deal not Foolishly and to the wicked lift not up the Horn. 1. Are not they Fools who gratifie their Enemy They who want the Fear of God do so Satan baits his hook with pleasure and profit and they swallow bait and hook and all this pleaseth Satan mens sins feast the Devil Who but a Fool would humour his enemy 2. Is it not folly to preferre Slavery before Liberty if a Slave in the gally should have his freedom offered him but he should say he had rather Tug at the Oar and be a slave than have his liberty would not he be Judged indiscreet Such is the case of him who Fears not God The Gospel offers to free him from the miserable captivity of Sin but he chooseth rather to be a slave to his lusts He is like the Servant under the Law Exod. 21.5 I love my Master I will not go out free He was displeased with a year of Iubilee The Foolish sinner had rather have his Ear bored to the Devils service than be translated into the Glorious liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 3. Is not he a Fool who having but one Jewel will venture the loss of it The Soul is this Jewel and the sinner is fearless of it he will throw it away upon the world as if one should throw Pearls and Diamonds at Pear-trees Ephrem Syrus used to say He who Pampers his body and neglects his Soul is like him who feasts his Slave and starves his Wife 4. Is not he a Fool who refuseth a rich offer if one should offer to adopt another and make him Heir of his Estate and he should refuse it would not his discretion be called in question God offers Christ to a sinner and promiseth to entail all the riches of Heaven upon him but wanting the Fear of God he refuseth this Great offer Psalm 81.11 Israel would none of me Is not this a Prodigy of madness may not the Devil beg every sinner for a Fool at the last day 15. The Fear of God is a Soveraign Antidote against Apostasie the Devil was the first Apostate How rife is this sin more shipwracks are at Land than at Sea men make shipwrack of a Good Conscience Apostates are said to put Christ to open shame Heb. 6.6 The Fear of God is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a preservative against Apostacy Ier. 32.40 I will put my Fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me I will so love them that I will not depart from them and they shall so Fear me that they shall not depart from me 15. There are excellent Promises made to them that Fear God Malach. 4.2 Vnto you that Fear my Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his Wings Here is a promise of Christ he is a Sun for Light and Vivifical Influence and a Sun of Righteousness as he diffuseth the Golden beams of Justification And he hath healing in his Wings the Sun heals the Air dries up the Cold moistures exhales the Vapours which would be Pestilential so Christ hath healing in his Wings he heals the hardness and impurity of the Soul And the Horison in which this Sun ariseth is in hearts Fearing God To you that Fear my Name shall the Sun of righteousness arise And there is another Great Promise Psalm 115.13 He will bless them that Fear the Lord both Small and Great God blesseth such in their Name Estate Souls And this blessing can never be reversed As Isaac said I have blessed him and he shall be blessed Gen. 27.33 Such as Fear God are priviledged Persons none can take away from them either their birth-right or their blessing 16. Fear is an admirable Instrument in Promoting Salvation Philip. 2.12 Work out your Salvation with Fear Fear is that flaming Sword which turns every way to keep sin from entring Prov. 6.16 Fear stands Sentinel in the Soul and is ever upon it's Watch-Tower Fear causeth circumspection he who walks in Fear treads warily Fear begets Prayer and Prayer engageth the help of Heaven 17. The Lord is much pleased with such as Fear him Psalm 147.11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that Fear him In the Septuagint it is The Lord bears Good will towards them that Fear him Pagnin and Buxtorf render it The Lord delights in them that Fear him Never did Suitor take such pleasure in a Person he loved as God doth in them that Fear him they are his Hephsibah or chief solace Isa. 62.4 He saith of them as of Sihon Psalm 132.14 Here is my rest for ever here will I dwell A sinner is a vessel in which is no pleasure Hosea 8.8 But Fearers of God are Favourites 18. Such as Fear God are the only persons that shall be saved Psalm 85.9 Salvation is nigh them that Fear him Salvation is said to be far from the Wicked Psalm 119.155 They and Salvation are so far asunder that they are like never to meet But Gods Salvation is nigh them that Fear him What do we aspire after but Salvation 'T is the end of all our Prayers Tears Sufferings Salvation is the Crown of our desires the flower of our joy And who shall be enriched with Salvation but the Fearers of God His Salvation is nigh them that Fear him Let these cogent arguments perswade to the Fear of God Let us put our selves upon a strict Scrutiny and Tryal whether we have the Fear of God planted in our hearts How may we know it 1. The Fear of God will make a man fear sin Gen. 39.9 How can I do this Great wickedness and sin against God indeed sin is the only Formidable thing this is the Gorgons Head that affrights it is the Evil of Evils 'T is the Poison the Old Serpent hath spit into our Virgin-nature In Sin is both Pollution and Enmity Sin is compared to a Thick Cloud Isa. 44.22 which not only hides the light of Gods Face but brings down showers of Wrath. Sin is worse than all penal evils there is more evil in a drop of Sin than in a Sea of Affliction 1. Sin is the cause of Affliction it conjures up all the Winds and Storms in the World Out of this Viperous womb come Mutinies Divisions Massacres and the cause is worse than the effect 2. In Affliction Conscience may be quiet the Hail may beat upon the Tiles when there is Musick in the room but Sin terrifies the Conscience Nero in the midst of Feasts and Roman sports was full of horrour of mind the numbers of men he had Killed troubled him Cataline was frighted at every noise Cain in Killing Abel stab'd half the World at one blow yet could not he Kill the Worm of his own Conscience Sin is the Spirits of Mischief distilled it puts a Sting into death 1 Cor. 15.56 It is worse than Hell 1. Hell is a burden only to the sinner but sin is a Burden to God Amos 2.13 2. There
RELIGION OUR TRUE INTEREST OR PRACTICAL NOTES UPON The Third Chapter of MALACHY THE Sixteen Seventeen and Eighteen VERSES Seasonable for the Times By THOMAS WATSON sometimes Minister of Stephens Walbrook Lond. PROV 14.27 The Fear of the Lord is a Fountain of Life LONDON Printed by I. Astwood for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns at the lower end of Cheap-side near Mercers-Chappel 1682. TO THE READER Christian Reader BOOKS are the Children of the Brain In this Writing Age ferè ad nauseam I intended my Pen should have been silent but the variety and Weightiness of this Subject as also the desire of some Friends did prevail with me to Publish it The main design of this excellent Scripture is to encourage Solid Piety and confute the Atheists of the World who imagine there is no gain in Godliness It was the Speech of King Saul to his Servants 1 Sam. 22.7 Will the Son of Iesse give every one of you Fields and Vineyards Will the World or mens Lusts give them such noble Recompences of Reward as God bestows upon his Followers Surely it is Holiness carries away the Garland As for this Treatise it comes abroad in a plain dress Truth like a Diamond Shines brightest in its native Lustre Saint Paul came not to the Corinthians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with excellency of Speech or the Pride of Oratory His Study was not to Court but Convert It is an unhappiness that in these Luxuriant times Religion should for the most part run either into Notion or Ceremony The Spirits of Religion are evaporated When Knowledge is turned into Taste and digested into Practice then it is Saving That God would accompany these few impolite Lines with the Operation and Benediction of his holy Spirit and make them edifying is the Prayer of him who is Thine in all Christian Service Thomas Watson Dowgate Nov. 22. 1681. THE TABLE ALPHABETICAL A ABusers of Gods Iewels Punished pag. 181. Afflictions have their Consolations p. 227 Apostacy dangerous p. 8 Appearance of sin to be shunned p. 47 Arguments to hold fast Integrity in evil times p. 7 Assurance and the Fear of God consistent p. 21 B BEst need Sparing p. 202 Bodies of the Saints shall be perfect p. 192 C CArnal Fear evil p. 14 Christians instead of speaking one to another speak one of another p. 89 Comfort when God saith Ye are mine p. 171 Covenant Vnion with God to be endeavoured p. 172 D DAy of Iudgment how far to be feared by a Child of God p. 71 Day of making up Gods Iewels p. 190 Death how far to be feared by a Child of God p. 67 Different carriage of God towards his Children and the Wicked p. 134 E EVil Thoughts are Punishable in Gods Court p. 111 Excellency of the Fear of God p. 29 Eyes of Sinners at present shut p. 209 F FEar of God Described p. 15 Fear of God is by a Trope put for all Religion ibid. Fear of God makes us Fear Sin p. 45 Fearing God and keeping his Commandments Conjoyned p. 54 Fear of God how to be attained p. 80 Fear of missing Heaven p. 78 Folly of Idolaters p. 136 Friends may be forgetful but God will not p. 150 G GOD deals with his Saints as a Father with his Son p. 195 God deals well with his People when he Afflicts them p. 217 God takes notice of the Good in his Children p. 130 Gods hearkning to us should make us hearken to him p. 138 God hath a Book of Remembrance for his People p. 140 Gods owning of his People p. 161 Gods Sparing them p. 201 Good Conference to be used p. 82 Graces of the Saints shall be perfect p. 191 H HAsty Words shew the Devil to be in the Tongue p. 87 Hearts Deceit p. 62 Heart not to be hardened against God p. 156 Helps to good Discourse p. 100 Helps to holy Thoughts p. 127 Hell how far to be Feared by a Believer p. 73 Honour attends Holiness p. 174 I IDle Talk Censured p. 85 Incitements to holy Thoughts p. 114 Ingredients into the Fear of God p. 16 Integrity to be preserved Inviolable p. 3 Iovial Sinners reproved p. 25 M MAking up of Gods Iewels what it implys p. 185 Maintain honourable Thoughts of God in Affliction p. 231 Matter of our Holy Musings p. 113 Means to be good in evil times p. 9 Mercies of God to be Recorded 149 Murmuring a God-provoking Sin p. 87 N NAme of God what it signifies p. 103 O OAths weigh heavy in Gods Balance p. 89 Omnisciency of God to be admired p. 132 P PRiviledges of being in Covenant with God p. 165 R REasons enforcing the Fear of God p. 19 S SAints should be sparing in their Censures of others p. 205 Saints have Gods Ear. p. 134 Saints Purgatory is in this Life p. 144 Saints Gods Iewels p. 175 Saints should shine as Iewels p. 183 Satans Snares p. 59 Scoffers the vilest of Sinners p. 28 Secure Sinners Characterized p. 27 Serve God as a Son doth his Father p. 203 Signs of the Fear of God p. 45 Signs of such as shall goe to Hell p. 74 Silence in Religion a loud sin p. 85 Sinful compliance sordid p. 5 Sin worse than Affliction p. 46 Sin begins in the Thoughts p. 109 Sinners have not right thoughts of God p. 107 Sinners shall not be spared p. 203 Sins of the Wicked written down in Gods Book of Remembrance p. 146 Swasives to holy Conference p. 94 T THinking of God in a right manner p. 125 Thoughts of God may be Peccant p. 124 Thoughts and good Speeches of the Godly are Written down p. 140 Time of Discerning between the Righteous and the Wicked p. 210 V VAin Thoughts the froth of the Brain p. 108 Vain thoughts Pernitious p. 109 Vnion of the Saints at last p. 189 W WAnt of the Fear of God the cause of all sin p. 22 Wicked men Vile in Gods account p. 178 Wisdom to engage the Lord of Hosts on our side p. 158 Works of Mercy p. 57 ERRATA PAge 85. line 26. for no read not Pag. 155. marg 3 Vse dele 3. Pag. 188. l. 15 for discords r. discord PRACTICAL NOTES UPON MALACH III. Ver. 16 17 c. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and that thought upon his Name And they shall be mine saith the Lord of Hosts in that day when I make up my Iewels and I will spare them as a man spareth his own Son that serveth him c. CHAP. 1. Shewing that Christians should hold fast their Integrity in times of defection THE Scripture of Truth is the Ground of Faith This Portion of Scripture which now presents it self to our view hath its Sacred Elegancies and is all glorious within It was composed by Malachy whose name imports Messenger he came upon an
feaâ— Assurance and Fear are diversa but not Opposita different but not contrary A Child may have assurance of his Fathers love yet hath a fear of offending him Who more fearful of Sin than St. Paul 1 Cor. 9.27 Yet who had more assurance Galat. 2.20 Who Loved me and Gave himself for me Faith procures assurance fear preserves it Is it a duty to Fear God what strangers then are they to Religion who are void of this Holy Fear The Godly fear and sin not the wicked sin and fear not They are like the Leviathan who is made without Fear Iob 41.33 Want of the fear of God is the innate Cause of all Wickedness Rom. 3.14 Whose mouth is full of Cursing and bitterness their feet are swift to shed blood Whence was this vers 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes Abraham surmized the men of Gerar would stick at no Sin why so Gen. 20.11 I thought surely the fear of God is not in this place The Judge in the Gospel is called an unjust Iudge Luke 18.6 And no wonder for vers 2. he feared not God There must needs be an excess of Sin where there wants the Fear of God to restrain it The water must needs Overflow where there are no banks to keep it out We live in a Godless age durst men Sin at that rate as they do if the fear of God were regent in their hearts durst they swear be unclean use False weights bear false witness hate purity deride Gods signs in the Heaven Forge Plots Persecute Christs body if they had the fear of God before their eyes these men proclaim to the World that they are Atheists they believe not the Immortality of the Soul They are worse than brutish a Beast fears the fire these fear not Hell Fire They are worse than Devils for they believe and tremble Jam. 2.19 Let us bewail the want of the Fear of God Terras Astraea reliquit Whence is it so few fear God 1. Because they have not the knowledge of God Prov. 1.24 They hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord did men know God in his immense glory they would be swallowed up with divine amazement When the Prophet Isaiah had a glimpse of Gods Glory he was stricken with holy consternation Isaiah 6.5 Wo is me I am undone for mine eyes have seen the King the Lord of Hosts But the Ignorance of God banisheth fear 2. Men fear not God because they presume of his Mercy God is merciful and they doubt not of the Vertue of this soveraign Balm But who is Gods mercy for Luke 1.50 His mercy is on them that fear him Such as fear not Gods Justice shall not tast his Mercy Let this be for a Lamentation that the fear of God is so vanished Where almost is it to be found Some fear shame others fear danger but where is he who fears a Deity Diogenes came into a full Market with a Candle and Lanthorn they asked him what he sought saith he Hominem quaero I seek a man that is a wise man So in the Crowd of people we may go and seek a man fearing God And not only among the Commonalty but even among Professors how sew fear God in truth Profession is often made a Mantle to cover sin Absalom palliated his Treason with a Religious Vow 2 Sam. 15.7 The Pharisees made long Prayer a preface to Oppression Mat. 23.14 This is sordid to carry on wicked designs sublarva Pictatis under a pretext of Piety The Snow covers many a dung-hill A snovvy vvhite Profession covers many a foul heart The sins of Professors are more odious Thistles are bad in a Field but vvorse in a Garden The sins of the vvicked anger God but the sins of Professors Grieve him It reproves Iovial Sinners vvho are so far from fearing God that they spend their time in mirth and vvantonness Luke 17.27 They did eat they drank they married till the flood came and destroyed them all There is a place in Affrica called Tombutium where the Inhabitants spend all the day in piping and dancing What sensual effeminate lives do the Gallants of our age live They spend their Life in a Frolick As if God had made them to be like the Leviathan who plays in the Sea Job 21.13 They take the Timbrel and Harp and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ They ride to Hell upon the back of Pleasure and go merrily to damnation Though the Times are sad they have no fear in regard of the publique Doth not God call us to trembling our sins are the fiery Comets that presage evil May not we fear the Glory is departing may not we fear the death of Religion before the birth of Reformation May not we fear some portentous calamity should bring up the rear of former Judgments and as the Prophet Ezekiel saith Should me then make-mirth Ezek. 21.10 But Jovial spirits have banished the fear of God Amos 6.4 5. That lye upon beds of Ivory and stretch themselves upon their couches that drink wine in Bowls and anoint themselves with the chief Oyntments Sinners whose hearts are hardned with soft pleasures let them have their lusts and farewell Christ and his Gospel Iude 12. Feeding themselves without fear But they Forget death will bring in the reckoning and they must pay the reckoning in Hell The Great Turk when he intends the death of any of his Bashaws invites them to a Sumptuous Feast and then causeth them to be taken away from the Table and strangled so Satan Gluts men with sinful pastimes and delights and then strangles them Foolish Gallants are like the Fish that swim pleasantly through the Silver streams of Iordan till at last they fall into the dead Sea It reproves secure Sinners who have no Fear of God Like Laish of old Iudg. 18.27 A people quiet and secure Those who are least safe are most confident Security casts men into a deep Sleep Birds that build and roost in Steeples being used to the continual ringing of Bells the noise doth not at all disquiet them So Sinners who have been long used to the sound of Aarons Bells though ever and anon they have a peal rung out against their sins yet being used to it they are not startled A secure sinner is Known thus 1. He lives as bad as the worst yet hopes to be saved as well as the best He doth bless himself saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart Deut. 29.19 As if a man should drink Poison yet not doubt but he shall have his health A secure sinner lies in Delilahs lap yet hopes to be in Abrahams bosom 2. A secure sinner thinks all is well because all is in peace He hears others speak of a Spirit of bondage and the terrors they have felt for sin he thanks God he never Knew what Trouble of spirit meant he thinks his
Sodomites that he might preserve his Angel-guests who were come into his house Gen. 19.8 Did not Satan instigate him to this Necessity will not excuse impiety 3 d. Snare is to Colour over sin with the Pretence of Vertue Alcibiades hung a Curtain curiously embroidered over a foul Picture full of Owls and Satyrs Satan puts Good names on sin as Physitians call that Film in the eye which hinders the sight a Pearl in the eye Satan Colour'd over Jehu's Ambition with the Name of Zeal 2 Kin. 10.16 He makes men believe Revenge is Valour Covetousness Frugality as if one should write balm-water upon a glass of Poyson 4 th Snare of Satan is to carry on his mischievous designs under a pretence of Friendship He puts off his Lions Skin and comes in Sheeps Clothing Thus Satan came to Christ Command that these Stones be made bread Mat. 4.3 As if he had said I see thou art Hungry I therefore out of Pity Counsel thee to get something to eat turn stones to bread that thy hunger may be satisfied but Christ spied the Serpent in the Temptation and repulsed him Thus Satan came to Eve under the Notion of a Friend Eat saith he of the Tree in the midst of the Garden Ye shall not dye ye shall be as Gods Gen. 3.4 5. As if he had said I perswade you only to that which will put you into a better condition than now ye are eat of the Tree of knowledge and it will make you Omniscient What a kind Devil was here but Eve found a Worm in the Apple Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes 5 th Snare if Satan cannot take a Christian off from duty he will put him on too far in duty Humiliation is a duty but Satan suggests that the Soul is not humbled enough and indeed he never thinks it humbled enough till it despairs Satan comes thus to a man Thy sins have bin great and thy Sorrow should be proportionable But is it so canst thou say thou hast bin as great a Mourner as thou hast bin a Sinner what is a drop of Sorrow to a Sea of Sin This is laid only as a Snare the subtil enemy would have a Christian weep himself blind and in a desperate humour throw away the Anchor of Hope And if Satan hath such fallacies and as a Decoy draws so many Millions into his snares is there not cause of jealous fear lest we should be trappan'd The fear of God will make us Fear Hells stratagems Satans snares are worse than his darts 2. The Fear of God will make a man afraid of his own Heart Luther used to say he feared his Heart more than the Pope or Cardinals Ier. 17.9 The Heart is deceitful above all things 1. It is deceitful The word signifies it is a Jacob or Supplanter As Jacob supplanted his brother and got away the blessing so our Hearts would supplant and beguile us 2. Above all things There is deceit in Weights deceit in Friends but the Heart hath an art of deceiving beyond all In the best hearts there is some fallaciousness David was upright in all things save only in the matter of Vriah 1 King 15.5 A Godly man Knowing there is a spice of this deceit in his Heart Fears himself The flesh is a Bosom-Traitor No man can believe what evil is in his Heart 2 Kin. 8.12 Is thy Servant a Dog Hazael could not believe his Heart had bin big of such Monsters If one had come to Noah and said thou wilt be drunk shortly he would have said Is thy Servant a Dog No man knows what is in his breast or what scandal he may fall into if God leaveth him Christ warns his own Apostles to take heed of surfeiting and drunkenness Luk. 21.34 A Godly man therefore fears his Heart with a Fear of Caution and jealousie The Heart is not only stubborn but subtil Let us a little Trace this Impostor and see if there be not cause to fear it The heart shows it's deceitfulness about 1. Things Sinful 2. Things Sacred 1. The Heart shows it's deceitfulness about things sinful this deceit is 1. In hiding of sin as Rahab hid the spies in the flax Josh. 2.6 So the Heart Hides sin and how doth it hide it Just as Adam hid himself under fig-leaves so the Heart hides sin under the figleaves of excuses It was done against the will or in a Passion or it was long of others Aaron laid his sin in making the Golden calf upon the people Exo. 32.22 The people are set on mischief And Adam tacitly laid his sin upon God himself Gen. 3.12 The Woman thou gavest me she gave me of the tree As to say If thou hadst not given me this tempting woman I had not eat 2. The Hearts deceit is seen in Flattering of us it will make us believe we are not so bad as we are The Physitian deceives the patient when he tells him his disease is not so dangerous yet he is falling into the hands of death The Heart will tell a man he is free from Theft when yet he robs others of their Good Name he is free from Drunkenness when though he will not be drunk with Wine he will be drunk with Passion Thus the Heart is a flattering Glass to make one look fairer than he is and is there not cause to suspect this Impostor 2. The Heart shews it's deceitfulness about things Sacred it will be ready to put us off with Counterfeit Grace Many have bin deceived in taking false Mony and it is to be feared in taking false Grace 1. The Heart is ready to deceive with a false repentance A Sinner is troubled a little for Sin or rather the consequent of it and perhaps sheds a few tears and now his Heart sooths him up that he is a true Penitent But every legal terrour is not Repentance Acts 2.37 They were pricked in their Heart yet after this Peter said unto them Repent ver 38. If every slight Trouble for sin were true Repentance then Iudas and Cain may be listed in the number of penitents Evangelical Repentance works a change of Heart 1 Cor. 6.11 It produceth Sanctity But the false penitentiary though he hath trouble of Spirit yet no Metamorphise or change He hath a weeping Eye but an adulterous Heart Ahab Fasts and puts on sack-cloth but after this he puts the Prophet Micaiah in Prison 1 Kin. 22.27 2. The Heart is apt to deceive with a false Faith it would put the dead child in the room of the living They in the second of Iohn are said to believe But Christ did not believe their faith John 2.24 True Faith as it casts it self into Christs arms to embrace him so it casts it self at Christs feet to serve him But spurious Faith though it be forward to Receive Christs benefits yet it plucks the Government from his shoulders Isa. 9.6 It would have him a Priest but not upon his throne Zach. 6.13 Thus the Heart
can make the Churches affliction a means of her Augmentation Exod. 1.12 The more they afflicted them the more they multiplied The Church of God is like that Plant Gregory Nazianzen speaks of which lives by dying and grows by cutting Persecution propagates the Church the scattering of the Apostles up and down was like scattering of seed it did tend much to the spreading of the Gospel Acts 8.1.4 6. If the Lord of Hosts be on our side he can alter the scene and turn the ballance of affairs when he pleaseth Dan. 1.21 He changeth times and seasons God can remove Mountains which lye in the way or leap over them His Power is uncontrollable he can bring Harmony out of discord He who brought Isaac out of a dead Womb and the Messiah out of a Virgins Womb what cannot he do The Lord of Hosts can in an instant alter the face of things There are no Impossibles with God if means fail he can Create 'T is therefore high prudence to get this Lord of Hosts on our side Rom. 8.31 If God be for us who can be against us And if we would engage God to be on our side 1. Let us be earnest suitors to him exercise Eyes of Faith and Knees of prayer Jer. 14.9 And in prayer let us use Joshua's argument Josh. 7.9 What wilt thou do unto thy great name Lord if the cause of Religion lose ground how will thy name suffer Popish Enemies never prevail but they Blaspheme 2. Let us put away iniquity out of our Tabernacles Iob 11.14 Sin is not worth keeping who would keep a Plague-sore Let us discard and abjure our sins And then the Lord of Hosts will be on our side and as a Pledge of his favourable presence he will entail the Gospel that Crowning blessing upon us and our posterity So much for the Person speaking the Lord of Hosts CHAP. XVII The first Part of the Saints reward Gods owning them 2. I Come now to the reward it self the first part whereof is Gods owning them they shall be mine Expositors here vary I take the sence of it to be they shall be mine in Covenant Ezek. 16.8 I entred into Covenant with thee and thou becamest mine This is no small favour to be in Covenant with God therefore when God told Abraham that he would enter into Covenant with him Abraham fell on his face Gen. 17.2 as being amazed that the great God should bestow such a signal favour upon him God never entred into Covenant with the Angels when they fell but he proclaims himself God in Covenant with Believers they shall be mine This Covenant enriched with Free-grace is a better Covenant than that which was made with Adam in Innocency For 1. The least failing would have made the first Covenant null and void but many failings do not invalidate the Covenant of Grace I grant the least sin makes a trespass upon the Covenant but doth not rescind it Every failing in the Conjugal Relation breaks not the Marriage bond 2. The first Covenant being violated allowed the sinner no remedy all doors of hope were shut but the new Covenant allows of a Remedy it provides a surety Heb. 12.24 Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant See the amazing goodness of God to his People to enter into Covenant with them and say Ye are mine 2 Sam. 23.5 He hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure The first Covenant stood upon the ticklish Foundation of Works Adam had no sooner a stock of Original Righteousness to Trade with but he broke but this Covenant of Grace is confirmed with Gods Decree and rests upon two mighty Pillars the Oath of God and the Blood of God That ye may see how great a priviledge this is to be owned by the Lord federally that he should be our God and we his people consider 1. If we are in Covenant with God and he saith to us Ye are mine then all that is in God is ours A person falling to decay marrying to a King hath an interest in all the Crown-revenues God having entred into a near Relation with us and saying ye are mine we have a share in his Rich revenues The Lord saith to every Believer as the King of Israel said to the King of Syria 1 Kin. 20.4 I am thine and all that I have My Wisdom shall be thine to teach thee my Holiness shall be thine to Sanctifie thee my Mercy shall be thine to save thee What richer dowry than Deity God is a whole Ocean of blessedness If there is enough in him to fill the Angels then sure he hath enough to fill us 2. If God saith to us ye are mine then he will have a tender care of us 1 Pet. 5.7 He careth for you God to shew his tender anxiousness towards Israel bare them as upon Eagles wings Exod. 19.4 The Eagle carries her young ones upon her wing to defend them the Arrow must first shoot through the Old Eagle before it can touch her Young ones A Mothers care is seen in leading the Child that it may not fall such is Gods care Hos. 11.3 I taught Ephraim to go leading them by their Arms. We may argue a minori ad majus if God take care of the meanest Infects and Animals that creep upon the earth much more will he take care of his Covenant-Saints He is still consulting and projecting for their good if they wander out of the way he guides them if they stumble he holds them by the hand if they fall he raiseth them if they be dull he quickens them by his Spirit if they be froward he draws them with cords of Love if they be sad he Comforts them with his promises 3. If God saith to us ye are mine then he will intirely love us Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with an Everlasting love The Lord may give a man riches and not love him his prosperity may be as Israels Quails sawced with Gods wrath Num. 11.32 33. But when God saith ye are mine he cannot but love every one loves his own If God hath any love better than other his Covenant-People shall have it he will distil the Spirits of his love for them he loves them as he loves Christ John 17.24 4. If God saith to us ye are mine then he will not suffer us to want Believers are not only of Gods family but of Christs body and will the head let the body starve Psalm 37.3 Verily thou shalt be fed God hath not promised dainties he will not satisfie his Peoples lusts but he will supply their wants if the Bill of Fare grows low what they lack in chear they shall have in blessing Exod. 23.25 He will bless thy bread and thy water God will rather work a miracle than any of his Children shall famish The Raven that is so unnatural she will hardly feed her young yet did turn Caterer and brought food to the Prophet Elijah 5. If