wings*. But it is thus that God yet watches over his re- deemed people1. " Lo, I am with you alway," says he, " even to the end of the world"1."]
3. His inviolable fidelity — [It was from a regard to the promise which he had made to Abraham, and from a concern for his own honour, that God would not cast them off. He did indeed punish them often- times: but yet he continued to the last to acknowledge them as his people: " Thou wast a God that forgavest them," says the Psalmist, " though thou tookest vengeance of their inven- tions11." What a striking proof does this give us, that " God hateth putting away," and that " he will not cast off his people, because it hath pleased him to make us his people." " Faithful is He that hath called us, who also will do it," that is, will " finish in us the work he has begun," and " perfect that which concerneth us."] We may learn from hence,
1. What reason we have for gratitude —
[Let any one who has been brought out of spiritual bon- dage, and led forward towards the heavenly Canaan, examine attentively his own experience : let him see by what particular means he has been brought to enjoy the guidance and pro- tection of God, and to advance in safety through this dreary wilderness ; and he shall see as plain marks of a superintending and all-directing Providence, as are to be found in the history before us: yea, he may see too as wonderful exhibitions of God's patience, kindness, and faithfulness. Let every such person then adore and magnify his God. We all feel how suit- able such a frame of mind was for the cloud-directed Israelites : let us all seek to feel and manifest it in our own case.]
2. What grounds we have for faith —
[Has Jesus Christ come into the world to lessen the pri- vileges of his people? Has he not rather extended and en- larged them? In the external manifestations of God's presence we are inferior to the Jews; but we have, what more than counterbalances that loss, the internal and spiritual communi- cations of his grace. Yes, our God will, by his Spirit, " guide us into all truth," and lead us in the way wherein we should go. By the same Spirit also will he protect us from the burning heat of persecution and temptation, and from the assaults of all our spiritual enemies. Of this we may be assured: for he has said, that "he will keep his sheep, and give unto them eternal life ; and that none shall ever pluck them out of Iris hands."]
k Dent, xxxii. 11, 12. ! Isai. xlvi. 3, 4. and xxvii. 4.
m Matt, xxviii. 20. n Ps. xcix. 8.