act of free and special grace should deliver thee from this pain and torture, and not only so, but should give thee a life in perfect health, should put thee into a paradise of pleasures, where all the honors, acclamations, love and service of a world of men and angels should await thee, and where thou should be elevated to the top of all imaginable happiness, above Solomon in his highest royalty, or Adam in his first innocency; were not this a mercy? Wouldst thou not think it the highest act of grace and love, that any creature could extend to his fellow creature? And yet, O my soul, all this is nothing but a shadow of grace in comparison of the love and the rich grace of God in Christ in the justification of a sinner. If thou hast a right to this promise, "I will forgive thy iniquity, and I will remember thy sins no more," then thou art delivered from eternal death, and thou art entitled to an eternal kingdom. Oknow thy blessedness aright! consider how infinitely thou art engaged to God and Christ, and mercy, and free grace! this promise sounds forth nothing but grace and blessing! grace from God, and blessing on us; it is grace, because nothing but grace and mercy can forgive: it is grace, because God, if he will, hath power in his hand to revenge; he doth not pass by sin as men do offences, when they dissemble forgiveness; they may forgive, because they have not power to avenge: it is otherwise with God," To me belongs vengeance, and recompense, saith God," Deut. 32:35. He is able to destroy, and yet he chooseth to forgive. This is his name, "Strong and gracious," Exod. 36:4. O my soul, thou art apt to complain. my sins? What reason hath God to look me as a fire-brand out of the fire of hell? But now consider (if thine heart be humbled) the Lord will do it,— 1. "Because he delighteth in mercy," Micah 7:18. It is a pleasure to God to forgive sins: never did we take more pleasure, nor so much pleasure in acting and committing of sin, as he doth in the pardoning of sin; he is "the Father of mercies," 2 Cor. 1:3. He delights in mercy, as a father in his children; it doth him good to see the fruits of his own mercy, in taking away the sins of his own people.

"What? will the Lord forgive on me, to pardon me, to pluck Why should God forgive me?"

2. Because it is his purpose, which he hath purposed within himself from all eternity: this was the great design of God (as you have heard) to make his grace glorious in those whom he intends to save, he will save "to the praise of the glory of his grace," Eph. 1:6. He will not lose his glory, he will be "admired in his saints," 2 Thess. 1:10. He will make the world to wonder, when it shall be known what sin hath been committed by them, and pardoned by him. And hence it is that God's people are called vessels of mercy, "That he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy," Rom. 9:23. For, as vessels are, or may be filled up to the brim, so the vessels of mercy shall be filled with mercy up to the brim, that the riches of his glory in the pardon of sin may be seen and known to the wonder of all the world.

3. Because it is his nature and inclination to pardon sin. This appears, 1. In the proclaiming of his name, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin," Exod. 34:6. 2. In his gracious invitations, "Come unto me," saith Christ, Matth. 11:28. If sin burden you, I will ease you. 3. In his patience and waiting for repentance; he waits to this very end, That, "he might be gracious, and that he may have mercy, for the Lord is a God of judg ment," Isa. 30:18.

4. Because it is his promise to pardon sin, “I, even I am he that blots

out thy transgression for my own sake, and will not remember thy sins," Isa. 43:25. This promise of pardon, is one of the great blessings of the covenant of grace; you hear the words in this very expressure of it, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sins no more," Jer. 31:34.

Now, come, consider, O my soul, of every particular in this gracious covenant, and, O! be serious in thy consideration; surely there is too much expense of thy spirit upon vain, and transitory and worldly things. Alas! alas! thou hast but a short time to live, and the strength of thy mind, that I call for, it is the most precious thing thou hast; O then let the business and activeness of thy mind, let the inmost thoughts, and deep affections be acted and exercised on this subject; be careful that none of these waters run besides the mill. If God and Jesus, and all thy good be included here, why should not thy whole soul be intent on this: Why shouldst thou spend it on the creature? Why shouldst thou be so subject to carnal griefs, and fears! Surely all these are fitter to be fixed on God in Christ, on Jesus in a covenant of grace.

SEOT. III. Of desiring Jesus in that respect.

3. We must desire after Jesus carrying on the great work of our salvation in a way of covenant, before his coming in the flesh. It is not enough to know and consider, but we must desire. Thus is the order of God's work; no sooner hath his Spirit clearly revealed the goodness of the pro mise, that we come to know, but the soul considers of it, turns it upside down, views it in all its excellencies, weighs it in the balance of its best and deepest meditations. This done, the affections begin to stir, and the soul begins thus to reason; O happy I, that I see the goodness of this gracious promise; but miserable I, if I come to see this, and never have a share in it; O! why not I, Lord! Why not my sins pardoned? Why not my corruptions subdued? Why not the law written in my heart, and put into my inward parts? Why may not I say, "My Lord, and my God; or, I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine?" Why not this covenant established between God and me? Now my soul thirsts after this as a thirsty land, my affections hunger after Jesus in a covenant of grace; "Oh, I would fain be in covenant with God; for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, 2 Sam. 23:5. But here is an objection.

Object. The object of this desire is apprehended as absent and distant; we do not covet those things that we do enjoy; if they are present, we rather rest in them, than move towards them, or desire after them; how then should David, or any soul, already in a covenant of grace, desire after the covenant? What is this?" He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for this is all my salvation and all my desire," 2 Sam. 23:5.

Ans. It is true, the object of desire, qua tale, is something absent; yet not always absent in the whole, but in parts and degrees of it: the very presence of a good thing does in some sort quicken the desires towards the same thing, so far forth as it is capable of improvements or augmentations: as we see in external riches of the body, none desireth them more eagerly than those that possess them; and the more gracious the soul is, the more is the heart enlarged in the appetition of a greater measure of grace, as the putting in some water into a pump doth draw forth more: no man is so importunate in praying, "Lord, help my unbelief,” as he that can say, "Lord, I believe:" things may be desired, in order to improvement and further degrees of them. Again, things present may be the ob

ject of our desires unto continuance; as he that delighteth in a good thing that he hath, he desireth the continuance of that delight; so the soul of a man having a reach as far as immortality, it may justly desire as well the perpetuity, as the presence of those good things it enjoyeth.

Come then, O my soul, and whet on,thy desires, in every of these respects; as, 1. Desire after thy interest in the covenant. 2. Desire after thy improvement of the covenant. 3. Desire after the continuance of thy covenant state. 4. Desire after Jesus the great business, or the all in all in a covenant of grace.

1. Desire after thy interest in the covenant: O say in thyself, Is it thus? Is the Lord willing to receive me to his grace? Was that his voice in the streets? "How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?-Turn ye at my reproof?" Prov. 1:22,23. Behold I will pour out my Spirit unto you? Was that his proclamation, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters: incline your ear and come unto me;-And I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David," Isa. 55:1.3. And are these the promises offered in the covenant? "I will put my law into your inward parts, and I will write it in your hearts, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people," Jer. 31:33. Oh, the blessed condition of those people that are in covenant with God? "Blessed art thou, O Israel, who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord?" Deut. 33:29. Oh, happy is the people that be in such a case; yea, happy is the people whose God is the Lord," Psal. 144:15. But, ah! what can I say? No sin like unto my sin, no misery like unto my misery; alas! I am an alien to God, I am separated from his people, I am out of the covenant; like a poor prodigal, I die for hunger, while those that are in my Father's house have bread enough: Oh that I were in their condition! never did David long more for the waters of the well of Bethlehem, than my soul now touched with the sense of sin, doth desire to be at peace with God, and in covenant with God: Oh, I thirst, I pant, I gasp after him, I long for communion and peace with him: "With my soul do I desire thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me do I seek thee early," Isa. 26:9.

2. Desire after thy improvement of the covenant; it may be God hath given thee an interest in it, but, alas, thy hold is so weak, that thou scarce knowest the meaning of it: the Lord may answer, but yet he speaks darkly as sometimes he speaks to the woman, John 8:11, "Go thy way, and sin no more:" it is a middle kind of expression, neither assuring her that her sin was pardoned, nor yet putting her out of hope but it might be pardoned; so it may be God hath given thee some little ease, but he hath not spoken full peace; go on then and desire more and more after confirma. tion. Say in thine heart, O Lord, thou hast begun to show grace unto thy servant: but, oh, manifest to me all thy goodness. Thou hast given me a drop, and I feel it so sweet, that now I thirst, and long to enjoy the foun tain; thou hast given me a kiss of thy mouth, and now I pant to be united to thee in a more perfect and consummate marriage; thou hast given me a taste, but my appetite and desire is not hereby diminished, but enlarged; and good reason, for what are these drops and tastes, but only "the first fruits of the Spirit?" Rom. 8:23. and "earnests of the Spirit," Eph. 1:14. Oh then, what are those harvests of joy? What are those treasures of wisdom, and free grace hid in God? I have indeed beheld "a feast of fat things, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined;" but, O what a famine is yet in my spirit! O Lord I have longed for thy salvation, I am ready to swoon for further union, and clearer manifestation of my share and interest in this covenant of grace, come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.

3. Desire after continuance of thy covenant-state: many a sweet soul cannot deny but that the Lord hath showed mercy on him, but he fears that he shall not hold out: he feels within such a power of corruption, such strong temptation, so many lusts, that now he doubts. "O, what will become of my poor soul? What will be the issue of this woful work?” Why, come now, and desire after perseverance: when Peter was ravished on the mount, "It is good being here, says he, let us build tabernacles," Matth. 17:4. His desire was to have continued there for ever; and it was the prayer of Christ in Peter's behalf, "I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not," Luke 22:32. What was this prayer but Christ's vehement desire of Peter's continuing in the faith? Shall Christ desire, and wilt not thou desire after thy own perfection? O, come with these pantings and breathings after God; put forth thy desires in these and the like expressions, "O Lord, thou hast said, I will betroth thee unto me for ever," Hos. 2:19. And what means this, but that the conjugal love of Christ with a gracious soul, shall never be broken? what means this, but that the bond of union in a believer to Christ is fastened upon God, and the Spirit of God holds the other end of it, and so it can never be broken? 2. O Lord, thou hast discovered in thy word, that this union is in the Father, who hath laid a sure foundation, "The foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his," 2 Tim. 2:19. And that this union is in the Son, who loves his to the end: and that this union is in the Spirit who abides in the elect for ever. 3. Thou hast discovered, That "the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee," Isa. 54:10. 4. Thou hast said, That "the saints shall be kept by the power of God," 1 Pet. 1:5 q. d. The special power, I mean, to put forth in this world, it is to uphold the spirits of my saints; the special work I have in the world to exercise my power about, it is to keep Christ and the saints together; it is through the power of God, that heaven and earth is kept up, but if God must withdraw his power from the one of these, sooner shall heaven and earth fall in pieces, than God would not uphold one gracious soul that hath union with his Son Jesus Christ. And if these be thy sayings, why then, Lord, I desire the accomplishment? O fulfil what thou hast said; it would break my heart, if ever the covenant should be broken betwixt me and thee; my desire is towards thee, and the more I enjoy thee, the more and more I desire and pant after thee; my desires are like thyself, infinite, eternal, everlasting desires.

4. Desire after Jesus, the great business, or the all in all, in a covenant of grace; the most proper object of desire, especially to man fallen, is Jesus Christ: hence it is, that a poor sinner, under the sense of sin, cries out with that vehemency of desire, (Rutherford's trial of faith,) "Christ, and none but Christ; give me Christ, or I die, I am undone, I am lost for ever." But what is Christ, or Jesus to a covenant of grace? I answer, He is the great business, he is the all in all Christ hath at least a sixfold relation to the covenant of grace. 1. As he is more than a creature, he is the covenant itself. 2. As he deals betwixt parties, he is the mes senger of the covenant. 3. As he saw, heard, and testified all, he is the witness of the covenant. 4. As he undertaketh for the parties at variance, he is the surety of the covenant. 5. As he standeth between the contrary parties, he is the Mediator of the covenant. 6. As he signeth the covenant, and closeth all the articles, he is the Testator of the covenant. O,

here is abundance of fuel for thy desire to work upon. 1. Consider the fuel, and then set on flame thy desire.

1. Christ is the covenant itself, "I will give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, Isa. 42:6. And, I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people," Isa. 41:9. Christ, God and man, is all the covenant: 1. Fundamentally, he is the original of the cov enant; the covenant of grace takes its being and beginning from Christ, he is the covenant-maker, undertaker, manager, dispatcher, he doth every thing in the covenant, 2. Materially, the very substance of the covenant stands in this, "I will be their God, and they shall be my people." Now, Christ he is both these in himself; he is God unto his people, and he is the people representatively unto God, and before God. 3. Equivalently, many branches or fruits of the covenant are to be fulfilled to believers in their season; but, as soon as ever they are justified, Christ is said to be the covenant, as a present pawn or earnest delivered into the hands of a man at the very instant of his justification; and this pawn is of equal value and worth with the whole covenant when it is fulfilled to the uttermost. Thus Christ, in every of these respects, is the covenant itself, he is the very peace and reconciliation itself, "And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land," Micah 5:5. As fire is hot for itself, and all things hot for it; as they participate of it; so Christ is the covenant itself, and all we are so far in covenant to Christ, as we have any thing of Christ; want Christ, and want peace, and want the covenant of grace.

2. Christ is the messenger of the covenant, "The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in," Mal. 3:1. Christ travels with tidings between the parties of the covenant. 1. He reports of God to us, he commends his Father to us, 66 My Father is the husbandman," and "this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing," John 15:1. 6:39.48. 8:12. And he commends himself to us. It became the Lord Jesus to commend himself, "I am the bread of life, I am the light of the world, I am the door, I am the good shepherd," John 10:9.11. It is a wonderful thing how Christ is a broker (as I may say) for Christ; "Wisdom crieth out, she uttereth her voice in the streets, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of my wine which I have mingled," Prov. 1:20. and 9:5. Ministers cannot speak of Christ, and of his Father, as he can do himself. O my soul, to excite thy desires, come, and hear Christ, speak of Christ, and of his Father, and of heaven, for he saw all. 2. He reports of us to God, he commends us to his Father: O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me, John 17:25. Christ gives a good report of the saints in heaven; the Father and the Son are speaking of them (as I may say) behind back. And surely a good report in heaven is of high esteem; Christ tells over Ephraim's prayer behind his back, "I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; turn thou me, and I shall be turned, thou art the Lord my God:" And thereupon God resolves, "Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still, therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord," Jer. 31:18.20. Happy souls of whom Christ is telling good tidings in heaven! he is the angel of the covenant.

3. He is the witness of the covenant; he saw, and heard all, "Behold,