Religious Covenanting Directed, Title page – Dedication
RELIGIOVS COVENANTING DIRECTED, AND Covenant-keeping perſwaded: PRESENTED, In a SERMON preached before the Right Honourable Thomas Adams Lord Major, and the Right Worſhipfull the Sheriffs, and Aldermen his brethren, and the reſt of the Common-Councel of the famous City of LONDON, January, 14. 1645.
Upon which day the ſolemne League and Covenant was renewed by them and their Officers, with Prayer and Faſting, at Michael Baſing-ſhaw, London.
By Simeon Aſh Miniſter of the Goſpel.
When thou ſhalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou ſhalt not ſlack to pay it, for the Lord thy God will require it of thee, and it would be ſin in thee. Deut. 23. 21.
I will bring the ſword upon you, that ſhall avenge the quarrell of my Covenant. Lev. 26. 25.
LONDON, Printed by G. M. for Tho. Ʋnderhill at the ſigne of the Bible in Wood-ſtreet. M. DC. XLVI.
TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THOMAS ADAMS Lord Major, AND THE RIGHT WORSHIPFULL The Sheriffs and Aldermen his Brethren, and to the reſt of the Honourable Court of Common Councel of the City of LONDON.
THis plain Sermon which attended your ſervice of Covenant-renewing from the Pulpit, comes now from the Preſſe, in obedience to your command, to do you and the publike ſome further ſervice. If upon the peruſall of that which you heard preached, it may pleaſe the Lord to quicken your zeal in Covenantkeeping, I ſhall have occaſion to bleſſe his Name with a joyfull heart.
The zeal of the Common-Councell of London, in renewing their ſolemne League and Covenant, rings thorow the ſeverall Counties of the Kingdom of England: and I am confident, that the ſound thereof hath been heard in many other Kingdoms: And doubtleſſe there are often enquiries, and earneſt expectations to hear what London now doth in the purſuance of their Covenant heretofore taken, and now again ſolemnly renewed with holy faſting and prayer. A City ſet upon an hill cannot be hid; your practices have had, and will have ſtrong influences into the ſeverall parts of this Land, and into other Nations: You have formerly and lately done well and worthily in reſpect to your Covenant: I pray God, that your continued holy zeal may affect and fire many in other Countries in faithfull Covenant-keeping. God forbid, that you ſhould ever deſerve thus to be ſtigmatized, either by God or men; Their heart was not right with God, neither were they ſtedfaſt in their Covenant, Pſal. 78. 37.
I ſhall not need to tell you, that our ſolemne League and Covenant is despiſed, devided, aſperſed and oppoſed by too many: for that which you may read in Pamphlets, and hear from ſome Pulpits and other places, doth make you both eye-witneſſes and ear-witneſſes of this evil, which ſhould be greatly bewailed. This contradiction, this oppoſition ſhould increaſe your gracious heat for your God. Fire gives out the moſt ſcorching heat in the coldeſt weather. It is time for thee, Lord, to worke (ſaith David) for they have made void thy Law. Therefore I love thy Commandements above gold, yea above fine gold. Therefore I eſteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right, and I hate every falſe way, Pſal. 119. 126, 127, 128.
My ſoul deſires, that according to the guidance of that wiſedom which is from above, you all may make the like gracious improvement of the checks and affronts which you meet with, in your Covenant-keeping. By how much the more, any others do plot and practiſe to hinder the glorious worke of Church-reformation, by ſo much the more do you conſult and act, to expedite and perfect it. By how much the more any others ſtrive and ſtudy to maintain Popery, Prelacie, Schiſme, Hereſie. by ſo much the more, do you ſet your ſelves againſt ſuch matters, as being destructive to the welfare both of Church and ſtate. By how much the more others deſigne and endeavour to break the brotherly union between England and Scotland, by ſo much the more do you lay forth your ſelves to maintain it. And that your zeal in theſe kindes may appear to your ſelves and others to be pure and ſincere, let it be your chief and conſtant care, to reforme your ſelves and all yours, in every thing, according to the will of God: That you all may in theſe particulars and in all things elſe, approve yaur ſelves faithfull both to God and man, in holy Covenant-keeping, ſhall be the prayer of him, who is
Your ſervant, in, and for Jeſus Chriſt, SIM: ASH. Feb. 24th