A Call to Delaying Sinners, Treatise · Document
Mr. B—s. Solemn Covenant with God, privately drawn up by himself, and found in his own Manuscript.
OH! 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 Iniquities, and am by Nature the Son of Death, and a thousand times more the Child of Hell by my wicked Practices; but of thine infinite Grace, thou hast Promised Mercy to me in Christ, if I will turn to thee with all my Heart; therefore upon the Call of the Gospel I am now come in; and throwing down my Weapons, submit my self to thy Mercy: And because thou requirest, as the Conditions of my Peace with thee, that I should put away my Idols, and be at Defiance with all thine Enemies, whom … acknowledge I have wickedly sided with against thee: I do here from the …ttom of my Heart renounce them all, firmly Covenanting with thee, not to allow my self in any known sin; but conscientiously to use all means 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 all my Affections upon the World, I do here resign my Heart to thee that madest it… humbly protesting before thy Glorious Majesty, that this is the firm Resolution of my Heart, and that I do unfeignedly desire Grace from thee; That wh… thou shalt call me thereunto, I may practice this my Resolution, through thy Assistance, to forsake all that is dear unto me in this World, rather than to two from thee to the ways of fin; and that may watch against all its Temptations whethor of Prosperity or Adversity, let they should withdraw my heart from the beseeching thee also to help me against t… Temptations of Satan, to whose wicked suggestions I resolve by thy Grace never to yield my self a servant; and beca… my own Righteousness is but as filthy 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 Mercy offered most graciously to me, wretched sinner, to be again, through Christ, my God, if I should accept of thee, I call Heaven and Earth to record this day, That I do here solemnly avouch thee for the Lord my God, and with all possible veneration, bowing the Neck of my Soul under the feet of thy Sacred Majesty, I do here take thee the Lord Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for my Portion and chief Good, and do give up my self Body and Soul for thy Servant, promising and vowing to serve thee in Holiness and Righteousness all the days of my Life; and fince thou hast appointed the Lord Jesus Christ the only means of coming unto thee, I do here upon the bended knees of my Soul accept of him as the only new and living way, by which Sinners may have access to thee, and do here solemnly joyn my self in Marriage-Covenant to him.
O Blessed Jesus! I come to thee Hungry, and hard be-sted, Poor and Wretched, Miserable, Blind and Naked, … most Loathsome polluted Wretch, a guilty polluted Malefactor, unworthy forever to wash the Feet of the Servants of my Lord, much more to be married to the King of Glory; but since such a thine Ʋnparallell'd Love, I do here with all my Power accept thee, and do take thee for my Lord and Husband, for a… times and conditions, to Love, Honour and obey thee before all others, and th… to Death; I embrace thee in all th… Offices, I do renounce my own worthiness, and do here own thee to be th… Lord my Righteousness; I renounc… my own Wisdom, and do here take the… for my only Guide; I renounce my own Will, and take thy Will for my Law.
And since thou hast told me, I must suffer if I will Reign; I do here Covenant, to take my Lot, as it falls, with thee, and by thy Grace assisting to run all hazards with thee, verily confiding, That neither Life nor Death shall part between thee and me.
And because, thou hast heen pleased to give me thy Holy Laws, as Rules of my Life, and the Ways in which I should Walk to thy Kingdom; I do here willingly put my Neck under thy Yoke, and fet my Shoulders to thy Burthen, and subscribing to all thy Laws, as Holy, Just, and Good, I Solemnly take them as the Rule of Words, Thoughts and Actions, promising, That though my Flesh Contradict and Rebel, yet I will endeavour to order and govern my whole Life according to thy Directions, 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, I am Subjected to many Failings, I am bold humbly to protest, that unallowed Miscarriages, contrary to the …ettled bent and resolution of my Heart shall not make void this Covenant; for so thou hast said.
Now Almighty Searcher of all 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 wouldest 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 forwards to look upon as my God and Father) that ever thou should… 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 Sins with thine own Blood and art now become my Saviour a… Redeemer; Glory be to thee O God the Holy Ghost, who by the finger of the Almighty Power hast turned about … Heart from sin to God; O dreadful Jehovah, the Lord Omnipotent, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, Thou art now … come my Covenant Friend; Amen, … be it: And the Covenant which I have made on Earth, let it be ratified in Heaven.
W. ….
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Doolittle, A Call to Delaying Sinners (1698)