Pharaoh, and yet that Pharaoh hardened himself, even as mankind are hardened in this our day,

him as well as her body. And as we read that the souls of Jacob's children, Gen. xlvi. 26. were in Jacob's loins, and came out, &c. I herefrom infer, that they were not laid up in a store house in heaven, but came by natural generation from the parents as well as the body. Well, says one, estimate the value of the soul, (by mechanism.)

First, some people prize a thing according as who made it, if one mechanic made it, they prize it so much worth; but if another made it they would prize it higher, because it was made by a more perfect workman. If we prize the soul by this standard, it must be considered as valuable, because i was made by the perfectest of the perfect, and the wisest of the wise, him that cannot err, GOD ALMIGHTY.

Secondly, some people value a thing according to its dura tion. If the soul be valued on that ground, it must be prized high; for it being spirit, it is immortal and must efidure as long as eternal ages pass away.

Thirdly, some people prize a thing according to the case of it; if the soul be prized on this ground, it must be esteemed as valuable, for at a certain time, it is said, five millions were offered to any one who would contrive a machine that would perform perpetual motion, and yet none have been able to do, it; yet in the construction of the case of the soul, which is the body, there is more wisdom discoverable than all the wisdom of the mechanics, in all the machinery on the face of this terraqueous globe.

If the case is thus wisely and beautifully made, how valua ble must the soul be which the body is made to contain !

Fourthly, some people prize a thing according to what it costs; if the soul be prized according to this medium, it must be valuable, for if any smaller ransom than the blood of Christ could have purchased immortal souls, from the curse of a broken law, doubtless God would have accepted the offering. Some people say that "one drop of Christ's blood is sufficient to cleanse a soul," which idea I condemn, because the magnitude of a crime is not looked upon according to the dignity of the offender, but according to the dignity of the offended; therefore a finite being sinning against an infinite God, there is an infinite demerit in the transgression, and justice demands infinite satisfaction. But a finite being can make finite satisfaction only, therefore there needs a mediator between a rebel creature and the CREATOR, which could be formed no way but by the two natures being joined together, that is to say the finite and the infinite, or in other words, the Godhead and manhood, or DIVINITY veiled in humanity.

But here comes up a deist, and says, hush Lorenzo, it is in

&c. Observe, first, the Lord called to Pharaof: by favor, and gave him a kingdom. Secondly, the

consistent to adopt the idea that divinity and humanity can be joined together, as you talk, in the person of Christ. But I say, hush; for it is no more inconsistent with reason to adopt the idea that divinity and humanity can be joined together, than to adopt a former one which is self-evident, viz. that spirit and matter can be joined together, and form a man, which idea, or how it is I cannot comprehend, yet self-evident matter of fact puts it beyond all doubt, that spirit and matter are joined to form man, and you cannot deny it—and of course the idea that divinity and humanity can be joined to. gether in the person of Christ, may be admitted according to reason. The manhood being offered up under an infinite influence of the DIVINITY, the sacrifice would be of infinite merit according to the transgression and the demands of justice.But to return, I cannot suppose that Christ would have done any thing superfluous for man's redemption, and of course, that one drop of his blood is sufficient to cleanse a soul or save a world, is inconsistent, as though a considerable part of what he did was superfluity, &c. and of course in atoning for what is called original sin. I must believe that nothing needless was done; if not, then Christ did no more than what was necessary; and if so, the idea that one drop of his blood, &c. to cleanse a soul, is inconsistent. And if the demerit of one transgression demands infinite satisfaction then, the atonement made for that, would be a sufficiency for all the world, or ten thousand times as many for what greater satisfaction could be made than that which is infinite? Therefore, the human nature being offered a sacrifice by the influence of the divinity, for the SIN of the world, which was the sin of Adam, the sacrifice or ransom in some sense may be considered as infinite, it being offered under an infinite influence of the divine spirit; therefore, the satisfaction would be according to the transgression, and of course, in doing that, there would be a sufficient provision for all the actual sins of men, considering the nature of it, and how unbounded it is. Therefore, the so when prized according to what it cost, must be considered very valuable.

O sin

But again, fifthly, some people prize a thing according to the scarcity of it. If a thing is very plenty, they would give so much for it, but if it were more scarce, they would give much more, &c. So, immortal souls are plenty, and yet very scarce, for each man hath but one, each woman hath but one. ner, if thou lose thy soul, thou losest thy all, thou hast nothing left. God help thee to consider seriously, and stimulate thee to improve thy time, (which is on the wheel) for eternity accordingly.

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Lord called by commandments, and Pharaoh would not obey, by saying, "I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go." Then the Lord called thirdly, by miracles, but Pharaoh reasoned against them in a diabolical way, by setting the magicians to work. Then fourthly, God called by affliction; then Pharaoh made a promise to obey God, and let the Jews depart, if the affliction might be removed but when the judgment was removed, Pharaoh broke his promise; therein he was to blame, and you cannot deny it. for by breaking his promise, his heart would natrally 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; so it required a heavier judgment to operate on Pharaoh; and God would send it, and Pharaoh would promise and break them, till ten afflictions passed away; and when the first-born was slain by the Lord, and yet by evil angels, as David in the Psalms tells you, Pharaoh was shocked, 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

The soul, which we perceive governs our body, (as the body without the soul, is a lifeless lump of clay,) we find from experience hath a memory, which is the power of reflection or recollection, to call past things to remembrance, &c. Again, it bath an understanding, which is a power to comprehend and realize things as they are; again, it hath a will, which is the power of choosing or determining.

We also have passions, one of which is love, inclining us to that which appears delightsome. Anger is another passion, which implies dislike or opposition to a thing that is odious in our minds. Likewise we have fear when danger we behold. Also joy when pleasure or happiness we possess. There are five outward senses by which we distinguish objects or qualities; these are inlets of knowledge to the mind, and only through them can we receive ideas, (except by inspiration, which is an inward conviction wrought by another spirit.) These five senses, are hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, and feeling.

how God hardenc: Pharaoh's heart, and yet how he hardened himself by disobedience; and so in this our day it may be said, that God hardens some, and yet they harden themselves, as follows: First, God calls by prosperity or favours, and yet many enjoy them without a feeling sense from whom they flow. Secondly, God calls by commandments; an inward monitor, telling what is right and what is wrong but some do not give attention thereto, which, if they would, they would hear the voice more and more distinctly, till at length it would become their teacher.Thirdly, God calls by miracles; the operation of bis Spirit perhaps under preaching, or some other cause, and they have thought, If I could always feel as I do now I should soon be a christian; or if all my companions would turn and serve the Lord, I would gladly go with them to heaven.— But through inattention, those serious impressions, which I call miracles, soon wear off. A miracle is something done out of the common course of nature, by the operations of the power or spirit of God; therefore, O reader, it was not the minister who made you have those feelings, but the power of God; therefore, in some sense, you have been called upon miraculously, and you cannot deny it. Fourthly, God calls by afdiction, and when people are taken sick, and view death near, they make vows and promises, and think how good they will be if God will spare them and raise them up. But when they are recovered then (Pharaoh like) too soon forget their promises, and break their vows, and hereby become harder than before, and can do things without remorse which once they would have felt the lash of conscience for. And that preaching, which once would make impressions on their mind, strikes their heart and bounds back like a stone glancing against a rock. This character is what

may be termed a Gospel hardened sinner. Thus you may discover that this plan clears the Divine Character, and casts the blame on the creature, where it ought to be cast: whereas, the opposite would cast the blame directly on God, if he decreed it so this is the truth, and you cannot deny it. Although Christ hath promised once to draw ALL men unto him, (not to drag, for bait draws birds, yet they come voluntarily) yet he never promises to draw them a second time, but on the other hand positively saith, My spirit shall not always strive with man. And again, Because I have called and ye have refused, but ye have set at nought my counsel, and would none of my reproofs, I also will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cemeth. Ephraim is joined to his idols, let him alone. And the language of a reprobate is," the harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved." (Jer. viii. 20. Prov. i. 24, 25, 26. Gen. vi. 3.)

As the Lord requireth a right sacrifice in the path of (revealed) duty; those who, like Cain, bring a wrong offering, the fruit of the ground, instead of the firstling of the flock, like Abel, must expect, like Cain, to be rejected, (Gen. iv. 7.) for God saith, Behold I have set life and death before you; choose you this day whom you will serve, &c. (Josh. xxiv. 15.) one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen the good part. We do not read God chose it for her: this is the truth

and you cannot deny it.-Even as we read in John iii. 19. that this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, &c. Oh! reader, prepare to meet thy God!

Obj. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump, to make one vessel to honor, and another to dishonor?

Ans.

A potter never makes any vessel on pur