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

SECT. 9.

FUrther God is said to harden the heart, in his divers leavings,* 1.1 and forsakings of them; as

First, he suffereth them to follow their owne lusts and desires, not giving them power or grace to restraine them; as Rom. 1. 24. He gave them up to their owne hearts lusts. 2. He giveth them abundance of ease and prosperity, whereby they are intangled, and therefore the Prophet prayeth, Give me neither poverty nor riches, Prov. 3. 8. 3. He denyeth them the benefit of whol∣some correction and affliction, whereby they should learne to know themselves, as the Apostle saith, The Lord doth receive no childe whom he doth not chastise, and if we be not chastised, then we are bastards and no Sons, Heb. 12. 6. 8. 4. God forbiddeth his Servants to pray for such, 1 Joh. 5. 16. and so they want the be∣nefit of their prayers, as Jeremiah is forbidden to pray for the people, Jer. 14. 11. 5. God in his Justice depriveth them of such as should travell for their Soules, and bring them unto God, as the Apostle left the wilful and obstinate Jewes, and shoke of the dust of their feet against them, Act. 13. 51. 6. The Lord

taketh from them the preaching and knowledge of his Word, as the Lord threatned by his Prophet Amos, to send upon them a famine, but not of bread, or water, but of hearing the Word, Amos 8. 11. 7. God suffereth them to be deceived by flatterers, and unfaithful Counsellors, as Rehoboam was by his young men, 2 Chro. 10. 8. 8. The more strongly to delude them, the Lord sometimes suffereth false Prophets to shew signes, and wonders, as the Apostle saith of the false Prophet Antichrist, whose com∣ming is by the working of Satan, with all power, and signes, and lying wonders, 2 Thes. 2. 9. 9. The Lord permitteth Satan to invade them, and to work upon them all his pleasure, as the evil spirit sent of the Lord upon Saul, 1 Sam. 16. 14, And a lying spirit was in the mouth of Baals Prophets to deceive Ahab, 1 King. 22, 2••. 10. God taketh from them all helps, whereby they should be defended from the assaults of Satan, as the Lord threatned to doe to his unfruitful Vineyard, saying, I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; I will breake downe the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden downe, Isa. 5. 4. Now the Lord doth not thus forsake until they have forsaken him, as Isaiah sheweth, Chap. 59. 2. your wickednesse have seperated betwixt you and your God.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In what re∣spects God is said to work in the action of the hard∣ning the heart••