gainst, and overcome it. I read you
an instance of this effect. Before the sermon, a paper is sent to this
congregation, containing this request: "One who through much passion
oftentimes grievously offends the Majesty of God by cursing and
swearing, and that since his late taking the covenant, desires the
prayers of this congregation, that his offence may be pardoned, and that
he may be enabled to overcome that temptation from henceforwards." This
is the tenor of that request, to a letter and a tittle, and therein you
see how the remembrance of the covenant wrought. Probably this party
(whosoever he was) took little notice of, or was little troubled at the
notice of these distempers in himself before; least of all sought out
for help against them. And I have the rather inserted this to confute
that scorn which, I hear, some have since put upon that conscientious
desire. As if one had complained, that since his swearing to the
covenant he could not forbear swearing, and that this sacred oath had
taught him profane ones. But what holy thing is there which swine will
not make mire of, for themselves to wallow in? I return; and I nothing
doubt, but that this covenant, wherein all is undertaken through the
grace of Christ, will make many more gracious who had grace before, and
turn others, who were running on amain in the broad way, from the evil
and error of their ways, into the way which is called holy, or into the
ways of holiness. Every act wherein we converse with an holy God, hath
an influence upon our spirits to make us holy. The soul is made more
holy in prayer, tho' holiness be not the particular matter of the
prayer: a man gets much of heaven into his heart, in praying for earthly
things, if he pray in a spiritual manner; and the reason is because, in
prayer, he hath converse with, and draws nigh to God, whatsoever lawful
thing he prays about. And the same reason carries it in covenanting,
tho' it were only about the maintenance of our outward estates and
liberties, forasmuch as therein we have to do with God. How much more
then will holiness be increased through this covenant which, in many
branches of it, is a direct covenant for, and about holiness? And if we
improve it home to this purpose, for the subduing of those mystical
Canaanites, those worst and indeed most formidable enemies, our sinful
lusts: if we improve it for the obtaining of more grace, and the making
of us more holy: tho' our visible Canaanites sho