Article
IV - Church Covenant
We
who desire to walk together in the fear of the Lord do, through the
assistance of His Holy Spirit, profess our deep and serious humiliation
for all our transgressions.
And we do solemnly, in the presence of God and of
each other, in the sense of our own unworthiness, give up ourselves to
the Lord in a church, according to the apostolic constitution, that He
may be our God, and we may be His people, through the everlasting
covenant of His free grace, in which alone we hope to be accepted by
Him, through His blessed Son Jesus Christ, whom we take to be our High
Priest, to justify and sanctify us, and our Prophet to teach us; and to
be subject to Him as our Law-giver, and the King of Saints; and to
conform to all His holy laws and ordinances, for our growth,
establishment, and consolation; that we may be as holy bridesmaids unto
Him, and serve Him in our generation, and wait for His second
appearance, as our glorious Savior.
Being fully satisfied in the way of
church-communion, and the truth of grace in some good measure upon one
another's spirits, we do solemnly join ourselves together in a holy
union and fellowship, humbly submitting to the discipline of the Gospel,
and all holy duties required of a people in such a spiritual relation.
1. We do promise and engage to walk in all
holiness, godliness, humility, and brotherly love, as much as lieth in
us to render our communion delightful to God, comfortable to ourselves,
and lovely to the rest of the Lord's people.
2. We do promise to watch over each other's
conversations, and not to suffer sin upon one another, so far as God
shall discover it to us, or any of us; and to stir up one another to
love and good works; to warn, rebuke, and admonish one another with
meekness, according to the rules left to us.
3. We do promise in a special manner to pray for
one another, and for the glory and increase of this church, and for the
presence of God in it, and the pouring forth of His Spirit on it, and
His protection over it to His glory.
4. We do promise to bear one another's burdens,
to cleave to one another, and to have a common bond with one another, in
all conditions both outward and inward, as God in His providence shall
cast any of us into.
5. We do promise to bear with one another's
weaknesses, failings, and infirmities, with much tenderness, not
unnecessarily exposing their faults, unless according to Christ's rule,
and the order of the Gospel provided in that case.
6. We do promise to strive together for the truth
of the Gospel and purity of God's ways and ordinances, to avoid causes
and causers of division, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in
the bond of peace. [Ephesians 4:3].
7. We do promise to meet together on Lord's days,
and at other times, as the Lord shall give us opportunities, to serve
and glorify God in the way of His worship, to edify one another, and to
contrive the good of His church.
8. We do promise according to our ability (or as
God shall bless us with the good things of this world) to provide for
our pastor or minister, God having ordained that they that preach the
Gospel should live of the Gospel.
These and all other Gospel duties we humbly
submit unto, promising and purposing to perform, not in our own
strength, being conscious of our own weakness, but in the power and
strength of the blessed God, Whose we are, and Whom we desire to serve.
To Whom be glory now and for evermore. Amen.
