5. Improve afflictions. It is a means God hath appointed to shake us out of our security. We are apt to be lulled asleep with the delights and pleasures of sin till we feel the sharp rod of afflictions : 2 Chron. xxviii. 22. ' And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord : this is that King Ahaz.' They are monsters of nature and hopeless wretches that are not reclaimed by afflictions. God sets a brand on Ahaz, like a dogged servant that will not stir, beat him never so much. Unprofitableness under the rod is an ill presage. In hell sinners are always suffering and always sinning.
6. Beware of those things which are both steps unto, and causes of, hardness of heart ; for one degree is the cause of another ; as when sin is committed witlwut remorse, and swallowed without grief.
7. Beware of extenuating sin, of having less thoughts of it, and being less troubled about it. At first it seemed a horrible thing, a burden too heavy for us ; but afterwards it grows less light, and the heart more insensible, and sin more delightful. The burden of sin increaseth in the children of God as light and acquaintance with God increaseth. That which they made nothing of at first groweth very heavy.
8. Keep grace in a constant exercise. Let the fire be kept always in that came down from heaven, 2 Tim. i. 6, ' Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up the gift of God that is in thee.'
9. Frequent the society of God's people. Want of care of our com- pany is a great fault ; for company hardeneth in sin or humbleth. The very example of God's people will be a great help to you ; how tender they are, how watchful, what meltings of heart they have in prayer, how they make conscience of the least sin, how they complain of themselves, Oh ! what a hard heart have I ! Coals lying together keep fire. This is a means to keep us tender : Heb. iii. 13, " But exhort one another daily while it is called to-day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.'
SERMONS UPON EXODUS IV. 21.
SERMON I.
I will harden his heart, that he shall not let my people go. — ExoD. iv. 21.
I E[AVE spoken of hardness of heart as it is proper to man. I shall now speak of that judicial hardness which is inflicted by God ; a notable instance whereof we have in Pharaoh, that was raised up that Grod might in him make his power known ; that is, he was born into the world, and advanced to royal dignity, that the world may know what God can do against an obstinate contradicting creature. And accord- ingly it is applied by the apostle : Eom. ix. 17, ' For the scripture saith unto Pharoah, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.' Therefore it is an instance worth the viewing.
In this place God acquainteth Moses of it aforehand, to fortify him against all discouragements. He was to deal with an obstinate crea- ture, but it was that which God had foreseen and foredecreed : ' I will harden his heart, that he shall not let my people go.'
The point or head of doctrine is, God s hardening of sinners. You may take it in the form of a proposition, for the help of the weakest.
Doct. God himself hath a hand in the hardening of obstinate sinners.
About fourteen times is the hardness of Pharaoh's heart spoken of ; and thi'ice it is said, ' He hardened his own heart : ' Exod. viii. 15, * When Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them, as the Lord had said.' So ver. 32, ' And Pharaoh hardened his heart at that time also, neither would he let the people go ; ' and again, chap. ix. 34, ' And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, and the hail, and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and all his servants.' In all the other places it is ascribed to God himself. Man hardeneth, and then God hardeneth. When God blindetli a man, he first closeth his own eyes ; and when God hardeneth a man, he first contracteth a brawn and stifluess upon his own heart. Pharaoh in hardening himself is charged with two things — slighting of the judgment: cliap. vii. 23, ' And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his
222 SERMONS UPON EXODUS IV. 21.
heart to this also.' And contempt of the threatening : chap. viii. 15 ' He hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them, as the Lord' had said.' And the very same thing also is said to be of God: chap, vii. 13, 'He hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them, as the Lord had said.'
For the clearing of this, I shall — (1.) Give you some observations from the story ; (2.) Show you how God hardeneth ; (3.) The causes of it.