PART III.

SECTION I.

"I will harden Pharaoh's heart."

Having made the foregoing remarks, I proceed to notice some of the leading portions of the sacred word that are brought forward as unquestionable proofs for the divine ordination of Sin. The advocates for a Sin-ordaining, and a Sin-working sovereignty, hold forth such portions of the word, in support of their doctrine, as the following:

"And in very

"I will harden Pharaoh's heart."deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power."-See Exo. vii, 3-ix, 16.— ROM. ix, 17.

These passages are often brought forward, to prove that Sin originated as the effect of God's eternal purpose and executive sovereignty; to prove, that God hardened the heart of angels, and created them for the purpose; to prove that God hardened the heart of our first parents to Sin, and raised them up into existence for the purpose. Hence their language is as follows:

"God made Adam and Eve for this very purpose that they might be tempted and led into Sin, and by force of this decree they could but Sin."-PIS

CATOR.

But it ought to be remembered that Pharaoh was not a pure creature, but a subject of the fall, carnal

sold under Sin. Pharaoh like the rest of the fallen race of Adam, was shapen in iniquity, he was a sinner born; as such his heart was dead to God, and his mind was enmity against God by native depravity. And as this tree grew up it manifested its nature by its fruit; men did not gather grapes off this thorn, nor figs off this thistle. Pharaoh's life was wicked, dissolute, and abominable. The scripture gives us an account of Pharaoh's wickedness before God sent his plagues upon his heart; it sets him forth as being an heathen man, an idolater, an encourager of magic and sorcery; it gives us an account of his tyranny, of his oppression of the Israelites, of his task-masters over them, and of his unnatural demands from them; it also speaks of his cruelty, of his floggings, and of his murderings. (And such murder as out-stript, as to extent and duration, that of Herod upon the children of Bethlehem. Pharaoh's decree to put the male children of the Hebrews to death was general throughout all the tribes of Israel, and without mention of limit as to its duration.) Scripture also gives us an account of the cries nad groanings and anguish of spirit, that this tyranny of Pharaoh produced in the thousands of his miserable bondsmen. And scripture also shews, that God the righteous judge of all the earth was eyewitness to all that Pharaoh did unto oppressed Israel, and that God heard the cries and groanings of his people; and scripture also relates, how that God undertook the cause of the poor, and arose to judgment in behalf of the needy; and overthrew their oppressors, and that too when they were about to pour destruction upon defenceless Israel. "The enemy said, I will

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pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil; my Just shall be satisfied upon them; I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them."-Exo. xv, 9. But the hand of God reversed all this their horrid anticipation. "Thou didst blow upon them with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in. the mighty waters."—verse 10.

The wickedness of Pharaoh is too frequently lost sight of, when men talk about God hardening Pharaoh's heart; and 'instead of shewing how that Pharaoh's. wickedness was the cause of God's giving him up to his own heart's lusts, in order to his overthrow, as an act of his executive judgment upon him for his wickedness; they represent it, as though all Pharaoh's wickedness came from God, and as though Pharaoh neither would nor could have sinned if God had not appointed it as an act of his sovereignty, and accomplished it as the work and effect of God hardening his heart.

But the oppressed brick-makers, (and those parents who had been forced, by the decree of Pharaoh, to do violence to the life of their tender offspring,) viewed the hand of God upon Pharaoh in a different light. Hence the language of their song at the Red Sea :· "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?"-Exo. xv, 11. The holiness of God is ever kept in view when saints praise God for his judgments. Hence the language of those in heaven, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments :-Thou art righteous, O Lord because thou hast judged thus: for they have shad the blood of thy saints, and thou hast given them

blood to drink; for they are worthy."-REV. xvi, 5, 6,-7. "With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again." What a striking analogy there appears between Pharaoh's Sin, and God's judgment upon him; Pharaoh decreed the destruction of the male children of the Hebrews, they were drowned in the river; and God in righteous judgment drowned the Egyptians in the sea.

But to notice the hardening of Pharaoh's heart.

Pharaoh was hardened in a three-fold sense.

1st. His heart was hardened by the fall.

2nd. It was hardened by his actual wickedness. 3rd. God hardened it for his wickedness, in order to his overthrow.

God never hardens mens' hearts to make them wicked, but he hardens them because they are wicked; the wickedness of men is the cause of God hardening their hearts. Hence we read, "For this cause God gave them up to a reprobate mind-to their own heart's luststo vile affections -- and also sends them strong delusions that they should believe a lie." For what cause doth God do this; doth he do it to make men sin, as a mere act of his sovereign pleasure, as some pretend? No; but he does it in judgment because of their sins, and because of their rebellion against his word and council; and because of their abominable practices. As it is written, "They have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations, I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer;

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when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not."-Is. lxvi, 3, 4. Hence, I consider the hardening of Pharaoh's heart was for his wickedness, it was the executive justice of God upon him for his wickedness. For this cause God gave him up to a reprobate mind; and being given up of God, his hardened and impenitent heart went from bad to worse, treasuring up unto itself wrath against the day of wrath. And as Pharaoh was hardened, or given up of God for his wickedness, so he was also hardened by his wickedness. As it is written "His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself; he shall be holden by the cords of his sins: he shall die without instruction, and in the greatness of his folly shall he go astray."- PRO. v, 23. This is God's solemn appointment to some men for their sins: hence we read of tribes and nations being thus given up of God; as the Canaanites, &c, whom God gave up, cast out and destroyed for their sins. Hence, when the Lord is charging Israel against practising the abominations of the Canaanites; he adds, "And because of these abominations the Lord thy Ciod doth drive them, out from before thee." And again, "Speak not thou in thy heart-saying, for my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess the land; but for the wickedness of those nations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee."--DEU. xviii, 12ix, 4, 5. So that God did not harden the heart of Pharaoh by adding any additional hardness, but his hardness proceeded from his own native depravity, and his own iniquities were the cords that bound him, that held him fast, and that led him to destruction.