Exposition of Ezekiel 30-48, Commentary on Ezechiel · Chapter 36 · Verses 21-24 · Textual commentary 20 – Textual commentary 22
The ſtony heart.
The Hebrew is, The heart of ſtone, that is, the heart which in a ſpiritual ſenſe is like a ſtone.
Firſt, A ſtone is ſenſeleſſe, it feels or perceives nothing; and ſo is a ſtony heart, Epheſ. 4.19. Who being paſt feeling; they were ſo accuſtomed to ſin, that they felt not any evill in ſin; Conſuetudo peccandi tollit ſenſum peccati. Zech: 14.4. we read of a Mountain that cleav'd in ſunder at the preſence of Chriſt; but the hearts of the Jews were ſo ſtony that they were not at all affected at the preſence or voice of Chriſt.
Secondly, A ſtone is hard and impenetrable, a Knife, a Sword, a Nail, will not enter into it; ſo a ſtony heart is ſo hard that the Word of God hath no entrance into it, Pſal. 119.130. The entrance of thy Words giveth light; when it enters into the heart it doth ſo; but though the Word be of a ſharp and piercing nature, yet it enters not into a ſtony heart, its impenetrable, Zech: 7.11. They refuſed to hearken, and pull'd away their ſhoulder, and ſtopped their ears that they ſhould not hear; yea, they made their hearts as an Adamant ſtone: No truths, no arguments, no invitations, no prayers, no tears, no mercies, no threats, no judgements, do conquer or prevail with it; neither wind, rain, thunder, lightning, ſun-ſhine, heat, cold, do change the nature of a Rock.
Thirdly, A ſtone is unpoliſhed and inept for building and other uſes, till it be hewn, ſawn, and brought into ſome other form; ſo a ſtony heart is an heart unpoliſhed, unfit to lye in any part of Gods building, or for any ſervice of his, till it be poliſhed, hewn, ſawn, hammered, and brought into ſome other frame. As a ſtone cannot change it ſelf, no more can a ſtony heart. The Devil knew that the ſtones, Matth. 4.3. could not turn themſelves into bread, therefore ſaith to Chriſt, Command that they be made bread. He knew they might be made bread meet to eat; and ſo ſtony hearts, though they cannot make themſelves fleſhy, yet they may be made fleſhy, they may be brought to another form, and ſo be fit for ſpiritual imployments and uſes.
Fourthly, A ſtone doth reſiſt and repell what falls upon it; ſtones do oft break the inſtruments ſtrikes them, and force them back, there is a reſiſting in them; ſo in ſtony hearts there is much reſiſtancie, Luke 4.28, 29. All they in the Synagogue, when they heard theſe things, were filled with wrath, roſe up and thruſt him out of the City, and led him unto the brow of the hill, that they might caſt him down headlong. Their flinty, rocky hearts reſiſted and rejected all the precious truths Chriſt had delivered, and made them fall fowl upon him, and ſeek to ſpill his bloud; 2 Tim: 3.8. As Jannes and Jambres withſtood Moſes, ſo do theſe alſo reſiſt the truth, men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. They were men of ſtony hearts reſiſting the faith, Acts 7.51. Ye ſtiff-necked, and uncircumciſed in heart and ears, ye do alwayes reſiſt &c.
Fifthly, A ſtone is heavy, Prov: 27.3. and its motion is downwards, its earth hardned, and its whole tendency is to the earth; ſo a ſtony heart is heavy, earthy, and tends downwards altogether, Ezek: 20.16. Their heart went after their idols; Ezek: 33.31. Their heart goeth after their covetouſneſſe; & Hoſea 4.8. They ſet their heart on their iniquitie. Men are born with the ſtone in their hearts, and naturally they mind earthly things, Phil: 3.19. Their motion is downward, John 3.31. He that is of the earth is earthly, and ſpeaketh of the earth; his thoughts, his words, his motions, are all that way. The things of Heaven are burdenſome to a ſtony heart, that cannot move upwards.
Sixthly, Stones keep their places, and are immoveable, Eccl. 10.9. Whoſo removeth stones ſhall be hurt therewith. Great ſtones, mountains, rocks, abide fixt, and its dangerous to meddle with them; ſo ſtony hearts keep their ſtonyneſſe, they are immoveable; what opinions, principles, concluſions ſoever they have taken in, though falſe and corrupt, they are tenacious of, and obſtinate in, Judges 2.19. They ceaſed not from their own doings, nor from their ſtubborn wayes. God ſold them into the hands of enemies where they ſuffered grievous things, God raiſed them up Deliverers, who ſet them at liberty; yet they ceaſed not from their own wayes, they were immoveable from their own opinions, corrupt principles and dangerous tenets; men are ſo ſelf-conceited, ſelf-willed, that they are like rocks, not to be ſtirred.
Seventhly, Stones are dry, and have no moiſture in them at all. Take a Rock there is no water in it, take any ſtone its dry, all ſtones are dry and barren; ſo ſtony hearts they have no moiſture of grace in them, they are all dry and barren, the waters of life are not found in them. The woman of Samaria had a ſtony heart, and how dry, how barren was it? not a good word came out of it towards Chriſt; John 4. Whileſt the Gentiles were without God and Chriſt in the world, they had ſtony hearts, and ſo were barren and fruitleſs, Iſa: 54.1. VVhereſoever is a ſtony heart there is no melting, no mourning, no tears.
Eighthly, Stones are cold; 1 Sam: 25.37. its ſaid, Nabals heart dyed within him, and he became as a ſtone, that is, cold and ſenceleſſe; ſo ſtony hearts are cold, there is no ſpiritual heat in them; though the word be as fire, yet it heats them not. Men of ſtony hearts are frigid in the things of God, they contend not for the truth, they reprove not wickedneſs in others, they ſtand not for the intereſt of Chriſt, they are not zealous for God, and his glory, they put not their hands to his work, they mind not the converſion of ſinners, they are indifferent how things of that nature go. A ſtony heart is a dead heart, and as it hath no life nor motion in it, ſo no warmth in it; like the Shunammites ſon, 2 Kings 4.34. till Eliſha came and ſtretched forth himſelf upon it, there was neither life nor warmth in it; and till Gods Spirit come and ſtretch forth its virtue and power upon a ſtony heart, it hath neither life nor warmth in it. Thus you ſee wherein a ſtony heart reſembles a Stone or Rock.
Queſt: What is the evill of an hard heart?
Anſw: 1. It is ever unthankfull; mercies, kindneſſes, do not affect it, and how then can it be thankfull? Some verball thankfullneſſe may be in an hard hearted man, but in his heart, in his life, there is nothing. Poure Wine, Oyle, the Spirits and Quinteſſence of any thing upon a ſtone, its loſt, the ſtone is not at all the better for it, not affected with it; ſo a ſtony heart, let the choiceſt mercies of Heaven or Earth be preſented to it, they are loſt, that heart is unthankfull: and whereas we ſhould be thankfull in every thing, 1 Theſſ: 5.18. ſuch an one is thankfull in nothing, and makes the times perillous, 2 Tim: 3.2.
Anſw: 2. It grows worſe and worſe, harder and harder every day, nothing ſtops it from proceeding on in its wicked wayes. The Jews were a ſtony hearted people, and what ſaith the Lord to them? Iſa: 1.5. Why ſhould ye be ſtricken any more? ye will revolt more and more. Threatning judgements did not ſtop or turn them from their wickedneſs. Pharoah ſaw the wonderful judgements of God, ten plagues were upon him and his Land, and yet his heart grew harder and harder. They that came to take Chriſt went backward and fell to the ground when Chriſt ſaid, I am he; they ſaw alſo a miracle wrought by Chriſt, in reſtoring to Malchus his ear which Peter had cut off, yet being ſtony hearted they proceeded to take Chriſt, to bind him and carry him to the High Prieſts, John 18.6.10, 11, 12, 13.
Anſw. 3. It cauſeth a man to walk contrary to his profeſſion. Thoſe that are Chriſtians, profeſſe Chriſt and the Goſpel, they have in Baptiſme given up themſelves to him, and obliged themſelves to walk according to Goſpel Rules; now whence is it that they profeſs one thing, and practice another, that they profeſſe Chriſtianity, and walk as Heathens, or worſe then Heathens; whoredome, drunkenneſs, covetouſneſs, lying, pride, ſwearing, theft, murther, witchery, contention, ſlander, oppreſſion, &c. are they not as frequent among Chriſtians, as ever they were among Heathens? Paul writing to the Epheſians exhorted them not to walk as other Gentiles, in the vanity of their minds, having the underſtanding darkned, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, becauſe of the blindneſſe of their heart, who being paſt feeling have given themſelves over unto laſciviouſneſſe, to work all uncleanneſs with greedineſſe. It was the hardneſſe of the heathen Gentiles hearts, which made them walk ſo; and when Chriſtian Gentiles walk ſo, its from the hardneſs of their hearts; we are of the Gentiles, and notwithſtanding our Chriſtianity, we walk contrary to Chriſt and the Goſpel, which is from the ſtonyneſs of our hearts, keeping out the power, and this is a grievous evill, we profeſs Chriſt and the Goſpel verbally, and deny both really, and ſo cauſe our holy profeſſion, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt to be blaſphemed, Rom: 2.24. James 2.7.
Anſw. 4. Its a ſpirituall judgement, which is worſe then all other diſeaſes, then all other judgements; a blind eye, a deaf ear, a dumb tongue, a palſie hand, a gouty leg, a leprous head, the ſtone in the kidneys or bladder, are nothing to the ſtone in the heart, no plague is like that plague; thoſe four ſore judgments mentioned Ezek. 14.21. are not ſo ill as the ſtone in the heart; men are ſenſible of thoſe, and tremble at them, but the ſtonyneſs of their hearts, they neither feel nor fear, by reaſon of it. Can there be a more dreadful judgement upon a man then to be given up of God to hardneſs of heart, Pſal. 81.11, 12. My people would not hearken to my voice, and Iſrael would none of me, ſo I gave them up unto their own hearts luſts, and they walked in their own inventions. They were ſtubborn, and God puniſhed their ſtubbornneſſe with ſtonyneſſe.
Anſw. 5. It pleaſeth it ſelf in the wayes of wickedneſſe, Prov: 10.23. It is a ſport to a fool to do miſchief; & Chap: 14.9. Fools make a mock of ſin; Fools, that is, wicked men, whoſe hearts are hardned, who know not the nature of ſin, who feel not the weight of ſin, they ſlight ſin, they ſport themſelves with ſin, they rejoyce to do evill, Prov: 2.14. They count it pleaſure to ryot in the day time, 2 Pet: 2.13. There is no ſin but men of ſtony hearts take delight in, ſome in one, ſome in another, and if they can or cannot commit wickedneſſe themſelves, they take pleaſure in them that can, Rom: 1.32.
Anſw: 6. Its the ſeat of Satan, he dwels in it. A ſtony heart is the Devils Caſtle, Epheſ. 2.2. He is in, and works in the children of diſobedience; In their hearts he hath ſtrong holds, keeps poſſeſſion, and rules them at his pleaſure, they are his Subjects. God dwels in a broken heart, Iſa. 57.15. but the Devill in a ſtony heart.
Anſw: 7. That man that hath a ſtony heart increaſeth his own woe daily, Rom: 2.5. Thou after thy hardneſſe and impenitent heart, treaſureſt up unto thy ſelfe wrath againſt the day of wrath; that is, thou cauſeſt God to treaſure up more ſevere puniſhment for thee daily; thou ſinneſt more and more daily, and God heats the furnace hotter and hotter daily.
I will take away.
The word is in Hiphil, and ſignifies thus much, I will cauſe to depart, or I will make to remove, cauſe to be gone. Montanus renders it amovebo, I will remove it. God doth this
Firſt, By inlightning the blind heart to ſee, Acts 26.18. 1 Pet. 2.9. Eph: 4.18. Chap: 5.8.
Secondly, By inlivening the dead and ſenſeleſs heart to feel its ſtonyneſſe. When breath and life entred into the dry bones, they were ſenſible, Ezek: 37. and when God breaths upon a ſtony heart it lives, and is ſenſible. What an Adamantine heart was in Paul, who took pleaſure in vexing, impriſoning, and murthering of the Saints; but when Chriſt breathed upon him, and put life into him, he then became ſenſible of his hard heartedneſs, Acts 9.
Thirdly, By the warmth of his Spirit, and moiſture of his grace, love and mercy, he melts the ſtony heart. Some fire will melt braſſe and iron, and ſome waters diſſolve any ſtone; ſuch is the fire of Gods Spirit, there is not any iron or brazen heart but that can melt it; ſuch is the water of life, there is not any ſtony heart but that will diſſolve it; there is an omnipotent power in the Spirit and grace of God to turn Mil-ſtones into wax, and Rocks into ſtreams; it was verified in Paul, who feeling the mighty power of Gods Spirit and grace in his heart had the milſtonyneſs and rockyneſſe thereof removed, for preſently he cryed out, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? and fell to weeping and praying.
Out of your fleſh.
By fleſh here is not meant corrupt nature, as Gal: 5.13. but by it is meant man, I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh, that is, out of you.
Firſt, Obſerve
The hearts of men as they are in themſelves are ſtony, even ſtones, ſenſeleſſe of ſin, unyieldable to truth, inept for ſpiritual imployments, repelling and rejecting the counſel of God, moving down wards, and minding earthly things, immoveable from their tenets, cold and barren.
Such are all mens hearts naturally, and the hardneſs of them is much increaſed by actual and cuſtomary ſins; when men conſent to evill thoughts and luſts in their hearts, vent them by actings, and reiterate the ſame day after day, they make their hearts more and more hard, as the hand is by working, and the foot by walking; Jer: 5.3. They have made their faces harder than a rock, they have refuſed to return. If their faces were hardned like rocks, what were their hearts? Zechariah tells you, They made their hearts as an Adamant ſtone, Zech. 7.12. which exceeds other ſtones in hardneſſe; and not ſome few of them had done ſo, but even all of them, Ezek: 3.7. All the houſe of Iſrael are impudent and hard-hearted; all of them had faces of rock, and hearts of Adamant.
Secondly, Obſerve
Its the prerogative of God who hath dominion over the heart, to alter the heart.
I will take away the ſtony heart out of your fleſh. They could not change their own hearts, they were not able to get the ſtone out of them, nor the Prophets who were their ſpirituall Phyſitians: Kidney-ſtones, and Bladder-ſtones men may remove, heart-ſtones none can remove but God; men cannot remove Mountains or Rocks, but the Lord can, he hath an arm of ſtrength, his Word is a Word of power, when he commands, it is done; though a ſtony heart can ſtand it out againſt men, yet it cannot ſtand it out againſt God; he fetched water out of a Rock, and God can make the hardeſt rocky heart in the world to melt, repent, and ſend forth floods of water. Mary Magdalen had an impudent face, and a hard heart, but when God dealt with her he took away the hardneſs of her heart, and impudency of her face, ſhe ſat and wept at the feet of Chriſt, Luke 7.38. The Lord can turn wilderneſſes into ſtanding waters, and dry ground into water-ſprings, Pſal. 107.35.
Thirdly, Obſerve
Its a great mercy to have the ſtonyneſſe of the heart removed.
The removall of any evill from the body of man is mercy, as blindneſs from the eye, deafneſs from the ear, lameneſs from the leg, weakneſs from the ſtomach; much more then the removal of ſpiritual evil, and that from the heart. Stonyneſſe of heart is the greateſt plague, evill, which can befall it, and for God to take that away, to cure it, is a rich, a wonderfull great mercy, its a mercy of the new Covenant, its more then Gods delivering Daniel from the Lyons Den, Jonas from the Whales belly, or the 3 children from the fiery Furnace; they ſhould have been ſaved had they died in thoſe conditions, but the man that dyes with an hard heart periſheth for ever.