land to possess it for thy righteousness ; for thou art a stiff-necked people." How much more, then, may I say this to you, in reference to the heavenly land ! " Understand it," then, and consider it well : for to dream of any righteousness of your own, is to be guilty,
1. Of the grossest injustice —
[Did the self-applauding Israelites rob God of his glory ? How much more do ye ! What becomes of all his stupendous love, in giving his only Son to die for you? What becomes of his sovereign grace, in choosing you at first, and in giving }Tou to his Son ? What becomes of all his mercy in pardoning, his power in sanctifying, his faithfulness in keeping you to the end ? By tins one act of self-righteousness you rob God of it all ; and take the crown from the Saviour's head, to put it on your own. What construction would you put on similar con- duct shewn towards yourselves ? If }tou had taken the most helpless and worthless of the human race from a dunghill, and had with vast cost and trouble educated him for your heir, and had actually made over to him all that you possess ; would you think he offered you no indignity, if he denied his obligations to your unmerited love, and ascribed all the glory of his exaltation to his own superior merit, which left you no option, but claimed it all at your hands ? How base, then, must ye be, if ye so requite the love of Almighty God! Know, that" His is the kingdom," to which you have been called: and " His is the power," by which you have been kept : and " His must be the glory" for ever and ever.]
2. Of the extremest folly —
[What can provoke God, if this does not ? Or, what can ye expect, but that, as the recompence of your conceit and arrogance, he should say to you, ' Go on without my help. You have done thus much for yourselves : carry on now the good work within you. You have overcome Satan : overcome him still. You have merited my favour : continue still to merit it. You have paid a price for heaven: complete your purchase. Bring with you your works to my judgment-seat ; and I will deal with you according to them.' Ah, Beloved ! what would become of us, if God were thus to give us up to our proud delu- sions, and our vain conceits ? It would soon appear what we are, and what measure of sufficiency we possess for any thing that is good. If, then, you would not provoke God to give you up altogether to yourselves, discard from your minds these " lofty imaginations, and let every thought of your hearts be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ."]