First, A carnal heart is ⟨p. 19⟩marvellous unwilling to listen to the truth of God; so as to be informed and instructed in those things that would be too tedious: first, it is not willing to know what it should do, lest it should do what it would not; therefore it keeps a loof off: he is a stranger to the truth of God; nay, if it be brought home to their doors, and God set open his mercies, the truth is, they will not so much as take notice of his mercies: To examine every thing, what need a man thus tediously trouble himself? thus they hinder the first work of the truth: it is a Schoolmaster, but they stop their ears; Car•all hearts when they see it ⟨p. 20⟩coming towards them, coming to tie them to obedience, if he hears the Word coming, he slides away, he is loth to hear the cause, and loth to be persuaded, he will not be at home on that day, Isaiah 30.10. The people say to the Seers; see not, and to the Prophets, prophesy not right things, speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Get ye out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the holy One of Israel to cease from before us. They say to the Seers, see not, & to the Prophets, prophesy not right things: Do not speak that they cannot hear, but speak fair and smooth things. Job 21.14. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us, for we ⟨p. 22⟩desire not the knowledge of thy ways; The covetous oppressors cannot endure to hear of the grinding of the faces of the poor. Acts 28.27. They stop their ears, and wink with their eyes, least they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. I beseech you observe it as carnal men that are loth to know the truth: but if they search, they seek after the Word •s a Coward doth after his enemy, with a hope he shall not find him, and a fear lest he should find him; So a carnal man is loth to find, and fears to know; and if •e do know and search, he ⟨image 19⟩⟨p. 20⟩[…] ⟨p. 22⟩[…] ⟨p. 22⟩will search no more the• shall serve his turn: he will not suffer truth to have the whole sway: as a prisoner in chains, so carnal hearts keep truth in Chains: and no more then he doth know he would know. Luke 4.42. And when it was day, he• went into a desert place, a• the people sought him, an• came unto him, and staye• him, that he should not depa• from them.
First, A carnall heart is ⟨p. 19⟩marvellous unwilling to listen to the truth of God; so as to be informed and instructed in those things that would be too tedious: first, it is not willing to know what it should doe, lest it should doe what it would not; therefore it keepes a loofe off: he is a stranger to the truth of God; nay, if it be brought home to their doores, and God set open his mercies, the truth is, they will not so much as take notice of his mercies: To examine every thing, what need a man thus tediously trouble himselfe? thus they hinder the first worke of the truth: it is a Schoolemaster, but they stop their eares; Car•all hearts when they see it ⟨p. 20⟩comming towards them, comming to tie them to obedience, if he heares the Word comming, hee slides away, he is loth to heare the cause, and loth to be perswaded, he will not be at home on that day, Esay 30.10. The people say to the Seers; see not, and to the Prophets, prophesie not right things, speake to us smoothe things, prophesie deceits. Get yee out of the way, turne aside out of the path, cause the holy One of Israel to cease from before us. They say to the Seers, see not, & to the Prophets, prophesy not right things: Doe not speake that they cannot heare, but speak faire and smooth things. Iob 21.14. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us, for we ⟨p. 22⟩desire not the knowledge of thy wayes; The covetous oppressors cannot endure to heare of the gringding of the faces of the poore. Actes 28.27. They stop their eares, and winke with their eyes, least they should see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heale them. I beseech you observe it as carnall men that are loth to know the truth: but if they search, they seeke after the Word •s a Coward doth after his enemy, with a hope he shall not finde him, and a feare lest he should finde him; So a carnall man is loth to finde, and feares to know; and if •e doe know and search, hee ⟨image 19⟩⟨p. 20⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 22⟩
