A Vindication of Godliness, Sermon 2 · Part 5
V. Confirm and compleat all this by Solemn Covenant.
Give your ſelves to the Lord as his Servants, and bind your ſelves to him as his Covenant-Servants, Jer. 30. 21. Who is this that engageth his heart to approach unto me; Iſa. 44. 5. One ſhall ſay, I am the Lord, another ſhall call himſelf by the name of Jacob, and another ſhall ſubſcribe with his hand to the Lord.
Upon your entring into Covenant with God, the Covenant of God ſtands firm to you, God gives you leave, every man, to put his own name into the Covenant; grant if it be not found there at laſt, it will be your own fault; if it be not there, there will be nothing found in the whole Covenant belonging unto you: If it be there, all is yours; if you have come into the bond of the Covenant, you ſhall have your ſhare in the bleſſings of the Covenant, Jer. 30. 21, 22 Who is this that engaged his heart to approach to me. And ye ſhall be my people, and I will be your God. Engage to me, and I ſtand engaged to you; Deut. 26. 17, 18. Thou haſt avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, to walk in his Ways, and to keep his Statutes, and his Commandments, and his Jud…ments, to hearken to his Voice. And the Lord …ath avouched thee this day to be his peculiar people, as he hath promiſed thee. Obſerve it, The ſame day that they avouched the Lord to be their God, the ſame day the Lord avouched them to be his peculiar people: The ſame day that they engag… to keep the Commandments of God, the ſame day the Lord engageth to keep his Promiſe with them.
There is a twofold Coven…nting with God, In P…ofeſſion, and in Reality: and entring our Names, and an engaging our Hear…s: The former is done in Baptiſm, by all that are Baptized, who by receiving the Seal of the Covenant, are viſibly, or in profeſſion entred into it: The latter is alſo twofold:
1. Virtual. Which is done by all thoſe that have ſincerely made that cloſure with God in Chriſt forementioned: Thoſe that have choſen the Lord, embarqu…d with Chriſt, reſigned up, and given themſelves to the Lord, are all engaged perſons have virtually Covenanted with him.
2. Formal. Which i… our binding our ſelves to the Lord by ſolemn Vow or Promiſe, to ſtand to our choice, &c. And this may be, either only inward in the Soul O outward, and expreſſed, either by words lifting up of the hand, ſubſccibiug the hand, or the like; And by how much the more expreſs our ſolemn Covenanting with God is, by ſo much the more ſenſibly and ſtrongly it is like to hold our hearts to him.
Now that which I would perſwade you to, is this Solemn and expreſs covenanting with God; Providence hath lately brought to my hand the Advice of a dear Friend, and faithful Labourer in the work of the Lord about this matter, together with an excellent Form of words, compoſed for the help of weaker Chriſtians, and aptly accommodateed to all the ſubſtantials of our Baptiſmal Covenant, which having found great acceptance with many precious Chriſtians, I do with much zeal, and great hope of good ſucceſs, for the eſtabliſhing of Souls in Holineſſe and Comfort, commend it to the uſe not only of young Converts, but of the more grown Chriſtians, that have not experimented this or the like courſe.
And in order to the putting this matter into practice, I ſhall firſt give you theſe few directions.
Firſt, Set apart ſome time, more than once, to be ſpent in ſecret before the Lord.
1. In ſeeking earnestly his ſpecial aſſiſtance and gracious acceptance of you.
2. In conſidering diſtinctly all the Termes or Conditions, of the Covenant, as they have been laid before you, in the Directions already given you, and are alſo expreſſed in the form hereaf…er propoſed.
3. In ſearching your bearts whether you either have already, or can now, freely make ſuch a cloſure with God in Chriſt, as you have been exhorted to. In ſpecial, Conſider what your ſins a…e, and examine whither you can reſolve to forgo them all. Conſider what the Lawes of Chriſt are, how holy, ſtrict and ſpiritual, and whether you can upon deliberation make choice of them all (even thoſe that do moſt croſſe your worldly intereſts, beloved ſins, and corrupt inclinations) as the rule of your whole life. Be ſure you be clear in theſe matters, ſee that you do not lye unto God, Conſider, whether however corruption will play its part, and be pulling you back, yet the prevailing part of you will be for God and Chriſt, and all his holywayes.
Secondly, Compoſe your ſpirits into the moſt ſerious frame poſſible, ſutable to a tranſaction of ſo high importance.
Thirdly, Lay hold on the Covenant of God, and rely upon his promiſe of giving grace, and ſtrength, whereby you may be enabled to performe your promiſe. Truſt not to your own ſtrength, to the ſtrength of your own reſolutions, but take hold on …nſtehig…s.
Fourthly, reſolve to be faithful. Having engaged your hearts, opened your mouths, and ſubſcribed with your hands to the Lord▪ reſolve in his ſtrength never to go back.
Laſtly, Being thus prepared, on ſome convenient time ſet apart for the purpoſe, ſet upon the work, and in the moſt ſolemn manner poſſible, as if the Lord were viſible preſent before your Eyes, fall down on your knees, and ſpreading forth your hands towards Heaven, open your hearts to the Lord, in theſe or the like words.
O Moſt dreadful God, for the paſſion of thy Son, I beſeech thee accept of thy poor prodigal now proſtrating himſelf at thy door; I have fallen from thee by mine iniquity, and am by Nature a Son of Death, and a thouſand-fold more the Childe of Hell by my wicked practice; but of thine infinite Grace thou haſt promiſed Mercy to me in Chriſt, if I will but turn to thee with all my heart:The Terms of our Communion are either from which, or to which. Therefore upon the Call of thy Goſpel, I am now come in, and throwing down my Weapons ſubmit my ſelf to thy mercy.
And becauſe thou requireſt,The Terms from which we muſt turn, are ſin, Satan, the World, and our own Righteouſneſs, which muſt be thus renounced. as the condition of my peace with thee, that I ſhould put away mine Idols, and be at defi-ance with all thine enemies, which I acknowledge I have wickedly ſided with againſt thee, I here from the bottom of my heart renounce them all, firmelie covenanting with thee, not to allow my ſelf in any known ſin, but conſcientiouſly to uſe all the meanes that I know thou haſt preſcribed, for the death and utter deſtruction of all my corruptions: And whereas I have formerly inordinately and idolatrouſly let out my affections upon the world; I do here reſigne my heart to thee that madeſt it, humblie proteſting before thy glorious Majeſtie, that it is the firm Reſolution of my heart, and that I doe unfeignedly deſire Grace from thee, that when thou ſhalt call me hereunto I may practice this my reſolution, through thy aſſiſtance, to forſake all that is dear unto me in this world, rather then to turn from thee to the wayes of ſin, and that I will watch againſt all its Temptations, whether of proſperity or adverſi…y, leaſt they ſhould withdraw my heart from thee, beſeeching thee alſo to help me againſt the Temptations of Satan, to whoſe wicked ſuggeſtions, I reſolve, by the Grace, never to yield my ſelf a Servant. And becauſe my own righteouſneſs is but menſtruous rags, I renounce all confidence therein, and acknowledge that I am of my ſelf a hopeleſs, helpleſs, undone creature, without righteouſneſs or ſtrength.
And foraſmuch as thou haſt of thy bottomleſs MercieMercy offered moſt Graciouſlie to me wretched ſinner,The Terms to which we muſt turn, are either ultimate or mediate. to be again my God throug Chriſt, if I woul accept of thee: I call Heaven and Earth to record this day▪ that I do here ſolemnly avouch thee for the Lord my God,The ultimate is God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, who muſt be thus accepted. and with all poſſible veneration, bowing the neck of my Soul under the feet of thy moſt ſacred Majeſtie, I do here take thee the Lord Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holie Ghoſt, for my portion and chief good, and do give up my ſelf, bodie and ſoul for thy ſervant, promiſing and vowing to ſerve thee in holineſs and righteouſneſs all the daies of my life.
And ſince thou haſt appointed the Lord Jeſus Chriſt,The mediate terms, are ei-Principal, or leſs principal. the onelyonly means of coming unto thee,The principal is Chriſt the Mediator, who muſt thus be embraced. I do here upon the bended knees of my Soul, accept of him as the onelyonly new and living way, by which ſinners may have acceſs to thee, and do here ſolemnly joyn my ſelf in a marriage covenant to him▪
O bleſſed Jeſus, I come to thee▪ hungry and hardly beſtead, poor and wretched, and miſerable, and blinde, and naked▪ a moſt loathſome pollu…ed wretch, a guilty condemned Malefactor, unworthy for ever to waſh the feet of the ſervants of my Lord, much more to be ſolemnly married to the King of Glorie: But … ſuch is thine unparallel'd love, I do here with all my power accept thee, and do take thee for my head and husband, for better for worſe, for richer for poorer, for all times and conditions, to love, and honour, and obey thee before all others, and this to the death, I embrace thee in all thine offices: I renounce mine own worthineſs, and do here avow thee to be the Lord my Righteouſneſs: I re…ounce mine own wiſdome, and do here take thee for mine onelyonly Guide: I renounce …ine own will, and take thy will for my Law.
And ſince thou haſt told me that I muſt …uffer if I will reign, I do here covenant with thee to take my lot, as it falls, with thee, and by thy grace aſiſting to runne all hazzards with thee, verily ſuppoſing, that neither life nor death ſhall part between thee and me.
And becauſe thou haſt been pleaſed to give me thy holy Laws,The leſs principles, are: the Laws of Christ, which muſt be thus obſerved, as the rule of my life; and the way in which I ſhould walk to thy Kingdome; I do here willingly put my neck under thy yoak, and let my ſhoulder to thy burden, and ſubſcribing to all thy Laws, as holy, juſt and good; I ſolemnly take them, as the rule of my words, thoughts, and actions; promiſing, that though my fl…ſh contradict and rebell, yet I will endeavour to order and govern my whole life according to thy direction; and will not allow my ſelf in the neglect of any thing that I know to be my duty.
OnelyOnly becauſe through the frailty of my fleſh, … am ſubject to many failings; I am bold humbly to proteſt, That unallowed miſcarriages, contrary to the ſetled bent and reſolution of my heart, ſhall not make void this Covenant; for ſo thou haſt ſaid.
Now Almighty God, ſearcher of hearts, thou knoweſt that I make this Covenant with thee this day, without any known guile or reſervation, beſeeching thee, that if thou eſpieſt any flaw or falſhood therein, thou wouldſt diſcover it to me▪ and help me to do it aright.
And now glory be to thee, O God the Father, whom I ſhall be bold from this day forward, to look upon as my God and Father; That ever thou ſhouldeſt find out ſuch a way for the recovery of undone ſinners; Glory be to thee, O God the Son▪ who haſt loved me and waſhed me from my ſinnes in thine own blood, and art now become my Saviour and Redeemer: Glory be to thee, O God the Holy Ghoſt, who by the Finger of thine Almighty power haſt turned about my heart from ſin to God.
O dreadful Jehovah, the Lord God omnipotent, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt, thou art now become my Covenant friend, and I through thine infinite Grace, am become thy Covenant-ſervant, Amen, So be it: And the Covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in Heaven.