Page:Faith's plea upon God's covenant (1).pdf/22

 from the body of the Pſalm, and the words following the text: For the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. Theſe that live in darkneſs of ignorance and error, and in the works of darkneſs, are full of cruelty againſt the church and people of God, and they are ſurrounded with them, inſomuch that the church is like a lily among thorns, or a ſheep among wolves, what ſhall become of it? why, here is a covenant of defence, and of defending and protecting grace, ſaying, Upon all the glory there ſhall be a defence : therefore even when enemies, break down the carved work with axes and hammers, ver. 7. When they are ſaying, Let us deſtroy them together, ver. 8 Yea, when it ſhall come to this, at a bloody ſword that is raging abroad, ſhall come over to us, and that foreign domeſtic enemies, or both ſhall devour and deſtroy, and may be burn up all the ſynagogues of God in the land as it is ver 8. And when we ſhall not ſee our ſigns, and there is no more any prophet, nor any among us that know the time how long, ver. 9 In all ſuch caſes, what courſe ſhalt we take, but that of the Pſalmiſt here? Lord, have reſpect to the covenant.

Are you concerned about inward enemies, ſpiritual enemies, and molleſted with the powers of darkneſs? Is your heart full of the habitations of cruelty, and fearfully, inhabited with cruel devils, cruel luſts, cruel corruptions, that maſter and conquer, and prevail againſt you, ſo as you may ly many a time wounded and dead at the enemy's feet! here is a covenant of ſin conquering grace, not only a covenant of mercy to your ſoul, but of vengeance to your luſts, ſaying, The day of vengeance is in mine heart