The Sacred Diary, Section 19
SECT. XIX. Of Offering our ſelves to God.
ONe act of true Devotion, is, That a Man ſhould every Morning offer up, and make a Reſignation of himſelf unto God, which is an abſolute parting with himſelf, and a putting himſelf under the Power, Wiſdom, and Soveraignty of God, to be commanded, ordered, and diſpoſed in all things by him according to his Will. This work of Reſigning our ſelves to God, muſt be always doing whilſt we are in this World. When God hath wrought upon the Heart by effectual Perſwaſions, and by his mighty Power, the Lord ſaith to the Soul, I am thy God; and the Soul anſwers in truth, And I am Thine. (As David, Pſal. 116.6. O Lord, I am thy Servant, I am thy Servant). Now is the Reſignation actually made. But though this be done, yet it is ſtill always doing whilſt we are here upon Earth, nay, to Eternity: For it is a thing that conſiſts of an iteration of multiplied Acts. As Wedlock is not one ſingle Act of Perſons giving themſelves each to other; but if they live as Married Perſons ought, there is a daily giving of themſelves each to other: Their Hearts go out every day with Complacency and Delight, willingly renewing the Bond, and making the Contract yet firmer and firmer.
The end of this Reſignation of your ſelves to God, is that in all things you may be Commanded, Ruled, and Governed by him: to have the Will of God to be your Bounds, and to have it for your Rule and Pattern: To be Bounded by God, is to do nothing, but what God doth either Command or Warrant. All things are not Commanded a Chriſtian that he may do: But Commands and Warrants are the utmoſt Latitude of that Liberty which is left us; we have no further to go, and we need not, there is ſcope enough to keep within theſe Limits. Pſal. 119.16. Saith David, I have ſeen an end of all Perfection: but thy Commandment is exceeding broad. It is as if he had ſaid, I have walked over the fair Plains of every Creature, I have viewed the extent of all Excellency in them, and I could look beyond it: But when I look upon the Commandment of God, as it is either Mandatory, or Promiſory, it is of ſo vaſt Dimenſions, ſo exceeding great, that it exceeds all things in the World; there is room enough for the Spirit of a Man, that is in true ſubjection unto God. Now as we need not ſtep beyond this Bound, ſo if we do, it is dangerous; it is but as a Man that ſteps out of a Way, and falls into a Pit; or one that ſteps from his Houſe, and falls into a Priſon. For this very thing God threatens Iſrael, becauſe they had withdrawn from him, that he would feed them as a Lamb in a ſtrange Place, Hoſ. 4.16. That is, like a Lamb not kept within its Fold and appointed Paſtures, under the care of a watchful Shepherd, but left to ramble at its own Will.
And as to have the Will of God your Bounds, is to do nothing but what agreeth with his Will; ſo it is to do all that he requireth. This is that which the Lord thy God requireth of thee, to do all theſe things that he hath commanded thee, ſaith Moſes. When you give your ſelves to God, to be commanded and governed by him, it is to a Subjection that is abſolute, and not conditional.
Moreover, to be under his Command and Government, is for you to make the Will of God your Rule and Pattern; Namely, not only to do the things that are commanded, but to do it in that manner as they are commanded.
You muſt alſo be willing to be diſpoſed by him according to his Will: To be contented in every Condition wherein God ſets you; and though your Caſe ſeem hard, and there is much in it that is grievous to Nature, yet lie down quietly under the Hand and Will of God. That's one branch of our Willingneſs to be diſpoſed by God, to be contented in every Condition wherein God ſets us. A ſecond Branch of being willing to be at God's diſpoſing, is an indifferency of Mind in reſpect of any poſſible Change, whereunto you are called according to the Wiſdom and Will of God; as a holy Man well noteth, 2 Sam. 15.25, 26. When Zadok was by the Ark, King David ſaid unto him, Carry back the Ark of God into the City: If I ſhall find favour in the Eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and ſhew me both it, and his Habitation. But if he thus ſay, I have no delight in thee: Behold, here am I, let him do to me, as ſeemeth good unto him. Let this be thy Language, O Chriſtian: if thou owneſt God as thy Soveraign, and daily reſigneſt up thy ſelf to be diſpoſed by him in all things, Conſider, That thou art as a Sheep before the Shepherd, that muſt change thy Paſture at the Shepherd's pleaſure; and as a Souldier, that muſt March hither and thither at the Command of thy Captain, or General: Or as a Veſſel in the Houſe, that ſtands to be filled or emptied at diſcretion; or as a Servant, that muſt come and go as he is bidden, and not to go to, or ſtay in any place at his own will.
Let it be your care every Morning, to conſecrate all your Affections and Actions unto God, to offer up all your Faculties, Senſes, Thoughts, Words, and Works, and all that you are, remembring that ſaying of Chryſoſtom: That it is the moſt wicked Avarice, to defraud God of the Oblation of our ſelves. You may offer your ſelves to God in this, or the like manner.
The manner of Offering our ſelves to God.
O Lord, I am not mine own, but Thine, I have engaged my ſelf unto Thee; I have felt thy Power conquering and ſubduing me; and I yield my ſelf to be Thine for ever. I ſhould account it high Injuſtice in me, to arrogate any Liberty to my ſelf, ſeeing I have ſo ſolemnly parted with it into thy Hands. I think it beſt to reſign up my ſelf to Thee, and eſteem it a great Mercy Thou wilt enter into a new Contract with me. I recommend the ſmall Service which I ſhall do this day to Thy merciful Conduct, and Aſſiſtance. O Bleſſed Saviour! Oh ſet it from henceforward before thine Eyes, to Direct, Correct, and Perfect it! I offer it, and all that I am to thee, with my whole Affection, both for my ſelf and all the Faithful, in the union of that moſt perfect Intention, which Thou hadſt, when Thou prayedſt on Earth to Thy Father in Heaven.