as, when he requires us to feed and clothe ourselves, to provide things honest for our own maintenance. Yea, and there are some spiritual duties that are more pleasing than others; as, to rejoice in the Lord,' to bless and praise God, to feed ourselves with the delights and comforts of religion: these are the sweet works of a Christian. But then there are other works, wherein we cannot please Christ but by denying ourselves; as, giving and lending, bearing and forbearing, reproving men for their sins, withdrawing from evil company, witnessing against their wickedness, confessing Christ and his name when it will cost us shame and reproach; sailing against the wind, swimming against the tide, steering contrary to the times; parting with our ease, our liberties, and our accommodations, for the Name of our Lord Jesus.

2. That he appoint you your station and condition; whether it be higher or lower, a prosperous or an afflicted state. Be content that Christ should both choose your work and choose your condition; that he should have the command of you, and the disposal of you.

It is necessary, beloved, to consider well what it will cost you to be the servants of Christ. First, see what it is that Christ doth expect, and then yield yourselves to his whole will. Do not think of compounding, or making your own terms with Christ: that will never be allowed.

Go to Christ and tell him: 'Lord Jesus, if thou wilt receive me into thine house, if thou wilt but own me as thy servant, I will not stand upon terms. Impose upon me what conditions thou pleasest, write down thine own articles, command me what thou wilt, put me to anything thou seest good: let me come under thy roof, let me be thy servant, and spare not to command me: I will be no longer mine own, but give up myself to thy will in all things. Make me what thou wilt, Lord, and set me where thou wilt; let me be a vessel of silver or gold, or a vessel of wood or stone, so I "be a vessel unto honour; of whatsoever form or metal, whether higher or lower, finer or coarser, I am content. If I be not the head, or the eye, or the ear, one of the nobler and more honourable instru

ments thou wilt employ,-let me be the hand, or the foot, one of the most laborious, and lowest, and most despised of all the servants of my Lord: let my name and lot be amongst the hewers of wood or drawers of water, among the door-keepers of thy house; anywhere, where I may be serviceable. I put myself wholly into thy hands: put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt; put me to doing, put me to suffering; let me be employed for thee, or laid aside for thee; exalted for thee, or trodden under foot for thee; let me be full, let me be empty; let me have all things, let me have nothing; I freely and heartily resign all to thy pleasure and disposal.'

Beloved, such an agreement with Christ as you have now been exhorted to, is that wherein the essence of Christianity lies. When you have chosen the incorruptible crown; that is, when you have chosen God to be your portion and happiness; when you have adventured, and laid up your whole interest and all your hopes with Christ, casting yourselves wholly upon his merits; when you have understandingly and heartily resigned and given up yourselves to him, resolving for ever to be at his command, and at his disposal; then are you Christians indeed, and never till then. Christ will be the Saviour of none but his servants. He is the Author of eternal salvation unto them that obey him.' And Christ will have no servants but by consent. His people are a 'willing' people. And he will accept of no consent but in full to all he requires. He will be all in all, or he will be nothing.

V. Confirm and complete all this by solemn covenant. Give yourselves to the Lord as his servants, and bind yourselves to him as his covenant-servants.

Upon your entering into covenant, with God, the 1 covenant of God stands firm to you. God gives you leave, every man, to put in 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: Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walk in his ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto his voice: and the Lord hath 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, that same day the Lord avouched them to be his peculiar people. The same day that they engage to keep the commandments of God, the same day the Lord engageth to keep his promise with them.

There is a twofold covenanting with God:

1. Virtual. Which is done by all those that have sincerely made that closure with God in Christ which we have spoken of. Those that have chosen the Lord, embarked with Christ, resigned and given up themselves to the Lord, are all engaged persons, and have virtually covenanted with him.

2. Formal. Which is our binding ourselves to the Lord by solemn vow or promise to stand to our choice. And this may be, either only inward, in the soul; or outward, and expressed either by word, lifting up of the hands, subscribing with the hand, or the like. And by how much the more express and solemn our covenanting with God is, by so much the more sensibly and strongly is it likely to hold our hearts to him.

Brethren, it is for the purpose of this express covenanting with God that we are now assembled. We have unitedly sought his special assistance and gracious acceptance of us, and have distinctly considered all the conditions of the covenant. Search your hearts, whether you either have already made, or can now freely make, such a closure with God in Christ as you have been

* Deuteronomy xxvi. 17, 18.

exhorted to. Especially consider what your sins are, and examine whether you can resolve to forego them all. Consider what the laws of Christ are, how holy, strict, and spiritual; and whether you can, upon deliberation, make choice of them all (even those that most cross your temporal interests and corrupt inclinations), as the rule of your whole life.

Compose your spirits into the most serious frame possible, suitable to a transaction of so high importance.

Lay hold on the covenant of God, and rely upon his promise to give grace and strength, whereby you may be enabled to perform your promise. Trust not to your own strength, to the strength of your own resolutions; but take hold on his strength.

Resolve to be faithful. Having engaged your hearts to the Lord, resolve in his strength, before we make our solemn and express covenant with God in Christ, never to go back.

Now, being thus prepared, let us fall down upon our knees and commune with God in silent prayer.

[Here the congregation will kneel for some moments in silent prayer.]

And now let us, in the most reverential manner, take words with us and open our lips to the Lord in humble confession and in holy vow:

HOLY and most merciful God, Heavenly Father, for the passion of thy Son, I beseech thee, accept of thy poor prodigal now prostrating himself at thy door. I am by nature a child of wrath, and by my sinful practice I have provoked thy_righteous indignation; but of thine infinite grace thou hast promised mercy to me in Christ, if I will but turn to thee with all my heart. Therefore, upon the call of thy Gospel, I am now come in; and, throwing down my weapons, submit myself to thy mercy.

And because thou requirest, as the condition of my peace with thee, that I should put away mine idols, and

be at defiance 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 firmly covenanting with thee not to allow myself in any known sin, but conscientiously to use the means which thou hast prescribed for the death and utter destruction of all my corruptions.

And whereas, formerly, I have inordinately and idolatrously let out my affections upon the world, I do here resign my heart to thee; humbly protesting before thy glorious Majesty, that it is my firm resolution (and I do unfeignedly desire grace from thee, that, when thou shalt call me hereunto, I may practise this my resolution), to forsake all that is dear unto me in this world, rather than turn from thee to the ways of sin; and that I will watch against all its temptations, whether of prosperity or adversity, lest 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 thy grace, never to yield. And because my own righteousness is but filthy rags,' I renounce it all; and acknowledge that I am of myself a helpless, hopeless, undone creature, without righteousness or strength.

And forasmuch as thou hast, of thy bottomless mercy, offered most graciously to me to be my God through Christ, if I would 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 most sacred Majesty, I do here take thee, the Lord Jehovah, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, for my portion; and do hereby give up myself, body and soul, to be thy servant; promising and vowing to serve thee, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of my life.

And since 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 new and living and only way by which sinners may have access to thee; and do here solemnly join myself in a perpetual

covenant to him.

L