2. He hath made a Covenant with thee, of spiritual mercies; even a Covenant of Peace, and Grace, and Blessing, and Life for evermore; God is become thy God, he is all things to thee; he hath forgiven thy sins, he hath given thee his Spirit, to lead thee, to sanctify thee, to uphold thee in that state wherein thou standest; and at last he will bring thee to a full enjoyment of himself in Glory, where thou shalt bless him, and rejoice before him with joy unspeakable and full of glory. O pluck up thy heart, lift up thy head, strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees; serve the Lord with gladness and joyfulness of Spirit, considering the day of thy Salvation draweth nigh. Write it in Letters of Gold, that thy God is in Covenant with thee, to love thee, to bless thee, and to save thee. Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and receive thee to himself, and then thou shalt fully know what it is to have God to be thy God, or to be in Covenant with God. I know these Objects rejoice not every heart; a man out of Covenant, if he look on God, he is a consuming fire: if on the Law, it is a Sentence of Condemnation; if on the Earth, it brings forth Thorns by reason of sins; if on Heaven, the Gate is shut; if on the Signs in Heaven, Fire, Meteors, Thunder, strike in him a terror. But O my Soul, this is not thy case: a Man in Covenant with God, looks on these things with another eye; if he look on God, he saith, This is my Father; if on Christ, this is my elder Brother; if on Angels, these are my Keepers; if on Heaven, this is my House; if on the Signs of Heaven, Fire, Meteors, Thunder, these are but the effects of my Fathers Power; if on the Law, the Son of God hath fulfilled it for me; if on Prosperity, God hath yet better things for me in store; if on Adversity, Jesus Christ hath suffered much more for me than this; if on the Devil, Death, and Hell, he saith with the Apostle, O Death! where is thy Sting? 1O Grave! where is thy Victory? Come poor soul, is it not thus with thee? what? art thou in Covenant with God, or art thou not? If yet thou doubtest, review thy grounds of hope, and leave not there, till thou comest up to some measure of assurance: but if thou art persuaded of thy Interest, O then rejoice therein; is it not a Gospel-duty to rejoice in the Lord, and again to rejoice? The Lord is delighted in thy delights:2
2. He hath made a Covenant with thee, of spiritual mercies; even a Covenant of Peace, and Grace, and Blessing, and Life for evermore; God is become thy God, he is all things to thee; he hath forgiven thy sins, he hath given thee his Spirit, to lead thee, to sanctifie thee, to uphold thee in that state wherein thou standest; and at last he will bring thee to a full enjoyment of himself in Glory, where thou shalt bless him, and rejoyce before him with joy unspeakable and full of glory. O pluck up thy heart, lift up thy head, strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees; serve the Lord with gladness and joyfulness of Spirit, considering the day of thy Salvation draweth nigh. Write it in Letters of Gold, that thy God is in Covenant with thee, to love thee, to bless thee, and to save thee. Yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and receive thee to himself, and then thou shalt fully know what it is to have God to be thy God, or to be in Covenant with God. I know these Objects rejoyce not every heart; a man out of Covenant, if he look on God, he is a consuming fire: if on the Law, it is a Sentence of Condemnation; if on the Earth, it brings forth Thorns by reason of sins; if on Heaven, the Gate is shut; if on the Signes in Heaven, Fire, Meteors, Thunder, strike in him a terrour. But O my Soul, this is not thy case: a Man in Covenant with God, looks on these things with another eye; if he look on God, he saith, This is my Father; if on Christ, this is my elder Brother; if on Angels, these are my Keepers; if on Heaven, this is my House; if on the Signes of Heaven, Fire, Meteors, Thunder, these are but the effects of my Fathers Power; if on the Law, the Son of God hath fulfilled it for me; if on Prosperity, God hath yet better things for me in store; if on Adversity, Jesus Christ hath suffered much more for me than this; if on the Devil, Death, and Hell, he saith with the Apostle, O Death! where is thy Sting? 1O Grave! where is thy Victory? Come poor soul, is it not thus with thee? what? art thou in Covenant with God, or art thou not? If yet thou doubtest, review thy grounds of hope, and leave not there, till thou comest up to some measure of assurance: but if thou art perswaded of thy Interest, O then rejoyce therein; is it not a Gospel-duty to rejoyce in the Lord, and again to rejoyce? The Lord is delighted in thy delights:2
- 11 Cor. 15.55.
- 2Phil. 4.4.
