O
f
hardneffe
of
heart.
493
elf
repentance
which we
delire
in
great
meafizre,for
the
Lórd
ei}eemeth
the
will for
the
deed,and
the
affe&ion
for
the
ahi-
on,and
we
may
afhure
our
felues
that
if
on our part
we
be
not
wanting
in
the
vfe
ofthe
meanes, the
Lord
will
not
be
wan-
ting
on his
part to
fupply
our wants, and
to
fatisfie all
our
godly
defies.
Ofthis
hardneffe
ofheart,which
verle
often
befalleth
the
dearefl
of
Gods
children,
wee haue
many examples.
The
Examples
of
Prophet
Dauia
thus
complaineth,Pfal.77.2.
In
the
day
efmy
this
harelnefre
trouble
1
ou
ht
the
Lord,
my
ore
ranneand
cea
ed
not in
the
o;
heart.
.i
y
f
.
1
taim.77.s.
night,
my
foule
refuf
d
comfort. 3.
I
did
thinke
upon God
and
was
troubled,
l
prayed,and
my Fpirít zras
full
of
angui
h.
4.
Thom
keepefl
mine
eies
2raking;
I
was
of
onied
and
couldnot
fpeake.
So
the
Church complaineth thus,
Cant.3.i..
In
my
bed
I
fought
Cant.3.1.
him
by
night
r-horn
my
¡oule
/cued.
I
fought
him,but
I
found
him
and S.6.
not.
And chap.e.
verf.6.
I
opened to
my
welbeloued,
but
my
me'belaued waegone
and
pa¡l
: mine
heart
was
gone
when bee
did
f
ekrk
;
l
fought
him ,but
I
couldnot
fndebim;
I
called
him,but
he
anfweredmeenot.
Whereby it
is
manifefl,that
euen
the deare
Saints
ofGod
arc
often
tines
deffitute
of
all
comfort
and
voide
of
all
feeling
of
Gods
fauour, and
of
the powerfull
working
ofthe
graces
ofGods
fpirit
which they
haue
recei-
ued,
though
they
vfe
the
meanes
appointed
ofGod
for
the
furring
vp
and
increaíng
of
grace
in
them;
which
commeth
topaffe,
byreafon oftheirhardneflè
of
heart, and drowfie
dulneffe
offpirit
in thefe
fpirituall exerciíes..
And hence
it
is
that
many
ofGods
children do grieuoufly
aflli6
their
follies, becaufe
they
fee
thefe their corruptions
and
imperfections, and hereby
oftentimes
are
mooued
to
thinke
that
they
are
deí}itute
offairh,and
ofaI
failing graces
of
Gods
fanglifying fpirit, becaufe
though
they
vfe
the
meanes
ordained
of
God
for the
begetting
and increa-
fing
of
grace
in
them, yet they cannot
perceiue any
fruite
that
commeth
thereby, nor
feele
in
their
foules,.any
true
.
comfort
!or
ioy in
thefe
fpirituall
exercifes.
For
example
form
complaine
that
though they continually
heare
the
word,
yet
they
feele
no increafe
ofany
grace,no
more
know
-
ledge,no
more
faith,no morezeale-ofGods
glory,
no
more
mortification