Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 13:15

15 For this peoples heart is waxen gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time, they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, And [illegible: 1 letter] should heal them.

These words of the Prophet are not less than five times found in the new Testament (besides, by Matthew in these Verses) applyed to the Iews: They are taken out of Isaiah, Ch. 6.9, 10. where they are found thus. And he said, Go, and tell this People, Hear you indeed, but understand not, and see you, but perceive not: Make the Heart of this Peop[illegible: 1 letter]e fat, and their Ears heavy, and shut their Eyes, lest they see with their Eyes, and hear with their Ears, and understand with their Hearts, and Convert, and be healed▪ It is quoted, Mar. 4.12. Luk. 8.10. where the Sense of the Words only is quoted more shortly, Ioh. 12.40. Acts 28.26. Rom. 11.8. more largely, yet with some more difference of Phrase, from that of the Prophet. By all of them it appeareth, either, that God spake those Words to the Prophet, as well with reference to those Iews, that were to live in the time of Christ: As to those Iews, who were living, when Isaiah prophecied: Or at least, that the Words were as true of these Iews, as they were of those, so the Prophecy of Isaiah was fulfilled in them. But the Words are so differently related, that the Prophet, and St. Iohn, Ch. 12.40. seem to make God the cause of t[illegible: 1 letter]e Fatness of this Peoples Hearts, the Heaviness of their Ears, and the Blindness of the[illegible: 1 letter]r Eyes. Therefore they could not believe, because Isaias saith again, He hath Blinded their Eyes, and hardened their Hearts, that they should not see with their Eyes, nor understand with their Hearts, and be Converted, and I should heal them. So also Paul speaketh, Rom. 11.8. God hath given them the Spirit of slumber, Eyes that they should not see, and Ears that they should not hear. Matthew saith, This Peoples Heart is waxed Gross. Matthew seemeth to speak of the more Proximate Cause, Isaiah, Luke, Iohn, and Paul of the higher, but remoter C[illegible: 1 letter]use. Matthew of their sinful Act preceding. Iohn, Luke, and Paul, and Isaiah ▪ of the Iudicical Act of God; consequent to their sinful Act. God first sent them. Moses and the Prophets, by whom they might have seen, and known his Will, they would not See, nor Hear, nor Vnderstand, nor Convert, nor be Hea[illegible: 1 letter]ed. God at last did leave them to the Reprobacy of their own mind: He willed indeed the Prophet to go and Preach, b[illegible: 1 letter]t saith he, This shall be all the Fruit of thy Ministry, it shall b[illegible: 1 letter]t make the Heart of this People fat, and their Ears heavy, they shall more and more shut their Eyes, their time of Conversion and Healing is past: It is now too late, I will not Convert, I will not Heal them: Now (saith our Saviour) what was applicable to the Iews, in the time of Isaiah: Is in like manner applicable to you, and the Prophet Isaiah, did foretel what I should meet with. The Generality of the People, are a People that have so despised the Grace of God, that their Day of Grace is over. God is resolved, he will not Convert nor Heal them, They have had light, t[illegible: 1 letter]ey have seen me, and my Works, they have heard my Sermons, and Iohn Baptists, in seeing they would not see, in hearing they would not hear nor understand. So they are fallen under a Iudicial hardness, and Blindness. They shall not now have the light as they have had: My Spirit shall no longer strive with them; neither shall they have an Heart to make a due use of the means they have. This is doubtless, the meaning of these Words. And so they give a just reason, why he spake to them in Parables. And thus undoubtedly God doth to this Day, when a People have a long time sate under a good and profitable Ministry, wherein their Souls have been dealt withal plainly, and faithfully, and they remain still Ignorant, Debaucht, and unbelieving▪ God in a righteous Judgment, gives them over to the Blindness of mind, and hardness of Heart under the Ministry, that tho it continue never so good amongst them, yet they are not affected with the Word, but Sleep and Harden under it: Sometimes he by his Providence suf[illegible: 1 letter]ers such a Minister to come amongst them, as speaketh nothing but Parables; things which they understand not, or smooth thi[illegible: 1 letter]gs, fit to smooth them up in their sinful Courses, and harden them in their Prejudices against Christ, and Holiness. A mo[illegible: 1 letter]t tremendous Judgment of God; when God A[illegible: 1 letter]tecedently to this Contempt, by his Providence sends such a Ministry, as may declare his Willingness, they should be saved and come to the knowledge of his Truth, and [illegible: 1 word] to this Contempt, and despising of his Grace, so dealeth with them by his Providence, either, suffering their [illegible: 2 letters]rst seeming Affections, and edge to abate, (as the Iews are said, for a while to have rejoyced in the light Io[illegible: 1 letter]n brought) or suffering such a Ministry to come amongst them, as one would think God sent, lest Men, should Convert, and be Healed. In the mean time Christ in this Text excellently sets out Gods method in his dealing with Souls. 1. He bringeth th[illegible: 1 letter]m to hear and see. 2. T[illegible: 1 letter]en he m[illegible: 1 letter]kes t[illegible: 1 letter]em to understand, and believe▪ 3. [illegible: 1 span] C[illegible: 2 letters]verts them, reneweth, and changeth their Hearts. 4. Then he [illegible: 1 word] them, p[illegible: 1 letter]r[illegible: 1 letter]oneth their Sins, an[illegible: 1 letter] accepts the[illegible: 1 letter]r Persons, not because t[illegible: 1 letter]ey are converted, but at the same time, when he wor[illegible: 1 letter]s Fa[illegible: 1 letter]th in them, and giveth them [illegible: 1 letter]n He[illegible: 2 letters]t to rep[illegible: 2 letters]t.