c Zech. i. 15. and ii. 6—8. d Acts vii. 34.
e Judg. x. 16. f Jer. xxxi. 18—20.
g 2 Cor. i. 3. and vii. 6. h Isai. Ii. 22.
1 Ps. ciii. 13. k Isai. lxvi. 12, 13.
restrained ? doubtless thou art my father, though Abraham be ignorant of me, and Israel acknowledge me not1."]
This truth, glorious as it is, is far from comprehend- ing the full extent of God's love to his people ; for,
II. He has communion "with them in all their in- terests—
God considers himself as altogether one with his people —
[There is an union subsisting between him and them; yet not merely such as exists between a husband and wife, or a vine and its branches™, but one far closer; for he is the head, and his people are his members11; he dwelleth in them, and they in him0; he is one with them, and they with him; in short, they are so united, as to be one bodyp, and one spirit, with the Lordq. And when our Lord himself was pleased to illustrate this subject, in order, if possible, to convey to us some adequate idea of it, he set forth the union of the dif- ferent persons of the Godhead as the truest pattern of that which subsists between himself and his people1.]
Hence he participates in every thing which relates to them —
[Are any of them relieved ? he acknowledges the kindness as shewn to him*. On the other hand, are they despised? he does not scruple to declare, that he will consider himself as the object of that contempt which is poured on them1. We have a memorable example of this in the account which St. Paul gives us of his own conversion : he was going with a commis- sion to Damascus to extirpate, if possible, the Christian name : and, if he had been asked, Who were the objects of his rage ? he would doubtless have branded the Christians with some odious name, and affirmed, that he was treating them as they deserved. Little did he think that the Lord of Glory himself was the person at whom his shafts were hurled. But Jesus stopped him in his mad career, and asked, " Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou meu?" Thus at this day every thing done to the Lord's people is done to God himself; or, as the text expresses it, " Whoso toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye."]
Nor is his a mere inactive sympathy ; for,
1 Isai. lxiii. 15, 16. m Rom. vii. 4. John xv. 1.
" Eph. iv. 15, 16. ■ 1 John iv. 12—16.
p 1 Cor. xii. 12, 27. i 1 Cor. vi. 17. r John xvii. 21.
8 Ma'.t. xxv. 40. * Luke x. 16. u Acts ix. 4.
1241.1 god's sympathy with his people. 449
III. He will avenge every injury inflicted on them — Often has he interposed to rebuke and confound their enemies —
[What signal vengeance did he take on the Egyptians in ten successive plagues, and in the destruction of Pharaoh and all his host in theRed Sea ! And with what righteous severity did he command the Israelites to blot out the very remem- brance of Amalek from under heaven, on account of the cruel- ties they had exercised towards them forty years before5". Nor is it injurious treatment only that God notices, but even a neglect to succour them : he denounceth the bitterest erases against Meroz for refusing to help them, and bestows the highest encomiums on Jael for her exertions in their favour >'. Indeed the Jews at this hour are a living monument of the indignation which God will manifest against all who hate his Christ, and persecute his people.]
And he will still plead their cause against all that injure them —
[Doubtless " the blood of his saints is as precious to him" as ever. And he accounts his own justice and holiness as pledged to render tribulation unto their persecutors2. Let those who revile and ridicule the Lord's people well consider this. He makes use of this as an argument why his people should forbear to avenge their own cause, namely, that ven- geance will one day be executed on their enemies by himself, and that too in a more equitable and more effectual manner than it could be by an arm of flesh3. Nor will he punish only the positive evils that may be inflicted on them ; he will mark also an inattention to their wants, and treat as despisers of himself, those who did not actively administer to their necessities11.]