God a Christians Choice, Prayer – To the reader 2
Having directed you to two forms of the Covenant, whereby the Chriſtians choice of God is compleated, by a free and bleſſed cloſe with him; as alſo made mention of another to be ſubjoyned: I thought good to offer you the uſe and view thereof, though I have wiſhed, and ſtill do, that each perſon that can, would be his own penman in this caſe; becauſe though it may be drawn full enough to any hand, yet it may not ſo ſuit and ſatisfy every ones Condition, or Experience, as it might if it were drawn out of, (as I may ſay) and according to the frame and workings of a Man's own Soul.
OMſt Glorious, Gracious and bleſſed Lord God, the great Creator,Gen. 14.19. and moſt high poſſeſſor of Heaven and Earth; I thy poor and unworthy Creature,*Pſal. 139.14. fearfully and wonderfully made by thee at firſt in my Creation, and as wonderfully dignified by thee, in being taken into Covenant with thee, in that bleſſed eſtate wherein I was at firſt made; do deſire to come humbly proſtrate before thee in the ſenſe of thy great mercy, and my own vileneſs and undone eſtate by the fall; and the irreparable breach of that firſt Covenant, by that tranſgreſſion of my firſt parents, and manifold violations of all thy holy and juſt,Rom. 7.12. and good Laws, in my ſinful practice and Converſation, being touched by thy bleſſed Spirit with a ſerious remorſe, therefore, am emboldned by thy gracious invitations, and frequent call, to come, in the moſt humble and unfeigned manner that I can unto thee: beſeeching thee that thou wouldeſt accept of me in thy dear Son, and mercifully vouchſafe to receive me into Covenant a-new with thy ſelf, even that Covenant of Grace, which thou haſt revealed in thy holy Word; wherein thou offereſt & aſſureſt, to all that will come unto thee, and lay hold on thy mercy,*Joh. 6.37. that they ſhall in no wiſe be caſe out; I am, I acknowledg a loſt ſinner in my ſelf; and have daily played my part againſt thee, in thought, and word, and deed; diſcovering that enmity, that my heart hath been by nature full of againſt thee, in my enormous rebellions, and provocations. Thy Promiſe is,*Iſa. 55.7. Though I have been wicked, If I forſake my evil way, and though I have been unrighteous, if I forſake my evil thoughts, and turn unto the Lord, thou wilt have mercy upon me, and abundantly pardon. Having encouragement by thy promiſe, and hoping in thy word,*Jer. 3.22. behold I come unto thee, beſeeching thee O Lord, that thou wouldeſt have mercy upon me, a miſerable ſinner.Luk. 18.13.
Now ſith it hath pleaſed thee to require, and doſt expect of him that expecteth to be received of thee, that he ſhould not*2 Cor. 6.17. touch the unclean thing, I do here in thy preſence, abhorring my ſelf for all my paſt vileneſs, ſinfulneſs, and unprofitableneſs; reſolve, Covenant and promiſe in thy name, and by thy ſtrength to forſake the Devil, World, and Fleſh,2 Cor. 4.1. and do renounce all the hidden works of darkneſs, and diſhoneſty: and before the Lord*Iſa. 30.22. ſay to every Idol (in heart and Life) get thee hence; purpoſing in my heart, never to*Rom. 6.13. yield my body, or Soul, nor the members, and faculties of them, as the members of unrighteouſneſs to ſin, nor ſuffer for time to come, as heretofore, through thine aſſiſting grace,*v. 12. ſin to reign in my mortal body, nor immortal Soul, that I ſhould obey it in the luſts thereof; that I will keep conſtant, ſtrict watch againſt all the advantages, ſnares, and temptations of all mine, and and thine Enemies; earneſtly intreating, and imploring thine*2. Cor. 12.9. Allſufficient Grace to make me†1 Pet. 5.8, 9. Sober and Vigilant, that my adverſary the Devil, though he goes about like a roaring Lyon, ſeeking whom he may devour, may not by any of*2 Cor. 2.11. his devices, take any advantage againſt me, but that I may reſiſt him ſtedfaſtly in the faith, thy grace aſſiſting thereto; keeping my Heart, Tongue and way, from that which is diſpleaſing unto thee. And ſith I know and am convinced†Iſa. 64.6. that my righteouſneſs is as filthy rags and no poſſibility of Salvation by it, I do renounce it, and loath my ſelf for the imperfections of it; being a loſt, periſhing and damnable wretch, without thy pardoning and ſaving Grace!
And*Tit. 3.4. becauſe the kindneſs and love of God towards man, hath ſo exceedingly appeared, as that thou haſt freely offered, and promiſed, to make an†Jer. 32.40. Everlaſting Covenant, that thou wilt never turn away from them, to do them good, but wilt ever be their God, that do*Iſa. 56.6. lay hold on thy Covenant, I deſire heartily to take thee O God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt to be my God; to be my Father, Saviour, and Comforter, to be my portion, and happineſs here, and hereafter; beſeeching thee, that thou wouldeſt†1 Cron. 29.18. keep this purpoſe in my heart, and continue to communicate this power to my Soul, that I may ever cleave to the my Lord and God, that I may become wholly, and only thine for ever and ever ſticking unto thy teſtimonies, & chuſing the way of thy Commandements all my daies; for now the*Pſal. 56.12. vows of God are upon me, yea I have†Pſal. 119.106. ſworn, and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous Judgments.
And forasmuch as there is no Coming to the Father but by Chriſt, who is the*Joh. 14.6. way, truth, and life, who is freely offered in the Goſpel,†Mat. 3.17. in whom alone thou art well pleaſed, and I can only be accepted; I heartily and thankfully deſire*Col. 2.6. to receive Jeſus Chriſt, and to walk in him; To take him to be my†1 Cor. 1.30. Wiſdom, Righteouſneſs, Sanctification, and Redemption, to eſpouſe my Soul to him this day, and*Iſa. 56.6. joyn my ſelf to him in a Covenant, that can never be broken off or forgotten.
My dear Saviour, who haſt made†Heb. 10.19. a new and living way to the Father, for me, I do here ſolemnly and freely*Pſal. 24.7, 9. open the everlaſting doors of my heart to thee, that thou the King of glory mayſt come in, that ſo thou mayſt†Eph. 3.17. dwell in my heart by faith, that being loſt without thee, yet*Phil. 3.9. found in thee, I may be ſaved; thine I deſire to be, though I deſerve no ſuch priviledg at all, being a filthy ſtinking ſinner,†Eph. 2.1. dead in treſpaſſes and Sins;*2 Tim. 3.6. Laden with helliſh luſts, preſſed down even to Hell it ſelf: but it hath pleaſed thee to†Hoſ. 2.18. eſpouſe me to thy ſelf, in Righteouſneſs, and Mercy, and Faithfulneſs; I do with my whole Soul embrace and lay hold on thee, and do take thee the*Rev. 15.4. King of Saints, to be my only Lord, and Head and Husband, my only King and Commander, and willingly†Mat. 11.29. taking thy eaſy yoke upon me, I preſent my ſelf unto thee reſolving to*Hoſ. 3.3. continue not only many but all my daies with thee,†Rom. 12.1. yielding up my ſelf, body and Soul, as an holy, living, acceptable ſacrifice to thee, who haſt offered up thy ſelf as a*Eph. 5.2. Sacrifice to the Father, for my poor loſt Soul, engaging through thy Grace, that I will ſtoop to thy Scepter, fulfil thy will, and†Rev. 14.4. follow thee the Lamb of God whitherſoever thou goeſt, to be diſpoſed of by thee in every condition, that neither poverty, nor riches; nor*Rom. … 38, 3… life, nor death, ſhall ſeparate between me and thee.
Moreover, ſi…h this†Eph. … 12. acceſs is by one Spirit unto the Father through Chriſt, I do here moſt bleſſed Spirit, take thee to be my only God alſo: to be my Guide, and*J… 18.9… Comforter, beſeeching thee that thou wouldeſt*Eph. … 30. Seal me up unto the day of redemption. That thou wouldeſt be in me a†Jo… … 38. Fountain of living Water, ſpringing up to life eternal. That ſo I may notwithſtanding all difficulties,*Job 17.9. hold on my way and grow ſtronger and ſtronger, vowing to be†Gal. 5.18. led by no other Spirit, but thy ſelf,*Rom. 8.1. walking after the Spirit, for time to come, and not after the fleſh.
Alſo, becauſe thou requireſt every one that expecteth to†Rev. 22.14. enter by the Gate into the City, to keep thy Commandments: and having now entred into (and renewed) the bond of the Covenant ſo to do, as one of thy people, to which end thou haſt graciouſly promiſed, that thou wilt*Jer. 32.40. put thy fear into my heart that I ſhall not depart from thee; I here as thy Covenant-ſervant, engage ſolemnly to become wholly thine: that I will be for no other;†Pſal. 116.15. O Lord truely I am thy Servant, I am thy Servant,*Pſal. 119.38. devoted to thy Fear, Love, and Service: Praying that thou wouldeſt keep thy promiſe, to enable me to walk in thy ſtatutes, and through the never-failing influence of thy Heavenly power,*Pſal. 119.8. I will keep thy ſtatutes,†v. 48. my hands alſo will I lift up to thy Commandements which I love: Oh forſake me not utterly, yea I will*Iſa. 30.1. follow no counſel but of thy Spirit, and Word from henceforth all the days of my life. Though Satan tempt, the World allures, and the†Gal. 5.17. Fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit; yet being*Eph. 3.16. ſtrengthned with might by thy Spirit in the inner man, will†Eph. 6.12. wreſtle againſt Sin, Satan, and the World, yea all manner of wickedneſs whatſoever,*1 Tim 6.12. fighting the good fight of Faith, till I lay hold on the poſſeſſion of eternal life,†2 Tim… 4.8. having finiſhed my courſe, and obtain'd the Crown of righteouſneſs, which thou haſt promiſed.
Yet ſith there is no man,*Eccle… 7.20. that liveth and ſinneth not, I do in thy holy preſence proteſt againſt any contrived, allowed ſin, whereby I ſhall†Pſ… 18.21. wickedly depart from my God, and that though of force I do, and ſhall in part while I am in this body,*Rom. … 25. with my fleſh ſerve the law of ſin, yet with my mind will I ſerve the law of God wholly, and for ever.
Now the†Joſh. 22.22. Lord God of Gods, the*Jer. 17.10. ſearcher of the hearts, and tryer of the reins,†Pſal. 139.23, 24. ſearch me, and try me, and if their be any way of wickedneſs in me, lead me in the way everlaſting: ſith thou*Pſal. 119.4. commandeſt me to keep thy precepts diligently,†Pſal. 27.8. my heart ſaith unto thee,*Pſal. 119.5. Oh that my waies were directed, to keep thy ſtatutes; therefore will I†Deut. 26.16. keep, and do them with all mine heart, and all my Soul.
Bleſſed God, I deſire to*Phil. 4.4. rejoice in thee, and in the†2 Chron. 15.15. Oath and Covenant made with thee, this I do in the truth, and uprightneſs of my heart, as I have choſen ſo I deſire to prize thee above all;*Pſ. 73.25. Whom have I in Heaven but thee! and there is none on Earth that I deſire beſides thee:†Song. 6.3. I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine.*Pſal. 16.6. The lines are fallen to me in pleaſant places, yea I have a goodly heritage.†Eph. 1.4, 5. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who hath choſen me in him, before the Foundation of the World,*Rev. 5.9, 10. Bleſſing, Honour, and Glory be given to the Lamb for ever, who was ſlain, and haſt redeemed me to God, by thy blood,†Zech. 9.11. the blood of the Covenant. Bleſſed be the eternal Spirit who haſt*Gen. 1.2. moved my heart to enter, into this ſolemn relation, and obligation unto God.
†Deut. 7.9. & 29.9.The Lord my God, the faithful God, which keepeth Covenant, and Mercy to them that Love him, and keep his Commandments: keep to me the Covenant, and the Mercy, and Confirm it to the end, and ſtrengthen me ſo with thy Grace that I may keep the words of this Covenant, and do them; and this Covenant made this day with my God, let not any thing, Sin, Satan, World, Life nor Death, diſannul; but let it be confirmed to all Eternity. Amen. Amen.
FINIS.
AN APPENDIX Containing PROPOSITIONS Evidencing, Not only the warrantableneſs, but expediency, of tranſacting with God in a particular expreſs Covenant-way.
Written at firſt, for the ſatisfaction of a private friend; now publiſhed at the requeſt of ſome others, and for the benefit, and advnatage of any that ſhall peruſe them.
By SAMUEL VVINNEY, ſometimes Miniſter of the Goſpel at Glaſton in Somerſetſhire.
London, Printed for Thomas Cockeril at the Atlas in Cornhil, near the Royal Exchange, 1675.
To the Reader.
Courteous Reader.
THere being lately extant a worthy Treatiſe of a Reverend Divine, called Vindiciae Pietatis, written by Mr. R. A. preſſing to a ſtrict and preciſe Converſation, and in it giving advice to perſons not yet in Covenant, to come in and compleat all by Solemn Covenanting with God, I moſt gladly, ſweetly and delightfully viewed the deſign, and meeting with the doubts of ſome perſon (a pretious Servant of God, and my dear and intimate friend) about the warrantableneſs of that way, becauſe I my ſelf was ſo much affected with the thing, did ſet my ſelf (upon his requeſt and letter to me) ſeriouſly to ſeek what warrant Gods word afforded to it, and at ſome ſparehours, in ſome few days of vacation from my incumbring and tedious imployment, drew up the following Propoſitions tending to the evidence thereof; hoping that either the author of the forenamed treatiſe or ſome perſon elſe, whoſe Graces, Abilities and Leiſure are greater than mine, may be ſtirred up more fully to clear it. The Lord grant, that whoſoever may peruſe them may have the ſame comfort and benefit thereby, as the Author that compoſed them, and now through the importunity of others made them publick. Amen.