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###### Commit and Give Yourselves to the Lord in an Everlasting Covenant

{Since the Heavenly Trade Is the Best Trade…

Exhortation and Counsel to Strangers to the Heavenly Trade

How to Get the Heavenly Trade

Commit and Give Yourselves to the Lord in an Everlasting Covenant}

Third, commit and give yourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant. Those who want to be masters of a trade must first be bound to the service of it and resign up their persons, wills, talents, and time to the instruction and government of another in order to become fit for that trade.478 Likewise, souls who want to learn wisdom’s commercial skills must bind themselves to the trade and give themselves and their all to God in Christ; God will teach them and set them up in this excellent work. “They shall ask the way to Zion, with faces turned toward it, saying, ‘Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten’” (Jeremiah 50:5 ESV). Sin in these souls who want to learn has separated them from their God and killed their mercies and enjoyment of the Temple. But now, the Spirit of prophecy breathing on their dry bones (Ezekiel 37:4–5)479 puts them in a vital union with the source of life [Christ], who is the only valid way to their new work and mercies. The dry bones must be first joined to the Lord before they can be joined to one another and enjoy their lost privileges. This union consists in a hearty acceptance of offered grace, taking hold of God in Christ, and a covenant-surrender of the whole soul and its all to Him again.480 (“Oh, for arms to embrace Him!” said Mr. Rutherford.) This is called giving up oneself to the Lord. “And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God” (2 Corinthians 8:5 NKJV). [By this, Paul means:] we expected some part of what was theirs, but they gave themselves first to God, then to us. Giving oneself to God means to be directed and governed by the will of God and to be placed in the fellowship of His gospel. They also put their earthly portions into the service of God’s people. Giving oneself to God is also to give oneself away to the Lord wholly, unreservedly, and perpetually; to be no more one’s own. “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, Whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (1 Corinthians 6:19 NASB). This surrender of yourselves (your souls) to God must be with rational judgment, with understanding, and from your free choice. It must be without exception, without the least reservation, absolute, and without any limitation or conditions of our own. It is eternal, without any expiration or time limit. It is to be attested by all overt acts within your power.481 “One will say, ‘I am the Lord’s’; Another will call himself by the name of Jacob; Another will write with his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ And name himself by the name of Israel” (Isaiah 44:5 NKJV).482 Those who expect to thrive in grace and godliness must do whatever will most fully ensure and express absolute devotion to God. “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They shall spring up among the grass like willows by flowing streams” (Isaiah 44:3–4 ESV). Once a soul is joined to Christ the Lord will give prosperity to that soul. Once you are joined to Christ, you are in a sure way to success in all your holy undertakings. You are likely to prosper in the heavenly trade when you become entirely the Lord’s. Thus, do not be satisfied until God is yours. Rutherford urges that people settle for none other than Christ, the King’s Son. “The rational soul,” said Augustine, “being capable of [relationship with] God, can be satisfied with nothing but God.”

478In Ashwood’s time, most who learned a trade entered into an apprenticeship. In medieval Europe until well into the nineteenth century, trade guilds often tightly controlled entry into and continuance in crafts, which control had force of civil law. Apprenticeship could thus be essentially indentured servitude or even slavery in all but name.

479“Again He said to me, ‘Prophesy over these bones and say to them, “O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.” Thus says the Lord God to these bones, “Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life”’” (Ezekiel 37:4–5 NASB).

480Or perhaps for the first time.

481By this sentence is meant that we publicly identify with Christ by appropriate means according to time, place, and circumstances. It also means that we practice what we profess. This is in addition to any one-time profession we might make on conversion.

482The name of Israel, also named Jacob, in this context, represents the primitive visible Church in Isaiah’s day.

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