Adam all died," all became by consequence children of wrath, aliens from the family of God, and rebels against the government of God. This is a fundamental truth, again and again to be urged upon you. There does not breathe-there never did there never will-the single child of fallen Adam, intitled in his natural state to say, "I am thine." And worse still, the disposition and the desire are as wanting as the right and the pretension. There is no instinctive turning of the heart to God; no voluntary principle in the soul of man. The alliance is wholly a bestowment of the Father of mercies, and as such might well call forth the expression, "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." The prophet Ezekiel in his 16th chapter has left a vivid sketch of the native wretchedness of the Lord's own people. "Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem, (the holy city -the city which the Lord had chosen to place his name there,) Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan, (an accursed stock); thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite. And as for thy nativity, thou wast cast out in the open field, to the lothing of thy person in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live." Can any thing be more obvious than the interpretation that--just as that wretched and loathsome

infant had nothing to urge in the way of relationship-nothing to conciliate in the way of attraction-nothing to offer in the way of recompense, but must have perished in its helplessness and in its blood, had not the compassionate stranger come near to its deliverance-so it is with all the people of the Lord? Originally outcasts and foundlings, they become his purely by adoption. His came to seek and to save that which was lost. He passed by and bade them live. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he first loved us." "Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you,' is the Saviour's simple memorial of his own electing love towards his disciples. All to whom he ever gave power to become the sons of God were born, "not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." But whilst we insist upon sovereign grace as the source of this relation, it would be inexcusable were we to pass over the means by which the connexion was cemented. O it was an anxious question which the God of Jacob is represented as asking. "I said how shall I put thee among the people? How shall I call them my people which were not my people, and her beloved which was not beloved." The one

supplied by the "I will put my

only answer to the inquiry is terms of the covenant of grace. laws into their mind and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their

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iniquities will I remember no more." In other words, the guilt which now interposes, shall be 'atoned for-blotted out-forgiven. A fountain 'shall be opened, in which the leper may wash 'and be clean. A ransom shall be found—a price 'shall be paid-I will provide myself a Lamb— ' and though the sacrifice be that of my only-begot'ten, it shall be cheerfully offered. He shall take 'their nature into alliance with his own; shall be 'partaker of their flesh and blood, and in all things made like unto his brethren, that so in all things 'he may make his brethren like unto him. 'him I will be well pleased even with them. Through him the ungodly shall be justified; the 'unholy sanctified; the lost and the degraded finally glorified. Yes, they shall be mine by 'purchase, by redemption, by effectual calling, by ' renewing grace, by the sealing, witnessing, inter'ceding Spirit ;-all who believe on him shall be 'eternally mine.' Such, brethren, is the origin of the relation in question. Are there any here who may venture to plead it, and to appropriate the resulting blessings: any who can say, "if children, then heirs; heirs of God?"-The title-deed of that inheritance must rest its validity upon thisthat you are "joint-heirs with Christ Jesus," and found in him. And then, brethren, let me remind you,

ii. Of the dignity of such a relation. See how God delighteth to honour the meanest believer in his Church! Mark the blessedness of being his!

Dwell upon the titles and terms which he employs when speaking of his own. They are his willing subjects, and he their King: they are his disciples, and he their Prophet and Teacher: they are his free and happy servants, and he their kind and gracious Master. Nay, he declares "henceforth I call you no longer servants, but friends." They are his clients, and he their prevailing advocate: they are his sheep, and he their good shepherd. In a word, they are his people, and he their Lord and their God. They are described as his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, his jewels carefully treasured up unto the last day; the fruit of his soul's travail; the purchase of his blood, the gift of his Father. Yea, more than all, we read this astounding declaration: "The Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance." So intimate is the connexion, that the Church is spoken of as his body: they who touch his people, touch the apple of his eye; and he who makes havoc of the Church, hears the remonstrance, Why persecutest thou me?" brethren, have you ever realized, and are you living as though you realized, the dignity and the privilege of being one with Christ? "All things are yours; for ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's."

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iii. But it must be remembered, on the other hand, that every relation involves its corresponding duties. If you claim to be his, you must say with Paul: "God, whose I am, and whom I serve."

His subjects should be loyal; his servants should be diligent and faithful; his children should be affectionate and obedient; his disciples should learn of him; his sheep should know his voice; his clients should commit their cause wholly and solely into his hands: in a word, his people should keep his commandments, and especially the first and greatest of them all, by loving the Lord their God with all their soul and with all their strength. Whether they eat or drink, they should do all to the glory of God-all in the name of the Lord Jesus.

There can be little doubt that the Psalmist realized much of this when he pleaded the relationship under review; and this will be the more evident if we consider,

iv. Some of those graces which the of such a plea illustrated. And

very mention

1. The language of the text is that of humility. He does not urge- Save me, for I am holy, save me for I am worthy.'. He does not even adopt the general strain, and pray- Save me, for I have done, and will still strive to do the best that lies in my power.' No, brethren, it is not,-'Save me for my good deeds, or for my good intentions,' but "Save me for I am thine." Such a cry would enter the ears of the Lord,

2. As the voice of faith. It seems to say, “I know that my Redeemer liveth." It is not the shrinking, doubting, hesitating tone which falters forth-'I wish I were thine. I hope I am thine'