The Covenant between God & my own Soul.
THE Lord has been very Merciful to me; tho' I have been a very Sinful ⟨p. 7⟩Creature. I have Great Cause to Love and Serve so Gracious a God. What can I do less, than give up my self wholly to the Lord, to be for Him, and not for any other? And, O most Holy Lord God, wilt thou be pleased to Accept of me? Yea, Lord, I know, thou wilt accept of me, if I do Sincerely Give my self to Thee in CHRIST. Then, O Lord, I Pray thee, for the Sake of the Lord JESUS CHRIST, Be at Peace with me. O Lord, I have fallen from thee, by my Sins, and I am by Nature, a Child of Hell. But thou, O Lord, of thy Infinite Mercy hast offered to be my God. Therefore I come unto thee, and I Renounce my Sins; and, with thy Grace enabling me, I will Forsake them. I have been Serving thine Enemies, and Forgetting the God that has dealt very Mercifully with me. But now, O Lord, I will Endeavour to Serve thee; And I will not allow my self in any known Sin; and I will use the Means, which I know, thou hast appointed so the Destruction of my Corruptions. I here give my Heart unto thee; O Lord, I Pray thee to give me a New Heart. And I desire Grace from thee, that when thou shalt call me thereto, I may part with all that is dear unto me in the World, rather than turn from thee to the ways of Sin. O Lord, I have not any Hopes of being ⟨p. 8⟩Saved upon the account of any Righteousness of my own. I acknowledge, that of my self, I am Helpless and Undone, and without Righteousness. And whereas, thou dost offer to be my God through' Christ, I do here take the Lord JEHOVAH, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for my Portion. And I do give my self Body and Soul, for thy Servant. I do here also Accept of the Lord JESUS CHRIST, as the only way, by which Sinners may have Access to thee. And I do here join my self in a Marriage-Covenant with Him. O Lord, JESUS, I come unto thee, a most loathsome Creature. Who am I, that I should be Married unto the King of Glory! I Accept of thee for my Head & Husband; and Embrace thee in all thy Offices. I choose thee, the Lord my Righteousness. Grant that thy Wisdom may be my Guide; I desire, that thy Will may be my Will, and thy Word my Law. I put my Neck under thy Yoke, I Subscribe to thy Laws as Holy and Just and Good; and I do Promise to take them, at the Rule of my Life.
Jerusha Mather
The Covenant between God & my own Soul.
THE Lord has been very Merciful to me; tho' I have been a very Sinful ⟨p. 7⟩Creature. I have Great Cause to Love and Serve so Gracious a God. What can I do less, than give up my self wholly to the Lord, to be for Him, and not for any other? And, O most Holy Lord God, wilt thou be pleased to Accept of me? Yea, Lord, I know, thou wilt accept of me, if I do Sincerely Give my self to Thee in CHRIST. Then, O Lord, I Pray thee, for the Sake of the Lord JESUS CHRIST, Be at Peace with me. O Lord, I have fallen from thee, by my Sins, and I am by Nature, a Child of Hell. But thou, O Lord, of thy Infinite Mercy hast offered to be my God. Therefore I come unto thee, and I Renounce my Sins; and, with thy Grace inabling me, I will Forsake them. I have been Serving thine Enemies, and Forgetting the God that has dealt very Mercifully with me. But now, O Lord, I will Endeavour to Serve thee; And I will not allow my self in any known Sin; and I will use the Means, which I know, thou hast appointed so the Destruction of my Corruptions. I here give my Heart unto thee; O Lord, I Pray thee to give me a New Heart. And I desire Grace from thee, that when thou shalt call me thereto, I may part with all that is dear unto me in the World, rather than turn from thee to the ways of Sin. O Lord, I have not any Hopes of being ⟨p. 8⟩Saved upon the account of any Righteousness of my own. I acknowledge, that of my self, I am Helpless and Undone, and without Righteousness. And whereas, thou dost offer to be my God thro' Christ, I do here take the Lord JEHOVAH, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for my Portion. And I do give my self Body and Soul, for thy Servant. I do here also Accept of the Lord JESUS CHRIST, as the only way, by which Sinners may have Access to thee. And I do here joyn my self in a Marriage-Covenant with Him. O Lord, JESUS, I come unto thee, a most lothsome Creature. Who am I, that I should be Married unto the King of Glory! I Accept of thee for my Head & Husband; and Embrace thee in all thy Offices. I chuse thee, the Lord my Righteousness. Grant that thy Wisdom may be my Guide; I desire, that thy Will may be my Will, and thy Word my Law. I put my Neck under thy Yoke, I Subscribe to thy Laws as Holy and Just and Good; and I do Promise to take them, at the Rule of my Life.
Jerusha Mather
