to the true Mediator "all his heart's defire ;" and particularly when he afks in behalf of his people "life of him, even length of days for ever and "ever?" Did he accept of the typical facrifices, and of the fmoke of incenfe, as making atonement? Were thefe of any worth in his fight? No, furely; but in as far as they prefigured the perfect atonement and ever-prevalent interceffion of our glorious Surety. IX. The ancient people of God were preferved from deftruction, by a conflant exercife of almighty power, by the hand of that Angel whom he promifed as their leader. This glorious Angel, as has been formerly obferved, was no other than our Lord Jefus Chrift, acting as "the Mef fenger of the covenant;" and, according to the character of that difpenfation, figuratively manifefting the nature of his office with refpect to all who are Ifraelites indeed. Concerning him the Father declared; "Behold, I fend an Angel "before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepa"red 9." It was this Angel of God's prefence, who "faved them,-bare them, and carried them "all the days of old," He exercifed unremitted watchfulnefs over them. Hence it is faid; "He will not fuffer thy foot to be moved."Behold, he that keepeth Ifracl fhall neither "flumber nor fleep." His tender care of his people is reprefented under the most expreflive Ee 3 p Psal. xxi. 2. 4. q Exod. xxii. 20. r Ifa. lxii. 9. 66 metaphors. He appeared as the "Shepherd of "Ifrael, who led Jofeph as a flock." He had promised to Abraham that to his feed he would give "all the land of Canaan for an everlasting "poffeffion "."-He accordingly "led them on fafely, fo that they feared not ;—and he brought them to the border of his fanctuary, even to "this mountain which his right hand had pur"chafed ." "He led him about, he inftructed "him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. As "an eagle ftirreth up her neft, fluttereth over her 66 young, taketh them, beareth them on her wings; "fo the LORD alone did lead him "." It was the privilege of the literal Ifrael, as being externally "an holy people," to be preferved by Chrift; as Mofes fings: "Yea, he loved the people; all his "faints are in thy hand ." As really as his mercy was confpicuous in their redemption, his power was difplayed in their continued prefervation : "Thou in thy mercy haft led forth the people whom thou haft redeemed: thou haft guided "them in thy ftrength unto thy holy habitation y." Often, as the punishment of their iniquities, he fuffered them to be for a time led captive by their heathen foes, whom he "left to prove If"rael." But when they cried unto him, he ftill delivered them. The lamp that God lighted up among them, often became, through their own wickednefs, like " a fmoking flax.” u. Gen. xvii. 8. But he would v Pfal. Ixxviii. 53. 54. t Pfal lxxx. i. w Deut. xxxii. 10-12. x Deut. xxxiii. 3. z Judg. iii. 1. 9. 15. vi. 6. 14. &c. y Exod. xv. 13. would not fuffer it at any time to be totally extinguished, because it was ordained for his annointed. Their prefervation, indeed, feems to be folely the effect of one continued miracle. Nothing but the wonderful operation of divine power could have preferved them in Egypt, when the whole nation confpired for their deftruction. During forty years were they miraculoufly fupported in the wilderness. The heavens gave them bread, and the flinty rock fupplied them with water. Had their nourishing dew been withheld, or the rock been dried up, for a few days; the whole people muft have perifhed. Although fupported by ordinary means, after they were brought to Canaan, their deliverances were often entirely miraculous; and their continued prefervation, in the midft of fo many powerful nations, that still fought to deftroy them, can fcarcely be viewed in any other light. Now, as we are certain that this tender care was no ways merited by Ifrael, it is no lefs evident that all the glory that redounded to God, from the difplays of his mercy and power, in their outward deliverance, cannot reasonably be viewed as an object in itself fufficiently worthy of the means employed. If we do not view their wonderful prefervation as ftrictly typical of the prefervation of a people formed by God for himfelf, in a far fuperior way to fhew forth his praife; we must be for ever at a lofs to perceive infinite wifdom in this feries of miracles. It would feem to be but a waste of mercy and of power, if they were never meant to fubferve fome higher end. But for our fakes efpecially were thefe things done, and for our fakes were they written, that we might know that our help cometh only from the Lord. The very language, which is ufed in the Old Teftament with refpect to the prefervation of this peculiar people, is in the New, appropriated to them who believe. The fame Angel of the covenant ftablishes his faints, and keeps them from evil. He could teftify to his Father, that, while he was in the world, he had kept them in. his name b. While about to leave it, he faid to them; "I go to prepare a place for you. And"I will come again, and receive you unto my"felf, that where I am, there ye may be alfo ." As" the good Shepherd, he calleth his own fheep by name, and leadeth them out: and when he "putteth forth his own fheep, he goeth before "them." Concerning them he gracioufly faith; "I give unto them eternal life, and they fhall "never perish, neither fhall any pluck them out "of my hand.” band" When they are begotten again, it is "to a lively hope,-to an inheritance" far furpaffing that which was its figure, "an inheri tance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fa"deth not away, referved in heaven for them, who are kept by the power of God, through "faith unto falvation." That gift of the Spirit, of which we have already fpoken, is evidently defcribed a 2 Thef. iii. 3. dJohn x. 3. 4. 28. b John xvii. 12. c John xiv. 2. 3. defcribed in language borrowed from the typical mercies of Ifrael. It is "the earneft of our inhe"ritance, until the redemption of the purchafed poffeffion." All who are "fanctified by God "the Father," are " preferved in Chrift Jefus r." He does not entirely deliver them from their fpiritual enemies. He "flays them not, left his "people fhould forget." Paul, as a renewed perfon, thus declares his experience; "I fec ano"ther law in my members, warring against the "law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of fin which is in my mem"bers." Hence his people complain of wretchednefs. But by faith they are aflured of deliverance through Jefus Chrift their Lord. 66 Grace in their fouls is often as "a finoking flax." But fo gracious is their almighty Redeemer, that the finoking flax fhall he not quench, till he fend "forth judgment unto victory k." 66 If a miracle be fomething entirely beyond the power of nature, what is the prefervation of the children of God but a continued miracle. As they were at firft" born from above," the whole of thofe fupplies that are neceffary for the fupport of this life come from the fame quarter. They feed on the hidden manna." They drink of "the pure river of the water of life." They continue in a wildernefs, where there is neither bread nor water for their fouls. They are encompaffed with pits, and fnares, and beafts of prey; conftantly fighting with enemies, and ef f Eph. 1. 14. g Jude i. 1 Pfal. ix. 11. pecially i Rom. vii. 23-25 |