If I am bound to bless my God for the natural lights which he hath made, the greater to rule the day, and the lesser to rule the night, because thereby it appears that his mercy endureth for ever, Psa. 136. 7, 8, 9. How much am I bound to bless him for the spiritual light of his word, that true, that marvellous light which shineth in a dark place, till the eternal day dawn! O what mercy, what mercy enduring for ever is there in every leaf, in every verse, in every line of that sacred Book! If Regeneration be a mercy, to be partaker of the divine nature, the stamping the lovely Image of the glorious God upon thee, then the word is a mercy, for that is the seal in the hand of the Spirit, which imprinteth it on thee, James 1. 18. Is faith a mercy, that shield of the soul, whereby it quencheth the fiery darts of the Devil, that Ladder by which the soul mounteth to Heaven, and ⟨p. 428⟩converseth daily with its Lord and Master? then the word is a mercy, for faith comes by hearing, the word is the door of faith, Rom. 10. 14. Act. 14. 27. If repentance be a mercy, those second and best thoughts of the soul, that recovery of the man to his wits and right mind, then the word is a mercy, for tis the voice of Christ in the word, that casteth the Devil of impenitency and sensuality out of the heart, (where it reigned and raged, sending out fire and flames, like Aetna, for many years) and makes the man like him in the Gospel (out of whom the Devil was cast) to sit at Jesus his feet in his right mind, bitterly weeping and mourning for his former folly and madness; Tis the hot beams of love that shine in the Gospel, that thaw the frozen spirits. Is hope a mercy, •hat Helmet of salvation which defendeth the head of Christians from Swords and Muskets, the souls of Saints from the darts and dangers of temptations, those Bladders of the soul, which keep it from sinking in deep waters? then the word is a mercy, for we through patience and comfort of the Scripture, have hope, Rom. 15. 4. Hope had never looked out at the window, longing for the coming of its beloved, if the word had not come before as a faithful Messenger, and brought certain news that he was upon the way. Are pardon, reconciliation with God, adoption, growth in grace, yea, Heaven it self a mercy? then the word is a mercy; All those Jewels are locked up in that Cabinet.
If I am bound to bless my God for the natural lights which he hath made, the greater to rule the day, and the lesser to rule the night, because thereby it appears that his mercy endureth for ever, Psa. 136. 7, 8, 9. How much am I bound to bless him for the spiritual light of his word, that true, that marvellous light which shineth in a dark place, till the eternal day dawn! O what mercy, what mercy enduring for ever is there in every leaf, in every verse, in every line of that sacred Book! If Regeneration be a mercy, to be partaker of the divine nature, the stamping the lovely Image of the glorious God upon thee, then the word is a mercy, for that is the seal in the hand of the Spirit, which imprinte•h it on thee, Iames 1. 18. Is faith a mercy, that shield of the soul, whereby it quencheth the fiery darts of the Devil, that Ladder by which the soul mounteth to Heaven, and ⟨p. 428⟩converseth daily with its Lord and Master? then the word is a mercy, for faith comes by hearing, the word is the door of faith, Rom. 10. 14. Act. 14. 27. If repentance be a mercy, those second and best thoughts of the soul, that recovery of the man to his wits and right mind, then the word is a mercy, for tis the voice of Christ in the word, that casteth the Devil of impenitency and sensuality out of the heart, (where it raigned and raged, sending out fire and flames, like AEtna, for many years) and makes the man like him in the Gospel (out of whom the Devil was cast) to sit at Iesus his feet in his right mind, bitterly weeping and mourning for his former folly and madness; Tis the hot beams of love that shine in the Gospel, that thaw the frozen spirits. Is hope a mercy, •hat Helmet of salvation which defendeth the head of Christians from Swords and Musquets, the souls of Saints from the darts and dangers of temptations, those Bladders of the soul, which keep it from sinking in deep waters? then the word is a mercy, for we through patience and comfort of the Scripture, have hope, Rom. 15. 4. Hope had never lookt out at the window, longing for the coming of its beloved, if the word had not come before as a faithful Messenger, and brought certain news that he was upon the way. Are pardon, reconciliation with God, adoption, growth in grace, yea, Heaven it self a mercy? then the word is a mercy; All those Jewels are lockt up in that Cabinet.
