The Balm of the Covenant, Application 1
VSE I.
For information, in three Corolaries.
Corolary I.
By what hath been discoursed from this Text, it appears, That God governs the spiritual part of the World by Faith, and not by Sense. He will have them live upon his Covenant and Promises, and fetch their relief and comforts thence, under all their sorrows and distresses in this Life.
God never intended temporal things for his Peoples Portion, therefore from them they must not expect their relief in times of trouble. He will have us read his love to us by things within us, not by things without us. He hath other ways of expressing his love to his People, than by the smiles of his Providence upon them. How would earthly things be over-valued and idolized, if beside their conveniency to our Bodies, they should be the marks and evidences of Gods love to our souls! A Christian is to value himself as the Merchant, or the Husbandman doth. The Merchant values himself by his Bills and Goods abroad, not by the ready Cash that lies by him. And the Husbandman by his Deeds and Leases, and so many Acres of Corn he hath in the ground, and knows he hath a good Estate, though sometimes he be not able to command twenty shillings. Christian, thy Estate also lies in good Promises and new Covenant-securities, whether thou hast more or less of earthly comforts in thy hands.
Every Creature feeds according to its nature; the same Plant affords food to several sorts of Creatures: the Bee feeds upon the Flower, the Sheep upon the Branch, the Bird upon the Seed, and the Swine upon the Root. One cannot live upon what the other doth. So it is here: A Christian can feed upon the Promises, and make a sweet meal upon the Covenant, which the carnal mind cannot relish. The life that I now live, I live by the faith of the son of God, Gal. 2.21.saith the Apople.
This is that mysterious and excellent life of Faith, and the Test of true Christianity, to relieve our selves by our hopes of things to come, against present Evils; to balance the sorrows and losses of this life, with the promises and expectations of the next. Thus did the renowned Believers of the first Age; whenever they felt a faint pang or qualm upon their hearts, under their tryals and sorrows from the World, they would presently run to their Cordial, the Promises, and a sip of Faith from that Bottle would refresh and invigorate their souls with new life and powers.2 Cor. 4.16, 17, 18. We faint not, whilst we look not at the things which are seen, for they are temporal; but at the things which are not seen, for they are eternal. And truly so must we also, when our hearts are faint within us in days of affliction, or our Spirits will fail, and we shall go away in a faint fit of despondency.
Corolary II.
Learn hence the soveraign efficacy of the word, and what a choice priviledge it is to have these lively Oracles of God in our hands, in a day of distress and trouble.
'Tis no ordinary Mercy to be born in a Land of Bibles and Ministers; to have these choice Supports and Reliefs at hand, in all our fainting hours.Psal. 119.50. This is my comfort in my affliction, for thy word hath quickened me. It was no small Mercy gained by the Reformation, that it put the Oracles of God into our hands. It opened a Shop of Cordials for the support of our …ouls. For this, among other great and excellent uses, the Scriptures were written,Rom. 15.4. That we, through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope. In other parts of the World it is a sealed Book; bless God it is not so to you. All Creature-comforts have a double defect, they are neither suitable nor durable; but the word is so. Compare the Arguments that have been urged from the Covenant, with such as these. It's in vain to trouble our selves about what we cannot help: we are not alone in trouble, others have their losses and afflictions as well as we. Alas, what dry and ineffectual comforts are these! they penetrate not the heart, as pardon of sin, peace with God, and sanctification of troubles to our salvation do.
And no less is the Mercy of an able New Testament Ministry, to open, apply, and inculcate the consolations of the Scriptures to be esteemed. It is no common favour to the afflicted soul, to have with, or near him, an INTERPRETER, one among a thousand, Job. 33 23.to shew unto him his uprightness. O England, prize and improve these Mercies, and provoke not thy God to bereave thee of them.
I can find no such settlement made of the Gospel and Ministry upon any place or People, but that God may remove both, upon their abuse of them; and if he do, sad will the case of such a People be, especially when a day of distress and trouble shall be upon them. 'Tis sad to be in a storm at Sea, without a Compass or Pilot to direct and advise the distressed Passengers. Much so is the case of the afflicted, when deprived of the Word and Ministry.
Let it therefore be your care to hide the Word in your hearts, and get the Teachings of the Spirit; that whatever changes of Providence be upon the World, you may have the light and comfort of the Scriptures to direct and chear your souls. Sanctification is the writing of Gods Law in your hearts; and what is written there, is secure and safe. The Word within you, is more secure, sweet, and effectual, than the Word without you. Ierom saith of Nepotianus, that by long and assiduous meditation of the Scriptures, his Breast was at last become the Library of Christ. O that the Breast of every Christian were so too.
Corolary III.
How sad and deplorably miserable is their condition, who have no title to, …or comfort from the Covenant of God, when a day of affliction and great …istress is upon them!
Unrelieved Miseries are the …ost intolerable Miseries. To be over-weighed with troubles o… Earth, and want support and com…fort from Heaven, is a dism… state indeed; yet this is the ca… of multitudes in the World. If … Believer be in trouble, his God bears his burden for him, yea, he bears up him and his burden too but he that hath no Covenant i…terest in God, must say as it is Jer. 10.19. This is my affliction, an… I alone must bear it.
There are but two ways the… can take for relief, either to di…vert their troubles by that whi… will inflame them, or rest their burthened Spirits upon that which will fail them. To run to the Tavern or Ale-house, instead of the Closet, is to quench the fire, by pouring on Oyl; and to run from one Creature which is smitten and withered, to another which yet continues with us, is to lean upon a broken Reed, which not only deceives us, but wounds and pierceth us. What a miserable plight was Saul in, and how doleful was his cry and complaint to …amuel, 1 Sam. 28.15. I am sore …istressed, for the Philistins make war …gainst me, and God is departed from …e, and answereth me no more. Heaven and Earth forsook him at once.
Reader, if this be thy case, I advise thee to rest no longer in so miserable a condition. Thy very distress seems by an happy necessi…y to put thee upon God, and drive thee to him for refuge: And … seems to be the very aim and design of God in blasting all thy earthly comforts, to necessitate thee to come to him, which thou wouldst never be perswaded to do, whilst thou hadst any Creature-prop to stay and rest upon. And think not that thou shalt be rejected, because thou art brought by a plain necessity to him; come sincerely, and thou shalt not be upbraided, because a necessity threw thee upon him.