from Rom. 5. 19. & 20 v. that the hearts of people are alike, hard by nature, Well, faith one, what is the meaning of that scripture, "For this fame purpose have I raised thee up, that I may fhew forth my power in thee. And I will harden his heart, & he fhall not let the people go, &c." Anfwer, the Lord raised Pharoah up. Up from what? From the duft unto a child, from a child to a man, to be a king on the throne, that he might fhew forth his power in him. And he has raised up you and me, and all mankind, for the fame purpose: viz. To fhew forth his power in us; if it be not for that, what is it for? We read in feveral places, that the Lord hardened Pharoah, and yet that Pharoah hardened himfelf: How could that be? do it, and yet Pharoah do it. We read that the Lord afflicted Job, and yet that fatan did it: (Job, 19. 21. and 2.7.) And that the Lord moved David to number Ifrael, and yet that fatan did it, &c. (2 Samuel, 24. 1. and 1 Chron. 25. 1.) and that Solomon built the temple, and yet tells how his many workmen did it. Thus we fee that there is a firft caufe, and a fecond caufe, as faith the Poet:

God

"No evil can from God proceed, "'Twas only fuffered, not decreed; "As darkness is not from the fun, "Nor mounts the fhades, till he is gone." Reafon faith, that mankind are agents or elfe Prophets; for they can foretell fome things, and then fulfil them—this is the truth, and you cannot deny it. If fo, then it may be laid with propriety, that the Lord hardened the heart of Pharoah, and yet that Pharoah hardened himself, even as mankind are hardened in this our day, &c. Observe, Firft, the Lord called to Pharoah by favor, and gave him a kingdom. Secondly, the Lord called by commandments, and Pharoah would not obey, by faying, "I know not the Lord, neither will I let Ifrael go." Then the Lord called thirdly, by miracles, but Pharoah reafoned against them in a diabolical way, by fetting the magicians to work. Then fourthly, God called by affliction, then Pharoah made a promise to obey God, and let the Jews depart, if the affliction might be removed: But when the judgment was removed, Pharoah broke his promife; therein he was to blame; for by breaking his promife,

his heart would naturally become harder, like metal when melted, it is tender, and when grown cold is harder than before, and of course requires a hotter fire to melt it again; fo it required a heavier judgment to operate on Pharoah, and God would fend it, and Pharoah would promife and break them, till ten afflictions paffed away, and when the first born was flain by the Lord, and yet by Evil Angels, as David in the Pfalms tells you, Pharoah was fhocked and let the Jews depart-He pursued them, and God permitted him to be taken in his own folly, and drowned in the Red Sea; thus we find how God hardened Pharoah's heart, and yet how he hardened himself by disobedience, and fo in this our day it may be faid, that God hardens fome, and yet they harden themfelves, as follows :-Firft, God calls by prosperity or favours, and yet many enjoy them without a feeling fense from whom they flow. Secondly, God calls by commandments, an inward monitor, telling what is right and what is wrong. But fome don't give attention thereto, which, if they would, they would hear the voice more and more diftinctly, till

at length it would become their teacher. Thirdly, God calls by miracles, the operation of his fpirit perhaps under preaching, or fome other caufe, and they have thought, if I could always feel as I do now, I fhould foon be a Chriftian; or if all my companions would turn and ferve the Lord, I would gladly go with them to heaven. But through inattention, thofe ferious impreffions, which I call miracles, foon wear off. A miracle is fomething done out of the common course of nature, by the operation of the power or fpirit of God; therefore, O reader, it was not the minifter who made you have thofe feelings, but the power of God; therefore, in fome fenfe you have been called upon miraculously, and you cannot deny it. 4thly, God calls by affliction, and when people are taken fiek, and view death near, they make vows and promifes, and think how good they will be if God will spare them and raise them up. But when they are recovered, then (Pharoah like) too foon forget their promifes, and break their vows, and hereby become harder than before, and can do things without remorfe which

once they would have felt the lafh of confcience for. And that preaching which once would make impreffions on their mind, ftrikes the heart and bounds back like a ftone glancing against a rock. This character is what may be termed a Gofpel hardened finner. Thus you may difcover that this plan clears the Divine Character and cafts the blame on the creature, where it ought to be; whereas, the oppofite would caft the blame directly on God, if he decreed it fo. Although Chrift hath promifed once to draw ALL men unto him, (not to drag, for bait draws birds, yet they come voluntarily) yet he never promifes to draw them a fecond time, but on the other hand pofitively faith, my fpirit fhall not always ftrive with men. And again, because I have called and ye have refufed, but ye have fet at naught my council and would none of my reproofs, I alfo will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh. Ephraim is joined to his idols, let him alone. And the language of a reprobate is the harveft is past, the fummer is ended, and we are not faved.” Jer, 8. 20. Prov. 1, 24 to 20, Cen 6.2.