god's regard for his people.
Deut. xxxii. 9 — 12. The Lord's portion is his people ; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the xoaste howling wilderness ; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, flutter eth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings : so the Lord alone did lead him, and there ivas no strange god with him.
THE declarations of God in his word are the prin- cipal source from whence we derive our knowledge of the Deity. But much may be learned also from the dispensations of his providence, both from those which are recorded in the inspired volume, and those which pass daily before our eyes : nor can we more profitably employ our thoughts than in meditating on his dealings towards the Church in general, and ourselves in particular. This Moses recommended to the Israelites just before his final departure from them. He assured them that God, as far back as the Deluge, had appointed the boundaries of the different kingdoms, with an express reference to the children of Israel ; and that he had assigned to Canaan, that accursed son of Noah, and to his posterity, the land which he had marked out for his chosen people, and which they, in pursuance of his will, were now about
to possess a. And, with respect to themselves in particular, he had conducted them with astonishing kindness and condescension from their first entrance into the wilderness to that present moment.
His words on that occasion will naturally lead us to consider, I. God's interest in his people —
God regarded his ancient people as his portion and inheritance —
[When he brought his people into Canaan, he divided the land amongst the twelve tribes, assigning to each by lot their destined inheritance. Thus amongst all the people upon the face of the earth he chose, as it were by lot, (" the whole dis- posal whereof is of the Lord,") the descendants of Abraham as his portion. Even amongst these he selected only a part, adopting Isaac, and not Ishmael, and still further limiting his choice to Jacob and his posterity, whilst he withheld this privilege from Esau. These he chose, not because they were either more numerous or more holy than other people ; for " they were the fewest of all people," and " a stiff-necked gene- ration from first to last." " He loved them purely because he would love themb," and, having " set them apart for himself," he ordained them to be his own portion and his own inheritance.]
In precisely the same view he regards his chosen people at this day —
[He has a people still, whom " he chose from before the foundation of the world c," and "predestinated to the adoption of children to himself d," and accounts as " his peculiar treasure above all people upon the face of the earth e." Respecting all who truly believe in Christ it is said, " Ye are a chosen genera- tion, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people1":" and from these, as from an inheritance, does God expect " a revenue of praise" and glory, such as he receives not from the whole world besides8. It is " of his own purpose and grace alone that he has called them to this honour," without being influenced by any goodness in themh: his choice of them was wholly irrespective of their works, past, present, or future1: "he loved them, and not they him k:" "he chose them, and not they him1:" for his own sake, and not theirs, he has vouch- safed to them his grace, that to all eternity they may be monu- ments of his sovereign love and mercy"1.]
a ver. 7, 8. b Deut. vii. G — 8. c Jer. xxxi. 3. Eph. i. 4.