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{The Application
Application for the Godly
The Right Performance of Holy Duties
Directions for the Duty of Renewing the Covenant
Christians Guilty of Treachery and False Dealing with God}
Christians break covenant daily. The Lord may prosecute against many of us that complaint against Israel: “But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues. Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not faithful to his covenant” (Psalm 78:36–37 ESV).
There is a double falsehood with respect to the covenant of which we may be guilty.
First, there is a falsehood in our entering into covenant when we do not do it heartily, but feignedly, and our promises to God are nothing but words. We neither mean nor intend any such thing as our mouth speaks. This is lying to God: “They lied to him with their tongues” (Psalm 78.36). Oh, how many such liars are there to be found among those who are called Christians. We have all covenanted to renounce the world and the love of it, to renounce the flesh and the lusts of it, and to renounce the devil and his works. We have all covenanted to take the Lord to be our God, to cling to Him, obey Him, and serve Him only all our days.310 We have done all of this in our baptism and in our promises that we have made since to abide by our baptismal covenant. But have we not, many of us, lied to the Lord? Has there ever been any such thing in our hearts? Those who are false in this foundation of their Christianity are merely fake Christians. Those who have lied to God in their covenants are merely fake converts.
Second, there is a falsehood in our keeping covenant when, however real were our intentions, we still fail in execution. We do not abide by our word or we are not steadfast in our covenant and every part of it. And thus, every Christian is more or less guilty. Every sin we commit is, in a degree, covenant breaking, a departing from and backsliding from the Lord, and dealing treacherously with the Most High. Oh, how much falsehood of this kind is there to be found in every one of us. Some of our hearts are so much set on the world. We take so much liberty in pursuing, and so much pleasure in enjoying, these earthly things that the Lord is the less regarded and looked to! This is according to our covenant? There is such carnality and sensuality to be found among some of us. We live such idle, easy, and careless lives. Our appetites, passions, and tongues are left so much to their liberty. There is so much provision made for the flesh and so little for the soul. Is this according to our covenant? Is this all we meant when promising to be Christians? Is this our living for God and our living for Christ? Oh, what falsehood we have been guilty of.
310This, and similar wording, has been part of many churches’ baptismal vows for centuries.
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