(3.) God owns them in the course of his providence sometimes with outward blessings. Thus God set up Abraham as a mark of envy to the nations about him. As Benjamin's mess was five times as much as the rest, so many times in outward blessings God owns his people. But I cannot much press this ; but the aim of providence principally concerns them : Kom. viii. 28, ' All things work together for good to them that love God.' All things may seem to work against them, but they work for them. It is a mercy that God takes notice of them, and visits them day by day : Job vii. 18, ' That thou shouldst visit him every morning, and try him every moment' Brambles are not pruned and pared as vines are. Wicked men, they are as sheep whom no man taketh up, God doth not look after them. But God's children may take notice how the special care of providence serves their special necessities ; and particularly as to their afflictions ; they do not spring out of the dust, but every day God is mindful of them, and ordereth such dispensations to keep them in order ; whereas wicked men are only under the general care of providence ; they cannot discern such particular love and aim at their good and spiritual welfare.
(4.) He will own them before all the world at the last day, ' I will confess them,' saith Christ, ' before my Father which is in heaven,' Luke xii. 8. These are the fruits of my purchase ; he will present them to God : Heb. ii. 13, ' Behold, I and the children which God hath given me.' But wicked men are disclaimed : then will I * profess unto
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them, I never knew yon,' Mat. vii. 23. Oh ! how will their faces gather blackness when Christ shall disclaim all acquaintance with them. I never had an)^ real and familiar converse with you, in public or private worship.
[2.] How he values them. He doth not stand upon other nations for their safety, either to preserve them or to divert the destroyer from them ; as for instance, when God, raiseth up some furious instrument, that is JlageUics Dei, the scourge of God to pull down and waste ; God finds work for them abroad to save his people ; and therefore he saith, Isa. xliii. 8, 4, ' I am the Loi-d thy God, tlie Holy One of Israel, thy saviour : I' gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee ; therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.' He let the sword go into other countries to save Judah, that was his heritage ; if the sword must drink blood and eat flesh, let it go to Egypt, Ethiopia, Seba, into idolatrous countries. He puts other nations in their stead, and counts them as a little chaff, to save the Jews. And then the highest among the nations (which is another argument) are rebuked for their sakes. God plucked the sceptre out of the hands of kings, and the diadems off from their heads : Ps. cv. 14, 15, ' He suffered no man to do them wrong ; yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, saying, Touch not my anointed ; ' meaning those that are anointed with his grace. God will rebuke the mightiest potentates. Again, though they are never so despicable, yet countries whom God hath doomed to destruction hath he saved for their sakes. It is a notable expression of God to Lot, Gen. xix. 22, ' Haste thee, escape thither ; for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither.' These are the blessings in the cluster that keeps the vine alive, which otherwise would be destroyed ; the chariots and horsemen of Israel ; nay, they are the pillars of the whole world ; the creation would not continue a jot longer if God had not a peculiar people. As the ship tarries till all the passengers be entered, then they hoist up sails, God's providence only tarries till all the elect be gathered and his jewels shall be made up, then the world shall be no more. There are some few hidden ones that keep up the world, and preserve the course and frame of nature. Now, will you not put in for this privilege to be of that number ? You must pass the great river and be washed before yoii can come to serve and minister in holy things to God.
2. For direction.
[1.] You must earnestly desire this privilege: Ps. cvi. 4, 5, *Ee- member me, 0 Lord, with the favour that thou bearest to thy people : 0 visit me with thy salvation ; that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.' This should be the greatest ambition of your Bouls, that you might be one of God peculiar ones ; as Theodosius coun- ted it a greater honour to be a member of the church than to be em- peror of the world ; and Moses, Heb. xi. 24, 25, ' when he came to years,' (MeXa^ jev6/jLevo<s, when he was grown great, that is, when he had ability to judge, ' he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.' The honour of Pharaoh's court was nothing so lovely to him as to be a member of God's people, and