[1.] From the nature of faith. Though it do not make the thing believed to be (the act cannot create its own ob- ject), 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. 12. he becomes his. It is a grace uniting its subject and object, the person believing, and the thing
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believed. There needs no ascending into heaven, or de- scending, the word of faith makes all things nigh, even within us; Rom. x. 6, 7. Some glasses will present things at a great distance very near : faith looking 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 sub- sistence of things hoped for,' that which they have not in themselves, it gives them in the full assured minds of be- lievers.
[2.] From the intendment of all mercies. They are for every believer. All things are theirs, ' world, life, death, things present, things to come ;' 1 Cor. ii. 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 fall in their accomplishment in respect of time, what would they avail us ? God therefore hath appointed 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 you make of past mercies, de- liverances, blessings, with promised incomings ; carry them about you by faith, that you may use them at need. 'Where is the God of Elijah ? Awake, awake, O 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 pearls ; 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 former 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 condition comfortable 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 al- ready 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.
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glory enjoyed. Roll thyself in those golden streams every day. Let faith fetch in new and old : ancient mercies for thy supportment, everlasting mercies for thy consolation. He that hath faith, hath all things.
XIV. Observation. God's dealing with his enemies in the season of his church's deliverance is of especial consider- ation.
' I saw the tents,' &.c. So did the Israelites behold the Egyptians dead on the shore, Exod. xiv. 30, 31. ' The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved : he uttered his voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made on the earth ;' Psal. xlvi. 6 — 8. The enemies' undertaking, ver. 6. God's protection to his people, ver. 7. a view of the adversaries' desolation, ver. 8. are all orderly held out.
The Lord tells Moses that he will harden the heart of Pharaoh, that he might shew his power, to this very end, that it might be considered, and told to one another; Exod. X. 2, 3. How many psalms have we that are taken up in setting forth God's breaking, yoking, befooling, terrifying his adversaries at such a season? The remembrance of the slaughter of the first-born of Egypt was an ingredient in the chiefest ordinance the ancient church enjoyed ; Exod. xiv. The reasons of this are,
1. Much of the greatness and intenseness of God's love to his own is seen in his enemies' ruin. Isa. xliii. 3, 4. *I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia, and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been ho- nourable, and I loved thee ; therefore I will give men for thee, and people for thy life.' When God gives such mighty kingdoms for a small handful, it appears they are precious to him. ' Whosoever shall gather together against thee, shall fall for thy sake;' Isa. liv. 15. When God will maintain a quarrel with all the world, swear that he will never have peace with Amalek, until he be consumed, break nations, kings, and kingdoms, stretch out his hand in judgment round about, and all to save, preserve, prosper, protect, a small handful ; surely he hath endeared affections for them. In the days wherein we live, can we look, and see wise men befooled, mighty warriors vanquished, men of