The Mystery and Marrow of the Bible

New Covenant, in this Grand Promise.

2. Of the Goodness and Bountifulness of God to his Federates. Oh how Matchless, how Infinite! God Promiseth for himself, what he will be: God Promiseth for them, what they shall be: God undertakes all for both Parties, and what he undertakes must needs be. Behold, admire, and adore this boundless bounty and Goodness of God. 1. What doth God Promise for himself? That he will be to them a God. And, what could God Promise more, then God? what can God give more, then God? what can his Federates want, desire, or enjoy more, then God? God is above all goodness that can be Desired, Promised, Performed or Possessed. What doth not God Promise in this Promise of himself to us? If God had Promised, I will be their Refuge, and Strength and Present help in trouble; I will be their Rock, Fortress, Deliverer, Buckler, Horn of their Salvation, and their high Tower, I will be their Shield about them, their Glory, and the lifter up of their head; I will be their Sun, their Shield, and their exceeding great Reward; I will be their Lord, their King, their Father, their Husband, &c. If I say God had Promised these things, he had promised very great and precious Blessings: but when he Promiseth, I will be to them a God, now he Promiseth most of all. Beyond this Promise, what can be Promised? Or what is there Promisable? 2. What doth God Promise for his Federates? That they shall be to him a People. And what can they perform more to God then Themselves! nay because they cannot perform themselves to God, he undertakes for them, He will see this shall be done. There shall be no impediment of unwillingness in him, he will be theirs: there shall be no impediment of weakness in them, they shall be his. Heres bounty upon bounty: heres Goodness upon Goodness.

3. Of the Happiness of all God's sincere Federates. Wherein? In this especially and principally; That the LORD is their Covenant-God, and they his Covenant People. When the Psalmist had reckoned up many Outward blessings, and thereupon concluded, O the Happinesses of that people that is in such a case: By way of Correction he presently adds▪ O the Happinesses of that people of whom the LORD is their God, this is, of all other, The Happiness: No Happiness in the world like this Happiness. For, 1. Herein God's Federates are (as hath formerly been shown) a Priviledged People above all people of the world. 2. Herein Their Dignity is very high, and their advantage manifold. As hath been in six Particulars formerly manifested. 3. Hence, They may be abundantly assured, that they shall want neither Promises nor Mercies: having this Promise of Promises, this Mercy of Mercies, theirs. As hath been evidenced. 4. Hereby, God's Federates are established, In the sweetest Relation to God, In the richest Interest in God, In the Nearest and Dearest Communion with God. Oh, what Familiarity is there, in that Relation! what Sufficiency, in that Interest! what Felicity, in that Communion! This Famliarity is most delighting: This Sufficiency is most satisfying: This Felicity is most ravishing, to all the sincere Federates of God.

4. Of the Fewness of God's true and sincere Federates even under this New Covenant. There are many formal and nominal, but few Real Federates with God: there are many Federates by Outward Profession; but few, oh how few, Federates by Inward Constitution. why? Because they are few, very few, that Have the LORD for their Covenant God, or that have resigned up themselves again unto God to be his Covenant-people. How few are they that are God's people only? His in Christ; His in all Relations; His wholly and entirely, In all they are, In all they have, In all they can do, In all they can endure? Now none are God's sincere New Covenant-Federates indeed, but those alone who have the Lord for their God, and are themselves his People.

5. Finally, Of the wretchedness of all Non-Federates whatsoever. For, 1. The Lord is not their God in Covenant, nor are they God's Covenant people. They have as yet no saving Covenant-Relation to God, Interest in him, or Communion with him. 2. In despising and neglecting God's Covenant, they neglect and despise God, Jesus Christ, and all true happiness. And this is wretchedness unspeakable, Eph. 2. 12.

II. Here's notable matter for Probation and Examination of our true New-Covenant Condition. Let us diligently examine ourselves, accurately prove our own selves, whether we be of the House of Israel and Judah, whether we be among the number of God's sincere New Covenant Federates, or no. But how shall we discover this? Two ways; 1. If the Lord be our Covenant-God. 2. If we be God's Covenant-People. If this glorious Promise and Clause of the New Covenant be effectually verified and performed to us, and fulfilled upon us: If God be sayingly ours, and we sincerely his: then we are in a right New Covenant state.

(I.) Is the LORD become our God in Covenant?

That the Lord is our Covenant-God, we may discover three ways, viz. 1. By his Federal impressions and operations upon us. 2. By our Covenant-Relation unto him. 3. By our suitable deportment towards him as our God in Covenant.

First, By his Federal impressions and operations upon us, as our Covenant-God. When the Lord becomes our Covenant-God, he imprints and works upon us certain marks and characters of his Covenant. He effectually delineates and deeply ingraves upon our Spirits, The Blessings, Benefits, Effects and Fruits of his special favor, promised in his Covenant. Hereby he makes a great, and a very observable alteration upon us: so that they on whom these Federal impressions are instamped, cannot choose but in some measure discern them. Take these Instances;

1. He puts a New Spirit, even his own Spirit, within us: As our Covenant-God. By this New Spirit. I here understand God's own Spirit. Called God's Spirit, in Opposition to our own mere carnal Spirit: And, A New Spirit, in opposition to our old natural corrupt sinful frame of heart and Spirit; As also in regard of its excellent New effects upon us, Renewing, New-creating, making all things New within us, Mind, Conscience, Will, Affections, Old things pass away, and all things become new, Tit. 3. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 17. This is God's great Covenant-impression upon us, he puts his own Spirit within us, he makes him ours, he gives us actual possession of him. Hath the Lord put his own Spirit within us? Then he is our God in Covenant.

Hereby we shall know if God's Spirit be within us, For, then he is become to us; 1. A convincing Spirit, John. 16. 9, 10, 11. He convinceth us, ( ¹ ) Of our own sinfulness and misery, especially in regard of our not believing in Jesus Christ; Unbelief being the great sin of the world. ( ² ) Of the Al-sufficient Remedy against this sin and misery; viz. Christ's perfect Mediatory righteousness; herein clearly discovered, that death and grave were not able to hold him, as they hold sinners, but he Revived, Rose, and Ascended to his Father as a Righteous Conqueror of Sin and Death. Had there been but one sin in him; or but one sin of his Elect imputed to him for which he had not fully satisfied his Fathers Justice, he could never have got out of his grave, or have ascended to his Father. (3) Of Christ's supreme Lordship or Sovereignty over all his and his people's enemies, in that he hath subdued and judged Satan the Prince of this world, his and their grand enemy. 2. A Converting, Renewing, Regenerating and Sanctifying Spirit, Tit. 3. 5. John. 3. 3, 5. 1 Cor. 6. 11. The immediate Author and Worker of all grace in the soul: Sanctifying it throughout. So that every true Grace is an evidence of the Spirit of Grace in us. 3. An enlivening or quickening Spirit, Rom. 8. 2. It makes them, that were dead in sin, live to God. All acts of such life, as Spiritual Nourishment, Growth, Motion, Sense, Fruitfulness, &c. are Discoveries of the power of Christ's Spirit of life in us. 4. A G •… ding and Governing Spirit, Rom. 8. 14. He g •… des and leads all God's children in the ways of God. Are we led by this Spirit? 5. A Praying Spirit, Rom. 8. 15. 26. He enables us to cry Abba Father, with servant desires and groans that cannot be uttered. Its not words and phrases and method in praying (which Art may suggest) but unutterable sighs and groans which this spirit of supplication furnisheth us withal. 6. A witnessing Spirit. It beareth witness with our Spirits, that we are the children of God, Rom. 8. 15, 16. It discovers to our Spirits whom the Word counts God's children, with their several notes and characters. It also discovers to us, that there notes and properties of God's children are in us. For, The Spirit is therefore given us, that by him we might discover and know the things that are freely given us of God, 1 Cor. 2. 12. And upon these two discoveries it enables our Spirits or Consciences to digest all into a practical Syllogism, or experimental Discourse, for the evincing of our good estate to us. 7. Finally, God's Spirit is ( ⁱ ) A Comforting Spirit, still dwelling in God's people; and yielding them a continual stream (if not of sensible refreshing, yet) of secret supporting Comfort. He keeps them from fainting, sinking and despairing under greatest discouragements.

2. He writes his Law in their Hearts and inwards. He writes his Law in their Hearts, Powerfully, Universally, Evidently, I •… libly. ^1. So powerfully, that he leaves an impression, a dint, and an image of his Law upon the heart, which the heart is not able to withstand or resist. ^2. So Universally, that there is not any branch of God's Law left out. Every Law, Every branch of his Law, is in some measure put there. He hath something in his heart that answers to every particle of the Law, as the Counter-pain to the Deed. 3. So evidently, that if others cannot read the inscription, yet themselves can spell it out in some good measure by the assistance of God's Spirit, whereby they know the things given them of God. 4. So indelibly, that the impression of God's Law can never be blo •… ted out of the Heart. This is not like writing Letters in the dust or water, that are presently obliterated; but like writing in marble or steel, most permanent. God's Law is enter▪ woven into the very frame and texture of the heart, that it is inseparably fixed there. Thus it was written in David's heart, that he could never forget his Statutes. But how may we know that God's Law is written thus in our Hearts? Answ. This I have elsewhere cleared by four discoveries, viz. 1. The Hearts Conformity to the Law. 2. The Hearts New •… ss. 3. The 〈◊〉 Spiritual •… enderness and Softness. 4. The Hearts Obedientialness. There see.

3. He gives them an Heart to know God, that he is the LORD: the Covenant-keeping, and promise-performing LORD. To know him truly, experimentally, affectively, obedientially, &c. Evidences of true Covenant-knowledge of the Lord, have been also elsewhere hinted. Consult them.

4. He takes away their hard and stony heart, giving them a Tender, Tractable, Fleshy Heart. He transforms stone into Flesh. This tender, soft broken spirit is God's Sacrifices, which he will not despise. The truth of this Tenderness and Brokenness of Spirit, I have formerly elsewhere discovered, I. By the Concomitants or Companions attending upon a broken spirit, viz. 1. A Spirit of Prayer. 2. Humility. 3. Love to Jesus Christ. 4. Obedience. II. By the Adjuncts or Properties of true tenderness of Heart, viz. 1. Mourning for sins of others, especially public sins. 2. Clearest and saddest apprehensions of its own Sinfulness. 3. Greatest perplexity at Sin, as against God and Jesus Christ. 4. Trembling at God's Word, and at God's Rod. 5. Endeavouring seriously, and setting speedily upon a Real Reformation.

5. He Converts them entirely and effectually to himself from Sin and Iniquity. He converts them both in Heart and Life; both in Inward Disposition, and outward Conversation. The truth of such Conversion, I have already discovered in another Treatise: There See.

6. He sets his Tabernacle amongst them, walks amongst them, dwells with them and in them: that is, He affords them special Communion with himself; fellowship with Father, Son, and Holy-ghost. The sweet presence, influence and refreshments of his Spirit, Graces and Comforts, he imparts unto them. This is Heaven on Earth. Now of this Fellowship with God and Jesus Christ I have elsewhere laid down many Evident discoveries, to which I refer the Reader for his fuller Satisfaction: In perusal whereof I hope he shall not lose his labor.

7. Finally, He makes them Constant and Stedfast to himself in Covenant. He so principles them, and over-rules them: He so secures them, and undertakes for them, that they shall not depart away from him; That they shall be his People. These and like Federal Impressions the Lord works and stamps upon us, when he becomes our Covenant-God. And this is one way whereby we may discern whether the Lord be our God in Covenant, or no. Have we these Covenant-impressions and characters upon us?

Secondly, By our Covenant-Relation unto God, we may evidently know whether the Lord is become our Covenant-God. In all Covenants there is established a Covenant-Relation, a mutual reciprocal Relation betwixt the Federates. So in this New Covenant most eminently between God and us; if we be Christ's, if we be true believers: There is a mutual Relation, Ier. 13. 33. Heb. 8. 10. If the Lord become our Covenant-God: then we become his Covenant-people. And if we become his Covenant-people, he also is our Covenant-God. These Relations do mutually imply one another, do reciprocally and necessarily infer and answer one another. Are we brought into this Covenant-Relation unto God? Are we become, not only in profession and name, but in deed and in truth God's Covenant-people? Then the Lord is our Covenant-God.

But how may we discover that we are God's Covenant-people, Not only in name and by visible profession, but also in deed by invisible participation of the saving benefits of the Covenant? Answ. By these ensuing Adjunct, and Properties of God's Covenant-people, viz.

1. God's New Covenant-people are effectually called. Not only outwardly and ineffectually, but also inwardly and effectually called. The vessels of mercy fore prepared unto glory, are a Called people, and so become God's people. They are called from darkness into his marvelous light: From Sin to Grace, From the power of Satan to God. God called Abraham effectually, when he first entered into Covenant with him savingly. People uncalled by God, are as yet un-covenanted with God. They are in a Contrary Covenant and League with Sin and Satan, inconsistent with the Covenant of God. This wretched League is broken and dissolved by effectual Calling, that we may join in Covenant with God. Are we effectually called?

2: God's New Covenant-people are an Holy, Select and separated people. They are selected and culled out from among all other people. They are drawn out and segregated from the Common Corrupt mass of the world. Holiness implies a Separation from common, profane, impure State, Society and Use, to Peculiar, Spiritual, Sacred State and Use. I will dwell in them, and walk in them, said God; and I well be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, &c. upon this their being separated from their common and impure condition and society to God and his ways, they are styled, A chosen generation, an holy Nation, and a peculiar treasure unto God above all people. Are we separated from the common, impure mass of mankind, or are we mingled with them? have we renounced ungodliness and worldly lusts, Tit. 2. 11, 12. or do we still live therein? when God brought Abraham to be one of his Covenant-people, he called and separated him from his corrupt, ungodly and idolatrous State in Chaldea, unto himself, and to a godly State in him, Gen. 12. 1, 2, 3, &c.

3. God's New Covenant-people are a Self-Denying people. This Christ frequently calls for in his Disciples. This the Grace of God, that is, God's Doctrine of Grace, (which is especially contained in the Gospel, and New Covenant) teacheth them that are to be his people in reference to their enjoyment of God in Jesus Christ; Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear: Forget also thine own people, and thy fathers. House. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord, and worship thou him. And this they perform, that accept God's Covenant. They are content to deny not only all their Self-sinfulness: but all their selfrighteousness, self excellency, self-perfection, self-wisdom, self-will, self-love, self-relations, and whatsoever self-enjoyments in the world, that might stand in opposition to, or in competition with this Covenant with God. They see so much transcendent worth and excellency in God, that they can freely sell all, part with all, that they may enjoy the Lord as their Covenant-God. Thus Abraham denied and forsook his Native Country, Kindred, and Fathers House, for God. Thus Paul denied all his carnal prerogatives, counting them and all things but loss and dung for the excellency of Jesus Christ, & that he might be found in him. Can we thus deny ourselves?

4. God's New Covenant-people are a willing people. God said to Jesus Christ; Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy Power. That is thy peculiar people, especially thy true New Covenant-people and members, they shall not be as Naturally they once were; Enemies to God and all his ways; or compulsorily, forcedly, unwillingly willing through predominancy of fear, danger, punishment, &c. as the Samaritans feared God for his lions; or half-willing, having in some good pangs or moods, certain imperfect and faint velleities and ungrounded inclinations to good, as Agrippa Almost persuaded to be a Christian: But they shall thoroughly and willingly subject and devote themselves to thy Government, to thee and thy ways; and they shall freely yield up themselves souls and bodies as cheerful Volunteers to serve in thy wars against thine Enemies. Jesus Christ is their chief-captain. He now Rules and will still Rule in the midst of his Enemies, till the worlds End, when they shall all be put under his feet. His peculiar people they shall lay aside their enmity against God and Christ, they shall not remain Enemies with the world as once they were, but shall be a willing people: willing to be ruled by Christ; willing to serve him, to side with him, to do anything for him; Their Members shall be weapons of righteousness for him, Themselves shall be even Sacrifices to him. They will serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind, They will run the ways of his Commandments with enlarged hearts, They will delight to do his will, It shall be their meat and drink, &c. murmuring, grumbling, irksomness, &c. shall be far from them. An excellent Pattern of this willing-heartedness see in the Primitive Christians, Acts 2. 41. to the end. & 4. 4, 32. to the end. Are we God's Volunteers?

5. God's New Covenant-people are his Temple. Ye are the Temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. What the Temple at Jerusalem was of old materially and typically, that God's people now are Spiritually and truly in reference unto God. ^1. The Temple was the Special place of God's presence and habitation. He dwelt between the Cherubims. There he met with his people, and communed with them. So God's people are built up a Spiritual House, for an habitation of God through the Spirit. Know ye not that ye are the Temple of God: and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? God dwells in them, manifests himself to to them, sups with them and they with him, affords them sweet heavenly Communion with himself. ^2. The Temple was the place of public worship and Sacrifices. So God's people are the Receptacles of God's spiritual inward worship in Heart and Soul. 3. The Temple in regard both of God's presence and worship was relatively holy, and not to be defiled with legal impurities. So God's people are Holy, and not to be defiled with sinful impurities. Are we such Temples of God? Doth God dwell in us? Is his worship seated in our hearts? Do we keep ourselves Holy and undefiled?

6. God's New Covenant people are an Holy and royal Priesthood. Peter stiles them that are God's people, sometimes an Holy Priesthood, sometimes a royal Priesthood. That is, Kings and Priests to God, as elsewhere it is expressed in Scripture. Kings, As having Rule and dominion, in and by Christ's Kingly power, over all our Spiritual enemies, Sin, The world, Afflictions, Death, and all the powers of darkness. Over all these we are in Christ more then Conquerors, even triumphers. And shall at last sit as Kings with Christ to judge the world, at least by acclamation and assent to Christ's righteous judgments. After which, we shall reign with Christ in heavenly glory forever and ever. Priests to offer up spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ: As Prayers, Praises, Thanksgivings, Obedience, &c. And to show forth the virtues of him, who hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light, viz. to show forth his Power, Wisdom, Grace, Love, Mercy, Long-suffering, &c. Are we such Kings and Priests, have we such Kingly and Priestly abilities?

7. God's New Covenant-people are God's children, his sons and daughters; and God is a Father unto them. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not my people; there they shall be called, the children of the living God. Had the exact opposition of the phrase been observed here, the words should have run thus▪ There they shall be called the people of the living God: but he saith, the children of the living God, intimating that God's people are also God's children. And elsewhere having said; I will be their God, and they shall be my people: he adds, And I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. Are we God's children? Then certainly we are God's New Covenant-people. God's children may hereby be discerned; 1. They are born again of the Spirit of God, supernaturally. 2. They have Received Jesus Christ by Faith, and he dwells in their hearts. 3. They have the Spirit of Adoption in their hearts, crying Abba Father, with groans that cannot be uttered. 4. They are like their heavenly Father that spiritually begat them. They partake his divine Nature, and have the very image of God in Knowledge, Righteousness, and true Holiness inprinted upon them. 5. They are conformed to Jesus Christ, the First-born among many brethren. 6. They are led and guided by the Spirit of God. He acts and moves in them, He stears and regulates them, He works all in them. But contrariwise Satan is the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience. By that evil Spirit they are acted and guided. Now if we have these Characters of God's children, we are his children and New Covenant-people. But besides these I have ( ^g ) elsewhere largely opened and cleared nine other evidences, of our Regeneration, Adoption and Sonship, whereby we may know whether we be the children of God. Thither I refer the reader for fuller Satisfaction: The main body of that Treatise being spent about this very Argument.

8. Lastly, God's New Covenant-people are Christ's. They are more Christ's then their own: Yea they are not their own but Christ's.— All things are yours▪ and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's Seed, and heirs according to the promise. So that all who are Christ's, are Abraham's Covenant-Seed and heirs: Now all Abraham's sincere, Covenant-Seed since Christ, are God's New-Covenant-people, See Rom. 4. 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 23, 24. Gal. 3. 7, 8, 14. & 4. 24, 26, 27, 28, 31. They are first Christ's, as Mediator: and then they are God's in Christ. Are we Christ's? Are we his Redeemed ones, his Branches▪ his Members, his Espoused ones, &c? Then we are God's Covenant people. And we may know whether we be Christ's or no▪ by five evidences of being Christ's, formerly pointed at only, but now handled at large in the sixth Chapter of this fourth Book: And also by other Discoveries laid down elsewhere to that effect. Consult those places.

By these things we may know whether we are God's Covenant-people; whether we have a true saving Covenant Relation to God; and consequently whether the Lord be our God in Covenant; which is the Highest Covenant-Mercy of all. For by this Covenant-Relation unto God we may discern that the LORD is our Covenant-God.

Thirdly, By our Deportment and carriage towards him as our God in Covenant, we may notably discern that he is our Covenant-God, and that we have so accepted him. By what carriage of ours towards God, may this be discovered▪ Answ. 1. By esteeming him as our God. 2. By loving him, as our God. 3. By Trusting in him, as in our God. 4. By fearing him, as our God. 5. By serving him, as our God.

1. Do we esteem the Lord as our God? None can have the Lord to be their God in Covenant, who do not set him up and esteem him as their God. To esteem him as God, implies, 1. The Truth of estimation. When the Lord is accounted, esteemed and judged to be, as indeed he is, the only true God: and that all others are but pretended, imaginary and false God's, idols, and nothing in the world. Thus the Psalmist esteemed God; I know that the LORD is great, and our Lord above all God's.—The idols of the heathen are silver and Gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths but they speak not, &c. Do we thus look upon all other Deities mentioned in the world, as mere idols, fancies, lies, and vanities? 2. The height of estimation. When the LORD is valued and esteemed as most excellent, absolutely supreme, and infinitely High over all beings & creatures in the world. Infinitely above gold and silver, infinitely above honors, riches, and pleasures, infinitely above Heaven and Earth, Men and Angels, infinitely above all creatures and every name that is named both in this and the world to come. Being The King Eternal, Immortal, Invisible, The only wise God: The Blessed and only Potentate, The King of Kings, and Lord of Lord's, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen nor can see. When we esteem and prize him, as the only riches, the only portion, the only treasure; the only Happiness, the only Heaven. When we esteem and value our part and interest in him, in his Love and favor in Christ, far beyond all our part and interest in any or all other created comforts and enjoyments: and upon deliberate choice, could freely part with whatsoever is dear to us, in the world, rather then with him alone. When we thus enthrone the Lord in highest esteem over all, we notably esteem him and accept him as our God. What we estimate over all, that we account and accept as our God.

2. Do we love him as our God? Estimating, is an Act of the judgment; Affecting, is an act of the will and heart. Affection answers our estimation, and flows from it. If we esteem the Lord as our God, we cannot choose but desire, love and delight in the Lord as our God. That is, We shall love him wholly; We shall love him only. 1. We shall love the Lord wholly, with all that is within us. This is the first and great Commandment; Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart▪ and with all thy soul, and with all thy might, and (as our Savior adds) with all thy mind. When we once love the Lord as our God, we shall not reserve or divide our affections from him, but we shall turn the whole stream and united current of our affections towards him. We shall willingly let God have all: and think our All, too little for him. Why? Because we esteem him as most desirable, most amiable, most delectable over all the world. Because he hath loved us first, and that with an infinite love, when we were altogether loveless and loathsome. Therefore we owe him our whole love: for what is our love, to his love; or our All, to his All? Do we thus love him as our God, with an entire, perfect and whole love? Do our hearts turn wholly to him, as the needle to the Pole, or Loadstone? Do our affections flow wholly to him▪ as all the Rivers flow towards the Sea? This is a sign that he is our Covenant-God indeed. 2. We shall love the Lord only, so as to love none besides him with the like predominant and intensive love. When we truly love him as God, we in effect love nothing else but God. We love nothing else that stands in Opposition against God. Not Sin; Ye that love the Lord hate evil. Not the world; The love of this world is enmity against God, &c. We love nothing else that comes in Competition with God. We find more in our God, then in all things else. As David; whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. Our love to all inferior objects will be so small, that comparatively it may be counted as no love at all, yea as hatred to them. Do we thus love the Lord wholly and only as our God? Then the Lord is our God▪ When we truly love God, we love all things in and for God, and with reference to God, viz. God in them. But contrariwise they that intensively love their Belly over all, make their belly their God; love their pleasures over all, make their pleasures their God; love their Gold, Silver, Children, anything over all, or above what is meet such creatures should be loved, make such things their God.

3. Do we trust in the Lord as in our God? Then we trust in him, more then in all things else in the world. For, God is to be trusted in, rested and relied upon, more then all Means, helps, refuges, or creatures whatsoever. None can so supply our wants, suppress our fears, remove our dangers, facilitate our difficulties, and bestead us in all deepest and desperate plunges, as God alone. He can do it with means, without means, contrary unto means. Therefore Affiance, Trust and Confidence peculiarly belongs to God, as a special part of that Homage and Natural worship which is due to him by the first Commandment. Trust in the LORD with all thine heart. Trust in him at all times ye people, &c. Trust and Affiance in creatures, or in corruptions, or in anything besides the living God, is frequently forbidden and condemned. Lean not to thine own understanding.—Trust not in the uncertainty of Riches.—If riches increase, set not your hearts thereon.—Trust not in oppression.—It is better to trust in the LORD, then to put confidence in man: It is better to trust in the LORD, then to put confidence in Princes. Creature-Confidence is a kind of Idolatry; A putting creatures in God's stead. Hereupon God's faithful people have fled to their God as their only refuge and relief in straits and extremities, as having their saving interest in him only. Job said though he slay me, yet will I trust in him. Asa being to encounter with the huge host of the Ethiopians and Lubims, rested and relied only upon God. David expresseth himself sweetly; My Soul, wait thou only upon God: for my expectation is from him. He only is my Rock and my Salvation; He is my defense, I shall not be moved. In God is my Salvation and my glory: The Rock of my strength, and my refuge is in God. Trust in him at all times, &c. What time I am afraid I will trust in thee. And blessed Paul relating his trouble in Asia, saith; We were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life. But we had the sentence of Death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raiseth the dead. Thus God's Covenant-people, when they are themselves, make God their peculiar and only trust: in straits, difficulties, deep plunges and desperate extremities, to him alone they fly. And with him they as it were clothe themselves by faith. The name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous fly unto it and are safe. But they that are not God's true Covenant-people, in their exigence and extremities they trust not in God, fly not to him, but to other vanities and broken reeds. They trust in Horses and Charets in Wealth and Riches, in men and second causes, in oppression and perverseness, in idols and lying vanities, as the Mariners in Jonah his ship in a storm, every man to his God, his paganish God, &c. Now what is our confidence and chief refuge in difficulties? Do we fly to God? Is he only our Rock and Salvation, &c? then he is our God in Covenant, who hath enabled us thus to carry ourselves towards him as to our God.

4. Do we fear the Lord as our God? The Lord is his people's chief Fear. The chief object of their fear. Hence he is called, The Fear of Isaac. And the Psalmist saith; vow and pay unto the LORD your God, let all that be round about him bring presents to THE FEAR. So the Hebrew ought to be translated. That is, To God the chief object of Fear; who is The Fear, the Fear of Fears. Such awe, dread and fear is in their hearts towards God, not slavish but childlike fear, that they fear nothing in the world like him▪ They are more afraid to offend him, then to offend any Prince, Potentate, yea or Tyrant on earth. Their fear of him that can kill both body and soul, and cast them into Hell, predominates over all other fears, prevails over them, eats them out, swallows them up as Moses his rod devoured the Magicians rods. Moses his parents hid him three Moneths that he might not be destroyed, because fearing God they were not afraid of the Kings Commandment. Noah so feared God that he made an Ark to save his house at God's command; not fearing what the world of the ungodly could do against him for such an undertaking The three courageous Jews so feared God that they would not idolatrously worship Nebuchadnezzar's golden image: and in that case they feared not the Kings threats, nor the burning fiery furnace into which they were cast. Daniel so feared God that he would not desist from his worshipping, calling upon, and praying to his God, as in former time; for any base fear of the Kings Decree, Princes malice, or cruelty of the Den of lions into which he was to be cast. The Apostles so feared God, that they could not but preach in the name of Jesus Christ: Nor did they fear the Prohibitions and Threats of the Elders, Scribes and Rulers on the contrary. This is to fear the Lord as God, when his fear is most prevalent and predominant in us over all other fear; when his fear more effectually preserves us from evil, then the fear of any creature can push us upon the evil of Sin: when his fear so strongly obligeth us to duty, that no creature-fear can deter us from duty. Do we thus fear the Lord?

5. Do we serve the Lord as our God? The Lord's people are his Servants, and they serve him. Yea they serve him, as God, as their God. This serving of the Lord as God, is very Comprehensive, and of large extent. It implies, ^1. Their subjecting themselves to him, to his Will, Dominion, Laws, &c. as those that will be acted, ruled, ordered, commanded by him peculiarly: being delivered by him from subjection and traldome to Sin, Satan, &c. Such are said to serve him. ^2. Their Devoting, addicting and giving up themselves wholly to God and his ways: not serving or addicting themselves, to Sinful lusts and pleasures, to wine, to their bellies, to Mammon, to the wills placits and humors of men in matters of religion, or to anything either in opposition against God, or in Competition with God. 3. Their worshipping him as God with all acts of religious worship both in public and in private: As also their pious, holy and religious Conversation before God. Hence Serving of God, is frequently used in Scripture for worshipping of God. As,— When thou hast brought forth this people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this Mountain. That is, ye shall worship God there.— Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. — Anna departed not from the Temple, but served the Lord with fastings and prayers night and day. Serving of God, is also used for a pious and holy Course of life. As,— That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies without fear, might serve him, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. —This is called,— Serving the Lord in newness of the Spirit; inasmuch as it proceedeth from the renewing Spirit. To this effect, they that fruitfully employ their Talents which they receive from God, are styled good and faithful servants to their heavenly Master. Thus Serving of God (not to mention anymore acceptations thereof) intimates, Our Subjecting ourselves unto God and his Dominion; Our addicting and devoting ourselves to him and his ways; Our worshipping him religiously, and walking piously before him. And thus all God's people do Serve their God▪ As Abraham, Job, David, Paul, &c. Do we thus serve the Lord, as God, as our God?

Hereby we may discover whether we serve our God aright, viz. 1. If we serve him Reverently. Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. — Serve the LORD with fear. Awful reverence and childlike fear, becomes the service of God. Yea true serving of God and obedience to him ariseth from God's fear.— Only fear the LORD and serve him. — Fear God and keep his Commandments. Hereupon God acknowledgeth Job as his peculiar Servant, in that he was a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God, and eschewed evil. Have we such a fear of God implanted in our hearts? are we afraid to offend him? have we high and reverential thoughts of him? 2. If we serve him Obedientially: when we so serve him, as to obey him, do his will and keep his commandments.— If ye will fear the LORD, and serve him, and obey his voice, and not rebel against the mouth of the LORD, &c.—they that will not obey God, but rebel against his mouth and word, they serve not God, but Satan, Sin and their own lusts. 3. If we serve him cheerfully, readily, willingly, from a principle and disposition of love which we bear to him and to his service. Thus David instructed Solomon; And thou Solomon my Son, know thou the God of thy Father, and serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind. Willingness, cheerfulness in God's service is most acceptable to him. It flows from true love to God. Whatsoever we do from love, we do cheerfully, delightfully. God first requires love, then service, And now Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart. Are we volunteers in serving God? Are our hearts enlarged, delighted, lifted-up, like Jehoshaphat's, in the ways of God? Do we, with our blessed Savior, count it meat and drink to be doing God's will? &c. 4. If we serve him purely. The Lord is infinite in purity and holiness, and requires purity and sincerity in all his servants and services. The pure in heart are blessed, and shall see God. He desireth truth in the inwards. He will be worshipped in Spirit and Truth. There's a double purity with which we are to serve God; viz. ( ¹ ) Purity of heart and conscience within. When we regard not any guile, hypocrisy, or iniquity in our heart; we do not approve it, or allow it; it is not mingled or woven into the frame and constitution of our spirits: but we work it out and reject it, as Lees, Dregs, Dross and Scum, &c. The blood of Christ hath purged our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. With such heart-purity Paul served God; — I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience. ( ² ) Purity of life and conversation without. When it is without Scandal and Hypocrisy; when we decline evil, and still approve ourselves in all our actions as in God's presence. — That we might serve him, in holiness and righteousness before him. Hereupon God commendeth his servant Job, in that he was a perfect and upright man, one that feared God, and eschewed evil. He walked purely in the service of God. Do we serve the Lord with such Purity of Heart and Life? 5. If we serve God only. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. How is the Lord only to be served? Thus. God only, is to be served with divine worship, and religious adoration. No Idols or creatures may so be served; for that were Idolatry. God only, is to be served primarily and for himself. He alone having supreme Dominion and Sovereignty over us, and over our consciences. Others may be served secondarily, and in subordination to God. But nothing may be served which stands either in Opposition to him, or Competition with him. We must so serve God, as not to serve sin, lusts, pleasures, Satan, Mammon, &c. 6. If we serve God wholly and entirely, with the whole stream of our united faculties and affections, and that in all acts of service which he requires from us. This is the Integrity and Perfection of God's service, discovering the truth of it. ( ¹ ) The Integrity of the Object; when we serve him fully; walking in all his ways, having respect to his commandments, without indenting, reserving or omitting. ( ² ) The integrity of the Subject; when we serve him with a perfect heart. That is, when we serve the LORD our God with all our heart, and with all our soul. When the heart is not parted and divided betwixt God and Sin, God and the world, &c. but it is united and wholly carried to God alone. 7. Finally, If we serve God continually, all the days of our life. Counterfeit serving of God is but for a time, and then vanisheth. The Hypocrite will not always pray, not always obey, &c. but God's sincere servants are constant and persevering. Hannah served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

By these three sorts of Evidences we may groundedly discover, whether the Lord be our Covenant God or no, according to the New Covenant. And consequently whether we are actually and effectually brought into a good New Covenant-Condition.

(II.) Are we become God's People in Covenant?

That we are God's true and sincere Covenant▪ People, we may evidence to our own Hearts and Consciences these three ways, viz.

1. By the Mystery and Nature of this Being God's People, formerly described. To be a People to God in Covenant, hath in it five things Principally: It implies, They are God's People only, &c. as hath been manifested. Now search and consider; 1. Are we God's people only, by peculiar appropriation? Not sins: Not the worlds: Not Satan's: Not our own. 2. Are we God's People by Covenant, Profession and Denomination? 3. Are we his in and through Jesus Christ? 4. Are we his in all Relations? 5. Are we God's People wholly and entirely; In all we Are, Have, Can do, or Endure? Consider we these things thoroughly according to the several explanations of them here alleged.

2. By the adjuncts or Properties peculiarly belonging to God's true Covenant-People. These Properties, I have heretofore briefly pointed at in twelve Particulars. And also▪ in the former branch of this present Inference, have more fully explained the first eight of them. Have we these Properties in ourselves? 1. Are we inwardly and effectually called? 2. Are we an holy, select and separated People? &c.

3. By our due Deportment towards God as becomes his Covenant-People. This due Deportment or Carriage of God's people towards God, as his People, hath been unfolded in five particulars at large in the former branch of this present Inference. 1▪ Do we esteem the LORD, as our God? 2. Do we love him, as our God? &c. These two last sorts of Discoveries, do Evidence our Covenant-state, in regard of both the Branches of this glorious Promise, viz. That the LORD is our God: And also, That we are his People.

But this may suffice for Probation.

III. Here's singular Matter for Exhortation. Doth the LORD Promise and Covenant to and with all his sincere New Covenant-Federates, That he will be to them a God, And they shall be to him a People? Then heres a threefold word of Exhortation, viz. 1. To those in the visible Church that are Strangers to an inward saving New Covenant State. 2. To all that are of the number of Sincere Federates with God in this New Covenant. 3. To the faithful ministers of the New Testament.

First, A word to all those in the visible Church, that hitherto are mere Strangers to an Inward and Saving New Covenant Condition. (And such are all those, ^1. Who are in their unregenerate State, having no effectual inscription of God's Law in their Minds and Hearts; ^2. Who are grossly ignorant of God and all the things of God; ^3. Whose sins through their unbelief and impenitency, have found no Remission from the Lord.) All such I earnestly exhort and beseech, Sincerely and Speedily to take hold of God's New Covenant, To accept and embrace it; In the Life and Spirit of it, as well as in the Letter; in the inward power, efficacy and reality of it, as well as in the outward Profession, Name and Formality thereof: If ever they desire savingly to have the LORD to be their God, and themselves to be his People. O Ponder upon this seriously, In the morning when you rise up, in the evening when you lie down to sleep; when you are in the House, and when you are in the Field: Commune with your own hearts, ask your own souls each of you these few Questions. 1. O my Soul, Is there any true Happiness or Salvation actually to be enjoyed by thee, till thou beest effectually brought into New Covenant with God? Is not this the only Happiness, To have the Lord thy God in Covenant, and thyself to be one of his People; And canst thou be thus happy, will God be thine, canst thou be his; till his Laws be written effectually in thy mind and heart, till thou Knowest the Lord savingly, till all thy sins be forgiven and forgotten of God forever? 2. O my Soul, hasi thou not thus far to this very hour contented thyself with a mere outward Profession, Form, name, and shadow of a New Covenant-state; without all inward Life and Substance? And can this ever carry thee beyond the Condition of an Hypocrite, Reprobate, and Cast-away? Do not the greatest number by far of visible Christians deceive and undo themselves eternally, by resting in the mere visibles and externals of the New Covenant: and wilt thou perish with them also? wilt thou have so much part in the New Covenant only as to leave thee without excuse, & aggravate thy Condemnation? 3. O my Soul, Canst thou judge it safe to delay or put off thine acceptance of A New-Covenant State in the inward efficacy, power, life and Spirit thereof, for another week, for another day? What if thou beest snatched by death out of my body before this great work be done? what if God knock no more at the door of thy heart by his Spirit and Word: offer thee no more softening and converting Grace; yea, what if he give thee up to final hardness in impenitency and unbelief, before this work be done, Art thou not then quite undone to all eternity? 4. O my soul, will not a real, inward, efficacious New-Covenant Condition, immediately vest thee with this matchless happiness: The LORD will be to thee a God, and thou shalt be to him one of his people? will the LORD be to thee a God! Then the Lord will be to thee, more-sweet, then all thy sins, and sinful pleasures; more-rich, then all earthly treasures and enjoyments; more-honorable, then all worldly dignities; more sure and faithful, then all thy friends and relations in the world; yea more then Earth, more then Heaven, more then Grace, more then Glory. Then the Lord will be All, and above All unto thee. Beyond him nothing can be Promised, or Performed by God: nothing can be desired or enjoyed by thee. Wantest thou God? Nothing can make thee happy. Hast thou God? Nothing can make thee miserable. Again, shalt thou be to him one of his People? Then, Thou shalt not be thine own any longer, to be misled by self-delusions; Thou shalt not be the worlds any longer, to be cheated with perishing vanities; Thou shalt not be Satan's any longer, to be led Captive at his will by his Temptations; Thou shalt not be sin's any longer, to be enthralled under its guilt and dominion; Thou shalt not be Death's any longer, to be exposed unto Curse or Condemnation. Thou art and shalt be God's for thy eternal Bliss and Salvation. O who would not accept God's New Covenant in inward power and efficacy: wherein he shall thus Accept God, and thus be Accepted of God? No Motives can be more Moving: no Reasons can be more Perswading: no Arguments can be more Compelling.

Secondly, A word to all that are of the number of God's sincere Federates within this New Covenant. The LORD hath brought you and placed you (as once Adam at first) in a very Paradise, when he brought you into this New Covenant▪ For as Adam sweetly enjoyed God in Paradise: so you as sweetly in Christ enjoy God in this New Covenant. I will be to them a God. And God enjoyed, was the supreme glory of that Paradise, and of this Covenant. Nay, what if I say; This New Covenant is beyond that Paradise. For, In that Paradise God was enjoyed, but a while: In this New Covenant God shall be enjoyed, and that forever. In that Paradise Adam enjoyed God, but speedily lost him: In this New Covenant ye so enjoy him, that ye shall never lose him. Here's a mystery; Man hath not lost his Paradise, but changed it: yea changed it for a better, that shall never be lost. This New Covenant is that better Paradise, wherein the Federates having tasted of the tree of Life Christ Jesus, shall enjoy their good God always. O give me that Paradise, wherein I may never lose my God, the Glory, and Crown, and Paradise of Paradise. Now O all ye that are savingly enstated in the spiritual Paradise of this New Covenant, and have the Lord your God, and are his People indeed: be persuaded; 1. To live upon this Promise. 2. To live up to this Promise. 3. To bring (what lies in you) all your near and dear Allies and Relations within this New Covenant effectually, that they may with you partake the blessed fullness and influence of this Promise.

1. Live upon this Promise. If there be food and matter of Life for the soul by Faith in any Promise of the blessed Bible, it is in this glorious New▪ Covenant -Promise. I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a People. Should I be put to point out one Promise only in all the Holy Scriptures, whereupon I would repose my soul with fullest satisfaction; whereon I would daily feed with sweetest delight; wherewith I would enlarge, raise and ravish my heart with richest consolations; whereby I would steel my Spirit against all Spiritual Maladies; Fill my spirit with all complete felicities, and assure my spirit of eternal salvation: This, this alone should be that Phoenix-Promise, among all the Promises. ^1. This Promise hath Freegrace in it: For the mere good-pleasure of God's will is the Motive of it, I will be their God. ^2. This Promise hath effectual Vocation, Sanctification, Justification, and Communion with God in it: for otherwise, how can we be God's People? 3. This Promise hath All Mercy and Consolation in it: for he, that will be our God, is The Father of tender Mercies, and the God of all Consolation. ^4. This Promise hath Christ in it: for the Lord is savingly a God to none, nor are any sincerely a people to God, but only in Jesus Christ through faith. ^5. This Promise hath the Spirit of God and of Christ in it: for, actually and effectually we become God's people by the operation of the Spirit of God and of Christ only. ^6. This Promise hath God in it: for herein saith the Lord, I will be to them a God. ^7. This Promise consequently, hath all Temporals, all Spirituals, and all Eternals in it: For that Lord that freely gives his Christ, his Spirit, and Himself to us to be our God, who is best of all things, How shall he not with himself freely give us all things?

Now therefore thou that art actually and effectually within this blessed Promise, live upon it, feed upon it, rest upon it, dwell upon it: in thy Prosperity, in thine adversity; in thy strength, in thy weakness; in thine health, in thy sickness; in thy Triumphs, in thy Trials and Temptations; in thy fullness, in thy wants; in thy joys, in thy griefs; in thy comforts, in thy disconsolations; in thy youth, in thine age; in thy life, and in thy death. ^1. What distresses will not this Promise allay? The Father of Mercies being thy God. ^2. What discomforts will not this Promise remove? The God of all Consolation being thy God. ^3. What wants will not this Promise supply? The Possessour of Heaven and Earth being thy God. ^4. What enemies will not this Promise overthrow? God Al-sufficient, the Lord of Hosts being thy God. ⁵ What sins will not this Promise subdue? The God of Pardons being thy God. ^6. What Grace and Glory will not this Promise assure? The God of all Grace, the Author of every good and perfect gift therein assuring thee that he will be thy God. ^7. And, what Doubts, Scruples or Difficulties about thine eternal salvation, will not this Promise resolve and satisfy? Seeing this Promise lets thee know, ( ¹ ) That the Lord will be thy God: and what cannot God do for thee? ( ² ) That thou shalt be one of his people; and what can creatures do against thee? ( ³ ) That, both these God freely promiseth, because he will: and then no unworthiness of thine shall hinder the Inchoation of thine happiness. ( ⁴ ) That, both these God will faithfully perform, because he hath freely promised and undertaken both for himself and his Federates: and then no infirmity, impotency or weakness of thine shall ever hinder the consummation of thine Happiness. Therefore live, O live still upon this lively Promise; that thou mayst live evermore. Let thy mind live upon it, by Contemplation: Let thy Conscience live upon it, by Pacification: Let thy will live upon it, by Contentation: Let thine heart and affections live upon it, by Exhileration.

2. Live up unto this Promise. This Promise is most Sweet, Full, High, Holy, Comfortable, &c. let thy life and conversation be answerable.

The LORD is thy Covenant God. O live as one possessing such a God. Live not carnally, but Spiritually. Live not Earthly, but heavenly. Live not so much below, as above. Live not Scandalously, but inoffensively towards God and man. Live not Sordidly, but generously. Live not Murmuringly, distrustfully▪ and disconsolately: but Contentedly, believingly and Comfortably. Live not as swine, on Husks below: but as Angels, on this manna which is above. Live not like them that are without Covenant, without Christ, without Hope, and without God in this world: but as those that are effectually in Covenant, full of Christ, full of Hope, and full of God. So live, thou that hast the Lord to be thy God: that it may appear that God lives in thee, and that thou art primarily acted, guided, enabled, over-powered, upheld and Comforted by the Lord thy God.

Thou art one of his Covenant-People. O live as one possessed by such a God. And therefore, ^1. Disclaim Sin, the world and Satan; ^2. Know God more clearly and experimentally; ^3. Endear thine heart to God sincerely and intensively; ^4. Fear, serve and obey God uprightly, universally and continually; ^5. Walk with God in holy Communion; ^6. Stand for God, & take his part against all opposition; ^7. And advance God's glory over all for his admirable virtues expressed in thy effectual vocation: For these are proper and peculiar Duties of God's Covenant-people, as I have heretofore more at large demonstrated.

3. Labor (what lies in thee) to interess and engage all thy near Allies and dear Relations in this New Covenant effectually, that they with thee may partake the unparalleled influence of this Promise abundantly. Is the Lord become savingly thy God in Covenant: and dost thou not desire that he may also become the Covenant-God of thy husband, wife, parents children, and (if it were possible) of all thine endeared Relations? Hast thou found such a blissful advantage, by becoming one of God's Covenant people: & dost thou not heartily wish that all thine▪ Allies were altogether herein as thou art, except thine infirmities? O then commend this New Covenant unto them frequently, Magnifie the Treasures of it highly, Display the glory and fullness of this chief Promise pathetically, Urge them to press after an inward New Covenant Condition sincerely, &c. That the Lord may be their God, and they his people eternally.

Thirdly and lastly; Here's a word of Quickening to the Faithful Ministers of the New Testament. Your office is To be Ministers of the New Covenant, or New Testament: O strive to be Ministers of the Spirit, not of the Letter. Its your singular Honor and Privilege to be preachers of God's New Covenant, which excels all former Covenants: Oh lay out your chief skill, strength and diligence, In disclosing the Glory and perfections of this New Covenant, and especially of this Paramount Promise of the New Covenant to all the flock; In Perswading them to embrace unfeignedly the inward Spirit of this Covenant. Then they know indeed, when they understand the New Covenant solidly: Then they believe indeed, when they embrace the New Covenant unfeignedly: Then they live indeed, when they live upon, and live up unto the New Covenant experimentally: Then they are Christians indeed, and Happy indeed, when the Lord is their Covenant-God, and they his Covenant-people reciprocally and effectually.

But hitherto of Exhortation.

IV. Lastly, Here's wonderful Matter for Consolation. Here's Manna from Heaven Here's Honey indeed out of the Bowels of the Lyon. Here's a golden Mine, a living Spring, a spacious Sea of Consolation, to all God's true Covenant-people, That the LORD is their God, and they his People, according to this New Covenant in Jesus Christ! And this against all the grounds of Discomfort which principally are wont to afflict and sadden their hearts, viz. 1. Relics of inherent Corruption▪ 2. Fears and dangers of Apostasy. 3. Outward or Inward wants. 4. Strong and violent Temptations. 5. Sad and dismaying Desertions. 6. Sharp Afflictions and Persecutions. 7. And the very terrors and pangs of death itself! The Comfort of this Grand Promise against all these seven Disconsolations comes now to be enlarged, as formerly I promised.

1. What an impregnable Comfort may this be to every of God's true Covenant-people, Against all Relics of inherent Sin and Corruption remaining in them: That the Lord is their Covenant-God.

Though they are sanctified throughout in Soul, Spirit and Body; in all the faculties and affections of the Soul, and in all the senses and members of the body: yet in all these they are but sanctified in part. As in every of them there is some spirit: so there remains some flesh, Gal. 5. 17. As there is a Spiritual Law in their mind, so there is a Carnal Law in their members: & this ofttimes Captivates them to the Law of sin. So that, the good they would do, that they do not: and the evil they would not, that they do. Yet not they, as sanctified: but sin that dwelleth in them, so far as unsanctified. Hence, How often do they suspect their spiritual Condition, that all's unsound, all's Hypocrise, their Condition worse then the Condition of any; None of God's people so hard-hearted, unbelieving, impenitent, hypocritical, and every way so wretched▪ as themselves. Hereupon, How do they break their hearts with sighs and groans! How do their eyes pour out tears to God! How do they cry out and lament, oh when shall all these cursed Canaanites be cast out and subdued; when shall all these iniquities be cast into the bottom of the sea; when shall this old leaven be purged out; when shall this body of sin and Death, and this old man be destroyed; when shall neither spot nor wrinkle, nor any such thing remain in us; when shall we sin no more; O wretches that we are, who shall deliver us from the Body of this death: Oh! when shall we be secured of a good spiritual estate!

Yet against all these Remains of Sin and Corruption, every true Believer may comfort himself by this New Covenant, Assuring him in Christ's blood that the Lord is his Covenant-God forever. And this principally three ways. 1. The Lord is their New Covenant-God, and they his people: therefore in Christ he hath blotted out all their iniquities, and will remember them no more. He will not upbraid them with them▪ nor impute them to them: because he is their God in Covenant. This is clear by the tenor of the New Covenant. Satan, wicked men, and their own mis-deeming hearts may impute them to them, and cast them in their face: but God himself will not impute them to them, nor remember them anymore. Christ saith, Thou art all fair, my love, there is no spot in thee. How sweet is their comfort! Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 2. The Lord is their Covenant God, and they his people: therefore in Christ, by his Spirit, he is daily writing his Laws in their Minds and Hearts; daily Sanctifying and cleansing them,—that he may present them to himself glorious at last, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that they should be holy and without blemish. So that though many relics of sin remain in them, yet they are daily wasting, weakening, consuming, decaying, dying: like the House of Saul, which waxed weaker and weaker, till it was totally abolished. At death, all the inherent and actual sins of the righteous totally cease: their Spirits being then made perfect, and eternally freed from all corruptions and imperfections. Pharaoh and his host were strong and terrible, to fright and trouble Israel; but Israel's God was stronger to drown them all in the bottom of the Red Sea: The Remains of sin are strong and dismaying to perplex and grieve the Saints, but their Covenant-God is stronger, to subdue their iniquities, and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the Sea. Thou wilt perform the Truth to Jacob, and the Mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. What a Comfort is this that our God will utterly extirpate every sin, and completely obliterate every spot, wrinkle and shadow of corruption? 3. The Lord is their Covenant-God, and they his People notwithstanding all the remains of Corruption. Relics of sin cannot destroy or disturb their Covenant-Relation to God, nor their Covenant▪ Communion with God. What sweet fellowship had Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, &c. with God in Covenant, notwithstanding all their inherent sins and infirmities? Their sins shall not separate them from their Covenant-God: their Covenant-God will separate them from all their sins.

2. What a Comfort is this to all Abraham's true Seed Against all fears or dangers of Apostasy!

Their Graces infused are but weak, Their corruptions remaining are strong, Their temptations fierce and violent, Their Difficalties which they wrestle withal in the way to Heaven are not a few, The gate to life is exceeding strait, many miss it, few enter: Hereupon they are apt to faint and be discouraged; They shall not holdout, they shall fall away, they shall not persevere faithful to the death.

But oh thou of little Faith, and much Fear, Art thou in Covenant with God, and dost thou question thy Perseverance? consider well, 1. The Lord is thy Covenant-God, and thou art one of his true Covenant-people. Did the Lord ever cast off, or suffer to fall away any one of his true Covenant-people? and will he now begin with thee? with him is no variableness nor shadow of turning. His gifts of effectual calling are without repentance. He may suffer thee to fall, to fall frequently, to fall foully, to fall from some sense of Comfort, from some degrees of Grace, for thy further Caution, Confirmation and Spiritual advantage, but totally and finally, he will never suffer thee to fall away or perish, because he is thy God in Covenant. For then his Covenant should fail for evermore. 2. The Lord's New Covenant is a Covenant of his own Establishment in Christ's blood: And what God hath established in Christ's blood, who or what shall overthrow? 3. God's New Covenant is an Everlasting Covenant. And an Everlasting Covenant hath no End: From an Everlasting Covenant there can be no Apostasy or total backsliding. 4. The Lord God in his New Covenant with his people undertakes for both parties; and their reciprocal constancy in Covenant one to another: as once he did for his Captives. And I will make an Everlasting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. So in this New Covenant God saith, I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. He undertakes for himself, and for us. In other Covenants and contracts the several parties undertake only for themselves severally: In the Marriage Covenant the husband undertakes not both for himself and his wife, nor the wife for herself and her husband; but the husband undertakes only for himself, and the wife only for herself, to be constantly faithful. But God in his New Covenant with his people is pleased to be an extraordinary undertaker altogether. He undertakes for both sides, both for himself and for his people: for himself, that he will be theirs; for his people, that they shall be his. So that the faithful God himself, who cannot possibly lie; the all-powerful God, who is fully able to perform what he promiseth: he hath engaged himself strongly for his people's Constancy and Perseverance towards him, so that in this regard there is no place left for utter Apostasy, no possibility of total and final falling away from him and his Grace, because he is their Covenant-God.

3. What a Comfort is this to all Abraham's true Seed Against all Outward or Inward wants: and Consequently against all discontents and perplexities thence arising! Is the Lord become thy God by this everlasting New Covenant?

How may this comfort and quiet thy Spirit against all Outward wants? wantest thou food, or raiment; credit, or wealth; strength, or health; wantest thou Liberty, Lands, Livings, House, Harbor, Friends, Kindred, Children, or any other near and dear Relations? yea perhaps thou wantest these things, while thine enemies, while the wicked of the world flow and overflow with them. Yet thou hast an enjoyment beyond all these wants: The Lord is thy God by an Everlasting New Covenant. Therefore look not down so much at thy wants: as look up to thy Enjoyment, to thy God, and Comfort thyself. For, 1. Thy God is thine All. The Lord being thy God in Covenant, is instead of all supplies unto thee. Thine Health, in Sickness: Thy Strength, in Weakness: Thine Ease, in Pain and Torments: Thine Honor, in Dishonor: Thy Glory, in Reproaches: Thy Wealth, in Poverty: Thy Friend, in Friendlesness: Thine Habitation, in Harbourlesness: Thine Enlargement, in Bondage: Thy Cordial and Strength of Heart, when Heart and Strength faileth: yea thy very Life, in the valley of the shadow of Death. Solomon saith; A Feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life: but money answereth all things. Feasts and wine, meat and drink, though in the number of externals most necessary, yet have but a peculiar and limited usefulness: But Money, being an Instrument and Mean of Commerce, that hath a general use, and answereth to all things. Money feeds, clothes, heals, honors, befriends, sets at liberty, procures all necessary Moveables, purchaseth Houses, Lands, Manours, maketh war, and maketh peace, &c. But God's Covenant-people may much more fully, say, Their God answers all things. Money answers all things, but respectively, restrictively, finitely and with many limitations: but their God answers all things absolutely, unlimitedly, infinitely without all exception. 2. Thy God is much more to thee, then the All that thou wantest. Why then shouldst thou repine or murmur at thy wants? When Hannah was greatly distressed through her barrenness and want of children, Elkanah her husband thus comforted her; Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thine heart grieved? Am not I better to thee then ten sons? How much more may every true New Covenant Federate comfort himself against all his wants, saying; O my soul, why art thou cast down? why art thou so disquiet within me? why do I weep, and grieve, and take on for want of these externals? Is not the Lord, my God? And is not my God more to me then ten Elkanah's, then ten thousand earthly enjoyments? What Augustine said of Job, may be said of every true believer that hath the Lord for his God, against all his wants and losses. A Righteous man shipwracked, escapes Rich and Naked. Holy Job was full of these riches. Nothing remained in his house, all those things perished at one blow by which he was thought to be rich a little before: suddenly he sits down a beggar upon the dunghill, abounding with worms from head to feet. What more miserable then this misery? what more happy then his inward happiness? He had lost all those things which God had given him: but he had him, who gave all things, God himself.

Consider well, O Christian; Hadst thou all those earthly treasures, which thou wantest, or which this whole world can afford: yet thy God in Covenant is infinitely more to thee then them all. For, ( ¹ ) Thy God is more desirable, amiable and delightful to thee then them all. He is the supreme Good: The only essential and primitive good. These things are scarce drops and shadows of his goodness; infinitely inferior to him. He therefore is infinitely desirable before them. ( ² ) Thy God is more influential and comfortable to thee, then they all. All the influence, comfort and benefit that these things afford thee, it is merely from God and his blessing. Without him, It is not in Food to nourish, in Physic to heal, in Clothes to warm, in Beds to refresh, in Houses and Gardens to delight, in Friends to comfort, in Strongholds or Armies to defend, &c. and with him anything shall serve turn. Gideon and Israel shall be defended against the Midianites with lamps and earthen pitchers; Daniel and his Companions shall be best-liking with coarsest pulse: The blind man shall recover sight by clay and spittle put upon his eyes, &c. ( ³ ) Thy God is more satisfying and contenting to thee then they all. They all have a vanity and an emptiness in them, and cannot fill thee; they have a disproportion to thy soul, and cannot satisfy thee. Thou mayest have much of them; but never enough, though thou hadst them all. But thy God is all-sufficient. He can fill all thy desires to the full, and make them overflow. Having him, thou shalt have enough▪ yea thou hast all. ( ⁴ ) Thy God is more constant and continuing to thee then they all. They vanish and crumble away, and then all thy small comforts and contentments in them vanish also. But thy God continues to thee for Ever; and therefore he is the most constant and lasting consolation. 3. Thy God can and will, so far as is good for thee, supply all thy wants, in the fittest season: because he is thy God. He can do all things. He is able to do for us exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think. And he hath promised, That, They that fear the Lord shall not want any good thing. — The LORD will give grace and glory: and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Why then shouldst thou be troubled at thy wants? say with David; The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want: yea say rather, The Lord is my Covenant-God, I shall not want. He can, and will give thee every good thing. He hath given himself to thee: how shall he then deny thee anything? If thou wantest anything, either it is because he sees it not good for thee, or because it is not yet good for thee. God's time is the best time for receiving of mercies. 4. Thy God can so sanctify and bless thy want of outward blessings, that thy want of them shall be a far greater advantage to thee, then thy enjoyment of them. Outward wants; ( ¹ ) Sometimes become occasions of inward wealth. Hearken my beloved brethren, hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom, which he hath promised to them that love him? ( ² ) Sometimes they draw forth the Faith and Graces of the Saints to more lively exercise and activity. Abraham's long want of a son by Sarah, greatly improved his faith and expectation on God: So that his Faith thereupon became so famous throughout the world, that he is counted the Father of the Faithful. Had not Abraham being exercised so long with the want of a Son, his Faith in God's promise had never been so renowned. ( ³ ) Sometimes they Minister occasion to God's extraordinary provisions and providence for his people. When Israel was in many wants in the wilderness, then was God's time to furnish them extraordinarily. The Heavens rained them bread; The Rock of flint ran water for them; Their Garments waxed not old; Their feet did not swell for forty years together. When Elijah in the famine wanted ordinary food, God appointed the very Ravens to seed him with bread and flesh morning and evening. ( ⁴ ) Sometimes Outward wants are God's opportunites of drawing nearer to his people by secret supports, sensible comforts, sweet refreshments, and reviving experiences of his peculiar presence, assistance & light of his countenance. Hence H. Bradford wanting his liberty, and being in prison, said; God doth thus punish me, nay rather in punishing blesseth me. And indeed I thank him more of this prison, then of any Parlour, yea then of any pleasure that ever I had: for in it I find God, my most sweet good God always. Thus, if the Lord be thy God in Covenant, this may be thine universal comfort against all outward wants.

How Comfortable may this be also against all thine Inward wants? As Israel of old in the wilderness, so the Israel of God in the wilderness of this world are in an imperfect, unsettled and wanting state. Nor have they only Outward, but also Inward wants, to exercise and afflict them. They want degrees of Graces, Assurance and Evidence of their good Spiritual State; The light of God's Countenance; Peace of Conscience; Comforts of the Holy Ghost; Strength in the Inward man against Corruptions and Temptations, and for all Spiritual undertakings, &c. And because of these defects they are ofttimes much discouraged, and drive on very heavily towards Heaven. Now if the Lord be thy God in Covenant, this may abundantly comfort thee against all these inward wants. For, 1. Thy Covenant-God is fully able to supply all these thine inward wants. He is the God of all Grace: and can bestow all Grace for kind and degree upon thee. He that gave such Faith to Abraham, such Meekness to Moses, such Patience to Job▪ such Zeal and uprightness to David, such Wisdom to Daniel, such Love to John▪ such courage and Self-Denial to Paul, &c. is fully able to do as much for thee. He gives his own Spirit to us, that we might know the things which are freely given to us of God. Even his Spirit of Adoption, which witnesseth with our spirits that we are the children of God; which Sealeth us, and is the Earnest of our inheritance. He is the God of peace, whose peace passeth all understanding, whereby he can keep our hearts in the knowledge and love of God. And if he give peace, who can give trouble? He is the God of all Consolation: and can give more comforts, then we can have discomforts. He can fill with joy and peace in believing. Yea he can send the Comforter himself into our hearts to abide with us forever. Finally, He by his divine power can give us all things pertaining to life and godliness; can grant us according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inward man; and can bless us with all Spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ. He is God: therefore he can easily do all these things, and so suply all our wants. 2. Thy Covenant-God will daily supply these wants, and at last set thee in a state of perfection above them all. For, (1) He hath in this life prepared such spiritual supplies and blessings for them that love him, as are utterly beyond all carnal men's capacity of apprehension. (2) He hath promised to give Grace and Glory, and to withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly. And in the tenor of his Covenant hath Promised Explicitely to furnish his Covenant-people with Knowledge, Repentance, Renovation, The fear of the Lord, The Spirit of the Lord, Perseverance, &c. Implicitely to furnish them with all things that pertain to Godliness, in that he promiseth to be their God. (3) He hath ordained and given Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. (4) He hath built us upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone: In whom all the building fitly framed together, groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. And though now we do but know in part, &c. yet when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. Then all imperfection shall be swallowed up of perfection. Theres a four-fold Perfection wherewith God furnisheth all his Covenant people, viz. ^1. A Perfection of integrity and uprightness instilled into them, when he first takes them into Covenant with himself. This some call A Perfection of parts: All the other Perfections of degrees. ^2. A Pefection of Comparative growth; according to which one believer is counted comparatively Perfect in respect of another of less growth in Grace. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded. 3. A Perfection of incomplete vision and fruition; when the Souls of believers loosed from their bodies, are conveyed instantly into Heaven, and there being perfected in Grace, do see and enjoy God immediately face to face: but incompletely, inasmuch as not the body but only the Soul, doth thus See and enjoy God. But ye are come,—To God the judge of all, and the Spirits of just men made perfect. ^4. A perfection of complete vision and fruition; when believers, not only in Soul, but also in body reunited, Shall See and enjoy God as he is, fully, immediately and eternally. Our God is carrying us on daily from perfection to perfection, from the very lowest to the highest degree of these Perfections: and consequently he is daily supplying all our wants more and more, till in the supreme Perfection every want vanish and be done away.

4. What a Comfort is this Against all strong and violent Temptations of the Flesh, the World, or the Devil!

With Temptations of these three grand spiritual enemies none are more evidently exercised then God's own Covenant-people. For, 1. Carnal men are under their full dominion, like prisoners in dungeons and irons, the Gaoler is sure of them, troubles not himself much about them: therefore they are seldom buffeted by their Temptations. But believers are brought out of prison, rescued from the power of Sin, Satan, &c. therefore Satan raises all his force and fury of Temptations upon them to re-enslave them: as the Gaoler raises all the Country with Hue and Cry after prisoners escaped when they have broke prison. 2. Carnal men need not many Temptations to carry them down the stream: Their whole nature is only prone to evil, and therefore is carried away with every bare suggestion, with every slight proffer of a temptation. They are like tinder; they catch fire at every spark of Temptation. Yea they ofttimes tempt Satan, to tempt them. But God's people having Sanctification as well as corruption, Grace as well as sin: they resist and repel temptations, and often get the victory. Hereupon Satan, &c. re-assaults them more fiercely, with all his malice, stratagems and violence. 3. God's people are not only the most eminent of all people, but the greatest enemies to Satan, &c. If these Cedars and Oaks fall, many lesser shrubs will be brought down with them: and Satan's kindgom more advanced by foiling one of these, then 100. others. Therefore above all Satan desires to have them, to sift them as wheat. Them he will buffet: On them he runs like a Roaring Lyon with open mouth to devour them. Against them he useth all his Depths, all his Devices: He deals with them, sometimes as an Angel of Light, sometimes as a black Devil indeed; but always as an Old Serpent the Devil and Satan. Hereupon what fears, straits, tears, prayers, plunges and discomforts are God's dear people put upon? yea sometimes they are hereby so buffeted, weather-beaten, tossed and tired: that they begin to despond and faint, and are even weary of their lives.

But against all possible Temptations no people in the world have greater ground of encouragement and comfort then God's people. And what greater comfort against Temptations then this, That the Lord is their Covenant-God? For, 1. Their God is stronger then all their Tempters or Temptations. Our best friend, is above our worst foe. Our Covenant-God is with us; the flesh, world and Satan are against us: there are more with us, then against us: ye are of God, little children, & have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, then he that is in the world. And saith Christ in reference to his sheep, My father that gave me them, is greater then all: and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand. 2. Their God is wiser then all their Tempters. Satan is an old crafty Serpent, an old deceiver: hath his depths and devices, &c. but the Lord is God only wise; unsearchable in counsel; his understanding is infinite. He hath caught Satan in his own craftiness, both in his tempting of the first, and last Adam. And the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations. He hath depths, beyond Satan's depths: and devices, beyond Satan's devices. He hath more wisdom to bring us out of Temptation, then Satan hath subtlety to bring us into temptation. 3. Their God is more tender over his people, then the Devil is cruel against them. The Devil is cruel against them to the uttermost of his ability, Your adversary the Devil, as a roaring Lyon walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. — Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the Sea: for the Devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. Yet as the Devil himself, so all his cruelty, is finite and limited. But God's tenderness over his people is infinite and boundless. No father can be so tender over his children; no mother so tender over her sucking babe; no man so tender over the apple of his eye: as God is over his peculiar people. How sweet this comfort! Their God loves them, more then their enemy the Devil can hate them. They may triumph in his Divine Compassion, over all Diabolical cruelty. 4. No temptation can befall God's people, but by the wise permission of their God. Satan cannot▪ tempt them but as their God permits. God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able. Temptations then befall God's children, not when and as their Tempters please, but when and as their God permits. 5. Their God limits both Tempters and Temptations. The Devil himself, the grand Tempter, is in God's chain: and cannot go one link beyond his leave. He could not touch Job's goods, or children, or his body, but only according to God's permission and limitation. Yea he was not able to touch the herd of Swine, till Christ gave leave. That passage is very observable▪ Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried, and ye shall have tribulation ten days, &c. Here are four limitations upon the Devils temptations by persecuting the Church. The Persons, Their Punishment, The event of it, The Duration of it are all limited and confined. The persons tempted; some of you: not all. The Punishment inflicted; they shall cast you into prison: not into merciless waters, not into de vouring flames, not into the grave, not into Hell. The event of it; that ye may be tried: not that ye may be ruined and destroyed. The time of duration; for ten days; not for twenty days, not during their pleasure, not for your whole lives, not forever. All's under restraint. He that bounds the unruly waves of the Sea, saying, Thus far shall ye go, and no further. He bounds the more unruly rage of Satan, that he cannot pass, or tempt beyond his bounds. 6. Their God will not permit them to be tempted above their ability. He knows their strength to the uttermost, and he is so faithful, he will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. The Apostle chiefly here intends temptations by afflictions and sufferings. Against these he comforts them from the faithfulness of their God three ways, viz. ( ¹ ) In that he will not permit them to be tempted above their ability. That is, he will so allay, qualify and moderate the temptation, that it shall not be above their ability which they have from God. Otherwise God's people are sometimes pressed out of measure, above strength: As Paul in Asia, above his own mere human strength. ( ² ) In that he will with the temptation, make away to escape; if that be best. As he made way for David often to escape from Saul: for Peter out of prison, to escape Herod, &c. ( ³ ) In that they shall be able to bear the temptation, if they escape not. He let Peter escape out of prison, but not James: yet he enabled James to bear it. This is very comfortable against all Temptations of the world or Satan: Our God is so faithful, that he will either decrease and bring down the Temptation to our strength, or deliver from it, or increase and bring up our strength proportionably to the temptation. 7. Their God furnisheth them with complete armor against all temptations: that they may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. This is called, The Panoply, or the whole-Armor of God. The Apostle excellently describes it. He makes every Saint, a Soldier: and arms him spiritually from top to toe, but appoints no Armor for the back, because there should be no turning the back, no running away in time of Temptations from Satan. 8. The Grace of their God is sufficient for them against all their Temptations. He that was caught up into the third heavens, which is Paradise, had afterwards a thorn in the flesh, the Messenger of Satan buffeting him. For this he prayed thrice that it might depart from him: The Lord would not remove the Temptation, but encourageth the tempted, with this; My grace is sufficient for thee. Satan desired to have the Apostles, that he might sift them as wheat: and Christ foreknowing that Peter would be peculiarly endangered by that sifting, did especially pray for him that his faith might not fail. And his faith did not totally and finally fail, though he foully fell: for he speedily repented, and his dis-located faith was •… et in joint again. 9. Their God shall give them complete victory over Satan and his temptations. Christ hath conquered him in his own person, as our head: Is daily conquering him by his Graces in his members; And will at last day both for himself and his members completely tread him underfoot. The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. Saith Jerome; Swiftly. Some say shortly, that is, Opportunely, seasonably, when he is in the height of his temptations and insolency against them. Some refer this to the day of judgment, which hasteneth apace, and will come shortly, when Satan shall be utterly crushed under our feet for evermore, and shall never be able to tempt or trouble us anymore. 10. Finally, Their God turns their Temptations to great advantage. He that brought light out of darkness at first, is wont to extract medecines out of these poisons, and good to his people out of these evils of Satan's temptations. For, ( ¹ ) Hereby they are made conform to Jesus Christ their Head. He was forty days together most subtly and dangerously tempted of the Devil. Yea, he was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. ( ² ) Hereby they are frequently necessitated to improve the Compleat Armor of God: especially the shield of Faith, and sword of the Spirit. This Spiritual warfare, keeps their heavenly armor from rusting: and experimentally evidences it to be armor of proof. (3) Hereby they are singularly experienced and instructed in this Spiritual warfare. Exercise makes them expert soldiers of Jesus Christ. So that their hands are taught to war, and their fingers to fight, against all the enemies of their salvation. (4.) Hereby they are forced to fly to God by prayer: And obtain at least this sweet Answer, as a Return of Prayer particularly: My Grace is sufficient for thee. (5) Hereby they are driven to cling closer to Jesus Christ, that they be not overthrown. The more the tops of well-rooted trees are Shaken with the winds: the more deeply their roots are fixed in the Earth. When the wind blows hardest, the traveler girds his cloak to him the closest. When Temptations are most violent & impetuous: we cling fastest to Christ lest we fall, and Christ clasps us fastest because we shall not fall. ( ⁶ ) Hereby Christ gives them frequent occasions of triumphant victories. No conflict; no Conquest. No Temptation: No triumph. Christ himself in his own person was pleased to be tempted, that thereby he might take occasion to triumph over the Tempter. And he sometimes leads us into Temptation, that we may conquer by his conquests, and triumph by his triumphs, over temptation. (7) Finally, Hereby they are taught to compassionate and succor others in Temptations, themselves having had a feeling of temptations. Passion breeds Compassion. Yea and if God's people sometimes be foiled by temptations, yet hereby they are provoked to more watchfulness for future, in regard of themselves; and are enabled to more helpfulness towards others. As Christ said to Peter; when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren. And as David promised after his recovery; — Then shall I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted to thee. Of Patients, they become Physicians. And by having their own bones out of joint, they become skillful bone-setters unto others.

5. What a Comfort is this Against deep and dismaying Desertions, wherewith the Lord sometimes exerciseth his own people! Here Consider briefly, 1. The Nature of these Desertions. 2. The Comfort which Goas people may have against Desertions, from this, That the Lord is their God by his Everlasting New Covenant.

(1) The Nature and mystery of Divine Desertions, (to omit all other sorts of Desertions▪ ) seems in General to Consist in God's Forsaking, or with-drawing from his Creature, viz. Not in God's withdrawing his Essence from his Creature, which is Immense, Infinite and Omnipresent, and cannot be excluded from any Creature: But in God's with-holding or with-drawing in some sort his Spirit, Grace, Favor, Comforts, Assistance, &c. from his Creature. According to this later sense, God's Desertions or Forsakings of his Creatures are either, ^1. Absolute, or ^2. Limited. That, as of a Supreme Lord and righteous judge; This, as of a Faithful and loving Father. I. God's Absolute Desertion extends itself to all the vessels of wrath, whether Reprobate Angels or men. Them he forsakes, from them he totally and finally with-holds all saving grace, (which he is no way bound to give them,) as a Supreme Lord and righteous Judge of all the world: suffering them to perish. As, 1. He deserted all the Reprobate Angels so that they left their first estate and habitation, (which was mutable) by Sinning: and God left them in their Sin and misery without providing any Savior for them. Though he deserted mankind so as to leave them to fall into Sin and misery: yet he provided a Savior for recovery of all his elect among mankind. 2. He Deserts all reprobate men, denying them the pure, sanctified and right use of Outward Benefits, which is the chief excellency or all such outward enjoyments: and yet he heaps many temporal Benefits upon them, As Honors, pleasures, riches, friends, peace, liberty, &c. 3. He Deserts great part of mankind, in vouchsafing them no tender of Jesus Christ or the Gospel at all. So that he wholly leaves them to perish in their sins, without offering them any Remedy: or vouchsafing them so much as an external Call to Christ. 4. He Deserts multitudes of people in the visible Church that have the Outward means of Salvation, by with-holding the effectual and saving Co-operation of his Spirit by those means. They have Word, Sacraments, &c. but not saving benefit by these. 5. He Deserts many that seem to partake of his Spirit, of Faith, Repentance, Obedience, &c. denying them the saving truth and perfection of these, so that they content themselves with shows, shadows and imperfect degrees of them, the common endowments of the Spirit. But here's no comfort against this Absolute Desertion, whereby God forsakes all Reprobates, and none but Reprobates. II. God's limited Desertion, is peculiar to his Elect. Them he deserts sometimes as a faithful & loving Father: not absolutely, but only in some respects; not Totally, but only in some Degrees; Not Finally & forever, but only for some little time. Against this limited Desertion the present Consolation is intended. Now thus The Lord Deserts and leaves his own people, In Temptation, In Sin and Infirmity, In Trouble and Distress. 1. In Temptation. Herein God deserts his people divers ways; viz. ( ¹ ) Sometimes, By leaving them to be grievously exercised with them: Even as wheat is tossed and sifted with a sieve, or as a man is beaten and buffeted about his head and face. Thus he left Paul to be buffeted with the Messenger of Satan: not delivering him from those buffetings, no not upon his many prayers. Thus probably Christ left his Disciples to be sifted as wheat by Satan, about the time of his Passion. This is to be left to the trouble and vexation of temptation. ( ² ) Sometimes, By leaving them to be overborn and foiled for a Season by the Temptation. As David, Peter, and others. 2. In sin and infirmity; Thus God deserted King Hezekiah, and left him to the pride of his Heart expressed in his vain-glorious ostentation before the King of Babylon's Ambassadors, Hezekiah prospered in all his works. Howbeit, in the business of the Ambassadors of the Princes of Babylon, who sent unto him to inquire of the wonder that was done in the Land, God left him, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. In Sin God deserts his people diversely, viz. ( ¹ ) He leaves them in some measure during this present life under Original sin, the corruption of their Natures. He at their effectual calling sanctifies them in every part; but not throughout in any part. There are Relics and powerful Remains of sin indwelling in them, together with Habits and Principles of Grace: as Canaanites among the Israelites. These Relics of sin are The flesh, contrary to the Spirit: The Old man, opposite to the new man: A body of Death, and Law of sin and death, repugnant to the Law of the Spirit of life: A Law in their members rebelling against the Law of their mind, and leading them into captivity to the Law of sin; As Paul notably evidenceth. And this proves matter of great affliction to God's people. Hence Paul sadly sighs and laments; O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? These relics of sin maintain such a continual conflict with the Gracious part in God's people; that they are hereby oft filled with discomfort, yea and sometimes make question of the Truth of their Grace. ( ² ) He leaves them ordinarily during this Mortality to divers invincible Infirmities; viz. Involuntary weaknesses, both in omitting good, and committing evil, against their wills. As doubts, staggerings, fears, spiritual dullness, sluggishness, listlesness in the ways of God, wandering and distracted thoughts in duties, &c. By which their hearts are ofttimes much saddened and dejected: they think it is not with any of God's people as with them herein. Thus the Lord Christ left his Spouse in her spiritual sluggishness, slumber and security, once and again. By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. I will rise now, and go about the City in the streets, and in the broad ways I will seek him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not. The watchmen that go about the City found me: To whom I said, Saw ye him whom my soul loveth? It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth, &c. And afterwards; I sleep, but mine heart waketh. It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh, saying, Open to me, my Sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with dew, and my locks with the drops of the night. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them?—I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: my soul failed, when he spake; I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. (3) He sometimes leaves them for a time to fall into gross and scandalous sins. As Noah into Drunkenness; Lot into Incest with his two daughters; David into Murder and Adultery; Peter into his triple Denyal of his Lord and Master Jesus Christ, and every time worse then other, &c. And these Falls cost them many bitter tears, when they come to themselves again: yea hereby their very bones are broken, their joy of God's salvation is lost, their assurance of God's love and Evidences for eternal life so blurred and defaced, that they call all into question. And of all God's deserting his people in sin, this is most dangerous, and most to be lamented. 3. In trouble and Distress. Herein God Deserts his people many ways. As, ( ¹ ) By leaving them to be exercised under Affliction, especially after great experience of God's Mercies. Hence Gideon complained to the Angel; O my Lord, If the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where be all his miracles which our Fathers told us of, saying; Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? But now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites. God in a sort forsakes his people, while he afflicts his people. ( ² ) By leaving them to unusual and extraordinary extremities of affliction. Thus God left Job in the hands of Satan to be miserably afflicted and distressed in his Goods, in his children, and in his own body: So that at last Job curses his birth, wisheth for Death, utters many passionate and distempered speeches, his friends think him to be a wicked hypocrite, and his wife estranged herself from him. And how hard a thing is it for God's people not to faint in the day of extreme affliction, because their strength is but small! (3) By leaving them under affliction a long time, the Lord delaying his help. O this is a sad aggravation of their distress, when the Lord deserts them for a long time together! Hence David complains; How long wilt thou forget me O LORD, forever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in mine heart daily; How long shall mine enemy be exalted over me? And Asaph most sadly expostulates▪ will the Lord cast off forever? And will he be favorable no more? Is his mercy clean gone forever? Doth his promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious? Hath he in anger shut up his tender Mercies? Selah. (4) By with-holding from his afflicted people the wonted sense and sweet experience of his Comforts, favor and loving-kindness in their afflictions. When God hides his countenance, withdraws himself from them, seems not to lay to heart or Consider their trouble. This was David's case, the Type: and Christ's condition upon the Cross, the Antitype; My God, my Ged, why hast thou forsaken me? &c. This was the lot of Mr. Rob Glover in prison at Coventry, after he was condemned to be burned for the Truth, two or three days before his Death, his heart was dull, heavy and lumpish, desolate of all spiritual consolation in reference to the bitter Cross of Martyrdom. So that he feared the Lord had withdrawn his wonted favor from him; and made his moan to Austin Bernher, a Minister, his familiar friend, signifying how earnestly he had prayed night and day unto the Lord, and yet could receive no motion nor sense of any comfort from him. Austin wished him to wait patiently the Lord's pleasure, and however his present feeling was, yet seeing his Cause was just and true, constantly to stick to the same, and play the man, not doubting but the Lord in his good time would satisfy him with plenty of Consolation, desiring him to show some signification thereof when his heart began to be touched with them. The next day, as he was going to the place of Martyrdom, and was now come to the sight of the stake, ( although all the night before praying for strength and courage he could feel none suddenly he was so mightily replenished with God's holy comfort and heavenly joys, that he cried out, clapping his hands to Austin, and saying in these words, Austin, He is come, he is come, &c. and that with such joy and alacrity, as one seeming rather to be risen from some deadly danger to liberty of life, then as one passing out of this world by any pains of death. Mr Peacock a learned and godly Minister, in his last sickness, was so far Deserted of God, that he concluded; The Lord had cursed him▪ That he was a foolish vain-glorious hypocrite; It was against the course of God's proceedings to save him, he hath otherwise Decreed, he cannot; That he desired no more to believe, then a post, then an horse-shoe, had no more sense of grace then those Curtains, then a goose, then that block. To his friends, saying, Suffer us to pray for you, he replied; Take not the name of God in vain▪ in praying for a Reprobate. Mr. Dod asked him how he did? He answered; Lamentably, wretchedly, miserably. No stamp of grace in me. Do you desire to be eased? Infinitely. Oh if God would give me but a drop! —Another time he brake out into this ejaculation; O God reconcile me unto thee, that I may taste one dram of grace, by which my miserable Soul may receive comfort. But after many sad agonies he received much comfort before his Death, as I shall after intimate. ( ⁵ ) Finally, By setting himself, his wrath and terrors against his people in their distresses. It is exceeding sad, when in afflictions God withholds his consolations from his people: but it is double grievous and intolerable when himself heaps positive disconsolations upon his people. Who may stand before him when once he is angry? This was Job's case; Oh that my grief were thoroughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together! For now it would be heavier then the sand of the Sea, therefore my words are swallowed up. For the Arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison thereof drinketh up my spirit: The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me. This was Heman's condition, who in his Desertion thus complaineth to God; Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me: and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah. — LORD why castest thou off my Soul? why hidest thou thy face from me? I am afflicted and ready to die, from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me: Thy terrors have cut me off. They came round about me daily like water: they compassed me about together. These are the sad Desertions wherewith the Lord sometimes exerciseth his dearest people. I have touched at the nature and sorts of them the more largely, that I may lay their foundations of comfort against them more solidly, and you discern the necessity and commodity of such comforts more fully.

(2) The Comfort which God's people may have against all these Divine Desertions, from this, That the Lord is their God by this Everlasting New Covenant; is manifold, and singularly reviving. For,

First, The LORD remains still a Covenant-God unto his people, in and under their saddest Desertions; as well as before, or after such Desertions. Jesus Christ forsaken by his father when he was dying upon his Cross, did yet in this extremity of Desertion cry out, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? Though he had deserted him, yet still he was his God; and still he apprehended him as his God. David deserted of his God, could yet plead his Covenant-interest in him, and Relation to him, as his God. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the daytime, but thou hearest not, &c. Heman in his most doleful Desertion, yet was able to say; O LORD God of my Salvation, I have cried day and night before thee, &c. Yea the Lord in Desertions still remains their Covenant-God though they should not be able so to apprehend him. As the Sun still shines, although we cannot always see it shine, by reason of clouds interposing, &c. Or as a sick man hath still a true title to, and interest in all his lands and goods, though for present he hath neither apprehension of it, nor Consolation in it. And the Lord must needs remain their Covenant-God in Desertion, as well as out; because he is their God by an Everlasting Covenant. Now temporary Desertions cannot overthrow an Everlasting Covenant. What then though thou beest under a Divine Desertion? yet the main is safe, The Substance of thine happiness is sure, The Lord still remains thy God in Covenant. Oh what an heart-reviving Cordial! The Lord hath not taken away his Grace▪ but suspended it. He hath not deprived thee of the support of his Comforts, but only of the sense and experimental feeling of his Comforts. He hath not so much left thee, as concealed himself from thee: He is present with thee as thy God, but hath a little hid himself. Its with thee, as once with Hagar: The well is close by thee, and thou lamentest for water, because thou knowest it not: or as once with the two Disciples going to Emmaus, they went lamenting Christ's death, when Christ himself risen from the dead walked and talked with them, but their eyes were held fast that they knew him not. Let this refresh thy deserted spirit, The Lord hath in some sense left thee: yet still remains a Covenant-God unto thee.

Secondly, God's sincere Covenant-people may be long and deeply deserted, but shall never be totally, finally or utterly forsaken. For, 1. God's New Covenant with them in Christ's blood is sure and Everlasting, and can never be reversed or destroyed: no more then Christ can die a second time. 2. The Mediator of this Covenant Jesus Christ hath not only died, to ratify God's New Covenant unalterably: but also is risen again, forever to trample upon all the sins and enemies of his true New Covenant-people triumphantly. What then shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ? shall tribulation, &c. Jesus Christ may as soon be plucked down from God's right-hand to suffer a second time, as his New Covenant-people be separated from God, and utterly cast away. 3. The Promises annexed to this Everlasting Covenant of God, do peculiarly secure all God's true Covenant-people against his final and total forsaking. Take a taste of these few. God promising to make a New Covenant with the house of Israel and Judah, tells them it should not be according to the former Covenant which their Fathers brake: whereby he implies, that this New Covenant should be of such a Nature and Constitution, that it should not be broken. God would undertake for both sides, &c. Christ saith; All that the father giveth me, shall come unto me: and him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. — My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. And God hath said; I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, viz. totally, finally, utterly. The Greek hath five Negatives in this Promise, intimating most Emphatically, that it is a Resolute and Peremptory Promise. It may be thus rendered to the Original; I will not not leave thee, nor will I not not forsake thee.

Thirdly, God keeps his Covenant-people from sinking, fainting and despairing under Desertions. Because he will be their Covenant-God and they shall be his people; he will not turn from them, nor shall they depart from him: viz. not totally, finally, utterly. And consequently when their God gradually and for a time deserts them, yet under those desertions he secretly supports them from utter despondency and despair, because he is, and will be their God. Hence, David deserted, could pray to God as his God upon many grounds of confidence. Yea he could say; O my God, I cry in the daytime, &c. — Thou art my God from my mothers belly. Be not far from me, for trouble is near, for there is none to help. — Be not far from me, O LORD; O my strength haste thee to help me. Thus he was secretly supported to plead his Covenant-interest in his God, though deserted by his God. Asaph deserted, was yet so far supported as to pray to God prevailingly: And at last to raise up his spirit upon the former experiences of his people. And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high. Heman deserted, could pray; O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee. The Church deserted of Christ, was yet so far supported by Christ, as to seek him whom her soul loved. She still loved him dearly, and sought him earnestly. Yea Jesus Christ himself deserted of his Father upon the Cross, yet was so far kept from despondency under his desertion, as to cry; My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? Though then such Desertions are sad and lamentable, yet such support under them against fainting is Comfortable. And the Lord as our God thus supports us herein, when we could not support ourselves, nor could any other relieve or help us. As David intimates in his Desertion; Be not far from me, for trouble is near, for there is no helper. This comfort God's people have under Desertions, in having the Lord to be their God in Covenant.

Fourthly, God seasonably recovers his people out of Desertions. In his own Season. And his Season is the best Season. Because he is their Covenant-God, he will not turn away from them, utterly: and if he turn not away from them utterly, he must needs return again to them seasonably. Though he desert them a long time, it shall not be over-long. Christ deserted his Church: she sought him, enquiring of the watchmen fo •… him; It was but a little (saith she) that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth. David and Asaph in the beginning of their Prayers complain of God's forsaking them: before the end thereof they intimate God's Return unto them. Christ himself was deserted of his father upon the Cross: but the same day received by his father into Paradise. Mr. Robert Glover Martyr▪ was deserted of God, and deprived of all sweet sense of his comforts for about three days together after his Condemnation, though he prayed to God night and day for divine refreshments. But when he was going to the place of Execution, and was now come within sight of the stake, The Spirit of God returned to him, with such singular comfort, that he triumphantly cried out to his dear friend; Austin, he is come, he is come. Mr. Peacock was sadly deserted of God in his last sickness: but about two hours or more before his Death, the Lord did so graciously return to him with the light of his Countenance gladning his Soul, that he brake forth into these passages; Do ye expect to hear from me, what I believe concerning my eternal Salvation? Truly God doth forever so endearedly tender; and is so inconceivably merciful to all those whom he hath once loved, that he never Finally doth forsake them; and therefore I am most assuredly confident, that I shall depart from hence into heaven. Happy! thrice happy be these cords of affliction in which my most gracious God hath tied and bound me! One telling him, you have fought a good fight; He said, It behooves, it behooves me to strive for heaven. Lift me up, lift me up, rid me hence that I may come to heaven. Being remembered of God's goodness to him, in filling his soul with such comfort, after so great Temptation, he said; I do ( God be praised ) feel such comfort from that▪ what shall I call it? ( Agony; said one that stood by:) Nay thats too little; that if I had five thousands worlds, I could not make Satisfaction for such an issue. — What great Cause have I to magnify the goodness of God, that hath humbled, nay rather that hath exalted such a wretched miscreant, and of so base Condition, to an estate so glorious and stately? The Lord hath honored me with his goodness: I am sure he hath provided a glorious Kingdom for me. The joy that I feel in my soul is incredible! Now O deserted Christian, stay thine heart with this; The Lord that sadly deserts thee will seasonably return unto thee. And when he returns, he will come with healing and joy. If he come again to thee but two or three hours before thy death, or as thou art going to the stake, it will be so sweet, that all the bitterness of former affliction and desertion will be forgotten.

Fifthly, God over-powers and Orders his people's Desertions for their singular benefit. He brings light out of this darkness: He turns this poison into a medicine. For, 1. Hereby, God's people are mightily put upon prayer. God seems to fly from them, by with-drawing himself▪ They fly after him, by strong cries and prayers, till they overtake him. And when did they ever pray more fervently to God, then when they were deserted most sadly by God? Witness, David, Asaph, Heman, Paul, The Church, and Jesus Christ himself▪ 2. Hereby, God's people are proved and tried, that God may see what is in their hearts; yea rather that God may let themselves see, what is in their own hearts. Thus, in the business of the Ambassadors of the Princes of Babylon, ( ^a ) God left Hezekiah to the pride, vanity, and vain-glory of his own spirit, to try him, that he might know all that was in his heart. God knew it fully before this Desertion: but Hezekiah knew it not. Hezekiah therefore had need to know it, that he might be sincerely and penitentially humbled for it. 3. Hereby, The Lord provides a singular Remedy and Antidote against his people's sins, Past, Present and Future. For, by with-drawing from them and deserting them, ( ¹ ) He corrects their sins past. As in Job, who in his distress thus complains to God; wherefore hidest thou they face, and holdest me for thine enemy? Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? For thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youths. That is, thou makest my sins stick as fast to me in their punishments as a possession to a purchaser: thou bringest all my youths sins fresh to my memory, and they are as an heavy load upon my Conscience, as if I had never repented of them, and thou hadst never pardoned them. ( ² ) He curbs and restrains their sins present. As in the Church, Christ knocks and waits that he might spiritually enter into her by nearer Communion: He invites her to open to him by all sweet alluring words. She was in a slumber on her bed of sluggishness and carnal security: She had put off her coat, how should she put it on? she had washed her feet, how should she defile them? Hereupon Christ leaves some memorials of his love and sweetness behind him, and withdraws himself from her, lest she should be lulled asleep in deeper security. Seeing his presence did not persuade her against it, his absence should rouse her out of it. And now that Christ had left her, she was wakned to the purpose, and restlessly seeks him, and calls after him. (3) He prevents their sins to come. As in Paul after he had been caught up into the third Heavens, he left him a while to be buffeted with temptations, to preserve him from spiritual pride through his Revelations. And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the Revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. He speaks it twice over, because this was a special advantage which God intended him by his buffeting Temptations. Now then if desertions are thus gainfully improved to God's people▪ as to Correct their sins past, Curb their sins present, and Prevent their sins to come; what a comfort may this be against them? 4. Hereby, the Faith of God's people is awakened and exercised. When God leaves them, then they are put upon search and inquiry into their own and others former old experiences for their support. As Asaph in his desertion complaining, will the Lord cast off forever? and will he be favorable no more? &c. at last recollected himself, and propped up his Faith by former experiences; And I said, This is my infirmity, But I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old, &c. 5. Hereby, Their love and desires are exceedingly enflamed after God and Jesus Christ, that they cannot rest till they recover some tastes of wonted love and favor. Thus, the drowsy and sleepy affections of the Church are notably awakened to Christ, by his withdrawing. 6. Hereby, God's return, and renewed discovery of his Grace, Favor and Love, are more eminently commended to God's people, as double, sweet and acceptable. When the Church recovered Christ after Desertition, then, she entertains him with Complacency of affection; I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine: he feedeth among the lilies, viz. He feedeth his eye and heart, greatly delighting himself with his people, and his own Graces in them. How welcome was the Lord to Mr. Rob. Glover Martyr, when he met him with his long looked-for Comforts, as he was now going to the stake! his heart and spirit were transported, and his tongue cries out; He is come, He is come. How welcome were the renewed beams of God's favor to Mr. Peacock about two or three hours before his Dissolution, when he burst out into that rapture; The Lord hath honored me with his goodness; I am sure he hath provided a glorious Kingdom for me. The joy that I feel in my soul is incredible. 7. Hereby, Finally, God's people are experimentally instructed to retain the Lord more steadfastly and carefully, when they do recover him. His absence was bitter as Death; his presence is life. Therefore they cling faster to him then formerly, they grow into nearer Communion with him, they charge all about them to take heed of disturbing or offending him in the lest degree. How emphatically is this declared in the carriage of the Church!— It was but a little that I passed from them, but I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mothers house, and into the chamber of her that conceived me. I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the Roes, and by the Hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake my love till he please.

6. What a Comfort is this to all God's true Federates, against all the sharpest Afflictions and Persecutions possible, that the LORD is their God by his own everlasting New Covenant!

God's Covenant-people are ordinarily an Afflicted and Persecuted people above all other people in the world. In this world ye shall have tribulation. — Moses chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a Season. — Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution. Many are the troubles of the righteous. Through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God. Christ saith; If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. Christ himself bare his cross. Deus unicum filium habuit sine peccato: nullum sine flagello; that is, God had one only son without sin: not one without the scourge. And Christians must be Crucians, that is, Cross-bearers, as well as their Lord and Master: As Luther notably expresseth it. He hath not learned (saith Holy Bradford ) his A B C in Christianity; that hath not learned the lesson of the Cross. Ignatius then counted himself a scholar of Christ, when he began to be a sufferer for Christ: as himself testifies in his Epistle written to the Romans. Righteous Abel in the beginning of the world was bathed in his own blood by the cruel hands of his wicked brother Cain Isaac mocked and persecuted by Ishmael. David hunted up and down as a Partridge by King Saul. Isaiah is reported to be sawn asunder with a wooden Saw. Jeremiah was put into a miry dungeon, and (as some say) sunk up to the shoulders in the mire; and was afterwards stoned to death in Egypt. Ezekiel slain in Babylon. Daniel cast into the hungry Lions Den. Michaiah clapt in prison, and there fed with bread and water of affliction. Amos brained with a club. Micah thrown headlong down a steep place, so that his neck brake, &c. Yea Steven tells the Jews; which of the Prophets have not your fathers persecuted, and they have slain them which shown before of the coming of the just one, of whom ye have been now the betrayers and the Murderers. In the days of the Maccabees, God's people endured many horrid cruelties; were tortured, cruelly mocked, scourged, bound, imprisoned, stoned, sawn asunder, tempted, slain with the sword, wandered about in sheep-skins and gaot-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented. Of whom the world was not worthy: they wandered in Desarts, and in Mountains, and in Dens, and Caves of the Earth. In the times of the New Testament what bloody storms of affliction and persecution fell upon the Church of God! How cruelly was Steven the Protomartyr after Christ stoned to Death? And Dorotheus relates of 2000. other believers that suffered death the same day. All the Apostles, except John, were violently put to death for Christ and his Gospel: and John himself was cast into burning oil (thinks Tertullian ) at Rome, (think others) at Ephesus, and it is thought by Nero: and suffered no harm thereby; but he was afterwards banished by Domitian into the I will of Patmos, Rev. 1. 9. James slain by the sword of Herod Agrippa. Ecclesiastical writers tell us, that Peter was crucified with his heels upwards, counting himself unworthy to be crucified like Christ; Andrew was crucified by Egeas King of Edessa; Philip was crucified, and stoned to death at Hieropolis in Phrygia; Barthol •… mew was beaten down with staves as he was preaching in Armenia, and crucified, his skin afterwards being flayed off, & he beheaded; Thomas was slain with a dart at Caelamina in India; Matthew was run thorrow with a sword, or as some think he was fastened with nails or spears to the Earth, The other James (thinks Jerome ) was cast headlong from the Temple; Lebbeus was slain by Agbarus King of Edessa▪ Simon the Canaanite was crucified in Egypt, or as others think, he and Jude were slain in a popular tumult; Matthias was stoned, and afterwards beheaded; Paul was frequently and grievously persecuted, imprisoned at Rome, and at last beheaded by Nero. Time would fail to mention the sad and cruel sufferings of the seventy Disciples; Of the Primitive Christians under the ten first Persecutions; of the Church in successive ages, in many Countries, especially in Germany, France, and here in England, till the bloody Marian days. So that we may still see the Church and people of God in all ages, as A Bush in the midst of flames: and may say with him;

viz.

Now against all their Afflictions and Persecutions, All God's sincere Federates may much comfort themselves in this, That the Lord is their God by this Everlasting New Covenant. And Hence ariseth a seven-fold comfort to God's afflicted people. For,

First, Their God in Covenant will not forget, nor forsake, nor withdraw his love from his afflicted people in any their sufferings or extremities. God's people indeed under strong and long afflictions, may sometimes think, and fear, and complain, that the Lord hath forgotten, and forsaken them, and cast them out of his love and favor. As the Jews in Babylon's captivity; But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. And when God's people are under a thick and black cloud of distress, how hard a thing is it for them ofttimes to behold any beam or brightness of God's countenance through that cloud? Yet notwithstanding all their sad apprehensions, God will never forget, nor forsake, nor alienate his love from them in affliction: no not when he seems most to do it. For, Hear what God saith; When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst; I the God of Israel will not forsake them; that is, Though my people in Babylon, or elsewhere in their way thence, be in as great wants and distresses, as once of Old when they came from Egypt in their dry and parching Wilderness: Yet I their God will not forsake them. Again, when Zion (in Babylon's long Captivity) said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me: what sa •… th the Answer of the Lord? Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands: Thy walls are continually before me. A tender mother may be so unmotherly as to forget her child, her sucking child, the son of her womb: yea the pitiful women did so in Jerusalem's siege, when they boiled and eat their own children. But God will not forget his afflicted people: For a constant memorial of them, he hath graven or portrayed them upon the palms of his hands: their walls, either their ruined walls are continually before him, still before his pitying eye: or their intended walls, in the Idea or Model of them, are continually before him, still in his thoughts and determinations how they shall be raised, and upon the same ground of God's tender love and faithfulness to his afflicted, these Promises are applicable to God's afflicted under the New Covenant. And therefore against all divorce of God's people from his love by affliction, or otherwise, How doth the Apostle triumph? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall Tribulation, or distress, or Persecution, or Famine, or Nakedness, or Peril, or Sword?—Nay in all these things we are more then Conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor Angel's, nor Principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. How should this hold up head and heart in deepest afflictions and persecutions, whoever forget us, or forsake us, or with-draw affection from us in distresses: Our God will never do any of these unto us: and then in worst of sufferings, the main is safe.

Secondly, God is most infinitely tender and compassionate over his people in all their sufferings. In tenderest compassions he at first made them his Covenant people: His Federal tenderness he still continues to them, and in afflictions is wont to express it most tenderly towards them. The LORD's portion is his people: Jacob the Lot of his inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness, (compassed about with many and sore distresses:) he led him about, (Heb. He compassed him about, as it were embraced him, and clasped his arms about him,) he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: So the LORD alone did lead him, &c. Oh what yearning tenderness did God show to his afflicted Israel! They that touch his people, touch the apple of his eye, his tenderest part. Their afflictions, are his afflictions: Their sufferings, are Christ's sufferings. He takes all their wrongs as done to himself: and accordingly rewards them. In all their affliction he was afflicted. He so pities his suffering people, that he smarts in their pains, he bleeds in their wounds, he is persecuted in their Persecutions. That expression is observable; God hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. Such care and tenderness God shows to his people in affliction, that they are styled by a peculiar appropriation, His afflicted. No tender Father can pity his sick child, as God the Father of Fathers commiserates his afflicted children. Now as to be un▪pitied in misery, is a great aggravation of misery; so to be tendered, pitied and commiserated in distress, is a great alleviation and lessening of distress. And above all compassions, the compassions of our God are most compassionate. Human tenderest Commiserations are but mere cruelties to divine compassions. O ye Covenant-people of God, comfort yourselves against all your sufferings, in that ye are not unpittyed in your sufferings. You have a friend that lays to heart all your afflictions. Your God pities you, and his bowels yern over you. He washes your stripes, he wipes off your tears, he binds up your bruises, he kisseth your wounds; your tears he puts into his bottle; every drop of your blood you shed, is registered in his book: The very hairs of your head are all numbered, Mat. 10. 30. not an hair falls from your head to your prejudice: Your God tells them all. To him you may make your moan, and pour out all your complaint, for he tenders you infinitely.

Thirdly, God will hear the cries, and prayers, and groans of his people in their distresses. This he hath promised to his Covenant-people, that struck Covenant with him by Sacrifice, whose God he was; Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. And elsewhere he saith; when the poor and needy seek water and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst: I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Jacob will not forsake them: because he is Jehovah, and the God of Jacob: that is, because he is their Covenant-God, giving being to his Covenant and Promises: therefore he will hear them, &c. When the Lord appeared to Moses in the Burning Bush, he proclaimed himself before Moses to be the Covenant-God of Israel, saying; I am the God of thy Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And what inferred he thence, for the comfort of Moses and Israel? In seeing I have seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their task-masters; for I know their sorrows. Hereby then God's people may comfort themselves, that when they in their troubles pour out their complaints before the Lord: he will not turn a deaf ear, nor put away their prayers from him, but attend unto them, because he is their God. He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer. This shall be written for the generation to come.—Yea, he looks down from heaven, to hear the groaning of the prisoner, and to loose the children of Death. If these were comforts to God's afflicted people under former Covenants; much more under this New Covenant.

Fourthly, God allies and qualifies the afflictions of his People. He will not suffer them to be extreme and unmeasurable upon them, because he is their God, and they his people in Covenant. Yea though their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his Covenant: yet, he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not; yea many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. He puts a great difference in this regard betwixt his people and others. He adds a great allay to their troubles, either in regard of manner, measure, kind, continuance or other circumstances: that they are able to bear them. Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? or is he slain, according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him? In measure when it shooteth forth thou wilt debate with it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of his East wind. All his chastisements upon his people are stinted by measure and favorable proportion: and when he fans them, he blows not all away, but stays, or keeps in, his rough wind, that it should not blow too fiercely and furiously.

Fifthly, God will supply his people's extremist wants in afflictions, with all necessary provisions: and this because he is their God. Wants of necessaries in an afflicted condition, greatly aggravates affliction: yea, are themselves a very great affliction. But the Lord will work extraordinarily, rather then they shall not seasonably be supplied. How sweet are those Promises! When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none; and their tongue faileth for thirst; I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high-places, and fountains in midst of the valleys: I will make the Wilderness a pool of water, and the dry Land springs of water. I will plant in the Wilderness the Cedar, the Shittah-tree, and the Myrtle, and the Oil-tree: I will set in the desert the Fir-tree, the Pine, and the Box-tree together: That they may see and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the LORD hath done this, and the holy one of Israel hath created it. This seems to have reference, Immediately, to the extreme misery of God's people under the Babylonish Captivity, and the difficulty of their return thence: Mediately, to the Spiritual bondage of his elect under sin, &c. typisied and shadowed out under Egypt's Bondage, and Babylon's Captivity; and so it is most comfortably applycable, even to all God's afflicted and distressed ones under the New Covenant. The extremity of the Jews sufferings in Babylon, or in the way thence to Zion, are set forth under the Metaphor of extreme thirst. Hunger and thirst are intolerable and deadly if not satisfied. But thirst is the far more intolerable of the two. Against such distress the Lord comforts them: More Generally, in that he will hear them and not forsake them. More Particularly, in that he will extraordinarily and beyond the course of Nature provide liberally for their Necessities, viz. Water against their thirst, even Rivers in high-places, Fountains in valleys, Pools in the Wilderness, and Springs in the dry Land. Shade and shelter against the parching heat of the Sun, by replenishing the Wilderness with great variety of pleasant, bushy, shady trees. So that the long, dry, barren and parching Wilderness, which they were to pass through from Babylon to Zion, should not hinder or discourage them. Also under these waters and shady trees, are metaphorically implied the spiritual refreshments and comforts which God affords his called ones in their way to heaven.

Sixthly, God is graciously present with his Covenant-people in midst of their greatest sufferings & afflictions: and that because he is their God in Covenant. Upon this consideration the Lord comforts his Israel against his afflictions and enemies; Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God. Being his God, he was with him: Being with him, he need not fear nor be dismayed by reason of any Evils or Enemies. To like effect was that wonder which Moses saw, The Angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a Bush; and he looked, and behold the Bush burned with fire, and the Bush was not consumed.—And God called unto him out of the midst of the Bush, and said, Moses, Moses.— Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.—I am the God of thy Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, &c. This was the Marvel: but what was the Mystery and meaning of it? This Bush; was the Church, the Israel of God. This Fire wherewith the Bush burned, was the Fire of afflictions wherewith Israel the Church of God had been already exercised in Egypt, and should be yet further exercised in the wilderness and in other places. This burning of the Bush without consuming, was the Churches singular and admirable preservation from ruin and destruction under afflictions: She lived, like the three noble Jews, without hurt in midst of flames: Or as Paul, Troubled on every side, yet not distressed; Perplexed, but not in despair: Persecuted, but not forsaken: Cast-down, but not destroyed: under afflictions, but not swallowed up of afflictions: in fiery trials, but not devoured by fiery trials: in the furnace and fining pot, but still un-consumed gold in the fining pot. And The Angel of the LORD in the flame of fire in the midst of the Bush, was the LORD God himself, the Covenant-God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who was graciously and powerfully present with his Church in her sharpest afflictions, preserving her from destruction by those afflictons. Being their Covenant-God, he was present with his people in midst of their sufferings.

O what an admirable Comfort is this to all the LORD's true Federates! we may be a bush burning with flames of afflictions, but the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, our Covenant-God, is present with us in midst of those flames. We may be sharply afflicted: but our God will be with us in those afflictions. With us by his special providence, by his mighty power, by his singular wisdom, by his peculiar graces and Comforts. So with us, as none in the world besides him could be with us. With us in the fire, in the water, in prisons, in dungeons, in the wilderness, in the shadow of Death. God was with Joseph in prison; with Israel in Egypt, and in the wilderness; with Elishah endangered by the Syrians; with Paul in the terrible Tempest at Sea, when they suffered Shipwrack; with Jonah in the bottom of the Sea in the belly of the Whale; with Daniel in the Lions Den; with the three valiant and noble-spirited Jews in the burning fiery furnace; and with his Martyrs at the stakes. Who ever start from us, Our God will never start from us, but be near unto us in perplexities. And God's presence with his afflicted people, is a manifold comfort to his afflicted people. For, Hence it is that 1. He exactly observes and lays to heart their sorrows. 2. He animates them against their fears. 3. He preserves them from destruction. 4. He enables them to endure. 5. He transforms the very Nature of their sufferings. 6. He avengeth them of their adversaries. 7. He seasonably delivers them out of all.

Hence, ( ¹ ) He exactly observes and lays to heart their sorrows and sufferings. He is present with them: therefore he cannot choose but know and pity their afflicted condition. He was in the midst of the bush burning with fire: therefore he perfectly knew the force, fury and sharpness of that fire, and how the Bush smarted in it. Hence he spake so sympathizingly; I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in