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more probable that certain heathen, who are the creatures under the mentioned 1 Sam. xxvii. 8. xxx. 8. earth? not the fallen angels or dewere the enemies who were to be vils, surely; for bowing the knee is slain; and the manner in which their an act of adoration, not of forced subslaughter is related, makes it highly mission. Besides, this bowing the probable that they were left unburied. knee is to be accompanied with a conIf our Saviour was the David of the fession" that Jesus Christ is Lord;" Psalm, we must carry our inquiries which cannot be true of devils. Whatforward to that period when his arm ever submission to Christ be exacted of is to awake and be revenged on the the rebel angels, it would not be exenemies who now are unmolested. pressed in the same terms as the homSuch a fulfilment of the Psalm may age of angels and saints. We are sebe alluded to in Rev. xix. 17. xviii. 21. cure, therefore, in the interpretation, There can be no doubt that the above that the things, (or creatures,) under passage from the Psalms alludes to the earth are none other than the the region in which the soul remains disembodied souls of the righteous. during its disembodied existence. These may have done homage to Jesus when he preached to the spirits in prison;" and they will certainly do homage to him when they "meet their Lord in the air," and when they stand in the Divine presence in heaven, singing praise "to him that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever."

Another confirmation of the above doctrine may be drawn from the words of Samuel when raised to speak with Saul, "To-morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me." The soul of Samuel, it is presumed, and not his body, was allowed to return to the earth. Whenever bodies were raised, the persons had again to undergo death. Such resuscitation followed the command of those only who had the power of working miracles; and was widely different from the pretensions of necromancers. The spirit of Samuel doubtless was asked for by the king; it was doubtless his spirit that was sent by the Deity. Where then were Saul and his sons to meet Samuel? in the place, of course, where spirits meet. In the grave there is no such society. But in hell, (hades,) there is an intercourse between souls, even between righteous and wicked souls; as we learn from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. In hell, (hades,) therefore, Saul and his sons were to be with Samuel.

The text in Philippians ii. 10. though applied to this doctrine by the commentators, has not been arranged among its proofs by those who treat of that subject distinctly. Every knee is to bow to the name of Jesus, "of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth." The word things is not in the original; the word supplied in the translation, should have been creatures or beings. The creatures in heaven are angels; those on earth, righteous men; but

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A fourth text not ordinarily applied to our doctrine, is that in 1 Tim. iii. 16. "seen of angels." The apostle enumerates a succession of mysteries, or wonderful events, which collectively he terms the "mystery of godliness." The first is, "God was manifest in the flesh;" which is undoubtedly a mystery. The next wonderthis incarnate Person" was justified in (or through) the Spirit," which is interpreted either of the miracles. wrought for his religion, or of his resurrection, both of which are clearly mysteries, 1 Cor. xv. 51. Rom. i. 4. After these follow the words " seen of angels," which we shall notice presently; then it is said that Christ was "preached unto the Gentiles," a part of the Christian dispensation which is always called a mystery or secret, Col. i. 27. and in this mystery the being" believed on in the world" is, of course, included. Last in the enumeration, is "received up into glory;" that is, Jesus in human nature was exalted to the right hand of God, which was a mystery or wonder in itself, and is connected with the mys tery of redemption. Every particular of the enumeration, then is a mystery, except the be

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gels." In what sense can it be mysterious that angels should see Christ? They have seen men, perhaps they continually see them; they often saw the Redeemer, it is therefore the law of their nature to take visual cognizance of human beings; and whatever is a law of nature cannot be called a mystery. The literal interpretation, therefore, of the word "angels" seems to be inconsistent with the proper significancy of the word "mystery." Among the figurative applications of the term angel, none seems proper but that by which it is made to express the unearthly state of men.. Our Saviour says that the just are to be " the angels" in the resurrection; with, probably, the same meaning he speaks of the angels of children; and when the disciples heard the voice of Peter, after he was supposed to be dead, they attributed it to his angel or spirit. By thus interpreting the words in question, we shall find them express a mysterious event. Christ was seen of departed spirits," when he descended into hell, (hades,) and preached to the spirits there in prison, (or secure keeping.) This, being both a wonderful and a hidden transaction, may, with strict propriety, be called a mystery. And while this interpretation has the advantage of giving consistency to the words of St. Paul, it adds the verse in question to the many other proofs of an intermediate state. Is it not probable that Job alludes to the hidden region within the earth, when he says, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither?" (i. 21.) He certainly does not return to the literal place spoken of. It may be asked, however, whether the body or the soul is meant as thus returning? The body came originally from the dust, and returns thither again; but, thus applied, the words would express, that his losses reached no further than his bodily sensibilities. If the soul be alluded to, it is implied that it is formed within the earth, before its union with

body, as well as that it returns thither after its disunion from it. On this point no opinion will be offered. Reference may be had, however, to

Ps. cxxxix. 15. and perhaps to Eccles. xi. 5.

The last passage to be now mentioned is not so clear in its application to the doctrine as some of the former, and many, perhaps, will think it whol ly irrelevant:-"The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground," said the Deity to Cain. The expression is figurative in whatever way interpreted. According to the current opinion, the blood is personified, and represented as speaking. May we not, however, assign a different figure? may not the blood be another name for the soul? (See Lev. xvii. 10-14.) and may not the soul of Abel have appealed to God from the ground, the lower parts of the earth, or hell, (hades?) The souls of murdered saints thus appeal to the Almighty in the book of Revelation, (vi. 9, 10.); and there is great propriety in thus allowing murdered persous a claim for justice while their souls are in the intermediate state, the only claim they can have during the lives of their murderers. If such were the meaning of the words of the Deity, how greatly it must have added to the terrors of Cain, to be thus plainly informed of the continuance of life after apparent death!

Let it not be forgotten that the above doctrine is founded on passages of much greater clearness than those now adduced. These latter may be set aside from the argument, and the intermediate state of the soul will yet remain a Scriptural doctrine. They seem entitled, however, to be received as additional proofs of that comforting article of our faith.

0.

Practical Notes on Exodus ix. x.

Extracted from D'OrLr's and MANT'S

Family Bible, the first and second Numbers of which are now ready for delivery by T. & J. SWORDS. The notes between brackets are added to the American Edition.

12. And the Lord hardened] Now "the Lord," for the first time, "hardened the heart of Pharaoh," after he

had so repeatedly hardened it himself, "and he hearkened not unto them, as the Lord had foretold unto Moses." Though Pharaoh probably felt the scourge of the "boil," as well as his people, it did not soften nor humble his heart And when he wilfully and obstinately turned away from the light, and shut his eyes against the luminous evidences vouchsafed to him of the supremacy of the GOD OF THE HE BREWS, and had twice broken his promise, when he was indulged with a respite, and dealt deceitfully, he became a just object of punishment; and God now began to increase the hardness or obduracy of his heart. And such is the usual and the righteous course of his providence; when nations or individuals despise the warnings of heaven, abuse their best gifts, and resist the means of grace, "God then delivers them over to a reprobate or undescerning mind, to work all uncleanness with greediness." Rom. i. 28. Ephes. iv. 19. Dr. Hales. Even now God did not infuse into Pharaoh's heart any bad qualities, or ungodly resolutions; but only he did

not vouchsafe to him those convictions which might have softened him; " and he gave him up to his own heart's lust;" and likewise ordered things so to fall out, that he became more and more obdurate. Bp. Patrick.

[The Divine dispensations may be said to have been the accidental (not direct,) occasions of Pharaoh's hardness. And it is a very common case, that the methods which God uses to bring sinners to repentance, are perverted by them to a quite contrary end, and leave them more incorrigible than they found them. If he prospers them, they think he is pleased; if he casts them down, and raises them again, they hope he is reconciled, though they are not reformed. The constancy of his application to them passes into customary form, and they grow just like that perverse kind of people, who, the more they are courted and entreated to do a thing which is plainly for their own good, the more resolutely they set themselves against it. The methods which God takes to often and bend sinners, may end in

their greater hardness and stubbornness; and since this worst effect will too often result from the best designs, God may be said to harden them; but cannot, without the greatest injustice, be said to be the author of their sins. His dealings with them, whether he spare or punish them, have all one voice, and call out to them, as they did here, to turn from the error of their ways, to cease to do evil, and learn to do well. But if that which should have been for their salvation proves the cause of their destruction, the fault cannot be in good means, but only in the abuse of them. Reading.]

15.

that I may smite thee, &c.] I will smite thy people with that pestilential disease, which shall take off all the firstborn of the Egyptians; and thou thyself shalt be cut off, by being drowned in the Red Sea. Dr. Wells.

The following plagues were formally announced to Pharaoh and his people: "I will at this season send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy poe ple, that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. For now I could stretch out my hand, and smite thee and thy people with pestilence," or destroy thee at once, like thy cattle, with the murrain," and thou shouldest be cut off from the earth; but in truth, for this cause have I sustained thee, that I might manifest in thee my power, and that my name might be declared throughout the whole earth." This rendering of the passage is more conformable to the context, to the Chaldee paraphrase, and to the foregoing observation of Philo, alluding thereto, than the received translation: "For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence." For surely Pharaoh and his people were not smitten with pestilence; and "they were preserved," or kept from immediate destruction, according to the Septuagint; "to manifest the divine power," by the num ber and variety of their plagues. Dr. Hales.

16. for this cause have I raised thee up,] In the Hebrew the words

are," I have made thee stand;" that is, "I have preserved thee alive, when the pestilence would have cut thee off, as the murrain did thy cattle, that I might destroy thee in a more remarkable manner "7 "I have raised thee" from the foregoing sickness; that is, spared thee in the midst of the most malignant ulcers. Bp. Patrick. I have made thee to stand, preserving thee, and suspending to punish thee, when I sent all my other plagues, that I might show my power more ilJustriously in thee. Dean Tucker.

The Greek translates the place very justly, "For this cause thou hast been preserved:" and most of the versions express the true meaning of the passage better than our English translation. The reason of the words, and the true meaning of them, is this: Moses had wrought several miracles before Pharaoh without effect. Hereupon he delivers him a severer message, threatening that God would send all his plagues upon his heart, &c. to smite him with pestilence, and to cut him off from the earth: and, "indeed," continues he, speaking still in the name of God," for this cause have I preserved thee hitherto, to show in thee my power:" that is, I had cut thee off sooner for thy obstinacy, but that I intended to make my power over thee more conspicuous. So that the words signify, that Pharaoh was hitherto preserved by the forbearance of God, to be a more remarkable example; not that he was born to be brought to ruin. Shuckford.

We see, then, that when God says, he raised up Pharaoh for this cause, that he night magnify his power and glory in his punishment, he does not mean that he made him either a man or a king with such a view; but that he preserved him from the fatal stroke of former visitations, that he did not expire under them, but his life was prolonged for further trials and exercises of the same kind. And this sort of dealing is very consistent with all the parts of the Divine character. It is agreeable to the patience and longsuffering of God, that he should reprieve sinners from death, and not presently make a full end of them,

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but give them repeated calls, and large time and space for repentance. It is agreeable to his mercy, that correction should be given them, in order to prevent their final perdition; and that others should be warned by their sufferings to take heed that they provoke not God by the like sins. It is agreeable to the justice of God, sometimes to make an example of a sinner, that the world may see his hand in the government of it, and that no one may promise himself impunity in the commission of sin. Lastly, it is agreeable to his holiness, for he hereby declares, that he "is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity" without disapprobation and abhorrence. Reading.

34. And when Pharaoh saw, &c.] The effect on Pharaoh was exactly what Moses foretold, ver. 30. Instead of being melted into consideration and gratitude, he forgot his solemn promise, made a jest of his faith and honour, set God at defiance, and refused to let the Israelites go. Pyle.

[Let us beware of this spirit of Pharaoh; for it is no new thing, even after the greatest deliverances from death, sickness, or other extraordinary mercies, to see men sin yet more, to harden their hearts after the most solemn professions of repentance, and grow worse and more wicked than ever. It is, indeed, neither punishments nor mercies, but the Divine grace alone, can make in us penitent and obedient hearts. Without this, our very es capes and deliverances will prove greater judgments than the affliction we suffered. True repentance, therefore, prays not against sufferings, but against sin; nor desires, or even wishes the rod to be removed, till it has conquered the stubbornness of the heart, and made us hate, as well as smart, for our offences against God. Wogan.]

he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart,] He stifled the dictates of conscience, and acted against conviction. Bryant.

In this instance there is a remarkable suspension of the judicial infatuation. Pharaoh had humbled himself, and acknowledged his own and his people's guilt, and the justice of the

Divine plague. The Lord, therefore, forbore this time to harden his heart. But he abused the long-sufferance of God, and this additional respite: "he sinned yet more," because he now sinned wilfully; after he had received information of the truth, he relapsed, and hardened his own heart, a seventh time. He became, therefore," a vessel of wrath, fitted for destruction." Heb. x. 26. Rom, ix, 12. Dr. Hales. Moses had performed in the presence of Pharaoh such miraculous works, as would probably have had an effect on any other person. But, because he saw some of the miracles imitated by the magicians; because the plagues came gradually upon him, and by the intercession of Moses were constantly removed; he thence took occasion, instead of being softened by this alternative of mercy and judgment, to become more sullen and obdurate. "When Pharaoh saw that the rain, and the hail, and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart." The mercy of God, which should have led him to repentance, had a contrary effect upon him, and made him more obstinate. For an hardened heart is neither cut by compunction, nor softened by any sense of piety. It is neither moved by entreaties, nor yields to threaten ings, nor feels the smart of scourges. It is ungrateful to benefactors, treach erous to counsels, sullen under judg ments, fearless in dangers, forgetful of things past, negligent of things present, and improvident for the future. All these bad qualities seem to have concentered in Pharaoh. It was, therefore, entirely agreeable to the rules of Divine justice, when nothing would reclaim this wicked king, when even that which wrought upon the magicians, the ministers of Satan, made no impression on him, to let his crime become his punishment, and to leave him to eat the bitter fruit of his own ways, and to be filled with his own devices. Stackhouse.

The case of the hard-hearted Pharaoh may be made a ground of admonition to ourselves. We have had more messengers from God, more summonses to do many parts of his

will, than were ever sent to this king and his people. We have, with them, refused to be obedient to the heavenly call, and thereby rendered ourselves obnoxious to the Divine judgments, under several of which we have smarted. Like them too, instead of being awakened to a sense of our disobedience, we have grown harder and more insensate under the rod. We have seen many examples of God's wrath upon sinners, and lightly passed them over, without being led by them to consider our own demerits.

How long shall we see this face of things, and hear the warnings of God to reform our lives, and to prevent the worse effects of his displeasure, and still continue in a state of stupid insensibility, as if we were in no danger? Shall we pass the time of our mortal lives, as if we were not accountable to God for what we are here doing? He hath "raised us up for this very purpose," that we should be for ever happy in our observance, or miserable in our contempt of his holy word.

And either his mercy shall be glorified in our salvation, or his justice in our punishment. Such are God's thoughts and resolutions towards us: if we have no thoughts of our duty to him, and of the end for which he hath sent us into the world, it is because we are hardened and infatuated by the deceitfulness of sin. Reading.

[Let us see the rod and him who hath appointed it. Let us hear him upbraiding us with our lukewarmness and forgetfulness of him. Let us see him exhibiting against us a long catalogue of the omissions of good duties, which we had opportunities and encouragements to perform, but turned our backs upon them; together with the manifold trespasses and violations of his laws, for which our consciences have testified against us. Let us humble ourselves, and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker, beseeching him that this heavy account, which stands against us, may never be brought into judgment, but be nailed to the cross, and buried in the grave of his blessed Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ, who died for our sins, and rose again for our justification. Reading.]

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