Senn. 17. of God in Duty? 413 gracious, propitious,benevolous to the Creature,a bountiful rewarder of him that f:rveth him, notwithflanding the greatnefs of God, or the unwerthinefsof the Creature. Such apprehenfions we mull have of God in all our approaches to him, in all our performances of duty and woríhip. When Cain could not apprehend fo much favour and grace in God as could pardon his fm and remove his punifhment he then went out from the pretence of the Lord Gen.4.13 ,16. That is (as Interpreters of good note render it) he left the Church of God in bis Fathers Family, the Worfirip of God, the Ordinances of God, the fervice of God, the profeffion of God and all : Such as cannot have apprehnefions of God as gracious, propitious, will not come into the pretence of God. Nor fuch as cannot apprehend him a bountiful rewarder of them that come to him ; They bid God depart from them who queílion whether God can do any thing for them,or whether there be any pro- fit in his fervice, ?ob 21.14,15. and lob 22.17. when thofe mercenary hypocrites had loft their worldly profits & preferments vt h .ch they had gained by the profeffion of Religion, when the tide was turned, and prophannefs only countenanced, they call off all, and Paid, It is in vain to ferve God,and what pre fit is it that We have kept his Ordinances, Mal 3. IS. But be that comeh to God mull have fuch apprehenfions of him as render him Gracious as well as Glorious, Merciful as well as Righte- ous ; for we come to God fitting on his Throne of Grace, Heb . 4. alt. and we have to deal with mercy for fupply to all our needs. And he that cometh to God mull believe tlsat he is,and that he is a rewar = der of them that diligently ferk. him, Heb. 11.6. Why did David prefer the lowell place or office in , he Houfe or Church of God (a Porters place) before the higheft preferments in the Tents of ungodlinefs, Plal. 84.10. He gives the reafon, Ver. i. For the Lord is a San and fhieldq A Sun to confer all goo,i,a jirield to preferve from all evili ; He will give Grace and Glory what can a man delire more? Yet if there be any good thing betide Grace and Glory,he will not withhold it ; fuch a bounrfull Mailer is God in his Houfe,and fuch a one his Servantsap- prehmd him. Now, we cannot have r'ght apprehenfions and due conceptions of the Grace, Mercy, Good will of God to us,but from the manifeflati. ons of Gad in Jefus Chrifl ; It is God in. aria recanciling the World to himfelf, arid befeeching us to be reconciled to him, z Cor.5. 19,20. When God gave t-Mofes a fight o his glory in the Chit of thg Rock. I G g g z will,
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