SECT. I.

Queſt. 1. WHat A Covenant is. What it is.

Anſw. 1. A Covenant in General, is a compact or mutual Deſcribed. agreement betwixt parties, in which they binde each other to the performance of what they do (by agreement) promiſe to each other. Conference, and conference, propoſals and propoſals, offers and offers, arguings and arguings (ſimply) do not conſtitute a Covenant: Things may be propounded, and yet rejected. Nor doth the liking of what is propounded do it; Approbation and conſent of one party, no nor yet his obligation, can (formally) make up a Covenant, but there muſt be actus mutuus, a mutual conſent, a mutual promiſe, a mutual agreement, a mutual engagement or obligation, and this makes up a Covenant, as to the ſubſtance of it. As to the Covenant of Marriage, it is not ſpeaking, nor liking, not promiſe by one party, but the liking, and conſent, and promiſe muſt be mutual, elſe it makes not up the Covenant of Marriage; ſo it is in this.

2. Covenants, are either, Covenants are Sinful.

1. Sinful. They have made a Covenant with death and hell, Iſa. 28. 18. How do they make a Covenant together? They engage themſelves in the ſervice of ſin, and expect to be as ſecure from death and hell as if they had made a formal Covenant and Agreement with them.

2. Civil. Which are the binding arguments betwixt man and man, in matters Civil. of a worldly conſideration for goods, wares, lands, peace, or the like; as the Covenant betwixt Abraham and Abimilech, and betwixt Ahab and Benhadad, &c.

3. Sacred. As the Covenant betwixt God and man. Sacred. Betwixt God and man.

It is obſervable that there was no ſtate in which man was at any time, but God made a Covenant with him; as ſoone as he was created, and as ſoone as he fell, God made a Covenant with him.

And Gods Covenant with man (I ſpeak only in the general) doth conſiſt in a In what it conſiſts. free promiſe on Gods part, with a stipulation of duty on mans part. There is a Suſception on Gods part, and an engagement on mans part; God promiſeth ſome good, and man promiſeth obedience; Their concurrence in theſe, or their obliging Agreement in theſe make up the Covenant. God promiſeth life and all good to man, and man promiſeth all obedience to God; God promiſeth what he pleaſeth, and requireth what he pleaſeth, and man promiſeth unto God what God requireth.

And here by the way note, that in every Covenant betwixt God and man, the whole draught of it depends upon the Soveraigne will and pleaſure of God, who propoſeth what rewards he pleaſeth, and impoſeth what termes he pleaſeth, and draws up the Covenant in what termes he pleaſeth. And the reaſon hereof lies in the abſolute power and authority of God over man, who is infinitely inferiour to God, and wholly ſubordinate to him; and therefore man may not indent with him, by propoſing Articles of Agreement, but he muſt accept what the Lord is pleaſed to propoſe, either by way of duty on mans part, or by way of promiſe on Gods part. And well he may do ſo, inreſpect of that Infinite Goodneſſe and Wiſdome in God, who knows much better how to lay the frame of a Covenant betwixt himſelf and man, than man can know how to draw a Covenant betwixt himſelf and God.

SECT. II.

2. THat there is a Covenant which God makes betwixt himſelf and believers: There is ſuch a Covenant. So you have it often expreſſed in Scripture, Gen. 17. 2. I will make my Covenant betwixt me and thee, verſe 7. I will eſtabliſh my Covenant betwixt me and thee, and thy ſeed after thee in their generations after thee, to be good unto thee, and to thy ſeed after thee. Deut. 4. 23. Take heed unto your ſelves lest you forget the Covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you. 2 Sam. 23. 5. He hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant, ordered in all things and ſure. Pſal. 50. 5. Gather my Saints together unto me, thoſe that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice. Jer. 31. 31. Behold, the dayes come (ſaith the Lord) I will make a new Covenant with the houſe of Iſrael, and with the houſe of Judah, which is repeated by the Apoſtle, Heb. 8. 8. all which places do manifeſtly prove that there is a Covenant betwixt God and Believers.

Againſt this a great objection will lie; There are ſome who argue, that there Sect. 2. Obj. The Covenant is only betwixt God and Chriſt. is no Covenant made betwixt God and us; there is only a Covenant betwixt God and Christ, by vertue of which all Good is derived unto us: The ground of this opinion is drawn from Gal. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and his ſeed were the promiſes made; he ſaith not, And to ſeeds, as of many, but as of one, And to thy ſeed, which is Chriſt. Whence they inferre, there is no Covenant at all made to us, but only with Chriſt, or to Chriſt.

Sol. I deſire not to make rents, but where I find them I would willingly make them up againe; but of neceſſity I muſt conſider this preſent opinion; for if This opinion conſidered, and cleared in three particulars. this were true, how can this Text I am now upon be true? which ſaith, I will make an everlaſting Covenant, not only for you, but with you. For the better ſtating and clearing of this doubt and difficulty, I will deliver my ſelf in theſe Propoſitions. 1. That there is a Covenant made betwixt God the Father and his Sonne Jeſus Chriſt. 2. That there is a Covenant made betwixt God and every believing perſon. 3. That the place alledged doth not infringe this truth.

1. That there is a Covenant made betwixt God the Father, and his Son Jeſus There is a Covenant betwixt God the Father and his Son Jeſus Chriſt. Chriſt, touching the whole buſineſſe of mans ſalvation. Hence it is, that Chriſt is called the Covenant; I will give thee for a Covenant of the people, ſaith the Lord, ſpeaking of Chriſt, Iſa. 49. 8. In hope of eternal life, which God who cannot lye, promiſed before the world began, Tit. 1. 2. This promiſe, which was ante tempora ſeculorum, was made to Chriſt. I have manifeſted thy name unto the men which thou gaveſt me out of the world; thine they were, and thou gaveſt them me, Joh. 17. 6.

All that makes up a Covenant, paſſed betwixt the Father and the Son. On the Father part. He d • ſigned Chriſt to the office of Mediatour.

1. On the Fathers part.

1. He deſigned his Sonne unto the office of Mediatour; him hath God the Father ſealed, John 6. 27. Set apart, marked out for that work; and the Apoſtle Peter ſpeaking of our Redemption by the precious blood of Chriſt, ſaith, that Chriſt was fore-ordained (thereunto) before the foundation of the world, 1 Pet. 1. 20.

And hereunto did Chriſt conſent and agree, Heb. 10. 7. Then ſaid I, lo I come (in the volum of thy book it is written of me) to do thy will O God; and againe, ver. 9. lo I come to do thy will O God.

2. He promiſed to give him the Spirit in abundant meaſure. The Spirit of the He promiſed to give him the Spirit in abundant meaſure. Lord ſhall reſt upon him, Iſa. 11. 2. I have put my Spirit upon him, he ſhall bring forth judgement to the Genetiles, Iſa. 42. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, Iſa. 61. 1. God giveth not the Spirit by meaſure unto him, Joh. 3. 34.

3. He promiſed to aſſiſt him in that great work: I the Lord have called thee And to aſſiſt him in that great work. in Righteouſneſſe, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, Iſa. 42. 6. What is that holding of Chriſt by the hand, but his effectual ſupporting and ſtrengthening of him to finiſh the work which he agreed to undertake?

4. He promiſed a bleſſed ſucceſſe to this undertaking; he ſhall ſee his ſeed, And a bleſſed ſucceſſe to his undertaking. and he ſhall ſee the travaile of his ſoul, Iſa. 53. 10. Nations that know thee not, ſhall run unto thee, Iſa. 55. 5.

5. He promiſed him Dominion and Soveraignty. His arme ſhall rule for him, And dominion and ſoveraignty Iſa. 40. 10. He ſhall ſit in judgement in the earth, and the Iles ſhall wait for his Law, Iſa. 42. 4. He ſhall judge amongſt many Nations, Mic. 4. 3.

6. He promiſed to glorifie him after all, Joh. 17. 5. Now Father, glorifie thou And to glorifie him after all. me.

2. Christ an his part conſents to the Father; undertakes the will and work of On Chriſts part. He conſents to him, undertakes his work. Depends on him, diſchargeth it, and expects the glory promiſed. There is a Covenant with Chriſt perſonally and myſtically conſidered. his Father; Depends on his Father, Truſts on him for help; The Lord will help me, Iſa. 50. 7, 9. My God ſhall be my ſtrength, Iſa. 49. 5. And he diſchargeth all the work agreed on for the Redemption and ſalvation of the elect. I have finiſhed the work thou gaveſt me to do; And expects the glory promiſed by the Father. I would be tedious to ſpeak all that might be ſaid concerning this high Covenant betwixt God the Father, and Chriſt, touching the elect, and all that concerns them.

I might adde, that as there is a Covenant betwixt God and Chriſt perſonally conſidered, ſo alſo betwixt God and Chriſt myſtically conſidered; Take him as the Head of the Church, his body, the Covenant principally looks at Chriſt, I will be your God; this principally looks at Chriſt, and I will be your Father; this principally looks at Chriſt, and ſo the maine promiſes, as thoſe of Life, of Grace, of Juſtification, ſo they principally look at Chriſt. As there was a reſpect to the people of God in the Covenant betwixt the Father and Jeſus Chriſt, ſo there was a reſpect to Chriſt in the Covenant betwixt God and his people.

2. Nevertheleſſe, though there be ſuch a Covenant betwixt God the Father, Yet there is a Covenant betwixt God and his people. Proved. and his Son Jeſus Chriſt; yet there is a Covenant made betwixt God and his people.

The places above mentioned, do expreſly prove it when God ſaith, I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people; I will marry you unto my ſelf, and I will bring you into the bond of my Covenant, 〈◊〉 . 20. 37. and we are ſaid to enter into Covenant with the Lord, Deut. 29. 12. Theſe expreſſions plainly prove a Covenant betwixt God and us. And truly, unanſwerable Arguments evince this Truth.

1. Chriſt is ſaid to be the Mediatour of this Covenant, Heb. 9. 15. Now he could not be the Mediatour of this Covenant betwixt God and himſelf, but of the Covenant Becauſe Chriſt is the Mediatour of it. betwixt God and us.

2. To whom the ſeales of the Covenant are given, with them is the Covenant made; the ſeales of the Covenant and the Covenant (go to the ſame perſons) The ſeals of the Covenant are given unto his people. but the ſeales of the Covenant are for and to believers. Abraham received the ſigne of circumciſion, a ſeal of the righteouſneſſe of faith, Rom. 4. 11.

3. How can we plead the Covenant betwixt God and us, if there were no ſuch Gods people plead this Covenant. Covenant? Remember thy Covenant; Oh how can God be ſaid to remember his Covenant, and to do us good for and according to his Covenant with us, if there were not a Covenant betwixt God and us?

Laſtly, How is God ſaid to be faithful in Covenant with us? and how are we God is faithful in his Covenant with us, and we are faithful with God. Gal. 3. 16. opened and cleared ſaid to be faithful in Covenant with God? and why are we exhorted to be ſo? and how can there be ſuch a ſinne as breach of Covenant, for which God will be avenged, if there were no Covenant betwixt God and us?

3. The place mentioned in Gal. 3. 16. doth not contradict this truth, where it is ſaid, The promiſes are made to Abraham, and to his ſeed, not ſeeds, as ſpeaking of many, but ſeed, as of one, and to thy ſeed which is Chriſt.

This place ſurely will not carry it out, that there is no Covenant with us but with Chriſt. For,

1. How do you read in this place of Promiſes made to Abraham, (the promiſes were made to Abraham;) if there were no promiſes but to Chriſt; or how can the promiſes be made only to Chriſt, and yet to Abraham?

2. The promiſes were made to Abraham, and then to his ſeed which is Chriſt; if Chriſt here ſhould be underſtood perſonally, the order here mentioned could not hold; for then Chriſt ſhould come to claim the promiſes in Abrahams right, and not Abraham in his.

3. By Chriſt in this place, is not meant Chriſt perſonally, but Chriſt myſtically conſidered, the Church of Chriſt, the company of believers, and thoſe are the ſeed of Abraham, who is ſtiled The father of the faithful. And truly, I know not why men do ſo wreſt this Text, which the Apoſtle only mentions to prove that all that are juſtified, are juſtified not by works, but by faith; forasmuch as the promiſe of Grace to this purpoſe was made to Abraham and his ſeed, to all Believers; as ver. 29. If ye be Christs, then are you Abrahams ſeed, and Heirs according to the Promiſe.

SECT. III.

4. BEfore I paſſe from the general conſideration of a Covenant, made betwixt Why God makes a Covenant betwixt himſelf and his people. To put an honour upon his people, Dut. 26 18, 19. God and us, it may be demanded why the Lord is pleaſed to make a Covenant betwixt himſelf and his people.

The cauſes thereof amongſt many others may be theſe.

1. To put an honour upon his people. Some do derive the word Berith, (which ſignifies the Covenant) from a root which ſignifies to purifie, and to ſeparate, and to ſelect; and verily, the Lord when he makes a Covenant with any, he doth ſeparate them from others, looks on them, takes them and ownes them for his peculiar people, and agrees with them as the choſen and choyceſt of all others. The firſt ſtaffe in Zach. 11. 10. is called beauty, and this was the Covenant: And indeed it is a high honour to be in Covenant with God, there is a fourfould honour to us in this.

1. One in that God in this becomes ours, and we are made nigh unto him. A fourfold honour in this.

2. A ſecond in that God is ours, and we his in a very peculiar way of relation.

3. In that God in Covenant, opens his love, and all his treaſures to us, tells us of his ſpecial grace and love, and great intentions of good to us.

4. In that he obligeth himſelf to us in his faithfulneſſe, to performe all his Covenant. In all this there is a great favour done unto, and a great honour put upon us. Hence when the Lord told Abraham, that he would make a Covenant with him, Abraham fell upon his face, Gen. 17. 2, 3. he was amazed at ſo great a love and honour; and why? It is a ſpecial favour for God to make a Covenant with us; hence that of David, Who am I, O Lord? &c. 2 Sam. 7. 18.

2. That we might know what to expect from God, and upon what termes; for the That we might know what to expect from God. Covenant, as it is a Declaration of all the good which God will beſtow upon us, ſo it is alſo a Rule or Direction what we are to be and to do; here you may ſee all that we need, and all that God requires.

3. That we might be encouraged in our whole courſe of obedience; there being ſufficiency promiſed, and ſecurity enough given by God in this Covenant for all To encourage us in obedience good, unto all ſuch who are faithful in Covenant with him. Walk before me and be thou perfect, and I will be a God al-ſufficient unto thee, Gen. 17. 1. All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth to them that keep his Covenant, Pſal. 25. 10.

4. That we might be bound faſt unto himſelf; the Covenant binds faſt on both parts; God binds himſelf to us, and we alſo are bound by it to him, Jer. 13. 11. To bind us faſt to God. As the girdle cleaveth to the loynes of a man, ſo have I cauſed to cleave unto me the whole houſe of Iſrael, and the whole houſe of Judah, ſaith the Lord, that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praiſe, and for a glory.

Thus you have heard in the general what a Covenant is, and that there is ſuch a Covenant betwixt God and believers, and Reaſons alſo in the General, why God makes a Covenant with them.

SECT. I.

3. THis Covenant of grace, is ſuch a compact wherein God promiſeth, That In this Covenant God promiſeth to be our God, and that we ſhall be his people. It is a Covenant of promiſe. he will be our God, and that we ſhall be his people.

Here are three things obſervable.

1. That this Covenant is a Covenant of promiſe, altogether of promiſe; God therein promiſeth all that doth concern himſelf or us. There are many things in it which do concern himſelf, and many things which do concern us, and they are all of them under promiſe. The rewards (if I may ſo call them) on his part, of life, and mercy, and grace, and ſalvation, they are all promiſed; and the ſervices, qualities, duties, on our part, in reference unto him as our God, are alſo promiſed by him. What he will performe, and what we are to performe, although they be different things, yet in this Covenant both of them are promiſed; He promiſeth to love us, and he promiſeth that we ſhall love him; He promiſeth, that he will forgive our ſinnes; and he promiſeth, that we ſhall repent of our ſinnes; He promiſeth that he will help us; and he promiſeth, that we ſhall walk in his Satutes; He promiſeth that he will ſave us; and he promiſeth that we ſhall believe to the ſaving of our ſouls.

In the other Covenant of works, there God promiſeth life, and man promiſeth obedience; God was to perform his part, and man was to perform his part, and mans performance depended upon his own ſtrength: But in this Covenant, God promiſeth all, and he undertakes all; He undertakes to give all that he promiſeth, and promiſeth to give all that he requireth. I will give a new heart; I will cauſe you to paſſe into the band of the Covenant; I will cauſe you to know me, to truſt in my Name, to love me, to feate me, to walk in my Statutes, and to do them: He will ſubdue our iniquities, &c.

2. In this Covenant, he promiſeth that he will be our God. I will establiſh He promiſeth to be our God. my Covenant betwixt me and thee, and thy ſeed after thee, to be God unto thee and to thy ſeed after thee, Gen. 17. 7. This is the Covenant that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael, &c. I will be their God, &c. Jer. 31. 33. And I will be their God, 〈◊〉 . 11. 20. They ſhall ſay, The Lord is my God, Zachariah 13. 9.

This one thing which God promiſeth (I will be your God) it is as one Paraeus in Gen. 17. rightly ſpeaks, Anima foederis, the very ſoul of all the Covenant: It is ſumma Foederis, the excellency, the very quinteſſence of it. It is farre more than that, I will pardon you; than that, I will help you, I will bleſſe you; or that, I will ſave you. As Chriſt ſpake concerning that command of loving the Lord with all thy heart, this is the great Commandment; So may we ſay of this part of the Covenant of this promiſe, I will be your God; it is the great part of the Covenant, it is the great promiſe of the Covenant of grace: Indeed it is the ſumme of all; All is contained in it; and therefore David ſaid, Happy is that people, whoſe God is the Lord, Pſal. 144. 15.

Queſt. But ſome may demand, What great matter is comprehended in this, What is comprehended under it. when God ſaith in the Covenant, I will be your God? I will be a God to you: Is he not the God of the whole world? Is he not a God to all the people of the earth.

Sol. I anſwer, That he is ſo, he is the God of the whole earth, and there is no God beſides him; He is a God to all the creatures, in reſpect of their production, they were all made and formed by him, they are the work of his hands; And in reſpect of preſervation, In him we live, and move, and have our being, Act. 17. 28. There is a Relation betwixt him and all creatures: But this is inconſiderable in compariſon of this Covenant-relation unto his people, wherein he ſaith, I will be a God to you, or your God. This relation is of all other the higheſt, and neareſt; as when a man promiſeth unto a woman, I will be a husband unto you; this takes in love, and nearneſſe, and care, and maintenance.

There are four things comprehended in this. Four things comprehended in it. Reconciliatiō.

1. Reconciliation unto you. I will be your God i. e. I will be reconciled to you, I will never be an enemy to you; All enmity betwixt you and me is at an end, I accept of you into a ſtate of love, my love is towards you, you have found grace in my ſight, I will marry you unto my ſelf in loving kindneſſes; my love ſhall reſt upon you.

2. Donation of himſelf. I will be your God, i. e. I will beſtow my ſelf upon Donation of himſelf. you: you ſhall have a propriety in me; I am God, even thy God, Pſal. 50. 7. This God is our God, Pſal. 48. 14. He gives himſelf (as it were) into your poſſeſſion, into your hands: As when the Indenture is drawn and ſealed, the land falls into your pocket: and therefore, whenſoever you find him covenanting, you find him (as it were) giving away himſelf, granting a right unto himſelf, and a poſſeſſion and enjoyment of himſelf. After the Lord had made a Covenant with Abraham, he thereupon ſtiles himſelf the God of Abraham, and ſo the God of Iſaac, and of Jacob, and of Iſrael; and thus making a Covenant with all the faithful, he thereupon is theirs, their God, and their Father. They have as much right unto him, and propriety in him, as the wife in and to the husband, who becomes hers by a Covenant of Marriage. My Beloved is mine, and I am his. This is a wonderful truth, that God (in the Covenant of grace) gives himſelf: Conſider God,

1. Either Eſſentially, in his eternal, ſelf-ſufficient, holy, bleſſed, infinite, glorious Being and Attributes: as thus conſidered he is yours, makes all over unto you really.

2. Or, Perſonally, as a Father; He is your Father, John 20. 17. I am a Father to Iſrael, Jer. 31. 9. As the Sonne, as God manifeſted in the fleſh, he is your Chriſt; Chriſt gives himſelf to be yours. And as the holy Ghoſt, ſo alſo he is yours. Oh what a Covenant is this, wherein the covenanted have ſuch a propriety. The eternal God is my God; The All-ſufficient God is my God; The holy Ghoſt is my God; The merciful God is my God; The omnipotent, loving, gracious God is my God; and the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is my Father; and Jeſus Chriſt, God the Sonne is my God; and God the holy Ghoſt is mine. I have an intereſt in him and them, and I have a communion and fellowſhip with them.

3. Engagement of himſelf, with all that he hath, and all that he can do. What Engagement of himſelf. a God can be or can do for your good; Thus farre doth God engage unto his people when he makes a Covenant with them to be their God; he makes over himſelf, and all, by bond unto you: what I am, I am to you, and for you; and what I have or can do, it ſhall be for you. I am the holy God, I will be Holineſſe to you; I am the merciful God, I will be merciful to your tranſgreſſions; I am the gracious God, I will ſhew favour to you, and will freely love and bleſſe you; I am the All-ſufficient God, and I will be a Sunne and a Shield unto you; I am the Omnipotent God, I will up old you by the right hand of my power; I am All, and will be All in All unto you; I am God bleſſed for ever; and I will be Bleſſedneſſe to you; for my Covenant with you, is the engagement of my ſelf, and of all good unto you.

4. Perpetuity. I will be a God unto you, or I will be your God in a Covenant of Grace; it is as if he ſhould ſay, I will be a God unto you, as long as I am God; Perpetuity. I am God for ever; and I will be your God for ever. This God is our God for ever and ever, Pſal. 48. 14. I will love you and bleſſe you for ever. Did I not ſay aright, when I told you, that Gods engaging of himſelf to be our God in the Covenant, was the ſoul, the life, the ſumme of the Covenant? what can we have more, or deſire more? A God to be our God, a merciful, gracious, bleſſed, bleſſing God, to be our merciful, gracious, our bleſſed, our bleſſing God, and all this as long as he is God, for ever, and for ever.

3. In this Covenant he promiſeth, that we ſhall be his people, Jer. 31. 33. I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people. So Ezek. 11. 20. They ſhall be He promiſeth we ſhall be his people. my people, and I will be their God. Zach. 13, 9. I will ſay It is my people, and they ſhall ſay The Lord is my God. This is the Covenant; This mutual engagement on either ſide is it, I will be your God, and you ſhall be my people. This is a Marriage, I will be your Husband, and you ſhall be my wife: I take you to to be my Husband; and I take you to be my wife; This Reciprocal conſent, and this Reciprocal agreement, Thou ſhalt be mine, and I will be thine; Thou ſhalt be for me, and I will be for thee, Hoſ. 3. 3. this makes the marriage: So the Reciprocal acceptance, conſent, and agreement betwixt God and us makes up the Covenant between us, in the very formal and vital nature of it.

Here are two queſtions unto which I would ſpeak a few things.

Queſt. 1 What this expreſſion of the Covenant imports, you ſhall be my people; or what it is to be a people in Covenant with God. What it is to be a p • ople in Covenant.

As there is ſome ſingular thing in that Covenant expreſſion, I will be your God, or I will be a God to you; So there is ſome ſpecial thing in that Covenant expreſſion likewiſe, you ſhall be my people, or you ſhall be to me for a people: And if I miſtake not, there are three things in it.

Sol. 1. A Separation; you ſhall not be any others, nor for any other but for my ſelf; Three things in it. A ſeparation. and this is expreſſey declared, Deut. 29. 12, 13. That thou ſhouldeſt enter into Covenant with the Lord thy God—That he may eſtabliſh thee to day for a people unto himſelf: and chap. 7. 6. The Lord thy God hath choſen thee to be a ſp • cial people unto himſelf; and chap. 16. 6. The Lord hath choſen thee to be a peculiar people unto himſelf. 2 Cor. 6. 17, 18. Come out from amongſt them, and be ye ſeperate ſaith the Lord—And I will be a Father unto you, and you ſhall be my ſonnes and daughters, ſaith the Lord God Almighty.

2. A dedi • ation of our ſelves to God. A kinde of conſecration, wherein we chooſe him to be our God, and binde our ſelves to him to be his. A willing A dedication of our ſelves to God. choyce, Deut. 26. 17. Thou haſt avouched the Lord this day to be thy God—verſe 18. And the Lord hath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people. Iſa. 63. 19. We are thine, thou never bareſt rule over them, they were not called by thy name. Iſa. 64. 9. Behold, ſee we beſeech thee, we are all thy people. Pſal. 116. 16. Oh Lord, truly I am thy ſervant, I am thy ſervant. Pſal. 119. 94. I am thine, ſave me, &c.

3. An obligation to hearken unto him, to obey him, and to walk with him. An obligation to obey him. Deut. 27. 9, 10. Take heed and hearken O Iſrael; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God, Thou ſhalt therfore obey the voyce of the Lord thy God, and do his c • mmandments, and his ſtatutes which I command thee this day. Joſ. 24. 22. Ye are witneſſes againſt your ſelves that you have choſen the Lord to ſerve him; and they ſaid, we are witneſſes.

Queſt. 2 How we come to be his people, whether by any voluntary act of our own, or How we come to be Gods people in Covenant. by the ſole effect of his grace, becauſe he ſaith, ye ſhall be my people.

For the reſolution of this, know, that the Covenant may be conſidered two ways.

Sol. 1. As to the Platforme of its conſtitution: which ſhews of what forme the contracting is, when God declares that he as a God makes over himſelf unto his The Covenant may be conſidered As to the Platforme of its conſtitution. As to the real execution of it people and his people make over themſelves unto him.

2. As to the real and effectual execution of this, in an actual and mutual acceptation of each other, and obligation of themſelves to each other. Thus conſidered, you muſt diſtinguiſh betwixt the act of voluntary conſent in the people or perſons covenanting with God, and betwixt the cauſe of that willing conſent, election and eſtimation; There is a voluntary conſent in all the people of the Covenant, They do take the Lord to be their God, and they do reſigne, ſurrender up, and give themſelves to be his people, and agree to walk with him; But then this ariſeth not from their own power and ability, but only from the love and power of the Grace of God, who in effectual vocation, doth not only ſay You ſhall be my people, but alſo makes them ſo to be; They become his people, but he makes them willing to be ſo; They agree to all that he requires, but it is becauſe he enables them ſo to do.

Before I paſſe from this, I ſhall make ſome Uſe of it.

Uſe 1. Is this the New Covenant, That God is to us a God, and that we are to him a people? That he promiſeth that he will be our God, and we promiſe that we will be his people? and is this the vital and chief part of the Covenant, that This is matter of admiration. God is, and will be our God? Oh then, what matter of admiration is this? What wonders of love and kindneſse are manifeſted in this! Judas (not Iſcariot) wondred at the peculiar manifeſtations of Chriſt unto the Diſciples, John 14. 22. What is the cauſe that thou wilt ſhew thy ſelf to us, and not unto the world! And David wondred at Gods Promiſe to eſtabliſh his houſe and throne for ever before him, 2 Sam. 7. 16. Then went King David and ſate before the Lord, and he ſaid, Who am I O Lord God! and what is my houſe that thou haſt brought me hitherto! verſe 18. And this was yet a ſmall thing in thy ſight Oh Lord God, but • hou haſt ſpoken of thy ſervants houſe for a great while to • ome; and is this the manner of man Oh Lord God! verſe 19. And Moſes wondred at the great work of Providence in the deliverance of Iſrael, and drowning of Phar • oh, Who is like unto thee O Lord amongſt the gods, who is like thee! Glorious in holineſſe, fearful in praiſes, doing wonders, Exod. 15. 11. All theſe things, and many more there are, which afford wonder and admiration to us; But this one thing, that God is our God, and that he promiſeth in the Covenant to be our God, and that we ſhall be his people, is of all other the moſt amazing truth, and the moſt wonderful goodneſſe; Behold what manner of love the Father hath And is moſt wonderful. bestowed upon us, that we ſhould be called the ſonnes of God, 1 John 3. 1. This is moſt wonderful, whether you conſider, 1. God himſelf. 2. Or our ſelves. Or, Whether we conſider 3ly. The comprehenſive efficacy of this. Or, 4ly. Other things in compariſon with this. Or, 5ly. The fulneſſe of it.

1. If you conſider God himſelf. In himſelf, he is the Almighty God, the God himſelf. great poſſeſſor of heaven and earth, the eternal God, infinite in holineſſe, and wiſdome, and power, there is no end of his greatneſſe: He is the Lord, the Lord merci • ul, gracious, long-ſuffering, abundant in goodneſſe • nd truth, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſinne, a God high above all gods.

Now what wonder is it, that this God will ſo farre abaſe himſelf as to become our God, to give himſelf, and to beſtow himſelf upon us, and to own us for his people, his peculiar, his choyce treaſure.

2. If you conſider us in our ſelves: What is man that thou art mindful of Us in our ſelves. him! or the ſonne of man that thou viſiteſt him! ſaith David, Pſalme 8. 4. Much more wonderful is it to ſay, What is ſinful man, that thou regardeſt him! or what is fallen man, that thou ſhouldeſt enter into Covenant with him! It was much that the great God ſhould make a Covenant with man in the ſtate of innocency; it is much more that he ſhould renew a Covenant with him in the ſtate of enmity: for the righteous God to covenant with righteous man, is not ſo wonderful, as for the holy God to make a Covenant with unholy man: To be a friend unto a friend is much leſſe than to be a friend unto an enemy: To ſhew favour to one who never deſerved wrath, is inferiour to this, viz. to ſhew the greateſt kindneſſe to one who deſerves the greateſt wrath, and utter rejection. As to requite evil for good, is the greateſt ingratitude; ſo to return good for evil, is the greateſt kindneſſe.

3. If you conſider the comprehenſive efficacy of this, that God is to us a God The comprehenſive efficacy of this. in Covenant. This comprehends in it, all good, all love, all mercy, all bleſſings whatſoever. If God be our God, all good muſt be our good: heaven and earth are ſetled upon you: all is given unto you, when God gives himſelf unto you: He is your Sunne, and your Shield; He will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold. How wonderful is this, that God ſhould be our God in a Covenant of grace! We wonder at Adams intereſts, and poſſeſſions: But the intereſts and enjoyments of the ſinner, being brought into this Covenant with God, as they are more certaine and ſtable, ſo they are more high and full. You are now intereſſed in ſuch mercies, and in ſuch fruitions which Adam never did, or could taſte of in his original ſtate of righteouſneſſe. All other gifts in compariſon with this.

4. If you conſider all other gifts in compariſon with this gift, I will be your God. The gifts which God beſtows upon his people, are very many, and very rich, yet none of them is comparable unto this gift of himſelf in Covenant. None of his earthly and temporal gifts; theſe are lower than his ſpiritual and eternal gifts: they are farre ſhort of them, and therefore farre ſhort of God. The leaſt ſpiritual gift tranſcends all earthly and temporal gifts. And none of his ſpiritual gifts, I ſay none of theſe is to be matched or compared with himſelf. Grace is not ſuch a gift as the God of grace: Mercy is not ſuch a gift as the God of mercy: Peace is not ſuch a gift as the God of peace: Nor holineſſe, as is the God of holineſſe: Nor happineſſe, as is the God of happineſſe: No, nor Chriſt himſelf; for the end of giving of Chriſt is to bring us unto God, to the enjoyment of him; and ſurely the end for which any thing is given, is above the means for which it is given.

5. If you conſider the fulneſſe of this, That God gives himſelf unto us to be our God. It is the uppermoſt, and it is the utmoſt of all Donations: As there is nothing better, ſo there is nothing more to be given. God cannot give you a greater, nor a better, nor any more good, when he hath given unto you himſelf. It is as much as you muſt, and as much as you can expect and deſire; you cannot have more on earth, and you cannot have more in heaven. The enjoyment of God himſelf for our God, is All. And now tell me whether this be not-wonderful and amazing, that ſuch a God ſhould give himſelf to ſuch miſerable, poor, loathſome and unworthy ſinners in ſuch a gracious Covenant.

Uſe. 2. Is this the Covenant of grace (at leaſt the moſt noble and vital part of Try our ſelves whether we be in Covenant with God. it) that God is our God, and that we are his people? then let us try our ſelves whether we be within this Covenant of grac • , yea or no. Can you (upon good grounds) ſay, This God is our God, or the Lord is my God; My God, and my Lord, and my Father. Laban could ſay, the God of your Father, • en. 31. 29. and Pharaoh could ſay, entreat the Lord your God, Exod. 10. 17. but neither of theſe could ſay, th • Lord my God. You read of ſome to whom the Lord ſpeaks, Ye are not my people, and I will not be your God, Hoſ. 1. 9. and the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſome, who were strangers from the Covenant of promiſe, having no hope, and without God in the world, Epheſ. 2. 12. This is one difference betwixt the Covenant of works and the Covenant of grace, that the one is univerſal, extending to all mankinde, but the other is particular, and is reſtrained only to Believers: There is no diſtinction of perſons in the one, but there is a limitation of perſons in the other. God is not a God (in a Covenant of grace) unto all, nor can all look on him and own him as their God in Covenant.

Now becauſe this is a very weighty buſineſſe, I ſhall therefore propound four things to diſcourſe upon. 1. Some clear characters of ſuch people who (as yet) have not the Lord to be their God in Covenant. 2. The extreme miſery and infelicity of ſuch perſons. 3. The infallible evidences by which you may know that the Lord is your God in the Covenant of grace. 4. The admirable comforts proper to thoſe who can (upon that account) ſay, that God is to them a God, and that the Lord is their God in Covenant.

SECT. II

1. THE Characters of ſuch a people, who as yet have not the Lord to be their Characters of a people not in Covenant. God in Covenant. I ſhall preſent unto you four of them, viz univerſal abſence. 2. Special diſagreement. 3. A contrary league. 4. Poſitive unbelief.

1. Univerſal abſence of all thoſe covenant-tokens which God alwayes beſtows on them with whom he is a God in Covenant: God is never a God in Covenant Univerſal abſence. to any, but ſome new and excellent qualities are derived from God; even the excellencies expreſſed in his Covenant are imprinted in all with whom God is a God in Covenant. God is a God of the living, and not of the dead: If God be your God, you are a changed people, another kinde of people than in times paſt you were. You have new hearts and a new ſpirit: And an heart is given unto you to know the Lord, and to love the Lord, and to fear the Lord your God, as he promiſeth to all with whom he is a God in Covenant: And therefore if no Covenant grace is to be found in a mans heart, if no change, if no knowledge, if no love of God, no fear of God, this man cannot ſay God is my God; he cannot ſay God hath covenanted with me to be my God. Hence it is that the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the Epheſians, as under their natural, ſinful condition, being dead in ſins and treſpaſſes, and walking according to the courſe of the world, and having their converſation in the luſts of the fleſh, Epheſ. 2. 1, 2, 3. he ſaith of them, that at that time they were without Chriſt, and without the Covenant, and without God in the world, ver. 12.

Object. It is true, that Renewing Grace is not an Antecedent in the Covenant.

Sol. Yet it is true, that it is a Conſequent of the Covenant; It is not a Cauſe why God is our God, yet it is an Immediate effect of this when God is our God: God doth not ſay, If you bring a changed and renewed heart, then I will be your God; but yet, when God ſaith in Covenant, I will be your God, he ſaith alſo I will give you a new heart, &c.

2. Special Di • agreement. In all Covenants drawn up betwixt perſon and Special diſagreement. perſon, there muſt be a mutual agreement, or elſe it is not a Covenant, neither is it binding, neither is there, or can there be a propriety. If a man offer himſelf upon ſuch and ſuch termes to be a husband unto a woman, it ſhe diſagree, if ſhe cannot like the perſon, or his termes, here is no Covenant betwixt them; ſhe cannot ſay This man is my husband; ſo if the Lord offers himſelf to be our God, but he and we differ upon termes propoſed, he propoſeth ſuch termes as we cannot like, and will not yield unto; now it is evident that he is not our God in Covenant, nor can we ſay This God is our God. God ſaith, I am content to be your God; but then you muſt be content to be holy, Levit. 11. 44. I am the Lord your God, ye ſhall therefore ſanctifie your ſelves, and you ſhall be holy, for I am holy. Now if a perſon replies, but I will not be holy, of all things whatſoever I cannot abide holineſſe, I hate it, and I ſcorne it, and I will never yield unto it; this perſon hath not God to be his God in Covenant, for he utterly diſagrees, he cannot endure a holy God, and he will not be holy as God is holy. Againe, God ſaith, you would have me to be the Lord your God in Covenant; If ſo, then you muſt obey the voyce of the Lord your God, and do what he commands, Deut. 27. 10. If you will have me for your God, I muſt rule you, and guide you, and preſcribe unto you, what to do, and what to avoid; but if a perſon replies, I will not have God to rule me, and to order me, I will do what I think good, and will live as I liſt; I profeſſe to thee, God is none of thy God; thou refuſeſt him, and doeſt not come up to his Covenant propoſals. What a ſilly thing is it, for any of you, to own God for your God, whilſt you utterly diſagree with him in his propoſals, eſpecially in thoſe which muſt neceſſarily conſtitute you to be his people? viz. ſanctity and ſubjection. A contrary League.

3. A contrary League. When the people would make a Covenant that God ſhould be their God, and him they would ſerve, mark how it is expreſſed, Joſh. 24. 23, 25. Now therefore put away the strange gods that ar • amongſt you, and encline your heart to the Lord God of Iſrael. Intimating that God woul never be their God, if they would not put away their idols: If a mans heart be in league and Covenant with any ſinne, it cannot be in Covenant with God. Did God ever ſay, I will be a God to any man who loves his ſinnes, and will not part with them! I tell you the Lord abhorres that man, and threatens all his curſes againſt him, and will wound and deſtroy him that ſtill goes on in his treſpaſſes. And therefore if any amongſt you ſets his heart on ſinne, if he ſaith I love this ſinne, and I will not forſake it, (I will not forſake my pride, I will not forſake my lying, and I will not forſake my ſlandering, I will not forſake my drunkenneſſe, or my uncleanneſſe, &c.) by this he may know that God is none of his God in Covenant, nor is he any of the people in Covenant with God. Thou art in a contrary Covenant, in a Covenant wherein God will never agree with thee, Pſal. 50. 16. Ʋnto the wicked God ſaith, What haſt thou to do to declare my Statutes, or that thou ſhouldeſt take my Covenant into thy mouth, ſeeing thou hateſt inſtruction, and caſteſt my words behinde thee. There are two Covenants, unto which if a man cleaves, God is not in Covenant with him; one is the Covenant of good works, for juſtification and life: This is inconſiſtent with an intereſt in the Covenant of grace. The other is the Covenant with bad works: In this thou put'ſt off God, and rejecteſt him, and God puts off thee, and rejects thee: And thou mayeſt know that thou art in Covenant with ſinne, if thou haſt a ſtrong affection to it, and doeſt habitually yield a willing ſubjection to it.

4. Poſitive unbelief. When the ſinner refuſeth Chriſt, will not come to him, Poſitive unbelief. not conſent to take and receive him for King, Prieſt, and Prophet; Ye will not com • to me that • e might have life, John 5. 4. We will not have this man to reigne over us, Luke 19. 14. Chriſt offers himſelf, and calls, and entreats, and promiſeth, but they will not hearken; now, he that will not have Chriſt to be his Chriſt, cannot have God to be his God; For as much as God becomes our God and our Father only in Chriſt. By Chriſt only we are brought near unto him, and enjoy him as our God in Covenant.

SECT. III.

2. THE extreme miſery and infelicity of ſuch perſons who have not God The miſery of ſuch who have not God for their God. to be their God in Covenant. The miſery is ſo great, and ſo ſad, that I know not well how to expreſſe it to you.

1. You are wholly and utterly excluded from all good and happineſſe. You They are utterly excluded from all good. have nothing to do with happineſſe, nor with any thing conducing to it. There is a merciful, loving, gracious, bleſſed God; but thou haſt no portion in this God. There is a precious Chriſt, a mighty Redeemer, and only Saviour; but thou haſt no propriety in this Chriſt: There are great and precious promiſes, there are tender compaſſions in God; there are admirable undertakings for all good, for ſoul and body: But what are all theſe to him who is not in Covenant, who hath not God for his God? A man reads a Leaſe of lands, and goods, and houſes; theſe are ſomething to the heirs; but what are they to an enemy, or to a ſtranger? A perſon is very great and mighty, &c. but what is this to the woman who will not marry him? Ah, how ſad is this, God hath love, and not for me; hath mercy, but not for me; is happineſſe, but is not ſo to me! Well did one cry out Quid eſt Deus, niſi meus, what is God if he be not my God! If he be not merciful to me, and good to me, and bleſſedneſſe to me. They have none to go unto in any diſtreſſe.

2. You have none to go unto in any diſtreſſe and want. In the times of your diſtreſſe whither will you flie, or to whom can you go? Wants are upon your bodies, and there is no creature to help you; anguiſh is upon your conſcience, and there is no creature to quiet you: Danger is near your ſouls, and there is no creature to ſave you; whither will you go, in life for bleſſing, or in death for life? All good is treaſured up in the Covenant, and conveyed to them that have God for their God; you muſt firſt have a propriety in God himſelf, before you can have a right unto, or a propriety in the good things that are to be had by God. O but he is no God to thee, he is none of thine, nor hath he engaged himſelf to thee for any good whatſoever.

3. You are altogether expoſed unto all evil. If God be not your God, aſsuredly They are altogether expoſed to all evil. then he is your Judge: If he be not your friend, then he is your enemy: If you be not under his love, you are then under his wrath: If his promiſes are not for you, his threatnings are againſt you: If he be not your loving God in Covenant, he is your wrathful God out of Covenant: If he be not your pardoning God in Covenant, he is your condemning God out of Covenant: If you have reaſon to expect mercy from him, becauſe he is your God, you have as much reaſon to expect judgement from him becauſe he is your God. I will tell you what God is, and will be to you, if he be not your God in Covenant; He is a juſt God, who will render unto you according to your works; He is a holy God, who will loath you, and abhorre and reject you: He is a faithful God, who will certai • ly execute the fiereneſſe of his wrath, and all the evil which he hath threatned in his Word againſt you, and you ſhall never eſcape that judgement; it ſhall certainly befal you, and abide on you to all eternity.

4. Againſt all this, you have no remedy, no hope. All the hope of a ſinner Againſt this they have no remedy. is in a Mediatour; but Chriſt is the Mediatour of the Covenant; There is no Mediatour to be found in any Covenant but this of Grace, and this you have no part in, God is not your God.

SECT. IV.

3. THE Infallible evidences by which we may know that God is our God The evidences that God is our God in in Covenant. in Covenant. I will preſent unto you ſeven Evidences for this, and I beſeech you to ponder them ſeriouſly: You may know that God is your God, and that you are his people in Covenant.

1. By anſwerable and reciprocal acts. 2. By incluſive and excluſive intereſts and properties. 3. By your choyce and peculiar enjoyments, or (at leaſt) your deſires of them. 4. By the ſubordination and conformity of your hearts unto his authority and will. 5. By your ſweet contentment and ſatisfaction in the manifeſtations of God in any part of his Covenant unto your ſouls. 6. By your dependance on God as your God in Covenant. 7. By your Covenant-care and carriage.

Firſt, You may know that God is your God, and that you are his people, by your The anſwerable and reciprocal acts betwixt God and us. On Gods part. His chooſing act. anſwerable and reciprocal acts between God and you.

There are four acts which God doth expreſſe when he becomes our God in Covenant.

1. There is his chooſing act; he makes choyce of us before any other to be his people. The Lord thy God hath choſen thee to be a ſpecial people unto himſelf, above all the people that are upon the face of the earth, Deut. 7. 6.

2. There is his loving act. When I paſſed by thee, and looked on thee, Behold His loving act. thy time was the time of love. And I ſware unto thee, and entred into Covenant with thee, and thou becameſt mine, Ezek. 16. 18.

3. There is his engaging act: He bindes himſelf to be our God, by Promiſe, His engaging act. and by Oath, Ezek. 16. I ſware unto thee.

4. There is his imparting act: He doth in this Covenant beſtow himſelf, and His imparting act. all that he hath, or can do, upon us. I am thine, and I will bleſſe thee, and do thee good. And all theſe acts are free, not compelled; and they are alſo fixed acts, never will he reverſe or alter them.

Anſwerable unto theſe acts of God, are the Acts in ſuch who are the people of On our part. God by Covenant: What God acts towards them, they do act by the inſtinct of his Spirit towards him. They do alſo,

1. Chooſe him before all other to be their God. You have choſen you the Lord to ſerve him, Joſh. 24. 22. Thou haſt avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, We chooſe him. Deut. 26. 27. As the wife owns the husband, this is the man on whom her heart is ſet, and none but him.

2. Love him; I love the Lord, ſaid David, Pſal. 116. 1. Thou ſhalt love the Love him. Lord thy God, Deut. 11. 1. We loved him becauſe he loved us first, 1 John 4. 19. Oh how dear is his preſence and his favour to them, how ſweet are their mutual communions?

3. Engage themſelves unto him: Many Nations ſhall be joyned to the Lord in Engage our ſelves to him. that day, and ſhall be my people, Zech. 2. 11. They yield themſelves unto the Lord, (or as it is in the original, they give the hand unto the Lord) 2 Chron. 30. 8. As the cuſtome is, when men make a Covenant or Agreement, they ſtrike hands, or take one another by the hand, arguing hereby their conſent and engagement, as the people in Ezra 10. 19. gave their hands that they would put away their wives. So in covenanting with God, we give out the hand unto him; (i. e.) we give up our ſelves unto him, and binde our ſelves unto him.

4. Impart themſelves, and all that they have, or can do unto him; their hearts Impart our ſelves to him. and lives, and gifts, and ſervices, that God may have all; and draw out your All, All your hearts, all your graces, all your parts and lives, and eſtates, Joſh. 24. 17. The Lord is our God. Ver. 24. The Lord our God will we ſerve. Rom. 14. 7. None of us liveth to himſelf. Verſe 8. Whether we live, we live unto the Lord, &c. Now is it thus with us? have we indeed choſen the Lord to be our God? and are we engaged unto him, and love him, and own him, and are become his, and none but his, and have we made over our ſelves, and all that we have unto him, and count nothing, no, not our lives too dear for him? The Lord hath paſſed by thouſands, and hath ſet his heart on you; and have you paſſed by all others, and ſet your hearts only on him? But are you ſure that you have not choſen ſome other Object with him, or before him? only the Lord God is choſen by you, and ſet up by you. No ſinful object, and no earthly object is ſet up: And are you ſo become his, as that you will be his for ever? you are bound to him, you cleave unto him; nothing ſhall part you and your God; no outward preferments, afflictions, and croſſes: do you count it your only happineſs to enjoy him, and your only unhappineſs to be deprived of him? do you ſay, None but God, none but God? as the Martyr ſaid, None but Christ. But are you ſo his, that he is the greateſt deſire, and the greateſt delight, and the greatly beloved of your ſouls? Whom have I in heaven but thee? There is none on earth that I deſire beſides thee, Pſal. 73. 25. Nay, but may the Lord make uſe of you as his? If he ſhould ſay, I muſt uſe your wiſdome, or your power, or your authority, or your zeal, or your eſtate, or your lives, for the ſervice of my glory: Can you now anſwer, O Lord, I am thine, I am thy ſervant, all that I have is thine, and all that I can do is thine? thou ſhalt command my heart, my parts, my eſtate, my life, my All, &c.

2. You may know whether the Lord be your God, and you be his people, By our mutual intereſts and properties. By your mutual intereſts, and proprieties incluſively, and excluſively; God hath an intereſt in you, and you have an intereſt in God: he hath a propriety in you, and you have a propriety in him; in all that he hath you have an intereſt, and in all that you have he hath an intereſt; what he is, he is for you; and what you are, you are for him; he is only for you, and you are only for him: None hath that intereſt in you as God hath, if indeed he be your God; Nay, you have not ſuch an intereſt in your ſelves, as God hath in you; you are not your own, you are wholly his, if indeed he be your God, and you be his people; No Sinne can ſay, You are mine; and no Creature can ſay, You are mine; only God can ſay, You are mine; As in the Covenant of Marriage, none but the Husband can ſay, This woman is mine; So if God be our God in Covenant, none can ſay, You are mine, but God only. Levit. 20. 26. You ſhall be holy unto me, for I the Lord am holy, and have ſever'd you from other people, that you ſhould be mine. Ezek. 16. 8. I entered into Covenant with thee, and thou becameſt mine. Cant. 2. 16. My beloved is mine, and I am his. O ſirs! theſe two words (mine and thine) make up the Covenant; Nay, if I may be rightly underſtood, this one word (mine) makes up the Covenant, when you ſumme up all, it is in this, God is mine, he is my God, he is my Lord, he is my Father, he is my friend, he is my mercy, he is my wiſdome, he is my counſel, he is my rock, he is my help, he is my comfort, he is my hope, he is my ſalvation, he is my portion, he is my life, he is my happineſs. Domine ubi ſunt omnia mea, tuſcis, ſaid Paulinus; And when God looks on any perſon in Covenant with him, he can ſay, This perſon is mine, he is my child and my friend, and my ſervant; I have all his heart, and all his love, and all his hope, and all his truſt, and all his delight, and all his deſire, and all his fear, and all his ſervice, &c.

3. You may know whether God be your God, By your choice and pecul'ar By your choice and peculiar enjoyments. enjoyments; or (at leaſt) by your deſire of them; your Covenant enjoyments; your deſire to enjoy Covenant-mercies and bleſſings; if God be your God in Covenant? you do enjoy him, and ſuch things from him as no othe people in the earth do enjoy; what peculiar things do we enjoy, I will tell you.

1. You enjoy that loving-kindeſſe, and favour as none elſe do enjoy: Remember The loving kindneſs of God. me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people, Pſal. 106. 4.

2. You enjoy that pardoning mercy as none elſe do enjoy; Thou haſt forgiven Pardoning mercy. the iniquity of thy people, thou haſt covered all their ſinne, Pſal. 85. 2.

3. You enjoy that power of renewing grace which none elſe do enjoy; That Power of renewing grace. cleanſing from ſinne, Jer. 33. 8. That ſubduing of ſinne, Micah 7. 19. That freedome from ſin; Sin ſhall not have dominion over you, for you are under grace, Rom. 6. 14. That newneſs of heart, Ezek. 36. 26.

4. You enjoy that peace and comfort which none others do enjoy; He will Peace and comfort. ſpeak peace unto his people, Pſal. 85. 8. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, ſaith your God, Iſa. 40. 1. Sing and rejoyce, O daughter of Zion, for lo, I come, and I will dwell in the midſt of thee, ſaith the Lord, Zach. 2. 10.

Object. Oh, But we have handly found any of theſe Covenant enjoyments.

Sol. I anſwer, every one to whom God is a God in Covenant.

1. Either hath expreſly found every one of them.

2. Or his great deſires, and longings of heart are after theſe Covenant enjoyments; O a reconciled God, a loving God, a pardoning God, a ſanctifying God, a Peace-ſpeaking God, &c. above all things elſe whatſoever, theſe are moſt eminently, and moſt earneſtly, and moſt conſtantly to be found in the hearts deſire of that perſon who indeed hath God to be his God; Let the conſcience ſpeak, and bear witneſſe whether this be not ſo. All you who have God to be your God, and who are his people this day; Now tell me you who heare this Sermon, and perhaps think that God is your God, what are your enjoyments, your portions, your poſſeſſions; what Covenant-gift, or work is to be found in your ſouls; And what are the great things after which you ſo pant, and ſigh? Is it the favour of God, is it the mercy of God, is it renewing, and ſubduing grace? I have nothing untill I have theſe, and I cannot be ſatisfied untill I have theſe. O Lord, be my God; O Lord forgive iniquity, remember me graciouſly, love me freely, heal my ſoul, &c.

4. You may know that God is your God, and that you are his people by your By the conformity of your wills to Gods Will. ſubordination, and by your conformity of your wills to Gods Will; Beloved, the Covenant betwixt God and us, takes in theſe two things.

1. Subordination. For it is an agreement betwixt a Superiour and an Inferiour; betwixt the great God who is the Lord of all, and poor miſerable man, who is inferiour to him, and is to ſubject himſelf to his God, as to his Lord and Soveraign, to be ruled by him, and guided by him.

2. Conformity of will; for it is a Covenant of love, in which both parties have as it were but one heart, and one mind, and one will between them; and ſo in this Covenant [if we have God for our God; and if we be his people] what God likes, that do we like; and what our God loves, that do we love; and what our God hates, that do we hate; and what our God wills, that do we will; and what God would have done, that would we have done. This Covenant is an agreement, and mutual conſent in all things; It will not permit us to give limits to God, becauſe he is our ſoveraign Lord; Nor will it admit contrarieties and contradictions 'twixt God and us; And therefore in this Covenant, God writes his law in our hearts; i. e. he puts into our hearts ſuch ſpiritual principles, as makes our will delightfully conformable unto his Will.

Alas! if there be an oppoſition 'twixt our hearts and God, a contradiction in our minds and wills unto his mind and Will, this enmity plainly teſtifies, that he is not our God, and that we are none of his people; if you be at that point, that your judgement, and your will, and your luſts ſhall rule, and ſway, and govern, and command, and that God muſt ſtoop and yield to your thoughts, and to your pleaſures, and to your wills, &c. But by this it appears that he is your God, and that you are his people, if God doth rule, and you do obey; if he commands, and you do hearken; if his mind rules your judgement, if his Will rules your will, if his love rules your love, if his Law rules your lives; O Lord, what thou loveſt I love, what thou commandeſt I approve; good is the Word of the Lord, the Commandment is holy and juſt, and good.

5. You may know whether God be your God in Covenant, by the ſweet By our ſweet contentment in the manifeſtations of God to us. contentment, and ſatisfaction, in the manifeſtations of your God in any part or branch of his Covenant into your ſouls. If the Lord at any time be pleaſed to anſwer the deſires of your ſouls in Covenant-love, or in Covenant-mercy, or in Covenant-grace, or in Covenant-ſtrength, or in Covenant-peace; O what a heavenly ſatisfaction is this! But a glimpſe of the favour of your God; but a taſte of the mercy of your God; never ſo little of grace or peace which is an Ambaſſage, a Letter, a Token from God, that he is your God; this is ſuch a life to you, it is ſuch a rejoycing, it is ſuch a cordial, it is ſuch a ſweet day to your ſoules; It is a thouſand times more than to hear news, that the higheſt of earthly preferments is yours, or that the largeſt of earthly poſſeſſions are yours; Covenant-manifeſtations are moſt precious unto all who are in Covenant. Pſal. 35. 3. Say unto my ſoul, thou art my ſalvation.

6. You may know that God is your God, and that you are his people, by your dependance on God as your God in Covenant; you will go to him, and By our dependance on God as our God in Covenant. reſt on him in all your occaſions; I will cry unto God moſt high, unto God▪ that performeth all things for me, Pſal. 57. 2. Thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee, Pſal. 63. 1. So, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will ſave us, Iſa. 25. 9. I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my ſalvation; my God will hear me, Micah 7. 7, &c. You will go to him and none elſe; to your al-ſufficient God, to your Sunne, and to your ſhield; Remember thy Covenant, O my God, which thou haſt made, and ſave me, &c. You may know that God is your God, by your care, and your carriage in walking with him, and before him, according to the Covenant; I am the Almighty God, walk before me and be thou perfect, Gen. 17. 1. You are a choice and peculiar people, and you will lead choice and peculiar lives.

SECT. V.

4. THe comforts from this, that God is our God, and that we are his people: I Comforts from this that God is our God. ſhall propound theſe, 1. In general. 2. In particular.

1. In the general, it is our happineſſe, and bleſſedneſſe, ſo the Scripture affirms, Pſal. 33. 12. Bleſſed is the Nation, whoſe God is the Lord, and the In general. This is our Bleſſedneſs. people whom he hath choſen for his inheritance. Pſal. 144. 15. Happy is the people whoſe God is the Lord. We loſt our happineſſe, when we loſt our God; and we then recover our happineſſe, when we recover God to be our God; there are Three things make up a bleſſedneſſe for us. Chiefneſſe of good. three things neceſſary to make up a bleſſedneſſe for us.

1. Chiefneſſe of good; Mans happineſſe muſt be the beſt of good. No good [below man] can be the happineſſe of man; and therefore mans happineſſe cannot be placed in the enjoyment of any created thing whatſoever, (ſuppoſe it be any gracious qualities) becauſe there is a good better than all theſe, and that is God himſelf.

2. Fulneſſe of good; it muſt be ſuch a good as comprehends all the good Fulneſs of good which the ſoul of man doth or can need and deſire, and is capable of; if the good be too ſhort, and failing, that it is not ſutable, or it is not extenſive, if it cannot fully reach unto, and fill up the ſoul; it is not bleſſedneſſe, for bleſſedneſſe is perfect; it cannot conſiſt with want; now ſuch a good God only is.

3. Fruition of, and propriety in that good: Objective bleſſedneſſe may be Fruition of that good. without our fruition; but our formal bleſſedneſſe doth conſiſt in our enjoyment of that bleſſedneſſe in union with it, and communion of it; and all theſe are to be found when God is our God, and when we are his people in Covenant; That God (who is the chiefeſt good, and moſt full and infinite good) we ſtand poſſeſſed of, and enjoy him as ſo unto all eternity. This is our God for ever and ever.

But to ſpeak more exactly to this great truth: give me favour to open three things unto you, &c.

1. That God is, and that he only is our bleſſedneſſe. 2. What that is which makes up our bleſſedneſſe in God. 3. That every one who hath God to be his God, doth enjoy every thing which makes up that bleſſedneſſe.

1. That God is, and that he only is our bleſſedneſſe, this will preſently appear God is, and he only is our bleſſedneſſe, Proved. Bleſſedneſſe is perfection. God is perfection. by theſe three Arguments.

1. Bleſſedneſſe is perfection, and it is the chiefeſt perfection; it raiſeth our condition, and ſo raiſeth it, that it cannot be raiſed any higher or further; and therefore the Apoſtle deſcribing the bleſſedneſſe of the Saints in heaven, ſaith, that thus the ſpirits of juſt men are made perfect, Heb. 12. 24. But God is perfection, and he is the chiefeſt perfection; not only as to himſelf, but alſo as to us; that he is perfection to himſelf, is evident by his own al-ſufficiency, and by his own infiniteneſſe (al-ſufficiency is perfection, and infiniteneſſe is perfection, and independency on any, is a perfection of, and no it, ſelf) and that he is a perfection, and the chiefeſt of perfection unto us is as evident; for,

1. The more or leſſe you enjoy of him, the more, or the leſſe perfect you are; The more or leſſe you enjoy of God, the more or leſſe perfect. you climb up to your perfection, as you climb up in your enjoyments of him: the more that you are brought into a likeneſſe of him, and into a fellowſhip with him, and a participation of his grace and love, and glory, the more perfect you are.

2. The more you do enjoy of him, the leſſe need you will have of other things; The more you enjoy him, the leſſe need of other things. And when you come fully to enjoy him, all your needs, and all your wants will be at an end. As nothing can be added to God, becauſe he is an infinite perfection; So nothing can be added to our bleſſedneſſe, beſides God himſelfe, when we come to enjoy him, and therefore he alone is our perfection.

3. He fully makes up the wants of your ſouls; and therefore he is our perfection. He fully makes up the wants of our ſouls. Survey all the wants and complaints of the ſoule; he can ſupply them all; and all from himſelf alone; and therefore certainly God is our perfection.

4. Yea, go where you will, and pitch on any objects whatſoever, and In all other enjoyments, our condition is low without God. Bleſſedneſſe is our reſt. let them all fall into your poſſeſſion, yet, is your condition low, imperfect, needy, unhappy, unleſſe you come to enjoy God; therefore he only is your perfection.

2. Bleſſedneſſe is a quietation. It is our reſt, our center where our ſouls quietly reſt, and neither do, nor can move any further. It is our Fathers houſe unto which we are travelling, and unto which when we arrive, we are then at our journies end.

Bleſſedneſſe is that enjoyment, beyond which we cannot move in our deſires, for any better or further enjoyment: It concludes and puts a full period to all the motions of the ſoul; Now God is, and he only is the quiet, reſt, and end of the ſoul. O Lord, ſaith Auſtin, My heart was made for thee, God, and he only is our reſt and never is at re •• till it come unto thee. There is a reſtleſſeneſſe in man in all other enjoyments; his ſoul reſts not, though he enjoyes honours, or riches, or friends, or health, or liberty; yea, though he enjoyes grace and comfort; But when he comes to enjoy God himſelf, now he is at reſt; Now he can ſay as David, Return to thy reſt, O my ſoul, Pſal. 116. 7. There is no more to be deſired or enjoyed; for bleſſedneſſe is a compleat and fixed ſatisfaction to the ſoul; it fills up all wants, and all deſires, and therefore it gives reſt and quiet; and ſo doth God; The Rabbins ſay, that all the letters in the Name Jehovah, are litterae quieſcentes, letters of reſt. Bleſſedneſs is that good which is moſt deſirable.

3. Bleſsedneſſe is that good which is moſt deſirable, and moſt delightful; for it is the greateſt goodneſſe, and therefore is moſt deſirable, and becauſe ſo, therefore it is the moſt delightful: It is the end for which all other things are deſired, and it is the full poſſeſſion of all that we have longed and waited for. Now God is the moſt deſirable good; He is ſo in himſelf, (for he is goodneſſe God is the moſt deſirable good. it ſelf, and he is deſirable for himſelf alone, and ſo is no other good) And he is ſo in the hearts of his people: Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth that I deſire beſides thee, Pſal. 73. 25. And God is the most delightful good; there cannot be any object whatſoever, which can ſo pleaſe, and ſo take, and ſo affect, and glad and rejoyce the heart, as God doth; His manifeſtations are a very Paradiſe, and a very heaven in the hearts of his people; they make them to rejoyce with joy unſpeakable, and full of glory.

2. What that is in and from God which makes up our bleſſedneſs, or a bleſſedneſs What that is, in and from God, which is a bleſſedneſs unto us. Propriety. unto us.

There are four things which do it.

1. Propriety. Though God be an infinite bleſſedneſs in and to himſelf, whether we have any intereſt and propriety in him or not, yet he is not our bleſſedneſs without propriety; he muſt be our God, if he be our bleſſedneſs. Propriety in bleſſedneſs, is our bleſſedneſs. He is rich who hath riches, and he is great who hath greatneſs; the ſeeing of lands, makes no eſtate unto us, but the poſſeſſion of them, and propriety in them, this doth it.

2. Conformity; as our unhappineſſe conſiſts in diſſimilitude (the more unlike Conformity. any man is to God, the more unhappy is that man) where nothing of God appears, there nothing of happineſſe appears, (for there can be nothing but darkneſſe, where there is nothing of light.) So on the contrary, our happineſſe depends upon ſimilitude with God; The more like we are to him, the more bleſſed are we. The Apoſtle delivers this as our very bleſſedneſſe, that when he appears we ſhall be like him, 1 Joh. 3. 2. Hence it is, that holy perſons are ſtiled bleſſed perſons: Bleſsed are the pure in heart, Matth. 5. 8. and holineſſe is happineſſe. Imperfect holineſſe, is imperfect happineſſe; and perfect holineſſe is perfect happineſſe. The more holy you are, the more like to God you are; and the more like you are to him, the more bleſſed you are. The more you partake of the Divine Nature, (which is the only bleſſed Nature) the more do you partake of bleſſedneſſe, for God is now the more yours.

3. Ʋnion. As diſſimilitude with God, hinders God from being our bleſſedneſs: Union. ſo likewiſe doth diſtance from God; this muſt neceſſarily be ſo; for if God be bleſſedneſs, then a diſtance from God, is likewiſe a diſtance from bleſſedneſs; of neceſſity there muſt be a nearneſs; yea, ſuch a nearneſs as makes a union, which muſt make up a bleſſedneſſe unto us; and indeed here lies our bleſſedneſs, that God unites himſelf unto us, and we are united to him. He unites God unites himſelf to us. By way of donation. himſelf unto us,

1. By way of donation; in that he gives himſelf unto us, even as an husband gives himſelf unto the wife, Hoſ. 2. 19.

2. By way of inhabitation; in that he dwells in us by his Spirit, 1 John 3. 24. By way of Inhabitation. We know that he dwells in us by the Spirit which he hath given us. 2 Cor. 6. 16. I will dwell in them, and I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people.

3. By way of affection; for as we are united to Chriſt by Faith, ſo God is By way of affection. united to us by love; when he loves us, he joynes himſelf to us (union being an immediate effect of love) and where he unites himſelf, there he is a bleſſedneſs.

4. Communion. This Communion of God with us, is our great happineſs on earth, and ſhall be our everlaſting happineſs in heaven, and it doth conſiſt Communion. in Gods gracious opening and manifeſting of himſelf unto the ſoul; not ſimply in his loving of us, but eſpecially in the manifeſting that love unto us; not ſimply in his delight, but eſpecially in manifeſting that delight of his in us towards us, and in the imparting of his goodneſs to us; and verily in this communion doth our bleſſedneſs conſiſt; namely, that God doth manifeſt himſelf in love, and grace, and glory to us.

3. That every one who hath God for his God in Covenant, doth enjoy every Everyone who hath God for his God, doth enjoy all theſe things. He hath an intereſt in God. one of theſe things which makes up bleſsedneſs; This ſo clear, that I ſhall not need to inſiſt upon it.

1. He hath an intereſt in God; yea, ſuch an intereſt that includes propriety; he can ſay, This God is my God, and this God is my portion. Pſal. 118. 28. Thou art my God, and I will praiſe thee; Thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. Pſal. 119. 57. Thou art my portion, O Lord. Pſal. 73. 26. God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Bernard ſaith, Lord, whatſoever we give thee, unleſſe we give our ſelves unto thee, it doth not ſatisfie thee; So we muſt ſay, Lord, whatſoever thou giveſt to us, it cannot ſatisfie us. It is ſomewhat to ſay, This houſe is mine, and theſe lands are mine, and theſe parents and friends are mine; but it is infinitely more to ſay, This God is mine, this God is my portion. The greater that God is above all others, the greater is the comfort and the bleſſedneſs, that he is mine.

2. He hath a conformity unto God: for he now is made partaker of the He hath a conformity unto God. Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. and is changed into the ſame image, 2 Cor. 3. 18. He carries the very marks and characters of the holy, merciful, good, patient, wiſe, loving God in his ſoul.

3. He hath union with God, and God with him; therefore he is ſaid to be He hath union with God. married to the Lord. Thy Maker is thy husband, Iſa. 54. 5. And to be joyned to the Lord, 1 Cor. 6. 17. God is in him, and dwells in him: His heart is the Temple of the Holy Ghoſt; And the Father loves him, John 14. 23. If any man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

4. He hath communion with God; Our fellowſhip is with the Father, and He hath communion with God. with his Sonne Jeſus Christ, 1 Joh. 1. 3. The Communion of the holy Ghoſt be with you, 2 Cor. 13. 14. Oh what happineſs is this! If all that God the Father will impart, or if all that God the Sonne will impart, or if all that God the holy Ghoſt will impar • ▪ can make you bleſſed, you have it all. God hath communion with you, and you have communion with him; he loves you; I will marry you to my ſelf in loving kindneſſe, Hoſ. 2. 19. and you love him; We love him, becauſe he loved us firſt, 1 John 4. 19. He delights in you; Thou ſhalt be called Hephzibah, for the Lord delighteth in thee, Iſa. 62. 4. and you take delight in God. God is manifeſting himſelf, and communicating his love and goodneſs to you to all eternity.

2. Thus have you the comfort in the general, from this, that God is your Comforts in particular. God. I ſhall now proceed to handle the comforts in particular, which belong unto you; and they are theſe. If God be your God,

1. Then you are the particular objects of the eternal love of God, and of all his gracious, unchangeable and infallible purpoſes, intentions and thoughts. 2. Then all the glorious Attributes of God are engaged unto you for good, for your good, for all your good, altogether for all your good. 3. Then Jeſus Chriſt, and all the Offices of Chriſt, and all the works, and all the ſweet fruits of his Redemption, Interceſſion, and Mediatourſhip are yours, and for your good. 4. Then the Holy Ghoſt, and all the excellent and choyce works of the Spirit, his graces, aſſiſtance, guidance, refreſhings, joyes, comforts, ſealings, are your portion and aſſured poſſeſſion. 5. Then there is a communion and conjunction of the whole Trinity, in all the buſineſſes of your eternal bleſſedneſs. 6. Then all the promiſes of God are yours. 7. Then all the priviledges and immunities annexed to the Covenant of grace, are yours. 8. Then all is yours.

Greater and better comforts than theſe, neither men nor Angels can poſſibly preſent unto you. And I deſire the rather to diſcourſe of them, that you who are the people of God, and have choſen him to be your God, and find him to be ſo, may know your bleſſedneſs, even in this alone, that God is your God: And that others, who as yet are out of Covenant, hearing the ſurpaſſing happineſs of being in Covenant with God, and Gods being in Covenant with us, may be awakened, excited and allured, to come off from their ſins and ſinful wayes, and may ſtrive earneſtly to enjoy this God for their God, and that they may become his people.

SECT. VI.

1. IF God be your God, then you are the particular objects of his eternal love, If God be our God, we are the objects of Gods eternal love, and of all his gracious purpoſes. and of all his gracious and unchangeable, and infallible purpoſes, intentions, and thoughts; and ſo you may ſafely conclude that you are the veſſels of mercy, on whom God will make known the riches of his glory, Rom. 9. 23. The Apoſtle in that Chapter diſcourſeth of the eternal love and grace of God in election (which he calls The purpoſe of God according to election, ver. 11. and his love, ver. 13. and his having mercy on whom he will have mercy, ver. 15. 18) and thoſe perſons whom he hath thus loved and elected, he calls veſſels of mercy afore prepared unto glory, ver. 23. Now the queſtion might be, how we may know whether we be in that number, whether we be the perſons on whom that love, and that election was fixed. This he reſolves by our intereſt in the Covenant, ver. 24. Even us whom he hath called. Ver. 25. As he ſaith alſo in Hoſea, I will call them my people which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. Ver. 26. And it ſhall come to paſſe, that in that place where it was ſaid unto you, you are not my people, where they ſhall be called the children of the living God: as if he had ſaid, we know that God hath loved us, and that he hath had mercy on us, and that he hath elected us; for he hath called us out of our ſinful condition, and brought us into Covenant with himſelf; he is our God, and we are his people; he is our Father, and we are his children; we are the children of the living God. Now what an unſpeakable comfort is this, namely, a certain knowledge of the love of God, and of the election of God, that our names are written in heaven in the book of life, out of which they ſhall never be blotted? 1 John 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath beſtowed upon us, that we ſhould be called the Sonnes of God! as if he had ſaid, no love like unto this love; This was wonderful love, that he ſhould be out Father, and we ſhould be his children. 2 Theſ. 2. 13. We are bound to give thanks alwayes to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, becauſe God hath from the beginning choſen you to ſalvation. Mark, the Apoſtle judgeth their election to be a juſt obligation of continual thanks, that God ſhould be bleſſed for that, every day of our lives for ever and ever, becauſe he hath choſen us, and ordained us to ſalvation. Luke 10. 20. Rather rejoyce, becauſe your names are written in heaven. Oh, to be intereſſed in that love of God, out of which Chriſt comes, and mercy comes, and all our good comes! To be intereſſed in that love which is ſo free, ſo liberal, ſo invariable! To be intereſſed in that election, which paſſeth by others, but claſps us; which intends for us no leſs than eternal glory, which will infallibly bring into us, all that will bring us unto glory! To be intereſſed in that election which begins in choyceſt love, and ends in fulleſt bleſſedneſſe! Certainly, theſe are grounds of higheſt comfort, and of ſweeteſt joy: and in theſe are all ſuch intereſſed, who have God to be their God, and who are his people in Covenant. Theſe, and noen but they are the beloved and choſen o God.

SECT. VII.

2. IF God be your God, then all the glorious Attributes of God, are engag • d All the glorious Attributes of God are engaged for their good. unto you for your good; for when God is our God, then himſelf as conſidered in his eſſence, and as conſidered in his attributes or glories, he thus is ours; God and all that belongs to a God are for us, and for our good. As when the Covenant of Marriage is finiſhed betwixt the Husband and the wife, now the Husband is hers, and all that belongs unto the Husband is hers, ſhe ſhall be the better for his riches, and for his honours, and for his wiſdome, and for his power, and for his kindneſs: So when God is our God in Covenant, he is ours, and all that he hath is ours: ours, though not for Denomination (as if he made us Gods, or made us omnipotent, and infinite, and eternal) yet ours for fruition: himſelf and all his attributes, we do and ſhall enjoy for our good and benefit.

I will mention ſome of thoſe attributes of God, and will ſhew you your good of and by them, and will demonſtrate it, that they and all their good are engaged to all the people to whom God is a God in Covenant.

1. God is al-ſufficiency. I am God Almighty (or al-ſufficient) ſaith God to Abraham, God is al-ſufficiency, and this is engaged. Gen. 17. 1. (i. e.) I am an infinitely perfect • fulneſs to my ſelf, and of my ſelf; I am abſolutely enough, and need or want nothing; and I will be enough, I will be a fulneſs to you, you ſhall not need any other but my ſelf, to ſupply you with any good which you ſhall want, or to ſecure you from any evil which you fear. This is al-ſufficiency, To be enough, and to be without any want, and to be enough to us, and to fill up all our wants; and this al-ſufficiency, God doth • ngage himſelf to be unto every one with whom he is a God in Covenant, Gen. 15. 1. Fear not, Abraham, I am thy ſhield, and thy exceeding great reward. What is that? It is as much as if he had ſaid, I am thy al-ſufficiency, and will ſee unto thee, that thou ſhalt have enough, thou ſhalt not want any thing. Pſal. 23. 1. The Lord is my ſhepherd, I ſhall not want. Pſal. 34. 9. There is no want to them that fear him. Pſal. 84. 11. The Lord God is a Sun and ſhield; The Lord will give grace and glory, no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly. Now this is the comfort belonging to you, That your God is al-ſufficiency, and he is your al-ſufficiency; all that you have comes from him; and all that you want, ſhall be ſupplyed by him; and he hath enough of his own fully to help you in any condition, and at any time, and he alone is enough unto you.

Conſider, any want whatſoever (whether ſpiritual or temporal, whether inward or outward) your God will be an al-ſufficiency to you. Do you want grace? do you want peace in conſcience? do you want the joy of the holy Ghoſt? do you want ſtrength againſt corruptions, or againſt temptations? God is ſufficient for them all: He can and will give more grace, Jam. 4. 6. He can and will speak peace unto his people, Pſal. 85. 8. He can and will give you fulneſſe of joy, Pſal. 16. 11. Exceeding joy, like that in harveſt, Iſa. 9. 3. and in Iſa. 12. 3. With joy ſhall ye draw waters out of the wells of ſalvation: and he can and will be ſufficiency againſt your corruptions; Sinne ſhall not have dominion over you, for you are under grace, Rom. 6. 14. And againſt your temptations; M • grace is ſufficient for thee; and my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſſe, 2 Cor. 12. 9. And for any outward want; My God (ſaith Paul in Phil. 4. 19.) ſhall ſupply all your need according to his riches in glory by Chriſt Jeſus: Bread ſhall be given him, and his water ſhall be ſure, Iſa. 33. 16. The earth is the Lords and the fulneſſe thereof: If all the earth can help you, you ſhall not want any good; nay, if the earth, or meanes do faile, God himſelf will not fail you, but will create good, and help, and ſalvation for you.

2. God is mercifulneſſe: The Lord, the Lord God merciful, &c. Exod. 34. 6. The Lord your God is merciful, 2 Chron. 30. 9. Turn unto the Lord your God, God is mercifulneſſe. for he is gracious and merciful, Joel 2. 13.

Mercifulneſs or mercy, doth eſpecially denote two things in God.

1. One is tender compaſſion; and therefore the mercies of God are frequently Mercy denotes in God, Tender compaſſion. ſtiled his bowels; (Pſal. 25. 6. Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies) or thy bowels of mercies. So Pſal. 51. 1. According to the multitude of thy bowels of mercies; and ſo in the New Teſtament, Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, Luke 1. 78. It is remarkable, that the ſame word in the Hebrew, Chalde, Syriack, and Arabick, which ſignifies bowels, is uſed for mercy: which notes two things.

1. That the mercies of God to his, are moſt inward, tender, affectionate compaſſions, like the bowels of a father, and of a mother to his deareſt children being in miſery.

2. That not only the effects of mercy, are the portion of Gods people, but the very heart of God acts towards them, and yearns over them: when he ſhews mercy to them, mercy comes from his very heart and bowels.

2. Another is, forgiveneſs of ſinnes; that eſſential propenſion in God to pardon ſinne, to paſs by tranſgreſſion, to blot out iniquity, and never to remember Forgiveneſſe of ſins. ſinne any more. This is the Attribute of God, which is his great glory, and his great delight, and our only hope and life. There is a depth in this mercy, more than that in the Sea, and a height in this mercy, above all the thoughts of men; and a bredth in this mercy; it can pardon many ſins, great ſinnes, abundant ſinnes; and a length in this mercy; it is everlaſting, and endures for ever: This is the mercy, or mercifulneſs of God! And to enjoy God in this Attribute (as our merciful God, as pitying, as pardoning us, as forgiving and forgetting all our ſins, and never remembring them any more) O what a comfort, what a ſettling, what a joy, and a reſt is this!

Conſider,

1. It is the great care, and the great deſire almoſt of every man, eſpecially in diſtreſſes of conſcience, and times of ſickneſs and death; Be merciful unto me, O Lord, Lord be merciful unto me a ſinner. O that my ſinnes were pardoned, and how ſhall I get my ſinnes pardoned! He that doth not regard the holy, doth yet prize and eſteem very much the merciful God. Every ſinner doth like and long for mercy.

2. All Controverſie is at an end, when mercy pardons ſinne. Now enmity is ſlain, and wrath and curſe go off (for theſe follow ſinne as unpardoned) but if ſin be pardoned, all puniſhment is pardoned, and God is reconciled, and your ſouls are graciouſly accepted, and claſped with love and favour.

3. When mercy pardons ſinne, then conſcience is at reſt; The broken bones are at eaſe and rejoyce, Pſal. 51. (True peace follows full remiſſion of ſinnes) and then joy comes into the heart (Be of good comfort, thy ſinnes are forgive • ) And then confidence of acceſs unto God comes into the ſoul, and then hope of ſalvation is raiſed in the ſoul.

Now mark what I ſay, If God be your God, then he is your merciful God. And God is your merciful God. Heb. 8. 10. This is his Covenant, I will be to them a God, and they ſhall be to me a people. Ver. 12. I will be merciful to their unrighteouſneſs, and their ſinnes will I remember no more. Iſa. 40. 1. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, ſaith your God. Ver. 2. Speak ye comfortably to Hieruſalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accompliſhed, that her iniquity is pardoned. Jer. 33. 8. I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have ſinned, and whereby they have tranſgreſſed againſt me. Micah 7. 19. Thou wilt caſt all their ſinnes into the depth of the ſea. Ver. 20. Thou wilt performe the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham. Six comforts to thoſe who have God their merciful God. He will forgive you, though not others.

There are ſix excellent comforts unto you who have God to be your merciful God.

1. That he will forgive you. Though the ſinnes of others are ſealed up, and ſtand upon record againſt their ſouls, yet your ſinnes ſhall be forgiven. The ſinnes of others are written, and ſtand upon record, but yours are blotted out. He will forgive your great ſins.

2. That he will forgive your great ſinnes, as well as your ſmall ſinnes: From all your filthineſs, and from all your Idols, will I cl • anſe you, Ezek. 36.

3. That he will forgive all your ſinnes, though they have been many, though He will forgive all your ſinnes. there hath been a multitude of them. Your God (who is rich in mercy, and hath riches of mercy, and multitude of mercies) will abundantly pardon them, Iſa. 55. 7.

4. That he will freely forgive them; I am he that blotteth out thy He will freely forgive them. tranſgreſſions for mine own ſake, and I will not remember thy ſinnes, Iſa. 43. 25. and Luke 7. 42. He will everlaſtingly forgive.

5. That he will everlaſtingly forgive your ſinnes; ſo forgive them, as never to mention them more. All his tranſgreſſions which he hath committed, they ſhall not be mentioned unto him, Ezek. 18. 22. Though they be ſought for, there ſhall be none, and they ſhall not be found, for I will pardon them whom I reſerve, Jer. 50. 20.

6. That your God will certainly do this; I will ſurely have mercy upon him, He will certainly do this. God is holineſs. Jer. 31. 20.

3. God is holineſſe; He is an holy God, Joſhua 24. 19. I am the Lord your God, ye ſhall be holy, for I am holy, Levit. 11. 44. (Holy, holy Lord God Almighty, Rev. 4. 8.) Glorious in holineſſe, Exod. 15. 11.

Gods holineſſe, is his infinitely pureneſſe without all ſinne, yea, hating of it. Being alſo the cauſe of all the holineſſe and purity in the creature.

This is one of the great excellencies and the glories of God; He were not God if he were not holy; and the more that any one partakes of holineſſe, the more excellent is he. Six things affirmed of holineſs. It is a glory attributed to every perſon in the Trinity. Unto the Father Unto the Son. Unto the Spirit

There are ſix things which we can affirm of holineſs.

1. It is a glory attributed unto every perſon of the Trinity. It is attributed

Ʋnto the Father: Holy Father, keep through thine own Name, thoſe whom thou haſt given me, John 17. 11. Unto the Sonne, that holy child Jeſus, Acts 4. 27. Theſe things ſaith he that is holy, Rev. 3. 7. Unto the Spirit, who is called the Holy Ghoſt, Matth. 3. 11. and the holy Spirit. Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God

2. It is a glory attributed unto all creatures, and perſons, and things of excellency. It is attributed to all creatures, and things of excellency. The holy Angels, Matth. 25. 31. The holy Prophets, Luke 1. 70. The holy Scriptures, Rom. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15, The great City, the holy Jeruſalem deſcending out of heaven from God, Rev. 21. 10. Holy men of God, 2 Pet. 1. 21.

And indeed holineſſe is our glory, and therefore the Spirit of grace is called the Spirit of glory, Heb. 10. 29. 1 Pet. 4. 14. And they who are ſtiled holy, Iſa. 4. 3. are ſtiled the glory, ver. 5.

3. It is neceſſary unto glory, unto that glory which ſhall be revealed, unto It is neceſſary unto glory. the exceedingly exceeding weight of glory, unto that eternal glory, that heavenly happineſs, as a means is neceſſary to an end; as a lower ſtep to ariſe unto an higher. Heb. 12. 14. Follow holineſſe, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord. 1 John 3. 3. Every man that hath this hope, purifieth himſelf as he is pure.

4. It is neceſſary unto your preſent communion with God. He cannot take delight in you, nor will he be neare you, nor impart himſelf unto you, unleſs It is neceſſary to our preſent communion with God. you be holy. What fellowſhip hath righteouſneſſe with unrighteouſneſſe? and what communion hath light with darkneſſe? 2 Cor. 6. 14. You read in the Law, that all was holy which had a reſpect unto God; the Altar was holy, and the Temple was holy, and the offerings were holy, and the perſons who offered them were holy; To intimate unto us that there could or might not be any communion with the holy God without holineſſe.

5. It is the pawn and pledge of future glory, the firſt-fruits of the Spirit, It is the pawn and pledge of future glory. Rom. 8. 23. The earneſt of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 1. 22. The ſealing of the holy Spirit is ſtiled the earneſt of our purchaſed poſſeſſion, Eph. 1. 13, 14.

6. It is the diſtinguiſhing character of the Covenant. No people are an holy people, but the people of the Covenant, and all thoſe people are holy, It is the diſtinguiſhing character of the Covenant. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye are a ſpiritual houſe, an holy Priest-hood. Ver. 9. Ye are an holy Nation, a peculiar people, Iſa. 4. 3. He that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jeruſalem, ſhall be called holy; even every one that is written among the living in Jeruſalem. 1 Cor. 3. 17. The Temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are.

Now if God be your God, He is and will be your holy God; He will Comforts from this, that God will be a holy God to you. He will make you holy. be an holy God unto you, and that affords you many comforts.

1. He will make you holy: (They ſhall call them the holy people, the Redeemed of the Lord, Iſa. 62. 12.) He will give his holy Spirit unto you, Luke 11. 13. Where is he that put his holy Spirit within him? Iſa. 63. 11. As you read of Joſhuah the High Prieſt; The Lord ſaid, Take away his filthy garments from him. Behold, I have cauſed thine iniquity to paſſe from thee, and I will cloath thee with change of rayment, Zach. 3. 4. So the Lord deals with every perſon unto whom he is a God in Covenant; He cleanſeth them from all their filthineſſes (I will cleanſe them from all their iniquities, Jer. 33. 8.) I will ſprinkle cleane water upon you, and you ſhall be cleane, Ezek. 36. 25. So Ezek. 37. 23. They ſhall not deſile themſelves any more with their Idels, but I will cleanſe them, ſo ſhall they be my people, and I will be their God.

2. He will encreaſe your holineſſe: He will ſanctifie you throughout, 1 Theſ. He will encreaſe your holineſs. 5. 23. (He will give more grace, James 4. 6.) He will ſtrengthen what he hath wrought, Pſal. 68. 28. Holineſſe is like the waters of the Sanctuary, in Ezek. 47. • . 4, 5. To the ancles, to the knees, and then a river that could not be paſſed over. It is the field which the Lord will bleſs and proſper. It is the garden he will water. He will end forth • udgement unto victory, Mat. 12. 20. 2 Cor. 3. 18. We are changed into the ſame image, from glory to glory.

3. He will preſerve your holineſſe, and you (being holy) in holineſs; To the end he may eſtabliſh your hearts unblameable in holineſſe, 1 Theſ. 3. 13. and He will preſerve our holineſſe. 1 Theſ. 5. 23. I pray God that your whole spirit and ſoul, and body be preſerved blameleſſe unto the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ver. 24. Faithful is he that calleth you, who alſo will do it, Phil. 1. 6. He which hath begun a good work in you, will performe it untill the day of Jeſus Chriſt.

4. He loves your holineſſe, and takes delight in it, for it is his own Image, and He loves your holineſſe. his own work, the fruit of his own grace, the birth of his own Spirit.

5. He will crown your holineſſe; ye have your fruit unto holineſſ, and the end He will crown our holineſſe. everlasting life, Rom. 6. 22. Bleſſed are the poor in heart, for they ſhall ſee God, Matth. 5. 8. Therefore is holineſſe called a change from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 3. 18. Holineſs at firſt is weak and little, at length it is much and ſtrong, at laſt it ſhall be perfect and glorious. At firſt it is like a ſpark of fire covered with aſhes, at length it is like a burning fire, at laſt like a flaming fire; at firſt it is in groans and deſires, at length it is in conflicts and combates, at laſt it is in victory and glory.

4. God is an Omniſcient God; he knows all things whatſoever, and all perſons, God is an omniſcient God. and all conditions, and all the hearts, and all the counſels, and thoughts, and words, and wayes of all men, at all times, and in all places, and that moſt clearly and perfectly by his own infinite light; he knows all that is paſt, and all that is preſent, and all that is future, and all that is poſſible, Heb. 4. 13. There is not any creature that is not manifeſt in his ſight, but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Conſider this place (ſeriouſly) which declares Gods Omniſcience. There is not any creature that is not manifeſt in his ſight. There be many millions of millions of creatures, and they be farre and near over all the world; but whatſoever they are, and whereſoever they are, they are manifeſt in his fight; though they be hid from us, yet they are known to God; and though they be out of our fight, yet are they manifeſt in his ſight; they are before his eyes which runne to and fro throughout all the world.

And all things are naked and open to his eyes,] there is no darkneſs twixt him and them, no curtain is drawn over his eye; they are as naked to him as the childe which is newly born is unto our eye, or as every pile of graſs is diſcovered by the Sun at noon day: or as the parts of a diſeaſed body, &c. Pſal. 139. 2. Thou knoweſt my down-lying, and my up-riſing, thou underſtandeſt my thoughts afar off, verſe 3. Thou art acquainted with all my wayes, veſe 4. There is not a word in my tongue, but lo O Lord thou knoweſt it altogether.

Queſt. You will ſay This is granted; it is very unqueſtionable that God is omniſcient, that he knows all things. But what is this for the comfort and good of What comfort have we by this. his people? what good have they by being intereſted in an all-knowing God?

Sol. 1. The good and comfort thereby is exceeding great; for Gods omniſcience This is the key to open all his other Attributes. is (as it were) the Key to open all his other Attributes; it is the ſpring which ſets them all to work, and without which they could not work at all for your good.

Though the Lord be an All-ſufficiency, yet unleſſe he were omniſcient, unleſſe he did know all your wants, what good could his all-ſufficiency do you? And though the Lord be of a very merciful nature, ready to pity and help, yet unleſſe he did know your miſeries, he could not help you in your miſeries. It is his omniſcience which doth (if I may be ſo bold to expreſſe it) acquaint and inform all his other glorious Attributes, and put them on, and draw them out to work for our good.

2. That the omniſcient God is your God, this is an unſpeakable comfort unto It is comfortable if we conſider, you, whether you conſider what he knows, or how he knows, as concerning your ſelves.

For what he knows as concerning your ſelves and your conditions. The Lord What he knows as concerning our ſelves. The integrity of our hearts. knows who are his, 2 Tim. 2. 19.

He knows the integrity of your hearts, notwithſtanding all your weakneſſe and failings. But the High places were not taken away, nevertheleſſe the heart of Aſa was perfect all his dayes, 2 Chron. 15. 17. 2 Sam. 7. 20. Thou Lord knoweſt thy ſervant, John 2. 17. Lord, thou knoweſt all things, thou knoweſt that I love thee.

He knowes all your wants, and all your diſtreſſes. I know thy works, and tribulation All our wants. and poverty, ſaith Chriſt to the Church of Smyrna, Rev. 2. 9. Your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all theſe things, Matth. 6. 32.

He knows all your deſires, and prayers, and tears, Rom. 8. 27. He that ſearcheth All our deſires. the heart, knows what is the minde of the Spirit. Pſal. 38. 9. Lord, all my deſire is before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee, Pſal. 56. 8. Put thou my tears into thy bottle, are they not in thy book?

He knows all your active and paſſive ſervice, in his cauſe for his glory; all the All our active and paſſive ſervice. How he knows us and our conditions. With a knowledge Of approbation. good that ever you have done, and all the evil that ever you have ſuffered, Rev. 2.

How he knows you, and all your conditions.

He doth know all the conditions of his people with a knowledge

1. Of Approbation: The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, Pſal. 1. 6. that is, he likes their way, he approves of their way; ſo Rev. 2. 9. I know thy works, that is, I like them exceeding well, I am pleaſed to ſee them.

2. Of Compaſſion: The Lord ſaid, I have ſurely ſeen the afflictions of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reaſon of their Task-maſters; for Of compaſſion. I know their ſorrowes, Exod. 3. 7. If one loved us much, but did not know our wants and conditions; if one did know all our conditions, but did not love us, it were ſad; but God knows and loves, &c. As a father knows the diſtreſſes and wants of his childe, and pities the childe in that condition; his bowels are troubled for him, and if he can, he will relieve him; ſo, &c.

3. Of Condeſcention: (that is,) he knows your wants and deſires, and he will help you, and he will ſupply you; Your heavenly Father knows that you need all Of condeſcention. theſe things, Matth. 6. 32. What is that? that is, he will ſupply your need according to his riches and glory; ſo Exod. 3. 7. I know their ſorrows. This is explained in verſe 8. And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that Land unto a good Land; ſo Nahum. 1. 7. The Lord is good, a ſtrong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that truſt in him: (that is) He will do them good, they ſhall finde him to be as good as his word, and he will help and deliver them.

3. The Omniſcience of God is a comfort unto you againſt all your enemies counſels, plots, reproaches, injuries, Jer. 8. 23. Lord thou knoweſt all their counſels againſt me to ſlay me, Pſal. 69. 19. Thou haſt known my reproach and my ſhame, The omniſcience of God is comfort a gainſt all our enemies. and my diſhonour, mine adverſaries are all before thee, Iſa. 37. 28. I know thy aboad, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage againſt me. And how doth the Lord know your enemies, and their plots, &c. even with deteſtation and deriſion, and oppoſition, and judgment, and deſtruction.

4. The omniſcience of God is a comfort unto you, in this reſpect, that it is a foundation and fountain of all ſaving knowledge in you: God knows you, and you ſhall It is comfort, as it is a fountain of all ſaving knowledge. know him, (I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulneſs, and thou ſhalt know the Lord, Hoſea 2. 20. They ſhall all know me, Jer. 31. 34.

He knows you for his people, and you ſhall know the Lord for your God, 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Lord knoweth who are his; they ſhall know that I am the Lord their God, Ezek. 28. 26. ſo Ezek. 39. 22.

He perfectly knows you, and the time ſhall be that you ſhall perfectly know him; you ſhall know, even as you are known, 1 Cor. 13. 12.

5. Another Attribute of God is this: He is a wiſe God, mighty in wiſdome, God is a wiſe God. And we are better for his wiſdome. Our wiſe God orders every thing that befalls us for our good. Job 36. 5. God onely wiſe, Rom. 16. 27. and this God is your God, and you are the better for his wiſdome. For,

1. Your wiſe God guides and orders every thing that befalls you for your good; (omnia bona, or in bonum) all things ſhall work together for good unto them that love him, Rom. 8. 28. Sometimes you have abundance, and that ſhall do you good; ſometimes you have wants, and that ſhall do you good; ſometimes you have honour and reſpect, and that ſhall do you good; ſometimes you have diſhonour and reproach, and that ſhall do thee good; ſometimes you have enjoyments, and they ſhall do you good; and ſometimes you have loſſes, and theſe ſhall do you good; ſometimes you have liberty, and that ſhall do you good; and ſometimes you have afflictions and croſſes, and they ſhall do you good. Though there be diverſities and contrarieties as to the outward condition, yet the tempeſt and the calme, the Winter and the Summer, all that befalls you, ſhall fall out for good, becauſe all that befalls you comes from your wiſe God, who orders and guides all your contigencies for your good, and his own glory.

2. You ſhall not fai • e or miſſe of any good whatſoever: God hath promiſed you in You ſhall not faile or miſſe of any good in its ſeaſon. its ſeaſon; the appointing and chooſing, and hitting of ſeaſons peculiarly belong to wiſdome. Therefore Solomon ſaith, A wiſe mans heart diſcerneth both time and judgment, Eccleſ. 8. 5. And all things are beautiful in their ſeaſon, when a good word is ſpoken in ſeaſon, and when help and deliverance comes in ſeaſon, and when any mercy comes in the right ſeaſon, it is more precious, and the more acceptable. The Lord hath undertaken all the conditions of all his people; he hath promiſed peace to their afflicted conſciences, and comfort to their mourning ſouls, and help unto their diſtreſſed ſpirits, and audience to their fervent prayers, and ſtrength unto their fainting hearts. Now though the Lord doth a while delay you, though he doth not preſently give you what you ask, though he takes a time before he ſpeak, though he doth not take your time, yet becauſe he is a faithful God, therefore he will take a time; and becauſe he is a wiſe God, therefore he will take the beſt time: He will anſwer you, he will help you, he will ſuccour you in an acceptable time, in the right ſeaſon which is the beſt part of time. 2 Cor. 6. 2. He ſaith I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of ſalvation have I ſuccoured thee.

3. He will give you the beſt counſel and advice, becauſe he is a moſt wiſe God; He will give you the beſt counſel and advice. wiſdome it ſelf can counſel beſt, Jer. 32. 19. He is great in counſel, and mighty in works, Iſa. 28. 29. He is wonderful in counſel, and excellent in working, Rom. 11. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wiſdome and knowledge of God! we are many times in ſtraits, in difficulties, and in Jehoſhaphats caſe, we know not what to do; it is not in man that walks to direct his ſteps: we grope as in the dark, and oft times are dead in our own thoughts, and want wiſdome what courſe to take, and what way to reſolve on; but now if you be the people of God, this is your comfort, your God is a wiſe God, and he can direct and counſel you, Pſal. 73. 21. Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel, and afterwards receive me to glory; ver. 32. 8. I will inſtruct thee, and teach the in the way which thou ſhalt go, I will guide thee with mine eyes, Iſa. 30. 21. Thine cars ſhall hear a word behinde thee, ſaying, this is the way, walk ye in it, James 1. 5. If any of you lack wiſdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it ſhall be given him. The wiſe God can reſolve all your doubts, and clear up unto you all your paths, and ſhew you the path of life, and ſhew you all the ways how to finde peace and reſt for your ſouls.

4. He will be too hard for all your enemies in all their cunning plots and devices. He will be too hard for your enemies in their cunning plots.

Our Saviour ſaith that the Children of this world are wiſer in their generation than the children of light: they are too cunning, two crafty for them, but yet God is too hard for them: his wiſdom is beyond all their policy, Job 5. 12. He diſappointeth the devices of the crafty, ſo that their hands cannot perform their enterpriſe, ver. 13. He taketh the wiſe in their own craftineſſe, and the counſel of the froward is carried headlong: did not the wiſe God do this to Pharaoh, to Balack, to Saul, to Achitophel, to Haman? did he not exceed them, and diſapoint them?

5. He will proportion your trials, temptations, and afflictions; for he is a wiſe He will proportion your tryals. God; therefore he will debate with you, and correct you in meaſure, neither will he lay upon you more than is right, Eſay 27. 8. Job 34. 23. A father will not give the childe as much phyſick as he can poure into the cup, only ſo much as is fit for his recovery. And no heavier burden will he lay on, than his childe is able to bear: So the wiſe God he keeps time and meaſure; you ſhall never have an affliction, but when you need it, nor ſhall any temptation befall you, but God will inable you to bear it, for he is a wiſe God.

6. He means you no hurt in any particular denials, or in any particular removals He means you no hurt in any particular denials. of outward bleſſings: He hath his reaſons for them both, and thoſe very ſtrong and ſufficient to ſatisfie you; you wonder ſometimes that God deals ſo with you, as never to accompliſh ſuch a deſire of yours, or preſently to take away ſuch a comfort of yours. O but your God is a good God, and he is a wiſe God, he knows that you know not what ye ask when you ask to be ſo rich, and to be ſo great. And he knows the danger into which you may fall by a long enjoyment of an earthly comfort, what a loſs to his glory and to your own ſouls; and he knows how to ſet your hearts upon himſelf by breaking off your hearts from poor, vain, earthly and ſenſual comforts.

7. Your wiſe God will finde means and ways to bring in unto you all the good Your wiſe God will finde meanes to bring all your promiſed good to paſſe. Your wiſe God will give you wiſdome. which he hath promiſed unto you; your when, and your how, fall within the compaſſe of your wiſe God, (that is) the fitteſt time, and the beſt way, and means of your enjoyments; the golden Candleſtick had ſeven lamps and ſeven pipes.

8. Your wiſe God will give you wiſdome, and make you wiſe, ſpiritually wiſe, wiſe for ſalvation, and wiſe in your converſation and walkings, wiſe in Chriſt, 1 Cor. 4. 10. Wiſe Stewards, Luke 12. 42. Wiſe Virgins, Matth. 25. 2, 4. Wiſe to know the day of your viſitation, to redeem the time, to remember your latter end, to chooſe the better part, and the beſt paths, and to look at eternity, and to prefer things eternal before temporal, to make ſure of Chriſt, and Grace, and Glory.

6. A ſixth Attribute of God, is Omnipotency; your God is Elſhadai, God Almighty; God is omnipotency. above ſeventy times is he ſtiled ſo in Scripture, Pſal. 62. 11. God hath ſpoken once, twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God, 1 Chron. 29. 11. Thine O Lord is the greatneſſe and the power, ver. 12. In thine hand is power and might, Job 37. 23. Touching the Almighty we cannot finde him out, he is excellent in power, Pſal. 132. 2. The mighty God of Jacob, Pſal. 147. 5. Great is the Lord, and of great power, Pſal. 45. 3. Moſt mighty, Matth. 19. 26. with God all things are poſſible. This Omnipotency is a divine Attribute whereby God is (of himſelf alone) infinitely able to do whatſoever he will do, and whatſoever he undertakes to do, and whatſoever is poſſible to be done. We have God is an infinite eſſence, and therefore of infinite power. a true ſaying, that Po • entia ſequitur eſsentiam, there is alwayes a commenſuration twixt the eſſence of a thing and the power of it. A limited eſſence hath but a limited power: and therefore every creature hath but a limited power, becauſe it hath a limited eſſence; The fire and water can do ſome things (as ſuch Elements) but more they cannot do; The Sun and Moon and the reſt of the Stars can alſo do many things, in their Sphere, and without that they can do nothing; So men and Angels they are able to do much, but ſtill their power is contracted and bounded according to their eſſence; but God is of an infinite eſſence, there He is a moſt perfect eſſence and therefore muſt needs be omnipotent. are no bounds unto his being, and therefore he is of infinite power.

Again, there cannot be any imperfection and want in God: The divine eſſence is a moſt perfect eſſence, and therefore it muſt needs be Omnipotent. If there were any thing which God could not do or perform, there ſhould then be ſome inſufficiency and defect, and weakneſſe in his nature.

And beſides all this, there would be an uncertain foundation for our faith to reſt There would be an uncertain foundation for our ſaith to reſt on, if God were not able to ſupply all. upon God, If there ſhould be any thing concerning us or his Church, to which he were not able to help and ſupply them in, or to accompliſh; This being a certain truth that the people of God do principally ſtand in need of thoſe things which do require even an Omnipotent God to produce or cauſe them, their graces and comforts exceeding all created power to effect them.

I could adde more reaſons for the demonſtration of Gods Omnipotency; (viz.) 1. The Creation of the world, wherein that which was not at all was immediately formed into a being, and that formation depended only upon his Word. 2. The providential upholding, or ſuſtentation of the whole world, and guidance, of every creature in every motion. 3. The wonderful works wrought by God, exceeding all created power. 4. And the Converſion of the hearts of ſinners; but thoſe already mentioned are ſa • isfying and ſufficient to our purpoſe.

Quest. But now you may reply, What comfort is this to the people of God, that What comfort is this that our God is omnipotent. their God (he that ſayeth in his Covenant, I will be to you a God) is God Omnipotent?

Sol. There are ſix choice comforts from this unto you who have the Omnipotent God to be your God.

1. You may caſt all your care upon him, whatſoever your wants be, (for ſoul or You may caſt all your care upon him. body) be they never ſo many, and never ſo great, and never ſo often, your God who is Omnipotent is able to ſupply them, Epheſ. 3. 20. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think: you ask many things, and you think of many things, and you need many things, and your God is able to ſupply you in all theſe; able, yea abundantly able, abundantly able, yea, exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think; his power exceeds all your wants: There are ſome wants that your friends can help you in, you may go to ſuch a friend and ſay unto him, Lend me ſo much money to pay a debt, and he is able to help you, and yet there are ſome wants that no friend nor man can be a help unto you in them. When the famine was very grievous in Samaria, a woman cryed to the King of Iſrael, Help my Lord O King; and he ſaid, If the Lord do not help thee, whence ſhall I help thee? out of the barne-floor, or out of the wine-preſſe? 2 Kings 6. 26, 27. As if he had ſaid, In this thy ſtrait, I am not able to help thee. Beloved, our wants may quickly riſe above the power of man; but they can never riſe above the power of God; every ſpiritual want exceeds the power of all creatures, but no corporal or ſpiritual want exceeds the power of God; you need knowledge, your God is able to give it; and you need wiſdome, your God is able to give it; and you need mercy and grace, and comfort, and ſtrength, and deliverance, and faith, patience, love, meekneſſe, joy, peace, and friends, and bread, and houſe, &c. God (your God) is able to ſupply every want that is preſent, or that is poſſible. We read of the Iſraelites, that being in bondage they wanted liberty, and God gave it them; and being near the Red Sea, they wanted ſalvation, and God gave it; and being in the Wilderneſſe, they wanted water, the Rock is ſmitten, and water is given; and they wanted bread, and God rained down Manna; and they wanted fleſh, and God ſent them Quailes, &c.

If any man had ſuch a friend who had power enough for all ſorts of ſupplies, let his wants and ſtraits be what they may be, yet he were able to help all. O ſaith he, I am well, I have a friend who can help me in all my wants and ſtraits; Such a friend (amongſt men) cannot I confeſſe be found; but ſuch a God may be found, who can perform all things for you, who hath power enough to help againſt all temptations, and againſt all corruptions, and in all afflictions, and in all neceſſities, yea, and in all extremities.

2. He alone can do you good; you need none but your God to do you good: He alone can do you good. Omnipotency is (of it ſelf) ſufficient for all your helps and ſupplies; as it can do all things, ſo it can do all things from it ſelf: No creature is alone able or ſufficient to be an help unto you without God, but God alone is able to help you without any creature; for he is omnipotent. Suppoſe you be in danger, God alone is able to deliver you; ſuppoſe you be under trouble of Spirit, God alone is able to comfort you; ſuppoſe you need mercy, God alone is able to pardon you; ſuppoſe you be under outward wants, God alone is able to ſupply you; Omnipotency needs the help of none; unto your help, it can create ſalvation, and command loving kindneſſes, and deliverances, and any good.

3. When God will do you good, none can hinder him or you from the enjoyment When God will do you good, none can hinder him. of that good: If he will bleſſe you, you ſhall be bleſſed; is there any power able to hinder Omnipotency? as the Apoſtle ſpake in another caſe, (1 Cor. 10. 22.) Do we provoke the Lord to jealouſie, are we ſtronger than he? So ſay I, Will any contend with the Almighty God? Can they binde his hand? Are they ſtronger than the Almighty and Omnipotent God? Iſa. 46. 9. I am God, and there is none elſ; I am God, and there is none like me, verſe 10. My Counſel ſhall ſtand, and I will do all my pleaſure. Iſa. 40. 15. Behold the Nations are as a drop of a buck •• , and are counted as the ſmall dust of the balance; ver. 17. All Nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him leſſe than nothing and vanity. Beloved! you cannot put any ſuppoſition as a prejudice unto Gods Omnipotency; you cannot ſay, were my Adverſaries not ſo many or mighty; were my temptations not ſo high and ſtrong; were my diſtreſſes not ſo deep and low? were my wants not ſo many and great, then God could do me good, and help me; Theſe are vain and weak ſuppoſitions in reference unto God; for although the power of men and divels, and the greatneſſe of want and diſtreſſes may exceed out power, yet nothing is too hard for God; there are no difficulties, there are no impediments unto the Omnipotent God: If God be for us, who can be againſt us? ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 8. 31. As if he ſhould ſay, if God will preſerve you, you ſhall be ſafe; if God will bleſſe you, you ſhall be bleſſed; if God will do you good, none can hinder.

4. Then all his promiſes ſhall be accompliſhed unto you: Thoſe promiſes All his promiſes ſhall be accompliſhed unto you. which are ſo many and ſo great, and ſo precious, which are your treaſures, your munition of rocks, your hopes and confidences, and the bonds and ſecurity which God gives unto you, they ſhall certainly be performed unto you.

There are three things concerning God which do aſſure you of the performance of his promiſes.

Firſt, His Will; the will of his goodneſs is in the making of all his promiſes; and the will of his reſolution is for the performing of them: Thou wilt performe the truth to Jacob, and the oath to Abraham, Micah 7. 20.

2. His unchangeableneſſe or unfaithfulneſs: I will not ſuffer my faithfulneſſe to faile, Pſal. 89. 33. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips, Verſe 34. He is faithful that promiſed, Heb. 10. 23.

3. His Power or Omnipotency; being fully perſwaded that what he had promiſed, he was able to performe, Rom. 4. 21. Beloved! your God doth never over engage himſelf unto you, his goodneſs doth not ſurpaſs his ability; he promiſeth unto his people in general, riches of grace and glory; and he hath promiſed to ſome of his people in particular, ſuch bleſſings as exceeded all the poſſible capacities of reaſon; and yet he eaſily brought all about, he performed all; for he is an Omnipotent God infinitely able to do, &c.

5. He can then raiſe and advance the work which he hath wrought; he can He can raiſe and advance the work which he hath wrought. bring forth judgment unto victory; as it was ſaid of Zerubbabel, the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this houſe, his hands alſo ſhall finiſh it, Zach. 4. 9. Or as the Lord ſpake about the houſe of Eli, (1 Sam. 3. 12.) when I begin I will make an end: So ſay I, hath God begun in your hearts any work of grace? hath he ſowen the ſeed in rhe field? hath he planted the Vineyard? he is able to finiſh his work; he who was able to give grace, is able to make all grace to abound; he that planteth grace, is able alſo to water it, and to increaſe it, and to bring it to perfection, to give life to the dead, and to give ſtrength to the weak, to convert a ſinner, and to ſubdue ſinnes, for he is an Omnipotent God. And ſo likewiſe for your joy and peace which are but weak, your God is able to fill you with joy in believing, to make your joy unſpeakable and full of glory; he is able to give you peace that paſſeth underſtanding, and to make it as a River. And ſo for temptations which do ſo much diſtreſs you, your God is not only able to reſtrain Satan, but alſo to bruiſe him under your feet, Rom. 16. 20. It is a certain truth that Omnipotency hath no bounds or limits; you cannot ſay that God who works thus farre, can work no farther; as he can work all things unto their being, ſo he can work them up to that perfection of being of which they are capable.

6. If your God be an Omnipotent God, then you who are his people are altogether Then his people are altogether ſafe and ſecure For their bodies, ſafe and ſu •• , both in reſpect of your bodies, and in reſpect of your ſouls. For your bodies: Is not he ſafe who hath Omnipotency to be his guard and ſhield? is not Omnipotency it ſelf ſafety enough unto you? Deut. 33. 26. There is none like unto the God of Jeruſon who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the skye ver. 27. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlaſting armes. And likewiſe for your ſouls, they ſhall never be loſt; nay, they ſhall aſſuredly be kept and preſerved to glory, John 10. 27. My ſheep And for their ſouls. hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, ver. 28. And I give unto them eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any man pluck them out of my Fathers hands, ver. 29. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hands. Mark here the comfort and aſſurance which Chriſt gives, and the reaſon thereof. My ſheep ſhall never periſh, but they ſhall have eternal life. This is the comfort, and this comfort he grounds upon the power of God: (he is greater than all, and no man is able, &c.) As if he ſhould ſay, many aſſay to hinder them and deceive of that life, but they are not able, they are in my Fathers hand, (in the keeping of his power) and he is greater (he is ſtronger) than all, put them all together, he is too ſtrong for them. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation. There is not power enough in our ſelves to keep out ſelves, but there is power enough in God; and we are kept by the power of God (even unto ſalvation) untill we come to the heavenly glory.

7. If your God be an Omnipotent God, he can eaſily help you and enable you He can eaſily help you and enable you to all good. in and to all good: What ſhall I ſay more for your comfort from the Omnipotency of your God? it is an univerſal comfort unto you in all conditions of life and death. Tu non potes, ſed Dominus tuus poteſt, ſaid Chryſoſtome; he is able to enable you for all your duties, I can do all things through Christ that ſtrengthens me, Phil. 4. 13.

He is able to comfort you in all your ſorrows, 2 Cor. 1. 4. He is able to deliver you from all your ſins and troubles. He is able to keep you from falling, Jude ver. 24. He is able to raiſe you up being fallen. He is able to feed you all your days, Gen. 48. 15. He is able to deliver you from the power of death, Heb. 2. 14. He is able to preſent you faultleſſe before the preſence of his glory with exceeding joy, Jude ver. 24.

7. A ſeventh Attribute wherein God is engaged unto you, is faithfulneſſe; your Gods faithfulneſſe is engaged for you. God is often ſtiled a faithful God; (that is,) one that ſtands to his word, and keeps his Covenant, Deut. 7. 9. The Lord thy God he is God, the faithful God, who keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him, &c. 1 Kings 8. 23. Lord God of Iſrael, &c. who keepeſt Covenant and mercy with thy ſervants, Nehem. 9. 32. Our God who keepeſt Covenant and mercy.

There are foure things in the faithfulneſſe of God. Four things in the faithfulneſs of God. Sincerity of intention.

1. Sincerity of intention: God is faithful, (that is) he really intends all the good of which he ſpeaks, and which he promiſeth unto you; his heart goes with his word; he doth not ſpeak one thing, and minde another; ptomiſe much, and never intend to do any thing; but his word of promiſe is bottomed upon the real purpoſe of his will.

2. Fixedneſse of reſolution; God is faithful, (that is) he is ſtedfaſt, he is ſtill Fixedneſſe of reſolution. in the ſame minde, he is not variable and changeable, he will never alter his word, he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himſelf, 2 Tim. 2. 13.

3. Certainty of execution, or performance. God is faithful (that is) will Certainty of execution. certainly performe unto you whatſoever good he hath promiſed, Gen. 28. 15. I will ſurely do thee good, and I will not leave thee untill I have done that which I have ſpoken unto thee of, ſaid God to Jacob, Jer. 31. 20. I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord God, chap. 32. 41. I will rejoyce over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this Land aſſuredly with my whole heart, with my whole ſoul. Hab. 2. 3. The viſion is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it ſhall ſpeak and not lye; though it tarry, wait for it, becauſe it will ſurely come. Micah 7. 20. Thou wilt performe the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham which thou haſt ſworne unto our fathers from the days of old.

4. Fulneſſe and exactneſſe of performance, not failing his people in any one Fulneſſe and exactneſſe of performance. promiſe, Jer. 32. 42. I will bring upon them all the good that I have promiſed them, Joſh. 23. 14. Ye know that in all your hearts, and in all your ſouls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to paſſe unto you, and not one thing hath This faithfulneſſe is your exceeding comfort. failed thereof. 1 Kings 8. 5, 6. There hath not failed one word of all his good promiſe, which he promiſed by the hand of Moſes his ſervant: This is the faithfulneſs of God, and this is your exceeding comfort, that your God is a faithful God; he remembers his Covenant for ever, and his word to a thouſand generations, Pſal. 105. 8. Were he (as he is) an all-ſufficiency and full of mercy, and Omnifcient, and Wiſe, and Omnipotent, and never ſo abundant in goodneſs, yet if he were not faithful, you could have no comfort in any of his Attributes, nor in any of his promiſes, nor yet any confidence or aſſurance at all: But this faithfulneſs of God gives life (as it were) unto all his Attributes, and unto all his Promiſes, and unto all our hopes and confidences. What are a thouſand Bonds and Indentures if they were not ſealed? what are a million of promiſes and proteſtations from a man who is unfaithful, who regards not his word, who will break his word with you; faithfulneſs is all in all; a faithful heart, a faithful friend, a faithful God, and this is the great ſatisfaction of all our doubts and fears: But will God do me good? but will he performe what he hath promiſed? if I were ſure that he were ſure, he will not faile me, this would ſtay me, this would ſatisfie me, I had enough. Now you have it cleared out unto you, that your God is a faithful God.

Queſt. But you may perhaps deſire to know the particular portions of comfort from this, that your God in Covenant is a faithful God.

Sol. I will preſent a few of them unto you.

1. The faithfulneſſe of God is a ſure pledge unto you for all your enjoyments: For, This is a ſure pledge of all our enjoyments. It is (if I may ſo expreſs it) the very ſeal of God to performe all the Bond of his Covenant; the ſecurity which God gives you for all his engagements, as full aſſurance as God can make for the performance of all his promiſes; it is a ſure foundation for your faith to reſt upon, a foundation that cannot be ſhaken, and which ſhall never be removed; you are as ſure to enjoy all the good which God hath promiſed to you as God is God, and as God is your God: In hope of eternal life whi • h God that cannot lye, hath promiſed, Titus 1. 2. God hath promiſed to forgive our ſinnes, and to cleanſe us from our ſinnes, and he is faithful to forgive us our ſinnes, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſſe, 1 Joh. 1. 9. God hath promiſed to ſanctifie us throughout. And faithful is he who hath called • s, who will alſo do it, 1 Theſ. 5. 24. God hath promiſed to eſtabliſh us, and to keep us from evil. And the Lord is faithful who will establiſh you, and keep you from evil, 2 Theſ. 3. 3.

2. The faithfulneſs of God is a mighty and effectual, and prevailing Plea This is an effectual, and prevailing plea with God. with your God. O Lord! This is my want and diſtreſs; and that is thy promiſe for help; and thou art faithful who haſt promiſed, in thy truth, and in thy faithfulneſs to anſwer me; keep Covenant with me, remember thy word, do not faile me! why? this comes cloſe to God, this concernes him near; he hath taken his Oath upon it, that he will not lye, that he will not deceive, that he will not fail his people.

3. The faithfulneſs of God is enough to anſwer all your fears and doubts; O It is enough to anſwer all our fears and doubts they are ſuch great things, and they are ſuch hard things, and unto ſenſe and reaſon, ſuch improbable and impoſſible things, and who am I, &c.

Sol. Why? doſt thou find theſe things promiſed by God unto thee? God wants not power to do them, and he is faithful, and will do them; the faithful God will performe every good thing which he hath promiſed; though thy unbelief many times ſaith, He will not; and thy fears diſpute how he can; though thy reaſon fail thee, and though thy ſenſe faile thee, and though thy heart faile thee; yet thy God will never faile thee, thy faithful God will not fail thee. God is faithful, and he will not ſuffer thee to be tempted above what thou art able, &c. 1 Cor. 10. 15.

4. The faithfulneſs of God is a ſupport unto you under all his ſilence, and under It is a ſupport under all his delayes. all his delayings of the good which he hath promiſed, and you do ſo earneſtly crave: Your prayers are not in vain, your waitings are not in vain: Perhaps you have waited at the gate of heaven (many a day, yea, and many a year) for aſſurance of mercy, for power over ſuch a ſinne, for victory over evil thoughts and temptations, and afflictions, and yet you are not heard, and ſtill you are put off, and hereupon your heart begins to faint (God will not do me this good, and he will not remember his promiſe) O but do you remember that your God is a faithful God; and a faithful God cannot lye, a faithful God will keep his Covenant, will remember his Covenant, will perform his Covenant; he may be ſilent unto your prayers; he may delay you long; but he is faithful; he hath his time, and he will ſurely take his time to anſwer and ſuccour you.

5. The faithfulneſs of God will break down all contrarieties, and contradictions, It will break down all contradictions and oppoſitions. and oppoſitions; Heaven and earth ſhall ſooner fail and paſs, than that one Word or title of Gods promiſe ſhall fail or periſh; his Word of promiſe ſhall take effect, though all the Devils in hell oppoſe it, and though all the men on earth oppoſe it, and though all the powers of unbelief oppoſe it; this ſtands in the way, and that ſtands in the way, but yet God is faithful, and his promiſe ſhall be made good; Sarah was old, &c. But ſhe judged him faithful who had promiſed, Heb. 11. God ſhould never be truſted, if he were not faithful.

8. Graciouſneſs is another Attribute of your God; your God is a gracious God is a gracious God. God, and he is and will be a gracious God unto all his people. Exod. 34. 6. The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious. Pſal. 86. 15. Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compaſſion, and gracious.

The graciouſneſs of God is ſuch an Attribute of God, whereby he doth favourably and freely love, and chuſe, and bleſs, and do all good unto his people without any deſert, and notwithſtanding any unworthineſs on their part: It is the reaſon and account of all his actings towards them: It is all the Plea you have to all the good which God doth promiſe. You muſt diſtinguiſh 'twixt the actions and bleſſings of God; and 'twixt the ground or reaſon of them.

There are many and great bleſſings which God intends and confirmes upon his people; and the cauſe of them all, is the graciouſneſſe of God. Gods graciouſneſs the cauſe of all bleſſings. Of The love of God. Viz.

1. The love of God is an unſpeakable bleſſing, and the graciouſneſs of God is the reaſon of that love: I will love them freely, Hoſ. 14. 4. He ſet his love upon you, becauſe he lov • d you, Deut. 7. 7, 8.

2. The election of God is an unſpeakable bleſſing, and the foundation of that election is the graciouſneſs of God; Ther is a reward according to the election of The election of God. grace, Rom. 11. 5.

3. R • demption by Chriſt is alſo a wonderful bleſſing, and this was according to the riches of his grace, Eph. 1. 7. Redemption by Chriſt.

4. Calling us in • o Chriſt; and the reaſon of this alſo is his grace, 2 Tim. 1. 9. Calling into Chriſt. Juſtifying us.

5. The juſtifying of us is an ineſtimable mercy: And He justifies us freely by his grace, Rom. 3. 24.

6. And the ſaving of us, is the compleating of us, and of all our bleſſings; Saving of us. and by grac • are we ſaved, Eph. 2. 5, 8. This is certain, that Gods graciouſneſs is the fountain of all our good, and it is the reaſon of all our enjoyments and hopes; If the Lord were not gracious, if he ſhould look on us, and act towards us upon the account of our worthineſs, we ſhould never have enjoyed the leaſt of his mercies. You might have heard of mercy, but ſhould never have been the better for it; and you might have heard of all the promiſes, but ſhould never have enjoyed the good of any one of them, if God were not a gracious God; but becauſe he is your gracious God, and will deal with you altogether from the Throne of grace in a gracious way; This is it which puts life into you, and ſweetly draws out the deſires and confidences of your hearts.

Queſt. You may demand, But what comfort is this unto the people of God, that there God is a gracious God, and that he will deal with them altogether in a What comfort from hence, that our God is gracious. gracious way, and upon gracious terms.

Sol. The comforts from this are very choice and precious; I will mention ſome of them unto you.

1. Becauſe your God is a gracious God, therefore there can be nothing to diſcourage There can be nothing to diſcourage us in our addreſſes to him, and expectations from him. or hinder you in your addreſſes unto him, and expectations from him. The graciouſneſſe of God anſwers all the doubts of the heart, and all the temptations of Satan.

There are four things which are apt to diſcourage our hearts, when we think of drawing near to God.

1. One is the greatneſſe of our ſins. 2. A ſecond, is the greatneſſe of Gods mercies we need. 3. A third is the greatneſſe of our unworthineſſe. 4. A fourth is the greatneſſe of our evil deſerts.

My ſinnes are ſo great, that I cannot expect that God will ever do me good: The mercies and bleſſings that I need, are ſo great, and I can lay down nothing for them. And I am unworthy of the leaſt of mercies; nay, I deſerve to be rejected and curſed! But now the graciouſneſſe of God is able effectually to remove all theſe diſcouragements.

1. Your ſinnes are great, and therefore you are afraid that the merciful God will not pardon them: But then remember, that the merciful God is a gracious Not the greatneſs of our ſins. God: As he hath riches of mercy, ſo he hath riches of grace: And as he promiſeth to forgive the ſinnes of his people, ſo he promiſeth to forgive their ſinnes freely (the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes according to the riches of his grace, Eph. 1. 7.) And this remember withal, that the gracious God forgives the greateſt ſinnes, as well as the leaſt ſinnes of his people upon the ſame terms of graciouſneſſe. In Luke 7. we read of a leſſe debtor who owed fiftie pence; and of a greater debtor, who owed five hundered pence, ver. 41. and the Creditor freely forgave them both, verſe 42. ſo, &c. Your God hath not one way to forgive leſſe ſinnes, and another way to forgive greater ſinnes; but though the ſinnes be different, yet the terms or reaſons of forgiveneſs is one and the ſame, viz. the free grace of God.

2. O but the mercies and bleſſings which I need, are ſo high and ſo great, Not the greatneſſe of the mercies that we need. ſurely thoſe cannot come off but upon hard terms, and I have nothing to lay down for them.

I anſwer, your God is a gracious God; Your God in his Covenant, hath promiſed all ſorts of good unto you; corporal, and ſpiritual; ſmall and great; And remember it for ever, that all the bonds of Gods Covenant are paid in upon the ſame rate: Grace was the reaſon of making all the promiſes, and Grace is the reaſon of the performance of every good: you ſhall have the greateſt good upon the ſelf-ſame termes as you have the leaſt.

3. O but I am ſo unworthy of theſe mercies! What am I, and what is there in Not the greatneſs of our unworthineſs. me for God to look on, to affect and to move God to do ſuch great things for my ſoul!

Why! there is nothing in you, but an extreme need of theſe great good things promiſed by God, and an abſolute unworthineſſe of them: O but your God is a gracious God; and as an unworthy ſinner may go to a gracious God, ſo a gracious God will give all that he hath promiſed to his people, though they be unworthy. Graciouſneſs findes the price of all mercies in it ſelf, it is the only reaſon of our enjoyments.

4. But I deſerve to be rejected in my ſuits, and to be ourſed. Not the greatneſſe of our evil deſerts.

'Tis true, and ſo you ſhould finde it, if God dealt with you according to your deſervings; but your God is a gracious God, and deales with his people, not in a rigorous way, but in a gracious way, of loving kindneſſe and mercies.

2. Is the gracious God your God? then all your mercies are ſure: you ſhall aſſuredly poſſeſſe them, and inherit them: The children of grace are the ſureſt Then all your mercies are ſure heires of mercy: It is of grace that the promiſe might be ſure, Rom. 4. 16. Beloved! If God had Covenanted with you to be your God upon a reſpect to your works, and not upon a ſole reſpect to his own graciouſneſſe; and if he had promiſed you mercies, and other bleſſings, upon a bargain for your goodneſſe, and not upon a foundation in his own graciouſneſſe; neither could God be ſure to you, nor could the mercies of God be ſure to you. Adam had as much (in a way of works) to have perpetuated, and enſured, and ſetled God and mercies upon himſelf, and more than ever we ſhall have, and yet all became unſure unto him; much more would it be with us, if God and we ſhould traffique that way; If God ſhould ſay to any of us, I promiſe to be your God, and to give you all bleſſings, upon condition of your perfect, conſtant obedience; your never failing obeying of my will, ſhall be the condition, and the reaſon of your certain enjoyment of me! I dare averre it, that our enjoyment of God, and the good things by him promiſed would not be certain, or ſure unto us not one day, not one houre, nay, hardly one minute. But there comes the certainty of enjoying of God, and of his promiſed mercies, viz. the grace or the graciouſneſs of God, I am freely yours, I will love you freely, I will bleſs you freely for mine own ſake, though not for your ſake.

Our obedience is a weak and unſtedfaſt reaſon, but Gods grace is a full and conſtant reaſon for all our mercies, and for all our pleas, and for all our enjoyments. Then you have plea enough to deal with God. The immutability or unchangeableneſs of God.

3. Is the gracious God your God in Covenant? you have then plea enough, and reaſon enough to deal with God: It is the beſt plea you can make, Lord, do me good for thine own ſake.

9. Immutability, or unchangeableneſſ • is another Attribute of God; your God is an unchangeable God, and he will be ſo to you, Mal. 3. 6. I am the Lord, I change not. Jam. 1. 17. With him there is no variableneſſe, neither ſhadow of turning. So Numb. 23. 19. God is not man, that he ſhould lye, neither the ſon of man, that he ſhould repent.

Conſider God either

1. In his eſſence, ſo he is unchangeable; the eſſence of God cannot be changed; In his eſſence. it is impoſſible that it ſhould be, foraſmuch as every change is either to the better, or to the worſe; There cannot be a change in God to the better, becauſe he is in himſelf an infinite perfection; nor can he be changed to the worſe, becauſe then he ſhould not be God, if any defect or want were incident unto him; Beſides, in every change there is a new ſucceſſion for being, or manner of being; but God is eternal, and he is infinite; therefore he cannot be otherwiſe than he is.

2. In his decrees, ſo alſo he is unchangeable; theſe foundations ſtand ſure, In his decrees. 2 Tim. 19. Iſa. 14. 24. Surely, as I have thought, ſo ſhall it come to paſſe; and as I have purpoſed, ſo ſhall it ſtand. Ver. 27. The Lord of Hoſts hath purpoſed, and who ſhall diſanull it? The Decrees of God are laid upon the counſel and wiſdome of God, and ſuch grounds within himſelf, that there cannot be any new reaſon or ſtronger, to alter his decrees.

3. In his promiſes and Covenant with his people. All his promiſes are yea In his promiſes and Amen to the praiſe of his glory. 2 Cor. 1. 20. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips, Pſal. 89. 34.

4. In his love, there he is unchangeable to his people; whom he loves, he In his love. doſh love to the end for ever. Hoſ. 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever, in loving kindneſs and mercies.

5. In his gifts. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance, Rom. 11. In his gifts. 29. If the Lord calls you to be his people, you ſhall be his people for ever: And if the Lord give you Chriſt, and faith, and the other graces of the Spirit, you ſhall have them for ever; he will not repent that he beſtoweth theſe upon you.

O what a comfort is this unto the people of God, who have an unchangeable Comfort that our God is unchangeable. G • d to be their God! Not without cauſe doth the Apoſtle in Heb. 6. 17, 18. declare that the immutability of God is a choice ground for our ſtrong conſolation. You would have but weak conſolation (yea, I queſtion whether you would have any conſolation at all) if your God were a changeable God; His election of you, would afford you little comfort, if God would change that purpoſe of his, and after that reject you; his love of you would yield you little comfort, if after that, he would change his love and hate you! his promiſes of grace and glory, of mercy and life, what comfort would theſe be to you, if God ſhould alter his words of bleſſings into words of curſes: if he ſhould put in your names in the book of life, and then croſs out your names; if he ſhould make his Will, and then alter his Will! Your faith could never be certain, and your conſcience could never be ſettled, and your hopes could never be ſure, and your fruitions could never be ſtable, if your God were a changeable God: But here now is your ſtrong conſolation, That your God is an immutable God: His faithfulneſs is unchangeable, his love is unchangeable, his Omnipotency is unchangeable, his graciouſneſs is unchangeable, his promiſes are unchangeable.

And there are ſix precious comforts unto you, who have this unchangeable God Six comforts from hence. The unchangeable God will never caſt you off. to be your God.

1. The unchan eable God will never caſt you off; He may correct his children, but he will never reject them. Rom. 11. 1. Hath God caſt away his people? God forbid. Ver. 2. God hath not caſt away his people whom he foreknew. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheleſs, the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having this Seal, the Lord knoweth who are his. If God ſhould chuſe and own you for his, and then refuſe and diſown you for his, he were a changeable God. He wil be your God for ever.

2. The unchangeable God, if he be your God, he will be your God for ever and ever. This God is our God for ever and ever, Pſal. 48. 14. If he ſhould be your God, and yet ceaſe to be your God, he could not then be your unchangeable God: but becauſe he is an unchangeable God, he remains your merciful, your loving, your gracious God for ever; as long as he is God, he will continue to be your God.

3. The unchangeable God ever lives. David ſpeaking of the earth, and of He ever lives. the heavens, delivers himſelf thus in Pſalme 102. 26. They ſhall periſh, but thou ſhalt endure; all of them ſhall wax old like a garment: as a vesture ſhalt thou change them, and they ſhall be changed. Ver. 27. But thou art the ſame, and thy years ſhall have no end: He endures for ever, his mercy endures for ever, his loving kindneſs endures for ever, his Word abides and endures for ever; look on other things, they are changeable, and we ſee them to be changed; men love, and hate; they proſper, and they wither; they do us good, and then they die, and can never do us good more: But the unchangeable God ſtill lives, he is ſtill the ſame, and ever lives to love you for ever, and to bleſſe you for ever, and to ſhew mercy to you for ever. Though you have not a father to go unto (for he is dead) and though you have not a friend to go unto (for every one of them is dead) yet you have a God to go unto who lives for ever, and lives unchangeable; yea, though your friend doth live, and now grows ſtrange to you, and will not know you, yet your God will know you, and own you, and regard, and help you, for he is an unchangeable God.

4. In all your wants and diſtreſses, and new occaſions, you may ſtill look up to In all yo • r wants and new occaſions, you may ſtill look up to your God your God, for he is unchangeable, and his promiſes are unchangeable: He did pity you, and he will pity you; he did hear you, and he will hear you; he did help you, and he will help you; he did comfort you, and he will comfort you; for he is ſtill the ſame God, the ſame unchangeable God: ye are ſure to be heard, and you are ſure to ſpeed; for he is unchangeable in his love, and in his promiſes unto you.

5. Then your ſpiritual condition is everlaſtingly ſure and ſafe: He hath choſen Your ſpiritual condition is everlaſtingly ſure and ſafe. you from the beginning unto ſalvation, 2 Theſ. 2. 13. And his election is unchangeable; he hath promiſed that whoſoever Believes ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life, John 3. 16. Yea, this is the promiſe which he hath promiſed us, even eternal life, 1 John 2. 25. And his promiſes are unchangeable; he gives you Chriſt, and all the graces of the Spirit which bring unto ſalvation; and all his gifts are unchangeable, Rom. 11. 29.

6. Though you be very changeable towards God, yet he is ſtill unchangeable towards Though you be changeable towards God, yet he is unchangeable towards you. you; you many times forget him, and fall, and fail, and leave him, but God will never forget you, never falſifie with you, leave nor forſake you. 2 Tim. 2. 13. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himſelf: Sometimes you love him more, ſometimes leſs; ſometimes you pleaſe him, and many times you grieve him; ſometimes you keep cloſe in walking with God, and many times you wander from him, yet he is unchangeable. He will not deſtroy you, becauſe he is unchangeable. If he ſhould change as oft as we do, Now you offend me, now I will be your God no longer; I will love you, bleſs, preſerve you no more; then there were cauſe of exceeding trouble.

10. Omnipreſence; Your God is an Omnipreſent God, he is everywhere; Gods Omnipreſence. included in no place, excluded from no place. Non eſt ubi, ubi non eſt Deus. 1 King. 8. 27. Behold the heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him; how much leſſe this houſe that I have builded? Iſa. 66. 1. The heaven is my Throne, and the earth is my footstool. Jer. 23. 24. Can any hide himſelf in ſecret places that I ſhall not ſee him, ſaith the Lord? Do not I fill heaven and earth? ſaith the Lord, Prov. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Pſal. 139. 7. Whither ſhall I go from thy Spirit? or whither ſhall I flie from thy preſ • nce? Verſe 8. If I aſcend up into heaven, thou art there: if I mak my bed in hell, behold thou art there. Verſe 9. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermoſt parts of the ſea: Verſe 10. Even there ſhall thine hand l • ad me, and thy right hand ſhall hold me. Angels are of a limited preſence, becauſe of a limited eſſence; and the bodies of men have their circumſcription by limited place; every creature hath his limited Ubi, or place; but God is an infinite, and immenſe being, whoſe Center is everywhere, and whoſe circumference is now here.

What a comfort is this to the people of God? The comfort of this. God is every where, and in every place, and ſo alwayes preſent with them.

1. That this God is everywhere, and in every place; that they are in the preſence of God, and their God is alwayes preſent with them.

God himſelf delivers this as a comfort and ſupport unto all his people (I will be with you) in reſpect of all dangers, troubles, and difficult ſervices.

To Iſaac, Gen. 26. 3. I will be with thee, and will bleſſe thee. To Jacob, Gen. 28. 5. Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goeſt. To Moſes, Exod. 3. 12. Certainly I will be with thee. To Joſhuah, Joſh. 1. 5. As I was with Moſes, ſo I will be with thee: I will not faile thee, nor forſake thee. To all his people, Iſa. 41. 10. Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not diſmayd, for I am thy God. If your God be Omnipreſent, then whereſoever you are, your God is preſent with you. Suppoſe a man were injuriouſly dealt withal, would it not be a comfort to him, if the Judge (the righteous Judge) himſelf were preſent, to ſee how violent men dealt with him? Suppoſe a man were in trouble, in exile with David, or in priſon with Joſeph, would it not be a comfort to him, if his loving Father were preſent with him, or his kindeſt friend? O Chriſtian, be thou in any condition whatſoever, in any Countrey, in any place whatſoever, thy God, thy Judge, thy Father, thy beſt Friend is with thee. Pſal. 91. 15. I will be with thee in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. Iſa. 43. 2. When thou paſſeſt through the waters, I will be with thee, &c.

2. As your God is preſent everywhere, ſo he is at once, and wholly preſent everywhere God is at once and wholly preſent every where with his eſſence and Attributes. with all his eſsence, and all his Attributes; He is not ſometimes preſent in one place, and then by a local mutation preſent in another place, but he is at once at the ſelf-ſame time preſent in every place; neither is he preſent partly in one place, and partly in another place, a piece of him here, and a piece of him there; but in his infinite and compleat eſſence, he is preſent every where; you may not imagine that the al-ſufficient God is in one place, and the merciful God in another, and the wiſe God in another, and the good God in another, and the Omnipotent God in another place, &c. No, but that one and ſelf-ſame God in his eſſence, and in all his glorious Attributes is every where; and whereſoever he is preſent, all his Attributes and excellencies are preſent with him, altogether preſent: for his eſſence is undivided, his Attributes are inſeparable from his eſſence.

O what a comfort is this to all you who are the people of God! Some of you live in one Countrey, and ſome of you live in another Countrey; and ſometimes you have occaſions to live in one place, and ſometimes in another place, and yet every where, all of you have the ſame God in all his excellencies preſent with you, and he hath his God and Father preſent with him; you have him preſent in this Land, and if you ſhould have occaſion to remove to another Land (many thouſand miles hence) there are you, and there is your God preſent with you, your al-ſufficient God, your Almighty God, your merciful God, your wiſe God, &c. Go where you will, there are ſix things preſent with you. 1. Much weakneſs is preſent in your hearts. 2. Many temptations preſent from Satan. 3. Many adverſaties are preſent from the world, and many afflictions too. 4. Good Angels are preſent with you. 5. A good conſcience is continually preſent. And laſtly, a good God is preſent in all his excellencies for your good.

3. Although God be preſent every where, ratione eſſentiae, yet he is in a more God is in an eſpecial manner preſent with his people. ſpecial manner preſent with his people, ratione influentiae. There is the preſence of his ſpecial providence, and there is the preſence of his ſpecial grace; and thus he is every where preſent with and for his people: Hence it is that ordinarily where you read of Gods preſence with his people, you ſhall finde ſome other ſpecial thing annexed to that preſence, as I will be with thee and bleſſe thee, and I will be with thee, and help thee, and I will be with thee, and deliver thee, and I will be with thee, and ſtrengthen thee, and uphold thee, and ſave thee, &c. Jer. 15. 20. Huſhai's preſence with David was a burden, 2 Sam. 15. 33. Jobs wifes preſence was but a vexation unto him; our friends preſence is many times fruitleſſe, but Gods preſence is a bleſſing, comfort, help, (indeed) He is preſent with wicked men, but the more preſent he is with them, the worſe it is for them; the preſence of his knowledge, and the preſence of his power, and the preſence of his wrath, &c. But the preſence with his people, is a very gracious preſence, and a bleſſing preſence, and a bleſſed preſence; he is alwayes preſent with them for good.

4. Here is yet one comfort more unto you; if your God be every where preſent, Then you ſhall not ſtay long for any good you need. (and therefore preſent every where with you) then you ſhall not ſtay long for any good that you need, becauſe your God is near unto you; he is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth, Pſal. 145. 18. What Nation is there who hath God ſo nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? Deut. 4. 7. The nearneſſe or remoteneſſe of a friend is very material and conſiderable in our diſtreſſes and wants; I have ſuch a friend, and he would help me, but he lives ſo farre off; and ſuch a one is able to counſel me and comfort me, but he is now abſent, and I may be undone before I can hear from him; but it is not thus with you who have God to be your God; he is alwayes nigh unto you: As Chriſt ſaid unto his Diſciples, Mat. 28. 20. Lo, I am with you alwayes, even unto the end of the world: So your God is preſent with you alwayes, as long as you live in the world. Do you want comfort? the God of conſolation is preſent with you, very near unto you. Do you want grace? the God of all grace is preſent with you. Do you want peace? the God of peace is preſent with you. Do you want mercy? the Father of mercies i • s preſent with you. Do you want friends? the God of love is alwayes preſent. Do you want ſafety? the Omnipotent God is preſent with you. Do you want any thing? the All-ſufficient God is alwayes preſent with you. What the Apoſtle ſpake concerning the word of faith, in Rom. 10. 8. It is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; That is as true of God in all his glorious excellencies for his people.

11. Sovereignty or Dominion, this is another Attribute of God; he is (I think) Gods Sovereignty engaged for our good. a thouſand times in Scripture called the Lord, the Lord, &c. and to him is Dominion aſcribed, Dominion for ever and ever, 1 Pet. 4. 11. chap. 5. 11. He is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, 1 Tim. 6. 15. The Lord hath prepared his Throne in heaven, and his Kingdome ruleth over all, Pſal. 103. 19. All that is in the heaven and the earth is thine; thine is the Kingdome O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all; thou reigneſt over all, and in thine hand is power and might, and in thine hand it is to make great and give ſtrength to all, 1 Chron. 29. 11, 12.

One doth well diſtinguiſh of a twofold Sovereignty or Dominion in God. There is A twofold Sovereignty.

1. Juriſdictionis, which is his Sovereign authority to govern all men, and all Of juriſdicti • n. creatures; he may command what he will, and forbid what he pleaſeth, and permit what he liſts, and appoint what puniſhments, and what rewards as ſeem beſt to himſelf.

2. Porprietatis, which is his right or prerogative to diſpoſe of all things and Of propriety. perſons, and uſe them as he pleaſeth; and in this reſpect all the world, and all in the world are his ſervants, Gen. 14. 22. The Lord, the moſt High God, Poſſeſſor of heaven and earth: And this Dominion or Sovereignty is natural unto him, as he is God, the God of all the world, and Lord of all; neither is it controled by men or Angels: If God will deſtroy or abaſe, or weaken, or afflict, or raiſe, or bleſſe, the creatures muſt yield unto his Sovereign Will.

And truly this is an unspeakable comfort to the people of God, that their God The comfort of this. is Lord of all, and Lord over all; that the Sovereignty is his alone, and the Dominion is only his, that their God is above all gods, and that their God is above all Lords, and that all the creatures in their whole being and working are under him; that if he ſaith to one Go, he goeth, and if he ſaith to another Come, he cometh; and if he ſay to one Do this, he doth it; and if he ſaith to another Be ſtill, he ceaſeth; this is a comfort unto you againſt all the wicked in the world, and as touching all the ſerviceableneſſe of all the creatures in the World.

1. If your God hath the Sovereign Dominion, Then iſſues and events ſhall The iſſues and events ſhall not be as men contrive. no • be as men contrive, as they will, or as they deſire; for there is a greater than they which rules and reigns in the Kingdome of men; Be ſtill, and know that I am God, Pſal. 46. 10. All the powers, and all the policies, and all the rage, and malice of all the wicked on earth, are under the Dominion of God; he permits them, and he reſtrains them, and he confounds and deſtroys them; thus far ſhall they go, and no farther.

2. Again, If Sovereignty and Dominion are proper to God, then you can never Then you can never be brought in • o any ſtraits but God is able to help you. be brought in • o any ſtraits, but God is able to help you, and to deliver you: for he is Lord of all. He is the Lord of life, and the Lord of ſafety, and the Lord of deliverances, and the Lord of comforts. All the creatures are at his command; if he will open the hearts of men, they ſhall pity you and help you in your wants; if he ſaith to one, Go and comfort ſuch a Chriſtian, go and counſel him, go and deliver him, be a friend unto him, he ſhall come unto thee, and be this unto thee: The earth is the Lords, and the fulneſs thereof.

3. What ſhall I ſay more? ſeeing Sovereignty and Dominion belong to your Then all the Ordinances of grace are at his command. God, Therefore all the Ordinances of grace and life are at his command, and they ſhall yield out their ſtrength, and drop down their fatneſſe at his will and pleaſure; he can open them, and he can let out all their joyes and revivings, and conſolations, they ſhall be effectual means of all-ſaving good unto you upon his command.

12. He is and will be a good God unto you: The Lord is good, Pſal. 136. He will be a good God unto you. Ten things concerning the goodneſs of God to his people. He intends them good. He will bring unto them the good promiſed. He delights in doing good. He accounts this his honour. 1. Thou Lord art Good, Pſal. 86. 5. And truly God is good to Iſrael, Pſal. 73. 1. O how great is thy goodn • ſſe which thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee, Pſal. 31. 19.

There are ten things concerning the goodneſs of God unto his people.

1. He intends them good; I know the thoughts that I think towards you, ſaith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an un ex • ected end, Jer. 29. 11.

2. He will bring upon them all the good which he hath promiſed them, Jer. 32. 42.

3. He delights in doing good unto them, I will rejoyce over them to do them good, Jer. 32. 41.

4. He looks upon his doing good unto his people, as his honour and praiſe; it ſhall be to me a name of joy, a praiſe and an h • nour before all the Nations of the earth which ſhall hear all th • good that I do unto them, Jer. 33. 9.

5. He thinks no good too good for them; he will give grace and glory, and He thinks no good too good for them. He will never ceaſe from doing good. He will do them good every day. He prevents us with goodneſs. He doth more good than they ſeek for. He reſerves the beſt good to the laſt. no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly, Pſal. 84. 11.

6. He will never ceaſe from doing them good; Surely, goodneſſe and mercy ſhall follow me all the dayes of my life, Pſal. 23. 6. See alſo Jer. 32. 40.

7. He will do them good every day, his mercy is n • w every morning, Lam. 3. 23. Bleſſed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits, Pſal. 68. 19.

8. He is ſo ready to do you good▪ that he oftentimes prevents you with his goodneſſe; before they call I will •• ſwer, Iſa. 65. 14.

9. He doth them more good than they look for; Thou didſt terrible things which we looked not for, Iſa. 64. 3. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream, Pſal. 1 26. 1.

10. He reſerves the beſt good to the laſt: For beſides all the good which he doth for his people in this life, there is alſo an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reſerved in heaven for them, 1 Pet. 1. 4. Eye hath not ſeen, nor the eare heard, &c. 1 Cor. 2. 9.

13. He is a very kind God unto his people; Thou art a God of great kindneſſe, He is a very kind God unto hi • people. This contains foure things in it. Nehem. 9. 17. He hath ſhewed me his loving kindneſſe, Pſal. 31. 21. His merciful kindneſſe is great towards us, Pſal. 117. 2.

The kindneſſe of God contains foure things in it.

1. The ſweetneſſe of his loving nature unto his people without the leaſt diſdain of them, and harſhneſſe towards them; he will not bruiſe the bruiſed reed, nor The ſweetneſſe of his nature. deſpiſe the day of ſmall things. 2. The eaſineſſe of the communication of himſelf and goodneſſe unto them, The eaſineſs of his communications. His favourable encouragings. as waters flow out from a full fountain. 3. His favourable encouragings, and acceptance of them in their perſons and addreſſes unto him; as the father ran and embraced the returning childe, and fell on his neck and kiſſed him. 4. His reſpectful tenders; helpful, forwardneſſe of dealing with his people His reſpectful tenders. in all gentleneſſe and elemency.

And therefore he is ſaid to pity and ſpare his people, as a father pities his childe, (Pſal. 103. 13.) and ſpares his childe that ſerves him, (Mal. 3. 17.) and to draw his people with loving kindneſſe, Jer. 31. 3. and to draw them with bands of love, Hoſea 11. 4. and to take them by the armes, Hoſea 11. 3. and gently to lead them, and to carry them in his boſome, Iſa. 40. 11. and to dandle them upon his knees, Iſa. 66. 12. and to speak comfortably unto them, Hoſea 2. 14. In the Old Teſtament he would commune with his people, and give out all his anſwers at the Mercyſeat: And in the New Teſtament he gives them audience at the Throne of grace and mercy, and would have them in all their petitions to look upon him as their Father, Our Father, &c.) Though the diſtance be infinite 'twixt him and us, yet he repreſents himſelf unto us altogether as a kinde God and Father, and makes kinde promiſes unto us, and gives us his own Twelve things may aſſure you God will be kind to his people. His relations to them. His love is exceeding great unto them. His tender apprehenſions of any unkindneſs offered unto you. His daily paſſing by your failings. Sonne to be our Mediatour, that ſo we may ſtill finde favour in his eyes.

There are twelve things which may aſſure you that your God is and will be a kind God unto you.

1. His relations to you; Thy Maker is thy husband, Iſa. 54. 5. I will marry thee unto my ſelf in loving kindneſſe, Hoſea 2. 19.

2. His love is exceeding great unto you; he loves you above all the people in the world, and his choice delight is in you, you are his Hephzibahs and Benlahs, becauſe the Lord delights in you, Iſa. 62. 4.

3. His tender apprehenſion of any unkind and harſh injuries offered unto you: he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye.

4. His daily paſſing by the many failings and weakneſſes; he pities them, and will not mark them, nor inſiſt upon them.

5. His eaſie reception of you into favour; if he ſees but a tear in your eyes, he His eaſie reception of you into favour. will be gracious to the voice of your tears; I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf, I will ſurely have mercy on him.

6. His ſympathy with you in your diſtreſſes and afflictions; in all their afflictions he was afflicted, and the Angel of his preſence ſaved them, His ſympathy with you in your diſtreſſes. Iſa. 63. 9.

7. His yearning bowels towards you; My bowels are troubled for him, Jer. His yearning bowels towards you. 31. 20. and longings to do you good; He doth waite that he may be gracious unto you, Iſa. 30. 18.

8. His ſpeed to cloſe with you, and to ſhew his affections unto you. He flies His ſpeed to cloſe with you. upon the wings of the winde, and leaps over the Mountains, and haſtens, and runnes to ſhew himſelf reconciled unto you, Luke 15.

9. His great donations; he beſtows no leſſe on you than Chriſt, and grace, and His great donations. glory.

10. His quick eare to all your petitions, and ſuch a full compliance with His quick care to all your petitions. you, that he will deny you nothing which you ask according to his will; If we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us.

11. His looking after you, and special charge that men speak comfortably unto you, Iſa. 40. 1. 2. and that you never come with fears to him, nor go away from His looking after you. him with ſadneſſe. Go in peace, Be of good comfort, Come boldly to the Throne of grace, Heb. 4.

12. His gracious entertainment of you, and communions with you, and manifeſtations His gracious entertainment of you. unto you; ſo that you are as it were many times lifted up to heaven, and filled with joy unſpeakable and glorious. Beloved! This is unſpeakable comfort and encouragement unto you that your God is a kinde God, and will deal with you in loving kindneſſes; Conſider that of neceſſity you have to deal with him, and that every day and houre of your life; and that he is not an hard Maſter, nor of an harſh nature, nor rough in his words, or looks, or deeds: He will not ſeek, not will he take advantages againſt you; ſo as that you may come with boldneſſe into his preſence, and need not to fear his intentions or dealings with you; Never did father or mother deal more gently with their tender infants, never did loving husband deal more kindly with his moſt beloved wife, than your kindeſt God will deal with you; and this affords unto you five comforts.

1. You have free acceſs to him, the door is alwayes open; Should the childe fear to go to his tender Father? 2. You may come with full opening of your ſoul and wants to him; he is kind and willing to hear all. 3. You may have good hope; if any will uſe you well, 'tis your kinde God. 4. You are ſure of quick dispatch; kindneſſe makes no unneceſſary delays, no vain excuſes. 5. When men deal unkindly with you, yet you ſhall finde kinde dealing from your God; Pſal. 27. 10. When my father and mother forſake me, then the Lord will take ms up.

14. Laſtly, Eternity is another Attribute of God, your God is an eternal God; Gods Eternity. from everlasting to everlaſting thou art God, Pſal. 90. 2. The Eternal God is thy refuge, Deut. 33. 27. He inhabits Eternity, Iſa. 57. 15.

Eternity is an interminable being and dutation before any time, and beyond all time; it is a fixed duration without beginning or ending: If you ſhould imagine as many thouſand myriads of years before time was as there are ſands on the Seaſhore, and of ten thouſand thouſand times more myriads after time ſhall not be, you could not in the one or the other make any diſcovery of the being or duration of God; the Eternity of God is beyond all poſſible conception of meaſure or time. God ever was, ever is, and ever ſhall be.

Though the manifeſtations of himſelf unto the creatures are in time, yet his eſſence or being never did nor ſhall be bound up by time; look backward or forward, God from Eternity to Eternity is a moſt ſelf-ſufficient, infinite, perfect, bleſſed being, the firſt cauſe of our being, and without any cauſe of his own being; an eternal infinite fulneſſe and poſſeſſion to himſelf, and of himſelf: what God is, he was from Eternity; and what God is, he will be ſo to Eternity: The comfort of it is. This very Attribute is that which drops myrrhe and oyle, and honey it is one of the ſweeteſt and ſtrongeſt comforts unto you who are the people of God.

1. It ſweetens all his love and mercy, and goodneſſe unto you; God is Eternal, It ſweetens all his love and mercy, and goodneſſe to you. and his love to you is an Eternal love; there never ſhall come the time when his love or his kindneſſe, or his goodneſſe, or his mercy ſhall ceaſe towards you; All the creatures ſlip away, and come to their end, and though one creature outlives another, yet every creature at laſt is at his journies end: There is an end of this man and his power, and an end of that man and his love; but God never comes to an end, and his power and his love never comes to an end: O what is this that God is God, and that he is our God for ever and ever, that his love is an Eternal love, and his mercy is an Eternal mercy, and his fulneſſe is an Eternal fulneſſe, and his bleſſedneſſe is an Eternal bleſſedneſſe.

2. It gives you confidence in all your space of time which you are to live, ſtill It gives confidence to live upon God as long as we live. to live upon your God: for there is no newneſs, nor alteration, nor wearineſs, nor weakneſs in Eternity; no want or waſte in Eternity, Eternity is full to all Eternity: God is full of mercy and grace, and power, &c. The Eternal God is in all times the ſelf-ſame perfection and all-ſufficiency; there is no variation or diminution, or contigency in Eternity; his power and mercy, and wiſdome, and knowledge, and love, and kindneſſe are ſtill at the ſame height.

3. The Eternal God hath time enough to make all his promiſes good unto you; He hath time enough to make all his promiſes good. Though life be ſhort, yet he hath promiſed to give eternal life. you need not fear that he will dye in debt unto you; Eternity never dies, but hath time enough in it.

4. Though your life be not Eternal, but ſhort, yet your Eternal God hath promiſed to give unto you Eternal life, 1 John 2. 25. This is the promiſe which he hath promiſed us, even Eternal life: Happineſs were not happineſs without Eternity; Eternity of happineſs is a full poſſeſſion, and a preſent poſſeſſion, and an invincible poſſeſſion, and endleſs poſſeſſion of the bleſſed God for ever, and ever, and ever.

5. This is comfort in all loſſes; I dye, but God will ſurely viſit you, Comfort in all loſſes. ſaid Joſeph; as if he had ſaid, I cannot live to do you good, but God lives for ever; what though this comfort dyes, yet the God of all comfort lives.

Thus have you heard the ſingular and manifold comforts of having God to be your God, from the excellency of all his glorious Attributes, in reſpect of which (becauſe he is your God) he is engaged unto you. I thought to have added unto all this another diſcourſe of Gods engagement in his Attributes unto his people. viz. That his Attributes were engaged unto you conjunctively; and that conjunctive engagement was, 1. Ʋniverſal, not this or that Attribute of God, but this and that, every one of his Attributes. 2. Special, as his al-ſufficiency and faithfulneſs, his goodneſs and graciouſneſs, his power and wiſdome, his mercifulneſs and unchangeableneſs, his omnipreſence and kindneſs, his Sovereignty and eternity.

But then I fear I ſhould be too tedious unto you, therefore let what hath been ſpoken be ſufficient to give you a taſte of that happineſs which the people of God enjoy, by having God to be their God, upon this account, that their God is engaged unto them in all his Attributes for their good.

SECT. VIII.

3. NOw follows a third ſingular comfort unto all who have God to be their If God be your God, then Chriſt is your Chriſt. God in Covenant, which is this, If God be your God, then Christ is your Chriſt: To whom God is a God, unto them Chriſt is a Chriſt; if God be your God, then Jeſus Chriſt is yours; as Chriſt ſpake unto his Father, All mine are thine, and thine are mine, John 17. 10. All that have an intereſt in me, have an intereſt in thee; and all that have a relation to thee, have alſo a relation to me; We may ſo ſafely ſay, All who have propriety in God, have propriety in Chriſt: If God ſaith unto you I am your Father, Chriſt ſaith unto you I am your Saviour; whom the Father owns, he doth own; whom the Father loves, he loves. This is certain that God the Father hath not one ſort of people, and Chriſt another ſort of people; that there are ſome to whom God hath relation, and there are others to whom Chriſt hath relation. No: but what relation God hath to any, and what propriety God hath in any, the ſame hath Chriſt; and what relation and propriety any have in God, the ſame have they unto Chriſt: I and my Father are one. Then if you be Gods, then you are Chriſts; and if God be yours, then Chriſt is yours; he is given to you, and you are given to him: Ʋnto us a Sonne is given, Eſay 9. 6. Thine they were, and thou gaveſt them me, John 17. 6.

Now if God be your God, Then Chriſt is yours in theſe reſpects.

1. He is yours as to his perſon: He himſelf is yours, not yours only in the reſpect Chriſt is yours as to his perſon. of his graces and works, but yours alſo in reſpect of his perſon; as it was his perſon who gave himſelf for you, (Chriſt hath given himſelf for us, Epheſ. 5. 2.) ſo it is the perſon of Chriſt who gives himſelf unto you; my beloved is mine, and I am his, Cant. 2. 16.

The union and relation 'twixt you and Chriſt is as real, as that between the husband and the wife, as that between the head and the body, as that between the Vine and the branches; as the husband can ſay This woman is my wife, and the wife can ſay This man is my husband; ſo truly doth Chriſt ſay This believer is mine; ſo can the believer ſay This Chriſt is mine; that Chriſt who is the Sonne of God, the brightneſſe of his Fathers glory, who is immortal, God with us, who is God bleſſed for ever, who is the Lord of glory, whoſe Name is Wonderful, Counſellor, the Mighty God, the Everlaſting Father, the Prince of Peace; The Saviour of ſinners, the Redeemer, the Light and Life of the world, the deſire of all Nations, who is altogether lovely, and moſt excellent and precious; in compariſon of whom, Paul counted all things but loſſe and dung, this Chriſt is your Chriſt; this Chriſt in whom is life, and without whom there is no life; this Chriſt in whom is ſalvation, and without whom there is no ſalvation; this Chriſt in whom is bleſſedneſſe, and without whom there is nothing but curſe and miſery; this Chriſt in whom is hope, and without whom there is no hope; this Chriſt is your Chriſt.

But let us a little more diſtinctly conſider our happineſſe and comfort, that Chriſt, Comfort from this that the perſon of Chriſt is ours. It is more to enjoy Chriſt himſelf, than to enjoy all things without him. the perſon of Chriſt is ours.

1. It is more to enjoy Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, than to enjoy any or all other things without himſelf: Could you enjoy every good, and every comfort which every creature in the whole world doth contain, as all theſe are nothing in compariſon of Chriſt, (what is the Candle to the Sunne? what is the glory of the graſſe to the glory of the only begotten of the Father? what is the chaffe unto the wheat? the ſoul of man is above all theſe, much more is Chriſt; ſo they are nothing in a ſeparation from Chriſt; unleſſe the figure ſtands before, all that follows are but empty ciphres, which ſignifie nothing, ſo unleſſe you have Chriſt, your greatneſſe is but a cipher, your riches are but a cipher; they are neither a bleſſedneſſe unto you, nor yet a bleſſing, nor yet a way to the one or to the other; Chriſt alone hath more worth in him, more wealth in him, more delight in him, more greatneſſe in him, than can be poſſibly found in all the creatures, although dividedly or conjunctively conſidered; and therefore Moſes preferred even the reproaches of Chriſt, before a • l th • treaſures in Egypt, Heb. 11. Take me the greateſt man on earth; if he be a Chriſtleſſe man, he is but a curſed man, and all that he hath, is but a curſe unto him; and take me the meaneſt man on earth, if Chriſt be his, he is a bleſſed man; and all that he hath, is a bleſſing unto him.

2. It is m • re to enjoy Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, than to enjoy any, or all the benefits It is more to enjoy Chriſt himſelf than to enjoy all benefits depending on him. depending on Chriſt; The benefits I ſay, from the enjoyment of Chriſt are very precious (how precious is the peace which flowes out of his blood, and the joy which comes in by his Spirit, and the graces, and the gifts from him!) yet Chriſt himſelf is more precious, more ſweet, more lovely, and more deſirable: If the Image be ſo precious, much more the pattern it ſelf; if the tokens and gifts be ſo precious, much more is the giver himſelf; if the words of his mouth, and the kiſſes of his lips are ſo ſweet, much more ſweet is the enjoyment of Chriſt himſelf; therefore Paul rejoyceth eſpecially in this, that Chriſt lov • d him, and gave himſelf for him, Gal. 2. 20. And above all things, deſires to be fo • nd in him, Phil. 3. 9. No, not the knowledge of Chriſt (though it were the excellency of knowledge) could ſuffice him; it was Chriſt himſelf after whom he principally looked, and in whom he would be found.

3. All is enjoyed by the enjoyment of Chriſt. All is enjoyed

1. Equivalently; there is as much in Chriſt, as anſwers all other enjoyments All is enjoyed by the en • oyment of Chriſt, Equivalently. (Ipſe unus erit tibi omnia, quia in ipſo uno bono bona ſunt omnia) the wiſdome of Chriſt doth more than anſwer all other wiſdome; and the knowledge of Chriſt doth more than anſwer all other knowledge; and the love of Chriſt doth more than anſwer all other love; and the unſearchable riches of Chriſt doth more than anſwer all other riches; and the delights in Chriſt do more than anſwer all other pleaſures.

2. Really; if you enjoy Chriſt himſelf, you do actually enjoy all the glorious benefits by Chriſt, with the enjoyments of himſelf. If the field be yours, the Really. treaſure in the field is yours indeed; in ſome civil enjoyments, there is an exceptio juris; ſometimes ſuch a Mannour you ſhall enjoy, but ſuch or ſuch particulars are excepted and reſerved; But it is not thus in your ſpiritual enjoyments, (in the enjoyment of Chriſt) there is no exception, no clauſe, no diſtinction; but if Chriſt be yours, all of Chriſt is yours; his love is yours, his righteouſneſs is yours, his wiſdome, his holineſs, his Redemption, all is yours.

4. J • ſus Chriſt h • mſelf, his perſon is the greateſt bleſſing, and choiceſt gift, that Jeſus Chriſt himſelf is the greateſt and choiceſt gift that God can give unto you. God hath or can give unto you; for all the other bleſſings fall into our poſſeſſion and enjoyment by Chriſt alone; all your enjoyments are beſtowed by the enjoyment of Chriſt himſelf; the loving God, the merciful God, righteouſneſſe, holineſſe, as long as Chriſt is Chriſt, you ſhall have poſſeſſion of them. Epheſ. 1. 3. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who hath bleſſed us with all ſpiritual bleſſings in heavenly places in Chriſt. Jeſus Chriſt (if I may ſo expreſſe it) is the out-let of all bleſſings, and he is the in-let to all our bleſſings; Look on our bleſſings as deſcending from God to us, Jeſus Chriſt is (as it were) the out-let of them all; they are let out unto us by Chriſt; God himſelf becomes our God in Chriſt, and he loves us in Chriſt, and chooſeth us in Chriſt, and is merciful and gracious unto us in Chriſt, and ſheweth the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindneſſe towards us through Chriſt Jeſus. And look on our bleſſings as deſired from God by us, we are let or brought into the enjoyment of them by Chriſt; We loſt all by the firſt Adam, and we come to enjoy all again by Chriſt; Jeſus Chriſt is (as it were) the root upon which all our mercies and comforts, and hopes do live again and grow.

You obtain your acceſſe by Chriſt unto the Father, and your perſons come to be accepted in Chriſt, and all your ſervices; He holds up all your Communions, and makes them effectual and ſure: God would not look on you, nor regard you, nor let fall one glimpſe or beame of his favour upon you, were it not for Chriſt; it is Chriſt which makes you nigh, and dear, and lovely, and delightful, and precious, and for whoſe ſake you come to be ſonnes and heirs of love and mercy, and peace, and all the bleſſings which you do poſſeſſe, or ever ſhall enjoy in this world, or in the world to come.

5. Your condition cannot be otherwiſe than ſafe and comfortable, and bleſſed, Your condition cannot be otherwiſe than ſafe, if Chriſt be yours. if Chriſt be yours. As it cannot be well with any without Chriſt, ſo it cannot be ill with any who have Chriſt: There is no condemnation unto you; you are now paſſed from death to life; he is your life, and he that hath the Sonne hath life; and he is your hope, (Chriſt in you the hope of glory) and he is your Rock on which you are built; he is your peace, he is your glory, he is your head, he is your Saviour; in one word, the enjoyment of Chriſt makes life and death comfortable.

2. Chriſt is yours as to all his Offices; You know that Chriſt is the anointed Chriſt • s yours as to all his offices. of God; He was ſet apart, and ordained, and called, and ſent, and undertook all the work of ſalvation for ſinners; and for the accompliſhing of that ſalvation, he was inſtalled a Prophet, a Prieſt, and a King.

By reaſon of our ſinful fall, there were (if I may ſo call them) three diſeaſes falling upon us.

One was Ignorance, and this Chriſt doth heale as he is our Prophet.

A ſecond was Alienation from God, and this Chriſt doth heal as he is our Prieſt.

A third is Impotency to come back to God, and this Chriſt doth heal as he is our King.

As he is a Prophet, he doth open and unfold ſalvation; and as he is a Prieſt, he doth acquire and procure ſalvation; and as he is a King, he doth apply that ſalvation unto us.

The Prophetical Office of Chriſt, is that by which he doth perfectly and effectually reveal the whole ſaving Will of God.

The Prieſtly Office of Chriſt, is that by which he doth expiate all our ſinnes, and doth reconcile us unto God.

The Kingly Office of Chriſt, is that by which he doth with authority and power diſpenſe and adminiſter all things which do belong unto the everlaſting ſalvation of his people.

Beloved, All the works of our redemption, and reconciliation, and ſalvation, do depend on Jeſus Chriſt as inveſted with the threefold Office of Prophet, Prieſt, and King; his whole Mediatourſhip is contained in them, and ſo is all our comfort and hope; and therefore I will ſpeak briefly unto every one of them.

1. Jeſus Chriſt is a Prophet, and he is your Prophet. He is that Prophet whom Chriſt is yours as a Prophet. God had promiſed to raiſe up, Acts 3. 22. And whom all are commanded to hear, verſe 23. And this was he who was anointed by the Spirit of the Lord, to preach the Coſpel to the poor, Luke 4 18. And this is he in whom are hid all the treaſures of wiſdome and knowledge, Col. 2. 3. who knows the Father, and by whom alone the knowledge of the Father is revealed, Matth 11. 27. who is in the boſome of the Father, and declares him unto us. John 1. 18. who is the Angel of the Covenant. Malachi 3. 1. unto whom the great Commiſſion of opening the myſtery of ſalvation is granted and ſealed.

Now there are foure ſingular comforts unto you, which have God to be your God in Covenant and conſequently have Jeſus Chriſt to be your Prophet. Four comforts from hence. He hath i • in his commiſſion to teach us.

1. He hath it in his Commiſſion to teach you, They ſhall be all taught of God, Joh. 6. 45. yea it is his expreſſe Commiſſion to preach the Goſpel unto you, Luke. 4. 18. to open and reveale that Myſtery which was kept ſecret ſince the world began, and to make it manifeſt. Rom. 16. 25, 26. even the Myſtery which hath been hid from ages, and from generations, but now is made manifeſt unto his Saints, Col. 1. 26. Though others ſit in darkneſſe and ſee no light, yet unto you (through Chriſt) there ariſeth light in darkneſſe; and your eyes ſhall and do ſee the ſalvation of the Lord, and the glory of the Lord: the light ſhines in your hearts, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. 4. 6. he makes known unto you, the true life, and the true way of life, the myſtery of ſalvation.

2. He hath it in his commiſſion to inſtruct and teach you the whole minde and will of To inſtruct and teach us the while mind and will of God. God in every thing which concerns your ſalvation: all things that I have heard of the Father, I have made known unto you, Joh. 15. 15.

As he diſcovers unto us infallibly the reality, and the quality of our ſalvation, ſo there is not any one truth, nor any one path neceſſary unto that ſalvation, but he opens it, and reveales it, whether it reſpect our faith, or our obedience: he is the anno • nting which teacheth you of all things and is truth, and is no lye, 1 Joh. 2. 27.

3. He is that Prophet who doth teach, not only by his word, but alſo by his Spirit: others can ſpeak only to the eares of men, but he can ſpeak to the hearts of He teacheth not only by his Word, but by his Spirit. men, he can imprimere in mentem, as well as mentem exprimere, write his Law in the heart, as well and as eaſily as he can deliver and make it known to our mindes: when he teacheth you that you muſt believe, he doth by his Spirit cauſe you to believe; when be ſaith that you muſt be born again, he doth by his Spirit make you new creatures: there is not any one grace, or duty, or path of li • e which he ſets before you (who are in covenant with God) but he works in you thoſe very graces, and puts forth a ſtrength to perform all thoſe duties, and to walke in thoſe paths.

4. As a Prophet he is annointed to preeah good tydings, Iſa. 61. 1. the Apoſtle calls it preaching of peace, Epheſ. 2 17. and not only the Prophet Iſaiah in that He is anointed o • preach good tidings. place, but alſo Chriſt himſelf in Luke 4. 18. tells you what thoſe good tydings are, what that Goſpel is, namely to hinde up, and heale the broken-heared, liberty and deliverance to the captives, ſight to the blinde, to give beauty for aſhes, the oyle of joy for mourning, the garment of praiſe for the ſpirit of heavineſſe.

O what comfort is here for you who are the people of God, and have Chriſt to be your Chriſt, and your Prophet? Here are glad tydings for you, and your Chriſt is annointed to preach them unto you when your hearts are broken and bruiſed, you have a Chriſt to binde them up, and to heale them with his own precious blood; I dyed for you, ſaith Chriſt, this is my blood which was ſhed for you, for the remiſſion of your ſins, to reconcile you, to make peace for you, ſaith Chriſt: and when you finde your ſelves captives, and as it were ſhut up on priſon, Chriſt your Prophet comes to you by his Spirit and breaks open the priſon doores, and ſets you at liberty from your ſins, from Satan, from your fears, and tears, and all the powers and chaines of darkneſſe: and when your ſoule ſits in darkneſs and ſees no light, when they feed on tears, and are overwhelmed with ſorrows and heavineſs, your Chriſt (who is your Prophet) can, and will ſpeak words of life unto you, and words of joy unto you: why are your hearts troub • ed? ſaid he to his Diſciples; woman why weepeſt thou? ſaid he to Mary; daughter go in peace; ſo to another, ſon, be of good comfort.

There is no Prophet like your Prophet, who knows ſo much of the minde of God, who reveals it ſo fully, ſo faithfully, ſo infallibly, ſo powerfully, ſo ſweetly, ſo ſavingly. Chriſt is a Prieſt, and your Prieſt.

Jeſus Chriſt is a Prieſt, and he is annointed to be your Prieſt, Pſal. 110. 4. The Lord hath ſworn and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchiſedeck, vide Heb. 6. 20. Heb 7. 17. Cap. 4. 14. we have a great High Priest that is paſſed into the heavens, Jeſus the Son of God.

I ſhall not inſiſt on this Argument, to tell you how Chriſt was called and qualified for his prieſtly Office, nor of the differences 'twixt him and all other Prieſts: nor how that his Sacrifice was his humane nature, and the Altar was his Divine Nature, and himſelf according to both theſe natures was the Prieſt; My intention is only in few words to touch at this Office of Chriſt as our Mediatour: and then to expreſſe unto you, the chief comforts from your intereſt in him, as to this his Office of Prieſthood.

There are two Acts wherein his Prieſtly Office conſiſteth. Two acts of his Prieſtly Office. Oblation.

1. One was the oblation of himſelf once for all; as a perfect Sacrifice for the expiation of ſin, and reconcil • ng us to God, Heb. 9. 14. Through the eternal Spirit, he offered himſelf, without ſpot to God, verſe 26. he appeared to put away ſin by the Sacrifice of himſelf, verſe 28. Chriſt was once offered to bear the ſins of many, Rom. 5. 10. when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, Col. 1. 20. He made peace though the blood of his Croſſe, Heb. 2. 17. a merciful and faithful High Prieſt, to make reconciliation for the ſins of the people.

2. The other is, His Interceſſion for us: This man (ſaith the Apoſtle) becauſe Interceſſion. he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable Prieſthood, Heb. 7. 24. wherefore he is able to ſave them to the uttermoſt that come unto God by him, ſeeing he ever liveth to make interceſſion for them: and therefore as to this interceding part of his Prieſtly Office, Chriſt is ſaid to appear for us in the preſence of God, Heb. 9. 24. as the Atturney appears for his Client in Court to anſwer for him; and likewiſe he is called our Advocate with the Father, 1 Joh. 2. 1. to plead for us, and to obtaine for us, &c.

But ſome may now reply, We know all this, that Chriſt is a Prieſt, and a Mediatour of Redemption and of Interceſſion; that he offered up himſelf, that he died, ſhed his blood, was ſacrificed, and that he ever lives to make Interceſſion. Queſt. But where lies the comfort of this to them that are in Covenant with God, and have Chriſt to be their High Prieſt?

Sol. What c • mfort we have by this. I will ſhew you what comfort you have by this, and I pray you mark it: There are four unſpeakable comforts unto you who are Chriſts, from this, that he is your High Prieſt, who offered himſelf for you, and lives to make Interceſſion for you.

1. All your ſins were laid upon him: for in that reſpect he was your Prieſt, in by his oblation. that reſpect alſo he was your Surety, Heb. 7. 21, 22. what's that? That? That is, All our ſin • es were • ayed upon him. he became bound to God, reſponſible unto him for all your ſins, for all that God in juſtice could charge upon you, and demand for ſatisfaction. Our ſalvation was laid on one that is mighty.

As Judah became a ſurety to Jacob for Benjamin, he engaged himſelf to his Father, I will be ſurety for him, of my hand ſhalt thou require him; if I bring him not unto thee, and ſet him before thee, then let me bear the blame for ever, Gen. 43. 9. Thus Jeſus Chriſt is our Prieſt, and therefore our Surety with his Father; Father, I will take upon me all the ſins of thy people; I will be bound to anſwer for them, I will ſacrifice my ſelf for them, at my hands do thou require ſatisfaction for their ſins, and a full compenſation unto thy juſtice: I will die, I will lay down my life, I will make my ſoul an offering for ſins, I will become a curſe, I will endure thy wrath.

O what a Comfort is this, that there is a Chriſt to anſwer for that which we could not anſwer!

H • diſcharged all our deb • s and bonds. The debt of obedience, and of puniſhment. 2. He diſcharged all your debts and bonds: There is a twofold debt which lay upon us; one was the debt of obedience unto the Law; And this Chriſt did pay by fulfilling all Righteouſneſſe, Matth. 3. 15. The other was the debt of puniſhment for our tranſgreſſions, and this debt alſo Chriſt diſcharged by his death on the Croſſe, and being made a curſe for us to redeem us from the curſe, Gal. 3. 13. Hence it is that we are ſaid to be bought with a price, 1 Cor. 6. 20. and that Chriſt is called our ranſome, Lutron, Matth. 20 28. and Antilutron, 1 Tim. 2. 6. the words do ſignifie a valuable price laid down for anothers ranſome: the blood of • hriſt (the Son of God) was a valuable price, a ſufficient price; it was as much as would ſerve the turn to take off all enmities, and to take away ſin, and to ſatisfie Divine juſtice, and indeed ſo it did: and therefore you read that in his blood we have redemption, even the forgiveneſſe of our ſins, Epheſ. 1. 7. and his death was ſuch a full compenſation to Divine Juſtice, that the Apoſtle makes a challenge to all, Rom. 8. 33 Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect? and ver. 3 • . Who is he that condemneth? it is Chriſt that died; as if he had ſaid, Criſt hath ſatisfied and diſcharged all.

O what comfort is • his unto us, to have ſuch an high Prieſt, who himſelf bare all our ſins, even all our ſins, left not one unſatisfied for? laid down a full ranſome, a full price, ſuch an expiatory • acrifice, ſuch a ſatisfactory • acrifice, as • hat now we are out of the hands of juſtice, and wrath, and death, and curſe, and hell and are reconciled, and made near, and deale altogether under the throne of Grace and Mercy.

3. As our Prieſt in offering himſelf for us, his Scacrifice being (as the • cripture There is not only ſatis • action, bu • merit in his oblation. ſpeaks) the blood o • God (that is) of one that is God, there is more therefore in it than meere payment, or ſatisfaction; there was merit alſo in it to acquire, and procure, and purchaſe all Spiritual good and all Eternal good for the people of God: not only immunities from evil in ſin and death, but priviledges, and dignities of ſons, and heires, yea all grace, and all love, and all peace, and all glory; even that glorious inheritance purchaſed by his blood.

You may now look on • od as your Father, and on Heaven as your inheritance, ſe • led on you by the love of God, and purchaſed for you by the blood of Jeſus Chriſt.

4. What ſhall I ſay more? Jeſus Chriſt is your Prieſt for Interceſſion alſo; Do Comfort from his interceſſion. you know your happineſs by this, and in this? your Chriſt is now entered into heaven, and ſits on the right hand of God the Father: and therefore he intercedes for you, he preſents himſelf as your Surety, • s your Redeemer, in all his ſuſceptions and endurances and diſcharges and purchaſes for you, in the price which he laid down and in the merits of that price, and ſo negotiates, and obtaines for you, and ſtill is effectually letting d • wn unto you the vertues, and purchaſes of his life and death, untill you come at length to • he higheſt and full enjoyment of himſelf in glory. Father, I purchaſed this for him, I paid dearly for it &c. And therefore ſome (not without ground) aſcribe all the purchaſes of Chriſt (for the application of them unt • us) unto the Interceſſion of Chriſt.

I will ſay no more but th • s, That all your communions with the Father, all your audiences, all your acceptances, all your anſwers, in graces, in comforts, in hopes, in helps in preſent, in future enjoyments, owe themſelves unto • hriſt as your Prieſt, in the Oblation of himſelf for you, and in the interceſſion of him unto the Father for you.

3. Jeſus Chriſt is a King, and he is your King: He is called a King, Pſal. 2. 6. and Jeſus Chriſt is a Kin • , • nd your King. He m • kes ſubjects by his Word and Spirit. He m • k • s all his Subjects free-men. He m • kes all his Subjects Kings. he is called King of Saints, Rev. 15. 3. He is ſuch a King, as there is not the like.

A King by contract in reſpect of God, by conqueſt in reſpect of us.

1. He makes Subjects by the power of his Word and Spirit effectually calling us out of the kingdom of darkneſs, into his own gracious Kingdom.

2. He makes all his Subjects free-men; If the S • n ſhall make you free, you are free indeed, Joh. 8 36.

3. He makes all his Subjects Kings; He hath made us unto our God Kings and Priests, Rev. 4. 10

4. He rules all his Subjects by Righteous Laws: therefore he is called Melchiſedeck, He rules them by righ • eous Laws. which ſignifies a King of Righteouſneſſe: and his Kingdom is called a Righteous Kingdom.

5. He is the King of Salem, of peace as well as of Righteouſneſſe. Men never He is a King of peace. enjoy peace, at leaſt ſuch a peace anywhere as in the Kingdom of Chriſt; there is no man that obeyes him, and is ruled by him, but findes peace, Gal. 6. His kingdom is righteouſneſſe, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt.

6. He as a King ſeeks your good, and all that he doth hath a reſpect to your good: all He ſeeks your good, and all he doth is with reſpect to your good. He will protect and ſecu • e you. his diſpenſations are good, and for your good: he ſeeks your wel-fare and happineſſe, ſpeaks kindly to you, hears your groans, anſwers your complaints, and pleads for the poor and needy.

7. He is a King for Prot • ction: He will protect and ſecure you againſt all your Enemies, Divels, Sins, Men, the worſt and greateſt, and will ſubdue them, and trample them under his feet: His enemies ſhall be his foot-ſtoole.

8. He hath great rewards, an infinite treaſure to beſtow on all his people; he will accept He hath great rewards for you. of their ſervice, and reward every one of them with a crown of life.

O how happy are the people who have the Lord to be their God! and who have (therefore) Chriſt to be their Chriſt: a Chriſt who is ſuch a Prophet, ſuch a Prieſt, and ſuch a King.

I will not ſtay you any longer in this one part of your Covenant-happineſs, viz. That Chriſt is yours; only I think it fit to ſumme up in a few particulars the general comforts which I have mentioned or inſinuated already in the Perſon and Offices of Chriſt. Thus then; if Chriſt be yours, Then 1. Life is yours, Chriſt is your life, and he that hath the Son hath life, Col. 3. 4. 1 Joh. 5. 12.

2. Love is yours, Chriſt loves all his with a love of Kindneſſe, and tenderneſſe, and benevolence, and benificence.

3. All that Chriſt did or ſuffered, in order to mans ſalvation, all is yours, your good, and for your good.

4. His Redemption is yours, he hath Redeemed you from wrath, and curſe, and ſin, and Satan, and death, and hell.

5. You are certainly partakers of the forgiveneſſe of all your ſins.

6. You are perfectly reconciled unto God, who is now your God, and your Father.

7. You are accepted and approved with God in the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, which is now yours, as Chriſt himſelf is yours.

8. You now receive the adoption of ſons; as you are the brethren of Chriſt, ſo are you with him in the ſame relation of ſons unto God.

9. You are cloathed with the ſame Spirit wherewith Chriſt himſelf was anointed; the ſelf ſame Spirit which is in Chriſt as your Head, is in you as his Members.

10. He is your Apology againſt all Satans accuſations, and your own ſins and fears: There is no condemnation unto them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, for it is Chriſt that died.

11. He is the living Root and foundation of all your graces and comforts.

12. All his victories ſhall extend to you, over Satan, the world, your ſinnes, and death.

13. You are no more ſtrangers, nor Forreiners, but are made nigh by the blood of Chriſt.

14. You have all the ſights of God in his glory, as he is the Lord, gracious, and merciful, long-ſuffering, abundant in goodneſſe and truth.

15. You enjoy liberty of Acceſſe by his blood to the throne of grace.

16. You ſhall aſſuredly ſpeed well in all your ſuites, be heard, and anſwered upon his account.

17. He will take ſpecial care of you, and will own, and help, and ſuccour, and ſupply you, as long as you have a day to live on earth.

18. He is your Defence; as he is exceedingly ſenſible of all your Injuries, ſo he will certa • nly judge all your enemies

19 By him you are heires of the ſame glory and Kingdom which the Father hath beſtowed on him, and which he hath prepared for you

20. He will never part with you, nor forſake you, but will love and keep you to the end.

21. He will entertain you with ſweet communions in the day of your pilgrimage: and as you are walking, and travelling through the vale of tears, many a kind word, many a good look many a feaſt all you have, where he will ſup with you, and you ſhall ſup with him; many refreſhings, and joyes, and revivings of your ſpirits.

22. You ſhall infallibly poſſ • ſſe and enjoy all the grace, and comfort, and bleſſing, and bleſſedneſſe which he hath purchaſed for you in this life, and in the life to come, even to all eternity: he is ever with you whilſt you are on earth, and you ſhall for ever be with him when you dye, and come to Heaven.

SECT. IX.

4. A Fourth ſingular comfort unto you who have God to be your God, is this, The Spirit of God is yours. then the Spirit of God is yours. He alſo is given unto you; for this is one part of the Covenant, Ezek. 36. 27. I will put my Spirit within you. 1 Theſ. 4. 8. He hath given unto us his holy Spirit. 1 Joh. 4. 13. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, becauſe he hath given us of his Spirit. Nehem. 9. 20. Thou gaveſt them alſo thy good Spirit. Acts 5. 32. The holy Ghoſt whom God hath given to them that obey him.

The Spirit of God may be conſidered ſeven wayes, and as to every one of them The ſpirit is ours in reſpect of his Titles and Attributes. The Spirit of God of Chriſt, of Glory. he is yours; In reſpect, 1 Of his • itles, or Attributes. 2. Of his gifts and fruits. 3 Of his works or operations. 4. Of his helps or vertues. 5. Of his joyes and comforts. 6. Of his Office or Function. 7. Of his preſence or abode.

1. The Spirit is yours in reſpect of his Titles and Attributes: he is called ſometimes,

1. The Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 2. 11. and the Spirit of Chriſt, Rom. 8. 9. and the Spirit of glory, 1 Pet. 4. 14. This very Spirit is given unto you, who have God to be your God; we have received the Spirit which is of God, 1 Cor. 2. 12 God hath ſent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, Gal. 4. 6. O what a glory is this? what a dignity? what a comfort? that the ſame Spirit which is in Chriſt, is alſo in you? that you have Chriſt, and you have the Spirit of Chriſt.

2. The holy Spirit: Grieve not the holy Spirit of God. Epheſs. 4. 30. ſealed with The holy Spirit. that holy Spirit of promiſe, Epheſ. 1. 13. above eighty times is the Spirit of God ſtiled the holy Ghoſt, or Spirit, in the Scripture. And under this notion alſo is he given unto you; as we are ſaid in Heb. 3. 14. to be partakers of Chriſt, ſo are we ſaid in Heb. 6. 4. to be partakers of the holy Ghoſt: and as Chriſt is ſaid to be given unto us, Iſa. 9. 6. ſo the Holy Ghoſt is ſaid to be given unto us, Acts 5. 32. 1 Theſ. 4. 8.

This is the excellency of the Spirit of God, that he is holy, and this is our excellency that we are holy, and the holy Spirit is given unto us for this end, to make us holy (like unto the Father, and the Son, and himſelf) hence it is that we are ſaid to be ſanctified by the Holy Ghoſt, Rom. 15. 16. 2 Theſ. 2. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 2.

3. The free Spirit; ſo he is called, Pſal. 51. 12. Ʋphold me with thy free Spirit The free Spirit. He is a free Spirit on a two fold account; 1. Becauſe he works where and on whom, and when, and how he himſelf pleaſeth: he blowes where he liſts, Joh. 3. 8. 2. And he is a • ree Spirit, in as much as all ſpiritual freedom and liberty is received of us from him; hence the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 3. 17. where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

4. The good Spirit by Spirit is good, • ſa. 143 10 Thou gaveſt them of thy good Spirit, The good Spirit▪ Neh. 9. 20. The Spirit is eſſentially good, and counſels good: he is indeed a good Spirit unto us; All the good thoughts in us, and all the good deſires in us, and all the good we have or ſhall receive from God in Chriſt, is handed to us by this good Spirit, yea and all the ſweet ſights of God himſelf that ever we enjoyed, and all the taſts that ever we have had of Jeſus Chriſt, and all the joyes and contentments in our ſouls, we are beholding unto this good Spirit for every one of them; though in ſome reſpect you are not beholding unto the Spirit for dying, and ſuffering, and ſatisfying, and reconciling, and purchaſing for you, yet this I may ſafely affirme, that for all the enjoyments of all the ſweet comforts depending on the ſufferings of Chriſt, you are ſingularly beholding to the good ſpirit for them; you never could have partaked of Chriſt, nor of any one good purchaſed by Chriſt, had it not been for this good Spirit.

5. The powerfull or mighty Spirit: The Spirit of the Lord is called the Spirit of The powerful Spirit. might, Iſa. 11. 2. The power of the holy Ghoſt, Rom. 15. 13. the power of the Spirit of God, verſe 19. the power of the Higheſt, Luke 1. 35. It was the power of this Spirit which did convince you of your ſins, and which did break your heard harts, and did reſcue and deliver you from the power of darkneſſe; which doth ſubdue your iniquities, and pull down your ſtrong bolds: It was, and is this powerfull Spirit by whom the Miniſtrations, or Ordinances of the Goſpel have been, and ſtill are of power with you. The Word is called the ſword of the Spirit, Epheſ. 6. 17. The Miniſtrations of them ſelves are weak, it is the concomitant preſence of the Spirit which makes them powerful and lively for your converſion, comfort, and ſalvation; you had laine in the ſame condition, and darkneſſe, and bondage, and death with other men, had not the powerful and mighty Spirit of God put forth the greatneſſe of his own ſtrength to the alteration of your hearts by his own grace.

2. The Spirit is yours in reſpect of his gifts and fruits; You read in 1 Cor. 12. The Spirit is ours in reſpect of his gifts or fruits. 14. of diverſities of gifts of the Spirit for edification, or to profit withall, ver. 7. and you read of the firſt fruits of the Spirit, Rom. 8. 23. and of the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5. 22.

The Spirit of God (as to theſe gifts and fruits) is called the Spirit of grace, Zach. 12. 10. and the Spirit of wiſdome, Iſa. 11. 2. and the Spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord: and the Spirit of faith, 2 Cor. 4. 13. and the Spirit of love, 2 Tim. 1. 7. and the Spirit of ſupplication, Zach. 12 10. the fruit of the Spirit, ſaith the Apoſtle in Gal. 5. 22. is love, joy, peace, long-ſuffering, gentleneſſe, goodneſſe, faith, (and ver. 23.) meekneſſe, temperance.

There are ſix things which I would briefly obſerve concerning the graces, or fruits Six things concerning the graces of the Spirit. They are the beauties of a Chriſtian. They are neceſſary to ſalvation. of the Spirit.

1. They are the Beauties, Glories, Ornaments, Chains, Pearls, Jewels of a Chriſtian; you have no excellencies till you partake of them, but are dead, loathſome, polluted and vile.

Theſe are the very image of God.

2. They are neceſſary unto ſalvation: No man can be ſaved without them. They are the way to the kingdom, though they be not the cauſe of reigning in the kingdom: without holineſſe no man ſhall ſee the Lord, Heb. 12. 14.

3. They are pledges of ſalvation: therefore called the firſt fruits, which were They are pledges of ſalvation. the beginnings and the pledges of the full harveſt: and alſo the earneſt of the Spirit which he leaves with us to aſſure us of that glorious happineſſe which we are to receive ſhortly in fulneſſe.

4. They are given to none but unto ſuch as ſhall be ſaved. There are the common gifts of the Spirit, which are for the edification of others. Theſe they may have They are given to none but ſuch as ſhall be ſaved. who ſhall periſh, like thoſe who helped to build the Ark, and yet were drowned. But there are the ſpecial gifts of the Spirit which are for Renovation of the ſoule, and for the preparation of it for glory. Theſe are given to none but unto ſuch who are elected unto ſalvation: As many as were ordained to eternal life believed, Act. 13. 48. Matth. 11. 25. Hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, and haſt revealed them to babes.

5. Every gift or grace, which accompanies ſalvation, is (by the Spirit) given Every grace accompanying ſalvation, is given to every child of God. to every child of God; to every one who hath God to be his God in Covenant: every one of them hath every ſaving grace of the Spirit.

1. The spirit of grace; I will poure upon the houſe of David, and the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, the Spirit of grace, Zach. 12. 10. 2. The Spirit of knowledge. They ſhall all know me from the leaſt of them unto the greateſt of them, Jer. 31. 34. 3. The Spirit of wi • d • me. The Father of our Lord Jeſus Christ give unto you the Spirit of wiſdome, Eph. 1. 17. 4. The Spirit of faith; We have the ſame Spirit of faith, 2 Cor. 4. 13. You are all the children o • God by faith in Chriſt Jeſus, Gal. 3. 26. To them that have obtained like precious faith with us, 2 Pet. 1. 1. 5. The Spirit of love, 2 Tim. 1. 7. Ye your ſelv • s ar • taught of God to love one another, 1 Theſ. 4. 9.

What ſhould I ſpeak of godly ſorrow, repentance, humbleneſſe, meekneſſe, patience? &c. whatſoever gift is neceſſary to our ſalvation, the Spirit doth certainly work in every one of the people of God, although not in the ſame meaſure, proportion and height, yet to the ſame truth, and for the ſame efficacy unto their ſalvation.

Every child of God hath the ſame Spirit of grace, and faith, and love; and though one Chriſtians graces may fall ſhort of anothers for the quantity, yet they do not fall ſhort for the preſent quality, nor for the future glory; The weakeſt grace of the Spirit, is able to change the heart and ſave the ſoul.

6. The Spirit doth cheriſh, and preſerve, and keep all thoſe ſaving gifts of his The Spirit doth cheriſh and preſe ve all thoſe ſaving gifts in us. in you: As a Parent who begers the children, he looks unto thoſe children, and maintains and keeps them; All your graces are the births of the Spirit of grace; and as they are the effects of his power, ſo alſo are they the objects of his care; and therefore as they receive life from his preſence in the Ordinances, ſo ſhall they receive ſtrength, and growth, and ſtability from his continual influence upon them; We are ſ • rengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man, Epheſ. 3. 16. As we are changed from our ſhameful condition to glory by the Spirit, ſo by the ſame Spirit are we changed from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 3. 18.

3. The Spirit is yours in respect of his works or operations: And truly, this The Spirit is theirs in reſpect of his works and operatiōs. conſideration makes out an exceeding happineſſe unto the people of God, in as much as the participation of all their happineſs depends upon the workings of the Spirit of God in whom they are intereſted by this Covenant of grace.

There are five choice works which the Spirit doth for all the people of God, Five choice works which the Spirit doth for all Gods people He doth unite Chriſt and them. who have God to be their God.

1. He doth unite Chriſt and them; Although the benefits by Chriſt are unexpreſſibly precious, yet the fruition of them is impoſſible with • ut a precedent union with Chriſt (foraſmuch as union is a neceſſary foundation for Communion) you muſt be in Chriſt, and being his, himſelf and all his benefits become yours.

Now it is the Spirit which makes up this union; as love makes the union 'twixt Chriſtian and Chriſtian; and as faith makes up the union from us to Chriſt (for we are planted into Chriſt, and are eſpouſed unto Chriſt, and live in Chriſt by faith) ſo the Spirit makes the union 'twixt Chriſt and us; there being no other way for him to be joyned unto us, and to become Relatively ours, but by his own Spirit; it is the Spirit which doth let out the heart of Chriſt to us, and who doth bring in our hearts unto Chriſt; it is the Spirit by whom Chriſt applies himſelf unto us, and apprehends us, and by whom we alſo do apprehend and apply Chriſt; by his Spirit he takes hold of us, and by the ſame Spirit it is that we take hold of him. In a word, it is the Spirit by whom Chriſt ſpeaks to our hearts, and by whoſe light we ſee the excellencies of Chriſt, and the great love of Chriſt, and who gives Chriſt (as it were) into our hands, and mightily allures and prevails upon our hearts, to give themſelves unto Chriſt again; as Chriſt had never been effectually revealed unto you but by the Spirit, ſo you had never been effectually brought to Chriſt but by the Spirit; you had been Chriſtleſſe for ever without him.

And now conſider the happineſs in having this Spirit, which hath wrought ſo effectually as to unite Chriſt and you, and you and Chriſt, that Chriſt is yours, and you are his; by him are you perſwaded and drawn, and brought into the poſſeſſion of Chriſt, and all the benefits by Jeſus Chriſt.

2. He doth conform us unto Chriſt; We all (ſaith the Apoſtle in 2 Cor. 3. 18.) beholding as in a glaſſe the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame Image, He doth conform us unto Chriſt. from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. As by the Spirit we do diſcern a moſt glorious nature of holineſſe in Chriſt, ſo by the Spirit we are changed into the ſame image of holineſſe. Hence are we ſaid to be born again b • the Spirit, John 3. 5, 6. and to be renewed by the holy Ghoſt, Tit. 3. 5. And to be ſanctified by him, 1 Pet. 1. 2.

You read that Chriſt was conceived by the holy Ghoſt, and he was anointed by the Spirit; So is every Chriſtian; he becomes a Chriſtian by the Spirit, and he is anointed by the Spirit: The oyntment indeed is firſt poured upon our head, and then upon us; but as it is the ſame ſpirit in us which is in Chriſt, ſo it is the ſame anointing; only it is in Chriſt as the head, and without meaſure; and as in the pattern unto which we are conformed by the Spirit. As by the unction of the Spirit, we become like Chriſt in nature, ſo alſo in Relation; God hath ſent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts, crying Abba-Father, Gal. 4. 6.

Now judge of the bleſſedneſſe of having the Spirit; He is the cauſe of our union, and he is the cauſe of our unction: he brings us into Chriſt, and he anoints us with the ſame grace wherewith Chriſt himſelf was anointed, ſo that we are like Chriſt himſelf; we are anointed with the ſame Spirit, and therefore we muſt needs be excellent and choice perſons, and very lovely in the eyes of God.

3. He doth reveal unto us, the higheſt, and the choiceſt things of ſalvation; He is called the Spirit of Revelation, Eph. 1. 17. becauſe he opens He revealeth to us the choiceſt things of ſalvation. and reveals thoſe things unto the people of God, which are hid from the eyes of others.

There are five precious things which the Spirit reveales unto you. He reveals,

1. The myſtery of life unto you; even Jeſus Chriſt, who cannot be known The myſtery of life. or acknowledged but by the Spirit. Fleſh and blood cannot reveal him: No man can confeſſe him; No man can ſay, that Jeſus is the Lord but by the holy Ghoſt, 1 Cor. 12. 3. But we ſpeak the wiſdome of God in a myſtery, even the hidden wiſdome, which God ordained before the world, unto our glory, 1 Cor. 2. 7.

2. The love of God unto you: The love of God is ſhed abroad in our hearts, The love of God. by the holy Ghoſt which is given unto us, Rom. 5. 5. He makes the greatneſſe of the love, and your propriety in it known unto you, and the exceeding riches of grace, &c.

3. The preſenc of Christ within you: Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us, 1 John 3. 24. Chriſt without, nay, Chriſt The preſence of Chriſt. within us, is not diſcerned by us without the Spirit.

4. The wonderful glory prepared for us: Eye hath not ſeen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared The glory prepared for us. for them that love him: But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit, for the Spirit ſearcheth all things, yea the deep things of God, 1 Cor. 2. 9, 10.

5. The moſt precious gifts boſtowed on us: In this life we have received the The moſt precious gifts boſtowed on us. Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given us of God, 1 Cor. 2. 12. The ſight of your own graces, is by the aſſiſtance of the Spirit.

O what a happineſſe is all this, to know Jeſus Chriſt, and as preſent in my ſoul! To know the love of God in mine heart! To know the exceedingly exceeding weight of glory prepared, and prepared for me! and to know all that God hath freely given me, in order unto that exceeding glory! This, &c.

4. He fits us for that ſalvation which Chriſt hath purchaſed for us. As the He fits us for that ſalvation which Chriſt hath purchaſed for us. blood of Chriſt did purchaſe our ſalvation, ſo the Spirit of Chriſt doth fit us for the enjoyment thereof; He makes us meet to • e partakers of the inheritance of th • Saints in light: The Apoſtle ſpeaking of this ſalvation, under ſeveral expreſſions in 2 Cor. 5. 1, 2, 3, 4. he addes in the fifth verſe, Now he which hath w • ough • us for the ſelf-ſame thing, is God, who hath given unto us the earneſt of his Spirit. And this fitting work of his upon us for the ſalvation purchaſed by Chriſt, he doth execute,

Partly by cleanſing and purifying ou • ſinful hear • s, and mortifying thoſe luſts, which otherwiſe would render us unfit, and uncapable of that glorious ſalvation.

Partly by endowing and beautifying the ſoul with Chriſt and his righteouſneſſe, and his graces, that thereby an enterance may be made for us, into the everlaſting Kingdome of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Pet. 1. 11.

Partly by leading and upholding us in all the wayes of Chriſt, untill we come to receive the end of our faith, even the ſalvation of our ſouls.

5. I will adde but one work more of the Spirit on your behalf, which is this, He works all our works in us and for us. He works all your works in you, and for you: Conſider your works, either of faith or obedience; your works of faith in reference to the promiſes of God; and your work of obedience in reference to the precepts of God; although you are the perſons who do believe the one, and obey the other, yet it is the Spirit of Chriſt which is the cauſe, and the powerful principle of thoſe in you. He it is who doth make your hearts to believe, and who doth cauſe you to walk in his Statutes, and do them, Ezek. 36. 27.

4. The Spirit is yours, in reſpect of his help or vertue; The Spirit helpeth our The Spirit is ours in reſpect of his help and vertue. infirmities, Rom. 8. 26.

And there are ſix things wherein the Spirit is an help unto all the people of God.

1. In all their Communions with God. 2. In the weakneſſes of all their graces. 3. In the actings of every grace. 4. In the conflicts of grace. 5. In the darkneſſe upon their ſpirits. 6. In the 〈◊〉 of their ſouls.

1. The Spiri • 〈◊〉 them in in all their communions with God; in their Meditations He help them in all their communions with God. of God, in their hearing of the Word of God, in their addreſſes of prayer unto God; and as to this, the Apoſtle gives a ſpecial inſtance in that, Rom. 8. 26. Likewiſe the Spirit alſo helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we ſhould pray for as we ought: but the Spirit it ſelf maketh interceſſion for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered. When we are to pray, there is in us ſometimes an infirmity of ignorance; we know not what to pray for, either for the matter, or for the manner; and there is in us ſometimes an infirmity of deadneſſe and dulneſſe; we cannot pray with that fervency as we ſhould, or as we would. But now the Spirit helps theſe infirmities by way of inſtruction; Teaching us what (eſpecially) to pray for; and by way of cauſation, in making interceſſion for us (that is) in quickening and enabling us to pray with groanings (that is) with ſuch full and ſtrong affections of heart, as cannot be uttered or expreſſed by words; Our ſtreightened, and narrow, and barren hearts, are many times by the influence and aſſiſtance of Gods Spirit, enlarged and opened, and filled with a Spirit of ſupplication; with ſuch an ardency, with ſuch an earneſtneſſe, with ſuch a copiouſneſſe, that after we have long inſiſted with God, yet we have not opened half our minds and deſires unto God; it excites all our graces, and ſets them a work: ſuch an help is the Spirit unto us in praying unto God.

2. The Spirit helps them in the weakneſſe of their graces; He waters the plants, In the weakneſs of their graces. and blows upon the buds, and draws on his works of grace towards perfection: He doth (as it were) Nurſe them up, and breed, and brood them up. He helps your • imme knowledge, by adding light unto light, and opening more and more the eyes of your underſtanding to know the things of God in Chriſt. He helps the weak and ſtaggering faith, by adding faith unto faith, in anſwering your doubts, and evidencing your grounds and intereſts in Jeſus Chriſt. He is the wind which blows upon your garden, and makes the Spices there of to flow out, Cant. 4. 16.

3. The Spirit helps them in the actings of every grace. You know In the actings of every grace. the diſtinction of gratia praeveniens & gratia ſubſequens: gratia operans & gratia cooperans.

It is the Spirit which works grace in us; and it is the Spirit which makes grace (wrought in us) to work. You are not able (of your ſelves) to uſe the graces given unto you (when you pleaſe) without the influence and aſſiſtance of the Spirit of God. 1 Cor. 15. 10. By the grace of God I am that I am: and his grace beſtowed upon me was not in vain. I laboured, yet not I, but the grace of God in me. Can you truſt when you will? and mourn when you will? and fear when you will? and command your thoughs and paſſions when you will? and patiently bear the hand of God when you will? The light (if it were cut off from the influence and preſence of the Sunne) would not be light, nor give light at all: The arme if it were cut off from the body, it could not ſtirre at all. Though the arme be grafted into the body, yet it ſtirres by influence from the head.

No grace that we have could move or act at all, were it not acted and moved by the Spirit of Chriſt; and therefore when you are to believe, he helps you to believe; and when you are to repent, he helps you to repent; and when you are to bleſſe, he helps you to bleſſe; and when you are to ſuffer, &c.

His hand is upon your hand, his ſtrength is upon your ſtrength, his grace is upon his own grace; As all your graces have their being from his power of life, ſo they have their working from his power of influence too. He it is who worketh in you to will and to do.

4. The Spirit helps them in the conflicts of grace; when inward temptations ariſe In the conflicts or grace. out of your own hearts, and when outward temptations 〈◊〉 in from Satan, alas, your own ſtrength is inſufficient to conquer for you; 〈…〉 maintain the fight for you, unleſſe the Spirit of God put forth his actual help; unleſſe he take your part, what one temptation of luſt, of doubt, of feare, is not too hard for you? and what one temptation from Satan is not too ſtrong for you? Every little touch throws down, or hazards the weak child; ſo this, &c. But this is your comfort, that in all your ſpiritual conflicts you are ſure of the Spirits preſence to own his own graces, and to defend and ſecure them. His gracious preſence ſhall be ſufficient for you, 2 Cor. 12. 9. and his power makes it ſelf manifeſt in your weakneſſe; he will be near to help you, ſtrengthen you, to make you to reſiſt, and to conquer, and to be more than conquerours through Chriſt that loved you. We are ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, Eph. 6. 10.

5. The Spirit helps them in the darkneſſes upon their ſpirits; my meaning is, In the darkneſs of our ſpirits. in all the with-drawments of Gods favour and light of countenance, and in all the ſad apprehenſions of their own ſpiritual condition; when they think God is become their enemy, and that themſelves are forgotten of God, and caſt off by God, and have no intereſt, nor hope in Chriſt. Now in theſe times the Spirit of God works and helps, ſupplies, ſupports, ſtirs up faith againſt hope to believe in hope, and againſt our own feelings, yet to pray, and truſt, and wait, and look for God.

6. He helps them in the captivities of their ſouls: As when ſinne or Satan In the captivity of our ſouls. (in this or that particular) have been too ſubtile, and too ſtrong for them, and have prevailed over them, ſo that they are fallen and not able to riſe; even then in this condition doth the Spirit of God by his wonderful graces, help them up again; he makes them to ſee their ſinnes, and bewail them, and raiſe them by renewing and ſtrengthening faith on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

Thus he dealt with David, with Peter, &c. As the finding of us in our loſt eſtate, ſo the raiſing of us from our fallen eſtate, is done by the help of the Spirit.

5. The Spirit is yours in reſpect of his joyes • r comforts; You read of the He is ours in reſpect of his joyes and comforts. joy of the holy Ghoſt, Rom. 14. 17. And of the comforts of the holy Ghoſt, Acts 9, 31. And that Chriſt himſelf calls him the Comforter, John 16. 7. The Spirit is given unto you, not only to unite you to Chriſt, not only to conform you unto Chriſt, not only to lead you in the wayes of Chriſt, not only to help you in the ſervices of Chriſt, but alſo to comfort your hearts in Chriſt.

The Spirit is a comforter in three reſpects. He is a Comforter, As he opens to us all the ſprings of comfort. As he actuates our faith in thē As he applies them to our ſouls.

1. He opens unto you all the true springs of comfort; It is he who opens unto you the fountain of mercy, and the fountain of the love and grace of God, and the fountain of the blood of Chriſt.

2. He actuates your faith to look on all theſe fountains of joy, and wells of comfort, as ſet open for the good and help of your ſouls.

3. He applies all of them unto your ſouls: he makes it evident that God loves your ſouls, and that Chriſt died for your ſouls, and that you are juſtified by faith in him, and are reconciled and pardoned, and accepted unto life; and hereupon he fills you with all joy in believing, even with joy unſpeakable and glorious. You cannot imagine what a comfort it is to have the Spirit of God to be our comfort; for

1. His comforts are choice comforts; There is no more compariſon 'twixt the His comforts are choice comforts. comforts of the world, and the comforts of the Spirit, than between the light of the Candle, and the light of the Sunne; they are the very comforts of God; they are the very drops out of the Wells of Salvation; they are drawn out from the proper and only grounds of joy. They are comforts which (of all other) do moſt punctually anſwer the diſtreſſes of your ſouls.

2. He can comfort you under all your diſcomfirts; Who comforteth us in all our He cancomfort under all diſcomforts. tribulations, 2 Cor. 1. 4. Yea, under the deepeſt and ſaddeſt diſconſolations; In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my ſoul, Pſal. 94. 19. Though I walk through the valley of the ſhadow of death, &c. thy rod and thy staffe they comfort me, Pſal. 23. 4. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds, Pſal. 147. 3.

3. He can comfort you when there is none elſe to comfort you; when you have He can comfort when there is none elſe to comfort. neither father nor mother, ſiſter nor brother, companion nor friend; when you are in priſon, in exile, in the loſſe of all, yet he alone (when you are alone) can comfort your ſouls, he can ſhew you the ſalvation of the Lord, ſpeak peace, aſſure you of mercy, and cauſe you to rejoyce.

4. H • can comfort you, and none ſhall hind • r him; neither men, nor divels, He can com • ort and none • hall hinder • im. nor your own fears and doubts; He can create your peace and joyes, and make comf • rts for you, and make you to drink of them; And as none can take away your joyes, ſo none ſhall be able to hinder them.

6. The Spirit is yours in reſpect of his offices; There are three ſpecial offices belo • ging He is ours in reſpect of his offices. Three offices of the Spirit. To make all the Ordinances of Chriſt effectual to us. unto the Spirit.

1. One is to make all the Ordinances of Chriſt powerful and effectual unto you; Take the doctrines of the Goſpel, they are not effectual without the Spirit; and take the ſe • ls of the Goſpel, they are not effectual unto you without the Spirit; There are excellent precepts in the Goſpel, and excellent offers in the Goſpel, and excellent promiſes in the Goſpel; the Goſpel commands us to repe • t, to mourn, to deny our ſelves, to renounce all for Chriſt, to come and believe on Chriſt; but it is the Spirit which makes all theſe commands effectual: and the Goſpel offers Jeſus Chriſt to poor ſinners, and thi • ſty ſinners, and preſents ſingular arguments to perſwade and allure and draw the hearts of ſinners; but it is the Spirit which makes all thoſe offers, and all thoſe arguments effectual; and the Goſpel promiſeth all heavenly good of love, of grace, of peace, of joy, &c. but it is the Spirit which makes all theſe effectual. And therefore the New Teſtam • nt is called the m • n • ſtration, n • t of the Letter, but of the Spirit who giveth l • fe, 2 Cor. 3. 6. And the Goſpel hath excellent ſeals of mercy and forgiveneſſe, but it is the Spirit, &c. It is the peculiar office of the Spirit to make all the Goſpel effectual, and effectual to the elect of God, to the people of God; There is not one part or branch of the Goſpel, but the Spirit is (virtute officii) to make it effectual to you. He is to give you ſufficiency of ſtrength for all Evangelical obedience; and he is to open and apply unto you, all the good in Chr • ſt, and all the comforts in the attributes of God, and promiſes of God; and he is to make out unto you, all the mercy and bleſſings, and happineſſe ſealed in Baptiſme, and the Lords Supper; And as Chriſt never failed in any Office which he undertook, ſo the Spirit will not fail, but perform and accompliſh all and every thing that belongs to his Office; and therefore you ſhall have all the good intended to you in any Goſpel-Ordinance whatſoever.

2. Another is, To witneſſe unto us our preſent ſtanding in grace, and relation To witneſs our preſent ſtanding in grace. unto God: you read this plainly in Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it ſelf beareth witneſſe with our spirit, that we are the children of God. 1 John 5. 8. Th • re are three • hat bear witneſſe in earth, the Spirit, and the Water, and the Blo • d.

A Witneſſe is one who gives in a Teſtimony againſt a man, or for a man; and he is of uſe in all doubtful and litigious caſes, in all ſuits and trials; Satan puts it many times in debate by his accuſations, Thou art not right, thou art not the child of God, thou preſumeſt, thou deeceiveſt thy ſelf; In this or ſuch like caſes, there are two Witneſſes for the Chriſtian. 1. One is his own Spirit. 2. The other is Gods Sp • r • t; Saith conſcience (this is the ſpirit of man) I know that his heart is • ight, and that he belongs to God. And ſaith the Spirit of God (who ſearcheth the heart, a • d knows me, and all which himſelf hath wrought in the heart) and I know that he is born again, for I regenerated him; and I know that he is a child of God, for he hath received the Spirit of Adoption, whereby he cryeth Abba-Father.

A • d verily a greater Teſtimony, and ſurer witneſſe cannot be had then the Teſtimony and Witneſſe of the Spirit of God who knows all • hings, and is truth.

3. A third Office of the Spirit is to ſeal us in respect of our future happineſſe; To ſeal us in reſpect of our future happineſs. and this alſo the Scriptures expreſly deliver, Eph. 1. 13. In whom after ye believed, ye were ſealed with that holy Spirit of promiſe. Verſe 14. Which is the earneſt of our inheritance, untill the redemption of the purchaſed poſſeſſion. Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are ſealed unto the day of redemption; The ſealing of the Spirit is that aſſuring confirmation unto the hearts of believers, that the heavenly inheritance purchaſed by the blood of Chriſt is theirs; and that they (when this day of full Redemption comes) ſhall aſſuredly poſſeſs and enjoy it.

Beloved, what can be ſaid more to expreſſe the happineſſe and comfort of the people of God, in having God to be their God? the Father is theirs, the Sonne of God is theirs, and the Spirit of God is theirs; theirs in his graces, theirs in his comforts, theirs in Offices witneſſing their preſent condition in grace, and aſſuring them of their future inheritance in glory; what more happineſſe can be enjoyed on earth than this!

7. Laſtly. The Spirit is yours in reſpect of his preſence. Joh. 14. 17. The Spirit He is ours in reſpect of his preſence. of truth dwelleth with you. Rom. 8. 11. By his Spirit that dwelleth in you. 2 Tim. 1. 14. By the holy Ghoſt which dwelleth in us. It is obſervable concerning the preſence of the Trinity, that every one of the perſons is ſaid to dwell in believers; God the Father doth dwell in them, 2 Cor. 6. 16. The Sonne doth dwell in them; Chriſt dwells in our hearts by faith, Eph. 2. 17. The holy Ghoſt likewiſe dwells in us.

O happy ſoul, who art made ſuch a Temple wherein God the Father, and God the Sonne, and God the holy Ghoſt dwells! what canſt thou want? what doſt thou enjoy? how great is thy excellency? how perfect is thy beauty? how full is thy glory?

Dwelling, notes a ſpecial preſence, and it notes a conſtant and permanent preſence; and truly, ſuch is the dwelling of the Spirit of God in the children of God; it is a gracious reſidence, and it is an abiding reſidence; he never leaves you. John 14. 16. I will pray the Father, and he ſhall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.

Can you reach this comfort of the perpetual preſence of the Spirit in you and with you? Let me tell you The bodily preſence of Chriſt, is not comfortable without the preſence of the Spirit. The abſence of Chriſt is made up by the preſence of the Spirit. The preſence of the Spirit makes all to be preſent with us You are ſafe and ſure with whom the Spirit is.

1. The preſence of Chriſt (I mean his bodily preſence only) was not comfortable without the preſence of the Spirit. It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the fleſh profiteth nothing, ſo Chriſt, Joh. 6. 63.

2. The abſence of Chriſt now in heaven, is made up unto us by the preſence of his Spirit now within us here on earth. The Spirit only ſupplies his abſence, and makes our condition as good, and as happy as if Chriſt himſelf were preſent with us.

3. The preſence of the Spirit makes all to be preſent with us; all are preſent by the preſence of the Spirit; God comes to be preſent, and Chriſt comes to be preſent, and joy and ſalvation come to be preſent by the preſence of the Spirit.

4. And are you not ſafe and ſure with whom the Spirit of God is, and will be alway • s preſent? He is preſent with your ſouls, with your faith, with your graces, and he can give you preſent ſtrength, and preſent help, and preſent victory, and preſent comforts.

SECT. X.

5. A Fifth ſingular comfort unto you who have God to be your God in Covenant, There is a conjunction of the whole Trinity in all the buſineſſes of our eternal bleſſedneſs. is this, viz. A common conjunction of the whole Trinity in all the buſin • ſſes of yo • r et • rnal bleſsedneſs; This is an exceeding high point, and of exceeding comfort unto you, that there is an union in the Trinity of perſons in their gracious reſpects unto your ſalvation.

There is an union, or common conjunction of the perſons of the Trinity. Firſt, In reſpect of love. Secondly, In reſpect of conſent, and in reſpect of A conjunction of the three perſons. purpoſe. Thirdly, In reſpect of operation. Fourthly, In reſpect of Relation. Fifthly, In reſpect of engagement. Sixthly, In reſpect of Communion.

1. In respect of love; what is that? That is, every one of the perſons doth love In reſpect of love. you. John 16. 27. The Father himſe • f loveth you. Epheſ. 3. 19. To know the love of Christ which paſseth knowledge. Rom. 15. 30. The love of the Spirit.

There is a twofold love in the perſons of the Trinity.

1. A natural and neceſſary love, ſo they love each other. The Father and the Sonne and the Spirit do ſo love one another, as that they cannot but love one another.

2. A voluntary and gracious love; with this love all who are in Covenant with God, are loved of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Spirit.

This love of the Trinity may be conſidered both in reſpect of the properties of This love may be conſidered In reſpect of the properties of it. It is the higheſt of all love. it, and in reſpect of the fruits and vertues of it.

1. In reſpect of the properties of it.

1. It is the higheſt of all loves. Nothing which is in the creature can poſſibly be of that height, as that which is in God; Holineſſe in the creature, is not ſo high as holineſſe in God; goodneſſe in the creature, is not ſo high as goodneſſe in God; mercy in the creature, is not ſo high as mercy in God; love in the creature, is • ot ſo high as love in God.

Love in God is pureſt love; there is no mixture in that love; love in God is perfect love; there is no defect or want in that love; The love of Parents to their children, and the love of husband and wife, they are but weak ſhadowes of the unutterable and unconceivable love of God unto his people; As the eſſence of the Trinity is the higheſt eſſence, ſo the love of the Trinity is the higheſt love; you cannot be loved by any that is higher than the Trinity; nor can there be any love higher or equal to their love.

2. It is a moſt ſpecial love; not only in this reſpect, that no other people (beſides your ſelves) ate dignified with this kind of love; but alſo in this reſpect, that It is a moſt ſpecial love. the love of the perſons even unto your ſelves, is moſt choice and wonderful; and this you do read concerning the love

Of the Father, which is in the ſame Meridian unto you who are the children of the Covenant, as it is u • to Jeſus Chriſt. John 17. 23. That the world may know that thou haſt ſent me, and haſt loved them as thou hast loved me. And ver. 26. That the love wherewith thou haſt loved me, may be in them, and I in them.

What love the Father hath to Jeſus Chriſt, ſuch a love hath the Father unto you who are Chriſts; and this doth appear in four particulars. 1. When he elected Chriſt, he did then elect you. 2. When he did purpoſe to give Chriſt to you, he did then purpoſe to give you to Chriſt. 3. That you are of the ſame relation unto him with Chriſt; and therefore Christ is not aſhamed to call you brethren. 4. That you are heires of the ſame Kingdome and glory with Chriſt.

Of the Sonne, who loved you to the utmoſt heighth and depth, and expreſſion of love; Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends, Joh. 15. 13. Ye are my friends, ver. 14. ſo Epheſ. 5. 2. Chriſt loved us, and hath given himſelf for us, an offering and a ſacrifice to God.

And ſo for the Spirit; He loves you ſo, that he layes out the utmoſt of his power, and the choiceſt of his gifts and graces upon your ſouls.

3. It is the ſweeteſt of all loves; There is no love whatſoever which affords more delight, contentment, and ſatisfaction unto the hearts of men: Thy love is better It is the ſweeteſt of all loves. than wine, ſo the Church ſpeaks of Chriſt, Cant. 1. 2. Thy loving kindneſſe is better than life; ſo ſpeaks David of the love of God, Pſal. 63. 3. Behold what manner of love the Father hath beſtowed upon us, 1 Joh. 3. 1. ſo ſweet is the love of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Spirit, that in the apprehenſion and enjoyment thereof, the ſoule is ſatisfied as with marrow; It is a kinde of heaven unto us; every faculty of the ſoul is affected with it, and by it is filled with joyes, and praiſes, and love again to God.

4. It is a moſt tender love: the Fathers love unto you is ſo, and the Sons love unto It is a moſt tender love. you is ſo, and the love of the Spirit is ſo unto you; The love of every o •• is tender, in a marvellous ſenſibleneſſe of your perſons and conditions, and in as marvellous a readineſſe to help and bleſſe you; There is not any one want upon you, not any one diſtreſſe, but every one of the perſons in Trinity is apprehenſive of it, and looks on it with tender bowels of compaſſion; I pitty them ſaith the Father, I wil help him ſaith Chriſt the Son, I will ſupport and comfort him in this condition, ſaith the holy Ghoſt.

5. It is a moſt free love: every one of the perſons loves you with a love which ariſeth It is moſt free love. only from love, not from any thing in your ſelves, nor for any benefit which can ariſe from you unto your ſelves; but only becauſe they will love you, and are ſo pleaſed to love you: the love of the Father doth not finde you, but make you children; the love of Chriſt doth not finde you, but make you righteous; the love of the Spirit doth not finde you, but make you holy: It is a communicating love: all the favour which you have, and all the good which you have, you have it wholly upon the meere account of the freeneſſe and goodneſſe of their love.

6. It is a moſt permanent love: There is no change of it, nor end unto it; ſee Rom. It is a moſt permanent love. 8. 35. to the end. God is your eternal Father, and Chriſt your eternal Prieſt, and the Spirit is your eternal Comforter: there is no end of themſelves, and there is no end of their love unto your ſel • es.

Secondly, In reſpect of the fruits and vertues of it.

The fruits and vertues of the love of the Trinity unto you, are high and glorious. In reſpect of the fruits and vertues of this love This love is the foundation of all the good of heaven and earth I will mention ſome of them.

1. This love is the foundation of all the building, the ſprings of all the ſtreames; all that future glory in heaven, and all the poſſible enjoyments on earth (in reference unto that glory) they all flow from this love: all the kinde thoughts of God, and purpoſes, and Counſels, and Acts are built upon this foundation of love.

2. This love is the moving wheele, it is that which ſets all the Attributes of God This love is the moving wheel. a working for you (the Wiſdom, and Power, and Goodneſs, and Mercifulneſſe, and Graciouſneſſe, and faithfulneſſe of God) yea which ſets every perſon of the Trinity a working for you; It is the love of the Father which did put him upon the thoughts, and upon the gift of Chriſt: It is the love of the Son which did put him upon the giving of himſelf, upon dying for you: And it is the love of the Spirit which did put him upon the giving of himſelf unto you, and working all his works for you.

3. This love is the reaſon of their delight in you; you are made neer by it, and become This love is the reaſon of their delight in you. exceeding dear unto every one of them: the Father takes pleaſure in you, and ſo doth the Son, and ſo doth the Spirit; they take delight in your perſons, and in your graces, and in your ſervices: and every one of them manifeſts himſelf unto you, and makes known their relations unto you.

4. This love is at coſt and charges for you, and it makes all eaſie and joyful: there is not a perſon of the Trinity but is glad (if I may ſo expreſſe it) with all his heart This love is at coſt and charges for you. to do you good: it is no burden to the Father to promiſe, nor to the Son to purchaſe, nor to the holy Ghoſt to apply the riches of Grace and Glory unto you.

This love is that which makes them reſtleſſe untill they have done you good; (the Father waits to be gracious, and to ſhew mercy! How do I long untill it be accompliſhed, ſaid Chriſt of his ſufferings for us, &c.) and unweariable in the doing of us good.

5. This love of their is that which makes them ſo dreadful and heavy unto your enemies; This love makes them ſo dreadful to your enmies. ſo high in the wayes of your defence, and ſo high in the works of vengeance on your Adverſaries; enemies to your enemies, and friend unto your friends; God by his Spirit fills their hearts with terrours, and puts them into ſtreights, and drives your enemies to their feet: and Chriſt rides conquering, bathing his ſword in blood.

6. This love of theirs is the reaſon why they do all of them bear with all your infirmaties, yea and cover the multitude of your ſins, that they deale ſo gently with This love is the reaſon why they all bear with your infirmities Five comforts from this. you, and accept of your weakeſt performances, and defires, and tears, and ſighs, and greans, and paſſe by all your failings, &c. Thus have you heard of the common union of the Trinity in their love unto you, which I think is a clear ground of wonderful contentment; for being intereſted in this their common love of you,

1. All fears and doubts are ſilenced in all your approaches unto God; The Father All fears and doubts are ſilenced in all your approaches unto God. You cannot but ſpeed very well in prayer. unto whom you pray, he loves you: the Son by whom you pray, he loves you: the Spirit who helps you to pray, he alſo loves you: If you have the love of every one of them, there is no juſt cauſe of any diſtruſtful fears.

2. Nay, how can it be, but that you muſt ſpeed very well? Love gives the kindeſt, and fulleſt, and eaſieſt, and ſweeteſt anſwers and helps! what, will not the loving God and Father, the loving Chriſt and Saviour, the loving Spirit and Comforter, what will they not do for you?

3. Whatſoever God is in his greatneſſe, the better it is for all you, who are thus beloved of him. I do confeſſe that the greater God is, (if he loves us not) the Whatſoever God is in his greatneſſe, the better it is for you. more dreadful is our apprehenſion of him: but the greater that he is, (if he loves us) this is the more comfortable unto us: The greatneſſe of his power, who loves us; The greatnſſe of his Alſufficiency, who loves us; The greatneſſe of his Mercifulneſſe, Wiſdom, Knowledge, Faithfulneſſe, &c. who loves us; can you have a greater encouragement then this; that God who knows all things, who hath all things, who can do all things, who will perform all things, this God loves me! unqueſtionably therefore I ſhall be the better for that power, &c.

4. The common love of the Trinity aſſures you against damnation, and periſhing; This common love aſſu es you againſt damnation, and of ſalvation. and of ſalvation, and bleſſedneſſe: Love preſerves, but deſtroyes not: love brings us near, but rejects, and forſakes not: for how can it poſſibly be, that any man ſhould periſh and be loſt, who is intereſted in the higheſt, and deareſt, and unchangable love of God? who hath the ordaining love of the Father unto ſalvation, and the meriting love of Chriſt to purchaſe ſalvation, and the applying love of the Spirit, effectually undertaking to guide and lead him unto ſalvation. I confeſſe that if God did not love you, there could be no ſalvation for you; • or were the love of the Trinity divided and parted, ſo that though the Father loved you, intending your ſalvation, but the Son would not undertake it with his love to die for you, to procure ſalvation; or if the Son and Father would conſent in their love, but the holy Ghoſt would not love you, ſo far as to bring you into Chriſt, to be partakers of him, and of ſalvation, then there would be a manifeſt uncertainty of your ſalvation; or if all of them did love you with a changeable love.

5. Laſtly, it cannot be that you ſhould want any neceſſary good; If that argument It cannot be that you ſhould want any neceſſary good. of Chriſts be ſtrong againſt the fear of wants (Matth. 6.) For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all theſe things: ſurely this is ſtronger; Your Father loves you, therefore you ſhall not want them.

2. There is a conjunctive union, as in the love of the Trinity, ſo in the will and There is a conjunctive union in the will and purpoſe of the Trinity in the matters of our ſalvation. conſent, and purpoſe of the Trinity in the matters of your ſalvation. There was one mutual will between them from eternity, and there is one and the ſame mutual will between them unto eternity: what the Father did will, the Son did will, and the ſame did the Holy Ghoſt will: and what the Father did propoſe for your ſalvation for the matter and manner, unto all of that did the Sonne and holy Ghoſt conſent and agree: and what the Father did intend and purpoſe with reſpect unto the ſalvation of the Elect, that ſame did the Son and the holy Ghoſt intend and purpoſe alſo.

As the will of the Father was not, nor could be hid from the other perſons, (every one of them being one and the ſame God) ſo there was a mutual will and liking, and determination in every one of them, as to all the matter appertaining unto our ſalvation.

Though it be moſt true, that the perſons of the Trinity be in their reſpective ſubſiſtences ſo different, that the Father neither is, nor can be the Son, nor the Son the Father: nor the holy Ghoſt either; yet it is as true, that every one of them is the ſame Deity, and had the ſame will in and for mans ſalvation: that ſome ſhould be elected of God and finde mercy, and have ſalvation: there was a mutual will and conſent twixt the three perſons in the Trinity. That Jeſus Chriſt (the Son of God) ſhould have theſe beſtowed upon him, and he be charged to procure their ſalvation, by being incarnated, and by being humbled to the death, even to the death of the Croſs; as to this alſo, there was a mutual will and conſent in the Trinity; I will give and ſend you, ſaith the Father; Lo I come, I will give my ſelf, ſaith the Son; and I will anoint and ſanctifie you for this, ſaith the Spirit; that the holy Ghoſt ſhould be ſent to open and apply the ſalvation of God unto the Elect of God the Father, and to the redeemed by Chriſt the Son, this alſo fell into their common will, and conſent, and purpoſe, in reſpect werereof the holy Ghoſt is ſaid to be ſent and given from the Father and from the Son, Joh. 14. 26. The Comforter which is the holy Ghost, whom the Father will ſend in my name, he ſhall teach you all things, &c. Joh. 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will ſend unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father, he ſhall teſtifie of me.

I will not enlarge my ſelf in this diſcourſe at this time, becauſe it will fall in more fully when I come to ſpeak of the parties intereſted in the Covenant: only let me tell you who are in Covenant with God, that your comforts are exceeding great, even from this, That there was, and is a mutual will, conſent, agreement, and purpoſe of the whole Trinity concerning you and your ſalvation; for this will concerning you, and your ſalvation,

1. It is the gracious will of Gods decree. 2. It is a fixed and invariable will. 3. It is an effectual, and infallible will.

4. And (I if may not be miſtaken) it is the binding will, or argument of all the perſons, unto which every one of them (as it were) ſets his ſeal, and in which they are all of them bound up, and according unto which every one of them doth act, or expreſſe himſelf for our ſalvation; O what infinite love, and goodneſſe and wiſdom is this, that our ſalvation ſhould be thus contrived, and ordered, and diſtinctly undertaken and agreed upon with one common conſent of will and purpoſe by the whole Trinity of perſons, every one of them contributing his whole ſelf, and heart, and power towards it! Surely your ſalvation muſt be precious, and excellent, and ſure, and we our ſelves as ſure in our enjoyment of it.

3. There is a conjunctiveneſſe of operation: every perſon of the Trinity doth act There is a conjunctiveneſſe of operation. or work for the good and ſalvation, as will and intend it, Joh. 5. 17. My Father worketh hitherto, and I work, verſe. 19. whatſoever things he doth, theſe alſo doth the Sonne likewiſe, John 14. 31. as the Father gave me commandement ſo do I.

The Miſſion and Donation of Chriſt to ſave us, this is the work of the Father.

The giving of himſelf for our Redemption and Reconciliation, this is the work of the Sonne.

The calling of us, and Renewing, and Regenerating of us, this is the work of the holy Ghoſt.

Indeed there is ſuch an excellent co-operation of the whole Trinity in the buſineſſe of our ſalvation, that the greateſt works conducing thereunto are promiſcuouſly attributed to every one of them, as our Vocation, and Juſtification, and Adoption, and Sanctification, and Glorification; all theſe are ſometimes attributed to the Father, and ſometimes to the Son, and ſometimes to the holy Ghoſt.

Sanctification is thus promiſcuouſly attributed unto them.

1. To the Father, Jude ver. 1. Sanctified by God the Father. 2. To the Son, 1 Cor. 1. 2. That are ſanctified in Chriſt Jeſus. 3. To the holy Ghoſt, Rom. 15. 16. Being ſanctified by the holy Ghost.

Juſtification is alſo thus attributed to them.

1. To the Father, Rom. 8. 33. It is God that juſtifieth. 2. To the Son, Rom. 9. 5. Being now juſtified by his blood. 3. To the holy Ghoſt, 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are waſhed, but ye are ſanctified, but ye are juſtified in the name of our Lord Jeſus by the Spirit of our God.

Vocation likewiſe is thus attributed unto them.

1. To the Father, 1 Pet. 1. 15. As he who hath called you is holy, &c. 2. To the Sonne, Rom. 1. 6. Among whom are ye alſo the called of Jeſus Chriſt. 3. To the holy Ghoſt, whoſe mighty power it is which brings us into Chriſt.

The like you may read of Adoption aſcribed unto the Father, Epheſ. 1. 5, unto the Son, Gal. 4. 6. and unto the holy Ghoſt, Rom. 8. 15.

We have a rule, that opera Trinitatis ad extra ſunt indiviſa, although the modus operandi and the Terminus actionis may be diſtinct; and queſtionleſſe as all the Attributes of God are affirmed of every perſon, ſo all the operations proper to God, are common alſo unto them.

Now what a glory and comfort is this, that every one of the Divine perſons hath a hand in every thing which concerns our ſalvation! As they do all of them conſent unto it, and reſolve upon it, ſo every one of them doth work towards it; We look upon that paſſage as of great weight, and ſtay, and comfort unto us, in Rom. 8. 28. All things (viz. here below in common contingencies) work together for good to them that love God! How much more is this for our ſupport and comfort, that all the Trinity, that every perſon in the Trinity is working together for our ſalvation, that God the Father is working, and God the Sonne, and God the holy Ghoſt!

As they ſay about the Incarnation of Chriſt, that every one of the Perſons in the Trinity had a hand in it, though the ſecond perſon only was Incarnated (as three may weave a garment, which one of them only wears) thus may we ſay of our ſalvation, that every perſon of the Trinity acts, and works towards it, and will ſtill ſo work, untill they have come to the laſt work, untill they have finiſhed that work in our eternall glorification.

4. There is a common union alſo of Relation and Intereſt of all the perſons in every There is a common union of Relation and Intereſt of all the perſons in every Believer, and of every Believer to them. believer, and of every believer to them. Every one of the perſons hath an intereſt in you, and relation to you.

1. The Father hath an intereſt in you, 2 Cor. 6. 18. I will be a Father unto you, and ye ſhall be my ſonnes and daughters. 2. The • on hath an intereſt in you, Chriſt in us, Col. 1. 27. 3. And the holy Ghoſt hath an intereſt in you, he dwells in us, and abides in us, 2 Tim. 1. 14. and you alſo have an intereſt in every one of the perſons. 1. You are in the Father, the Church that is in God the Father, 1 Theſ. 1. 1. 2. You are in the Son, Of him are ye in Chriſt Jeſus, 1 Cor. 1. 30. 3. You are in the Spirit, He that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit, 1 Cor. 6. 17. I alſo have the Spirit of God, 1 Cor. 7. 40.

Now this common relation and intereſt of every perſon in the Trinity as to you, and the mutual relation and intereſt again as to them, is a matter of ſuch infinite conſequence, and full happineſſe, as indeed I am not able to unfold it; I will only touch at a few things in relation to one of theſe perſons, and that is God the Father. If God be your God in Covenant, then he is your Father, and you are his Conſider this in relation to God the Father. children: the Apoſtle admires at this, in 1 Joh. 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath ſhewed us, that we ſhould be called the ſons of God: the dignity is moſt high, that we ſhould be the ſons of the moſt High; But let us view the comforts of it. There are ſix comforts from this, that our God is our Father.

1. Your Father is the Father of mercies. Bleſſed be God, even the Father of our Your Father is the Father of mercies. Lord Jeſus Chriſt, the Father of mercies, 2 Cor. 1. 3. God is the Father, 1. Of Chriſt. 2ly. Of every believer. 3ly. And of mercies. All mercies are in the Father, and from the Father. And ſhall you want mercies who are in ſo near a Relation to the Father of Mercies?

2. Your Father doth love you exceedingly: Is Ephraim my dear ſon, is he a pleaſant Your Father doth love you exceedingly. childe? Jer. 31. 20. love is frequently given to God the Father, Joh. 14. 23. 1 Joh. 2. 15. Cap. 3. 1, &c. his Jewels, Mal. 3.

3. Though you have offended him, yet if you mournfully return unto him, he will Though you have offended him, yet if you returne he will be gracious. Your Father hath enough to help you. You may eaſily prevaile with your Father for all neceſſary good. You ſhall be heirs who are children of this Father. There is a common engagement of the whole Trinity unto you. be very gracious unto you, and receive you kindly. When the Prodigal childe came back to his Father, his Father faw him yet a great way off, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kiſſed him, Luke 15. 20.

4. Your Father hath enough to help you, and he will take care of you; In my Fathers houſe there is bread enough, and to ſpare, Luke 15. 17. Your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all theſe things, Matth. 6. 32.

5. You may eaſily prevail with your Father for any neceſſary good; If you being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more ſhall your Father which is in Heaven give good things to them that ask him? Matth. 7. 11.

6. You ſhall be heirs, who are children of this Father. If Sons, then Heirs, Rom. 8. 17. Heirs of God, and joynt heirs with Chriſt. Luke 12. 23. It is your Fathers pleaſure to give you a Kingdom. Matth. 25. 34. Come ye bleſſed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.

5 There is a common engagement of the whole Trinity unto you; every one of the perſons is engaged to you. The Father is engaged to you, to do all that a God and Father can and will do for his children. The Sonne is engaged to you, to do all that a Chriſt, and Mediatour, and a Redeemer and Saviour can and will do for his Members. The Holy Ghoſt is engaged to you, to do all that a Spirit of truth, knowledge, faith, comfort, can do for thoſe who do come to the Father and the Son.

6. Laſtly, There is a communion twixt you and every perſon of the Trinity, 1 Joh. 1. 3. Our fellowſhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. 13. 14. Thereis a communion but wixt you and every perſon of the Trinity. The grace of our Lord Jeſus Christ, and the love of God, and communion of the Holy Ghoſt be with you all. Communions with a Father, with a Sayiour, with a Comforter; And verily theſe communions are moſt gracious and heavenly in reſpect of every one of them: when the Father manifeſts himſelf unto you in the Relation and Teſtimonies of your loving God and Father; And whom Chriſt diſcovers himſelf unto as your Head, and as your Lord, as your Saviour, in your intereſts in him, and his in you: and when the Holy Ghoſt opens himſelf unto you in the ſtrengthning of your graces, in his comforts, and evidences, and aſſurances, and fealings, why! Theſe things are as life to the dead, and as raine to the thirſty land; they are an exceeding refreſhing unto you, they are a moſt heavenly tranquillity and joy, and ſatisfaction unto your hearts.

And thus have you heard of the happineſſe of thoſe people who have God to be their God in Covenant, in reſpect of his Attributes, and in reſpect of Chriſt, and in reſpect of the Spirit, and in reſpect of every perſon of the Trinity, and in their conjunctive relation and operations.

I will proceed a little further to ſome of the reſt of the comforts depending upon Gods being your God, which I mentioned at the firſt.

SECT. XI.

6. IF God be your God in Covenant, and you be his people, then all the promiſes If God be ours then all the promiſes are ours. of God are alſo yours. As you are the children of God, ſo you are the children of promiſe; and as you are the heirs of God, ſo you are the heirs of promiſe; and as your title is clear unto you, ſo your poſſeſſion is ſure; you ſhall certainly inherit all the good comprehended in them.

I have diſcourſed largely of the promiſes in general, and ſhall God willing (in the proſecution of this diſcourſe of the Covenant) ſpeak more of the promiſes in particular; and therefore I ſhall at this time only touch at two things, viz.

1. The real ſtatings of the promiſes upon all who have God to be their God in Covenant. 2. Their ſingular happineſſe thereby, that all the promiſes of God are theirs.

1. The promiſes do belong to all who are in Covenant with God; They The promiſes do belong to all who are in Covenant with God. are ſtated and ſettled upon them; They are the heritage of the ſervants of the Lord; the childrens bread; Ʋnto us are given exceeding great and precious promiſes, 2 Pet. 1. 4.

The very nature and conſtitution of the Covenant do evince this, which is a very cluſter of promiſes, I will be merciful to your tranſgreſſions, I will cleanſe you from all your Idols, and from all your uncleanneſſes, I will put my Spirit within you, I will bleſſe you, I will do you good, I will hear you, and deliver you; He will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly; In hope of eternal life which God hath promiſed unto them that love him, &c.

Again, which way Chriſt goes, that way the promiſes go; Now Chriſt belongs to every believer; therefore the promiſes alſo belong &c.

This truth no man can queſtion, but he who will queſtion the Scriptures themſelves; or a diſtreſſed ſinner who queſtions his relations unto God, and thereupon queſtions the relation of the promiſes unto himſelf; nevertheleſſe ex parte Rei, it is certain if God be yours, then his promiſes are yours, &c.

2. But now let us ſee the happineſſe and comfort from this, that all the promiſes Comfort from this, that the promiſes are ours. of God are ours.

There are twelve things which we may confidently affirme of the promiſes of God, all which afford ſweet comfort unto the people of God.

1. They are bonds of love; They are every one of them the draughts of The promiſes are bands of love. Gods ſpecial love unto you. God doth not firſt make promiſes, and then love us; but he firſt loves us, and therefore draws his bonds of promiſes; God doth not enter into theſe Bonds by force againſt his will unwillingly, but, &c. The promiſes do plainly tell you how great the love of God is to you, how great his goodneſſe is to you; they are the tranſcript of his minde and heart; Becauſe I love you, I will therefore do all this good for you, and in theſe I bind my ſelf unto you.

2. They are ſuſceptions of grace; whatſoever promiſe God makes to you, They are ſuſceptions of grace. grace is the foundation of it, and grace is in the performance of it. It is freely made, and as freely made good; nothing moved God to make the promiſes, but his own grace; and there is no reaſon why we enjoy the good of them, but Gods own grace, I will do you good, and all this good I will do for my own ſake; you ſhall have it as freely as ever child had kindneſſe from a father.

3. They are full treaſures. All my springs are in thee, ſaid David, Pſal. 87. 7. They are full treaſures. So may we ſay of the promiſes, All my helps, all my goods are in you. The promiſes as they depend for their conſtitution upon the love and goodneſſe of God, ſo likewiſe upon the preſcience and wiſdome of God; God foreſaw all the exigences a • d wants, and ſtraits of his people, and drew up the promiſes with ſufficient proviſions and ſupplies, and helps, to anſwer all their conditions. There is not any good whatſoever which you do actually want, or can poſſibly want, but there is a full ſtock, and a peculiar ſupply for it in the promiſes.

4. They are the best ſecurity. All the promiſes are the word of a God, and They are the beſt ſecurity. given upon the honour of a God that they ſhall be made good. The al-ſufficiency of God, the Omniſcience of God, the loving kindneſſe of God, the omnipotency of God, and the faithfulneſſe of God, yea, and the oath of God, are full ſecurity, ſufficient pawnes and earneſts for all the good which God promiſeth un • o you.

5. They are ſure payments. We ſay when an honeſt man paſſeth his word for They are ſure payments. a little money, O, it is a ſure as if it were in the purſe; Gods word of promiſe is much more ſure: for as his nature or being is eternal, ſo his word of promiſe is unchangeable. The viſion will ſpeak, it will ſurely come, ſo Hab. 2. 3. I will pl • nt them in this land aſſuredly. Jer. 32. 41. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips, Pſal. 89. 34. Therefore the promiſes are many times ſaid to be performed before they be performed; and the things promiſed are ſaid to be given and done, before they be given and done, becauſe, when God promiſeth to do his people any good, it is as ſure as if it were already done.

6. They are preſent ſtayes; Though you have not friends alwayes preſent They are preſent ſtayes. with you to ſtay you; and though you have not as yet the things promiſed preſent with you to ſtay you, yet you have the promiſes of your God ſtill preſent with you, to ſtay your hearts, and to uphold them.

There are four things ſtill preſent with the people of God to ſtay their hearts. 1. A good God. 2. A good Chriſt. 3. The good Spirit of God. 4. The good promiſes of God; Either God doth you good, gives it into your hands, or ſaith he will do good, which is enough for faith to ſtay and reſt your hearts upon.

7. They are living and laſting fountains; Wells ſtill full of waters; and ſtars They are living and laſting fountains. ſtill full of ligh; Could you •• ve a thouſand years, or to thouſands of generations, there would be no diminution in the promiſes; They are as full of mercy as ever, and as ſure a word of truth as ever; though your wants be more or leſſe, higher or lower, it is all one; One promiſe hath as much mercy in it as will laſt as long as you ſhall live; and another promiſe hath as much grace, and another hath as much comfort as will ſerve you all your dayes; and the ſame abundance ſtill remaines for all the people of God, as long as the world laſts.

8. They are the quickeſt dispenſations. God comes not off ſlowly, or hardly, They are the quickeſt diſpenſations. or unwillingly, or ſparingly, in the performance of them. Op • n thy mouth wide and I will fill it, Pſal. 81. 10. Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver thee, Pſal. 50. 15. Before they call I will anſwer, and whiles they are yet speaking I will hear, Iſa. 65. 24. One prayer many times melts theſe clouds; as in Jacobs caſe, one act of faith many times gets your ſupplies. As in Jehoſaphats caſe, when you look by faith upon the promiſes, you are then trading with the good and kind God, by your mighty Advocate Jeſus Chriſt, In whom all the promiſes of God are Yea and Amen.

9. They are ſeaſonable helps. The promiſes do contain our beſt good; and They are ſeaſonable helps. They do alwayes diſpenſe it in the beſt time. Jer. 5. 29. Let us feare the Lord our God, who giveth rain, both the former and the latter in his ſeaſon; He reſerveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest; Thus doth God with his promiſes unto his people; they ſhall be made good in their ſeaſon; they are as the appointed weeks of the harveſt; Every week is not a harveſt week; when the corn is ripe, then is that time come to put in the ſickle, and to reap with joy. As yet thou haſt not ſuch a mercy, ſuch an help, ſuch a deſired and promiſed bleſſing; the reaſon is becauſe it is not the ſeaſon for the rain to fall; it is not yet the week of thy harveſt: therefore ſtill ſeek, and truſt, and wait; for there is an appointed week for the harveſt, and then thou ſhalt reap all the good which thy God hath promiſed, and which thy ſoul hath deſired.

10. They are ſufficient inducements and encouragements to pray unto God, They are ſufficient encouragements to pray to God and to depend on him. and to depend upon God. May you not come to your God who is good in himſelf, and who hath promiſed to do you good? May you not truſt him who is faithful in all his promiſes? 2 Sam. 7. 28. O Lord God, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou haſt promiſed this goodneſſe unto thy ſervant. Ver. 29. Now therefore let it pleaſe thee to bleſſe the houſe of thy ſervant, that it may continue for ever before thee; for thou O Lord God, haſt ſpoken it, and with thy bleſſing let the houſe of thy ſervant be bleſſed for ever. So David; The promiſes as they are Gods aſſurances to help us, ſo they are ſecret inducements to us to depend upon his help.

11. They are powerful pleas; The beſt and the ſtrongeſt Arguments to plead with God. Your worthineſſe is no argument to uſe with God; your neceſſity They are powerful pleas. is an argument to move him (we know not what to do, ſaid Jehoſaphat, &c.) But Gods promiſes are your beſt and ſtrongeſt pleas; Do me good, O Lord, though I deſerve it not; but yet do me good, becauſe thou haſt promiſed to do me good; Thou ſaydſt I will ſurely do thee good, ſaid Jacob, Gen. 32. 12. Remember thy word upon which thou hast cauſed thy ſervant to hope, ſaid David, Pſalme 119. 49. Remember, break not thy Covenant with us, ſaid the Church, Jer. 14. 21.

12. They are ſatisfying anſwers. To all our fears, to all our thoughts, to all difficulties, to all improbabilities, to all ſilences, to all contrary times, to all They are ſatisfying anſwers. delayes, yet God hath promiſed to hear, and help, and do me good. Iſa. 50. 10. He that ſits in darkneſſe, and feeth no light, let him trust on the Name of the Lord, and ſtay upon his God. Pſal. 73. 26. My fleſh and my heart faileth, but God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Though you do not know when God will do you good; though you do not know what way God hath to do you good; though you ſee no pro • ability in all the world for your good; though you ſee every thing ſtill contrary to your good; yet if God hath promiſed you any needful good, it ſhall certainly fall into your poſſeſſion, even becauſe God hath promiſed it; He alone is ſufficient to make all good to be yours, whatſoever he hath promiſed unto you.

SECT. XII.

7. A ſeventh comfort for you who have God to be your God in Covenant, is If God be ours, then all the immunities and priviledges annexed to the Covenant are ours. this, Then all the immunities and priviledges annexed to the Covenant of grace, for the people of that Covenant, they are yours.

I will ſpeak ſomething unto both theſe this day, that you who are the people of God, may ſee more of your happineſſe in having God to be your God.

1. The immunities or liberties by the Covenant of grace for ſuch as are in Covenant. Ten immunities by the Covenant. From the revenging wrath of God.

They have ten excellent and moſt comfortable liberties by it.

1. They have immunity from the revenging wrath of God. There is (you know) Ira patris, & ira judicis:

A paternal anger or wrath; from this they are not free; In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment, but with everlaſting kindneſs will I have mercy on thee, ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer, Iſa. 54. 8.

A judicial anger or wrath, which conſiſts in two things. 1. In a reſolution, by no means to cleare the wicked, to acquit, to paſſe by offences, to be pacified. 2. In a pouring forth the vials of his juſt vengeance upon tranſgreſſors, according to the demerits of their ſinnes and wickedneſſes; There is a cup in the hand of the Lord, and the wine is red, it is full of mixture, and he poureth out of the ſame, but the dreggs thereof, all the wicked of the earth ſhall wring them out, and drink them, Pſal. 75. 8. This judicial wrath of God, it is expreſſed againſt ſinners partly in this life, in the dreadful terrours of conſcience, and in the dreadful deſtruction of ungodly men who are conſumed by the wrath of God, as the dry ſtubble is by the flaming and devouring fire; and partly in the life to come, which is called Gods reſerved wrath, and his prepared wrath, and the day of wrath, Rom. 2. 5. Nahum 1. 2. He reſerveth wrath for his enemies. Matth. 25. 41. Depart from me ye curſed into everlaſting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels.

From this judicial wrath of God (whither preſent or future) are all the people in Covenant with God, freed and delivered by Chriſt who is their Atonement, Rom. 5. 10, 11. Propitiati • n, 1 John 2. 1. Rom. 5. 9. Much more being now justified by his blood, we ſhall be ſaved from wrath through him, 1 Theſ. 1. 10. Jeſus who delivered us from the wrath to come. 1 Theſ. 5. 9. God hath not appointed us unto wrath, but to obtain ſalvation by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

Now this our immunity is a ſingular comfort unto us. It is a great matter to be delivered from the wrath of man; what is it then to be freed from the wrath of God! You may obſerve in others, how dreadful the expectation of future wrath is unto ſinners, and how unſupportable the burden of it is unto their conſciences; how it turns all their delights into gall and wormwood; how it ſhakes the foundations of their ſouls, and fills them with reſtleſſe amazements, and horrours, and deſpaires; And you read of that hell of his wrath on them in hell, which makes the damned to gnaſh their teeth, to cry out and roare, to curſe, and blaſpheme, which they cannot endure, and which they cannot eſcape.

But you who are the people of his Covenant, as you ſhall never fall under the power of that future wrath of God, ſo you ſhall never taſte one drop of Gods judicial revenging wrath any one moment of your preſent life; whatſoever your troubles, and croſſes, and ſadneſſes may be, yet there is no judicial wrath in them; Chriſt hath fully drunk off the cup for you, and ſatisfied the juſtice of God, who by his blood is reconciled and well-pleaſed with you.

2. They have immunity from the dominion of ſinne; Sinne ſhall not have dominion From the dominion of ſin over you, for you are under grace, Rom. 6. 14. Here you ſee expreſly, that there is a freedome from the dominion of ſinne, even upon this account, that we are under the Covenant of grace. Though you be not totally freed from the inhabitation of ſinne (for ſinne doth dwell in us, whiles we dwell on earth) and though you be not totally freed from the rebellion of ſinne (for peccatum hoſtis eſt quamdiu eſt, The fleſh luſte • h againſt the ſpirit, Gal. 5. 17. and there is a law in our members, warring againſt the law of our minds, Rom. 7. 23. yet you are totally freed from the dominion of ſinne, which conſiſts in the effectual Rule, Command, and Sovereign ſtrength of ſinne, and a free, and full, and willing ſubjection or obedience unto the Law and authority of ſinne; and verily this freedome or deliverance, is a wonderful mercy and happineſſe unto the people of God whither you conſider,

1. The great and utmoſt diſtance twixt you and God.

2. The baſen • ſſe of ſervitude, in which every one lives, over whom ſinne hath dominion; for of whom a man is overcome, of the ſame he is brought in bondage, 2 Pet. 2. 19. You were but very ſlaves to your luſts, and to the devil, whiles ſinne did rule over you.

3. The height of enmity. As you were the baſeſt of ſlaves, ſo you were the worſt of enemies; living not only as aliens without God, but as deſperate enemies, oppoſing and fighting againſt God.

4. The ſuperfluity of naughtineſſe (a full contrariety) your whole hearts, and your whole lives, were nothing elſe but a conſtant diſhonour unto God, and contradiction to his Will and Glory.

5. The certainty of deſtruction which would infallibly have attended you, had not the mercy and grace of God reſcued and delivered you; I ſay, certain deſtruction to your ſouls; as there is a certain deſtruction to the life of our bodies, if we fall into the ſea and lie under it.

6. The ſweet and immediate communion 'twixt the deliverance from the dominion of ſinne, and admiſſion to the Kingdome of Chriſt: It is a tranſlation from death to life. The Apoſtle joins theſe together in Coloſ. 5. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkneſſe, and hath tranſlated us into the Kingdome of his dear Sonne.

3. They have immunity or freedome from the damnation meritoriouſly depending upon the guilt of ſinne. As ſalvation depends upon the merits of Chriſt, ſo From damnation for ſinne. doth damnation depend on the merit of ſinne. There is ſo much merit in ſinne, as to render us obnoxious, not only to temporal deſtruction, but alſo to eternal deſtruction; for the wages of ſinne is death, even that death which ſtands in oppoſition to eternal life, Rom. 6. 23.

But from the effectual redundancy of this damnation upon your perſons, you are every one freed who are in Covenant with God; For there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, Rom. 8. 1. And whoſoever believeth in him, ſhall not periſh, but have eternal life, John 3. 15. And the ground of this your immunity from the damnation due unto you for your ſinnes, is the ſatisfaction which Chriſt hath made for your ſinnes unto the juſtice of God; and thereupon the obtaining of riches of mercy from your God, who (according to his Covenant with you) blots out, and forgives all your ſinnes, and never remembers them any more.

For this is a ſure truth, that remiſſion of ſinnes, and actual damnation for ſinnes, are incompatible, or inconſiſtent. Now whether this be any cauſe of comfort that you and your ſinnes are parted, and that you and hell are for ever ſeparated, I leave it to any one of you to judge: for mine own part, I do look upon four things as very great mercies. 1. That I am delivered from the power of ſinne. 2. That I enjoy the pardon of ſinne. 3. That I ſhall never be damned for ſinne. 4. That I ſhall be ſaved, notwithſtanding all my ſinnes.

4. They have immunity or freedome from juſtification by the Law, from all legal From juſtification by the Law. tryals for life: Although you are not freed from the Law as it is a rule for life, yet you are freed from the Law as it is a Covenant of life; although you are not freed from the Law as it is the image of the good and holy will of God, yet becauſe you are under the Covenant of grace, you are freed from the Law as it is a reaſon of ſalvation and juſtification. The Covenant of grace takes you off from that Court and that Bar which pronounceth life upon your own good works; and pronounceth death upon your own evil works; Rom. 3. 28. We conclude that a man is juſtified by faith without the deeds of the Law. Gal. 3. 11. No man is juſtified by the Law in the ſight of God, for the juſt ſhall live by faith. As the Law calls for perfect and perſonal righteouſneſſe of our own; ſo the Law will not juſtifie you, it will not give life unto you, unleſſe it finds that righteouſneſſe in you; you live not, if you be not perfectly righteous; abſolution is pronounced upon your own perfect innocency, and condemnation is pronounced upon any defect or breach: And verily upon this account, no man living can or ſhall be juſtified; therefore here is comfort, that being in Chriſt, and in this Covenant of grace, ye are juſtified from all things from which ye could not be juſtified by the Law of Moſes; See the Apoſtle, Acts 13. 39. Your life doth not lie now in your own righteouſneſſe, but in the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt; nor doth it depend upon your own works, but upon the obedience of Chriſt. That expreſſion of Luther is an excellent expreſſion, Chriſtus ſolus me juſtificat contra mea mala opera, & ſine operibus meis bonis. Though my works have been very good, yet not thoſe, but Chriſt doth juſtifie me; and though my works have been very ill, yet the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt can and will juſtifie me; my evil works ſhall not damne me, and my good works cannot acquit me; it is Chriſt, it is Chriſt, and not the Law which juſtifies me.

5. They have immunity or liberty from the rigour of the Law: The Law in the rigour of it exacts of us a moſt abſolute obedience, a moſt exquiſite and full obedience, From the rigor of the Law. it will not abate us the leaſt grain or ſcruple, if it be not every way adequate, (for matter, and manner, and meaſure) your obedience will not paſſe, nor will it be accepted according to the rigour of the Law; Curſed is every one who doth not continue in every thing that is written to do it. But when once you are under the Covenant of grace, when once God is your God, and you are his people, neither you nor your ſervices are judged by the exactneſſe of your ſervices, but by the ſincerity of your hearts: Though much be wanting which the Law preſcribes, yet if that be preſent, which your merciful God and Father delights in, viz. uprightneſſe of Spirit, your ſighs and groans, and tears, and deſires ſhall paſſe and be accepted inſtead of more full and ample performances, 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be firſt a willing minde, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. Mal. 3. 17. I will ſpare them as a man ſpareth his own ſonne that ſerveth him. Pſal. 51. 17. A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not deſpiſe. Zach. 4. 10. Who hath despiſed the day of ſmall things?

6. They have immunity from the terrour or coercive power of the Law: Namely, From the coercive power of the Law. from obeying the commands of it upon the meer principles of ſlaviſh fear of the threatnings annexed unto the breach of the Law. You do now obey the Law, not as ſlaves, but as ſonnes; not out of fear of wrath, but out of love to your Father. That Spirit of bondage, (Rom. 8. 15.) and that ſpirit of fear, (2 Tim. 1. 7.) is removed, and a ſpirit of love comes in the room thereof. Though there were no rewards to allure, and though there were no ſevere threats to terrifie you, yet you would ſerve your God with willing minds, and with willing hearts, 2 Chron. 28. 9. Pſal. 110. 3. There is ſuch a heavenly ſutableneſſe and ſuperconnaturalneſſe 'twixt the Law of your God and your hearts, that it is your delight to meditate in it, and to walk up unto it in all things; there is no conſtraint on you but the love of your good God.

7. They have immunity from the curſe of the Law: Chriſt hath redeemed us From the curſe of the Law. from the curſe of the Law, being made a curſe for us, Gal. 3. 13. Indeed afflictions, and fatherly chaſtiſements, or corrections, may befall the people of God in this life, (whom the Lord loveth he chaſtneth, and ſcourgeth every ſonne whom he receiveth, Heb. 12. 6.) but no curſes befall them. Though the cup be bitter, yet there is no poyſon in it; though it be a croſſe, yet it is not a curſe; their wounds are healing wounds, and their afflictions are inſtructions, and their loſſes are their gains; for nothing comes as a curſe which doth us good.

8. They have immunity from the Kingdome and power of darkneſs: You are no From the Kingdome of darkneſſe. longer under the Prince of the power of the Aire, the ſpirit that worketh in the children of diſobedience, Epheſ. 2. 2. The Divel is diſpoſſeſſed, and caſt down, and caſt out; he is ſtill your enemy, but he ſhall never be your Lord more; he may tempt you and diſquiet you, but command and rule over you he ſhall never do. Though the Divel be very buſie and active with you, yet he ſhall never regain poſſeſſion, never con • uer your graces, never part you and your God, never hinder you of your inheritance.

9. They have immunity from death; there is the firſt death, and the ſecond From death. death; or there is a three-fold death; there is the death of the ſoul, and the death of the body, and the death of ſoul and body. 1. Spiritual death, that is, the death of the ſoul. 2. Corporal death, that is, the death of the body. 3. Eternal death, that is, the death of ſoul and body. Now all the people of God are freed from ſpiritual death by the grace of Chriſt, and from eternal dea • h by the blood of Chriſt, and from corporal death, though not abſolutely or ſimply, yet reſpectively, ſo far forth as ſinne hath made it dreadful, and our enemy, and prejudicial to us; Though you muſt dye, yet your death is but your ſleep, and is but your ſtrait paſſage into life: The death of death is removed from you by the death of Chriſt. Vide Heb. 2. 15. 1 Cor. 15. 55, 56, 57. O death, where is thy ſting? O grave, where is thy victory? The ſting of death is ſinne, and the ſtrength of ſinne is the Law, but thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through our Lord J • ſus Chriſt.

10. What can I ſay more? they have immunity from all evil in this life, and in the life to come; you are freed or delivered from an evil conſcience, which never From all evil. leaves accuſing and condemn • ng; from this preſent evil world and the corruptions thereof, from every evil work and way, from evil men, from all the evil which remains for evil men in hell.

God in this Covenant ſecures you againſt all; why? what comforts are there in theſe things! and what confidence! and what encouragements! and what ſupport unto your ſouls! Why do you fear ſo often? and why are your hearts troubled? Surely, you do not know your ſelves to be the people of God, or elſe you do not fully know the liberties and immunities of the people of God.

Sometimes you fear the heavy wrath of God; but why do you ſo? He is your God and your Father, and full of compaſſions and loving kindneſſes; he will not deal with you as a revenging Judge, but as a loving and merciful Father; he is at peace with you, and reconciled unto you: Sometimes you fear the damnation and curſe belonging unto ſinne; But why do you ſo? Chriſt hath dyed and ſatisfied for your ſinnes, and he was made a curſe for you, and there is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt. Sometimes you fear becauſe of the powerful motions and conflicts, and rebellions of ſinne in your hearts: but why do you ſo? ſeeing that ſinne ſhall not have dominion over you, and Chriſt in you is daily mortifying and deſtroying the body of ſinne; neither ſhall any Lord reigne in you, but your Saviour who dyed for you.

Sometimes you fear becauſe of the imperfection of your graces; but why do you ſo? It is not your weakneſſe or want of holineſſe, but Chriſts perfect righteouſneſſe which is imputed unto you for life, and for juſtification.

Sometimes you fear becauſe of the weakneſſe of your obediential ſervices and performances; but why do you ſo? your God in Covenant works all his works in you, and he owns your perſons, and will accept the weakeſt offerings of an upright heart in and for Chriſt.

Sometimes you fear becauſe of the ſtrong temptations of Satan; but why do you ſo? grace ſufficient ſhall be given unto you, and your God will ſhortly bruiſe Satan under your feet.

Sometimes you fear men becauſe of their malice and power; and why do you ſo? your God will reſtrain the rage of man, and fruſtrate the counſels of the Heathen, and break the armes of the ungodly, and knows how to deliver you.

Sometimes you fear to dye; but why are you afraid of death? which is but the laſt Stile to go over, and then you are at your Fathers houſe; death to you is but an end of your ſinnes and miſeries, and only a quick paſſage into your eternal happineſſe.

Secondly, The priviledges which you enjoy by being under the Covenant of grace, Priviledges by being in Covenant. by having God to be your God in Covenant.

There are divers rights and poſſeſſions, and liberties, and priviledges which you do enjoy, and none but you who are the people of God, and have him to be your God: And I will propound theſe

1. In the general: Where be you pleaſed to take notice of five things. In general.

1. Whatſoever priviledges believers have, thoſe are yours who are the people of God: The priviledges of faith are yours; all that faith can pretend unto from a Whatſoever priviledges believers have, are yours. right in Chriſt, and a title by Chriſt as Mediator, in reſpect of ſuffering, of ſatisfying, of purchaſing, of victorious conqueſt, of interceding, they are all of them yours; whatſoever advantage a ſoul may get by Chriſt, and whatſoever advantage Chriſt is to a believing ſoul, that is yours.

2. Whatſoever priviledges belong to the friends of God, they do belong unto you: All the people of God are ſtiled the friends of God, James • . 23. and the friends What priviedges belong to the friends of God, are yours? of Chriſt, John 15. 14, 15. Cant. 5. 1. Friends (as friends) have free acceſſe, courteous welcome and entertainment, liberty of ſpeaking, familiarity of converſe, delightful communion, confident imparting and openings of their hearts one to another, chearful counſel, and helps of one another; th • ſe in a ſpiritual way do you enjoy with your God, and from your God, who becauſe you are the people of God, are therefore the friends of God.

3. Whatſoever priviledges do belong to the ſonnes and children of God, theſe alſo do belong to you; for you are all the children of God by faith in Chriſt Jeſus, The priviledges of the children of God are yours. Gal. 3. 26. I will be a Father unto you, and ye ſhall be my ſonnes and daughters, 2 Cor. 6. 18. You are the children of the Lord your God, Deut. 14. 1. Children have the priviledges of nearneſſe, of reſidence in their fathers houſe, of dependance on their father, of preſence, of confidence, &c.

4. Whatſoever are the priviledges of the Kingdome of God, thoſe are yours who are the people of God. It is a Kingdome of righteouſneſſe, of peace, of joy, of The priviledges of the Kingdome of God are yours. The priviledges of the heirs of this Kingdome are yours. In ſpecial: You have twelve priviledges. Liberty of appeal. ſafety, of bleſſing, of honour, of immortality, &c.

5. Whatſoever are the priviledges of the heires of this Kingdome, thoſe alſo do belong to you. Foraſmuch as if you be children, you are then 〈◊〉 , Rom. 8. 17. All the Charter and conveyances, and aſſurances, and hopes, and at length poſſeſſions of the heavenly inheritance are yours.

2. In ſpecial, you have twelve excellent priviledges, which I will touch upon a little.

1. You have liberty of appeal, and that appeal is accepted and ratified; you have the liberty to appeal

1. From the Judgment-ſeat, to the Mercy-ſeat. 2. From the merits of ſinne to the merits of Chriſt. 3. From a condemning conſcience to an acquiting God. 4. From the Law to the Goſpel. 5. From your own unworthineſſe to Chriſts righteouſneſſe. 6. From your own feeling unto Gods promiſes.

When you ſee your ſelves caſt at the barre of juſtice, you may decline the ſentence by flying unto the Throne of mercy; O Lord, juſtice condemns me, but let mercy ſuccour and ſave me; when your hearts are overwhelmed in the apprehenſion and conſideration of your many ſinnes, and the great guilt of them, you may then appeal to the infinitely precious and ſurpaſſing merits of Chriſt; wh • re ſinne abounded, grace did much more abound; and as ſinne hath reigned unto death, even ſo doth grace reigne through righteouſneſſe unto eternal life by Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, Rom. 5. 20, 21. When your conſcience condemns you for ſinnes paſt, then may you appeal unto your God for mercy to pardon you: God be merciful unto me a ſinner, ſaith the Publican. Pardon my ſinne O Lord, for it is great, ſaith David.

When the Law indites and purſues you as guilty, then may you appeal to the Goſpel as the Sanctuary to receive and ſecure your diſtreſſed ſouls; when your hearts faile you becauſe of your own unworthineſſe, then may you appeal to the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and ſo be juſtified in the ſight of God.

When you feel your ſelves (as to your own ſenſe) utterly deſtitute, left, loſt, forſaken, then may you appeal to the ptomiſes of God, and there finde your ſelves ſtill owned and loved, and plentifully and graciouſly aſſured.

2. You have this priviledge, that all your communions with God are by a Your communions with God are by a Meditour. Media • or, and Advocate, and Interceſſor: Or you pray not in your own names, but in the Name of your Chriſt and Mediator; and you plead not in your own names, but in the Name of your Chriſt; and you ſpeed not in your own name, but in the Name of your Chriſt; nay, you believe and hope not in your own names, but in the Name of Chriſt.

There are two ſad things for any man: 1. To be left alone unto himſelf, ſo as to have no part in Chriſt. 2. To go alone in his approaches to God without a Chriſt to plead for him, to have no Chriſt to own him, to ſtep in for him, to undertake for him. But this is your priviledge, and this is your comfort who are the people of God, that you never deal with your God but by a Mediator; when you appear before your God, Jeſus Chriſt appears with you, and he appears for you; when you do invocare, then he doth advocare; when you put up your petitions, then doth he make interceſſion; he is your Advocate with the Father, and he ever lives to make interceſſion for you.

3. You have this priviledge, that you trade altogether at the mercy-ſeat, and You trade altogether at the mercy-ſeat. at the Throne of grace: God deals with you in no other Court but that of mercy, and anſwers you from no other Throne but that of grace, and you deal with God at that Seat and that Throne only: When you have any ſinnes to be pardoned, you may go to your merciful God, and to your gracious God, and your merciful God will pardon them, and your gracious God will freely pardon them: When you would have any kinde of good and help, you may go to your good and kinde God, and he will give it; and to your gracious God, and he will freely give it.

4. You have this priviledge, that you may go to your God when you will: You may go to your God when you will. There is no ſpace of time whatſoever but the door is open to you, and your God is at leiſure to ſpeak with you. You have liberty of acceſſe, and that liberty is never reſtrained; let your occaſions be never ſo urgent, never ſo many, you may freely ſpeak with your Father; yea, though there be ten thouſand Petitioners before him, yet you may put in your requeſt, and ſhall be owned, and heard.

5. You have this priviledge, that you may not only come into the preſence You may with confidence wreſtle with God. of your God, but you may with confidence urge him, and importune him, and wreſtle with him, and ſtill renew and reinforce your requeſts; you may take hold of him, and challenge, and expoſtulate with him, and ſtay him, and not let him alone, nor let him go untill he bleſſeth you: And ſo large allowance of bleſſedneſſe is granted unto you, that you may (in ſome ſort) command God; it is the Higheſt Expreſſion that you read of, Iſaiah 45. 11.

6. You have this priviledge, by having God to be your God, and by being his You may enter into, and ſurvey all the treaſures of heaven, and lay claime to them. people, that you may enter in and ſurvey all the rich treaſures and jewels of heaven; and when you have ſo done, you may lay claime unto them all, and ſay, O Lord, all theſe are mine by thy promiſe, and by my right in Chriſt. Thou art mine, and thy mercy is mine, and thy Chriſt is mine, and thy grace is mine, and that glory is mine; all this is the purchaſe of Chriſt, and all this is mine.

7. You have this priviledge alſo, that all the ſeals of the Covenant of grace All the ſeals of the Covenant are reſtrained to you alone. are reſtrained unto your ſelves alone: As the Covenant is none but yours, and with you, ſo the ſeals of the Covenant are none but yours, and unto you only: The ſeals of the Covenant are to confirme you, and to aſſure you, and to revive and comfort you, and to eſtabliſh you; there is not any ungodly perſon on the earth who hath right unto the ſeals of the Covenant, and the reaſon is becauſe he hath no intereſt in the Covenant it ſelf; you onely are the people of the Covenant, and therefore you onely have right to the ſeals of the Covenant.

8. You have this priviledge, that you may expect help from your God, for all the works which you owe to God: You may go to him for grace, for ſtrength, You may expect help from God in all your works. for ſufficiency to work in you both to will and to do; both to believe and to ſuffer, Phil. 2. 13. and chap. 1. 29. Give thy ſtrength unto thy ſervant, Pſal. 86. 16. He will give ſ • rength unto his people, Pſal. 29. 11. Gods promiſes are joyned with his commands; this thou wouldeſt have me to do, O Lord give thy Spirit unto me, and cauſe me to do it.

9. You have this priviledge, that your all is in another; Your life ſtands in the life of another; and your righteouſneſſe in the righteouſneſſe of another; Your all is in another. and your ſatisfying in the ſatisfaction of another; and your defence in the death of another; and your title and claime in the obedience and purchaſe, and right of another, and your acceptance in another; your life lies in the life of Chriſt; and your righteouſneſſe is the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and your ſatisfying is the ſatisfaction of Chriſt, and your defence and anſwer to all inditements and accuſations is the death of Chriſt, and your claime and title is the obedience and purchaſe of Chriſt; your power is in the power of Chriſt, and your acceptance is in Chriſt. This is a priviledge indeed, that you are wholly made up in another, and by another; that you ſhall never be found in your own righteouſneſſe, but onely in the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and ſhall never be tryed by your own righteouſneſſe, but by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, &c.

10. You have this priviledge, that you live upon free coſt all your days: The You live upon free coſt. Covenant of God will finde and provide enough for you; you never need to load your ſelves with anxious thought or care; For your God and Father careth for you; all your burdens, and all your cares are taken off; Be careful for nothing, caſt all your care on him, for he careth for you. He layeth up for his children, and he layes out upon his children; his Covenant will finde food for your bellies, and rayment for your backs, and mercy and ſalvation for your ſouls, &c.

11. You have this priviledge, that all the gracious and ſweet manifeſtations of All the gracious manifeſtations of heaven are to you only. heaven are unto you only: None know the Father but you, none taſte of the loving kindneſſe of God but you, none ſup with Chriſt but you, none partake of the joys and comforts of the Holy Ghoſt but you, none have that hope and aſſurance of glory but you, none eat of the Manna but you who have a new name given unto you; heavenly banquets for the ſoul are provided onely for you. The Angels of God, miniſtring Spirits for you.

12. You have this priviledge, that the very Angels of God are miniſtring Spirits ſent forth to miniſter for you who ſhall be heirs of ſalvation, Heb. 1. 14. They pitch their tenth, and encampe round about them that fear God, Pſal. 34. 7. This ſeems an high priviledge, and yet you have an higher than this; For as the Mountains are round about Jeruſalem, ſo the Lord is round about his people from henceforth, even for • ver, Pſal. 125. 2.

13. What can I ſay more? Is this any priviledge that whileſt you live, you God will be your God in life and death. may live upon your God and Father, and when you dye, you ſhall go to 〈◊〉 God and Father? This alſo is yours who have God to be your God in Coven ••• ; God will be your God in life, and God will be your God in death, and God will be your God after death; whiles you live he is yours, and with you; and when you dye, he is yours, and you ſhall be with him reigning in glory for ever and ever, and ever.

Thus have you heard a few things of your happineſſe in reſpect of your Immunities and Priviledges, by having God to be your God in Covenant. I will 〈◊〉 comfort more unto you, and then put an end to this 〈◊〉 .

SECT. XIII.

THere is yet one comfort more from this that God is your God, which is this, If God be your God, then all is yours: As he ſaid Christ •• 〈◊〉 , & omnia, Chriſt is mine, and all is mine; ſo Deus mens, & omnia 〈◊〉 ▪ If If God be ours, all is ours. God be your God, then heaven and earth are yours; whatſoever there is in all the world that may do you good, it ſhall be yours: The Apoſtle expreſſely delivers as much in 1 Cor. • . • 1. All things are yours. Ver. 22. Whether Paul or 〈◊〉 , or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things preſent, or things •• come, 〈…〉 yours. He doth not in theſe expreſſions intend that Chriſtians have a civil, and common intereſt in all mens earthly poſſeſſions, but this is it which he intend, viz. That God ordains all things for the good of his people, and makes th • m ſerviceable thereunto. All thoſe choice gifts which he beſtows on Miniſters, 〈◊〉 Apoſtles or others they are beſtowed on them for the good of his Church; And all the things of the world, whatſoever good they may afford, they are to let out the ſame for the good and comfort of the people of God; and all the conditions and ſtates of things are for their good, life ſhall do them good, and d •• th ſhall be for their good, and all the viciſſitude of things are for their good; the preſent poſtute of things, and the future ſtate of things, (whether of proſperity or adverſity) all occurrences whatſoever are for their good, Rom. 8. •• . We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to th •• that are called according to his purpoſe: As if you conſider ungodly and wicked men, (who are none of the people of God) there is nothing in all the world that doth them good: The Ordinances of Chriſt (by reaſon of the unbelief of their hearts) do them no good; they are the favour of death unto d •• th • nto them, and not the ſavour of life 〈◊〉 life; the bleſſings of God do th • m no good, they prove curſes unto them, 〈◊〉 table is a ſ ••• e unto them, and their rich •• 〈◊〉 thorns 〈◊〉 them, and their proſperity is a ruine unto them; the judgments of God do them no good, they learn not righteouſneſſe by them, they harden their hearts under them, and grow more obſtinately wicked; Wherefore ſhould ye be ſmitten any more? ye revolt more and more: So on the contr • ry, all the diſpenſations of God, (either of the world, or in the world) they are for good to the people of God.

Outward mercies are bleſſings to them; they eat and drink, and rejoyce, and praiſe and bleſſe the Lord their God. Outward afflictions are mercies to them, they do them good; It is good for me that I have been afflicted, ſaid David, Pſal. 119. 71. By theſe things men live, ſaith Hezekiah; he chaſtiſeth us for our profit or good, ſaith the Apoſtle, Heb. 12. 10. Wants and enjoyments, honours and diſhonours, ſickneſſe and health, ſmiles and frowns, life and death, all doth them good.

There are four things, which I beſeech you who are the people of God to remember.

1. All the good in the World is in the Fathers hands; it is the Fathers for poſſeſſion, All the good in the world is in the Fathers hands (he is the poſſeſſor of Heaven and Earth; Gen. 14. 22.) and for Dominion, The earth is the Lords, and the fulneſſe thereof, Pſal. 24. 1. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reigneſt over all, and in thy hand is power and might, and in thy hand it is to wake great, and to give ſtrength unto all, 1 Chron. 29. 12.

2. When God makes a Covenant with you, he doth alſo take in all the creatures, God makes a Covenant with the creature to be ſerviceable for your good. and layes a bond of ſpecial command upon them to be ſerviceable to your good: he doth not leave them out, but covenants with them to do you good: This is (I confeſſe) a ſtrange expreſſion that God ſhould make a Covenant with other creatures for the good of ſervice unto his own people; and yet this you may expreſly read in Hoſ. 2. 18. In that day will I make a Covenant for them with the beaſts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground; and I will break the bowe, and the ſword, and the battle out of the earth, and will make them to lie down ſafely. ver. 19. And I will betroth thee unto me, for ever. ver. 21. And I will hear, ſaith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they ſhall hear the earth. ver. 22. And the earth ſhall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oyle, and they ſhall hear Jezreel.

There are two choice things obſervable in theſe words. 1. One is, that God makes a Covenant with his people to bring them into a near and ſweet relation unto himſelf, this you finde (in verſe 19.) I will betroth thee unto me for ever. 2. A ſecond is, That God makes a Covenant for his people, and that is two-fold.

1. For their ſecurity, to ſecure them againſt all danger and evil: and this you finde (in verſe 18.) I will make a Covenant for them with the beaſts of the field; &c. No creature ſhall do them hurt, neither the beaſts of the field, nor fowles of the aire, nor the creeping things of the earth, nor no wicked enemies who bend the bow, and draw the ſword, and prepare to the bottle; As when a Covenant is between Nation and Nation, all the people are thereby bound up from all acts of hoſtility and miſchief; ſo the Lord by making a Covenant with the beaſts and fowls, &c. he doth therein binde them up from being prejudicial to his people.

A ſecond is for their proſperity: and this you may finde (in verſe 21. 22.) I will hear the heavent, and the heavens ſhall hear the earth, and the earth ſhall hear the •• rn, and the wine and the oyle, and they ſhall hear Jezreel. As if all the creatures (when we are in covenant with God) were ſo many ſupplicants and Petitioners unto God, entreating of him that they might be uſed for a bleſſing unto us. The heavens do (as it were) beg of God that they may ſend down ſeaſonable ſhowers, and ſeaſonable influences; and the earth doth (as it were) beg of God, that it may be made fruitful by thoſe influences of heaven, &c. And God doth promiſe to hear every one of them for Jezreel.

3. All the creatures are in the hand of the Father; and as all creatures are All creatures are in a ſubordination to the will of your God. brought into the bond of the Covenant for you, ſo all the creatures of the world are in a ſubordination, and a neceſſary ſubmiſſion unto the will and pleaſure of your God. If he ſaith to any of them Go, it goeth, or to any of them Come, and it cometh; your God hath an over-ruling Providence over them: all their power, and operations, and motions are at the ſole will and command of him; they act as God will have them act, and when God will have them act, and for them for whom God will have them to act; and ſhall not all this be for you for your good who are the people of his Covenant, and the children of his love?

If all this cannot ſatisfie you, then know, that as God hath the command of all As God hath the command of all good in the creature, ſo he hath engaged to ſettle it upon you. creature good and comforts, ſo he hath engaged himſelf unto you to ſettle that kind of good upon you. Though the earth, and the things of the earth, be not your only portion, and be not your beſt portion, yet it is a part of your portion, Pſal. 37. 22. Such as be bleſſed of him ſhall inherit the earth, verſe 29. The righteous ſhall inherit the land: He will not ſuffer the righteous to want: he watches over you to do you good.

I do not know any one outward bleſſing, but God hath promiſed it to his people; length of dayes, and riches, and honour and peace, Prov. 3. 16, 17. Food, and raiment, and liberty, and ſafety, and friends, and children, the former, and the latter raine, &c. Joſephs bleſſing from Jacob is their portion, Gen. 49. 25. The God of thy Father ſhall help thee, and the Almighty ſhall bleſſe thee with the bleſſings of heaven above, bleſſings of the deep that lieth under, with bleſſings of the breaſt, and of the womb. 1 Tim 4. 8. Godlineſſe is profitable unto all things, having the promiſe of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

And for Heaven it ſelf, it is the Kingdom prepared for you, and an inheritance reſerved for you.

I will ſay no more to you who are the people of God concerning your intereſts in For your intereſt in earthly bleſſings, You have the ſureſt enjoyment of them. You ſhall have the comfortableſt enjoyment of them. theſe earthly things, but this;

1. You ſhall have the ſureſt enjoyment of them: Bread ſhall be given unto you, and your waters ſhall be ſure, Iſa. 33. 16. The Lord will never leave you nor forſake you, Heb. 13. 5.

2. You ſhall have the comfortableſt enjoyment of them. The bleſſing of the Lord it maketh rich, and he addeth no ſorrow with it, Prov. 10. 22. He maketh me to lie down in green paſtures. He leadeth me beſides the still waters, Pſal. 23. 2. A little that the righteous hath, is better than the riches of many wicked, Pſal. 37 16.

Your outward mercies are all of them ſweet drops diſtilled out of the love, and out of the Covenant of your God; And are enjoyed together with the apprehenſion of God reconciled to you in Chriſt, and with peace in conſcience, and joy in the holy Ghoſt.

3. You have the eaſieſt enjoyment of them. They come in at a more eaſie rate: the You have the eaſieſt enjoyment of them. enjoyments of wicked men do coſt them dear; many times they coſt them their ſouls, and at all times they coſt them painful drudgings and vexing cares: but the people of God enjoy upon praying termes, and believing termes, and ſafe termes.

4. You have the longeſt enjoyment of them: Surely goodneſſe and mercy ſhall follow You have the longeſt enjoyment of them. me all the dayes of my life, Pſal. 23. 6. Hearken unto me O houſe of Jacob, &c. which are born by me from the belly, which are carried from the wombe: and even to your old age I am he, and even to hoary hairs I will carry you, Iſa. 46. 3. 4.

SECT. XIV.

UNto this I adde a Uſe of inſtruction, which reſpecteth the people of God in Covenant. Ʋſe 3. Inſtructions for the people of God in Covenant. Thankfully bleſſe your God for bringing you into Covenant.

The inſtructions for them who are the people of God, and do enjoy him for their God in Covenant.

1. You cannot do leſſe than thankfully to bleſſe your God for bringing of you into Covenant with himſelf: This is ſuch exceeding grace, and exceeding mercy, and exceeding love, and exceeding favour, and exceeding honour, and exceeding happineſſe, it cannot be but your ſouls muſt bleſſe him for this bleſſing. If one ſhould meet with a poor man, and tell him I have ſet my love upon you, and I will ſettle upon you ſuch a Lordſhip worth ſo many thouſands a year; nay, and I will ſettle ſuch a Mannor which hath all ſorts of accommodations upon you, which is worth many thouſands more, &c. O how our hearts would melt at this kindneſſe, and this bounty. Met we ever with ſuch a friend in all our life, we would ſpeak of him, and praiſe him, &c. The Lord hath choſen you for his people, he hath ſet his love upon you, he is entred into Covenant with you, and is become your God: he hath beſtowed himſelf upon you, and engaged all his glorious Attributes unto you, and given his Chriſt, and his Spirit unto you, and ſetled grace and glory upon you, and all his promiſes: and all Spiritual priviledges, and the good of Heaven and Earth; ſurely your ſoules muſt needs adore this riches of grace, it cannot be but you muſt be enlarged with bleſſings and praiſes, &c.

2. Have ye ſuch a God to be your God in Covenant? Then make uſe of your God, Make uſe of your God in all your occaſions, wants, troubles. and go unto him in all your occaſions, in all your wants, in all your troubles, and ſtraits, Pſal. 63. 1. O God thou art my God, early will I ſeek thee. Beloved, Gods relation unto you, and your propriety in him, are choice grounds, and ſtrong engagements for prayers, and for confidence; you find the Saints improving their intereſt in God both theſe wayes.

For Prayers, Pſal. 13. 3. Conſider and hear me, O Lord my God, Pſal. 109. 26. Help me, O Lord my God.

For confidence that their prayers ſhall have ſucceſs, and be anſwered, Mich. 7. 7. I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my ſalvation: my God will hear me.

There are but two things on which you can poſſibly fix, and faſten any ſcruple, or doubt in reſpect of God: one is, whether he be able to help you: the other is, whether he be willing ſo to do: and as to both theſe your hearts may eaſily be ſatisfied. For

Becauſe he is a God, therefore he is able to do you any good. And becauſe he is your God, therefore he is certainly willing, and moſt • eady to do you any good. There are four things which (if you did ſeriouſly conſider of them) would be of ſpecial help unto you, againſt your fears, and would ſtreng then your hearts in all your approaches unto God.

1. That Gods relation unto you, as your God, is a relation of the deareſt love, and kindneſſe, and grace, and mercy, and peace, and bowels of compaſſion.

2. That Gods Covenanting with you to be a God unto you, it is the higheſt engagement which God can lay upon himſelf, and the fulleſt aſſurance which he can give unto you, that he will be your God. His Covenant engagement unto you hath all his glory and Attributes pawned in it, and the higheſt ratification, even his Oath, and the blood of Chriſt to ſeale it.

3. That as far as your God ſtands engaged unto you in his Covenant, ſo far may you go unto him, and confidently reſt upon him, that he will do you good; be your wants never ſo many, yet if your God hath undertaken the ſupply of them, you may be confident.

4. That ſo long as God remains and continues to be your God; ſo long may you (who are his people) draw near unto him, and beſeech him, and be confident of all the good for which he ſtands engaged unto you in his Covenant. He remaines and continues to be your God for ever and ever, and therefore all your dayes may you go to him and expect good, and help from him.

3. Is it ſuch an exceeding and compleat happineſs to have God to be our God in Encourage your ſelves in the Lord your God. Covenant? Then the people of God ſhould encourage themſelves in the Lord their God, and make up themſelves in their Covenant intereſt againſt all the diſcouragements which they meet with in the world. There are the Creature intereſts, and there are the Covenant intereſts; you are many times deprived of the former. The world loves his own, and the world hates you, and deals hardly and deceitfully with you. The world ſlights, and contemns, and reproaches, and withdraws, and oppoſes, and troubles you, and perſecutes you! Now in ſuch caſes you ſhould not ſuffer diſcouragements to ſink and tear your hearts: you ſhould remember

1. That you are not of the world, but are choſen out of the world.

2. That you have a Covenant intereſt (God is your God in Covenant) and by vertue of that Covenant intereſt, you ſhall find that in your God, which is denyed you in the world: As the Church ſpake, Iſa. 63. 16. Doubtleſſe, thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Iſrael acknowledget us not. Thou, O Lord art our Father, our Redeemer, &c. You ſhall finde it better in your God, then it can ever be found in the world: You cannot find love, and kindneſs, and favour, and good dealing, and faithfulneſs, and help from the world; O but you ſhall find at that time love, and kindneſs, and favour, and tender dealing, and faithfulneſſe, and help from your God. Though men will not love you, yet your God will love you; though men will curſe you, yet God will bleſſe you; though men forſake you, yet your God will help you; Yea and you ſhall find the love of your God in Covenant, and his countenance, and his preſence, and his gooneſs a thouſand thouſand times more ſweet, and refreſhing, and comforting, then all the comforts could be to you, which are denied unto you by the weake Creature.

O Chriſtians! Be not ſo dijected upon Creature with-drawments, and upon Creature failings, or upon Creature oppoſitions: there is enough in your God, and there is better in your God; There is fulneſs in him, and a living fulneſſe: you have all, and abound by enjoying God to be your God. Though you have not the Candle, yet you have the Sun: though not the dirty puddles, yet you have ſtreams and fountains. Reckon the enjoyment of God for your God, reckon this as ſomething reckon on it as your beſt and fulleſt good. Aſſuredly it is enough to make up your happineſſe, and that which is enough to make you happy. It is enough to countervaile all other things which can never make you happy.

4. Give diligence to make out unto your ſoules this Covenant relation twixt God Make out your Covenant-relation. and you; as you have a real intereſt in God, ſo reſt not untill you do attaine unto a perſonal evidence that God is your God, and that you are his people: untill you can ſay as the Church in Iſa. 64. 8. But now, O Lord, thou art our Father. verſe 9. Behold, ſee we beſeech thee, we are all thy people.

Two things I would briefly ſpeak concerning this duty.

1. You may attain unto this perſonal evidence, and certainty of knowledge; That You may attain to this perſonal evidence. God is your God, and that you are his people for aſmuch as

1. You have expreeſſe promiſes for this in Zach. 13. 9. They ſhall call upon my Name, and I will hear them, I will ſay It is my people, and they ſhall ſay, The Lord is my God. So Ezek. 34. 30. Thus ſhall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the houſe of Iſrael are my peaple, ſaith the Lord God.

2. Both the graces of the Spirit, and the teſtimony of the Spirit can make the Covenant relation evident unto you. The graces in you are the infallible characters that God is indeed your God, and that you are indeed his people. The Spirit of grace is given only unto the people of God, and unto every one of the people of God; and beſides that you have the testimony of the Spirit, Rom. 8. 15. Yea have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Gather. Verſe 16. The Spirit it ſelf be •• eth witneſſe with our ſpirit, that we are the Children of God. You ſhould ſtrive to attain to this evidence. The advantage of it. For the ſetling of the heart.

2. You ſhould strive to attain unto this perſonal evidence of your relation: Next to your being in the Covenant, I do not know any one thing of that advantage unto you, as the knowledge (upon ſure grounds) that God is your God in Covenant.

It is of ſingular advantage and benefit unto you.

1. For the ſetling of the heart. If this Covenant relation were known of you, you may ſay as David, Return unto thy reſt, O my ſoule, Pſal. 116. 7. Your ſouls cannot be ſetled by knowing what is happineſs, but by knowing your propriety in happineſſe, whiles your propriety is unſetled, all is unſetled within you; and if that be obtained, all is peace, and at peace; I know that this God is my God.

2. For the Comfort and joy of your hearts: It is fruition joyned with knowledge For the comfort of your hearts. which is the Spring of all delight and comfort: You have heard the precious comforts which belong unto the people of God, who have God to be their God, and yet none of them have made comfort within your ſoules, becauſe you are doubtful whether God be your God: it is certain you cannot taſte the comforts, whiles you fear your title and intereſt: But if your intereſt were clear, your joy would be full: happineſſe known to be ours, is a neceſſary cauſe of joy. The Saints in glory have moſt joy, becauſe they have the fulleſt knowledge of the enjoyment of their happineſſe.

3. For your confidence in approaching unto God, and in the application of the ſeveral For your confidence in approaching to God. promiſes of God, your wayes to God would be alwaies open and faire; in all your duties, and in all the Ordinances you might ſay I am now going to my God and Father to help me: and that promiſe is my portion, and this promiſe is my hope; They are all of them mine, for God himſelf is mine: He hath given them (every one of them) unto me, (2 Pet. 1. 4.) That I might not fear, that I might have ſtrong hope, and conſolation, and encouragement. I will ſay no more unto you, but this, the knowledge of your Covenant-relation unto God, it is the life of your lives, and the life of your prayers, and the life of your confidences, and the life of your hope, and the life of your comforts, it is your Paradiſe, and your Heaven here on earth.

5. Maintain and juſtifie your Covenant-relation (when once it is made manifeſt Maintain and juſtifie your Covenant-relation. Four things we ſhould alwayes maintain. The unchangeableneſs of out Covenant-relation. unto you) againſt all the ſuggeſtions of Satan, and againſt all the riſings and oppoſitions of your own unbelief.

I here are four things eſpecially which you ſhould ſtill maintain, and make good, for at them doth Satan moſt ſtrike at.

1. The unchangeableneſſe of the Covenant-relation: This God is our God for ever and ever. He will be our Guide even unto death, Pſal. 48. 14. For I am perſwaded that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor powers, nor things preſent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature ſhall be able to ſeparate us from the love of God which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. You are many times under Spiritual ſ •• ences (God ſeems not to regard your prayers) and many times under Spiritual delaies (God puts you off from day to day) and many times under Spiritual deſertions (God hides his face from you) and Satan in ſuch caſes puts it upon you to queſtion and diſown your Covenant-relation; If God were your God, it would not be thus.

But notwithſtanding all theſe, or any other trials of your ſelves, yet God ſtill maintains his intereſt in you, and your relation to himſelf. God hath not caſt away his people whom he foreknew, ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 11. 2. I am the Lord, I change not, Mal. 3. 6. I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his face from the houſ • of Jacob, and will look for him, Iſa. 8. 17. But Zion ſaid, the Lord hath forſaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me; Can a woman forget her ſucking child, that ſhe ſhould not have compaſſion on the Son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee! Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me. So Hoſea 2 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever, and Heb. 13. 5. I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee.

2. The tenderneſſe of your Covenant-relation. The tenderneſſe of Gods love The tenderneſs of your Covenant-relation. unto you, and the tenderneſſe of Gods care over you; Do not ſuffer Satan to raiſe jealouſies, and do not you nouriſh any jealouſies about theſe; if you do ſo, you diſhonour your God by them, and make your ſoules to ſerve him with bitterneſs; your God loves you with as tender love as ever Father loved his deareſt child, Is Ephraim my dear ſon? is he a pleaſant childe? my bowels are troubled for him, Jer. 31. 20. His love is ſet upon you, Deut. 7. 7. And he doth reſt in his love, Zeph. 3. 17. He loves you with an everlasting love, and therefore draws you with loving kindneſſe, Jer. 31. 3. And your God hath a moſt tender care over you, as a man hath over his jewels, (which are his chiefeſt treaſures) I will make up my jewels, Mal. 3. 17. and as a man hath over the apple of his eye; he led him about, he inſtructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye, Deut. 32. 10. And as an Eagle ſtirreth up her neſt, fluttereth over her young, spreads abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings, verſe 11. So the Lord, &c.

3. The goodneſſe of the Covenant relation; that God ſtill is, and will be The goodneſſe of the Covenant relation. good unto you, that he prepares of his goodneſſe for, and he prepares mercy and truth for you, and layes up exceeding goodneſſe for you, reſerves it for you, and is never weary, nor will ever turn away from you from doing of you good.

4. The graciouſneſſe of your God in Covenant; that as at the firſt when he took The graciouſneſſe of your God in Covenant. you into the Covenant, this was the work of his own grace, ſo all along in the diſpenſations of the Covenant, the Lord ſtill acts in a way of grace towards you alwayes, and altogether upon free termes; he freely loved you, and he freely choſe you, and he freely called you, and ſtill he freely bleſſeth you, and doth good unto you, and upon gracious termes he deals with you all the dayes of your life, in all things for which you have to deal with him.

6. Walk and live like a people who have ſuch a God to be your God in Covenant; Walk and live like a people in Covenant with God. as your relation is different from all other peoples relation, ſo your converſation ſhould be different from the converſation of all other people; as your condition is now higher than the condition of other people, (for God exalts you by making you to be his people, ſo the word avouching ſignifies in Deut. 26. 18.) ſo your walking muſt be better than that of other people; and as your enjoyments and hopes tranſcendently exceed all other mens, ſo your returns muſt be in ſome proportion anſwerable unto your great intereſt in ſo good a God; and as God by becoming your God makes you high above all Nations, which he hath made in praiſe, and in name, and in honour, Deut. 26. 19. ſo hath he formed you for himſelf, that you ſhould ſhew forth his praiſe, Eſay 43. 21. You are a choſen Generation, a royal Prieſthood, an holy Nation, a peculiar People, that ye ſhould ſhew forth the praiſe of him who hath called you out of darkneſſe into his marvelous light, 1 Pet. 2. 9. Which in time paſt were not a people, • ut are now the people of God, which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy, verſe 10.

Queſt. If any of you demand how that people ſhould live and walk who have How a people in Covenant ſhould walk. God to be their God in Covenant.

Sol. I anſwer; Such a people ſhould walk,

1. By faith, in a continual dependance upon their living and giving God. 2. In a ſingular love and delight in their good and merciful God. 3. With holineſſe before their Holy and Omnipreſent God. 4. With uprightneſſe before their Omniſcient and All-ſufficient God. 5. Without inordinate cares before their Faithful and Never-failing God. 6. Without inordinate fears before their Almighty God. 7. Without offence or grieving of their Loving God. 8. With all contentedneſſe and well-pleaſedneſſe of Spirit before their Wiſe and gracious God. 9. With all humility before their Great and Merciful God. 10. With all cheerfulneſſe and gladneſſe of heart before their Bleſſing and Bleſſed God. 11. In all conſtancy of obedience before their Eternal God. 12. In all the kinds of zeal for the honour of that God who hath ſo much honoured them as to be their God.

1. You who are the people of God, and have God to be your God in Covenant, Live and walk by faith, in dependance upon the living God. you ſhould live and walk by faith in a continual dependance upon your engaged, and promiſing God. 2 Cor. 5. 7. We walk by faith, not by ſight. Hab. 2. 4. The juſt ſhall live by his faith. Pſal. 115. 9. O Iſrael truſt thou in the Lord, he is their help and their ſhield. ver. 10. O houſe of Aaron truſt in the Lord, he is their help and their ſhield. ver. 11. Ye that fear the Lord, truſt in the Lord, he is their help and their ſhield. And mark the reaſons annexed, why every one of theſe ſhould truſt in the Lord, ver. 12. The Lord hath been mindful of us; (you have had experience of his goodneſſe for the time paſt, and therefore truſt in him, and you ſhall every one of you finde him to be your good God ſtill for the time to come, therefore ſtill truſt in him) he will bleſſe us, he will bleſſe us, He will bleſs the houſe of Iſrael, he will bleſſe the houſe of Aaron. ver. 13. He will bleſſe them that fear the Lord both great and ſmall.

There are ſix Arguments to perſwade you unto this one duty. viz. to depend Arguments for it. upon your God by faith.

1. Becauſe he is your God and your Father, and this comprehends within He is your God and Father. it all the foundations and grounds for your faith and dependance.

He is an infinite all-ſufficiency and goodneſſe, and he undertakes all your helps and ſupplies, and ſtands engaged unto you for whatſoever is neceſſary to life and godlineſſe, and gives unto you ſo many promiſes as ſo many bonds and aſſurances that he will do you good; and beſides all this he is able to performe them, and likewiſe faithful in his word; yea, and beſides all this, he loves you above all the people in the world, and looks on you with tender compaſſions 〈◊〉 loving kindneſſes, and aſſures you that he will do you good for his own Names ſake: What can there be more? and what can he ſaid more to draw and perſwade any to depend on a God, and to rely upon him?

2. Becauſe you are his people: Should not a people ſeek unto their God? You are his people. ſaith the Prophet, Eſay 8. 19. Whether ſhould children go but to their father? I am a Father to Iſrael, and Ephraim is my firſt-borne, Jer. 31. 9. And wilt not thou cry unto me My Father? Thou art the guide of my youth, Jer. 3. 4. Upon whom ſhould the wife depend but upon her husband? why! The Lord is married unto you, Jer. 3. 14. Thy Maker is thy husband, Eſay 54. 5. And how is he married unto you? why! In righteouſneſſe, and in judgment, and in loving kindneſſe, and in mercies, and in failhfulneſſ • , Hoſea 2. 19, 20. Truly even this alone that you are his people, lays bond enough upon you to depend and truſt upon your God; for what is it to be his people, but to chooſe him alone to be your God, and for to acknowledge him by truſting upon him, and loving of him, and obeying of him? if he be a God not worthy of your truſt, you are a people not worthy of his love and care.

3. Becauſe your God hath given unto you that choice grace of faith for this God hath given faith for this end. end, to act all along upon the Covenant of grace; that he hath given faith unto you, it is unqueſtioanble; otherwiſe you were not his people; now your faith is given unto you for foure ends.

One is for entrance, that you might become his people, and chooſe him for your God.

A ſecond is for acquaintance, that you as ſuch a people might hold communion with ſuch a God.

A third is for diſcovery, that you might be able to finde out and behold all the undertakings and promiſes of your good God.

A fourth is for relianc • , that you might be able to truſt upon him for all that good which he hath promiſed unto you.

Faith is the eye which is given for to ſee our good, and it is the feet which are given us to carry us to the fountaine of our good, and it is the hand which is given to lay hold, to take, to receive all the good which our God hath promiſed us.

4. Becauſe it concerns you above all people to honour your God; And how can you It concerns you above all people to honour your God. honour him, if you will not truſt him? faith hath (if I may ſo expreſſe my thought) all the glory of God in its hand; you cannot poſſibly put more honour upon God than by believing and depending on him; this is indeed to ſet him up as a God, as the original of all, &c.

5. Becauſe you know his Name; How often have you found it good for you You know his Name. to draw near to God? And when you have laid the whole burden on his promiſes by faith, you have alwayes found him a very faithful and helpful God: Now ſaith David, They that know thy Name will truſt in thee.

6. Have you any other to depend upon? Every creature (naturally) is in a You have no other to depend upon. ſtate of dependency; it is weak and wanting, and an inſufficiency to it ſelf, and therefore it muſt lean upon ſome ſtronger prop than it ſelf. And do not you finde it ſo with your ſelves? finde you no wants at all? can you be a ſufficiency unto your ſelves under thoſe wants? will any or can any but God ſupply the wants of the people of God? Moſt of your wants are above all Creature helps.

2. You who are the people of God, ſhould walk in an exceeding love of your Walk in an exceeding love of your loving God. good and loving God. Matth. 22. 37. Jeſus ſaid unto him, Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoul, and with all thy minde. 1 John 4. 19. We love him becauſe he firſt loved us. Deut. 11. 1. Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God. Pſal. 31. 23. O love the Lord all ye his Sairts.

There is a love of deſire: O God, thou art my God, my ſoul thirſts for thee, Pſal. 63. 1.

Of delight: Delight thy ſelf in the Lord, Pſal. 37. 4. In thy preſence is fulneſſe of joy, Pſal. 16. 11.

Of Admirat • on; who is a God like unto thee? Micah 7. 18.

Of Satisfaction; I ſhall be ſatisfied when I awake with thy likeneſſe, Pſal. 17. 15. Lord, ſhew us the Father and it ſufficeth us, John 14. 8. Thy favour is better than life, Pſal. 63. 3.

Of Adhaeſion; never to part with God nor forſake him: I held him faſt, I would not let him go, Cant. 3. I and you ſhould love as with the choiceſt kinde of love, (Foederal love) ſo with the higheſt degrees of love; you ſhould love him more than all the world, and more than all your friends, and more than all your kindred, more than father or mother, ſiſter or brother, and more than your neareſt relation, than husband or wife, and more than all your poſſeſſions, and more than your own ſafeties, and more than your own lives, yea, and more than your own ſouls; you ſhould love your God ſine omnibus, & ſuper omnia, without all, and above all, &c. And verily there are moſt choice, and moſt ſtrong reaſons for all this in the Covenant alone, becauſe he is your God; for becauſe he is your God, therefore For,

1. He loves you with an unutterable love, the pureſt and higheſt love, with a fatherly He loves you. love, with a faithful love, with a tender love, with an everlaſting love. The Schoolmen diſtinguiſh of amor gratuitus, and of amor debitus; our love is but of debt which we owe to God; Gods love is a gracious gift unto us; we love him, but can adde nothing to him; he loves us, and his love makes us up for ever; he begins in love o • ly from his love; and we love when he ſheds abroad his love into our hearts; he loves, and receives nothing from us; we love, and receive all from him.

2. He bleſſeth you, provides for you, beſtows all upon you, enricheth you, He bleſſeth you. gives Chriſt, and Mercy, and Grace, and Peace, and Glory. Who would not love a God who is Goodneſſe it ſelf? and Love it ſelf? and Bleſſedneſſe it ſelf? who would not but love a God who is his God, who delivers from hell, who quickens from death, who pardons all ſins, who cleanſeth from all iniquity, who makes us near unto himſelf, who puts his Name upon us, who ſpeaks peace to our conſciences, who bleſſeth us with all bleſſings, who guides and keeps, and feeds us all our dayes, who will give eternal life at laſt! Walk in all manner of holineſſe before your holy God. In holineſſe of dſpoſition.

3. You who are the people of God, you ſhould walk in all manner of holineſſe before your Holy and Omnipreſent God.

There is an holineſſe,

1. Of Diſpoſition, which is the renewing of the heart by the Holy Ghoſt. Lev. 11. 44. I am the Lord your God, ye ſhall therefore ſanctifie your ſelves, and ye ſhall be holy, for I am holy. ver. 45. I am the Lord that bringeth you up out of the Land of Egypt, to be your God, ye ſhall therefore be holy, for I am holy. Lev. 19. 2. Ye ſhall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. Of Converſation.

2. Of Converſation: 1 Pet. 1. 15. Be ye holy in all manner of Converſation. 1 Theſſ. 2. 10. Ye are witneſſes, and God alſo, how holily and juſtly, and unblameably we behaved our ſelves amongſt you that believe. Eſay 35. 8. And an high-way ſhall be there, and a way, and it ſhall be called the way of holineſſe. Luke 1. 74. That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might ſerve him without fear. ver. 35. In holineſſe and righteouſneſſe before him all the dayes of our life. Which conſiſts▪

This holineſſe of Converſation conſiſts partly, In a ſeparation from all ſinful wayes.

1. In ſeparation from all ſinful and polluted wayes, and courſes of the world; Come out from among them, and ſeparate your ſelves, 2 Cor. 6. 17. Having theſe promiſes, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſſe of fleſh and ſpirit, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Walk not as other Gentiles walk, Epheſ. 4. 17. Have no fellowſhip with the unfruitful works of darkneſſe, Epheſ. 5. 11. In exerciſing our ſelves in all holy duties. In doing our civil works with holy hearts, and to holy ends. Reaſons why ſuch ſhould walk in holineſſe. Holineſſe ſuits with the end of the Covenant

2. In the exerciſing of our ſelves in all holy duties and works, and that after an holy manner with godly fear and reverence.

3. In the managing of the civil works and employments of our ordinary callings with ſpiritual and holy hearts, and for ſpiritual and holy ends; ſo that whither we deal with God, or with men, whither you deal in heavenly buſineſſes, or in earthly, ſomething of holineſſe flows out and appears in them bo • h. Eſay 23. 18. Her Merchandize ſhall be holineſſe to the Lord. Now that the people of God (who have him to be their God) ſhould be holy, and ſhould live very holy lives, it may be thus demonſtrated:

1. If you conſider the ſcope and end of the Covenant, or of taking us into Covenant; the end of the Covenant is to glorifie the riches of Gods mercy and grace; (for the praiſe of the glory of his grace) and the end of taking us into Covenant, is, that we might glorifie God who is ſo rich in mercy and grace unto us. See 1 Pet. 2. 9. upon either of theſe accounts his people muſt be holy, and live holily; for ſhould they live profanely and unholily, this would pollute the Name of their God, and extreamely diſhonour it, Ezek. 36. 21, 22. and cauſe his Name to be blaſphemed, Rom. 2. 24. It is the life of holineſſe which makes his Name to be glorified openly amongſt men, as it is the life of faith which makes it to be glorified ſecretly in the heart. Ma • th. 5. 16. Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven.

2. You are taken into Covenant, that there might be a near relation 'twixt Holineſſe fits for communion with God. you and your God, and that there might be a delight ful communion between God and you; but holineſſe is neceſſary to both theſe; you muſt be ſanctified if you will be near unto him; for unholineſſe is the greateſt diſtance from God, who is holineſſe it ſelf; neither will he have fellowſhip with you without holineſſe, becauſe ſimilitude is the foundation of communion; there can be no fellowſhip 'twixt light and darkneſs, nor 'twixt God and Belial, 2 Cor. 6. 14. All your communions with God are in acts of holineſſe, as a • l his communions with you are by his holy Spirit.

3. The people of God are made high above all Nations, in praiſe, and in name, and in honour. Deut. 26. 19. They are the exc • ll • nt on the earth. Pſal. 16. 3. Holineſſe is our praiſe and honour. A precious people. Jer. 15. 19. A peculiar treaſure unto the Lord, Exod. 19. 5. But then he addes in verſe 6. And ye ſhall be unto me a Kingdome of Prieſts, and an holy Nation. Why; How can you be above all other in praiſe, and in name, and in honour, if your hearts and lives continued in the ſame inglorious condition, and courſe of wickedneſſe and ſinfulneſſe with others? Or how could you be ſaid to be the excellent on earth, if your hearts and lives, were as baſe and common as the vileſt on earth? No certainly, but it is holineſſe which raiſeth your natures, and it is holineſſe which raiſeth your lives; As God is ſaid to be Glorious in Holineſſe, Exodus 15. 11. ſo his Church (or people) is ſaid to be glorious, when it is holy and without blame, Epheſ. 5. 27.

4. You have certainty and Testimony from your holineſſe, that you are indeed Holineſſe is the character of Gods people. the people of God. As Jeſus Chriſt was declared to be the Sonne of God, when with power he was raiſed from the dead by the Spirit of holineſſe, Rom. 1. 4. So are we really manifeſted or declared to be the ſonnes of God, when we are regenerated and renewed by the holy Ghoſt, Titus 3. 5. Holineſſe is as it were the mark of Chriſt, and ſeal of the Spirit, and the Character of all the people of God.

4. You who are the people of God, ſhould walk with uprightneſſe before the Walkwith uprightneſſe before the omniſcient God. Omniſcient and Al-ſufficient God. This is that which the Lord himſelf preſcribed, when he made a Covenant with Abram, Gen. 17. 1. I am the Almighty God, walk before me and be thou perfect. And David preſſeth it upon Solomon, 1 Chron. 28. 9. And thou Solomon my ſonne, know thou the God of thy Father, and ſerve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing minde. So Deut. 18. 13. Thou ſhalt be perfect with the Lo • d thy God. Beloved! This is a ſpecial duty which concernes you who are the people of God; the Lord your God doth inſiſt upon this; and though he beares with you in many things, yet aſſuredly he expects this from all his people, To be upright, and to walk uprightly.

Queſt. But you may demand, What is it to be perfect or upright and to walk ſo To walk uprightly, is before God?

Sol. I anſwer, it is

1. To walk without guile. This is the periphraſis of an upright man, that To walk without guile. he is one in whoſe ſpirit there is no guile, Pſal. 32. 2. (that is) his heart is ſound and real, there is truth in his inward parts; he is one who loves God with his very heart, and hates ſinne with his very ſoul: and ſo, to walk uprightly, it is to walk plainly; To walk before God in truth, as H • zekiah expreſſeth it in Iſa. 38. 3. Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, &c. It is not to make a ſhew, a pretence, as if we would follow the Lord, as if we would obey his voice, as if we would order our converſation according to his Word; but it is unfeignedly to endeavour this, to walk in all well-pleaſing before God; He that walks uprightly, he doth chuſe the wayes of God for his wayes, and ſets up the Will of God (revealed in h • s Word) as the rule of his courſe, and cordially ſtrives to come up unto that Will of God.

2. To wa • k with a ſingle reſpect unto God, without mixture of wayes, and mixture To walk with a ſingle reſpect to God. of ends; upright men are therefore ſtiled ſimple men, Matthew 10. 16. That is ſimple which is without mixture; which is not partly one thing, and partly another thi • g; partly gold, and partly droſſe; partly honey, and partly wax, pattly mire, and partly water; but it is Homogeneal, all alike to the ſubſtance of it: So upright men are ſingle or ſimple men; they have but one heart, and but one object, and but one way or path, and but one end or aim. God only is t •• great object of 〈…〉 and Gods way only is the path of their life; and Gods glory is only the end of their working and walking; It is not ſinne and God, it is not the world and God, it is not a trade of ſinne and a trade of holy profeſſion, it is not their own praiſe and Gods glory, their own benefit and Gods honour that they mingle together; This is hypocriſie: But it is God only whom they ſet up, and his waies only wherein they walk, and his glory only which they ſeek: And therefore the courſe of all their actions, hath a ſincere reference and ſubſerviency thereunto, ſo that God may have glory.

3. To walk uprightly, is to walk fully and wholly with God. Beloved, this is a very truth, To walk fully and wholly with God. That when a mans heart is falſe and unfound, there is then aninequality and diſproportion 'twixt the Will of God and his hear • this heart cannot poſſibly extend it ſelf to the extent of Gods Will, nor raiſe it ſelf to the height of Gods will: the will of God ſeems too large, and too ſtrict; ſome one thing or other it requires too much, and ſomething or other it forbids too much; but if a perſon be upright, his heart and Gods will be commenſuerable; though the act be ſhort, yet the heart is not ſhort; the heart of an upright man is as full of obedience, as Gods Commands are of righteouſneſſe: and he ſtrives to come up fully and wholly to the Will of his God. Mr ſervant Caleb hath followed me fully, Numb. 14. 24. They ſeek him with their whole heart, Pſal. 119. 2. They are perfecting holineſs in the fear of God, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Let us go on to perfection, Heb. 6. 1. They go from ſtrength to ſtrength, Pſa. 84. 7. I ſtrive if by any means, &c. Phil. 3. 11.

O Chriſtians! This perfect walking with God, this becomes the people of God; and this is moſt pleaſing to God, when your hearts indeed are ſet on God, and let out for God, and continually ſet on the Word of God; when your wayes are ſtill the wayes of God, and your works the works of God, and your paths the paths of God: when there is no way of wickedneſſe wherein you may be found: and when there is no path of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe wherein you are not to be found: when you love your God with all your hearts, and ſerve your God with all your might: when you would not willingly do the leaſt evil, but fear it; nor knowingly omit or neglect the greateſt duty, but aſſay and comply with it: when your weakneſſes are your griefs, and the higheſt pitches of holineſſe are your deſires and aimes: when though you fall, yet you will riſe; and when you have got ſome ground, you muſt ſtill go further: when you are exactly careful to do your utmoſt in the fruits of righteouſneſſe, and give glory to God alone; when you ſtudy your ſervices, and his praiſes alone, this is to walk uprightly, this is to be perfect with your perfect God, this is to be wholly his, as he is wholly yours; this is to beſtow all on him, who beſtowes all on you; this is to value the enjoyment of your God alone, as a ſufficient portion and ſatisfaction that you need not at all to ſwerve from him, and this is to count your God moſt worthy of your hearts, and of your lives; this is the honour of your Covenant-Relation, the delight of your God, the beauty of your lives, the path of your peace, the joy of your conſcience, and the fore-runner of your glory.

5. You who are the people of God, ſhould walk without inordinate care before Walk without inordinate care before your faithful God. your careful, faithful, never-failing God. Matth. 6. 31. Take no thought, ſaying, What ſhall we eat? or what ſhall we drink? or wherewithal ſhall we be cloathed? Verſe 32. For your heavenly Father knoweth you have need of all theſe things. James 5. 7. Cast all your care on him, for he careth for you.

I will tell you what your inordinate cares for the things of this life Inordinate cares are Your burdens. are.

1. They are your burdens: David calls them ſo, Pſalme 55. 27. They ſit more heavy upon your ſpirits, than your wants do; they are like the guilt of ſinne in the conſcience, which makes us to go heavy all the day long.

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2. They are vexations. They pierce us through with many ſorrows. 1 Tim. Your vexations. 6. 10. Scratching, tearing, wounding thornes, as our Saviour calls them.

3. They are vanities: As the King of Aſſyria diſtreſſed Ahaz, but helped him not at all: ſo our inordinate cares are are fruitful troubles, but fruitleſſe They are vanities. helps; They cannot adde one cubit to our ſtature, Matth. 6. 27.

4. They are Indec • rums; fit for Heathens who know not God; nay, unfit They are Indecorums. for Chriſtians who know and alſo enjoy God for their God.

5. They are diſhonours unto you and unto your Relation; As if God were worſe than an Infidel, that he will not provide for his own They are diſhonours. houſhold.

6. They are very ſins; they juſtle aſide the glory of the Covenant, and the fidelity They are very ſinnes. Twelve things in reſpect of God to remove our cares. His ſufficiency and ſufficiency of divine providence.

But to let theſe things paſſe, I beſeech you who are the people of God, to remember and conſider twelve things in reſpect of your God, to remove your cares.

1. His ſufficiency. He is able to ſupply all your wants, and to ſuccour you in all your diſtreſſes.

2. His Omniſciency: He knowes every want and ſtrait that lies upon you; as Omniſciency. all his works, ſo all your wants are known unto him; He knows that you have need of all theſe things.

3. His Authority: The earth is the Lords, and the fulneſſe thereof; Authority. All the creatures, and all your helps are in his hands, and depend on his Command.

4. His Willingneſse: He is willing to do you good, or elſe he had never promiſed Willingneſſe. all good unto you; he is your Father.

5. His Engagement: He binds himſelf by Covenant to ſupply you. He muſt Engagement. wrong himſelf if he ſhould forget you.

6. His tenderneſſe: His love (as you have often heard) is more to you than Tenderneſſe. all the world.

7. His Bounty: He hath given you Chriſt, and grace, and will give you glory; Bounty. and how ſhall he not with theſe give you all other things!

8. His Fidelity: He is faithful who hath promiſed; he never yet brake his Fidelity. word, or did fail his people.

9. His extent of undertaking for all your life long: I will never leave thee, nor forſake thee, Heb. 13. 5. His extent of undertaking for us all our life. The accounts of his careful proyiſions. His undertaking for our poſterity.

10. The accounts and reports of his careful proviſions, by his own people, and their opinion of him. Gen. 48. 15. The God which fed me all my life long unto this day, ſaid Jacob. Pſal. 37. 25. I have been young, and now am old, yet have I not ſeen the righteous forſaken, nor his • eed begging bread.

11. God undertakes even for your children and poſterity alſo, and is it likely that he will fail your ſelves? The generation of the upright ſhall be bleſſed, Pſal. 112. 2. I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed after thee, Gen. 17. 7.

12. He doth good to his enemies, therefore he cannot forget his friends; If he feeds the dogs, ſurely he will feed his children; If he provides for the Ravens, His doing good to his enemies. ſurely he will provide for his people.

6. You who are the people of God, ſhould walk without inordinate feares, Walk without inordinate fears. even upon this account, becauſe you have God to be your God. Gen. 15. 1. Fear not Abram, I am thy ſhield, and thy exc • eding great reward. Iſa. 41. 10. Fear thou not, for I am with thee; Be not diſmayed, for I am thy God; I will ſtrengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will u • hold thee with the right hand of my righteouſneſſ • . Iſa. 43. 1. Fear not, for I have Redeemed thee, I have called thee by name, Thou art mine. Verſe 2. When thou paſſeſt through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers they ſhall not overflow thee; when thou walkeſt through the fire, thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flames kindle upon thee. Verſe 3. For I am the Lord thy God, the holy One of Iſrael thy Saviour.

There are ſeven fears againſt which the Covenant-Intereſt ſhould ſecure the Our Covenant intereſt ſhould ſecure us againſt hearts of the people of God.

1. A fear what man can do. 2. A fear what Satan can do. 3. A fear what God will do. 4. A fear what we our ſelves ſhall do. 5. A fear what ours ſhall do. 6. A fear what the Churches of Chriſt ſhall do. 7. A fear what death may do.

1. Your Covenant-intereſt and relation ſhould ſecure you againſt the fear what The fear of what man can do. man can do; Pſal. 118. 6. The Lord is on my ſide, I will not fear what man can do unto me.

We are ſometimes afraid of the power of man, and why are we ſo? I, even I am he that comforteth you; who art thou, that thou ſhouldeſt be afraid of a man that ſhall die, and the ſonne of man, that ſhall be made as graſſe? And forgettest the Lord thy Maker, Iſa. 51. 12, 13.

Of the rage and fury o • man! and why are we ſo? Thou haſt feared continually, becauſe of the fury of the oppreſſor, as if he were ready to de •• roy; And where is the fury of th • oppreſsor? Iſa. 51. 13. Surely the wrath of man ſhall praiſe thee, and the remainder of wrath ſh • lt thou reſtrain, Pſal. 76. 10.

Of the plots and combinations of men! and why are we ſo? Say ye not a confederacy to all them to whom this people ſhall ſay a confederacy; neither feare ye their fear, nor be afraid! Sanctifie the Lord of Hoſts himſelf, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread; and he ſhall be for a Sanctuary So in verſe 9. Aſſociate your ſelves, O ye p • ople, and ye ſhall be broken in pieces, &c. Verſe 10. Take counſel together, and it ſhall come to naught, ſpeak the word, and it ſhall not ſtand, for God is with us.

2. Your Covenant-intereſt and relation ſhould ſecure you againſt the feares Againſt the fear of what Satan can do. of what Satan can do. You are many times exceeding afraid of the dreadful power of Satan, as if he might command you, and force you to ſuch ſinful thoughts, and ſinful acts which make your hearts to tremble; you think he is too ſtrong for you, and you ſhall never be able to withſtand him any longer, and your hearts are almoſt cruſhed and ſunk with fear of Satans power; but what 〈◊〉 Satan do? Nil poteſt diabolus • iſi miſſus vel permiſſus, He is but a creature, and he is a wicked creature, and he is a conquered creature, and he is a chained creature, and he is a curſed creature. Chriſt hath conquered him, and therefore you ſhall conquer him: all the victories of Chriſt do reach unto you; God doth chain him, and reſtrain his power and working, Thus far he ſhall go and no farther; God will give you grace ſufficient to reſiſt, and withſtand him, and will not ſuffer you to be tempted above your ſtrength, and at laſt, yea ſhortly, will bruiſe Satan under your feet. Grea • er is he that is in you, than h •• that is in the world. He Rules the world which troubles and tempts you, but your God will not ſuffer you to be led into temptation.

3. Your Covenant-Intereſt and Relation ſhould ſecure your hearts againſt the Againſt the fears of what God will do. feares of what God will do; You ſee ſometimes great changes and alterations, and judgements in the earth, how terrible God is to the inhabitants thereof, what deſolations he makes, how he ſhakes the mountains, and makes the hills to fall down at his preſence, his fire burnes and conſumes and goes on, and no man knows the power of his wrath, nor can ſay, when or where his indignation will end and ceaſe; But in all the dark and dreadful diſpenſations of Gods providence, the people of God have no cauſe to fear, for he hath an hiding plac • from the ſtorm for them, and his chambers of protection for them, untill the indignation be over; His eyes are over •• e righteous: it ſhall ſurely be well with them that fear before him: every thing ſhall work for good unto them: and ſhould publique calamities involve you with other people, yet your God will either ſupport you under them, or deliver you out of them, or tranſlate you into a better place and condition, free from all ſin and miſery, and trouble, into the place of eternal reſt and happineſſe.

4. Your Covenant-Intereſt and Relation ſhould ſecure your hearts from the Againſt the fears of what our ſelves ſhall do. fear of what we our ſelves ſhall do: what will become of us in the latter end! we oft times fear that we ſhall never hold out, and perſevere in the paths of righteouſneſſe, and we feare that providence will not hold out, that we ſhall not have enough to ſuſtain us all our dayes; But why do we fear theſe fears? is not Chriſt the Finiſher of our Fath, who is the Authour of our Faith? and will not God perfect the work which he hath begunne? and are we not kept by his power through Faith unto ſalvation? and hath he not promiſed that he will never depart from us? and to put his feare into our hearts, that we ſhall never depart from him? And as for an outward enough and ſufficiency for all our dayes; alas, why do we fear future ſupplies, who live every day upon preſent mercies? Our God hath ſaid that he will never leave us nor forſake us, and that bread ſhall be given us, and our waters ſhall be ſure; Jeſus Chriſt yeſterday and to day, and the ſa • e • for ever: ſo your God is an al-ſufficiency for all times, in all times, and unto all times; there is no end of his goodneſſe, nor of his care, nor of his love.

5. Your Covenant-Intereſt and Relation ſhould ſecure your hearts againſt Againſt the fears of what ours ſhall do. the feares of what yours ſhall do, and what will become of them when you are dead; you have but little your ſelves, and ſhall leave leſſe unto your children; But O that we had more faith, for then we ſhould have leſs fears! but remember a few things.

1. Be more careful what good you may do your childrens fouls, than fearful what good God will do for your childrens bodies; if your children be only your children, they are then heires of vanity and ſinne, and miſery; but did you take care to make them Gods children, they ſhould be heirs of mercy and bleſſing.

2. Though you die, yet your God ever lives, whoſe care and bounty is not reſtrained to one perſon, or to one generation, but extends unto believers, and unto their ſeed after them. Gen. 17. 7. And thou art the helper of the fatherleſſe, Pſal. 68. 5. In thee the fatherleſſe findeth mercy, Hoſea 14. 3.

3. Though you cannot finde proviſion for your children after you, and therefore fear, yet you may finde promiſes for your children, and therefore you ſhould not fear; if you cannot leave them with a portion, yet if you can leave them with a promiſe of God, it may very well quiet and ſatisfie you: and this you may; Pſal. 112. 2. The generation of the upright ſhall be bleſſed. Pſal. 102. 28. The children of thy ſervants ſhall continue, and their ſeed ſhall be establiſhed b • fore thee.

6. Your Covenant-Intereſt and Relation ſhould ſecure your hearts againſt the Againſt the fears of what ſhall become of the Churches of Chriſt. feares of what ſhall become of the Churches of Chriſt, eſpecially in times of hereſies and ſeducements, and of threatenings, and endeavours to ſubvert the Ordinances, and all Goſpel Miniſtrations; And truly many do fear (in reſpect of theſe) at this time; but we ſhould not inordinately fear in reſpect of them: for there are no people in the world, that have Chriſt ſo near them, and God ſo engaged unto them, as the Church. The foundation of the Church is too ſtrong for the gates of hell; and the Church of God will alwaies be found a very burdenſome-ſtone for all people; All that burden themſelves with it ſhall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together againſt it, Zach. 12. 3. And as for the Ordinances and Miniſtrations of Chriſt in his Churches, they ſhall continue as long as Chriſt hath a Church on earth; as long as the Covenant abides, a people of the Covenant ſhall abide, and as long as the people of the Covenant abides, the Ordinances for thoſe people ſhall abide; no not all the corrupt opinions of men, nor powers of men ſhall ever be able to pluck the Sunne out of heaven, nor drive out the everlaſting Goſpel from the earth. If any thing ſhould make us to fear the continuance of thoſe amongſt us, it is only our unthankfulneſſe, and our unfruitfulneſſe, and our contempt, and ſcorn of them.

7. Laſtly, your Covenant-intereſt and relation, ſhould ſecure your hearts againſt Againſt the fears of death. the fear of dea • h; you ſhould not fear to live, not yet to dye, who have God to be in Covenant; for the ſting of death is gone; it is taken out by the death of Chriſt, 1 Cor. 15. Death ſeparates ſoul and body, but it can never ſeparate you from the love of God, Rom. 8.

The Covenant holds beyond death; it doth not bring you only into a preſent enjoyment of God, but it is to bring you into a fall, perfect, and everlaſting enjoyment of God in glory; the Covenant yields you the leaſt part of your good, of your portion, of your happineſſe in this life; the greateſt and fulleſt portion of good promiſed unto you by God in this Covenant, lies in the arrears, in the reſerves, in the full poſſeſſion of the inheritance after death; and then why ſhould you fear to dye, and go to take a full poſſeſſion? why ſhould you fear to dye, and to enter into the joy of your Maſter? why ſhould you fear to dye, and go home to receive all the deſires of your hearts, and all the eternal preparations of glorious bleſſedneſſe for your ſouls?

7. You who are the people of God, and have him to be your God in Covenant, Walk without offending God. you ſhould walk without offending of him, and without diſpleaſing or grieving of your good God. Mal. 1. 6. A ſonne honoureth his Father, and a ſervant his Maſter. If then I be a Father, where is mine honour? And if I be a Maſter, where is my fear? friends in Covenant carefully avoid mutual offences and provocations, you ſhould fear the Lord and his goodneſſe, Hoſea 3. 5. Thou ſhalt fear the Lord thy God, Deut. 10. 20. Seeing that Thou our God haſt given us ſuch deliverance as this, ſhould we again break thy Commandments! &c. Ezra 9. 13, 14. ſo ſeeing that the Lord is become our God, and hath delivered us from wrath, and made us to be his people, ſhould we grieve him by ſinning againſt him! Grieve not the Spirit of God by whom ye are ſealed unto the day of redemption, Eph. 4. 30. Walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleaſing, Coloſ. 1. 10. It were an excellent height if we could ſay unto God, as he ſpake unto his people in Micah 6. 3. O my people, what have I done unto thee, and wherein have I wearied thee? So if we could ſay, O our God what have we done againſt thee, and wherein have we diſpleaſed and grieved thee!

There are nine ſinnes which if they be found in the people of God, they do extreamely Sins much diſpleaſing God. Groſſe tranſgreſſions. offend and diſpleaſe their God.

1. Groſſe tranſgreſſions; when their ſpots are not the ſpots of his children, Deut. 32. 5. Davids adultery diſpleaſed the Lord, 2 Sam. 11. 27.

2. Murmuring complaints againſt the dispenſations of their God, Numb. 11. 1. Murmuring complaints againſt his diſpenſations. When that people complained, it diſpleaſed the Lord; 〈◊〉 the Lord heard it, and his anger was kindled. ver. 4. They f • ll a luſting, and wept again, and ſaid Who ſhall give us fleſh to eat? ver. 10. And the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly.

3. Their manual diviſions and contentions, and envyings, and evil-ſpeakings, Mu • ual diviſions. and reproachings of one another, theſe diſhonour themſelves, and grieve the Spirit, and offend their Father.

4. Spiritual pride, and loftineſſe of heart, being vainly puffed up with knowledge, Spiritual pride. or any ſpiritual attainments and enjoyments, fooliſh boaſtings.

5. Carnal ſecurity, and careleſneſſe of their hearts and wayes, and turning Carnal ſecurity. the grace of God into wantonneſſe.

6. Ʋnfruitfulneſſe and barrenneſſe under the Goſpels Ordinances and Unfruitfulneſſe. helps.

7. Conformity unto the world, faſhioning themſelves thereunto, and complying Conformity unto the world. with the ungodly.

8. Lukewarmneſſe of ſpirit in the cauſe of God, and of the truths of Chriſt, and of the power of godlineſſe, ſuffering all theſe to be oppoſed and blaſphemed. Lukewarmneſſe.

9. Particular unbeliefs and diſtruſts, as in Moſes caſe, &c. when their faith Particular unbeliefs. hath a ſpecial call to honour God amongſt people in difficulties, &c. Theſe and ſome other ſinnes, if found among the people of God, do exceedingly diſpleaſe and grieve him; and therefore be you very watchful againſt them, yea, and againſt all Reaſons why we ſhould be watchful againſt all ſinnings. ſinnings whatſoever; becauſe,

1. Your God hath ſhewed you exceeding riches of grace and mercy: There is mercy with thee, therefore ſhalt thou be feared.

2. Your relation to ſo holy a God, ſhould make you to fear all unholy actions; you ſhould be holy, as your heavenly Father is holy.

3. Your receipts have been high, and your returns ſhould be anſwerable; you have received favour, and Chriſt, and the Spirit, and hopes of heaven, and ſhould you offend your God after all this! O what ingratitude (worſt of ingratitude) were this!

4. You will extreamely darken your communions with God by it, and your heavenly relation by it, your Sun will ſet at Noon day.

5. You will break up the peace in conſcience, and conſcience will lay hold on you from all your intereſt comforts received.

6. God doh uſually correct and chaſtiſe his people in this life very ſeverely and ſharply for their diſobedience.

8. You who are the people of God, ſhould walk with all contentedneſſe and Walk with all contentedneſſe and well-pleaſedneſſe. well-pleaſedneſſe of ſpirit, for you have God to be your God; ſaith David, Pſal. 16. 5. The Lord is the portion of mine in eritance; and ver. 6. I have a goodly heritage: That man will be contented with nothing, who cannot finde contentment in the enjoyment of all things.

There are three things which I deſire you to take notice of. For,

1. That God is the portion of his people: Thou art my portion O Lord, Pſal. God is the portion of his people. 119. 57. All the world is too low and too little to make up a portion for any one holy or godly man; he ſets not out any eſtate as your portion but himſelf: If the Lord ſhould ſay to a godly man I will give you all the world, and that ſhall be all your portion; O Lord, would he ſay, let others have that portion, but I beſeech thee give me thy ſelf.

2. That God alone is portion enough; all-ſufficiency is (queſtionleſſe) a ſufficient God alone is portion enough. portion; as Joſeph ſaid unto his brethren, Gen. 45. 20. (by the command of Pharaoh) Regard not your ſtuffe, for the good of all the Land of Egypt is yours; ſo may we ſay to all the people of God, Regard not, be not troubled ſo much for the poor ſtuffe of earthly revenues, for the all-ſufficient God is yours. The Lord is my Shepherd, therefore I ſhall not want, Pſal. 23. 1. He that wants nothing hath enough: I am thy ſhield, and thy exceeding great r • ward, Gen. 15. 1. H • • ho is ſecured from all evil, and is bleſſed with all bleſſings, certainly this man hath enough.

3. That your fruition of God for your God, ſweetens any outward portion, be Out fruition of God ſweatens any outward po • tion. it never ſo little; the little of earth with the enjoyment of God as loving, as reconciled, as accepting of us in Chriſt, as ſhining in his favour on our ſouls, as our God in Covenant; how ſatisfying, how delightful a portion is this! The ſmall Ring with the rich Diamond, cannot that delight and pleaſe you!

Object. O but I have very little of theſe outwards.

Sol. A little of them is enough, much is but a ſuperfluity, and is like the water that runs beſides the Mill. Though but a little, yet It is enough. It is bleſt.

2. Your little is bleſt, it is the cluſter of grapes with the bleſſing of the Lord; a little wholſome food is better than a feaſt that is poyſoned; ſo, &c.

3. Your little will laſt. As the Widows Oyle ran out ſtill, and ran out ſo much It will laſt. as ſerved to ſuſtain her all the time of Famine, ſo God by little and little will preſerve you all your dayes.

4. Though little in hand, yet ſtill ſufficient, and of the beſt in promiſe, which will There is ſufficient in the promiſe. rain Manna down upon you all the time of your journying and travelling, untill you come to Canaan.

9. You who are the people of God, ſhould walk with all humility before God, Walk with all humility before God. Micah 6. 8. What doth the Lord require of thee, but to do juſtly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

There are four goodly ſights.

1. To ſee a pardoning God, and a mournful ſinner. 2. To ſee a promiſing God, and a believing ſinner. 3. To ſee a good God, and a thankful ſinner. 4. To ſee a gracious God, and an humble ſinner.

No people are raiſed ſo high as the people of God, and no people with ſuch lowlineſs and humbleneſs as theſe.

To walk humbly, is to walk

1. With a ſenſe of our own unworthhyneſs; I am not worthy of the leaſt of all the With a ſenſe of our own unworthineſſe. mercies, of all the truth, which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant, ſaid Jacob, Gen. 32. 10. Who am I, and what is my houſe, that thou haſt brought me hitherto? ſaid David, 2 Sam. 7. 18.

2. With a ſenſe of our own inſufficiencies: we are not ſufficient of our ſelves to With a ſenſe of our own inſufficiency. think any thing as of our ſelves, but our ſufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3. 5. O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himſelf. It is not in man to direct his ſteps, Jer. 10. 23.

3. With a full acknowledgement of the grace of God, as the reaſon and cauſe of With a full acknowledgement of the grace of God. our all: By the grace of God I am what I am: And I laboured more abundantly then they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me, ſaid Paul, 1 Cor. 15. 10.

4. With a low opinion of our ſelves, as 1 Cor. 4. 6. That not one of you be puffed up With a low opinion of our ſelves. for one againſt another, verſe 7. For who maketh thee to differ? and what haſt thou that thou didſt not receive. Now if thou didſt receive it, why doſt thou glory, as if thou hadſt not received it? Why they ſhould walk humbly. Becauſe They are ſaved by mercy. Their enjoyments are the gifts of grace.

And there are five Reaſons which the people of God have to walk humbly.

1. Becauſe they are all ſaved by mercy, and brought into their high relation by the meere love of their God: In his mercy he ſaved them; and in your blood he ſet his love upon you, and ſaid unto you, live.

2. Becauſe all the great enjoyments which they have, they are the meere gifts of grace: Ye are called by grace, and juſtified by grace, and adopted by grace, and renewed by grace, and ſaved by grace.

3. Becauſe you continually live in a dependance upon God. All your actings are in his ſtrength, and all your communions with him are by his preſence, and by his power; They live in dependency upon God. your graces, and your comforts, and particular abilities, would die in your hands, if he ſhould but withdraw and leave you.

4. Becauſe your God is a great God, and you are but Duſt and Aſhes before him: Their God is a great God. And beſides that, he knows ſo much of you, that you have cauſe to be vile in your own eyes, and to lie low before him.

5. Becauſe you do ſo little for ſo good a God: You make but poor returns in proportion They do ſo little for ſo good a God. to your exceeding great receits: your beſt performances and acts of obedience, are ſo ſhort to his mercies, that you need mercy ſtill to paſſe you by.

You ſhould walk with all chearfulneſs, and gladneſſe of heart, before your bleſſing Walk with all chearfulneſs. and bleſſed God, Pſal. 100. 2. Serve the Lord with gladneſſe, Deut. 28. 47. Becauſe thou ſervedſt not the Lord thy God with joyfulneſſe, and gladneſſe of heart for the abundance of all things. O how chearful ſhould your life be, who enjoy ſuch a God to be your God: This enjoyment ſhould be like a good conſcience, which is a continual feaſt: yet God is my God, and Chriſt is my Chriſt, and mercy and glory are mine: Yea, it ſhould make you exceeding forward and chearful in the ſervices of your God: not calling them your burdens, but delights: you ſhould rejoyce in him, and rejoyce to obey him, and delight to do his will, account it your meat and drink, and you ſhould a bound in the work of the Lord.

11. You ſhould be conſtant in walking before him: you ſhould never be weary of him, nor of his works: you ſhould think a ſhort life too ſhort for the ſerving, Be conſtant in walking before him. and the honouring of ſuch a God: as the Martyr was troubled becauſe he had but one life to part with for Chriſt; ſo ſhould we, becauſe we have no more lives, or no longer time of life to bleſſe and praiſe our good and gracious God: you ſhould ſerve him in holineſs, and righteouſneſs all your dayes, Luke 2. Surely goodneſſe and mercy ſhall follow me all the dayes of my life, and I will dwell in the houſe of the Lord for ever, Pſal. 23. 6.

12. You who ate the people of God, ſhould walk before him in all zeale, for the honour of that God who hath ſo much honoured you, as to make you his Walk before him in all zeal. people. What ſhall I do for my God! you ſhould deny your ſelves, and extend your ſelves, and improve all your gifts, and graces, and powers for the ſervices of his glory; you ſhould not count your time, nor riches, nor honours, nor lives dear unto you, ſo that you might honor and glorifie ſuch a God as your God is, and is to you: you ſhould ſpeak, and pray, and ſtudy, and act, and enact for him, who is ſo good a portion, and will be your everlaſting and bleſſed God.

SECT. XV.

Uſe. 4 THere is yet one Uſe more which I would make from the conſideration of the happineſſe of being the people of God in Covenant, and of enjoying God to be our God in Covenant.

And that Uſe ſhall be a Uſe of Exhortation, even unto them who are not (as yet) Exhortation to them that are not in Covenant with God; To get into a Covenant-relation. the people of God in Covenant; That they would not content themſelves in that eſtate, to be Forrainers, and ſtrangers, and enemies, but that they would begg, and ſtrive to come into a Covenant-relation with God, that they would take him for their God, and ſubmit themſelves unto him as his people in Covenant.

Now this Exhortation I ſhall direct unto two ſorts of ſinners. 1. Unto ſuch as to this day have obſtinately refuſed to become the people of God. 2ly. Unto ſuch who are troubled for their obſtinate diſobedience, and would fain become the people of God, but are afraid that God will never admit them into Covenant, that he will never be a God to them, &c.

1. Unto ſuch who hitherto have obſtinately refuſed to become the people of God, and to own God for their God in Covenant. What is the Almighty that we ſhould ſerve Such as obſtinately refuſe this Covenant-relation. him, ſpake they in Job 21. 15. Who is the Lord, that I ſhould obey his voice? ſaid Pharaoh, Exod. 5. 2. Let us break his bands aſunder, and cast away his cords from us, Pſal. 2. 3. They would not walk in his wayes, neither were they obedient to his Laws, Iſa. 42. 24. I will poure out my Spirit upon you, I will make known my words unto you: I called and ye refuſed, I have ſtretched out my hand, and no man regarded, ye have ſet at naught all my counſels, Prov. 1. 23, 24, 25. Moſes refuſed to be called the ſon of Pharaohs daughter, Heb. 11. 24. This ſhewed his contempt of worldly honours ſtanding in Oppoſition to the enjoyment of communion with the people of God. But many refuſe to become the ſons of God, and to become the people of God, although they hear of the infinite happineſſe in being the people of God, and in the enjoyment of God to be their God; They look upon it as their great loſſe to part with their ſinful luſts, and they look upon it as their exceeding prejudice and diſgrace to be counted the people of God, and they look upon it as their heavy burthen to be brought into the Covenant, and yeilding up themſelves unto God alone.

For ſuch a ſort of ignorant and perverſe people, I would pray unto God that he Conſiderations to awaken them. would open their eyes, and convince their hearts, and awaken them from the ſleep of death. And if they be capable of any faithful counſel and advice, I would preſent a few ſerious Conſiderations unto them, which perhaps may perſwade • h • m to hearken, and to deſire to come into Covenant with God.

1. You are never able to ſtand out, and live under the Covenant of Works. There You are not able to ſtand out and live under the Covenant of works. are but two Covenants which we muſt abide by; In one of them all men of neceſſity muſt be found: either in the Covenant of Grace, or in the Covenant of Works; Theſe are like the two Maſters of whom Chriſt doth ſpeak, that one cannot ſerve them both either he will hate the one and love the other, or elſe he will hold to the one, and deſpiſe the other. Matth. 6. 24. So no man can be under both theſe Covenants at once; if he refuſe the one, he chuſeth the other; and if he chuſeth the one, he refuſeth the other: If you refuſe to come into the Covenant of Grace, of neceſſity you remain under the Covenant of Works; and then you are as ſurely loſt and deſtroyed, as you now live: for the Covenant of works condemns and curſes the ſinner (curſed is every one wh • c • ntinues n • t in every thing that is written to do it, Gal 3. 10.) And you are exceedingly ſinful; the Law of God findes you ſo, and your own conſciences teſtifie againſt you as ſo; Neither have you any way to eſcape that curſe of the Law, nor the wrath of God revealed againſt all unrighteouſneſſe, and ungodlineſs, but in the Covenant of Grace (becauſe there only a Saviour and mercy is to be found) but you perverſely refuſe to enter into that Covenant with God. If you will not conſent to a Covenant-relation, you cannot e • pect the Covenant advantages.

2. If you will not conſent unto a Covenant-relation, it is but preſumption to expect the Covenant advantages.

The Covenant advantages are the hopes and enjoyments of lovingkindneſſe, of pardoning mercies, of the joyes of the Holy Ghoſt, of peace in conſcience, of ſpecial protection, of ſanctified bleſſings, and of eternal glory and ſalvation. But theſe do neceſſarily preſuppoſe a Covenant-relation (that is) That we muſt take God for our God, and become his people. For to none but theſe hath God ever promiſed, and on none but theſe hath God ever ſetled or intended to ſettle ſuch choice bleſſings: For others God ſaith, What haſt thou to do to take my Covenant into thy mouth, ſeeing thou hateſt to be reformed? If you will have none of me, you ſhall have none of my mercies; and if you will not be my people, I will not be your God. Never deceive your ſelves with vain confidences, I will never pardon you, I will never bleſſe you, I will never juſtifie you, I will never ſave you: If the woman will not conſent to marry the man, it is but a vain ſimplicity in him to preſume of his intereſt in her eſtate, ſo, &c.

3. For any ſinner wh • hears of this Covenant of grace, and yet excludes himſelf, It is exceeding folly to exc • ude our ſelves from this Covenant-relation. (as every one doth who refuſeth to ſubmit unto the terms of relation) this doth declare exceeding folly; O what folly is it to ſlight our only help, our only hope, our only remedy, our only ſalvation? To reject all happineſſe, and our only happineſſe.

Exceeding impiety: Certainly our hearts are unſpeakably hardned, or are utterly and exceeding impiety. Atheiſtical, or helliſhly deſperate, that we care not though we looſe our precious ſoules, and forſake our mercies, and forfeit heaven: aſſuredly we have ſordid thoughts of God, and of the happineſs of enjoying God for our God, and of all that God promiſeth to give, in that we refuſe to be his people, and had rather enjoy our filthy and damning luſts. Their condition is unſpeakably miſerable, helpleſſe, and hopeleſſe.

4. Your condition is, and will be unſpeakably miſerable, helpleſs, and hopeleſs: And this appears in four particulars.

Firſt, You will utterly deprive your ſoules of all hopes and pleas for mercy and glory.

Secondly, That you wilfully do this, though God treats with you in a way of mercy and grace, for mercy and grace.

Thirdly, That you now ſtand alone, and muſt do ſo in your accounts before God, without a Mediatour to anſwer for you; you alone muſt anſwer God for all your ſins, and for all your abominations.

Fourthly, That God will magnifie the power of his wrath and juſtice upon you for deſpiſing of him, and of his grace, and of his mercy, and of all his glory, &c. of all ſinners, you will fall under the heavieſt condemnation.

3. Unto ſuch who fain would be the people of God, but are afraid that God will never Such as would fain be in Covenant, but fear God will not admit them; Should conſider It is poſſible for them to be the people of God. admit of them into Covenant, that he will never be a God unto them.

To theſe I have ſix things to preſent, which I would deſire them carefully to remember.

1. Do not deſpaire, though as yet you find not your ſelves to be the people of Gods Covenant; it is poſſible for you to be his people; And there are three grounds to keep you from deſpaire.

1. One becauſe God hath made them to be his people which were not his people: which in time paſt were not a people, but are now the people of God; which had not obtained mercy, but have now obtained mercy 1 Pet. 2. 10.

2. A ſecond, becauſe God hath looked mercifully upon as grievous ſinners as ye have been, and hath brought them into the Covenant, Ezek. 16. 6. 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, verſe 8. Now when I paſſed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold thy time was the time of love, and I ſpread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedneſs, yea I ſware unto thee, and en • red into a Covenant with thee, ſaith the Lord God, and thou becameſt mine.

3. Becauſe you have an expreſſe promiſe that God will make you to be his people, which were not his people, Hoſea 2. 23. I will have mercy upon her, that had not obtained mercy, and I will ſay to them which were not my people, Thou art my people, and they ſhall ſay Thou art my God.

2. Great ſinners are not abſolutely excluded from coming into this Covenant of Great ſinners are not abſolutely excluded. grace; O Sirs, this Covenant is only for ſinners, and this Covenant contains an infinite Mediator, and ſuper-abundant riches of grace and mercy, ſo that the Lord gets him a Name, and a praiſe, and an honour amongſt all the Nations of the earth; and God in this Covenant doth promiſe to pardon abundantly, to forgive iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſinne, to cleanſe from all filthineſſe, and from all Idols, and to pardon all iniquities whereby we have ſinned, and have tranſgreſſed againſt him; Thou haſt wearied me with thine iniquities, and made me to ſerve with thy ſinnes; yet I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for mine own ſake, and I will not remember thy ſinnes: Thou haſt ſpoken, and done evil things as thou couldeſt; ſhe is gone upon every high Mountain, and under every green Tree, and there hath played the harlot, and I ſaid after ſhe had done all theſe things, Turn thou unto me! So that it is not the greatneſſe of former ſinnes which make you utterly uncapable of being received into this Covenant: Though a mans ſinnes have been high in their guilt, and multiplyed in the practice, and ſtretched out by many aggravating circumſtances, yet if now his ſoul doth mourn ovet them, and lament; if now he is willing to give a bill of Divorce unto them, if he ſees his former abominations, and loaths them, I dare aſſure him that God will take him into this Covenant; the Covenant of grace and mercy is ſet open for him; Come in ſaith God, I will be merciful unto your Tranſgreſſions, and I will receive you graciouſly, your ſinnes ſhall be mentioned no more.

3. Though a ſinner hath no deſervingneſſe in him, no worthineſſe at all, yet he may be received into this Covenant of grace: When a poor ſinner hears of A ſinner that hath no worthineſſe at all, may be taken into Covenant. all that goodneſſe which God is, and which God will extend to ſuch as will enter into Covenant with him, and of all thoſe mercies and bleſſings, &c. O ſaith he, I ſhall never have this God, and I ſhall never enjoy theſe bleſſings! what am I but a very ſinful creature, worthy to be excluded, and to be denyed, but unworthy to enjoy ſuch a God, and to p ••• ake of ſuch mercies; ſinnes I have enough for which God may loath me, but worthineſſe have I none, to give me favour and acceptance in the eyes of God.

S • l. Let me give anſwer to remove this fear and this vexation out of the heart of the troubled and doubting ſinner.

1. A perſonal worthineſs is not expected, nor impoſed by God for admiſſion into A perſonal worthineſſe is not expected for admiſſion into this Covenant. this Covenant; he never ſaid to any ſinner, If you be worthy of mercy, then I will ſhew you mercy; and if you be worthy to enjoy me, then I will be your God. Never did this come into the thoughts of God to make a new Covenant upon termes of worthineſſe on our part; nor in any one place of Scripture hath God let fall ſuch a paſſage, or ſuch a heavy condition upon the ſinner; for then no ſinner could ever have had any hope of coming into this Covenant; ſinfulneſſe and unworthineſſe being neceſſarily inſeparable.

2. A perſonal worthineſſe is inconſiſtent with a Covenant of grace; for a A perſonal worthineſſe is inconſiſtent with the Covenant of grace. Covenant of grace is a giving Covenant, and it is a freely giving Covenant; God loves you here freely, and he here forgives you freely: I will love them freely, Hoſea 14. 4. I am he that blotteth out thy ſinnes for mine own ſake, Eſay 43. 25. This were a ſtrange thing indeed, that God ſhould make a Covenant of grace to relieve the ſinner againſt the Covenant of works, and yet ſhould make our works the foundation and reaſon of his grace! No, ſaith the Apoſtle, There is a remnant according to the election of grace; And if by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwiſe grace is no more grace; but if it be of works, then it is no more grace, otherwiſe works is no more works. God admits not into this Covenant upon the reaſon and account of works, nor doth he let out the good of this Covenant upon any ſuch account; this were not to advance his grace, but to deſtory his grace.

3. The acknowledging of our unworthineſſe is more proper and anſwerable to The acknowledging of our unworthineſſe is more proper to this Covenant, than a pleading out worthineſſe▪ this Covenant, than a pleading or a fancying of our worthineſs. I will go home to my Father, and ſay, Father, I have ſinned against heaven, and against thee, I am not worthy to be called thy ſonne: Mark, he comes home confeſſing his ſinnes, and acknowledging his unworthineſſe, and he was accepted and pitied, and embraced, and received, &c. O Lord, though our iniquities teſtifie againſt us, do thou it for thy Names ſake; for our back-ſlidings are many, we have ſinned againſt thee; ſo they plead: This indeed is the right poſture for one who would be admitted into this Covenar, not to come like a proud Phariſee, but like an humble Publican, God be merciful to me a ſinner; not to come as the Jewes did for one to Chriſt, he is worthy; but as the Centurion did unto Chriſt, I am not worthy that thou ſhouldeſt come under the roof of my houſe. O Lord, I have been a wretched ſinner, and the greateſt of ſinners; I deſerve nothing but wrath and hell; I beſeech thee to look on me in mercy, for mercies ſake pity me, for mercies ſake own me, for mercies ſake be my God, and make me one of thy people, &c. Merita mea miſericordia tua, ſaith Bernard, my merits are only thy mercies! Thou art the Lord meriful and gracious, O ſave me freely, accept of me freely, &c.

4. It is not unworthineſſe which hinders any from this Covenant, but unwillingneſſe; It is not unwo • thineſſe, but unwillingneſſe which hinders from the Covenant. Not the want of deſerts, but the want of an heart; for this covenanting is not a bargain, but a match, where willingneſſe of conſent is only inſiſted upon; My ſon (ſaith God) give me thy heart, and hearken unto me and your ſouls ſhall live; and if you be willing and obedient, ye ſhall eat the good of • he Land. If a mighty Prince ſhould offer himſelf to match with a poor maid, alas, it is not worthineſſe that he intends or expects, nothing doth he require of her but to be willing to take him; ſo when the Lord treats with ſinners to come into Covenant with him, it is not their worthineſſe which he articles about; all that he requires is to be willing to take him for their God, and to be willing to become his people.

4. Though a ſinner finds in himſelf a wan • • f holy qualities, and many vile A ſinner may come and be accepted into Covenant, though he find in himſelf a want of holy qualit • es, and many vile corruptions. corruptions not yet mortified, yet he may come and be accepted into Covenant with God: If a poor ſinner be willing to have his heart changed, though as yet he findes not that change: and if he be willing to have his ſinnes mortified and ſubdued, though as yet he doth not finde them ſo: this ſinner may come, and deſire to be admitted into Covenant, and God doth not except againſt him.

Objection. When we are perſwading ſinners to come into his Covenant, O no, ſay they! they are afraid, and dare not come as yet; but could they once finde ſome change wrought in their hearts, and ſome power over their ſinnes, and ſome ſtrength to walk better before God, then they would hearken and come!

Solution. But do you indeed underſtand your ſelves or this Covenant of grace, that you thus argue and diſpute your ſelves out of an intereſt in the Covenant? I pray you whence doth grace come? out of what Spring doth it ariſe? would you be Gods unto your ſelves, before you take God to be your God? is your healing and ſalvation in your ſelves, or of your ſelves? In me is thy ſtrength, ſaith God; Is it poſſible for the dead to quicken themſelves? is not our change only from the Spirit of the Lord? and is not the new heart, and new ſpirit undertaken and promiſed in the Covenant? will you preſume to give your ſelves, that which God only undertakes to give unto you?

Nevertheleſſe a few words for your relief. For,

1. The firſt gift which God gives unto ſinners, is himſelf in Chriſt; He doth The firſt gift which God gives to ſinners is himſelf in Chriſt. not firſt give you grace and ſtrength againſt ſinne, and then become your God; but firſt he becomes your God, and being ſo, he promiſeth to give grace and glory to you; as communion with Chriſt is not precedent unto, but a ſubſequent of union with him; y •• have not the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and the redemption of Chriſt firſt, and after them the enjoyment of Chriſt himſelf; but firſt you have Chriſt, and after that you enjoy communion in all his benefits; So firſt God is your God, and then comes in all the graces of the Spirit, and power againſt ſin, and ſtrength for new obedience.

2. God doth not expect that you ſhould bring, but receive; not bring holineſſe to him, and power to him, but receive holineſſe from him, and power from God doth not expect that you ſhould bring, but receive. him; Doth the Phyſician expect that his Patient ſhould bring phyſick to him, or receive phyſick from him? Do we bring water to the fountain? no, but we do fetch it from the fountain. The Lord doth not impoſe this on you, that you ſhould firſt make your ſelves holy, and then come into Covenant; but this is it which he ſaith, Take me to be your God, and I will make you holy, and I will ſubdue your iniquities: the giving, changing, ſtrengthening, working part belongs to God; the craving, the willing, the receiving part belongs to you. God is willing to give theſe, and if you be willing to receive theſe, This is enough for admiſſion into Covenant.

3. To ſay all: The qualities of grace are not the neceſsary an • ecedents for entrance The qualities of grace, and the fruits and conſequents of the Covenant. into, but they are the gracious fruits and conſequents of the Covenant. When you are brought into Covenant, then are all graces brought into your hearts; then if you ſeek unto your God, and truſt on him, he will ſend forth his Spirit into your hearts.

5. The knowledge of God to be our God in Covenant, i • not prerequired before The knowledg of God to be our God in we take God to be our God in Covenant. I confeſſe ſome knowledge of God is prerequired, as this, That God is willing to take a ſinner into Covenant; till Covenant, is not prerequired before we take him to be our God. this be laid in, the ſinner will never cloſe with God; but to know that this God is my God, this is neither prerequired, not is it poſſibl • for any ſinner to attain unto this, before he doth take God to be his God in Covenant. Y • t is this an ordinary perplexity and hinderance with many broken-hearted ſinners; O if we could but be aſſured that God were our God, then we would venture to come into Covenant with him! and did we know our ſelves to be his people, then we would cloſe with him!

Beloved, For,

1. It is impoſſible to begin the Covenant with a reflexive act. Can any woman It is impoſſible to begin the Covenant with a reflexive act. know ſuch a man to be her husband, untill ſhe hath taken him to be her husband? Would ye build the top of the houſe before you have laid the foundation? Reflexive acts are the laſt acts; never are they the firſt acts in the Covenant; Nay, it were a very deluſion and falſehood, to know that God is your God, before you take him to be ſo: he is not your God, neither are you his people, untill you conſent to take him for your God.

2. The only way to know your interest in the Covenant, is to accept of the Covenant: The only way to know your intereſt in the Covenant, is to accept of it. As to know that your ſinnes are pardoned, the way to this, is to believe the promiſe of pardon; and to know that Chriſt is yours, the way is firſt to receive and embrace Chriſt by faith: So the way to know that God is your God, is firſt to take him to be your God, to become his people.

6. God will refuſe none from this Covenant, who are indeed willing to have God will refuſe none from this Covenant, who are willing to have him to be their God. him to be their God in Covenant: as Chriſt ſpake in Revel. 22. 19. Whoſoever will, let him come and drink of the water of life freely: ſo ſay I, Whoſoever is willing to have God to be his God, and to cloſe with God as God manifeſts himſelf a God in Covenant, let him come, God will be his God in Covenant.

Queſt. How is that? will you ſay.

Sol. Thus it i • The Lord ſaith, I am God Almighty; I 〈◊〉 the Lord, the Lord, graci • u • , and merciful, long-ſuffering, abundant in 〈◊〉 and truth, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſinne; Will you accept of ſuch a God to be your God? O with all our hearts! we are undone unleſſe the merci • ul and gracious God be our God! And ſaith God, I am an holy God; I the Lord am holy; the Lord thy God is an holy God; I am of purer eyes than to behold ſinne, I hate and abhorre it; and if you will have me to be your God, you muſt be holy as I am holy; your hearts muſt be holy, and your lives muſt be holy; you muſt be willing to renounce and forſake every one of your ſinful luſts, and every one of your ſinful wayes; Are you willing to be holy in all manner of converſation? if your hearts can anſwer to the Lord; O Lord! I have been a ſinful wretch, and I have a ſinful heart, which is the burden of my ſoul! I am content to be made holy, I beſeech thee make me holy; I ſhould bleſſe thee with all my ſoul, if thou wouldeſt be pleaſed to give thy holy Spirit to me, if thou wouldeſt change my heart by thy renewing grace, if thou wouldeſt cleanſe me from all my uncleanneſſe, if thou wouldeſt mortifie and ſubdue in me every ſinful luſt and affection; And ſaith God, I am the great and mighty God, the Lord of all, the Lord of Lords, and I give Lawes to all my people, and will be feared and obeyed, and I will have you to ſet up my Will for your Rule, and I will have you to do the work which I appoint you, and to walk only in ſuch pathes of righteouſneſſe and obedience as I require and preſcribe.

Are you willing to receive the Law from my mouth? and to obey my win? and to do all that I command you? though men diſlike it, and men reproach you for it, if now you can anſwer, O Lord we are willing, thus to take thee for our God, and in all theſe reſpects to be thine, then God will own you as his people in Covenant.

Queſt. But O Lord, how ſhall we be able to compaſſe this, and to attaine all this?

Sol. Nay, that is not the queſtion ſaith God, but are you willing thus to take me for your God? if you be cordially willing thus to take me, I will be your God, and I am your God; and according to my Covenant, I engage my ſelf unto you, to give you holineſſe, to change your hearts, and to give you mercy, to pardon your ſinnes, and to give you grace and power to mortifie your luſts, and to give you ſtrength to obey my Will, to walk in my Statutes, and to do them all.

O Sirs, this willingneſſe, ſuch a willingneſſe as this to accept of God to be our God, this is accepted, and this is enough to enter you into this gracious Covenant with God; and truly, this willingneſſe to accept of God to be your God, comes from God willingneſſe, and Gods goodneſſe, and Gods power, and Gods grace to make you to be his people; None have this willingneſſe wrought in them, but thoſe only whom God will take into Covenant with him.

Some are willing in their ſtraits, to have the merciful God to be their God, but they are not willing to have the holy God to be their God. Some are willing to have the gracious God, and the rewarding God to be their God, but they are not willing to have the commanding and ruling God to be their God; Theſe indeed would not have God to be their God in Covenant; but if you find willing hearts in all reſpects to cloſe with God, as he wholly and fully manifeſts himſelf to be a God in Covenant, that he ſhould univerſally form you up unto himſelf, fear not, come to him, he will certainly be your God.

SECT. XVI.

THe laſt Uſe from this diſcourſe of the Covenant, ſhall be of direction, wh • t 5. Uſe. courſe any ſinner ſhould take that he may be brought into this Covenant of Direction, what courſe a ſinner ſhould take to be brought into this Covenant. grace; The neceſſity and happineſſe whereof he hath heard ſo much.

The Directions which I would commend unto you for this, are theſe.

1. Go unto God, and beſeech him to be your God, and to make you to be his people; Beg of God to be your God, and make you his people. for none can make God to be a God in Covenant unto him, but God himſelf; and none can take God to be his God in Covenant, but from the ſtrength of God alone. Hence it is, that as to the firſt entrance into the Covenant, we (for our parts) are rather paſſive than active; and are rather Covenanted than Covenanting; God muſt make us to be his, before we can come to be his; yea he muſt make us willing to be his, before we can be willing to be ſo; and therefore (if you have obſerved it) not only the making of a new Covenant is ſettled and raiſed by the gracious Will of God, but the bringing of us into that Covenant, doth totally depend upon the gracious and powerful pleaſure of the ſame God; I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people: As to bring in a ſinner unto Chriſt, it is not ſufficient that he is the effect of his purchaſe; but it is likewiſe required that he be the fruit of his conqueſt. Jeſus Chriſt muſt by his Spirit reſcue him out of the poſſeſſion of ſinne and Satan; So to bring a ſinner into Covenant with God, it is not enough that the ſinner lies within the intention of grace, but it is moreover requiſite, that God do put forth the mighty efficacy of his grace to ſubdue the heart and will of the ſinner unto himſelf.

For the carrying on of this Direction, I would lay down ſix Poſitions.

1. That there is not in any ſinner a ſelf-ſufficiency to cloſe with God in a way There is not in any ſinner a ſelf-ſufficiency to cloſe with God in Covenant. of Covenant; for as the Covenant of grace is a truth of meer ſupernatural Revelation (no light of nature reveals it, or diſcovers it) ſo the bringing of the ſinner into this Covenant, is a meerly ſupernatural work. There is nothing in the ſinner actively to contribute towards it; nay, all that is in the ſinner, is naturally averſe and contrary unto it; his natural judgement doth reaſon againſt it, and contradict it; and his natural will doth reſiſt and oppoſe it, unbelief being predominant in both; and therefore the work being only the work of a God, the ſinner hath no way to take but to go to God to work his own work in him, and for him.

2. The heart of a ſinner, how ever it be naturally averſe to God, and to fall The reſiſtance of the heart is conquerable by the power of God. in with him, yet the diſobedience and reſiſtance of it, is conquerable and ſub • uable by the Almighty power of God, with whom nothing is impoſſible, and for whom nothing is too hard; He can quicken the dead, and give ſight to the blinde, and eares to the deaf, and deliver from the power of darkneſſe, and take away the heart of ſtone, and give an heart of fleſh; And as it is in his liberty to forme creatures into what kinde of being he pleaſeth, ſo it is in his power to make any creature yielding unto any part of his Will as he reſolveth: he can abaſe the pride of mans heart, and break the hardneſſe of mans heart, and heale the ſtoutneſſe and the ſtubbornneſſe of mans will, and turn it which way ſoever he pleaſeth, and faſhion it (by a Commanding Power) into the obedience of his own Will.

3. There is no ſinner (for ought that I know, living under the Goſpel) who No ſinner living under the Goſpel, can infallibly conclude he is excluded from the Covenant. can infallibly determine it, that God hath peremptorily excepted againſt him, and abſolutely excluded him from the Covenant; (that is) That God will never be a God to him, nor will he ever make him to be one of his people: Although at the preſent a ſinner may certainly know that he is out of the Covenant, and he is none of his people; yet he doth not know that God will never be his God, and that he ſhall never be one of Gods people; becauſe, Firſt, God reveals no ſuch thing. Secondly, God doth reveal that ſome who are not his people, ſhall yet be his people. Thirdly, God ordinarily calls them to be his people who were not his people. Fourthly, The times and ſeaſons of that call are unknown to the children of men; even theſe ſeaſons alſo doth God reſerve unto himſelfe, and keep in his own hand and breaſt; therefore we ſhould pray to God to bring us into Covenant; for who doth know what his purpoſe of grace may be, and what his thoughts of mercy are towards him?

4. The ſinner, although he doth not know the ſecret intention of God, yet he Though the ſinner know not the ſecret intention of God, yet he knows his gracious invitations. doth know the gracious invitation of God; to leave his ſinnes, and to believe in Chriſt, and to come into Covenant with him, and that he will ſhew mercy to him. Let the wicked forſake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon, Iſa. 55. 7. I think that there is no ſinner living under the Goſpel, but he lives under an external call; the Covenant of grace is (in ſome meaſure) made known unto him, and the glorious riches of mercy and grace, and he receives many a ſummons to come into Chriſt, to believe, to accept of God to be his God, and to be one of his people; and alſo he knows upon what gracious termes God is contented to be his God: Now, becauſe God is pleaſed in and by the Goſpel, not only to reveal the Covenant of grace unto ſinners, but alſo to treate indefinitely with ſinners, and to offer mercy, and life, and ſalvation unto them, if they will come 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 in and accept of himſelf in Chriſt. Truely here is a very heartening, encouraging ground at the leaſt, to pray him to be our God, and to make us to be his people.

5. God himſelf doth propound this very way of prayer and ſeeking of him, as a means to find him to be our God, and to make us to be his people. When he God himſelf doth propound this way of prayer and ſeeking him, as a means to find him to be our God. ſets out himſelf in relation to this Covenant-work in Ezekiel 36. from verſe 25. to 36: he addes in verſe 37. thus ſaith the Lord God, I will yet be enquired of by the houſe of Iſrael, to do it for them, &c. as if he ſhould ſay, All this I promiſe to be unto you, and to do for you; and do you enquire of me, or pray unto me, and all this you ſhall receive from me, &c. So here in Iſa. 55. having declared the Covenant which he would make with us from verſe 3. to verſe 6. and in particular, that Chriſt ſhould have Nations runne unto him that did not know him; he preſcribes this duty of praying and ſeeking of him, verſe 6. S • ek • e the Lord whiles he may be found; and call ye upon him whil • s he is near; as if he ſhould ſay, Thus graciouſly do I repreſent my ſelf what I will be; therefore ſeek me, and call upon me, and I will be thus unto you.

6. Nay, once more God doth promiſe expreſly, that upon our praying he will God doth expreſly promiſe upon our praying • e will be our God. be our God, and that we ſhall be his people. And truly this puts the cleareſt light, and fulleſt life into this Direction; See a place for this, Zech. 13. 9. Th • y ſhall call upon my Name, and I will hear them; I will ſay, It is my people; and they ſhall ſay, The Lord is my God. But now remember one thing, that as prayer is a means for this work, ſo it muſt be a cordial and affectionate praying; not a formal ſuperficial, careleſſe form, but the deſires of the heart muſt be in that praying, and the fervency and wreſtlings of the heart: If your hearts were but ſet on this, to have God to be your God, and to become his people, and if you did ſeek this with your whole hearts: O God I cannot be ſatisfied untill thou art pleaſed to become my God, &c. the Lord would certainly anſwer the deſires of your hearts.

2. If you would have God to be your God in Covenant, you muſt then break Break your Covenant with ſinne. your Covenant with ſinne.

There are two Covenants which are inconſiſtent with this Covenant of grace. 1. One is the Covenant of good works. 2. The other is the Covenant with bad works; If one will ſet up his confidence on his own good works, he makes void the Covenant of grace; and if one will ſet his heart upon his ſinne, ſaying, I will not leave my ſinnes, I love them, I will not forſake them; This man diſables himſelf, he doth debarre and exclude himſelf; God will not be his God, he will not make a Covenant with him; and indeed this ſinner will not make a Covenant with God.

There are three things which God ſtands upon if we will have him to be ours in Covenant.

1. He inſiſts upon your wills; you muſt be willing to be mine, ſaith God, to be married unto me, to take me for your Husband. 2. He inſiſts upon your hearts; you muſt love me, I muſt have your heart, your love muſt be mine. 3. He inſiſts upon your ſervice; you muſt be willing to obey and ſerve me; I muſt be your Lord, and you muſt be my ſervants.

But • one of theſe will be, if you keep up a Covenant with ſinne: you will never be willing to be his, if you reſolve to keep your ſinnes; and you cannot love the Lord, if you love your ſinnes; neither can you ſerve him, if you will obey ſinne as your Lord; There is an abſolute incompatibility for this, both on Gods part, and on your part, and on the Covenants part.

1. On Gods part; for he cannot nor will not make any agreement with unrighteouſneſſe, nor hold communion with any who will hold communion with darkneſſe; he is of purer eyes than to behold ſinne; much more than to agree with ſinne; it is contrary to his nature, it were diſhonourable for him ſo to do, to admit a competition with that which he ſo much threatens; and which his ſoul doth hate and abhorre.

2. On our part; your hearts cannot be brought to hold up a Covenant with God, and yet to hold up a Covenant with your ſinnes; you cannot love God, and that which is contrary to God; you cannot love ſinne, and that which is contrary to ſinne at the ſame time; for if you love the Lord, you will hate ſinne; and if you love ſinne, you will hate the Lord.

3. On the Covenants part; the Covenant of God is to change the ſinful heart, it is to ſubdue iniquity, it is to cleanſe us from all our uncleaneſſes, it is to make us an holy people • nto the Lord; ſo that of neceſſity you muſt reſolve on it to break off your Covenant with ſin, if you will have God to be your God in Covenant, 2 Cor. 6. 17. Come one from among them, and be ye ſeparated ſaith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, ver. 18. and will be a Father unto you, and ye ſhall be my ſonnes and daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty: Mark this place, it ſhews expreſſely the way of coming into the Covenant; you muſt not make agreement with darkneſſe, nor with Idols, you muſt ſeparate from them, you muſt have nothing to do with any uncleaneſſe, (that is,) you muſt reſolve never to joyne your ſelves to any ſinne, never to love or ſerve it; and then ſaith God, I will receive you; what's that? that is, then I will be your God, I will take you into Covenant, I will own you for mine, I will be a Father unto you, and ye ſhall be my ſonnes and daughters: Are you ſure that you will be ſo? yea, for thus ſaith the Lord Almighty, Ezek. 11. 18. They ſhall come thither, and they ſhall take away all the deteſtable things thereof, and all the abominations thereof, verſe 19. And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new ſpirit within them, &c. verſe 20. That they may walk in my Statutes, and do them, and they ſhall be my people, and I will be their God. Therefore examine your hearts what ſinne lies there, which makes a breach, which keeps up enmity 'twixt you and God, and put it farre away, &c.

3. If you would have the Lord to be your God in Covenant, then judge your Judge your ſelves for your breach of Covenant with God. ſelves for your ancient breach of the firſt Covenant with him, and for your ſins ſince that, and confeſſe your abſolute unworthineſſe to be admitted and received into another Covenant with him.

O when a ſoul comes to be afflicted for ſinnes, and to acknowledge it ſelf unworthy of mercies, this ſoul is in a right poſture for mercies. God made a Covenant with us in Adam, and ſtated life upon us in caſe of obedience; but we preſently brake Covenant with him, and proved unfaithful, and dealt treacherouſly with him, fell off from him for a thing of naught, and all the dayes of our lives have we been ſinning, and diſhonouring and provoking of him, ſo that had we our deſert, ſo farre might God be from accepting of us into a new Covenant, that he might juſtly condemn us for our tranſgreſſing of the old Covenant; if we did ſeriouſly and ſadly review theſe things, till our hearts were humbled within us, and that we ſaw our life to be the free gift of God again, and that we ſtood at his mercy only to ſpare us and pity us, and accept of us; and in this poſture come to God, and cry out, O ſave me for thy mercies ſake: Lord, I have undone my ſelf, I have left thee, I have loſt thee, I have dealt unfaithfully with thee, I have ſinned exceedingly againſt thee, I have gone farre from thee; yet I come back to thee; I hear thou art a merciful God, though I am a ſinful wretch; I hear that thou art a gracious God, though I am an unworthy ſinner; I hear that thou haſt made a new Covenant to relieve and ſuccour them who have violated the firſt Covenant; I hear that this Covenant is full of grace and mercy, and pity, and help, and happineſſe; I come to thee to make peace with thee, to be reconciled unto me, to ſhew me favour; I periſh if thou reject me; I live if thou accept of me; I can bring nothing, I can challenge nothing; only thou ſayſt, That thou wilt have mercy on whom thou wilt have mercy; and may not a poor miſerable unworthy ſinner be made capable of thy mercy? may he not be received unto mercy? why elſe didſt thou give Chriſt? why elſe didſt thou ſet up a Covenant of grace? O Lord receive me graciouſly, and love me freely, and for thine own ſake become my God, and make me to be one of thy people: Verily, this is a moving way, and this is a taking way, for God doth look upon the humble and contrite ſpirit, and he will hear the deſire of the humble, He will prepare their hearts, and cauſe his ear to hear, Ezek. 16. 61. Thou ſhalt remember thy wayes, and be aſhamed, &c. ver. 62. And I will eſtabliſh my Covenant with thee, and thou ſhalt know that I am the Lord.

4. If you would have God to be your God in Covenant, then you muſt get Get faith. faith; for God is a God in Covenant only with believers: and there are three degrees of faith neceſſary unto this work; one is a faith of acceptance; a ſecond Three degrees of faith neceſſary. is a faith of dependance; a third is a faith of reliance; I will explain my ſelf in all theſe.

1. A faith of acceptance is neceſſary to put us into the Covenant, and to finde A faith of acceptance. God to be our God; that is, we muſt have ſo much faith as to accept of Chriſt, and to unite us unto Chriſt; for in that union twixt us and Chriſt, in this relation of God to us is he to be found; By him we have acceſſe unto the Father, Epheſ. 2. Out of Chriſt you ſhall never finde God to be reconciled unto you, nor to be your God: As to Chriſt, God firſt is a God in Covenant, and Father in Covenant; ſo to us, God becomes our God and our Father upon our being in Chriſt. Chriſt received the Covenant for himſelf, and for all who are his; he is as it were the head, and the principal in the Covenant; all his come into Covenant under him as in relation to him.

2. A faith of dependance upon Chriſt particularly for his great ſatisfactions A faith of dependance. unto God; that is, we muſt depend upon the blood of Chriſt, and by faith offer that up as a ſatisfaction for all our ſinnes and tranſgreſſions which have all this while kept God and us at diſtance and difference; his blood is the ſacrifice by which Gods juſtice is ſatisfied; and truly untill divine juſtice be ſatisfied for our ſinnes, there is no hope of a Covenant to be made 'twixt God and us; and therefore by faith look upon the blood of Chriſt, and offer up that blood by faith; Lord, here is the blood of the Covenant, here is the blood of Chriſt to ſatisfie for my ſinnes, and to expiate my ſinnes; now in this blood of his become my God in Covenant.

3. A faith of reliance upon the mediation of Chriſt as the atonement and A faith of reliance. peace, and reconciliation; Chriſt did make peace by his blood, and he did reconcile us by it, Coloſ. 1. 20, 21. And we who were ſometimes afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Chriſt, Epheſ. 2. 13.

I know not a more exact way to get God to be our God, than by getting into Chriſt, in whom alone our re-union with God is to be found, and by whom alone God and we are knit together again; not without cauſe is he called the Mediator of the new Covenant, who undertakes between God and us, (as you ſhall hear ere long) he undertakes to take away all which may keep up the difference 'twixt us, and he undertakes to preſent all which may make a reconciliation betwixt us; he doth make the way ſo open, and ſo clear, that our entrance into Covenant will certainly follow, if once we were poſſeſſed of him by faith; his blood being ſhed for the remiſſion of our ſinnes, and likewiſe to procure a reconciliation 'twixt God and us; and therefore above all things ſtrive for faith to unite you to Chriſt, and then by faith plead out the reconciliation purchaſed by Chriſt.

5. Apply your ſelves unto the Ordinances of Chriſt▪ which are the means to work all theſe things in you, and particularly this faith which is ſo neceſſary, and ſo immediate Apply your ſelves to the Ordinances of Chriſt. to our admiſſion into the Covenant. Epheſ. 1. 13. In whom you alſo truſted after that you heard the Word of Truth, the Goſpel of your ſalvation; the Goſpel is that Ordinance by which God makes known the Covenant of grace, and by which faith is wrought to bring us into Chriſt, and by him into Covenant with God, and by which our faith is ſo enlarged and confirmed, that at length we come to know that God is indeed our God in Covenant.

6. I will adde one direction more as an help to bring us into the Covenant, Seriouſly meditate, and taking of God to be our God; and that is a ſerious meditation of God himſelf, and of the nature of this Covenant of grace.

1. A ſerious meditation of God; there is nothing in him to diſcourage you Of God. from coming into Covenant with him; and there is all in him to encourage you.

1. There is nothing in him to diſcourage you from coming into Covenant with him: There is nothing in him to diſcourage us. He doth not in this Covenant treat with you for any perſonal ſatisfaction, for the wrong which you have done him, neither doth he inſiſt for any goodneſſe that you ſhould work in your own hearts, nor doth he except againſt you for any unworthineſſe in you, nor doth he diſtinguiſh you away for the greatneſſe of your former tranſgreſſions, nor yet doth deny you hope and acceſſe, although you have a long time denied him audience unto his gracious offers, nor doth he capitulate with you in your own name, but by a Mediator, who is moſt pleaſing to him, and prevalent with him.

2. There is all in and from him to encourage you to come into Covenant There is all in and from him to encourage you. with him; for he doth expreſſe himſelf to be a merciful God towards ſinners; to be a gracious God to the ſinners that come to him, to be a tender God eaſily moved at the tears and cryes of thoſe who would be his people; to be a willing God to accept of you, and to cloſe with you; and therefore he firſt makes known this Covenant, and he firſt offers to treat with you about this Covenant, and he makes the termes of agreement as fair as grace it ſelf can frame them; and he out of his own coſt provided and ſent Jeſus Chriſt to be both the Meſſenger of the Covenant, and the Mediator of the Covenant; and beſides all this, he affords unto you the Goſpel to work faith in you, that ſo you may become the people of his Covenant; and moreover, he makes promiſes unto you of every thing which belongs to the making of a people to be the people of his Covenant; yea, and he promiſeth his own Spirit to them that ask him, by whoſe mighty operation we come indeed to be his people. Truly a ſerious meditation of all this, might conduce much to perſwade our hearts to come in unto him, and take him for our God in Covenant.

A ſecond meditation of the nature of this Covenant of grace, both as to the Of the nature of this Covenant; both, As to the compoſition of it. compoſition of it, and to the happineſſe in and by it.

1. This Covenant of grace is ſo modell'd and framed with as winning and alluring a way for ſinners, as poſſibly can be drawn out by the wiſdome of a kinde and good God. It is made with all advantages to the ſinner, ſo that if there be any looſing or damnifying, it falls rather to God than to the ſinner; all the expreſſions of it are upon the account of Gods grace. And it is made with ſuch tender reſpects to poor ſinners, that all the active part to make them to be the people of God is undertaken by God himſelf; he undertakes to make us to be his people, to give himſelf, to give Chriſt, to give his Spirit, to give a new heart, to give the Spirit of prayer, to give the Spirit of faith, to give pardoning mercy, to give all▪ O how might all this (if ſeriouſly and rightly meditated upon) melt in our hearts to God, and make us willing to take him for our God!

2. And as the Covenant of grace is framed to allure in the ſinner, ſo when the ſinner is brought in, it ſettles upon him the only true happineſſe, and all true happineſs And as to out happineſſe in and by it. with certainty, and to all eternity. As ſoon as ever you take God to be your God, and are become his people, immediately is bleſſedneſſe ſettled upon you as your portion, and as your portion for ever: Pſal. 34. 12. Bleſſed is the Nation whoſe God is the Lord, and the people whom he hath choſen for his own inheritance. Pſal. 144. Happy is the people whoſe God is the Lord▪

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