4. The continuation of all your mercies and comforts, outward as well as inward, is the fruit of his intercession in heaven for you. For look, as the offering up of the law of God a sacrifice for sin, opened the door of mercy at first ; so his appearing before God as a lamb that had been slain, still keeps that door of mercy open. Rev. V. 6. Heb. ix. 24. By this his intercession, our peace and com- forts are prolonged to us, Zech. i. 12, 13. Every sin we commit would put an end to the mercies we jx)ssess, were it not for that caution which is put in for us by it, 1 John ii. 1, 2. " If any man " sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the '' righteous ; and he is the propitiation for our sins,'' kc. This stops all pleas, and procm-es new pardons for new sins. Hence it is he saves to the uttermost^ to the last completing act, Heb. vii. 25. New sins do not irritate our former pardons, nor cut off our privi- leges settled upon us in Christ.
5. The returns and answers of all your prayers and cries to hea- ven for the removing of your afflictions, or supply of your wants, are all procured and obtained for you by Jesus Christ. He is the master of your requests ; and were it not that God had respect to him, he would never regard your cries to him, nor return an an- swer of peace to you, how great soever your distresses should be, Rev. viii. 3, 4. It is his name that gives your prayers their accept- ance, John XV. 16. Because the Father can deny him nothing, therefore your prayers are not denied. Doth God condescend to hear you in the day of trouble ? Doth he convince you by your own experience, that your prayers haxQ power with God, and do pre- 'vail ? O see how much you owe to your dear Lord Jesus Christ, for this high and glorious privilege !
6. The covenant of gi*ace, in which all your comfortable enjoy- ments are comprized, and by which they are secured, sanctified, and sweetened to you, is made in Christ, and ratified by him be- twixt God and you. Your mercies are all comprized in this cove- nant, even your daily bread, Psal. cxi. 5. as well as your justifica- tion, and other spiritual mercies.
It is your covenant interest that secures to you whatever it comprizes, Isa. Iv. 3. Hence they are called the sure mercies of David.
Nay, this is it that sanctifies them, and gives them the nature of special and peculiar mercies. One such mercy is worth a thou- fcjand common mercies. And being sanctified and special mercies,
THE MYSTERY OF PROVIDENCE. 453
they must needs be exceeding sweet beyond all. other mercies. On these accounts it was, that David so rejoiced in his covenant-interest^ though laden witli many afflictions, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.
But now all this hangs intirely upon Christ. The New Testa- ment is in his blood, 1 Cor. xi. 25. And whatever mercies you reap from that covenant^ you must thank the Lord Jesus Christ for them. Put all this together, and then think how such con- siderations will endear Christ to your souls !
The due observation of providence hath a marvellous efficacy to melt the heart, and make it thaw and relent ingenuously before the Lord.
How can a sanctified heart do less than melt into tears, whilst it either considers the dealings of God from time to time with it ; or compares the mercies received, with the sins committed ; or the different administrations of providence towards itself and others.
Let a man but set himself to think deliberately and closely of the ways of providence towards him, let him but follow the tract of providence, as it hath led him all along the way that he hath gone ; and if there be any principle of gracious tenderness in him^ he shall meet with variety of occasions to excite and draw it forth^ Header, go back with thy serious thoughts, (1.) To the beginning of the ways of God with thee, the mercies that broke out early in thy youthj even the first-born mercies from the womb of provi- dence ; and thou wilt say. What need I go farther ; Here is enough, not only to move, but overwhelm my heart, " May I not^ " from this time, cry unto thee, my Father, thou art the guide *' of my youth," Jer. iii. 4. What a critical time is the time of youth ? It is the moulding age ; and ordinarily, according to the course of those leading providences^ after-providences do steer their course. What levity, rashness, ignorance, and strong propensions to sin and ruin accompanied that age ? How many, being then left to the sway of their own lusts, run themselves into those sins and mi- series, which they never recover themselves from to their dying day ? These, like the errors of the first concoction, are rarely rectified afterwards. Did not the Lord guide thee by his provi- dence, when but a child ? Did he then preserve thee from those follies and miscarriages, which blast the very blossom, and nip the bud, so that no good fruit is to be expected afterwards ? Did he then cast thee into such families, or among such company and ac- quaintance, as moulded and formed thy spirit to a better temper ? Did he then direct thee into that way of employment, wherein thou liast seen so large a train of happy consequences ever since fol-
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lowing thee ? And- wilt lliou not from henceforth say, " My Fa* " ther, my, Father, thou art the guide of my youth ?"
Or, (2.) Let us but bring our thoughts close to the providences of after-times, and consider Iiow the several changes and removes of our lives have been ordered for us : things we never foresaw nor designed (but much better for us, than what we did design) have been all along ordered for us. " The way of man is not in " himself." " God's thoughts have not been our thoughts, nor '^ his ways our ways." Among the eminent mercies of thy life, reader, how many of them have been mere surprizals to thee? Thy own projects have been thrust aside, to make way for better things designed by providence for thee.
Nay, (r3.) Do but observe the springs and autumns of providence, in what order they have flourished and faded with thee, and thou wilt find thyself over-powered with the sense of Divine wisdom and goodness : when necessity required, such a friend was stirred up to help thee, such a place opened to receive thee, such a relation raised up or continued to refresh thee : and no sooner did pro- vidence depri^-e thee of any of them, but either thy need of them ceased, or some other way is opened to thee. O the depth of God's wisdom and goodness ! O the matchless tenderness of God to his people !