applicable to believers in a higher and more appropriate sense.
Believers are " a chosen generation:" they have been " chosen of God from before the foundation of the world1." Though the misery of unbelievers is owing, not to any absolute decrees of reprobation, but to their own pride and wickedness, we must not imagine that the happiness of believers is owing to their own inherent goodness: for they have no good qualities which they have not first received from Gods; and consequently their good qualities are the effect, not the cause, of God's kindness to them. Though therefore we cannot accede to the doctrine of reprobation, we have no doubt whatever on the subject of election ; since both by Scripture and experience it is established on the firmest grounds.
Believers are also " a royal priesthood :" they are now made both " kings and priests unto God1." They are chosen of God to reign over their own lusts, and to have the nearest access to him in all holy duties. There is no difference now between Jew and Gentile, or between male and female : but all are permitted to approach unto the mercy-seat of their God, and to offer to him the spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise.
Moreover, they are " a holy nation, and a peculiar people." All are united under the same King; all obey the same laws; all participate the same interests. They are all separated by God, and " set apart for himself:" they are not of the world, though they are in it : they are mere " pilgrims and sojourners" here ; and are travelling to " a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God."
All these distinctions they enjoy ; and they owe them all to the sovereign grace of God.]
Address —
1. Unbelievers —
[You need only to examine your regard for Christ, and you will soon find with which class you are to be numbered. You may easily discover whether Christ be supremely precious to your souls, or whether you are averse to the doctrines and precepts of his Gospel.
Think with yourselves, what guilt you contract, and to what danger you are exposed, while you remain insensible to all the love of Christ: your guilt is greater than that of the very persons who crucified him, because you sin against greater light, and contradict your most solemn professions. O provoke not God to give you over to judicial blindness; nor make
r Eph. i. 4. 8 1 Cor. iv. 7. * Rev. i. 6.