Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	earth_n	hand_n	heaven_n	12,835	5	5.1423	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34784	The Covenant with a narrative of the proceedings and solemn manner of taking it by the honourable House of Commons and reverent Assembly of Divines the 25th day of September, at Saint Margarets in Westminster : also two speeches delivered at the same time, the one by Mr. Philip Nye, the other by Mr. Alexander Hendersam.	Henderson, Alexander, 1583?-1646.; Nye, Philip, 1596?-1672.	1643 (1643)	Wing C6621; ESTC R3970	18,809	36

handling the word of righteousnesse and truths that are according to godlinesse as to make men more godly more righteous And if in the Churches of Scotland any more light and beauty in matters of Order and Discipline by which their Assemblies are more orderly Or if to any other Church or person it hath beene given better to have learned Christ in any of his wayes then any of us wee shall humbly bow and kisse their lips that can speak right words unto us in this matter and help us into the nearest uniformity with the word and minde of Christ in this great work of Reformation Honourable and Reverend Brethren there cannot be a more direct and effectuall way to exhort and perswade the wise and men of sad and serious spirits and such are you to whom I am commanded to speak this day then to let into their understandings the weight and worth and great importance of the work they are perswaded unto This Oath is such and in the matter and consequence of it of such concernment as I can truly say it is worthy of us yea of all these Kingdomes yea of all the Kingdoms of the World for it is swearing fealty and allegeance unto Christ the King of Kings and a giving up of all these Kingdomes which are his inheritance to be subdued more to his Throne and ruled more by his Scepter upon whose shoulders the government is laid and in the encrease of whose Government and peace there shall be no end Esa. 9. Yea we finde this very thing in the utmost accomplishment of it to have been the Oath of the greatest Angel that ever was who setting his feet upon two of Gods Kingdomes the one upon the Sea the other upon the Earth lifting up his hand to heaven as you are to doe this day and so swearing Rev. 10. The effect of that Oath you shall find to bethis that the kingdoms of the world become the kingdomes of the Lord and his Christ and he shall reigne for ever Rev. 11. His Oath was for the full and finall accomplishment this of yours for a graduall yet a great performance towards it That which the Apostles and Primitive times did so much and so long pray for though never long with much quietnesse enioyed that which our Fathers in these latter times have fasted prayed and mourned after yet attained not even the cause which many deare Saints now with God have furthered by extreamest sufferings poverty imprisonment banishment death even ever since the first dawning of Reformation That and the very same is the very cause and work that we are come now through the mercy of Jesus Christ not only to pray for but sweare to And surely it can be no other but the result and answer of such prayers and teares of such sincerity and sufferings that three Kingdoms should be thus born or rather new born in a day that these Kingdoms should be wrought about to so great an engagement then which nothing is higher for to this end Kings raign Kingdomes stand and States are upheld It is a speciall grace and favour of God unto you Brethren Reverend and Honourable to vouchsafe you the opportunity and to put into your hearts as this day to engage your lives and estates in matters so much concerning him and his glory And if you should doe no more but lay a foundation stone in this great work and by so doing engage posteritie after you to finish it it were honour enough But there may yet further use be made of you who now are to take this Oath you are designed as chiefe master Builders and choyce Instruments for the effecting of this settled Peace and Reformation which if the Lord shall please to finish in your hands a greater happinesse on earth nor a greater means to augment your glory and crown in heaven you are not capable of And this let me further adde for your encouragement of what extensive good and fruit in the successe of it this very Oath may prove to be wee know not God hath set his Covenant like the Heavens not onely for duration but like also for extension The Heavens move and roule about and so communicate their light and heat and vertue to all places and parts of the earth so doth the Covenant of God so may this gift be given to other Covenants that are framed to that pattern How much this solémn League and Oath may provoke other Reformed Churches to a further Reformation of themselves what light and heat it may communicate abroad to other parts of the world it is only in Him to define to whom is given the utmost ends of the earth for his inheritance and worketh by his exceeding great power great things out of as small beginnings But however this I am sure of it is a way in all probability most likely to enable us to preserve and defend our religion against our common enemies and possible a more sure foundation this day will be laid for ruining Popery and Prelacy the chiefe of them then as yet wee have been led unto in any age For Popery it hath beene a Religion ever dexterous in fencing and muniting it selfe by association and joynt strength all sorts of Professors amongst them are cast into Fraternities and Brother-hoods and these Orders carefully united by Vow one with another and under some more generall notion of common dependency Such States also and Kingdoms as they have thus made theirs they endeavour to improve and secure by strict combinations and leagues each to other witnesse of late yeares that La Sainte ligue the holy league It will not bee unworthy your consideration whether seeing the preservation of Popery hath beene by Leagues and Covenants God may not make a League or Covenant to be the destruction of it Nay the very rise of Popery seemeth to be after such a manner by Kings that is Kingdomes assenting and agreeing perhaps by some joynt Covenant the Text saith with one minde why not then with one mouth to give their power and strength unto the Beast and make war against the Lamb Rev. 17. where you read the Lamb shall overcome the Beast and possibly with the same weapons he is the Lord of Lords and King of Kings he can unite Kings and Kingdomes and give them one minde also to destroy the Whore and be her utter ruine And may not this dayes work be a happy beginning of such a blessed expedition Prelacie another common enemy that we Covenant and sweare against what hath it been or what hath the strength of it been but a subtile combination of Clergy-men formed into a policy or body of their own invention framing themselves into Subordination and Dependencie one upon another so that the interest of each is improved by all and a great power by this meanes acquired to themselves as by sad experience we have lately found The joynts and Members of this body you know were knit together by the sacred engagement of

them to this work as a work of a marvellous high nature and concernment This being ended Mr. Alexander Hendersam one of the Commissioners sent from the Assembly of the Church of Scotland being also desired thereunto made a Speech to the like purpose Then the Covenant was read notice being first given to the Assembly that after the hearing of it each person should immediately by swearing worship the great Name of God and testifie so much outwardly by lifting up their hands which was all done very solemnly and with so much joy seen in their countenances and manifested by clapping of their hands as was sutable to the gravity of such a worke and the sadnesse of the present times Both Assemblies having thus sworn with whom the Commissioners from Scotland joyned the Speaker with the Members of the House of Commons went up into the Chancell and there subscribed their names in a Roll of Parchment provided for that purpose in which this Covenant was fairly written and afterward the Prolocutor the Commissioners from Scotland and the Members of the Assembly of Divines did the like in another Roll which being finished the Name of God was again solemnly invocated and praises returned for vouchsafing this Church and Kingdome so happy and joyfull a day a Psalme was sung and then the Assembly dismissed An Exhortation made to the Honourable House of Commons and Reverend Divines of the Assembly by Mr. Nye before he read the Covenant A Great and solemn work Honourable and Reverend this day is put into our hands let us stir up and awaken our hearts unto it We deale with God as well as with men and with God in his greatnesse and excellencie for by him we sweare and at the same time we have to doe with God and his goodnesse who now reacheth out unto us a strong and seasonable arme of assistance The goodnesse of God procuring succour and help to a sinfull and afflicted people such are we ought to be matter of feare and trembling even to all that heare of it Ier. 33. 9. We are to exalt and acknowledge him this day who is fearefull in praises sweare by that Name which is holy and reverent enter into a Covenant and league that is never to bee forgotten by us nor our posterity and the fruit I hope of it shall be so great as both we and they shall have cause to remember it with joy and such an Oath as for matter persons and other circumstances the like hath not been in any age or Oath we read of in sacred or humane Stories yet sufficiently warranted in both The parties ingaging in this league are three Kingdoms famous for the knowledge and acknowledgement of Christ above all the Kingdoms in the world to swear before such a presence should mould the spirit of man into a great deale of reverence what then to be engaged to be incorporated and that by sacred Oath with such an high and Honourable Fraternity An Oath is to be esteemed so much the more solemn by how much greater the persons are that sweare each to other as in heaven when God sweares to his Son on earth when Kings sweare each to other so in this businesse where Kingdomes sweare mutually And as the solemnity of an Oath is to bee measured by the persons swearing so by the matter also that is to be sworne to God would not sweare to the Covenant of works he intended not to honour it so much it was not to continue it was not worthy of an Oath of his but to the Covenant of grace which is the Gospel he swears and repents not of it God sweares for the salvation of men and of Kingdoms And if Kingdoms sweare what subject of an Oath becommeth them better then the preservation and salvation of Kingdomes by establishing the Kingdome of a Saviour amongst them even our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who is a Mediator and Saviour for Nations as well as particular persons The end also is great and honourable as either of the former Two is better then one saith He who best knoweth what is best and from whom alone every thing hath the goodnesse it hath Association is of divine Off-spring not only the being of Creatures but the putting of them together the cluster as well as the grape is the work of God confort and harmony amongst men especially amongst Saints is very pleasing unto the Lord If when but two or three agree and assent upon any thing on earth it shall be confirmed in heaven and for this because they gather together in his name much more when two or three Kingdomes shall meet and consent together in his name and for his name that God may bee one and his name one amongst them and his presence amidst them That prayer of Christ seemeth to proceed from a feeling sense of his own blessednesse Father that they may be one as thou in me c. Unity amongst his Churches and Children must needs therefore be very acceptable unto him For out of the more deep sense desires are fetcht from within us the more pleasing will be the answer of them unto us Churches and Kingdomes are deare to God his patience towards them his compassions over them more then particular persons sheweth it plainly But Kingdoms willingly engaging themselves for his Kingdome his Christ his Saints the purity of Religion his worship and Government in all particulars and in all humility sitting down at his feet to receive the law and the rule from his mouth what a price doth hee set upon such Especially when as we this day sensible of our infirmity of an unfaithfull heart not steddy with our God but apt to start from the cause if we feele the knife or the fire who binde our selves with cords as a sacrifice to the hornes of the Altar We invocare the name of the great God that his vowes yea his curse may be upon us if we doe not this yea though we suffer for so doing that is if we endeavour not so farre as the Lord shall assist us by his grace to advance the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ here upon earth and make Jerusalem once more the praise of the whole world notwithstanding all the contradictions of men What is this but the contents and matter of our Oath What doe we covenant What doe we vow Is it not the preservation of Religion where it is reformed and the Reformation of Religion where it needs Is it not the Reformation of three Kingdomes and a Reformatiom universall Doctrine Discipline and Worship in whatsoever the Word shall discover unto us To practise is a fruit of love to reforme a fruit of zeale but so to reforme will be a token of great prudence and circumspection in each of these Churches And all this to be done according to Gods word the best Rule and according to the best reformed Churches the best interpreters of this Rule If England hath obtained to any greater perfection in so

from his Majesty without successe and the miseries of Ireland the distresses of England and the dangers and pressures of the Kingdom of Scotland growing to greater extremity such as were intrusted with the publike affaires of the Kingdom were necessitate according to the practise of former times his Majestie having denied a Parliament to call a Convention of the Estates for considering of the present affaires and for providing the best remedies which immediately upon their meeting by the speciall providence of God did receive information of divers treacherous attempts of Papists in all the three Kingdoms as if they had been called for that effect And by the same Providence Commissioners were sent from both Houses of Parliament to consider with the Estates of the Kingdom of Scotland of such Articles and Propositions as might make the conjunction betwixt the two Nations more beneficiall and effectuall for the securing of Religion Liberty against Papists Prelats with their Adherents Their Consultations with the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly did in the end bring forth this Covenant as the only meane after all other have beene assayed for the deliverance of England and Ireland out of the deeps of affliction preservation of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland from the extremity of misery and the safety of our native King and his Kingdoms from destruction and desolation This is the manifold necessity which Nature Religion Loyalty and Love hath laid upon them Nor is it unknown in this Honourable Reverend and wise Audience what errors and heresies in doctrine what Superstition and Idolatry in Worship what Usurpation and Tyranny in Government what cruelty against the soules and bodies of the Saints have been set on foot exercised and executed for many Generations and now of late by the Roman Church all which wee hope through the blessing of God upon this work shall be brought to an end Had the Pope at Rome the knowledge of what is doing this day in England and were this Covenant written on the Plaster of the Wall over against him where he sitteth Belshazzar-like in his Sacriligious pomp it would make his heart to tremble his countenance to change his head and Miter to shake his joynts to loose and all his Cardinals and Prelates to be astonied When the Reformed Churches which by their Letters have been exciting us to Christian Communion and Sympathy in this time of the danger of Religion and distresse of the Godly shall heare of this blessed conjunction for uniformity in Religion according to the Word of God and the defence thereof it shall quicken their hearts against the heavinesse of oppressing sorrows and feares and bee no other than a beginning of a Jubilee and joyfull deliverance unto them from the Antichristian yoke and tyranny Vpon these and the like considerations wee are very confident that the Church and Kingdom of Scotland will most cheerefully joyne in this Covenant at the first motion whereof their 〈◊〉 were moved within them And to give testimony of this our confidence we who are Commissioners from the Generall Assembly although we have no particular and expresse Commission for that ●nd not from ●a●t of willingnesse but of a fore-sight offer to joy● our hearts and hands unto it being a stored that the Lord in his own time will against all opposition even against the gates of Hell crown it with a blessing from Heaven The Word of God is for it as you have been 〈…〉 〈…〉 by the consent and testimonie of a Reverend Assembly ●● so many godly learned and grav 〈…〉 Divines In your own sense and experience you will finde that although while you are assaulted or exercised with worldly cares and fears your thoughts may somwhat trouble direct you yet at other times when upon seeking of God in private or publike as in the evening of a well spent Sabbath or day of Fast and Humiliation your disposition is more spirituall and leaving the world behinde you you have found accesse unto God through Jesus Christ the bent and inclinations of your hearts will be strongest to go through with this work It is a good testimony that our designes and wayes are agreeable to the will of God if we affect them most when our hearts are furthest from the world and our temper is most spirituall and heavenly and least carnall and earthly As the Word of God so the prayers of the people of God in all the Reformed Churches are for us and on our side It were more terrible then an Armie to heare that there were any servent supplications to God against us blasphemies curses and horrid imprecations there be proceeding from another spirit and that is all That Divine Providence also which hath maintained this Cause and supported his Servants in a marvellous manner unto this day and which this time past hath kept things in an equall ballance and vicissitude of successe will we trust from this day forth through the weight of this Covenant cast the ballance and make Religion and Righteousnesse to prevaile to the glory of God the honour of our King the confusion of our common Enemies and the comfort and safety of the people of God Which he grant who is able to doe above anything that we can ask or think FINIS