The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 1 · Chapter 4 · Section 7

The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant · Religious treatise · Part 1 · Chapter 4 · Section 7

p. 31SECT. VII.

2. IF God be your God, then all the glorious Attributes of God, are engag…d All the glorious Attributes of God are engaged for their good.unto you for your good; for when God is our God, then himſelf as conſidered in his eſſence, and as conſidered in his attributes or glories, he thus is ours; God and all that belongs to a God are for us, and for our good. As when the Covenant of Marriage is finiſhed betwixt the Husband and the wife, now the Husband is hers, and all that belongs unto the Husband is hers, ſhe ſhall be the better for his riches, and for his honours, and for his wiſdome, and for his power, and for his kindneſs: So when God is our God in Covenant, he is ours, and all that he hath is ours: ours, though not for Denomination (as if he made us Gods, or made us omnipotent, and infinite, and eternal) yet ours for fruition: himſelf and all his attributes, we do and ſhall enjoy for our good and benefit.

I will mention ſome of thoſe attributes of God, and will ſhew you your good of and by them, and will demonſtrate it, that they and all their good are engaged to all the people to whom God is a God in Covenant.

1. God is al-ſufficiency. I am God Almighty (or al-ſufficient) ſaith God to Abraham, God is al-ſufficiency, and this is engaged.Gen. 17. 1. (i. e.) I am an infinitely perfect…fulneſs to my ſelf, and of my ſelf; I am abſolutely enough, and need or want nothing; and I will be enough, I will be a fulneſs to you, you ſhall not need any other but my ſelf, to ſupply you with any good which you ſhall want, or to ſecure you from any evil which you fear. This is al-ſufficiency, To be enough, and to be without any want, and to be enough to us, and to fill up all our wants; and this al-ſufficiency, God doth …ngage himſelf to be unto every one with whom he is a God in Covenant, Gen. 15. 1. Fear not, Abraham, I am thy ſhield, and thy exceeding great reward. What is that? It is as much as if he had ſaid, I am thy al-ſufficiency, and will ſee unto thee, that thou ſhalt have enough, thou ſhalt not want any thing. Pſal. 23. 1. The Lord is my ſhepherd, I ſhall not want. Pſal. 34. 9. There is no want to them that fear him. Pſal. 84. 11. The Lord God is a Sun and ſhield; The Lord will give grace and glory, no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly. Now this is the comfort belonging to you, That your God is al-ſufficiency, and he is your al-ſufficiency; all that you have comes from him; and all that you want, ſhall be ſupplyed by him; and he hath enough of his own fully to help you in any condition, and at any time, and he alone is enough unto you.

Conſider, any want whatſoever (whether ſpiritual or temporal, whether inward p. 32or outward) your God will be an al-ſufficiency to you. Do you want grace? do you want peace in conſcience? do you want the joy of the holy Ghoſt? do you want ſtrength againſt corruptions, or againſt temptations? God is ſufficient for them all: He can and will give more grace, Jam. 4. 6. He can and will speak peace unto his people, Pſal. 85. 8. He can and will give you fulneſſe of joy, Pſal. 16. 11. Exceeding joy, like that in harveſt, Iſa. 9. 3. and in Iſa. 12. 3. With joy ſhall ye draw waters out of the wells of ſalvation: and he can and will be ſufficiency againſt your corruptions; Sinne ſhall not have dominion over you, for you are under grace, Rom. 6. 14. And againſt your temptations; M… grace is ſufficient for thee; and my ſtrength is made perfect in weakneſſe, 2 Cor. 12. 9. And for any outward want; My God (ſaith Paul in Phil. 4. 19.) ſhall ſupply all your need according to his riches in glory by Chriſt Jeſus: Bread ſhall be given him, and his water ſhall be ſure, Iſa. 33. 16. The earth is the Lords and the fulneſſe thereof: If all the earth can help you, you ſhall not want any good; nay, if the earth, or meanes do faile, God himſelf will not fail you, but will create good, and help, and ſalvation for you.

2. God is mercifulneſſe: The Lord, the Lord God merciful, &c. Exod. 34. 6. The Lord your God is merciful, 2 Chron. 30. 9. Turn unto the Lord your God, God is mercifulneſſe.for he is gracious and merciful, Joel 2. 13.

Mercifulneſs or mercy, doth eſpecially denote two things in God.

1. One is tender compaſſion; and therefore the mercies of God are frequently Mercy denotes in God, Tender compaſſion.ſtiled his bowels; (Pſal. 25. 6. Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies) or thy bowels of mercies. So Pſal. 51. 1. According to the multitude of thy bowels of mercies; and ſo in the New Teſtament, Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, Luke 1. 78. It is remarkable, that the ſame word in the Hebrew, Chalde, Syriack, and Arabick, which ſignifies bowels, is uſed for mercy: which notes two things.

1. That the mercies of God to his, are moſt inward, tender, affectionate compaſſions, like the bowels of a father, and of a mother to his deareſt children being in miſery.

2. That not only the effects of mercy, are the portion of Gods people, but the very heart of God acts towards them, and yearns over them: when he ſhews mercy to them, mercy comes from his very heart and bowels.

2. Another is, forgiveneſs of ſinnes; that eſſential propenſion in God to pardon ſinne, to paſs by tranſgreſſion, to blot out iniquity, and never to remember Forgiveneſſe of ſins.ſinne any more. This is the Attribute of God, which is his great glory, and his great delight, and our only hope and life. There is a depth in this mercy, more than that in the Sea, and a height in this mercy, above all the thoughts of men; and a bredth in this mercy; it can pardon many ſins, great ſinnes, abundant ſinnes; and a length in this mercy; it is everlaſting, and endures for ever: This is the mercy, or mercifulneſs of God! And to enjoy God in this Attribute (as our merciful God, as pitying, as pardoning us, as forgiving and forgetting all our ſins, and never remembring them any more) O what a comfort, what a ſettling, what a joy, and a reſt is this!

Conſider,

1. It is the great care, and the great deſire almoſt of every man, eſpecially in diſtreſſes of conſcience, and times of ſickneſs and death; Be merciful unto me, O Lord, Lord be merciful unto me a ſinner. O that my ſinnes were pardoned, and how ſhall I get my ſinnes pardoned! He that doth not regard the holy, doth yet prize and eſteem very much the merciful God. Every ſinner doth like and long for mercy.

2. All Controverſie is at an end, when mercy pardons ſinne. Now enmity is ſlain, and wrath and curſe go off (for theſe follow ſinne as unpardoned) but p. 33if ſin be pardoned, all puniſhment is pardoned, and God is reconciled, and your ſouls are graciouſly accepted, and claſped with love and favour.

3. When mercy pardons ſinne, then conſcience is at reſt; The broken bones are at eaſe and rejoyce, Pſal. 51. (True peace follows full remiſſion of ſinnes) and then joy comes into the heart (Be of good comfort, thy ſinnes are forgive…) And then confidence of acceſs unto God comes into the ſoul, and then hope of ſalvation is raiſed in the ſoul.

Now mark what I ſay, If God be your God, then he is your merciful God. And God is your merciful God.Heb. 8. 10. This is his Covenant, I will be to them a God, and they ſhall be to me a people. Ver. 12. I will be merciful to their unrighteouſneſs, and their ſinnes will I remember no more. Iſa. 40. 1. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, ſaith your God. Ver. 2. Speak ye comfortably to Hieruſalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accompliſhed, that her iniquity is pardoned. Jer. 33. 8. I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have ſinned, and whereby they have tranſgreſſed againſt me. Micah 7. 19. Thou wilt caſt all their ſinnes into the depth of the ſea. Ver. 20. Thou wilt performe the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham.Six comforts to thoſe who have God their merciful God. He will forgive you, though not others.

There are ſix excellent comforts unto you who have God to be your merciful God.

1. That he will forgive you. Though the ſinnes of others are ſealed up, and ſtand upon record againſt their ſouls, yet your ſinnes ſhall be forgiven. The ſinnes of others are written, and ſtand upon record, but yours are blotted out.He will forgive your great ſins.

2. That he will forgive your great ſinnes, as well as your ſmall ſinnes: From all your filthineſs, and from all your Idols, will I cl…anſe you, Ezek. 36.

3. That he will forgive all your ſinnes, though they have been many, though He will forgive all your ſinnes.there hath been a multitude of them. Your God (who is rich in mercy, and hath riches of mercy, and multitude of mercies) will abundantly pardon them, Iſa. 55. 7.

4. That he will freely forgive them; I am he that blotteth out thy He will freely forgive them.tranſgreſſions for mine own ſake, and I will not remember thy ſinnes, Iſa. 43. 25. and Luke 7. 42.He will everlaſtingly forgive.

5. That he will everlaſtingly forgive your ſinnes; ſo forgive them, as never to mention them more. All his tranſgreſſions which he hath committed, they ſhall not be mentioned unto him, Ezek. 18. 22. Though they be ſought for, there ſhall be none, and they ſhall not be found, for I will pardon them whom I reſerve, Jer. 50. 20.

6. That your God will certainly do this; I will ſurely have mercy upon him, He will certainly do this. God is holineſs.Jer. 31. 20.

3. God is holineſſe; He is an holy God, Joſhua 24. 19. I am the Lord your God, ye ſhall be holy, for I am holy, Levit. 11. 44. (Holy, holy Lord God Almighty, Rev. 4. 8.) Glorious in holineſſe, Exod. 15. 11.

Gods holineſſe, is his infinitely pureneſſe without all ſinne, yea, hating of it. Being alſo the cauſe of all the holineſſe and purity in the creature.

This is one of the great excellencies and the glories of God; He were not God if he were not holy; and the more that any one partakes of holineſſe, the more excellent is he.Six things affirmed of holineſs. It is a glory attributed to every perſon in the Trinity. Unto the Father Unto the Son. Unto the Spirit

There are ſix things which we can affirm of holineſs.

1. It is a glory attributed unto every perſon of the Trinity. It is attributed

Ʋnto the Father: Holy Father, keep through thine own Name, thoſe whom thou haſt given me, John 17. 11. Unto the Sonne, that holy child Jeſus, Acts 4. 27. Theſe things ſaith he that is holy, Rev. 3. 7. Unto the Spirit, p. 34who is called the Holy Ghoſt, Matth. 3. 11. and the holy Spirit. Eph. 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God

2. It is a glory attributed unto all creatures, and perſons, and things of excellency. It is attributed to all creatures, and things of excellency.The holy Angels, Matth. 25. 31. The holy Prophets, Luke 1. 70. The holy Scriptures, Rom. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15, The great City, the holy Jeruſalem deſcending out of heaven from God, Rev. 21. 10. Holy men of God, 2 Pet. 1. 21.

And indeed holineſſe is our glory, and therefore the Spirit of grace is called the Spirit of glory, Heb. 10. 29. 1 Pet. 4. 14. And they who are ſtiled holy, Iſa. 4. 3. are ſtiled the glory, ver. 5.

3. It is neceſſary unto glory, unto that glory which ſhall be revealed, unto It is neceſſary unto glory.the exceedingly exceeding weight of glory, unto that eternal glory, that heavenly happineſs, as a means is neceſſary to an end; as a lower ſtep to ariſe unto an higher. Heb. 12. 14. Follow holineſſe, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord. 1 John 3. 3. Every man that hath this hope, purifieth himſelf as he is pure.

4. It is neceſſary unto your preſent communion with God. He cannot take delight in you, nor will he be neare you, nor impart himſelf unto you, unleſs It is neceſſary to our preſent communion with God.you be holy. What fellowſhip hath righteouſneſſe with unrighteouſneſſe? and what communion hath light with darkneſſe? 2 Cor. 6. 14. You read in the Law, that all was holy which had a reſpect unto God; the Altar was holy, and the Temple was holy, and the offerings were holy, and the perſons who offered them were holy; To intimate unto us that there could or might not be any communion with the holy God without holineſſe.

5. It is the pawn and pledge of future glory, the firſt-fruits of the Spirit, It is the pawn and pledge of future glory.Rom. 8. 23. The earneſt of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 1. 22. The ſealing of the holy Spirit is ſtiled the earneſt of our purchaſed poſſeſſion, Eph. 1. 13, 14.

6. It is the diſtinguiſhing character of the Covenant. No people are an holy people, but the people of the Covenant, and all thoſe people are holy, It is the diſtinguiſhing character of the Covenant.1 Pet. 2. 5. Ye are a ſpiritual houſe, an holy Priest-hood. Ver. 9. Ye are an holy Nation, a peculiar people, Iſa. 4. 3. He that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jeruſalem, ſhall be called holy; even every one that is written among the living in Jeruſalem. 1 Cor. 3. 17. The Temple of God is holy, which Temple ye are.

Now if God be your God, He is and will be your holy God; He will Comforts from this, that God will be a holy God to you. He will make you holy.be an holy God unto you, and that affords you many comforts.

1. He will make you holy: (They ſhall call them the holy people, the Redeemed of the Lord, Iſa. 62. 12.) He will give his holy Spirit unto you, Luke 11. 13. Where is he that put his holy Spirit within him? Iſa. 63. 11. As you read of Joſhuah the High Prieſt; The Lord ſaid, Take away his filthy garments from him. Behold, I have cauſed thine iniquity to paſſe from thee, and I will cloath thee with change of rayment, Zach. 3. 4. So the Lord deals with every perſon unto whom he is a God in Covenant; He cleanſeth them from all their filthineſſes (I will cleanſe them from all their iniquities, Jer. 33. 8.) I will ſprinkle cleane water upon you, and you ſhall be cleane, Ezek. 36. 25. So Ezek. 37. 23. They ſhall not deſile themſelves any more with their Idels, but I will cleanſe them, ſo ſhall they be my people, and I will be their God.

2. He will encreaſe your holineſſe: He will ſanctifie you throughout, 1 Theſ. He will encreaſe your holineſs.5. 23. (He will give more grace, James 4. 6.) He will ſtrengthen what he hath wrought, Pſal. 68. 28. Holineſſe is like the waters of the Sanctuary, in Ezek. 47. …. 4, 5. To the ancles, to the knees, and then a river that could not be paſſed over. It is the field which the Lord will bleſs and proſper. It is the garden he will water. He will end forth …udgement unto victory, Mat. 12. 20. 2 Cor. 3. 18. We are changed into the ſame image, from glory to glory.

p. 353. He will preſerve your holineſſe, and you (being holy) in holineſs; To the end he may eſtabliſh your hearts unblameable in holineſſe, 1 Theſ. 3. 13. and He will preſerve our holineſſe.1 Theſ. 5. 23. I pray God that your whole spirit and ſoul, and body be preſerved blameleſſe unto the coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, ver. 24. Faithful is he that calleth you, who alſo will do it, Phil. 1. 6. He which hath begun a good work in you, will performe it untill the day of Jeſus Chriſt.

4. He loves your holineſſe, and takes delight in it, for it is his own Image, and He loves your holineſſe.his own work, the fruit of his own grace, the birth of his own Spirit.

5. He will crown your holineſſe; ye have your fruit unto holineſſ, and the end He will crown our holineſſe.everlasting life, Rom. 6. 22. Bleſſed are the poor in heart, for they ſhall ſee God, Matth. 5. 8. Therefore is holineſſe called a change from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 3. 18. Holineſs at firſt is weak and little, at length it is much and ſtrong, at laſt it ſhall be perfect and glorious. At firſt it is like a ſpark of fire covered with aſhes, at length it is like a burning fire, at laſt like a flaming fire; at firſt it is in groans and deſires, at length it is in conflicts and combates, at laſt it is in victory and glory.

4. God is an Omniſcient God; he knows all things whatſoever, and all perſons, God is an omniſcient God.and all conditions, and all the hearts, and all the counſels, and thoughts, and words, and wayes of all men, at all times, and in all places, and that moſt clearly and perfectly by his own infinite light; he knows all that is paſt, and all that is preſent, and all that is future, and all that is poſſible, Heb. 4. 13. There is not any creature that is not manifeſt in his ſight, but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Conſider this place (ſeriouſly) which declares Gods Omniſcience. There is not any creature that is not manifeſt in his ſight. There be many millions of millions of creatures, and they be farre and near over all the world; but whatſoever they are, and whereſoever they are, they are manifeſt in his fight; though they be hid from us, yet they are known to God; and though they be out of our fight, yet are they manifeſt in his ſight; they are before his eyes which runne to and fro throughout all the world.

And all things are naked and open to his eyes,] there is no darkneſs twixt him and them, no curtain is drawn over his eye; they are as naked to him as the childe which is newly born is unto our eye, or as every pile of graſs is diſcovered by the Sun at noon day: or as the parts of a diſeaſed body, &c. Pſal. 139. 2. Thou knoweſt my down-lying, and my up-riſing, thou underſtandeſt my thoughts afar off, verſe 3. Thou art acquainted with all my wayes, veſe 4. There is not a word in my tongue, but lo O Lord thou knoweſt it altogether.

Queſt. You will ſay This is granted; it is very unqueſtionable that God is omniſcient, that he knows all things. But what is this for the comfort and good of What comfort have we by this.his people? what good have they by being intereſted in an all-knowing God?

Sol. 1. The good and comfort thereby is exceeding great; for Gods omniſcience This is the key to open all his other Attributes.is (as it were) the Key to open all his other Attributes; it is the ſpring which ſets them all to work, and without which they could not work at all for your good.

Though the Lord be an All-ſufficiency, yet unleſſe he were omniſcient, unleſſe he did know all your wants, what good could his all-ſufficiency do you? And though the Lord be of a very merciful nature, ready to pity and help, yet unleſſe he did know your miſeries, he could not help you in your miſeries. It is his omniſcience which doth (if I may be ſo bold to expreſſe it) acquaint and inform all his other glorious Attributes, and put them on, and draw them out to work for our good.

2. That the omniſcient God is your God, this is an unſpeakable comfort unto It is comfortable if we conſider,you, whether you conſider what he knows, or how he knows, as concerning your ſelves.

p. 36For what he knows as concerning your ſelves and your conditions. The Lord What he knows as concerning our ſelves. The integrity of our hearts.knows who are his, 2 Tim. 2. 19.

He knows the integrity of your hearts, notwithſtanding all your weakneſſe and failings. But the High places were not taken away, nevertheleſſe the heart of Aſa was perfect all his dayes, 2 Chron. 15. 17. 2 Sam. 7. 20. Thou Lord knoweſt thy ſervant, John 2. 17. Lord, thou knoweſt all things, thou knoweſt that I love thee.

He knowes all your wants, and all your diſtreſſes. I know thy works, and tribulation All our wants.and poverty, ſaith Chriſt to the Church of Smyrna, Rev. 2. 9. Your heavenly Father knoweth that you have need of all theſe things, Matth. 6. 32.

He knows all your deſires, and prayers, and tears, Rom. 8. 27. He that ſearcheth All our deſires.the heart, knows what is the minde of the Spirit. Pſal. 38. 9. Lord, all my deſire is before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee, Pſal. 56. 8. Put thou my tears into thy bottle, are they not in thy book?

He knows all your active and paſſive ſervice, in his cauſe for his glory; all the All our active and paſſive ſervice. How he knows us and our conditions. With a knowledge Of approbation.good that ever you have done, and all the evil that ever you have ſuffered, Rev. 2.

How he knows you, and all your conditions.

He doth know all the conditions of his people with a knowledge

1. Of Approbation: The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, Pſal. 1. 6. that is, he likes their way, he approves of their way; ſo Rev. 2. 9. I know thy works, that is, I like them exceeding well, I am pleaſed to ſee them.

2. Of Compaſſion: The Lord ſaid, I have ſurely ſeen the afflictions of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reaſon of their Task-maſters; for Of compaſſion.I know their ſorrowes, Exod. 3. 7. If one loved us much, but did not know our wants and conditions; if one did know all our conditions, but did not love us, it were ſad; but God knows and loves, &c. As a father knows the diſtreſſes and wants of his childe, and pities the childe in that condition; his bowels are troubled for him, and if he can, he will relieve him; ſo, &c.

3. Of Condeſcention: (that is,) he knows your wants and deſires, and he will help you, and he will ſupply you; Your heavenly Father knows that you need all Of condeſcention.theſe things, Matth. 6. 32. What is that? that is, he will ſupply your need according to his riches and glory; ſo Exod. 3. 7. I know their ſorrows. This is explained in verſe 8. And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that Land unto a good Land; ſo Nahum. 1. 7. The Lord is good, a ſtrong hold in the day of trouble, and he knoweth them that truſt in him: (that is) He will do them good, they ſhall finde him to be as good as his word, and he will help and deliver them.

3. The Omniſcience of God is a comfort unto you againſt all your enemies counſels, plots, reproaches, injuries, Jer. 8. 23. Lord thou knoweſt all their counſels againſt me to ſlay me, Pſal. 69. 19. Thou haſt known my reproach and my ſhame, The omniſcience of God is comfort a gainſt all our enemies.and my diſhonour, mine adverſaries are all before thee, Iſa. 37. 28. I know thy aboad, and thy going out, and thy coming in, and thy rage againſt me. And how doth the Lord know your enemies, and their plots, &c. even with deteſtation and deriſion, and oppoſition, and judgment, and deſtruction.

4. The omniſcience of God is a comfort unto you, in this reſpect, that it is a foundation and fountain of all ſaving knowledge in you: God knows you, and you ſhall It is comfort, as it is a fountain of all ſaving knowledge.know him, (I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulneſs, and thou ſhalt know the Lord, Hoſea 2. 20. They ſhall all know me, Jer. 31. 34.

He knows you for his people, and you ſhall know the Lord for your God, 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Lord knoweth who are his; they ſhall know that I am the Lord their God, Ezek. 28. 26. ſo Ezek. 39. 22.

He perfectly knows you, and the time ſhall be that you ſhall perfectly know him; you ſhall know, even as you are known, 1 Cor. 13. 12.

p. 375. Another Attribute of God is this: He is a wiſe God, mighty in wiſdome, God is a wiſe God. And we are better for his wiſdome. Our wiſe God orders every thing that befalls us for our good.Job 36. 5. God onelyonly wiſe, Rom. 16. 27. and this God is your God, and you are the better for his wiſdome. For,

1. Your wiſe God guides and orders every thing that befalls you for your good; (omnia bona, or in bonum) all things ſhall work together for good unto them that love him, Rom. 8. 28. Sometimes you have abundance, and that ſhall do you good; ſometimes you have wants, and that ſhall do you good; ſometimes you have honour and reſpect, and that ſhall do you good; ſometimes you have diſhonour and reproach, and that ſhall do thee good; ſometimes you have enjoyments, and they ſhall do you good; and ſometimes you have loſſes, and theſe ſhall do you good; ſometimes you have liberty, and that ſhall do you good; and ſometimes you have afflictions and croſſes, and they ſhall do you good. Though there be diverſities and contrarieties as to the outward condition, yet the tempeſt and the calme, the Winter and the Summer, all that befalls you, ſhall fall out for good, becauſe all that befalls you comes from your wiſe God, who orders and guides all your contigencies for your good, and his own glory.

2. You ſhall not fai…e or miſſe of any good whatſoever: God hath promiſed you in You ſhall not faile or miſſe of any good in its ſeaſon.its ſeaſon; the appointing and chooſing, and hitting of ſeaſons peculiarly belong to wiſdome. Therefore Solomon ſaith, A wiſe mans heart diſcerneth both time and judgment, Eccleſ. 8. 5. And all things are beautiful in their ſeaſon, when a good word is ſpoken in ſeaſon, and when help and deliverance comes in ſeaſon, and when any mercy comes in the right ſeaſon, it is more precious, and the more acceptable. The Lord hath undertaken all the conditions of all his people; he hath promiſed peace to their afflicted conſciences, and comfort to their mourning ſouls, and help unto their diſtreſſed ſpirits, and audience to their fervent prayers, and ſtrength unto their fainting hearts. Now though the Lord doth a while delay you, though he doth not preſently give you what you ask, though he takes a time before he ſpeak, though he doth not take your time, yet becauſe he is a faithful God, therefore he will take a time; and becauſe he is a wiſe God, therefore he will take the beſt time: He will anſwer you, he will help you, he will ſuccour you in an acceptable time, in the right ſeaſon which is the beſt part of time. 2 Cor. 6. 2. He ſaith I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of ſalvation have I ſuccoured thee.

3. He will give you the beſt counſel and advice, becauſe he is a moſt wiſe God; He will give you the beſt counſel and advice.wiſdome it ſelf can counſel beſt, Jer. 32. 19. He is great in counſel, and mighty in works, Iſa. 28. 29. He is wonderful in counſel, and excellent in working, Rom. 11. 33. O the depth of the riches both of the wiſdome and knowledge of God! we are many times in ſtraits, in difficulties, and in Jehoſhaphats caſe, we know not what to do; it is not in man that walks to direct his ſteps: we grope as in the dark, and oft times are dead in our own thoughts, and want wiſdome what courſe to take, and what way to reſolve on; but now if you be the people of God, this is your comfort, your God is a wiſe God, and he can direct and counſel you, Pſal. 73. 21. Thou ſhalt guide me with thy counſel, and afterwards receive me to glory; ver. 32. 8. I will inſtruct thee, and teach the in the way which thou ſhalt go, I will guide thee with mine eyes, Iſa. 30. 21. Thine cars ſhall hear a word behinde thee, ſaying, this is the way, walk ye in it, James 1. 5. If any of you lack wiſdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it ſhall be given him. The wiſe God can reſolve all your doubts, and clear up unto you all your paths, and ſhew you the path of life, and ſhew you all the ways how to finde peace and reſt for your ſouls.

4. He will be too hard for all your enemies in all their cunning plots and devices.He will be too hard for your enemies in their cunning plots.

Our Saviour ſaith that the Children of this world are wiſer in their generation than the children of light: they are too cunning, two crafty for them, but yet God is too hard for them: his wiſdom is beyond all their policy, Job 5. 12. He diſappointeth p. 38the devices of the crafty, ſo that their hands cannot perform their enterpriſe, ver. 13. He taketh the wiſe in their own craftineſſe, and the counſel of the froward is carried headlong: did not the wiſe God do this to Pharaoh, to Balack, to Saul, to Achitophel, to Haman? did he not exceed them, and diſapoint them?

5. He will proportion your trials, temptations, and afflictions; for he is a wiſe He will proportion your tryals.God; therefore he will debate with you, and correct you in meaſure, neither will he lay upon you more than is right, Eſay 27. 8. Job 34. 23. A father will not give the childe as much phyſick as he can poure into the cup, only ſo much as is fit for his recovery. And no heavier burden will he lay on, than his childe is able to bear: So the wiſe God he keeps time and meaſure; you ſhall never have an affliction, but when you need it, nor ſhall any temptation befall you, but God will inable you to bear it, for he is a wiſe God.

6. He means you no hurt in any particular denials, or in any particular removals He means you no hurt in any particular denials.of outward bleſſings: He hath his reaſons for them both, and thoſe very ſtrong and ſufficient to ſatisfie you; you wonder ſometimes that God deals ſo with you, as never to accompliſh ſuch a deſire of yours, or preſently to take away ſuch a comfort of yours. O but your God is a good God, and he is a wiſe God, he knows that you know not what ye ask when you ask to be ſo rich, and to be ſo great. And he knows the danger into which you may fall by a long enjoyment of an earthly comfort, what a loſs to his glory and to your own ſouls; and he knows how to ſet your hearts upon himſelf by breaking off your hearts from poor, vain, earthly and ſenſual comforts.

7. Your wiſe God will finde means and ways to bring in unto you all the good Your wiſe God will finde meanes to bring all your promiſed good to paſſe. Your wiſe God will give you wiſdome.which he hath promiſed unto you; your when, and your how, fall within the compaſſe of your wiſe God, (that is) the fitteſt time, and the beſt way, and means of your enjoyments; the golden Candleſtick had ſeven lamps and ſeven pipes.

8. Your wiſe God will give you wiſdome, and make you wiſe, ſpiritually wiſe, wiſe for ſalvation, and wiſe in your converſation and walkings, wiſe in Chriſt, 1 Cor. 4. 10. Wiſe Stewards, Luke 12. 42. Wiſe Virgins, Matth. 25. 2, 4. Wiſe to know the day of your viſitation, to redeem the time, to remember your latter end, to chooſe the better part, and the beſt paths, and to look at eternity, and to prefer things eternal before temporal, to make ſure of Chriſt, and Grace, and Glory.

6. A ſixth Attribute of God, is Omnipotency; your God is Elſhadai, God Almighty; God is omnipotency.above ſeventy times is he ſtiled ſo in Scripture, Pſal. 62. 11. God hath ſpoken once, twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God, 1 Chron. 29. 11. Thine O Lord is the greatneſſe and the power, ver. 12. In thine hand is power and might, Job 37. 23. Touching the Almighty we cannot finde him out, he is excellent in power, Pſal. 132. 2. The mighty God of Jacob, Pſal. 147. 5. Great is the Lord, and of great power, Pſal. 45. 3. Moſt mighty, Matth. 19. 26. with God all things are poſſible. This Omnipotency is a divine Attribute whereby God is (of himſelf alone) infinitely able to do whatſoever he will do, and whatſoever he undertakes to do, and whatſoever is poſſible to be done. We have God is an infinite eſſence, and therefore of infinite power.a true ſaying, that Po…entia ſequitur eſsentiam, there is alwayes a commenſuration twixt the eſſence of a thing and the power of it. A limited eſſence hath but a limited power: and therefore every creature hath but a limited power, becauſe it hath a limited eſſence; The fire and water can do ſome things (as ſuch Elements) but more they cannot do; The Sun and Moon and the reſt of the Stars can alſo do many things, in their Sphere, and without that they can do nothing; So men and Angels they are able to do much, but ſtill their power is contracted and bounded according to their eſſence; but God is of an infinite eſſence, there He is a moſt perfect eſſence and therefore muſt needs be omnipotent.are no bounds unto his being, and therefore he is of infinite power.

Again, there cannot be any imperfection and want in God: The divine eſſence is a moſt perfect eſſence, and therefore it muſt needs be Omnipotent. If p. 39there were any thing which God could not do or perform, there ſhould then be ſome inſufficiency and defect, and weakneſſe in his nature.

And beſides all this, there would be an uncertain foundation for our faith to reſt There would be an uncertain foundation for our ſaith to reſt on, if God were not able to ſupply all.upon God, If there ſhould be any thing concerning us or his Church, to which he were not able to help and ſupply them in, or to accompliſh; This being a certain truth that the people of God do principally ſtand in need of thoſe things which do require even an Omnipotent God to produce or cauſe them, their graces and comforts exceeding all created power to effect them.

I could adde more reaſons for the demonſtration of Gods Omnipotency; (viz.) 1. The Creation of the world, wherein that which was not at all was immediately formed into a being, and that formation depended only upon his Word. 2. The providential upholding, or ſuſtentation of the whole world, and guidance, of every creature in every motion. 3. The wonderful works wrought by God, exceeding all created power. 4. And the Converſion of the hearts of ſinners; but thoſe already mentioned are ſa…isfying and ſufficient to our purpoſe.

Quest. But now you may reply, What comfort is this to the people of God, that What comfort is this that our God is omnipotent.their God (he that ſayeth in his Covenant, I will be to you a God) is God Omnipotent?

Sol. There are ſix choice comforts from this unto you who have the Omnipotent God to be your God.

1. You may caſt all your care upon him, whatſoever your wants be, (for ſoul or You may caſt all your care upon him.body) be they never ſo many, and never ſo great, and never ſo often, your God who is Omnipotent is able to ſupply them, Epheſ. 3. 20. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think: you ask many things, and you think of many things, and you need many things, and your God is able to ſupply you in all theſe; able, yea abundantly able, abundantly able, yea, exceeding abundantly, above all that we ask or think; his power exceeds all your wants: There are ſome wants that your friends can help you in, you may go to ſuch a friend and ſay unto him, Lend me ſo much money to pay a debt, and he is able to help you, and yet there are ſome wants that no friend nor man can be a help unto you in them. When the famine was very grievous in Samaria, a woman cryed to the King of Iſrael, Help my Lord O King; and he ſaid, If the Lord do not help thee, whence ſhall I help thee? out of the barne-floor, or out of the wine-preſſe? 2 Kings 6. 26, 27. As if he had ſaid, In this thy ſtrait, I am not able to help thee. Beloved, our wants may quickly riſe above the power of man; but they can never riſe above the power of God; every ſpiritual want exceeds the power of all creatures, but no corporal or ſpiritual want exceeds the power of God; you need knowledge, your God is able to give it; and you need wiſdome, your God is able to give it; and you need mercy and grace, and comfort, and ſtrength, and deliverance, and faith, patience, love, meekneſſe, joy, peace, and friends, and bread, and houſe, &c. God (your God) is able to ſupply every want that is preſent, or that is poſſible. We read of the Iſraelites, that being in bondage they wanted liberty, and God gave it them; and being near the Red Sea, they wanted ſalvation, and God gave it; and being in the Wilderneſſe, they wanted water, the Rock is ſmitten, and water is given; and they wanted bread, and God rained down Manna; and they wanted fleſh, and God ſent them Quailes, &c.

If any man had ſuch a friend who had power enough for all ſorts of ſupplies, let his wants and ſtraits be what they may be, yet he were able to help all. O ſaith he, I am well, I have a friend who can help me in all my wants and ſtraits; Such a friend (amongſt men) cannot I confeſſe be found; but ſuch a God may be found, who can perform all things for you, who hath power enough to help againſt all temptations, and againſt all corruptions, and in all afflictions, and in all neceſſities, yea, and in all extremities.

2. He alone can do you good; you need none but your God to do you good: p. 40He alone can do you good.Omnipotency is (of it ſelf) ſufficient for all your helps and ſupplies; as it can do all things, ſo it can do all things from it ſelf: No creature is alone able or ſufficient to be an help unto you without God, but God alone is able to help you without any creature; for he is omnipotent. Suppoſe you be in danger, God alone is able to deliver you; ſuppoſe you be under trouble of Spirit, God alone is able to comfort you; ſuppoſe you need mercy, God alone is able to pardon you; ſuppoſe you be under outward wants, God alone is able to ſupply you; Omnipotency needs the help of none; unto your help, it can create ſalvation, and command loving kindneſſes, and deliverances, and any good.

3. When God will do you good, none can hinder him or you from the enjoyment When God will do you good, none can hinder him.of that good: If he will bleſſe you, you ſhall be bleſſed; is there any power able to hinder Omnipotency? as the Apoſtle ſpake in another caſe, (1 Cor. 10. 22.) Do we provoke the Lord to jealouſie, are we ſtronger than he? So ſay I, Will any contend with the Almighty God? Can they binde his hand? Are they ſtronger than the Almighty and Omnipotent God? Iſa. 46. 9. I am God, and there is none elſ; I am God, and there is none like me, verſe 10. My Counſel ſhall ſtand, and I will do all my pleaſure. Iſa. 40. 15. Behold the Nations are as a drop of a buck…, and are counted as the ſmall dust of the balance; ver. 17. All Nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him leſſe than nothing and vanity. Beloved! you cannot put any ſuppoſition as a prejudice unto Gods Omnipotency; you cannot ſay, were my Adverſaries not ſo many or mighty; were my temptations not ſo high and ſtrong; were my diſtreſſes not ſo deep and low? were my wants not ſo many and great, then God could do me good, and help me; Theſe are vain and weak ſuppoſitions in reference unto God; for although the power of men and divels, and the greatneſſe of want and diſtreſſes may exceed out power, yet nothing is too hard for God; there are no difficulties, there are no impediments unto the Omnipotent God: If God be for us, who can be againſt us? ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 8. 31. As if he ſhould ſay, if God will preſerve you, you ſhall be ſafe; if God will bleſſe you, you ſhall be bleſſed; if God will do you good, none can hinder.

4. Then all his promiſes ſhall be accompliſhed unto you: Thoſe promiſes All his promiſes ſhall be accompliſhed unto you.which are ſo many and ſo great, and ſo precious, which are your treaſures, your munition of rocks, your hopes and confidences, and the bonds and ſecurity which God gives unto you, they ſhall certainly be performed unto you.

There are three things concerning God which do aſſure you of the performance of his promiſes.

Firſt, His Will; the will of his goodneſs is in the making of all his promiſes; and the will of his reſolution is for the performing of them: Thou wilt performe the truth to Jacob, and the oath to Abraham, Micah 7. 20.

2. His unchangeableneſſe or unfaithfulneſs: I will not ſuffer my faithfulneſſe to faile, Pſal. 89. 33. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips, Verſe 34. He is faithful that promiſed, Heb. 10. 23.

3. His Power or Omnipotency; being fully perſwaded that what he had promiſed, he was able to performe, Rom. 4. 21. Beloved! your God doth never over engage himſelf unto you, his goodneſs doth not ſurpaſs his ability; he promiſeth unto his people in general, riches of grace and glory; and he hath promiſed to ſome of his people in particular, ſuch bleſſings as exceeded all the poſſible capacities of reaſon; and yet he eaſily brought all about, he performed all; for he is an Omnipotent God infinitely able to do, &c.

5. He can then raiſe and advance the work which he hath wrought; he can He can raiſe and advance the work which he hath wrought.bring forth judgment unto victory; as it was ſaid of Zerubbabel, the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this houſe, his hands alſo ſhall finiſh it, Zach. 4. 9. Or as the Lord ſpake about the houſe of Eli, (1 Sam. 3. 12.) when I begin I will make an end: So ſay I, hath God begun in your hearts any work of p. 41grace? hath he ſowen the ſeed in rhe field? hath he planted the Vineyard? he is able to finiſh his work; he who was able to give grace, is able to make all grace to abound; he that planteth grace, is able alſo to water it, and to increaſe it, and to bring it to perfection, to give life to the dead, and to give ſtrength to the weak, to convert a ſinner, and to ſubdue ſinnes, for he is an Omnipotent God. And ſo likewiſe for your joy and peace which are but weak, your God is able to fill you with joy in believing, to make your joy unſpeakable and full of glory; he is able to give you peace that paſſeth underſtanding, and to make it as a River. And ſo for temptations which do ſo much diſtreſs you, your God is not only able to reſtrain Satan, but alſo to bruiſe him under your feet, Rom. 16. 20. It is a certain truth that Omnipotency hath no bounds or limits; you cannot ſay that God who works thus farre, can work no farther; as he can work all things unto their being, ſo he can work them up to that perfection of being of which they are capable.

6. If your God be an Omnipotent God, then you who are his people are altogether Then his people are altogether ſafe and ſecure For their bodies,ſafe and ſu…, both in reſpect of your bodies, and in reſpect of your ſouls. For your bodies: Is not he ſafe who hath Omnipotency to be his guard and ſhield? is not Omnipotency it ſelf ſafety enough unto you? Deut. 33. 26. There is none like unto the God of Jeruſon who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the skye ver. 27. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlaſting armes. And likewiſe for your ſouls, they ſhall never be loſt; nay, they ſhall aſſuredly be kept and preſerved to glory, John 10. 27. My ſheep And for their ſouls.hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, ver. 28. And I give unto them eternal life, and they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any man pluck them out of my Fathers hands, ver. 29. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hands. Mark here the comfort and aſſurance which Chriſt gives, and the reaſon thereof. My ſheep ſhall never periſh, but they ſhall have eternal life. This is the comfort, and this comfort he grounds upon the power of God: (he is greater than all, and no man is able, &c.) As if he ſhould ſay, many aſſay to hinder them and deceive of that life, but they are not able, they are in my Fathers hand, (in the keeping of his power) and he is greater (he is ſtronger) than all, put them all together, he is too ſtrong for them. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation. There is not power enough in our ſelves to keep out ſelves, but there is power enough in God; and we are kept by the power of God (even unto ſalvation) untill we come to the heavenly glory.

7. If your God be an Omnipotent God, he can eaſily help you and enable you He can eaſily help you and enable you to all good.in and to all good: What ſhall I ſay more for your comfort from the Omnipotency of your God? it is an univerſal comfort unto you in all conditions of life and death. Tu non potes, ſed Dominus tuus poteſt, ſaid Chryſoſtome; he is able to enable you for all your duties, I can do all things through Christ that ſtrengthens me, Phil. 4. 13.

He is able to comfort you in all your ſorrows, 2 Cor. 1. 4.

He is able to deliver you from all your ſins and troubles.

He is able to keep you from falling, Jude ver. 24.

He is able to raiſe you up being fallen.

He is able to feed you all your days, Gen. 48. 15.

He is able to deliver you from the power of death, Heb. 2. 14.

He is able to preſent you faultleſſe before the preſence of his glory with exceeding joy, Jude ver. 24.

7. A ſeventh Attribute wherein God is engaged unto you, is faithfulneſſe; your Gods faithfulneſſe is engaged for you.God is often ſtiled a faithful God; (that is,) one that ſtands to his word, and keeps his Covenant, Deut. 7. 9. The Lord thy God he is God, the faithful God, who keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that love him, &c. 1 Kings 8. 23. Lord God of Iſrael, &c. who keepeſt Covenant and mercy with thy ſervants, p. 42Nehem. 9. 32. Our God who keepeſt Covenant and mercy.

There are foure things in the faithfulneſſe of God.Four things in the faithfulneſs of God. Sincerity of intention.

1. Sincerity of intention: God is faithful, (that is) he really intends all the good of which he ſpeaks, and which he promiſeth unto you; his heart goes with his word; he doth not ſpeak one thing, and minde another; ptomiſe much, and never intend to do any thing; but his word of promiſe is bottomed upon the real purpoſe of his will.

2. Fixedneſse of reſolution; God is faithful, (that is) he is ſtedfaſt, he is ſtill Fixedneſſe of reſolution.in the ſame minde, he is not variable and changeable, he will never alter his word, he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himſelf, 2 Tim. 2. 13.

3. Certainty of execution, or performance. God is faithful (that is) will Certainty of execution.certainly performe unto you whatſoever good he hath promiſed, Gen. 28. 15. I will ſurely do thee good, and I will not leave thee untill I have done that which I have ſpoken unto thee of, ſaid God to Jacob, Jer. 31. 20. I will ſurely have mercy upon him, ſaith the Lord God, chap. 32. 41. I will rejoyce over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this Land aſſuredly with my whole heart, with my whole ſoul. Hab. 2. 3. The viſion is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it ſhall ſpeak and not lye; though it tarry, wait for it, becauſe it will ſurely come. Micah 7. 20. Thou wilt performe the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham which thou haſt ſworne unto our fathers from the days of old.

4. Fulneſſe and exactneſſe of performance, not failing his people in any one Fulneſſe and exactneſſe of performance.promiſe, Jer. 32. 42. I will bring upon them all the good that I have promiſed them, Joſh. 23. 14. Ye know that in all your hearts, and in all your ſouls, that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you; all are come to paſſe unto you, and not one thing hath This faithfulneſſe is your exceeding comfort.failed thereof. 1 Kings 8. 5, 6. There hath not failed one word of all his good promiſe, which he promiſed by the hand of Moſes his ſervant: This is the faithfulneſs of God, and this is your exceeding comfort, that your God is a faithful God; he remembers his Covenant for ever, and his word to a thouſand generations, Pſal. 105. 8. Were he (as he is) an all-ſufficiency and full of mercy, and Omnifcient, and Wiſe, and Omnipotent, and never ſo abundant in goodneſs, yet if he were not faithful, you could have no comfort in any of his Attributes, nor in any of his promiſes, nor yet any confidence or aſſurance at all: But this faithfulneſs of God gives life (as it were) unto all his Attributes, and unto all his Promiſes, and unto all our hopes and confidences. What are a thouſand Bonds and Indentures if they were not ſealed? what are a million of promiſes and proteſtations from a man who is unfaithful, who regards not his word, who will break his word with you; faithfulneſs is all in all; a faithful heart, a faithful friend, a faithful God, and this is the great ſatisfaction of all our doubts and fears: But will God do me good? but will he performe what he hath promiſed? if I were ſure that he were ſure, he will not faile me, this would ſtay me, this would ſatisfie me, I had enough. Now you have it cleared out unto you, that your God is a faithful God.

Queſt. But you may perhaps deſire to know the particular portions of comfort from this, that your God in Covenant is a faithful God.

Sol. I will preſent a few of them unto you.

1. The faithfulneſſe of God is a ſure pledge unto you for all your enjoyments: For, This is a ſure pledge of all our enjoyments.It is (if I may ſo expreſs it) the very ſeal of God to performe all the Bond of his Covenant; the ſecurity which God gives you for all his engagements, as full aſſurance as God can make for the performance of all his promiſes; it is a ſure foundation for your faith to reſt upon, a foundation that cannot be ſhaken, and which ſhall never be removed; you are as ſure to enjoy all the good which God hath promiſed to you as God is God, and as God is your God: In hope of eternal life whi…h God that cannot lye, hath promiſed, Titus 1. 2. God hath promiſed to forgive our ſinnes, and to cleanſe us from our ſinnes, and he is faithful to p. 43forgive us our ſinnes, and to cleanſe us from all unrighteouſneſſe, 1 Joh. 1. 9. God hath promiſed to ſanctifie us throughout. And faithful is he who hath called …s, who will alſo do it, 1 Theſ. 5. 24. God hath promiſed to eſtabliſh us, and to keep us from evil. And the Lord is faithful who will establiſh you, and keep you from evil, 2 Theſ. 3. 3.

2. The faithfulneſs of God is a mighty and effectual, and prevailing Plea This is an effectual, and prevailing plea with God.with your God. O Lord! This is my want and diſtreſs; and that is thy promiſe for help; and thou art faithful who haſt promiſed, in thy truth, and in thy faithfulneſs to anſwer me; keep Covenant with me, remember thy word, do not faile me! why? this comes cloſe to God, this concernes him near; he hath taken his Oath upon it, that he will not lye, that he will not deceive, that he will not fail his people.

3. The faithfulneſs of God is enough to anſwer all your fears and doubts; O It is enough to anſwer all our fears and doubtsthey are ſuch great things, and they are ſuch hard things, and unto ſenſe and reaſon, ſuch improbable and impoſſible things, and who am I, &c.

Sol. Why? doſt thou find theſe things promiſed by God unto thee? God wants not power to do them, and he is faithful, and will do them; the faithful God will performe every good thing which he hath promiſed; though thy unbelief many times ſaith, He will not; and thy fears diſpute how he can; though thy reaſon fail thee, and though thy ſenſe faile thee, and though thy heart faile thee; yet thy God will never faile thee, thy faithful God will not fail thee. God is faithful, and he will not ſuffer thee to be tempted above what thou art able, &c. 1 Cor. 10. 15.

4. The faithfulneſs of God is a ſupport unto you under all his ſilence, and under It is a ſupport under all his delayes.all his delayings of the good which he hath promiſed, and you do ſo earneſtly crave: Your prayers are not in vain, your waitings are not in vain: Perhaps you have waited at the gate of heaven (many a day, yea, and many a year) for aſſurance of mercy, for power over ſuch a ſinne, for victory over evil thoughts and temptations, and afflictions, and yet you are not heard, and ſtill you are put off, and hereupon your heart begins to faint (God will not do me this good, and he will not remember his promiſe) O but do you remember that your God is a faithful God; and a faithful God cannot lye, a faithful God will keep his Covenant, will remember his Covenant, will perform his Covenant; he may be ſilent unto your prayers; he may delay you long; but he is faithful; he hath his time, and he will ſurely take his time to anſwer and ſuccour you.

5. The faithfulneſs of God will break down all contrarieties, and contradictions, It will break down all contradictions and oppoſitions.and oppoſitions; Heaven and earth ſhall ſooner fail and paſs, than that one Word or title of Gods promiſe ſhall fail or periſh; his Word of promiſe ſhall take effect, though all the Devils in hell oppoſe it, and though all the men on earth oppoſe it, and though all the powers of unbelief oppoſe it; this ſtands in the way, and that ſtands in the way, but yet God is faithful, and his promiſe ſhall be made good; Sarah was old, &c. But ſhe judged him faithful who had promiſed, Heb. 11. God ſhould never be truſted, if he were not faithful.

8. Graciouſneſs is another Attribute of your God; your God is a gracious God is a gracious God.God, and he is and will be a gracious God unto all his people. Exod. 34. 6. The Lord, the Lord God merciful and gracious. Pſal. 86. 15. Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compaſſion, and gracious.

The graciouſneſs of God is ſuch an Attribute of God, whereby he doth favourably and freely love, and chuſe, and bleſs, and do all good unto his people without any deſert, and notwithſtanding any unworthineſs on their part: It is the reaſon and account of all his actings towards them: It is all the Plea you have to all the good which God doth promiſe. You muſt diſtinguiſh 'twixt the actions and bleſſings of God; and 'twixt the ground or reaſon of them.

p. 44There are many and great bleſſings which God intends and confirmes upon his people; and the cauſe of them all, is the graciouſneſſe of God. Gods graciouſneſs the cauſe of all bleſſings. Of The love of God.Viz.

1. The love of God is an unſpeakable bleſſing, and the graciouſneſs of God is the reaſon of that love: I will love them freely, Hoſ. 14. 4. He ſet his love upon you, becauſe he lov…d you, Deut. 7. 7, 8.

2. The election of God is an unſpeakable bleſſing, and the foundation of that election is the graciouſneſs of God; Ther is a reward according to the election of The election of God.grace, Rom. 11. 5.

3. R…demption by Chriſt is alſo a wonderful bleſſing, and this was according to the riches of his grace, Eph. 1. 7.Redemption by Chriſt.

4. Calling us in…o Chriſt; and the reaſon of this alſo is his grace, 2 Tim. 1. 9.Calling into Chriſt. Juſtifying us.

5. The juſtifying of us is an ineſtimable mercy: And He justifies us freely by his grace, Rom. 3. 24.

6. And the ſaving of us, is the compleating of us, and of all our bleſſings; Saving of us.and by grac… are we ſaved, Eph. 2. 5, 8. This is certain, that Gods graciouſneſs is the fountain of all our good, and it is the reaſon of all our enjoyments and hopes; If the Lord were not gracious, if he ſhould look on us, and act towards us upon the account of our worthineſs, we ſhould never have enjoyed the leaſt of his mercies. You might have heard of mercy, but ſhould never have been the better for it; and you might have heard of all the promiſes, but ſhould never have enjoyed the good of any one of them, if God were not a gracious God; but becauſe he is your gracious God, and will deal with you altogether from the Throne of grace in a gracious way; This is it which puts life into you, and ſweetly draws out the deſires and confidences of your hearts.

Queſt. You may demand, But what comfort is this unto the people of God, that there God is a gracious God, and that he will deal with them altogether in a What comfort from hence, that our God is gracious.gracious way, and upon gracious terms.

Sol. The comforts from this are very choice and precious; I will mention ſome of them unto you.

1. Becauſe your God is a gracious God, therefore there can be nothing to diſcourage There can be nothing to diſcourage us in our addreſſes to him, and expectations from him.or hinder you in your addreſſes unto him, and expectations from him. The graciouſneſſe of God anſwers all the doubts of the heart, and all the temptations of Satan.

There are four things which are apt to diſcourage our hearts, when we think of drawing near to God.

1. One is the greatneſſe of our ſins.

2. A ſecond, is the greatneſſe of Gods mercies we need.

3. A third is the greatneſſe of our unworthineſſe.

4. A fourth is the greatneſſe of our evil deſerts.

My ſinnes are ſo great, that I cannot expect that God will ever do me good: The mercies and bleſſings that I need, are ſo great, and I can lay down nothing for them. And I am unworthy of the leaſt of mercies; nay, I deſerve to be rejected and curſed! But now the graciouſneſſe of God is able effectually to remove all theſe diſcouragements.

1. Your ſinnes are great, and therefore you are afraid that the merciful God will not pardon them: But then remember, that the merciful God is a gracious Not the greatneſs of our ſins.God: As he hath riches of mercy, ſo he hath riches of grace: And as he promiſeth to forgive the ſinnes of his people, ſo he promiſeth to forgive their ſinnes freely (the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes according to the riches of his grace, Eph. 1. 7.) And this remember withal, that the gracious God forgives the greateſt ſinnes, as well as the leaſt ſinnes of his people upon the ſame terms of graciouſneſſe. In Luke 7. we read of a leſſe debtor who owed fiftie pence; and p. 45of a greater debtor, who owed five hundered pence, ver. 41. and the Creditor freely forgave them both, verſe 42. ſo, &c. Your God hath not one way to forgive leſſe ſinnes, and another way to forgive greater ſinnes; but though the ſinnes be different, yet the terms or reaſons of forgiveneſs is one and the ſame, viz. the free grace of God.

2. O but the mercies and bleſſings which I need, are ſo high and ſo great, Not the greatneſſe of the mercies that we need.ſurely thoſe cannot come off but upon hard terms, and I have nothing to lay down for them.

I anſwer, your God is a gracious God; Your God in his Covenant, hath promiſed all ſorts of good unto you; corporal, and ſpiritual; ſmall and great; And remember it for ever, that all the bonds of Gods Covenant are paid in upon the ſame rate: Grace was the reaſon of making all the promiſes, and Grace is the reaſon of the performance of every good: you ſhall have the greateſt good upon the ſelf-ſame termes as you have the leaſt.

3. O but I am ſo unworthy of theſe mercies! What am I, and what is there in Not the greatneſs of our unworthineſs.me for God to look on, to affect and to move God to do ſuch great things for my ſoul!

Why! there is nothing in you, but an extreme need of theſe great good things promiſed by God, and an abſolute unworthineſſe of them: O but your God is a gracious God; and as an unworthy ſinner may go to a gracious God, ſo a gracious God will give all that he hath promiſed to his people, though they be unworthy. Graciouſneſs findes the price of all mercies in it ſelf, it is the only reaſon of our enjoyments.

4. But I deſerve to be rejected in my ſuits, and to be ourſed.Not the greatneſſe of our evil deſerts.

'Tis true, and ſo you ſhould finde it, if God dealt with you according to your deſervings; but your God is a gracious God, and deales with his people, not in a rigorous way, but in a gracious way, of loving kindneſſe and mercies.

2. Is the gracious God your God? then all your mercies are ſure: you ſhall aſſuredly poſſeſſe them, and inherit them: The children of grace are the ſureſt Then all your mercies are ſureheires of mercy: It is of grace that the promiſe might be ſure, Rom. 4. 16. Beloved! If God had Covenanted with you to be your God upon a reſpect to your works, and not upon a ſole reſpect to his own graciouſneſſe; and if he had promiſed you mercies, and other bleſſings, upon a bargain for your goodneſſe, and not upon a foundation in his own graciouſneſſe; neither could God be ſure to you, nor could the mercies of God be ſure to you. Adam had as much (in a way of works) to have perpetuated, and enſured, and ſetled God and mercies upon himſelf, and more than ever we ſhall have, and yet all became unſure unto him; much more would it be with us, if God and we ſhould traffique that way; If God ſhould ſay to any of us, I promiſe to be your God, and to give you all bleſſings, upon condition of your perfect, conſtant obedience; your never failing obeying of my will, ſhall be the condition, and the reaſon of your certain enjoyment of me! I dare averre it, that our enjoyment of God, and the good things by him promiſed would not be certain, or ſure unto us not one day, not one houre, nay, hardly one minute. But there comes the certainty of enjoying of God, and of his promiſed mercies, viz. the grace or the graciouſneſs of God, I am freely yours, I will love you freely, I will bleſs you freely for mine own ſake, though not for your ſake.

Our obedience is a weak and unſtedfaſt reaſon, but Gods grace is a full and conſtant reaſon for all our mercies, and for all our pleas, and for all our enjoyments.Then you have plea enough to deal with God. The immutability or unchangeableneſs of God.

3. Is the gracious God your God in Covenant? you have then plea enough, and reaſon enough to deal with God: It is the beſt plea you can make, Lord, do me good for thine own ſake.

9. Immutability, or unchangeableneſſ… is another Attribute of God; your p. 46God is an unchangeable God, and he will be ſo to you, Mal. 3. 6. I am the Lord, I change not. Jam. 1. 17. With him there is no variableneſſe, neither ſhadow of turning. So Numb. 23. 19. God is not man, that he ſhould lye, neither the ſon of man, that he ſhould repent.

Conſider God either

1. In his eſſence, ſo he is unchangeable; the eſſence of God cannot be changed; In his eſſence.it is impoſſible that it ſhould be, foraſmuch as every change is either to the better, or to the worſe; There cannot be a change in God to the better, becauſe he is in himſelf an infinite perfection; nor can he be changed to the worſe, becauſe then he ſhould not be God, if any defect or want were incident unto him; Beſides, in every change there is a new ſucceſſion for being, or manner of being; but God is eternal, and he is infinite; therefore he cannot be otherwiſe than he is.

2. In his decrees, ſo alſo he is unchangeable; theſe foundations ſtand ſure, In his decrees.2 Tim. 19. Iſa. 14. 24. Surely, as I have thought, ſo ſhall it come to paſſe; and as I have purpoſed, ſo ſhall it ſtand. Ver. 27. The Lord of Hoſts hath purpoſed, and who ſhall diſanull it? The Decrees of God are laid upon the counſel and wiſdome of God, and ſuch grounds within himſelf, that there cannot be any new reaſon or ſtronger, to alter his decrees.

3. In his promiſes and Covenant with his people. All his promiſes are yea In his promiſesand Amen to the praiſe of his glory. 2 Cor. 1. 20. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips, Pſal. 89. 34.

4. In his love, there he is unchangeable to his people; whom he loves, he In his love.doſh love to the end for ever. Hoſ. 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever, in loving kindneſs and mercies.

5. In his gifts. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance, Rom. 11. In his gifts.29. If the Lord calls you to be his people, you ſhall be his people for ever: And if the Lord give you Chriſt, and faith, and the other graces of the Spirit, you ſhall have them for ever; he will not repent that he beſtoweth theſe upon you.

O what a comfort is this unto the people of God, who have an unchangeable Comfort that our God is unchangeable.G…d to be their God! Not without cauſe doth the Apoſtle in Heb. 6. 17, 18. declare that the immutability of God is a choice ground for our ſtrong conſolation. You would have but weak conſolation (yea, I queſtion whether you would have any conſolation at all) if your God were a changeable God; His election of you, would afford you little comfort, if God would change that purpoſe of his, and after that reject you; his love of you would yield you little comfort, if after that, he would change his love and hate you! his promiſes of grace and glory, of mercy and life, what comfort would theſe be to you, if God ſhould alter his words of bleſſings into words of curſes: if he ſhould put in your names in the book of life, and then croſs out your names; if he ſhould make his Will, and then alter his Will! Your faith could never be certain, and your conſcience could never be ſettled, and your hopes could never be ſure, and your fruitions could never be ſtable, if your God were a changeable God: But here now is your ſtrong conſolation, That your God is an immutable God: His faithfulneſs is unchangeable, his love is unchangeable, his Omnipotency is unchangeable, his graciouſneſs is unchangeable, his promiſes are unchangeable.

And there are ſix precious comforts unto you, who have this unchangeable God Six comforts from hence. The unchangeable God will never caſt you off.to be your God.

1. The unchan eable God will never caſt you off; He may correct his children, but he will never reject them. Rom. 11. 1. Hath God caſt away his people? God forbid. Ver. 2. God hath not caſt away his people whom he foreknew. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Nevertheleſs, the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, having this Seal, the Lord knoweth who are his. If God ſhould chuſe and own you for p. 47his, and then refuſe and diſown you for his, he were a changeable God.He wil be your God for ever.

2. The unchangeable God, if he be your God, he will be your God for ever and ever. This God is our God for ever and ever, Pſal. 48. 14. If he ſhould be your God, and yet ceaſe to be your God, he could not then be your unchangeable God: but becauſe he is an unchangeable God, he remains your merciful, your loving, your gracious God for ever; as long as he is God, he will continue to be your God.

3. The unchangeable God ever lives. David ſpeaking of the earth, and of He ever lives.the heavens, delivers himſelf thus in Pſalme 102. 26. They ſhall periſh, but thou ſhalt endure; all of them ſhall wax old like a garment: as a vesture ſhalt thou change them, and they ſhall be changed. Ver. 27. But thou art the ſame, and thy years ſhall have no end: He endures for ever, his mercy endures for ever, his loving kindneſs endures for ever, his Word abides and endures for ever; look on other things, they are changeable, and we ſee them to be changed; men love, and hate; they proſper, and they wither; they do us good, and then they die, and can never do us good more: But the unchangeable God ſtill lives, he is ſtill the ſame, and ever lives to love you for ever, and to bleſſe you for ever, and to ſhew mercy to you for ever. Though you have not a father to go unto (for he is dead) and though you have not a friend to go unto (for every one of them is dead) yet you have a God to go unto who lives for ever, and lives unchangeable; yea, though your friend doth live, and now grows ſtrange to you, and will not know you, yet your God will know you, and own you, and regard, and help you, for he is an unchangeable God.

4. In all your wants and diſtreſses, and new occaſions, you may ſtill look up to In all yo…r wants and new occaſions, you may ſtill look up to your Godyour God, for he is unchangeable, and his promiſes are unchangeable: He did pity you, and he will pity you; he did hear you, and he will hear you; he did help you, and he will help you; he did comfort you, and he will comfort you; for he is ſtill the ſame God, the ſame unchangeable God: ye are ſure to be heard, and you are ſure to ſpeed; for he is unchangeable in his love, and in his promiſes unto you.

5. Then your ſpiritual condition is everlaſtingly ſure and ſafe: He hath choſen Your ſpiritual condition is everlaſtingly ſure and ſafe.you from the beginning unto ſalvation, 2 Theſ. 2. 13. And his election is unchangeable; he hath promiſed that whoſoever Believes ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life, John 3. 16. Yea, this is the promiſe which he hath promiſed us, even eternal life, 1 John 2. 25. And his promiſes are unchangeable; he gives you Chriſt, and all the graces of the Spirit which bring unto ſalvation; and all his gifts are unchangeable, Rom. 11. 29.

6. Though you be very changeable towards God, yet he is ſtill unchangeable towards Though you be changeable towards God, yet he is unchangeable towards you.you; you many times forget him, and fall, and fail, and leave him, but God will never forget you, never falſifie with you, leave nor forſake you. 2 Tim. 2. 13. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himſelf: Sometimes you love him more, ſometimes leſs; ſometimes you pleaſe him, and many times you grieve him; ſometimes you keep cloſe in walking with God, and many times you wander from him, yet he is unchangeable. He will not deſtroy you, becauſe he is unchangeable. If he ſhould change as oft as we do, Now you offend me, now I will be your God no longer; I will love you, bleſs, preſerve you no more; then there were cauſe of exceeding trouble.

10. Omnipreſence; Your God is an Omnipreſent God, he is everywhere; Gods Omnipreſence.included in no place, excluded from no place. Non eſt ubi, ubi non eſt Deus. 1 King. 8. 27. Behold the heaven, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him; how much leſſe this houſe that I have builded? Iſa. 66. 1. The heaven is my Throne, and the earth is my footstool. Jer. 23. 24. Can any hide himſelf in p. 48ſecret places that I ſhall not ſee him, ſaith the Lord? Do not I fill heaven and earth? ſaith the Lord, Prov. 15. 3. The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Pſal. 139. 7. Whither ſhall I go from thy Spirit? or whither ſhall I flie from thy preſ…nce? Verſe 8. If I aſcend up into heaven, thou art there: if I mak my bed in hell, behold thou art there. Verſe 9. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermoſt parts of the ſea: Verſe 10. Even there ſhall thine hand l…ad me, and thy right hand ſhall hold me. Angels are of a limited preſence, becauſe of a limited eſſence; and the bodies of men have their circumſcription by limited place; every creature hath his limited Ubi, or place; but God is an infinite, and immenſe being, whoſe Center is everywhere, and whoſe circumference is now here.

What a comfort is this to the people of God?The comfort of this. God is every where, and in every place, and ſo alwayes preſent with them.

1. That this God is everywhere, and in every place; that they are in the preſence of God, and their God is alwayes preſent with them.

God himſelf delivers this as a comfort and ſupport unto all his people (I will be with you) in reſpect of all dangers, troubles, and difficult ſervices.

To Iſaac, Gen. 26. 3. I will be with thee, and will bleſſe thee. To Jacob, Gen. 28. 5. Behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goeſt. To Moſes, Exod. 3. 12. Certainly I will be with thee. To Joſhuah, Joſh. 1. 5. As I was with Moſes, ſo I will be with thee: I will not faile thee, nor forſake thee. To all his people, Iſa. 41. 10. Fear thou not, for I am with thee; be not diſmayd, for I am thy God. If your God be Omnipreſent, then whereſoever you are, your God is preſent with you. Suppoſe a man were injuriouſly dealt withal, would it not be a comfort to him, if the Judge (the righteous Judge) himſelf were preſent, to ſee how violent men dealt with him? Suppoſe a man were in trouble, in exile with David, or in priſon with Joſeph, would it not be a comfort to him, if his loving Father were preſent with him, or his kindeſt friend? O Chriſtian, be thou in any condition whatſoever, in any Countrey, in any place whatſoever, thy God, thy Judge, thy Father, thy beſt Friend is with thee. Pſal. 91. 15. I will be with thee in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. Iſa. 43. 2. When thou paſſeſt through the waters, I will be with thee, &c.

2. As your God is preſent everywhere, ſo he is at once, and wholly preſent everywhere God is at once and wholly preſent every where with his eſſence and Attributes.with all his eſsence, and all his Attributes; He is not ſometimes preſent in one place, and then by a local mutation preſent in another place, but he is at once at the ſelf-ſame time preſent in every place; neither is he preſent partly in one place, and partly in another place, a piece of him here, and a piece of him there; but in his infinite and compleat eſſence, he is preſent every where; you may not imagine that the al-ſufficient God is in one place, and the merciful God in another, and the wiſe God in another, and the good God in another, and the Omnipotent God in another place, &c. No, but that one and ſelf-ſame God in his eſſence, and in all his glorious Attributes is every where; and whereſoever he is preſent, all his Attributes and excellencies are preſent with him, altogether preſent: for his eſſence is undivided, his Attributes are inſeparable from his eſſence.

O what a comfort is this to all you who are the people of God! Some of you live in one Countrey, and ſome of you live in another Countrey; and ſometimes you have occaſions to live in one place, and ſometimes in another place, and yet every where, all of you have the ſame God in all his excellencies preſent with you, and he hath his God and Father preſent with him; you have him preſent in this Land, and if you ſhould have occaſion to remove to another Land (many thouſand miles hence) there are you, and there is your God preſent with you, your al-ſufficient God, your Almighty God, your merciful God, p. 49your wiſe God, &c. Go where you will, there are ſix things preſent with you. 1. Much weakneſs is preſent in your hearts. 2. Many temptations preſent from Satan. 3. Many adverſaties are preſent from the world, and many afflictions too. 4. Good Angels are preſent with you. 5. A good conſcience is continually preſent. And laſtly, a good God is preſent in all his excellencies for your good.

3. Although God be preſent every where, ratione eſſentiae, yet he is in a more God is in an eſpecial manner preſent with his people.ſpecial manner preſent with his people, ratione influentiae. There is the preſence of his ſpecial providence, and there is the preſence of his ſpecial grace; and thus he is every where preſent with and for his people: Hence it is that ordinarily where you read of Gods preſence with his people, you ſhall finde ſome other ſpecial thing annexed to that preſence, as I will be with thee and bleſſe thee, and I will be with thee, and help thee, and I will be with thee, and deliver thee, and I will be with thee, and ſtrengthen thee, and uphold thee, and ſave thee, &c. Jer. 15. 20. Huſhai's preſence with David was a burden, 2 Sam. 15. 33. Jobs wifes preſence was but a vexation unto him; our friends preſence is many times fruitleſſe, but Gods preſence is a bleſſing, comfort, help, (indeed) He is preſent with wicked men, but the more preſent he is with them, the worſe it is for them; the preſence of his knowledge, and the preſence of his power, and the preſence of his wrath, &c. But the preſence with his people, is a very gracious preſence, and a bleſſing preſence, and a bleſſed preſence; he is alwayes preſent with them for good.

4. Here is yet one comfort more unto you; if your God be every where preſent, Then you ſhall not ſtay long for any good you need.(and therefore preſent every where with you) then you ſhall not ſtay long for any good that you need, becauſe your God is near unto you; he is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth, Pſal. 145. 18. What Nation is there who hath God ſo nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for? Deut. 4. 7. The nearneſſe or remoteneſſe of a friend is very material and conſiderable in our diſtreſſes and wants; I have ſuch a friend, and he would help me, but he lives ſo farre off; and ſuch a one is able to counſel me and comfort me, but he is now abſent, and I may be undone before I can hear from him; but it is not thus with you who have God to be your God; he is alwayes nigh unto you: As Chriſt ſaid unto his Diſciples, Mat. 28. 20. Lo, I am with you alwayes, even unto the end of the world: So your God is preſent with you alwayes, as long as you live in the world. Do you want comfort? the God of conſolation is preſent with you, very near unto you. Do you want grace? the God of all grace is preſent with you. Do you want peace? the God of peace is preſent with you. Do you want mercy? the Father of mercies i…s preſent with you. Do you want friends? the God of love is alwayes preſent. Do you want ſafety? the Omnipotent God is preſent with you. Do you want any thing? the All-ſufficient God is alwayes preſent with you. What the Apoſtle ſpake concerning the word of faith, in Rom. 10. 8. It is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; That is as true of God in all his glorious excellencies for his people.

11. Sovereignty or Dominion, this is another Attribute of God; he is (I think) Gods Sovereignty engaged for our good.a thouſand times in Scripture called the Lord, the Lord, &c. and to him is Dominion aſcribed, Dominion for ever and ever, 1 Pet. 4. 11. chap. 5. 11. He is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, 1 Tim. 6. 15. The Lord hath prepared his Throne in heaven, and his Kingdome ruleth over all, Pſal. 103. 19. All that is in the heaven and the earth is thine; thine is the Kingdome O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all; thou reigneſt over all, and in thine hand is power and might, and in thine hand it is to make great and give ſtrength to all, 1 Chron. 29. 11, 12.

One doth well diſtinguiſh of a twofold Sovereignty or Dominion in God. There isA twofold Sovereignty.

p. 501. Juriſdictionis, which is his Sovereign authority to govern all men, and all Of juriſdicti…n.creatures; he may command what he will, and forbid what he pleaſeth, and permit what he liſts, and appoint what puniſhments, and what rewards as ſeem beſt to himſelf.

2. Porprietatis, which is his right or prerogative to diſpoſe of all things and Of propriety.perſons, and uſe them as he pleaſeth; and in this reſpect all the world, and all in the world are his ſervants, Gen. 14. 22. The Lord, the moſt High God, Poſſeſſor of heaven and earth: And this Dominion or Sovereignty is natural unto him, as he is God, the God of all the world, and Lord of all; neither is it controled by men or Angels: If God will deſtroy or abaſe, or weaken, or afflict, or raiſe, or bleſſe, the creatures muſt yield unto his Sovereign Will.

And truly this is an unspeakable comfort to the people of God, that their God The comfort of this.is Lord of all, and Lord over all; that the Sovereignty is his alone, and the Dominion is only his, that their God is above all gods, and that their God is above all Lords, and that all the creatures in their whole being and working are under him; that if he ſaith to one Go, he goeth, and if he ſaith to another Come, he cometh; and if he ſay to one Do this, he doth it; and if he ſaith to another Be ſtill, he ceaſeth; this is a comfort unto you againſt all the wicked in the world, and as touching all the ſerviceableneſſe of all the creatures in the World.

1. If your God hath the Sovereign Dominion, Then iſſues and events ſhall The iſſues and events ſhall not be as men contrive.no… be as men contrive, as they will, or as they deſire; for there is a greater than they which rules and reigns in the Kingdome of men; Be ſtill, and know that I am God, Pſal. 46. 10. All the powers, and all the policies, and all the rage, and malice of all the wicked on earth, are under the Dominion of God; he permits them, and he reſtrains them, and he confounds and deſtroys them; thus far ſhall they go, and no farther.

2. Again, If Sovereignty and Dominion are proper to God, then you can never Then you can never be brought in…o any ſtraits but God is able to help you.be brought in…o any ſtraits, but God is able to help you, and to deliver you: for he is Lord of all. He is the Lord of life, and the Lord of ſafety, and the Lord of deliverances, and the Lord of comforts. All the creatures are at his command; if he will open the hearts of men, they ſhall pity you and help you in your wants; if he ſaith to one, Go and comfort ſuch a Chriſtian, go and counſel him, go and deliver him, be a friend unto him, he ſhall come unto thee, and be this unto thee: The earth is the Lords, and the fulneſs thereof.

3. What ſhall I ſay more? ſeeing Sovereignty and Dominion belong to your Then all the Ordinances of grace are at his command.God, Therefore all the Ordinances of grace and life are at his command, and they ſhall yield out their ſtrength, and drop down their fatneſſe at his will and pleaſure; he can open them, and he can let out all their joyes and revivings, and conſolations, they ſhall be effectual means of all-ſaving good unto you upon his command.

12. He is and will be a good God unto you: The Lord is good, Pſal. 136. He will be a good God unto you. Ten things concerning the goodneſs of God to his people. He intends them good. He will bring unto them the good promiſed. He delights in doing good. He accounts this his honour.1. Thou Lord art Good, Pſal. 86. 5. And truly God is good to Iſrael, Pſal. 73. 1. O how great is thy goodn…ſſe which thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee, Pſal. 31. 19.

There are ten things concerning the goodneſs of God unto his people.

1. He intends them good; I know the thoughts that I think towards you, ſaith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an un ex…ected end, Jer. 29. 11.

2. He will bring upon them all the good which he hath promiſed them, Jer. 32. 42.

3. He delights in doing good unto them, I will rejoyce over them to do them good, Jer. 32. 41.

4. He looks upon his doing good unto his people, as his honour and praiſe; it ſhall be to me a name of joy, a praiſe and an h…nour before all the Nations p. 51of the earth which ſhall hear all th… good that I do unto them, Jer. 33. 9.

5. He thinks no good too good for them; he will give grace and glory, and He thinks no good too good for them. He will never ceaſe from doing good. He will do them good every day. He prevents us with goodneſs. He doth more good than they ſeek for. He reſerves the beſt good to the laſt.no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly, Pſal. 84. 11.

6. He will never ceaſe from doing them good; Surely, goodneſſe and mercy ſhall follow me all the dayes of my life, Pſal. 23. 6. See alſo Jer. 32. 40.

7. He will do them good every day, his mercy is n…w every morning, Lam. 3. 23. Bleſſed be the Lord who daily loadeth us with benefits, Pſal. 68. 19.

8. He is ſo ready to do you good▪ that he oftentimes prevents you with his goodneſſe; before they call I will …ſwer, Iſa. 65. 14.

9. He doth them more good than they look for; Thou didſt terrible things which we looked not for, Iſa. 64. 3. When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream, Pſal. 1 26. 1.

10. He reſerves the beſt good to the laſt: For beſides all the good which he doth for his people in this life, there is alſo an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reſerved in heaven for them, 1 Pet. 1. 4. Eye hath not ſeen, nor the eare heard, &c. 1 Cor. 2. 9.

13. He is a very kind God unto his people; Thou art a God of great kindneſſe, He is a very kind God unto hi… people. This contains foure things in it.Nehem. 9. 17. He hath ſhewed me his loving kindneſſe, Pſal. 31. 21. His merciful kindneſſe is great towards us, Pſal. 117. 2.

The kindneſſe of God contains foure things in it.

1. The ſweetneſſe of his loving nature unto his people without the leaſt diſdain of them, and harſhneſſe towards them; he will not bruiſe the bruiſed reed, nor The ſweetneſſe of his nature.deſpiſe the day of ſmall things.

2. The eaſineſſe of the communication of himſelf and goodneſſe unto them, The eaſineſs of his communications. His favourable encouragings.as waters flow out from a full fountain.

3. His favourable encouragings, and acceptance of them in their perſons and addreſſes unto him; as the father ran and embraced the returning childe, and fell on his neck and kiſſed him.

4. His reſpectful tenders; helpful, forwardneſſe of dealing with his people His reſpectful tenders.in all gentleneſſe and elemency.

And therefore he is ſaid to pity and ſpare his people, as a father pities his childe, (Pſal. 103. 13.) and ſpares his childe that ſerves him, (Mal. 3. 17.) and to draw his people with loving kindneſſe, Jer. 31. 3. and to draw them with bands of love, Hoſea 11. 4. and to take them by the armes, Hoſea 11. 3. and gently to lead them, and to carry them in his boſome, Iſa. 40. 11. and to dandle them upon his knees, Iſa. 66. 12. and to speak comfortably unto them, Hoſea 2. 14. In the Old Teſtament he would commune with his people, and give out all his anſwers at the Mercyſeat: And in the New Teſtament he gives them audience at the Throne of grace and mercy, and would have them in all their petitions to look upon him as their Father, Our Father, &c.) Though the diſtance be infinite 'twixt him and us, yet he repreſents himſelf unto us altogether as a kinde God and Father, and makes kinde promiſes unto us, and gives us his own Twelve things may aſſure you God will be kind to his people. His relations to them. His love is exceeding great unto them. His tender apprehenſions of any unkindneſs offered unto you. His daily paſſing by your failings.Sonne to be our Mediatour, that ſo we may ſtill finde favour in his eyes.

There are twelve things which may aſſure you that your God is and will be a kind God unto you.

1. His relations to you; Thy Maker is thy husband, Iſa. 54. 5. I will marry thee unto my ſelf in loving kindneſſe, Hoſea 2. 19.

2. His love is exceeding great unto you; he loves you above all the people in the world, and his choice delight is in you, you are his Hephzibahs and Benlahs, becauſe the Lord delights in you, Iſa. 62. 4.

3. His tender apprehenſion of any unkind and harſh injuries offered unto you: he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye.

4. His daily paſſing by the many failings and weakneſſes; he pities them, and will not mark them, nor inſiſt upon them.

p. 525. His eaſie reception of you into favour; if he ſees but a tear in your eyes, he His eaſie reception of you into favour.will be gracious to the voice of your tears; I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf, I will ſurely have mercy on him.

6. His ſympathy with you in your diſtreſſes and afflictions; in all their afflictions he was afflicted, and the Angel of his preſence ſaved them, His ſympathy with you in your diſtreſſes.Iſa. 63. 9.

7. His yearning bowels towards you; My bowels are troubled for him, Jer. His yearning bowels towards you.31. 20. and longings to do you good; He doth waite that he may be gracious unto you, Iſa. 30. 18.

8. His ſpeed to cloſe with you, and to ſhew his affections unto you. He flies His ſpeed to cloſe with you.upon the wings of the winde, and leaps over the Mountains, and haſtens, and runnes to ſhew himſelf reconciled unto you, Luke 15.

9. His great donations; he beſtows no leſſe on you than Chriſt, and grace, and His great donations.glory.

10. His quick eare to all your petitions, and ſuch a full compliance with His quick care to all your petitions.you, that he will deny you nothing which you ask according to his will; If we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us.

11. His looking after you, and special charge that men speak comfortably unto you, Iſa. 40. 1. 2. and that you never come with fears to him, nor go away from His looking after you.him with ſadneſſe. Go in peace, Be of good comfort, Come boldly to the Throne of grace, Heb. 4.

12. His gracious entertainment of you, and communions with you, and manifeſtations His gracious entertainment of you.unto you; ſo that you are as it were many times lifted up to heaven, and filled with joy unſpeakable and glorious. Beloved! This is unſpeakable comfort and encouragement unto you that your God is a kinde God, and will deal with you in loving kindneſſes; Conſider that of neceſſity you have to deal with him, and that every day and houre of your life; and that he is not an hard Maſter, nor of an harſh nature, nor rough in his words, or looks, or deeds: He will not ſeek, not will he take advantages againſt you; ſo as that you may come with boldneſſe into his preſence, and need not to fear his intentions or dealings with you; Never did father or mother deal more gently with their tender infants, never did loving husband deal more kindly with his moſt beloved wife, than your kindeſt God will deal with you; and this affords unto you five comforts.

1. You have free acceſs to him, the door is alwayes open; Should the childe fear to go to his tender Father?

2. You may come with full opening of your ſoul and wants to him; he is kind and willing to hear all.

3. You may have good hope; if any will uſe you well, 'tis your kinde God.

4. You are ſure of quick dispatch; kindneſſe makes no unneceſſary delays, no vain excuſes.

5. When men deal unkindly with you, yet you ſhall finde kinde dealing from your God; Pſal. 27. 10. When my father and mother forſake me, then the Lord will take ms up.

14. Laſtly, Eternity is another Attribute of God, your God is an eternal God; Gods Eternity.from everlasting to everlaſting thou art God, Pſal. 90. 2. The Eternal God is thy refuge, Deut. 33. 27. He inhabits Eternity, Iſa. 57. 15.

Eternity is an interminable being and dutation before any time, and beyond all time; it is a fixed duration without beginning or ending: If you ſhould imagine as many thouſand myriads of years before time was as there are ſands on the Seaſhore, and of ten thouſand thouſand times more myriads after time ſhall not be, you could not in the one or the other make any diſcovery of the being or duration of God; the Eternity of God is beyond all poſſible conception of meaſure or time. God ever was, ever is, and ever ſhall be.

Though the manifeſtations of himſelf unto the creatures are in time, yet his p. 53eſſence or being never did nor ſhall be bound up by time; look backward or forward, God from Eternity to Eternity is a moſt ſelf-ſufficient, infinite, perfect, bleſſed being, the firſt cauſe of our being, and without any cauſe of his own being; an eternal infinite fulneſſe and poſſeſſion to himſelf, and of himſelf: what God is, he was from Eternity; and what God is, he will be ſo to Eternity: The comfort of it is.This very Attribute is that which drops myrrhe and oyle, and honey it is one of the ſweeteſt and ſtrongeſt comforts unto you who are the people of God.

1. It ſweetens all his love and mercy, and goodneſſe unto you; God is Eternal, It ſweetens all his love and mercy, and goodneſſe to you.and his love to you is an Eternal love; there never ſhall come the time when his love or his kindneſſe, or his goodneſſe, or his mercy ſhall ceaſe towards you; All the creatures ſlip away, and come to their end, and though one creature outlives another, yet every creature at laſt is at his journies end: There is an end of this man and his power, and an end of that man and his love; but God never comes to an end, and his power and his love never comes to an end: O what is this that God is God, and that he is our God for ever and ever, that his love is an Eternal love, and his mercy is an Eternal mercy, and his fulneſſe is an Eternal fulneſſe, and his bleſſedneſſe is an Eternal bleſſedneſſe.

2. It gives you confidence in all your space of time which you are to live, ſtill It gives confidence to live upon God as long as we live.to live upon your God: for there is no newneſs, nor alteration, nor wearineſs, nor weakneſs in Eternity; no want or waſte in Eternity, Eternity is full to all Eternity: God is full of mercy and grace, and power, &c. The Eternal God is in all times the ſelf-ſame perfection and all-ſufficiency; there is no variation or diminution, or contigency in Eternity; his power and mercy, and wiſdome, and knowledge, and love, and kindneſſe are ſtill at the ſame height.

3. The Eternal God hath time enough to make all his promiſes good unto you; He hath time enough to make all his promiſes good. Though life be ſhort, yet he hath promiſed to give eternal life.you need not fear that he will dye in debt unto you; Eternity never dies, but hath time enough in it.

4. Though your life be not Eternal, but ſhort, yet your Eternal God hath promiſed to give unto you Eternal life, 1 John 2. 25. This is the promiſe which he hath promiſed us, even Eternal life: Happineſs were not happineſs without Eternity; Eternity of happineſs is a full poſſeſſion, and a preſent poſſeſſion, and an invincible poſſeſſion, and endleſs poſſeſſion of the bleſſed God for ever, and ever, and ever.

5. This is comfort in all loſſes; I dye, but God will ſurely viſit you, Comfort in all loſſes.ſaid Joſeph; as if he had ſaid, I cannot live to do you good, but God lives for ever; what though this comfort dyes, yet the God of all comfort lives.

Thus have you heard the ſingular and manifold comforts of having God to be your God, from the excellency of all his glorious Attributes, in reſpect of which (becauſe he is your God) he is engaged unto you. I thought to have added unto all this another diſcourſe of Gods engagement in his Attributes unto his people. viz. That his Attributes were engaged unto you conjunctively; and that conjunctive engagement was, 1. Ʋniverſal, not this or that Attribute of God, but this and that, every one of his Attributes. 2. Special, as his al-ſufficiency and faithfulneſs, his goodneſs and graciouſneſs, his power and wiſdome, his mercifulneſs and unchangeableneſs, his omnipreſence and kindneſs, his Sovereignty and eternity.

But then I fear I ſhould be too tedious unto you, therefore let what hath been ſpoken be ſufficient to give you a taſte of that happineſs which the people of God enjoy, by having God to be their God, upon this account, that their God is engaged unto them in all his Attributes for their good.