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no might of my own, I resolve to fight against all known sins, and practise all known duties. I am thine, and mine eyes are towards thee. I am not able to go out against so great an host. I am not able to perform the duties of my station; but I hope in thy word— thy strengthening, thy supporting word. The great and precious promises of the gospel are the sole foundation of my trust: If it were not these, I should go no farther; but since they are directed to me, I believe, help my unbelief. They are thine own-what doth hinder the accomplishment?-Thou canst not lie, nor alter the word gone out of thy mouth, therefore I will take courage and will bestir myself, not fearing any enemy however strong, nor any lust however violent. Duties too of every kind, and of the most difficult nature, shall all be essayed by me. Nothing being impossible to him that believeth, I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me; with regard to the sacrament before me, I desire to go to it in a holy, humble, believing and rejoicing frame, admiring and crediting the love of God to me, unfolding my necessities, bewailing my sins-the sins of my nature, of unbelief, of pride, of passion, covetousness, and worldly mindedness; now I wish for victory over all these, and that in their stead, the contrary graces may be implanted, increased, and invigorated. In the distribution of the elements I must dedicate myself, my time, my talents, my all, to the service of God, most heartily receiving him as my everlasting God and portion. Now I would ask, O that my requests may be granted! 1st, The continuance of a communion frame; 2d, Strength to withstand the violence of my besetting sins; 3d, Assistance for my work; 4th, That I may be an ornament to my profession by a humble and circumspect walk

before men; 5th, That I may be enabled to fulfil my vows; Lastly, for mercy to my near relations.

1776. In the first place do I solemnly and most heartily give up myself to the Lord the Saviour, whom I desire to take for my Lord and Saviour, saying with the sweet Psalmist, "I am thine, Lord, save me;" and with the church, O Lord my God, other gods besides thee have had dominion over me, but by Thee only will I make mention of thy name." I abhor the thought, I reject the temptation, which would incline me to entertain a rival to my God in my heart. None in heaven, none in earth, none in all the creation, who may be so much as likened unto Him. How beneficent a friend; how kind a father; how gracious a God; how unspeakable and merciful a Redeemer, who is willing to save me, even me Lord, if my heart deceive me not, and agreeable to my desire! I am willing, (O how willing,) to be saved by thee, utterly renouncing all other things that would usurp this thy work alone; mine eyes are unto thee, O Lord, unto thee only, and I have no confidence in the flesh. Rolling myself upon thee as my only Lord and Saviour, I take thee at thy word, which testifies I am God, even thy God, eventhy God. This is spoken unto me, and let me join my hearty Amen unto it; amen, yea and amen. Content, content, O Lord, that thou shouldst be mine and I thine from this time forth and for evermore. With the real desire of my heart, I would bespeak the spouse's language, "My beloved is mine, and I am his;" and as a confirming evidence thereof to myself, I approach his holy table, and over the broken body and shed blood of Jesus his Son, and my Saviour, I call himself, angels, and men to witness, that this I do, believing and hoping that he will grant strength for through-bearing in eve

ry trial, and for encountering every difficulty, for resisting every temptatiom, and for performing every duty; and so I approach his presence in this ordinance-at least would desire to do it-loving him as my chiefest joy, delighting in him as my only portion, and mourning for my sins, which are grievous in his sight, and directly contrary to his law. O blessed Lord Jesus Christ, sensible of my own weakness before the very smallest temptation, I give myself unto thee, earnestly beseeching thee to strengthen me for my duty, and against every assault of my enemy-the .devil, the world, and my own fleshly lusts. O why should it be thus? I am sure thy words are faithful and true, and cannot be broken, Rom. vi. 14. Isa. xli. 10. 2 Cor. xii. 9. In thy strength I will fight the good fight of faith, and overcome all the enemies who are plotting the destruction of my precious soul, and purpose to abstain from all appearances of evil; particularly from that which doth easily beset me, known to thee and my own conscience. Good and gracious God, keep me, I humbly pray thee, for thy name's sake, and work deliverance for me. O make me such as thou wouldst have me to be.

25th October, 1777.-I R. S. residing at present at C. for as much as I am in some measure sensible of my grievous, horrid, and frequent backslidings from the Lord, since I covenanted with him, to get my soul more confirmed in the Lord, for wading through difficulties betwixt heaven and me with a prospect to the holy ministry, I did in prayer, and now (giving it under my hand) do adhere to all my former covenant engagements to be the Lord's; at this time, I with all my heart and soul do simply resign and give up my

self and all my bodily and spiritual concerns unto the blessed Lord Jesus Christ, taking him with heart and soul on these very terms, and no other, upon which he is offered to us in the gospel; hereby engaging in his strength to cleave unto him and his truths so long as I live; before the Lord, the Searcher of hearts, I do with all willingness subscribe this, ROBERT SHERRIFF.

Samuelston Mains, by Haddington, 30th November, 1777. Having essayed to confess my sins since I commenced a student of divinity, having likewise begged in prayer to be made a Christian indeed, a lively Christian, a strong believer; having in like manner sought God's gracious presence and assistance in the whole work that may be before me, and having finally sent up some supplications to God for my teacher, my fellow-students, and myself, I did, taking heaven and earth to witness, dedicate myself to God, and, if my heart deceived me not, did receive God my Saviour as God, as my own God, and the God of my salvation, in all his offices of Prophet, Priest, and King; wishing to be his only, wholly, and for ever, in time and through eternity; and willing to be employed in the service of the gospel, to spend and be spent for Jesus Christ, and therefore to go forth in dependence on his sure word of promise, "My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in thy weakness. Fear not, for I am with thee;" so looking to Psalm xxvii. 13, 14, I had fainted unless I had believed to see the Lord's own goodness in the land of the living. "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord." Viewing these words, I pur

pose, through grace, to go on in my Christian course rejoicing; at the same time desiring to wait on the Lord, that he may strengthen my heart, make my way perfect in whatever work I am called unto, particularly the arduous labours of the ministry. In view of which I have been preparing these years past, and must now enter upon trials, in order to be invested with the important and sacred functions. God help me! God bless me! My trust is in the Lord, my confidence is in the mighty God of Jacob, who made heaven and earth. Who of himself is sufficient for these things! Now through gracious aids, I vow and swear unto the Lord that I will deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appear. ing of the great God, even my Saviour Jesus Christ. If I forget Jerusalem, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, let my right hand forget its cunning; yea, what is more, let me be eternally rejected as reprobate silver, and cast unto the bottomless pit. O what is this, what great need for close walking with God, for persevering in prayer for Almighty strength and direction to guide me through every step of my pilgrimage journey! In a word, and upon the whole, let a gracious, an all-wise God, do with me and dispose of me as seemeth good in his sight; let me only be strengthened by him, let me be an eminent instrument in his hand for promoting his glory in winning souls unto the Redeemer; that in the eternal ages, the exceeding riches of his free grace may be displayed in my own and the salvation of many others, turned to the Lord by means of unworthy me. Amen.

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