It is true, that we do not find in the Bible a full and circumstantial history of God's government of all the nations that we read of in history but we have, in the first place, a summary account of the manner, in which he exercised his providence over mankind in general for many ages; particularly in the signal punishments which he inflicted on cases of remarkable wickedness and we have, in the second place, a very full and minute history of the way in which he governed a particular people: and by this we are taught some certain rules, which, with due allowance for the circumstances of each particular case, may safely be applied to the history of other nations and individuals. Upon the principles of natural religion we might perhaps infer, that in the government of human affairs Almighty God would interpose his power to chastise enormous offenders against his law, and to correct the irregularities, which human wickedness and folly produce in the constituted order of things: but we could not be so well assured of the fact as we are now, by the positive testimony of the Bible, which presents to us so many distinct instances, to illustrate and confirm our reasonings.

The great purpose, no doubt, of the Scriptures

of the Old Testament was, to prepare the way for the final dispensation of grace. Every thing was done, by God's appointment, under the old covenant, and every thing by his inspiration written, with a view to the future completion of the promise. The whole history of God's chosen people, and of the proceedings of his government, as far as they were concerned, appears in many of its features inexplicable, unless we bear in mind, that the great and ultimate object and issue of the whole was the coming of Jesus Christ. But besides this principal end, the Scriptures of the Old Testament were no doubt intended to teach mankind useful and impressive lessons of piety and virtue; to set before us many examples of good and pious men, signally protected by the care and favour of God during the time of their sojourning upon earth; and, on the other hand, many wicked, idolatrous, and ungodly persons, who lived without him in the world, and received at his hands the just, if not the full and final reward of their offences. All these things, says the Apostle, happened unto them for ensamples, and were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Nay, even of those chosen servants

11 Cor. x. 11.

of the Most High, whose piety and zeal are proposed for our imitation, the very faults and lapses are also faithfully recorded, in order that the most careful and religious amongst us may be on his guard, and take heed lest he fall.

Scarcely any part of the Old Testament history is more interesting or important, than that which relates the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt. It is from the pen of one, who was the principal actor in that memorable transaction, the chosen minister of Jehovah to execute his will, and to found that wonderful church and kingdom which subsisted until Shiloh came. One remarkable feature of this history is the spirit of candour and modesty, in which the historian speaks of himself. That great lawgiver and prophet records, with the most perfect impartiality, not only the obstinacy and unbelief of his people, but his own offences against God. Upon all occasions he directs the attention and regard of the children of Israel from his own person, which they would naturally be disposed to reverence, to the Lord whose servant he was. Another feature of the history is, the plain and authoritative manner, in which Moses describes the intentions and proceedings of God himself; a manner which bespeaks the

consciousness of an acquaintance with the Divine counsels, as far as they regarded the fortunes and conduct of his people Israel.

Amongst the various descriptions, which Moses has given, of the methods by which it pleased God to effect the deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage, one of the most remarkable is that, in which he speaks of the inveterate and incurable obstinacy of Pharaoh; the Lord said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before them. You are no doubt aware, that this is one of those passages in the Bible, to which the unbeliever objects, as being contrary to our notions of the justice and goodness of God. If God really desired that Pharaoh should let the children of Israel go, it was surely very unjust and cruel, to harden his heart, and to constrain him to disobey. This is their objection; and perhaps it is one which may have occasioned some perplexity even to the pious reader of Scripture. Let us examine into its force.

We may observe, in the first place, that a person, who is impressed with an awful and overpowering notion of the universal providence of God, who firmly believes that nothing can happen

in the world, but by his direction, and with his knowledge, may justly say of any thing, and every thing which does happen, that God has done it. If Moses pleads with Pharaoh, and causes him to relent, that is a circumstance which God must have foreseen, and which therefore happens by his providential ordinance: and so it may be said that God softens the heart of Pharaoh but if again, from whatever cause, that feeling of pity is extinguished, and he becomes more obdurate than ever, then it may be said, with equal truth, that God has hardened Pharaoh. This answer, philosophically speaking, is a sufficient one; inasmuch as it shifts the difficulty to that point, beyond which it can never be pursued, with a view to its entire solution; I mean the absolute irreconcilableness, by human reason, of two independent and undoubted truths, the foreknowledge of God, and the free agency of man. But to many minds it will not be quite satisfactory. The following illustration may perhaps be more convincing.

Suppose that a person, with his eyes open, is walking directly towards a precipice, of which he has been repeatedly warned, and to overstep which, he knows must be his certain destruction. In spite of every friendly admonition he still goes