A Phoenix, Treatise
The great danger of Covenant-refuſing, and Covenant-breaking.
2 Tim. 3.3.
—Truce-breakers; or, Covenant-breakers.
IN the beginning of the Chapter, the Apoſtle tells us the condition that the Church of God ſhould be in, in the laſt dayes. This know alſo, that in the laſt dayes perilous times ſhall come. In the ſecond Verſe he tells us the reaſon why theſe times ſhould be ſuch hard and dangerous times; For men ſhall be lovers of themſelves, covetous, &c. The reaſon is not drawn from the miſeries and calamities of the laſt times, but from the ſins and iniquities of the laſt times. It is ſin and iniquity that makes times truly perilous. Sin and ſin only, takes away Gods love and favour from a Nation, and makes God turn an enemy to it. Sin cauſeth God to take away …e purity and power of his Ordinances from a Nation. Sin makes all the creatures to be armed againſt us, and makes our own conſcience to fight againſt us. Sin is the cauſe of all the cauſes of perilous times. Sin is the cauſe of our civil warres, 2 Sam. 12.11. Sin is the cauſe of our diviſions, Jam. 4.1. Sin is the cauſe why men fall into ſuch dangerous errours, 2 Theſſ. 2.11. Sin brings ſuch kinds of judgements which no other enemy can bring. Sin brings inviſible, ſpiritual, and eternal judgements. It is ſin that makes God give over a Nation to a ſenſe, Rom. 1.24. Sin makes all times dangerous. Let the times be never ſo proſperous, yet if they be ſinful times, they are times truly dangerous. And if they be not ſinful, they are not dangerous, though never ſo miſerable. It is ſin that makes Afflictions to be the fruits of Gods revenging wrath, part of the curſe due to ſin, and a beginning of Hell. It is ſin, and ſin only, that imbitters every affliction. Let us for ever look upon ſin through theſe Scripture ſpectacles.
The Apoſtle in four verſes reckons up 19 ſins, as the cauſes of the miſeries of the laſt dayes. I may truly call theſe 19 ſins, Englands Looking-glaſſe, wherein we may ſee what are the clouds that eclipſe Gods countenance from ſhining upon us: the Mountains that lye in the way to hinder the ſettlement of Church-diſcipline. Even theſe 19 ſim which are as an Iron whip of 19 ſtrings, with which God is whipping England at this day; which are as 19 Faggots with which God is burning and devouring England. My purpoſe is not t… ſpeak of all theſe ſins: OnelyOnly let me propound a Divine project how to make the times happy for ſoul and body. And that is, To ſtrike at the root of all miſery, which is ſin and iniquity. To repent for, and from all theſe 19 ſins, which are as the Oyl that feedeth, and encreaſeth the flame that is now conſuming of us. For becauſe men are lovers of themſelves, Ʋſque ad contemptum Dei & Reipublicae. Becauſe men drive their own deſignes not only to the neglect, but contempt of God and the Common-wealth. Becauſe men are covetous, lovers of the world more then lovers of God. Becauſe they are proud in head, heart, looks and apparel. Becauſe they are unthankful, turning the mercies of God into inſtruments of ſin, and making Darts with Gods bleſſing▪ to ſhoot againſt God. Becauſe men are unholy and beady, and make many covenants, and keep none. Becauſe they are (as the Greek word foreign ſignifieth) Devils, acting the Devils part in accuſing the brethren, and in bearing falſe witneſſe one againſt another. Becauſe they have a form of godlineſſe, denying the power thereof, &c. hence it is that theſe times are ſo ſad and bloudy. Theſe are thine enemies, O England, that have brought thee into this deſolate condition! if ever God lead us back into the wilderneſſe, it will be becauſe of theſe ſinnes. And therefore if ever you would have bleſſed dayes, you muſt make it your great buſineſſe to remove theſe 19 mountaines, and repent of theſe land-devouring, and ſoul-deſtroying abominations.
At this time I ſhall pick out the firſt, and the tenth ſin to ſpeak on. The firſt is ſelf-love, which is placed in the forefront as the cauſe of all the reſt. Self-love is not only a ſin that makes the times perilous, but it is the cauſe of all thoſe ſins that makes the times perilous. For becauſe men are lovers of themſelves, therefore they are covetous, proud, unholy, &c. The tenth ſinne is truce-breaking, and for fear leſt the time ſhould prevent me, I will begin with this ſinne firſt.
The tenth ſin then is truce-breakers; or, as Rom. 1.33. Covenant-breakers. The Greek word foreign, which ſignifieth three things. Firſt ſuch as are foederis neſcii, as Beza renders it; or as others, infoederabiles; that is, ſuch as refuſe to enter into Covenant. Or ſecondly, ſuch as are foedifragi, qui pacta non ſervant, (as Eſtius hath it) or ſine fide, as Ambroſe; that is, ſuch as break faith and Covenant. Or thirdly, ſuch as are implacabiles; or as others, ſine pace; that is, ſuch as are implacable, and haters of peace.
According to this threefold ſenſe of the word, I ſhall gather theſe three obſervations.
Doct. 1. That to be a Covenant-refuſer, is a ſin that makes the times perilous.
Doct. 2. That to be a Covenant breaker, is a ſin that makes the times perilous.
Doct. 3. That to be a peace hater, or a truce-hater, is a ſin that makes the times perilous.
To begin with the firſt.
Doctrine the firſt. That to be a Covenant-refuſer, is a ſinne that makes the times perilous. To be foederis neſcius, or indefoederabilis. For the underſtanding of this, you muſt know that there are two ſorts of Covenants. There are divelliſh and helliſh Covenants, and there are godly and religious Covenants. Firſt, there are divelliſh Covenants, ſuch as Acts 23.12. and Iſaiah 28.15. ſuch as the holy league (as it was unjuſtly called) in France againſt the Hugonites, and that of our Gunpowder Traytors in England.
Now to refuſe to take ſuch Covenants, is not to make the times perilous, but the taking of them makes the times perilous. Secondly, there are godly Covenants; ſuch as Job 31.1. I have made a Covenant with mine eyes, why then ſhould I think upon a maid? Such as Pſal. 119. I have ſworn I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgements; ſuch as 2 Chron. 15.14. And ſuch as this is, which you are met to take this day. For you are to ſwear to ſuch things which you are bound to endeavour after, though you did not ſwear. Your ſwearing is not ſolum vinculum, but novum vinculum, is not the onelyonly, but onelyonly a new and another bond to tye you to the obedience of the things you ſwear unto; which are ſo excellent and ſo glorious, that if God give thoſe that take it a heart to keep it, it will make theſe three Kingdomes the glory of the world. And as one of the Reverend Commiſſioners of Scotland ſaid when it was firſt taken in a moſt ſolemn manner at Weſtminſter, by the Parliament and the Aſſembly; That if the Pope ſhould have this Covenant written upon a wall over againſt him ſitting in his chair, it would be unto him like the hand-writing to Belſhazzar; cauſing the joynts to looſe, and his knees to ſmioe one againſt another. And I may adde, that if it be faithfully and fully kept, it will make all the Divels in Hell to tremble, as fearing leſt their Kingdome ſhould not long ſtand. Now then for a man to be an Anticovenanter, and to be ſuch a Covenant-refuſer, it muſt needs be a ſin that makes the times perilous.
And the reaſon is,
Reaſon 1. Becauſe you ſhall find in Scripture that when any Nation did enter into a ſolem religious Covenant, God did exceedingly bleſs and proſper that Nation after that time; As appears 2 Chron. 15.19. 2 Kings 11.20. And we have a promiſe for it, Deut. 21.12, 13. That thou ſhouldeſt enter into covenant with the Lord thy God, &c. That he may eſtabliſh thee to day for a people unto himſelf, and that he may be unto thee a God, &c. And therefore to be a Covenant-refuſer, is to make our miſeries perpe…ual.
Reaſon 2. Becauſe as it is the higheſt act of Gods love to man, to vouchſafe to engage himſelf by Oath and Covenant to be his God, ſo it is the higheſt demonſtration of mans love to God, to bind himſelf by Oath and Covenant to be Gods. There is nothing obligeth God more to us, then to ſee us willing to tye and bind our ſelves faſt unto his ſervice. And therefore they that in this ſenſe are Anti-covenanters, are ſons of Belial; that refuſe the yoak of the Lord, that ſay, as Pſalm 2.3. Let us break his bands aſunder, and caſt away his cords from us; ſuch as Oderunt vincula pietatis, which is a ſoul-deſtroying, and land-deſtroying ſin:
Reaſon 3. Becauſe that the union of England, Scotland, and Ireland, into one Covenant, is the chief, if not the onelyonly preſervative of them at this time You find in our Engliſh Chroniclers, that England was never deſtroyed, but when divided within it ſelf. Our civil diviſions brought in the Romans, the Saxons, Danes, and Normans. But now the Anti-covenanters, he divides the Parliament within it ſelf, and the City within it ſelf, and England againſt it ſelf; he is as a ſtone ſeparated from the building, which is of no uſe to it ſelf, and threatneth the ruine of the building. Jeſus Chriſt is called in Scripture the corner-ſtone, which is a ſtone that unites two ends of a building together; Jeſus Chriſt is a ſtone of union, and therefore they that ſow diviſion, and ſtudy unjuſt ſeparation, have little of Jeſus Chriſt in them. When the ten tribes began to divide from the other two tribes, they preſently began to war one againſt another, and to ruine one another. The Anti-covenanter he divides, and ſeparates, and diſunites; and therefore he makes the times perilous.
My chief aim is at the ſecond Doctrine; which is,
Doct. 2. That for a Covenant-taker to be a Covenant-breaker, is a ſin that makes the times perilous.
For the opening of this point, I muſt diſtinguiſh again of Covenants. There are civil, and there are religious Covenants. A civil Covenant, is a Covenant between man and man; and of this the Text is primarily, though not onelyonly to be underſtood. Now for a man to break promiſe and Covenant with his brother, is a land-ſtroying, and ſoul-devouring abomination. We read 2 Sam. 21. that becauſe Saul had broken the Covenant that Joſhua made with the Gibeonites, God ſent a famine in David's time of three years continuance: To teach us, that if we falſifie our Word and Oath, God will avenge covenant-breaking, though it be forty years after. Famous is that text, Jer. 34.17, 18, 19, 20. Becauſe the Princes and the People brake the covenant which they had made with their ſervants (though but their ſervants) God tells them. Becauſe ye have not hearkned unto me in proclaiming liberty every one to his brother, &c. Behold, I proclaim liberty for you, ſaith the Lord to the ſword, to the peſtilence, and and to the famine: and I will make you to be removed into all the Kingdomes of the Earth; &c. We read alſo Ezek. 17.18, 19, 20. That God tells Zedekiah becauſe he brake the covenant he had made with the King of Babylon, that therefore he would recompence upon his head the oath that he had deſpiſed, and the covenant that he had broken, and would bring him to Babylon, and plead with him there for the treſpaſſe which he had treſpaſſed againſt the Lord. David tells us, Pſal. 15.4. that it is a ſin that ſhuts a man out of heaven. The Turkiſh hiſtories tell us of a covenant of peace made between Amurath the great Turk and Ladiſlaus King of Hungary, and how the Pope abſolved Ladiſlaus from his oath, and provoked him to renew the war. In which war the Turk being put to the worſt, and deſpairing of victory, pulls out a paper which he had in his boſome wherein the league was written; and ſaid, O thou God of the Chriſtians, if thou beeſt a true God, be revenged of thoſe that without cauſe have broken the league made by calling upon thy name. And the ſtory ſaith, that after he had ſpoken theſe words, he had as it were a new heart and ſpirit put into him, and his ſouldiers, and that they obtained a glorious victory over Ladiſlaus. Thus God avenged the quarrel of mans covenant. The like ſtory we have of Rodolphus Duke of Swevia, who by the Popes inſtigation waged war with Henry the fourth Emperour of Germany, to whom he had ſworn the contrary. The Pope ſent a Crown to him with this Motto, Petra dedit Petro, Petrus diadema Rodolpho; but in the fight it chanced that Rodolphus loſt his right hand; and falling ſick upon it he called for it, and ſaid, Spectate hanc dextram legitima …upplicia expendentem, quae fidem ſacramento munitam, & Henrico Domino meo datam, vobis urgentibus, praeter aequum & …us temere violavit. Behold this right …and with which I ſubſcribed to the Emperour, with which I have violated my …ath, and therefore I am rightly puniſhed. I will not trouble you in rela…ing the gallant ſtory of Regulus, that thoſe rather to expoſe himſelf to a cruel death, then to falſifie his oath to the Carthaginians. The ſum of all is, if it be ſuch a crying abomination to break cove…ant between man and man; and if …uch perſons are accounted as the off-ſcouring of men, not worthy to live in a Chriſtian, no not in a heathen Commonweal; If it be a ſin that draws down ven…eance from heaven, and excludes a man …rom heaven; much more for a man to …nter into a covenant with the great Jehovah, and to break ſuch a religious engagement; this muſt needs be a deſtroying and ſoul-damning ſin. And of ſuch religious covenants I am now to ſpeak.
There are two covenants that God made with man, a covenant of nature, & a covenant of grace. The covenant of nature (or of works) was made with A…am, and all mankind in him. This covenant Adam broke, and God preſently had a quarrel againſt him for breaking of it, Gen. 3.8, 9. And to avenge the quarre… of the covenant, he was thruſt out of Paradiſe; and there was a ſword alſo placed at the Eaſt end of the Garden of Eden, to avenge covenant-breaking. And by nature we are all children of wrath, heir… of hell, becauſe of the breach of tha… covenant. And therefore we ſhould never think of original ſin, or of th… ſinfulneſſe and curſedneſſe of our natural condition, but we ſhould remember what a grievous ſinne Covenant-breaking is.
But after man was fallen, God wa… pleaſed to ſtrike a new covenant, wich i… uſually called a covenant of grace, or o… reconciliation; a copy of which you ſha… read, Ezek. 16.7 8, 9. This was firſt propounded to Adam by way of promiſ… Gen. 3. The Seed of the woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpents head. And then to Abram by way of Covenant, Gen. 17. In thy ſeed ſhall all the nations of the world be bleſſed. And then to Moſes by way of Teſtament, Ex. 33. It is nothing elſe but the free and gracious tender of Jeſus Chriſt, and all his rich purchaſes to all the loſt and undone ſons of Adam, that ſhall believe in him; or as the phraſe is Iſai. 56.4. that ſhall take bold of the covenant. Now you muſt know that Baptiſme is a ſeal of this covenant, and that all that are baptized, do ſacramentally at leaſt, engage themſelves to walk before God, and to be upright; and God likewiſe engageth himſelf to be their God. This covenant is likewiſe renewed when we come to the Lords Supper, wherein we bind our ſelves by a ſacramental oath unto thankfulneſſe to God for Chriſt. Adde further, that beſides this general covenant of grace whereof the Sacraments are ſeales, there are particular and perſonal, and family, & national covenants. Thus Job had his covenant, Job. 20. and David, Pſal. 119.106. And when he came to be King, he joyned in a covenant with his people to ſerve the Lord. Thus Aſa, Jehoiada, and Joſiah, &c. Thus the people of Iſrael had not onelyonly a covenant in circumciſion, but renewed a covenant in Horeb, and in Moab; and did often again and again bind themſelves to God by vow and covenant. And thus the Churches of the Chriſtians, beſides the vow in Baptiſme, have many perſonal and national engagements unto God by covenant, which are nothing elſe but the renovations, and particular applications of that firſt vow in Baptiſme. Of this nature is that you are to renew this day, &c.
Now give me leave to ſhew you what a ſword-procuring and ſoul-undoing ſin, this ſin of Covenant-breaking is; and then the reaſon of it. Famous is that text, Levit. 26.25. And I will ſend my ſword which ſhall avenge the quarrel of my covenant. The words in Hebrew run thus; I will avenge the avengement. In Greek foreign. The Latins ulciſcar, ultionem; which importeth thus much. That God is at open war and at publick defiance with thoſe that break his covenant, he is not only angry with them, but he will be revenged of them. The Lord hath a controverſie with all covenant-breakers, Hoſ. 4 1. or as it is Lev. 26.23. The Lord will walk contrary to them. In the 29 of Deuter. firſt God takes his people into covenant, and then he tells them of the happy condition they ſhould be in if they did keep the covenant. But if they did break covenant, he tells them, verſ. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. That the Lord will not ſpare him; but the anger of the Lord and his jealouſies ſhall ſmoak 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 heaven. And the Lord ſhall ſeparate him, &c. And when the nations ſhall ſay, Wherefore hath the Lord done thus unto this land? What meaneth rhe heat of this anger? Then ſhall men ſay, Becauſe they have forſaken the covenant of the Lord God of their Fathers, &c. This was the ſin that cauſed God to ſend his people of Iſrael into captivity, and to remove the candleſtick from the Aſian Churches. It is for this ſin that the ſword is now devouring Germany Ireland and England, &c. God hath ſent his ſword to avenge the quarrel of his covenant.
The reaſons why this ſin is a God-provoking ſin, are,
Reaſ. 1. Becauſe that to ſin againſt the covenant, is a greater ſin than to ſin againſt a Commandement of God, or to ſin againſt a promiſe, or to ſin againſt an Ordinance of God. Firſt, it is a greater ſin than to break a Commandement of God. For the more mercy there is in the thing we ſin againſt, the greater is the ſin. Now there is more mercy in a covenant, then in a bare Commandement. The Commandement tells us our duty, but gives no power to do it. But the covenant of grace gives power to do what it requires to be done. And therefore if it be a hell-procuring ſin to break the leaſt of Gods Commandements, much more to be a Covenant-breaker, Heb. 10.28, 29. Secondly, it is a greater ſin then to ſin againſt a promiſe of God; becauſe a Covenant is a promiſe joyn'd with an oath, it is a mutuall ſtipulation between God and us. And therefore if it be a great ſin to break promiſe, much more to break covenant. Thirdly, it is a greater ſin than to ſin againſt an Ordinance, becauſe the covenant is the root and ground of all the Ordinances It is by vertue of the covenant that we are made partakers of the Ordinances. The word is the book of the covenant, and the Sacraments are the ſeales of the covenant. And if it be a ſin of an high nature to ſin againſt the book of the covenant, and the ſeals of the covenant much more againſt the covenant, it ſelf. To break covenant is a fundamental ſin, it raſeth the very foundation of Chriſtianity, becauſe the Covenant is the foundation of all the priviledges and prerogatives, & hopes of the Saints of God. And therefore we read, Epheſ. 2.12. that a ſtranger from the covenant is one without hope. All hope of heaven is cut off where the Covenant is willingly broken. To break covenant is an univerſal ſin, it includes all other ſins. By vertue of the Covenant we tye our ſelves to the obedience of Gods Commandements, we give up our ſelves to the guidance of Jeſus Chriſt, we take him for our Lord and King. All the promiſes of this life and that that is to come, are contained within the Covenant. The Ordinances are fruits of the Covenant. And therefore they that forſake the Covenant, commit many ſins in one, and bring not only many, but all curſes upon their heads. The ſum of the firſt Argument is, If the Lord will avenge the quarrel of his commandement, if God was avenged upon the ſtick-gatherer for breaking the Sabbath, much more will he be avenged upon a covenant breaker. If God will avenge the quarrel of a promiſe, if the quarrel of an Ordinance: if they that reject the Ordidinances ſhall be puniſhed; Of how much ſeverer puniſhment ſhall they be thought worthy, that trample under their feet the blood of the Covenant? If God was avenged of thoſe that abuſed the Ark of the Covenant, much more will he puniſh thoſe that abuſe the Angell of the Covenant.
The ſecond Reaſon why covenant-breaking is ſuch a Land-ſtro…ing ſin is, becauſe it is a ſolemn and ſerious thing to enter into covenant with God; a matter of ſuch great weight & importance, that it is impoſſible but God ſhould be exceedingly provoked with thoſe that ſlight it and diſ-reſpect it. The Vow in Baptiſme is the firſt, the moſt generall and the ſolemneſt vow that ever any Chriſtian took, ſaith Chryſoſtom; wherein he doth not only promiſe, but engage himſelf by covenant in the ſight of God and his holy Angels to be the ſervant of Jeſus Chriſt, and therefore God will not hold him guiltleſs that breaks this Vow. The ſolemnity and weightineſſe of covenant-taking conſiſteth in three things.
1. Becauſe it is made with the glorious Majeſty of Heaven and Earth, who will not be trifled and baffled withall. And therefore what Jehoſhaphat ſaid to his Judges, 2 Chron. 18.6. Take heed what you doe, for ye judge not for men, but for the Lord, who is with you in judgements; wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you, &c. The like I may ſay to every one that enters into covenant this day. Take heed what you do, for it is the Lords covenant, and there is no iniquity with the Lord, wherfore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you. For our God is a holy God, he is a jealous God, he will not forgive your tranſgreſſions, nor your ſins, as Joſhua ſaith, Joſh. 24.19.
2. Becauſe the articles of the Covenant are weighty and of great importance. In the Covenant of grace God ingageth himſelf to give Chriſt, and with him, all temporal, ſpiritual, and eternal bleſſings, and we engage our ſelves to be his faithful ſervants all our dayes. In this Covenant we oblige our ſelves to doe great matters that neerly concern the glory of God, the good of our own ſoules, and the happineſſe of three Kingdomes. And in ſuch holy and heavenly things which ſo neerly concern our everlaſting eſtate, to dally and trifle muſt needs incenſe the anger of the great Jehovah.
3. The manner uſed both by Jewes, Heathen, and Chriſtians, in entring into Covenant, doth clearly ſet out the weightineſſe of it, and what a horrible ſin it is to break it. The cuſtome amongſt the Jewes will appear by divers texts of Scripture: Jer. 34.18. it is ſaid, And I will give the men that have tranſgreſſed my covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the Calf in twain, and paſſed between the parts thereof. The words they uſed when they paſſed between the parts where, So God divide me, if I keep not covenant. Neh. 5.12. Nehemiah took an oath of the Prieſts, and ſhook his lap and ſaid, So God ſhake out every man from his houſe, and from his labour, that performeth not this promiſe, even thus be he ſhaken out and emptied. And all the Congregation ſaid, Amen. In the 15. of Geneſis Abraham divided the Heifer, and ſhe-Goat, and a Ram, &c. And when the Sun was down a ſmoaking furnace and burning lamp paſſed between theſe pieces. This did repreſent Gods preſence, ſaith Clemens Alexandrinus, and it was as if God ſhould ſay: Behold, this day I enter into covenant with thee, and if thou keepeſt covenant, I will be as a burning lampe to illighten and to comfort thee: But if thou breakeſt covenant, I will be like a ſmoaking furnace to conſume thee. Thus alſo Exod. 24.6. Moſes makes a covenant with Iſrael, and offers ſacrifices, & takes the blood of the ſacrifice and divides it, and half of it he ſprinkles upon the Altar, (which repreſented Gods part) and the other half he ſprinkled upon the people, as if he ſhould ſay, As this blood is divided, ſo will God divide you if you break covenant. This was the cuſtom amongſt the Jews. Amongſt the Romans, Caeſa firmabant foedera porca. And when it was divided, the Feciales gave one half to one party, & the other half to the other, and ſaid, So God divide you aſunder if you break this covenant, and let God do this, ſo much the more by how much he is the more able. Hinc foedus à foedo animali (ſcilicet porco) diviſo. Sometimes they make covenants by taking a ſtone in their hands and ſaying, If I make this covenant ſeriouſly & faithfully then let the great Iupiter bleſs me. If not, ſo let me be caſt away from the face of the gods as I caſt away this ſtone This was called Jurare per Jovem lapidem. All theſe things are not empty notions, and metaphorical ſhadowes, but real and ſubſtantial practiſes, ſignifying unto us, That God will, and muſt (for it ſtands with his honour to do it) divide and break them in pieces that break covenant with him. This day you are to take a Covenant by the lifting up of your hands unto the moſt high God, which is a moſt emphatical ceremony, whereby we doe as it were call God to be a witneſſe and a judge of what we doe, and a rewarder or a revenger, according as we keep or break the Covenant. If we keep it, the lifting up of our hands will be as an Evening ſacrifice; if we break it, the lifting up of our hands will be as the lifting up of the hands of a Malefactor at the Bar, and procure woe and miſery and wringing of hands at the great day of appearing.
The third reaſon why God will be avenged of thoſe that are Covenant-breakers, is, becauſe that a Covenant is the greateſt obligation, and the moſt forcible chain that can be invented to tye us to obedience and ſervice. God may juſtly challenge obedience without covenanting by virtue of creation, preſervation, and redemption; he hath made us, and when loſt, he hath purchaſed us with his blood. But being willing more abundantly to manifeſt his love, and that we might be the more faſtned to him, he hath tyed himſelf to us, and us to him by the ſtrong bond of a Covenant; as if God ſhould ſay, Oh ye ſons of men, I ſee you are rebellious, and ſons of Belial, and therefore if it be poſſible, I will make you ſure. I will engage you unto me, not only by creation, preſervation & redemption, but alſo by the right of covenant and aſſociation. I will make you mine by promiſe & oath. And ſurely he that will break theſe bonds, is as bad as the man poſſeſſed with the Divel in the Goſpel, whom no chains could keep faſt. When we enter into covenant with God, we take the oath of Supremacy, and ſwear unto him that he ſhal be our chief Lord and Governour, & that we will admit no forein power or juriſdiction, but that God ſhall be all in all. We likewiſe take the oath of Allegiance to be his ſervants and vaſſals, and that he ſhal be our Supreme in ſpirituals & temporals. Now for a Chriſtian that believes there is a God, to break both theſe oaths of allegiance and ſupremacy, it is curſed treaſon againſt the God of heaven, which ſurely God wil be avenged of. Amongſt the Romans, when any Souldier was preſſed, he took an oath to ſerve the Captain faithfully, and not to forſake him, and he was called Miles per ſacramentum. Sometimes one took an oath for all the reſt, and the others only ſaid, The ſame oath that A. B. took, the ſame do I. And theſe were called Milites per conjurationem, or milites evocati. And when any ſouldier forſook his Captain, he had Martial law executed upon him. Thus it is with every Chriſtian: He is a profeſſ;ed ſouldier of Chriſt, he hath taken preſs-mony, he hath ſworn and taken the Sacrament upon it to become the Lords, he is miles per ſacramentum, & miles per conjurationem. And if he forſake his Captain and break covenant, the great Lord of Hoſts will be avenged of him, as it is written, Jer. 11.3. Curſed be the main that obeyeth not the words of this covenant. To break covenant is a ſin of perjury, which is a ſin of high nature; and if for oaths the land mourneth, much more for breach of oaths. To break covenant is a ſin of ſpiritual adultery; for by covenanting with God we do as it were joyn our ſelves in marriage to God, as the Hebrew word ſignifieth, Jer. 50.5. Now to break the mariage knot is a ſin for which God may juſtly give a Bill of divorce to a Nation. To break covenant is a ſin of injuſtice; for by our covenant we do enter as it were into bond to God & engage our ſelves as a creditor to his debtor. Now the ſin of injuſtice is a land deſtroying ſin.
The fourth Reaſon why God muſt needs be avenged of thoſe that are covenant-breakers, is, becauſe it is an act of the higheſt Sacriledge that can be committed. For by vertue of the Covenant the Lord layes claim to us as his peculiar inheritance, Ezek. 16.8. I ſware unto thee, and entred into covenant with thee, and thou becameſt mine. Jer. 31.33. I will be their God and they ſhall be my people. It is worthy obſervation, that in the Covenant there is a double ſurrender, one on Gods part, another on our part. God Almighty makes a ſurrender of himſelf, and of his Sonne, and of the Holy Ghoſt. Behold, ſaith God, I am wholly thy God; all my power, and mercy, and goodneſſe, &c. is all thine, my Son is thine, and all his rich purchaſes. My ſpirit is thine and all his graces. This is Gods ſurrender. On our parts, when we take hold of the Covenant, we make a delivery of our bodies and ſouls into the hands of God, we chooſe him to be our Lord and Governour, we reſign up our ſelves into his hands. Lord we are thine at thy diſpoſing; we alienate our ſelves from our ſelves, and make a deed of gift of our ſelves, and give thee the lock and key of head, heart, and affections, &c. This is the nature of every religious Covenant, but eſpecially of the Covenant of grace. But now for a Chriſtian to call in as it were his ſurrender, to diſclaime his reſignation, to ſteal away himſelf from God and to lay claim to himſelf after his alienation; to fulfill his own luſts, to walk after his own wayes, to do what he liſts, and not what he hath Covenanted to do, and ſo to rob God of what is his, this is the higheſt degree of Sacriledge, which God will never ſuffer to go unpuniſhed. And ſurely if the ſtick-gatherer, that did but alienate a little of Gods time; and Ananias and Sapphira, that withheld but ſome part of his eſtate: and if Belſhazzer for abuſing the conſecrated veſſels of the Temple were ſo grievouſly puniſhed; how much more will God puniſh thoſe that alienate themſelves from the ſervice of that God whom they have ſworn to be obedient? It is obſerved by a learned Author, of three famous Commanders of the Romans, that they never proſpered after they had defiled and robbed the Temple of Jeruſalem. Firſt, Pompey the great, he went into the Sanctum Sanctorum, a place never before entred by any but the High Prieſt, and the Lord blaſted him in all his proceedings after that time. Ʋt illi qui terram non habuit ante ad victoriam, de eſſet illi terra at ſepulturam: That he that before that time wanted earth to overcome, had not at laſt earth enough to bury him withall. The next was Craſſus, who took away 10000 talents of gold from the Temple, and afterwards dyed, by having gold poured down his throat. The third was Caſſius, who afterwards killed himſelf. If then God did thus avenge himſelf of thoſe that polluted his conſecrated Temple; much more will he not leave them unpuniſhed that are the living temples of the Holy Ghoſt, conſecrated to God by a Covenant, and afterwards proving ſacrilegious, robbing God of that worſhip and ſervice which they have ſworn to give him.
The fifth reaſon why this ſin makes the time perilous is, becauſe covenant-breakers are reckoned amongſt the number of thoſe that have the mark of reprobation upon them. I do not ſay that they are all Reprobates; yet I ſay that the Apoſtle makes it to be one of thoſe ſins which are committed by thoſe that are given up to a reprobate mind, Rom. 1.28.31. The words are ſpoken of the Heathen, and are to be underſtood of Covenants made between man and man. But then the Argument will hold à fortiori. If it be the brand of a reprobate to break covenant with man, much more a covenant made with the great Jehovah by the lifting up of our hands to Heaven.
The laſt reaſon is, becauſe it is a ſin againſt ſuch infinite mercy, ſuch bowels of Gods unexpreſſible mercy. It is ſaid, Jer. 31.22. Which covenant they brake, although I was a Husband to them. That is, although I had choſen them for my Spouſe, and married my ſelf unto them with an everlaſting Covenant of mercy, and intailed heaven unto them, yet they have broken my Covenant. This was a great provocation. Thus Ezek. 16 4, 5, When thou waſt in thy blood and no eye pitied thee to have compaſſion upon thee, I ſaid unto thee when thou wert in thy blood, Live; yea, I ſaid unto thee Live. It is twice repeated. As if God ſhould ſay, Mark it O Iſrael, when no eye regarded thee, then I ſaid unto thee, Live. Behold, ſaith God, ver. 8. thy time was the time of Love. Behold and wonder at it, and I ſpread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedneſſe: yea, I ſware unto thee, and entered into covenant with thee, ſaith the Lord, and thou becameſt. mine. And yet for all this thou haſt ſinned grievouſly againſt me. Woe woe unto thee, ſaith the Lord God, Ezek. 16.23. There is fivefold mercy in the covenant, (eſpecially in the covenant of grace) that makes the ſinne of covenant-breaking to be ſo odious.
1. It is a mercy that the great God will vouchſafe to enter into covenant with duſt & aſhes. As David ſaith in another caſe, is it a ſleight matter to be the ſon in law of a King? ſo may I ſay, is it a ſleight matter for the Lord of heaven & earth to condeſcend ſo far as to covenant with his poor creatures, & thereby to become their debtors, & to make them as it were his equals? When Jonathan and David entered into a Covenant of friendſhip, though one was a Kings Sonne, the other a poor Shepheard, yet there was then a kind of equality between them. But this muſt be underſtood warily, according to the the text, 2 Cor. 2 9. Bleſſed be God who hath called us into the fellowſhip of his Son Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. He is ſtill our Lord, though in fellowſhip with us. It is a Covenant of infinite condeſcenſion on Gods part, whereby he enters into a league of friendſhip to with his people.
2. The mercy is the greater, becauſe this covenant was made after the fall of Adam; after we had broken the firſt covenant. That the Lord ſhould try us the ſecond time, is not only an act of infinite goodneſs of God, but of infinite mercy. There is a difference between the goodneſſe and the mercy of God. Goodneſſe may be ſhewed to thoſe that are not in miſery: but mercy ſuppoſeth miſery, and this was our condition after the breach of the firſt covenant.
3. That God ſhould make this covenant with Man, and not with Devils.
4. This ſets out the mercy of the covenant, becauſe it contains ſuch rare and glorious benefits, and therefore it is called a covenant of life and peace, Mal. 2.5. an everlaſting, covenant even the ſure mercies of David, Eſa. 54.3. It is compared to the waters of Noah, Eſa. 54.6. Famous are thoſe two Texts, Exodus 19.5, 6. Jer. 32.40, 41. Texts that hold forth ſtrong conſolation. By vertue of the covenant, Heaven is not only made poſſible, but certain to all believers, and certain by way of oath. It is by vertue of the covenant that we call God Father, and may lay claim to all the power, wiſdome, goodneſſe and mercy, &c. that is in God. As Jehoſhaphat told the King of Iſrael, to whom he was joyned in covenant, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horſes as thy horſes: So doth God ſay to all that are in covenant with him; My power is thine, my goodneſſe is thine, &c. By vettue of this covenant, whatſoever thou wanteſt God cannot deny it thee, if it be good for thee. Say unto God, Lord, thou haſt ſworn to take away my heart of ſtone, end to give me a heart of fleſh. Thou haſt ſworn to write thy law in my heart, thou haſt ſworn to circumciſe my heart, thou haſt ſworn to gave me Chriſt to be my King, Prieſt, and Prophet, &c. And God cannot but be a covenant-keeper. By vertue of this covenant, God cannot but accept of a poor penitent ſinner laying hold upon Chriſt for pardon, 2 Chron. 7.14. Jer. 3.14. Promiſſa haec tua ſunt, Domine; & quis falli timet cum promittit ipſa veritas? In a word, we may challenge pardon, and heaven by our Covenant; 1 Joh. 1.9. God is not only merciful, but juſt to forgive us. We may challenge Heaven through Chriſt out of juſtice.
5. Add laſtly, that the conditions of the Covenant on our parts ſhould be upon ſuch eaſie terms, therefore it is called a covenant of Free-grace. All that God requires of us, is to take hold of this Covenant; Iſa 56 to receive this gift of righteouſneſſe, Rom 5. to take all Chriſt as he is tendred in the Covenant. And that which is the greateſt conſolation of all, God hath promiſed in his Covenant to do our part for us, Jer. 31.33, 34. Therefore it is called a Teſtament rather then a Covenant. (In the new Teſtament the wore foreign is alwaies uſed by the Apoſtle, and not foreign) Heaven is conveyed unto the Elect by way of Legacy; It is part of Gods Teſtament to write his Law in our hearts, and to cauſe us to walk in his wayes, &c. Put theſe things together. Seeing there is ſuch infinite mercy in the Covenant. A mercy for God to enter into covenant with us, to do it with us and not the Angels, with us fallen, with us upon ſuch eaſie termes; and to make ſuch a Covenant, that containes ſo many, and not onelyonly ſo, but all bleſſings here and hereafter in the wombe of it; it muſt needs be a land-deſtroying, and ſoul-deſtroying ſin to a Covenant-breaker.
The uſe and application of this doctrine is four-fold.
Ʋſe 1. Of information. If it be ſuch a Land-devouring ſin to be a Covenant-breaker, let us from hence learn the true cauſe of all the miſeries that have hapned unto England in theſe late yeares. The wombe out of which all our calamities are come. England hath broken Covenant with God, and now God is breaking England in pieces, even as a Potter breakes a veſſel in pieces. God hath ſent his ſword to avenge the quarrel of his Covenant. As Chriſt whipt the buyers and ſellers out of the Temple, with whips made of the cords which they brought to tye their oxen and, ſheep withall. A Covenant is a cord to tye us to God, and now God hath made an iron whip of theſe cords which we have broken aſunder to whip us withall.
We are a Nation in Covenant with God, we have the books of the covenant, the Old and New Teſtament; we have the ſeales of the covenant, Baptiſme and the Lords Supper. We have the Meſſengers of the covenant, the Miniſters of the Goſpel. We have the Angells of the covenant, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt fully and clearly ſet out before us in the Miniſtery of the word. But alas, are not theſe bleſſings amongſt us, as the Ark was amongſt the Philiſtines rather as priſoners then as priviledges; rather in teſtimonium & ruinam quam in ſalutem, rather for our ruine then for our happineſſe? May it not be ſaid of us, as Reverend Moulin ſaid of the French Proteſtants; While they burned us (ſaith he) for reading the Scriptures, we burnt with zeal to be reading of them: now with our liberty is bred alſo negligence and diſeſteem of Gods word? So is it with us. While we were under the Tyranny of the Biſhops, oh how ſweet was a Faſting-day! how beautifull were the feet of them that brought the Goſpel of peace unto you? How dear and precious were Gods people one to another, &c. But now how are our Faſting-days ſleighted and vilified? how are the people of God divided one from another, railing upon (inſtead of loving) one another? And is not the godly Miniſtery as much perſecuted by the tongues of ſome that would be accounted godly, as heretofore by the Biſhops hand? Is not the Holy Bible by ſome rather wreſted then read? wreſted I ſay by ignorant and unſtable ſouls, to their own deſtruction. And us for the ſeals of the covenant. 1. For the Lords Supper; H…w often have we ſpilt the blood of Chriſt by our unworthy approaches to his Table? and hence it is that he is now ſpilling our blood. How hard a matter is it to obtain power to keep the blood of Chriſt from being profaned by ignorant and ſcandalous Communicants? and can we think that God will be eaſily intreated to ſheath up his bloody ſword, and to ceaſe ſhedding our blood? 2. For the Sacrament of Baptiſme; how cruel are men grown to their little infants, by keeping of them from the ſeal of entrance into the Kingdome of heaven, and making their children (their own children) to be juſt in the ſame condition with the children of Turks and Infidels? I remember at the beginning of theſe Wars, there was a great fear fell upon godly people about their little children, and all their care was for the preſervation, and their ſafety; and for the continuance of the Goſpel to them &c. But now our little children are likely to be in a worſer condition then ever. And all this is come upon us as a juſt puniſhment of our Baptiſmall covenant-breaking. And as for Jeſus Chriſt who is the Angell of the covenant: are there not ſome amongſt us that un-god Jeſus Chriſt? and is it not fit and equal that God ſhould un-church us, and un-people us? are there not thouſands that have ſworn to be Chriſts ſervants, and yet are in their lives the Vaſſals of ſinne and ſatan? and ſhall not God be avenged of ſuch a nation as this? theſe things conſidered, is no wonder our miſeries are ſo great, but the wonder is, that they are no greater.
The 2d. uſe, is an uſe of examination.
Days of humiliation ought to be days of ſelf-examination. Let us therefore upon ſuch a day as this, examine whether we be not amongſt the number of thoſe that make the times perilous, whether we be not covenant-breakers? Here I will ſpeak of three Covenants: 1. Of the covenant we made with God in our Baptiſme. 2. Of the covenant we have made with God in our diſtreſſes. Thirdly, and eſpecially of this covenant you are to renue this day.
Firſt, of the covenant which we made in Baptiſme, and renue every time we come to the Lords Supper, and upon our ſolemn days of faſting. There are none here, but I may ſay of them, The vows of God are upon you. You are ſervi nati, empti, jurati,; you are the born, bought, and ſworn ſervants of God, you have made a ſurrender of your ſelves unto God and Chriſt. The queſtion I put to you is this: how often have you broke covenant with God? it is ſaid, Iſa. 33.14. The ſinners of Sion are afraid: who ſhall dwell with everlaſting torments? who ſhall dwel with devouring fire &c. When God comes to a Church-ſinner, to a ſinner under the Old Teſtament, much more to a Chriſtian ſinner; a ſinner under the new Teſtament: and layeth to his charge his often covenant-breaking fear fulneſs ſhall poſſeſs him, and he will cry out, oh! wo is me, who can dwel with everlaſting burnings? our God is a conſuming fire, and we are as ſtubble before him. Who can ſtund before his indignation? (Nah. 1.6.) who can abide in the fierceneſs of his anger? when his fury is poured forth like fire, and the rocks are thrown down before him. Who can ſtand? of all ſorts of creatures, a ſinful Chriſtian ſhall never be able to ſtand before the Lord, when he comes to viſit the world for their ſins. For when a Chriſtian ſinnes againſt God, he ſins not only againſt the commandement, but againſt the covenant. And in every ſin he is a commandement-breaker and a covenant-breaker. And therefore whereas the Apoſtle ſaith, Tribulation and anguiſh upon every ſoul that ſinneth, but firſt upon the Jew, &c. I may add; Firſt upon the chriſtian, then upon the Jew, and then upon the Grecian; becauſe the Covenant made with the Chriſtian is called a better covenant; and therefore his ſins hath a higher aggravation in them. There is a notable paſſage in Auſtin, in which he brings the devil thus pleading with God againſt a wicked chriſtian at the day of judgement. Aequiſſime judex, judica quod aequum eſt, judica meum eſſe qui tuus eſſe noluit poſt renunciationem; Ʋt quid invaſit pannos meos? Quid apud eum laſcivia, incontinentia, &c. quibus ipſe renunciaverit? Quid intemperantia, quid gula, quid faſtus, quid caetera mea? Haec omnia mea poſt renunciationem invaſit. Meus eſſe voluit, mea concupivit; Judica, aequiſſime judex, quoniam quam tu non dedignatus es tanto pretio liberare, ipſe mihi poſtmodum voluit obligare. That is, Oh thou righteous Judge, give right judgement! Judge him to be mine, who refuſed to be thine even after he had renounced me in his Baptiſme; What had he to do to wear my Livery? What had he to doe with gluttony, drunkenneſs, pride, wantonneſs, incontinency; and the reſt of my ware? All theſe things he hath practiſed ſince he recounced the Devil and all his works. Mine he is, judge righteous judgement; For he whom thou haſt not diſdained to dye for, hath obliged himſelf to me by his ſins, &c.
Now what can God ſay to this charge of the Devils, but, take him Devil, ſeeing he would be thine, take him, torment him with everlaſting torments? Cyprian brings in the Devil thus ſpeaking to Chriſt at the great day of judgement, Ego pro iſtis quos mecum vides nec alapas accepi, nec flagella ſuſtinui, nec crucem pertuli, nec ſanguinem fudi, ſed nec regnum coeleſte illis promitto, nec ad paradiſum evoco & tamen ſe mihi ſua que omnia conſecrarunt. I have not ſaid (ſaith the Devil) been whipt and ſcourged, and crucified, neither have I ſhed my blood for theſe whom thou ſeeſt with me. I do not promiſe them a kingdom of Heaven, &c. And yet theſe men have wholy conſecrated themſelves to me & my ſervice. Indeed if the Devil could make ſuch gainful covenants with us, and beſtow ſuch glorious mercies upon us as are contained within the covenant, our ſerving of Satan and ſin might have ſome excuſe. But when as his covenant is a covenant bondage, death, hell, and damnation: and Gods covenant is a covenant of liberty, grace, and eternall happineſs, it muſt needs be a ſin inexcuſable, to be willing and wilfully ſuch a covenant-breaker.
2. Let us examine concerning the vowes which we have made to God in our diſtreſſes: in our perſonal diſtreſſes, and our National diſtreſſes. Are we not like the children ef Iſrael of whom it is ſaid, Pſal. 78 34. When he ſlew them, then they ſought him, and they returned and enquired early after God, &c. Nevertheleſs they did but flatter him with their mouth, &c. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they ſtedfaſt in his covenant? Are we not like unto little children, that while they are whipping will promiſe any thing, but when the whipping is over will performe nothing? Or like unto Iron that is very ſoft and malleable while it is in the fire, but when it is taken out of the fire, returns preſently to his former hardneſſe? This was Jacobs fault: He made a vow when he was in diſtreſſe Gen. 28.22. But he forgat his Covenant, and God was angry with him, and chaſtiſed him in his Daughter Dinah, Gen. 34.5. & in his two ſons Simeon and Levi. And at laſt God himſelf was fain to call to him from heaven to keep covenant. And after that time God bleſſed Jacob exceedingly, Gen. 35.9, 10, 11, 12. We read of David, Pſal. 56.13, 14, 15. that he profeſſeth of himſelf, that he would go into Gods houſe, and pay the vows which his lips had uttered, and his mouth had ſpoken when he was in trouble. But how few are there that imitate David in this thing?
Thirdly, Let us examine our ſelves concerning ihis ſolemne League and Covenant which we are to renue this day. And here I demand an anſwer to this queſtion.
Q. Are we not covenant-breakers? do we not make the times perilous by our falſifying of our oath and covenant with God?
In our Covenant we ſwear to ſix things.
1. That we will endeavour to be humbled for our ſins and for the ſins of the kingdome. But where ſhall we find a mourner in England for his own abominations that are committed in the midſt of us? it is eaſie to find a cenſurer of the ſins of the Land, but hard to find a true mourner for the ſins of the land.
2. We ſwear that we will endeavour to go before one another in the example of a reall reformation. But who makes conſcience of this part of the Oath? What ſin haſt thou left, or in what one thing haſt thou been reformed ſince thou tookeſt this Covenant? We read, Ezra. 10.7. That they entered into covenant, to put away their wives and their children by them: which was a very difficult and hard duty and yet did they it. But what boſome ſin, what beloved ſin, as dear to thee as thy dear wife and children, haſt thou left for Gods ſake ſince thou tookeſt this Oath? I read Nehem. 5.13. that the people took an Oath to make reſtitution, which was a coſtly duty, and yet they performed it, ſaith the Text. But alas! where is the man that hath made reſtitution of his ill gotten goods ſince he took this Covenant? I read 2 Chron. 15.16. that King Aſa depoſed his Mother Maachah, her, even her, from being Queen, after he had entered into Covenant: and that the people, 2 Kin. 11.18. after they had ſworn a covenant, brake in pieces all the Altars of Baall thoroughly. But where is this thorough Reformation, this thorough amendment of life? Indeed here is much talk of a Reformation, but little practice of a Reformation. We ſay we fight for a Reformation; but I fear leſt in a little time we ſhould fight away our Reformation: or if not fight it away, yet we ſhould diſpute it away. For now all our religion is turned into Ʋtrum's, into Queſtions, inſomuch as that there are ſome that call all religion into queſtion, and in a little while will looſe all religion in the crowd of queſtions. Inter disputandum veritas, & religio amittitur. There was a time not many years agoe, when God did bleſſe our Miniſtery in the City, to the converſion of many people unto God; but now there are many that ſtudy more to gain parties to themſelves, then to gain ſouls to God. The great work of converſion is little thought on. And never ſo few (if any at all) converted as in theſe days wherein we talk ſo much of Reformation. And is this to keep Covenant with God?
3. We ſwear to endeavour to amend the lives, and reform not only our ſelves, but alſo thoſe that are under our charge. But where is this Family-reformation? indeed I read of Jacob, that when he went to perform his vow and covenant, he firſt reformed his family, Gen. 35.3 And that Joſhua reſolved (and per…ormed it) for himſelf and his family to ſerve the Lord. And ſo did Joſiah, 2 Chron. 34. And …h that I could add, And ſo do we! but the wickedneſſes committed in our families, proclaim the contrary to all the world. What Noblemans, what Aldermans, what Merchants family is more reformed ſince the Covenant, th…n before? we ſpeak and contend much for a Church-reformation; but how can there be a Church-reformation, unleſs there be a Family-reformation? What though the Church-worſhip be pure, yet if the worſhippers be impure, God will not accept of the worſhip? And if families be not reformed, how will your worſhippers be pure.
4. We ſwear to endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms, to the neareſt conjunction and uniformity in Religion, confeſſion of Faith, form of Church-government, Directory for worſhip and catechizing, &c. But are there not ſome that write againſt an Ʋniformity in religion, and call it an Idoll? Are there not many that walk profeſſedly contrary to this clauſe of the covenant? There are three Texts of Scripture that people keep the quite contrary way. The firſt is Mat. 6.34, 31, 25. Take no thought what you ſhall eat, &c. take no thought for to morrow And moſt people take thought for nothing elſe. The ſecond text is Mat. 6.33. Seek ye firſt the kingdome of God and his righteouſneſſe, &c. And moſt people ſeek this laſt of all. The third text is, Joh. 6.27. Labour not for the meat that periſheth, but for the meat that endureth for ever, &c. And moſt people labour not for the meat that endureth for ever, but for the meat that periſheth. As theſe three texts are kept, ſo do many people keep this part of the Oath; for there were never more diviſions and differences in the Church, never more difformity, and pleading againſt uniformity, then now there is.
5. We ſwear to endeavour the extirpation of Popery, Prelacy, Superſtition, Hereſie, Schiſme, &c. And yet notwithſtanding there are ſome that have taken this Oath, that contend earneſtly for a Toleration of all Religions.
6. We ſwear againſt a deteſtable indifferency and Neutrality in this cauſe which ſo much concerneth the glory of God, &c. And yet how many are there amongſt us that are like unto Gallio, that care not what becomes of the cauſe of God, ſo they may have peace and quiet? That will not be the backwardeſt of all, and yet will be ſure not to be too forward, for fear leſt if the times turn, they ſhould be noted amongſt the chief of the Faction? That are very indifferent which ſide prevail, ſo they may have their trading again? That ſay as the Polititian, that they would be carefull not to come to near the heels of Religion, leſt it ſhould daſh out its brains: And as the King of Arragon told Beza, that he would wade no further into the ſea of Religion then he could ſafely return to ſhoar?
In all theſe ſix particulars let us ſeriouſly ſearch and try our hearts, whether we be not amongſt the number of thoſe that make the times perilous.
The third uſe is for Humiliation. Let the conſideration of our Covenant-breaking, be a heart-breaking conſideration to every one of us this day. Let this be a mighty and powerful Argument to bumble us upon this day of humiliation.
There are five conſiderations that are exceedingly ſoul-humbling, if God bleſs them unto us.
1. The conſideration of the many commandements of God that we have often & often broken
2. The conſideration of the breaking of Jeſus Chriſt for our ſins, how he was rent and torn for our iniquities.
3. The conſideration of the breaking of the bread, and the pouring out of the wine in the Sacrament, which is a heart-breaking motive and help.
4. The broken condition that the Kingdome of England, Scotland and Ireland, and that Germany is in at this time.
5. The many Vowes and Covenants that we have broken; our Sacrament-covenants, our Faſting-covenants, our Sick bed-Covenants. And eſpecially the conſideration of our often breaking of our Nationall-covenant which you come this day to renue. This is a ſin in Folio, a ſin of a high nature: and if ever God awaken conſcience in this life, a ſin that will lye like a heavy Incuba upon it. A greater ſin then a ſin againſt a Commandement, or againſt an Ordinance. A ſin not only of diſobedience, but of perjury. A ſin of injuſtice, of ſpiritual Adultery. A ſin of Sacriledge, A ſin of great unkindneſſe. A ſin that makes us not only diſobedient, but diſhoneſt. For we account him a diſhoneſt man that keeps not his word. A ſin that not only every good Chriſtian, but every good Heathen doth abhor. A ſin, that not onelyonly brings Damnation upon us, but caſteth ſuch into horrible diſgrace and reproach upon God, that it cannot ſtand with Gods honour not to be avenged of a Covenant-breaker. Tertullian ſaith, that when a Chriſtian forſakes his Covenant, and the colours of Chriſt, and turnes to ſerve as the Divels ſouldier, he puts an unſpeakable diſcredit upon God and Chriſt. For it is as much as if he ſhould ſay; I like the ſervice of the Divel better then the ſervice of God. And it is juſt as if a ſouldier that hath waged war under a Captain, and afterwards forſaking him turnes to another, and after that leaves this other Captain and returns to his former Captain. This is to prefer the firſt Captain before the ſecond. This makes God complain, Jer. 24. What iniquity have your Fathers found in me that they are gone far from me, &c. And in the 11 ver. Hath any Nation changed their God, which are yet no Gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Baſill brings in the Devil inſulting over Chriſt, and ſaying, I never created nor redeemed theſe men, and yet they have obeyed me, contemned thee, O Chriſt, even after they have Covenanted to be thine And then he addes Equidem ego iſtam futuram adverſus Chriſtum gloriationem hoſtis inſolentem gravius longe eſſe ſtatuo quam Geheimae ſupplicia. That is, I eſteem this inſulting of the Devill over Jeſus Chriſt at the great day, to be more grievous to a true Saint, then all the torments of hell. A ſaying worthy to be written in letters of gold. Seeing then that covenant-breaking is ſo great an abomination, the Lord give us hearts to be humbled for this great abomination this day. And this will be a notable preparation to ſit you to the renuing of your Covenant. For we read that Nehemiah firſt called his people to faſt, before he drew them into a Covenant. According to which pattern you are here met to pray, and humble your ſoules for your former covenant-breaking; and then to bind your ſelves anew unto the Lord our God. As wax when it is melted will receive the impreſſion of a ſeal, which it will not do before: ſo will your hearts, when melted into godly ſorrow for our ſins, receive the ſeal of God abidingly upon them, which they will not do when hardned in ſin.
Is every man that ſins againſt the covenant to be accounted a covenant-breaker, and a perjured ſacrilegious perſon?
By no means. For as every failing of a Wife doth not break a Covenant between her and her Husband; but ſhe is to be accounted a Wife till ſhe by committing adultery break the Covenant. So every miſcariage againſt the covenant of grace, or againſt this National-covenant, doth not denominate us in a Goſpell-account covenant-breakers. But then God accounts us according to his Goſpel to break Covenant, when we do not only ſin, but commit ſin againſt the Covenant, when we do not only ſin out of weakneſſe, but out of wickedneſſe; when we do not only faile, but fall into ſin; when we forſake and renounce the Covenant, when we deal treacherouſly in the Covenant, and enter into League and covenant with thoſe ſins which we have ſworn againſt. When we walk into Anti-covenant paths, and willingly do contrary to what we ſwear: then are we perjured and unjuſt, and ſacrilegious, and guilty of all theſe things formerly mentioned.
The fourth Uſe preſents unto you a Divine, and therefore a ſure project to make the times happy. And that is, Let all Covenant-takers labour to be covenant-keepers. It hath pleaſed God to put it in your hearts to renue your Covenant. The ſame God inable you to keep Covenant It is ſaid, 2 Chron. 34 31, 32. The King made a covenant before the Lord, &c. And he cauſed all that were preſent in Jeruſalem and Benjamin to ſtand to it. And 2 Kings 23.3. The King ſtood by a pillar and made a covenant before the Lord, &c. and all the people ſtood to the covenant. This is your duty, not only to take the covenant, but to ſtand to the covenant; and to ſtand to it, maugre all oppoſition to the contrary. According as we read, 2 Chron. 15.12, 13. And they entred into covenant to ſeek the Lord God of their fathers, &c. That whoſoever would not ſeek the Lord God of Iſrael, ſhould be put to death, whether ſmall or great, whether man or woman. For it is not the taking, but the keeping of the Covenant that will make you happy. God is ſtiled, A God keeping covenant, Deut. 9.4. Neh. 1.5. O that this might be the honour of this City! That we may ſay of it, London is a City keeping covenant with God. Great and many are the bleſſings entailed upon Covenant-keepers. Exod, 19.5, 6. Now therefore if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you ſhall be a peculiar treaſure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye ſhal be unto me a Kingdom of Prieſts, & an holy Nation, &c. Pſal. 25.10. All the paths of the Lord, are mercy and truth unto ſuch as keep his covenant, &c. Pſal. 15.4.
There are three Covenants I ſhall perſwade you in an eſpecial manner to ſtand to.
1. The covenant you made with God in Baptiſm. A Chriſtian (ſaith Chryſoſtom) ſhould never ſtep out of doors, or lie down in his bed, or go into his cloſet, but he ſhould remember that word Abrenuncio; that is, He ſhould remember the time when he did renounce the Divel and all his works. Oh let us not forget that which we ought alwayes to remember! Let us remember to keep that Covenant, as ever we deſire God ſhould remember us in mercy at the great day.
2. The covenants which we make unto God in our afflictions. Famous is that paſſage of Pliny in one of his Epiſtles to one that deſired rules from him how to order his life aright. I will (ſaith he) give you one rule which ſhall be inſtead of a thouſand; Ʋt tales eſſe perſeveremus ſani, quales nos futuros eſſe profitemur infirmi. That we ſhould perſevere to be ſuch when we are well, as we promiſe to be when we are ſick. A ſentence never to be forgotten. The Lord help us to live accordingly.
3. The covenant which you are to take this day. The happineſſe or miſery of England doth much depend upon the keeping or breaking of this Covenant. If England keep it, England by keeping covenant ſhall ſtand ſure, according to that text, Ezek. 7.14. If England break it, God will break England in pieces. If England ſleight it, God will ſleight England. If England forſake it, God will forſake England. And this ſhall be written upon the Tombe of periſhing England: Here lyeth a Nation that hath broken the covenant of their God. Remember what you have heard this day. That it is the brand of a Reprobate to be a Covenant-breaker, &c. It is the part of a Fool to vow, and not to pay his vowes. And God hath no delight in the ſacrifice of fools. Better not vow, then to vow and not to pay, Eccl. 5.4, 5. It is ſuch an high prophanation of Gods Name, as that God cannot hold a Covenant-breaker guiltleſſe. It is perjury, injuſtice, ſpiritual adultery, ſacriledge, &c. And the very lifting up of our hands this day (if you do not ſet heart and hand on work to keep covenant) will be ſufficient witneſs againſt you at the great day. We read, Gen. 31.44, 45, 46, 48, 49, 52, 53. That Jacob and Laban entred into a covenant, and …ook a heap of ſtones, and made them a witneſſe, and ſaid, This heap is a witneſſe, &c. And they called the name of the place Mizpah: The Lord watch between me and thee, &c. The God of Abraham judge betwixt us, &c. Such as your condition this day. You enter into Covenant to become the Lords, and to be valiant for his truth, and againſt his enemies. And the very ſtones of this Church ſhall be witneſſe againſt you, if you break covenant. The name of this place may be called Mizpah. The Lord will watch over you for good, if you keep it, and for evil, if you break it. And all the curſes contained in the book of the Covenant ſhall light upon a willing covenant-breaker. The Lord faſten theſe meditations and ſoul-awaking conſiderations upon your hearts. The Lord give you grace to keep cloſe to the Covenant; and in keeping of it to keep God and a good conſcience, which are both loſt by covenant-breaking.
There are 4. things which I ſhall perſwade you unto in purſuance of your Covenant.
1. To be humbled for your own ſins, and for the ſins of the K…ngdome; and more eſpecially, Becauſe we have not as we ought valued the ineſtimable benefit of the Goſpel, that we have not laboured to receive Chriſt in our hearts, nor to walk worthy of him in our lives, which are the cauſes of other ſins and tranſgreſſions ſo much abounding amongſt us. Goſpel-ſins are greater then legall ſins, and will bring Goſpel-curſes, which are greater then legall-curſes. And therefore let us be humbled according to our Covenant for all our Goſpel abominations.
2. You muſt be ambitious to go before one another in an example of real reformation. You muſt ſwear vainly no more, be drunk no more, break the Sabbath no more, &c. You muſt remember what David ſaith, Pſal. 50.16. But unto the wicked God ſaith, What haſt thou to do to take my covenant in thy mouth? ſeeing thou hateſt inſtruction, and caſteſt my words behind thee. To ſi… willingly after we have ſworn not to ſin, is not only to ſin againſt a Commandement, (as I have ſaid) but to ſin againſt an Oath; which is a double iniquity, and will procure a double damnation. And he that takes a Covenant to reform, and yet continued unreformed, his Covenant will be unto him as the bitter water of jealouſie was to the woman guilty of adultery, which made her belly to ſwell and thigh to rot, &c. Numb. 5.22.
3. You muſt be careful to reform your families according to your covenant, & the example of Joſhua, & Jacob, & the godly Kings forementioned.
4 You muſt endeavour according to your places and callings to bring the churches of God in the three Kingdomes to the neareſt conjunction and uniformity in religion, &c. O bleſſed Ʋnity! how come it to paſſe that thou art ſo much ſleighted and contemned? Was not unity one of the chief parts of Chriſts prayer unto his Father when he was here upon earth? John 17.11. Is not unity amongſt Chriſtians one of the ſtrongeſt arguments to perſwade the world to believe in Chriſt. John 17.21. Is it not the chief deſire of the holy Apoſtles, that we ſhould all ſpeak the ſame things, and that their ſhould be no diviſions amongſt us, &c. 1 Cor. 1.10. Phil. 2.1, 2, 3, &c. Is not unity the happineſs of heaven? Is it not the happineſſe of a City to be at unity within it ſelf? Is it not a good and pleaſant thing for brethren to dwell together in unity? how comes it then to paſſe that this part of the Covenant is ſo much forgotten? The Lord mind you of it this day! And the Lord make this great and famous City a City of holineſs, and a City at unity within it ſelf! For if unity be deſtroyed, purity wil quickly alſo be deſtroyd. The Church of God is una as well as ſancta. It is but one church as well as it is a holy church. And Jeſus Chriſt gave ſome to be Apoſtles, &c. till we all come to the unity of the faith. The goyernment of Chriſt is appointed for the keeping of his Church in unity as well as purity. Thoſe things which God hath joined together, let no man put aſunder. That government which doth not promote unity as well as purity, is not the government of Chriſt. Oh the miſery of that Kingdome where Church-diviſions are nouriſhed and fomented! A kingdome or a church, divided againſt it ſelf cannot ſtand. Would it not be a ſad thing to ſee twelve in a family, & one of them a Presbyterian, another an Independent, another a Browniſt, another an Antinomian, another an Anabaptiſt, another a Familiſt, another for the Prelatical government, another a Seeker, another a Papiſt and the tenth it may be an Atheiſt, the eleventh a Iew & the twelth a Turk? The Lord in his due time heal our diviſions, and make you his choice inſtruments according to your places, that the Lord may be one, and his Name one in the three Kingdomes!
Q. But ſome will ſay, How ſhall I do to get up my heart to this high pitch that I may be a Covenant-keeper?
I will propound theſe three helps.
1. Labour to be always mindful of your Covenant, according to that text, 1 Chron. 15.16. God is always mindful of his Covenant. It was the great ſin of the people of Iſrael, that they were unmindful of the Covenant, Neh. 9.17. They firſt forgat the Covenant, and afterwards did quickly forſake it. He that forgets the Covenant, muſt needs be a Covenant-breaker. Let us …herefore remember it, and carry it about us as quotidianum argumentum, and quotidianum munimentum. Firſt, let us make a Covenant a daily argument aga…nſt all ſin and iniquity, and when we are tempted to any ſin, let us ſay, I have ſworn to forſake my old iniquities: and if I commit this ſin, I am not only a Commandment-breaker, but an Oath-breaker; I am perjur'd, I have ſworn to reform my fami…y, and therefore I will not ſuffer a wicked perſon to tarry in my family I have ſworn againſt neutrality, and indifferency, and therefore I will be zealous in Gods cauſe, &c. Secondly, let us make this Covenant a daily muniment, & armour of defence, to beat back all the fiery darts of the divel. When any one tempts thee to promiſe of preferment to do contrary to thy Covenant, or by threatning to ruine thee for the hearty purſuing of thy Covenant, here is a ready anſwer; I am ſworn to do what I do, and if I do otherwiſe, I am a perjur'd wretch.
This is a wall of braſs to reſiſt any dart that ſhall be ſhot againſt thee for well doing according to thy Covenant. Famous is the ſtory of Hannibal, which he told to King Antiochus, when he required aid of him againſt the Romans. When I was nine years old (ſaid he) my Father carried me to the Altur, and made me take an Oath to be an irreconcileable foe to the Romans. In purſuance of this Oath, I have waged war againſt them 36 years. To keep this Oath I have left my countrey, and am come to ſeek aid at your hands, which if you deny, I will travell all over the world to find out ſome enemies to the Roman ſtate. Odi, odio que ſum Romanis. If an Oath did ſo mightily operate in Hannibal, let the Oath you are to take this day, work as powerful upon you; and make your Oath an argument to oppoſe perſonal ſins, and family ſins, and to oppoſe Hereſie, Schiſme, and all profaneneſſe, and to endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes to the neareſt conjunction, and uniformity, &c. And let this Oath be armour of proof againſt all temptations to the contrary. And know this one thing, that if the Covenant be not a daily argument and muniment againſt ſin, it will be…ome upon your breaking of it, quotidianum teſtimonium, & aeternum opprobrium. A daily witneſſe againſt you, as the book of the law was, Deut. 31.26. and an everlaſting ſhame & reproach unto you & yours.
2. Let us have high thoughts of the Covenant. Actions, and affections follow our apprehenſions. If thy judgement be beleapred with a corrupt opinion about the Covenant, thy affections and actions will quickly be beleapred alſo. And therefore you ought to endeavour according to your places, that nothing be ſpoken, or written, that may tend to the prejudice of the covenant.
3. You muſt take heed of the curſed ſinne of ſelf-love, which is placed in the fore-front as the cauſe of all the Catalogue of ſins here named; becauſe men ar… …e…s of themſelves, therefore they are covetous, &c. and therefore they are covenant-breakers. A ſelf-ſeeker cannot be a covenant-breaker; this is a ſin that you muſt hate as the very gates of hell.
And this is the ſecond ſin that I promiſed in the beginning of my Sermon to ſpeak on: but the time and your other occaſions will not permit. There is a natural ſelf-love, and a divine ſelf-love, and a ſinful ſelf-love. This ſinful ſelf-love is when we make our ſelves the laſt end of all our actions, when we ſo love our ſelves, as to love no man but our ſelves, according to the Proverb, Every man for himſelf, &c. when we pretend God and his glory, and the common good: but intend our ſelves, and our own private gain and intereſt; when we ſerve God upon politique deſignes; Of this ſinful ſelf-love the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Phil. 2.21. For all ſeek their own, and not the things of Jeſus Chriſt. And if we had a window to look into the hearts of moſt people, we ſhould find their hearts made up all of this Idolatrous ſelf-love. All their deſignes are for to promote themſelves. They monopolize and ingroſſe all to themſelves, as if made for themſelves Where his ſinful ſelf-love dwels, there dwels no love to God, no love to thy brother, no love to Church nor State. This ſinful ſelf-love is the Caterpillar that deſtroyeth Church & Commonwealth. It is from this ſinful ſelf-love that the publique affairs drive on ſo heavily, and that Church-government is not ſetled, & that our Covenant is ſo much neglected Of this ſin I cannot now ſpeak: but when God ſhall offer opportunity, I ſhall endeavour to uncaſe i… …or you. In the mean time, the Lord give you grace to hate it as hell it ſelf.
F…
End of the text · Robert Douglas, A Phoenix (1662)