An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

In a moral sense, to harden is to settle the spirit, or immovably to resolve upon the doing or not doing of a thing: when a man doth purposely resolve and resolvedly purpose to carry on a design, he hardeneth himself to do it. The word is used both in a good sense and in an ill sense. In a good sense, when a man is resolute to do the will of God, that is, when he grows so resolved, that he will not be removed by hopes or fears, by promises or by threats; When a man hath not a soft, sequacious spirit to be swayed this way and that way, but stands fixed and firm like a rock, such a resolute spirit in goodness, is a spirit hardened to do good.

In a morall sense, to harden is to settle the spirit, or immoveably to resolve upon the doing or not doing of a thing: when a man doth purposely resolve and resolvedly purpose to carry on a design, he hardeneth himself to doe it. The word is used both in a good sense and in an ill sense. In a good sense, when a man is resolute to do the will of God, that is, when he grows so resolved, that he will not be removed by hopes or fears, by promises or by threats; When a man hath not a soft, sequacious spirit to be swaied this way and that way, but stands fixed and firm like a rock, such a resolute spirit in goodnesse, is a spirit hardened to doe good.

When the Lord had told Ezekiel that he should find the ears of Israel locked against his messages, and their hearts hardened; he gives him assurance of a suitable ability to deal even with such (Ezek. 3.8, 9.) Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy fore-head strong against their fore-heads, as an adamant harder then flint have I made thy fore-head. The words seem to carry an allusion to Bulls or Rams, who use to run head against head, when they are enraged against one another. And so the sense is, as if the Lord had said, I know this people will be mad at thee, and run upon thee like furious beasts; but trouble not thy self, I will (through my grace) make thee as strong in declaring my will, as they (through pride and unbelief) are strong in opposing it. Thou needest not fear to encounter these Bulls and Rams: holiness shall make thy fore-head, that is, thy purpose to perform my command, harder, then wickedness shall make their fore-heads, that is, their purposes to disobey what I command. As to be hardened in sin is worse then sinning, so to be hardened in doing good is better then doing good. Sin and grace act most like themselves, when they act against all opposition. As an adamant have I made thy face. The adamant is insuperable, as the notation of the