2. He is one that hath by Covenant surrendered and resigned himself to this great Lord and his Service: Some Relations have their foundation in Nature; this of Servants to a Master, (we except Slaves) in their Consent, or in mutual contract; and though this general Relation between God and Man, have the most deeply natural foundation imaginable, whereupon all are his Servants; yet the special Relation must have the other ground, viz. That of Consent, or Contract superadded; not to give God a right to our Service, but more expressly and effectually to oblige our selves to it, and that we may have a right to his Rewards. 'Tis but acknowledging and recognizing his former Right in us, which is part (and the initial part) of our Duty to him. He requires and justly insists upon it, to be acknowledged as our only rightful Lord; which till we do, we are in Rebellion against him, and in the Condition of Servants broke away from their Masters, Run-aways, Fugitives, and who keep our selves out of the Family; and though that cannot, ⟨p. 9⟩however, destroy his Right, yet it is inconsistent with our Duty, for our Service must be throughout voluntary, and with our Reward, for nothing that is not voluntary, is Rewardable. Therefore the good and faithful Servant in the Text, is one that affects and chooses the State, first, and says with the Psalmist (Psal. 119.38.) — Thy Servant who is devoted to thy Fear: And (Psal. 116.16.) Oh Lord, truly I am thy Servant, I am thy Servant, the Son of thy Hand-maid; thou hast loosed my Bonds. He doth as is required, Rom. 6.13, 19. Yields himself to God, and all his parts and Powers Servants of Righteousness unto Holiness. He reckons it neither Dutiful towards God, nor Comfortable to himself, to do him only occasional Service, but ad libitum, and as an unrelated Person: He thinks it not Honourable to the great Lord of Heaven and Earth but to Borrow (as it were) another's Servant, nor can he satisfy himself, not to be of the Family, therefore he consents first to the Relation, and enters himself his Covenant-servant. Faithfulness ⟨p. 10⟩supposes having Covenanted, and hath the same reference to our part of the Covenant, that Gods faithfulness hath to his.
2. He is one that hath by Covenant surrender'd and resign'd himself to this great Lord and his Service: Some Relations have their foundation in Nature; this of Servants to a Master, (we except Slaves) in their Consent, or in mutual contract; and thô this general Relation between God and Man, have the most deeply natural foundation imaginable, whereupon all are his Servants; yet the special Relation must have the other ground, viz. That of Consent, or Contract superadded; not to give God a right to our Service, but more expresly and effectually to oblige our selves to it, and that we may have a right to his Rewards. 'Tis but acknowledging and recognizing his former Right in us, which is part (and the initial part) of our Duty to him. He requires and justly insists upon it, to be acknowledged as our only rightful Lord; which till we do, we are in Rebellion against him, and in the Condition of Servants broke away from their Masters, Run-aways, Fugitives, and who keep our selves out of the Family; and thô that cannot, ⟨p. 9⟩however, destroy his Right, yet it is inconsistent with our Duty, for our Service must be throughout voluntary, and with our Reward, for nothing that is not voluntary, is Rewardable. Therefore the good and faithful Servant in the Text, is one that affects and chooses the State, first, and sayes with the Psalmist (Psal. 119.38.) — Thy Servant who is devoted to thy Fear: And (Psal. 116.16.) Oh Lord, truly I am thy Servant, I am thy Servant, the Son of thy Hand-maid; thou hast loosed my Bonds. He doth as is required, Rom. 6.13, 19. Yields himself to God, and all his parts and Powers Servants of Righteousness unto Holiness. He reckons it neither Dutiful towards God, nor Comfortable to himself, to do him only occasional Service, but ad libitum, and as an unrelated Person: He thinks it not Honourable to the great Lord of Heaven and Earth but to Borrow (as it were) anothers Servant, nor can he satisfie himself, not to be of the Family, therefore he consents first to the Relation, and enters himself his Covenant-servant. Faithfulness ⟨p. 10⟩supposes having Covenanted, and hath the same reference to our part of the Covenant, that Gods faithfulness hath to his.
