" will put his Spirit within us, and cause us to walk in his statutes, &c.d" This is actually a part of his covenant en- gagements; and must be esteemed by us as our security for the enjoyment of all our other advantages.
Together with this does God undertake to give us the most exalted honour and happiness : " he will make us high above all people in praise, and in name, and in honour." " Behold," says the Apostle, " what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God !" Yes, he " calls us not servants, but friends," yea, " sons and daugh- ters of the Lord Almighty." For us has he prepared crowns and kingdoms, that we may " sit with him on his throne," and be partakers of his glory for ever and ever. This, and infinitely more than language can express, has " God prepared for them that love him," and that embrace " his covenant of life and peace :" and he pledges his truth and faithfulness for the per- formance of his word.
O Christian, what advantages are these ! what tongue can ever utter them ; what imagination can ever conceive of them aright ! Know however, that, unspeakable as they are, they are all thy rightful portion, thine everlasting inheritance.]
Application —
Twice is the expression used, " this day ;" " this day thou hast avouched ;" and " this day God has avouched, &c." Permit me then to ask, Have you ever known such a day as this, a day wherein you have solemnly surrendered yourselves to God as his redeemed people, with a full determination to serve him with your whole hearts ; and a day wherein he has " manifested himself to you as he does not unto the world," and " sealed you with the Holy Spirit of promise, as the earnest of your inheritance?"
To those who have known such a day:
[Perhaps you were brought to it through many and severe afflictions6; but have you ever regretted for a moment the means by which such a blessed end has been accomplished ? We say then, Let not the remembrance of that day escape from your minds. You cannot but recollect what a solemn transaction it was between God and your own souls; what shame you felt that ever you had alienated yourselves from him, what gratitude to him for his gracious acceptance of you, what a determination to live entirely to his glory, and what a per- suasion that you could never be base enough to forget the
d Ezek. xxxvi. 25 — 27. e Zech. xiii. 9. Ezek. xx. 37.