153 Chap. 9. An Expofrtion upon the Boakof j OB. VerCg.e Tndurareaut ! obAurefrere. 111eraphoricè taflu ad alios fenfustransfer- ;* fur, çn denota erudelefævum, dOcile,quod rra fitnt d;f]'t cilia Durum eftquod in feperfupei ficiemnon ce- 1, dit, Aria. i. 4. IYlet. s. k. Duriries eíi quali,tas denfas et bene compa- fias habens partes, di u1- ter eedeals t a- nti .Arifì,l. Z. , dGener. Mamas c;us cYeditur Jf, ttÓlttrre, ut ü0' met amnia neq; tp'a ab ullaa?r five ar_ y te danari li pa a,'2an.{e n. 411' men iraxit ; ádhczs, pilaf tncbmi rt?mSartet in àtot,yet their harmswho have attemp tedit,might warn mefromInch pre,litmption. Hardeneth himfelf. Hardening under a natural confideration, comes by withdraw- ing the moifture out ofany fubftance, whence the parts ofit are condenfed, grow fliffand unyielding to the touch : So Philofo- phers define it That is hard which doth not ealil yfubmit to im- preons fromwithout. In amoral fenf, to harden is to fettle the fpirit, or 'immovea- bly to refolve upon the doing or not doing of a thing:whena man doth purpofely refolve and refolvedly purpofe:to carry on:a defign, he hardeneth himfelfto do it. The word is ufed both in a, good fence and in an ill feafe.In a good fence, when a man is refolute to do the will ofGod,that is,when he grows fo refolved that he will not be removed by hopes or fears, by promifes or by threats;when a man bath not a foft,fequatious fpirit tobe fwâyed this way and that way, but (lands fixed and firm like a rock;fuch a refolutefpi-. tit in goodnefs, is a fpirit hardened to do good. When the Lord had told Ezekielthat he fhould find the ears of Ifrael lock'd againíl his mefiages, and their hearts hardened, .:he gives him affirrance of a, fuitableability todeal with fuch (Ezell 3.8,9.)Behold,Ihave made thyface (irong agaixtfi their faces,and thy' fare-bead firongagaingtheirfore-heads, as an adamant harder then flint have I made thy fore-head. The words feem to carry an allufi- on to Bulls or Rams,whoufe to run head,againhi head; when they are enraged one again1l another. And fo the ferlfe is, as if the Lord had Paid, I know this people will be mad at thee, and run upon thee likefuriomrs beafisb but trouble not thyfelf,Iwill(through mygrace) . m Ike thee as ((rang indeclaring my will, as they (throughpride and. unbelief) areJIronginoppofingit. Thou needefi notfear to encounter tbefe Balls and Rams : Miners Ihalh,lnakethyfore-head,.that,is,thy purpefe topertrm my command, harder, then wickednefs 'hall make theirfo e -he d ,that is,th.éir purpofes to elifobeywhat Icammoud.As to behardened in fin is worfe then finning, fo to be hardened in do ng good is better then doing good.Sinand grace al mo1i ike themfelves,when they al agaiuft all oppofìtion. As an adamant ha .:).e. I 12 t le tly,face. The adamant is infuperable, as the nota- tionòf the word imports. A heart thus hardened in holinefs overcomes all the fears and kterrours which the world can raife gainil it. Heroical! Ltether was thus hardened, when he fa th,he } wou It' f.,,cá, ;.
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