8.  As for all those sharp dispensations mentioned in the last place, he having taken the sting of all, even of death away, by taking away sin, and purchased the blessing and love of the Father, having made reconciliation through his blood, all those dispensations flow from love, even such as seem sharpest, being inflicted for sin, as we see, Heb. xii. 6; so that there is no cause here of fainting or of being so discouraged as to give over the matter.  But for help in this case, there should be a use-making of Jesus, as the Life; and that is

The third thing which we shall speak a little to, viz.  How the soul should make use of Christ as the Life, to the end it may be delivered from this fainting occasioned through manifold discouragements.

1.  The believer in this case would mind the covenant of redemption, wherein Christ hath promised and so standeth obliged and engaged to carry on his own through all discouragements to the end; so that if any one believer miscarry, Christ loseth more than they lose:  for the believer can but lose his soul, but Christ shall lose his glory; and this is more worth than all the souls that ever were created.  And, further, not only shall Christ lose his glory as Redeemer, but the Father shall lose his glory in not making good his promise to Christ his Son.  For by the same covenant he standeth engaged to carry through the seed that Christ had died for.  And his appointing Christ to be his servant for this end, and choosing him from among all the folk, and his upholding of him, concurring with him, delighting in him, and promising that he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles, and that to victory, or to truth, speak out his engagement to see all true believers brought home.  See Isa. xlii. 1-4.  Matt. xii. 17-21.  Psalm lxxxix. 19-21, 28, 29, 35-37.  Sure the faith of this would support the poor believer under all those discouragements.

2.  They would mind likewise the covenant of grace, wherein all things are contrived and laid down, so far as that the believer may have abundant consolation and comfort in all cases; and wherein there is enough to take away all cause of fainting and discouragement; as might fully be made to appear, if any did question it.

3.  They would remember how richly Christ is furnished with all qualifications; suiting even that case wherein they are like to be overwhelmed with discouragements; and could the believer but think upon and believe those three things, he might be kept up under all discouragements:  (1.) That Christ is a compassionate, tender-hearted Mediator, having bowels more tender than the bowels of any mother; so that “he will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax,” Isa. xl. 2.  He had compassion on the very bodies of the multitude that followed him; and would not let them go away fasting, lest they should faint in the way, Matt. xv. 32.  Mark viii. 3; and will he not have compassion on the souls of his