0 Chap. I I e Ar. Fxpofition upon li[ {1e Book. of 9 OB. Verf, I 2, reference to the outward man. Again , As the heart in Scripture fignifies the whole foul or in wardman , fo it is put diitinttly for thole noble faculties of the foul , 1. eunderfanding. z. The gill. 3. The memory , and for a fourth , which is a refult or compound of them three The confcience. The Apoftle means the underftanding, while he faith of the Gentiles , (Rom. I.21.,) Their foolifhheart was darkned they had a knowledge of God in the creature, but they waxed wanton , and becanïe :vain in their imaginations , arid therefore theirfooli fa heart, that is , their underftanding was darned ; God fent them a fpiritual cloud, becaufe they did not improve natural light. They who abufe light are molt ufually and moil juftly left in darkneffe. But to the point , the fame Apoille attributesblinde- nef e' of heart, that is of underftanding , to the fame Gentiles, Fphef..{ ï 18. z. The heart exprefieth thewill, in that anfwer, ofChrift to the LawyersQueftion,Which is thegreat commandment in the law?Mat. 2a.36. Thottibalt love the Lord thy god (faith Chrift,v. 3 7.) with all thy heart, withall thy foul, with all thy mind, that is, with thy will, with thy affec ions,:withthy underilanding, and with all of each oftheee, .And as the heart ofman is his wil,fo alto is the heart of God. Ihavefought me aman (faith God, I Sam. 13 . r 4) after anyownheart. He is filch a man as I would have he is fo much after mywill, That be will perform all my wils. 3. The heart ofman is his memory (Pfal.l .19. II.) Thy word have Lhid inmyheart r: Memory is the repofitory or (tore-houle of theword, The treafury of holy truths, Mary hid the words of Chrift there Luk, 19. 4. The confcience , which hath in it the light of the underftand- ing , the motions ofthe will , and the recognitions ofthe memo- ry , comes under the notion of the heart (Pfal. 51. I2.) Create . in me a clean heart,OGod ; that is, purifie my confcience, let that . right'; Davids confcience was extreamly out of frame ; his finne had reduced it back into a kind of chaos , this made him pray for A new creation : Ordinary repairs, or a little mending would not ferve his turn. But if this Scripture convince not the heart, for the confcience , yet that of the Apoi`tle 7ohn doth beyond all exception. Ifoar heart condemn. us , Godisgreater thenour heart, (a 7oh.3.2o.). and fodoth that of7ob, (Chap.z7. 6 ) Myheart (that is, my confcience) (holl not reproachenef o long as 1 live. It is
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=