The Bibles Abstract and Epitome, Part 50 – Part 51
Gods Justice mans Heart how hardened by God.
THe heart hath three Cells or little R…ceptacles, that the three Persons of the blessed Trinity, Father, Sonne and Holy Ghost may dwell therein, and that by three Theologicall vertues, to wit, by Faith, Hope and Charity.
The word Heart in Latine is COR, written with these three letters:
COR
Signifying Camera, a Chamber.
The first letter of Omnipotent.
The first letter of Rex, a King.
So that the An…gram, as some would have it, importeth that the Heart is the Chamber of the omnipotent King of Heaven and Earth; and so the heart is the Seat of Sanctity, or else it must needs be a Cage of uncleannesse, a Chappell for the Trinity, or a Den of Theeves.
Hardnesse of heart is the fountaine of ignorance, and is when a man is setled in a resolution never to yeeld from the state of sinne, wherein he liveth, whatsoever shall or may be said against the same: which sinne is a most wilfull and maliciousEph 4. 8. resolution of sinning, yea such as that the heart cannot be brought by Gods justice or mercy to reformation or consolation.
1. There are some albeit they well know, that they are amisse, yet for some worldly respect or other, they will not yeeld nor change their course doe, say, or prove what you will or can: Such was Pilates, who albeit he knew that he condemnedMat 27. our Saviour Christ wrongfully, yet not to loose the favour of the Iewes, or incurre displeasure with the Prince, he proceeded and gave that most wicked sentence against him. Such also was Pharaoh's; the like was in King Agrippa and Felix, governours of Iury, who thought in their owne consciences, that Saint Paul spake truth unto them; yet not to hazard their credit in the world, they continued still in their owne wayes: And so likewise doe all persecutours.
2. The second degree of obduration is in them, who have not this obduration in so high a degree, as to persist in wickednesse, directly against their owne knowledge, but yet they have it in another sort, so that they are setled in firme purpose to follow the trad…, which already they have begun, and vvill not understand the danger thereof, but doe seeke other meanes▪ to perswade themselves, quieting their consciences therein, and nothing is so offensive unto them, as to heare any thing against the same: Of these men Iob speaketh (saying) Depart Ioh 21. 14.from us, wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes (to wit) the wayes of God.
3. A heart that is hardened, is ingratefull for Gods benefits, disobedient to his counsels, feares not it selfe, because it feeles not it selfe *Bernard. l. de Consed. ad Eug. cap. 2.: is not rent with compunction, nor softened with pi…ty, is not moved vvith prayers, nor yeeldeth to threats, growes tough with scourges, and unthankefull for benefits, is unfaithfull in counsels and cruell in judgements, is impudent in vilenesse, and unfearefull in dangers, is uncourteous to the gentle, and unreverent in Gods worship, is unmindfull of things past, and negligent of things present, is improvident of things to come: and in a word, is like the unrighteous Judge, that …earedLuk. 18. 22. neither God or man. The hardest creatures are flectable to some agents: Flints to the r…ine: Iron to the fire, stones to the Hammer, but the heart to nothing:Rom. 9. 18. Isa. 19. 14. 1 Kin. 22. 23. Isai. 63. 17. Rom 1. 28. 2 Sam. 12. 11. Psal. 105. 25. Phil. 2. 13. 1 Cor. 11. 12. Hos. 8. 10. Ezek. 16. 26. Ephes. …. 10. Act. 14. 6. 1 Sam. 16. 14. 2 Thes. 2. 10. Rom. 1. 24. Psal. 81. 12. 1 King. 22. 23. the stones of mercy, Hammer of reproofe, or fire of judgements cannot soften the same.
1. Now the action whereby God is said to obdure, to blind, to deceive, to deliver into a reprobate minde, …o worke by wicked persons, as his instruments to impell, to excite to evill, &c. is not an action, or infusion, or positive production, such as he useth in the just, when he causeth vertue and grace, and doth illuminate and sanctifie them: but a worke of desertion, permission and order, whereby first God leaveth man to himselfe, and forsaketh him, (that is) affordeth not actions apt and congruous to reforme him, and suspendeth or denyeth the concourse of his speciall helpe and grace.
2. God suffereth man to be tempted above his strength, or to be ruled by his errors and transported by his own concupiscence, permitting Satan to exercise his subtilty and malice towards him.
3. God ordereth objects and meanes in such sort, as that they may be incentives by way of occasion to provoke the wicked to exercise that wickednesse, which is in and of themselves, where and how God will have it breake out for punishment, correction, example or tryall.
These two namely Entity or Substance, and the pravity of the actions, going inseparably together, and the latter cannot be without the tormer.
Say not thou then, It is through the Lord that I sell away, for thou oughtest Syr. 15. 11, 12.not to doe the things that be hateth. Say not thou, He hath caused me to erre, for he hath no need of the sinfull man.
Through hardnesse of heart
Agrippa beleeved not altogether that which Paul concerning Christ hadAct. 26. delivered unto him.
The Disciples considered not the matter of the Loaves with which ChristMark 6. 52. had fed the multitude following him.Act. Idolaters, 24. 26. Isa. 44. 20.
Felix beleeved not Pauls doctrine, trembling at the same.
Gentiles walked in the vanities of their own liking.Eph. …r. 5. 3. 4. 17. Zech. 7. 11, 12. I…a. 2. Act. 13. 41. Isai. 6. & 19. 9. 10. Isai. 63. 17. Psal. 81. 12. Deut. 29. 4. Gen. …. 5. Ezek. 24. 4. Eph. 4. 17. Mark …. …2. Deut. 2. 30. Iosh. 11. 20.
Hophni and Phineas sinned, that God might slay them.
The Israelites feared not God, understood not the counsels of the Lord, nor his wayes, but walked in their owne counsels, grieving him, for which he plagued them.
Kings of divers Nations came to battell against the Israelites, that the Lord might by their hands destroy them.
Cain, Iudas, and Abithophel despaired of Gods mercy to them.
Pharaoh would not let the Israelites depart, untill the Lord had broughtExod. 4. Chap. 6. &c. Mark 3. 5. Matth. 27. Jude 7. Sodomites 1 Kings 12. 15. a Chron. 10. 15. many plagues upon his, and him.
The Pharises envied Christ; for which he mourned for them.
Pilate would not set Christ at libertie, albeit he found no cause of death at all in him.
Rehoboam hearkned not unto the counsell of the old men, because it was the Ordinance of the Lord to performe what he had spoken by the Prophet unto Ierohoam.
The Lord hath MercieMercy on whom be will, and whom he will be hardeneth.Rom. 9. 18. Isa. 63 17. Io… …. 4. Zech. 7. 12. 1 King. 8. 39. Prev. 17. 3. Psal. 105. 25.
The wicked make their hearts as an Adamant, lest they should heare.
The Lord knoweth the hearts of men, and trieth them, as the fining-pot doth the silver, and turneth them to hate his people, and to deale craftily with them.
Use.
Exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, l…st any of you be hardened through Heb. 1. 13. Prev. 28. 14. Ioh 17. 4. & 19. 3. Act. 3. 41. Deut. 2…. 4.the deceitfulnesse of sinne.
Isai. 6. 9. Chap. 44. 18. Chap. 63. 17. 2 Chron. 36. Psal. 81. 12. Matth. 13. 13. Mar. 4. 12. Ioh. 12. 40. Act. 13. 41. Rom. 1. 24. Chap. 2. 5. Chap 11. 7. 2 Cor. 3. 14. Ecclus. 23. Heb. 6. 2 Cor. 3. 14, 15. Ephes. 4. 8, 1 Thes. 5. 1 Tim 4. 2. Syr. 6. 16. Act. 19. 9.
Mans Heart is deceitfull.
THe imaginations of the thought of mans heart are evill continually.Gen. 6. 5. Iob 9. 4. Cha. 8. 21 Prov. 28. 14. Eccl. 9. 3. Act. 26. 27. Jer. 17. 9. Matth. 17. 19. Mar. 7. 21. Syr. 13. 25.
The heart of man is full of evill and madnesse, is deceitfull, and wicked above all things, who can know it? from thence come evill thoughts, murthers, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false testimonies, slanders.
Use.Prov. 4. 23. Ʋse. Jer. 4. 4. Ʋse.
Let us pray the Lord to give us a new Spirit, to take away our stony hearts, andEzek. 11. 19. Chap. 16. 26. to give us hearts of flesh, that we may walke in his statutes, and keepe his Judgements.