Now,

"be honoured upon Pharaoh and his host." whatever interpretation may be put on the words, "I will harden Pharaoh's heart;" it cannot be doubted, but that the event respecting Pharaoh was certainly predetermined: yet this did not interfere either with his free-agency, or responsibility. He was not compelled, against his will, to act as he did; nor was the glorious God the Author of his sins. Neither did he, in all this, decree, or do, any thing inconsistent with his own perfections of justice, holiness, goodness, and mercy. He did not punish Pharaoh more than he deserved. On the other hand, he shewed mercy to Israel, when guilty of the most abominable and aggravated idolatry: and he says, "I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.' I act as a sovereign; without assigning any reasons; and, without taking any of them from the merits of the criminals.' These two instances the apostle contrasts; and adds as an inspired comment on them, "Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy; and whom he will he hardeneth." "Thou "wilt then," he adds, "say to me, Why doth he "yet find fault? for who hath resisted his will ?" Will any one maintain, that Pharaoh, dying in his most daring contest with Omnipotence, was only punished with temporal vengeance? Had he no immortal soul? Was he fit for heaven? Was he not "driven away in his wickedness?" Or, would the worshippers of the golden calf, if they had been destroyed in a moment, as one man, in the very act

of idolatrous rebellion, have suffered only temporal punishment? Had they no immortal souls? Were they meet for the worship, joy, employment, and company of heaven? They were spared: and the mercy of God in sparing them, gave them space for repentance; and this doubtless was eternal salvation to numbers of them. So that even the facts adduced in illustrating the apostle's main subject, had to do with far more than the present world only.' God deals with some of our fallen rebellious race, as he did with Pharaoh, in awful justice, and displays his glory in so doing. He deals with others, as with the rebellious Israelites, and herein glorifies his mercy in harmony with his justice. He hath con'stantly decreed by his counsel, secret to us, to deliver from curse and damnation those, whom he hath chosen in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by. Christ, to everlasting salvation, as ⚫ vessels made to honour." The evil both of heart and conduct, in the vessels of wrath," is wholly from themselves:" but the repentance, faith, love, newness of heart, and newness of life, in "the "vessels of mercy, whom he hath afore prepared

unto glory," are wholly from the grace of God by Christ preventing us, that we may have a good will; and working with us, when we have that good will,"

These are our sentiments on the subject: and; though I have no expectation, or ambition, of ren dering these sentiments general: they do not surely

constitute so monstrous a doctrine; so replete with every thing evil, and deserving of such severe philippicks, as they constantly meet with; nor are they pregnant with such dire consequences, to the cause of practical godliness, as multitudes seem to suppose.

Let any man make out to his own' complete satis faction, that the dealings of God with Pharaoh, as recorded by Moses, and adduced by the apostle; were consistent with the divine justice and goodness; with Pharaoh's free-agency and responsibility; and with the moral government of God by rewards and punishments: and he will at once perceive what we have to plead on our own behalf, on the general subject. Indeed, we are neither called, nor autho nized, nor inclined, to use such strong language concerning any individuals, or collective body, upon the supposition, that they are not the elect, as has been stated concerning Pharaoh. Had Pharaoh been unjustly doomed to temporal destruction alone; how could the divine conduct towards him. be justified? But if deservedly and justly doomed to eternal damnation; no hesitation can be reasonably admitted, in respect of the dealings of God with him. For, at last, the question is not about the previous decree, concerning, destination, or predestination; but the justice of God, in what he eventually has done or will do. If what he does and will do be wise, holy, just, and good; no previous decree can render it unwise, unholy, unjust, and evil. While vindicating the Judge of all the earth, from a presumptuous charge of injustice, in dooming sinners to eternal punishment; we must not concede, that he acts

unjustly in temporal judgments: and if, in executing temporal judgments, "the wicked is driven away in "his wickedness," and is cast down into destruction, is "God unjust who taketh vengeance?"—The words, "arbitrarily and capriciously," in connection with the Lord's decrees, or dispensations, are used exclusively by the opponents of Calvinism, and are not found in the writings of Calvinists.-How the example of the potter' can shew, that the apostle is speaking of this life only; when connected, with "vessels of wrath, fitted for destruc"tion ;" and "vessels of mercy, which he had afore

prepared to glory," cannot easily be conceived. For surely these terms mean something extremely different from the ranks in society, into which f men, by divine appointment are born, as the apostle shews, when he particularly mentions himself, and both Jewish and Gentile converts to christianity, as "vessels of mercy." The election of a peculiar people, (even in the Calvinistick sense,) does not suppose the rest of the world neglected, or punished, except so far as they deserve it.' But had we all been punished as we deserved, we should all have perished everlastingly. O Lord, Deal not with us

after our sins; neither reward us according to our 'iniquities." Even original sin, according to the doctrine of our church, in every person born into

this world, deserveth God's wrath and damnation."2 We suppose, therefore, that the divine decree is positive, in respect of the elect, to deliver from

';

⚫ curse and damnation, those whom he hath chosen ' in Christ out of mankind, and to bring them by Christ, to everlasting salvation, as vessels made "to honour;" (ut vasa in honorem efficta;) but that the purpose of God is negative, as to others; that is, he purposes to leave them to themselves, and to do nothing to deliver them from the punishment Ha which their sins deserve, or from the consequences of their depraved hearts and rebellious conduct. It is certain, that the compilers of our articles did not think, that "the vessels whom God had afore pre

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'pared unto glory," related to God's, gracious offer of the gospel to those, whom he foreknew would me accept of it: but to the effect of his special grace given unto them; for, after the words before quoted, sit follows; Wherefore they which be endued with af so excellent a benefit of God, be called according 'to God's purpose in due season, they through grace obey the calling; they be justified freely, ' &c.' And indeed, if it be acknowledged, that man has not the disposition, and consequently not 'the ability, to do what in the sight of God is good,

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till he is influenced by the Spirit of God; his haforeknowing that the persons spoken of, would

accept the blessings of the gospel;' implies, that the he purposed to give them his Holy Spirit, and so to ipts" work in them to will, and to do, of his good plean." "sure." But the words, "and to make known the "riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, whom ror "he had afore prepared unto glory," denote more,

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