complacent Pharisee to the regions of misery, or the believing penitent to the realms of bliss, and yon shall see in both an equal display of these very perfections : in the one, the punish- ment of sin in his own person ; in the other, the reward of righteousness, wrought out for him by our Lord Jesus Christ.]
2. Of his faithfulness and truth —
[To Abraham, God had promised the possession of the land of Canaan ; yet not to Abraham personally, but in his descendants. The fulfilment of this promise was delayed four hundred and thirty years : but it was not forgotten. When the time for its accomplishment was fully come, it was ful- filled ; and in fulfilling it, God shewed himself faithful to his promises. And if any one of us should ever arrive at the heavenly Canaan, it will be in consequence of the covenant made with Christ ; wherein the Father stipulated, that " if his Son would make his soul an offering for sin, he should see a seed who should prolong their days, and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hands d." Whence is it that any one of us is led to Christ ? Whence is it that we are carried in safety through this dreary wilderness, and brought at last to the possession of the heavenly land ? Was it for our right- eousness that we were chosen ? No : " God loved us simply because he would love use." Was it for our righteousness that we were preserved? No: we were "a stiff-necked people" from first to last. Was it for our righteousness that we were crowned with ultimate success? No : " Not by works of right- eousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he will have saved usf," "according to the good pleasure of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his own grace g."
It is worthy of observation, that no less than three times in the short space of our text does God declare that his people were not thus favoured on account of their own righteousness : and amongst all the hosts of heaven there will not be found so much as one, who does not ascribe his salvation altogether to God and to the Lamb; that is, to the electing love of the Father, and to the redeeming love of Christ.]
In order still more forcibly to counteract self- righteous thoughts, I proceed yet further to shew,
III. The importance of utterly discarding them from our own minds —
Ohserve the energy with which this hateful pro- pensity is assailed : " Understand, therefore/' says Moses, "that the Lord giveth thee not this good
d Isai. liii. 10. c Deut. vii. 7, 8. ' Tit. iii. 4. 6 Eph. i. 4 — 6.