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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75711	Religious covenanting directed, and covenant-keeping perswaded: presented, in a sermon preached before the Right Honourable Thomas Adams Lord Major, and the right worshipfull the sheriffs, and aldermen his brethren, and the rest of the Common-Councel of the famous City of London, January 14. 1645. Upon which day the solemne League and Covenant was renewed by them and their officers, with prayer and fasting, at Michael Basing-shaw, London. / By Simeon Ash minister of the Gospel.	Ashe, Simeon, d. 1662.	1646 (1646)	Wing A3965; Thomason E327_5; ESTC R200647	18,380	27

Solomon brands the adulterous woman Prov. 2. 17 She forgetteth the Covenant of her God 3. Breach of Covenant brings Gods burning displeasure upon people This thought did awe Israel in reference to their rash League made with the Gibeonites Josh 9. 20. We will let them live lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we sware unto them 4. Gods anger in this kinde kindled may bring a consumption upon our hopes and comforts That Item which the Wise man gives in this case should be seriously minded Eccl. 5. 5 6. Better it is that thou shouldest not vow then that thou shouldest vow and not pay wherefore should God be angry at thy voice and destroy the worke of thine hands Never were greater works under hand for Church and Common-wealth in our dayes or the dayes of our fore-fathers then are in agitation amongst us at this day therefore let us take heed lest our unfaithfullnesse in our Covenant provoke the Lord to dash all our endeavours into pieces with the disappointment of all our golden hopes Gods curse is annexed unto his Covenant to enforce the keeping of it It is said Neh. 10. 29. They entered into a curse and into an oath to walke in the Law of God And the sword of cruell war is drawn by the hand of Divine justice to avenge the quarrel of the Covenant Lev. 26. 25. This sword of Civil war is eating mans flesh and drinking mans blood in this Kingdom at this day and how can we expect that the Almighty should command it to returne into its scabbard and to be quiet if we continue carelesse in keeping Covenant I professe beloved that I have often trembled to thinke upon that discovery of Gods severity in punishing Israel with three yeers famine in Davids time because Saul had broken the rash vow 2 Sam. 2 1. which the Elders of Israel had made long before with the Gibeonites For thus I reason If the violation of an unadvised oath with subtill sinfull men by the posterity of them who made it did bring a sore nationall judgement what then may we expect from the hand of God for contradicting both by words and deeds both by opinions and practices the solemn sacred League and Covenant which our selves have upon deliberation both made and renewed with man and God These are weighty considerations and worthy your often and serious thoughts unto which many more might be added but I forbear the enlarging of this subject because you have so fully been acquainted with this matter by my Reverend brother M. Calamy who hath largely to satisfaction set forth the exceeding great danger of truce-breaking from 2 Tim. 3. 1. Covenant-breaking makes the times perillous unfaithfullnesse in Covenant is a Land-destroying a Kingdom-devouring sin Now my beloved to summe up all my arguments If there be in your hearts 1. Either respect unto the sacred obligation of a solemn vow 2. Or unto the most High possessour of Heaven and earth 3. If you either prize the promises of his grace and desire to be partakers thereof through Christ 4. Or dread the discoveries of the wrath of the Almighty and would preserve your selves and your posterity your selves and the Kingdom from breaking blows of vengeance pay your vows unto the Lord your God These arguments I hope will not be sleighted by you God forbid that matters of so great so publike concernment should be disregarded by them who professe so much zeal and respect to God and to his cause unto the prosperity of this famous City and the wellfare both of Church and Common-wealth as you worthy Citizens have done and persevere to do Therefore I proceed in this service to set down some Scripture-rules to guide you in the Faithfull payment of your vows unto the Lord your God Pay your good vows universally Pay thy vows saith the Psalmist Rule 1. Psal 50. 14. All thy vows none excepted whatsoever you have vowed according to his word you must make good according to his command Thus much is open in the text vow and pay unto the Lord your God Take good King Josiah for a president for your paterne in this particular of whom it is thus said upon his covenanting with God 2 Chron. 34. 33. And Josiah took away all the abominations out of all the countries which pertained to the children of Israel and made all that were present in Israel to swear even to serve the Lord their God You see that he spares nothing no where within the reach of his authority which might be displeasing unto his God or destructive to his people I pray you peruse the particulars to be opposed by vertue of your Covenant Popery Prelacy Profanenesse Schisme Heresie and do not dare to indulge any abomination which you have vowed to oppose Take heed that no sinfull biasse of near relations or any self-advantages take you off from your faithfullnesse in this kinde The Holy Ghost makes this a character of an heir of Heaven Psal 15. 4. He sweares and keeps it though to his own hinderance Therefore let not fear of losing a customer a friend an office a good bargain or any other outward advantage hinder you in keeping your Covenant I will not further enlarge this head which I leave to your thoughts but will conclude the rule with reading the practice of King Asa in the pursuance of his Covenant 2 Chron. 15. 16. And also concerning Maachah the mother of Asa the King he removed her from being Queen because she had made an Idol in a grove And Asa cut down her Idol and stamped it and burnt it at the brook Kidron There are Idols of mens heads and of mens hands there are Idol-opinions and Idol-practices to be opposed by vertue of our Covenant and you must beware lest through respect of persons you prove partiall and unfaithfull When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God thou shalt not be slack to pay it Deut. 23. 21. And thou shalt not defer to Rule 2. pay it Eccles 5. 4. I might here speak much to perswade the speedy paiment of our vows hereby your comfort will be increased and the publike worke of reformation quickned and expedited your acts will be exemplary and of common influence both thorow the City and the whole Kingdom How many thousands enquire what is done in London against Popery Profanenesse Schisme and Heresie in the pursuance of their solemn League and Covenant The seasonablenesse of an action betters it doubles it Bis dat qui citò dat and I may truly say in the case under hand Bis facit qui citò facit ply the work of reformation now it is upon the wheels and you may do much worke in a little time principium est dimidium totius gain-say growing evils tread upon the Cockatrice in the shell oppose those opinions and practices in the bud in the birth which if suffered to grow to live longer will threaten the peace both of Church and

them to hear prayers and to performe promises for their preservation and welfare in every kinde who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God in all things that we call upon him for Deu. 4. 7. Thirdly the call unto this imployment I shall note under a five fold providence from the Lord. 1. Sinfull defections from God that by means of religious vowing his backsliding people might be recovered Our fathers have trespassed and done that which is evil in the eyes of the Lord our God and have forsaken him and have turned away their face from the habitation of the Lord and turned their backs Also they have shut up the doors of the porch and put out the lamps and have not burnt incense nor offered burnt offerings in the holy place unto the God of Israel Now it is in my heart saith Hezekiah to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel 2 Chron. 29. 6 7 10. Thus likewise the people of God resolved in the dayes of Ezra We have trespassed against our God c. Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God Ezra 10. 2 3. 2. Sad discoveries of divine displeasure that by holy covenanting present judgements might be removed and future evils prevented The wrath of the Lord was upon Judah and Jerusalem and he hath delivered them to trouble to astonishment and to hissing as ye see with your eyes For lo our fathers have fallen by the sword and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this Now it is in mine heart saith Hezekiah to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel that his fierce wrath may turne away from us 2 Chron. 29. 8 9 10. 3. Famous experiences of Gods goodnesse that by the right use of religions vows his Majesty may be praised and his providences improved The exhortation in the Text was grounded upon some such occasion as many verses in the Psalme declare The stout-hearted are spoiled they have slept their sleep and none of the men of might have found their hands ver 5. At thy rebuke O God of Jacob both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead-sleep ver 6. When God arose in judgement to save all the meek of the earth ver 8. Hence follows vow and pay c. Interpreters judge that this Psalm was penned upon Ashurs overthrow whereupon many brought gifts unto the Lord unto Jerusalam 2 Chron. 32. 23. according to the advice given in the words immediatly following the Text Bring presents unto him that ought to be feared 4. Defective improvements if any improvements at all of Gods favourable administrations that by foederall engagements his people might be bettered These are the words of the covenant which the Lord commanded Moses c. Ye have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes even in the land of Egypt c. The great temptations and those great miracles yet the Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day Deut. 29. 1 2 3 4. This is propounded as one ground of the Covenant renewed whereof we reade in the following verses 5. Apparent danger of seduction and departure from God In this regard Gods servants have afresh obliged themselves to his Majesty for their own establishment and preservation Ye stand this day before the Lord to enter into covenant with the Lord thy God lest there should be amongst you any whose heart turneth away from the Lord Deut. 29. 10 12 18. V se 1 The application of this point followeth which serves in the first place to informe you of your call to covenant-renewing the intended service of this day For give me leave to appeal unto your consciences Right Honourable right Worshipfull and much respected Citizens whether all the five fore-mentioned particulars do not fully reach you and take hold upon you both in respect of Gods dealings with you and your miscarriages towards him since you at first took the solemne League and Covenant And here I shall make bold to propound unto you some short interrogatories under the five fore-mentioned heads to which I wish your hearts may returne answers as in the presence of the All-knowing God First Are you not guilty of sinfull declinings in a great degree from your former engagements unto the Lord Have you not lost your first love Have not the matters of Gods house been much sleighted and neglected Hath not your care to preserve the truth of Religion from corruption been much abated Have you not connived at the spreading of pernicious errours in this City Hath not your zeal against schisme and sinfull separations from our Church Assemblies been very much cooled Is not your love towards our Brethren of Scotland in a great measure lessened Have not your vigorous endeavours to promote the setling of Christs government in our Congregations been wofully diminished And have you not been lamentably wanting in labouring the thorow reformation of your selves and families Which of you hath striven to exceed to excell others in advancing the power of godlinesse in your conversation Doubtlesse these and such like backslidings from former engagements may well warrant your Covenant-renewing with your God Secondly None of you can be ignorant of the manifold manifest discoveries of Gods heavy displeasure against this poor trembling Kingdom Hath not the Lord delivered us up unto trouble and astonishment by his severe administrations How many thousands have fallen by the sword of cruell war What wofull desolations are made in many Towns yea Counties in this Kingdom by the prevailing pitilesse enemies And should not we read Gods wrath against our selves in the abundance of blood which hath been shed and the unhappy spoils which have been made in Scotland and Ireland Besides all this I pray you consider whether these things do not proclaim and speak alowd Gods anger Our long looked for reformation in matters of Religion is still deferred our hopes of the much-needed and much-desired Discipline of Jesus Christ are still disappointed the miserable rents and divisions in families Congregations Cities and Counties by reason of different yea contrary opinions and practices in wayes of Religion are wonderfully increased And have we not in these regards reason to renew our Covenant that the wrath of the Lord may be turned from us Thirdly God hath often remembred us in our low estate because his mercy endureth for ever Who can recount Gods many marvellous works for our safety and comfort Have not our deliverances been wonderfull and many of our victories little lesse then miraculous How often hath the subtiil enemy been infatuated the strong enemy weakned and great Armies broken by a little strength I shall not need here to minde you of the many wonders which Gods Almighty hand hath wrought for us both in the Northerne and Westerne parts And as for this City how admirably and unexpectedly hath it been preserved and provided for in every kinde by the Lord

spirit of self-deniall and prayer is in your hearts when you take the Covenant the more hope there will be of your keeping it afterwards 5. Come to the Covenant conscientiously Be not acted only by the appointments expectations or practices of men in this particular Let not this be the alone motive upon your spirits Covenant-renewing is ordered by the Court of Common-Councel But rather reason thus The manifold providences of God before specified do call unto this service and therefore we will undertake it If you respect not God in the worke you shall lose both accept 6. Covenant fiducially If your spirits act sincerely according to the fore-named directions then be you confident that the consequence of this dayes service will be comfortable Although your weaknesses are many and great yet if your hearts be herein found upright with God you may hopefully perswade your selves that the Lord will so far regard his own ordinance and have respect unto the mediation of Christ the Messenger the Mediatour of the new-Covenant that your worke shall be crowned with good successe You heard before that Enemy-conquering providences made way unto the exhortation in the Text Vow and pay unto the Lord your God And I conceive that the verse following is considerable being the language of faith He shall cut off the spirit of Princes he is terrible to the Kings of the earth The most potent adversaries of the Church shall be brought down by holy Covenant-making and Covenant-keeping with God Now this lets me into the consideration of my next Doctrine Doctr. That vows made must be paid unto the Lord our God Although a vow must not be made a bond of iniquity and therefore unlawfull vows rather call for repentance then performance as Davids rash revengefull resolution against churlish Nabal Yet such Covenants as we make according to Gods will we must make good in conscience to his commandment Pay that which thou hast vowed saith Solomon Better it is that thou shouldest not vow then that thou shouldest vow and not pay it Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin Eccles 5. 4 5. The Scribes and Pharisees were but sleighty superficiall Expositours of Gods Law yet they were wont thus to publish Gods command Thou shalt not forswear thy self but shalt performe unto the Lord thine oaths Mat. 5. 33. In the prosecution of this plain profitable seasonable and necessary point I shall faithfully endeavour three things 1. To perswade this duty by arguments 2. To guide this practice by rules 3. To promote your obedience herein by some short directions The motives whereby we may be induced to make good our honest and holy vows shall be cast under severall heads that my Motives progresse in them may be the more easie and edifying 1. From the nature of a vow in generall and from sundry circumstances considerable in our Covenant particularly In generall 1. All vows are sacred obligations upon our consciences If any saith Moses vow a vow unto the Lord or swear an oath to binde his soul with a bond Numb 30. 2. c. In this respect the holy Psalmist resolved upon this duty Psal 56. 12. Thy vows are upon me O Lord I will render praises And doubtlesse every gracious heart will be sensible of this great spirituall engagement 2. By means of vows we become Gods debtors Hence it is that the Text calls for payment Vow and pay I here remember the speech of the Prophet unto the poor widow 2 King 4. 7. Go sell thine oyl and pay the debt And the Holy Ghost gives in this as a note of a wicked man Psal 37. 21. He borroweth and payeth not again You Merchants who have great dealings in the world would you not be ashamed to appear upon the Exchange if you were not carefull to pay your debts unto men Therefore vow and pay unto the Lord your God More particularly there are sundry weighty circumstances considerable in regard of our solemn League and Covenant which may worke our hearts unto serious resolutions to keep it 1. The materials of our Covenant are lawfull and justifiable we vow to endeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy Superstition Heresie schisme profanenesse and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound doctrine and the power of godlinesse And have we not good reason thus to do For have not these things much endangered the welfare both of this Church and Common-wealth already and will not the indulging of such matters prove destructive both to our publike hopes and comforts We vow sincerely really constantly through the grace of God to endeavour the reformation of Religion in Doctrine worship Discipline and Government according to the word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches I shall not need to specifie our engagements to defend the Kings person and authority in the preservation of the true Religion to preserve the priviledges of Parliament as also to continue a firme peace and union between the Kingdoms of England and Scotland These and other things expressed in the Covenant are by you Covenanters accounted just and equall I remember Davids resolution Psal 119. 106. I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgements And if we judge the materials of our Covenant righteous we should in that regard lay the greater charge upon our consciences to keep it 2. Our vows are deliberate The nature of this ordinance hath been unfolded the severall Articles in the Covenant have been considered of and therefore the rather to be observed Rash vows binde conscience if the keeping of them prove only in inexpediencies prejudiciall to our selves and contradict not any of Gods ever-binding laws Therefore Solomon calling for the payment of vows tells people that they must not thinke to put off that obligation by saying It was an errour Eccl. 5. an inconsiderate oversight And we all know that when Israel was bound to the Gibeonites by an oath through a mistake being over-reached by a cheat All the Princes said to all the Congregation We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel now therefore we may not touch them Josh 9. 19. How then shall we be excused if our premiditated vows be not performed 3. We have vowed before many witnesses Men who stand much upon their credit and reputation in the world will be taken with this argument When King Herod was caught in a snare by his heady vow and being troubled because the dancing Damsell demanded the head of John the Baptist it is said Neverthelesse for the oath sake and them which sate with him at meat he commanded it to be given her Mat. 14. 9. Consider how many have seen you lift up your hands unto the most High possessour of Heaven and earth in holy Covenanting Remember how many thousands know that the vows of God are upon you and be you hereby prevailed with to keep touch with him 4. Hereto I might add the consideration both of the

multitude of all rankes qualities callings in this Kingdom in Scotland Parliament-men Souldiers Citizens Divines c. who are herein mutually engaged with us I might also minde you of the often reiterations and renewings of your vows and Covenants Doubtlesse these things will not be sleighted by them who are ingenuous but I may not insist upon them having divers other heads of arguments to speak unto The second sort of arguments to perswade Covenant-keeping shall be taken from our God the only true and blessed God unto whom our vows oblige us And under this head these particulars are considerable 1. His Majesty takes exact notice of all such engagements together with all the circumstances of time place companies occasions c. which belong thereto O God thou hast heard my vows saith David Psal 61. 5. 2. His Highnesse well remembers these obligations The Lord rounds Jacob in the ear with this Memento I am the God of Bethel where thou anointest the pillar and where thou vowest a vow unto me Gen. 31. 13. 3. He calls for paiment he will not be taken off from demanding his debt in this kinde When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God thou shalt not be slack to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee Deut. 23. 21. 4. He is the most High possessour and commander of Heaven and earth The Psalmist layes strength upon this consideration Psal 50. 14. Pay thy vows unto the most High And this thought was prevailing upon the hearts of Jephihah and his daughter in a case very difficult in a course very crosse to the stream and strength of naturall affection you all know his vow therefore I shall not need to name it but marke I pray you the expressions both of the father and of his childe Judg. 11. 35 36. I have opened my mouth saith Jephthah unto Jehovah and I cannot go back And she said to him My father if thou hast opened thy mouth unto Jehovah do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth 5. He is a most faithfull Covenant-keeping God He is God the faithfull God which keepeth Covenant and mercy Deut. 7. 9. Although meer mercy move his Majesty to make Covenant yet will he make it good How much more should we keep our holy Covenants which both duty and necessity call us to renew 6. Although our well-doing doth not cannot reach the Lord with advantage yet his Highnesse will account himself honoured by our faithfullnesse in Covenant Hence it is that these two duties are conjoyned in the Scripture Offer to God thankesgiving and pay thy vows unto the most High Psal 50. 14. And Psal 65. 1. Praise waiteth for thee O God in Sion and unto thee shall the vow be performed Consider I pray you Do we not owe God praise Do we not pray Hallowed be thy Name Will it not be our Honours to set the Crown on his head Therefore let us all resolve to performe our vows unto the Lord our God The third head of arguments follows to be considered and it is drawn from the various precious benefits to be received by conscientious Motive 3. Covenant-keeping with the Lord our God 1. Care in this kinde will evidence our effectuall conversion to God The Prophet Isaiah foretelling the calling of the Gentiles speaketh thus The Lord shall be known to Egypt and the Egyptians shall know the Lord in that day and shall do sacrifice and oblation yea they shall vow a vow unto the Lord and performe it Isa 19. 21. 2. Good Covenant-keepers lye very near unto the Lords warme heart he loves them dearly If ye will obey my voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people Exod. 19. 5. Covenant-keepers are Gods jewels and all other persons are accounted as the lumber of the world in comparison of them Men will adventure much to ingratiate themselves with great ones and shall not we pay our vows that we may enjoy the favour the estimation of God whose loving kindnes is better then life 3. Hence issueth hope to prevaile with the Lord by our prayers The Psalmist having said Psal 65. 1. Vnto thee O God shall the vow be performed he adds immediatly O thou that hearest prayers And so soon as this counsell was given Psal 50. 14. Pay thy vows unto the most High in the next verse this follows by way of connexion And call upon me in the day of trouble I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me As you desire the audience of your prayers make you conscience to pay your vows 4. The sanctification of all our concernments is a rich priviledge appertaining unto honest Covenant-keepers All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto them who keep his Covenant Psal 25. 10. Gods sweet mercy in the performance of his promises runs throug the veins of all his providences for the good of them who in reference to Covenant keep touch with him And who knows fully the worth of this one prerogative therefore as you desire a share herein make conscience to pay your vows unto the Lord your God 5. What need I descend unto any more particulars seeing all the precious promises of the Covenant of Gospel-grace are assured upon them who are faithfull in Covenant with God The Psalmist having moved this question Psal 24. 3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place part of his answer is this He that hath not sworn deceitfully he shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousnesse from the God of his salvation Therefore be prevailed with through holy selfe-love and desires of blessednesse to pay your vows unto the Lord your God 6. And yet once more give me leave to presse this argument ab utili upon the hearts of you who are affectionate parents I know your bowels earn towards your children and you desire their good as your own comfort now be you well assured that you can take no course which will be more probable to entaile Gods blessing upon your posterity then this of conscientious Covenant-keeping with God How admirable and desirable is that promise in Psal 103. 17 18. The mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him and his righteousnesse unto childrens children to such as keep his covenant These benefits of Covenant-keeping I leave in your bosomes desiring that through the blessing of God they may do you good I might here mention a further motive to perswade the paiment Motive 4. of vows from the sad consequences of falsenesse and unfaithfullnesse in this kinde 1. The Psalmist gives in this as a character of a wicked man Psal 55. 20. He hath broken or profaned his Covenant 2. All the sins of men are greatly aggravated by this circumstance that they are not only transgressions of Gods Law but violations of their own vows Thus