The Christians great interest

Before I speak directly to this express Covenanting with God, I premise these few things. 1. I do not here intend a covenanting with God, essentially differing from the Covenant between God and the visible Church, as the Lord doth hold it out in his revealed Will. Neither do I intend a Covenant, differing essentially from that transacting of the heart with God in Christ, formerly spoken unto: It is that same Covenant, only it differeth by a singular circumstance, viz. the formal expression of the thing which the heart did before practise. 2. I grant this express covenanting and transacting with God, is not absolutely necessary for a mans salvation: For, if any person close heartily and sincerely with God, offering himself in Christ in the Gospel, his soul and state is thereby secured, according to the Scripture, although he utter not words with his mouth: But this express verbal covenanting with God is very expedient, for the better being of a mans state, and his more comfortable maintaining of an interest in Christ Jesus. 3. This express covenanting ⟨p. 113⟩with God is very expedient, for the better being of a mans state, and his more comfortable maintaining of an interest in Christ Jesus. 3. This express covenanting with God by word of mouth, is of no worth, without sincere heart-closing with God in Christ joined with it: For, without that, it is but a profaning of the Lords Name, and a mocking of him to his face, so to draw near unto him with the lips, whilst the heart is far away from him. 5. I grant, both cordial and verbal transacting with God will not make out a mans gracious estate unto him, so as to put and keep it above controversy, without joint witness of the Spirit, by which we know what is freely given unto us of God; yet this explicit way of transacting with God, joined with that heart-closing with him in Christ, contributes much for clearing up unto a man, that there is a fixed bargain between God and him, and will do much to ward off him many groundless jealousies and objections of an unstable mind and heart, which useth affrontedly to deny this hour, what it did really act and perform the former hour. This explicit covenanting, is an Instrument taken of what past between God and the soul, and so hath its own vantage for strengthening of Faith.

Before I speak directly to this express Covenanting with God, I premise these few things. 1. I do not here intend a covenanting with God, essentially differing from the Covenant between God and the visible Church, as the Lord doth hold it out in his revealed Will. Neither do I intend a Covenant, differing essentially from that transacting of the heart with God in Christ, formerly spoken unto: It is that same Covenant, only it differeth by a singular circumstance, viz. the formal expression of the thing which the heart did before practise. 2. I grant this express covenanting and transacting with God, is not absolutely necessary for a mans salvation: For, if any person close heartily and sincerely with God, offering himself in Christ in the Gospel, his soul and state is thereby secured, according to the Scripture, although he utter not words with his mouth: But this express verbal covenanting with God is very expedient, for the better being of a mans state, and his more comfortable maintaining of an interest in Christ Jesus. 3. This express covenanting