# Faith's plea upon God's covenant

Faith's Plea upon GOD's Covenant.
A SERMON PREACHED
On a Preparation-day before diſpenſing the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, at Kinglaſſie, upon Pſalm lxxiv. 20.
Have reſpect unto the Covenant.
By the late REVEREND Mr. RALPH ERSKINE, Miniſter of the Goſpel at Dunfermline.
THE FIFTEENTH EDITION.
GLASGOW: Printed and ſold by J. & M. ROBERTSON. MDCCLXXXVII.
Faith's Plea upon God's Covenant.
PSALM lxxiv. 20.
Have reſpect unto the Covenant.
THE Pſalmiſt, in pleading for the church and people of God, and that he would appear for them againſt their enemies, uſes ſeveral arguments. Particularly in the cloſe of the preceeding verſe, there is ſomething he pleads God may not forget, 'Forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever;' and the rather he uſes this argument, becauſe he had ſaid, Pſalm ix. 14. 'The needy ſhall not be forgotten; the expectation of the poor ſhall not periſh for ever.' There is, in this verſe, ſomething he pleads, that God may remember and have regard unto, 'Have reſpect unto the covenant.' Thou haſt brought us into covenant with thee, might he ſay, and though we are unworthy to be reſpected, yet 'Have reſpect unto the covenant of promiſe.' When God delivers his people, it is in rememberance of his covenant, Lev. xxvi. 42. 'Then will I remember my covenant with Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob: and I will remember the land,' We cannot expect he will remember us, till he remember his covenant: hence, therefore, we propoſe to illuſtrate the following truth.
​Doctrine. "That one of Faith's ſtrong pleas with God, is, That he would have reſpect to the covenant."
If we would deal with God for mercy, or plead with him for favour, or look to him for any good at this occaſion, let us expect it only upon this ground, The reſpect he hath to the covenant, and plead upon this argument.
The method we would obſerve, as the Lord ſhall aſſiſt, for briefly handling this ſubject, ſhall be the following.
* I. Shew what covenant it is he will have a reſpect to.
* II. What it is for God to have a reſpect to the covenant.
* III. What it is in the covenant he hath a reſpect to.
* IV. What kind of reſpect he hath to it.
* V. Why he hath a reſpect to it, and ſo why it is a ſuitable plea and argument in ſuing for mercy.
* VI. Make ſome application of the whole.
i. We are then firſt to ſhew what covenant it is he will have a reſpect to. The covenant here ſpoken of is the covenant of grace and promiſe, made in Chriſt Jeſus, 'before the world began;' and publiſhed in his goſpel to ſinners, Jer. xxxii. 39, 40. 'And I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them. And I will make an everlaſting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good: but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me, Ezek. xxxvi. 26.
'A new
'ſeek
II. We are to ſhew what it is for God to have reſpect to the covenant.
1. God hath reſpect to the covenant when he remembers it, and ſo remembers us, as in that forecited, Lev. xxvi. 42. 'I will remember my covenant, and then will I remember the land.' Thus Pſalm cix 5. 'He hath given meat to them that fear him.' Why, he will ever be mindful of his covenant, if he comes to give us meat to feed our ſouls at this occaſion, the ground will be, he will be mindful of his covenant, mindful of his promiſe.
2. God may be ſaid to have reſpect to his covenant when he regards it. He hath no reaſon to have reſpect or regard to us, but he ſees reaſon to have a regard to his covenant; he puts honours upon it, for reaſons that I ſhall afterwards ſhew, only I ſhall ſay here, his honour is engaged therein, therefore he ſays, 'My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips,' Pſalm lxxxix. 34. He hath more regard to it than he hath to heaven and earth: for he ſays, 'Heaven and earth ſhall paſs away, but my words ſhall not paſs away.' He hath ſuch regard to it, that he will never break it, but ever keep it.
3. He hath reſpect to his covenant, when he eſtabliſhes it. And when we pray that he would have 'reſpect to the covenant,' we not only pray
he
4. He hath reſpect to his covenant, when he performs the covenant-promiſe, according to Micah vii. 20. 'Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou haſt ſworn to our fathers from the days of old;' and he does this when he acts according to the covenant, or according to the mercy that made the covenant, and the truth that is engaged to make out the promiſe.
In ſhort the ſum of this prayer, as it concerns the import of the word Reſpect, 'Have reſpect to the covenant,' is, 'Lord, remember the covenant, and ſo remember me; Lord, have regard to the covenant, and let me be remembered on this ground, when there is no reaſon why I ſhould be regarded; Lord, eſtabliſh thy covenant with me, and ſo put honour upon thy name manifeſted in that covenant, and do to me according to the promiſe of the covenant, cauſe me to hope in thy word, and then 'remember thy word on which thou haſt cauſed me to hope;' and deal with me not according to my ſin and deſert, but according to thy covenant and mercy in Chriſt Jeſus.'
III. We are next to ſhew what it is in the covenant he hath a reſpect to, or that we ſhould plead upon.
1. 'Have
7. Have reſpect to the covenant, by having reſpect to the blood of the covenant. The blood of Chriſt, that is repreſented in the ſacrament of the ſupper, it is the 'blood of the covenant,' called, 'the New Teſtament in his blood;' becauſe all the promiſes are ſealed therewith, and ſo, 'Yea and Amen in Chrift;' this is the condition of the new covenant. The covenant of works had only the active obedience of the firſt Adam for its condition: but the condition of the covenant of grace properly, is both the active and paſſive obedience of the ſecond Adam, his doing and dying. Now, Lord, have reſpect to that blood that ſealed the covenant: ſince the condition is fulfilled to thy infinite ſatisfaction, let the promiſed good be conferred upon me.
3. Have reſpect to the covenant, by having reſpect to the oath of the covenant, Heb. vi. 17. The promiſe is confirmed with the covenant of God; 'That by two immutable things wherein it is impoſſible for God to lie, we might have ſtrong conſolation,' ​&c. Now, Lord, wilt thou not have reſpect to thine own oath? Haſt thou not 'ſworn by thy holineſs, thou wilt not lye unto David?'
4. Have reſpect to the covenant, by having a reſpect to the properties of the covenant. This would be a large field; I ſum it up in a few words. Have reſpect to the covenant; that is, Lord have reſpect to the fulneſs of the covenant, and let me be ſupplied, for there is enough there; it contains 'all my ſalvation and all my deſire.' Have reſpect to the freedom of the covenant, and let me, however unworthy, ſhare of the grace that runs freely thence, Have reſpect to the ſtability of the covenant, and let me be pitied though unſtable as water, and infirm, yet the covenant ſtands faſt: remember thy word that 'endures for ever.' Have reſpect to the order of the covenant, that 'is well ordered in all things,' as well as ſure. 'Though my houſe be not ſo with God,' ſays David, 'yet he hath made with me an everlaſting covenant, well ordered in all things and ſure.' Though my houſe be out of order, and heart out of order, and my frame out of order, and all be in confuſion with me, yet ſee, according to thy covenant, to order all well.
IV. We proceed to ſhew what kind of a reſpect he hath to the covenant, that we may be the more engaged to plead upon it.
1. He hath a great and high reſpect to the covenant. It is the covenant of the Great GOD, with his Great and Eternal SON, for the honour and glory of his great Name; and therefore, he cannot but have a great and high reſpect unto it. His great name is manifeſted in it; and therefore when we plead his reſpect to the covenant, we
plead
2. He hath a dear and lovely reſpect to the covenant, for it is the covenant of his grace and love wherein he ſhews his infinite love to Chriſt, and through him to a company of wretched ſinners. It is a covenant of kindneſs, Iſa liv. 10. 'My kindneſs ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the covenant of my peace be removed, ſaith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee;' intimating, his covenant of peace is a covenant of kindneſs, wherein he manifeſts his deareſt love; therefore he hath a dear reſpect to it.
3. He hath a full reſpect to the covenant, a reſpect to every promiſe of it, 'they are all yea and amen to the glory of God,' 2 Cor. i. 20. He hath a reſpect to all of them, becauſe they 'are all yea and amen,' and becauſe they are all thus ratified in Chriſt, to the glory of God. He hath reſpect to every article of the covenant, 'not a jot ſhall fall to the ground.'
4. He hath an everlaſting reſpect to the covenant;' therefore, it is called, 'an everlaſting covenant,' it is ſecured by an everlaſting righteouſneſs; it is made between everlaſting parties; it is repleniſhed with everlaſting bleſſings; it is rooted in his everlaſting love: therefore he is very mindful of his covenant, and will never ceaſe to have reſpect to it.
Well then ſay you, What need we pray and plead, that he would have reſpect to his covenant? Why, if it be ſure that he hath, and will for ever have a reſpect to the covenant, then we may pray with the more aſſurance and confidence; ſo that there is here a ſtrong footing for our prayer: but beſides, when we pray, and ſay, 'Have reſpect unto
the
V. The next thing was, to ſhew how he will have reſpect to his covenant; and conſequently, whence it is ſuch a ſuitable plea and argument for us. Why,
1. When he hath reſpect to the covenant, he hath reſpect to himſelf; the framer of it he owns himſelf to be, Pſalm lxxxix. 3. 'I have made a covenant with my choſen.' Why then the ſtrength of the plea is 'have reſpect unto the covenant,' and have reſpect to thyſelf, and thy own glorious name and attributes, and let them be glorified, in ſhewing regard to the covenant. Have reſpect to thy wiſdom that ſhines in the contrivance of the covenant, 'the manifold wiſdom of God; yea, the wiſdom of God in a myſtery,' that here appears. Have reſpect to the power that ſhines in the efficacy of the covenant, not only for over-powering principalities and powers, but overcoming thyſelf, and the power of thine own wrath, by the power of thy love. Have reſpect to thy holineſs, that ſhines in the holy oath of Jehovah, by which it is confirmed, and the holy obedience of Jeſus, by which it is fulfilled: ſo that, 'as by the ſinſul diſobedience of one, many were made ſinners, ſo by the Holy obedience of another glorious One, many are made righteous.' Have reſpect to thy juſtice, that ſhines in the blood of the covenant, the ſacrifice by which juſtice hath condign and infinite ſatisfaction. Have reſpect to thy mercy and grace,
that
2. When he hath reſpect to the covenant, he hath reſpect to his Son, Chriſt, the centre of it, and in whom it ſtands faſt as he owns, Pſal lxxxix. 28. 'My covenant ſhall ſtand faſt with him.' Why then, the ſtrength of the plea is 'have reſpect to the covenant,' and ſo ſhew reſpect to thy Son; have reſpect to him in his perſon, as he is thy Son and our Saviour; Emanuel, God-man; in his divinity, wherein he is equal with God; in his humanity, wherein he is the Maſter-piece of God's works. Have reſpect to him in his purchaſe, which is the ſubſtance of the covenant bought with his blood. Have reſpect to his death and reſurrection; for thou loveſt him on this account, John x. 17; 'Therefore doth the Father love me, becauſe I lay down my life, that I may take it up again:' where we ſee that Chriſt, as dying and riſing in the room of his people, is the object of the Father's love, delight and eſteem. Have reſpect unto his interceſſion, wherein he prays for all the bleſſings of the covenant that he hath purchaſed: Doth not the Father hear him always? Have reſpect to his commiſſion which is ſealed by thee; for 'him hath God the Father ſealed,' appointed, and authorized unto all ſaving offices, relations, and appearances, let him get the glory of all theſe. O ſtrong plea!
3. When he hath reſpect to the covenant, he
hath
4. When he hath reſpect to the covenant, he hath reſpect to his people on the account of the covenant of promiſe; for they, as Iſaac was, 'are the children of promiſe;' Gal. iv. 28. Why then, the ſtrength of the plea and argument here is, Lord, have reſpect to the covenant,' and ſo ſhew regard and reſpect to us. We have no confidence to claim any reſpect at thy hand, but merely upon the account of the reſpect thou haſt to the covenant. Have reſpect to our perſons on this ground, ſince the covenant provides acceptance 'in the beloved,' Eph. i. 6. Look upon us in the face of thine anointed, and in the glaſs of the new covenant.
Have
for our tears, Pſalm lvi. 8. 'Put thou my tears in thy bottle.' Have reſpect to our needs on this ground, when we are hardened, that we can neither pray nor weep, nor ſhed a tear, ſince the covenant provides ſupply to the poor and needy, Philip. iv. 19. 'My God ſhall ſupply all your need, according to his riches, in glory, by Jeſus Chriſt.'
VI. I ſhall now proceed to make ſome application of the ſubject in theſe four words.
1. Hence ſee a mark and character of true believers, that are fit for a communion table, they are of God's mind; he hath a reſpect to the covenant, and they have a reſpect to the covenant; and hence they know what it is to plead with God upon the reſpect that he hath to the covenant: they could not do ſo, if they had not a high reſpect to it themſelves: they have ſuch a reſpect to the covenant in kind as God hath. They have a great reſpect to it, ſo as they eſteem it more than all things in a world, they would not give one promiſe of it, on which they have been cauſed to hope, for all the gold of Ophir. They have a dear and kindly reſpect to it, as all their ſalvation and all their deſire: yea, and all their delight alſo. The word of grace is ſweeter to them 'than honey and the honeycomb.' They have a full and univerſal reſpect to it, and to all the promiſes of it; they reſpect the
promiſe
covenant of grace; they are adorers and admirers of free grace. They have an everlaſting reſpect to, and remembrance of the words of the covenant, particularly theſe words that have been let in with any life or power upon their ſoul, or that they have been cauſed to hope upon; whatever they forget, they can never forget ſuch a word that brought life to their ſouls; 'I will never forget thy words, ſays David; for by them thou haſt quickened me.' They have ſuch an everlaſting reſpect to the covenant, that, when they have nothing in the world to truſt to; they will rely on the covenant, and confide in ſuch a promiſe, and plead upon it, ſaying, Lord, 'Have reſpect to the covenant.'
2. Hence we may ſee the miſery of thoſe that are unbelievers, and remain 'ſtrangers to the covenant of promiſe,' and have no reſpect to the covenant. It is miſery enough, that God hath no reſpect ​to you: no reſpect to your perſons nor prayers, as it is ſaid, 'To Cain and his offering, God had no reſpect,' Gen. iv. 5. So God hath no reſpect either to your perſons or performances: they are an abomination to him. Your prayers to him are but like the howling of a dog, if you have never taken hold of his covenant, nor ſeen the reſpect that God hath to the covenant. You have no reſpect to God, while you have no reſpect to that which he reſpects ſo highly. And as he hath no reſpect to your perſon or performances, he hath no reſpect to your tears: they never flowed from faith's views of a pierced Chriſt. He hath no reſpect to your ſouls, the 'redemption therefore ceaſeth for ever,' becauſe you have no due reſpect to the Redeemer's blood and righteouſneſs. He hath no reſpect to your communicating: nay, he diſapproves of it, and diſcharges you to ſit down at his table, on peril of eating and drinking your damnation. God hath no regard nor reſpect to your ſalvation, becauſe you have no regard nor reſpect to the Saviour he hath provided and offered. God thinks as little to damn you, as you think little to diſhonour him. God thinks as little of you, as you think little of ſin, and he hath as little reſpect to you, as you have to Chriſt and to the covenant. Wo to you, if you remain in this caſe, for the day is coming, wherein God will, before all the world, ſhew no more reſpect to you, than to ſay to you, 'Depart from me ye curſed, into everlaſting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels!' But,
3. Hence we may ſee the happineſs of believers, that have ſuch a reſpect to the covenant, as I was ſpeaking of, a great, dear, full, and perpetual reſpect to it and the Mediator of it, who have taken hold of the covenant through grace, and know
what
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
4. Hence ſee the duty incumbent upon us in pleading with God for his favour, preſence, and bleſſing; let us go to him both in ſecret prayer, and in ſolemn approaches to his table, crying, Lord 'Have reſpect to thy covenant.' I know not a caſe you can be in, but the covenant exhibits a cure, and you are allowed to plead it, Ezek xxxiv. 27. After many precious new-covenant promiſes, it is ſaid, 'For this will I be enquired of by the houſe
of
In a word, when you conſider what kind of a ſinner you are, conſider alſo what kind of a covenant this is; it is enough to ſay, that it is a covenant of grace, of all ſorts of grace; for all ſorts of ſinners that are out of hell. Are you under dreadful guilt? Here is a covenant of pardoning grace, 'I will blot out thy ſin as a cloud, and thy tranſgreſſion as a thick cloud; return to me for I have redeemed thee,' Iſa. xlix. 22. O then, plead that he may 'have reſpect to the covenant.' Are you under fearful pollutions? O here is a covenant of purifying ​grace, ſaying, 'There is a fountain opened to the houſe of David and the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, for ſin and for uncleanneſs.' O then plead he may have reſpect to the covenant Are you in darkneſs and ignorance, having no knowledge of God? O here is a covenant of enlightening grace, ſaying, 'They ſhall all be taught of God,' O then plead it, ſaying, 'Lord, have reſpect to the covenant.' Are you under deadneſs, and like dead and dry bones? O here is a covenant of quickening grace, ſaying, 'I am come to give life, and to give it more abundantly. The hour cometh, when the dead ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear ſhall live,' O then plead that he may 'have reſpect to the covenant.' Are you in confuſion, and know not what way to take? Oh here is a covenant of directing grace, ſaying, 'I will bring the blind by a way they know not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known; I will make darkneſs light before them, and crooked things ſtraight.' Are you under ſad plagues and ſoul-diſeaſes, over-run with ſores, from the crown of the head to the ſole of the foot? O here is a covenant of healing grace, ſaying, 'The Sun of righteouſneſs ſhall ariſe with healing in his wings. I am the Lord that healeth thee; I will heal your backſlidings.' O then plead, ſaying, Lord, 'Have reſpect to the covenant.' Are you in extreme danger of hell and damnation, becauſe of your ſin and guilt? O here is a covenant of delivering grace, ſaying, 'Deliver his ſoul from going down to the pit, for I have found a ranſom, O then plead it, and ſay, Lord, 'Have reſpect to the covenant.' Are you in bondage unto ſin, Satan, and the world, a captive unto luſt, and ſhut up in unbelief, as in a priſon? O
here
What other concerns have you ?—Are you concerned for your children, that they may be partakers of covenant-bleſſings, and ſaved of the Lord? O here is a covenant of extenſive grace entailing bleſſings on us and our offspring, ſaying, 'I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed.' O then look to God in behalf of your children, ſaying, Lord, 'Have reſpect to the covenant.' Are you concerned for the church, and the dangerous circumſtances ſhe is in by reaſon of cruel enemies? This ſeems to be the great concern of the Pſalmiſt here, as appears from the body of the pſalm, and the words following the text: For 'the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.' Theſe that live in the darkneſs of ignorance and error, and in the works of darkneſs, are full of cruelty againſt the church and people of God, and they are ſurrounded with them, inſomuch that the church is like a 'lily among thorns,' or a 'ſheep among wolves,' what ſhall become of her? Why, here is a covenant of defence, and of defending and protecting grace, ſaying, 'Upon all the glory
there
Are you concerned about inward enemies, ſpiritual enemies, and moleſted with the powers of darkneſs? Is your heart full of the habitations of cruelty, and fearfully inhabited with cruel devils, cruel luſts, cruel corruptions that maſter and conquer, and prevail againſt you, ſo that you may ly many a time wounded and dead at the enemy's feet? O here is a covenant of ſin-conquering grace, not only a covenant of mercy to your ſoul, but of vengeance to your luſts, ſaying, 'The day of vengeance is in mine heart, the year of my Redeemer is come,' Iſa. lxiii. 4. O then cry down the promiſed vengeance on all your cruel ſoul-enemies, ſaying, Lord, 'Have reſpect to the covenant.'
Are you concerned about your ſoul-poverty and indigence, not only oppreſſed with enemies without and within, but alſo oppreſſed with wants and neceſſities, being abſolutely poor and needy, deſtitute of all good? O here is a covenant of ſoul-ſupplying grace, and of all needful proviſion, ſaying 'When the poor and needy ſeek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirſt, I the
Lord
In a word, Let your caſe be the worſt out of hell, this covenant contains all ſalvation as a covenant of grace, of all grace, of all ſorts of cures for all ſorts of caſes; and if you can get yourſelf wrapt within the bond of this covenant, by believing and pleading it; then you draw God upon your intereſt, ſo that your concern is his concern, your intereſt is his intereſt, your cauſe is his cauſe, as the Pſalmiſt ſhews here, ver. 22. 'Ariſe, O God, plead thine own cauſe.' Stand ever upon his honour, and he will do his own work in his own time. If ever you got grace to draw a bill upon God as a covenanting, promiſing God in Chriſt, and have any bills lying tabled before the throne, and are ſometimes unable to plead and purſue the bill, with, Lord, 'Have reſpect unto the covenant,' you have the ſtrongeſt encouragement to wait on him, and expect his anſwering the bill in due time; for he will rather work marvellouſly, and create new worlds, rather turn all things to nothing, than quit his concern in, or give up with his 'reſpect unto the covenant.'
Are you concerned for the advancement of the kingdom of Chriſt in the earth, as you ought to be? Here is a covenant of grace to the Jews, and grace to the Gentiles; grace to the Heathen nations, ſaying, 'I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the earth for thy poſſeſſion.' Are you concerned about generations ​to come, about the riſing generation, when there is little hope of the preſent? O! here is a covenant of grace to ſucceeding generations till the end of the world, 'I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations; therefore ſhall the people praiſe thee for ever and ever.'
Are you concerned about your latter end, and how it ſhall fare with you when in the ſwellings of Jordan; how you will fight the battle? O here is a covenant of death-conquering grace, ſaying, 'Death ſhall be ſwallowed up in victory: O death I will be thy plague. O grave, I will be thy deſtruction. Are you concerned about a goſpel-miniſtry, and thoughtful whether it ſhall be continued? There is many a word in this covenant about it; but eſpecially, that Chriſt is exalted to maintain and ſupport a goſpel diſpenſation to the end of the world, Mat. xxviii. 20. Whatſoever ſpot of the earth he doth chuſe or refuſe, he having aſcended on high, hath received gifts for men, yea, for the rebellious, alſo that the Lord God might dwell among them,' Pſalm lxviii. 18.
F I N I S.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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