that the work shall go on and prosper yea prosper gloriously it having a stronger foundation to support it then Heaven and Earth for they are upheld but by a word of power but this work which is called Hob. 3 1. the New-Heavens and the New-Earth is uphold by a word of promise For We according to his promise look for New-Heavens 2 Pet. 3.15 and a new-New-Earth wherein dwels righteousnesse I say by a word of prophesie and promise which it seems is stronger then God himself for his word binds him so that he can as soon deny himself as deny his promise There shall be therefore an undoubted accomplishment of these things which are told us from the Lord Luk. 1.45 God will finde or make a people who shall worship him in this holy Ordinance and upon whom he will make good all the mercy and trueth all the peace and salvation which is bound up in it Onely therefore let me Caution and beseech you not to be wanting to your selves and your own happinesse * Acts 13. Judge not your selves unworthy of such a priviledge nor * Luke 7 3â— reject the Counsell of God against your own souls sin not against your own mercies by withdrawing your selves from this service or rebelling against it God will exclude none that do not exclude themselves Yea further This seems to speak an Argument of Hope That the calling of the Jews and the fulnesse of the Gentiles is not farre behinde in as much as God begins now to poure out this promise in the Text upon the Churches in a more eminent manner then ever we or our fathers saw it in a Gospel sence And surely Gospel performance must make way for that full and universall accomplishment thereof which shall unite Israel and Judah Jew and Gentile in one perpetuall Covenant unto the Lord that shall never be forgotten The Gospel Day is nothing else but the dawning of that great universall Day in the Text wherein God will make one glorious Church of Jew and Gentile The Day-starre whereof is now risen in our Horizon So that I am humbly confident That the same shores shall not bound this Covenant which bound the two now-Covenanting Nations but as it is said of the Gospel so it will be verified of this Gospel Covenant The sound thereof will go into all the Earth Rom. 10.18 and the words of it to the ends of the world There is a spirit of Prophesie that doth animate this Covenant Psal 14.15 which will make it swift and active swift to run His word runs very swiftly and active to work deliverance and safety not onely to these two Kingdoms but to all other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the yoak of Antichristian Tyranny whom God shall perswade to joyn in the same or like Association and Covenant So that me thinks all that travell with the Psalmists desire of seeing the good of Gods chosen Psal 106.5 and rejoycing in the gladnesse of his nation and glorying with his Inheritance Will certainly rejoyce in this day and in the goodnesse of GOD which hath crowned it with the accomplishment of such a pretious promise as hear lies before us While none can withdraw from muchlesse oppose this service but such as bear evill will to Sion and would be unwilling to see the ruine and downfall of Antichrist which this blessed Covenant doth so evidently threaten Fourthly Fourth Motivâ— The example of the Churches of God and This hath been the practice of all the Churches of God before and since Christ after their Apostacies and Captivities for those Apostacies and recoveries out of these Captivities The first thing they did was to cement themselves to God by a more close entire and solemn Covenant then ever Nehemiah Ezra Hezckiah Jeremiah Josiah will all bring in clâ—er evidences to witnesse this practice This latter Churches have learned of them Germany France Scotland c. But what shall I need to mention the Churches when as the God of the Churches took this course himself who when he pleases to become the God of any people or person it is by Covenant as with Abraham Gen 17.2 Behold I make a Covenant with thee and what ever mercies he bestows upon them it is by Covenant all the blessings of Gods people are Covenant-blessings to wicked men God gives with his left hand out of the Basket of common providence but to his Saints he dispenceth with his right hand out of the Ark of the Covenant Isa 55.3 I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Yea which is yet more to our purpose When the first Covenant proved not but miscarried not by any fault that was in the Covenant-Maker no nor simply in the Covenant it self Of the God of the Churches for if man could have kept it it would have given him life I say when it was broken God makes a new Covenant with his People Not according to the Covenant which I made with their Fathers which my Covenant they brake c. Jer. 31.31 Heb. 8 8. But this shall be the Covenant c. I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People c. Because they could not keep the first Covenant God made a second that should keep them Oh that while we are making a Covenant with our God he would please to make such a Covenant with us so would it be indeed a perpetuall Covenant that should not be forgotten Well you see we have a Covenanting God a Covenant Making God and a Covenant renewing God be we followers of God as dear children Let us be a Covenanting people a Covenant making a Covenant renewing people and as our God finding sault with the first Heb. 8.8 Let us make a new Covenant â—â—â—n a perpetuall Covenant that shall never be forgotten A fifth Motive to quicken us to this duty Fâ—th Moâ—â— The practiâ—â—â—f the Pope and Preletes may be even the practice of the Antichristian State and Kingdom Popery hath been dexterous to propagate and spread it self by this means What else have been all their Fraternities and Brother-hoods and Societies but so many Associations and combinations politique compacted and obliged by Oaths and Covenants for the advancing of the Catholike Cause whereby Nations and Kingdoms have been subdued to the obedience of the Roman Miter And Prelacy that Whâ—lp hath learned this polisieof its mother Papacy that Lionesse to corroborate and raise it self to that height we have seen and suffered by these Artifices while by close Combinations among themselves and swearing to their oâ—edience all the Inferiour Priesthood and Church Officers by Ordination-Engagements and Oaths of Canonicall Obedience c. A few have been able to impose their own Laws and Canons upon an whole Kingdom yea upon three Kingdoms it being an inconsiderable company either
25. I will send the pestilence among you and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy Vers 26. I will break the staff of your bread c. And yee shall eat and not be satisfied And upon the persisting in this sinne Behold seven times more evills pursuing of them Vers 29. You shall eat the flesh of your sonnes and the flesh of your daughters shall yee cat Vers 30. I will cast your Carcasses upon the Carcasses of your Idols and my soul shall abhorre you Vers 31. I will make your Cities wast and bring your Sanctuaries unto desolation c. Vers 32. I will bring the Land into desolation Vers 33. I will scatter you among the Heathen and will draw out a sword after you c. Isa 30.18 My Brethren God is a God of Judgement and doth all his works in weight and measure Nehemiah acknowledged it in his confession Nehem. 9.33 Howbeit thou art just in all that is come upon us for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly Yea holy Ezra hath a strain higher then this in his confession Ezra 9 13. Our God hath punished us lesse then our iniquities do deserve Behold these great and fearfull judgements and curses pursuing this sin of Covenant-violation and yet so farre from exceeding that they fall short of the merit of it Our God hath punished us lesse then our sins deserved Of what a high nature think ye is this quarrell when so many tall judgements like so many Anakims though standing upon the Shoulder one of another cannot reach it Fourthly 4 4 The care of Gods people after their recovery to make up this breach It may appear from hence in as much as alwayes upon the recovery and deliverance of the people of God from their Captivity and other Judgements you shall finde their Governours and Prophets Sollicitous and active in the first place to attone God by taking up this quarrell and controversie between him and his people as in all the former Instances of Eâ—ra Nehemiah and Daniel they knew that as long as this breach lay open there was no safety floods of wrath and vengeance might break in upon them at unaware and therefore they labour in the first place to repair this breach giving us thereby to understand That Violation of Covenant is a quarrell of such an high nature as there is no safe sleeping under it no not for a night Fifthly God accounts it his honor to keep his Covenant Among all the excellencies and perfections that are in God God seems to take high delight and contentment in this and therefore doth often delight and admire himself for it Deut. 7.9 The Lord thy God he is God the faithfull God which keepeth Covenant and Mercy Psal 89 28. My Covenant shall standfast Vers 34. My Cevenant will I not break c. And as he gloriâ—s in it himself for he calleth upon his people to glorifie him in this his Excellency Jerem. 9.24 Let him that glory thâ—glory in this That he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindenesse judgement and righteousnesse in the earth The righteousnesse of God is especially seen in keeping Covenant with his people and in this he calls them to glory And so they do It is one of the high and glorious titles that Daniel ascribes to God in his Prayers Dan. 9.4 O Lord the great and dreadfull God keeping Covenant and Mercy c. Psal 105 8. He hath remembred his Covenant for ever Psal 111 5. He will ever be mindfull of his Covenant It is the Name for which he is so dreadfull in his praises Vers 9. He hath commanded hâ—s Covenant for ever holy and reverend is his Name Now surely That Excellency which God doth so admire and magnifie in himself the contrary thereof his soul doth most of all hate or abhorre in a people or person we see it in our own experience That vice we most of all hate in our children or servants the contrary vertue whereof doth most of all please and delight us in our selves Sixthly and Lastly God accâ—unts this an high favour to bring his people into Covenant with him for 1. It is a promise 2 It is established by an Oath God speaks of bringing his people into Covenant with him as one of the highest Prerogatives and choicest priviledges he can honour them withall to that purpose you may observe 1. That it stands in the midst of a Catalogue of promises Eâ—â—k 20.37 I will bring you into the Bond of the Covenant And you know with what titles of honour the Apostle hath enabled the promises Exceeding great and precious promises 2. That it fals under the Sanction not of a promise onely but of an oath also Isai 45.23 I have sworne by my self the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousnesse and shall not return That unto me every knee shall bow and every tongue shall swear An oath it is the Seal of the Covenant and this honour God hath challenged to himself by an irrevecable Oath I have sworne c. That to me every tongue shall swear Now as it was the honour of the Priesthood of Christ above the Priests under the Law That whereas they were made Priests by the word onely of command Christ was made a Priest by the word of Oath by him that said unto him Heb. 7.21 The Lord sware and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck So it is the high honour and dignity of this duty and prerogative of the people of God That whereas others are conferred upon them onely by the word of promise This is established by the word of Oath by him that said I have swerne by my self that to me every tongue shall swear And by this you may take the measure of this sin since by how much the more high and glorious the service and priviledge is of so much the more vile and hatefull an aggravation must the prophanation of it needs be And this last demonstration may serve in generall as a bottome and foundation of the next account I am to make scil The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Crounds and Reasons of the Doctrine Of the truth in hand which is The third thing I undertook Namely The Grounds and Reasons of the Doctrine how it comes to passe That Covenant-violation is a matter of so High a quarrell between God and his People The first whereof is taken from the nature of such a Covenant 1 1. The Nature of a Covenant A divine Ordinance Deut 6.13 Chap. 10.20 as is here spoken of First That it is an Ordinance of God a part of Divine worship having the stamp and impression of divine authority upon it Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God him shalt thou serve and to him shalt thou clâ—ave and swear by his Name From which Scriptures it appears not onely to be an Ordinance of Gods appointing but one
a monstrous nature namely perjury which is a blasphemy against the Truth of God and against the God of Truth while His Sacred Name is sworne by and himself cald in to witnesse to a Lye and so that sin or sins which in reference to the Law of God is disobedience in reference to love of God inviting pardoning healing is rebellion in reference to our promise is treachery is now at last in reference to the Oath aggravated into perjury and blasphemy This is much but this is not all Reason 4 Consider the Parties entring this Oath and you will finde a fourth and yet a strong ground and reason The parties swearing why Covenant-violation is so high a quarrell The parties striking this Covenant which are God and his People and this doth exceedingly aggravate the sin since by how much the parties interested in the Covenant are more high and honourable by so much the more solemne and venerable is a Covenant esteemed So Covenants entred into between Kings and Kings and between Kingdoms Kingdoms are accounted more solemn and sacred then those that are past between private persons What is it then think ye when a Kingdom yea Kingdoms on one side and the great Almighty God on the other side swear mutually one to another And the more Sacred the Covenant the more prophane the Violation Oh for a People to swear not onely By God but to God and yet dally or prevaricate this must needs be a mockery of an high provocation If God so threaten the breach of Oaths wherein he was but witnesse how impatient will he be of those forseitures wherein he is both Witnesse and Partie A People or Person swearing By God to God Reas 5 And yet once more consider the End of a Covenant between God and a People 1 1. End of a Covenant and you will see more matter of provocation in the prophanation of it Now the end is twofold Primarie or Essentiall Secondarie or Consequentiall The Primarie or Essentiall End is to knita sure indissoluble knot Jer 50.5 between God and his people Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant c. Let us joyn A Covenant is the joyning Ordinance the Marriage knot as it were wherein God and a People are made one for as in Marriage 1 Cor 6.16 17. two saith he shall be one flesh so in a Covenant he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit Those be high and glorious expressions which our Saviour useth in that heavenly Prayer John 17.21 22 23. That they may be all one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us That the world may know that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them That they may be one even as we are one I in thee and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one All one and one in us and one as we are one and made perfect in one These be expressions and priviledges of unspeakable worth and excellency and these are the fruits of a Covenant rightly struck between God and a People when both sides do it with all their heart and with all their soul as God himself renders it more then once or twice in Scripture I will be their God and they shall be my People Jere. â—4 7 c. 31 33. c. 30.22 c. 32.38 i. e. I will be to them what they can expect from a God and they shall be to me what I expect from a People All I am and have shall be for their good And all they are or have shall be for my glory and so the Spouse triumphs Cant. 2.15 chap. 6.3 I am my Beloveds and my Beloved is mine This is the first and main end of a Covenant 2 2. End And the second is like unto it which is to put an end to all strife Heb. 6.16 An Oath for confirmation is an end of all strife i. e. If here be any doubts or haesitations or diffidence on either side an Oath by the swearing party is or should be the removeall of that doubt or distrust whatsoever It should I say be so managed and entertained as that it should put the matter out of question to make all sure Whether it be in matters of fact de praeterito for the time past or engagements de futuro for the time to come so it is between God and man Man swears to God to secure God as it were that there shall â—e no more tergiversations or treacherous dealings as in times past Let us joyn in a perpetuall Covenant that shall never be forgotten q. d. Other Covenants have been forgotten this shall never we will backslide no more break Covenant no more or rather a People or Person swear to God to secure themselves against themselves to prevent and shut the dore against all future sollicitations importunities and Temptations whatsoever That when any of their old Lovers should come and bespeck their affections they may be able to put them all by that there might be no possibility of yeelding or hearkning to the voyce of this Charmer charm he never so wisely while the soul may answer them all as sometime Jepthah did his daughter though with more warrant and lesse trouble of minde Judg. 11.35 I have opened my mouth to the Lord and I cannot go back And with David Psal 119.106 I have sworn and will performe it I will be as good as my word though I die for it That I will keep thy righteous judgements And again Thy vows are upon me O God I will render praise unto thee I am not mine own to dispose of I have given my heart and my loves and my self unto another and I do not repent of what I have done if it were to do again I would do it and were I worth a thousand times more then I am he to whom I have sworn should have it all And so on the other side God swears to his People That â—s I may so say he may leave himself no possibility of recanting or recalling his word Heb. 6.13 Vers 16. if he had a minde to it The Apâ—stles expression hints such a kinde of supposition God when he could swear by no greater swore by himself Why That by two immutable things sc His Word and his Oath in which it was impossible for God to lye Impossible for him to lye A very strange expression As if God would lock up himself under an Oath from all possibility of lying or recalling the word out of his mouth he would not trust himselfe as if the Apostle should say with making a bare promise but claps an oath upon it also that so if be would yet he could not go back This seems to be implyed in this expression out the truth is though we need such bolts and locks to keep us from starting God doth not he hath as much and more mind to
evasions and limitations and reservations such a Jesuiticall spirit is got in among us by which means it comes to passe that by that time men have pared off and left one and put what interpretations they frame to themselves there is little left worth the name of a Covenant 3. In the third place How many prophane this Ordinance by setting up base and earthly and carnall ends and aymes to themselves How many come to this Ordinance with Shechemitish spirits Shall not their Cattle and their substance and every Beast of theirs be ours If I take it not saith the Malignant Citizen I shall have my Wares plundered If I take it not faith the Malignant Gentleman I shall have my Estate seized If I take it not saith the Malignant Parson I shall have my Living sequestred and my person it may be cast into Limbo Patrum c. To such base and dunghill respects do men of vile spirits prostitute this pure and heavenly Ordinance 4. But lastly Have we not all conspired together as it were Unsaithfulnesse in keeping Covenant from the highest to the lowest from the greatest to the least to break the Covenant of our God How may God and his Ministers renew all those complaints over England that were formerly poured out over Israâ—l Psal 78.10 They have forsaken thy Covenant Vers 37. They kept not the Covenant of their God they were not steafast in his Covenant Vers 57. They turned back and dealt unfaithfully they were turned aside like a deceitfull bow Alas what have we done with all the Covenants we have made with God Our Baptismall Vows renewed perhaps Monâ—thly at the Lords Table our sick Beds engagements Parliament Pretistations and Covenants with those often Monethly Wâ—ckly almost daily repititions of Covenants in the dayes of Humiliations and Thankesgivings what is become of them all Have we not dealt with them in some such like manner as Moses dealt with the two Tables who went up into the Mountain to receive them from God but as soon as he came down to the bottome threw them out of his hands and brake them So have we done for all the world we have gone up into the Mountain of the House of the Lord so is the place of publike worship called to make and renew our solemn Vows and Covenants Isai 2.3 which we have Sealed under an Oath and a Curse before and with the most high God but no sooner all most have we come down into the Valley of our ordinary walking and conversation but we have thrown them out of our hands and broken them all to peeces Vow Reformation to day and within a few dayes be drunk again and swear again and be unclean again and worldly and wantoâ— and seâ—ure again as toose vain unsavoury and unsensible of pul like sin and misery as ever Swear our Estates to day and perhaps deny at wentieth part of them to morrow Worth thousands and deny to lend an hundred a sâ—orâ— c. Swear to live and dye with the Parliament and the Caus to day and spâ—ak against both to morrow Swear to assist thâ—m to day against all Opposers and Malignants and it may be within a few dayes after assist Opposers and Malignants against them Help them off with their Taxations though never so indifferent and easie Couâ—â—y conc â—â—l their Goods and Treasurâ— though never so justly forfeited to the State Get their Mon yes Arms Horses Provisions restored though never so lawfully seized by sufficient Warrant and the industry and piety of faithfull Officers who venture their Estates their lives their All in the service Swear and unswear do and undo protest for Christ to day and accomodate for Antichrist to morrow and when told of it either they forgot or which I tremble to think of and blush to mention some and these no small ones put in minde upon such occasions of their Protestations and their Covenant have not feared to reply Alas That was broken long since As if breach of our Covenant did dissolve our engagements and because we have broke once with God we were never bound afterward to keep our word our Oaths Surely That were an easie way of getting loose But this God hath seen and heard among us and me thinks I heat that angry question sounding in mine ears Ezek. 17.15 Shall he prosper Shall he escape that doth such things Or shall he break the Covenant and be delivered And if the quarrell were so high and God so angry for the breach of the Covenant that was but between man and man yea between a people in externall Covenant with himself and a professed enemy a Tyrant an Vsurper what may such a People for whom God hath done and is doing such great things expect upon Covenants so religiously and solemnly made and sworn not onely before but with so holy God and so ofter and so treacherously yea so desperately abused and trampled under feet I may say unto you therefore as sometime good Josiah did to his Servants 2 Chro. 34.21 Go enquire of the Lord for us Humiliation for this sin and for the remnant that are left in Israel and in Judah for great is the wrath of the Lord that is powred out upon us because we have not kept the word and Oath which we have uttered to the Lord our God It is without all question the Quarrell of the Covenant which the Sword is this day a venging upon England with so much wrath and fury powred out Woe unto us out God is grievously angry what shall we do When David saw the Angel of the Lord standing between the Heaven and Earth Chro. 21.16 having a sword drawn in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem Vers 16. It is said Then David and the Elders of Israel who were cloathed with Sackcloth fell upon their faces And David said even I it is that have sinned and done evill indeed but as for these sheep what have they done let thine band I pray thee Vers 18. and 26. Oh Lord my God be upon me and upon my Fathers house c. And by the direction of the Angel he built an Altar and offered Sacrifices upon it unto the Lord and the anger of the Lord was pacified towards his people Let us do so this day and in all our publike and private Humiliations The Angel hath his sword drawn stretched out over the whole Land Even the sword threatned in the Text to avenge the Quarrell of the Covenant Let us fall down upon our faces and lye in the dust draw water and poure it out before the Lord take up Jeremiahs wish and Lamentation Jere. 9.1 Oâ— that my head were waters and mine eyes a Fountain of Tears That I might weep day and night for the slain of the Daughâ—er of my People Yea That we might weep bitterly for the sin which hath â—â—ain so many precious sons of Sion even this sin Covenant-Violation And oh you that have stood out in refusing
Lord their God they shall ask the way to Sion with their faces thitherward And if you enquire when this should be The fourth Verse tells you In those dayes And if you ask again what dayes those are Interpreters will tell us of a threefold day wherein this Prophesie or Promise is to be fulfilled A threefold day of making good the Prophefie 1. The literall day That is The Literall or Inchoative Day That is The Evangelicall or Spirituall Day That is The Vniversall or Perfect Day First There is a literall or inthoative day here prophefied of and that is already past past long since Namely in that day wherein the seventy yeers of the Babylonian Captivity expired then was this Prophesie or Promise begun in part to be accomplished At what time the Captivity of Judah and divers of Israel with them upon their return out of Babylon Ezra 8.21 kept a folemn Fast at the River Ahava to afflict their souls before their God There may you see them going and weeping To seek of him aright way for them and their little ones There you have them Seeking the Lord and enquiring the way to Sion with their faces thitherward And when they came home you may hear some of their Nobles and Priests calling upon them to enter into Covenant so Shechoniah spake unto Ezra the Princes and the People Ezra 10.2 3. We have sinned against the Lord c. Yet now there is hope in Israel toucerning this thing Now therefore let us make a Covenant with our God And so you may finde the Levites calling the people to confesse their sins with weeping and supplications in a day of humiliation and at the end of it to Write and Swear and Seal Nehe. 9.4 5. a Covenant with the Lord their God This was the first day wherein this Prophesie began to be fulfill'd in the very letter thereof The second day is the Evangelicall day 2 2 Day â—â—â—nge 〈◊〉 wherein this Promise is fulfilled in a 〈◊〉 or Spirituall sence Namely when the elect of God of what Nation or Language soever being all called the Israelâ—â— Gâ—â— Isal 44.5 as is Prophesied One shall say I am the Lorâ— is and 〈◊〉 shall call him 〈◊〉 by the name of Jacob c. and 〈…〉 by the Name of Israel I say when these in their severall Generations and successions shall turn to the Lord their God either from their Gentilisme and Pagâ—â—â— as in their first conversion to Christianity as 〈◊〉 oâ—serves after the Resurrection of Christ and Mission of the holy â—host A 〈…〉 exinde univerâ—â—s nationes ex veragâ—â—e 〈◊〉 humaniâ—â— gentâ—s ad Dominum Deum ad Dominum â—â—â—â—us câ—us From that day foreward you might behold poâ—r Creatures of all Nations and Languages creeping out of their dark holâ—â— and corners of blindnesse and Idolatry and betaking them to God and his Sâ—n Jesus Christ as to their Law-giver and Saviour or else turning from Antichristian superstition and false wayes of worship as in the after and more full conversion of Churches or Persons purging themselves more and more from the corruptions and mixtures of Popery and Superstitions according to the degree of light and conviction which should break out upon them and asking the way to Sion i. e. The pure way of Gospel Worship according to the fuller and cleerer Manifestations and Revelations of the minde of Christ in the Gospel This was fulfilled in Luthâ—â—s time and in all those after Separations which any of the Churches have made from Rome and from those Reliques and remains of Superstition and will-worship wherewith themselves and the Ordinances of Jesus Christ have been defiled The third day wherein this Prophesie or Promise is to be made good 3 3 Day Univerfall is that Vniversall day wherein both Jow and Gentile shall convert unto the Lord. That Day of the Restitution of all things as some good Devinâ—s conceive When ten men out 〈◊〉 all Lanâ—◠〈…〉 the Nations shall take hold of the skirt of him that is Jew saying 〈◊〉 will go with you for we have heard that God is with you Zâ—ch 8.23 And to what purpose is more fully exprest in the former Verses answering the Prophesie in the Text. Vers 20. Thus saith the Lord of Hoasts it shall yet come to passe that there shall come people and the Inhabitants of many Cities Vers 21. And the Inhabitants of one Citie shall go to another saying Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord and to seek the Lord of Hosts I will go also Vers 22. Yea many people and strong Nations shall come to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem and pray before the Lord. This I call the Vniversall day because as you see there shall be such an abundance of confluence of Citiâ—s and People and Nations combining together in an holy League and Covenant to seek the Lord. And a Perfect day because the minde and will of the Lord shall be fully revealed and manifested to the Saints concerning the way of Worship and Government in the Churches The New Jerusalem i. e. The perfect exact Ezek 43.11 12 13. Reve. 21.10 11. Isa 30.26 and punctuall Modell oâ— the Government of Christ in the Churches shall then be let â—own from Heaven The light of the Moon being then to be as the light of the Suâ— and 〈◊〉 light of the Sun sevenfold as the light of seven dayes in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people and 〈…〉 of their wound By what hath been spoken you may perceive under which of these dayes we are Past indeed the first but not yet arrived at the third day and therefore under the second day that â—â—angelicall â—ay yet so as if all the three dayes were mâ—t together in ours while it seems to me that we are upon the dawâ—ing of the third day and this Prophesie falling so pat and full upon our times as if we were not got beyond the Literall a little variance will do it The children of Israel and the children of Judah Scotland and England newly coming out of Babylon Antichristian Babylâ—n Papall Tyranny and Vsurpations in one degree or other Going and weeping in the dayes of their solemn Humiliations bewailing their Back-slidings and Rebellions to seek the Lord their God to seek pardon and reconciliation to seek his face and favour not onely in the continuance but in the more full and sweet influentiall manifestations of his presence among them and to that end asking the way to Sion with their faces thitherward that is Enquiring after the pure way of Gospel worship with full purpose of heart that when God shall reveal his minde to them they will conforme themselves to his minde as according to that blessed Prophesie and Promise Isal 2.3 He will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths c. And that they may make all sure That they may secure God and themselves against all future
sworn to preserve the Laws and therefore to swear to indeavour the extirpation of Prelacy which is establisht by Law is to contradict their own Oath and run the hazard of perjury It is easie for any one to observe and answer Answ 1. That by the same Argument neither may King and Parliament together change or annull a Law though found destructive to the good of the Kingdoms since His Majesty as well as His Subjects is bound up under the same Oath at His Coronation 2. But again There is a vast difference between the Members of Parliament simply considered in their private Capacities wherein they may be supposed to take an Oath to maintain the Laws of the Land and that publike capacitie of a Parliament whereby they are Judges of those Laws and may as I said before endeavour the removeall of such as are found pernicious to the Church or State and make such as will advantage the welfare of other His Majesty being bound by His Coronation-Oath to confirm these Laws Quas vulgus elegerit which the Commons shall agree upon and present unto His Majesty Object Object I but it seems this objection lies full and strong upon them that stand in their single paivate stations Answ I answer That if there be any such Oath which yet I have neither seen nor heard of unlesse the objection mean that clause in the late Parliament Protestation wherein we vow and protest to maintain and defend the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subject Surely Neither in that nor this do we swear against a lawfull endeavour to get any such Laws or Clause of the Law repealed and abolisht which is found a wrong rather then a right and the bondage rather then the Liberty of the Subject as Prelacy was Had we indeed taken the Bishops Oath or the like never to have given our consent to have the Government by Episcopacy with its endlesse c. Changed or altered we had brought our selves into a woefull snare but blessed be God Tâ—â—t snare is broken and we are escaped while in the mean time without all douâ—t the subject may as lawfully use all lawfull means to get that Law removed which yet he hath promised or sworne to obey while it remains when it proves prejudiciall to the puâ—like safety and welfare as a poor captive that hath peradventure sworne obedience to the Turk while he remains in his possession may notwithstanding use all fair endeavours for an escape or ransome or a prentice that is bound to obey his Master yet when he finds his service turned into a bondage use lawfull means to obtain his freedom 3. But once more to answer both all objections it is worth your enquiry Whither the Plea of a Legall establishment of this Prelacy sworn against in this Covenant be not rather a tradition then any certain or confessed Truth Sure I am we have it from the hands of persons of worth and honour the aâ— lâ—st Secretaries of Laws and Antiquities in our Kingdom that there is no such Law or Statute to be found upon the file among our Records Which assertion if it cannot finde faith we will once more joyn issue with the Patrons or followers of this Prelacy upon this point That when they produce that Law or Statute which doth enact and establish Prelacy as it is here brancht in the Article we will then give them a fuller answer or yeeld the question To conclude therefore since this Prelacy in the Article tâ—â—is many headed Monster of Archbishops Bishops their Chanâ—â—â—rs and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Arch-Dâ—â—â—ons and all other Beel sâ—â—â—licall Officers depending on that Hierarâ—â—y is the Beast wherewith we fight in this Covenant which hath been found so distructive to Church and State Let us not fear to take this Sword of the Covenant of God into our hands and say to this Enemy of Christ as Samuel said once to Agag at what time he said within himself Surely the bitternesse of death is past As thy sword hath made women childlâ—sse 1 Sam. 15 so shall thy mother be childlesse among women So hath Prelacy flattered it self finding such a party to stand up on it side among the rotten Lords and Commons the debauched Gentry and abused people of the Kingdom Surely the bitternesse of death is past I sit as a Queen and shall not know Widdow-hood or lâ—sse of children In the midst of this security and pride the infallible forerunners of her downfall let us call her forth and say As thy sword Prelacy hath made many women childâ—lesse many a faithfull Minister peoplelesse houselesse and libertylesse their wives husbandlesse their children and their Congregations fatherlesse and Pastorlesse and Guidelesse So thy mother Papacy shall be made childelesse among harlots your Diocesse Bishoplesse and your Sees Lordlesse and your places shall know you no more Come my Brethren I say and fear not to take this Agag Prelacy I mean not the Prelats and hew it in pieces before the Lord. Obj. 4 A fourth and main Objection that troubles many is That in the following Article there are divers things of another nature then falls within the compasse and list of such a Covenant This Covenant is not purely religious as that in the Text. as that which the Text holds forth To joyne our selves to the Lord. There be State-matters and such too as are full of doubt and perhaps of danger to be sworn unto Answ I shall answer first the generall Charge and then some of the Particulars which are most materiall In generall I answer 1 1. In generall Whatever is contained in the Covenant is either religious or tending to Religion There is nothing in the Body of this Covenant which is not either purely religious or which lies not in a tendency to Religion conducing to the securing and promoting thereof And as in the expounding the Commandments Divines take this Rule That that Command which forbids a sin forbids also all the conducibles and provocations to that sin All the Tendencies to it And that Command which enjoyns a duty enjoyns all the mediums and advancers to that duty as the Schools say Modus cadit sub precepto Circumstances fall within the latitude of the Command so in religious Covenants not onely those things which are of the substance and integralls of Religion but even the collateralls and subserviencies that tend either to the establishing or advancing of Religion may justly be admitted within the Verge and Pale of the Covenant The Cities of Refuge had their Suburbs appointed by God as well as their haâ—itations and even they also were counted holy The Rights and Prâ—â—â—ledges of the Parliaments and the Libertâ—â—s of the Kingdom mentioned in the third Article They are the aburbs of the Gospel and an Inheritance bequeathed by God to Nations and Kingdoms and under that notion holy Concerning which a people may lawfully reply to the unjust demands of him perours Kings or States as Naboth once to
greatnesse from such an excellent Ordinance God makes it by a strange but a righteous hand an occasion of misery and ruine to them and their posterity to many generations Christians labour to set up God in this day and duty wherein you engage your selves so nigh unto him and if you would have heavenly blessings see that you propound and pursuâ— heavenly Ends and Ayms Lest while you come to make a Covenant with God you commit Idolatry against him whatsoever we make our ultimate and highest end we make our God If therefore you cannot make God your sole your onely End yet be sure you make him your choicest your chiefest End keep God in his own place and let all self-respects whatsoever vail to his Glory according to that great Rule 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether you eat or drink or what ever you do do all to the glory of God Fifthly To do this businesse to Acceptation Fifthly with cheerfulnesse 2 Cor. 9.7 we must do it cheerfully as God loves a cheerfull giver so he loves a cheerfull hearer a cheerfull Petitioner and a cheerfull Covenanter and you have it in the Text to Come let us There is their readinesse and cheerfulnesse to the work as it was that for which the Apostle doth commend his Maâ—â—donians in another service This they did not as we hoped 2 Cor 8.5 but first gave themselves to the Lord So these they give themselves to God of their own accord Come let us Oh that the Ministers of the Gospel might have occasion to make the same boast of you concerning this solemn Ordinance before you that they might say and rejoyce that you were a people that gave your selves to the Lord and unto the work of Reformation not by a Parliamentary fear or by our Ministeriall compulsions but above our hopes and beyond our expectations of your own accord See what a wonder not onely of cheerfulnesse but of joy and triumph is recorded of the Jews in King Asas time in their taking of the Covenant They sware unto the Lord with a loud voice 2 Chro. 25.14 and with shouting and with Trumpets and with Cornets And all Judah rejoyced at the Oath for they had sworn with all their hearts c. There was indeed a severe mulâ—t a capitall censure inacted against those that should refuse and reject this Ordinance They should be put to death Vers 13. whether great or small whether man or woman A very grievous censure but it seems there was neither need nor use of it For all Judah rejoyced at the Oath The people lookt upon this service not as their pressure but as their priviledge and therefore came to it not with contentednesse onely but an holy triumph and so saved the Mastigrate and themselves the labour and charges of executing that sentence on Delinquents Oh that this may be your wisedom and honour That what ever penalty the Honourable Parliaments of either Nation shall in their wisedom think fit to proportion to the grievous sin of rebelling against this Covenant of the Lord. And it seems by the instance before That whatsoever penalty they shall ordain lesse then death will not be justice onely but Moderation I say whatever it shall be it may be rendered uselesse and invalid by the forwardnesse and rejoycings of an obedient people That all England as well as Scotland would rejoyce at the Oath and swear with all their hearts c. For certainly it will not be so much our duty as our Prerogative as I have shewed you before to enter into Covenant with God and his people It is the day of Gods power Psal 120.3 the Lord make you a willing people And as a testimony of this willingnesse and joy imitate the people here in the Text and stirre up one another and provoke one another to this holy service Let us joyn our selves to the Lord c. They expresse their charitie as well as their joy They would not go to Sion alone They call as many as they meet with them Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord. Oh that this might be your temper It is the very Character of the Evangelicall Church both as Isaiah and Micah have described it Their words be the same Many people shall go and say Come yee Isai 2.3 Micah 4.2 and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord. Oh that while Nentralls and Malignants do discourage one another and set off one another and embitter one anothers spirits God and his Ministers might finde you encouraging each other and provoking one another and labouring to oyl one anothers spirits to this as other Gospel dutie and prerogative God could not chuse but be much pleased with such a sight I might have made this a distinct Qualification but for brevity sake I couch it under this head I come to the last If you would be Accepted Sixth and last Qualification Faith in reference Bring faith with you to this service And that in a fourfold Reference To God To The Ordinance To Our selves To Jesus Christ First In reference unto God For 1. To God Heb. 11.6 He that will come to God in any Ordinance must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him There is nothing God takes better at his peoples hand then when they come with their hearts as full of good thoughts of God as ever they can hold such as Loe this is our God we have waited for him Isai 25.9 and he will save us we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation He will save we will be glad i. e. God will undoubtedly give us occasion of gladnesse and triumph in his praises Oh sweet and blessed confidence of divine goodnesse How well doth this become the children of such a Father who hath stiled himself the Father of mercies Good thoughts of God do mightily please and even engage God to shew mercy to his people Heb. 4.15 Let us therefore come with boldnesse to the throne of grace even in this Ordinance also That we may obtain mercy and finde grace to help us in this time of our need Secondly 2 2. To the Ordinance Let us bring faith in reference to the Duty As we are to believe well of God so we are to beleeve well of the Duty that it is an Ordinance wherein God will be sanctified and 〈◊〉 of them that seek him It is not enough that we seek him in his Ordinance but that we beleeve it to be his Ordinance 〈…〉 faith Rom. 14.12 is sin he speaks not of a faith that doth justifie the person but of a faith that doth justifie the performance that is a 〈…〉 that the work whatsoever it is is such as the word will bear me out in it such as God himself doth approvâ— To do doubtfully is to do sinfully an 〈…〉 God 3 3. In reference 〈◊〉 Ives Thirdly Bring 〈◊〉
I Conceive these three Sermons may be of much use for the promoting of the publike service in taking the late solemn Covenant both here and throughout the Kingdoms Decemb. 5. 1643. JOSEPH CARYL THE QUARRELL OF THE COVENANT WITH THE PACIFICATION OF THE QUARRELL Delivered in three SERMONS on Levit. 26.25 and Jere. 50.5 By Thomas Case Preacher of the Word in Milk-street LONDON And one of the Assembly of DIVINES 2 Chron. 23.16 And Iehojada made a Covenant between him and between all the People and between the King That they should be the Lords people Nehem. 10.28 And the rest of the people the Priests the Levites the Porters the Singers the Nethinims and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the Lands unto the Law of God their Wives their Sonnes and their Daughters every one having knowledge and having understanding They clave to their Brethren their Nobles and entred into a Curse and into an Oath to walk in Gods Law which was given by Moses the servant of God and to observe and do all the Commandments of the Lord our Lord and his Judgements and his Statutes c. London Printed for Luke Fawne and are to be sold at the sign of the Parrot in Pauls Church-yard 1644. To the Right Honourable John Lord Maitland and to the Reverend Master Alexander Henderson Master Samuel Rutherford Master Robert Baly and Master George Gellispe Commissioners of the generall Assembly of the Church of Scotland to the Assembly of Divines in England Noble and worthy Commissioners THis Covenant so unanimously so religiously entred into by the Honourable Houses of Parliament and Reverend Assembly Gods two faithfull Witnesses now in England as by your selves also was afterward sent to the City where amongst the rest of the Ministers I was to take my share in preparing the people The Work being so solemn and great I bethought my self how I might best serve this blessed Design The time gave me some advantage it falling in the course of my Ministry to preach thrice between the Warning and the Taking I engaged my thoughts distractions will hardly allow me to say Studies wholly upon this Work and blessed be God not without much encouragement The readinesse I found in the People to close with the invitation of God and Parliament expressing it self not onely in the multitudes but in the affections of them that offered themselves to this Service made visible in tears of joy Yet when I had Preacht my Sermons and admâ—â—â—â—â—red the Covenant I found I had not done my work Importunity prest me to make my thoughts publike and consulting with the neâ—â—sâ—itice of the multitudes of poor ignorant People that want a Teaching Minister while the Kingdom waits for the Covenant rather then with mine own unfitnesse I was not disobedient to the Motion I had rather appear in my weaknesse then â—nwillingnesse to serve the publike good Thousands of the poor untaught people will be glad of this help the knowing will not despise it if 〈◊〉 if otherwise they shall trouble themselves more then me And now Right â—â—noralde and Reverend These poor endeavours such as they are make hold to present themselves unto you Streams do naturally run back into the Bosom from whence they issued God hath pleased to â—onour your Nation in making them the First-fruits and Pattern of a Through 〈…〉 to Vs and all the rest of the 〈…〉 This Covenant received its first life in Scotland though it came to its first breathing in England You sent it not with more affection then it was entertained with gladnesse and joy by our Worthy Parliament and Learned Assembly and although with some small Additions yet such as did rather render it more it self then vary it I shall not need to beg your Patronage for my Self or Labours in promoting this Service The Oath of God is upon you whereby we are contented to confesse what in your patheticall Letter to our Assemblie you were pleased upon other respects to acknowledge That your Assistance is become your Debt To all that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and persuance thereof To the payment whereof Your selves are already come through a painfull and hazardous travell to joyn your Learned Assistance with our Faithfull Assembly to which your presence addes both strength and Ornament while Thousands of your Nation are preparing their Brotherly addresses to pay the same Debt to the whole Kingdom now almost in as great an exigence as once the Gibeonites were when their five Kings with all their united forces were within few dayes march to take a bloody and unnaturall revenge for their entring into Covenant with Joshua Onely We beseech you account it not our distrust or jealousie if sometime you hear us complaining with the Mother of Sisera Why are their Charrets so long in coming Why stay the Wheels of their Charrets We know the Mercy and Righteousnesse of Joshuah dwels in your Bosoms which cannot suffer you to deny or delay that Assistance to your Brethren whom you have invited into the League and Covenant of God upon so fair and honourable termes which Joshuah durst not deny unto the enemies of God and his people Because they had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel Josh 9.19 Although by a Serpentine wilienesse they had wound themselves into that Association Joshuahs Conscienciousnesse of that Obligation carried Him and his Army all night to the rescue of the Gileoniles Josh 10.9 And truely we doubt not but your â—endernesse of this Oath of God between England and Scotland had before this time brough in your prepared forces to the succour of your end â—ngered Brethren had not our Creature-considence unthankefulnesse and other hidden Remorâ—s hung at the Keel and Bottome of this Expedition The Searcher of Hearts and Father of Mercies discover and remove the accursed thing whatsoever it is That it may no longer obstruct their timely approach nor render it when it comes unanswerable to our fainting Expectations The Lord of Hosts bring in your Forces and come in with them his Terrour go before them and his Glory be their Rereward So shall they like a Mahanaim the Host of God be a dread to the Enemies a Reviving to the languishing hopes of Gods people and a powerfull means to assist our Parliament and Armies in the setling of that blessed Peace and Reformation for which both the Nations have Lifted up their Hands to the most High God Sirs In the midst of all these Calls and Expectations pardon and own me if I humbly claim my share for my Self and poor Endeavours both which he cordially devotes to yours and the Kingdoms service who is Yours In all Gospel Offices to honour and serve you THOMAS CASE To the Reader READER THe fears of unworthy Accommodations which have possest 〈…〉 Spirits God hath hitherto graciously prevented by the Wisedom and Piety of our worthy Senators in Parliament who yet have lest no stone unturned for the
procuring of such a Peace as might render both King and Parliament Church and State truely happy and glorious which is the Cordinall desire wherewith every good Christian and Loyall Subject doth travell that wisheth and studies the recovery and preservation of these three Kingdoms what further security this Sacred Covenant may adde believe and waite There is another Accommodation which may do as much mischief and is the more dangerous by how much more it is secret which it concerns thee with all care and diligence to prevent and that is an Accommodation with base sinfull Lusts which fight against thy soul and the Kingdoms safety How low they have brought the Kingdom is too apparent to every eye what they have done to thy soul is best known to God and thine own Conscience God calls not onely upon Parliament and Assembly but upon Familes and Persons for a Through-Reformation If thou compound thou destroyest thy self and three Kingdoms One sinner destroyes much good Eccle. 9.18 This Covenant conscienciously made and kept will prevent this evill For thy encouragement and direction wherein these three Sermons are prest The first discovering the great Quarrell of Covenant-violation either in refusing prophaning or breaking thereof The second answering according to my Model such Objections against the taking of this Covenant as I met withall and laying down some encouragements and engagements to the taking of it The third holding forth such directions as may serve for thy help so to make and so minde thy Covenant as thou mayest do it both to Acceptation and Perpetuity If God please to adde his blessing neither I in publishing nor thou in reading shall have cause to be ashamed of our pains If God be dallied withall in this Covenant I tremble to think what will become of us It is the strongest Physick that ever the Kingdom took and I am almost confident That as in the publike State it will either put a period to our distempers or to our Being so in thy personall condition It will either blast thy Lusts or slay thy Soul My Reason is Because God is engaged If we be found conscientious of this Covenant he is engaged to us against our enemies without and our Lusts within and they shall not be able to stand upon us If after so solemn an Obligation we shall be found to mock God we have engaged him against us and adde the Almighty to the number of our enemies a swift and a powerfull Witnesse and Avenger of our perfidiousnesse Nor will Refusall of this Covenant help us when God shall come to interpret It will be found I fear in most but a depart from us And when God shall answer the daring sinner in his own language woe to the poer wretch that ever he was born I have therefore three humble Requests to make First To our truely Honourable and worthily Honoured Senators That in the Wisedom and Zeal of good King Hezekiah 2 Chro. 30.1 in a concernment of the like nature They would be pleased with their Commands for the taking of the Covenant To send forth also such timely Laws and Directions into the Kingdom as may prepare the people and fence this holy Ordinance from that contempt and prophanation which will otherwise be unavoideably cast upon it The second is to my Brethren in the Ministry That to the same end they with the good Priests and Levites in Hezekiahs time would be active and diligent to put in execution those Directions and Ordinances and to do what else may be found in their severall places advantagious to the sanctifying of their people for so holy a service lest if they sin through their neglect they translate the peoples guilt upon their own heads Yea I could wish That all the faithfull Ministers of Christ through the Kingdom as they are the Lords Remembrancers to the people and the peoples Remembrancers to God would frequently in their Sermons minde people of the Vow of God that lies upon their souls and in their prayers make frequent mentions of it to God with holy Davids holy jealousie and compassion over his people in the day of their willing and liberall contributions to the House of God O Lord God of Abraham Isaac and of Israel our Fathers keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people Orâ—stabâ—â—th and prepare their heart unto thee 1 Chro. 29.18 That so the memory of so solemn and sacred an engagement may not die off from the heart of the Kingdom for ever Lâ—stly To every soul that shall enter into this holy League and Covenant my request is That they would look about them Life and death is before them if we break with God now we have just cause to fear God will stand to Covenant no more with us but will aveâ—ge the Quarrell with our utter destruction if we be sincere and faâ—â—â—full tâ—â—s Covenant will be a foundation of much Peace Joy Glory and Security to us and our seed to the coming of Christ which that it may be shall be the earnest Prayer of him who is Thy servant for Jesus sake Tho. Case The first Sermon Preached at Laurence Church on the Fast-day Septem 27. 1643. Leviticus 26.25 And I will bring a sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrell of my Covenant THis Chapter contains a gradation of sins and a gradation of punishments higher degrees of plagues threatning to overtake higher degrees of Sin And if you will not yet for all this hearken unto me then will I punish you seven times more for your sins four times repeated over in this Chapter The words read they are the top or rather the sum of both 〈◊〉 violation the top or sum of all the evils of sin mentioned in this Chapter and the sword with it's concomitants the top or sum of all the evils of punishment threatned And so you have the division of the words before I thought of it scil The peoples sins Gods judgements Their sin the abuse and violation of Covenant Gods Judgement the Sword c. In the one they walk contrary to God in the other God walks contrary to them From whence observe Doct. Covenant violation is matter of a high Quarrell between God and a people which God threatens to avenge with the sword You see there are two Branches in this Doctrine I. Covenant abuse is matter of an high Quarrell between God and a people II. God threatens to avenge this Quarrell with the Sword 1. For the first That Covenant-violation is matter of high Quarrell between God and a people Quarrell you finde in the Text and high you finde it in the sâ—ituation of the Text This standing as I shewed you at a top of the gradation of the sins here specified or being the summa totalis of them all Abuse of Covenant It is this first Branch I shall chiefly pursue The second I shall but touch upon as time and occasion will serve In the managing therefore
of the most speciall and solemne In as much as â—oth here and in other Scriptures it stands for the whole duety of man towards God in the first Table The Ordinance whereby we specially are said to clâ—ave to God Thou shalt cleave to him and swear by his Name We cleave to him by swearing to him Isai 56 6. The sonnes of the stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord. How It follows And take hold of my Covenant The Covenant is the joyning Ordinance The joynning Ordinance It strikes the main stroke between God and a People In hâ—aring the word we learn our Duty In Prayer we call in for helpe for divine assistance But the Covenant that comes and bindes the bargain Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord by a perpetuall Covenant Jere. 50.5 Yea The exâ—â—nall 〈◊〉 caâ—◠〈◊〉 very 〈◊〉 If we consider the very externall Ceremonies used about this duty it will appear a very solemn Ordinance Whether between man and man or between God and man When Abrahams servant sweaâ— to his Master to take a wise unto his son â—anc He must put his hand under his Masters thâ—â—â—â— A Type that the Messias must come out of Abrahams loynes Geâ— 24 7. Gâ—â— 47. â—â— So did Joseph when he swear to Jacob c. When God made a Covenant with Abraham God commands him to take an Heiser of three years old a she Goat and a Ram and 〈…〉 9.10 When he hath done God 〈…〉 betwixt the pâ—ices for a Ratification of the Covenant 〈…〉 17 Abraham when he takes an Oath Lifts up his 〈…〉 thâ— must high God These and the like Postâ—â—â—s used about this service carry a great deal of reverence and solemnity in the very face of them and this solemnity even of the outward Ceremony God useth as an aggravation of Covenant-violation God layeth it close unto the charge of Zedeziah That he brake his Covenant with the King of Babylon Ezek. 17.18 When loe he had given his hand And to the Princes and People of Juda that they transgressed the Covenant Jerem. 34.18 When they had cut the Galfe in twain and passed between the parts thereof And Vers 19 20. for this he threatens to give them into the hands of their Enemies And if the externall solemnitie adde so much aggravation to this sinne then how much more doth that inward beauty and glory of it heap up guilt upon their heads that are found to be prophaners and violators of so solemn an Ordinance A second Aggravation of this sin ariseth from the Mattor of the Covenant Covenants betwixt man and man are in things appertaining to man The Covenant betwixt God and man is in things appertaining unto God which as it doth exceedingly heighten the duty so it doth highly aggravate the violation It was the honour of the Priests under the Law above other men That they were ordained for men in things appertaining unto God Heb. 5.2 And it was the honour of Christ above all other Priests that his Priesthood was imployed about matters of an higher nature then the Priesthood of the sonnes of Aaron Heb. 8.6 He hath obtained a more excellent Ministry by how much also he is the Mediatour of a better Covenant which was established upon better promises Now consider then I beseech you how excellent that Covenant must be above all others the matter whereof gave excellency to the very Priesthood of Christ himself and lifted it up above all other Priesthoods For as the Apostle reasons concerning Abraham and Melchisedeck That Melchisideck was greater then Abraham because he blessed him Heb 7.7 For without question the lesser is blessed of the better So may I in some sence argue the excellency of this Covenant above the Priesthood of Christ in as much as this Covenant gives excellency to this Priesthood He hath obtained a more excellent Priesthood by how much he is Mediator of a better Covenant And certainly the excellency of the matter is a transcendent aggravation of the violation of the Covenant for men to trissle and prevaricate in things of such high concernment in things so immediately appertaining to God must needs be a businesse of an higher provocation then the sonnes of men do ordinarily dream of The Apostle reasons strongly and dreadfully in this very case Heb. 10.28 29. He that despised Moses Law died without mercy Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing c. The Covenant and the blood of it the priviledge and the purchase are both trampled under feet in some degree or other by Covenant-prophanation Thirdly A third reason why Covenant-prophanation is matter of so high a quarrell is taken from the Forme of it which is an Oath an Oath on both sides The Creature swears by God and God swears by himself This is the Forme or Seal of Covenants between men and men So Jacob when he made a Covenant with his Uncle Laban sware by the fear of his father Isaac Gen. 31.53 i. e. That is Objective By the God whom his father Isaac fâ—ared So Jonathan and David sware mutually by the name of God The Oath of the Lord was betwixt them So Zâ—dekiah took an Oath of fealty and subjection unto Nebâ—chadnezzar King of Babylon In the name of the God of Israel for which cause Ezck. 17.13 19. God calls it My Oath and my Covenant And hence it is That God so severely threatens the violation of that Covenant with inevitable destruction upon Zedekiah Ezek. 17.16 As I live saith the Lord God sure in the place where the King dwelleth that made him King whose Oath he deâ—pised and whose Covenant he brake even with him in the midst of Babylon shall be dye The King of Babylons Oath because Zedâ—kiah sware to him and Gods Oath because he sware by him And see how divine Justice avengeth the quarrell of this Covenant Zedâ—kiah sware to Nebuchadnezzar and did not keep his Oath But for this God swears the death of Zedekiah and will be sure to keep his Oath This Accession of an Oath to the Covenant a people or person swearing By the most high God and calling so holy and dreadfull a Majestie to Witnesse must needs wonderfully heighten the sin and aggravate the quarrell by this means Covenant Breach becometh a double sin a sin twisted of two sins and those no small ones neither of lying and swearing Jere. 23.10 The lye being the prophanation of the truth of God and the Oath the prophanation of the God of trueth sins for which take them singly a Land doth often mourn Hos 4.2 Of how much higher provocation are they when they meet yea when they meet and are met into one communicating their malignity one unto another and thereby bigning and aggravating one another The Lye making the Oath greater and the Oath making the Lye greater and out of both there ariseth an aliquod tertium a third sin of
Apostacies and black-flidings calling one upon another and ecchoing back one to another Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that may not be forgotten You see by this time I have changed my Text though not my project to which purpose I shall remember that in the handling of these words I must not manage my discourse as if I were to make a new entire Sermon upon the Text but onely to improve the happy advantages it holds forth for the pursuite and driving on of my present Vse of Exhortation Come let us joyn c. To this end therefore from these words I will propound and endeavour to satisfie these three Quaeres 1. What 2. Why 3. How 1. What the duty is to which they mutually stirre up one another 2. Why or upon what considerations 3. How or in what manner this service is to be performed And in all these you shall see what proportion the Text holds with the Times The duty in our Text with the duty in our Hands pressing them on still in an Exhortatory way For the first sc What the duty is Answ You see that in the Text is to joyn themselves to the Lord by a solemn Covenant and so is that which we have now in our hands to joyn our selves to the Lord by a Covenant how farre they correspond will appear in the sequell This is the first and main End of a Covenant between God and his People as I have shewed you To joyn themselves to the Lord. The sons of the stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord Isa 56.6 c. And take held of his Covenant This I say is the first and main end of the Covenant in the Text The second is subordinate unto it namely to Enquire thâ— way to Sion i. e. To inquire the way and manner how God would be worshipt that they might dishâ—nour and prevoke him no more by their Idolatries and Superstitions which had been brought in upon the Ordinances of God by the means of Apostate Kings and Priests and Prophets as in Jeroboams and Ahabs reigns c. And for which they had been carryed into Captivity And such is the Covenant that lies before us in the first place as I say to joyn our selves to the Lord to be knit unsepaparably unto him that he may be our God and we may be his People And in the next place as subservient hereunto to ask the way to Sion to enquire and search by all holy means sanctified to that purpose what is that pure way of Gospel worship That we and ouâ— children after us may worship the God of spirits the â—â—od of truth in spirit and in truth in spirit Joh 4. â—3 opposed to carâ—all wâ—yâ—s of will-worship and inventions of men and in truth opposed to false hypocriticall shews and pretences since the Father seeks for such to worship him Now That this is the main scope and aym of this Covenant before us will appear if you read and ponder it with due considerations I will therefore read it to you distinctly this Evening besides the reading of it again to morrow when you come to take it and when I have read it I will answer the main and most materiall objections which seem to make it inconsistâ—nt with these blessed ends and purposes Attend diligently while I read it to you The Covenant WE Noblemen â—his Co 〈…〉 it 〈◊〉 haâ—d to câ—m 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 several pafaâ—â—s of the Câ—â—â—nant to which 〈…〉 Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland by the Providence of God living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the honour and happinesse of the Kings Majesty and His Posterity and the true publique Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdoms wherein every ones private condition is included and calling to minde the treacherous and bloody Plots Conspiracies Attempts and Practices of the Enemies of God against the true Religion and professors thereof in all places especially in these three Kingdoms ever since the Reformation of Religion and how much their rage power and presumption are of late and at this time increased and exercised whereof the deplorable state of the Church and Kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England and the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publike Testimonies We have now at last after other means of Supplication Remonstrance Protestations and Sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our Religion from utter Ruine and Destruction according to the commendable practice of these Kingdoms in former times and the Example of Gods People in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutuall and solemn League and Covenant wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with our hands lifted up to the most high God do swear I. THat we shall sincerely really and constantly through the Grace of God endeavour in our severall places and callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government against our common Enemies the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdoms of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches And shall indeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the neerest Conjunction and Uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church-Government Directory for Worship and Catechizing That we and our Posterity after us may as Brethren live in Faith and Love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the middest of us II. That we shall in like manner without respect of persons indeavour the Extirpation of Poperty Prelacy that is Church-Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops their Chancellors and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiasticall Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godlinesse least we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms III. We shall with the same sincerity reallity and constancy in our severall Vocations endeavour with our estates and lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Priviledges of the Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdoms and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms that the world may bear witnesse with our Consciences of our Loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish His Majesties just power and greatnesse IV. We shall
also with all faithfulnesse endeavour the discovery of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evill Instruments by hindering the Reformation of Religion dividing the King from his People or one of the Kingdoms from another or making any Faction or parties amongst the people contrary to this League and Covenant that they may be brought to publike tryall and receive condign punishment as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve or others having power from them for that effect shall judge convenient V. And whereas the happinesse of a blessed Peace between these Kingdoms denyed in former times to ouâ— Progenitors is by the good Providence of God granted unto us and hath been lately concluded and setled by both Parliaments we shall each one of us according to our place and interest indeavour that they remain conjoyned in a firm Peace and Union to all Posterity And that Justice may be done upon the wilfull Opposers therof in manner expressed in the precedent Article VI. We shall also according to our places and callings in this common cause of Religion Liberty and Peace of the Kingdoms assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and pursuing thereof and shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination perswasion or terrour to be divided and withdrawn from this blessed Union and Conjunction whether to make defection to the contrary part or to give our selves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this cause which so much concerneth the glory of God the good of the Kingdoms and honour of the King but shall all the dayes of our lives zealoufly and constantly continue therein against all opposition and promote the same according to our power against all Lets and Impediments whatsoever and what we are not able our selves to suppresse or overcome we shall reveal and make known that it may be timely prevented or removed All which we shall do as in the sight of God And because these Kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations against God and his Son Jesus Christ as is too manifest by our present distresses and dangers the fruits thereof we professe and declare before God and the world our unfained desire to be humbled for our own sins and for the sins of these Kingdoms especially That we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof and that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts nor to walk worthy oâ— him in our lives which are the causes of other sins and transgressions so much abounding amongst us And our true and unfained purpose desire and endeavour for our selves and all others under our power and charge both in publike and in private in all duties we owe to God and man to amend our lives and each one to go before another in the example of a reall Reformation that the Lord may turn away his wrath and heavy indignation and establish these Churches and Kingdoms in truth and peace And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as we shall answer at that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed Most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his holy Spirit for this end and to blesse our desires and proceedings with such successe as may be deliverance and safety to his people and encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the yoak of Antichristian Tyranny to joyn in the same or like Association and Covenant to the glory of God the enlargement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the peace and Tranquility of Christian Kingdoms and Common wealths THis Brethren is the Covenant before us to which God and his Parliament do invite us this day wherein the Ends propounded lye fair to every impartiall eye The first Article in this Covenant binding us to the Reformâ—tion of Religion and the â—â—st Article to the Reformation of our Lives In both we joyn our silâ—s to the Lord and swear to ask and receive from his Lips the Law of this Reformation Read them else again and consider And trudy this is a why as well as a what that I may a little prevent my self A â—otive of the first Magnitude Oh for a People or Person to be joyâ—â— unto the Lord to be made one with the most high God of Heaven and Earth before whom and to whom we swear is a priviledge of unspeakable worth and excellency Seâ—meth it said David once to Sauls servants a small thing to your eyes to be son in law to a King seeing I am a poor man 1 Sam 18.23 Seemeth it may I say a small thing to you for poor creatures to be joyned and married as it were to the great GOD the living God who are so much worse then nothing by how much sin is worse then vanity yea to be one with him as Christ saith in that heavenly Prayer of his John 1â— 21 22 23. As he and his Father is one That they may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one with us And again That they may be one even as we are one Yea perfect in one not indeed in the perfection of that unitie but in unitie of that perfection not made perfect in a perfection of equality but of conformity This is the fruit of a right managed Covenant and the greatest honour that poor mortality is capable of Moses stands admiring of it Deut 32.33 You may read the place at your leisure But against this blessed Service and Trueth are there mustered and led up an whole Regiment of Oâ—jâ—ctions under the conduct of the father of lies though some of them may seem to have some shadow of truth and therefore so much the more carefully to be examined I shall deal onely with some of the chief Commanders of them if they be conquered the rest will vanish of their own accord Objections propounded and answered Obj. 1 Object 1. If this were the end of this service yet it were needlesse since we have done it over and over again It is needlesse in our former Protestations and Covenants and so this repetition may seem to be a prophanation of so holy an Ordinance by making of it so ordinary and nothing else but a taking of Gods name in vaine To this I answer Answ 1. It cannot be done too oft if it be done according to the Law and Order of so solemn an Ordinance 2. The people in the Text might have made the same Objection it lay as strong against the work to which they encourage one another For surely this was not the first time they engaged themselves to God by way of Covenant but having broken their former Covenants they thought it their priviledge and not
their burdâ—n to renew it again and to make it more full stâ—â—le and impregnable then ever A perpetuall Covenant that shall not be forgartâ—a which hints a 3. Answ And that is there was never yet so full and strict a Covenant tendred to us since we were a people Former Covenants have had their dâ—fect and failings like the best of Gods people But I may say of this in reference to other Covenants as Solomon of his good House-wife in reference to other women Other Dâ—ughtâ—rs have done well but thou best exceeded thâ—m all Other Covenants have done well but this hath exceâ—dâ—d them all hâ—e Paul among the Apostles it goes beyond them all though it seems to be bâ—rne out of duc time Now if your Lâ—sâ—s and Covenants among men be either 〈◊〉 or forâ—â—ited need men perswade you to have them renewed and pâ—rfected Of how much greater concermnent is this between God and us Oh you of little faith 4 You receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper once a 〈◊〉 and some will not be â—â—pt off though they have no pâ—rt nor portion in that Mystery say the Ministers of Christ what they can and the Sacrament is but the Seal of the Covenant consider it and be convincâ—â—d But secondly it is objected Oâ— 2. We â—â—â—â—at 〈…〉 There be some Clauses in this Covenant that serve rather to 〈◊〉 us further from God thâ—n prâ—â— us neâ—râ—r to Vint as binding us to enquire the way to Sion of man rather then of God to receive the Law of Reform then from Sâ—otland aâ—d other 〈◊〉 and not from the lips of the 〈◊〉 Prophâ—t of the Churches 〈…〉 In the 〈◊〉 we swâ—â—r first to â—â—â—ntain the Religâ—â— as it is already 〈…〉 in Doctrine Goâ—â—â—â—mâ—â—â— and 〈…〉 when in fiul the mest shall sweat they know not what and seconâ—ly we swear to conserm our selves 〈…〉 England to their 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 in Scotland which is presbyteriall and for ought we know as much tyrannicall and more Antichristian then that of Prelacy which we swear to extirpate yea some have not been afraid to call it The Antichrist that is now in the world Answ 1. To whom I first answer beseeching them in the bowels of compassion and spirit of meeknesse to take heed of such rash and unchristian censures lest God hear and it displease him and they themselves possibly be found to commit the sin Isai 5 20. and incurre the woe of them that call evill good and good evill Secondly Whereas they object that many shall swear to they know not what the most being totally ignorant of the Discipline of Scotland and very few understanding it distinctly I would have these remember and consider two examples in Scripture the one of King Josiah 2 2. Instances 2 Chro. 34 30 3â— 32. Nehe. 10.28 the other of the Women and children in Nehemiahs time Josiah as the Text tells us not being above eight yeers of age as Vers 3. While he was yet young began to seek after the Lord God of David his Father and in the twelfth yeer he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem c. And this purging and Reformation he did by Covenant wherein he sware to walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandements and his Testimonies and his Statutes Which surely at that age we cannot conceive he did distinctly and universally understand no more could all the Men their Wives and their Sons and their Daughters that took the Covenant in Nehemiahs time understand all things inparticular to which that Covenant did binde them since they did enter into a Gurse and an Oath not onely to refuse all inter-marriages with the Heathen as Vers 30. but also to walk in Gods Law which was given by Moses and to observe and do all the Commandments of the Lord and his judgements and his Statutes Surely there were in this multitude not an inconsiderable number that were not acquainted with all the Morall precepts Judiciall Laws and Ceremoniall Statutes which God commanded the people by the hand of Moses 2 2. Objections against these Instances There be two things I know that may be replyed against these Instances 1. That of those women and children in Nehemiah it is said in the same place They were of understanding Vers 28. Every one having knowledge and having understanding Vers 29. They 〈◊〉 unto their Brethren their Nobles and entred into a curse c. 2. That there is a great difference between the Laws and Statutes to which they sware and this Government and Disciplâ—â— to which we sware in this Covenant Those Laws and Statutes were ordained immediately of God himself and therefore being insallibly right unquestionably holy and just and good Jâ—siah and the people might lawfully sware observance to them with an implicite faith but not so in a Government and Dâ—â—â—â—â—pline set up by man by a Church be it never so pure and holy for their light being but a borrowed light and they not priviledged with an infallible spirit as the Apostles their Resolations and Ordinances may be lyable to mistake and errour and therefore to sware observance to them by an implicite faith is more then comes to their share and as unwarrantable as it is unsafe for a people or person to do who are yet ignorant or unsatisfied in the whole or in any particular To these Objections I rejoyn Answer to these Oâ—â—ectiâ—â— First That that Description of the Covenanters in Nehemiah That they were of understanding and knowledg supposeth not a distinct actuall cognizance of every particular Ordinance Judgement Statute and Provision in all the three Laws Morall Judiâ—iall Ceremoniall in every one that took the Covenant that being not onely needlâ—sse but impossible but it implies onely a capacity to receive Instruction and Information in the things they sware unto though at present they were ignorant of many of the severalls contained in that Oath And so farre this Rule obtains among us Children that are not yet come to understanding and fools being not admitted to this service as not capable of instruction Ans 2 To the second though more considerable yet the answer is not very difficult For First We do not sware to observe that Discipline but to preserve it I may preserve that which in point of conscience I cannot observe or not at least sware to observe Secondly We sware to preserve it not in opposition to any other forme of Government that may be found agreeable to the Word but in opposition against a common Enemy which is a clause of so wide a latitude and easie a digestion as the tenderest conscience need not kick at it This preservation relating not so much to the Government as to the persons or Nation under this Government not so much to preserve it as to preserve them in it against a Prelaticall Party at home or a Popish Party abroad that should attempt by violence to destroy them or to force another Government upon them that should
have I to do with such and such base company What have I to do with such base filfthy Lusts I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine Christ is mine and I am his The reason of it is Luk. 4 4â— Can. 8.6 Revel 12.11 Act. 20.24 1 Tim. 1. â— 13 Because pardon begets love she loved much because much was forgiven her and love begets strength For lâ—ve is as strong as death yea stronger then sin or death they loved not their lives to the death And I count not my life dear sayes Paul When once the man had tasted of the free-grace of God in the pardon of his sins who before was a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious he could finde in his heart not onely to lay down a lust but to lay down his life to for Jesus Christ For whose sake saith he I have suffered the losse of all things Phil. 5.8 And I count not my life dear so that I might finish my course with joy and the Ministry which I have received from the Lord Jesus to testifie the Gospel of the grace of God My beloved Christians If you would be faithfull in the Covenant of God into which you are now entring sue out your pardon for what is past yea entreat the Lord not onely to give a pardon but to speak a pardon and seal a pardon upon your hearts and never give the Lord rest till the Lord have given rest to your fouls The joy of the Lord is your strength 〈◊〉 8.3 â—â—â—ection Self distruct Thirdly If you would make an unchangeable Covenant with an unchangeable God come furnisht with and maintain upon your hearts an â—bundant measure of self-distrust Labour to be throughly convinct of your own nothingnesse and disability 1 Sam. 2.19 Jeâ— 2.19 Jere. 10.23 By his own strength shall no man prevail Surely Thine own treachery may informe thee and thine own back-slidings may convince thee to confesse with Jeremiah Oh Lord I know I know it by sad experience the way of man is not in himself It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Staupitius confest to Luther Ego plâ—â—â— quam millies devovi That he thought in his very conscience he had above a thousand times renewed his Covenant with God and as many times broken it A sad confession and yet how many among us may take up the like â—amentation Be convinct of it I beseech you and maintain the sence of this conviction upon your spirits Say oft within your self I am nothing worse then nothing This treacherous heart of mine will betray me into the breach of my Covenant if the Lord have me to my self I shall one day fall by the hand of my corruptions He that walks tremblingly walks safely In the next place Be often renewing your Resolutions 4 4. Direction Oft renâ—w resolutions Acts 13.23 It was the Exhortation of that good man to the New-Converts at Antioch where they were first called Christians That they should cleave unto the Lord with full purpose of heart This Covenant I have shewed you is the Ordinance whereby you cleave unto the Lord the joyning Ordinance Oh do it with full purpose of heart and be often putting on fresh and frequent resolutions not to suffer every base temptation of Satan every deceitfull or malignant sollicitation of the world every foolish and carnall suggestion of the flesh to bribe and seduce you from that fidelitie which you swear this day to Jesus Christ and the Kingdoms A well grounded resolution is half the work and the better half to for he that hath well resolved hath conquered his will and he that hath conquered his will hath overcome the greatest difficulty No such difficulty in spirituall things as to prevail with ones own heart With these cords therefore of well bottomed resolutions be oft binding your selves to your Covenant as once Vlisses did himself to his Mast that you may not be bewitcht by any Syrenian song of the flesh world or the 〈◊〉 to violate your holy Covenant and drown your selves in a set of perdition And to that end it would not be altogether uselesse to fix you Covenant in some place of your Houses or Bed-Chamber where it be may oftenest in your eye to admonish you of your Religious and Solemn engagement under which you have brought your own souls The Jews had their Phylacteries Nâ—m 15.18 or borders upon their Garâ—â—â—s which they did wear also upon their heads and upon their 〈◊〉 which though they abused afterward not onely to pride making them broader then their first size or pattern in ostentation and boasting of their holinesse which our Saviour condemns in the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 23.5 and to Superstition for they used them as Superstitious helps in prayer which they coloured under 〈…〉 derivation of the word in the Hebrew * Denvâ—ng 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to pray whereas it is derived truely from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to affâ—â—â—r â—wâ— Isa 49 16 yet God indulged them this Ceremony as â—n hâ—lp for their memories to put them in remembrance to keep the Law of the Lord. And God himself seems to use this Art of Memory as it were when comforting his people he tels them Behold I have engâ—aven thee upon the Palms of my hands and thy Walls are continually before me I must confesse the nature of man is very prone to abuse and pervert such naturall helps to Idolatry and Superstition This instance of the Jews wretchedly improving their Phylacteries to Superstitious purposes their Idâ—lizing of the Brazen Sâ—rpent and thereby of a Cure turning of it into a Plague a snare with the like are sufficient testimonies And we see how the Papists have abused and adulterated the lawfull use of naturall Mediums to the unlawfull use of artificiall Mediums of their own inventions Images and 〈◊〉 first to help their Memories and stirre up their devotions in their Prayers and then to pray unto them as Mediums of divine Worship The more Cautions had Christians need be in the use of those Mediums which either God hath ordained by speciall command for the help of our memories and stirring up of our 〈◊〉 as the 〈◊〉 Elâ—ments in the Sacraments or such naturall advantages which Morall equity allows us for the help of our understandings and memories in spirituall concernments such is this we are now speaking of it being the same with the use of Books and Tables c. Tertullian tells us of a Superstitious custome among the ancient Christians That they were wont to set up Images over their doors and Chimneys to keep Witches when they came into their Houses from bewitching their children and so by a little â—inde of Witch-craft prevented Witch-craft But surely to set up this Covenant where we might often see and read what engagements we have laid upon our souls and I could heartily wish Christians Would do it at lest once a week it will
2.28 Which in the immediate Verse 〈…〉 is a 〈◊〉 prâ—miâ—â— You shall abide in him Divers more such Instances I could give you and why thus Surely the 〈…〉 teacheth us our Dutie the Promise our weaknesse and 〈…〉 to perform that luty The Command finds us work the 〈◊〉 findes us streâ—â—th The command is to keep us from 〈…〉 the promiâ—â— to keep us from being discouraged c. Wâ—ll 〈…〉 God and as he couples a command and a 〈…〉 so let us couple a Resolution and a Petition As 〈…〉 seconds and backs his command with his promise so let us second and back our promises with our Prayers the onâ— in sence of our duty the other in sence of our weaknesse by the one to bring our hearts up to God by the other to bring God down to our hearts Resolve and Petition Promise and Prâ—â—y 〈…〉 And the Lord prepare your heart to pray and cause his â—â—r to 〈◊〉 Secondly Since God onely must uphold your desires Wâ—â—â— continually as in his presence Sâ—â—ilitie is onely to be found in the prefence of God So faire we live an unchangeable life as we walk and live in the presence of an unchangeable God The â—aints 〈◊〉 Heaven know no vicissitudes or changes in their holy franâ—e and temper of spirit because they are perfected in the 〈◊〉 holding of his face With whom is no variablenesse nor 〈…〉 And so farre as the Saints on Earth can 〈…〉 in their presence so farre the presence of God will keep them Isa 〈…〉 〈…〉 the Lord alwayes before me and because he is â—t my right hand therefore I shall not be moved sung David of â—â—mself liberally and in the person of Christ typically The priâ—â—ledge was made good to both so far as either made good the Dutie David according to his degree and proportion of grace 〈◊〉 God before him placed him on his right hand and so long as he could keep Gods presence the presence of God kept him it kept him from sin I have kept my self from my iniquitie Ps 18 13 how so Why I was upright before him in the former part of the same Verse So long as he walkt before God in Gods presence so long he walkt upright and kept himself from his iniquitie or rather Gods presence kept him And as it kept him from sin so it kept him from fear also Psa 23.4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will not fear Mark what he saith Though he walk not step and walk through not step crosse and through not a dark Entry or a Church-yard in the night time but a Valley a large long vast place How many miles long I know not And this not a Valley of darknesse onely but of death where he should see nothing but visions of death and not bare death but the shadow of death the shadow is the dark part of the thing so that the shadow of death is the darkâ—st side of death Death in its most hideous and horrid representations and yet behold when he comes out at the farther end and a man would have thought to have found him all in a cold sweat his hair standing upright his eyes set in his head and the man beside himself c. Behold I say he doth not so much as change colour his hand shakes not his heart fails not as he went in he comes out and though he should go back again the same way he tells you I will not fear How comes this to passe how comes the man to be so undaunted Why he will tell you in the very same Verse speaking to God For thou art with me Gods presence kept him from fear in the midst of death and horror Thus it was I say with David while he could keep God in his presence he was unmoveable impregnable You might as soon have stirred a Rock as stirred him I shall not be moved Indeed so long as he was upon the Rock he was as unmoveable as the Rock it self But alas sometime he lost the sight of his God and then he was like other men Thou didst hide thy face from me Psa 30 7. and I was troubled When God hid his face from him or he hid his eyes from God 1 Sam. 29 1. then how easiâ—ly is he moved Fear breaks in I shall one day fall by the hand of Saul Sin breaks in yea one sin upon the heels of another the adulterous act upon the adulterous look and murder upon adultery as you know in that sad businesse of Vriah the Hittit once off from his Rock and he is as weak as dust not able to stand before the least temptation of sin or fear Psa 61 2. and therefore as soon as he comes to himself again he cryes Oh lead me to the Rock that is higher then I To my Rock Lord to my Rock But now The Lord Jesus the Antitype of David here in this Psalm because he made good this Dutie shall I call it For in him dwelt the fulnesse of the Godhead Gâ—l 2.9 bodilie to him therefore was this priviledge made good perfectly in the highest degree for though he had temptations that never man had and was to do that which never man did and to suffer that which never man suffered the contradiction of sinners the rage of Hell and the wrath of God Yet Because he set the Lord alwayes at his right hand yea indeed was alwayes at the right hand of God therefore he was not moved but overcame even by suffering Beloved you see where stabilitie in Covenant is to be had even in the presence of God labour I beseech you to walk in his presence and to set him alwayes at your right hand Behold it shall keep you so that you shall not be moved or if you be moved you shall not be removed if you stumble you shall not fall or if you fall you shall not fall away you shall rise again There is a double advantage in it First It will keep your hearts in awe He that sets God in his presence dares not sin in his presence God sees will make the heart say How shall I do this great evill and sin against God Secondly Ps 16.12 There is Joy in it In thy presence is fulnesse of joy it is true in its proportion of grace as well as of glory and joy will strengthen and stablish as I shewed you before The joy of the Lord is your strength Psal 91. â— 10 As long as the childe is in its fathers eye and the father in its eye it is secure Because thou hast made the Lord which is my refuge even the mâ—st high thy habitation there shall no evill befall thee c. It will hold as well in the evils of sin as in the evils of punishment Well the Lord make you know these precious truths in an experimentall manner I have hâ—ld you too long but the businesse requires it Remember I beseech you
That by keeping Covenant it should stand and the breaking of that Covenant was the breaking of Zedekiah and his whole Family and Kingdom Now was Covenant-breach or fidâ—litie the foundation of stabilitiâ— or ruine to that Kingdom which was struck but with a dying man how much more is the rise or fall of this Kingdom yea of these two Kingdom bound up in the observation or forfeiture of this Covenant which we make this day with the living God You that wish well to the Kingdoms that would not see the downfall and ruine thereof be from henceforth more conscientious of your Covenant then ever heretofore for surely upon the successe of this Covenant we stand or fall as we deal with the Covenant God will deal with us if we steight the Covenant God will sleight us if we have mean thoughts of the Covenant God will have mean thoughts of us if we forget the Covenant God will forget us if we break the Covenant we may look that God shall break these two Nations and break us all to pieces if we reject it God will reject us if we regard our Covenant God will regard his Covenant and regard us too if we remember the Covenant God will remember his and remember us if we keep the Covenant the Covenant will keep us and our posteritie for ever Oh that this Consideration might be a Motive to whet on that Exhortation of the Apostle Let him that stole Ephes 4.28 steal no more And so let him that was drunk be drunk no more he that was unclâ—an let him be unclean no more they that were worldly proud secure carelesse of receiving Christ in their hearts and of walking worthy of him in their lives be so no more he that hath been Malignant or Neutrall let him be so no more For I protest against every man that after the striking of this so solemn and sacred a Covenant with the most high God shall dare knowingly and willingly to persist in any one of these mentioned abominations or any other he is an enemy to Jesus Christ a Traytor to the Kingdoms a State-murderer and a destroyer of himself and his posteritie and at his hands if they miscarry God will require the blood of all these But there are a people of whom and to whom I hear God speaking gracious words Surely they are my people children that will not lie Isa 63.8 My people mine by Covenant I have brought them into the boâ—d of the Covenant I have made my Covenant with them and they have made their Covenant with me and they be children that will not lie I know they will deal no more as a lying and treacherous generation with me but will be a faithfull people in their Covenant and I will be a faithfull God unto them I will be their Saviour th y will serve me and I will save them Now the Lord make us such a people unto him children that will not liâ— and he be such a God to us He be our Saviour a Saviour to both Kingdoms and every soul that makes this Covenanâ— to save us from sin and to save us from dâ—struction to save us from our exemies without and to save us from our enemies within to save us from the divell and to save us from the world and to save us from our selves to save us from the lusts of men and to save us from our own lusts to save us and to save our posterity to save us from Rome and save us from Hell to save us from wrath present and from wrath to come to save us heer and to save us hereafter to save us to himself in grace and to save us with himself in glory to all Eternitie for Christs sake Amen and Amen FINIS