Page:Sermon preached on a preparation-day, before the sacrament of the Lord's-Supper, at Bruntisland, upon 2 Sam. vii. 20. Do as thou hast said.pdf/6

 any word of grace therein ſuitable to your caſe, then put not away the word from you, but take it, and plead upon it, that God would do as he hath ſaid. If you can ſee any word of promiſe ſuited to your caſe, and to your need, then put to your hand by faith, and lay hold upon his word.

Oh! ſay you, is there any word from God about my caſe, who am a poor needy creature like to ſtarve for want of a ſpiritual meal, and a hearty draught of the living waters that go out from Jeruſalem. What hath God ſaid, or hath he ſaid any thing, concerning me. Yea, he hath ſaid, Iſa. xli. 17, 18. "When the poor and needy ſeek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirſt; I, the Lord, will hear them: I, the God of Iſrael, will not forſake them. I will open rivers in dry places, and fountains in the midſt of the vallies. I will make the wilderneſs a pool of water, and the dry land ſprings of water."Hath he ſaid ſo? Then take him at his word, put him to it, ſaying, Lord, Do as thou haſt ſaid.

Oh! but is there any word from God for me, whohavewho have [sic] been long waiting about ordinances, and never yet ſeen his glory, as I would deſire to ſee it? What hath he ſaid concerning me? why, he hath ſaid, that he waits that he be gracious; that he is a God of judgment, and bleſſed are all they that wait for him, Iſa. xxx. 18. He hath ſaid, "The viſion is for an appointed time, but at the end it will ſpeak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; becauſe it will ſurely come, and not tarry," Hab. i. 3.Hath he ſaid ſo? Then take him at his word, and put him to it, ſaying, Do as thou haſt ſaid.

But is there any word from God concerning my caſe, that find my conſcience challenging me for prodigious guilt; there was never ſuch a guilty perſon on the face of the earth? Are you groaning under guilt? Here what he ſays, Heb. viii. 12. "I will be merciful to your unrighteouſneſs, and your ſinsandsins and [sic] iniquities will I remember no more. Ifa. xliii. 25: I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for mine ownſake and will not remember thy ſins. O then! take hold of his word, wherein he proclaims indemnity, and put him to it, ſaying, Lord, Do as thou haft ſaid.

But, ſays another, is there any word, from God concerning me, that am compaſſed about with ſtrong corruptions, and conquering luſts, that ſin gets the maſtery over me? Would you be delivered? Here what he ſays. Mic. vii. 19. "He will ſubdue our iniquities, and will caſt ſins into the depths of the