Page:Faith's plea upon God's covenant (1).pdf/17

 17 3. Hence we may ſee the happineſs of believers, that have ſuch a reſpect to the covenant, as I was ſpeaking of, a great, dear, full, and perpetual reſpect to it, and the Mediator of it, who have taken hold of the covenant thro' grace, and know what it is to take hold of God in the covenant, to take hold of God in a promiſe, and to hold him by his word, and rely upon him in it ſaying, Lord, have reſpect to the covenant; here is your great happineſs, God hath a reſpect to you: What reſpect? Even to your perſons and offerings, as it is ſaid of Abel, Gen. iv. 4. God had a reſpect to him and to his offerings. Though you be ſaying in your heart, Oh ! how can he have a reſpect to me, black and vile, and guilty me? why? not for your ſake indeed, be it known unto you, but for his covenant's ſake, and his name's fake. He hath a reſpect to your praying, and praiſing, and communicating; becauſe he hath a reſpect to the covenant. He hath a reſpect to your name; though the name of the wicked ſhall rot, your name ſhall be in everlaſting remembrance ; for God hath put his name in you; ſomething of Chriſt in you, ſomething of the covenant in you. Some obſerve, when Abram's name was turned to Abraham, that there ſomething of the letters of the name Jehovah put in Abram's name. Indeed, God gives the believer a new name, that he hath a reſpect unto. He hath a reſpect to your ſuits and ſupplications; ''I have heard Ephraim bemoaning himſelf. O my dove, that art in the clefts of the rock, in the ſecret places of the ſtairs; let me hear thy voice; let me ſee thy countenance ; for ſweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.'' He hath a reſpect to his doves, when pouring out their hearts before