apart, as " his peculiar treasuree," and " his jewelsf," ana" " his portion and inheritance8." Thus we see clearly whence their greatness arose ; and how it came to pass that " they were exalted above all the nations of the earth, in name, and in honour, and in praise V]
And whence is it that any of us are " precious in God's sight?"
[Is it on account of any superior goodness in us that God has chosen us ? Surely there is not a man on earth so pre- sumptuous as to affirm, or so ignorant as to imagine, that God chose him, in preference to others, on account of his own supe- rior worth and excellence. I have said that there is, especially in reference to this matter, a strict analogy between the Jews and us; and St. Peter marks it with peculiar force, quoting the very words which I have before cited, as applied by Moses to the Jewish people, and applying them to Believers under the Christian dispensation : " Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people1." Beyond all doubt we are as much debtors to the sovereign grace of God as ever the Jews were ; and it is wonderful that so many well-disposed people should be averse to acknowledge it. We see, readily enough, how predestination and election operated in relation to the Jews ; and yet we find it difficult to acknow- ledge their operation in reference to ourselves. But " God has chosen us in Christ, before the foundation of the world ;" and "has predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself k;" precisely as he chose them, and predestinated them to the enjoyment of their privileges. To the grace of God alone we must trace it, if any of us be " pre- cious in God's sight1 :" we must acknowledge the Lord Jesus Christ as " the Author of our faith, no less than the finisher™:" and " when the top-stone shall be brought forth, to complete God's temple in our hearts," we, like all the prophets and apostles that have been before us, must cry, " Grace, grace unto itn!"]
The rise of the Christian's calling having been pointed out, let us proceed to trace,
II. The progress of it —
The advancement of God's people now corresponds exactly with that of his ancient people ;
1, In honour —
e Exod. xix. 5, 6. f Mai. iii. 17. e Deut. xxxii. 9.
11 Deut. xxvi. 18, 19. ! 1 Pet. ii. 9. k Eph. i. 4, 5.
1 Eph. ii. 8, 9. m Heb. xii. 2. n Zech. iv. 6, 7.