of our nostrils under whose shadow we shall be preserved alive Lam 4.20 We are all bound by the sixth Commandement to preserve as our owne person so the person of our Neighbour though our inferiour much more his who is our Soveraigne and the Lords anointed who is worth ten thousand of us as the people said of King David 2 Sam. 18.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the chiefe pillar of the Common-wealth 2. His Honour dignity and Majesty that it may have it's due respect esteeme and reverence which belongs to it 1 Pet. 2.17 Feare God honour the King and that both inwardly reverencing him in the heart Eccles 10.20 and outwardly in speech gesture and action as Nathan and Bathsheba did Salomon 1 King 1.23 31. We ought by the sixth Commandement to maintaine the good esteeme and dignity of our Neighbour by all good and law full meanes much more the Kings 3. His Estate i.e. his just and lawfull revenue or maintenance The Apostle saith 1 Tim. 5.17 that they that rule well are worthy of double honour i.e. honour of maintenance as well as of esteeme and reverence much more he who is custos utriusque tabulae the Father of the Common-wealth and Soveraigne Patron of the publicke good whose care is for the whole Kingdome So Rom. 13.6 7. For this cause pay you tribute also for they are Gods Ministers attending continually upon this very thing Render therefore to all their due tribute c. Thirdly We promise vow and protest with our liues power and estates to maintaine and defend the power and Priviledges of 〈◊〉 What these are we may in part see in their owne Declaration published Jan. 17th and some others of theirs published since And there is great reason why we should maintaine them in all their iust Rights and Priviledges 1. Because these are the most happy Constitutions and most effectuall for the publicke good that this or any Kingdome can have In his 3d speech in Parl 1641. Ian. 25. A Princely resolution Eatle of Strafford in his last speech on the Scaffold And this his Royall Maiesty himselfe hath most Princely professed That often Parliaments are the fittest meanes to keep correspondency between his Maiesty and his people and that He will alwayes maintaine their Priviledges as his owne Prerogative and their persons as the persons of his dearest children Yea this was acknowledged and professed by the Earle of Strafford a little before his death I did alwayes thinke the Parliaments of England were the happiest Constitutions that any Kingdome or any Nation lived under and under God the meanes of making King and People happy Parliaments are as one saith truly the glory safety and sinewes of our Nation the priviledges whereof if once impeached farwell all that is glorious in free Subjects These have been secunda Tabula post naufragium the only meanes to save a sinking state the refuge of the oppressed The want and breach of which was a maine cause of all our miseries of late yeares and is now in a manner the only meanes of recovery 2. In these our welfare Lawes and Liberties and the comfortable enioyment of all we have is involved we stand or fall with them if they be broken and destroyed we all extreamely suffer and perish with them if they be kept and preserved we prosper and Horrish therefore great reason we should endeavour what in us lyeth to defend and maintaine the power and Priviledges of Parliament 3. They are persons chosen and intrusied by our selves to heare our cryes remove our grievances supply our wants settle our Religion and peace against the plots and doings of all publicke and private enemies of Church and State or our selves they beare the burden for us spend their time and strength imploy their gifts and engage their estates lives and all for us and therfore we are all deeply engaged to defend and maintaine them and all their just and honourable actions and sticke unto them to stand or fall with them therefore it is that very many thousands from most of the Counties in this Kingdome and Principality of Wales doe in their Petitions offer Themselves their Persons Lives and Estates to defend and maintain as the Kings Majesty so his Parliament in all their just proceedings for the publick good Thus we see there is great Reason why we should with our lives power and estates by all lawfull wayes and means maintaine and defend the true Reformed Protestant Religion the Kings Majesties royall Person Honour and Estate and the Parliament Those three cannot be separated without utter ruine or extreame danger to all three The Declaration of Perliament Jan. 17. 1641. Therefore whosoever goes about to separate and divide these the true Protestant Religion King and Parliament or doth give any councell or endcavour to set or maintaine division or dislike betweene the King and the Parliament is by both Houses of Parliament declared a publieke enemy of the State and peace of this Kingdome and shall be enquired of and proceeded against accordingly The Rebels in Ireland did most shamefully and impudently pretend and still doe in their Protestations and their Oath also to defend and maintaine the King and his Priviledges and Prerogative and yet notwithstanding their deepe vowes and solemn oaths they doe cleane contrary Can they possibly be thought to be and stand for the King that doe most barbarously destroy abuse and spoyle his best Subjects fire his Townes take his Castles Forts and Holds You may be assured that whatsoever the Papist and their adherents and abettours here do or may pretend they have the same spirit and principles and will doe as their brethren and confederates in Ireland have done if and so soon as they have power and opportunity It is a legall principle That the King is the head and the Parliament the representative body of the Kingdome so that he that goes about to divide these doth as he that cuts off the head from the body naturall or destroyes the body naturall and yet sayes he loves the head seekes to advance and honour the head I must therefore here say as our Saviour in another case These whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder It was the policy and advice of a Machivilian to subdue an enemy Divide regna divide them and you may easily overcome them and rule over them A Faggot or bundle of sticks while tyed together there is no breaking of them but take them a sunder and then you may easily breake them all one after another So here while these 3. concurre together we need not feare all the adversaries in the world the Pope Spaniard French Papists c. but if these be divided by the cursed plots of the enemies looke for nothing but ruine or extreme dangers of ruine And therefore it hath been and is the cursed endeavour of our Adversaries to divide betwixt these between us and our Religion and betweene the King and the Parliament and betwixt
the Parliamentary houses themselves to oppose one the other and so betwixt the King and his faithfull and most loyall people and Subjects But let it ever be our indeavour to joyne and keep these together and the blessing of him who is the God of peace and unity will rest upon us Fourthly we vow and protest to defend and maintaine the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subjects such are these Magna Charta Petition of Right and the Statutes therin specaified Also his Royal Maj. sty hath bin pleased divers times in his Declaratiōs graciously to promise all his good Subjects that he will rule according to the established lavves of the Land a most Princely profession That no man may breake open another mans house chamber dore study trunkes chests imprison or arrest his person or ceaze on any of his goods but by authority of Law That no tallage or aid shall be laid had or levied by the King or his Heires in the Realme without the good-will and assent in Parliament That no person shall be compelled to make any Lones to the King against his will That none shall be charged by any charge or imposition called a Benevolence without consent in Parliament and such like And there is reason for it for these are the glory of free-borne Subjects and that which doth difference us from slaves and vassals take away our Liberties and bring in an Arbitrary power that the Rulers will and pleasure must stand for a Law and then wherean doe we differ from the veriest slaves in the world it therefore concernes us to defend and maintaine our lawfull Rights and Liberties even nature and common equity binds us to it So that were there no Protestation made and taken yet we are bound as we are Christians by vertue of our Baptisine to defend and maintaine the true Protestant Religion against all Popery and Popish Innovations as Subjects to maintaine the King our dread Soveraignes Person Honour and Estate as good Common-wealths men the Power and Priviledges of Parliament and the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subject Fifthly and marke it well we are here bound by our solemne promise c. with our lives c. to justifie Defend and maintaine thery person that maketh this Protestation in whatsoeber hée shall doe in the lawfull pursuance of the same And there is great Reason for this also that we should mutually defend each other for if any suffer in a common cause as the defence and maintenance of the true Religion the Kings Majesties Person Honour and Estate the Power and Priviledges of Parliament c. all suffer in him and therefore all and every one should stand for him So did the Grecians and Barbarians when they went with Cyrus against the Persians Suid. as for themselves The very Heathens would not be wanting to their Country but in a common cause were willing to doe or suffer any thing even the greatest dangers and Christianity should not make more slow but forward to all civill duties tending to the publicke good upon better and higher grounds then nature can afford viz. out of conscience to Gods command true Christian love to our Brethren and Country c. Sixthly under the like engagement we promise vow and protest To oppose and hinder and by all good wayes and meanes indeavour to bring to condigne punishment all such as shall either by forcs practises councels plots conspiracies or other wise doe the contrary of any thing in this present Protestation contained As for instance if which God forbid we should see or know any person that should rise up against the King or Parliament wilfully infringe their just and good orders and priviledges or indeavour to set or maintaine division or dis-affection betweene the King and Parliament or betwixt the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland be his pretence as Papists and Popish persons want not excuses and colourable pretences he is declared a publick enemy of the State and peace of the Kingdome See the Declar. of Parl. Ian. 17. 1641. and we are by this Protestation bound by all lawfull means to bring such a person to condigne punishment So againe doe we see or heare any seeking wittingly and wilfully to disgrace suppresse or bring into contempt the true Reformed Protestant Religion or to vent and advance Popery or Popish Innovations within this Realme to set up any woodden stone or painted Image Crosse or other scandalous resemblances we are by vertue of this Protestation bound by all lawfull meanes and wayes according to the rules of Christian wisdome and prudence to bring that person or persons to condigne punishment for his demerits And we have warrant for this in the word of God Hushai the Archite did prevent the dangerous plot against David and discovered it to him 2 Sam. 17.7 8 15. c. Mordecai discovered treason against Ahasuerus Hest. c. 6. Yea the very Pagans would doe thus endeavour to bring to deserved punishment those that were enemies to their Idoll gods Religion King Country or publick-wealth And Gods word requires this of us Pro. 24.21 22. My sonne feare thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change that is to bring in any Doctrine worship or discipline or any thing contrary to the true Religion or word of God and the wholesome and good Lawes of the Land especially such as are fundamentall for their calamity shall rise suddenly and who knoweth the ruine of them both Yea in case of seducing from the true to false Religion or worship of God as is well observed by a godly * M. I. G. Divine it is cleare that we must bring any to pumshment how neare or deare so ever unto us See Deut. 13.6 7 8 9 10. If thy Brother the sonne of thy mother or thy sonne or thy daughter or the wife of thy bosome entise thee saying let us goe and serve other gods Thou shalt not consent unto them nor hearken unto them neither shall thy eye pitty them Our love to God and the true Religion ought to over-rule our affections to our friends and naturall Parents in the flesh much more our affections towards others which our Saviour confirmes Mat. 10.37 He that loveth Father or Mother more then me is not worthy of one and he that loveth Son or Daughter more then me a not worthy of me And in case of the publicke-weale if any person be an enemy to it and will not be reclaimed our affection to our Country and the Common-wealth must over-rule naturall and private affection even to such as are neare and deare unto us and Cicero an Heathen determines this among other cases Cicero de Ossi 〈◊〉 3. That if a mans owne Father would betray his Country and do any thing that tends to the apparent ruine of the Common-wealth he must not keepe silence but preferre the safety of his Country before a Father and indeavour to hinder him or
complaine of him This is just and reasonable for a publicke good of such concernement ought to bee preferred before a private Seventhly we also promise In all jost and honourable wayes to indeavour to preserve the Vnion and Peace betwéene the thrée Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland And there is great reason for it because they being now as it were one the division of them or disturbing their peace is the way to ruine all especially in these evill times when all our forces united together will be little enough and too little without Gods more then ordinary assistance to preserve our peace yea to keepe them from sinking and ruine by the common enemy to our Religion to our King and Kingdom And this is the first thing I here promised to speake off viz. what we doe here promise vow and protest Now for The second What it is to maintaine and defend the true Protestant Religion or Doctrine and oppose the contrary viz. in our hearts to beleeve imbrace love professe and walk according to the Rules of the true Reformed Protestant Religion to justifie and defend the same as occasion requireth and calleth on us and to disavow the Popifh Doctrine and Innovations which are contrary hereuntò and set our selves against it and them or any that shall endeavour to attempt any thing contrary to the true Protestant Religion the Person Honour and Estate of the King the power and Priviledges of Parliament c. Thirdly The grounds and reasons of making and entring into this Protestation or Nationall Covenant are included in the preamble to the Protestation to which I referre you for fuller satisfaction only thus much here in a few words I conceive it may be of use 1. To binde all true Protestants more firmely to God his truth wayes and worship and to prevent the growth of Popery and Popish Innovations and in time to root out both as in conscience reason Religion and policy we should And this is a very speciall meanes to effect it for this binds us not only to embrace maintaine and defend the true Religion but also to reject Popery yea to oppose it and all such as seeke to advance or uphold it 2. To discover all Popish persons and such as stand disaffected to the true Religion and the peace and welfare of the King and Kingdome Church or State that they may be dealt with according as to justice doth appertaine 3. Thereby also the better to disappoint all the Adversaries plots and designes against true Religion the King Kingdome Church and State And 4. To continue and increase the honour peace and welfare of the same to all which purposes this bond may be of speciall use and the most effectuall meanes to accomplish such blessed ends Now Fourthly How far and how firmely this bond or Covenant bindeth us 1. How far in respect of the wayes and meanes to be used and that is only to lawfull wayes to doe all these things as far as lawfully I may and by all good wayes and meanes that is by such wayes and meanes as are warrantable by the Law of God and the wholsome and good Lawes and Statutes of this Realme As for instance when we see any Popery or Popish Ceremonies and Innovations in the Church which we have protested against we may not in a violent and tumultuous way without any lawfull call and warrant set our selves against them and remove them but by our prayers to Almighty God and petitions to his Majesty the honourable Assembly or others in Authority who are by Law inabled to remove the evils that we are bound to oppose and rectifie things amisse Beside God needs no tumultuous carriages and unwarrantable wayes and meanes to effect his worke of Reformation 2. But how firmely doth this binde us Answ It binds us to keep it to the uttermost of our Power Estate and Libes even to the death so as no law of man or power of any worldly Prince or Potentate whatsoever can absolve us from it And we promise and protest in the close that netther hope feare or any woridly respect neither favour nor frowne of men neither promises nor threats neither hope of gaine profit pleasures or preferment or feare of any worldly losse trouble or the like for all these as I humbly conceive are included shall make us relinquish this promise vow and Protestation And this solemne engagement is made in expresse termes in the preseuce of Almighty God and so implicitely calling the Almighty God of Heaven and Earth who heares what we protest and doth see our intentions and purpose and will narrowly observe our future actions how we keep our solemne promise with his Majesty to reward or take vengeance on us if we doe not really and for the future carefully endeavour by all lawfull meanes and wayes to performe our promise vow and Protestation And which yet further addeth weight to this engagement it is made in the presence of the Congregation yea and I may say of the Angels also who are witnesses Ps 91.11 12. Heb. 1.14 and will testifie against us one day if we willingly and wittingly breake this our Covenant And this also our owne hands or marke which is equivalent is subscribed and stands on record as a witnesse to God and men against that man that shall wittingly and willingly breake his Protestation so solemnely made yea and this Church and these Wals and Pewes will one day rise up to condemne that man Heare what God himselfe saith of ordinary vowes and promises which are of 〈◊〉 inferiour nature to this Deut. 23.21 23. When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God thou shalt not slacke to pay it for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee anait would be sinne in thee That which is gone out of thy lips thou shalt keep and performe according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy God which thou hast promised with thy mouth As for instance if the Jew under the Law vowed unto God to offer a lambe or bullocke or sheep or goate c. So now if any should vow or promise to God That if such a businesse succeed well if such a ship in which he hath a venture returne home well and safe if such a field of corne prosper and come well in or the like he will give so much to the poore members of Christ or the like in way of thankfulnesse to God for his goodnesse towards him Or if God doe indeed deliver him out of such a trouble sicknesse misery or affliction or the like he will give so much to such a pious use c. Keep a private day of solemne thanksgiving to God or the like he may neither omit nor delay to doe according to his promise saith Moses from God Thou shalt not slacke to pay or performe it The Lord thy God will require it of thee So againe Numb 30.1 2. This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded If a
man vow a vow unto the Lord or sweare an Oath to binde his soule with a bond hee shall not breake his word he shall doe according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth And if promises and vowes touching things voluntary and of a far lesse and inferiour nature made onely by a mans selfe alone doe so strongly binde that God may justly and * Iust è exigitur ad solvendum qui non cogitur al vovendum Bern. in Ep. will require it of him and punish him accordingly for breach of promise in ease he performe not how much more doth such a solemne vow and Protestation as this is made to God in a thing of this nature which Religion and reason binds us to observe though there were no Protestation made nor ever thought of how much more I say doth this binde us and will God punish the wilfull contemners or breakers of it Wherefore brethren you who have taken this Protestation or Nationall Covenant and have therein implicitly called God to witnesse and be your Judge to take vengeance on you if you performe not your vow and Covenant to God be sure the hand of God will follow you if which I hope I shall never see and heare of you endeavour not to performe your Protestation and Covenant according to promise but wilfully breake it and much more if also any should wittingly and willingly endeavour to hinder others that endeavour to keep their Covenant and doe wilfully disturbe them in their duty of maintaining the true Reformed Protestant Religion or opposing and removing in a legall way any part of Popery or Popish Innovations protested against suppese Images and scandalous Popish Pictures Crucifixes and the like And let such a man be sure that if he performe not his part but wilfully breake it oppose and hinder others yet God will performe his part God will bring the curse upon him which he hath implicitly wished in his Protestation in the presence of Almighty God as he did bring on the Jewes the curse which they wished to themselves Mat. 27.25 And we know it hath layne heavily upon that Nation above sixteene hundred yeares When Zedekiah had broken his Covenant with the King of Babylon see what the Lord saith of him Ezek. 17.15 16. Shall he prosper or shall he escape that doth such things or shall he breake the Covenant and be delivered As I live saith the Lord God surely mine Oath which he hath despised and my Covenant which he hath broken even it will I recompence upon his owne head v. 19. We have solemnely covenanted and promised vowed and protested to God the King of Heaven to maintaine the true Religion oppose all Popery and Popish Innovations to the King on earth to maintaine his Royall Person Honour and Estate to the Parliament to maintaine and defend their power and Priviledges c. And we may be sure that man shall not escape that wilfully breaketh his Covenant but the hand of God will find him out either here to his conversion repentance and salvation or hereafter to his condemnation Wherefore brethren I beseech you all and I hope and perswade my selfe you will consider what you have promised in the presence of Almighty God and doe your best and heartiest endeavour to keep your Protestation Oh let not any person draw guilt on his owne soule by a wilfull breach or carelesse neglect of his Protestation I could therefore wish that every good Subject would have and set up a Copy of the Protestation in his owne house to minde himselfe so often as he goes in and out of his solemne vow and Covenant made to maintaine and defend with his life power and estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion against all Popery and Popish Innovations the Kings Majesties person the power and Priviledges of Parliament c. Yea all of you have in Baptisme solemnely engaged your selves to God to beleeve in him love him feare him serve and obey him in all his righteous commands to defend his blessed truth and the professors of it and consequently to oppose what in you lyeth by all lawfull meanes all Popery and Popish Rites and Ceremonies and whatsoever is contrary to his blessed word and will Thus every mothers childe of us stands engaged to God and be sure thou canst not wilfully breake Covenant with God and escape unpunished But let us come to speake more particularly by way of Application Vse to bring all home to our selves to worke as on the head by information so on the heart and affections by application that the whole man may be put upon the conscionable practise of the duty which is the end of preaching And seeing a Covenant once made may not be broken but carefully kept and performed this may serve to reprove to humble and to exhort First for Reprehension and that of two sorts wherein blaming others I desire to chide and be humbled my selfe 1. Such as seemingly make or enter into Covenant with God but doe really breake it So doe all that having been baptized doe not live answerably Circumcision is called a Covenant Gen. 17. because it doth necessarily presuppose and seale the Covenant Now Baptisme is in the roome thereof yet how many breake it yea how few doe indeed keep that Covenant or that doe in good earnest endeavour to keep it Many very many of them have also renewed that Covenant at the Lords Supper re-engaged their soules againe to God and yet goe on still in the wayes of sinne and Satan In the Covenant we all engage our selves to leave all sinne beleeve all divine truths revealed to us and live holily in obedience to all his righteous and good Commandements yet where almost shall we find a man or woman truly endeavouring to keep Covenant with God The Word Sacrament signified of old the Souldiers Oath betwixt the Captaine and the common souldier which now is by long use applyed only to this Ordinance of God and so we give God the hand in the Lords Supper It is a Covenant with God wherein we doe all as it were sweare promise all faithfull service to him to be wholly at his command and not to serve sinne and Satan any longer The very act of receiving or being baptized imports no lesse and binds us to the duty and so doth the Lords Supper Yet where almost is the man or woman that makes conscience of keeping his Covenant with God Doth not almost every one run on still in his owne wayes serve himselfe and his lusts sinne and Satan as if he had never entred into Covenant with God or made any promise of obedience and so adde unfaithfulnesse in breaking his Covenant with God Yea observe it and we shall see many so farre from keeping Covenant with God that they grow worse afterward then they were before they came to the Sacrament so how many are there who lying on their sicke bed or in some great trouble or feare promise and seriously vow that if
should suffer any thing to discourage you or make you feare the perfecting of the long and much desired worke of Reformation in its due time only if Religion and the worship of God and the discipline of Jesus Christ be first setled then other evills how great soever will vanish away till then it cannot certainly be expected It is true it is not possible it should be done in a trice the greatnesse and exactnesse of the work the great deal of rubbish in the house of God both wretched persons and things and the great oppositions which great and good works meet with must of necessity make the work long Wherefore Noble Senators arme your selves with patience and resolution alwayes look as upon the work with one eye so at Gods glory and the publick good and upon Gods power wisdom goodnesse promise and faithfullnesse with the other and doubt not of a desired issue in due time which is the humble and hearty desire of him who is resolved to his utmost power and to the last breath God inabling by all means lawfull to maintain and defend the true reformed Protestant Religion against all Popery and Popish Innovations the Kings Majesties Person and Royall Posterity the power and Priviledges of Parliament together with their persons in all their just and good proceedings the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subject c. against the enemies of God the King and State and shall till death remain Your dayly Orator at the Throne of Grace THO MOCKET London August 3. 1642. THE Nationall Covenant DEUT. 29.9 Keep therefore the words of this Covenant and do them that ye may prosper in all that ye do THese words of Moses from God to the people of Israel contain a further reason of the exhortation delivered in the former Chapter of performing Obedience to Gods Commandments which Reason or Argument is two-fold First From the consideration of Gods great and wonderfull mercies and benefits vouchsafed unto them in their deliverance out of Aegypt ver 2.3.4 In their Journey in the Wild messe v. 5 6. and in the confines of the promised Land v. 7 8. Secondly from their Faith given or promise of Obedience made unto God intimated in the word Covenant in this verse Upon these two Grounds Gods goodnesse to them and their promise to him Moses doth in this Chapter presse them to Obedience in these words Keep therefore the words of this Covenant and do them The words of this Covenant is the Articles and Conditions which the people were by vertue of this Covenant bound to perform unto God This Covenant that is That Covenant which the people of Israel by Gods appointment made with God in the Land of Moab vers 1. which is there said to be another Covenant beside or differing from that which he made with them in Horeb on Mount Sinai where the Covenant was given Exod. 20. not in substance for so it is the same with that but in respect of the persons with whom even all those of Israel who were then unborn or unfit to enter into Covenant with God v. 14 15. And 2. In respect of the place this being neer the border of Canaan in the Country on the out-side of Jordan And thirdly In respect of the manner of revealing Christ who is in this more clearly revealed then on Mount Sinai The Propositions or Points of Doctrine naturally arising from these words are two viz. 1. That a Covenant Doctr. once made must be faithfully observed Or Covenanters must keep touch with God 2. That this is the way to prosper Or Obedience is the way to true Prosperity The former onely is that which here I intend to insist upon and shall include the other in the motives to this point In handling of which the Rules of Method do require that I do shew you before I come to Application 1. What a Covenant is and the kindes of it 2. What it is to keep Covenant with God 3. How it must be observed 4. The proof and grounds of this Duty For the first A Covenant to speak of it to the present purpose is a solemn promise whereby a man doth engage himself to God to perform all that Obedience unto God required in his Word by strength from Jesus Christ 1. I call it a promise Because the party Covenanting doth promise unto God Obedience 2. I call it a solemn promise Because it is ordinarily made with some outward solemnity Of this outward solemnity which is for the greater ratification of it we finde divers forms in the sacred Scripture Sometimes by Sacrifice as a Seal of the Covenant with God so Psal 50.5 Sometimes with subscribing of hands as Isai 44.5 Sometimes by sealing it also as Nehem. 9.38 Sometimes by an Oath as in this Chapter vers 12. and 2 Chron. 15.12.15 Sometimes with an Oath and a Curse so Nehem. 10.29 All formes binde firmly only some in a greater degree and lay a stronger tye upon the soul then some others do So that to break either must be dishonest and damnable 3. It was added whereby a man deth engage himself to God for it lays a strong band and engagement on the soul you have the phrase Jere. 30.21 Who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord. 4. To perform unto God viz. in respect of sincere endeavour all the obedience which God in his Word requireth of him for otherwise it is as good as nothing to binde our selves to obey God in somethings and in othersome to take liberty to our selves to transgresse at our pleasure It is universall obedience that God requireth Deut. 5.33 5. Lastly It was added in the description By strength from Christ or in the name of Christ c. All our ability is from him and without him we can do nothing that is truly good and acceptable unto God John 15.5 Now there is a double Covenant Personall and Nationall Personall is that which is presupposed and sealed in Baptism and renued in the Lords Supper The Articles whereof are these two 1. Faith in God through our Lord Jesus Christ And 2. Obedience to his Commandments the summe of which is contained in the Decalogue or ten Commandments as a fruit of that our Faith in God Nationall is when a whole Nation at least the generality do thus engage themselves to the Lord and such is the Protestation lately taken Thus much of the first thing propounded now of The second What it is to keep Covenant and wherein it consists To keep Covenant with God is to imbrace and observe his Commandments and that must be done inwardly and outwardly and so by the whole Man Inwardly the Covenant is laid hold on and observed 1. In the minde by knowing and beleeving them First By knowing the minde and will of God and what he requires of us in his Word which is the Book of the Covenant Exod. 24.7 containing the Articles or Conditions of the Covenant on both sides what
layeth on the soul How much greater think you is the tye and engagement which the Covenant of God layeth on the soul 3. We must keep Covenant with God that we may be like unto God as we are exhorted to be Epbes 5.1 as in all other things so in this we must strive to imitate and follow God to be like unto him Now concerning God we reade That he is faithfull in keeping Covenant with us Deut. 7.9 The Lord thy God is the faithfull God that keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his Commandments Psal 111.5 He is ever mindefull of his Covenant as he promises Hos 2.19 20. I will betroth thee unto me for ever c. Therefore since God is faithfull in keeping Covenant with us we must be faithfull in keeping Covenant with God that we may be as our duty is like unto our heavenly Father and thereby may approve our selves to be the children of-God 4. For this end we enter into Covenant with God at Baptism renew it at the Lords Supper and some other times that we might keep his Statues Judgements and Commandments God requires this and we use it thiefly as a help to further us in our Obedience to God we are all naturally very backward and apt to take any occasion to neglect our duty of obedience to God and therfore do promise and bind our selves thereby to help and further us in our duty as we use to binde men to bring them into bond who are apt to break promise If we be to deal with an unfaithfull person that is like to play fast and loose to deny his promise and flie from his word we use to get him into bonds and then we think all is sure enough 5. Breach of Covenant God accounts a great sinne and will severely punish it therefore we should keep Covenant with God 1. He accounts breach of Covenant a great sin though it be of covenant only betwixt man and man and reckoneth it among the great sins of the Gentiles That they were Covenant-breakers Rom. 1.31 Psal 55.20 2 Tim. 3.3 what is it then to break Covenant with God 2. And as God accounts it a great sin so be will severely punish it So he threatned Gen. 17.14 The uncarcumcised man childe whose flesh in his forehead is not circumcised that soul shall be cut off from his people mark the reason He bath broken my Covenant saith God Levis 26.15 16 17. Saith God If ye shall despise my Statutes so that ye will not do all my Commandments but that ye break my Covenant I will even appoint over you terrour consumption and the burning Ague And I will set myface against you and ye shall be slain by your enemies Ezek. 17.15 16. saith God of Zedekiab Shall he prosper Shall be escape that doth such things Or shall be break the Covenant and be delivered As I live saith the Lord God Surely in the place where the King dwelleth that made him king whose Oath be despised and whose Covenant be brake even with him in the midst of Babylon shall he die A grievous curse is threatned against this sin Jer. 11.2 3. Hear ye the words of this Covenant Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this Covenant yea many curses Deut. 29.20 21-25 The Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoke against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under leaven and the Lord shall separate him to evill out of all the Tribes of Israel according to all the curses of the Covenant that are written in this book of the Law Mark the grand reason of all this fierce anger of the Lord against such vers 25. Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their fathers For breaking of Covenant God caused Achan and all his to be stoned and burnt in the fire Iosh 7.11.15 and all Israel suffered with him they could not stand before their enemies but were routed and smitten before them For this very thing Sauls breaking the Covenant made with the Gibionites though long before his time God punished all Israel with three yeers famine and in the end with the death of seven of Sauls sons 2 Sam. 21. therefore also God rent the Kingdom from Solomon and gave ten Tribes to his servant Ieroboam 1 King 11 11. All these things give weight to this duty and the point in hand Thus we have seen it opened what a Covenant is what it is to keep it and how Also the point or duty clearly proved That a Covenant once made may not be broken but must be carefully kept Thus of a Covenant in generall Now with the good leave of the great Assembly I will here take occasion to speak something concerning our Nationall Covenant Vow or Protestation in particular And here I will first set down the Protestation prudently commended to us by the Honorable House in these words I A. B. Do in the presence of Almighty God promise vow and protest to maintain and defend as far as lawfully I may with my life power and estate the true reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and popish Innovations within this Realm contrary to the same Doctrine And according to the duty of my Allegiance His Maiesties Royall Person Honour and Estate As also the Power and Priviledges of Parliaments the lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Snbjects and every person that maketh this Protestation in whatsoever he shall do in the lawfull pursuance of the same And to my power and as far as lawfully I may I will oppose and by all good wayes and means endeavour to bring to condigne punishment all such as shall either by force practice counsels plots conspiracies or otherwise do any thing to the contrary of any thing in this present Protestation contained And further that I shal in all just and honorable ways endeabor to preserbe the union and peace betwirt the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland And neither for hope fear nor other respect shall relinquish this Promise How and Protestation Touching this Nationall Covenant or Protestation we may here observe and consider 1. What we here promise and vow to maintaine and so what we here renounce 2. What it is to maintaine and defend the true Protestant Religion 3. Why for what ends we entred into this Protestation 4. How far this promise and Protestation doth bind us First What we here promise vow and protest viz. divers things which I conceive are in number 7. And the First is to maintaine and defend with our lives power and estate The true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctriue of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovations within this Realme contrary to the same Doctrine