(2.) In their comforts and 7-efreshments : " Thou gavest leviathan to be meat to the people in the wilderness," Ps. Ixxiv. 14. They fed their souls full of the sweetness of that mercy, the destruction of their oppressing tyrant; we chew the cud upon the blessings of former ages. Who hath not, with joy, delight, and raised affections, gone over the old preservations of the church in former years? How does David run them over with admiration, closing every stop with, " His mercy endureth for ever ! " Ps. cxxxvi. And for things to come, as yet in the promise only, — whether general to the whole church, as the calling of the Jews, the coming in of the fulness of the Gentiles, the breaking out of light, beauty, and glory upon the churches and saints, the confusion of nations not subjecting themselves to the stan- dard of the gospel, &c., — or in particular, ftxrther assurance of love than at present enjoyed, nearer communion with Father and Son, being with Christ, freed from misery and coiTuption, dwelling with God for ever; — how does faith act over these and the like things in the heart, leaving a savour and relish of their sweetness continually uj)on the soul? 0 how sweet are the things of the world to come unto poor believers ! Christ leads the soul by faith, not only into the chambers of present enjoyed loves, but also into the fore-prepared everlasting mansions in his Father's house. Tims it gives poor mortal creatures a sweet relish of eternal joys; — brings heaven into a dungeon, glory into a prison, a crown into a cottag-e, Christ into a slaughter-house. And this arises, —
[1.] From the nature of faith. Though it do not make the thing believed to be (the act cannot create its own object), yet applying it, it makes it the believer's. It is the bond of union between the soul and the thing promised. He that believes in Christ, by that believing receives Christ, John i. 1 2 ; — he becomes his. It is a grace uniting its subject and object, — the person behoving and the thing believed. There needs no ascending into heaven, or descending; the word of
102 A MEMORIAL OF THE DEUVEP.ANCE
faith makes all tliiugs nigh, even within ns, E,om. x. G-8. Some glasses will present things at a great distance very near; faith look- ing through the glass of the gospel, makes the most remote mercies to be not only in a close distance, but in union. It "is the subsis- tence of things hoped for ;" — that which they have not in themselves, it gives them, — in the full-assured mmds of believers.
[2.] From the intendment of all mercies. They are for every be- liever. All things are theirs, — "world, life, death, things present, things to come," 1 Cor. iii. 22. All promises being made to every believer, and all mercies being the fruit of these promises, they must all belong to every believer. Now, if all these should be kept from us, at that distance wherein they fail in their accomplishment in re- spect of time, what would they avail us? God, therefore, hath ap- pointed that they shall have a real, though not a natural presence and subsistence at all times, to all believers.
Use 1. See hence what use yon make of past mercies, deliver- ances, blessings, with promised incomings ; — cany them about you by faith, that you may use them at need. " Where is the Lord God of Elijah?" "Awake, awake, 0 arm of the Lord!" &c. "I saw the tents of Cushan." Take store mercies along with you in every trial. Use them, or they will grow rusty, and not pass in heaven. Learn to eat leviathan many years after his death. Forget not your perils; — scatter not away your treasure ; — be rich in a heap of mercies, — faith will make you so. The love, the comfort, the benefit, of all for- mer and future blessings are yours, if you know how to use them. Oh, how have we lost our mercies in every hedge and ditch ! Have none of us skill to lay up the last eminent deliverance against a rainy day?
Use 2. Learn how to make the poorest and most afflicted condi- tion comfortal)le and full of joy. Store thy cottage, thy sick-bed, by faith, with all sorts of mercies ; — they are the richest furniture in the world. Gather up what is already cast out, and fetch the rest from heaven. Bring the first-fruits of glory into thy bosom. See the Jews called, — the residue of opposers subdued, — the gospel exalted, — Christ enthroned, — all thy sins pardoned, — corruption conquered, — glory enjoyed. Roll thyself in those golden streams every day. Let faith fetch in now and old ;-^ancient mercies for thy sujiportment, everlasting mercies for thy consolation. He that hath faith, hath all things.
XIV. Observation. God's dealivg ivith his enemies in the season of his church's deliverance is of especial consideration.
" I saw the tents," &c. So did the Israelites behold the Egyptians dead on the shore, Exod. xiv. 30, 3L " The heathen raged, the khig- doms were moved : he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lokd