A new heart also will I give you, 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 an heart of flesh.
Ver. 26. A new heart also will I give you.] For the old heart will never hold out the hardship of holiness; the old fabric must be taken down, and a new set up. See Ezekiel 11:19. A "new man" both in constitution and conversation one must be, or else he is no man in Christ. 2Co 5:17
And I will taks away the stony heart.] The natural heart, which is hard and refractory, "to every good work reprobate." Hard is that which resisteth the touch. The old heart is inflexible to God's Spirit, insensible of his word and judgments, and impenetrable to his grace. Where, then, is man's freewill? Garriant illi, nos credamus; a there is no such thing, believe it. Nature is wholly stony: it is God alone that "of these stones raiseth up children to Abraham."
And I will give you an heart of flesh,] i.e., Tractable, and capable of divine impressions, ready to every good work. Tit 3:1
a Augustine.