the limits of this people, or them that should be SERM. profelyted unto them. In Judah was GOD XX. known, and his name was great in Ifrael. And whereas this was finally a defign of grace, the reft of the narrative fheweth, how providence did work in fubferviency to that defign; to multiply this people, to keep them intire, and unmingled with other nations: till that feed fhould fpring out of them, in the appointed feafon, in and by which there was to be fo univerfal a diffusion of bleffings through all nations.

THEREFORE, the workings of providence are recounted afterwards, in fubferviency to this defign of grace, till he comes to fhew how by a fucceffion of wonderful works, in a continued feries, GoD had conducted them from Egypt (where they were oppreffed, and multiplied at once) through a wilderness, where they were under his more immediate care till at laft, according to promise, they were planted in Canaan; the type of that heaven, into which the antitypical Joshua, our bleffed Jefus, was to introduce all that should be adjoined to him, as the great captain, and prince of their falvation.

2. As we have seen in what respects, Gop did thus do good to his people; fo we may also fee upon what account. And this matter is ca pable of being refolved into nothing else, but the divine good pleasure. It was upon fuch terms, that this people were formed at first. The Lord did not fet his love upon you, (faid Mofes) because

Bb 2

ye

f Pfal. LXXVI, I

II.

VOL. ye were more in number than any other people (for ye were the fewest of all people) but because the Lord loved you. And why did he love them? why did he fo peculiarly favour them? The matter refolves it felf; he fets his love upon you, because he loved you. Divine love, which is the

original love of him who is the fountain of goodness, is its own reafon; for there can be nothing former to, or higher than the first. And the fame thing Samuel takes notice of after they were become a formed people. The Lord will not for fake his people, for his great name's fake; because it hath pleafed the Lord, to make you his people ". How came you to be made his people? Nothing can it be referred to, but that he was fo pleased, whofe people you are. And that he makes the ground why he would never forfake them, in refpect of their external conftitution, otherwife than upon fuch terms as he himfelf did exprefs before, even when he took them to be his people. Of which more hereafter.

AND when their state was to be restored, after its being loft in great measure through their defection and revolts from him, it is ftill upon the fame terms. He would indeed gather them again, recollect them out of the feveral nations into which for their defection they had been fcattered. But why? Thus faith the Lord GOD, I do not this for your fake, O house of Ifrael; but for mine holy name's fake, which ye have profaned

among

* Deut. vit. 7, 8.

1 Sam. x11. 22.

among the heathen, whither ye went. So that SE RM. ftill the matter is refolved into divine pleasure XX. and goodness it felf, the prime import of his name, as he himself proclaimed it to Mofes ; The LORD, the LORD GOD, merciful and gracious, long-fuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. And fo much concerning the good, which God may be fuppofed to do for such a people, indefinitely confidered.

II. We are next to confider the liableness of fuch a people, notwithstanding, to more fevere, and terrible, and even confuming judgements in cafe of their general revolt from him, and rebellion against him. This we fee plainly exemplified, in the course of God's dispensation towards this people. And we are here to confider, that whatever good he did for this people, it was but according to free promise; and that such promise was made, with a referved liberty to make ufe of his own right to vindicate himself, when, by injurious wickedness, the defign of all that goodnefs is fruftrated, and perverted, as much as in them lies.

1. IT is plain, that whatever good he did for this people, was according to free promife. But that is more than can be faid of other people. They had fuch promised peculiar favours, as no other people ever had. That is, they had that good and rich country, which they poffeffed, given them by immediate grant from heaven, which

i Ezek, xxxvi. 22.

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Exod. xxxiv. 6.

II.

VOL. which no people under heaven ever had the like befides; and a promise ratified and fealed by folemn oath, over and over, unto their forefathers, Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob, whose God he declared himself to be, and the GOD of their feed; by which he obliged himself to do them good in this respect, by planting them, as a distinct people, in a rich country; where they should have all the accommodations that were needful for anfwering the ends, for which he would have fuch a peculiar people in this world. And though what he did for them was thus according to promife, yet

2. In the very tenor of that promise he referved to himself the liberty of animadverting upon their wickedness; and of making a way (as he sometimes expreffeth himself) for his wrath to break in upon them, till at length it came upon them to the uttermoft'. So that when any fuch destructive judgements should befal them, they could not pretend to be furprized; it was nothing but what they might expect and look for, even by the exprefs tenor of that very grant, by which they held what they did before enjoy. And thus they were foretold it should be, as you may fee if you look into the course of GOD'S treating and stipulating with them. It shall come to pass, if you shall hearken diligently unto my commandments, which I command you this day, to love the Lord your GOD, and to ferve him with all your heart and with all your foul; that I will give you the rain of your land in bis due seasonTM, &c.

XX.

&c. All fuitable bleffings are, upon that fup- SERM, pofition, promifed to them. But it follows; Take heed to your felves that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn afide, and ferve other gods, and worship them: and then the Lord's wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the beaven that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit, and left ye perish quickly from off the good land which the Lord giveth you ".

Now according to the tenor of this word of his, which you may meet with in multitudes of other places, was the course of his actual dispen fations towards them. For fee how things were, between GoD and them, after Jofhua's decease. He had seen them planted, and fettled in that good land. And we are told that when Joshua bad let the people go, the children of Ifrael went every man unto bis inheritance to poffefs the land: And the people of Ifrael ferved the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Foshua; who bad feen all the great works of the Lord that he did for Ifrael. But now, Joshua being dead, we find foon after, that Ifrael did evil in the fight of the Lord, and ferved Baalim. And they for fook the Lord GOD of their fathers. which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, aud bowed themfelves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger. And the anger of the Lord was hot against Ifrael, and be delivered them into the hands of Spoilers that Spoiled them, and he fold them into the hands of their

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Deut. x1. 16, 17

• Judg. 11. 6, 7