Argument. V. As this covenant assures you of God's gracious and special presence, so it fully secure
with me, (saith he) then carry us not hence," Exod. 33:15. And if there be the spirit of a Christian in thee, and God should give thee thine own choice, thou wouldst rather chuse to be in the midst of all these afflictions with thy God, than back again in all thy prosperity, and among thy children and former comforts, without him.
Argument. V. As this covenant assures you of God's gracious and special presence, so it fully secures all the essentials and substantials of your happiness, against all hazards and contingencies; in which security lies your full relief and complete remedy against all your troubles for the loss of other things.
There be two sorts of things belonging to all God's people, viz.
1. Essentials.
2. Accidentals.
1. They have some things which are essential to their happiness; such are the loving-kindness of God, the pardon of sin, union with Christ, and eternal salvation. And they have other things which are accidentals, that come and go, live and die, without affecting or altering their happiness; such are health, estates, children, and all sorts of relations and earthly comforts. These are to our happiness, as leaves are to the tree, which fade and fall away without endangering the tree; but the other as the vital sap, without which it withers and dies at the very root. Now if it can be made out that the covenant fully secures the former; then it will strongly follow, that it therein abundantly relieves us under all our sorrows for the latter:
And that it doth so, will evidently appear by reviewing the covenant, wherein you shall find all these substantial and essential mercies of
believers, fully secured against all hazards and contingencies whatsoever.
There the loving-kindness of God is secured to their souls, whatever afflictions he lays upon their bodies, "Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not take away," Psal. 89:33. And their pardon is as safe as the favour of God is; it is safely locked up in that promise, "I will remember their sins no more," Jer. 31:34. Yea, heaven, together with our perseverance in the way to it, are both put out of hazard by that invaluable promise, "They shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand," John 10:28.
Thus are all the essentials of a believer's happiness secured in the covenant; and these being safe, the loss of other enjoyments should not much affect or wound them, because if he enjoy them, they add nothing to his happiness; and if he lose them, he is still happy in God without them. And this unriddles that enigmatical expression of the apostle, 2 Cor. 6:10. "As having nothing, yet possessing all things:" i.e. the substraction of all external things cannot make us miserable, who have Christ for our portion, and all our happiness entire in him.
If a man travelling on the road, fall into the hands of thieves, who rob him of a few shillings, why this doth not much affect him; for though he has lost his spending money, yet his stock is safe at home, and his estate secure, which will yield him more. Or if a man has been at court, and there obtained a pardon for his life, or a grant of a thousand pound per annum, and returning home should chance to lose his gloves, or his handkerchief, sure if the man be in his wits, he will not take on or mourn for the loss of these trifles, whilst the pardon or grant is safe. Surely these things are not worth the mentioning.