my friend Moses and after this manner doth David take off and silence the heathen who in an undervaluing way were asking where was his God David to set God out of their reach tells them Psal 115.3 our God is in the heavens he hath done whatsoever he will or pleased 2. He thus speaks to show that the law and terms upon which God shews mercy to some and hardens some doth not arise from the creatures side but hath the original from himself it is founded in the breast of God without the creatures contrivance or proposition of the creatures terms of mercy and terms of wrath are founded in the breast of the most high 3. He thus speaks to magnifie the righteousness of God which was a great part of his present business he that hath an undeniable right to show mercy to whom be will and harden whom he will cannot be charged with uurighteousness in his proceedings though he jnstifie the heathen by faith and reject the circumcision for unbelief and disobedience thus the Apostle concludes that from Gods hardning Pharaoh he hath a right to harden whom he will the words are a conclusion made up of three circumstances 1. That God had an unquestionable right to harden Pharaoh or else it had not been done that God proceeded rightly and righteously in his proceedings to and with Pharaoh 2. That God hath the same right of power to harden all such as Pharaoh was this none can question he that righteously executes one for murther may as righteously execute a thousand being such as he was 3. It is supposed in this conclusion that Gods will is to harden none but such as Pharaoh was abusers of his mercy and long-suffering-grace in Christ that is his will is to harden those who first harden themselves I remember what a learned man saith upon this head that every breach between God and the creature begins first on the creatures side from the beginning to the end God at first made man upright but he hath found out many inventions This Doctrine hath been plentifully preached throughout the Scriptures see 2 Cron. 15.2 the Lord is with you whilst you are with him if you forsake him he will forsake you 2 Cron. 24.20 because you have forsook the Lord he hath forsook you so Pro. 1.24 if Christ takes away the talent it is from them who hide it Mat. 25. the great breach between God and Pharaoh begun on Pharaohs side 1. In his cruel persecuting and oppressing his only people and first-born son Israel 2. His slighting and contemning God himself chap. 5.2 the breach between God and Israel the people to whom the Apostle speaks begun on their side Matt. 22. ver 2. 7. chap. 23. to the end ver 37. Oh Jerusalem how often would I have gathered you but you would not But for our more orderly proceedings after the manner of an Exposition I shall first speak something in order to the Explication of these words and those circumstances relative to them and after that lay down those doctrinal Conclusions that doth rise from them And in order to Explication I shall enquire into Five Circumstances 1. What Mercy is here intended when the Apostle saith He hath mercy on whom he will 2. What is this hardening as to the nature of it 3. How far was God concerned in hardning of Pharaoh and likewise how far he is concerned in hardening of others in general and what means God makes use of in hardening 4. What was the time that God did properly take in hand to harden Pharaoh was it an act from eternity or in time 5. Was Pharaohs hardening by God irresistible by Pharaoh and irrevocable by God that is to say was Pharaoh by vertue of Gods hardening his heart shut up under an impossibility of obtaining any degree of softnesse again The Answer to these Five Questions will give some light to the passage therefore I shall speak a few words to each of them in order and chiefly to the third 1. As to the Mercy here spoken of it must needs refer to the mercy of justification and adoption according to the scope of the Context accepting persons upon gospel-terms which terms are mercy and grace as the Scriptures doth fully shew Rom. 11.30,31 where the Apostle three times calls Justification by the name of mercy so also Ephes 2.4 God who is rich in mercy after this manner doth the Apostle speak to Titus Tit. 3.5 and 1 Peter 1.3 Gods gospel-proceedings are ways of mercy now the terms of this mercy is contrived by God himself without the proposal of the creature thus must the Apostle be here understood where he saith he hath mercy on whom he will whether Jews or gentiles all the circumcision that obeyed the Gospel are said to have obtained mercy that is are justifyed 2. What may we understand by hardning whom he will he hardneth The Apostle in this word alludeth to the phrase so often made use of in the relation of Pharaoh Pharaoh hardened his heart sometimes Pharaoh is said to harden his own heart and sometimes God is said to harden his heart this kind of speaking is metaphorical alluding as the Naturallists tells us to some elementary bodyes it is proper to steel stones and such like bodyes to be hard and the description of them is by this they resist the touch that which is very hard is known by this it is not easily penitrated it very hardly suffers an impression whereby the figure or outward shape suffers alterations that heart is in like manner called in Scripture a hard heart that resists the touch when no ordinary nor extraordinary means from God will enter or make any impression neither promises nor threatnings exhortations instructions reproofs nor corrections no means neither mercys nor judgments take place upon him upon this very consideration is Pharaoh's heart called a hard heart because he resisted the touch when Gods kinde messages came to him when Gods judgments were upon him they did not penitrate his heart his heart did not suffer any alteration or impression we reade of Gods complaint of his people upon this account Zacha. 7.12 that they had made their hearts harder then an adamant And how did this appear they refused the law and words of God by the prophets they made no impression the word here translated bard hath a threefold acceptation 1. Sometimes to be heavy drowsy or slumbring Rom. 11.7 the rest were blinded or hardened and Doctor Ainsworth reades instead of hard Pharaohs heart was made heavy 2ly Sometimes the word is translated made strong so Exo. 8.9 Pharaohs heart waxed strong But 3ly and commonly it is read hardened as here concerning hardnesse of heart I can concess with the Calvinists who speaks of a threefold hardnesse of heart incident to men 1. A natural hardness which every man hath naturally upon him whereby he doth hardly suffer the touch of Gods word or at most suffer it to make any impression upon the heart unconverted
persons have naturally impenitent hearts therefore conversion is a taking away the heart of stone and giving a heart of flesh in conversion the heart is mollified so as to receive the word Act. 2. their hearts could suffer a prick by the word 2. There is an acquired hardnesse there is a contracted hardnesse even in those who have had some softnesse the Church complains of hardnesse of heart Esa 63.17 why hast thou hardened our hearts from thy fear therefore doth our Apostle Heb. 3. exhort the Hebrews to take heed of being hardened by the deceitfulnesse of sin 3. There is a hardnesse which is called a judicial hardnesse that is a hardnesse as a judgment from God and this is the hardnesse of heart spoken of and intended in our Text whom he will he hardeneth this is the hardnesse inflicted upon the Jews which was threatned Esa 6. and accomplished Act. 28.27 But the third circumstance requires most to be spoken unto that is how far God was concerned in hardning Pharaohs heart to the end we might come at the truth in this head I shall speak to it negatively and affirmatively 1. Shew you what God did not do to Pharaoh 1. God did not necessitate Pharaoh to be rebellious and hard hearted against him by an eternal and absolute decree in order thereunto the Scriptures saith not one word to that purpose any where and those who saith most that way takes this hardening of God to commence from Gods beginning of his treaty with him when he saith I will harden his heart chap. 4.21 hardnesse of heart in men is contrary to Gods nature therefore not necessitated by him so to be see how contrary it was to the nature of Jesus Christ of whom it is recorded Mark 3.5 he grieved or mourned for the hardnesse of their hearts which grief in Christ supposeth four things 1. That Christ had done what he could to soften their hearts 2. He declares that such a frame of spirit namely hardnesse of heart was greatly contrary to his spirit or else he had not been greived for it as he was 3. They had a sufficiency of means to have made them soft 4. They were not necessitated to be so from him 2ly Negatively God doth not harden by infusing any quallity of hardness into man to make a soft heart a hard heart so saith some of those contrary to us God hardens none but those he finds hard Therefore 3ly God hardens none by his primary and antecedent will but by his subsequent will God did purpose the hardning Pharaoh conditionally if he was found hardening his own heart first against all his applycations and commands to let his people go God never hardens properly by changing the nature of a soft heart into a hard this is agreed on all hands 4. God did not harden Pharaoh by any proper means tending that way the means that God used to Pharaoh had no tendency that way in themselves but as they were abused by him no they had rather a tendency to soften his heart as for instance all those loving messages sent from God to him and 2ly They being disobeyed the dreadful following judgments sent thereupon 3. The sparing Pharaoh in person though destruction to his subjects and servants 4. Gods ready harkning to Pharaohs request presented by Moses and Aaron as to the removing and taking off those judgments from time to time these had all in the nature of them a choice tendency to soften Pharaohs heart and not to harden it I might adde further the means used might have humbled Pharaoh and made him to acknowledge the Lord Jehovah as Gods silencing his Magicians on whom he too much leaned making them to confesse that in that plague of the lice that it was the finger of God as also his miraculous distinguishing the land of Goshen where his people were from Egypt these particular dealings of God had conviction and softning in the bowels of them and we in charity are bound to believe were intended for that end but it is objected did not God tell Moses before he went to Pharaoh that he would harden Pharaohs heart that he should not let Israel go to which I answer In the first place I premise that there is much abuse of many places of Scripture in laying too much stress upon this word shall whereas it may as the learned Gramarians tells us be as well read will and the truth of this appears from the usage of the word will as well as shall in the history of Pharaoh Exo. 3.19 I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go no not by a mighty hand and this hardning is elsewhere in Scripture applyed to Pharaoh as the agent 1 Sam. 6.6 do not you harden your hearts as Pharaoh and the Egyptians hardened their hearts and would not let Israel go this was a received Opinion even by the Philistins in that day so long after that this hardening lay at Pharaohs door not at Gods 2. In answer to this objection God is said to do many things which are done by him only providentially and subsequentially as for instance Psa 105.25 God is said to turn the hearts of the Egyptians to hate his people and deal subtilly with his servants and how did God do this not positively but providentially as be blessed them with increases under their bondage so that they grew stronger then they vers 24. and from hence arose their hatred and it might as well have occasioned them to love them and fall in with them how often is this a ground of love is any thing more usual then as we say to worship the rising sun at least to give fained love and obedience to a strong and prevailing enemie yet this wrought in them hatred to them because they were so strong in this sence God is said to send Joseph into Egypt Gen. 45.7.8 and in this sence God is said to bid Shimei curse David 2 Sam. 16.10 the assembly saith it was by a secret command of providence and in this sence our Lord is said to come to give division not peace on earth yet directly he brought peace on earth Luke 2.14 thus Christ came to make seeing men blind John 9.39 yet to open blinde eyes the Scriptures doth often speak of the accidental and subsequent effects of ministration this Solomon takes notice of Pro. 1.32 the prosperity of fools shall destroy them whereas prosperity may as well lead to repentance and love to God according to what our Apostle speaks Rom. 2. the goodness of God leadeth thee to repâ—tance but we see the same means may bring forth different effects as Christ is set as well for the fall as the rising again of many in Israel Luke 2.34 the hardning of Pharaoh by God is not primary and antecedently designed by God in his application to him but accidentally as I shall shew you more clearly afterwards 3. In answer to the objection I say that God in declaring to Moses that he
would harden Pharaoh supposeth a condition that is to say that if Pharaoh did not by all his messages and applications to him at last let his people go but harden his own heart under all his judgments signes and wonders that then at last God as a judgment would harden Pharaohs heart so as he should pursue them to his own destruction so that though it is said by God I will harden Pharaohs heart yet God did not do it primarily nor necessarily neither did the means that God made use of necessarily tend to hardning but rather to soften But then it may be replyed seeing those means used by God to Pharaoh had a more proper tendency to soften then harden why then did not God as well say to Moses I will soften Pharaohs heart as well as say I will harden it to which I answer that notwithstanding the proper tendency of those means yet God who sees the end and effects of all means and cannot be mistaken did foresee that these means would have upon him a contrary tendency by reason of Pharaohs base proud heart therefore I will harden a wise man may foresee that the bright shining warm sun will make the dunghill stink though the same sun will make the flower smell sweeâ— 2. God might thus say I will harden as he had an eye to the end of Pharaohs state for it was so at last from God But 3ly it is replyed could not God have taken such a course with Pharaoh as to soften him effectually and make him let Israel go and so prevented his own ruine I said something to the answer of this before To which I refer the reader if we consider Gods power regulated by the attributes of his wisdome and righteousness and justice he did what he could to reduce Pharaoh as he is said in effect to do for his vineyard Esa 5.4 God is not bound to proceed by his absolute irresistable power in converting nor restraining sinners this corrupt notion and expectation from God hath been the ground upon which many have miscaried but thus it is God hath made man a rational creature capable to choose the good and refuse the evil God laid before Pharaoh life and death life if he would let Israel quietly go death if he still held them there Pharaoh had his choice of these two as all men have where the gospel comes this is Gods way Deut. 30.15 vers 19. and God takes it for granted that they have power to choose therefore saith he choose ye this was his proceedings with Pharaoh so that in order I shall draw up the result of this head 1. That God hardned Pharaohs heart that is accidentally stired up and awakened the baseness of his heart by sending that message to him to let Israel depart his land which was so much against his proud and covetous interest if God had been pleased that Israel should still have abode slaves to him we had not heard nor seen the relation of Pharaohs rebellion as now we do thus God was concern'd in hardning Pharaohs heart as he crost his will by declaring his own 2. God accidentally hardened Pharaohs heart by declaring himself above him in power that must needs provoke proud Pharaoh to hear of a Jehovah above him 3. God hardened Pharaohs heart accidentally by deferring the full manifestation of avenging power so long as he did this made Pharaoh grow strong and thought he should yet be able to deal with him as Solomon saith Eccles 8.11 because judgment is not speedily executed upon evil doers their hearts are fully set in them to do evil Thus a parent sometimes can say I have spoyled you by my indulgence shown to you 4. God hardened Pharaoh accidentally by his condescending to remove his judgments so soon and at his request and that this act of God hardened his heart you have declared in the history when God had taken off this or that plague it is as the effect said Pharaoh hardened his heart Thus much for the third thing to be enquired into upon which I have been more long then ordinary I now proceed to the fourth circumstance which is more particularly 4. The time of Gods hardning Pharaoh positively for we must needs grant a two-fold hardning of Pharaohs heart 1. The first of which is charged upon himself Pharaoh hardened his heart or made his heart strong or as some translations reades Pharaohs heart hardened it self now this first hardning is from God accidentally as hath been shown As he is said to do many things providentially But 2ly we have a more special and more positive hardning which is appropriated to God he is said to harden Pharaohs heart not as before accidentally but intentionally and judicially and that there is such a hardening imputed to God we may see in other cases and persons that God doth shut up in and under blindenesse and hardnesse of heart to their own destruction as the fruit of sin and rebellion against God Thus God is said to harden Sihon king of Heshbons heart made his heart obstinate to his own destruction so also it is said of those cities that made war against Israel Joshu 11,20 God hardened their hearts to their own destruction and ruine and many more who were immediatly hardned by God Now the Question is when God did thus in special harden Pharaohs heart whether by purpose from eternity in the beginning of the treaty of God with him or after he had obstinately stouted it out against God a long time I answer that the Scripture doth no where give us one word of Gods eternal purpose or previous decree by vertue whereof Pharaoh was necessitated to this obduratenesse against God our enemies will not say that I mean those of them who have writ about this controversy neither did God by any of his dealings with Pharaoh properly provoke him to be hardened but rather had they as I have shewn you a tendency to soften him but the proper time of this judicial hardning Pharaoh by God more immediatly was after he had tried him under six several plagues and their removals under all these six judgments the relation runs thus Pharaoh made his heart strong or Pharaohs heart hardened it self but after the sixth plague the stile is changed and chap. 9.12 God is said to harden Pharaohs heart it is true that God did betimes even before Moses went to Pharaoh predict this judgement which afterwards was executed he did tell Moses chap. 4.21 that he would harden Pharaohs heart that is conditionally if he first hardened his own and would not let his people go but this foretelling of it or threatening of it doth not prove that it was immediatly done it is usual for God to foretel things before they come to passe God as well at first foretells Exo. 3. of Israels borrowing jewels of the Egyptians which was the last thing in order to be done and at first he bids Moses tell Pharaoh he would slay his first-born chap.
is under the withdrawings of Gods spirit is insensible of sin therefore the author to the Hebrews exhorts them to have a care and use the means to perserve them from being hardned by the deceitfulness of sin Heb. 3. Rom. 1. is full to this purpose 4. Persons thus withdrawn from are delivered up to themselves do much abuse Gods mercies all the mercy of God to such a person doth further harden him in order to his own destruction thus it was with Pharaoh and such we reade of Rom. 2. who are impenitent who take advantage thereby to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath all the mercies of God to Israel after his withdrawing himself from them still hardned them more and more even those 40. years that God waited upon them 5. Such withdrawings or deliverings up is followed with a stupid blindness in their understandings that they cannot foresee their own danger that waits for them thus it was with Pharaoh Exo. 14.4 I will harden Pharaoh that he shall pursue he sees nor feareth no danger but on the contrary promiseth himself to overtake and divide the spoyl so it was with those cities Ioshua 11.20 it was of the Lord to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battel that he might destroy them utterly yet this they could not see their own ruine was hidden from their eyes so it was with the Jews whilst under this state Rom. 11.7,8,9,10 they were blinded according to Davids imprecation the same word is used for hardning and blinding these and many more are the sad effects of Gods withdrawing his spirit and the influences thereof and it may well be said in this case as God speaks to Israel Hose 9.12 yea wo be to that person from whom I depart the truth of it is the heart of man is so bad and ill inclined that God needs do no more then give him up to his own heart and he will soon act all wickedness with greediness Act. 7.42 when God gives Israel up they presently worship the host of heaven this considered we may well allow of it as a choice mercy namely restraining grace for by this means men are not so bad to themselves or others as they would be if God do but say to Ephraim let him alone he will be bad enough Hose 4. if God let a soul alone it will undo it self to all eternity David seems to intimate by his prayer and expostulation with God Psal 51. that the foundation of his gross falling was not only the inclination of his nature in which he was concerned but the withdrawing Gods spirit and the influences thereof in him which makes him so strongly request that God would not again take his holy spirit from him but uphold him or sustain him with his spirit he is sensible that there lay his defect before Now it is remarkable and the consideration of it is much for our instruction that this withdrawing the spirit of God and the influences thereof was never the portion of any but as the fruit aad effect of great disobedience to the motions of Gods spirit within and the word without any body will readily grant this a truth as to Pharaohs case God takes great pains with him before he delivered him up to this hardening and it is as clear concerning the Jews Christ would have gathered them as a hen gatheneth her chickens under her wing but they would not Mat. 23. and that this delivering up is no other then the fruit and effects of provoking sin and disobedience see these places following Psal 81.11 but my people would not harken to my voice Israel would have none of me so I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts or their hearts lusts Act. 7.42 after the children of Israel had made a calf ahd thereby greatly provoked God to anger and this after God had newly delivered them with a high hand out of Egypt and brought them thorow the Red-sea then God turned and gave them up see Rom. 1.24 therefore God gave them up see verse 26. for this cause God gave them up So Ephraim is given to Idols therefore God lets him alone when persons sin against light it is the ready way to forfeit their light this was the case with the Jews their mallice was so great against Christ that they contrary to their own reason and experience accuse him of casting out devils by Belzebub the prince of Devils notwithstanding their children must cast them out by the name of Jesus after this Christ speaks to them in parables to the end they might not see or understand to fulfill the prophefy of Esaiah chap. 6. recited Mat. 13. the ground of Gods shuting their eyes and blinding and hardning their hearts was but the effects of their first shutting their own eyes and ears as you may reade Act. 28.27 Solomon saith Pro. 29.1 he that being often reproved hardens his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy all that hath been added confirms the truth of the fourth head that Gods hardening Pharaohs heart was Gods judicial act upon Pharaohs hardning his own heart under the first six plagues and so we have done with the fourth particular We now proceed to the fifth and last circumstance to be spoken unto by way of explication which is this whether this second hardning is unavoidable in its approach or irrecoverable when under it I shall speak a few words to both these particulars And to the first I answer that God even in this his approach to harden in judgment is very willing to be hindered by the creatures meeting him by humiliation and compliance this appears even in this second hardning of Pharaoh though God is said to harden his heart yet still his further proceedings are conditional as appears Exo. 10.4 if thou refuse to humble thy self and let Israel go then I will proceed now if Pharaoh had been shut up in under an impossibillity of relenting and humbling then this had not been propounded as a Medium for it had been rather to have insulted over Pharaoh in this his deplorable condition to have stirred him up to do that which he was in no possibility to perform which men are not usually found to do if I shall see a person in an invincible strong place from whence he cannot get out and then make him promises upon condition of his coming out what is this but to insult over his bondage which God doth not do if God invites Pharaoh to let Israel go upon promise of impunity he well knows it was in his power yet to let them go though not so easily as he could at first invitation because every act of rebellion makes the heart yet harder and harder therefore God promiseth Pharaoh if he would yet now at last let Israel go he would not bring the locusts or any other plague we reade that the worst and most rebellious of mankinde are still sent unto by God who could be worse
then the old world for whom God was grieved at the heart and repented that he made man yet he strives with them by his spirit in the ministry of Noah a 120. years so also 2 Cron. 36.15 he had compassion after all that hardness contracted by them as appears by their abusing his prophets see Ezek. 12. we there reade of a rebellious house who had hardened themselves to a high degree having eyes and see not ears and hear not yet still God useth means with them and that with this proviso ver 13. it may be they will consider though they be a rebellious house God knew that they were not in an incapacity to consider and return such a hardened people are not debarred of means of consideration the wicked old world were in a capacity of returning to the last moment of the 120. years so long as the patience of God waited God waited after he is said to harden Pharaohs heart under four judgements more to provoke him to prevent his utter destruction and besides all this it appears Pharaoh was not put into an incapacity to repent because after all this hardning he did repent though it did not hold with him chap. 9.27 saith he God is righteous I and my people are wicked and however some may judge of this repentance had it been continued in and not repented of it would have saved Pharaoh from destruction so again cha 10.16 I have sinned against the Lord and against you So that God did not harden Pharaoh irrecoverably so as that it was impossible for him to repent neither was Israel so shut up after the death of Christ but that they might still repent for we reade of three thousand of them who were guilty of that great sin of killing Christ converted in one day Acts. 2. by Peters sermon and that they are not irrecoverably shut up by vertue of that sentence and that hardening and blinding judicially by God is granted of all sides for they shall yet in time have soft relenting hearts given them and their blinding and hardening is but temporal the first prophecy of it Esa 6. had in it an until and Rom. 11. they shall be grafted in again if they abide not still in unbelief and this must needs follow unlesse we grant that Pharaoh or the Jews had committed that unpardonable sin which I suppose none will say if this be so then let us take up this consideration by the way that if Pharaohs hardening was not irresistible nor irrecoverable how can Pharaohs hardening be a meet type of absolute personal irrecoverable reprobation except you will plead for a personal conditional reprobation seeing all these threatnings against Pharaoh are conditional if he do not repent to let Israel go 2. He was in a capacity to repent even under the worst hardening till his utter destruction so that Pharaohs case will not do that service that it is by most summoned to do in the point of personal and absolute irrecoverable reprobation but it may be objected doth not this arguing seem to lessen the judgement of Gods hardning Pharaâ—… heart as if it were not so great as indeed it is for if it be not irresistible nor irrecoverable how is there that dread in it I answer that notwithstanding what of this kinde can be said yet it is a great yea the greatest of all judgements that can be inflicted upon a person to be hardened by God and that for these five reasons First because this hardening by God is the fruit and effect of the highest provoking sin it is sin punished by sin to be given over to commit sin with despight which before he commited with regret and trouble but now with all greedynesse see Rom. 1.28 it is to be given up to a reprobate minde 2. This hardnesse of heart from God though there may be a possibility to withstand it or recover out of it yet know it is unspeakable hard next to an impossibility as it must needs follow for every act of impiety doth still harden more and more it was very hard for Pharaoh to attain to that degree of relenting which he did attain unto but yet more hard to keep it upon his heart custome in sin begets a second nature see 13. Jer. 23. can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots no more can they learn to do good who are accustomed to do evil 3. No person so near so lyable and ready to fall into his own destruction as a hardened sinner he is very near to ruine who saith Job cha 9.4 hath hardened himself against God and prospered muchless can they think to prosper whom God hardens 4. To be hardened by God is the greatest of judgements because commonly it is the punishment of the abuse of mercy and no judgement so severe as that which follows the abuse of mercy 5. This hardening by God is a great judgement as it is a token of Gods highest displeasure see the woes that go along with it upon the Jews Mat. 23. that which yet remains in order to a close of the 17. and 18. verses is to sum up those Doctrines that flow from the words thus explicated which may be many but I shall but little more then name the most of them 1. From verse 17. for the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh from this preface this Doctrine offers it self to our consideration 1. Doctrine That the sayings of God are not less divine or authoritative because they are written The writing of Gods sayings doth not take away from them divine authority but they are as if God had spoken them at present by his own mouth The Apostle might as well have said God saith unto Pharaoh yet he chooseth to say the Scripture saith This Doctrine is very well worth our consideration in this day in which we are fallen but I shall but briefly touch it because I spoke something to it in the explication it is plain these words were spoken by God Exo. 9. yet the Apostle referreth us to the Scripture and this is usual with the Apostle in other places see Gal. 4. the Scriptures saith cast out the bond woman though God spake it so 1. Timo. 5.18 the Scripture saith thou shalt not muzzel the mouth of the oxe whereas God spake it So that to say the Scripture saith and to say God saith are the same and indeed why should any body question the truth of this doctrine are the sayings of Kings and Monarchs of lesse authority because they are written and made into a law holy men appropriates that to the Scriptures that is proper to God himself as convincing converting clensing quickening they are able to make the man of God wise unto salvation 2 Timo. 3.15 able to build up and give an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified Act. 20. From hence we may note 1. That those that slight and undervalue the Scriptures are not guided by the same spirit that the Apostle Paul was there are some that will
saving Israel and the destroâ—ing of Pharaoh God gets himself a great name by saving his people in such a miraculous way and he gets himself a name also by destroying Pharaoh see Esa 63. verses 12 14. which is eminent to this purpose Psa 83. latter end But some may say how is Gods Name declared in his proceedings with Pharaoh I answer First by his proceedings with Pharaoh to declare himself the God of his people the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob this is that Name that God would have exalted and magnified See Exo. 3.15 this is my Name for ever and my memorial to all generations God is willing to be reckoned and named the god of his faithful servants Heb. 11. he is not ashamed to be called their God he is not ashaâ—eâ— that is he is very forward so to be called this is the name that Moses in his Song doth endeavour to exalt Exo. 15.2 he is my God my fathers God he is my God saith Moses I will prepare him a habitation my fathers god I will exalt him as if he should say God hath in this act shewn himself in special the God of his people and this is no small priviledge in Davids sence Psa 48. this god is our god Psa 67.6 God even our God shall bless us It was a singular strain of faith in them as it was in Thomas John 20.29 when he said my Lord my God propriety in God is a choice priviledge it is the priviledge of overcoming Saints Rev. 21.7 I will be their God as he is theiâ— father in order to simpathy so their God in order to power of salvation and deliverance Oh then the happy state of such a people who are under such favour and love and care of such a God as the Psalmist saith Happy are they who are in such a case whose God is Jehovah Psal 146.5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help this Name of God is that Name which he designes should be known in all the earth declaring therein that he is well able to save his people out of the hands and power of their most potent enemies Vers 18. affords us these Doctrines following 1. Doct. That God was unquestionably righteous in his whole passage and dealings with Pharaoh of old The Apostle brings this passage to vindicate Gods righteousness as to his proceedings with the Jews to shew that God is not unrighteous in shutting up rebellious sinners in the obduratnesse of their own hearts for he was just in what he did to Pharaoh these words as I have shewn you in the explication are an inference by way of application the Jews themselves would easily grant that Gods proceedings with Pharaoh were not only righteous but very gratious in the whole treaty with him There were six circumstances in Gods dealings with Pharaoh that renders his last proceedings with him righteous 1. Pharaoh before God sent to him was a cruel oppressor of Gods people who were near and dear to him his first-born 2. God offered implicitly to forgive all that had been past if now at last he would discharge his people out of their slavery at his request 3. God waits upon him a considerable time sends several messages and made many gracious applycations unto him by his special and signal servants Moses and Aaron he sends six sentral messages unto him before he inflicted that spiritual judgement of hardening him 4. God never denyed or refused his request put up to him by Moses for the removal of those judgement that were upon him 5. After so many returns to his former rebellions upon the removal of the stroke yet after all God offers him that if yet he would humble himself and let Israel go he would send no more plagues chap. 10.4 6. In Gods inward judicial hardning him by withdrawing his spirit he did not leave him in an utter incapacity to repent as hath been before proved in the explication there is not such a passage in all the Scriptures wherein the long-suffering and patience of God is so set forth as in this of Pharaoh the Apostle might well say he endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath whilst he was filling up his measure Yet that which is yet further worth our consideration follows in the second Doctrine The 2d Doctrine from the 18. verse That God in his dealings with Pharaoh laid a platform of his proceedings with reprobates to the worlds end And the Apostle doth intend no lesse in laying this instance before the Jews to instruct them concerning Gods proceedings with them to be as just as they were with Phuraoh to severely punish after abuses of great long-sufferings and patience He hath mercy on whom he will from whence ariseth this Doctrine in the third place Doctrine 3. That justification is not the fruit of our merrit but Gods mercy here he calls justification by the name of mercy 4. Doctrine That the law and terms upon which men are justified and saved are founded in Gods own will without the contrivance and proposition of the creature he hath mercy on whom or what manner of persons he will He hath made the passage to life and salvation through grace by faith and no other way but by faith alone those whom he will have mercy on are Jews and gentiles who believe and obey Rom. 3.30 seeing it is one God that shall justisie the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith So much for the first part of the verse And whom he will he hardeneth from whence I note this Doctrine 5. Doctrine In a Scripture-sence God is concerned in hardening sinners This I have spoken unto also sufficiently in the explication Whenas the Apostle makes use of this term harden in direct opposition to mercy or justification it supposeth a hardened person in a sad and deplorable condition he hardens it might as well have been said he rejects or reprobates from whence I note this 6. Doctrine That as hardnesse of heart in man is the greatest sin so from God the greatest judgment It is such a sin that the sin of Pharaoh is stiled hardnesse of heart his refusing counsel disobeying and rebelling against God his abuse of Moses is all summed up in hardnesse of heart so the sins of Israel in the Wildernesse is called hardnesse of heart Heb. 3.8 harden not your hearts as in the provocation in the Wildernesse which takes in all their murmurings and rebellion the sins of the Jews in Christs time is called by this name of hardnesse of heart Mark 3.5 Mark 6.52 But for the sakes of some it will be needful to lay down some discoveries of a heart that is not possest with this comprehensive sin of hardnesse of heart because some are apt to condemn themselves in this respect who are not concerned I shall lay down six characters of a heart that is not hard in this sinful state whatever they may think but I shall but name them 1. That
unalterable decree of Reprobation The seventh thing to be enquired into is how persons comes to be vessels of wrath in speaking to which head I shall First speak a few words to this borrowed word vessel 2ly Shew you what kinde of sins are these preparing sins that prepares for wrath 1. The Apostle here calls those of whom he speaks by the name of vessels both the reprobate and the Elect the Original word here translated vessel doth not always intend a hollow vessel to contain things liquid or dry but in the Hebrews the Apostle calls the instruments of the temple or tabernacle tongs and fireshovels yet elsewhere are called vessels but it is commonly and properly that by a vessel is meant a cask or vessel to contain men are called vessels from a threefold consideration 1. As they are the fruit and product of labour and art as well as designe and some vessels are more curiously wrought fixed according to what they are to contain either liquid substance or dry yet all vessels made are the fruit of labour wicked men takes pains to make themselves they weary themselves to destroy themselves men are not these vessels in their Original but by their formation the clay in the lump is not the vessel till it be formed and shaped by gradual proceedings so men come to be vessels of or for wrath by a gradual and followed course of actual sin and rebellion We reade of children of wrath Ephes 2. but we must make some difference between children of wrath and vessels of wrath children of wrath respects the aversnesse of our nature against God but vessels of wrath respects Gods wrath to men who are fitted and formed to it 2ly They are called vessels because they are to contain what is put into them therefore saith the Lord by the prophet Jeremy chap. 13. speaking of men every bottle shall be filled vessels are not made to keep always empty but to contain when Saul is called a vessel Act. 9. it was with respect to what God is to put into him he is to contain and carry his name amongst the gentiles saith the Apostle we have this treasure in earthen vessels 3. Called vessels of wrath because God doth designe to fill them with wrath as a vessel is filled with liquor to pour in wrath as liquor is poured into a vessel made for that purpose till it be brim-full for this wrath shall not only be without but within I will saith God to Pharaoh pour all my plaguos upon thy heart they shall be within as well as without thee thus we see that wicked men by rebellion against God do form themselves into vessels of wrath but that which I have yet a few words to speak unto is this what sins are those that tend to make men vessels of wrath or prepare persons for wrath as a vessel is prepared to contain things moist or dry I answer in general first reiterated acts of disobedience and rebellion against the known and declared will of God this was the case with Pharaoh and with the Jews 2. More particularly slighting and abusing the faithful servants of God sent of God who seek your souls and bodies good this also in particular was the case with Pharaoh he threatens Moses and Aaron who came from God upon a message for his good yet tells them that if they see his face any more they shall die this was also the case of the Jews see 2 Chron. 36.16 they mocked and misused his servants till the wrath of God brake out without remedy this was the case with the latter Jews See Matt. 21.40 chap. 23.37 they killed the Prophets and stoned them that were sent unto them 3. Sins of hypocrisie in the worship of God Iob 36.13 the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath See with what indignation our Lord appears against the hypocrites Mat. 23. eight woes pronounc't against them 4. Such as abuseth Gods mercys and favours multiplyed upon them and grow worse under mercyes as Pharaoh did and so did Israel see Psal 78. hereupon the wrath of God brake out upon them see Rom. 2.4 abusing Gods mercies they treasure up wrath against the day of wrath 5. Voluntary contracted hardnesse of heart this hath been shown at large Pharaoh hardened his heart a long time when neither mercies nor judgements will touch or penetrate the heart that resisteth the touch impenitent hearts precedes wrath 6. That sin that prepares a person for wrath is unbelief and gospel-disobedience see for this John 3.36 the wrath of God avideth on such Rom. 2.8.9 those who do not believe on or obey the truth tribulation and wrath 2 Thes 1.8 he shall come in flaming fire rendring vengeance on them that know not God nor obey the gospel there are several gradual steps by which persons are formed to be vessels of wrath But that which remains is to sum up those doctrinal conclusions that do offer themselves from the words thus opened I shall only name six doctrins and proceed 1. Doctrine That Gods proceedings with disobedient rebellious sinners is more inoffensive and equal then the proceedings of the potter with his marred clay This reddition or application is argumentation arguing from the lesse to the greater as if he should say and shall not God much more the unreasonable stupidity of the Jews was such that they would not allow God that power which they would allow a poor potter as to his clay that after much enduring and long-sufferings upon disobedient and rebellious sinners he might then make them vessels of dishonour 2. Doct. That God is admirable in his attribute of long-suffering and forbearance as to the worst of sinners over such as are fit for destruction Wicked men are the subjects the proper subjects of Gods long-sufferings it is not a little but much long-suffering that is exercised over them 3. Doct. It is not the work of God but the work of men themselves to prepare and make themselves fit for destruction God findes men fit for destruction when he thus endures them 4. Doct. That which vindicates and justifieth the Revelation of Gods wrath and revenging power is his precedent long-sufferings exercised towards them If God would shew his wrath and make his power known convincingly to stop every mouth he ushers it in with much long-suffering and those who have had most long-suffering from God may expect most severity from God Mat. 11.22 Rom. 2. Rev. 18. 5. Doct. That persons fitted and prepared for destruction may yet be in a capacity of repentance whilest God spares them See three Scriptures Jer. 36.3.7 Chap. 26.3 Ezek 12.3 6. Doct. That the power which God claimeth and exerciseth in hardning whom he will respectech not men as men nor men as sinners simply considered but it respects men as they are already actually prepared and compleated for destruction such as he may justly destroy whether he harden them or no so that the proper subjects of Gods wrath and reprobation are such
more dreadful and amazing yet in this plague Pharaoh himself is preserved alive that this was the time and not before we may finde by the scope of the context we finde not one word like this before the consideration whereof will reflect light upon this passage which doth inform us that God had received very high provocations against Pharaoh before he thus speaks to him in this severe threatning Thus I have opened the preface and now I come to the words themselves Ver. 14. Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee and that my name might be declared in all the earth The nature of these words are minatory or a threatning Before I proceed to give my sence and understanding upon these words it may not be altogether needlesse to present the common received Opinions grounded upon these words of God to Pharaoh which are as followeth that God before he created this Pharaoh did purpose and peremptorily decree his state and condition of sin and punishment or that God made him on purpose to shew his power in his destruction and that this might be justly executed upon him he provoked him to be disobedient to all his following applications to him or that God intentially hardned his heart in order to justification And 2ly Not only so but that Gods proceedings with Pharaoh was a president and pattern of his first and second proceedings with all reprobates to the worlds end as he so they are prepared unavoidably before they are born to their own eternal ruine without any possibillity of escape that those who are under an eternal decree of Reprobation are under an impossibillity of repenting or believing in order to salvation These are the common notions deduced from this passage of Pharaoh though every one will not so freely declare them as some of them have done in my hearing Now by the Lords help my designe is and my endeavour shall be to set free this portion of Scripture from this unpleasing service in which it is prest to serve contrary to its genius I have already minded you in my former proceedings upon this Context that our Apostle was far enough in this Epistle or Chapter from a designe to assert or maintain absolute and personal Election or reprobation from eternity neither could such a doctrine at all contribute to his businesse in hand which was to convince the Jews of their horrid sin in rejecting and killing Jesus Christ and rejecting the Gospel it was not a likely way nor a convincing argument to tell them that they were necessitated to do what they did and be what they were by the power of an absolute decree from eternity concerning them would any parent having a disobedient son and taking bad courses use this argument to reduce him to tell him he was decreed and ordained to be what he is and do what he do by an absolute and unavoidable decree of reprobation from eternity I leave the Judicious Reader to consider I shall have occasion to speak more of this afterwards Now in order to Explication let us enquire into these Five following Circumstances 1. To what end doth our Apostle now bring in this passage of Pharaoh and how doth it accomodate his present designe to clear up the righteousnesse of God against the Jews Objection which is his present work 2. I shall open the nature of Gods purpose and intention concerning Pharaoh that is to say whether Gods purposes are absolute or conditional because the Apostle renders it for this cause have I raised thee up 3. Shew how God raised up Pharaoh or what God did for Pharaoh called here raising him up 4. What is that power that God threatens to put forth towards Pharaoh in his dealings with him 5. What part or parts of Gods Name is declared in the world or throughout the earth in destroying Pharaoh after that way and manner which he did As to Gods hardning Pharaoh I shall not speak to it on this ver because it will fall in more properly in the handling the next verse where that is exprest 1. How doth this passage of Pharaoh accomodate the Apostles designe in justifying Gods righteousness which is his present work in answer to the second Objection I answer his designe in bringing in this example and instance of Pharaoh is to shew that God is righteous in rejecting the stubborn disobedient rebellious Jews who had rejected the many applications of God to them that is deprive them of all their outward priviledges and the good promised them and to cause them to cease to be a body politique but to be a people disperst up and down the world which is now their present state the Apostle argueth thus if Gods will and pleasure was and that most righteous to threaten Pharaoh an obstinate rebellious person that if he persisted in his rebellion he would destroy him with a most prodigious destruction which also was performed accordingly thereupon he may justly do so with others of the like kinde and consequently with you the Jews whose stubbornnesse and rebellion against God in order to Christ and the Gospel doth clearly resemble that of Pheraoh what God did by Pharoah he may do by you for the same sins if you persist in them as he did this is the Apostles Argument And 2ly the Apostle might well bring in Pharaoh he being in order the first and most notorious in that sin of disobedience against God with a high hand he was the head father and first-born of all that race as Abraham was the head father of all true believers and therefore the Apostle cites Gods dealing with the father to instruct all his following children of like strain what they must look for at his hands Pharaoh is here brought in as a proper parallel instance in his sin and punishment in these five circumstances 1. God sent a loving message to Pharaoh king of Egypt to desire him to let his first-born son Israel go out of his land so God sent a loving message to the Jews to invite them to believe in his only begotten son Jesus Christ but as Pharaoh refused in slighting terms so did they 2. As Pharaoh was a cruel oppressor to Gods Son the Israelites so were the Jews to Gods only begotten Son Jesus Christ they were cruel unto him and that Israels being in Egypt did type out the state and condition of Christ is plain See Matth. 2.25 that the Scripture might be fullfilled I have called my son out of Egypt 3. As God did not cease in Pharaohs rejecting the first message but sends several more even so did God to the Jews he sent servant after servant till they misus'd them and at last they kill the son as we have it in the parable 4. As Pharaoh was hardned and strengthned in his rebellion against God by his long-suffering patience toward him so it was with the Jews for he stretched out his hand to a gainsaying and
under all he now speaks of raising him up or making him stand so that we have good ground to judge that this raising up respects some latter past special favour extended to him 2ly That this raising up must be so understood and not of raising him from nothing in creation or to the kingship because there could be no argument drawn from such his former raising up to vindicate Gods righteousnesse in his so notorious destruction it would have sounded very strange and harsh to have run thus for this very purpose have I created thee that I might shew my power in thy destruction or for this cause have I made thee King that I might so signally destrâ—y thee but to reade it thus for this cause have I heard thy requests by Moses and Aaron and taken off my plagues from thee and thy land for this very purpose that if after all this favour shown to thee thou still continue obstinate thy judgment might be the heavier and more remarkable thus understood God makes him often and reitarated favours shown to Pharaoh and his reiterated refusal an aggravating argument to his great destruction and I appeal to each judicious reader if this construction doth not fall in fully with Gods common proceedings with men in all ages for this reade Judg. 10.12 where God makes his often delivering Israel an argument to forsake them who remained still disobedient 3. Such a raising up as we are speaking of bâ— multi-plyed favours upon Pharaoh doth most clearly compoâ—t with the Apostles designe in representing Gods dealings with Pharaoh a platform for his proceedings with the unbelieving Jews for God aggravates the sin and just condemnation of the Jews from his many gracious applications to them in convincing miracles and prophets see Matt. 11. Matt. 23.34 behold I send you prophets wisemen and scribes and some of them you shall or will kill that upon you may come all the blood from Abel to Zacharias from hence it is that Jerusalem and the temple is left desolate to this day and this is the ground to aggravate their condemnation not their birth or former priviledges but their latter and more immediate favours received from God in the last tenders of his grace this was the case with Pharaoh Gods raising him and preserving him alive under the former judgments is the foot of this conditional threatning 4. If we should understand this raising up to be his creation and reade it according to that construction that Pharaoh even before he was born was decreed and ordained of God to be a vessel of wrath that is to say that God created Pharaoh for this same purpose that he might destroy him with a remarkable destruction how strangely will this represent God to men whose tender mercies are over all his works to be more cruel then any of his creatures are to their kinde for all creatures are propense in their affections to those who receive their beings from them or are propagated by them they have bowels of pity towards them yet by such a construction God who is the perfection of all bowels of pity is presented implacably bent upon the eternal ruine of his off-spring even to exquisite torments and that the greater part of mankinde lineally descended from him by Adam who was the son of God Luke 3.38 and this before personall or actuall sin by them committed this horrid imputation upon Gods name and nature by such a construction may induce us to incline to the other interpretation of Gods raising up Pharaoh The 4th particular which is by course to be enquired into is this power that conditionally is made known in Pharaoh in case he remains obstinate some are ready to think that this power respects an inward power exercised in keeping Pharach in his sinfull rebellion or hardening his heart but I hope I need not speak to that the power here intended is most clearly to be understood the power of Gods wrath in Pharaohs destruction in the Red Sea this power of God is exalted in that Song of Moses Ex. 15.6 thy right hand O God is become glorious in power speaking of Pharaohs destruction in the sea notwithstanding Pharaohs greatnesse and power yet the power of God is above him and can easily overthrow him this is that power which God speaks of in the threatning which is seen in the execution and that this is the power we may easily perceive by the repetition of it again vsr 22. of this 9th of the Romans What if God willing to shew his wrath and make his power known these two phrases of wrath and power are exegetical and doth one expound the other Gods power is seen in the letting forth his wrath as is also understood Psa 90.11 who knows the power of thy wrath so that we have thus much in this passage that if Pharaoh would not comply with God but persist in his stubbornnesse then as hitherto he had largely tasted of Gods long-suffering and mercy so he thould also as deeply feel his power crushing him in his destruction So much for the fourth particular The Fifth and last propounded to be spoke unto is how the name of God is declared in Pharaohs destruction and what part or parts of his name by the Name of God in Scripture is sometimes understood his power his Name is great unto the ends of the earth God did not only designe the destruction of Pharaoh upon his obstinacy but to get himself a name and a common name Gods special Name is that which he is known by to Israel in Egypt and to Pharaoh See Exo. 3.15 the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Jaceb and chap. 5. to Pharaoh the God of Israel or the God of the hebrews that God is by name the God of the hebrews and of his people shall be declared the Nations shall afterwards say oh what a God hath the Hebrews that hath so eminently appeared for them this we understand may be the special Name of God intended in our Text his great love to his people he is called the God of Israel or of the hebrews 2ly Suppose we take this Name of God for his common name recorded Exod. 34.6 then it respects Gods proceedings with Pharaoh There are three syllables of Gods Name loudly declared in Gods dealings with Pharaoh 1. The attribute of his mercy his favour his preventing grace in sparing him for so long a time in his oppressing of his people as also in delivering him from so many plagues whenas he might have cut him off at his first slighting Reply to Moses Who is the Lord that I should obey him I will not let Israel go 2. We have magnified in Gods dealings to Pharaoh the attribute of his long-suffering and patience God was eminently known in this attribute of his long-suffering after receiving many affronts from him therefore the Apostle takes special notice of that ver 22. he endered with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction
4.21.22.23 but with this proviso if he did not let his first-born Israel go even so he bids Moses to let Pharaoh know in like manner if he did not let them go he would harden his heart to his own destruction I will punish his natural and his acquired hardnesse with judicial hardnesse the sum of which is to punish sin with sin as God threatens Ephraim Hose 8.11 because he made many altars to sin altars should be to him for sin that is God would give up Ephraim to that sin he delighted and that is usual for God to foretel his judgments before he execute them see concerning the old world Gen. 6. an end of all flesh is before me I will destroy men yet after God had determined to destroy men he waits a 120 years so as to the destruction of Jerusalem he gives 40. years to try them so after he had resolved conditionally to harden Pharaoh he stays a considerable while till he had hardened himself and rebelled against him with a high hand under six plagues and that the threatning given out chap. 4.21 refers to this time and latter hardening appeareth if we will consider chap. 8.29 where we have that special warning ver 29. such as we finde not before let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more implying that Pharaoh had dealt deceitfully before had promised and not performed and it is emphatically added Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also Now after these six plagues and Pharaohs six hardenings on his side we have this emphatical threatning chap. 9.14 I will at this time or turn pour out all my plagues upon thy heart which some understand of his hardening by God so that this second hardening by God is the fruit and effect of his voluntary and obstinate hardening himself before Now in speaking to this second sort of hardening it will be needful to enquire into the difference between the second and first seeing God is concerned in both either accidentally or intentially it hath already been made plain that God did gradually harden Pharaohs heart by his former applycations unto him but what did God do more now then before to Pharaoh from whence it is now said God hardened his heart whereas before it is said Pharaah hardened his own heart I answer as to the negative part it hath been spoken unto under the former head that God doth not do any thing positively much less forcibly to make the heart hard neither doth he infuse any hardening quallity whereby he hardens soft hearts but that which we are to understand as to matter of fact on Gods side is this that God doth harden by withdrawing those influences of his spirit that should soften as withdrawing the sun makes the earth dark the Naturallists tells us that hardening is occasioned in a natural way by withdrawing the moisture out of any body or substance whereby it is condenst and made hard and stiff and unyeilding to the touch as the earth also becomes hard like iron by the withholding its moisture by showrs Thus withdrawing of the influences of Gods spirit makes the soul dark and hard it seems to be supposed and granted in Scripture that the spirit of God attends men ordinarily in striving with them as they are considered in a general capacity by which means they are not so bad as otherwise they would be Gen. 6. my spirit shall not always strive with men it had strived and would yet strive but not always strive so that the wicked old world had this means the spirit and whereas we reade the spirit shall not always strive with men the greek turns it my spirit shall not always continue with these men it was one of the blessings that God bestowed upon rebellious Israel a long while in the wildernesse that his spirit was with them Nehem. 9.20 he gave them his good spirit to guide them till they grieved and rebelled against it this was the blessing which God intrusted Saul with whilst he was obedient 1 Sam. 16.14 but upon his disobedience God took his spirit from him and an evil spirit came on him in the room of it wicked men are attended with good motions of the spirit but for great sins God sometimes withdraws it from them and this withdrawing is called giving up persons see that eminent place Psal 81.11.12 they would not hearken so he gave them up or as Ainsworth reades he lot them go away in the perversenesse of their own hearts or to walk in their own counsels this was Pharaohs case he had grieved quenched rebelled against the motions of Gods spirit which had several times instigated him to be willing to let Israel go Now he is given up to follow his own will and counsel without controul I will pursue I will overtake I will divide the spoil Thus God is said to do with those wicked persons of which we reade Ro. 1.24 God gave them up he would possess them no longer now the fruits and effects of his giving up or withdrawing the spirit is very dreadful As first the fruits of it is a heavinesse and fatnesse of heart a very great indisposednesse of heart to hear what God or his servants shall speak to them for their own good this was the case with Elies sons for their horrible sin in causing Gods ordinances and sacrifices to stink 1 Sam. 2.25 they hearkened not to their fathers instructions because the Lord would slay them God as a judgment had shut their hearts from hearing such an effect we reade of to Rehoboham 1 Kings 12.15 he had no disposition to take the councel of the old men which would have been his safety but the young mens to his own ruine such an instance we have Deut. 2.30 therefore Pharaohs hardening his heart and not hearkening are put together all along The second effect of this judicial act of God is an implacable hatred to Gods most faithful servants who seeks their souls good when Saul had lost the spirit of God and the evil spirit was upon him he fought to kill David whom he was forced to say was more righteous then he 1 Sam. 16.17 cha 8.11 Saul cast a javelin at him with a designe to kill him whilst he was pleasing him with his musick it is considerable that after this hardning of Pharaoh Ex. 10.28 he forbids Moses to come any more into his presence upon pain of death see thou see my 〈◊〉 no more for in the day thou seest my face thou shalt dye this was the state of the hardned Jews Mat. â—… stoned one killed another yea Christ himself at last 3. Such a person hath no sence of sin when committed a judicial hardned sinner is insensible whereas a true-hearted person is sensible of the least sin and hath checks in his conscience upon that account the Apostle speaks of some 1 Tim. 4.2 who have their consciences seared with a hot iron and to the Ephes chap. 4.18 the Apostle speaks of some that are past feeling a hardned soul
the Jews to know were magnified in the Gospel-dispensation there is a revelation of both these Rom. 1.18,19 but my principal work upon these verses will be explication wherein I shall enquire into these seven circumstances 1. What may we here understand by Gods wrath 2. By his power 3. When are they said to be shewn 4. In what fence is God said to exercise long-suffering 5. What capacity are they understood to be in on whom God is said to exercise this longsuffering 6. What doth God expect or aim at in this his long-suffering thus exercised 7. What kinde of sins makes persons vessels of wrath Of each of these a few words briefly in the 4 first especially 1. Wrath here as to God must be understood with an emphasis great wrath and anger we often reade in Scripture of the wrath of God though wrath in God is not rage as many times in man but his wrath is known by the effects of it according as we have it prophesied of Esay 42.23 be shall roar and tear and rend 2. Power by power in this place is not the same word which we have before ver 21. hath not the potter power over the clay that is authority priviledge or prerogative the same word which we have Joh. 1.12 but here is another word which signifieth might strength to avenge himself of his adversaries therefore we have it here in conjunction with wrath which makes it the more dreadful for wrath without power signifieth but little as to the dread of it but in God there is wrath and power mixed together which being so mixed is so great that David puts it to the question whether any can know it Psal 90.11 who knows the power of thine anger it is most dreadfull indeed 3. But what doth the Apostle mean by the shewing or making of it known I answer by the effects of them openly as in Pharaoh God did shew his powerful wrath in his destruction as the Apostle speaks ver 17. for this purpose have I raised thee up that I might make my power known in thee that is in thy dreadful destruction now this shewing Gods wrath and power doth relate to Gods proceedings with rebellious sinners in this world yet not with all such sinners nor all reprobates alike but such as have highly provoked God the Scriptures are plain that Gods dealings with reprobates is not to all alike few are dealt with like Pharaoh 4. How is long-suffering to be understood in God I answer God cannot properly be said to be long-suffering God cannot suffer it is only a borrowed word and spoken to our understanding it is a word hard to be translated into our language therefore our old translations gives it us in the latine longanimitas which according to the Hebrew signifieth to be long before angry or long of nostrils or as we say slow to anger not soon angry the learned makes some difference between patience and long-suffering long-suffering being when we have power to revenge yet defer it or delay to do it this is eminent in God who is not hasty to execute his wrath on those who have highly provoked him by rebellion 5. What capacity are those in of whom the Apostle speaks to whom God doth exercise this his long-suffering 1. I answer it is generally to be understood of the rebellious unbelieving Jews who had highly provoked God by killing his son 2. I answer negatively these people or persons are not under an unalterable decree of reprobation as some would have it God doth not exercise long-suffering upon those who are under such a capacity But 3dly This is a certain truth that all those that are under those long-sufferings of God are in and under a possibillity of repentance these are those on whom God waits with designe and expectation of repentance therefore not reprobates by any absolute decree wherever God neither willed nor expected repentance though he granted a reprieve for a time from the punishment in such case the Scripture doth no where call this forbearance by the name of long-suffering as for instance the devils torments are respited for a long time from his fall so many 1000 years yet this respite is no where stiled long-suffering neither can it properly be so said that God exerciseth long-sufferings to the devils yet that their torments are suspended for a certain time is plain from their words to Jesus Christ art thou come to torment us before the time so in Sauls case the execution of Gods judgment threatned upon Saul is suspended for a time yet it is no where said to be an exercising long-suffering upon Saul and the reason is because as to these and such like Gods decrees of punishments were absolute and irrevokable and so no repentance expected whereas on the other hand whereever there is inducing waiting and long-suffering and expectation on Gods part it doth satisfactorily teach that such persons are not under an absolute decree of reprobation as the devils are yea the old world of whom S. Peter speaks 1 Peter 3.20 though they had sinned so greatly as they had that it grieved God at the heart that ever he had made them yet because Gods resolution as to their destruction was but conditional not absolute but like that of Nineveh it is therefore said that the long-suffering of God waited or expected in the days of Noah God expected repentance all that 120. years and offered them means accordingly by the ministry of Noah so it was with Pharaoh though he was so bad yet so long as God afforded long-suffering to him he expected repentance from him as appears by the means he useth with him to the last so we may say of the Jews of whom we are speaking they were in and under the long sufferings of God and God expected repentance from them and blames them for not repenting and believing all the while so that take this for a sure and infallible rule that those persons or people whoever they are who are under the long-sufferings of God are not shut up under an absolute decree of reprobation but repentance is required and expected from them as see Rom. 2.4 the long-sufferings of God leadeth to repentance so 2 Peter 3.19 compared with ver 15. long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish the long-suffering of God is salvation whereever it is exercised without exception that is the designe and tendancy so that those vessels of wrath fitted for dostruction are not under an absolute decree because under Gods long-sufferings It is true that through the baseness of mens hearts which is so ready to abuse this his long-suffering they many times grow worse under the mercies of God as Pharaoh did to this Solomon speaks Eccles 8. because judgment is not speedily executed against an evil doer his heart is fully set in him to do evil wicked men as one saith deals with God as birds do with a scarecrow afraid of it at first and dare not come
that purpose respecting the way and terms of mans salvation p. 86. Chap. 6. Treating in Eight particulars the explanation of love and hatred in God and that in this chapter it cannot intend election and reprobation to heaven or hell p. 94. Whether the first transgression of Adam is the cause of Gods hatred against mankinde p. 96. The effects of Gods hatred is a privation of good and inâ—…ction of evil p. 98. Chap. 7. Shewing Gods unquestionable and absolute right to state and propound his own terms upon which his grace and justification and salvation shall be had and here determines it not upon the works of the law but believing in his son p. 102. That Gods speakings of old to his servants were very significant and teaching to ages and generations to come p. 122. Chap. 8. Shewing that it is of meer grace and mercy in God all men having sinned to call them upon any termes whatsoever to justification all grace no debt p. 125. Why is willing and running opposed to God and mercy it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy p. 128. It is possible for persons cordially to desire and laberiously to pursue this mercy of justification and yet come short and not attain it p. 137. That persons to some degree righteous and obedient to Gods laws are very apt to challenge and strongly expect the great priviledge of justification as a debt for such their obedience or as a reward for such work p. 138. Chap. 9. Gods act of hardning and reprobating to damnation is the effects of great and persevering rebellion when men shut their eyes and ears at â—…st after much long-suffering and patience p. 139. As God seald up Pharaoh for his impenitency so did he with the Jews for shutting their eyes and ears therefore gave them up to a judiciall blindnesse p. 151. Chap. 10. Plainly explaining how and in what sence God may be said to harden mens hearts in like manner how God is said to show mercy p. 164. Gods will differs from mens will because it 〈◊〉 of counsel he doth all things according to the counsel of his own will p. 166. Terms of mercy and terms of wrath are founded in the breast of the most high p. 168. What mercy is intended when he saith he hath mercy on whom he will p. 169. Four instances to evidence God did not necessitate Pharaoh to be rebellious p. 172. How God is said to harden Pharaohs heart p. 177. Five marks of Gods withdrawing from hardning sinners p. 183. No person so near ready and liable to fall into his own destruction as a hardned sinner he is very near to ruine p. 190. Those that slight and undervalue the Scriptureâ— are not guided by the same spirit that writ the Scriptures p. 192. That God Almighty doth greatly concern himself in his peoples afflictions and oppressions p. 193. That every act of impunity and reprieve from judgment misimproved doth directly contribute to the fitting and preparing such a person for wrath p. 195. That God in his dealings with Pharaoh laid a platform of his proceedings with reprobates to the worlds end p. 199. Six Characters of a heart that is not hard whatever they may think of themselves p. 201. Chap. 11. Gods will and word are terms equivalent and his purposes to mankinde in order to mercy and judgment is not irresistable p. 203. That God may justly finde fault with whom he judicially hardens p. 213. Chap. 12. Detecting that unreasonable consequence of Gods forming men on purpose to damn them p. 215. The great sin of the circumcised Jews was spirituall pride p. 229. Chap. 13. Explaining the Potter and clay and that God makes and mars vessels according to their submission and rejection of him p. 231. That sin and disobedience is of an imbasing nature it makes man comparable to the earth the potters clay p. 251. The same people or persons at distinct times may be honourable and dishonourable vessels p. 253. Chap. 14. Explaining who are vessels fitted for destruction and who are vessels of mercy and why both become such p. 255. Wicked men are the proper subjects of Gods long-suffering p. 273. Chap. 15. Shewing the super-abounding riches of Gods grace to sinners for their encouragement to turn p. 274. That the present state of Christians in this world is a state of preparation not of perfection p. 286. Chap. 16. Gods love to the called whether Jew or Gentile is great and singular love yet not so unchangably fixed in this life that neither the obedience of some nor the rebellion of others can alter it p. 288. The great aggravation of mans condemnation will be the rejecting and not complying with Gods frequent and loud call p. 294. That Gods love or hatred with respect to persons or people is not unchangeable or fixed p. 302. Chap. 17. That it is not Number nor being in relation to godly Ancestors that can secure rebellious persons from Gods wrath and destruction p. 305. Chap. 18. Explaining the causes why the Jews missed and the Gentiles obtained the righteousnesse which is according to faith p. 316. Chap. 19. Plainly demonstrating that persons justified and saved in Gospel days shnll have no cause to boast but on the contrary to attribute all to free-grace p. 321. Chap. 20. Calling for greatest circumspection because persons in a very fair and likely way unto salvation in their own thoughts may suffer disappointment it is very easie to stumble at Christ and his ways if careful heed be not taken p. 325. Errata PAge 3. line 29. for Appstle reade Apostle p. 6. l. 14. r. unrighteousness p. 9. l. 20. dele chiefly p. 11. l. 15. r. his person p. 18. l. 20. for would r. could p. 18. l. last for summary r. sum up p. 20. l. 27. for 33. r. 23. p. 21. l. 14. for Christs r. Christ p. 22. l. 23. r. abdicated p. 28. l. 8. r. was p. 305. l. 23. for nations r. notions A Brief Compendium of the whole Controversiall part of this Chapter as a Preface to the Matter following SHewing the concurrence of each passage therein to the making up of a sweet harmony â—etween this 9th and 3 4 10 11 Chapters of this Epistle and herein I am perswaded that if the Reader do but lay aside prejudice and observe narrowly and heed carefully as he go along he will receive great satisfaction in the truth of what is spoken from each verse distinctly by that joint consent and argument appearing in the whole put together for although it is possible to wrest and misinterpret some single verses or passages in Scripture yet it is granted on all hands that he that takes in the whole scope of Epistle Chapter and Context in what he speaks is in the ready way to make an unerring Construction of matters This 9th of the Romans has been much wronged for want of this observation by Insitting upon some verses without heeding the
of Gods proceedings which is to judge and reward every man according to his works this Obj. the Apostle supposeth and replyeth unto ver 14. is there unrighteousnesse with God God forbid no such thing can be saith he neither can such a conclusion be drawn from such premises but more particularly the Apostle proceeds in order to clearing his doctrine from the least imputation of impeaching the righteousnesse of God which he endeavours to do from a double Argument 1st That Justification cannot be of works because it is of grace and mercy 2ly That God cannot be unrighteous in casting off the seed of Abraham according to the flesh who were strict observers of the law of circumcision and in their room receive the gentiles who should believe in Jesus Christ and obey the Gospel because from the beginning he had left himself that liberty and is not obliged to any man so that there can be no righteousnesse in doing that which he hath a justnesse of power to do this which I say saith the Apostle is no more then what he hath declared from the beginning that salvation shall be of grace Mercy and Compassion and consequently not of works for the Scripture saith unto Moses Exod. 33.19 I will have Mercy upon whom I will have Mercy which words were occasioned by Moses's interceding with God for Israel after that great sin of theirs that God would in special own them for his people above all the people of the world besides to which petition God returns this checking answer say no more I will have mercy and compassion on whom I will or upon what sort of person I please and will not give thee an account though thou beest my friend Moses thou shalt know I have an unquestionable right in this case to shew my mercy and grace on whom I please Jews or gentiles and upon what terms I please and in these words to Moses we have a prophecy of the admission of the gentiles or else it had not served properly to our Apostles turn in this place from whence the Apostle draws up this result ver 16. so then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that rnnneth but of God that sheweth Mercy that is not of works but of grace and 2ly as he hath left himself a liberty which none can question to shew Mercy to whom or upon what terms he please so also he hath the same liberty to inflict spiritual Judgements yea judicially to harden whom or what sort of sinners he please and to be plain as if he should have said God hath singled out above all sinners as the subjects of this his severity such as shall abuse his long-suffering and goodnesse the first-born of which sort of sinners was Pharaoh of old who is brought as a type of such in all generations both as to the nature of their sin and destruction and therefore the Apostle brings that saying of God to Pharaoh ver 17. which he quotes from Exod. 9.16 for this cause have I raised thee up or dilivered thee from so many deaths and kept thee yet alive that I might make my power known in thee and that this Pharaoh was a lively type of these stubborn rebellious Jews I think need not be questioned and as the righteousnesse of God in his proceedings with Pharaoh was never by any questioned much lesse denyed no more can it be questioned in his dealings with the Jews who trod in his steps Now from both these Instances drawn from Gods sayings to Moses and Pharaoh the Apostle draws up this result ver 18. so then he hath Mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardens that is hardens such as Pharaoh who first hardens themselves in their own hearts against God as he did now hereupon the Apostle supposeth the Jews raising another Object ver 19. if God hardens why doth he finde fault with those so hardened by him â— seeing this his will is irresistable for who hath reâ—…sisted his will â—erein the Apostle doth personate a captious and quarrelsome person not one making an humble objection with a desire of an answer as doth plainly appear by the Apostles Reply to it ver 20. wherein he takes pains to humble and shame them for their bold and sawcy and quarrelsome disputing against God which to effect he asserts the power yea the unquestionable and inoffensive power of God to save and reprobate upon his own terms to the justnesse and unquestionablenesse of which terms he doth amplifie by the similitude of a potter who hath a power that none questions to make vessels of honour and dishonour and that upon his own terms and upon his own discretion that is to say when he designes of a lump of clay to make an honourable vessel and that piece of clay marr break or run too course for such a vessel he hath a power which none questions to make it again the same lump or piece of clay a vessel for a dishonourable use as he please according to that place at least alluded unto Jer. 18. ver 4. and when thy second vessel is made God may justly complain or finde fault that it would be no better a vessel and the vessâ—l cannot say why hast thou made me thus because it was designed for a better of which comparison of the potter we have the reddition or application ver 22. 23. thus if the common ordinary potter have such a power and priviledge which none is offended at much more hath God power or liberty to make vessels of honour of those who shall yeild to his hand and wheel and fall in with his designe whether Jews or gentiles and consequently hath not God â—ower that none can question to make them vessels â—f dishonour and wrath who have abused all his â—uduring long-suffering and patience exercised â—owards them an Instance whereof we have in Pharaoh and afterwards in the circumcised Jews â—his power God claims to make those vessels of wrath who abuse his goodneâ—… and so treasure up â—rath against the day of wrath Chap. 2. but if a â—an clense himself he shall be a vessel of honour â—repared for the masters use 2 Tim. 2.21 thus I have given you in a few words the coherence and scope of this Chap. to the end of verse 23. The Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 3.16 tells us that in his beloved brother Pauls Epistles their are some things hard to be understood which the unlearned or unskilful wrest to their own destruction amongst which things or sayings this part of his writing this Chapter cannot be exempted but necessarily comprehended especially if we will observe the context or verse chiessy before 2 Peter 3.15 no portion of Scripture seems in the judgment of most men to be attended with greater difficulty and many persons takes occasion from what is here declared to disparadge and obscure the universall and impartial love and grace of God to Mankinde in Jesus Christ to prevent which mistakes it will be
men though never so zealously bent and intent that way but by and from God only who is the donor because the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh meaning that inasmuch as God claimeth a just and unquestionable right to condemn whom he please he hath the same right to save whom he please so that the way by which the Apostle clears Gods righteousness in his proceedings with Jews and Gentiles is his undoubted right thereunto God is not unrighteous in justifying the gentils by faith neither is he unrighteous in condemning and hardning the obstinate unbelieving Iews because he was righteous in so proceeding with Pharaoh upon like grounds of disobedience no man ever questioned the righteousnesse of Gods proceedings with Pharaoh but justified him in it therefore the Apostle makes him here a president Pharaoh being the first born of rebellious unbelievers and obstinate disobeyers of God and a type of all gospel-disobeyers to the worlds end and so his proceedings with him a pattern of Gods proceedings with such to the worlds end as in like manner when God declares his sole love and approbation to Abraham upon his believing he doth also declare his good liking to all such like believers in all succeding generations Abraham the first-born of believing and obedient souls he is the father of obedience as Pharaoh was the father of disobedience not that the children of these two grand heads are in degree equal to Abraham in faith or Pharaoh in disobedience but their faith and their disobedience are of the same species that their fathers was as Abraham may have many sons or children who comes not to equalize him in the degree of his faith provided it be of the same kinde even so may Pharaoh have sons who may be heirs and lyable to the same hardning and condemning who notwithstanding have not disobeyed to the degree of Pharaohs disobedience and it is a certain truth that amongst all people and persons that have been since Pharaohs time none ever came so near to the degree of Pharaohs disobedience as these Jews to whom the Apostle is speaking as afterwards I shall demonstrate by the circumstances of them both for that from this casual word for we may easily gather that this instance of Pharaoh is not forreign to the Apostles businesse in hand but it doth suit with it to help to carry on his designe in vindication of the righteousnesse of God both in shewing mercy and in hardning The second circumstance to be taken notice of is the speaker of these words which is here appropriated to the Scriptures the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh which consideration by the way may be of instruction to us of the divine authority of the Scriptures for notwithstanding these words are the words of God yet the Apostle saith the Scripture-saith I have raised thee up to make my power known what God speaks and what the Scripture saith are the same with the Apostle and so it is elsewhere see Gal. 3.22 where he saith the Scriptures hath concluded all in unbelief which the same Apostle appropriates to God Rom. 11.32 So 1 Timot. 5.18 the Scripture saith thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the oxe which are a part of Gods words I must take up this by the way that sayings of God and sayings of Scripture are of equal authority and it must needs be so because the sayings of Scripture are the breathings of God by his spirit in his servants see what Peter saith to this 2d Peter 1. last verse 2. Timothy 3. but why seeing Gods sayings and sayings of Scripture are the same doth the Apostle rather choose to say here the Scripture saith rather then God saith as before verse the 15. I answer the Apostle might choose his way to declare it that he might provoke the Jews to consult and consider the whole passage as they had it in their law which also did so greatly concern them and for the same reason doth he so often use this dialect the Scripture saith as Rom. 10.11 chap. 11.2 and many other places 2. It is considerable that whilst he is saying that the Scripture saith he so rendreth it in the present tense he therein gives the Jews to understand that this saying is a standing word not only spoken but speaking it is a speaking Oracle what was said to Pharaoh still speaketh in all ages the Scripture saith I will only add a word of instruction see the choice esteem the holy Apostle had for the Scriptures whilst he reckons the Scripture sayings and the sayings of God equal Gods faithful servants in all ages have been distinguished by this their worthy esteem of the Scriptures both in Old and New Testement and so had Jesus Christ himself let us try our selves by this rule 2. Here is a rule for all preachers the Scripture saith the preacher saith well whilst he saith the Scripture saith in testimony to what he speaks thus it is written The third circumstance to be considered is the subject to whom spoken to Pharaoh worthy our consideration upon a threefold account 1. It was the common name of all the kings of Egypt successively but this was not that Pharaoh which shewed that kindenesse to Joseph nor he that appointed the midwives to slay the male-children this Pharaoh takes another way for Moses was 80 years old at this time Exo. 7.7 2. As to this Pharaoh he was an imperious proud man his power was great as he was king of Egypt he had a vast strength above other nations and as his power was so his heart was great he acknowledged none in heaven nor earth above him as appeareth by his words chap. 5.2 who is the Lord that I should obey him I know not the Lord or as Ainsworth reads it Jehovah is not revealed to me Pharaoh was a man much trusting to and leaning on Magicians and Sorcerers with which that land abounded above all lands here was those Ianies Iamebrise whâ— as the Apostle saith withstood Moses but that Pharaoh was wholely ignorant of Jehovah as to a bear knowledge few think and there may be some reasons given that Pharaoh must needs know him though he stubbornly and wilfully withstood him being thereunto seduced by the Magitians 3. This Pharaoh is considered as a type and head of all the great persecutors of Gods people as we may perceive from the prophets where Gods enemies are threatned under the names of Pharaoh and Egypt see Esa 30. Ezek. 31. the great man of sin is called Pharaoh and the place of his seat Egypt Revela 11.8 Sodom for all debauchery and prophanesse Egypt for oppression and persecution so that Pharaoh is to be understood as a head and leader of disobedience The 4th circumstance to be considered is the time when these words were spoken to him and that is plain if well considered it was after the sixth plague the plague of the botches and boyls which as some think were plague sores whereof many died and so this plague was the
3. The attribute of his righteousness is magnified in his dealings with Pharaoh that he will not always clear the guilty God shews his justice righteousness holyness in this eminent passage of Pharaoh as we have it in that song made upon that account Exo. 15.11 this is imputed to God amongst the rest to be glorious in holyness Thus I have briefly past over the 17th verse by way of explication I shall proceed to the explication of the 18th verse also and then draw up those doctrines that ariseth from both CHAP. X. Plainly explaining how and in what fence God may be said to harden mens hearts in like manner how God is said to shew mercy Ver. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth THe Apostle having in answer to the Jews second objection been vindicating Gods rigteousness in justifying the heathen by faith and hardening and rejecting the circumcision for unbelief and disobedience to the Gospel which answer in the two branches of it he had been prosecuting of by the help of two antient sayings of God one to Moses Exo. 33.19 the other to Pharaoh chap. 9.16 he now in the verse before us proceeds to draw up the whole of both into a doctrinal result and conclusion in these words so then or therefore he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom be will be hardneth that is to say it clearly appears from the premises that God is at liberty and hath unquestionable right to make his own terms upon which he will shew mercy or upon what terms he will reject at our first view of these words our Apostle seems to represent God in his proceedings with his creatures as an absolute monarch who proceeds and rules by an arbitrary power his own will being his law and so tyed to no law nor conditions and thus also Daniel represents God Dan. 4.35 he doth whatever he will in heaven and earth and that this is the power of an absolute Monarch appears from what is declared of that great heathen Monarch Dan. 5.19 whom he would he slew and whom he would he kept alive whom he would he set up and whom he would he pulled down and this is the character of that great king and Monarch the man of sin of whom we reade Dan. 11. three times over exprest vers 3. 16. and 36. he shall do according to his will thus and much more is God represented to do according to his will to shew mercy to whom he will and harden whom he will from whence some gather personal peremptory and absolute election and reprobation from his own will without any law or condition with respect to the creature but although the Apostle doth thus seem to represent God as proceeding in mercy and judgment with his creatures as an absolute Monarch yet I shall show you wherein there is an apparent difference between such an arbitrary proceeding and the proceedings of God though according to his will in five circumstances 1. God in his proceedings with men cannot will or act any thing but what in it self is righteous just and equal whereas it is very incident to men in such a capacity to err whilst they rule according to their will and therefore it hath been the endeavour of all nations to bound the wills of their Governours by laws and conditions men themselves being judges cannot impeach Gods will with any injustice or unequallity God appeals to men Ezek. 18. whether his ways were not just and equal it was Abrahams maxim that the judge of all the earth will do right to say that whatever God willeth or acteth is just is a great truth and worthy of our faith and greatly tends to Gods glory but to say of things unequal in themselves yet done or acted by God are just is a great dishonour to him Gods will cannot be swayed to injustice 2. Gods will differs from mens will because it admits of councel Ephe. 1.11 he doth all things according to the counsel of his own will 3. Gods ruling by his will differs from mens ruling by their wills for men in that capacity are understood to rule by their wills without a law but Gods will is formed into a law both as to his mercy and as to his justice therefore we finde little or no difference between Gods will Gods law they are taken one for another in Scripture to do Gods word and to do Gods will is the same thing therefore the 19th verse of this chapter by some is read instead of who hath resisted his will who hath resisted his word 4. Men commonly ruling by their will do conceal their will till the time of execution of it but Gods will is declared before-hand both to warn on the one hand and encourage on the other 5. Persons ruling according to their wills amongst men are not stedfast they may will one thing to day and another to morrow those who are the subjects of their favour or wrath are not always the same but Gods will is the same to day to morrow and for ever the subjects of Gods favour and wrath are the same yesterday to day and forever his will is that whosoever seeth the son and believeth in him should have eternal life and this is the same still and his will is that he that rejects the son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him and thus considered God may be said to shew mercy to whom he will yet shew mercy to none but such as believe in Jesus Christ and he may be said to harden whom he will and yet to harden none but those who first harden themselves for after the same manner doth the Apostle speak of the spirits distributions he divides to every man severally as he will yet upon conditions of coveting and seeking of it But before I proceed there is a question which I would speak a few words unto in order to clearing our passage that is why the Apostle rather choseth to declare God shewing mercy to whom he will and hardning whom he will then to declare Gods shewing mercy to believers and hardning impenitent sinners and rejecters of the gospel I answer he speaks after this manner to silence the proud atrogant Jews who would impose upon God and teach him whom or what sort of people he should accept into his favour and whom he should reject these Jews had a tincture of proud Pharaohs spirit who thought there was none above him therefore to humble them the Apostle doth assert Gods absolute supremacy and superintendency over man he doth what he will this was the occasion of this kinde of speaking at the first Exo. 33.19 to silence Moses who seems to be so pertinatiously pleading with God for Israel above all the nations of the world besides God takes him off by telling him I will have mercy on whom I will in shewing mercy I am not bound to give thee an account though thou art
heart that stands in awe of God that fears God is not a hard heart 2. That person that is of a cordial constant private praying spirit is not hard 3. That person that trembles at Gods word so as to put in practise what it commands as soon as he understands it is not hard such a heart had Josiah 2 Kin. 22.9 4. That person that hath humble low thoughts of himself is not one of a hard heart 5. That person that is sensible of the least sin and troubled for it and is touched at it is not hard and when secret as well as open sins afflicts and pricks his heart 6. That person that trembles at Gods judgements as did Josiah that person is not of this number Doctrine 7. That disobedience to Gods declared will and command persisted in is very highly provoking to God in order to giving up persons to hardnesse of heart This was the case with Pharaoh this was the case with the Jews Doctrine 8. and last is this That the law terms and conditions of hardening rejecting and reprobating are not founded in or according to the will of men but of God The reason of this text and Doctrine by S. Paul is raised upon occasion of the quarrel some arrogant Jew who would impose upon God who should be the subjects of Gods hardening namely such who did not submit to the law of circumcision they would have God to harden the gentiles or reject them but he declares his wiâ—l to harden both Jew and gentile who should disobey and rebel against Christ and the gospel and this will of God is made into a law as I have shown you not a secret will as many would have it but this his will is Ioh. 6.40 revealed as with respect to those whom he will have mercy on so also as to those whom he will harden and make subjects of his wrath Iohn 3.36 he that believeth on the son hath everlasting life and he that believeth not the son hath not life or shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him These are those whom his will is to harden Thus I have done with the 17. and 18. verses I now proceed to verse 19. CHAP. XI Gods will and word are terms equivolent and his purposes to mankinde in order to mercy and Judgement is not Irrestible Verse 19. Thou wilt say then unto me why doth he yet finde fault for who hath resisted his will WE have contained in this verse the Jews quarrelsome replycation by way of Object against what had been asserted by the Apostle in these four following verses we have the Apostles severe and pathetical reply in two parts 1. A sharp reproof 2ly A substantial vindication of the righteousnesse and wise proceedings of God with mankinde both which the Objection seems to impeach But I shall first speak unto the 19. verse before us in which we have the Objection framed either as the Apostle framed it himself or as they themselves made it some think the Apostle framed it himself as personating the Jews in it the rise of this Objection may be supposed to be from what the Apostle had been lately asserting concerning the power and prerogative of God in justifying and hardning men at his own will some think that from the Instance of Pharooh and the conclusion drawn thereupon that God hardens whom he will from thence the Jews apprehended themselves some of those subjects of his will to harden thereupon their spirits were inraged against the Apostle his doctrine and God himself and that what we have in this 119 ver is the fruit effect thereof they are ready to impeach S. Pauls Doctrine as if he had not represented God consistent with himself whilst he had shut them up in hardnesse and blindeness irresistably aad yet haveing so done complained or found fault with them and blamed them who are under such a kinde of necessity by a decree of his own will The words themselves are presented as a perverse object or reply against God in which we have these four parts considerable 1. The objector or person objecting exprest in the singular particle thou 2. The person unto whom this objection is directed unto me saith S. Paul 3. The Subject objected against why doth he finde fault 4. The absurdity it self imputed to God for who hath resisted his will this objection some think is drawn from the passage of Pharaoh Exo. 9.17 that God seems to complain of Pharaoh after he was hardened by God and there is a colourable ground also as to the Jews that after they were hardned and blinded by God he yet blames them and the foundation of this Objection is from a rational principle that those persons are not to be complained of who are determined by an absolute decree or will of God as they supposed Pharaoh and themselves were according to the Apostles Doctrine It is the principle of wise-men that persons are excusable who are necessitated by a greater power then their own to be what they are The Apostle in these words doth not personate an humble consciencious person modestly desirous of satisfaction with a spirit of meeknesse in things wherein they are dark But as an impatient men in hearing the truth when the light thereof shineth into his conscience to discover his nakednesse and further we may perceive by the form of the Objection that it doth discover a confident insulting spirit in the objector as also much haughtynesse in the face of it he finds fault with God for finding fault but to come more closely and distinctly to the words themselves by way of explication as I have proceeded in the former verses so I shall enquire distinctly into these words and that under these six considerations 1. I shall enquire into the reading of the words 2. I shall enquire what sort of persons may be supposed to make this quarrelsome Objection or reply 3. From what part of S. Pauls Doctrine this Objection is raised 4. What are we to understand by Gods finding fault 5. What may be supposed that God findes fault with 6. What is this will which the objecter supposeth to be irrisistable in God Of each of these a few words in order And 1. As to the reading of the words most interpreters reads them as they are here read yet I meet with a second reading which runs thus why doth he finde fault who hath disobeyed his law and there may be a good colour for such a reading from the consideration of that affirmity that is between Gods will and Gods law or word they are taken one from another see John 7.17 he that doth my will shall know of my doctrine by which will is to be understood his word and those who thus reade the words do thus paraphrase upon them why is he so angry with us and resolved so severely to deal with us who are so far from refusing obedience to his law that it is only out zeal for the law
finding fault with all their behaviour under his judicial hardning they are blamed but they know not for what they see no cause 4. We have at least implicitly a charging all their disobedience and rebellion and hardnesse of heart upon God as the fruit of his irresistable determination and decree as we may see in the reading the words who hath resisted his will whereas it hath been proved that the worst of sinners such hardened by God are not necessitated by God so to remain but there are two things to be enquired into by way of explication the answer to which may be of great use to clear the Text and context 1. What is or where is it sinful to discourse reason or word it with Ged 2ly What making or form are the Jews put into by God at which they are so much offended and at which they thus quarrel with God of both these I shall particularly speak a few words 1. We are not to understand by all that the Apostle hath so importunately spoken as if it were unlawful or unmeet for men with reverence to God sobriety to search out the righteousnesse wisdom and goodnesse of the ways and counsels of God we shall finde that this hath been allowed and accepted from men Questions of this kinde have received answer as is plain in Abrahams case Gen. 18 how freely did Abraham reason and discourse with God about the destruction of Sodom and God was not angry with him but condescends to his propositions such familliarity did Job take upon him Job 21. and so did Jeremiah chap. 12. let me talk with thee of thy judgments God is willing his ways and works should be enquired into provided it be with a humble spirit and with due respect to the Majesty and power of God that is not replying against God which many times is so accounted from this place to stand up for the vindication of Gods equitable and impartial proceeding with mankinde when by the doctrines and principles of some they must necessarily be impeached for to shew the absurdity of such opinions is not taxable by our Apostle in this text those who are of that opinion to urge this text to oppose such vindication of Gods righteousness supposeth the Jews to be of that which they call the Arminian principle which is a great mistake in them for there were no people under heaven more cordially principled on the other hand for a meer personal election then they they took all but themselves to be reprobates and forbid that the gospel should be preached to them that they might be saved 1 Thes 2.16 this S. Paul complains of that by the Jews he was forbidden to discharge his office in this kinde therefore they were far enough from the opinion of universal and impartial grace but this I shall speak unto more afterwards as I proceed but to speak positively to this question I answer to reply or take up a dispute against God according to this text is considered two ways 1. In matter 2. In form As to the manner or form when our words are stout and bold without rendring God his due Titles see what a humble frame of spirit Abraham appeared in in his reasoning with God and so likewise Ieremiah Iob and others also the contrary whereunto God complains of Mal. 3.13 God complains that their words were stout so in this text their words were of a gainsaying nature the Jews spake to God as if he were their equall this was the manner of Pharaohs speaking Exo. 5. who is the Lord I know him not and this was the spirit of the Jews in the wilderness they murmured and quarrelled against God thus much as to the manner 2. As to the matter condemnable when what is spoken or thought doth tend in it self to the disparaging the Wisdom of God this is an exceeding high peece of presumption against the most high and most wise God this God will not bear with in his most dear servant Job in all his exquisite misery he must not be allowed to speak the least word that might reflect upon the wisdom of God see how severely God speaks to him Chap. 40.2 Shall he that contendeth with the allmighty instruct him he that reproveth God let him answer it and Job falls flat under it else he had been broken see the sharp rebuke of God to such a people as this Esa 45.9 Wo to him that striveth with his maker shall the clay say to the fashioner what makest thou or thy work he hath no hands It is imperfect blaming the work of God this is the spirit discovered in the Text God will not have his Wisdome nor his Power questioned 2. It is sin when men do not quietly sit down under the mighty hand of God who art thou that replyest against God that doth not sit down silently under Gods reproofs but complains discontentedly like Jonas to be angry and vindicate himself in so doing but that which is altogether needfull to be enquired into is the matter against which the Jews finde themselves so aggreived and discontented and wherein they do implicitly impeach the wisdom and power of God and that is supposed here by our Apostle to be about their form or shape which they were now made in therefore the Apostle sets it forth by a similitude of a workman and his work as the work disparaging the workman saying to him in a disparaging way why hast thou made me thus or of this fashion or shape this our Apostle judgeth a parallel instance to the case Now the question then is what form of shape are the Jews cast into with which they are so displeased to this I shall speak in answer both negatively and affirmatively but before I speak particularly to it I premise this by the way that this word make or form in Scripture hath divers acceptations a matter of twelve ways it is taken so that it is not always to be understood to respect creation of man but sometimes to ordain and constitute thus God is said to make Saul king that is put him into such a capacity thus it must be understood Esa 43.7.21 this people have I formed for my self that is with respect of their restoration thus Paul speaks 1 Cor. 4.13 so Rev. 5.10 he hath made us kings and priests Now what making did the Jews quarrel at 1. Negatively the Jews could not here mean by making and forming their original creation in Adam their forming there and then was as good as all the rest there was nothing on foot of this nature in all the controversie as I have shewn before they could not be offended at their proper term 2. Neither could it be supposed that they intended Gods decree or ordination of Reprobation for they were far enough from believing that notion as to themselves especially neither is there any thing in the Context that sounds that way as to personal election but of this I shall speak more clearly when I come
near it but in time it not stirring or moving towards them they grow bold and will fly to it and sit upon it so by the long-sufferings of God wicked men grow hardened and worse and worse so that the means appointed to repentance through the base heart of man doth harden to destruction so that Gods will of shewing his wrath and making his power known in this place must be understood only conditional not absolutely thâ— in case persons are not overcome by his long-sufferings then this manifestation is to take place this was the very case with Pharaoh if Gods raising him up so often at his request did not humble him and bring him to let his people go then be would make his power known in him from hence it is plain that the Apostle in this place is not treating absolute personal reprobation but of a conditionall and specifical The Sixth thing to be enquired into is about this fitting and making up for destruction with respect to the time of it and the author of it there are not a few who have drank in that opinion that this fitting is by God from the beginning by an absolute and eternal decree of reprobation but in the very considerate and deliberate reading the words will inlighten and inform us better and other ways fitted this word I finde but three times used in the whole Scripture that is 1 Kings 6.35 Proverbs 22.18 and in this place and in all these places it signifieth deliberately to prepare to proportion to finish to compleat and not at all to ordain or decree neither can the word be understood in that sence but that which I would enquire after is the author or operator in this fitting by whom is this fitting accomplished it must be either of God or themselves I answer this fitting is not appropriated to God except accidentally and subsequently as God is said to harden Pharaoh 1. The truth of this appears in the different reading of what relates to the reprobate and the elect in these two verses if God did in any sense prepare or fit these vessels of wrath to destruction as he prepares the vessels of mercy to glory why should the spirit of God render these two so differently appropriating the one unto God and not the other he doth not at all intrust God in the one nor man in the other A Learned man doth well observe upon this place that this difference in reading doth import something worthy our consideration and this difference is taken notice of as considerable even by those of the Calvinists opinion one of them saith they are fitted by God and themselves also this a very antient Writer saith on this place not saith he for Gods pleasure but his own desert for saith he if they deserved it not his pleasure would have been to have saved them 2. It is plain this fitting is not of God because Gods applycations of long sufferings is towards them as such so fitted to be a means of their reducing from that state of fitnesse for destruction to a state of preparednesse for glory for it is undeniably plain that this fitnesse is not as some would have it the effect of Gods enduring them but they are said to be fitted before God who did thus endure them with long-suffering and it cannot be properly said that God doth endure them especially with much-long suffering till they have first highly provoked him by a voluntary course of actual rebellion which doth prepare persons for destruction as it did Pharaoh who was fitted for destruction after the first plague much more after all the six plagus yet after this God waits under sour plagues more thus it is plain that persons may be said to be fitted for destruction before God is said to endure them so that all this endurance as is exercised from the beginning to the end of it is upon such as he may justly destroy the first day of his applycations to them so that it cannot be fairly gathered that this fitting is wrought much less ordained or decreed by God but by sinners themselves but against this it is objected that according to this notion men may be said to make themselves vessels of wrath or dishonour and how then doth it answer the terms of the text and the instance of the potter who is said to make vessels of each sort I answer that even in the fimilitude of the potter it is plain that the potter doth not antecedently make vessels of dishonour but only subsequently when they will not be otherways formed as you have largely heard from Ier. 18. it is marring of the clay that precedes its being a vessel of dishonour the potter designed it for honour so that man anticedently and God subsequently makes vessels of dishonour 2. God is no where said anticedently to make vessels of wrath but much on the contrary to make men upright Gen. 1. God made men very good but they found out many inventious it is true there is a way how God may be said to make vessels of wrath that is by making a law or decree wherein he doth declare what sort of sinners shall be vessels of wrath and so they come judicially to be vessels of wrath in this sence must that saying be understood Jude the 4th certain men of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of God into wantonnesse so that for God to decree or ordain vessels of wrath without respect to quallifications doth not answer the potters power in the comparison nor other places of Scripture the potter doth not claim this power to make vessels of dishonour of the clay because it is his own goods as men would suppose in God but because it is clay and not only so but marred clay not meerly from his soveraignty or propriety but from its vilenesse which liberty might be allowed the potter if he were a servant and the clay none of his own so that this fitting is to be understood the voluntary act of the creature not of God and these words contains a declaration of Gods carriage towards those whom he meets with fitted and prepared for destruction he enduâ—es with much long-suffering such as they but it is objected doth not the Apostle Peter speak of some made to be taken and destroyed 2 Peter 2.12 which some apply to this place and to Gods making I answer 1. This word is not exprest in the vulgar Latin but in the room thereof they reade tending to the snare and destruction and so making signifieth an aptnesse or fitness which may be taken one for another 2. What is spoken of and unto persons in an actual course of sin yea bruitish sensuallity and not spoken of men as men and so this making is appropriated to themselves 3. These persons spoken of here are some of those over whom the long-suffering of God was waiting 2 Peter 3.9 not willing that any should perish therefore not made so by God under any
as not only highly provoked God by sin and disobedience but after all abused his long-suffering towards them So much for ver 22. CHAP. XV. Shewing the super-abounding riches of Gods grace to sinners for their encouragement to turn and persevere through all difficulties in well-doing the rich favour and glory they shall enjoy to all eternity Ver. 23. And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory THese words seems to be a continued speech tending to vindicate the just and unquestionable power of God not only to make vessels of dishonour subsequently but much more properly and antecedently to make vessels of honour and mercy both which answers to the power of the potter in the comparison before as God may justly on the one side make them vessels of dishonour who withstand his formation of them and abuse long-suffering extended to them so he may much more make them vessels of mercy who shall be found complying and tractable to his will and so be prepared for glory the Apostle seems to lay great stresse upon this preparing and fitting as considered on both sides only here is an apparent difference he entrusts God in this latter not in the other It is clearly appropriated to God to make vessels of honour or mercy but no such application to the other God is not unwilling to be accounted the authour of preparation for glory we have the Apostle in these words offering a second reason of Gods enduring with such long-suffering the vessels of wrath that had fitted themselves to be destroyed not only that he might have the clearer ground of advantage against them to shew his wrath and make his power known in their eminent and remarkable destruction who should so a base his long-suffering But 2. That by his so enduring he might make manifest and declare by way of eminency his grace love and mercy upon them who should be prevailed upon by such his mercy to comply to his holy will the Apostle argues thus if God shews such mercy to his worst and most provoking enemies much more to his obedient friends Ioh. 15.14 ye are my friends when you do whatsoever I command you Gods mercy exhibited to the old world who were so wicked that they had grieved God to the very heart by their sins is a ground to beget faith in Gods singular choice love and respect to his friend righteous Noah who had been singularly righteous before him in that generation so Gods long-suffering to Pharaoh so spare him so long doth demonstrate his fuller respect to Israel his first-born who were in Goshen where his plagues came not that singular favour shewn by the father to the prodigal doth demonstrate a greater love to the elder son that had not so done amiss therefore the father tells him he was always with him and all that he had was his the potters taking pains with a crackt and marred vessell that hath made it self obnoxious to his will to be destroyed to make it a vessel of honour doth highly declare his very high estimation to that vessel which is a vessel of honour more then if he had ground the marred vessel to pouder So that to issue the matter in a few words Gods great love to sinners demonstrates his singular and choyce love to saints These words are two ways understood One way is according to what I have declared as the argument is drawn from Gods mercy to the vessels of wrath 2. There are some yea not a few who understand this argument to be drawn from the severity of God to them that he shews and exerciseth his wrath on them that the riches of his glory may appear to the vessels of mercy from thence some of them of that opinion renders it in these words that Gods shewing his wrath and making his power known in the dreadful destruction of reprobates commends and sets off upon terms of far greater acceptance the riches of his grace and love in the salvation of the elect or thus as some say God making so many reprobates greatly advanceth his love to the elect he makes the reprobate drink the dregs of his wrath that his mercy may be the more sweet to the elect as two contraries sets off each other the better but that this latter cannot be the sence of our Apostle in this place we may be satisfied in the very reading the words for if that opinion were a truth yet it doth not appear from this context that such an opinion hath any footing in it as may be easily seen for here it is undeniably plain that the argument is drawn from Gods mercy to the reprobate the Apostle seems to argue something like this chap. 5. if God had such love to enemies as to give Christ for them he argues with a much more as to those reconciled as to their salvation Here are couched in our text two reasons why God doth endure and not sudainly cut off and destroy such as have highly provoked him 1. That in his so doing he may leave himself without excuse and cast all the blame upon the sinner 2. That from these his proceedings in ways of mercy to such so unworthy he may offer a demonstrative ground how great his glory shall be which he will show and bestow on those who are bettered by mercy God did do something for this end that he might make known the riches of his glory on the believer But I shall briefly enquire into some words and circumstances in this text by way of explication and so hasten to draw up those Doctrines which flow from these words so opened As first what is here to be understood by Gods glory 2. Why is it added riches of his glory 3. What it is to have this riches of glory known 4. Who are these vessels of mercy and why are they so called 5. How is the making these vessels of mercy appropriated to God different from the former 6. What may we understand by this preparation 7. When is it accomplished Of each of these a very short word 1. this glory twice spoken of in this text is two ways understood somtimes it is taken as the effect for the cause it is sometimes taken for that in God which is just matter to glorify God matter of honor glory to him the due consideration whereof renders God glorious and worthy of admiration and adoration this is to be understood by the words of Jesus Christ to Martha John 11.40 I told thee saith our Lord if thou wouldest believe thou shouldest see the glory of the Lord that is thou shouldst see that for which thou shouldst glorify God therefore this glory of God is commonly referred to Gods power and his grace because from these appearances from God for the most part men are aptest to glorify him 2. By Gods glory sometimes is intended his power it self as Rom. 6.4 Christ was raised from the dead by