deftination, in a fenfe incompatible with their context. I forbear at present to specify them. Of one however in particular I would remark, that, whatever difficulty may attend it, when taken by itself, the context fupplies a moft fatisfactory folution. Allow the literal interpretation of the phrafe, "that God hardened "the heart of Pharaoh," no fupport is thereby furnished to the doctrine of abfolute irrefpective reprobation. It was before the plagues began to be inflicted, that the Lord announced to Mofes, that he would "harden Pharaoh's "heart" but it is at the fame time a remarkable fact, that the threat was conftantly fufpended, in order (as it appears, and as was the case with respect to the people of Nineveh under a sentence of deftruction paffed on them by the Almighty,) that Pharaoh might have it in his power to "fet his heart" to the judgments, which God was executing upon him, and to be obedient unto the word of the Lord. Five plagues had already been wrought in his prefence by "the finger of God;" and he had continually and perversely hardened his heart against thofe teftimonies of almighty power, which his very magicians, whom he had called in to rival them with their enchantments, were reluctantly compelled to ac Exod. iv. 21. Jonah iii. 4, 5, 10. knowledge; before the fentence of the divine. wrath was accomplished against him, and "the Lord hardened his heart, as he had 66 fpoken unto Mofes ." The measure of his iniquity was now full; and he had rendered himself by his own hardness and impenitent heart a veffel of wrath, fo well fitted for deftruction, that God would now have cut him off, as a punishment for his fins, but that he rather chose to endure him with much longfuffering, in order that he might thereby give a more confpicuous teftimony of his wrath, and make his power to be more illustriously known. Let it be allowed then, that God did literally harden Pharaoh's heart; it must also be allowed, that this his final obduracy was not the result of God's abfolute irrespective will; but was drawn down upon him by his own previous obftinacy and numerous provocations. That he hardened his own heart, was his fin; that the Lord hardened it, was his punishment: it was an act of righteous retributive justice upon an impenitent and obftinate finner, who had defpifed the riches of God's mercy and forbearance, and challenged the severity of his 66 anger. 5. But further; as it is our bufinefs to compare spiritual things with spiritual," we Exod. ix. 12. 1 Cor. ii. 3. fhould be cautious not to fix our thoughts on fome detached paffage, and push it to its utmoft extent; but fhould rather examine, whether fome other may not occur, which has a tendency to modify the former, and which (as part of the fame divine revelation) has an equal claim to our regard. For, as our twentieth Article obferves, "it is not lawful fo to "expound one place of Scripture, that it be 66 repugnant to another." 66 I Rejoice evermore," is an apoftolical precept; agreeably to which our Lord hath af fured us with indifputable truth, that "his 66 yoke is easy, and his burden is light:" but he alfo with equal truth pronounces a "bleff"ing on them that mourn;" and warns us, "that if any man will come after him, he must "deny himself, and take up his crofs daily, "and follow him." Correct as each of thefe fentiments unquestionably is, and confiftent as they are with one another, they may be converted into occafions of practices, totally at variance with themselves, and with the fpirit of the Chriftian religion. Whilft from the former the worldly man may deduce a feeming fanction for indolence and inactivity, and in the latter the afcetic may perceive an obli e 1 Theff. v. 16. f Matt. x. 30. gation to unremitting penance and mortification; the fober-minded Chriftian, by a dif creet comparison of their refpective imports, fees an injunction to deny himself every vicious enjoyment, and every recreation, which may interfere with his fpiritual improvement; and at the fame time an encouragement to perfevere with cheerfulness in the pursuit of that wifdom," whole ways are ways of plea"fantness, and all whofe paths are peace. The fame rule may not unaptly be applied to reconcile the feemingly hoftile doctrines of grace and free-will. "A new heart will I "give you," faith the Lord God to his people Ifrael," and a new fpirit will I put within you: and I will take away the ftony heart "out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart " of flesh: and I will put my spirit within $6 you, and cause you to walk in my ftatutes, "and ye fhall keep my judgments, and do "them." But what fays the Prophet in another place? "I will judge you, O house of "Ifrael, every one according to his own ways, "faith the Lord God. Repent, and turn your"felves from all your tranfgreffions, fo ini quity shall not be your ruin. Caft away "from you all your tranfgreffions, whereby i Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. ye have tranfgreffed, and make you a new heart and a new fpirit." From a From a partial furvey of fuch paffages as the former, the Manichæan or the Calvinift may argue, (and I fee not how, with this confined view of the fubject, we are to meet his argument, that man is a mere paffive machine, whose inclinations and whofe conduct are regulated by a power, independant of his will, and fubverfive of his free agency. And why may not the Pelagian or the Socinian conclude, with equal reafon, from fuch paffages as the latter, that the free will of man is abfolute; and that he is сараble of repenting, and turning from his tranfgreffions, and making himself a new heart and a new fpirit, without any fupernatural aid? The fact is, the truth lies between the two pofitions; and a comparifon of them ferves to point it out. For the renewing of the fpirit of a man, neither the divine grace, nor the human will, is inefficacious. God works; and man muft alfo work. "God by his fpecial grace preventing us doth put into our minds good defires; and by his continual help we 86 66 66 bring the fame to good effect';" or, to exprefs the doctrine in one fentence of infpiration, we muft "work out our own falvation Ezek. xviii. 30, 31, 32. 'Collect for Eafter. |