490 OOhardnelre ofheart. miniflerie oftheword, and ofquenching the goodmotions olGods fpirit : for though theconfcience at thefiríl bee moft tender,and theheart fo foft,that euery finne will pricke 'and pearce it, and euery gentle admonition will make it relent, yet in continuanceoftime throughcuflomable finning, and refifting the meanes of our conuerfion and faluation, the confcience is fo feared,that it becommeth fenfeleffe, though it be oppreffed and furcharged with a heauiemaffc ofoutra- gious wickednef e,and the heart groweth to fuch Adaman- tine hardneffe, thatthe thundring canon threatnings of the law, and ofGods fearefull and imminent iudgements can- not batter orbruife it,normake any breach,whereby true re- pentance mayenter. In which refpeó the confcience is not vnfitlie compared to the eie, which of all other partes of mansbody is moll tender & impatient ofthe.lighteft touch, fo thatthe finalleft motevexeth it, andthe leaft pricke cau- feth incredible torment : but ifonce it be affe&edwith a dif- cafe called ofOcohfis, fcirrhofis ocusli, which ouercouereth it with a hard fiefhie skinne, it becommethofall other parts molt infenfible; fo the confcience ofman is moft tender of all other parts, and at the firft, frnall finnes vexeand torment i.t,but ifthrough cuflome in finning it be ouerfpread with a Callumor thicke skinne, it becommeth infenfible, and no- thingwill wound it. CHAP. XXXIX. O hardneffeofheart which is ioyned withfenfe andfee- ling thereof. y§.Seci. Z. Of HiardneJTt of heart, iny- seedvvitb fesfe addfee. Lin; thereof He fecond fort ofhardne% ofheart,is that which is ioyned with fenfe andfceling,when as wee fee and with forowfeele our dulncife andblockifh- neffe in Gods feruice, our obdurate inflexible- rleffe toholie obedience,our hardneffeofheart, which at the hearing either ofthe terrible threatnings ofthe law,or fweet prornifes oftheGofpell,cannot relent nor refolue it felfe in- to the tearesof vnfaincd repentance; and this hardneffe of heart
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=