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ed are a temptation and snare even to the righteous: much more to those, who have no internal principle to support and guide them. At first they may be somewhat shocked, at the impiety and profanity which they see and hear. At length they will be able to see and hear them without emotion. And from this state, the transition will be easy and swift to such a state of hardness as will enable them to practise the same vices with little or no remorse.

Thus it appears, that to continue in opposition to God, and particularly, to abuse special mercies, disregard divine judgments, slight the word of God, abuse the mercies of grace, reject the light and convictions of conscience, associate with the abandoned and profane, have all a direct tendency to harden the heart. It was proposed,

III. To point out some of the dangerous consequences of continuing to harden the heart.

Many of these have been often set before you. At present I shall be very brief.

1. Sinners by hardening the heart, become more under the dominion of sin, and power of Satan. Unguarded, they are exposed to his attacks; to be led about by him, at his will, and become less and less susceptible of any serious impressions from the gospel, and the means of grace. As it was observed, that abusing the means of grace has a tendency to harden the heart; so reciprocally as sinners harden their hearts, they are less likely to receive any benefit from those means. It is the nature of hardness of heart, to be unmoved and unaffected by the divine character, and the things of religion. In proportion therefore as it increases, the probability that the gospel will take effect decreases, and the state of sinners becomes more and more hopeless.

2. As an awful punishment on sinners for hardening their hearts, the Most High, in his righteous displeasure, frequently gives them over to judicial

blindness, and final hardness; declaring that they shall not enter into his rest. Such was the state of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, of Chorazin, and Bethsaida. Such was the state of those, to whom the prophet Isaiah was sent, when he received the awful commission. "Go and tell this people, hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert and be healed."

Lastly; as the sum and conclusion of all the evils consequent on hardening the heart, and continuing. finally impenitent, let us reflect upon their situation, when trembling with guilt and horror, they shall be summoned to the bar of the Supreme Judge. Then -all hope will be banished; and they will be addressed, while calling to the rocks and mountains to fall on them, "I have called but ye refused: I have stretched out my hand, but ye have not regarded. Ye have set at nought all my counsel, and despised my reproof; therefore ye shall now eat of the fruit of your own wages, and be filled with your own devices."

IMPROVEMENT.

1. From what hath been said, we learn that hardness of heart is of a nature most vile and criminal; and that those who exercise it are justly under the divine displeasure, and exposed to that awful and eternal punishment, which is threatened by the law of God, against finally impenitent sinners. It is enmity against God. It is the essence of impenitence and unbelief. It is called in the context, "an evil heart of unbelief." It is indeed evil both in its nature and consequences. What can be more evil and criminal, than for intelligent creatures to be unaffected with the divine character, and unmoved by all his commands and gracious invitations? It is a practical de

claration, that the Most High is not excellent, or worthy to be loved, and is rebellion against him. Nothing however is more common, than for sinners to acknowledge themselves criminal

and blame

worthy for their external conduct, while they plead that they cannot see how they are culpable for their hard and unbelieving hearts. But let such be assured, that whatever criminality they are guilty of, it arises entirely from the nature of their hearts. If they are not criminal, or blameworthy for exercising hard, impenitent hearts; or in other words for being disaffected towards the divine character, and at enmity against his law; it is impossible, that they should be criminal for any thing, or that there should be any such thing as right and wrong, in things of a moral nature. It remains therefore for sinners, either to believe the law of God unjust, in requiring the heart, and then continue their rebellion, and attempt to contend with the Most High, or else to condemn themselves, and give glory to God, and with an humble and contrite heart, rejoice in the divine character and government. This will be done, by those and those only, who by the divine influence are brought to a right discerning, and a right temper of mind.

2. From what hath been said it appears, that when we see any of our fellow men running greedily in the ways of iniquity, without restraint or apparent remorse, we have reason to fear that they are left of God, and in the certain road to destruction. Our only hope of such, is the divine sovereignty and mercy. We know that God is able to melt the hardest hearts, and bow the most stubborn wills. But were we to know that the Most High had pronounced concerning any one, as of Ephraim of old, "Let him alone," we should have no more ground to hope of him, than of the damned in hell. We should be sure, though the gospel salvation might be still offered to him for months and years, yet that he would continue to despise it, and plunge into endless ruin.

SERMON II.

REESE LIBRA,

OF THE

UNIVERSIN CALIF

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to impenitent sinners, and especially to those sho are in youth. Let such beware how they live any longer in the abuse of divine mercies, or judgments, or the means of grace, or in the exercise of impenitence and unbelief. Let them seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near. Perhaps some of those who are in youth may live to old age. But if they live in hardness and impenitence, their state will be nearly desperate. For when the Ethiopian shall change his skin, and the Leopard his spots, then shall they, who have been accustomed to, or hardened in iniquity, learn to do well. There is less hope of those in youth, who are still impenitent, than those in childhood; less still of those in middle age; and least of all of those in old age. If there be any impenitent sinners present, who have passed through all these stages, and bccome old in iniquity, I would appeal to them, if their consciences be not wholly silenced, whether, as they have proceeded from one stage of life to another, they have not found themselves less affected and impressed with the things of religion, and more attached to sinful practices? But whether such perceive it or not, through the blindness of their hearts, yet it is perceived by others, and is asserted in the word of God. May we all therefore be impressed with the divine admonition, "Harden not your hearts." Take heed lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For they, who being often reproved still harden their hearts, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

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