not heaken to good counsel, because it was of the Lord to destroy them: Whom he will, he hardens, saith the Apostle, Rom. 9. But this is a tender point, Divines are large about it; onely know, that God doth not infuse hardness of heart, nor any evil disposition in men, for he cannot be the author of that of which he is the Avenger; but it is by withdrawing and denying his mollifying Grace: And then as the withdrawing of fire from the water, makes it presently cold, and return to its native temperament; so it is here, God forsaking the heart by denying his mollifying and softning oparations, it cannot but grow stiff and obdurate against God.Thirdly, In the last place, Let us view the glorious power of God, over the hearts ofIII. In the way of his Grace.men in a gracious way; and that is properly intended in the Text: I will give an heart of flesh. Now Gods work on the heart, when he changeth it, in these particulars:First, He convinceth and enlightens the minde with such a glorious light, that1.the person converted stands amazed at it: That we should shew forth his praise who hath translated us out of darkness, into his marvellous light, 1 Pet. 2. 9 And you that were darkness, are now made light, Ephes. 4. This is the seeing eye that God vouchsafeth to some men: Now then, if to restore eyes to the blinde, was so won∣derful a work, how wonderful is it to give a man new light? God gives a man new abilities to see; he doth not onely bring the object, and the medium, but the ability also; and till this be done, its impossible men should ever love or de∣sire what is good: Oh look up then to this! you are apt to be wise in your own eyes, you are apt to say, as the Pharisees did, We see: But pray earnestly to God for this spirit of illumination; thou wilt then finde as much difference in thy self, as one in a dark close dungeon; and another, that is come out into the open Sun-shine.Secondly, Gods work on the heart, is to raise up such affections as may make the2.yoke of Christ easie: That may make thee with delight and joy, to imbrace what is good: for here is the great obstruction against conversion, men have carnal and earthly hearts, they delight in what is evil, they imbrace the dunghill, they love the mire, like swine. hence all heavenly and spiritual objects are grievous and burthensom to them: Now then God he can turn this clod of earth, in∣to a star in the sky; he can change this heavy lumpish temper, into a gracious spiritual disposition: And when he doth thus, then what was once tedious and grievous, now becomes pleasant and joyful.Thirdly, He doth make the heart tender and melting: And this is the great mer∣cy 3. here promised: for naturally the heart is a stone in spiritual things; it hath o apprehension, no joy, no sense; lay all the wrath of God before it, and you cannot move it, you cannot make it mourn and grieve; but when God puts forth this power, then a dry wilderness is turned into a pool of water; then the mountains melt like wax before him; then rocks are turned into streams of water: O then admire, and pray for this mighty work of God! doest thou complain thy heart is like the neather milstone? Oh it will not melt, it will not change, it will not yield to God! go to this heart maker, and he will be an heart breaker.Fouthly, That which is the most admirable operation upon the heart, is the bow∣ing4.and bending of it, so as to make it of unwilling willing: Thus this expression of the Text, I will give an heart of flesh, doth denote the efficacy and in∣timateness of his power; and so the Apostle saith, God worketh in us to will; and in this very point, upon this hinge hangs that great and special truth, which the Orthodox maintain against Arminians and Papists: They will grant an ir∣resistable work of light upon the understanding, they will grant a potent work upon the affections, but this they will not yield, that God makes the will to will, that he so boweth and changeth the heart, that it readily imbraceth, what once it abhorred; yet in all that are converted, this power so efficacious, must 0