God sanctions the use of oaths in concerns which are of great moment, and which cannot be settled in any- other way. We are even assured that God himself has condescended to adopt this very method of con- firming and establishing the minds of his people. From the Apostle's account of this astonishing trans- action, we shall be led to consider,
I. The description here given us of God's people — They are described by,
1. Their state —
[They once " were, like others, children of wrath ^:" but they have been regenerated by God's Spirit, and adopted into his family. " Being thus his sons, they are also heirs ; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ*'." The promises, temporal, sjDiritual, eternal, are their inheritance. Hence they are justly called, " the heirs of promise." To this happy state they have been brought in consequence of God's eternal counsels ''. But they have nevertheless attained to it in the use of means'^.]
2. Their conduct —
[Eternal life has been set before them in the Gospel ; and Christ has been declared to be the only way in which that life can be found ^. This record they have believed : and, feeHng their utter need of mercy, they have sought it in Christ^. They have regarded him as the city of refuge, in which the man-slayer found protection from the avenger of blood ; and have fled to him with holy earnestness as their only hope^. In this way they have " laid hold" of God's promised mercy ; and have attained to that state in which they may assuredly expect it.]
That these are the most highly favoured of all people will appear, if we consider,
II. The regard which God manifests towards them —
He wills that they should enjoy " strong conso- lation " —
[He would not that they should be held in doubtful sus- pense, or be harassed by fluctuations of hope and fear. He wishes rather that they should enjoy the privileges of their high station. Though they have in themselves much cause
a Eph. ii. 3. b Rom. viii. 17. <^ 2 Tim. i. 9.
d Ezek. xxxvi. 37. "" 1 John v. 11, 12. ^ Gal. ii. 16.
g Numb. XXXV. 11, 12.