6. Another class of passages concurring to prove the sentiment under review, may be found in those which require and enforce consideration, not merely as a duty, but as the method of obedience to the divine will. These which follow are such: "O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!" Deut. xxxii. 29. "Consider how great things God hath done for you." 1 Sam. xii. 24. "Thus saith the Lord, Consider your ways."

Hag. i. 5, 7. Of

the same tenor are the texts in which the Lord requires men to hearken,-a word expressive simply of attention, or consideration: "Take heed and hearken, O Israel." Deut. xxvii. 9. "Hearken to me, ye stout-hearted, that are far from righteousness. Hearken diligently

unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let you soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live." Isa. xlvi. 12. lv. 2, 3. In some instances the word hearken is used to denote the very obedience to which it leads. "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken, than the fat of rams." 1 Sam. xv. 22. 66 Who will hearken and hear for the time to come?" Isa. lxii. 23. To these may be added the

passages in which God rests the burden of his complaint for disobedience on the want of consideration: "But they refused to hearken, and stopped their ears." Zech. vii. 7. "Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider." "They consider not in their hearts."

Isa. i. 3.
Hosea vii. 2.

"But they said, We will not hearken. Behold ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that ye may not hearken unto me." Jer. vi. 17. xvi. 12.

Every attentive reader of the scriptures knows that similar language might be quoted to a great extent. Let us ask, what is the import of it? Can it imply less than we have stated above, namely, that in God's own view, consideration is the method by which obedience is to be induced, and an exercise from which it would certainly follow? To engage us to obedience he requires consideration, and nothing else; if obedience be not rendered, he ascribes it to the want of consideration, and to nothing else. Is he right in doing so? Is it conceivable that he would have done so, if it ought to be referred to any other cause? Are we going beyond the clear testimony of the divine word when we say, that the question of obedience or disobedience is exclusively a question of consi

deration or inconsideration? But if this be the case, then it cannot be maintained that we have not power to obey, unless it can be said also that we have not power to consider, which obviously cannot be said of any man who retains his intelligent faculties. So long as we have power to consider, according to God's own word, we have power to obey.

We may be allowed here to pause a moment, for the sake of pointing out to such of our readers as have made themselves acquainted with the principles of moral science, as laid down in our first chapter, their perfect accordance with the language of sacred writ. We have stated that our entire power of selfregulation lies in the faculty of attention, or consideration; and that this faculty gives an effective power of self-control, so far as motives are sufficient for the purpose. The scriptures address us precisely in the manner which we should anticipate upon this supposition. They call upon us to obey commands, and to consider, that we may obey; if we do not obey, they tell us that it is because we have not considered; both these addresses proceeding plainly upon the principle, that, if we had considered, we should have obeyed. The scrip

tures, it is true, were not intended to teach us moral philosophy; but there is nevertheless a system of moral philosophy on which the scriptures proceed, and when we find one with which they manifestly harmonize, we may satisfactorily assure ourselves of its truth.

CHAP. XI.

The argument from express words of scripture

continued.

II. BESIDES the passages which refer directly to the power possessed by man, those bear as decisively upon the argument, which indicate the nature of the cause preventing the performance of right action.

Two things being necessary to the performance of any action, namely, power to perform it and a disposition to perform it, one of two causes likewise, or either of them, may operate to its prevention; namely, a want of disposition, or a want of power. Do the scriptures say any thing respecting the cause which hinders men from repenting? And if they do, to which of those above-mentioned do they ascribe this impediment? The information they contain on this subject may be expected to be full and satisfactory.

1. It will now probably occur immediately to every reader, how often we are expressly taught