Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

and ordinances blameless; giving none offence to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God. They engage to cultivate religion in their own hearts, to maintain it in their closets, in their families, in all their relations and conditions, at all times and in all places. They engage themselves to God, to be righteous and charitable towards all men, to love their brethren in Christ, to submit to their faithful reproof and admonitions; that they will, in brotherly love reprove and admonish them, when it shall be necessary; that they will employ their labor and influence to maintain that holy discipline which Christ hath appointed in his house, and submit to it themselves; that they will cordially unite with their brethren in supporting the worship and ordinances of God, for his honor, their mutual instruction and edification, and for the instruction and salvation of others. This all Christians en

cometh unto the Father, but by him. It is by him only, that any man may be admitted to covenant with God, or to the enjoyment of any covenant mer cy. The terms of covenanting on the part of men are that they shall be God's people. I will be their God, and they shall be my people.* This implies a full persuasion of the truth of the gospel, and a cordial acceptance of the terms of the covenant; a renunciation of all sin, and a sincere and solemn engagement to walk in all God's statutes and or dinances blameless. God said to Abraham, Walk before me and be thou perfect, and I will make my covenant between me and thee.t That is, love me supremely, be sincere, and constant in your belief of my promises, and in your obedience to my commandments. I will then be your covenant God and portion. Israel, in covenanting with God, said, All that the Lord hath said, will we do and be obedient. In the second epistle to the Co-gage in covenanting with God. rinthians vi. 17, 18. The terms of the covenant are thus expressed, Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Al-raelites had of covenanting with mighty.

Covenanting with God therefore implies universal obedience: That men love him supremely, consecrate themselves entirely to him, through Jesus Christ, and a solemn engagement to be the Lord's, and his unreservedly; walking in all his statutes

It is required that they put away all iniquity. If sins as dear as the right eye, or the right hand cleave to them, they must be put away, and they must observe all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded them. This is the view which Moses and the Is

God. Deut. xxvi. 16, 17. This day the Lord thy God hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments: Thou shalt therefore observe and do them with all thy heart and with all thy soul. Thou hast avouched the Lord this day to be thy God; and to walk in all his ways, and to keep all his statutes, and his

* Jerem. xxxi. 33. † Gen. xvii. 1, 2. commandments, and his judg

Exod. xxiv. 3, 7.

ments, and to hearken unto his

to universal obedience. There was no reservation with respect to any command or duty, in any relation or condition.

voice. The covenant bound them can well be conceived, to render it solemn. The greatness of God, before whom all the nations are as nothing, and they are counted to him as less than nothing and vanity. He is infinitely pure, the very heavens are unclean in his sight. He is omniscient and omnipresent. It is impossible to deceive him, and none can escape from him. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength. None hath hardened himself against him and prospered. He can save and he can

This is the sense in which our churches view it, as appears by the forms used in them, which are generally if not universally to this effect, "You do now avouch the Lord Jehovah, "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost "to be your sovereign Lord and supreme good, giving up your"self to him, through Christ, in "the way and on the terms of destroy. He is our judge and "the covenant of grace. And will dispense the rewards of eter"you do also give yourself up nity. These considerations all "unto this church, according to unite their influence to render "the will of God, promising to the transaction deeply and won"watch over your fellow Chris-derfully solemn. It is rendered "tians as becomes a saint: and further solemn and interesting, "in your place, to bear testimo-in that, in its very nature, it com"ny against all sin, and to walk prises the obligation of a most "in the strict and conscien- solemn oath, and contains in it ❝tious observance of all the an implication of a curse on "commands and ordinances of those who deal falsely with God. "Christ; upholding the wor- Thus God, Moses, and the Is"ship of God in this place, sub-raelites understood it. It was 16 mitting yourself to the disci"pline of Christ, according to "his word." Those who enter into covenant, engage also to give up such as God hath committed to their care to him, and to train them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and to teach all under their care to know and serve him. In words to this effect have all professors covenanted, even from the first settlement of the country to the present time. They have bound themselves to an unreserved obedience to the whole will of God.

Having considered what professors covenant with God and their brethren, we will consider the solemnity of the transaction. There is every thing, which VOL. V. No. 10.

termed both an oath and a curse. Deuteron. xxix. 12. That thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, and into his oath. Nehemiah x. 29. And entered into a curse and into an oath, to walk in God's law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and his judgments and his statutes. The ancient people of God swore universal obedience to his will, and exposed themselves to the curses of his law upon them, if they did not perform their oath, in keeping covenant with him. In covenanting, a calf, or some beast for sacrifice, was cut in pieces, and the covenanters passed between the pieces, the more Z z

can possibly be more solemn and interesting than the manner of covenanting.

deeply to impress the mind, silently confessing that it would be just in God, if they did not keep covenant with him, to cut Further, covenanting with them asunder as they had the God is solemn and interesting beast, between the parts of which as the safety and comfort of they passed. In this manner, Christians, in the present state, God and Abrahám covenanted. and eternal life in the future, Gen. xv. 9, 10, 17, 18. Abra- are dependent on the manner in ham passed between those pie- which they covenant. If they ces of the beasts, and when the covenant in a right manner, sun went down, and it was dark, choosing him with supreme afbehold a smoaking furnace and fection, believing on the name burning lamp passed between of his Son, and depending on his those pieces. This was emble- merit for acceptance, and for matical of God's passing between grace to keep covenant with them. In that same day the him, he will be their God. They Lord made a covenant with A- will have an interest in his cov braham. In the same manner did enant love, and in the promises; the Israelites covenant with God and he will enable them to keep in Jeremiah's time. They pas- his covenant. He will never sed between the divided calf, con- leave, nor forsake them. They fessing it would be just in God will have communion with the to cut them in pieces, if they did Father and with his Son Jesus not keep covenant with him.* Christ. They will have peace Hence covenanting with God, with God, and in their own was termed an oath and a curse; hearts, and rejoice in hope of and making a covenant in the the glory of God. But if they Hebrew phraseology is termed covenant, while they have no cutting the covenant; because love to God, no faith in Christ, the slain beast, or sacrifice, at they will have no interest in the time of covenanting, was di- him, can derive no grace nor vided, and those who entered in-strength from him; and withto covenant passed between the out him they can do nothing acpieces. In some other passa-ceptably. They never can keep ges covenanting is termed swear- covenant, or perform a single ing unto the Lord, swearing with duty of it. In the very act of all the heart, an oath, and swear- covenanting, they flatter him ing in righteousness. 2 Chron. with their mouth, and lie unto xv. 14, 15. Isaiah xix. 18. Jer-him with their tongues.* They emiah iv. 2. Nothing therefore

[ocr errors][merged small]

grieve his Spirit, and there will be no rational prospect that they will keep covenant with him; but that they will forsake him. They will be but foolish virgins bearing lamps without oil. Be

+ See Pool's Synopsis, and his English Annotations on Gen. xv. 9, 10, 17, 18; on Nehemiah x. 29, and on Jeremiah xxxiv. 18. and Buxtorf on the Hebrew root Carat, and Robert-ing branches which bear no fruit, son's Key to the Hebrew Bible, on they will be in danger of being the same word. This appears an- taken away from God's altar, by ciently to have been the usual way of covenanting.

*Psalm lxxviii. 36.

to remove to their country, which is about 300 miles distant, and preach the word of life among them. We held a Council with our old people, all of whom expressed their determination to

discipline or by the judgments of God. Having not on a wedding garment, they may soon be bound hand and foot, and be cast into outer darkness: soon be cut asunder and have their portion with hypocrites, where is wail-follow us. Accordingly we set ing and gnashing of teeth.

out in May, 1801. Brother Anderson, who had joined us some months before, preceded us, with part of our property; Kramer,

a distance, with the bulk of our people. In the course of our journey we found the country far more populous than we had conceived.

One of our company whose

ill on the road, that we expected her dissolution every moment. In this critical situation she was greatly alarmed, and admonish

What grievous afflictions God's own children may bring upon themselves by violating his commands, and not walking stedfast-Scholtz, and myself followed at ly in his covenant, hath been already suggested. For this cause, he may take from them their dearest enjoyments. He may lay his hand heavily upon them. He may send darkness and horror into their souls. Like He-name was Katjee, was taken so man, while they suffer his terrors they may be distracted. He may visit them with distressing pains and sickness of body, and like the Corinthians, many a-ed the people, in very affecting mong them may be weak and sickly, and many may sleep. Besides, it is by a circumspect walk with God, that Christians enjoy communion with him, peace and assurance in life, joyers; but, I am sorry to say, after and triumph in death. How im- she recovered her health, and portant is it therefore, that their was out of danger, she relapsed hearts should be sound in his into her former carelessness. statutes and stedfast in his covenant!

(To be continued.)

strains, not to trifle with their souls, nor to think real conversion an easy work. Her discourses on this subject made lasting impressions on myself and oth

we

Proceeding on our journey,

were joined by Cornelius Koopman, who had not been with us more than a single day, when he was struck with convictions while I was praying. When

The Rev. Mr. Kicherer's Narra-I first saw him, I perceived so tive of his Mission to the Hot- much pride in his carriage, that

tentots.

(Continued from p. 358.)

Visit to the Great, or Orange River.
YEVERAL of the Corannas,

River, arrived at our Settlement
about this time, repeating the in-
vitation they had before sent us,

I entertained a very unfavorable opinion of him; but no sooner was his heart touched by grace, than the Lion was changed into a Lamb; the haughtiness of his deportment entirely forsook him;

of that deeply humbled spirit, which I always considered as the most conspicuous token of real

66

grace. He became remarkably ten had the pleasure to observe cautious in whatever he said, some of my poor people, one here, but discovered, at the same time, behind a rock; another there, that "faith which worketh by under a bush, earnestly engaged love," in the exercise of which in private prayer and seldom he enjoyed close communion did Cornelius fail to appear with with God. I recollect holding his two little ones in his arms, many a sweet conversation with or led by his hand, whom he Cornelius. "Ah," he would say, caused, with himself, to bow their "how happy should I, poor sin- young knees before the Lord. ner, think myself, were I as- How was my faith strengthened "sured that Jesus is my Jesus; by such cheering objects! I now "there would not be a more plainly saw that the Lord Jesus "blessed creature on earth than had begun a good work among « myself; I am so poor here, these poor heathen, and I was "that frequently I know not encouraged to hope, that he "how to provide for my family; would triumphantly establish his "I would gladly clothe my poor church in this country, and cause "children, were it only in sheep his blessed word to be preached "skins, but alas! I have no sup-to the children, and children's plies, for my few sheep are children of the present genera"all gone; yet had I rather tion. "starve here, where Jesus is 66 preached, than return to serve "those Christians, who never "told me a word of God, or of "Jesus, or of the way of salva❝tion." After this man had entirely surrendered himself to the Lord, his whole walk and con-pensive posture on a waggon, versation bespoke the sincerity apparently in great distress of of his faith, and he became a pat- soul. I approached him, and tern of Godliness to all the com- enquired into the cause of his pany. Every day he would walk dejection; when he returned forth, three, four, or five times, the following answer : into the solitude of the wilder(6 my dear Sir, never could I ness, (where I sometimes follow-" have thought that I was so ed him unperceived) to hold con- 66 great a sinner, such a monster verse with Jesus, by prayer.— "of iniquity, and my state so Many a time have I watched" dangerous, as I now perceive! him, at a distance, wrestling" God is a holy and righteous with God, and was put to shame" God, and I am such a vile sinby his importunity. It was also "ner! Oh, the very thought his custom, about sun-set, to "makes me tremble, that God take with him two of his chil-"thus! thus! (meaning, by his dren, whom he tenderly loved, to "motions, in the twinkling of an a solitary spot, that they might" eye) may put an end to my be present at his devotions. And "life! Oh, if God should not here I would make a general ob- "have mercy for me, then must servation that, when sitting by " I sink into the eternal pit. Oh, myself on some eminence, I of- "I am greatly afraid, lest God

Another person, named Roeloph, was a striking example of the power of divine grace. Hav ing been deeply affected under the reading of the Scriptures, and praying in our morning ser vice, I observed him sitting in a

[ocr errors]
« FöregåendeFortsätt »