A Church Covenant Lawful and Needful, To the reader
READER,
POssible thou maist be one of a few into whose hands this may come. If so, know (1) There was good reason, if not a necessity of printing this, That whereas there must be half an hundred Copies thereof, we might have an hundred of them or more with less labour, and not much more cost. And who knowes whether thou maist not be one of those few among many, that hast been instrueted to this discretion, To make a vertue of necessity in this case also, proving all things: holding fast that which is good. Thou knowest (2) if thou art not a stranger in our Israel; nor to the life of Israel, the living God in the midst of Israel; That there is nothing in the world except the power of Godliness, because it is a God-likeness, so much struck at (not to say contradicted by the good, and blasphemed by the evill, if it were considerable as to this matter, what the last doe) as a Church-Covenant is. Now we profess heartily we see no more reason (possible it may be conceived to be, for want of that eyesalve) why good men should stick at it, we mean, to receive the oath of the Covenant, than they doe, to receive the seales of the Covenant: or than they should stick at this, the going to God in prayer and praises: for we humbly conceive praying and praising is but an implicit engageing their hearts to, and Covenanting with God; for suppose we should heare such words as these, would they not be an abhorring to us? Ile pray unto Thee, LORD, for what I would have, and praise thee for what I have, but I will not engage unto Thee, I am resolved to be free (speak-out man, what thou meanest, by being free? it followes) so as when the Prince of this world comes in the allurements of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and pride of life, I may be free to engage to whom I please, which will be to him, that maketh the fullest and fairest offer, and gives it presently, putting it as into my hand. This now is plaine English, and his, who will not engage to his God, that he may be free, that is, free from Righteousnes, the servant of sin, and the Devills bond-slave: for we must engage to the one or the other, we cannot have two, no more than we can engage unto two Masters.
That we may prepare thy eare for that, which followes, we will goe-on a little; Know then for thy good, That neither the God of Israel, nor the god of the world, whom the world hath made so, can indure a servant halting between two Masters, he must stand bent to one with his back upon th' other. Know also, That the Lord Christ, who so loved His people, as one sick with Gal. 2. 20. Eph. 5. 25, 26. Rev: 1. 5. Rev: 3. 16.love indeed, giving Himself for them, and washing them in His blood, cannot endure a luke-warme person, neither hot nor cold, a midling person; he will not engage to Christ, nor professedly against Him; he will be for Him in shew, against Him indeed. The Lord Christ cannot endure this man; He will spue him out of His mouth. Worthy Brightmans words follow, We must take heed, we wrest not similitudes beyond their scope. What is this then to be spewed out of His mouth? Will Christ, in whose mouth the Truth it selfe doth reside, take away His Truth from this (luke-warme person) giving him over into absurd opinions, and that he should againe beleeve a lye? The itching desire indeed, that many have at this day, to broach againe to the people monstrous opinions, and such as have been already hissed-out, doth make this interpretation probable. We know what hath been taught within these few yeares in the Schooles, preached usually in Sermons (there is nothing now, that is NEW, it hath been already of old time, which was before us) disputed publickly at Commencements, and what it is, that was put in print the last summer. I cannot tell what to say certainly of this matter. The event shall ere long make it plaine. In the meane time let us know, That this punishment shall be very dreadfull; for first, Christ shall take pleasure in casting away this luke-warme person from Himselfe; for what more acceptable to a man, that is stomacksick with eating meat, he now loatheth, than to vomit it-up, and so to be eased of that, which causeth his sickness? Even as Moses threatneth, unto the Jewish Apostat's, That the Lord Deu: 28. 36.would even so rejoyce, to destroy them, and to cut them off, as He did before that rejoyce in doing them good. Secondly, That He will cast out this person with great reproach, for an unclean place is sought for to vomit-in. Thirdly, That this person shall never receive his former dignitie, he shall never be received-in againe, he shall be an abhorred person, as we our vomit, we have cast out. I come yet closer to the thing in hand, and so to draw to a conclusion here, Take we heed of this Middle Temper. It is dangerous to our Bodies. We have heard an healthfull person say; It is not with me as it hath been, I am not sick, nor am I well; within a few dayes after, he fell dangerously sick, and unto death: so, a luke-warme person in the matters of His God, will grow quickly, a key-cold person.
We will adde but this for the preparing of the eare; If we look that God should avouch us for His people, we must avouch Him for our God. God saith to Abraham, Ile be thy Shield and exceeding Gen. 15. 1.great Reward, and not another for Mee; Ile be so to thee My self, Ile approve My self a God All sufficient to thee, There is Gods engagement: Thou shalt walk before Me and be perfect, Gen. 17. 1.there is Abrahams engagement. He sayes to His Israel, to every one, in whose heart is no guile; Thou art my people, Ile take thee for My own, and so Ile engage to thee My promise, and My oath; Ile give thee faithfull witnesses besides, the Sunne and the Moone: so the Lord saith, and so He engageth; So must Israel to Him, for th' engagement is mutuall, as election, when it is made knowne; and love is, when it is shed adroad in the heart; we choose Him; we love Him; we engage to Him; All betwixt God & His Israel is reciprocall; so is this engagement too; Thou art my people saith the Lord; And they shall say, Thou art my God; I am for Thee, Hos. 2. 23. 3. 3.saith the Lord; I will not be for another, say His people, as their Lord saith, they shall not. What God saith, He will sweare too, I have sworne unto David. We shall heare anon David swearing unto Him. It is mutuall; it is reciprocall; The summe is this, when God makes His promise to us; Ile be your God, He tendreth His yoak to us also, You must be my people, drawing together in that yoak, if not, ye are Children of Belial, saith the Lord, no more in Covenant with Me, nor I with you, no more than children of the Ethiopians are. In the last place, and to shutup.
Know (3) That the Author in his last Treatise pag. 59. hath made mention of a Church-Covenant, And the lawfullness, in the strength of God, to engage thereunto. The speciall service then that these papers are engaged upon, relates to our selves specially, to hold-out (1) the reasonableness and equity, yea the necessity of a Church-Covenant, for all them that walk in Church-fellowship. (2) To resolve one th'other, as to the exceptions against it, rendring it, as we could, and was our duty to doe, as plaine and cleare before us as was possible to doe, that we might each of us ponder it well, and muse on it; which could not possibly be don by us, but by making it as legible as thou see'st it. Also
Sith than (4) it hath chanced so, That thou hast met with it, much good may it do thee. Every private person should be a publick good; then no publick person should be a private good, for that were as sad as it is uncomely. We intend but this, If a person or thing be good, the more common, the more good.
We will point to his words and close with them here and hereafter, where we shall set them down, having such full weight in the ballance of the Sanctuary; The Lord give us to beleeve, yea to taste the goodness and sweetness, of this engageing our selves the Lords people, and we shall be humbled before the Lord, that we ever with-stood it.