : Now then,ifto refforeeyes to theblirde,was fo won- derful a work, howwonderful is it to givea man new light? God gives a man new abilities to fee; hedoth not onely bring the object, and the medium, but theability alto ; and till this be done, its impofliblemen fhouldever loveorde- fire what is good : Oh lookup then to this I you are apt to be wife in your own eyes, youareapt tofay, as the Pharifees did, We fee: But pray earntflly to God for thisfpirit of illumination; thou wilt then finde asmuch difference in thy felt, asone in a dark clofe dungeon; and another, that is come out into the open Sun-Thine. Secondly, Gods Workon the heart, is to raife upInch ajfe.lions asmay make the ?` gokeofChrtfiealiie s That may make thee withdelight and joy,to imbracewhat is good : for hire is the great oblruction againft converfion, men have carnal andearthly hearts, they delight in what is evil, they imbrace the dunghill, they leve the mire,like fwine.laenceall heavenlyand fpiritual objects are grievous and burthenfom :to them : Now then God he can turn this clod of earth, in- to a tsar in thesky ; he can change this heavy lumpifh temper, into agracious fpiritual difpofition : And whenhedoth thus, then what was once tedious and grievous, now becomes pleafantand joyful. Thirdly, He dothmake the heart tender andmelting: And this is thegreat mer- cy here promifed : for naturally the heart isa flone in fpiritual things; it bath no apprehenfion, no joy, no fence ; lay all the wrath of God before it, and youcannot move it, you cannot make it mourn and grieve; but when Cod puts forth this power, then a drywildernefs is turned into a pool ofwater; then the mountainsmelt like wax, before him; then rocks are turned into ltreams of water : O then admire, and pray for this mighty work of God 1 doeft thou complain thy bean is like the neather milftone? Oh it will not melt, it will not change, it will not yield to God I go to this heart maker, and he will bean heart breaker. Fouthly, That Which is the moll admirable operation upon the heart, is the bald- ingandbendingof it, foas to make it of unwilling Willing : Thus this expreffion 4à of the Text, IWill give an heart of fielb, doth denote the efficacy and in- timarenefs of his power; and fo the Apof ie faith, God Worketh in us to Will; and in this very point, upon this hinge hangs that great and fpeciai truth, Which theOrthodoxmaintain againft Arminian and Papiffs : They will grant an ir- refiflable work of light upon the underftanding, they will grant a potent work upon theaffections, but this they will not yield, that God makes the will to will, that hefo boweth and changer: the heart, that it readily imbraceth, what once it abhorred ; yet in all thatare converted, this power foefficacious, mutt be
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