respecting this: "I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no Saviour. Before the day was, I am he ; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand : I will work ; and who shall let it1?" Does he meditate vengeance? this is his own awful asseveration, in the words immediately following my text : "I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever. If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh m." On the other hand, does he contemplate the exercise of mercy? this is the assurance that he gives his people : "I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not, I will help thee. Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel : I will help thee, saith the Lord, and thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. Behold, I will make thee a new sharp threshing-instrument, having teeth : thou shalt thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills as chaff. Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them : and thou shalt rejoice in the Lord, and shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel"." In a word, He is a Potter, and we are the clay ; and whether he is pleased to make, or mar, the vessel, none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou0?]
Let us now proceed to notice,
II. His solemn call to the consideration of it —
" See now/' says he, " that this is my unquestion- able, and unchangeable character : " and you are called to contemplate it,
1. That you may give him the glory of all that you have received —
[My Brethren, God is a holy and a jealous God: "his very name is, Jealousp;" and "his glory he will not give to another q." How fearfully he will resent any interference with him in this respect, may be seen in the case of Herod, who, when he was applauded for his eloquence, gave not God the glory ; and God, in righteous displeasure, caused him to be " eaten up of worms, till he gave up the ghost1." But more especially is God jealous in relation to spiritual blessings, which must be ascribed to him alone. Indeed, he has so con- stituted the whole work of man's salvation, that no particle of honour should be assumed by man, but all gloiy should be
1 Isai. xliii. 11, 13. m ver. 40—42.
n Isai. xli. 13 — 16. ° Jer. xviii. 3—6. with Rom. ix. 20, 21.
p Exod. xxxiv. 14. <i Isai. xlii. 8. r Acts xii. 21 — 23.