This is the first thing, — What it is we have a rule to pray for, even in the most calamitous season, and when inevitable destruction is decreed against a place or nation.
II. Let us now consider the arguments of faith to be pleaded in this case, which our text affords. And these, as I have said, are four.
I would only first observe of these arguments in general, that there is no one of them taken from any thing of worth, of desert, from any
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thing of good, nay, nor of grace, that is in the people themselves; but they are all taken from God himself, and the relation which they have to God, and what God had formerly done for them. Whatever pleadings or arguings, in such a day, we may have in our own spirits with God for safety and protection, if they are secretly influenced with thoughts that we are good, and better than others, there is no- thing of faith in our arguings. God knows, all the graces and fruits of all believers and professors in this nation, considered in themselves, will not make up one argument. But to proceed: —
1. The first argument the prophet here uses is, That they were the people of God : ' ' Feed thy people." They were the people of God upon a threefold acoount ; each of which contains an argument : —
(1.) They are the people of God upon the account of election. Christ commands the apostle to abide preaching the gospel at Corinth with this argument, " I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee; for I have much people in this city," Acts xviii. 10. They were the people of God by election ; God had eternally chosen them, and designed them to be converted by the gospel, — by the preaching of his ministry.
Will this afford any argument to plead with God? Yes: Luke xviii. 7, 8, " Shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he tarry long? I tell you, he will avenge them speedily." The argument for vengeance is from his people's being his elect: "Shall he not avenge his elect?" There is some- thing in God's decree of election and choosing his people that may be pleaded with him for the highest part of feeding; which is to avenge them of their enemies.
(2.) They are the people of God by purchase and acquisition. This was the great plea under the Old Testament: "The people of the Lord, whom thou hast redeemed with a high hand, and with a stretched-out arm;" — "whom thou hast taken out of the world, and planted for thyself." He made it his argument to plead with God, because they were his people by purchase and acquisition, "by a high hand, and by an out-stretched arm." And the argument is grown more strong under the gospel, because they are purchased by the blood of his Son. Rom. viii. 32, "If God spared not his own Son, but gave him up to death for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" The people we plead for are God's elect people; and he will avenge his elect speedily: they are God's purchased people, and that purchased with the blood of his Son. And will he not together with him give them all things, all necessary things, — all things that pertain to life and godliness? Here is ground for faith to plead with God in such a case.
(3.) They are God's people by covenant. This is that which makes
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up their relation, which is prepared in election, acquisition, purchase, and redemption. But the formal denomination arises from the cove- nant: Jer. xxxii. 38-40, "I will make a covenant with them, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God." That completes the relation. Hosea, chap. ii. 23, speaks also to the same purpose.
What arguments arise from hence that they are the covenant people of God? The sum of all arguments that can be pleaded upon that head, and they are great and many, are all laid down, Luke i. 68, etc., " Blessed be the Lord God of Israel ; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us/' etc. ; " as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began : that we should be saved from our ene- mies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our life." Here is all we have warrant to pray for, — all that is com- prised in God's feeding of us. What is the plea and argument for it? — God will "remember his holy covenant, the oath which he hath sworn," whereby it is established ; and hence he will establish us, that we may " serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our life." A great argument, that those we plead for are God's covenant people ! " - Lord, feed thy people,' — those that are thine by election, by acquisition and purchase; and those that are thine by covenant, — a people that have made a covenant with thee."