Page:Faith's plea upon God's covenant (2).pdf/17

 3. Hence we may see the hapiness 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 respectto 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 his offering." Tho' you be saying in your heart, Oh! how can he have a respect unto me, black and vile, and guilty me? Why, not for your sake indeed, be it known unto thee, but for his Covenant's sake, and for his Name sake. 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 some of the letters of the name, was put 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 cliffs 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 respect to his doves, when laying their requests