Page:Faith's plea upon God's covenant (5).pdf/17

Rh 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 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 offering.' Though you be ſaying in your heart, Oh! how can he have 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 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 had 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, there was ſome of the letters of the name 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 cleft 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 him; that voice that the world laughs at, God hath a reſpect to it. He hath a reſpect to your blood, precious in his ſight is the blood of his ſaints. He hath a reſpect to your ſouls; and hence he gave his blood to be a ranſom for them, and when your ſouls languiſh, he ſends his Spirit to