[1.] The subject spoken of in these promises is the heart. And the heart in the ScrijDture is taken for the whole rational soul, not absolutely, but as all the faculties of the soul are one common prin- ciple of all our moral operations. Hence it hath such properties assigned uuto it as are peculiar to the mind or understanding, as to see, perceive, to be wise, and to understand; and, on the contrary, to be blind and foolish; and sometimes such as belong properly to the will and affections, as to obey, to love, to fear, to trust in God. Wherefore, the principle of all our spiritual and moral operations is intended hereby.
[2.] There is a description of this heart, as it is in us antecedent unto the effectual working of the grace of God in us : it is said to be
' "Hoc est enim, promittit Dens qiiocl ipse facit; non cnim ipse promittit et alius facit ; quod jam non est promittcro sed pvEediccre. Ideo non ex operibus sed ex vo- cante, ne ipsorum sit, non Dei." — August, de Spir. et Lit. cap. xxiv.
CHAP, v.] OF REGENEKATION. 827
stony, — " The heart of stone." It is not absolutely that it is said so to be, but with respect unto some certain end. This end is declared to be our walking in the- ways of God, or our fearing of him. Where- fore, our hearts by nature, as imto living to God or his fear, are a stone, or stony; and who hath not experience hereof from the re- mainders of it still abiding in them? And two things are included in this expression : — \st. An ineptitude unto any actings towards that end. Whatever else the heart can do of itself, in things natural or civil, in outward things, as to the end of living unto God it can of itself, without his grace, do no more than a stone can do of itself unto any end whereunto it may be applied, ^dly. An obstinate, stubborn opposition unto all things conducing unto that end. Its hardness or obstinacy, in ojjposition to the pliableness of a heart of flesh, is 2orincij)ally intended in this expression. And in this stubbornness of the heart consists all that repugnancy to the grace of God which is in us by nature, and hence all that resistance doth arise, which some say is always sufficient to render any operation of the Spirit of God by his grace fruitless.
[3.] This heart, — that is, this ionjjotency and enmity which is in our natures unto conversion and spiritual obedience, — God says he will take away; that is, he will do so in them who are to be con- verted according to the purpose of his will, and whom he will turn unto himself^ He doth not say that he will endeavour to take it away, nor that he will use such or such means for the taking of it away, but absolutely that he will take it aiuay. He doth not say that he will persuade men to remove it or do it away, that he will aid and help them in their so doing, and that so far as that it shall luholly be their own fault if it be not done, — which no doubt it is where it is not removed; but positively that he himself will take it away. Wherefore, the act of taking it away is the act of God by his gTace, and not the act of our wills but as they are acted thereby; and that such an act as whose effect is necessary. It is impossible that God should take away the stony heart, and yet the stony heart not be taken away. What, therefore, God promiseth herein, in the removal of our natural corruption, is as unto the event infallible, and as to the manner of operation irresistible.
[4] As what God taketh from us in the cure of our original disease, so what he bestoweth on us or works in us is here also ex- pressed ; and this is, a new heart and a neio spirit : " I will give you a new heart." And withal it is declared what benefit we do receive thereby : for those who have this new heart bestowed on them
1 " Htec gi-atia qux occulte liumanis cordibus divina largitate tribuitur, a nullo dm'o cordc respuitur ; idco qiiippe tribuitur, ut cordis durities primitus auferatur " — August, de Prccdest. Sanct. cap. viii.
323 THE NATURE, CAUSES, AND MEANS [BOOK III.
or wrought in them, they do actually, by virtue thereof, " fear the Lord and walk in his ways;" for so it is affirmed in the testimonies produced : and no more is required thereunto, as nothing less will effect it. There must, therefore, be in this new heart thus given us a principle of all holy obedience unto God : the creating of which principle in us is our conversion to him ; for God doth convert us, and we' are converted. And how is this new heart communicated unto us? " I will," saith God, " give them a new heart." " That is, it may be, he will do what is to be done on his part that they may have it ; but we may refuse his assistance, and go without it." No ; saith he, " I will put a new spirit within them;" which expression is capable of no such limitation or condition. And to ma,ke it more plain yet, he affirms that he " will write his law in oiu' hearts." It is confessed that this is spoken with respect unto his writing of the law of old in the tables of stone. As, then, he wrote the letter of the law in the tables of stone, so that thereon and thereby they were actually engraven therein ; so by writing the law, that is, the matter and substance of it, in our hearts, it is as really fixed therein as the letter of it was of old in the tables of stone. And this can be no other- wise but in a 'principle of obedience and love unto it, which is ac- tually wrought of God in us. And the aids or assistances which some men grant that are left unto the power of our own wills to use or not to use, have no analogy with the writing of the law in tables of stone. And the end of the work of God described is not a power to obey, which may be exerted or not; but it is actual obedience in conversion, and all the fruits of it. And if God do not in these promises declare a real efficiency of internal grace, taking away all repugnancy of nature unto conversion, curing its dei3ravation actually and effectually, and communicating infalhbly a principle of scriptural obedience, I know not in what words such a work may be expressed. And whatever is excepted as to the suspending of the efficacy of this work upon conditions in ourselves, it falls immediately into gross and sensible contradictions. An especial instance of this work we have. Acts xvi. 14.