the subtilty of the tempter, and most exposed by our own weakness, there we should strengthen our defence, and double our guard. What is the sin that hath must easily beset me?...(Heb. xii. 1.)—the wellcircumstanced sin: that is it which I must more particularly resolve against in the strength of the grace of God. What is the duty I have most neglected, have been most backward to, and most carless in? To that I must most solemnly bind my soul with this bond.

(2.) Wherein we may have the best opportunity of glorifying God? What can I do in my place for the service of God's honor, and the interest of his kingdom among men? The liberal deviseth liberal things,' and so the pious deviseth pious things, that he may both engage and excite himself to those liberal, pious things, in and by this ordinance. What is the talent I am instructed with the improvement of? My Lord's goods I am made a steward of. What is it that is expected from one in my capacity? What fruit is looked for from me? That is it that I must especially have an eye to in my covenants with God; to that I must bind my soul; for that I must fetch in help from heayen, that, having sworn, I may perform it.

CHAPTER V.

Instructions for renewing our Covenant with God in our preparation for this Ordinance.

It is the wonderful condescension of the God T of heaven, that he hath been pleased to deal with man in the way of a covenant, that, on the other hand, we might receive strong consolations from the promises of the covenant, which are very sweet and precious; and, on the other hand, might lie under strong obligations from the conditions of the covenant, which, on this account, have greater cogency in them than mere precept, that we burselves have consented to them, and that we have therein consulted our own interest and advantage. G2

The ordinance of the Lord's Supper being a seal of the covenant, and the solemn exchanging of the ratification of it, it is necessary we make the covenant before we pretend to seal it. In this order, therefore, we must proceed: first give the hand to the Lord, and then enter into the sanctuary; first, in secret, consent to the covenant, and then solemnly testify that consent: this is like a contract before marriage. They that ask the way to Zion, with their faces thitherward, must join themselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant.... Jer. 1. 5. The covenant is mutual; and in vain do we expect the blessings of the covenant, if we be not truly willing to come under the bonds of the covenant. We must enter into covenant with the Lord our God, and into his oath; else he doth not establish us this day for a people unto himself.... Deut. xxix. 12, 13. We are not owned and accepted as God's people, though we come before him as his people come, and sit before him as his people sit, if we do not, in sincerity, avouch the Lord for our God.... Deut. xxvi. 17, 18. In our baptism this was done for us; in the Lord's Supper we must do it for ourselves, else we do nothing.

Let us consider, then, in what method, and after what manner we must manage this great transaction.

For the first-In what method we must renew our covenant with God in Christ, and by what steps we must proceed.

First, We must repent of our sins, by which we have rendered ourselves unworthy to be taken into covenant with God Those that would be exalted to this honor, must first humble themselves. God layeth his beams in the waters....Psal. civ. 3. The foundations of spiritual joy are laid in the waters of penetential tears. Therefore this sealing ordinance sets that before us which is proper to move our godly sorrow; in it we look on him whom we have pierced, and if we do not mourn and be not in bitterness for him, surely our hearts are as hard as a stone, yea, harder

than a piece of the nether mill-stone....Zech. xii. 10. Those that join themselves to the Lord, must go weeping to do it; so did they, Jer. 1. 4. 5. That comfort is likely to last, which takes rise from deep humiliation and contrition of soul for sin. Those, only, that go forth weeping, bearing this precious seed, shall come again rejoicing in God as theirs, and bring ing the sheaves of covenant blessings and comforts. with them....Psal. cxxvi. 5, 6. Let us therefore be gin with this.

(1.) We have reason to bewail our natural estrangement from this covenant. When we come to be for God, we have reason to be affected with sorrow and shame, that ever we were for any other; that ever there should have been occasion for our reconciliation to God, which supposeth that there hath been a quar rel. Wretch that I am, ever to have been a stranger ...an enemy to the God that made me...at war with my Creator, and in league with the rebels against his crown and dignity! O, the folly, and wickedness, and misery of my natural estate! My first father an Amorite, and my mother a Hittite, and myself a transgressor from the womb, alienated from the life of God, and cast out in my pollution: nothing in me lovely, nothing amiable; but a great deal loathsome and abominable. Such as this was my nativity...my original, Ezek....xvi. 3.

(2.) We have reason to bewail our backwardness to come into this covenant. Well may we be ashamed to think how long God called and we refused; how oft he stretched forth his hand before we regarded; how many offers of mercy we slighted, and how many kind invitations we stood it out against; how long Christ stood at the door and knocked before we opened to him; and how many frivolous excuses we made to put off this necessary work. What a fool was I to stand in mine own light so long? How ungrateful to the God of love, who waited to be gracious? How justly might I have been forever excluded this cove

nant, who so long neglected the great salvation? Wherefore I abhor myself.

(3.) We have reason to bewail the disagreeableness of our hearts and lives to the terms of this covenant, since first we professed our consent to it. In many instances we have dealt foolishly-it is well if we have not dealt falsely, in the covenant. In our baptism we were given up to Christ to be his, but we have lived as if we were our own; we then put on the Christian livery, but we have done little of the Christian's work; we were called by Christ's name to take away our reproach, but how little have we been under the conduct and government of the Spirit of Christ? Since we became capable of acting for ourselves, per haps we have oft renewed our covenant with God, at his table and upon other occasions, but we have despised the oath, in breaking the covenant, when lo, we had given the hand....Ezek. xvii. 18. Our performances have not answered the engagements we have solemnly laid ourselves under. Did we not say, and say it with the blood of Christ in our hands, that we would be the faithful servants of the God of heaven? we did; and yet, instead of serving God, we have served divers lusts and pleasures: we have made our selves slaves to the flesh, and drudges to the world; and this hath been our manner from our youth up. Did we not say, We would not transgress, (Jer. ii. 20.) -we would not offend any more?...Job xxxiv. 31. We did; and yet our transgressions are multiplied, and in many things we offend daily. Did we not say, we would walk more closely with God, more circumspectly in our conversation-we would be better in our closets, better in our families, better in our callings, every way better? We did; and yet we are still vain, and careless, and unprofitable; all those good purposes have been to little purpose: this is a lamentation, and should be for a lamentation. Let our hearts be truly broken for our former breach of covenant with God, and then the renewing of our covenant will be

the recovery of our peace;

and that which was broken shall be bound up and made to rejoice.

Secondly, We must renounce the devil, the world, and the flesh, and every thing that stands in opposition to or competition with the God to whom we join ourselves by covenant. If we will indeed deal sincerely in our covenanting with God, and would be accepted of him therein, our covenant with death must be` disannulled, and our agreement with hell must not stand, Isai. 28. 18. All these foolish, sinful bargains, which were indeed null and void from the beginning, by which we have alienated ourselves from our rightful owner, and put ourselves in possession of the usurper, must be revoked and cancelled, and our consent to them drawn back with disdain and abhorrence.When we take an oath of allegiance to God in Christ, as our rightful king and sovereign, we must then abjure the tyranny of the rebellious and rival powers. O Lord our God, other lords besides thee have had dominion over us, while sin hath reigned in our mortal bodies....in our immortal souls, and every lust hath been a lord; but now we are weary of that heavy yoke, and, through God's grace, it shall be so no longer; for, from henceforth, by thee only will we make mention of thy name....Isai. xxvi. 13.

The covenant we are to enter into is a marriage covenant. Thy Maker is to be thy husband (Isai. liv. 5,) and thou art to be betrothed to him....Hos. ii. 19; and it is the ancient and fundamental law of that covenant, that all other lovers be renounced...all other beloved ones forsaken: and the same is the law of this covenant-(Hos. iii. 3.) Thou shalt not be for another man, so will I also be for thee: quitting all others, we must cleave to the Lord only: lovers and crowned heads will not endure rivals. On these terms, and no other, may we covenant with God—(1 Sam. vii. 3.) If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth,' welse it is not a return to God.