of grace. Here privilege is placed first, and duty succeeds: man is not to work for life, and procure it by his own obedience; but this being already procured for him by the obedience and death of Christ, and secured to him by free promise, he is now to work from life, to testify his gratitude to God for the riches of his grace displayed in this whole matter. Now, this is the very order observed in that bond which is the subject of pres ent consideration. It begins with a declaration of our acceptance of the new covenant, and of all the rich blessings contained in it; and it concludes with an engagement to all the duties of our Christian calling, to be performed wholly in the strength of the grace of that

covenant.

II. LAMENTATION.

THIS Subject may, in the second place, be improved in an use of lamentation and mourning. There are many things with relation to covenanting which call loudly for this exercise.-1. It is for a lamentation, that this work should be so keenly opposed as it is by many, in the present time. None of you can be ignorant, that this work is in a particular manner the butt of the malice of a great part of this generation: and the manner in which they manage their opposition to it is no secret. -Some attempt to run it down with ridicule, and others with downright raillery. Some aver that it is a mere Jewish practice, and others cry out against it as entirely the offspring of pride and party-spirit. Some will tell you that it is a piece of gross superstition and will-worship, having no foundation whatever in the word of God,

other, it is every And alas! what is attempt to reb God

while others exert themselves in framing the most frightful misrepresentations of the nature of it, in order to deter people from it. One way or where vilified and spoken against. the purport of all this, but just an of that homage and allegiance due to him from all his subjects, to deprive the church of one of the most signal ineans of her own reformation and establishment in the faith, and to blot out one of the most express institutions of Heaven from the list of divine ordinances? It will not avail persons to plead, that in managing such opposition against it, they do not view it in the light of a divine ordinance, but rather of human invention; for a divine ordinance it really is, be their views of it what they will; and the mistakes of men will never bear them out in their opposition to the work of God. Saul of Tarsus verily thought that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth; this, however, did not free him from criminality in persecuting the church of God.-2. It is matter of lamentation, that many of the professed followers of Christ continue through their whole life wilfully ignorant of their duty on this head. They have Bibles among their hands, in which the obligation to this work is clearly set forth; but they never once think of examining what they have to say upon this subject. They have likewise a variety of publications within their reach, in which the doctrine of scripture on this point is collected together, for assisting them in the investigation of it; but they never once design to give them a perusal. This is a subject about which they neither wish to read nor hear. They know not whether it is matter of sin or duty, and

miserably disappointed in never finding the opportunities they hoped for. Let this be a warning to you, to be ware of splitting upon the same rock. The present time alone is yours; see, then, that you improve it." What thine "hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might; for there "is no work nor device in the grave, to which thou art "hastening."

It now only remains, in the third place, that we address a few advices to you who have it in prospect to to engage in the work of covenanting within a few days in this place. And, 1. We intreat you to make sure of an interest in Christ, and in the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as your own God and Father in him, Without this, all you do in this work must go for nothing, or even worse than nothing. Give all deligence, then, to make your calling and election sure. And, in order to this, study to be deligent in the work of selfexamination, and essay a direct closing with Christ, as he is offered to you in the everlasting gospel. "Be"lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be "saved."~2. Be sure that your ends and motives for engaging in this work be really good. Selfish and base, ones will spoil the very best work in which any man can engage. If the ends you have in view are, to be seen of men, to support a character, to please a friend, to satisfy a natural conscience, or to obtain the divine favour, be assured that God will reject the whole. That your work may be truly good and acceptable in his sight, it is necessary that his own glory be your principal end, and his love your chief motive. This is to have what the scripture calls a single eye; and if thine eye "be single," says Christ," thy whole body shall be full "of light; but if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall

* be full of darkness."*-3. Be much in prayer. Fervent wrestling with God should invariably accompany covenanting-work. Jacob, you know, was an eminent covenanter; and he was a man no less eminent for prayer. He wept, and made supplication; yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed." There are particularly two things for which you ought to be importunate with God in views of that work; namely, a new heart, without which you can have no right preparation for it; and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, without which there can be no right engagement in it. Both these are in the promise, and both of then may be expected in answer to prayer.-4. Study to be thoroughly acquainted with the bond into which you are about to enter. All of you have been already examined upon the matter of it, and given some satisfactory evidence of your having some competent knowledge of its contents. But persons can never be too well acquainted with what they are about to make the matter of an oath. It is in judgement, as well as in truth and righteousness, that we are to swear, "The Lord liveth." It will therefore be proper that you should give it a new perusal, and endeavour to be as particular as possible in the examinamination of it. 5. Study to make conscience of secret personal covenanting. This is a good preparative for that which is public and social. It is necessary, howe ver, in this exercise, that you should be particularly up on your guard against the workings of a legal heart. Avoid as death, the least thought of recommending yourselves, in the smallest degree, to the divine favour by what you do in this duty. In all your dealings with God, still keep in mind that he is a God of grace, actu+ Hos. xii. 4. + Jer. iv. 2.

* Matth. vi. 22.

ally reconciled to sinners by the death of Christ; and therefore let all your personal covenanting simply consist in a cordial acceptance of the covenant of grace, freely exhibited to you in the everlasting gospel, in a cheerful embracing of himself as your own God and portion, on the footing of that covenant, and in a hearty dedication of yourselves, in all that ye either are or have, to him, both to be saved and ruled by him.-6. Let it be your concern in the work you have in view, to have faith in lively exercise. Remember, that without faith it is impossible to please God, either in this or in any other duty. Cry, therefore, for the spirit of faith, and study the exercise of it. Believe the love of God, and take

the comfort of it. Believe the efficacy of the death of Christ for pardon, peace, purity, and everlasting salvation, and take the benefit of it. Believe the sufficiency of divine grace for carrying you through in the work before you, and trust to it. Believe the promise of a faithful God, and rely upon him for the accomplishment of it; particularly for the accomplishment of these two leading promises, "I will say, It is my people; and they "shall say, The Lord is my God ;** "I will pour water "upon the thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I "will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing 'upon thine offspring; and one shall say, I am the Lord's; and another shall subscribe with his hand to "the Lord, and sirname himself by the name of Is"rael."