the former Complaint or matter of grievance Unto this Conjecture I should the more incline had not the Lord given Moses a Second Encouragement much different from the former immediately after the Repetition or Resumption mentioned Chap. 6. verse last For so it follows in the next words Chapt. 7. vers 1 2. Then the Lord said to Moses Behold I have made thee Pharaohs God and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet Thou shalt speak all that I command thee and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh that he send the children of Israel out of his land Here was a great Incouragement to undertake so hard a Service But what Incouragement could either Moses or Aaron take from the next passage of Gods Instructions or Declaration of His Will unto them verse 3 But I will harden Pharaohs heart and multiply my miracles and my wonders in the land of Egypt This is a Question worth the asking and the Resolution of it worth considering For that which most discouraged Moses from obeying the Lords commands was his suspicion or presumption that Pharaoh would not hearken to him nor regard his Signs as Aequivalent to Letters of Credence How then should he take heart and courage by knowing that perfectly which before he did but suspect or fear to wit that Pharaoh would not or that he could not hearken unto him Now thus much Moses could not but know from Gods own Declaration of his purpose to harden the heart of Pharaoh verse 3 4 c. And this Question will beget a Second on whose Resolution the clearing of the main Difficultie wil most depend This Second Question or Quaerie is What manner of Hardening the Lord meant in the fore-cited 3. verse Whether he meant a Positive and direct Hardening by way of Necessary Causalitie See Chapt. 42. Numb 4. or Physical Determination of Pharaohs Will or Spirit unto obstinacie or unrelenting stubbornnesse at least from the Date of Gods fore-mentioned Declaration of his will unto this purpose or a Privative or some other way 14 This Question is so Captious that it is uncapable of any One Punctual Answer whether Affirmative or Negative The best is that the whole Knot may be clearly dissolved by distinguishing the Differences of Times or several Treaties between Moses and Pharaoh In respect of the three or foure last Signes and the Treaties upon them This Affirmative Answer is Punctual Pharaohs heart was Positively hardened by God or rather infatuated by means extraordinary and altogether unusual unless in two or three like extraordinary Cases In respect of the Five or six first signs or miracles wrought by Moses and Aaron in the sight of Pharaoh This Negative Answer is as punctual Pharaohs heart was not hardened by God either Positively or directly much less Irresistibly The Means or manner how his heart became hardened were but Ordinarie only by Moses his Proposal of such Conditions unto him as his proud heart was naturally averse from and by pressing him to grant them in such a manner as would Provoke his avaritious mind to resist or deny them The true Tenor of Gods former Speech to Moses is but this This is the Answer to the former Question propounded in the 13. Paragraph What incouragement could either Moses If Pharaoh will not hearken unto thee nor let my people go upon the sight of the first signs and wonders which thou shalt be enabled to work before him and his people let not this dismay thee or make thee give over thy Charge for the longer he is or shall be in yeilding the greater will be thy victorie and his Case the harder For assure thy self in the end he shall be willing to let you go both he and his people shall intreat you to be gone out of their Coasts I will multiply my Signs so fast upon them that Egypt and all other Nations shall be taught to know who is the Lord even the Lord God of the Hebrewes and of Israel 15. All the Discouragements that Moses had either from Pharaoh from the Egyptians or from the Israelites are cured by This that God would break through all difficulties He would lay his hand on Egypt and bring forth his Armies and make the Egyptians c. know that He was the Lord. See Exod. 7. ver 4. 5. But more particularly to revise the Characters of Mosaical Expressions How Pharaohs heart upon the sight of Moses his signes and miracles became hardened by several degrees Upon the exhibition of the First Wonder which was the Turning of Aarons Rod into a Serpent it is thus written Chapt. 7. ver 13. So Pharaohs heart was hardened 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he haâ—kened not to them as the Lord had said This Phrase Pharaohs heart was hardned may referre more properly to Aaron then unto God as the Agent if the speech be to be construed Personally or otherwise to Aarons Rod or to the Sign or Wonder it self in which to speak with due reverence unto the truth there was no such extraordinary force as would have inclined an unregenerate mans heart though by nature and habit no way so stubborn as Pharaohs was to have yeilded forthwith to Moses's requests or demands seeing the Magicians of Egypt did the like This only may be said and it is all that can be said to the contrary that the devouring of the Magicians rods turn â— d into serpents by Aaronâ— rod first so turnd was very ominous so ominous as the observation of it could not but either mollify or harden Pharaohs heart as perhaps it did both according to the several times or vicissitudes of reflecting upon it For his heart and desires being once drawn a little from their natural Bent by the sight of this Wonder but not fully broken must either stand at the Point to which they were drawn or return with greater violence to their former station The Lord speaking in His own Person to Moses ver 14. saith not I have hardened Pharaohs heart but Pharaohs heart is hardened he refâ—seth to let the people go which can imply no other hardening then such as did result or rebound upon the sight or consideration of the wonder Upon the exhibition of the second Sign to wit the turning of the waters of Pooles and Rivers into bloud which was somewhat more fearful then the former Moses his expression of Pharaohs disposition is Impersonal ver 22. And Pharaohs heart was hardened And it was no extraordinarie wonder that his hart should be hardned again in such a sense or after such a manner as it was upon the sight of the first Wonder seeing the Magicians or sorcerers did the like Thus much only may seem extraordinarie or to carrie a great deal of odds on Moses and Aarons behalf in that this plague could not be removed by any Magicians Spell or skill in sorcerie but onely by Mose's prayers unto God This might well have wrought relentance in any ordinarie Heathen Prince which had but the
Embassador Moses to play the After-game with such skill and circumspection that unless Pharaoh would give over in good time he should be sure to lose his own life and the life of his Princes or chief Commanders in War besides the loss of everie First-born Male in Egypt whether of man or beast besides the loss of the greatest part of that years revenew of the whole land of Egypt Pharaoh in all this process demeans himself first like a bold then like a wilful Chafeing Gamester who after once he have begun to Vie upon or provoke his adversarie resolves to Revie upon him and to provoke him further when the game is desperate as will further appear in his Answer to every severall Message delivered unto him from God by Moses and Aaron 11 The Summe or Abstract of the fourth Chapter contains Moses his debate with God or humble entreatie to be spared from this great Service in respect of his slowness of speech and insufficiencie as he took it to be his Embassador And in this mind he continued until God Himself did over aw him by His Authoritie and yet withall gently perswade him by Reason Then the Lord was very angry with Moses and said Do not I know Aaron thy brother the Levite that he himself shall speak for lo he cometh also forth to meet thee and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart Therefore thou shalt speak unto him and put the words in his mouth and I will be with thy mouth and with his mouth and will teach you what you ought to do And he shall be thy spokes-man unto the people and he shall be even he shalâ— be as thy mouth thou shalt be to him as God Chap. 4. 14 15 16. The Reason which specially moved Moses to undertake this Service is expressed ver 19. For the Lord had said unto Moses in Midian Go return to Egypt for they are all dead which went about to kill thee Then Moses took his Wife and his Sons and turned toward the Land or Egypt c. The instruction For his Embassage undertaken upon these Motives follows ver 21 22 23. And the Lord said unto Moses when thou art entred and come into Egypt again see that thou do all the wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in thine hand but I will harden his heart and he shall not let the people goe Then thou shalt say to Pharaoh Thus saith the Lord Israel is my Son even my First-born Wherefore I say to thee let my son go that he may serve me If thou refuse to let him go Behold I will slay thy Son even thy First-born This Passage containes the first mention either of Gods purpose or Prediction to harden the heart of Pharaoh 12. Exod. 4. 27. Upon Moses and Aarons meeting in the Mount of God not by humane compact or contrivance but by Gods special appointment and upon the sight of the miracles which God enabled Moses first to work in private the people of Israel believed that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and had looked down upon their tribulation And upon this Belief they bowed down and worshipped Exod. 4. 31. Now upon this Consent and obedience unto their Proposal Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh like Embassadors of State Let my people go that they may celebrate a feast unto me in the wildernesse And Pharaoh said who is the Lord that I should hear his voice and let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go c. Chap. 5. 12. Unless the former Bent of Pharaohs Pride and avarice had taken occasion to enlarge and stiffen it self from this fair Message delivered unto him he would not have returned that haughtie supercilious Answer unto Moses Gods Embassador and Aaron his Interpreter Moses and Aaron why cause ye the people to cease from their works get you to your burdens Chap. 5. ver 4. Nor was his Choler or Superciliousness only against Moses and Aaron but against the whole People of Israel on whose behalf God had made them his Embassadors For Pharaoh said furthermore behold much people is now in the Land and ye make them leave their burdens Therefore Pharaoh gave commandement the same day unto the Task-masters of the people and to their Officers saying Ye shall give the people no more straw to make brick as in time past but let them go and gather them straw themselves Notwithstanding lay upon them the number of brick which they made in time past diminish nothing thereof for they be Idle therefore they cry saying Let us go to offer sacrifice unto our God Lay more work upon the men and cause them to do it and let them not regard vain words Chapt. 5. ver 5 6 7 8 9. 13. That which did most discourage Moses from having any more to deal with Pharaoh was his Experience of his uninclineable disposition to any good Motion which he could make on the behalf of Gods People And this diffidence or backwardnesse in Moses received Nutriment from the wayward and grumbling disposition of the Israelitish People against him and Aaron after Pharaoh had given them a peremptory charge to perform the same task which they had done before when they had allowance of straw from the Egyptians Then the Officers of the children of Israel saw themselves in an evil case because it was said Ye shall diminish nothing of your brick nor of every daies task And they met Moses and Aaron who stood in the way as they came forth from Pharaoh And they said unto them The Lord look upon you and judge because you have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants to put a sword in their hand to slay us verse 19 20 21. After the Lord had given Moses more Special Instructions and new Encouragements Chapt. 6. vers 1. and laid a stronger Tie upon him and Aaron to deliver his Message unto Pharaoh then he did upon Pharaoh to obey it And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Go in speak unto Pharaoh King of Egypt that he let the children of Israel go out of his land And Moses spake before the Lord saying Behold the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me how then shall Pharaoh hear me who am of uncircumcised lips And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel and unto Pharaoh King of Egypt to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt vers 10 11 12 13. Yet this Charge doth not altogether charm Moses his muttering for he takes up as it seems the same Note again vers 30. Then Moses said before the Lord Behold I am of uncircumcised lips and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me But perhaps this last Clause might be a meer Repetition of the former interserted by Moses the writer of this Storie rather then a Reiteration or resumption of
children of Israel died not one ver 5. 6. Pharaohs experience of the former Plagues fore-told by Moses and accomplished in his own sight did perswade him so farr to believe his Prediction of this that he sent into Goshen to know the truth of that part of it And behold there was not one of the cattel of the Israelites dead v. 7. And yet as it follows in the same verse The heart of Pharaoh was hardened and he did not let the people go 17. All or most of the former signs were respectively rather more noysome and terrible then detrimental unto Pharaoh and his People We do not read before this time of the death or destruction of any useful creatures besides of Fishes when the waters were turned into bloud And this calamitie was neither so grievous nor so universal as the murrain of cattel was It extended only to that part of the River or those waters that were nigh to Pharaohs Court otherwise the Magicians or Inchanters could have had no Place to practise their skill in But this murrain of the most useful creatures was very general Nor would the Magicians have attempted the like if it had been apprehended as facible by them seeing both the Egyptians and themselves should have been greater Losers by the Practise of their own cunning But seeing this Plague did not infect Pharaohs coffers or treasure Cities which the Israelites were enjoyned to build or to prepare materials for their building nor yet Pharaohs Chariots or Stables hence haply it is that he is not so much affected with the wonder as he had been with some of the former And yet because this wonder did give little or no check unto his proud stubborn thoughts the Lord instantly and without further Commission as being now in Processe of Sentence commands Moses to bring another Plague upon the Egyptians more terrible noysome then any of the rest had been ver 8. Then the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron Take to you handfuls of the ashes of the furnace c. And they took ashes of the furnace and stood before Pharaoh and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven and it became a boyl breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast And the Magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boyles for the boyl was upon the Magicians and upon all the Egyptians ver 10 11. Whether Pharaoh did resume or continue his former Resolutions without any relentance the Text is silent but expresse enough to this purpose That the Lord did from this time harden the heart of Pharaoh after a more extraordinary manner then it had been hardened before for so the words do run ver 12. And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh and he hearkened not unto them as the Lord had spoken unto Moses But what was it that the Lord had spoken unto Moses Or where did he specially speak to this purpose The place whereto these words As the Lord had spoken unto Moses do punctually referr is as our English margin directs us Exod. 4. 21. And the Lord said unto Moses when thou goest to return into Egypt See that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in thine hand But I will harden his heart that he shall not let the people go In most of the former Treaties between Moses and Pharaoh Or in the relation of the successe or effect of his speech or works this Epiphonema or Close comes often in That Pharaoh hearkened not to Moses and Aaron as the Lord had spoken But in none of them besides this present is it so expresly added that the Lord did harden the heart of Pharaoh as he had spoken unto Moses This different Character of this Close from the rest gives us to understand or intimates at least That this plague of blaines was the first of all the plagues in which the Lord did harden the heart of Pharaoh after any extraordinary manner But after what manner did he now harden it Not by Infusion of any bad Qualitie or new unhallowed Resolutions but by giving him up to his own lusts or by leaving him more open and exposed to the temptations of Sathan then he had been From this time and not before doth That of our Apostle Rom. 9. 17. For this very purpose have I made thee stand that I might shew my power in thee Commence or begin to take place Now thus to infatuate Pharaoh or suffer him to infatuate himself after he had so often hardened his own heart and slighted Gods forewarnings was a true Act of justice and withall a Prognostick that the just Lord was now Purposed to destroy him So the heathens out of their broken Speculations of Divine Providence have observed Quos Jupiter vult perdere prius deâ—entat Infatuation is commonly the Usher of fearful destruction God in all this deals no otherwise with Pharaoh then pharaoh had done with the poor oppressed Israelites immediately after the delivery of Moses first Embassage unto him Pharaoh upon this occasion as was observed before severely exacts the same Tale of bricks after he had prohibited the Task-masters to afford them any straw which they performed before when they had plenty of straw allowed them The Lord in like manner requires but the same obedience of Pharaoh after he had deprived him of understanding and of the sweet influence of his ordinary general Providence which he had required of him before or at the exhibition of the first signs or wonders And this only is it which ministred the occasion or matter of that question made by our Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why doth he yet chiâ—e unto which I have no more to say for the present then may be found in the Treatise upon that place Rom. 9. 19. See Chapter 42. of this Book Number 6. 18. But to finish this present Survey of the Mosaical Story concerning this proud and foolish Pharaoh it is a witty Character which * Kaì 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Lib. 2. Antiq. Iud. Cap. 5. Josephus hath made of his humorous wilful disposition That after he had seen and in some measure felt three or four several plagues he had a kind of itching humour or longing desire to have more variety of experiments in the like kind This the diligent reader may with me easily observe That upon his sight of the first signs and experiments of the Plagues which did accompany them he demeand himself like a proud Phantastick Humorist and did many waies bewray such a temper as it was impossible for him to become wise untill he had abandoned his former dispositions or resolutions But after the Plagues of the Murrain of cattell and of the blaines upon the Inchanters themselves this proud Phantastick falls into a Phrenzie and fares like a distracted Bedlam and raves as if his brains had been blasted by the fumes or steames of his cauterized heart or seared conscience Witnesse those Passages following Exod. 9. 27. And Pharaoh
Irresistible Will in the eternal Idea of Reprobation before man or Angel had actual Being as if the only end of his Being had been to be a Reprobate or vessel of wrath Beza's Collections to this purpose unlesse they be better limited than he hath left them make God not onely a direct and positive Cause but the immediate and onely Cause of all Pharaohs tyrannie a more direct and more necessary Cause of his butchering the Israelites infants than he was of Adams good actions during the space of his innocencie For of those or of his short continuance in the state of integritie he was no necessarie nor immutable Cause that is he did not decree that Adams integrity should be immutable But whether Gods hardening Pharaoh by his Irresistible Will can any way inferre that Pharaoh was an Absolute Reprobate or born to the end he might be hardned we are hereafter to dispute in the third Point All we have to say in this place is this If as much as Beza earnestly contends for were once granted the Objection following to which our Apostle vouchsafes a double answer had been altogether as unanswerable as impertinently moved in this place Let us then examin the Pertinencie of the Objection and unfold the Validitie of the Answers The second General Point concerning the Pertinencie of the Objection 6. VVHy doth he yet find fault 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Why doth he yet chide with whom doth he find fault or whom doth he chide See Lib. 7. Ch. 19. Numb 4 5 6. All that are reprobates doth he only chide them is this all that they are to fear the very worst that can befall them were this speech to be as farre extended as it is by most Interpreters no question but our Apostle would have intended the force and acrimonie of it a great deal more than he doth thus farre at least Why doth he punish why doth he plague the reprobates in this life and deliver them up to everlasting torments in the life to come seeing they do but that which he by his Irresistible Will hath appointed Or suppose the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might by some unusual Synecdoche which passeth our reading observation or understanding include as much or more than we now expresse all the plagues of this life and all the torments which befall the reprobates in the life to come That the Objection proposed hath referrence only to Pharaoh or to some few in his Case not al that perish or are reprobated yet it is questioned what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath here to do It must be examined whence it came and whither it tends It naturaly designes some definite point or section of time and imports particulars before begun and still continued it can have no place in the immoveable Sphere of eternitie no reference to the exercise of Gods everlasting wrath against Reprobates in General 7. These Queries which here naturally offer themselves though for ought that I know not discussed by any interpreters have occasioned me in this place to make use of a Rule more usefull than usual for explicating the difficult places of the New Testament The Rule is this To search out the passages of the old Testament with their historical Circumstances unto which the speeches of our Saviour and his Apostles have special Reference or Allusion Now this Interrogation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was conceived from our Apostles meditations upon those expostulations with Pharaoh Exod. 9. 16. And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up for to shew in thee my power and that my name may be declared throughout all the Earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And yet exaltest thou thyself against my people or oppressest thou my people that thou wilt not let them go Chap. 10. vers 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he yet chides and threatens him again how long wilt thou refuse to humble thy self before me Let my people go that they may serve me Else if thou refuse to let my People go behold to morrow I will bring the Locusts into thy coasts That which makes most for this interpretation is the historical circumstance of time and manner of Gods proceeding with Pharaoh For this expostulation whereunto our Apostle in this place hath reference was uttered after the seventh wonder wrought by Moses and Aaron in the sight of Pharaoh upon which it is expresly said that The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh that he hearkened not unto them Whereas of the five going before it is only said That Pharaoh hardened his heart or his heart was hardened or he set not his heart to the wonders See Chap. 40. Numb 15. The Spirits Censure likewise of Pharaohs stupiditie upon the first wonder may be read impersonally or be referred to the wonder it self which might positively harden his heart in such a sense as is before expressed Nor is it to be omitted that upon the neglect of the seventh wonder the Lord enlargeth his Commission to Moses and his threats to Pharaoh Exod. 9. 13 c. Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrewes Let my people go that they may serve me For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart and upon thy servants and upon thy people that thou maiest know that there is none like me in all the earth For now I will stretch out my hand that I may smite thee and thy people with Pestilence and thou shalt be cut off from the earth or as Junius excellently rendreth it I had smitten thee and thy people with pestilence when I destroyed your cattel with murrain and thou hadst been cut off from the earth when the boyles were so rife upon the Magicians but when they fell I made thee to stand for so the Hebrew is Verbatìm to what purpose That I might shew my power and declare my name more manifestly throughout all the earth by a more remarkable destruction than at that time should have befallen thee 8. The true Occasion of the former Objection This brief survey of these historical Circumstances presents unto us as in a Map the just Occasion the due force and full extent of the Objection here intimated in transitu Thou wilt say then unto me why doth he yet find fault As if some one on Pharaohs behalf had replied more expresly thus God indeed had just cause to upbraid Pharaoh heretofore for neglect of his Signs and wonders for it was a foul fault in him not to relent so long as there was a possibilitie left for him to relent But since God hath thus openly declared his Irresistible will to harden him to destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why doth he chide him any longer Why doth he hold on to expostulate more sharply with him than heretofore for that which is impossible for him to avoid For is it possible for him to open the door of repentance when God hath shut it or to mollifie his heart whose hardening
about this time there should an Hebrew Male be born that should work wonders for the good of his People and their good could not be dislinked from the Egyptians harmes or losses although no better fortune were to befall them then their safe escape out of the Land without any just revenge upon their Oppressors Some Praenotion or Revelation of that which Josephus saith had been made to Moses his Parents and Believed by them and made them the more careful First to hide him then to commend him to Gods Providence in an Ark of Bulrushes floting down the river to which it is Probable they knew Pharaohs Daughter did usually resort Their wisdome in the contrivance was more then Natural a true work or suggestion of Faith the disposition of all Occurrences to effect their hope beyond their expectation was an Extraordinary Act of Gods peculiar Providence After the Adoption of Moses to be the son of Pharaoh Daughter we read not of the continuation of the former Butchery Nor is it Probable it should continue after Moses came to years of Proof enabled to give pregnant Documents of his worth as well in Martiall as in Civil affaires Whether he were intended and designed as Josephus tells us he was to be Heir vnto the kingdom of of Egypt Antiqu. Lib. 2. Chap. 5. this Cruel king having no child besides his Merciful Daughter nor she any child of her Body we dare not Peremptorily avouch or gainsay Or whether Moses did that Pharaoh whose Daughter had saved his life that Admirable Service in subduing the Ethiopians as Josephus in the same Place relates be believed or waived Probable it is that either by This or some Other great Service done by him in Egypt or for the Egyptians it was foreshewed so as his Brethren might have understood That God had some great work in hand to be wrought by Him besides the meer killing of the Egyptian that had wronged one of the Hebrewes But whatsoever good Intentions this Pharaoh had towards Moses for his Daughters sake before he killed the Egyptian it is evident that he hated him extreamly afterwards for this very Fact and that Moses for fear of his displeasure left Egypt and sojourned many years in Midian Exod. 2. 15. Now it came to passe in processe of time saith the sacred Story ver 23. that the king of Egypt that King whose Daughter had saved Moses's life yea the same who sought to slay Moses for killing the Egyptian dyed But the great and grievous oppression of the poor Israelies did not die with him mutarunt Dominum non servitutem they were freed from this one cruel Oppressor but not from cruel Oppression For there arose another Tyrant as bad or worse then this under whose heavie yoke The Children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage and they cryed and their cry came up unto God by by reason of the bondage And God heard their groaning and God remembred his Covenant with Abraham with Isaac and with Jacob. And God looked upon the Children of Israel and God had respect unto them Exod. 2. 23 24 25. Unto This Later of the Two bad Pharaos who had no spleen against Moses in particular as being perhaps unknown unto him by face is Moses commanded to address himself as a special Messenger from the Lord God of their Fathers who appeared unto him after a strange manner in Mount Sinai as is expressed at large Exod. 3. Moses after much Reluctance undertakes this Service volens nolens And just Cause he had to fear as the event did shew First that his own Brethren theâ— Seed of Jacob would hardly believe his Report or yeild Obedience unto his Commission Secondly that after his Brethren were perswaded that God had sent him unto them it was as he foresaw very indible that Pharaoh would give any Credence either to him or to the Elders of Israel whether joyntly or severally imployed in this Great Bussnesse 5. That full measure of Induration or hardnesse of heart which afterwards fell upon this second Pharaoh was no otherwise wrought by God then by reiterated gentle and civil Checks of that unhallowed Resolution begun by his Predecessour and continued by him In the most of Moses's Messages unto him God whose Embassador Moses was did advise or command him to do as in justice and equitie he ought to have done but no way necessitate him to do as he did The Tenor of Moses's Advertisements unto him was First to relinquish all former Resolutions or intendments of Oppression unto the Israelites And Secondly to make some equitable satisfaction for the wrongs formerly done unto them All this Pharaoh might have done and all this any wise man which had feared God and hated covetousness would have done But for this Pharaoh as he was no doubt wise enough for worldly business so he was exceeding proud exceeding covetous and by these qualities To-God-ward most unwise So that his Pride and Covetousnesse did directly and immediately harden his heart On Gods Part we may not Imagin or suspect any other Causalitie of hardening him besides the Proposal of those Conditions unto him whose Performance he knew was very Incompatible though not Incompossible with haughty Pride or tenacious avarice The only Necessitie which God in his alseeing Wisdom put upon him was either to break his Resolution and work a Relentance or release of those cruel Practices and oppressions towards the Israâ—lites which Pride or avarice had put him upon or else to be hardened by his wilfull Continuation of his First Resolution at that high Bent at which it stood when Moses was first sent unto him 6. To descend to a more Particular Survey of the Pride and avarice of these two Pharaohs We are to take our Hint or Rise from that Passage set down by Moses Exod. 1. 10. Come onâ— let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply and it come to passe that when there falleth out any warr they joyn also unto our Enemies and fight against us and so get them up out of the Land This was the utmost of the former Pharaohs fear in the beginning of his Project against them But what Cause had he to fear their departure out of the land seeing they could not carry with them the lands and Posessions which his Predecessour Joseph's good Lord and Patron had bestowed upon them Surely this haughty Prince did politickly foresee that the recovery of these possessions to the Egyptians or Confiscation of their Personal Estates could not be so beneficial unto him as the Possession of their Lives and bodily Service for even these according to the Custom of those times were accounted In bonis ipsius as his proper goods and Chattels Now to be Lord of so many Slaves for under this Title he challenged them was a grater Revenew then any Prince besides himself in those times had and a great deal more then all the Land of Goshen which the Israelites then possessed was worth And this Revenew
patience to take the circumstances into consideration But the Holy Ghost to my apprehension gives the true reason why and by what means Pharaohs heart was at this time hardened verse 23. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house neither did he set his heart to this also And his not setting his heart to This Wonder with its circumstances did bring a necessitie upon him to have his heart hardened in some further degree then it had been with the First wonder But Pharaoh as we read was more terrified with the sight of the Froggs which notwithstanding the Egyptian Magicians did by sorcerie produce or at least which Pharaoh their Master was perswaded that they did produce But the Production could not be without his help nor the Perswasion but by his permission or sufferance who had enabled Moses to do this strange work In which This is most remarkable that Pharaoh should so earnestly entreat Moses and Aaron to remove this plague or to confine the Froggs unto the River onely verse 8. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the Lord that he may take away the froggs from me and from my people and I will let the people go that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord. And Moses is as readie to grant as Pharaoh was earnest to request this Favour of him verse 9 10 11. And Moses said unto Pharaoh Glorie over me that is you shall command me When shall I intreat for thee and for thy servants and for thy people to destroy the froggs from thee and thy houses that they may remain in the river onely And he said Tomorrow And he said Be it according to thy word that thou mayst know that there is none like unto the Lord our God And the froggs shall depart from thee and from thy houses and from thy servants and from thy people they shall remain in the river onely But this relentance in Pharaoh was but like the Divels vow to turn Monk in a languishing Fit but as soon as the Fit was off him as the Fable is he turned to his wonted Byas and became and so continues an erranter knave then he was before For so it follows verse 15. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite he hardened his heart and hearkened not unto them as the Lord had said This cannot be understood save onely of such an Indirect or Concomitant Obduration as hath before been expressed that is a Resumption of his former proud and avaritious Resolutions the Resultance of which could be no other but a measure of Induration so much greater then the former that had befallen him by how much the sight of the Froggs had mollified his heart more then the two former wonders had done Yet doth not Pharaoh upon the sight of any of these three bewray such a stubborn wilfull disposition as he did upon the exhibition of the Fourth Miracle which his Enchanters did plainly confess surpassed their skill Chapt. 8. 18 19. And the Magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice but they could not so there were lice upon man and upon beast Then the Magicians said unto Pharaoh This is THE FINGER OF GOD And Pharaohs heart was hardened and he hearkened not unto them as the Lord had said The finger of God then was remarkable in Working the Miracle which the Magicians could not but no way remarkable in hardning Pharaoh Nor is it either said or intimated that the Finger of God did harden Pharaohs heart but Pharaohs heart remained obstinate and he hearkened not unto them as the Lord had said verse 19. His not hearkening unto them was the cause of his Induration 16. But this Miracle of the lice was to Pharaoh more loathsome then terrible And for this reason haply he did not either so fairly or so earnestly intreat Moses and Aaron to pray for him as he had done upon the sight of the Froggs and as he straight way after did upon the noysome experience of the miraculous swarmes of Flies ver 21 22 23 24. And ver 25. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Go do Sacrifice unto your God in this Land The offer is so niggardly that Moses disdains to accept of it cannot so much as hear it without such Indignation as is exprest ver 26. It is not meet to do so for then we should offer unto the Lord our God that which is an abomination unto the Egyptians Lo can we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes and they not stone us Notwithstanding all the former Documents of Gods power and wisedom in still over-reaching Pharaohs skill or Potencie Yet the Caitiffe out of covetousnesse seeks to drive his bargain as low as may be For when Moses was peremptory to go three dayes journey into the wildernesse to sacrifice Pharaoh yeilded somewhat more then he had done in the former Gâ—ant to witt that they might go into the wildernesse but as if he had known neither what to say nor what to do he instantly limits his Commission ver 28. And Pharaoh said I will let you go that you may sacrifice unto the Lord your God in the wildernesse But go not farr away And as if that had been the least part of his present intentions he adds immediately and as it were with the same breath Pray or Intreat for me And so Moses did as it follows ver 29. but with this Canonical and peremptorie Monition But let Pharaoh from henceforth deceive no more in not suffering the people to sacrifice unto the Lord. Upon his fraudulent contempt of this Peremptory monition the Lord begins to deale more severely with him and to proceed unto sentence and that a more dreadful one then had befallen him if he had not dealt so deceitfully as he did at this turn also for it follows ver 32. Yet Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also and did not let the people go Moses in his next Treatie repeates the summe of his first Embassage unto him and presseth him by thronging new plagues upon him to come to his tryal Chap. 9. ver 1 2 3. Then the Lord said unto Moses Go in unto Pharaoh and tel him Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews let my people go that they may serve me for if thou refuse to let them go and wilt hold them still Behold the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattel c. This word Ecce as in most other places is here a special Character of the speedy execution of the Plague that was threatened and of the remarkable manner how it was executed ver 4. And the Lord shall sever between the cattel of Israel and the cattel of Egypt and there shall nothing dye of all that is the Childrens of Israel And the Lord appointed a set time saying To morrow the Lord shall do this thing in the Land And the Lord did that thing on the morrow and the cattel of Egypt died but of the cattel of the
sent and called for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned this time the Lord is righteous and I and my people are wicked Intreat the Lord for it is enough that there be no more mighty thundrings and bail and I will let you go and ye shall stay no longer Now albeit Moses after he had promised him to remove this Plague did foretell him that he would not be so good as his promise ver 30. But as for thee and thy servants I know that ye will not yet fear the Lord God Yet as it followeth ver 34. When he saw the rain and the bail and the thunder were ceased he sinned yet more and hardened his heart he and his servants And again Chap. 10. ver 7. After his servants upon the sight of the Plague of the Locusts did thus boldly intreat him How long shall this man be a snare unto us Let the men go that they may serve the Lord their God knowst thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed Though he yeild to their request in part yet he instantly faulters ver 8. And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh and he said unto them Go serve the Lord your God but who are they that shall go And Moses said we will go with our young and with our old with our sons and with our daughters with our flocks and with our herds will we go for we must hold a feast unto the Lord. And he said unto them let the Lord be so with you as I will let you go and your little ones Look to it for evil is before you Not so Go now ye that are men and serve the Lord for that you did desire and they were driven out from Pharaohs presence The like raving Fitt or Phrenetical Symptom you may observe in him ver 16 17. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in hast and he said I have sinned against the Lord your God and against you Now therefore forgive I pray thee my sin only this once and intreat the Lord your God that he may take away from me this death only Now though Moses did remove this Plague yet upon his fresh entreatie for Moses to remove another Plague to wit of palpable darknesse he turns unto his vomit again ver 24. 25. And Pharaoh called unto Moses and said Go ye serve the Lord only let your flocks and your heards be stayed let your little ones also go with you And Moses said thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings that we may sacrifice unto the Lord our God c. And ver 28. Pharaoh said unto him Get thee from me take heed to thy self see my face no more for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt dye A speech more foolish then proud to come from a man whom the Lord had so much impoverished and so often humbled and given sufficient proof of his Power to bring farre greater Plagues upon him 19. Though his heart had been thus often hardened yet is it not become so flinty but that the slaughter of his own and of every First-born Male in Egypt did make deeper impression upon it then any of the former Plagues had done The mightie Out-cry which followed upon this sad and woful spectacle to be seen in every house did so farr awake the drowsie spirits amongst the Egyptians even of such as had no children to mourn for that they joyned in Petition with the rest to have the Israelites fairely dismissed and were ready to make them a Golden bridge for their speedier Passage out of Egypt From this time and not before were the Women and Maides of Egypt willing to bestow their jewels and ear-rings upon the Israelitish women that they might wooe their men and children to depart with speed Thus then that which the Lord had indefinitely promised unto Moses from his first Instructions given unto him Exod. 3. 21. was not accomplished till this last Plague was exhibited Nor was the like Prediction of hardening Pharaoh Exod. 4. 21. put in execution before the Plagues of the Murrain of Cattel and of Blains Exod. 9. 12. 20. But from this Mollification of Pharaoh and of his peoples hearts by the slaughter of the First-born there did result a more strange Induration then at any time before had befallen them Of all the infatuated resolutions which either King or People had adventured upon the pursuing of the Israelites with such a mighty army or strong hand after they had fairly intreated them to depart out of their coasts may well to every indifferent Reader seem the most stupid And so the Author of the Book of Wisdom censures it Chap. 19. 3. For whilest they were yet mourning and making lamentation at the graves of the dead they added another foolish Device and pursued them as Fugitives whom they had intreated to be gone Yet Josephus a grave and sagacious Historian gives the intelligent Reader good hints that even this effect or Phrenetical Symptom of Divine Infatuation was but such as hath seised upon worldly wise Princes and States-men in former Ages And hereafter may be inflicted upon more The greatest varietie of Miracles or Wonders in any one Age experienced is scarce sufficient to make up a perfect Induction to perswade superstitious prophane or wilfull Spirits of Gods absolute Power to effect or of his Wisdom to contrive the like in every kind Most men are prone by nature to make such Collections as the servants of the King of Syria did Their Gods are Gods of the bils therefore they were stronger then we but let us fight against them in the plain and surely we shall be stronger then they c. 1 King 30. 23. The undoubted Experiments of the forecited signs all done in Egypt might well perswade Pharaoh and his People That The Lord God of the Hebrews was more skilful in producing wonders then the Gods which the Magicians of Egypt served were that Moses under him had a greater command over the wind and water over the ayre and clouds over the dust of the earth and over all the host of reasonless creatures then either the King the Princes or Priests of Egypt could ever procure from their Gods a more Soveraign Authority over Flies then Baal-zebub had All this being granted they might notwithstanding thus Reason in their hearts Who knows whether all this power was given unto Moses to be exercised onely within the Meridian or Climes of Egypt or whether his Commission might extend over Palestina and Madian The Egyptians at least presumed that The Lord God of the Hebrews had not given Moses such a great command over the armies or hosts of men as the King of Egypt had because the Israelites they knew had no skill in Feats of arms no Captains of Insanteâ—ie no Cavalrie at all no weapons or engins of war offensive especially amongst them Of all which the Egyptians had abundance plentie of Magazines full of them 21 Upon these or the like Presumptions
or vain Collections they became fool-hardie and desperatly resolute to be avenged upon the children of Israel for all the miseries harms and losses which Moses and Aaron their chief leaders had brought upon them whereas The Lord God of the Hebrews had at this time purposed solemnly to declare to all the world That vengeance belonged unto him alone and that he would repay it upon those who had best deserved it that was upon the Egyptians who for a long time by many waies and in divers kindes had wronged the Israelites who at no time had wronged them As for the Egyptians loss of Cattel and of Grain or for their bodily annoiances by frogs by blains c. These were the just Awards of Gods Punitive Justice upon Pharaoh and his servants for part of the wrongs which they and their Predecessors had done by bringing them into undeserved Bondage But The Lord God of the Hebrews had not as yet called this present Pharaoh or the State of Egypt to an exact reckoning or full account for making away so many Infant-Males of the Hebrews by drowning them in the river or other like cruel practises against them Now that the Egyptians might become the chief Executioners of Gods vengeance upon themselves for the shedding of innocent blood he gave them over to their own proud Phansies to their own vain imaginations or presumptions of good success by pursuing the Israelites whom they had upon fair terms requested to depart out of their Land And of all the Hardenings or Infatuations which had possessed the heart of Pharaoh and his Councel of State this was the greatest and strangest That they should adventure to give the Israelites fierce Chase after they saw or might have perceived the Red sea to open her bosom to give the children of Israel Passage All this was the Lord God of the Hebrews his doing that the blood of the Hebrew Infants might be required of the Egyptians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Law of Retaliation or most exquisite Rule of Punitive Justice This present Pharaohs Predecessor whether his Father or no I know not with the advice of his Councel of State and Warre had designed the poor Hebrew infants as a Prey to the fishes or other ravenous water-creatures Now the righteous Lord God of the Hebrews makes this proud Pharaoh his Successor in the height of his strength and his mightie Army and States men a Prey not only to the fishes and Sea-monsters but a visible bootie to the promiscuous sorts of ravenous creatures which inhabit the wildernesse See the 9. Book of Comm. upon the Apostles Creed Chapt. 43. Numb 2. Psalm 74. 14. Thou brakest the heads of Leviathan in pieces and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wildernesse 22 He that would in vacancie from other businesses diligently peruse the Historie of Exodus from the first Chapter to the twelfth may finde many fair and unto this day fresh maps of Gods patience and long-suffering toward sinners of his mercie and loving kindnesse towards his servants specially to the Oppressed and many live durable Pictures of his Justice punitive upon obstinate incorrigible Transgressors but no Type or shadow of Peremptory Absolute Reprobation Not one Clause is there in all this Long Relation which looks or can be wrested that way no not in the Construction or Paraphrase which the Author of the Book of Wisdom makes upon it A man I must ever acknowledge of an excellent Contemplative Spirit as full as the moon in points of high speculation of Gods general Providence in governing the world and yet a man when he comes to discusse the different manner of Gods dealing with the righteous these in his language are The Seed of Abraham and the wicked Heathen so farre from being Canonical that he is scarce Orthodoxal often by Fitts exhibiting certain Crises to the observant Reader that he was in some measure infected with that disease whose cure St. Paul did so earnestly wish unto his Country-men the Iews The radical Disease common to the whole Iewish Nation of that time and to this learned Author whom for this reason alone were no others alledged by the learned Rainolds Philo Judaeus Author of the Book of Wisd I should conjecture to be Philo Judaeus was This That because they were the The Seed of Abraham they were the only righteous seed and however the Lord God of their Fathers did often chastise and correct them yet all his corrections were Filial that he would not or could not at any time plague them as he had done the unrighteous Heathen or punish them with like blindnesse of mind or hardness of heart as he had done the Egyptians The Receipt or medicine given by our Apostle for curing this Disease in his Country-men then living and for preventing the like in after Ages whether in Jew or Gentile we have set down Rom. 9. 18. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth The Extract or Quintessence of which Aphorism is This That the Lord was not so tyed by Oath or Promise unto Abraham but that he might and would harden the hearts and blinde the eyes of his seed after the same manner he had done Pharaohs and the Egyptians if at any time they should become as obstinate as Pharaoh and his People had been or harden their own hearts by indulgence to their lewd affections or by neglect and contempt of Gods forewarnings specially these being seconded by signs and Wonders no lesse admirable then Moses had shewed in Egypt 23. To harden the seed of Abraham even by Sarah or to suffer them to harden their own hearts after a stranger manner and for a longer space then the Egyptians were hardened upon supposal or discovery of the like though lesse pride of heart obstinacy or contempt of Gods Embassadors could be no prejudice to Gods Oath to Abraham no impeachment of Promised Loving-kindnesse unto David but rather a Constat to all the World That the God of Abraham was no accepter of Persons but that in every nation who feareth him and loveth righteousnesse shall be accepted Acts 10. 34. And by the Authentick Rule of Contraries Every Nation all and every one of any Nation that despiseth him and worketh unrighteousnesse shall be rejected by him And they above others most obnoxious to grievous temptations and Induration who had better opportunities to know him and greater motives to fear and love him and out of love towards him to do that which is right and good both in his sight and in the sight of men This was the state or condition of the Seed of Abraham from time to time after their deliverance out of Egypt specially after the building of the second Temple and rebuilding it by Herod 24. The principal Point remaining only to be touched upon by me but which I would commend to the serious consideration and accurate sifting of other Students in Divinitie is
A parallel betwixt Pharaohs Crueltie towards the Jews and the Jews crueltie towards Christ and his Apostles A Parallel between the cruel oppression and stubbornnesse of Pharaoh and his People in Moses's time and a little before and the ingratitude stubborness and malitious cruelty of the Jews towards Gods people and his Embassadors for their good in the dayes of our Saviour and his Apostles Equalitie of crueltie ingratitude or contempt of Gods Messengers in the Jewish Nation must needs by the Rule of Justice induce an Excesse of Induration or Infatuation upon them To draw the Parallel aright After the first cruel Pharaoh had begun to oppersse the Israelites and murther their Infant Males Moses is born and design'd by God to be his Embassdor unto Pharaoh for his Peoples release from bondage Upon the continuance of this oppression by the second Pharaoh which the former had begun The Lord said I have surely seen the affliction of of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their Task-masters for I know their sorrows and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of the Land unto a good Land and a large unto a land flowing with milk and honey Exod. 3. 7 8. The Seed of Abraham was no lesse grievously oppressed by the Romanes and by Herod the Great their Deputy And which was worst of all their own Governours layd heavy burdens of conscience upon them Many of them were tormented in body if not in soule by the Divel The depth as well of the Peoples as of the Governours misery was That they did not perceive or rightly apprehend the danger of their disease In commiseration of all these and other parts of their affliction The same Lord God which had appeared to Moses in the Bush and testifyed that he was come down to see the affliction of the Israelites under Pharaoh did now the second time descend from heaven to earth to visit the affliction of his people under the Romanes and their Governors shewing his Commission to this purpose by many signs and Wonders much greater and more gracious then Moses had wrought in Egypt most of them respectively exhibited in the sight of the Pharisees Priests and Elders and of all the people but with worse successe in respect of them for whose good they were purposely and especially wrought then Moses his miracles had found in Egypt The Egyptians 't is true did not hearken unto Moses nor hold his miracles in that esteem which they deserved but to persecute to stone or otherwise to slay or murther Moses we do not read of any attempt made by them untill after he had departed with Gods People out of Egypt Whereas the Scribes and Pharisees with the Priests and Elders upon the more frequent sight of our Saviours Miracles did not only harden their own hearts but wrought the people otherwise well inclined unto his Doctrine to such an hardnesse of heart that they persecuted The God or Great Angel of the Covenant who had appeared to Moses in Mount Sinai unto a bloudy ignominious death and which doth aggravate the sin sought the release of Barabbas the Murtherer that is by name and qualitie the Son of their Father the Divel whilest he stood in competition with the only Son of God for enjoying the benefit of that Boon which by the indulgence of the Romanes was granted to them at every Feast of the Passeover in remembrance of their Fathers deliverance out of Egypt 25. More foolish again by much these Scribes and Pharisees with their Complices were then the Egyptians in Mosesâ—s time had been in that they persecuted as farr as in them lay the Lord God of their Fathers after his departure out of this World by procuring a watch or guard to be set about his grave seeking thereby to stop his passage which he had foretold from death to life But he in the mean time gives evident Proof that he had greater Power and more soveraign command over the earth over the rocks grave it self then Moses had over the waters of Egypt or the Red Sea which Moses by vertue of his power whose Embassador he was did command to swallow up the Egyptians alive This second Moses or Great Prophet like unto him after his death commands the rocks to cleave asunder and the earth and grave to give up their dead No marvel if after the Iews had thus wilfully and desperately hardened their own hearts the Lord God of their Fathers have hardened their hearts after a stranger manner then he did the hearts of Pharaoh and his People and for a longer space even to this present day Besides all other oddes of circumstantial considerations from our Saviors fore-warnings or admonitions the measure of that blindnesse or Induration which possessed these later Jews did most justly accrue from neglect of that Peremptorie monition which Moses their Lawgiver had given them Deut. 18. 15 16 17 18 19. The Lord thy God will raiseup unto thee a prophet from the middest of thee like unto me unto him shall ye hearken According to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the Assembly saying Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God neither let me see this great fire any more that I die not And the Lord said unto me They have well spoken that which they have spoken I will raise them up a prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him And it shall come to passe that whosoever wil not hearken unto my words which he shal speak in my name I will require it of him 26 Here were a fit place A Parallel betwixt Moses and Christ Jesus and fair Occasion to institute a Parallel or decypher the similitude between Moses and Jesus the great Prophet as the people did often enstyle him a point whereunto I have spoken somewhat in the Third Book of Comments upon the Apostles Creed Chap. 11. The diligent Reader I know may finde much more for his better satisfaction in many learned Commentators upon the 18. of Deuteronomie and the 3. of the Acts and amongst others in the learned Gualter who is not in this point so prolix as in most other of his Comments upon the Acts. At this time and in this place these Two Circumstances onely present themselves to my Memorie which I shall commend to the ingenuous Readers view The First That Moses was born at that very time wherein the Pharaoh which then ruled over Egypt had a design to make away all the Hebrew Infant-Males being thereunto sollicited or provoked as Josephus tells us by the suggestions of his Secretarie upon a Prenotion or Fame which he had heard or learned God knows from whom or by what means that there should about that time arise a Prophet
or more then a Prophet which should work great wonders for the good of the Hebrews or Israelites his kinsmen according to the flesh which could not be effected Rebus sic stantibus As the case stood then without dangerous prejudice to the Egyptians Upon the like jealousie occasioned by more then a publick Fame an Authentick Prenotion That there should about the latter end of Herods raign arise A Star in Jacob a true King of the Jews the bloodie Tyrant caused all the Males of Judah and Benjamin about Bethlehem which were under two years to be cruelly murthered and yet left the true King of the Jews the Heir of David the Flower of Jesse and Hope of Israel untouched The Second Circumstance or remarkable similitude between Jesus and Moses was this Moses after the first cruel Pharaohs death was commanded by God to return into Egypt his native soil upon assurance given him that they were dead that sought his life Joseph is warned in a dream or Divine vision by night to return with Jesus and his Mother out of Egypt into the land of Israel Because they were dead that sought the young childs life to wit Herod and his Complices Mat. 2. 20. But my aim in this place of which I hope I have not fallen much wide or short was to set the Parallel aright between the Induration or Infatuation of the Egyptians in Moses his dayes and the Excaecation of the Jews after their contempt of our Saviours miracles and more then Prophetical Monitions The Kalender made by the learned Author of the Book of Wisdom for the opposite Fates or Destinies of the Egyptians and of the Iews began in his own time and shortly after our Saviours Resurrection to be out of Date and more then so quite inverted Versâ tabulâ currebant qui modò stabant the Lot or destinie which this good Author assigned unto the ungodly Egyptians did fall upon his Presumed Holy Ones the Iews his Countrey-men Vnto these the destroyer gave Place and was afraid of them for it was enough that they only tasted of the wrath But as for the ungodly wrath came upon them without mercy unto the end for he knew before what they would do Wisd 18. 25. and 19. 1. of the Jews saith St. Paul They please not God and are contrary to all men forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that that they might be saved to fill up their sins alway for the wrath is come upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the uttermost or to the end The Author of the Book of Wisdom Whosoever he were Philo or some other did slide or draw himself into a Twofold error only by overstretching two undoubted Canonical Truths He had rightly observed that as the Canaanites so the Egyptians were an accursed seed from the beginning as being the Off-spring of Cham and that the children of Israel were a seed two waies blessed as being the Progenie of Sem and of faithfull Abraham Wherein then did he erre or fail in his Collections First in that he presumed the curse derived from their Father Cham should be perpetually upon the Egyptians Secondly that the blessing derived from Sem and Abraham unto their seed should be absolutely everlasting Our Apostle St. Paul partly by Observation but especially by the Spirit of Prophesie did know or fore-see that the Seed of Sem and of Abraham should fall into a greater measure of Induration to continue for a longer time then that which had befallen the Seed of Cham or the Egyptians Yet did he not hence Collect or occasion us to think that this curse upon his Countrey-men the Iews should be either universal or perpetual but to continue only untill the Fulness of the Gentiles were come in Neither doth he intimate that this blessing upon the Gentiles Rom. 11. 11. specially the sons of Japhet which were heires in Reversion unto the Blessing bestowed upon Sem should continue unto the worlds end but rather to determine with the recalling of the Jews whose Restauration it is Probable shall be wrought or occasioned by the Infatuation or Obduration of the Gentiles which through their ingratitude and contempt is likely to become more grievous then the Induration either of the Egyptians in Moses dayes or of the Jews after our Saviours death ☜ 27. If we would look upon the Face of Christendom at this Instant How small a Portion of it shall we find not either besmeared with its own blood or disfigured with wounds and scarrs or other like signs of more then Jewish Infatuation and which is of all the rest the most Ominous Praesage or Symtom the hearts of most Princes and States-men are so addicted to their own Politick Resolutions that if Gods true Embassadors though Prophets raised for this purpose from the dead should take upon them to forewarn them as boldly as Moses did Pharaoh to submit themselves unto The Lord they should find more harsh entertainment in ordinary Assemblies then Moses did in Pharaohs Court as bad as our Saviours Apostles and Disciples found in Jerusalem or in Jewish Synagogues The best excuse or Apologie which best Divines or Preachers of the Gospel throughout most Christian or other Nations can make for their backwardness or want of boldness to deliver Gods Message unto greatest Princes or other States-men will be this That seeing the Spirit of Prophecie is now taken from them they may not take upon them to use the boldnesse or animositie which Moses and Aaron and other ancient Prophets did even in the Presence of greatest Princes One duty notwithstanding the Ministers of the Gospel or Christs Embassadors may duly practise without danger in the middest of this perverse and crooked Generation in every State and Kingdom a duty which we of this Church and Kingdom are specially bound to perform that is to pray and intreat the same God and Lord Iesus Christ which hardened King Pharaohs heart to remove his Plagues from all Christian Kings and States-men as also from Turkish Mahumetan or heathenish Princes and to use these and the like Parts following of our English Letanie or Liturgie more then thrice a week as we are injoyned twice at least every day evening and morning either in our Publick or private Devotions From all blindness of heart from pride vain-glorie and hypocrisie from envie hatred and malice and all uncharitablenesse c. From hardnesse of heart and contempt of thy word and commandements Good Lord deliver not only all Christians Kings but even such Kings as Pharaoh was by Profession and take from all Iews Turks infidels and Hereticks all ignorance hardness of heart and contempt of thy Word and make us all One Flock under One Shepherd Jesus Christ the great Bishop and Shepherd of our Soules Amen CHAP. XLI SALVATION ONLY FROM GODS GRACE Or An Exposition of Rom. 9. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy THese words as every
observant Eye may see bear the Stamp and Form of a Conclusion or Collection containing matter for its Truth as unquestionable and of as large Extent for good Vse as any Maxime in this whole discourse This Illative being turned into a simple Assertive Non est volentis neque currentis c is as the Axis whereon the whole Doctrinal Part of this Epistle revolves But taking this Verse as it here lyes being both a Principle and a Conclusion the Lists of my Inquirie into it at this time by Gods assistance shall be but Two Vndè infertur Quò refertur 1. Two Inquiries From what Premisses it is gathered And 2. To what End it is referred Or To what Vse or purpose in the Apostles Intent it is specially applyable The Premisses whence it is gathered first well sounded will rectifie our aime or Level at the Scope whereto it is directed And the End or scope being known will easily impart the right Vse or Application Amongst many Vses whereto these words may serve it is not the least That their just Extent once rightly taken will serve as a just measure or scantling to notifie and unfold the contents of many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this Chapter which have been as much perverted as any places in all St. Pauls Epistles because they have been the common Themes of every illiterate vocalist or rural Scholar 2. It is I take it agreed upon by all at least it will be denyed by none that the principal End of this Epistle is to establish these Romanes whether Jews or Gentiles by Progenie in that Faith wherein they had been instructed And by the Line or Level which is directed to this End must the Argument of this present Chapter as of all the rest be squared The Materials here handled differ somewhat from the former but Modus considerandi their Reference or Aspect to the proposed End is the same What the Apostle in this place here inserts either concerning the hardening of Pharaoh the Reprobation of the Modern Iewes or free Election of their Fathers is purposely inserted for under-propping or fortifying his Former Assertion That Iustification or Salvation must be sought by Faith only without Works To perswade the truth of this our Assertion no particular Allegations of Authorities or reasons can so much avail with an ingenuous Auditor as his own di-diligent Perusal of the 10. and 11. Chapters in which The Resumption of his former Argument is to cleare-sighted men more evident then the Continuance of it is in this And with his former Doctrine in those two Chapters resumed he intermingles powerful admonitions to the Gentiles to make their Election Sure unto which purpose the Original and manner of the Iewes Rejection is in this Chapter premised And He that shall please in his more retired thoughts unpartially to survey the Connexion which the 10. and 11. Chapters with the last part of this 9 have with the former specially with the 4 5 6 7 and 8 The stream or Current of the Discourse will evidently bewray it selfe to be the same howsoever it may seeme a litle before and after This 16 Verse to run a close way or under ground yet so as the opening of it is apparent verse 30. What shall we say then That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnesse have attained to righteousnesse But Israel hath not attained to righteousnesse because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the workes of the Law Verse 32. 3. The fairest Connexion of this 9. Chapter with the former in my opinion is This The Apostle having in the later end of the former Chapter confidently avouched the Infallible Assurance of their hopes which renouncing Workes seek Salvation only by Faith in Christ and his heart having been dilated with joy and exultation of spirit in contemplation of their happinesse is in the rebound more deeply touched with sorrow for the Iewes his countrey-men and kinsfolk according to the flesh The lamentable Issue of whose excellent Prerogatives and strange miscarriage of their extraordinary paines and zealous care in observing the Law might well have danted the late converted Gentiles to whom he writes and in mens esteem much impaired the strength of all former assurances which he had given them unlesse he had further manifested the true Original of the Fall or Rejection of Gods antient people This unfained sorrow for their miserie is so much the greater as every good mans in like case would be by how much their Meanes of well doeing had been the better their Approach to true happinesse nearer and their Interest in Gods promises more peculiar then other mens were It litle moves us to see a lazy unthrift come to be a begger But to see a man extraordinarily industrious in his Calling not to thrive or utterly to overthrow himself and his posterity by some one wilfull humour is grief to every other man that can take paines for his living This Original of our Apostles sorrow is expressely intimated by himself Chap. 10. Ver. 1 2. Brethren my hearts desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved for I bear them record that they have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge And in the 11. Chapter he tels us Gentiles what Moses before had told these Iewes That whensoever they should turn again to the God of their fathers they were to have Precedencie of all other people in the world in his Everlasting and unchangable Love I say then Have they stumbled that they should fall God forbid But rather through their Fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles for to provoke them to jealousie Now if the Fall of them be the riches of the world and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles how much more their fulness ver 11. 12. And again ver 28 29. Concerning the Gospel they are Enemies for your sake but as touching the Election they are beloved for the fathers sake for the gifts and calling of God are without repentance And would it not greive any zealous soul that loves the memorie of his fathers to see them so farre estranged from their God who is not altogether estranged from them but alwayes ready when these Prodigals shall returne unto him to embrace them as his dear Sons These are Points whose contemplation in our Apostle was deeper then our shallow witts can rightly sound and did cast him out of such an Ecstasie of joy into such a suddain Trance of sorrow that he had no leasure to expresse the Causes of it in the beginning of this ninth Chapter but is fain to reserve it to the beginning of the tenth The very depth of sorrow had swallowed up the very stream or current of his discourse and causeth him to begin thus abruptly I say the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience also hearing me witness in the Holy Ghost that I have great heavinesse and continual sorrow in my heart For I
it hath been his Will to harden we must without dispute believe their hardning to have been most just Yet thus to believe we were not bound unlesse it were a Fundamental Point of our Belief that this his most absolute Will hath just reasons though unknown to us why he hardeneth some Vide Coppen in Ps 36. v. 7. Col. 388. B. C. D. and sheweth mercy unto others yea such Ideal Reasons as when it shall be his pleasure to make them known to us we shall acknowledge them to be infinitely better and more agreeable to the immutable Rules of eternal equitie which indeed they are than any earthly Prince can give why he punisheth this man and rewardeth that The contrarie In-consequence which some would inferr out of our Apostle in this place is the natural true and necessarie Consequence of a misconstruction which they have made of another most Orthodoxal Principle Gods Will is the only Infallible Rule of goodness that is in their Exposition Things are good only See Chapt. 39 Numb 9. of this tenth Book and see Attributes 1. part Sect. 2. Chap. 13. â— because God doth will them When as in truth his Will could not be so infallible so inflexible and so soveraign a Rule of Goodnesse as all must believe it to be that think themselves bound to conform their will to his unless absolute and immutable goodnesse were the essential Object of this his most Holy Will Wherefore though this Argument be more than Demonstrative It was Gods Will to deal thus and thus with mankind therefore they are most justly dealt withall Yet on the other side this Inference is as strong and sound Some kind of of dealings are in their own natures so evidently unjust that we must beleive it was not Gods Will to deal so with any man living Abraham did not transgresse the bounds of modestie in saying to God That the righteous should perish with the wicked that be farre from thee Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right Yet were Gods Will the Rule of goodnesse in such a Sense as some conceive it or our Apostles meaning such in this place as many have made it Abraham had been either very ignorant or immodest in questioning whether Gods Will concerning the destruction of Sodom lovingly imparted to him Gen. 18. had been right or wrong whether to have slain the righteous with the wicked had been unjust or ill beseeming the great Judge and Maker of the world Howbeit to have slain the righteous with the wicked would have been lesse rigorous lesse unjust than to harden men by an inevitable necessitating decree before they had voluntarily hardned themselves or unnecessarily brought an impenitent temper or necessitie of sinning upon themselves And for this cause we may safely say with our father Abraham Thus to harden any whom thou hast created that be farre from thee O Lord. Farre be it ever from everie good Christians heart to entertain any such conceit of his Creator 12. The Apostles second Answer to the former Objection Albeit this First Answer might suffice to check all such captious Replies as hypocrites here make yet as our Apostle in his second answer imports we need not use the benefit of this General Apologie in Pharaohs Case The reason or maner of Gods justice and wisdome in hardening and punishing him is conspicuous and justifiable by the Principles of equitie acknowledged by all For Pharaoh and his confederates were vessels of wrath sealed up for destruction Hell as we say did yawn for them before God uttered the former expostulations perhaps from that very Instant wherein he first sent Moses unto him It being then granted that God as we indeed suppose did from the plague of murrain or that other of boiles positively and inevitably harden Pharaohs heart and after he had promised to let the Israelites go infatuated his brain to wrangle with Moses First whether their little ones afterwards whether their flâ—cks should go along with them yet to reserve him alive upon what condition or termes soever though to be hardned though to be threatned though to be astonished and affrighted with fresh plagues and lastly to be destroyed with a more fearful destruction than if he had dyed of the pestilence when the cattell perished of the murrain was a true Document of Gods lenity and patience no impeachment to his Justice a gentle Commutation of due punishment no rigorous Infiiction of punishment not Iustly deserved For what if God had thrust him quick into hell in that very moment wherein he told him So the Septuagint expresseth the sense of the Hebrew Phrase Ad hoc ipsum excitavi te For this very Purpose have I reserved thee alive that I might shew my power in thee No question but as the torments of that lake are more grievous than all the plagues which Pharaoh suffered on earth so the degrees of his hardening had he been then cast into it had been in number more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his strugling with God more violent and stubborn his possibility of repentance altogether as little as it was after the seventh plague if not lesse But should GOD therfore have been thought unjust because he continued to punish him in hell after possibility of repentance was past No Pharaoh had been the only Cause of his own Wo by bringing this necessitie upon himself of opposing God and repining at his judgments without possibilitie of repentance All is one then in respect of Gods Justice whether Pharaoh having made up the measure of his iniquitie be irrevocably hardened here on earth or in hell To reserve him alive in the state of mortalitie after the sentence of death is past upon him is no rigour but lenitie and long-suffering although Gods plagues be still multiplyed on Egypt for his sake although the end of his life become more dreadful than by the ordinary course of Gods Justice it should have been if he had dyed in the seventh plague 13. Another reason why God without impeachment to his justice doth still augment Pharaohs punishment as if it were now as possible for him to repent as once it was is intimated by our Apostle to be this that by this lenitie towards Pharaoh he might shew his wrath and declare his power against such sinners as he was that all the world might hear and fear and learn by his overthrow not to strive against their Maker nor to dally with his fearfull warnings Had Pharaoh and his people died of the pestilence or other disease when the cattel perished of the murrain the terror of Gods powerfull wrath had not been so manifest and visible to all the world as it was in overthrowing the whole strength of Egypt which had taken armes and set themselves in battell against him Now the more strange the Infatuation the more fearfull and ignominious the destruction of these vessels of wrath did appear unto the world the more brightly did the riches of Gods