Answ. "All manner of sins and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme.—Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" (Matt 12:31; Mark 3:28; Isa 55:7,8).
3. But I have a stout and rebellious heart, a heart that is far from good.
Answ. "Hearken unto me," saith God, "ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness"; that is, the righteousness of Christ, by which stout-hearted sinners are justified, though ungodly (Isa 46:12,13; Phil 3:7,8; Rev 4:5).
4. But I have a heart as hard as any stone.
Answ. "A new heart also will I give you," says God, "and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh" (Eze 36:26).
5. But I am as blind as a beetle; I cannot understand anything of the gospel.
Answ. "I will bring the blind by a way that they know not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them" (Isa 42:16).
6. But my heart will not be affected with the sufferings and blood of Christ.
Answ. "I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born" (Zech 12:10).
7. But though I see what is like to become of me if I find not Christ, yet my spirit, while I am thus, will be running after vanity, foolishness, uncleanness, wickedness.