others We likewise engage to the Lord and one another to keep the Church visible as a City set on a Hill in all its Laws Statutes and Administrations and to appear publick there in the face of all Opposition whatsoever We do also resolve as a Royal Priesthood in our Profession Ordinances Walk and Conversation with the loss of our Names Lives and Liberties our Reputations and Estates and every thing that is dear unto us to bear our Testimony against all false Churches and Worship whatsoever To wit against the Mother of Harlots and all her Daughters and we likewise protest against Idolatry Superstition Imposition and Persecution where ever and whatsoever And in love to him and Honour of his Crown who first loved us we resolve and engage by the assistance of the Grace that is in him to have nothing to do to go near their false Worship unless it be to testifie against 'em that we will withdraw from 'em and that we will not joyn with those that joyn with 'em who are confederates against Christ And this Testimony we engage in Christ's Presence to bear every way and in every place whatever even in Courts of Judicature and at the Place of Execution if call'd thereto Furthermore we being convinced and humbled that we and our Fathers have either selfishly neglected or cowardly betray'd the Interest of our Blessed Lord as King of Nations and do humbly waiting for his Coming in his strength resolve that we shall from time to time as he enlightens us leads us and calls us be ready to part with our All in asserting and maintaining all his Royal Prerogatives and Rights as King of Kings and Lord of Lords against all Enemies and Opposition whatever to his Crown and Dignity to whom the Kingdoms of the Earth belong and that we shall faithfully testify against any that shall thus betray his Cause and Interest And also when we in our late Covenant engaged to perform all relative Duties not only in the House of God but also elsewhere we judge that by the Word of the Lord and our own Vows we are obliged to fill each his place and discharge our relative Duties in our respective Stations and Capacities We therefore greatly grieved for divers Neglects and Breaches therein do engage in the Presence Power and Spirit of the Lord Jesus to have continual recourse to the Blood of Sprinkling to wash away the Stains thereof and do in his Presence and Strength promise to watch against all such Breaches of his Rules in our selves and others We do also Covenant with the Lord and with one another to seek the good and welfare of the Nation we live in Heb. 2.10 to be subject to those higher Powers the Lord Jesus sets over us Rom. 13.12 Nor only for Wrath but for Conscience sake paying Tribute to 'em as God's Ministers v. 6. yet as free Servants of God but not using our Liberty for a Cloak of Maliciousness 1 Pet. 2.16 and hereby putting to silence the Ignorance of foolish Men v. 15. We that are Husbands do promise to love our Wives as Christ does the Church Eph. 5.25 And as our own Bodies v. 28. leaving all and cleaving to our Wives v. 38. not being bitter against 'em Col. 3.19 dwelling with 'em according to Knowledge giving Honour to 'em as the weaker Vessels forbearing to sin afore 'em and covering their Infirmities as being Heirs together of the Grace of Life that our Prayers may not be hindred We also that are Wives Covenant with the Lord and with one another to love and submit our selves to our own Husbands as unto the Lord Ephes 5.22 being subject to 'em as the Church is unto Christ v. 24. having our Conversation chaste with Fear and Reverence to our Husbands 1 Pet. 3.2 Avoiding the Pride of Apparel and conformable Fashions v. 3. being meek and quiet in our Spirits and Deportments in our Houses v. 5. our Obedience being founded on love without fear and slavery v. 6. being Sober lovers of our Husbands and Children Discreet Chaste keepers at Home obedient to our Husbands 1 Tit. 2.4 5. We that are Parents engage to the Lord and to his Church to discharge all Duties to our Children as the Lord enlightens us and strengthens us teaching 'em in the way wherein they should go bringing 'em up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord not provoking 'em to wrath by unjust and cruel Carriage Eph. 6.4 We that are Children promise to the Lord and his Church in the strength of his Grace to Obey our Parents in all things in the Lord Ephes 6.1 Col. 3.20 We that are Masters and Mistresses also Covenant with the Lord and his Church in the strength of Christ to carry it justly and mercifully towards our Servants forbearing Threatnings and unchristian Violence Eph. 6.9 We that are Servants Covenant with the Lord and his People to Obey them that are our Masters according to the Flesh with Fear and Reverence not with Eye-service as Menâ—leasers but in singleness of Heart as unto Christ as having a respect to his Eye on us more than Man's Ephes 6.5 6. c. 7.8 Col. 3.22 endeavouring to please 'em in all things not contradicting or answering again nor robbing 'em of their Time nor Goods but shewing all good Fidelity Tit. 2.9 10. and thus we will carry it not only to godly and gentle Masters or Mistresses but also to those that are Carnal and Froward 1 Pet. 2.18 Lastly we promise to the Lord and his Church to carry it with Justice and Mercy to the Names Estates Bodies and Souls of our Carnal Neighbours forbearing to Reproach 'em and wound their Reputation to do 'em the least Damage in their Estates or injury to their Bodies or laying stumbling blocks in the way of their Souls And thus as much as in us lies we follow Peace with all Men but with Holiness which consists in avoiding Joyning with 'em in the least Evil or give up to 'em the least Truth of Christ or for to please 'em in denying the least thing that relates to the Faith and Order of the Everlasting Gospel Now to sum up all we finally Promise and Covenant with the Lord and his Church in the Presence and Grace of Christ to obey his whole Will revealed in his Word explained to us by his Spirit nor do we by this Covenant limit our selves to what is herein contain'd but engage to wait on the Lord for further discoveries of his Mind and Will believing he will reveal it to us and if there be any Wood Hay or Stubble in this Form of Covenant we are content it should be burnt up by the Holy Spirit We also solemnly promise and engage in the Presence and Strength of Christ whatever farther discoveries of Light may be first manifested to the meanest of us we will examine it by the Word of God and in fervent Prayer and shall be far from rejecting or fighting against it unless it be revealed to us
promise in the strength of Christ and in the presence of our Royal Husband to profess our Allegiance to him as King of Nations and to * The asserting of the Kingly Power of Christ over Nations does assert also the Rights and Authority of Kings and these Magistrates that Reign under him maintain his Rights and Prerogatives as the King thereof to whom the Kingdoms of the World belong with our Lives and all dear to us every manner of way as his Word Spirit and Divine Providence shall from time to time call us thereunto And in all those things we in the Grace that is in our dear Lord shall endeavour to walk according to his Word and the Explication of this our Covenant which is annexed thereto To the only Wise God be Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Amen AN EXPLANATION OF THE COVENANT WE the Covenanted People and Church of God being greatly humbled that in our former and latter Covenanting we were so ignorant and legal and that it came to pass thence that we have been guilty of so many Breaches thereof both we and our Officers now in the steadfast believing Views that all those Breaches are blotted out and Transgressions pardoned in him and for his sake who is our constant a 1 John 2.1 Advocate at the Father's Right hand Jesus Christ the Righteous and being constrained by the Sense of the boundless Love of the Father and the Son and the past and present Testimonies thereof to our Souls do professedly and publickly b Deut. 26.17 this day avouch again solemnly the Lord Jesus to be our c Isa 33.22 Judge and King and Lawgiver and d John 8.36 compar'd with Rom. 6.8.22 profess our selves his Subjects according to the Tenour of his blessed Word and our former Covenant And for as much as many of us if not all of us were then more or less ignorant how extensive our former Covenant was when we engaged to obey e Exod. 19.8 all his Voice f Heb. 12.25 that speaks from Heaven g Rev. 19.10 in his House and because since through Grace we are more enlighten'd by his Spirit from his Word concerning our Generation-work We think it highly Necessary now to declare our Sense of those several particular h Ezek. â—3 10 Ordinances Laws and Judgments that we now are engag'd to maintain and to perform by the Bowels of his tender Mercies his holy Word and our consent thereto in our former Covenanting And First We do judge that our then solemn Covenanting as a Church was a publick Declaration and i Rom. 1.9.10 Confession with our Mouths that we had by Faith with our Hearts laid hold of Christ Jesus as k Rev. 22.16 1 Cor. 15.45 our Root l Heb. 7.22 Surety and m Rom. 5.12 c. Representative The Grace of Election as being from Eternity fixed on a certain number of n Ep. 1.4.5 Persons and that those determinate number of Persons for the most part should be of a Race Kindreds Families and Fatherhoods not excluding the Seed of Strangers in all Ages but especially in the latter Age of the World when the Partition-Wall was to be broken down between Jew and Gentile This is abundantly witness'd to by the Word of God Deut. 4.37 c. 10.15 which words though they speak literally of literal Israel and of the Election of their Seed to suceed in their then Church yet Israel and their Seed was typical inclusive and expressive of the whole Election Rom. 9.6 and the Election and Separation of the Seed of Abraham out of the World was to prove and exemplifie God's Eternal predestinating a certain number for himself to the Adoption of Children This Truth also was attested to by the series of Divine Providence in all Ages chiefly causing Electing Grace to run through Godly Families and filling up the Old and New Testament Church with their Seed yet never excluding the Seed of Strangers We likewise judge that in our Covenant we profess that by Faith we laid hold of the Eternal Compact made with our Lord the Redeemer as our Root Surety and Representative and with us in him and ours too that were of the true Israel Isa 59.21 which words though they be spoken by God the Father to our Lord Jesus the Surety and Dispensator of the New-Covenant and Testament to his Seed and Seeds Seed in him yet he therein is also the Messenger or Angel of the Eternal Compact And the New-Covenant it self in its most glorious Administration is but a fuller Copy thereof promulgated and publish'd We professed then and now do also to lay hold of this Eternal Compact as promulgated in a more comprehensive way in the Old and New Testament as running with Noah Abraham the Patriarchs David the Righteous the Godly the Church and their Seed Rom. 4.16 compar'd Gal. 3.8 Gen. 17.17 compar'd 2 Cor. 6.18 with Acts 2.39 1 Cor. 7.14 Gen. 12. 7.13.15.15 compar'd with Heb. 14.8 with Rom. 11.17 2 Kings 8.19 1 Kings 2.4.8.25 Psal 132.12 Psal 25.13.112.2 1 Kings 1.2.33 Psal 37.25 26 89.28 29.36 2 Sam. 7.11.19.29 Deut. 1.8.11.9.10.15.4.37 Psal 22.30.69.36.102.28 Num. 24.7 Deut. 30.6 ver 19. Psal 105.6 Deut. 4.10 Prov. 11 21. Psal 25.13.112.2.127.3 4 5.128.3.6 John 5.25 Isa 22.24.65.23 Psal 72.4.103.17 Prov. 14.25 26.20.7 Gen. 17.13 Deut. 7.9 Psal 122.28 Isa 6.13.43.5.44.3 4 5.54.3.61.9.65.23 59.21.66.22 Joel 2.28 Heb. 8.10.11 compar'd with ult pars 11. Rom. 11.16 17. Acts 2.16 17. vers 39. 1 Cor. 17.14 Matth. 10.12 13. Luke 10.5 6. Luke 19.9 Acts 16.31 Matth. 19.14 Mark 10.14 Luke 18.16 Being therefore convinc'd that in our first believing we laid hold on the Covenant in the most comprehensive extent of the Grace thereof for us and ours And filled with joy and wonder at the Manifestations of this Covenant-blessings and Privileges declar'd in the Gospel as we have in our former Covenanting so in this our Renewal do now again publickly and solemnly give up our selves and ours to the Lord Jesus our Royal Head and Husband to be his for ever now again publickly declaring that he is our Lord a Psal 45.11 and we will Worship him We likewise do judge that in our former Covenant with the Lord we being b Pet. 18. Col. 1.13 Chosen and Redeem'd by him c Mat. 19.27 28 translated into his Kingdom by his Spirit at Effectual Calling gave up our selves to follow him in the Works of our day to be Assertors of his Spiritual Ecclesiastical and Temporal Interest in the World and to be witnesses of this threefold Interest of his against all Oppositions or Opposers whatsoever And now considering we are not our own but bought a 1 Pet. 18.19 with a price and redeemed from a vain and fruitless Conversation to serve him Mov'd with a sense of his unspeakable Love to us ward being greatly humbled and filled with self-Abhorrence that we and our Fathers have too much declined and forsook the Cause
of our Blessed King Jesus as King of Souls Churches and Nations do firmly trusting to the sufficiency of Grace we have in him promise and resolve to maintain and abet his Spiritual b Heb. 3.8 Psal 2.6 Rev. 19.16 his Ecclesiastical and Temporal Rule over our Souls his Churches and Nations to the utmost And shall be ready as the Lord shall call us to testifie against the Opposers and Usurpers of this threefold Prerogative belonging to his Crown and Dignity carrying our Lives Liberties Estates and all that is dear to us in our hands to Sacrifice at his Feet for this end and purpose We also now are convinced that in our former Covenanting to perform all Duties required we chiefly engaged our selves to that first and great c Joh. 6.29.40 c. 3.16.18.39 verses Command of the Gospel viz. believing on the Person and Righteousness of Christ for d Heb. 11.4 Eternal Life Acceptance with God e Rom. 5.1 1 Pet. 1.8 9. Peace of Conscience f Joh. 6.53.56 57. Spiritual Light Life and Strength and every thing else necessary Therefore being greatly g Jerem. 3.13 ashamed of the constant and notorious breach of the Command of living by Faith and of our turning aside from the h Rom. 1.17 Gal. 3.11 Ez. 20. Heb. 3 12. vers 28. Living God the Fountain i Jerem. 2.13 of Living Waters to our own Cisterns that will hold no Water being under deep sense of the Guilt of our k John 2.15 Spiritual Adultery and Idolatry with the World and the things thereof our own l Gal. 3.1 comp Gal. 3. legal Performances or that call'd Gospel-Obedience our inherent m Jerem. 2.17 2 Cor. 12.7 compar'd with Cor. 9.19 Qualifications and Spiritual-Enjoyments which we advanced in the n Cor. 2.2 room and throne of the Mediator his Blood and Righteousness We now constrained from a sense of his pardoning Grace and in the strength and virtue of the Blood of the o Zach. 9.11 Heb. 19.14 Everlasting Covenant sprinkled on our Consciences do resolve to abide by Faith in Exercise in the p Joh. 15.2 c. Person q 1 Joh. 4.16 Love and r Ex. 28.35.43 Psal 89.15 16. Righteousness of Christ and as we have a Col. 26 c. receiv'd him our Root Surety and Representative so walking in him by Faith b Rev. 7.14 15. that we may continually walk with him c Phil. 2.1 in the Fellowship of the Spirit constantly d Jam. 1.25 beholding our selves by Faith in the glass of the perfect Law of Liberty e Eph. 4.30 Members of his Glorious Body f Col. 2.10 compleat in him and presented by him in the Body of his Flesh through Death g Eph. 5.27 not having spot or wrinkle or blemish but always h Col. 1.22 holy unblamable and unreprovable in his and his Father's fight and hereby deriving all Influence and Virtue i Joh. 1.16 from his Fullness for all manner of holy Conversation and Walk that thus a â—â—hn â—5 â—â— acting continually in his presence constrain'd by his b 2 Cor. 5.14 manifested Love c Heb. 4.14 15 1â— c. 10 â—â— 20 c. 1 John 18. encouraged by the blotting out of Guilt and Imperfection from our Persons Graces and Duty and they made perfect in him and his Grace we may always seek those things that are Above where Christ is having our d Phâ—l 2.20 Conversation in Heaven whence we look for the appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and being all the day e Rom. 8.6.13 thus spiritually minded watching over our vain wandering Thoughts we may f Isa 62. â— continually make mention of his Name g Psal 71.6 Righteousness and h Isa 63.7 loving Kindness having our Speech always i Matth. 5.13 season'd with Salt administring Grace to the Hearers And being as the Salt of the Earth and of the Families we dwell in we may be day by day dying to Sin and living to Righteousness Rom. 8. k Tit. 2.12 denying Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and living righteously soberly and godly in this present World and with a Conversation l Phil. 1.27 becoming the Gospel We also do believe this direct acting of Faith on the Person of Christ for all things is m Jude 3. the Faith of the Gospel the Faith once deliver'd to the Saints which we ought earnestly to contend for and to resist all Oppositions thereto n Heb. 12.4 even unto Blood whether in our Souls in the Churches or other Sister Churches from the World and Carnal Professors Hence therefore laying hold on the strength of Christ though we know Unbelief will cleave to the lest of our Performances yet we will not plead for it nor indulge it as a little Sin much less as a Virtue or Grace but continually watch against it mourn over and loath it and slay it on the Head of the Sacrifice as the greatest o 1 John 5. Immorality because it gives the God of Truth the Lie and p Heb. 10.29 treads the Blood of the Covenant under foot and more especially the greatest Unbelief of q Mat. 14.31 questioning the Ability and Fulness of Christ to save us to the utmost And though we think it our present Duty not to reject all Preaching whose Doctrinal part treads in the steps of the first Reformers though the Application be mixed with some self-Darkness and Legality a Jude 22. putting difference between them and others pulling them out of the fire by love and familiarity yet b Jude 23. detesting every Garment of Doctrine so far as it is spotted with the Flesh of Man's Wisdom Yet notwithstanding all those under what Name or Denomination soever whose Tenents corrupt the Doctrine of the Person of Christ either denying or lessening his God-head his Humane Nature or mystical Union of both Natures in one Person or else separating the Natures or confounding them As likewise all those that add the least mixture to Christ's Righteousness though it be their own acts of Faith in point of Acceptance Acquittance and the obtaining of Peace of Conscience and who * T … 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and infinitely free in the purpose of God in Election in the publick and indefinite Manifestation of it in the a Rom. 56.10 Person of Christ by Redemption and in b Rom. 4.5 Ephes 2.8 2 Tim. 1.9 actual conferring of it and manifesting of it in effectual Vocation to a particular Soul who also make Faith and Repentance foreseen as Conditions of the Eternal Election and of the Redemption of Christ Jesus and Faith and Repentance actual in the Soul the preparative federal Conditions of possessing the Blessings of Election in Christ our Head whether it be Christ's actual influential Union to us Justification Adoption or any other Grace whatever But especially the Perverters of the Gospel those most refined and subtil reserves