mercy, Ps. ciii. 3., " Who forgiveth thy iniquity, who crowneth thee," &c. This isa branch of the covenant, Jer. xxxi. 33, 34., " I will be their God, and I will fi)rgive their iniquity." Sin being pardoned, all wrath ceaseth. How terrible is it when but a spark of God's wrath ilies into a man's con- science ! but sin being forgiven, no more wrath. God doth not appear now in the fire or earthquake, hut covered with a rain- bow full of mercy.
2. All vonr temporal mercies are fruits of the covenant. Wicked men have mer- cies by providence, not by virtue of a cove-
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nant; with God's leave, not with his love. But such ,as are in covenant liave their mer- cies sweetened witli (lod's love, and they swim to them in the blood of Christ. As Naaman said to Gehazi, 2 Kinj^s v. 23., " Take two talents," so saith (iod to sucli as are in covenant, take two talents, — take healtli, and take Christ with it, — take riches, and lake my love with tliem, — take the ve- nison, and take the blessing with it, — take two talents.
3. You may upon all occasions plead the covenant. If you are haunted with temp- tations, plead the covenant : Lord, thou hast promised to bruise Satan under my feet shortly, wilt thou suffer thy child to be thus worried ? take off the roaring lion. If in want, plead the covenant : Lord, thou hast said, " I shall want no good thing," wilt tliou save me from hell, and not from want .•* wilt thou give me a kingdom, and d«niy me daily bread?
4. If in covenant with God, all things shall co-operate for your good : etiam mala cidvnt in bomim, Ps. xxv. 10. Not only golden paths, but his bloody paths. Every wind of providence shall blow them nearer heaven. Affliction shall humble and puri- fy, Hob. xii. 10. Out of the bitterest drug God distils your salvation. Afflictions add to the saints' glory. The more the diamond is cut, the more it sparkles ; the heavier the saints' cross is, the heavier shall be their crown.
5. If thou art in coA'^cnant once, then for ever in covenant. The text calls it, ' an everlasting covenant.' Such as are in co- venant are elected ; God's electing love is unchangeable, Jer. xxxii. 40., " I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from \\\c\n ; but I will put my fear in their heart, that they shall not depart from me." God will so love the saints, that he will not forsake them ; and the saints shall so fear God, that they shall not forsake him. 'Tis a covenant of eter- nity. It must be so ; for who is this cove- nant made with? Is it not with believers? and have not they coalition and union with Christ? Christ is the head, they are the body, Eph. i. 23. This is a near union, much like tiiat union between God the Father and Christ, John xvii. 21., "As thou, Father,
art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be One in us." Now the union between Christ and the saints being so inseparable, it can never be dissolved, or the covenant made void ; you may die with comfort.
C. Thou art in covenant with God, and thou art going to thy God : behold a death- bed cordial ; death breaks the union between the hotly and the soul, but ])crfects the u- nion between Christ and the soul. This hath made the saints desire death as the bride the wedding-day : Phil. i. 23., cupio dissolvi. " Lead me, Lord, to that glory," (said one) " a glimpse whereof I have seen as in a glass darkly."
Use o(h. Of direction : to shew how you should walk who have tasted of covenant- mercy — Live as a people in coven<ant with God. As you differ from others in respect of dignity, so you must in point of carriage.
1st. You must love this God. God's love to you calls for love. 1. It is amor gralia- lus, — a free love. \Vliy should Go<l p;i«8 by others and take you into a league of friendship with himself? In the law, God passed by the lion and eagle, and chose the dove : so he passes by the noble and mighty. 2. It is mnor plenus, — a full love. AVlien (lod takes you into covenant, you are his Ilcphziba/i, Isa. Ixii. 5. ; his delight is in you ; he gives you the key of all his trea- sure, he heaps pearls upon you, he settles heaven and earth upon you, he gives you a bunch of grapes by the way, and saith, ' Son, all I have is thine.' And doth not all this call for love ? \Vlio can tread upon these hot coals, and his heai't not burn in love to God ?
2d/i/. Walk holily. The covenant hath made you a royal nation, therefore be an holy people. Shine as lights in the world; li\ e as earthly angels. God hath taken you into covenant, that you and he may have communion together ; and what is it keeps up your communion witli God, but holiness?
Sdii/. AValk thankfully, Ps. ciii. 1. God is your God in covenant, he hath done more for you than if he had made you ride upon the high places of the earth, and given you crowns and sceptres. O Uike the cup of salvation, and bless the Lord! Eternity will be little enough to jnaise him. Musi- cians love to play on their music where