amounts to this, that what is recorded concerning God's loving Jacob and hating Esau, is in nothing different from his usual mode of procedure towards men, but is entirely consistent with the whole plan of his government. All men are lost and guilty in Adam; it is of mercy that any are saved; and God declares that he will have mercy or not upon men according to his own good pleasure. It is only of this attribute that such language, as is contained in this passage, can be employed. The exercise of every other attribute is at all times indispensable, and never can be suspended.

V. 16. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.

Salvation is

This is the conclusion from the whole. not from the will of man, nor from his efforts in striving for it; but is entirely of God's mercy vouchsafed to whom he pleases. What foundation, then, can be discovered in the word of God for those schemes of selfrighteousness which in a greater or less degree, make salvation depend on man's own exertions? There may be here an allusion to Jacob's desiring the blessing of the birth-right, and his running to provide the venison by which he deceived his father; but his obtaining the blessing was solely the consequence of God's good pleasure; for the means he employed for the purpose merited punishment rather than success. In like manner, the salvation of any man is not to be ascribed to his own good-will and diligent endeavours to arrive at it, but solely to the purpose of God according to election, which is "not of works, but of him that calleth." It is true, indeed, that believers both will and run, but this is the effect, not the cause of the grace of God being vouchsafed to them. "Work out your own sal

To whom is this ad

vation with fear and trembling." dressed? To "the saints in Christ Jesus," in whom God had begun a good work, which he will perform until the day of Jesus Christ-to them who had always obeyed, Phil. i. 1, 6, 29; ii. 12. But besides this, what is the motive or encouragement to work out their salvation? "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Here all the willing and doing of men in the service of God is ascribed to his operation in causing them to will and to do. The whole of the new covenant is a promise of God that he himself will act efficaciously for the salvation of those whom he will save. "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts." "I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever." "I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them," Jer. xxxi., xxxiii.; Ezek. xxxvi. In this way, the means by which God's elect are brought to him, their calling, their justification, their sanctification, their perseverance, and their glorification, are all of God, as was shown in the preceding chapter, and not of themselves. "There is great folly," says Calvin, "in the argument that we are possessed of a certain energy in our zeal, but of such a kind as can effect nothing of itself, unless aided by the mercy of Jehovah, since the Apostle shows that we possess nothing of our own by excluding all our efforts. To infer that we have the power either of

running or willing, is a mere cavil, which Paul denies, and plainly asserts that our will or ardour in the race has not the smallest influence in procuring our election. On the other hand, those merit the severest reproof who continue to indulge in sloth, that they may afford room and opportunity for the grace of God to act; since although their own industry can accomplish nothing, yet the heavenly zeal inspired by the Father of lights, is endued with active efficacy."

If any shall oppose the declaration of the Apostle, that it is not of him that willeth or of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy, and assert that the salvation of man depends on conditions which he is obliged to fulfil, then it may be asked, what is the condition? Is it faith? Faith is the gift of God. Is it repentance? Christ is exalted a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance. Is it love? God promises to circumcise the heart in order to love him. Are they good works? His people are the workmanship of God created unto good works. Is it perseverance to the end? They are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. It is true that all these things are commanded and enforced by the most powerful motives, consequently they are duties which require the exercise of our faculties. But they are assured by the decree of election, and are granted to the elect of God in the proper season; so that, in this view, they are the objects of promise, and the effects of supernatural and Divine influence. 66 Thy people," saith Jehovah to the Messiah, "shall be willing in the day of thy power." Thus the believer, in running his race, and working out his salvation, is actuated by God, and animated by the consideration of his all-powerful operation

in the beginning of his course; of the continuation of his support during its progress; and by the assurance that it shall be effectual in enabling him to overcome all obstacles, and to arrive in safety at its termination.

V. 17. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might show my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

This verse stands connected, not with the 15th and 16th, which immediately precede it, but with the 13th and 14th. In the 13th verse God's love to Jacob and his hatred to Esau are declared. In respect to both, it is demanded in the 14th verse, if there be injustice with God. In the 15th and 16th verses following, the answer is given, regarding the preference and love of God to Jacob. In this 17th verse the Apostle replies to the question, as it refers to God's hatred of Esau. And the answer here is precisely similar to that given respecting Jacob. God's love to Jacob before he had done any good was according to his usual plan of procedure; and on the same ground his hatred of Esau before he had done any evil is also vindicated. Paul here proves his doctrine from the example of one to whom, in Divine sovereignty, God acted according to justice without mercy. The Scripture saith that God raised up Pharaoh for the very purpose of manifesting his own glory in his punishment.

For the Scripture saith.-By the manner in which the Apostle begins this verse, we are taught that whatever the Scriptures declare on any subject is to be considered as decisive on the point. "What saith the Scripture?" This is the proof to which the Apostle appeals. It should further be observed, that Paul ascribes to the Scriptures what was said by God him

self, Exod. ix. 16. This expressly teaches us that the words of Scripture are the words of God. In the same manner, in the Epistle to the Galatians, it is said, the Scripture, "foreseeing that God would justify the heathen;" and, "the Scripture hath concluded all under sin," Gal. iii. 8, 22. Here the word of God is so much identified with himself, that the Scripture is represented as possessing and exercising the peculiar prerogatives of God. What is done by God, and what belongs only to him, is ascribed to the Scriptures,— proving that they contain the very words of God." All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, 2 Tim. iii. 16.* The word Scripture is here taken in its appropriated meaning-being confined to the book of God. All that is written in it is divinely inspired; and what does writing consist of but of words? If any of these are not inspired, then all Scripture is not inspired. Every word, then, in the book referred to, is the word of God, dictated by him of whom the writers were the instruments he employed, who spoke or wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Why are so many unwilling to admit this view of the inspiration of Scripture so much insisted on in the Scriptures themselves? Is it on account of the difficulty of conceiving how words should thus be communicated? But is it easier to understand how ideas could be communicated? Do they believe that the Lord "opened the mouth of the ass" of Balaam, and communicated the words which she spake ? Is it, then, more difficult to communicate words to men than to a dumb animal? To speak of

* See a very full and critical discussion on 2 Tim. iii. 16, appended to Dr Carson's "Refutation of Dr Henderson's doctrine in his late work on Divine Inspiration."