"Lord, I am so borne down by the power of my sin that I know not what to do, only mine eyes are unto thee, O do thou subdue mine iniquities." Be thy soul troubled for want of strength to do this or that duty; yet go to God and Christ in the covenant of grace, and say, "Lord, thou knowest I have no strength of myself, I am a barren wilderness, but thou hast entered into a covenant of grace with me, that thou wilt put thy law into my inward parts, thou wilt cause me to keep thy judgments (and do them,") Ezek. 36:27. As sometimes thou saidst to Gideon, "I have sent thee, and therefore I will be with thee," Judges 6:16. Many are apt to set upon duties in their own strength; but, O my soul, look thou to the promises of grace, and of the Spirit, and put them in suit, and allege them unto Christ. Many are apt to work out their sanctifications, by their watchfulness, resolutions, vows, promises made unto God; but alas, were there not more help in God's promises which he makes to us, than in our promises which we make to him, we might lie in our pollutions for ever. O here is the way, in every want, or strait, or necessity, flee to God and Christ, saying, "Thou art our Father, and we are thy people, O break not thy covenant with us." I confess strong expressions and affections are good in prayer; but surely strength of faith in the covenant of God, is the greatest strength of our prayers.

Object. Here it may be some soul will object, O if I were assured, that I were in covenant with God, thus would I pray; but, alas, I am a stranger, an alien, and so have been to this very day, I have no part in the cov

enant.

Answ. I answer, If thou art not actually in covenant, yet thou mayest be in covenant in respect of God's purpose and gracious intention. Howsoever to encourage all to seek unto God, consider these particulars,

1. The freeness of the promise in this covenant of grace, "Come, and buy wine without money, or money worth," Isa. 55:1. "Come, and drink of the waters of life freely," Rev. 22:17.

2. The extent of the promise in this covenant of grace, I" will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh;" hence the gospel is compared to a feast, and God invites universally, "As many as you find, bid to the marriage," Matth. 22:9. As persons are in estate, so they invite, and so they feast: now Christ is a great king over all the earth; he hath one house that will hold all; he hath one table that will hold all; yea, he hath one dish that will serve all; and, answerably he invites all, "Ho every one that thirsteth."

3. The forwardness of Christ that gives to every one that asketh according to his promise. "Hadst thou but asked, (said Christ to the Samaritan woman) I would have given thee living water," John 4:10. Mark here the occasion of Christ's words; Christ, being weary and thirsty by reason of his journey, he asked of the woman a cup of water to drink; no great matter, he asks but a cup of water, and the woman stands at the well-side where was water enough; yet she gives not, but stands wondering that he, being a Jew, should ask water of her that was a Samaritan; well, saith Christ, thou deniest me a cup of cold water, being weary and thirsty: but hadst thou asked of me, I would have given thee water of life: wonderful! Christ is more ready to give water of life, the very Spirit of God, to a poor sinner, than we are to give a cup of common water to a thirsty soul: go then, thou that hast denied the least mercy and kindness to Christ in any of his members, yet seek grace from him, O look up unto Jesus! ask his Spirit, entreat him to make thy heart new within thee, plead the promise of his covenant, and wait in hope.

4. We must praise: 1. If we would have the blessing let us seek it with

the same mind that God offers it, i. e. with a purpose and desire to have grace exalted; thus Moses sought pardon for this very end, That his mercy might appear; "If thou wilt pardon their sin, thy mercy shall appear, and we shall be thankful unto thee for it," Exod. 32:32. So the words are made out by our expositors, which, in the text, are either passionately or modestly suspended. These are prevailing requests with God, when we plead for the glorifying of his own grace, "Father, glorify thy name," saith Christ, and presently there cometh a voice out of the cloud," I have glorifyed it, and I will glorify it again," John 12:28. 2. If we have the blessing already, then be sure to ascribe the glory unto him that hath made good this promise unto us, "Who is a God like unto thee, who passest by the transgressions of the remnant of thy heritage?" Micah 7:18. We should make the praise of his grace to ring through the world, that heaven and earth might take notice of it, and wonder at the grace that hath been showed unto us, "I will mention the loving kindness of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord hath bestowed on us, and the great goodness towards the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed on them, according to his mercies; and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses," Isaiah 63:7. See how the prophet mentions the kindnesses, the loving kindnesses, the multitude of his loving kindnesses: the goodness and the great goodness of God: he could hardly get off it, he would have God and grace to have all the glory: O my soul, hath God entered thee into a covenant of grace? Why then, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name," Ps. 103:1. But of this more anon.

SECT. IX. Of conforming to Jesus in that respect.

9. We must conform to Jesus, in reference to this covenant of grace. "We are changed by beholding, into the same image," 2 Cor. 3:18. If we look unto Jesus in this respect, this look will have such an influence upon us, that we shall conform to Jesus, but wherein consists this conformity? I answer in these several paticulars.

1. God in Christ offers his covenant to us; so we, through Christ, should embrace his offer.

2. God in Christ keeps covenant with us; so we, through Christ should be careful to keep covenant with him.

3. God in Christ hath highly honored us, as we are his people; so we, through Christ, should highly honor him, as he is our God.

1. God in Christ offers a covenant of grace to us, so we through Christ, should embrace this gracious offer. His offers have appeared, from first to last, as, 1. To Adam. 2. To Abraham. 3. To Moses. 4. To David. 5. To Israel and to Judah. Take notice of it in that great promise of the covenant, "I will be thy God," q. d. “Come, soul, if thou wilt but have me, I am thine; here, I offer myself, my Son, my Spirit, justification, sanctification, adoption, salvation; whatsoever I am, or whatsoever I have, all is thine, if thou wilt but accept of me: look over all this wide, wide world; and if there be any thing in it that can please thy soul, and when thou hast gone through all the world, then come and take a view of me, and see me in my glory, beauty, and excellency; view me in my attributes, and see if thou findest not enough in me worthy of thy accep tance: all this, and more than this, nay more than eye can see, or ear can hear, or heart conceive, I offer to thee, if thou wilt but have me, lo, I will be thy God." So Christions, God is first with us, he is the first mover, he begins with us before we begin with him, "I will bring them

(saith God) into the bond of the covenant." Now, in this let us conforms doth he offer? O let us embrace the offer! doth he lead the way? O let us follow him step by step in that very way as he goes before us! let not us prescribe unto God, let not us presume to appoint the conditions of the covenant; let us not seek to wind about the promise of grace to our own mind and will, let not us say, We will have it thus, and thus it shall be, . or else we will admit of no conditions of peace: but, O come take God and Christ upon his own terms; submit to that way of the covenant, and to those conditions of peace which the Lord prescribeth. Why? this is to conform to his gracious offer. There is much in this offer of Christ, and conforming to Christ, therefore give me leave to enlarge. As in the offer God usually scatters some little seeds of faith in the hearts of those that he will bring to himself; so it is worth while to observe the work of faith in receiving and accepting of this gracious offer: only I shall not herein limit the Lord, but I will show what some conceive the most usual and ordinary course of faith's working, and of the soul's conforming to Jesus Christ in its closing with Christ, as thus,

1. Faith hearing the great things proposed in the covenant of grace, it stirs up in the heart a serious consideration of their blessed condition that are in covenant with God. "Blessed art thou, O Israel, a people saved by the Lord," Deut. 33:29. "What nation in the earth is like thy people, even like Israel, whom God went to redeem for a people to himself," 2 Sam. 7:23. Time was, (saith the soul) that I counted the proud blessed, and the rich blessed, and the honorable blessed: time was when I placed my blessedness in other things, as in riches, preferments, favor, credit with men: but now these are become vile, and things of no value; faith makes us change our voice, and speak as the Psalmist, "Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord," Psal. 144:15.

2. Faith stirs in the heart a longing desire after this condition. Good being believed, cannot but be desired, and longed for; desire naturally springs from the apprehension of any good being made known: hence faith (we say) is both in the understanding and in the will; as it is in the understanding, it opens the eye to see, and clearly to discern the blessing of the covenant; as it is in the will, it pursues and desires the attaining of the grace revealed; nor are these desires faint desires, but very earnest, eager, violent: sometimes it is called "a thirsting after God;" and sometimes a panting after God; and sometimes a gasping after God: It is such a desire, as cannot be satisfied by any thing without God himself.

3. Faith stirs in the heart some hope to enjoy this condition, I say, "Some hope;"for faith being as yet in the bud, or in the seed, though its desire be strong, yet hope of obeying is but feeble and weak: hence faith is taken up with many thoughts; fain would the soul be joined to Christ, but being as yet dismayed with the sense of sin, it stands like the publican afar off; as yet faith can scarce speak a word to God, only with Jonah, it can "look towards his holy temple." As a poor weak babe, who lies in the cradle sick, and weak, and speechless, only it can look towards the mother for help; the cast of the eye expresseth in some sort what it would say; thus faith being weak it would speak to God, but it cannot or dares not, only it hath its eye towards heaven, as Jehoshaphat sometimes said, "our eyes are towards thee," 2 Chron. 20:12. It feels a need and fain would have, but sense of unworthiness, and the sense of the law strikes suel cart, that it res not come near. Consider Israel's case, and we shall find it parallel to this: God proclaims on the mount, “I am the Lord thy God." What was this, but God's offer to be in covenant

with Israel? and yet the terror of the thunder was so great, that Israel durst not come near: a poor soul hearing the Lord to offer himself to be in covenant with him, "Come soul, I am the Lord thy God." Why, alas, it dares not come near; "What am I, Lord? or what is my father's house, that I should enter into a covenant with the most high God?" The soul is unquiet within itself, it is hurried to and fro, and finds no rest, it hears of peace with God, but feels it not, there is much ado with the soul to sustain its hope; only faith sets the mind again and again to consider the promises, invitations, and all other encouragements which God hath given in his word.

4. Faith stirs in the heart some resolves to go to God's throne, and to sue for grace; faith speaks within as they did, "Who can tell whether the Lord will return?" Jonah 3:9. And it may be the Lord God of hosts will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph," Amos 5:15. So who can tell? saith the soul." It may be the Lord will," saith the soul. And this begets some resolves, as those lepers in Samaria knew they were sure to perish, if they sat still, therefore they resolved to try whether the Aramites would save them; or as Esther knowing all was undone, if she would not stir, she would try whether the king would hold out his golden sceptre; so the poor soul, knowing there is no way but perishing, if it continue in its natural state, therefore it resolves to go to God: doth the Lord say, "Seek my face? Why! thy face Lord will I seck." Doth the Lord say, "Come unto me? Why! behold, Lord, I come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God," Jer. 3:22. And now the soul betakes itself unto God; it sends up complaints of itself, it laments its own sinful rebellions, it puts out a whole voiley of sighs, groans and strong cries towards heaven: it confesseth with grief and bitter mourning, all its former iniquities: it smites, with repenting Ephraim, upon its thigh; it lies down at God's footstool, it puts its month in the dust; it acknowledges God's righteousness, if he should condemn, and cast off forever; and yet withal it pleads for grace, that it may be accepted as one of his; it says unto God, "Lord I have nothing to plead, why thou mayest not condemn me, but if thou wilt rereceive me, thy mercy shall appear in me. O let thy mercy appear, take away all iniquity, and receive me graciously." Thus the soul lies at God's throne, and pleads for grace.

5. As faith is thus earnest in suing to God for grace, so it is no less vigilent and watchful in observing what answer comes from the Lord; even as the prisoner at the bar, not only cries for mercy, but he marks every word which falls from the judge's mouth, if any thing may give hitn hope; or as Benhadad's servants lay at catch with the king of Israel, to see if they could take occasion by any thing which fell from him to plead for the life of Benhadad, so the poor soul that is now pleading for life and grace, it watcheth narrowly to see if any thing may come from God, any intimation of favor, any word of comfort, that may tend to peace, "O let me hear joy and gladness.-I will hear what the Lord will say, for he will speak peace unto his people."

6. As faith waits for an answer, so accordingly it demeans itself.

1. Sometimes God answers not, and faith takes on, and follows God still, and cries after him with more strength, as resolving never to give over, till the Lord either save or destroy: nay, if the Lord will destroy, faith chooseth to die at God's feet, as when Joab was bidden to come forth from the horns of the altar, and to take his death in another place; nay, saith Joab, "but I will die here;" or as when Christ saw no deliverance coine in his agony, "He prayed more earnestly," Luke 22:44. So a poor

soul in the time of its agony, when it is striving as for life and death, if help come not at first call, prays again, and that more earnestly. Faith is very urgent with God; and the more slack the Lord seems in answering, the more earnest is faith in plying God with its prayers; it will wrestle with God as Jacob with the angel, it will take no denial, but will crave stili, "Bless me, even me also, O send me not away without a blessing." 2. Sometimes God answers in part, he speaks as it were out of a dark cloud; he gives some little ease: but he speaks not full peace: in this manner he speaks to the woman, "Go thy way, and sin no more," John 8:11. He doth not say, "Go in peace, thy sin is forgiven thee." No, no, "but go thy way and sin no more:" hereby faith usually gets a little strength, and looks after the Lord with more hope; it begins to plead with God, as Moses did, "O Lord, thou hast begun to show grace unto thy servant, go on, Lord, to manifest unto me all thy goodness." Here faith takes a little hold on the covenant of grace; it may be the hand of faith is.feeble, shaking and trembling, yet it takes a little hold, it receives some encouragement, it finds that its former secking is not in vain. 3. Sometimes God answers more fully and satisfactorily; applies some promise of grace to the conscience, by his own Spirit; he lets the soul feel and taste the comforts of himself, or of such and such a promise, more effectually than ever before: "Fear not (saith God) for I am thy God,” Isa. 41:10. Here faith waxeth bold, and with a glad heart entertains the promise brought home unto it. The apostle calls this, "The embracing of the promises," Heb. 11:13. Now embracing implies an affectionate receiving with both arms opened; so the soul embraceth the promise, and the Lord Jesus in the promise, and having him, like Simeon, in his arms, it lays him in the bosom, it brings him into the chamber of the heart, there to rest and abide forever. And now is the covenant struck betwixt God and the soul; now, the soul possesseth God in Christ, as her own; it rests in him, and is satisfied with him, it praiseth God for his mercies, as Simeon did when he had Christ in his arms; it commits itself wholly and forever to that goodness and mercy which hath been revealed to it.

O my soul hast thou come thus by little and little to touch the top of Christ's golden sceptre? Why, then is thy hand given to God, then art thou entered into a covenant of peace, Christ's offering and thy receiving the covenant of grace, bears a sweet agreement, a harmonious conformity. 2. God in Christ keeps covenant with us; so we through Christ should be careful and diligent to keep covenant with God, in the things of this life; a strict eye is had to the covenants we make; now, it is not enough for us to enter into covenant with God, but we must keep it. The Lord never will, never hath broken the covenants on his part; but, alas, we on our parts have broken the first covenant of works; take heed we break not the second; for then there remains not any more place for any more cove hants with us, so let us keep covenant with him: and therein is the blessing; "The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting,-to such as keep his covenant," Psal. 103:17,18.

There is much also in this keeping of the covenant, and therefore give me leave a little to enlarge: sundry acts of faith are required to this keep. ing of the covenant. As thus,

1. Faith in keeping the covenant hath always an eye to the rule and command of God; as in the things to be believed, faith looks on the promise; so in things to be practised, faith looks upon the command: faith will present no strange fire before the Lord; it knows, that God will accept of nothing but what is according to his own will.