A77360:1035
Christ and the covenant the work and way of meditation
Christ and the covenant the work and way of meditation. : Gods return to the soul, or nation; together with his preventing mercy. : Delivered in ten sermons, (viz.) 1. Christs personal excellencies, the object of our love. 2. Christ crucified, the object of our faith. 3. The new covenant of grace opened. 4. Christ the mediator of the new covenant. 5. The way and spirit of the new covenant, or New Testament. 6. The blood of sprinkling. 7. The sweetness and profitableness of divine meditation. 8. The work and way of this meditation. 9. Gods return to the soul and nation. 10. Preventing mercy. / By W.B.
London: printed for N. Ranew, 1667
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.
3. And then again Thirdly, As the Lord doth thus prevent us with his mercy in reference to his own proceedings of common providence, so he doth prevent us with his mercy in reference to our own preparedness. Look when God doth give in a mercy that we are not prepared for, then God is said to prevent us with his mercy. Now was it not a great and choice mercy for the Ark to be brought home again to Israel? Yet notwithstanding you shall find they were not prepared for it; before they were prepared, God gave them in the Mercy, the Ark came back, 1 Sam. 6. Chapter, but their preparation you read of in the 7 Chap. And Samuel said to all the House of Israel, if you do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange Gods, and Ashtaroth; and the Children of Israel did put away Baalim & Ashtaroth, and served ⟨p. 483⟩the Lord only. This was after the Ark came home; so then the Ark returned before they were thus prepared. And you know what is said in the 57 of Isa. For the iniquity of his Covetousness I was wroth, and smote him, I hid me and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart: What then? vers. 18. I have seen his ways and will heal him, I will lead him also, and restore Comforts to him, and to his Mourners; over, and beyond all preparations, for he went on frowardly in the way of his heart, and he was not prepared but notwithstanding his want of preparation, I have seen his ways and will heal him, and will restore comforts to him, and to his Mourners. Thus God doth sometimes prevent us with his mercy, in reference to our own preparedness for his mercy.
3. And then again Thirdly, As the Lord doth thus prevent us with his mercy in reference to his own proceedings of common providence, so he doth prevent us with his mercy in reference to our own preparedness. Look when God doth give in a mercy that we are not prepared for, then God is said to prevent us with his mercy. Now was it not a great and choice mercy for the Ark to be brought home again to Israel? Yet notwithstanding you shall find they were not prepared for it; before they were prepared, God gave them in the Mercy, the Ark came back, 1 Sam. 6. Chapter, but their preparation you read of in the 7 Chap. And Samuel said to all the House of Israel, if you do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange Gods, and Ashtaroth; and the Children of Israel did put away Baalim & Ashtaroth, and served