Though their houfe be not fo with God, as they would defire; yea, though their hearts be not fo with God, as they would wish, yet here is matter of everlafling comfort to them in every adverfity, that he hath made with them an everlasting covenant, well-ordered in all things, and fure. In a word, they are fo bleffed in profperity or adverfity, that all things fhall work together for their good.

2. From this day they are bleffed with all fpiritual bleffings; "Bleffed be the God and Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, who hath bleffed us with all spiritual bleffings in heavenly places, in Chrift Jefus," Eph. i. 3. This is fo plain from what I have faid already, upon the fecond head, that I fhall not infift upon it; for, Chrift being the foundation of all bleffings, and they being united to this foundation; from this day and forward they have all fpiritual bleffings in him. From this day they are bleffed with all the fpiritual bleffings that accompany the fpiritual life they live upon free-coft all their days. Their bleffed Jofeph has laid up for them a treafure of provifion, not for seven years, but for time and eternity both. The hypocrite lives upon himself, and his duties; but the believer lives, in the way of duty, upon Chrift and his righteousness, for justification; upon Christ and his Spirit, for fanctification.-From this day they are blessed with a guard of angels to encamp round about them; "They are miniftring fpirits, fent forth to minifter to the heirs of falvation" yea, with a guard of divine attributes round about them; for, "As the mountains are about Jerufalem, fo is the Lord round about them that fear him." They need not fear the armed fquadrons of hell, when environed with fuch a heavenly hoft. Who then can harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?-From this day they are bleffed with all spiritual experiences; fuch as, manifeftations of divine love, now and then; fupport and comfort under trouble, hearing an audience of their prayers; pity after their falls; recovery after their backflidings; furprizing relief out of foul depths and diftrefs; ravishing intimations of pardon; aftonishing communications of ftrength; fweet in-pourings of words of grace into their heart; and pleafant out-makings of the word of promife, on which he hath caufed them

to

to hope and many more fuch-like experiences, which I cannot infifl upon.-From this day they are bleffed with a title to God, and all his attributes; to Christ, and all his fulness; to the Spirit, and all his faving graces, influences and operations: and here, I am fure, there is more to fpeak of than the tongues of men or angels can tell. When a poor beggar is married to a royal prince, fhe may view his palace, furvey his garden, and pleafe herself with a delightful profpect of all his greatness and glory, and may fay, "Thefe are all mine, "because the prince himself is mine:" fo may the poor foul, that is united to Chrift, and laid upon this fure foundation, fay of all the bleflings of the covenant, and of all the plenitude of the Deity," All is mine, because "Chrift himfelf is mine:"-" Ye are complete in him, in whom dwells all the fulnefs of the Godhead bodily."

3. From this day they are bleffed with all eternal bleffings; "He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life," John iii. 36. He not only fhall have it, ere long, in full poffeffion; but he hath it already: he hath it by faith, which is the fubftance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not feen: he hath it in hope, and fo may rejoice in the hope of the glory of God: he hath it in the promise; he hath it in the beginnings, first-fruits and earneft thereof; and, above all, he hath it in his Head, in that bleffed foundation to which he is joined. He that can fay, Chrift is mine, can well fay, Everlasting life is mine. A happy death belongs to him; for, being in the Lord, he thall be amongst the bleffed that die in the Lord. A happy refurrection belongs to him; for, his glorious head will open the gates of the grave, and gather the fcattered atoms of his rotten duft, and raife it up in glory. A happy eternity belongs to him; for, as fure as God is in heaven, the man that is in Chrift, fhall be there for ever: "Father, I will, that these whom thou haft given me, be with me, where I am, that they may behold the glory which thou hast given me; for thou lovedft me before the foundation of the world." But who can tell what a bleffed eternity awaits them, from this day that the foundation of the fpiritual temple is laid? Paul wrapt up to the third heavens to behold the C 2 glories

glories of the upper paradife, tell us that he heard a pipinta picata, unspeakable words, 2 Cor. xii. 4.They will be bleffed in their place, the throne of God and of the Lamb, whereof we have a magnificent defcription, Rev. xxi. 20.-They will be bleffed in their company; The innumerable company of angels; the general affembly and church of the first-born, that are written in heaven; the fpirits of just men made perfect; God the Judge of all; and Jefus the Mediator of the new covenant." They will be bleffed in their fate; for, it will be a ftate of reft: "There remains a reft for the people of God.-They will reft from their la bours, and their works follow them." They will rest from all fin, troubles, trials, temptations, and afflictions; from all doubts and fears; no unbelieving thought fhall enter into their hearts to all eternity; and they will reft in the enjoyment of their God in Chrift for ever and ever. They will be bleffed in their work, which will be to contemplate his glory; for then they fhall fee him face to face, and make his glorious praife refound thro' his eternal temple: their bleffed work will be to fing the fong of Mofes and of the Lamb, faying, "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; juft and true are thy ways, thou King of faints. Salvation to our God, that fitteth on the throne, and to the Lamb for ever and ever." For then the myflery of God will be finished, and the fpiritual temple-work will be compleated, and the head-flone brought forth with fhoutings, faying, Grace, grace unto it; yea, with Hallelujahs, faying, Glory, glory unto it. Chrift is the foundation, and Chrift is the head-flone; and all the joyful harps of IMMANUEL'S land fhall be turned to his everlafting praife. Thus I have given a fhort glance at what bleffings fhall commence from this day.

VI. The Sixth general head of the method was, To prove, by fome fcriptural arguments and reafons, that faving bleffings do actually commence from that day. Well then, How and by what reafon doth it appear, that bleffings do all commence from this day? From this day will I blefs you. Now, it is plain enough, that all faving bleffings do actually commence from the day wherein

the

the foundation of the spiritual temple is actually laid. For,

1. Before this day they are children of wrath; and, therefore, saving blessings do not actually take place till this day : 'they were by nature children of wrath, even as others, Eph. ii. 3. And while they were in their natural state, they had no actual posseflion of any saving blessings, till the day on which the fuundation of the temple was laid,

2. On this day they are actually unite to tlie Son of God; and, therefore, from this day, the blessing doth actually commence; from this day, they are in Chrift, and Christ in them : their motto is, " Christ in you the hope of glory.” And they are bleffed in him with the possession of all spiritual blessings, and with freedom from all miseries; “ There is now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus.” As they are freed from spiritual death, and eternal death ; so they are freed from all that is hurtful in natural death: “ He that be. lieveth in me shall never die,” John xi. 26. Why fo? because they are members of that body whereof Christ is the living Head; they are ftones of that building whereof he is the living foundation.

3. From this day they are the children of God; and, therefore, from this day, the blessing doth actually commence : “ To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the children of God.” And, being the children of God, they have a right to all the privileges of the children of God; to all bleflings, temporal, fpiritual, and eternal; for they are all connected with fonship: “ Behold, what manner of love the Father hath

bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children as of God. Now are we the fons of God; and it doth not

yet appear what we shall be, but we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, fur we shall see him as he is,” i John iii. 1, 2.

4. From this day they are the children of promise ; and, therefore, all the promised blessings do actually commence. From this day, when the foundation is faid, they are in him, in whom all the promises are Yea and Amen. On this day the decree breaks forth concerning C3

them, and the womb of the promife is impregnated with the almighty efficacy of the Spirit: fo that they are brought forth thereby; and, Of his own will begotten by the word of truth: and being thus actually the children of promife, they are alfo like children of a tender mother, nursed, fuckled, and brought up upon the breasts of these great and precious promifes, whereby they are made par. takers of the divine nature; feeking all grace and com. fort out of these breafts by faith. And so,

5. From this day they are the children of grace, having all the gracious qualities of the blessed; and, there. fore, the bleffing doth actually commence from this day. From this day they are poor in fpirit; and, "Blessed are the poor in fpirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." From this day they are spiritual mourners; and, “Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted," From this day, they have a conflant appetite after Christ, and his righteoufnefs; and, "Bleffed are they that hunger and thirst after righteoufnefs; for they fhall be filled." From this day their heart-impurities are their burden, and heart purity is, through grace, their defire and endeavour; in. fomuch, that it gives them many errands to the blood of Chrift, to the fountain opened to the houfe of David, and inhabitants of Jerufalem, for fin and uncleannefs. Now, "Bleffed are the poor in heart: for they fhall fee God." I fay, from this day they are the children of grace, having, in fome measure, all the gracious qualities of the bleffed I fay not the terms or conditions of the blessed; but the qualities of the bleffed; for, many do dreadfully confound the condition of the covenant with the qualities of the covenanted. But not to digrefs: I fay, from this day they have the qualities and characters of the blessed, and with which bleffings are infeparably connected; and fo from this day they are bleffed.

In a word, from this day, the curfe is removed. The old covenant of works curfes all that are under it; for, "Curfed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the book of the law, to do them. But, Chrift has delivered us from the curfe of the law, being made a curfe for us;" and, therefore, from the day, that you are

laid