Matthew Poole and continuators on Romans 9:18

18. Therefore] hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy , and whom he will, he hardeneth .

This Verse is a short Repetition of the fore-going Argument.

See ver. 15. and the Notes there.

i. e. In a judicial way. Besides natural hardness, which is in all men, and is Hereditary to them; and habitual hardness, which is Contracted by a Custome in Sin. As a Path is hardened by the continual trampling of Passengers; there is judicial or judiciary hardness, which is inflicted by God as a Punishment. Men harden their own hearts sinfully (so 'tis thrice said of Pharaoh in Exodus, That He hardened his own heart, Exod. 8.15. and 9.34.) and then God hardens their hearts judicially; so 'tis often said of God in Exodus, That He hardened Pharaoh's heart, Exod. 7.13. and 9.12. and 10.1, 20, 37. and 14.8. God is not said properly to harden the hearts of men, i. e. He doth not make their soft hearts hard, nor doth he put hardness into the hearts of Men (as our Adversaries slanderously report us to Affirm) nor doth he barely permit or suffer them to be hardened, (which is the Opinion of the Papists, about this matter;) but Two wayes may He be said to harden sinners. 1. By forsaking them, and not softning their Hearts; As darkness follows upon the Sun's with-drawing of his light; so doth hardness upon God's with-holding his softning Influence. 2. By Punishing them, He inflicts farther hardness, as a Punishment of former hardness; and this he infuseth not; but it is Effected, Either 1. By Satan, to whom hardned sinners are delivered up: Or 2. By themselves, they being given over to their own hearts Lusts. Or 3. By God's word and works, which accidentially harden the hearts of Men, as might be shewn.

Marginal references: Or, so [illegible: 1 word]