Doctrine. "That one of Faith's ſtrong pleas with God, is, That he would have reſpect to the covenant."
If we would deal with God for mercy, or plead with him for favour, or look to him for any good at this occaſion, let us expect it only upon this ground, The reſpect he hath to the covenant, and plead upon this argument.
The method we would obſerve, as the Lord ſhall aſſiſt, for briefly handling this ſubject, ſhall be the following.
- I. Shew what covenant it is he will have a reſpect to.
- II. What it is for God to have a reſpect to the covenant.
- III. What it is in the covenant he hath a reſpect to.
- IV. What kind of reſpect he hath to it.
- V. Why he hath a reſpect to it, and ſo why it is a ſuitable plea and argument in ſuing for mercy.
- VI. Make ſome application of the whole.
i. We are then firſt to ſhew what covenant it is he will have a reſpect to. The covenant here ſpoken of is the covenant of grace and promiſe, made in Chriſt Jeſus, 'before the world began;' and publiſhed in his goſpel to ſinners, Jer. xxxii. 39, 40. 'And I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them. And I will make an everlaſting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good: but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me, Ezek. xxxvi. 26.
