b After the war, during the French Revolution. c See Rom. ix. 16.
1266.] SOVEREIGNTY OF GOd's GRACE. 573
me, " the whole counsel of God." Yes, verily, " many kings and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them." To some of you, too, I trust, the word has come with power, even to the quickening, and sanctifying, and saving of your souls ; so that you are walking in the light of God's countenance, and in a prospect of his glory, whilst others around you are yet sitting in dark- ness, and perishing in their sins. Yea, I must further add, that many, who were once partakers of all the same advantages with yourselves, are now gone beyond the hope of redemption, and suffering the vengeance of eternal fire; whilst ye are numbered with the saints of God, heirs and expectants of all the blessedness of heaven. Yet, " Is not Esau Jacob's brother?" Are not those very persons, whose misery we have so much reason to bemoan, members of the same community with you ; yea, perhaps of the very same family?
See, then, the truth of God's assertion in my text : " I have loved you, saith the Lord."]
Yet, whilst we contemplate these mercies, let us mark also,
II. Our insensibility in relation to them —
The question with which God's assertion was re- pelled by Israel may serve to shew us how his distin- guishing favours are regarded by us.
1. By some they are utterly disclaimed —
[This is the plain import of that impious reply, " Wherein hast thou loved us ? " The same kind of reply is made to every accusation which is brought by the prophet; and it invariably imports a denial of his assertions'1. There is not any thing more offensive to the proud heart of man, than to be told that God has dealt with him in a way of sovereign grace and love. Men will not hear of God's sovereignty : and, though they claim a right to dispose of their own things ac- cording to their own will, they deny that right to God. They affirm, that the idea of electing love is subversive of God's justice : as though man had any claim upon the justice of his God. We had no claim on his justice, as creatures: he might, if it had so pleased him, have reduced us to a state of non- existence, the very hour after he had formed us : how much less can we have claim on his justice, as sinners ! The very devils have as much claim on his justice as we : and if mercy did not rejoice over judgment, there is not one of us that would not, in one moment, be a partaker of their doom.
d ver. 6, 7. and Mai. ii. 17. and Mai. hi. 7, 8, 13, 14.