Sermons preached on several occasionsSermons preach'd on several occasions

Secondly, The Causes of this despising of God's Chastenings are:

1. A contracted Stupidity of Soul, proceeding from a course in Sin. There is a natural Stubbornness and Contumacy in the Heart against God, a vicious Quality derived from rebellious Adam; we are all hewn out of the Rock, and digged out of the Quarry: and this is one of the worst Effects of Sin, and a great part of its Deceitfulness, that by stealth it increaseth the natural Hardness, by degrees it creeps on like a Gangrene, and causes an Indolency. ¹The Practice of Sin makes the Heart like an Adamant, the hardest of ²Stones, that exceeds that of Rocks. From hence proceeds such Unteachableness of the Mind, that when God speaks and strikes, yet Sinners will not be convinced; that Briars ⟨p. 142⟩and Thorns are only effectual to teach them; and such an Untractableness in the Will, that when the Sinner is stormed by Affliction, and some Light breaks into the Understanding, yet it refuseth to obey God's Call.

1. A contracted Stupidity of Soul, proceeding from a course in Sin. There is a natural Stubbornness and Contumacy in the Heart against God, a vicious Quality derived from rebellious Adam; we are all hewn out of the Rock, and dig'd out of the Quarry: and this is one of the worst Effects of Sin, and a great part of its Deceitfulness, that by stealth it increaseth the natural Hardness, by degrees it creeps on like a Gangreen, and causes an Indolency. ¹The Practice of Sin makes the Heart like an Adamant, the hardest of ²Stones, that exceeds that of Rocks. From hence proceeds such Unteachableness of the Mind, that when God speaks and strikes, yet Sinners will not be convinc'd; that Briars