God as a whole burnt-offering 't is but a reasonable service for he hath given you more than you can give back to him walk holily steadily cheerfully as becomes these mercies do much for God that hath done so much for you let nothing discourage or disquiet your spirits since yoâ— have mercies sure mercies to lodge in your bosomes why should that soul be sad that enjoyeth an interest in the father of consolations the purchaser of salvation and comforting spirit sure mercies with propriety beget solid comfort and assurance for ever Col. 1.10 Eph. 4.1.1 Thes 2.12 Oh Christians learn the lessons much inculcated to walk worthy of God of your vocation relation and this Kingdom 5. Be active and passive for these mercies they cost Christ dear to purchase them do not you think any thing too dear to do or endure for promoting or preserving of them kindness is very endearing to a grateful heart your pains cannot be spent to better purpose than in the cause of God we must always be paying our debt though we can never fully pay it we must be behind-hand with God but let a soul under the sense of mercies sweat blood for God if he call to it you sow not in a barren soul as showrs of mercy ingage you to fruitfulness so an abundant crop of mercy will be your sure reward and in your saddest Winter you shall have the sweetest harvest of mercy if Christians knew what grapes of Coelestial Canaan they should taste in their Wilderness-sufferings for Christ they would not be so afraid of them as they are these mercies run most freely and sweetly when other streams are stopt fear not sufferings mercies will meet and support you 6. Plead these mercies for your posterity though you should leave your Children thousands a year yet these Covenant-mercies will be the best portion you cannot assure your estates to your heirs but these are sure mercies so that if you take hold of Gods Covenant plead it live up to it you shall have the benefit of these your selves and some at least of your Children and Successours shall enjoy the same mercies for God will remember these unto a thousand generations though he be not bound to every individual soul of your natural off-spring however the Scripture fully shews that this is the surest way to obtain a portion for your Children tell God they are more his than yours you are but Nurses for his Children tell the Lord that thou must dye and leave them but he lives for ever intreat him to be their loving everlasting Father tell him that though thou leave them something in the world yet that is neither suitable nor durable but these sure mercies will not fail them and comfort your hearts for your house and family with the last words of dying David 2 Sam. 23.5 oh labour to transmit your title unto God to future generations as the two Tribes and an half did to future Ages by their Altar Ed. Joh. 24.24 28. see 1 Chron. 28.9 7. Breathe after a full possession of these sure mercies they are from everlasting to everlasting follow them to the spring in admiration and thankfulness and follow this stream of Covenant-mercies to the Ocean of Eternity indeed the streams are in time to the Sons and Daughters of men but the original is without a beginning in God eternal thoughts of love and the end is without end in those everlasting embraces in Heaven oh long to see the end if these mercies be so sweet here what will they be in Heaven in their proper Element as it were oh that blessed state that Paradice of pleasure that joy of our Lord Abraham's bosome an house not made with hands a City with foundations a Crown a Kingdom art thou the happy product of these sure mercies of David do these mercies bring forth such felicity oh happy day that my soul hath an interest in these sure mercies but how long shall my soul be kept from the full possession of these mercies when shall I come and appear before God how long shall I sojourn in Mesech and be detained from my Fathers plenteous Table above shall not a Captive long for his deliverance and a young heir for his full inheritance and shall not my soul long to be with Christ above shall my body be so weary and hath not my soul more cause to be weary of its burden and absence from home Rom. 8 19-23 shall creatures groan and shall not I much more to be delivered into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God shall the Spirit and the Bride say come and shall not my soul that hears these things eccho come shall he say himself Rev. 22.17 20. I come quickly and shall not I answer Amen even so come Lord Jesus Come Lord I long to see the and of these wonders of grace I much desire to enjoy those mercies which eye hath not seen ear heard or heart conceived after another manner than here I am capable come my God I beseech thee shew me thy face and because none can see thy face and live let me dye that I may see thy face and be swallowed up in the Ocean of mercy whence these Covenant-mercies flow Dear Lord either come down to me or take me up to thee Make haste my beloved Song 8.14 and be thou like a Roe or to a young Hart upon the Mountains of Spices Thus I have at last dispatcht this sixth Use of Instruction and Direction to sinners and Saints CHAP. XV. VII THE seventh Use of Encouragement Comfort and Refreshment and here 's an abundant spring opened to revive all the heirs of Promise But because I want room and because much of that which hath been already delivered tends this way I shall rather improve it to excite the people of God and heirs of Promise to the great and sweet duty of thankfulness And here I might elarge upon the Nature Use Comfort and acceptance of the duty of praise in the account of God and men but I must wave that and only insist on some few particulars that concern the nature of these mercies which may ingage us to be thankful which are these 1. They are free-mercies they may be had without money or price saith this Prophet here Quanti O bomines profiteremini vos esse empturos si salus aeterna venderetur ne si paeto tum quidem qui totus aureo ut est in favulis fluit fluento quis dedcrit pro salute justum pretium numeraverit Clem Alex. adm ad gentis free-grace was the Fountain Cause and Original of these he had mercy because he would have mercy nothing moved his bowels of mercy on our part free-grace had no impulsive cause but it self when you are to purchase these mercies the price it fallen to just nothing he gives liberally and upbraids not oh what cause of thankfulness and admiration 2. They are Dear mercies this doth not contradict the former
for God humility and self-denyal and hereby shall you clear up your own souls and others that these mercies of the Covenant belong to you for so saith the Apostle the Lord make you to increase and abound in love to the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God 1 Thes 3.12 13. if you have more Grace you may probably have more comfort 9. Lay the stress of your souls upon free-grace the more you mix any conceits of your own righteousness the more you 'l stagger and be disconsolate let free-grace be your foundation and build upon nothing in your selves for your best graces duties excellencies are imperfect and can afford you little solid satisfaction Let Jesus Christ be all in all to you be you nothing at all in your selves Oh God loves to see a poor trembling soul despairing o◠any thing in it self accounting the World as loss and dross flying into the out-stretched arms of free-grace casting it self down a◠his feet and resolving to venture all upon an all-sufficient Saviour and though at present it walk in darkness yet it will cas◠Anchor in the dark Isa 50.10 and trust in the name of the Lord you shall see in due time the mists shall be dispelled and the souls state cleared and the troubled heart fully satisfied 〈◊〉 thus David made account to recover the light of Gods countenance See Psal 33.20 22. and banish disquieting thoughts even by trusting in God Psal 45.5 12. mercy will answer all your doubts and scruples mercy will suit your necessity mercy will revive and rejoyce troubled spirits therefore poor doubting soul though thou canst find no goodness in thy self therefore lookest on thy self as utterly unworthy yea uncapable of interest in Covenant-mercies yet hope in Gods mercy let no mud of thy duties mix with the pure stream of free undeserved mercy and as that will carry thy soul apace to the Ocean of glory so it will bring many sweet refreshing streams of joy and peace into thy heart we have instances of many in the word that judged themselves most unworthy of good as in themselves yet expected and received Mat. 8.8.15.27 both mercy and assurance thereof for mercies sake as Centurion Woman of Canaan and others because as mercy is free so these Covenant-mercies are purchased and ensured by Jesus Christ the Mediator of the Covenant and therefore though there be no goodness in the poor soul to procure these mercies yet there is enough in their surety and as their sins are made over to him so what good is in Christ is made over to the believing soul 1 Cor. 1.30 here is the marrow of the Gospel Yea farther the less goodness an humbled sinner finds in himself the greater evidence hath he that these mercies belong to him Isa 55.1 Mat. 5.3 Rom. 4.5 because he finds even such very persons invited and received yea humility self-denyal and poverty of spirit are mercies of the Covenant and do evidence interest 10. Be much in the duties of thankfulness and chearfulness give God praise and God will give you more grounds of praise bury not his mercies in the grave of forgetfulness especially bless him for Covenant-mercies Alas saith the soul if I were sure I had an interest in these Covenant-mercies then I could sing to Gods praise and be very thankful but how can I praise God for that which I question whether it belong to me yea or no I Answer thou must bless God that there are such mercies in store for poor sinners and that any poor souls have obtained an interest therein and are carryed to Heaven thereby bless God that you are under a call and capacity to enjoy these Covenant-mercies that God hath not excluded but included you in the universal tender of it yea consider if you have not cause to bless God that he hath been dealing with your hearts in such a manner as he is wont to do with such souls as he brings into Covenant with himself hath he not humbled broken brought your souls off your own bottoms let you see a vanity in the World the excellency and necessity of Christ caused longings and pantings in your souls after these mercies and doth not all this deserve your thankfulness but know further that thankfulness for what you have is a most effectual way to clear up your title and to beget assurance praise raiseth the souls faculties to an high pitch of joy and comfort it is like David's harp to banish away the evil spirit of disquietness or discouragement your praise should wait for God Psal 65.1 Isa 30.18 and you 'l find God waiting to be gracious to you usually a thankful heart is a chearful heart you may sing your selves out of your sorrows as David did frequently he made a song of these mercies of the Covenant even then when he could find little comfort in or benefit by these Covenant-mercies in many regards See Psal 89.1 with ver 38. ad finem thus do you Christians sing your selves into this blessed sleep and soul tranquility 't is the fault of doubting souls that they pore all upon their sins and forget their mercies they think they can never be sufficiently bathed in the tears of repentance and torment their hearts with doubtful thoughts but consider not that a thankful commemoration of mercies is as well their duty as mourning and humiliation yea 't is a sweet heart-chearing God-pleasing duty therefore let Christians be much in this duty as a means of assurance I shall add a word or two to all of us to press after a particular assurance of our interest in these mercies of the Covenant 1. Christians may be assured of their interest we are commanded to make it sure many good souls have arrived to a Plerophory or full assurance 2 Pet. 1.10 experience proves the truth of this Joh. 16.24 Eph. 1.13 Rom. 15 4. 'T is promised See Isa 60.16 Saints have attained to it Job 19.25 Psal 63.1 Gal. 2.20 1 Joh. 3.14 5.19 Cant. 2.16 Isa 45.24 25. God himself hath promised joy and comfort to such as ask it 't is the great office of the spirit to seal up souls to the day of redemption Yea the Scriptures were written to promote our comfort and assurance seals of the Covenant instituted Ordinances and Ministers appointed for this very end and shall we slight this infinite Condescention of God who is so forward to help us shall we use no means or endeavours to ensure these mercies to our souls Oh ingrateful wretches if it were a thing unattainable we might be daunted but how many gracious souls do we see 〈◊〉 hear of that do walk in the light of Gods Countenance and triumph over all opposition in the sense of Gods love and one great Reason why many of us are so full of doubts is our neglect of Gods appointed means for the obtaining of assurance for if it be attainable in the use of ordinary means we
THE SURE MERCIES OF DAVID Or a Second Part of HEART-TREASURE Wherein is contained the supream and substance of Gospel-mercies purchased by Christ and Promised in the Covenant of Grace together with the several ways how they are made sure to all the Heirs of Promise and how they are to be improved for the Saints Fort and Defence Settlement and Incouragement in shaking and back-sliding times Being the fruit of some Meditations upon Isa 55.3 By O. Heywood an unprofitable Minister of the Gospel Zech. 9.11 As for thee also by the blood of thy Covenant I have sent forth thy Prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water Evangelium est ceu vehiculum quoddam per quod ad nos defertur Christus cum justitia suâ omnibus donis Luth. tom 3. f. 428. a. LONDON Printed by R. W. for Tho. Parkhurst and are to be sold at his Shop at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers Chappel To all the Heirs of Promise the Saints of the most high God the Sons and Daughters of Abraham whom God hath betrothed to himself in the sweet Gospel-Covenant and who live in hopes of their nuptial day preparing in grace to enter into the chambers of glory at death and the general Resurrection grace mercy and peace TWo things my Dearly beloved in the Lord are absolutely necessary to make souls happy 1. That the â—hing possessed be fully adaequate to the nature of the soul 2. That â—t be made over to it legally and everlastingly for if either any thing be defective at present to give content or there be danger of losing it it is not commensurate to the souls state or need for as this immortal spark infused into man whereby he is a rational creature is vast and capacious in its desires and dimensions so it is very lasting yea everlasting in its continuance and duration therefore its riches that must make it happy must be both suitable and durable But all the creatures fall short in both the soul of man travelling through this spacious universe upon the feet of its affections and following the guidance of the intellectual faculties the souls ear and eye can get no satisfying sight or report in answer to that curious inquest who will shew me any good to fix upon the creature is to set our eyes upon that which is not for its vanity yea to place our hopes on that which hath a lye in its right hand and so becomes vexation of spirit in an astonishing disappointment woe were to man if there were no hopes for him but in this life and great were his infelicity if what Atheists say and think that there is no God were true how poorly should this Princely thing in man be served with the sordid husks of creatures how base and bruitish would its life be how well becoming man would that Epitaph be of the Epicure which Cicero saith was fitter to be writ on an Oxes grave than mans Haec habeo quae edi quaeque exsaturata libido hausit the things my greedy appetite hath devoured are mine as they cry But let such Brutified Sots that understand nothing of the worth or proper food of immortal souls feed on husks let the Heaven-born Saints aspire to other nourishment if the mixed multitude of common professors linger after the Aegyptian food of Cucumbers Numb 11.4 5. Qui mundo adhaeserunt ut marinis petris alga contemnunt immortalitatem sicut Senex Ithacensts qui non veritatem coel stem patriam eam quae vere est lucem sed fumum optabat Clem. Alexand. adm ad gen Melons Leeks Onions and Garlick the real Saints feed on Heavenly Manna the flesh and blood of Christ is the proper pabulum animae or nourishment of the soul the soul hath a more tender appetite which requires answerable food it cannot feed on such course stuffe as worldly delights hear David begging as for an alms but what alms begs he mercies but what mercies tender mercies Psal 40.11 withhold not thy tender mercies from me O Lord q. d. there are common mercies that fill the bellies and cloath the bodies of good and bad but these will not serve my turn nor save my soul the mercies that will do me good for ever are tender things of another stamp that come streaming through the blood of a Mediator that are dipt in Covenant love and such as can fill and feed and feast my soul for ever These are the mercies that God hath dropt into your bosoms oh the heirs of promise and these are the mercies described and deciphered in this Treatise I have gone out to measure the Land of Promise and according to grace received I have viewed it in the length and breadth thereof and I have no reason to bring up an evil report on it it 's a Land flowing with Milk and Honey a blessed and beautiful Land which God careth for and if the Lord delight in you he will bring you into it what though there be Giants and Anakims of opposition in Heavens way fear them not for they are bread for us shall turn to the Saints nourishment and their defence is departed from them the Lord is with us Let not our hearts faint God will carry us as upon Eagles Wings he will give us a pillar of Cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night sure mercies in the way and everlasting mercies in the end this is the true Arabia felix yet far beyond that which though it abounded with spices and gold profits and pleasures yet stupifies the senses of the inhabitants with its suffocating sweetness but there 's no nauseous disgusting of heavenly delights by those that partake thereof the longer you enjoy them the more you long after them and the fuller draught you take the sweeter rellish they have Oh the pleasure a soul may have in divine things other things will stink in comparison of these ravishing delights no pleasures like those that come from above but that which adds an Emphasis to these is that they are sure as well as sweet abiding as well as abounding pleasures God the Author and object of them is immutable the spring of them the love of God the meritorious cause Christs blood the way of conveyance precious promises all these are settled and the same as long as the soul needs mercies it enjoys them for we have grace to help in time of need God will not men cannot pluck away these mercies from you you that have a well-grounded title thereunto God will not for the gifts and callings of God are without repentance and whom he loves once he loves to the end men cannot for they are above and beyond their reach Sole sale omnia conservantur these mercies are made sure to you by a Covenant of Salt which is a symbole of incorruption they wear not away with length of time nor are they snatcht away by humane violence the Tyrants rage cannot pluck sure mercies
thou hast no reason to complain Seneca compares a a Christian that 's disconsolate for outward â—osses or crosses to a man that hath a fine Orchard the Trees whereof are richly laden with store of precious fruit and because the wind blows off some leaves the man sits down and takes on heavily he weeps and wailes and cryes out he is undone why what 's the matter why the wind hath taken off some leaves but the roots and trees and fruits are safe should not we judge that a fond and foolish man just thus is it with the Christian God and Christ promises and Gospel-mercies are sure and stedfast by an inviolable Gospel-Covenant yet the sinful silly soul lyes whining and complaining for the loss of some leaves of Worldly comforts which he may live well without Yea saith the poor soul but these outward things are not the chiefest cause of my trouble and discouragement did I know that these mercies were made sure to me I should be comfortable but alas I fear I have no share therein I shall answer this doubt afterwards at present I only say lay thy hand upon thy heart and deal ingeniously is this the ground of thy trouble is not this only pretended is not something else the real ground the heart is deceitful look again see what comforted thee before this outward trouble came and what chears thee when thy present pressure is removed but suppose it be jealousies about thy interest yet why shouldst thou be uncomfortable hast not thou ventured thy soul on a sure foundation what reason hast thou of discouragement a faith of adherence brings some settlement as well as a faith of evidence every act of faith brings some comfort whom having not seen saith the Apostle of a corporal sight so may I say of a kind of spiritual sense and assurance ye love in whom though now you see him not yet believing ye rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 recumbency hath a kind of complacency it argues want of faith to want joy and unbelief is a shameful sin considering the assurances given us in the Gospel but more of this hereafter But oh consider sirs what wrong you do to your selves by uncomfortable walking you weaken and exhaust your strength and spirits what discredit you bring upon the ways of God rendring them soure and distastful in the account of others what opposition it expresseth both to many positive precepts and the spirit of comfort and to these sure mercies of David methinks I hear the God of Heaven thus bespeaking the gracious troubled heart soul what ailes thee what is it thou wouldst have I have given thee many glorious gifts pardon reconciliation adoption ordinances the benefit of all my works of Providence a title to the good things of Earth whiles thou livest and a free admission into Heaven when thou dyest nay I have given thee my self my Son my Spirit and that by the surest Marriage-Covenant and will not all this revive thy fainting spirit what wouldst thou have more and what canst thou desire to make it surer to thee speak but the word and it shall be done but I have gone beyond thy demands and why then art thou thus drooping and disconsolate is thy heart revived when mortal lying man makes thee a promise of some outward good and canst thou now faint when the eternal God hath taken all these pains to assure thy troubled heart of thy interest in these sure mercies of David Oh Christians shame your selves for your uncomfortableness are these consolations of God small unto you thank your selves for your discouragements and let it be matter of trouble that you have so many needless useless troubles in your souls 4. Another fault in the Heirs of the promises whereby they are unsuitable to these mercies is unfruitfulness herein they do not live up to these mercies and are exceeding defective and imperfect especially in two respects the fruit they bring forth is 1. Small 2. Soure fruit 1. 'T is usually but small in quantity short of that abundance and ripeness that should come of so good a soil as mercy is especially when mercy is the Tillage Gods Vineyard is in a very fruitful Hill Isa 5 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so we read it but in Heb. 't is the Horn of the Son of Oyle I know the Son of Oyle may import a very fat or rich soile as Son of the Morning for exceeding bright and illustrious and so Gods people were planted in Canaan which was an exceeding fruitful Countrey but may at least allusively affirm of real Saints that they are planted in the Horn of the Son of Oyle even in the Son of God who was annointed with the Oyle of gladness above his fellows and in whom true Believers are planted and from whom they may suck and draw abundant juice and fatness as branches do from the root of the Olive-tree Rom. 11.17 moreover what abundant pains doth God the Father the Husbandman take to make souls very fruitful he takes away such as bear no fruit at all and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit Joh. 15.2 Oh what mercies do the Saints partake of Gospel-priviledges Promises Providences Ordinances Experiences Comforts Corrections every thing that might make them fruitful in good works in Praying Reading Meditating Conferring exact Walking doth God distribute and where 's their answerable fruitfulness God expects more and riper fruit alas how short and defective are we how little glory do we bring to God how little profit unto others or comfort to our own souls Phil. 1.11.1 Thes 3.12 Mat. 3.8 Col. 1.10 we should be filled with the fruits of righteousness we should abound more and more and bring forth fruits meet for sincere repentance and truly fruitful in every good work but are we so yea or no I much suspect it and what a shame is it that we should lye under the warm influences of the Sun of Righteousness so long and be so unfruitful the God of Heaven humble us for this 2. I am afraid that the fruits we do bring forth are but sowr and bitter not so sweet and kindly as may be the genuine fruits and products of these sure mercies my meaning is that the obedience and performances of the Saints too often flow from a spirit of bondage fear and terrour and not from that filial Child-like disposition and the Evangelical spirit of Adoption that should be the principle and impulsive cause of Saints spiritual actings I know legal fears and terrours are good in their kind to drive the soul out of it self and unto Christ but afterwards a spirit of love best becomes a Child of God hence saith the Apostle Rom. 8.15 2 Tim. 1.7 ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father a Child-like boldness best befits a Son it 's more