Siz Of the StonyHeart, andHeartofjlefh. SECT.X. Walkednot s Juftfuch flocks and hones areall men by nature ; theyhave ears andhear not, they have hearts and underhand not. That whereas the Prophet cued to that infeuftbleAltar offloraes,o Altar, illear, r King. ; ;.a.3nd ptcfentfy it rent afunder; here the Minders of God may cry aloud, andno man is fenfible of his fin, or cried) out, who have I done ? Oh then pray that God would re- movethat heavy hone, which liethupon thyheart, that underall preaching and teachingmakes thee hillfo infenfible,that Miniftry or no Miniftr ud ements or ne judgements are all one to thee.Donot thenbeany longer likethebons in the wall, who know nothing, underhand nothing, though they are built in the wals ofthe Church where much preaching is. Some deriveAWs the people, from a (lone, I know for otherreafons, but we may fay, becaufe of the ftonyheart, and infenfrblenefsthat is in them. Secondly, It implieth incapacity nd indifßofedneft onto any thinttbat it holy; As they are not fenfible, fo much Ids prepared and fitted for any fpiritual duty: The buildingofthe material Templewas a type of believers. Nowas thehone could not polifh and fit it felf for the Temple, fo neitherhave weany power in this our (elves text clothrtriumph over the lull all thofe corrupt doctrines that advance free-will, and power in man to fpiritu l things. What, can a honemake it felt to live ? Can Ezekiels dry bones produce life of themfelves ? Could thebone taken out of A. dame fide,make it fella living woman ? Its true, manbath reafon, underhanding and a will, and fo in that fence heis not a hone ; but he hath no reafon to think what isgood,nowill tochoofe what is good,and fo in that refpeet islike a (lone. Andhence it is, that we need not wonder, ifmenof great parts and wifdom areyet fa foolith and voidof all love anddelight in what is good, for a man may bevery quick and apptehenfive in all matters of learning and humane perfections, andyet be a very honeabout what is godly. .Nkodemtts had great underhand- ing in the law of God, yet how unfit for that detirine about Regeneration 1 Thirdly ,The floninefsofthe heart Both imply,not only indifpolition,hnr aïiive ' contrariety and refiftencj to What is holy. Thus the Jews are called apeopleofa lytt is the fame a t t u hoGhf aiá1 y fl! ke an heavq honewi h violence pon the word of God, and all divine cxhottations. Theflone is notonly indifpofed for poli{h- ing, but as muchas lieth in ir, Both refill, and beat back again the hammer that fads upon it. Oh this attive enmity and vigorous oppofrtion which is in all men by nature, to that which is holy, is muchtobe lamented. The Apoftle, Rom. 8. fpeaks ofthis enmity ofthe fletb, which doth fo far prevail, that it makes amata totonly not fubjeet, but it cannot be fubjeet to the lawof God, for theft two arecontrary, the fpiritual law and the carnal heart, and foas light anddarknefs, fire and whole purpof to , neither tns, theft. d all ind yours are agaiuft godli- tnen, their thoughts,once nets : Their Harts to conceive mifchief againhit; their tongues tobe alwaies railing or deriding of it : For can the toadventbony ? can the ferpentfpit cor- dials ? no morecan theft indurewhat is fupernatural. f Fourthly, This defcribeth the hardnefs of the heart, and ftanahwoudef t. 4 Its atone, andthough the word bea twoedged fword, y a y r, if a fword cannot pierce through anhardhone. The Scripture, 6phef q.. 18. flanked) judicial, threefold hardnefs, judgement em nrtebyGod upon thofe whoiiave re lld agenii/t et iht; this iufl is it very' man and which we the (peak iclt civil natural ingenuous man, who s fo tractable inall thingsof morality, yet he bath an hard heart to that which is (pi- ritual. Thedo&rine ofrepentance, mortification, andpawerfull walking wih God, isthat which can finde no eettanc you can omplather bore that times, of hard rirsl hardnefs weremore apprehended Y dealings
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