13. But add hereunto the Argument in the Text: To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart; But repent while it is called to day. Showing that if we pass this Day, we shall be Harder and Harder. Wherefore, saith the Apostle, Exhort every one another daily while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, Heb. 3.13. As if he had said, if thy heart be Hard to day, it will be Harder to morrow. Custom in sin hardens the heart, and takes away the sense of it. Wherefore saith the Apostle, I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmity of your flesh, For as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield your members servants to righteousness, unto holiness, Rom 6.19. So that we see if a man once give himself up to sin, he will not be satisfied therewith, but will give himself up to iniquity unto iniquity. What's the meaning of that? It's as if he had said, if we give our selves up to iniquity, we will not rest there, but we'll add iniquity, unto iniquity, Sin unto Sin: we will be brought to such a custom in evil, as that it will be easier for a black-moor to change his skin, and a Leopard his spots, then for those that have been accustomed to do evil, to learn to do well, Jer. 13.23. It will be to as much purpose to wash an Ethiopian, as to go to put off that ill custom, and shake off that second Nature. Sin is a Hammer, and sin is a Nail too. Every sin strikes the former sin home to the Head, that whereas before it might easily have been drawn out, it roots it in so fast, as that it can very hardly be plucked out. Mark how the Apostle describes this cursed nature of sin: Having eyes full of Adultery, and that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls, a heart they have exercised with covetous practices, 2 Pet. 2.14. What makes a man prompt in any thing but Exercise? When a man is exercised in sin, see the event of it: it brings him to that vicious habit, as that at length he cannot cease from sin. If a man deal with a young twig, it will bend, and break at his pleasure; but when it comes to full growth, it's past his strength. So fares it with sin: if thou dealest with it whilst thou art Young, and it in thee, before it hath taken Root, thou mayst easily wield it, at least with more facility, then otherwise thou couldst;
13. But add hereunto the Argument in the Text: To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart; But repent while it is called to day. Shewing that if we pass this Day, we shall be Harder and Harder. Wherefore, saith the Apostle, Exhort every one another daily while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin, Heb. 3.13. As if he had said, if thy heart be Hard to day, it will be Harder to morrow. Custome in sin hardens the heart, and takes away the sense of it. Wherefore saith the Apostle, I speak after the manner of men, because of the infirmitie of your flesh, For as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity, even so now yield your members servants to righteousness, unto holiness, Rom 6.19. So that we see if a man once give himself up to sin, he will not be satisfied therewith, but will give himself up to iniquitie unto iniquitie. What's the meaning of that? It's as if he had said, if we give our selves up to iniquity, we will not rest there, but we'l add iniquity, unto iniquitie, Sin unto Sin: we will be brought to such a custom in evil, as that it will be easier for a black-moor to change his skin, and a Leopard his spots, then for those that have been accustomed to do evil, to learn to do well, Jer. 13.23. It will be to as much purpose to wash an Aethopian, as to go to put off that ill custome, and shake off that second Nature. Sin is a Hammer, and sin is a Nail too. Every sin strikes the former sin home to the Head, that whereas before it might easily have been drawn out, it roots it in so fast, as that it can very hardly be plucked out. Mark how the Apostle describes this cursed nature of sin: Having eyes full of Adultery, and that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls, a heart they have exercised with covetous practices, 2 Pet. 2.14. What makes a man prompt in any thing but Exercise? When a man is exercised in sin, see the event of it: it brings him to that vicious habit, as that at length he cannot cease from sin. If a man deal with a young twig, it will bend, and break at his pleasure; but when it comes to full growth, it's past his strength. So fares it with sin: if thou dealest with it whilst thou art Young, and it in thee, before it hath taken Root, thou mayst easily wield it, at least with more facility, then otherwise thou couldst;
- 1To defer repentance hardens the more
