be shown to militate against either an express declaration of Scripture, or an obvious fact in providence, is fairly answered.
(15) For God saith to Moses, I will have viercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. The connexion and argument are obvious. ' It is not unjust in God to exer- cise his sovereignty in the distribution of his mercies, for, he expressly claims the right.' The passage quoted is from the account of the solemn interview of Moses with God. In answer to the prayer of the prophet for his people and for himself, God answered, " I will proclaim my name before thee, and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious," &c. Ex. 33: 19. It is, therefore, a formal declaration of a divine prerogative. The form of expression I will do what I do, or I do what I do, is here, as In Ex. 16 : 23. 2 Sam. 15 : 20, designed to convey the idea, that it rests entirely with the agent to act or not, at his pleasure. The ground of decision is in himself. In the connexion of this verse with the former, therefore, it is obvious that Paul quotes this declaration to prove that God claims the sovereignty, which he had attributed to him.
(16) So then it is not of him that willeth, nor him that runneth, &c. If the ground of the decision or choice of the objects of mercy be in God, as asserted in v. 15, then it is not in man, is a conclusion which flows of course from the previous declaration. The word it refers to the result contemplated in the context, viz. the attainment of the divine favour, or more definitely, admission into the Messiah's kingdom. The result, when attained, is to be attributed not to the wishes or efforts of man, but to the mercy of God. That one, therefore, is taken, and another left, that one is introduced into this kingdom and another not, is to be referred to the fact asserted in the preceding verse, that, " God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy." This seems plainly to be the apostle's meaning.
(17) For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, &lc. The connexion of this verse is with the 14th, rather than with the one immediately preceding. Paul is still engaged in answering the objection proposed in the 14th verse. There is no injustice with God, because he saith to Moses, *I will have mercy,' &c. v. 15, and because the Scripture saith to Pharaoh, for this purpose, &c. v. 17. His second answer to the objection is that God, in point of fact, does exercise this sovereignty, as is evident, from the case of Pharaoh. Pharaoh was no worse than many other men who have obtained mercy; yet God, for wise and benevolent reasons, with- held from him the saving influences of his grace, and gave him up to his own wicked heart, so that he became more and more hardened, until he was finally destroyed. God did nothing to Pharaoh beyond his strict deserts. He did not make him wicked; he only forebore to make him good, by the exertion of special and altogether unmerited grace. The reason, therefore, of Pharaoh's being left to perish, while others were saved, was not that he was worse than others, but because God has mercy on whom he will have mercy ; it was because, among the criminals at