The sure mercies of David: or, a second part of Heart-treasure. Wherein is contained the supream and substance of gospel-mercies purchased by Christ, and promised in the covenant of grace, together with the several ways how they are made and are to be improved for the saints fort and defence, settlement and incouragement in shaking and back-sliding times. Being the fruit of some meditations upon Isa. 55. 3. By O. Heywood an unprofitable minister of the gospel.

To all the Heirs of Promise, the Saints of the most high God, the Sons and Daughters of Abraham, whom God hath betrothed to himself in the sweet Gospel-Covenant, and who live in hopes of their nuptial day, preparing in grace to enter into the chambers of glory at death and the general Resurrection, grace, mercy and peace.

TWo things (my Dearly be∣loved in the Lord,) are absolutely necessary to make souls happy, 1. That the ••hing possessed be fully adaequate to the nature of the soul, 2. That ••t be made over to it legally and everlastingly: for if either any thing be defective at present to

give content, or there be danger of losing it, it is not commensu∣rate to the souls state or need; for as this immortal spark infused in∣to man, whereby he is a rational creature, is vast and capacious in its desires and dimensions; so it is very lasting, yea everlasting in its continuance and duration; there∣fore its riches that must make it happy must be both suitable and durable: But all the creatures fall short in both: the soul of man travelling through this spacious universe upon the feet of its affe∣ctions, and following the gui∣dance of the intellectual faculties the souls ear and eye, can get no satisfying sight or report in an∣swer to that curious inquest, who will shew me any good? to fix upon the creature is to set our eyes upon that which is not, for its vanity; yea, to place our hopes

on that which hath a lye in its right hand, and so becomes vex∣ation of spirit in an astonishing disappointment: woe were to man if there were no hopes for him but in this life, and great were his infelicity if what Athe∣ists say and think, that there is no God, were true, how poorly should this Princely thing in man be served with the sordid husks of creatures? how base and bruit∣ish would its life be? how well becoming man would that Epi∣taph be of the Epicure? which Cicero saith was fitter to be writ on an Oxes grave than mans — Haec habeo quae edi, quae{que} exsaturata libido — hausit: the things my greedy appetite hath devoured are mine, as they cry. But let such Brutified Sots, that understand nothing of the worth or proper food of immortal souls, feed on husks, let the Hea∣ven-born

Saints aspire to other nourishment, if the mixed multi∣tude of common professors linger after the Aegyptian food of Cucum∣bers, * 1.1 Melons, Leeks, Onions and Gar∣lick — the real Saints feed on Heavenly Manna; the flesh and blood of Christ is the proper pa∣bulum animae, or nourishment of the soul: the soul hath a more ten∣der appetite, which requires an∣swerable food; it cannot feed on such course stuffe as worldly de∣lights: hear David begging as for an alms, but what alms begs he? mer∣cies; but what mercies? tender mercies, Psal. 40.11. withhold not thy tender mercies from me, O Lord — q. d. there are common mercies, that fill the bellies, and cloath the bo∣dies of good and bad, but these will not serve my turn, nor save my soul; the mercies that will do me good for ever are tender

things of another stamp, that come streaming through the blood of a Mediator, that are dipt in Covenant love, and such as can fill, and feed, and feast my soul for ever.

These are the mercies that God hath dropt into your bosoms; oh the heirs of promise, and these are the mercies described and deciphered in this Treatise, I have gone out to measure the Land of Promise, and according to grace received, I have viewed it in the length and breadth thereof, and I have no reason to bring up an evil report on it; it's a Land flowing with Milk and Honey, a blessed and beautiful Land, which God careth for, and if the Lord de∣light in you, he will bring you in∣to it, what though there be Giants and Anakims of opposition in Heavens way, fear them not, for

they are bread for us, shall turn to the Saints nourishment, and their defence is departed from them; the Lord is with us, Let not our hearts faint, God will carry us as upon Eagles Wings, he will give us a pillar of Cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night; sure mercies in the way, and everlasting mercies in the end: this is the true Arabia felix, yet far beyond that, which though it abounded with spices and gold, profits and pleasures, yet stupi∣fies the senses of the inhabitants with its suffocating sweetness; but there's no nauseous disgust∣ing of heavenly delights by those that partake thereof: the longer you enjoy them, the more you long after them, and the fuller draught you take, the sweeter rellish they have: Oh the plea∣sure a soul may have in divine

things! other things will stink in comparison of these ravishing delights: no pleasures like those that come from above: but that which adds an Emphasis to these is, that they are sure as well as sweet, abiding as well as abound∣ing pleasures: God the Author and object of them is immutable, the spring of them, the love of God, the meritorious cause, Christs blood, the way of con∣veyance, precious promises, all these are settled and the same, as long as the soul needs mercies it enjoys them, for we have grace to help in time of need: God will not, men cannot pluck away these mercies from you, you that have a well-grounded title there∣unto: God will not; for the gifts and callings of God are without repentance; and whom he loves once he loves to the end: men

cannot for they are above and be∣yond their reach: * 1.2 these mercies are made sure to you by a Cove∣nant of Salt, which is a symbole of incorruption: they wear not away with length of time, nor are they snatcht away by humane vi∣olence: the Tyrants rage cannot pluck sure mercies out of your hearts & hands: this consideration is of singular use in a losing time; men may take away our estates, liberties, priviledges, but they cannot take away our mercies: they may degrade us and remove us from our functions and offices, but cannot dissettle our souls from relation to Christ, or state of grace, or blessed influences of grace. * 1.3 When Popish Bishops took from John Husse the Chalice, saying. Oh cursed Judas we take away from thee this Chalice of thy salvation, he answered, but I

trust unto God the Father omnipotent, and my Lord Jesus Christ, for whose sake I suffer these things, that he will not take away the Chalice of his re∣demption, but have a stedfast and firm hope, that this day I shall drink thereof in his Kingdom: Yea, men may take away the members of the body, but not the graces and comforts of the soul: Nota∣ble is the story of Agatha the primi∣tive Martyr, * 1.4 who when Quintilian had commanded her breasts to be cut off, art thou not ashamed, O Tyrant, said she, to cut off that member in me, which thou suckedst in thy mother? but ••o to, rage as much as thou canst, yet two breasts are left, which thou canst ••ot touch, the one of faith, the other of ••ope, these supply me with comfort and

safety in the midst of torments and abun∣dant strength is repaired in me by the nou∣rishment I have by them to endure. Alas, it were a sad state of an immortal soul to have nothing but what supplys corporal wants; how soon will worm, or moth, or fire, or thieves or tyrants, make a prey of visible riches? the good things of Saints are invisible: happy are you whose mercies are divine, you need not fear plundring or spoil∣ing of your best goods; these are the true riches, * 1.5 though you be poor in this world, yet if you be•• rich in faith, you are heirs of a Kingdom; you live as strangers and Pilgrims, for your estates lye•• in another Countrey: and indeed a Christian is a Paradox in this, as Justin Martyr observes of the anci∣ent Christians, that they inhabit their own Countrey but as strangers, the•• have all things common with others a••

Citizens, yet suffer all things as Pil∣grims, every strange Region is their Countrey, and every Countrey a strange Region: a Christians politicks are seemingly contradictory, and truly mysterious: they make a common table, yet not polluted: they are in the flesh, but live not after the flesh: they live on earth, but have their conversation in Heaven: they obey Laws esta∣blished, yet by their way of living go beyond laws: they love all and are persecuted by all: they are not known, yet condemned: they are killed, yet made alive: they are poor, yet inrich many: they want all things, yet abound in all things: they are disgraced, yet thereby honoured, &c. Thus he proceeds, shewing the state of Christians; which is the same now: oh what a mysterie, yet felicity, it is to be a Saint! all

things are yours, though nothing were yours; a Saint by Covenant hath right to all, and shall have actual possession of what is for his good: the Saints rule the earth, themselves being trampled on by all: they pass through the world as Conquerours, and carry the spoils along with them as Trophies to death, and when death is swallowed up in victory, these blessed Champions arise trium∣phant in glory: Oh Christians, study your state, know your pri∣viledges, be always triumphing in Christ: live at the rate of these mercies, make no reckoning of the world but as a foot-stool to raise you higher God-wards, or as a stepping-stone to pass for∣ward through this dirty world Heaven-wards, thereby: bless God for the least outward mercy, but be not put off with the great∣est;

a little with God is enough, all things without God are no∣thing: suppose you be below the higher part of the dust of the earth in riches, power, and glory, yet you are above them in grace, true riches, and favour with the God of Heaven: therein he makes amends, as the Jews have a Fable that the Waters Terrestrial, in the beginning, took it ill they must be divided from the Coelestial by the Firmament; he pacifies them by promising a Sacred use of them below in the Tabernacle of the Covenant: so although you are set below others in other things, yet in this you have prehemi∣nence above them, that you are interested in, and imployed about these Covenant-mercies: this is abundant compensation: be not discouraged, whatever you suffer here, 'tis not Hell, whatever you

lose for God, Heaven will make amends; faithful is he that hath promised, who also will do it; God is yet able to pay his debts, as able and willing, as to the first man that ever sued for perfor∣mance of a promise: never any went away grumbling or charg∣ing God (as some men are too justly accused) that he minds not what he saith: when David through weakness of faith began to stagger, and expostulate, say∣ing, doth his promise fail for ever∣more? he quickly checks himself with that reflection, And I said, this is my infirmity, Psal. 77.8, 10.—

It were a blessed thing (which Luther wisheth for) that our faith were as certain and firm as the thing it self believed, * 1.6 but alas, sin in the flesh doth resist the spirit, so as we cannot so firmly believe, as he complains: the way to

stability is acting of faith, believe and ye shall be established; as long as we consult with reason, we shall still be fluctuating per∣sons expedient for establishment, after many temptations of doubt concerning a main article of faith was, an hearty humiliation and captivating his understanding to the obedience of faith: which brought such clear light of truth and certitude into his soul, that there remained no reliques at all of dubitation: we may all cry out with the Disciples, Lord in∣crease our faith; alas, the want of faith is the root of all actual sins and insensibleness; yea, the want of a through perswasion of the reality of divine things, undoth the world; most men do but read the Gospel as a fine fiction, or a well-composed Romance, but work not their hearts to credit

these things: a may be, or may not be, in a conjectural un∣certainty is all they arrive unto; however they do not follow home the light and perswasions they have; alas, did souls seri∣ously think of this, that as sure as they are men or women, as cer∣tainly as they eat and drink, work and sleep, so certainly there is a God, a Christ, grace, pardon, guilt, Heaven, Hell, which they must very shortly feel, this could not but have a strange influence upon their hearts and lives, their affections and conversations: oh what persons should Saints be, if they lived under the through im∣pressions and convictions of the certainty of divine revelations.

It were a blessed effect if all the Treatises that have of late been writ, might convince this pro∣phane and Atheistical world of

the certainty of Christianity, ma∣ny have travelled much in this with good success; several an∣cient writers as Clemens, Polycarpus, * 1.7 Justinus Martyr, Tatianus, Iraeneus, Athenagoras, Tertullian—have pro∣ved by demonstrative arguments the truth of Christian Religion against Jews, Heathens, &c. and Grotius, Morney — of late: and at this day Baxter, Stillingfleet, &c. have put their sickle into this Har∣vest, from whom the Church hath reaped precious fruit: I pre∣tend neither to the Learning or Authority of those famous Wor∣thies, but insist only upon the Sure Mercies of the Covenant as a poor Superstructure upon those Solid Foundations: it was the design of Luke the Evangelist, in Writing his Gospel to the noble and excellent Theophilus, that he might be assured of the certainty of

those things wherein he had been in∣structed, Luk. 1.4. such a design have I in this small piece. Oh that some might stand out and say, as the Disciples, now we are sure that thou knowest all things— by this we believe that thou comest forth from God, Joh. 16.30. oh sirs, stick not in an uncertain con∣jecture, arrive at a full assurance of understanding to the acknow∣ledging of the mysterie of God, Col. 2.2. pray for the spirit of Re∣velation, that you may both know the certainty of Gospel-mysteries and mercies, and your own interest therein, that you may both be strong in faith and full of comfort: advance higher daily in embracing unseen things, rest not in a sceptical 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Phi∣losophical dubitation, but strive to arrive at an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or firm de∣monstration; rest your souls

upon Divine Testimonies, as to the object of faith, and commit your souls to him in believing and well-doing for evidence of your state: Remember that choice word, Hos. 6.3. then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord, his going forth is prepared as the morning, and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth: that this and all other soul-helps may accomplish this great end of your edification, conso∣lation, and salvation, shall be the earnest Prayer of

Your Soul-friend and Servant in Christ.

June 3. 1670.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Numb. 11.4, 5. Qui mundo adhaeserunt ut marinis petris alga, contemnunt immortali∣tatem sicut Senex Itha∣censts, qui non verita∣tem & coel stem patriam, eam quae vere est lu∣cem, sed fu∣mum opta∣bat. Clem. Alexand. adm ad gen.
• * 1.2

  Sole & sale omnia con∣servantur.
• * 1.3

  Fox. Mart. Vol. 1. p. ••20.
• * 1.4

  Quintiliano dixisse ferunt ex cu∣jus jussu praecisae sunt ipsi mam∣millae, ann••n te pudet, Tyrone membrum illud in me amputare, quod in matre suxisti? verum, age saevi quantum poteris: duae tamen supersunt mammillae, quas nequis attingere, fidei una, spei altera, hae mihi vel in mediis tor∣mentis solamen & tutamen suppe∣ditant & earum alimento sustinen∣di virtus in me reparatur — Dr. Arrows. Tact. sac. p. 195.
• * 1.5

  Omnia ••••m aliis com∣munia ha∣bent tan∣quam ci••s, omnia pati∣untur tan∣quam p••e∣griai: om∣nis p••regrina regio patris est eor••m, & omnis pa∣tria est pe∣regrina. Just. Mart. e••••d Di••g. vid. plura.
• * 1.6

  Optarim fi∣d••••tam certa•• & firmam ••sse qu••m & ••es ipsa, verwn peccatum in car••e r••sistit sp••ritui••ut non possitam firmiter cre∣dere, Luth.
• * 1.7

  Vid. Scultit. med. pa∣trum—