Rome ruin'd by VVhite Hall, or, The papall crown demolisht

SECT. 2.

1. IT may be described negatively, by the unaptnesse of it to any* 1.1 thing that is good, being neither passive, active, or appre∣hensive of any good thing; it is neither moved by prayers, nor giveth way to threats; it is unthankfull for benefits, unfaithfull in Counsell, unshame fac'd in evill things; there is no activity at all to any good thing, it remembreth nothing that is past but wrongs, and injuries, nor hath any fore-cast for the time to come, unlesse it be to seeke revenge.

2. It may be described by the inseparable companions thereof, viz. the blindnesse of the mind, for as ignorance blindeth the understanding, so hardnesse of heart blindeth the will and affecti∣ons; as the Apostle saith, speaking of the Gentiles, Having their

cogitations darkned through the ignorance that was in them, be∣cause of the hardnesse of their hearts, Eph. 4. 18. both which con∣curred in Pharaoh, who shewed his blindnesse, in saying, he knew not Jehovah, and his hardnesse of heart, in adding, neither will I let Israel goe, Exod. 5.

3. The third property of the hardnesse of heart is thi••▪ that it not only a great and grievous sin, but also the punishment of sin; 1. That it is a sin the Apostle sheweth, Heb. 3. 12. where he saith, Take heed brethren, least therein at any time in you be an evill heart to depart from the living God.

And that it is a punishment of sin, the Apostle testifieth also, Rom. 1. 21. because (saith he) when they knew God they did not glorifie him as God. And therefore it followeth, ver. 29. That God gave them over to their own hearts lusts. Now the qualities and inseparable adjuncts of hardning the heart are these, viz.

1. Blindnesse of judgement, and understanding, as Isa. 6. 10. where the Lord saith, Make the heart of this people fat, &c. lest* 1.2 they should see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and un∣derstand with their hearts, and be converted, and I should heale them.

2. They are obstinate and wilfull, and refuse to be admonished, and instr••cted, and say unto God, Depart from us, we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes, Job 1. 14.

3. They delight in doing of evill, and make a sport of sin, Prov. 2. 14. which rejoyce in doing of evill, and delight in the froward∣nesse of the wicked.

4. They regard not to doe things honest in the sight of God, but contrarily contemne, and despise them that doe such things, as Prov. 18. 3. When the wicked commeth, then commeth contempt.

5. They are incorrigible, and past all hopes of amendment, Prov. 1. 30. They would none of my counsell, but despised all my corrections.

6. They are not ashamed of most vile sins, as Jer. 3. 3. Thou hast a Wh••res forehead, and wouldest not be ashamed,

7. When the Lord smiteth them they feele i•• not, neither have they any feare of Gods judgements, whom the Wise man compa∣reth to those that sleep on the Mast of a Ship, and as drunken men that are stricken, and knoweth it not, Prov. 23. 24. 25.

8. They are growne to such an evill custome of sinning, that they can doe no other, as the Prophet saith, Can the Black-a∣more change his hew, or the Leopard his spots, then may they yet al∣so doe good that are accustomed to doe evill, Jer. 13. 23. So that the sins of such seeme to be inexpiable, as the same Prophet saith, that the sins of Judah were written with a Pen of Iron, and with the point of a Diamond, Chap. 17. 1.

9. They wax worse and worse, of whom it is said, Rev. 22. 11. He that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and as they increase in sins, so doe they treasure up wrath against the day of wrath; and so treasure up Gods judgements against themselves, Rom. 2. 5.

10. They are rejected, and cast out of the presence of God, and left to themselves, such an one was Saul, of whom it was said, That the Spirit of the Lord departed from him, and an evill spirit from the Lord vexed him, 1 Sam. 16. 14. And thus have I shewed what the hardnesse of heart is.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The qualities and insepara∣ble adjuncts of a hard heart. Reader, exa∣mine thy selfe by these ten Simptomes.
• * 1.2

  Reader▪ exa∣mine thy selfe by these Simptomes.