2. Behold God also in his covenant of grace, which he hath made in Christ. In that you may see such sure, such great and wonderful mercies, freely given out to a world of sinners, and to yourselves among the rest, as may afford abundant matter for love and thankfulness to feed on while you live. There you may see how loth God is that sinners should perish; how he delighteth in mercy; and how great and unspeakable that mercy is. There you may see an act of pardon and oblivion granted upon the reasonable condition of believing, penitent acceptance, to all mankind; the sins that men have been committing many years together, their wilful, heinous, aggravated sins, you may there see pardoned by more aggravated mercy; and the enemies of God reconciled to him, and condemned rebels saved from hell, and brought into his family, and made his sons. Oh what an image of the goodness of God is apparent in the tenor of his word and covenant! Holiness and mercy make up the whole--they are expressed in every leaf and line! The precepts, which seem too strict to sinners, are but the perfect rules of holiness and love, for the health and happiness of man. What loveliness did David find in the law itself! and so should we, if we read it with his eyes and heart: it was sweeter to him than honey; he loved it above gold, Psal. cxix. 127; and, ver. 97, he crieth out, "O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day." And must not the Lawgiver then be much more lovely, whose goodness here appeareth to us? "Good and upright is the Lord; therefore will he teach sinners in the way," Psal. xxv. 8. "I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved: my hands also will I lift up to thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes," Psal. cxix. 47, 48. How delightfully then should I love and meditate on the blessed Author of this holy law! But how can I read the history of love, the strange design of grace in Christ, the mystery which the angels desirously pry into, the promises of life to lost and miserable sinners, and not feel the power of love transform me? "Behold, with what love the Father hath loved us, that we should be called the sons of God," 1 John iii. 1. How doth God shed abroad his love upon our hearts, but by opening to us the superabundance of it in his word, and opening our hearts by his Spirit to perceive it? Oh when a poor sinner that first had felt the load of sin, and the wrath of God, shall feelingly read or hear what mercy is tendered to him in the covenant of grace, and hear Christ's messengers tell him, from God, that all things are now ready; and therefore invite him to the heavenly feast, and even compel him to come in, what melting love must this affect the sinner's heart with! When we see the grant of life eternal sealed to us by the blood of Christ, and a pardoning, justifying, saving covenant, so freely made and surely confirmed to us, by that God whom we had so much offended, oh what an incentive is here for love!
When I mention the covenant I imply the sacraments, which are but its appendants or confirming seals, and the investing the believer solemnly with its benefits. But in these God is pleased to condescend to the most familiar communion with his church, that love and thankfulness might want no helps. There it is that the love of God in Christ applieth itself most closely to particular sinners; and the meat or drink will be sweet in the mouth, which was not sweet to us on the table at all. Oh how many a heart hath this affected! How many have felt the stirrings of that love, which before they felt not, when they have seen Christ crucified before their eyes, and have heard the minister, in his name and at his command, bid them "take," and "eat," and "drink;" commanding them not to refuse their Saviour, but take him and the benefits of his blood as their own; assuring them of his good-will and readiness to forgive and save them.