An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

So then we having hardness of heart by nature, do by custom acquire a further hardness, and the Lord in wrath inflicteth hardness, then the sinner is pertinacious in sinning. All these put together make him irrecoverably sinful, His neck is an iron sinew, and his brow brass, Isa. 48.4.

So then we having hardnesse of heart by nature, doe by custome acquire a further hardnesse, and the Lord in wrath inflicteth hardnesse, then the sinner is pertinacious in sinning. All these put together make him irrecoverably sinfull, His neck is an iron sinew, and his brow brasse, Isa. 48.4.

Observe, first, There is an active hardness of heart, or man hardens his own heart. Exod. 5. We read of Pharaoh hardening his heart, before the Lord hardened it; Who is the Lord (saith he) that I ⟨p. 163⟩should let Israel go? Here was Pharaoh hardening his heart, and steeling his spirit against the command of God, God sent him a command to let Israel go; he replies, Who is the Lord? I know not the Lord; who is this that takes upon him to command me? Am not I King of Egypt? I know no Peer, much less Superior Lord. It was true indeed, poor creature! he did not know the Lord; Pharaoh spake right in that, I know not the Lord; if he had, he would never have said, I will not let Israel go, he would have let all go at his command, had he known who the Lord was that commanded. Thus Sennacherib (2 Chron. 32.14.) blasphemes by his messengers, Who was there among all the gods of those Nations that my fathers utterly destroyed, that could deliver his people out of mine hand, that your God should be able to deliver you out of mine hand? These are hard words against God, and hardening words to man.