| 5 that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth [shows] mercy; having his eye at the same time directed towards his covenant people in Egyptian bondage.
For the scripture saith into Pharaoh, Ex. ix:16, 17, and in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew [show] in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? God had promised to bring the house of Israel up out of the land of Egypt, at his own appointed time; and with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and great terribleness, Deut. xxvi:8, he chose to do this thing, that his power might be known and his name declared throughout all the earth, so that all nations might have the God of heaven in remembrance, and reverence his holy name; and to accomplish this it was needful that he should meet with opposition to give him an opportunity to manifest his power; therefore he raised up a man, even Pharaoh, who, he foreknew would harden his heart against God, of his own freewill and choice, and would withstand the Almighty in his attempt to deliver his chosen people, and that to the utmost of his ability; and he proved himself worthy of the choice, for he left no means unimproved, which his wicked heart could devise to vex the sons of Abraham and opportunity to magnify his name in the ears of the nations, and in sight of this wicked king, by many mighty signs and wonders, sometimes even to the convincing the wicked king of his wickedness, and of the power of God, Ex. viii,28, &c. and yet he would continue to rebel, and hold the Israelites in bondage; and this is what is meant by God's hardening Pharaoh's heart; he manifested himself in so many glorious and mighty ways, that Pharaoh could not resist the truth without becoming harder, so that at the last, in his madness to stay the people of God, he rushed into the Red Sea, with all his host, and was covered with the floods.
Had not the power of God been exerted in a remarkable manner, it would seem as though the house of Israel must have become extinct, for Pharaoh commanded the midwives to destroy the sons of the Israelitish women as soon as they were born, Ex. i:15, 16, and called them to account for saving the men children alive, (verse 18) and charged all his people saying every son that is born ye shall cast into the river, [verse 22] and yet God would have mercy on whom he would have mercy, Rom. ix:18, for he would have mercy on the goodly child Moses, when he was hid and laid in the flags, Ex. ii:3, by his mother, to save him from Pharaoh's cruel order, and caused that he should be preserved as a prophet and deliverer to lead his people up to their own country; and whem [when] he would be hardened, for he hardened Pharaoh by passing before him in mighty power, and withdrawing his spirit and leaving him to his own wicked inclination, for he had set taskmasters over the Israelites, to afflict them with their burdens; and caused them to build treasure cities for Pharaoh, and made them to serve with rigor; and made their lives bitter with hard bondage, in mortar and brick and all manner of service in the field, Ex. 1st. ch.; beside destroying the men children: thus proving to the God of heaven and all men that he had hardened his own hard heart, until he become a vessel of wrath fitted for destruction, Rom ix:22, all this, long before God said unto Moses, I will harden his [Pharaoh's] heart, Ex. iv:21.
Are men then to be saved by works? Nay, verily, by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, Eph. ii:8. Not of works, lest any man should boast, verse 9. Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, Titus iii:5, and yet faith without works is dead being alone, James, ii:17. Was not Abraham our father justified by works?-v. 21. Shall we then be saved by faith? Nay, neither by faith nor works; but by works is faith made perfect, v. 22, but by grace are ye saved, Eph. ii:8, and if by grace, then it is no more of works, otherwise grace is no grace; and if it be of works then it is no more grace; otherwise work is no more work. Rom. xi:6. Ye see then how that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only, James ii:24.
Rom. x:3, 4. For they, (Israel) being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God; for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Thus the righteousness of God is made manifest in the plan of salvation by his crucified son; for there is none other name under heaven, given among men whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Acts iv:10, 12.-But of this the Jews were ignorant, although they themselves crucified him; and they have been going about, wandering among all the nations of the earth ever since, for the space of eighteen hundred years, trying to establish their own righteousness, which is of the law of Moses; which law, can never make the comers thereunto perfect, Heb. x:1; yet notwithstanding their darkness and long dispersion, there is a remnant according to the election of grace,
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