OP REGENERATION. 1J1 Sect. 44. (1.) The subject spoken of in these pro- mises, is the heart. And the heart, in the scripture, is taken for the wholerational soul, not absolutely, but as all the faculties of the soul are one common principle of all our moral operations. Hence it bath such properties assigned unto it as are peculiar to the mind or under- standing, as to see, perceive, to be wise, and to under- stand; and, on the contrary, to be blind and foolish, sometimes such as belong properly to the will and affec- tions, as to obey, to love, to fear, to trust in God. Wherefore the principle of all our spiritual and moral operations is intended hereby. Sect. 4,5.(2.) 'There is a description of this heart, as it is in us, antecedent unto the effectual working of the grace of God in us: it is said to be stony. The heart of stone. It is not absolutely, that it is said so to be, but with respect unto some certain end. This end is declared to be our walking in tite ways of God, or our fearing of him. Wherefore our hearts, by nature, as unto living to God, or his fear, are a stone, or stony; and who bath not experience hereof from the remain- ders of it still abiding in them? And two things are in- cluded in this expression: (1.) An ineptitude unto any outings towards that end. Whatever else the heart can doof itself, in things natural orcivil, in outward things, as to the end of living unto God, it can, of it- self, without his grace, de. no more than a stone can do of itself, unto any end whereunto it may be applied. (2.) An obstinate stubborn opposition unto all things conducing unto that end. Its hardness or obstinacy, in opposition to the pliableness of an heart of flesh, is principally intended in this expression And in this stubbornness ofthe heart consists all that repugnancy to the grace of God, which is in us by nature, andwhence all that resistance doth arise, which some say is always sufficient to render any operation of the Spirit of God by his grace fruitless. Sect. 46.-(3.) This heart, that is, this 'impotency and enmity which is in our natures unto conversion and spiritual obedience, God says, * He will take away, that is, he will do so in them who are to be converted ac- cording to the purpose of his will, and whom he will turn unto himself. He doth not say, that he will en- !lac Grata gum occulte humanseordibus divine targitate tribuitur, nullo duro corde respuitur; Ideo quippe tribuitury uteordis durites ptimitus auferstur.August de Pradest. Sancta. cap. 8. S B deavonr to take it away, nor that he will use such or such means for thetaking of it away, but absolutely that he will take it away. He doth not say, that he will persuade with melt to remove it, or do it away, that he will aid and help them in their so doing; and that so far, as that it shall whollybe their own fault if it be not done, which no doubt it is, where it is not removed; but,- positively, that he himself will take it away. Wherefore the act of taking it away, is theact of God by his grace, and not the act of our wills, but as they are actuated thereby; and that such an act as whose ef- fect is necessary. It is impossible that God should take away the stony heart, and yet the stony heart not be taken away. What therefore God promiseth herein, in the removal of our natural corruption, is as unto the event infallible, and as to the manner of operation ir- resistible. Sect. 4.7..(4.) As what God taketh from us in the curé of our original disease, so what he bestoweth on us, or works in us, is here alsoexpressed; and this is a new heart and a new spirit. /will give you a new heart. And with- al it is declared what benefit we do receive thereby. For those who have this new heart bestowed on them, or wrought in them, they do actually, by virtue thereo, fear flee Lord andwalk in his ways. For so it is affirm- ed in the testimonies produced, and no more is required thereunto, as nothing less will effect it, There must therefore be in this new heart, thus givenus, a principle of all holy obedience unto God, thecreating of which principle in us is our conversion to him; for God doth convert ús, and we are converted. And how is this new heart communicated unto us? I will, saith God, give theca a new hearts that is, it may be, he will do what is to be doneon his part, that they may have it. But we may refuse his assistance, and go without it. No, saith he, /till put a new spirit within them; which expres- sion is capable of no such limitation or condition. And, to make it more plain yet, he affirms, that he will write his law in our hearts. It is confessed, that this is spok- en with respect unto his ,writing of the lawof old in tables ofstone. As then he wrote the letter of the law in the tables of stone, so that thereon and thereby, they were actually engraven therein; so, by writing the law, that is, the matter and substance of it in our hearts, it is as u-tally fixed therein, as the letter of it was ofold in the tables of stone. And this can be no otherwise, 21
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