Page images
PDF
EPUB

The Holy Spirit is the earneft of our inheritance. An earneft is a part of the payment, of the fame nature with that which we hope hereafter to receive. His graces and comforts are the grapes of Canaan, morfels of the upper table, preludes and foretaftes of eternal enjoyments. How much are these to be defired!

Suppose we were in the ftate of condemned malefactors; the king, our offended fovereign holds out unto us a fealed pardon, and declares, at the fame time, that fuch as have not the great feal to fhew, must suffer for their crimes; but fuch as have it, must be acquitted, and received to his royal favour. What folicitude fhould we feel in fuch a cafe as this, that we might have a fealed evidence of the king's pardon! What diligence should we use, what pains fhould we take! And can we be indifferent in a matter of infinitely greater moment, when, not the life of the body only, but the eternal falvation of the foul is depending? When our offended Judge faith, " Only acknowledge your offences, and feek ye my face," fhall not our hearts echo to the gracious overture, '“ Thy face, Lord, will we feek?"

Reader, this is the design of the small treatise which is now put into your hands; and O that it may please God to fucceed our endeavours, and accompany our preaching and our printing with his

bleffing!

�....Öས་

bleffing! A match is proposed between Jefus Chrift, the heavenly bridegroom, and your poor fouls. He hath drawn up the articles, and propounded them to you by us. His facred words fpeak his willingness; nothing is wanting but your confent; and the match is made. We bring you letters of love and kindness from the divine Saviour, who is ready to betroth you to himself for ever. We endeavour to fhew you the large dowry he propofes to give, and the glorious manfion prepared for you, in which you fhall dwell with him for ever. We tell you of the pains he has endured, and the coft he has been at, to make you his own. Whether all this will prevail upon you, whether it will win your hearts to him or not, the event muft declare. But if this were the laft fentence I muft write, or you read, I do hereby fummon you to anfwer to this address before that awful tribunal, where you and I must shortly appear. If you reject the gospel of falvation, and persevere in your rebellion against God, undoubtedly the minifters who have tenderly and faithfully warned you, will be witnesses against you. But O! how earneftly do I wifh that it may be otherwife! It is our work to preach and write, your's to hear and read; but the Father of mercies alone can give fuccefs. We therefore follow thefe poor endeavours with our hearty prayers to him, that he may be graciously pleafed to bestow upon you, converting or confirming grace; that you may experience

B 2

rience the manifeflations of his favour; or, being in a ftate of grace, that you may walk in the light of his countenance, and abound unto every good work, that we may give up our account of you with joy and not with grief; fo that those who sow and thofe who reap may, at length, rejoice together. This is the fincere defire and prayer of

The Friend of your fouls,

OLIVER HEYWOOD.

Nov. 9, 1678.

LIFE IN GOD'S FAVOUR.

CHAP. I.

SOME INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

THE

Pfalm xxx. 5. In his Favour is Life.

divine

poem

in which we meet with thefe words, bears the title of Apfalm and fong at the dedication of David's houfe. What is intended by this dedication, or with what ceremonies it was performed, we are not told. Mofes said to the armies of Ifrael, when going out to battle, "What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? Let him go and return to his house, left he die in battle, and another man dedicate it." Hiram, king of Tyre, fent messengers to David, and cedar-trees, and carpenters, and masons, and they built David an house. Whether this pfalm

was compofed when he firft became an inhabitant of this house, or when he returned to it after Absalom had defiled it, I will not determine. This holy man was concerned to have his habitation to be an houfe for God, and devoted to him; where his name fhould be called upon, and his praises fung, whofe favour is to be valued infinitely above all earthly enjoyments, and is that which fanctifies and ennobles them all.

The pfalm which was compofed and fung on this occafion, may be called, a divine mifcellany, defcriptive of the various experiences of a child of God. I fhall juft hint at a few particulars.

The Pfalmift here exalts God in his praises, who had exalted him in the manifeftations of his mercy. "I will extol thee, O Lord, for thou haft lifted me up." When the Father of mercies has brought us up out of the depths of diftrefs and indigence, we ought to give him the glory; and the higher our advancement is, the more exalted should be our praises. This is a delightful, as it is a reasonable service.

David had cried to God, and experienced his prefent help and healing, in bodily affliction, domeftic trouble, and diftrefs of mind. "I have cried unto thee, and thou haft healed me." Relief was near. It was but asking with fervour and fincerity, and the great Physician was ready, with his healing

hand,

« EelmineJätka »