The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant

SECT. I.

Quest. 1. WHat A Covenant is.

Answ. 1. A Covenant in General, is a compact or mutual agreement betwixt parties, in which they bind 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,

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 of a worldly consideration for goods, wares, lands, peace, or the like; as the Covenant betwixt Abraham and Abimelech, and betwixt Ahab and Benhadad, &c.

3. Sacred. As the Covenant 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 soon as he was created, and as soon as he fell, God made a Covenant with him.

And God's Covenant with man (I speak only in the general) doth consist in a free promise on God's part, with a stipulation of duty on man's part. There is a Susception on God's part, and an engagement on man's 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 Sovereign will and pleasure of God, who proposeth what rewards he pleaseth, and imposeth what terms he pleaseth, and draws up the Covenant in what terms he pleaseth. And the reason hereof lies in the absolute power and authority of God over man, who is infinitely inferior 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 man's part, or by way of promise on God's part. And well he may do so, in respect of that Infinite Goodness and Wisdom 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: 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 yourselves 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 days 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 is no Covenant made betwixt God and us; there is only a Covenant betwixt God and Christ, by virtue 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 infer, 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 again; but of necessity I must consider this present opinion; for if 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 myself in these Propositions.

• 1. That there is a Covenant made betwixt God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ.
• 2. That there is a Covenant made betwixt God and every believing person.
• 3. That the place alleged doth not infringe this truth.

1. That there is a Covenant made betwixt God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ, touching the whole business of man's 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 lie, 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.

1. On the Fathers part.

1. He designed his Son unto the office of Mediator; 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 again, 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 Lord shall rest upon him, Isa. 11. 2. I have put my Spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment 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 in Righteousness, 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 success to this undertaking; he shall see his seed, and he shall see the travail of his soul, Isa. 53. 10. Nations that know thee not, shall run unto thee, Isa. 55. 5.

5. He promised him Dominion and Sovereignty. His arm shall rule for him, Isa. 40. 10. He shall sit in judgment in the earth, and the Isles shall wait for his Law, Isa. 42. 4. He shall judge amongst many Nations, Mic. 4. 3.

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

2. Christ an his part consents to the Father; undertakes the will and work of 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 add, 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 main 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. Nevertheless, though there be such a Covenant betwixt God the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ; yet there is a Covenant made betwixt God and his people.

The places above mentioned, do expressly prove it when God saith, I will be their God, and they shall be my people; I will marry you unto myself, 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 Mediator of this Covenant, Heb. 9. 15. Now he could not be the Mediator of this Covenant betwixt God and himself, but of the Covenant betwixt God and us.

2. To whom the seals of the Covenant are given, with them is the Covenant made; the seals of the Covenant and the Covenant (go to the same persons) but the seals of the Covenant are for and to believers. Abraham received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of faith, Rom. 4. 11.

3. How can we plead the Covenant betwixt God and us, if there were no such 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 said to be faithful in Covenant with God? and why are we exhorted to be so? and how can there be such a sin 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 Abraham's 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 styled 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 Christ's, then are you Abraham's seed, and Heirs according to the Promise.

SECT. III.

4. BEfore I pass from the general consideration of a Covenant, made betwixt 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 honor upon his people. Some do derive the word Berith, (which signifies the Covenant) from a root which signifies to purify, 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 owns them for his peculiar people, and agrees with them as the chosen and choicest of all others. The first staff in Zach. 11. 10. is called beauty, and this was the Covenant: And indeed it is a high honor to be in Covenant with God, there is a fourfould honor to us in this.

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

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 faithfulness, to perform all his Covenant. In all this there is a great favor done unto, and a great honor 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 honor; and why? It is a special favor 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 terms; for the 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 good, unto all such who are faithful in Covenant with him. Walk before me and be thou perfect, and I will be a God all-sufficient unto thee, Gen. 17. 1. All the paths 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. As the girdle cleaveth to the loins 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 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 perform, and what we are to perform, 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 sins; and he promiseth, that we shall repent of our sins; He promiseth that he will help us; and he promiseth, that we shall walk in his Statutes; 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 man's 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 pass into the band of the Covenant; I will cause you to know me, to trust in my Name, to love me, to seat 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 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 rightly speaks, Anima foederis, the very soul of all the Covenant: It is summa Foederis, the excellency, the very quintessence of it. It is far more than that, I will pardon you; than that, I will help you, I will bless 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 sum 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, 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 nearness, and care, and maintenance.

There are four things comprehended in this.

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 myself in loving kindnesses; my love shall rest upon you.

2. Donation of himself. I will be your God, i. e. I will bestow myself upon 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 Son, 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 Son 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 a God can be or can do for your good; Thus far 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 Holiness to you; I am the merciful God, I will be merciful to your transgressions; I am the gracious God, I will show favor to you, and will freely love and bless you; I am the All-sufficient God, and I will be a Sun 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 forever; and I will be Blessedness to you; for my Covenant with you, is the engagement of myself, 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; I am God forever; and I will be your God forever. This God is our God forever and ever, Psal. 48. 14. I will love you and bless you forever. Did I not say aright, when I told you, that God's engaging of himself to be our God in the Covenant, was the soul, the life, the sum 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, forever, and forever.

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 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.

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 myself; 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 today 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 separate saith the Lord—And I will be a Father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord God Almighty.

2. A dedi • ation of ourselves to God. A kind of consecration, wherein we choose him to be our God, and bind ourselves to him to be his. A willing choice, 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. Deut. 27. 9, 10. Take heed and hearken O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God, Thou shalt therefore obey the voice 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 yourselves 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 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 shows of what form the contracting is, when God declares that he as a God makes over himself unto his 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 resign, 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 pass 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 God is, and will be our God? Oh then, what matter of admiration is this? What wonders of love and kindness are manifested in this! Judas (not Iscariot) wondered at the peculiar manifestations of Christ unto the Disciples, John 14. 22. What is the cause that thou wilt show thyself to us, and not unto the world! And David wondered at God's Promise to establish his house and throne forever before him, 2 Sam. 7. 16. Then went King David and sat 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 wondered 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 holiness, 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 goodness; Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God, 1 John 3. 1. This is most wonderful, whether you consider, 1. God himself. 2. Or ourselves. Or, 3ly. The comprehensive efficacy of this. Or, 4ly. Other things in comparison with this. Or, 5ly. The fullness of it.

1. If you consider God himself. In himself, he is the Almighty God, the great possessor of heaven and earth, the eternal God, infinite in holiness, and wisdom, and power, there is no end of his greatness: He is the Lord, the Lord merci • ul, gracious, longsuffering, abundant in goodness • nd truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin, a God high above all gods.

Now what wonder is it, that this God will so far 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 choice treasure.

2. If you consider us in ourselves: What is man that thou art mindful of him! or the son of man that thou visitest him! saith David, Psalm 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 innocence; 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 less than to be a friend unto an enemy: To show favor to one who never deserved wrath, is inferior to this, viz. to show the greatest kindness 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 kindness.

3. If you consider the comprehensive efficacy of this, that God is to us a God 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 settled upon you: all is given unto you, when God gives himself unto you: He is your Sun, 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 certain and stable, so they are more high and full. You are now interested in such mercies, and in such fruitions which Adam never did, or could taste of in his original state of righteousness.

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 far short of them, and therefore far 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 holiness, as is the God of holiness: Nor happiness, as is the God of happiness: 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 anything is given, is above the means for which it is given.

5. If you consider the fullness 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 anymore 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 it) that God is our God, and that we are his people? then let us try ourselves 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 mankind, 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 business, 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 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 always bestows on them with whom he is a God in Covenant: God is never a God in Covenant 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 kind 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 man's 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 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 terms to be a husband unto a woman, it she disagree, if she cannot like the person, or his terms, 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 terms proposed, he proposeth such terms 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, Levite. 11. 44. I am the Lord your God, ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, 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 holiness, I hate it, and I scorn 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. Again, God saith, you would have me to be the Lord your God in Covenant; If so, then you must obey the voice 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 profess 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.

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 incline 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 man's heart be in league and Covenant with any sin, it cannot be in Covenant with God. Did God ever say, I will be a God to any man who loves his sins, and will not part with them! I tell you the Lord abhors 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 sin, if he saith I love this sin, 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 drunkenness, or my uncleanness, &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. Unto 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 behind 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 sin, 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, not consent to take and receive him for King, Priest, and Prophet; Ye will not come • to me that • e might have life, John 5. 4. We will not have this man to reign 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 to be their God in Covenant. The misery is so great, and so sad, that I know not well how to express it to you.

1. You are wholly and utterly excluded from all good and happiness. You have nothing to do with happiness, nor with anything 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 Savior; 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 happiness, 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 blessedness to me.

2. You have none to go unto in any distress and want. In the times of your distress whither will you fly, 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 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 threatenings 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 judgment 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 abhor and reject you: He is a faithful God, who will certai • lie execute the fierenesse of his wrath, and all the evil which he hath threatened in his Word against you, and you shall never escape that judgment; it shall certainly befall you, and abide on you to all eternity.

4. Against all this, you have no remedy, no hope. All the hope of a sinner is in a Mediator; but Christ is the Mediator of the Covenant; There is no Mediator 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 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 choice 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 dependence 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 answerable and reciprocal acts between God and you.

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

1. There is his choosing act; he makes choice 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 thy time was the time of love. And I sware unto thee, and entered into Covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine, Ezek. 16. 18.

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

4. There is his imparting act: He doth in this Covenant bestow himself, and all that he hath, or can do, upon us. I am thine, and I will bless 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 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, 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 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 favor to them, how sweet are their mutual communions?

3. Engage themselves unto him: Many Nations shall be joined to the Lord in 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 custom 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 ourselves unto him, and bind ourselves unto him.

4. Impart themselves, and all that they have, or can do unto him; their hearts 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 ourselves, 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 forever? 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 wisdom, 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 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 yourselves, 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 Sin 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. Levite. 20. 26. You shall be holy unto me, for I the Lord am holy, and have severed 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 sum 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 wisdom, 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 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 oath people in the earth do enjoy; what peculiar things do we enjoy, I will tell you.

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

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

3. You enjoy that power of renewing grace which none else do enjoy; That cleansing from sin, Jer. 33. 8. That subduing of sin, Micah 7. 19. That freedom 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 speak peace unto his people, Psal. 85. 8. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God, Isa. 40. 1. Sing and rejoice, 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, everyone to whom God is a God in Covenant.

1. Either hath expressly found everyone 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 witness 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 hear 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 favor of God, is it the mercy of God, is it renewing, and subduing grace? I have nothing until I have these, and I cannot be satisfied until 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 subordination, and by your conformity of your wills to God's Will; Beloved, the Covenant betwixt God and us, takes in these two things.

1. Subordination. For it is an agreement betwixt a Superior and an Inferior; betwixt the great God who is the Lord of all, and poor miserable man, who is inferior to him, and is to subject himself to his God, as to his Lord and Sovereign, 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 sovereign 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 judgment, 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 judgment, 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 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 favor 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 rejoicing, it is such a cordial, it is such a sweet day to your souls; 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 dependence on God as your God in Covenant; you will go to him, and 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 all-sufficient God, to your Sun, 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 shall propound these, 1. In general. 2. In particular.

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

1. Chiefnesse of good; Mans happiness must be the best of good. No good [below man] can be the happiness of man; and therefore man's happiness 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. Fullness of good; it must be such a good as comprehends all the 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 suitable, or it is not extensive, if it cannot fully reach unto, and fill up the soul; it is not blessedness, for blessedness is perfect; it cannot consist with want; now such a good God only is.

3. Fruition of, and propriety in that good: Objective blessedness may be without our fruition; but our formal blessedness doth consist in our enjoyment of that blessedness 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 forever and ever.

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

• 1. That God is, and that he only is our blessedness.
• 2. What that is which makes up our blessedness in God.
• 3. That everyone who hath God to be his God, doth enjoy everything which makes up that blessedness.

1. That God is, and that he only is our blessedness, this will presently appear by these three Arguments.

1. Blessedness 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 blessedness 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 all-sufficiency, and by his own infiniteness (all-sufficiency is perfection, and infiniteness 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 less you enjoy of him, the more, or the less perfect you are; you climb up to your perfection, as you climb up in your enjoyments of him: the more that you are brought into a likeness 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 less need you will have 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 blessedness, besides God himself, 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. Survey all the wants and complaints of the soul; 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 let them all fall into your possession, yet, is your condition low, imperfect, needy, unhappy, unless you come to enjoy God; therefore he only is your perfection.

2. Blessedness 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 journeys end.

Blessedness 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, 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 enjoys honors, or riches, or friends, or health, or liberty; yea, though he enjoys 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 blessedness is a complete 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.

3. Blessedness is that good which is most desirable, and most delightful; for it is the greatest goodness, 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 goodness itself, 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 rejoice 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 rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.

2. What that is in and from God which makes up our blessedness, or a blessedness 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 unhappiness consists in dissimilitude (the more unlike any man is to God, the more unhappy is that man) where nothing of God appears, there nothing of happiness appears, (for there can be nothing but darkness, where there is nothing of light.) So on the contrary, our happiness depends upon similitude with God; The more like we are to him, the more blessed are we. The Apostle delivers this as our very blessedness, that when he appears we shall be like him, 1 Joh. 3. 2. Hence it is, that holy persons are styled blessed persons: Blessed are the pure in heart, Matth. 5. 8. and holiness is happiness. Imperfect holiness, is imperfect happiness; and perfect holiness is perfect happiness. 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 blessedness, for God is now the more yours.

3. Union. As dissimilitude with God, hinders God from being our blessedness: 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 blessedness unto us; and indeed here lies our blessedness, that God unites himself unto us, and we are united to him. He unites 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. 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 united to us by love; when he loves us, he joins 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 in God's 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 everyone who hath God for his God in Covenant, doth enjoy every 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 forever. Bernard saith, Lord, whatsoever we give thee, unless we give ourselves unto thee, it doth not satisfy thee; So we must say, Lord, whatsoever thou givest to us, it cannot satisfy 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 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 married to the Lord. Thy Maker is thy husband, Isa. 54. 5. And to be joined 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 with his Son 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 Son 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 myself in loving kindness, 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 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 Mediatorship are yours, and for your good.
• 4. Then the Holy Ghost, and all the excellent and choice works of the Spirit, his graces, assistance, guidance, refreshings, joys, 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 privileges 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 God's being in Covenant with us, may be awakened, excited and allured, to come off from their sins and sinful ways, 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, 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 pass, 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 Sons 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 always 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 forever and ever, because he hath chosen us, and ordained us to salvation. Luke 10. 20. Rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Oh, to be interested in that love of God, out of which Christ comes, and mercy comes, and all our good comes! To be interested in that love which is so free, so liberal, so invariable! To be interested 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 interested in that election which begins in choicest love, and ends in fullest blessedness! Certainly, these are grounds of highest comfort, and of sweetest joy: and in these are all such interested, 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 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 honors, and for his wisdom, 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 God's, 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 show 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 all-sufficiency. I am God Almighty (or all-sufficient) saith God to Abraham, Gen. 17. 1. (i. e.) I am an infinitely perfect • fullness to myself, and of myself; I am absolutely enough, and need or want nothing; and I will be enough, I will be a fullness to you, you shall not need any other but myself, to supply you with any good which you shall want, or to secure you from any evil which you fear. This is all-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 all-sufficiency, God doth • ngage himself to be unto everyone 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 all-sufficiency, and will see unto thee, that thou shalt have enough, thou shalt not want anything. 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 all-sufficiency, and he is your all-sufficiency; all that you have comes from him; and all that you want, shall be supplied 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 all-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 fullness 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; Sin 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 weakness, 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 Lord's and the fullness thereof: If all the earth can help you, you shall not want any good; nay, if the earth, or means do fail, God himself will not fail you, but will create good, and help, and salvation for you.

2. God is mercifulness: 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, 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 styled 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, Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, 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 God's people, but the very heart of God acts towards them, and yearns over them: when he shows mercy to them, mercy comes from his very heart and bowels.

2. Another is, forgiveness of sins; that essential propension in God to pardon sin, to pass by transgression, to blot out iniquity, and never to remember sin anymore. 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 breadth in this mercy; it can pardon many sins, great sins, abundant sins; and a length in this mercy; it is everlasting, and endures forever: 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 remembering them anymore) 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 sins were pardoned, and how shall I get my sins 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 Controversy is at an end, when mercy pardons sin. Now enmity is slain, and wrath and curse go off (for these follow sin 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 favor.

3. When mercy pardons sin, then conscience is at rest; The broken bones are at ease and rejoice, Psal. 51. (True peace follows full remission of sins) and then joy comes into the heart (Be of good comfort, thy sins 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. 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 sins will I remember no more. Isa. 40. 1. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Ver. 2. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, 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 sins into the depth of the sea. Ver. 20. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham.

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

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

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

3. That he will forgive all your sins, though they have been many, though 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 transgressions for mine own sake, and I will not remember thy sins, Isa. 43. 25. and Luke 7. 42.

5. That he will everlastingly forgive your sins; 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, Jer. 31. 20.

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

God's holiness, is his infinitely pureness without all sin, yea, hating of it. Being also the cause of all the holiness 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 holiness, the more excellent is he.

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

Unto the Father: Holy Father, keep through thine own Name, those whom thou hast given me, John 17. 11. Unto the Son, 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. 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 holiness 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 styled holy, Isa. 4. 3. are styled the glory, ver. 5.

3. It is necessary unto glory, unto that glory which shall be revealed, unto 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 holiness, 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 near you, nor impart himself unto you, unless you be holy. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 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 holiness.

5. It is the pawn and pledge of future glory, the first-fruits of the Spirit, Rom. 8. 23. The earnest of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 1. 22. The sealing of the holy Spirit is styled 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, 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 everyone 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 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 Joshua the High Priest; The Lord said, Take away his filthy garments from him. Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment, Zach. 3. 4. So the Lord deals with every person unto whom he is a God in Covenant; He cleanseth them from all their filthiness (I will cleanse them from all their iniquities, Jer. 33. 8.) I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean, Ezek. 36. 25. So Ezek. 37. 23. They shall not desile themselves anymore with their Idels, but I will cleanse them, so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.

2. He will increase your holiness: He will sanctify you throughout, 1 Thes. 5. 23. (He will give more grace, James 4. 6.) He will strengthen what he hath wrought, Psal. 68. 28. Holiness is like the waters of the Sanctuary, in Ezek. 47. • . 4, 5. To the ankles, 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 holiness, and you (being holy) in holiness; To the end he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness, 1 Thes. 3. 13. and 1 Thes. 5. 23. I pray God that your whole spirit and soul, and body be preserved blameless 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 perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.

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

5. He will crown your holiness; ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life, Rom. 6. 22. Blessed are the poor in heart, for they shall see God, Matth. 5. 8. Therefore is holiness 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 combats, at last it is in victory and glory.

4. God is an Omniscient God; he knows all things whatsoever, and all persons, and all conditions, and all the hearts, and all the counsels, and thoughts, and words, and ways 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 God's Omniscience. There is not any creature that is not manifest in his sight. There be many millions of millions of creatures, and they be far 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 run 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 child 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 ways, 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 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 God's omniscience 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 unless he were omniscient, unless 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 unless 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 express 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 you, whether you consider what he knows, or how he knows, as concerning yourselves.

For what he knows as concerning yourselves and your conditions. The Lord knows who are his, 2 Tim. 2. 19.

He knows the integrity of your hearts, notwithstanding all your weakness and failings. But the High places were not taken away, nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days, 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 knows all your wants, and all your distresses. I know thy works, and tribulation 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 the heart, knows what is the mind 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 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 I know their sorrows, 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 child, and pities the child 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 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 find 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, and my dishonor, mine adversaries are all before thee, Isa. 37. 28. I know thy abode, 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 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 wisdom, Job 36. 5. God only wise, Rom. 16. 27. and this God is your God, and you are the better for his wisdom. For,

1. Your wise God guides and orders everything 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 honor and respect, and that shall do you good; sometimes you have dishonor 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 calm, 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 miss of any good whatsoever: God hath promised you in its season; the appointing and choosing, and hitting of seasons peculiarly belong to wisdom. Therefore Solomon saith, A wise man's 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 succor 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; wisdom itself 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 wisdom and knowledge of God! we are many times in straits, in difficulties, and in Jehoshaphat’s 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 wisdom 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 behind 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 show you the path of life, and show you all the ways how to find peace and rest for your souls.

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

Our Savior 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 craftiness, and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong: did not the wise God do this to Pharaoh, to Balak, 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 God; therefore he will debate with you, and correct you in measure, neither will he lay upon you more than is right, Isaiah 27. 8. Job 34. 23. A father will not give the child as much physic as he can pour into the cup, only so much as is fit for his recovery. And no heavier burden will he lay on, than his child 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 enable 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 of outward blessings: He hath his reasons for them both, and those very strong and sufficient to satisfy 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 find means and ways to bring in unto you all the good which he hath promised unto you; your when, and your how, fall within the compass 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 wisdom, 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; above seventy times is he styled 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 greatness and the power, ver. 12. In thine hand is power and might, Job 37. 23. Touching the Almighty we cannot find 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 a true saying, that Po • entia sequitur essentiam, there is always 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 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 anything which God could not do or perform, there should then be some insufficiency and defect, and weakness in his nature.

And besides all this, there would be an uncertain foundation for our faith to rest upon God, If there should be anything 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 add more reasons for the demonstration of God's 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 their God (he that saith 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 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 cried 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 barn-floor, or out of the wine-press? 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 wisdom, your God is able to give it; and you need mercy and grace, and comfort, and strength, and deliverance, and faith, patience, love, meekness, 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 Wilderness, 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 Quails, &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 confess 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: Omnipotency is (of itself) sufficient for all your helps and supplies; as it can do all things, so it can do all things from itself: 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 of that good: If he will bless 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 jealousy, are we stronger than he? So say I, Will any contend with the Almighty God? Can they bind his hand? Are they stronger than the Almighty and Omnipotent God? Isa. 46. 9. I am God, and there is none else; 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 less than nothing and vanity. Beloved! you cannot put any supposition as a prejudice unto God's 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 devils, and the greatness 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 bless 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 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 perform the truth to Jacob, and the oath to Abraham, Micah 7. 20.

2. His unchangeableness or unfaithfulness: I will not suffer my faithfulness to fail, 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 persuaded that what he had promised, he was able to perform, 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 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 sown 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 sins, 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 far, 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 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 itself 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 arms. 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 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 ourselves to keep out selves, but there is power enough in God; and we are kept by the power of God (even unto salvation) until we come to the heavenly glory.

7. If your God be an Omnipotent God, he can easily help you and enable you 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 Chrysostom; he is able to enable you for all your duties, I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me, Phil. 4. 13.

7. A seventh Attribute wherein God is engaged unto you, is faithfulness; your God is often styled 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 four things in the faithfulness of God.

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 mind another; ptomise much, and never intend to do anything; 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 steadfast, he is still in the same mind, 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 certainly perform unto you whatsoever good he hath promised, Gen. 28. 15. I will surely do thee good, and I will not leave thee until 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 rejoice 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 lie; though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come. Micah 7. 20. Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

4. Fullness and exactness of performance, not failing his people in any one 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 pass unto you, and not one thing hath 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 forever, 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 perform what he hath promised? if I were sure that he were sure, he will not fail me, this would stay me, this would satisfy 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 faithfulness of God is a sure pledge unto you for all your enjoyments: It is (if I may so express it) the very seal of God to perform 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 lie, hath promised, Titus 1. 2. God hath promised to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from our sins, and he is faithful to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, 1 Joh. 1. 9. God hath promised to sanctify 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 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 fail me! why? this comes close to God, this concerns him near; he hath taken his Oath upon it, that he will not lie, 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 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 perform 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 fail thee, and though thy heart fail thee; yet thy God will never fail 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 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 sin, 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 lie, 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 succor you.

5. The faithfulness of God will break down all contrarieties, and contradictions, and oppositions; Heaven and earth shall sooner fail and pass, than that one Word or title of God's 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, 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 choose, 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 confirms upon his people; and the cause of them all, is the graciousness 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 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.

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

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 completing of us, and of all our blessings; and by grac • are we saved, Eph. 2. 5, 8. This is certain, that God's 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 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 or hinder you in your addresses unto him, and expectations from him. The graciousness 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 greatness of our sins.
• 2. A second, is the greatness of God's mercies we need.
• 3. A third is the greatness of our unworthiness.
• 4. A fourth is the greatness of our evil deserts.

My sins 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 graciousness of God is able effectually to remove all these discouragements.

1. Your sins 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 God: As he hath riches of mercy, so he hath riches of grace: And as he promiseth to forgive the sins of his people, so he promiseth to forgive their sins freely (the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace, Eph. 1. 7.) And this remember withal, that the gracious God forgives the greatest sins, as well as the least sins of his people upon the same terms of graciousness. In Luke 7. we read of a less debtor who owed fifty pence; and of a greater debtor, who owed five hundred pence, ver. 41. and the Creditor freely forgave them both, verse 42. so, &c. Your God hath not one way to forgive less sins, and another way to forgive greater sins; but though the sins 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, 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 forever, that all the bonds of God's 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 terms as you have the least.

3. O but I am so unworthy of these mercies! What am I, and what is there in 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 unworthiness 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 finds the price of all mercies in itself, it is the only reason of our enjoyments.