verfe 5. That your faith should stand-in the power of God. And Acts xvi. 31. Believe on the Lord Jefus Chrift, and thou fbalt be faved, Pfalm xxxvii. 40. He fhall fave them, because they trust in him. And ii. 12. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Acts xv. 11. We believe, that, through the grace of the Lord Jefus Christ, we shall be faved. This believing, or crediting the word, and trusting on the perfon of Chrift, is that which of all things is fartheft removed from the nature of a work, according to the fcripture-ufe of that word; and therefore is the most agreeable means of faving entrance into that covenant, which is of faith, that it might be by grace; not of works, left any man fhould boaft.

A finner, being by this believing on Christ united to him as the head of the covenant, is thereby perfonally entered in the covenant; fo as, in his right, to have a faving intereft in the condition, promife, and privileges thereof, unto his eternal falvation: even as becoming, through natural generation, children of Adam the head of the covenant of works, we are perfonally entered into that covenant; so as to be involved in the guilt of the breach of it, and laid under the curfe thereof: Rom. v. 19. For as by one man's difobedience many were made finners: fo by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous, John x. 9. I am the door : by me if any man enter in, he fhall be faved. Eph. iii. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.

Upon this believing on the name of Chrift, crediting and trufting in manner faid before, do neceffarily follow, an abfolute confent to take him for our Husband, Head, and Lord, and God in him for our God; an unconditional refignation of ourselves unto him, foul and body, to be his only, wholly and for eyer; with an unlimited renunciation of all other for him even as, in the cafe before put, upon the woman's believing the reality of the offer of the con

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tract of marriage between the physician and her, and accordingly, that he will indeed be her husband, follows her confenting to take him for her husband, head, and lord, giving up herfelf unto him, and renouneing all other for him, abfolutely, unconditionally, without limitation or refervation; the which fhe can never do, till once the believe that. And thus, to the word of grace, the covenant offered and exhibited in the gospel, I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people, the believing foul anfwereth, as an echo, My beloved is mine, and I am his, Cant. ii. 16.

2. Having understood the covenant aright, together with the way and manner of being perfonally and favingly entered into it, examine yourself anent it impartially, as ever you would make fure work in this weighty matter. Inquire into your fenfe of your need of the covenant, your belief of it, and the difpofition of your heart towards it. And upon thefe heads, pose yourself with these or the like questions.

"In the first place, O my foul, do I verily be"lieve, that I was loft, ruined, and undone in A"dam, by his breaking of the covenant of works: "and that I have ruined myself more and more, by 46 my actual tranfgreffions? Do I believe, that I am "by nature wholly corrupt and finful, averfe to "good, prone to evil, and juftly laid under the "curfe, binding me over to the revenging wrath of "God for time and eternity? Am I convinced, that "I am utterly unable to help myself, in whole or "in part, out of this gulf of fin and mifery into "which I am plunged; and that I muft needs pe"rish under the guilt, dominion, and pollution of "my fin, without being juftified or fanctified, for ever, if I be not relieved by heaven's own hand. "Next, O my foul, do I believe, that there is a covenant of grace, for the relief of loft finners, e"stablished between God the Father, and his Son

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"Jefus

"Jefus Chrift as fecond Adam, wherein, upon con"dition of Chrift's fulfilling all righteousness, as a "public perfon, is promifed eternal life to them, "that God in Chrift will be their God, and they "fhall be his people? Do I believe, that this is the "plan and device of heaven, for life and falvation

to loft finners, for making of them holy, and for "making of them happy? Do I believe, that Jefus "Chrift hath, by his holy birth, righteous life, fa

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tisfactory death, and fufferings, performed that "condition of the covenant, and thereby purchased "and fecured the benefit therein promifed, for poor "finners? Then, do I indeed believe, that this co"venant already fulfilled in its condition, and cer"tainly to be fulfilled in its promise, is in Christ "crucified, really offered and exhibited to me in

the gofpel: and that I am called to the fellowship

of it in him? And then, do I verily believe on "the name of Chrift crucified, offered and exhibit"ed to me, as the great High Priest, who by the "facrifice of himself, hath made the atonement, "paid the ranfom, and brought in everlasting righ

teoufnefs for poor finners? That is to fay, (1.) "Can I credit his word of grace to me, that he "with his righteoufnefs will be mine, and, in him, "God will be my God, and I fhall be one of his "people? (2.) And, can I, as on a fafe bottom, trust <" on him as my Saviour, that in him it fhall be fo unto me to my eternal life and falvation, to the "making of me holy and happy?

"Finally, O my foul, how do I like the cove. 66 nant? Am I pleafed with the frame of it, where. "by Chrift was from eternity appointed, not only "the Priest of the covenant, to fulfil the condition "of it, but also the Prophet and the King thereof, "to administer it? And can I find in my heart to "acquiefce in that device for falvation, as all my "falvation, and all my defire, for making me holy

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and happy? Am I content to take Chrift the of God, for my only Prieft, Surety, Interce and Redeemer; and in him, the Father for Father, and the holy Ghoft for my Sancti God in Chrift for my God? Am I willing w to refign myself, foul and body, to him, faved by his blood alone, renouncing all c dence in my own righteoufnefs, doings, and ferings? Am I content to take him for my and Hufband? Particularly, Am I content to him for my alone Prophet, Oracle and G to refign, and give up myfelf wholly to hir be taught, guided, and directed in all things his word and Spirit; renouncing mine own dom, and the wifdom of this world? Am I tent to take him for my alone King and L to refign myself wholly, foul and body,

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him, to be refcued by his power, from fin, de "the devil, and this prefent evil world, fo ferve him for ever, and to be ruled by the "of his command, as to my duty, and the w his providence, as to my lot? And am I hea content to part with, and renounce every kn “fin, and particularly that which most easily b me; together with my own foolish will, and other lords befides him; without refervation "without exception against his crofs? And a "really, as in his fight, willing to have difcov "unto me, and upon difcovery to part with fin in me, that I know not?"

Now, howbeit all doubting as to fuch of points, as are points of faith, and every the degree of averfion to the confenting, refigna and renunciation, is fin before the Lord, and to be purged away by the Redeemer's blood they ought not to ftop your proceeding, unless be predominant over your belief and willingne the matter: Mark ix. 24, Lord, I believe; belp

mine unbelief. Gal. v. 17. The flesh lufteth against the fpirit--fo that ye cannot do the things that ye would, namely, in that perfection that ye fain would do them. But indeed, if they be predominant, keeping your mind and heart quite unfettled, and wavering like a wave of the fea, that hath nothing to fix it; one cannot advise proceeding in that cafe: for that would be to lye unto the Lord, with a witness: James i. 6. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the fea, driven with the wind, and toffed. Verse 7. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Howbeit, a fincere belief and willingness in these points, may indeed waver like a ship at anchor, which is ftill held faft in the place, notwithstanding of all its wavering therein. And one may take hold of God's covenant of grace, unto falvation, even with a trembling hand.

3. Lastly, Having in your felf-examination fatisfied your confcience as to thefe points, go unto God by prayer, and therein folemnly and in exprefs words, take hold of the covenant. The which may be done in words to this purpose.

"O Lord, the, God and Father of our Lord Je"fus Chrift, I confess I am by nature a loft finner

wholly corrupted, and laid under the curfe, in A"dam, thro' the breach of the covenant of works; "and have ruined myself more and more by my "actual tranfgreffions innumerable. I am convin"ced, and do acknowledge, that I am utterly un"able to help myself, in whole or in part, out of

this gulf of fin and mifery, into which I am plung"ed; and that it is beyond the reach of the whole "creation to help me out of it: fo that I must ine"vitably perifh for ever, if thine own ftrong hand "do not make help to me.

"But forafmuch as there is a covenant of grace "for life and falvation to loft finners, established "between Thee and thine own Son, the Lord Je

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