544 THE WORD OF GOD COMPARED TO LIGHT, Book nt fweet Cane with Money, neither haft thou filled me with the Fat of thy Sacrifices; but tbou haft made me to Jerue with thy Sins, thou hP..ft wearied me with thine Iniquities. !, even I a~ he that_blotteth out thy 'I"ranfgrej]ion for mine own fake, and will not remember thy Sin>, !fa. xlm. 24, 25. . . Salvation is freely promifed, net by Works of Righteoufnefs that we have done, but ac– cording to his Mercy he faved us by the wajhing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghofl, Tit. iii. 5· VI. Gofpell:'romifes are glorious, if we confider the Extent of them, they run not only to the llneal Seed of Abraham, but to all Bellevers, to ]ew and Gentile, bond and free~. hone are excluded: Whoe·ver will, let him take of the Water of Life freely, Rro. xx11 . 17. . VII. Gofpel Promifes are glorious Promifes in refpeCl: of what is given : 1. Chri!l: is given, God hath given his Son, not only for the Sinner, but to the Sinner. Chri!l: promifeth to give himfelf, offers to betroth himfelf to us for ever. The Spirit is promifed with all the Bleffings, Grace, Gifts and O~'<:rations thereof, Hof ii. r6, 1 9·. !fa. lxii. 5· 2. God promifes in the Gofpel to give himfelf, I will be your God, and you foal! be my People. This Promife is the higheft, the fulleft, and fweetelt of all Promifes; /fuJiin fpeaking of it, breaketh forth in Admiration, What is better than this G . odnds ! What is or can be greater Happinefs than this! Can God give ant' Thin<> atcater than himfelf? c " 3· Whatfoever he is, has, or can do in a gracious Way is promifed to be aiven in this one Promife. He is one eternal, all-fufficient, immutable, infin;te, glo~ous, incomprehenfible, omnifcient, omniprefent, holy and gracious God . His Goudnefs, Truth, Power, Wifdom, Mercy, Loving-kindnefs, Faithfulnefs is engaged for Believers. 4· 0 what is in Man that thou art mindful of him ! Is all below thyfelf too little and not good enough for Man, that thou giveft thyfdf to fill and f. tisly hrm I ,-\11 that God is or hath fo far as communicative is promifed, f.:: c. Life, Light, Grace, Strength, Wealth, Riches, Pleafure, Hcnor is the Believers. 5· Whatfoever he can do fo far as comports with his own Glory and our Good is promifed, viz. to feed, fupport, fupprefs Fears, prevent Danger, keep in or delrver but of Trouble, &c. 6. The Greatnefs of this Promife will appear by conftdering what all other Thino-s are in comparifon or God, if Heaven be nothing, wh:1t is E.arch in con1par 1vn ~f him, all other Things come from him as Water from a Fountain ; "hotare all Thm 5s withom him whether fpmtual or temporal? Confider the Neceffity of hrm, Men make a fhift to live without enjoying God (though fuch are dead whiift they live) but know not how to die without him, nothing but Get! is a fuitable Good for the Soul. It is not Clothes that can clothe it, it is not Silver, Gold nor Pearl which can" .orn it, it is not Fire that can warm it, nor Bread can feed it, nor Wine can chear it. nor Money can fatisfy it, nor earthly Friends can comfort it, it is God only that can f\1pply all the w ·ants and Neceffities of the Soul. 7· This is a great Promife, becaufe nothing is yours till God is yours, by Union with him the Soul is interefted into all fpiritual and temporal good Things. 8. It is a Part and Portion which can ne,.er be fpent, you may live upon God, there is enough in him for Millions and Millions of Millions ; Pfal. lxxiii. 45· See God a Portion. God is better than Heaven, better than Grace, better than Glory, better than Things prefent, or Things to come, the Promifes are hke a rich Rmg of Gold, but this is the rare Diamond in that H.ing, rt is the Crown, the 1 op, Exct!– lency of all Promifes; his. Wifdom is the Soul for DireB:.ion, his l'ower for Pro~ection, his Grace for its Acceptauon, hrs Sprnt for rts Confo\a[lon, hrs Creatures on Earth to ferve Lls, his Anaels to auard us, his Ordinances to feed and Hrensth~:n us, n1s G1ace to adorn ns, his"Richc;"to advance and crown u• to Eternity. This is a areat Promile, the greateft Promife; God gives Ligh t when he giws himfelf he ;jves Life when he <>ives himfelf. God is Light without O hfc unty, how fweet i; that Light I He is Life ~ithout Momlity, ho~ fweet is tlm L ife ! Peace wu h– out Perplexity, Love without Mutabrlny, how fwect ts fuch Love ! God fiils and la– tisfies all that enjoy him, beyond God the Heart can defrre nothrng. VIli. Promifes 3
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