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himſelf. O my dove, that art in the cleft of the rock, in
the ſecret places of the stairs; let me bear 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 of their heart 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 fight 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 reſtore them, and when you
die, he will find his angels to bring them to heaven. He
hath a reſpect to your bodies; you ought, being bought with
a price, to glorify him in your souls and bodies, which are
his. When your body goes to the duſt, he will take care
of that duſt, and loſe nothing of you, but raiſe you up at the
laſt day, and make your vile bodies like unto his glorious
body; and ſo ſhall ye ever be with the Lord. He hath a
reſpect to you, ſuch a reſpect that he puts honour upon you,
'Since thou waſ precious in my fight, thou haft been ho-
nourable.' He hath made you kings and prieſts to your God
Jacob was crowned a prince on the field of battle, the field
of prayer, when he wreſtled with the angel and prevailed,
as a prince. The poor wreſtling man is a prince, and the
poor wreſtling woman a princeſs, in God's sight: This is
the honour of all the saints. They have power with God,
and therefore no wonder that they have 'power over the
nations, to rule them with a rod of iron', 'they judge and
torment them that dwell upon the earth, even here; and
'know you not that hereafter the saints ſhall judge the
world?' God hath a reſpect to you, and he will ſhew is in
due time becauſe be hath a reſpect to the covenant and
billed your heart with reſpect to it alſo.
4. Hence ſee the duty incimbent upon us in pleading with
God for his favour, prefernce, and blessing: let us go to him
both in ſecret prayer, and in clean 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 prom les, it is ſaid, For this will
I be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them,'
and how are we to enquire, but by pleasing the reſpect he
hath to the covenant? Have you a polluted heart, with the
filth of ſin; a polluted conſcience, with the guilt of ſin?
