352 An Expofition upon Chap.9, Pharaoh Pillais i dararoie u- ber* a.bi- eriy7Lae induraroie Tharaanem jaftojadino. Augufl. his enemies,Luk.23. 34. So did Steven, Aíí.7. Alto Paul,Roma9.132. Yet this let - teth not, but that we ought to deal kindly to fuch as have been kinde to us, and to pity them that have had mercy on us,ib as it be for the Lords fake, and not for our own fake. TIM. Come now unto the fecondpart of this Text,and tell us what is meant by hardning ? S i L. Here the confequent is put for the antecedent, hardening the confc- quent ofreprobation upon which itde- pends,and alto for the means, by which that decree is effe&ed. That this is the meaning,isapparent by the oppofition of hardneffe to mercy, which plainly ihewes, that the one word is taken as largely as the other ; that as mercy con- tains ele &ion, with all the degrees and means by which the ele& are brought to glory;fo hardneffe contains reproba- tion, and all the means by which the reprobate are brought to deftru&ion. T r M.In what Jenfe is it faid here of God, that he hardenedPharaoh ? S a L. Not by infuling of hardneffe, nor yet by bare permillìon, nor yet by his long fuffering and patience.But two waies, partly by torfaking his creature, withdrawing his grace, as it is faid, In- durat quo' nort emollit, and as the Sunne freezeth the water, not by adding cold. neffe to it, but by keeping back his heat,fo is God a deficient caufe of hard - neffe,but not an efficient. Secondly, by his juft judgement, punifhing former fins with hardneffe,which is a juft thing with God, to punifh fin with fin : Satan hardeneth as a malicious author, man hardneth himfelf as a voluntary inftru- ment,Godhardneth asa molt righteous judge and avenger. T 1 M. What is the Datlrine from hence? S I L. That a hardened heart is áa fign of a reprobate: which muff not be un- derifood neither of natural hardneffe, which is common to ele& and repro- bate; nor yet of a&ual hardneffe being felt, which may be and is in the regent - rate,as in the Apostles and in the godly jewes : but of habitual hardneffe being total & final, which befalleth none but caftawayes,when it is without feeling, and perpetual to the end of ¡ones life. T z M ¡What is the note to !know this hard- neffe which is peculiar to reprobates ? S 1 L. There be three fpccial tokens of it : Firft, obf}inate difobedience to the word and warnings of Gcd, when the will of God being known,is refilled by difobedience, and not in one but in many things,and that coniantly from time to time. Secondly, ,fen felelfe fecu- rity,when filch difobedieut finners are neither moved with the benefits nor corre &ions whereby they are called to repentance,noryetallured by promifes, nor terrified by threatnings, having hearts like brawn, or an adamant and iron.Thirdly,defperate ob ffinacy,when after all means ufèd of God, by his word of juftice and mercy, in Bead of being better and better, !inners grow worfe and worfe, more carelefle to pleafe God and keep his commande- ments,and more froward in their beha- viour toward God and man. T t M. What is theufe of this Doeirine? S I L. Firft, it affords comfort to all foft and melting hearts, which by the word and judgenients of God, are mo- ved to relent and turn from their fins unto God, by true and ferions repen- tance,fuch are no reprobates. Secondly, it teacheth the miferable condition of all fuch men as have ftony and braw- ny hearts,they be in a fearful condition, and had need to look to it betimes. Thirdly, it admonifheth all men to be- ware of and firive again ft hardneffe of heart, whereunto the nearer they are, the nearer they are to reprobation, and therefore let every man examine him - felf,and with all diligence ufe all means to foften their own. hearts. See Dialogue on Ghap.2. verf.4,5. DIALOGUE XII. Verf. 19, 20, 21. Thou wilt then fay unto me, Why Both heyet complain, for who bath refifled his will ? But (0 man) who art thou which plead - effagainfi God? Shall the thing formed fay to him that formed it, Why haft thou made me thus, &c. TrM.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=