Thirdly, as there is a contracted Cannot, an habituated §3Cannot, so there is a judicial Cannot. The Lord inflicts a judicial cannot upon many persons in judgement: they cannot return from their sins, they cannot withstand a temptation, they cannot lay hold on eternal life, they cannot make sure work for their souls, they cannot leave their bosom lusts, they cannot prefer Christ above all the world, they cannot make provision for eternity, they cannot see the things that belong to their peace, &c. and this Cannot the Lord in wrath hath brought upon them, Isa. 6.9, 10. And he said, Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not: and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; (or anoint, besmear, lime their eyes) lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, 1and understand with their heart, and convert and be healed. They would not see, they shall not see; they would not hear, they shall not hear; they would not understand, they shall not understand: they would not convert, they shall not convert: they ⟨p. 24⟩would not be healed, they shall not be healed. When men are stiffly and desperately resolved upon their sinful courses, when men grow stubborn, rebellious, licentious, and will wilfully wink and shut their eyes against the light, and stop their ears against the truth, God in his just judgement gives them up to dullness, stupidness, blindness, darkness, Isa. 44.18. They have not known nor understood, for he hath shut their eyes that they cannot see; 2(or he hath daubed up their eyes from seeing) and their hearts, that they cannot understand. God in his righteous judgement casts a judicial Cannot upon them, he hath daubed up their eyes that they cannot see, and he hath shut up their hearts that they cannot understand the great concernments of their souls. Now whilst men lie under these sad Cannots, they can never see the kingdom of God. These three Cannots like a threefold cord, bind poor sinners, so as that they can never come to a sight or fruition of God in grace or glory till they are delivered from these Cannots, by a new birth, by being born again.
Thirdly, as there is a contracted Cannot, an habituated §3Cannot, so there is a judicial Cannot. The Lord inflicts a judicial cannot upon many persons in judgement: they cannot return from their sins, they cannot withstand a temptation, they cannot lay hold on eternal life, they cannot make sure work for their souls, they cannot leave their bosome lusts, they cannot prefer Christ above all the world, they cannot make provision for eternity, they cannot see the things that belong to their peace, &c. and this Cannot the Lord in wrath hath brought upon them, Isa. 6.9, 10. And he said, Go and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not: and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; (or annoint, besmeer, lime their eyes) lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, 1and understand with their heart, and convert and be healed. They would not see, they shall not see; they would not hear, they shall not hear; they would not understand, they shall not understand: they would not convert, they shall not convert: they ⟨p. 24⟩would not be healed, they shall not be healed. When men are stifly and desperately resolved upon their sinful courses, when men grow stubborn, rebellious, licentious, and will wilfully wink and shut their eyes against the light, and stop their ears against the truth, God in his just judgement gives them up to dulness, stupidness, blindness, darkness, Isa. 44.18. They have not known nor understood, for he hath shut their eyes that they cannot see; 2(or he hath dawbed up their eyes from seeing) and their hearts, that they cannot understand. God in his righteous judgement casts a judicial Cannot upon them, he hath dawbed up their eyes that they cannot see, and he hath shut up their hearts that they cannot understand the great concernments of their souls. Now whilest men lie under these sad Cannots, they can never see the kingdom of God. These three Cannots like a threefold cord, bind poor sinners, so as that they can never come to a sight or fruition of God in grace or glory till they are delivered from these Cannots, by a new birth, by being born again.
- 1Many men, saith Bernard do seek for straws to put out their own eyes.
- 2[Greek or Hebrew] daubed, or plastered.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 dawbed, or plaistered.
