of all things that their hearts could desire: but, if they should disobey, they were threatened with loss of all possessions, and all comforts, with pains of body and wretchedness of mind, and every kind of suffering and misery.
Such was the condition of this remarkable nation, this chosen people. Not for any peculiar merit of theirs (as it was repeatedly declared to them), were they thus selected; still less is it for a moment to be supposed, that it was done through any partiality in the Divine Being, who is "no respecter of persons:" but they were chosen as instruments to effect certain great purposes, affecting the future good of the whole human race;—especially to be the depositaries of the wonderful Divine Word, or Holy Scripture, which was to be written through their instrumentality, and afterwards by them to be published to the world, and also by them to be sacredly preserved in its original tongue. It would also seem as if it were intended to make manifest, in the case of this people, the obduracy of the human heart in its present fallen state; and to make it plain to man, that if he comes into suffering and distress, it is the consequence of his own stubborn wilfulness, and not the effect of any will or design of his Heavenly Father, who prepares and intends all things happy for him, if he will but pursue the course necessary to enjoy the blessings bestowed. Whether intended or not, we may, at least, with justice draw such a lesson. Here was a people, situated in circumstances the most highly favoured possible. Here was a nation, governed directly by the good and all-wise Creator Himself, who was their teacher, leader, lawgiver. Yet they rebelled, rejected Him for their Governor and
