express particular perswasions of some mercy as those blessed Patriarchs Gen. 48 21. chap 50.24 Behold I dye but God shall be with you and bring you again to the Land of your Fathers Yea cannot you that are Children bear your Testimony for God that he hath been and done according to your Parents faith and hope Solomon could say after Davids death thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my Father great mercy or bounty but that 's not all and thou hast kept saith he for him this great kindness that thou hast given him a Son to sit upon his Throne 1 King 3.6 and I question not but many of you can say as much for God that God hath had respect to you in Temporals because you were the seed of such as were dear to him Oh follow their steps and you shall fare as they fared 2. Yet further you that are the Children of Godly Parents Isa 44.3.59.21 Exod. 20.6 See 2 Sam. 23 1-5 Act. 3.25 you lye directly under the influences of these sure mercies the promise is made to believers and to their seed Gen. 17.7 Act. 2.38 39. such promises bear up the hearts of Gods poor expiring servants concerning their surviving Children Well then let Children claim their interest plead this grant none of you will lose your inheritance for want of looking after it if your Landlord promise you a Lease of your Tenement after your Father's decease if you sue to him for it and pay the accustomed fine will you be so mad as to be turned out of your Farm and the Heritage left by your Fathers than own your just and loving Landlord according to the Laws of the Land no man is so fond in Temporals and why should you be so foolish in Spirituals Ah Christians look after your Patrimony despise not your Birth-right is it nothing to you to be born of believing Parents remember your Parents Prayers and Tears their Hopes and fears Oh consider how it comforted their hearts upon their death-bed that they left you under a good Covenant and bequeathed to you a goodly heritage and why should your Parents be deceived in their hopes and meet you strangers at the great day to God and Christ to be set with filthy Goats upon the left hand for ever why will you embezzle or sin away this fair estate why will you not sue out this blessed Charter for your own souls in the Court of Heaven God is as willing to make it over to you as ever he was to bestow it on your Parents he is loath to cut off his kindness from their seed he looks after you in your soul-destroying practices and saith as once to Israel that did so wofully degenerate Jer. 22.5 q. d. I remember the kindness that in former times there was betwixt thy ancestors and me Oh their zeal in running after me the holy services they did perform to me thy Father or Grand-father and some former Generations maintained entercourse with me and I with them there was love of espousals betwixt us and I am sure I was not wanting to them I lookt carefully to them all that sought to devour them were my enemies they did offend me and I brought evil upon them I pleaded their cause while they lived and I took them seasonably to Heaven and if thou that art their off-spring wouldest have put me to 't I would have done as much for thee if thou hadst but laid hold of that Covenant those very Covenant-mercies should have been thine but thou art gone back thou wilt have none of me but walk after new upstart vanities thou wilt not vouchsafe so much as to enquire after the God of thy Fathers that was so faithful to them and did so much for them but let me ask thee A like Expostulation see in Miâ— 6.3 4. since thou wilt needs leave me what iniquity have either thy Fathers or thou found in me produce thy reasons testifie against me did I ever do thee any wrong have I not always done thee good Oh soul whithersoever thou goest from me thou missest of such a God as thy Fathers served God seems in that Scripture to speak after this manner Oh hearken to the eternal God if you will not heed the dying words of your mortal Parents that dyed in the Lord though one would think those should move and melt your hearts into tears of Gospel sorrow why should your dear deceased Parents rise up in judgement against you at the day of judgement when it shall be enquired whether they did their duty they must needs answer according to truth that they did instruct correct counsel admonish their wandring Prodigal Children they brought them to Ordinances prayed for them wept and travelled again for them and yet could not prevail and now must come in to bear witness against them and must rejoyce in Gods just vengeance upon them Oh what a sad case will these rebellious Children be in 't is no pleading priviledges by means of believing Parents at that day the higher you were advanced therein the lower will you be cast down to Hell Matth. 11.23 oh how terrible will it be to see godly Parents in Heaven and themselves cast into utter darkness yea to see strangers or the Converted Children of Heathenish Parents come from East and West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven but the Children of these Kingdoms posterity of Covenanted Parents cast out into utter darkness See Mat. 8.11 12. Let me therefore perswade all graceless Children to look about them do you above all others take heed of miscarrying greater expectations are from you than others the surviving friends of your Religious Ancestors look after you and enquire what you do oh rejoyce their hearts by walking in the steps of your predecessours I shall bespeak you yea charge you in the words of Reverend Mr. Bolton upon his death-bed that none of you will dare to meet us at the great Tribunal in an unregenerate state let every Child of Godly Parents plead for Covenant-mercies as once Solomon did 2 Chron. 1.8 9. thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my Father now O Lord God let thy promise unto David my Father be established thus do you plead with God and say Lord my Parents embraced the Covenant it was thy free-grace to choose them and set thy heart upon them and is that Grace weary canst thou not own me with Covenant-mercy nay dost thou not call that mercy to Abraham by the surer name of truth unto Jacob am not I a Child of the promise Lord cut not off the entail of Covenant-mercies from me or mine for ever But I must hasten let all souls seek after a share in Covenant-mercies you that are afar off and you that are near Children of the good and of the bad draw near hither take hold of this Covenant here 's mercy for you all these mercies are attainable let the wicked forsake his way and the
through Jesus Christ is that these are most fully assured to us by the execution of Christs Mediatory Offices both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation Let us here consider 1. Christs Offices 2. His States 1. Christs Offices are of three sorts as 1. Sacerdotal 2. Prophetical 3. Regal 1. As Priest Christ insures to us many Covenant mercies for he hath put himself in our stead offered himself as a propitiatory Sacrifice to satisfie divine justice which is a sweet smelling savour Eph. 5.2 and of infinite value hence it is that Christ is called a merciful and faithful High-priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people Heb. 2.17 certainly remission of sins is one of the grand mercies of the New Covenant and this Christ assureth as Priest 2. As Prophet he reveals to us the will of his Father opens to us the sealed Book annoints our eyes by his blessed spirit the spirit of Christ inspired the Prophets of the Old Testament 1 Pet. 1.10 11. and the Apostles of the new in writing Scripture and Ministers in Preaching the Gospel and believers in discerning the meaning of the Word and beauty of Christ it is Christ as Prophet that writes his Law in Believers hearts which is one of the great mercies of the new Covenant that inlightens dark minds and unlocks to us Divine Mysteries and bringeth us from darkness to light 3. As King Christ Jesus doth what he pleaseth for the good of his Church converting and subduing souls to himself granting to them the spirit of power love and of a sound mind softening their hard and stony hearts mastering their high and sturdy Wills awing ordering and centring their unruly roving and raging affections subduing their strong corruptions regulating their conversations begetting and increasing their Graces supporting them under and sanctifying their afflictions all which Jesus Christ as King works for his Covenanted ones Yet more particularly in the second place let us consider how our Covenant-mercies are assured to us by Jesus Christ with reference to his two estates of humiliation and exaltation 1. In his estate of exinanition and humiliation here I might run through the instances of his contemptible birth his despicable life i. e. to a carnal eye his being in the form of a servant having no form nor comeliness his hunger thirst wandrings revilings of men wrath of God rage of Devils all these confirm the Covenant if we believe the history of the Gospel but there 's one thing more that put all out of doubt and that is his real ready and voluntary death for as he had a power so he had a will to lay down his life and he dyed for the confirmation of this Covenant and all the mercies thereof a pregnant proof of this you have in Heb. 9.15 the summ of which Text is that Jesus Christ the great Mediatour of this new Covenant hath suffered death for the sins of the elect that were committed against the first Covenant whereby all true believers might have the benefits of the new Covenant more surely and immutably made over to them and this he further comfirmes by the paralel case of a Testament and the Testatour even amongst men ver 16 17. where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator no man can challenge a Legacy till he prove the death of him that left it Thus the Apostle argues Gal. 3.15 Erethren I spâ—ak after the manner of men though it be but a mans Coâ—eâ—ant yâ—t if it be coâ—â—irmed to man disanulleth or addeth thereto for while he is alive he may alter his Will at his pleasure or as reason requireth but when the Testator is dead the heirs may look after their Legacies Jesus Christ is the Testator Saints are the heirs the Legacies are these mercies of the Covenant now the Testator is dead the Legacies come clear and the heirs of promise may claim their interest therein there 's no alteration of the Will when the Testator is dead there 's no reversing true Christians now come to enjoy their estates Christ emptied himself that we might be filled he lost his life that we might live he became poor that we through his poverty might be rich 2 Cor. 8.9 2. Christ's exaltation doth much more assure to us Covenant-mercies which consists in 1. His Resurrection 2. His Ascension and both these do abundantly confirm this to us 1. Christs rising again from the Grave assures us of the certainty of these mercies for though he was dead yet he is alive and so lives to be his own Executor if Christ had been detained Prisoner by the King of Terrours we might groundedly suspect that justice were not satisfied nor mercies fully purchased but he was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification Rom. 4.25 and now he hath conquered death and through death he hath destroyed him that had the power of death that is the devil and so hath delivered the heirs of promise from the fear of death Heb. 2.14 15. nay and by his resurrection he raiseth us to a new life of holiness here and a blessed life of happiness hereafter Rom. 6.4 with cap. 8.11 2 Cor. 4.14 Christs Resurrection abundantly clears the Saints from all accusations and condemnation Rom. 8.33 34. in this therefore we may rejoyce and triumph as the foundtain of our consolation See Act. 2.24 25 26. 2. Christs Ascension into Heaven insures and secures Covenant-mercies to us both as it sets him in the holy of holies far above the reach of men and Devils and as he went before to prepare a place for us Joh. 14 2. he bids Mary to tell the Disciples Joh. 20.17 go to my Brethren and say unto them I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God q. d. now you may be assured of your interest in God in a Covenant-way for now I have done that work on earth that obstructed your fellowship and obscured your interest so that now you may call him your God and come unto him as your Father without misgivings within or challenges from without There are two things in Christs Ascension that assure these mercies to us 1. His session at Gods right hand 2. His Intercession 1. Jesus Christ is set at Gods right hand in heavenly places Ephes 1.20 and the two following verses afford us two choice considerations that tend further to assure us 1. That he is far above all principality and power might dominion and every name in this world and that to come ver 21. i. e. Christ as man is advanced not only above all States and Potentates on earth but above all Angels and Arch-angels in Heaven therefore far above the Devils none can hinder all are his servants to help forward his design for the good of souls oh what a sweet consideration is this that our nature is advanced thus high yea in the person of the
thou forsaken me saith Christ and David his Type yet my God still Psal 51.8 Christians you are not to trust to present feelings David doth not say make me to feel but hear joy and gladness saith one because sense and feeling is of no worth of it self except first we hear it in a promise that 's a fancy that 's felt and not heard from God and we are to build upon a word of promise even when we want the feeling of comfort and 't is not safealtoger the to lean upon former experiences only though these are good secondary helps yet our primary and Principal foundation is God in a Promise as our God in Covenant let a dark and troubled spirit read study and practise that choice instruction Isa 50.10 trust in the name of the Lord there 's enough in Gods name to answer allâ—d ubts read it Exod. 34.5 6 mercy there answers to our misery grace to our undeserving long-suffering to our continued apostacy goodness answers our vileness truth and faithfulness answers to our Covenant-breach and falshood God keeps Covenant though we break it yea God keeps Covenant with us though we are apt to think he breaks it David thought Gods mercy was clean gone and that his Promise failed for evermore but he is convinced at last that that apprehension was his infirmity Psal 77.8 9 10. therefore let a clouded soul in its blackest desertions lift up his eyes and heart to these sure mercies and ponder thus 't is true my soul is dark and God withdraws it is a night of great affliction but was it never day with thee O my soul hath not the blessed day-star of grace risen in thy heart hath not God united thee to Jesus Christ did he never give thee the earnest of his Spirit didst thou never feel the stirrings of its graces or the stealing of its comforts reflect upon thy former state or rather study the freeness and the fulness of Gospel-grace what though I be without any sensible feelings of Gods grace or shinings of his face is not my life sometimes hid with Christ in God even from mine own eyes as well as from others may not the Sun be under a Cloud shall I say my Father doth not love me because he doth not always dandle me upon his knee and evidence his love to me in sweet embraces I am resolved to cleave unto him though he kill me and to believe in him though I cannot see him I will venture my weary soul upon his free-grace in Christ the Covenant is firm its mercies are sure there 's hope in the God of Israel it may be he will cast a propitious aspect on a weary â—oul however I am resolved to lye at his â—eet and act affiance and dependance on his â—mmutable promise whether he ever shine upon my soul or no this will bring a good issue 7. The last case wherein a Christian is to improve these sure mercies of David is in the hour and power of death when that grim Serjeant looks upon us with its ghastly face and arrests us with its cold hand then mercy will stand us in stead and sure mercies will be our sweetest Cordial these mercies pluck out the sting of death perfume the grave make way for the gracious soul to take its flight to glory so that death is now become the Christians friend and servant rest and interest conquest and Crown the Apostle doth therefore reckon up death as one part of the Saints Inventory 1 Cor. 3.21 22. all things are yours whether Paul or Apollo or Cephâ—s or the World or life or death or things present or things to come all are yours this is the fullest longest surest title here 's a sufficient enumeration nothing can be wanting either in the mercies ensured or manner of ensuring or the duration it 's to all Eternity and it 's the best and clearest Tenure in capite in the head Christ and 't is both by Purchase and by Conquest nothing is wanting to make these mercies sure for ever for death which dissolves all other bonds of relation doth more firmly and closely joyn God and the gracious soul 't is as a Porter to let them into their Fathers house a divine Limbeck to purifie and prepare them for glory and that voice which calls to the believer saying come up hither in this life souls are but espoused to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 after death they are presented to him and the marriage is consummated 2 Cor. 5.6 8. ver 1 2. Phil. 1.21 here we are absent from our husband while present in the body but 't is more desirable to be absent from the body and present with the Lord and this is done by a dissolving of the earthly house of this Tabernacle so that hereby death becomes a gain and brings believers to their proper home and why should we be afraid of a stingless Serpent or helpful servant that doth us the greatest kindness why are believers afraid to dye why do they not rather say with that good man egredere anima egredere go forth my soul go forth and meet thy dearly beloved But we need go no further to prove either the immortality of the soul or the commodities of death than the subject we are upon even these sure mercies of David for they continue to David even when he is laid in the grave therefore our Saviour proves the Resurrection from the Covenant with Abraham Numb 18.19 Mat. 32.31 Isaac and Jacob because it is a perpetual Covenant a Covenant of Salt and thus runs the argument God is the God of the living and not of the dead therefore these Patriarchs are living and have an existence because he hath made a Covenant with them otherwise if these arise not then must the Covenant of necessity cease but the Covenant endures for ever therefore those with whom he makes the Covenant must live for ever since God calls himself their God Exod. 3.6 even after they are laid in their graves therefore let Christians rest in hope when they are laying down their heads in the grave for the Scripture saith the righteous have hope in their death the Covenant abides firm still the mercies thereof dye not when the body dyes the Heathens themselves saw this Socrates saith the Swan was Dedicated to Apollo because she sung sweetly before her death and the Romans when their great men dyed and when their bodies were burnt to ashes they caused an Eagle to fly and mount on high to signifie that the soul was immortal and shall not the Children of Promise sing chearfully when their souls are ready to mount up to eternal mansions I confess I am really ashamed when I read Cicero Cicero Tusc Quest lib. 1. De contemnâ—adâ morte Maximum argumentum est naturam ipfam de immo talite animorum tacitam judicare quod omnibus curae sâ—nt maxime quidem quae post mortem futura sâ—nt Serit arbores
they are the Children of God Eph. 1.14.4.30 Rom. 8.15 16. and this is an earnest of their inheritance which assures them of the whole possession it 's a seal and takes away all occasion of doubting Paul saith of all believers 1 Cor. 2.12 we have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that are given us of God i.e. these mercies of the Covenant Adoption pardon sanctification salvation God hath laid it upon us as a duty to make our calling and election sure not in it self 2 Pet. 1.10 but to our selves therefore it is attainable for God doth not command us impossibilities 2 Câ—r 13.5 he that bids us try our selves whether we be in the faith supposeth we may come to know upon an exact tryal Besides many of the Saints have been assused of their sincerity and salvation by ordinary ways which all the Saints may use and have a like success in a like full assurance of faith Mark 11.24.1 Joh. 5.14 15. and God hath bid us ask that we may receive that our joy may be full now we are to ask in faith that he will grant what we ask and we have a promise to be heard yea he therefore sets us on asking that he may give But I need not stand long to prove the possibility of a Child of Gods attaining assurance for experience doth abundantly confirm it and blessed be God that in this we can groundedly say the Papists are Lyars 3. Another sort whom this Text and Doctrine confutes is the Arminians and this in two respect 1. In the business of universal Redemption 2. In the falling away from Grace 1. The Text saith these are the sure mercies of David God's Davids or beloved ones have only an interest in them not all men and in the Doctrine I say that Covenant-mercies promised in Christ are purchased and insured by Christ to all the Heirs of promise and I must add only to these and to none besides and therefore Christ dyed not for all and I shall only use these two Arguments which immediately relate to the present subject 1. Christs mediatory undertakings are not intended as a price for any but such as were proposed by God to the Mediator in the Covenant of Redemption to be Redeemed by him but all and every one were not so proposed therefore not redeemed I have before opened that great transaction betwixt the Father and the Son now 't is most certain that the Mediators death and sufferings are to be lookt upon as regulated and qualified in respect of their effects according to what was proposed by the Father and consented to by the Son hence Christ saith that he came not to do his own will but the will of him that sent him and to finish his work and to give eternal life to as many as God had given to him therefore Christ must by his undertakings ensure these mercies to all those and none but those that the Father proposed to him in this everlasting bargain as for that conditional giving of some to Christ which some speak of that would derogate from his glory for he must needs know the event and that such a conditional giving would not effect it and to say he would what should not come to pass or to apply such means as he knew would not be effectual to the end cannot be imagined besides those that are given to Christ are contra-distinguished from others that are not given to him therefore these only are assigned peculiarly to be redeemed and not others Arg. 2. All those and only those whom Christ Redeemed have all the mercies of the Covenant insured to them but all have not all the mercies of the Covenant ensured to them and conferred on them therefore all are not Redeemed by Christ Christ is the surety and Mediator of the New Covenant and he gives Faith Repentance Pardon Heaven to them for whom he is engaged as a Surety they shall not fail of all the Covenant-mercies that are absolutely necessary to Salvation for he is faithful in the Execution of all his Offices now we know all men have not saving Faith nor Repentance it cannot be conceived but that his satisfaction must be equally effectual for the procuring of these saving mercies to those whose room he sustained and indeed God promiseth as a recompence to him that he shall see of the travel of his soul and be satisfied yea he shall justifie many i. e. as many as he undertook for Isa 53.11 if Christ hath born their iniquities they must be justified else he missed of his end there is an inseparable connexion betwixt Christ's undertaking for them and his bestowing Covenant-mercies on them all that are Redeemed by Christ's Blood are made Kings and Priests to God Rev. 5 9 10. they are purchased to be a peculiar people to God they are washed from their sins in his blood redeemed from their vain Conversation delivered from spiritual enemies to serve God in holiness all their days and to be received to Heaven when they dye these are the mercies of the Covenant which the Mediator purchaseth and applyeth to all the elect and to none but elect souls therefore none else are Redeemed for there is no saving nor eternal mercy procured to any reprobate by Christ's death for the proper and native fruits of Christs death are not divided therefore he prays for them that were given to him and for whose sake he did sanctifie himself Joh. 17. and excludes the reprobate World for whom he purchased not these Covenant-mercies therefore he dyed not for them that 's the former 2. This point confutes Arminians in their sad opinion of the Saints Apostacy some hold a total as Lutherans others a final as Arminius others maintain a total and final Apostacy of Saints we hold that believing regenerate justified persons that are endowed with the divine nature and a lively hope shall not lose that principle and fall from that state of grace and be utterly deprived of the favour of God and indeed we need no other Arguments but this that these mercies of the Covenant are sure mercies which they would not be if they might be lost there is the immutability of Gods Promise in the New Covenant the intercession of Jesus Christ for the Elect the Omnipotency of the Shepherd of Israel who will not lose one of his Sheep the efficacy of the spirit supporting and renewing the seed of God and life of Grace in believers 1 Joh. 3.9 and this seed of God keeps a believer from sinning in two respects 1. He hates and â—ills in part the evil which he wills and works 2. If by humane frailty he fall Rom 7.19 he makes not a trade of sin or keeps a course in it but the seed of Grace makes him restless till he return to God and be entertained into favour and fellowship with him thus though good David sometimes goes
quae alteri secuco prosint quid procreatio liberorum quid proparatio nomiâ—is quid adoptiones filiorum quid testamentoâ—um diligentia quid iâ—sa sepulchro um monumenta quid eloâ—ia significant nisi nos futuna etiam cogitare Nemo unquam sine magna spe immortalitatis se pro patria offeret ad mâ—tem and against fear of death he adds Acherontia templa alta orci pallida leti obnubila obsita tenebris locâ— nonpudet Philosophum in eo gloriari quod haec non timeat itaque non deterret sapientem mors quae propter incertos casus cotidiè imminet propter brevitatem vitae nunquam longe potest abesse that any that call themselves Christians should dispute against the immortality of the soul when he brings such arguments and Authors to assert it but I am much more ashamed that any real Saints should shrink with fears of death when even that poor Heathen hath spoken so much for the contempt of it Let Christians learn something from Heathens Take a few hints in the Marg. I must but give a taste in this kind a world more instances might be brought out of Heathen Authors to shame professed Christians that have an higher sort of Arguments against the fear of death yet the sense of Covenant-relation is the strongest and the sureness of Covenant-mercies is of singular use to sweeten those bitter pangs when the King of terrours doth appear in the most formidable manner and strikes its last stroke with the most terrible kind of death and truly I may with Mr. Dod call death the friend of grace though it be the enemy of nature our Saviour hath pluckt out its sting and altered the very nature of it The Church pag. 180. I shall conclude this Branch with a Poem of Divine Herberts called Death Death thou wast once an uncouth hideous thing nothing but bones the sad effect of sadder groans Thy mouth was open but thou couldst not sing For we considered thee as at some six or ten years hence after the loss of life and sense Flesh being turn'd to dust and bones to sticks We lookt on this side of thee shooting short where we did find the shells of fledge souls left behind Dry dust which sheds no tears but may extort But since our Saviours death did put some blood into thy face thou art grown fair and full of grace Much in request much sought for as a good For we do now behold thee gay and glad as at dooms-day when souls shall wear their new aray And all thy bones with beauty shall be clad Therefore we can go dye as sleep and trust half that we have unto an honest faithful grave Making our pillows either down or dust CHAP. XIV IV. THE fourth and last head of Directions that I promised to propound is an answer to this Question How a gracious soul that is interested in these mercies is to behave himself though this be a necessary point yet I must cut short in it having insisted too long on the former Heads 1. Believe and receive these mercies this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation De iis quae cognovit futuris quae adhuc sub visum non cadunt tam certum habet persuasionem cognitione praedictus ut ea mag is adesse putat quam quae sunt praesentia Clem. Alex Strom. lib. 7. that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 is it the proposition only that is to be credited embraced is it not Christ and the rest of the Covenant-mercies held forth in this precious maxim which is the sweetest flower in the Garden of Scripture the choicest Pearl in the Word and most glorious Star in the whole Constellation of Gospel-promises who dare doubt what God hath spoken and who dare refuse what God doth offer he is so wise that he cannot be deceived and he is so good that he will not deceive you you may better believe God than your own sense give glory to God by embracing these mercies deny or dispute no longer be not ingrateful to that Grace of God that hath condescended so low to give you evidences on purpose that you might believe 2. Improve these sure mercies make use of them in all your particular needs if a man have a good spring he will order it for convenient supplies of many houshold wants and draw it through several chanels for several uses so a Christian must branch out the several mercies of the Covenant to his various cases and uses as enlightning mercy to his darkness enlivening mercy to his dulness pardoning mercy in case of guiltiness purging mercy in case of strong corruptions 2 Cor. 12 7. because Gods grace is sufficient for us in all exigencies in all storms there is Sea-room enough in Gods infinite mercy for faiths full sail Phil. 4.19 our God supplies all wants Religion is a spiritual bond to tye God and a soul together and a Christian in the exercise of his Religion singles out that in God which is needful to him on all occasions the life of faith is a retailing of Divine commodities as the Covenant of grace gives a soul a title thereto as it were by whole-sale Oh let the heirs of promise improve these mercies 3. Be content with these mercies these are sufficient to make you happy seek not further to eke out your contentment in the Creature as though you had not enough in having these what a strange passage is that of good Abraham Gen. 1â— 2 Lord God saith he what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless give him why had not God given him himself and was not that an exceeding great reward ver 1. and could Abraham desire more O yes all this is nothing unless God give him a Child he takes no notice of this in comparison of a Son this is just our case let God give us himself and Covenant-mercies we can overlook all these in our distempered fits and look upon them as of no worth if he deny us some outward comfort that our hearts are set upon but this is our sin and shame cannot God himself content us can we go from Covenant-mercies to mend us with common-mercies nay do we not thereby weaken our interest dishonour our portion and dis-ingage God to help us is not God a jealous God and can he endure to have any corrival with him in your affections 4. Walk worthy of these sure mercies Cum id praestiterit gratia ut moremur peâ—cata quid aliud facicmus stvivemus in eo nisi ut gratiae simus ingrati Aug. de Sp. et lib. c. 60. Rom. 12.1 oh do not disparage them by your unsuitable carriage live after the rate of heirs of Promise walk exactly spiritually self-denyingly and soul-resignedly God hath given himself and these best blessings to you in mercy oh give your selves and best services to God in a way of duty if you give your selves to