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But though they were previously not a people, but a set of unconnected individuals, generally no way distinguished for their worldly respectability, for the most part belonging to the lower classes, "the foolish, the despised, the weak, the base things of this world;"1 yet now they are not only a people, a regularly organized body, but the "people of God." The "people of God" is here, I apprehend, just another term for "the spiritual Israel," "the true circumcision." You are the people of God, is equivalent to, You are not only a society, but the most illustrious of all societies; having Jehovah for your king; standing to him in a peculiar relation, suited to the genius of the new, and spiritual, and heavenly economy, analogous to that in which Israel stood to him under the former external and temporary dispensation. You have the substance of all the typical and emblematical privileges which Israel, the people of God under that order of things, enjoyed. Of these the apostle gives a comprehensive catalogue: "To them pertaineth the adoption," or the sonship, " and the glory and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; theirs were the fathers, and of them, as concerning the flesh, Christ came." 2

Now, to Christians pertain a higher species of Divine Sonship than ever did, than ever could, belong to Israel according to the flesh-a nearer relation, a spiritual conformity; higher honors; a more valuable and enduring inheritance. Instead of the Shekinah, or visible glory, they have the manifestation of God in the person and work of his Son, contained in his word, and rendered influential by his Spirit, to guard them from danger, and guide them through the perplexities of the wilderness to the heavenly Canaan. Instead of the external covenants, they have that covenant which refers to the sure mercies of" the mystical David;" "the covenant well ordered and sure,' which secures not the possession of Canaan for many ages, but the enjoyment of heaven forever. Instead of "the law which was given by Moses," and which, in the existing state of the world, was a "grace," a privilege, the value of which could not easily be estimated, they have what is a far more precious favor, "the grace and the truth which came by Jesus Christ." 4

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Instead of the imposing solemnities of legal worship, they have the simple and spiritual institutions of the gospel of Christ. Instead of the promises of the earthly Canaan and temporal prosperity, they have "the exceeding great and precious promises" of "spiritual and heavenly blessings," and which "are all yea and Amen, in Christ Jesus, to the glory of God by them," and shall all be completely fulfilled in the Canaan above. They are " Abraham's seed, according to the promise:" "walking in the steps of his faith," and blessed with the highest blessing he enjoyed, justification by believing. And they are connected with the Messiah by a relation far more intimate in its nature, far more important in its results, than that which distinguished the Israelites as his brethren, his kinsmen according to the flesh. "Who is my mother? and who are my brethren ?" said the Messiah, "Whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the

1 1 Cor. i. 26-29. * Rom. ix. 4.
2 Pet. i. 4. Eph. i. 3. 2 Cor. i. 20.

3 Isa. lv. 3. 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.

• Gal. iii. 29. Rom. iv. 12.

* John i. 17. Gal. iii. 14.

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same is my brother, and sister, and mother." They are connected with him by a relation more intimate in its nature, and more blissful in its effects, than that which bound to him, as mother, the most blessed and honored of women. 'Blessed," said a woman from the midst of a crowd, with which, on one occasion, he was surrounded, "Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou hast sucked." "Yea, rather," said He in reply, "Yea, rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and do it." 2 Thus have true Christians, "who were not a people," become "the people of God,” the spiritual Israel, the true circumcision.

(10.) Christians "have obtained mercy."

The only remaining designation of Christians, indicative of their having tasted that the Lord is gracious, that still requires illustration, is, that once they "had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." The language here, as in the case of the former designation, "who were not a people, but are now the people of God,” is borrowed from a statement originally made with reference to the ten tribes, a promise of their restoration from their long captivity. "I will have mercy upon her who had not obtained mercy." The ten tribes, even in the period of their abandonment by God, are the objects of his peculiar care. They are "beloved for the fathers' sake." Yet still there is a sense, and an important one, in which, while in this state, they do "not obtain mercy.' They are destitute of all clear manifestations of Divine peculiar regard towards them, and are, indeed, plainly marked as objects of the Divine judicial displeasure. But at the time of their restoration they shall find mercy. They shall obtain very palpable manifestations of the Divine peculiar favor. "I will make a covenant for them," says Jehovah, "with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground: and I will break the bow, and the sword, and the battle out of the earth," or the land, "and will make them to lie down safely. And I will betroth them to me forever; yea, I will betroth them to me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies: I will even betroth them to me in faithfulness; and they shall know the Lord. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord: I will hear the heavens, and they shall hear the earth; and the earth shall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oil; and they shall hear Jezreel. And I will sow her to me in the earth; and I will have mercy on her that had not obtained mercy."

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The general truth, with respect to Christians, indicated by the language borrowed from the Divine dispensations to the ten tribes, is this: That from a state in which they were the objects of the Divine judicial displeasure and moral disapprobation, they are brought into a state in which they enjoy the most abundant evidence of his peculiar favor and complacential delight. In their original state, as fallen creatures, ignorant, in error, guilty, depraved, they "had not obtained mercy." God pitied them, and gave them many proofs of his for

1 Matt. xii. 48, 50.

Rom. xi. 28.

2 Luke xi. 27, 28.
Hos. ii. 18-23.

3 Hos. ii. 23.

bearance, and patience, and providential munificence. Nay, more than this, God was determined to save them: they were the objects of his eternal, electing, sovereign love. But they were not, they could not be, the objects either of his judicial approbation or of his complacential delight. Oh, no! they were "condemned already ;" they were "children of wrath, even as others." They were " wicked," and as wicked "God was angry with them every day ;"--" enemies of God" by ignorance of mind, alienation of heart, and wicked works; objects of his holy displeasure and righteous condemnatory sentence; hopelessly, because wilfully, enslaved to Satan and to sin; mortal, with nothing to sweeten the bitterness of death, or lighten the darkness of the grave; immortal, yet destitute of all prospect of an eternity of blessedness. Such was their situation, in common with every individual of the fallen race to which they belong. Above them was an angry Divinity; around them were the instruments of his vengeance; and beneath them was the pit of perdition yawning wide to receive them. They "had not obtained mercy."

Such were they once; but what are they now? They "have obtained mercy." In consequence of believing in Christ, coming to him, they have received in rich abundance manifestations of the Divine saving grace, of God's distinguishing mercy. "In Christ they have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of divine grace." God is "merciful to their unrighteousness; their sins and their iniquities he remembers no more." They are "made accepted in the Beloved;" and "in him they obtain an everlasting inheritance." "Justified by faith, they have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also they have access by faith into this grace wherein they stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God," a hope that shall never make them ashamed. And "not only so, but they joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom they have received the reconciliation." "Created anew in Christ Jesus unto good works," "God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, loves them, and blesses them with all heavenly and spiritual blessings." They are "made partakers of a divine nature," and "the Spirit of God and of glory rests on them, and dwells in them." They are heirs of God, joint-heirs with Christ Jesus." God" makes all things to work together for their good." "None can separate them from the love of God." "None can pluck them out of his hand." "Now are they the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what they shall be: but when he who is their life shall appear, they shall appear with him in glory; and they shall be like him, seeing him as he is." "Goodness and mercy follow them all their days." All the ways of the Lord to them,", even the most perplexing and mysterious, "are mercy and truth to them;" "they shall find mercy of him on that day;" and throughout eternity shall find how true is that declaration so often repeated in Scripture, "The mercy of the Lord endureth forever." Thus have we com

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1 John iii. 18. Eph. ii. 3. Psal. vii. 11. Col. i. 21. Eph. i. 3, 7, 8, 11. Heb. viii. 12. Rom. v. 1-11.

Eph. iv. 18.

Eph. ii. 10. 2 Pet. i. 4. 1 Pet. iv. 14. Rom. viii. 17, 28, 35-39. John x. 28, 29. 1 John iù. 1-3. Psal. xxiii. 6· xxv. 10. 2 Tim. i. 18. Psal. cxxxvi. passim.

pleted our illustration of the third great branch of our subject; the numerous and varied dignities and blessings enjoyed by Christians, in consequence of their connection with Christ, viewed as manifestations of the Lord's graciousness to them.

And here let us pause and inquire, whether we have satisfactory evidence that we are personally interested in these exceeding great and precious privileges; that we, as the elect race, the holy nation, the peculiar people, have been effectually called out of darkness into God's marvellous light; that we, from being aliens and outcasts, have really been admitted among the people of God; that we, who were once objects of the Divine judicial displeasure and moral disapprobation, have now obtained mercy? The characteristic marks of a state of unregeneracy and of a state of regeneracy, are so palpable, that no man needs, no man can without the grossest inattention, remain ignorant of which of these is his own state.

Let those who have good ground to conclude that the great change has taken place in their case, that they have been turned from darkness to light, that they are a portion of that people which God has taken from among the Gentiles to himself, that they are the recipients of those saving blessings which are the manifestation of the love which God has to his own, cherish a grateful sense of the Divine, sovereign kindness. Let them never forget, that it is all grace and mercy, sovereign grace, unmerited mercy. Not to them, not to them, but to Him who loved them because he wills to love them, be all the glory. Let them walk like the children of the light and of the day. Let them make their light shine before men. Let them prove that they are the people of God, by being zealous of good works, by coming out from among the wicked world, and being separate, not touching the unclean thing. Let them show that they are indeed the recipients of divine mercy, by manifesting the effects which the reception of saving benefits uniformly has on the temper and conduct. Let the grace of God, enjoyed by them, teach them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this world, while they look for, haste to, the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for them, that he might redeem them from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

And O! let those who, if they think at all, must know that they are in the darkness of ignorance and sin, that they are not among the peculiar people, that they have not obtained mercy, consider what the end must be if they continue in their present condition. Pass that boundary which separates time from eternity, and you know that boundary must be passed soon by all of you, how soon, how suddenly, you do not, you cannot know; pass that boundary, and the darkness of a natural state will settle down into the blackness of darkness forever; they who are not God's people, never can become God's people; those who have not obtained mercy, never can obtain mercy. The change so absolutely necessary to your happiness, must take place in time, it cannot take place in eternity; it must take place on earth, it cannot take place in hell. Have you made up your mind

that it is never to take place? If you have not, why should it not take place now? Till this change take place, you cannot be secure or happy. Can you be safe or happy too soon? All who are dwelling amid the glorious light of God, were once, like you, in darkness. Those who are God's people were once not his people. Those who have obtained mercy, had not obtained mercy. The grace which saved them is able to save you; is willing, is ready, to save you. "Turn ye, turn ye, why will ye die?" The light shines around you. Why shut your eyes to it? The door of admission to the fellowship of God's people stands open. Why will ye not enter in? The blessings of Divine mercy are held out to you. Why turn away from the proffered treasure, which gladly, gratefully received, would make you rich toward God, rich forever? Why madly strike back the hand which is stretched out to rescue you from destruction? Now, now, is the accepted time. Yet a little while, and the voice of invitation and warning will sink into silence; and instead of it be heard, the voice of generous regret, "Oh! that they had known!" They might, they would not, they shall not. No. No more forever!

IV. THE MISERY AND RUIN OF THOSE WHO, BY REFUSING TO "COME TO CHRIST," REMAIN DESTITUTE OF THESE PRIVILEGES.

The only other branch of the subject which remains to be considered is, the misery and ruin of those who persist in unbelief and disobedience, rejecting Christ as the divinely laid foundation, viewed as an illustration by contrast of the graciousness of the Lord to those who believe in, come to, and build on Jesus Christ, as the foundation. This is stated in the following words, in the 7th and 8th verses: "To them who are disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner; and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient; whereunto also they were appointed."

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The language is elliptical, and the manner in which the ellipsis is to be supplied, depends on the manner in which you translate and explain the clause which immediately precedes, rendered in our version, "he is precious." "To you who believe, he," that is, Jesus Christ, "is precious" He is highly valued by you. Supposing this to be the true rendering, the ellipsis must be thus supplied, To them who are disobedient, he is contemptible; by them he is undervalued and despised;' and what follows should be the illustration of this. I have already stated to you the reason why I cannot consider these words, "To you who believe, he is precious,"-though embodying in them a truth very dear to the heart of every Christian, expressed in words very delightful to the ears of every Christian-as giving the meaning of the inspired writer. They are not the natural meaning of the original words. The statement they contain does not well accord either with what goes before, or with what follows them. It is plainly a conclusion or inference from the prophet's declaration, "He who believeth" on Christ, as the foundation, "shall not be ashamed." Now, that Christ is precious to believers, is no inference from this declaration; and the words that follow are plainly meant to be a con

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