A39658:119
The balm of the covenant applied to the bleeding wounds of afflicted saints First…
The balm of the covenant applied to the bleeding wounds of afflicted saints First composed for the relief of a pious and worthy family, mourning over the deaths of their hopeful children; and now made public for the support of all Christians, sorrowing on the same or any other account. To which is added, A sermon preached for the funeral of that excellent and religious gentleman John Upton of Lupton esq; by John Flavell, preacher of the gospel at Dartmouth in Devon.The balm of the covenant applied to the bleeding wounds of afflicted saints First composed for the relief of a pious and worthy family, mourning over the deaths of their hopeful children; and now made publick for the support of all Christians, sorrowing on the same or any other account. To which is added, A sermon preached for the funeral of that excellent and religious gentleman John Upton of Lupton esq; by John Flavell, preacher of the gospel at Dartmouth in Devon.
London: printed for J. Harris, 1688
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
There be two sorts of things belonging to all God's People, viz. 1. Essentials. 2. Accidentals.
1. They have somethings which are essential to their Happiness; such are the loving kindness of God, the pardon of sin, union with Christ, and eternal salvation. And they have other things which are Accidentals, that come and go, live and die, without affecting or altering their Happiness; such are Health, Estates, Children, and all sorts of Relations and earthly Comforts. These are to our Happiness, as Leaves are to the Tree which fade and fall away without endangering the Tree; but the other as the vital Sap, without which it withers and dies at the very root. Now if it can be made out that the Covenant fully secures the former; then it will strongly follow, that it therein abundantly relieves us under all our ⟨p. 62⟩sorrows for the latter: and that it doth so, will evidently appear, by reviewing the Covenant, wherein you shall find all these substantial and essential Mercies of Believers, fully secured against all hazards and contingencies whatsoever.
There the loving kindness of God is secured to their Souls, whatever Afflictions he lays upon their Bodies.1 Nevertheless my loving kindness will I not take away. And their pardon is as safe as the favour of God is; 'tis safely locks up in that Promise,2 I will remember their sins no more. Yea, Heaven, together with our perseverance in the way to it, are both put out of hazard by that invaluable Promise, They shall never perish, 3