The John Wesley Covenant Service

1 1 TheJohn WesleyCovenant Service Come, let us join ourselves to the Lord in aneverlasting Covenant which will never be forgotten. Jeremiah 50:5, RSVPREFACEIn his journal entry for August 6, 1755, Wesley wrote: I mentioned to the congrega-tion another means of increasing serious religion, which has been frequently practiced by ourforefathers and attended with eminent blessing; namely, the joining in a Covenant to serve Godwith all our heart and with all our soul. Wesley s first formal Covenant Service was held in the French Church at Spitalfieldson August 11, 1755, when he recited the words of that blessed man, Richard Alleine.

2 At theclose of that Service all the people stood up, in testimony of assent, to the number of about1800 persons. Such a night I scarce ever saw before. Surely the fruit of it shall remainforever. The Covenant Service was published as a pamphlet by Wesley in 1780 and was usedwithout alteration for nearly a century. The repeated revisions made later have left but thesmallest remnants of the original. It is believed that the restoration of large portions ofWesley s Service will bring deeper meaning to the renewing of our Covenant with God.

3 It hasbeen abridged and edited especially to this hymnal [Hymns of Faith and Life, published byLight and Life Press and Wesley Press, 1976] to provide for greater congregational participa-tion. With few exceptions the dignity and the striking phraseology of Wesley s language,including his numerous scriptural allusions, have been Service should be a reminder of our condition as sinners, our solemn obligationto reaffirm our Covenant relationship with God, and an opportunity for a fresh experience ofthe reality of God s promises and Covenant Service , following John Wesley s traditional practice.

4 Is especiallyappropriate for watch night or for the first Sunday of the new year and is designed for acomplete Service of worship. The Editors2 THE SERVICEHYMN #95 O God, Our Help in Ages Past Pastor:Let us God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, andfrom whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by theinspiration of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee and worthilymagnify Thy holy name; through Christ our Lord. LORD S PRAYERP astor:My dear friends: Get these three principles fixed in your hearts: thatthings eternal are much more substantial than things temporal; that things notseen are as certain as the things that are seen; that upon your present choicedepends your eternal lot.

5 Choose Christ and His ways, and you are blessedforever; refuse, and you are undone then, beloved, make your choice. Turn either to the right handor to the left; Christ with His yoke, His cross, and His crown; or the devilwith his wealth, his pleasure, and curse. Then ask yourselves, Soul, you seewhat is before you; what will you do? Which will you have, either the crownor the curse? If you choose the crown, remember that the day you take this,you must be content to submit to the cross and yoke, the Service and suffer-ings of Christ, which are linked to it.

6 What do you say? Had you rather takethe gains and pleasures of sin and risk the curse? Or will you yield yourself aservant to Christ and so make sure the crown?Do not delay the matter. If you are unresolved, you are resolved: ifyou remain undetermined for Christ, you are determined for the follow your hearts from day to day; let them not rest till the matterbe brought to an issue, and see that you make a good , embark with Christ. Adventure yourselves with Him. Castyourselves upon His righteousness. You are exiles from the presence of Godand fallen into a land of robbers and murderers.

7 Your sins are robbers, yourpleasures are robbers, your companions in sin are robbers and thieves. If youstay where you are, you perish. Christ offers, if you will venture with Him, tobring you to God. Will you say now to Him, Lord Jesus, wilt Thou undertakefor me? Wilt Thou bring me to God and bring me into the land of promise?With Thee I will venture myself. I cast myself upon thee, upon Thy blood,upon thy righteousness. This is coming to Christ as your priest. And by this you now re-nounce your own you deeply sense your sins and misery without Christ?

8 3 CONFESSIONC ongregation:We acknowledge a deep sense of sin and misery. We seeourselves as sinners in need of a Savior. The spirit of God has awak-ened us; a kind of awakening, as it were, in hell. We cry, Lord, what am I! What mean these legions round about me?These chains and fetters that are upon me? Lord, where am I! Is there no hope of escaping out of thiswretched state? I am but dead, if I continue as I am. What may I doto be saved? Pastor:Being made sensible of his sin and his danger, a sinner will look forhelp and deliverance, but he will look everywhere else before he looks untoChrist.

9 Nothing will bring a sinner to Christ but absolute necessity. He will tryto forsake his sins. He will go to prayers, and sermons, and sacraments andsearch out if there be salvation in them. But all these, though they be usefulin their places, are of no help. His duties cannot help him; these may bereckoned among his sins. Ordinances cannot help; these are but emptycisterns. They all tell him, You knock at a wrong door; salvation is not inus. Do you now utterly despair of your own goodness, or do you trust inanything but Christ?

10 SUPPLICATIONC ongregation:Lord, be merciful to me. What shall I do?Abide as I am I dare not, and how to help myself I know praying will not help me. My hearing will not help me. If I give allmy goods to the poor, if I should give my body to be burned, all thiswould not save my soul. Woe is me. What shall I do?Pastor:You must let your sins go. You must let your righteousness go. Christcame not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. He came to seekand to save them that are , will you now adventure on Christ?