REMNANTS OF TIME. 485 Rotnish rites, in the preface to the book of Common Prayer. Happy had it been for Great Britain if they had thought so con- cerning all of them, since they had all the same or a worse ori- ginal, and they all tend to the saine unhappy end ? However, let others take their liberty of colouring all their jewels with what greens and purples and starlets they please ; but for my own part 1 like a diamond best that has no paint upon it. XVI. Bills of Exchange. 1705. WHEN a rich merchant who dwells in a foreign land afar .off, commits his treasure to the hands of a banker, it is to be drawn out in smaller sums by his .servants or his friends here at home as their necessities shall require ; and he furnishes them with bills of exchange drawn upon his banker or treasurer, which are paid honourably to the person who offers the bill, according to the time when the words of the bill appoint the payment. Is it not possible to draw a beautiful allegory hence to repre. sent the conduct of the blessed God in his promises of grace, without debasing so divine a subject ? God the Father, the spring and fountain of all grace, dwells in regions of light and holiness inaccessible, too far off for us to converse with him or receive supplies from him in an immediate way ; but he has sent the Son to dwell in human nature, and constituted him Treasurer of all his blessings, that we might derive perpetual supplies from his hand ; he has intrusted him with all the riches of grace' and glory ; he has laid up infinite stores of love, wisdom, strength, pardon, peace, and consola-, tion in the hands of. his Son for this very purpose, to be drawn out thence as fast as the necessities of his saints require. " It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell. He has received gifts for men." Col. i. 19. Psalm lxviii. 18. Now all the promises in the bible, are so many bills of ex- change drawn by God the Father in heaven upon his Son Jesus Christ, and payable to every pious bearer ; that is, to every one that conies to the mercy-seat and offers the promise for accept- ance, and pleads it in a way of obedient faith and prayer. Jesus the High-Treasurer of heaven, knows every letter of his Fa- ther's hand- writing, and can never be imposed upon by a forged note; he will ever put due honour upon his Father's bills; he accepts them all, for " all the promises in him are yea, and in him amen. In him they are all sure to the glory of the Father ; 2 Cor. i. 20. It is for the Father's honour that his bills never fail of acceptance and payment. If you apply to the blessed Jesus and offer him a bill of the largest sum, a promise of the biggest blessings, he will never say, " I have not so much of my Father's treasure in my hand." For he has received all things. John iii. 35. "The Fattier
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=