The Quarrel of the Covenant, Sermons · Sermon 3

The Quarrel of the Covenant · Sermons · Sermon 3

p. 67The Third Sermon on the Sabbath-day in the Morning, being the firſt of October. Immediately before takingof the COVENANT in Milk-ſtreet Church.

I Come now to the third Quaere. How?Third Quaere, How?

And this inquiry divides it ſelf into two Branches.

ſc. How to

Acceptation?

Perpetuitie?

For the ſatisfying of both which, I will fetcht as much as may be out of the Text, That ſo you may yet further behold what proportion there is between the duty there, and that which lies before us this day.

Anſw. In the firſt place, Firſt in generall. With an Ordinance frame of heart.we muſt enquire how this duty may be ſo managed, that God may accept of us in the doing of it? How to Acceptation?

Now in the Generall, we muſt know, that this ſervice being an Ordinance of God, it muſt be undertaken and managed with an Ordinance of frame heart. i. e. According to the Laws p. 68and Rule of …ivine worſhip; and by how much the more ſacred and ſolemn this Ordinance is, by ſo much the more ought we to call up, and provoke the choiceſt and heavenlieſt of thoſe affections and diſpoſitions of ſpirit, wherewith we make our addreſſements to the Holy things of God.In ſpeciall.

In particular theſe.

Firſt, …ſt in Judgement. Jere 4.2Jer 4:2we are to come upon this ſervice, with the moſt ponderous adviſedneſſe, and moſt ſerious deliberation of Judgement, That may be.

It is one of thoſe grand Qualifications which God himſelf calls for to an Oath… Thou ſhalt ſwear in Truth, in Judgement, and in Righteouſneſſe.

In Truth for the matter, and that we have already examined in the former Sermon; In Righteouſneſſe, in reference to the keeping of the Oath (of which hereafter) and in Judgement in reſpect of the taking or making of the Oath, the thing which we are now about, that we ſhould well conſider what we do.

And indeed, if at any time, and in any undertaking, that adviſe be uſefull, Prov 4.26. Eccl 5.1Prov 4:26Eccl 5:1Ponder the path of thy feet: and keep thy foot when thou entreſt into the houſe of God; then certainly it is moſt ſeaſonable, when a people or a perſon, draw neer to make or renew their Covenant with the moſt High God.

And it ſeems, in the latter of thoſe two Scriptures, now quoted, Eccl ſ. 5.1. The Holy Ghoſt doth principally referre to this duty of making Vows and Covenants with God; The ſecond Verſe doth intimate ſuch a buſineſſe, Verſ. 2.Be not raſh with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be haſty to utter any thing before God,

To utter what? The fourth Verſe is expreſſe, When thou makeſt a Vow unto God, &c.

So that it is cleer, the purpoſe of the Holy Ghoſt in that place…s, as in all our holy ſervices; ſo eſpecially in this of Vows, to ca…tion all the people of God, when they draw neer to utter their vows unto the Lord, to manage it with the greateſt deliberation, and ſolidneſſe of judgement that is poſſible; to ſit down and conſider with our ſelves before hand, With whom we have to deal? What we have to do? Ʋpon what warrant? By what Rule? To what end?

The lame and the blinde, Mal 1 8.Mal 1:8Gods ſoul hates for a Sacrifice, the p. 69lame affections, and the blinde ignorant Judgement. And well he may; for certainly, they that do not ſwear in Judgement, will not, cannot ſwear in Righteouſneſſe; They that do not make their vows in Judgement will not, cannot pay or performe them in Righteouſneſſe. He that ſwears he knows not what, will obſerve he cares not how. Incogitant making, will end in unconſci…nable breaking of Covenant; and if need be in a curſed abjuration of it; for raſh ſwearing, is a precipice to forſwearing.

And therefore, if any of you have not well weighed this ſervice, or be any wayes inſatisfied, in whole or in parts, I adviſe you to forbear, till your judgements be better informed. What ſoever is not of faith is ſin.Rom. 14.23.Rom 14:23

Provided, That this be not done meerly in a pretence to evade and elude this ſervice, to which God and the two Nations call you, as heer in the Text. Come let us joyn, &c.

Take heed of caſting a miſt of willing prejudice, 2 Per 3 5and affected ignorance, before your own eyes, (ſuch the Apoſtle ſpeaks of) to no other purpoſe, but that your Malignity may ſteal away in that miſt undiſcovered; for be ſure, your ſinne will finde you out.

An ingenuous ignorance, and truely conſcientious tenderneſſe is accompanied with an ingennous and conſcientious uſe of all means, for information and ſatisfaction; and to ſuch, I make no queſtion, The Miniſters of Chriſt will be ready to communicate what light they have, for reſolving doubts, removing ſcrupills, and ſatisfying conſcience, when ſoever you ſhall make your addreſſes for that purpoſe.

In the mean time, if there be any, that under pretence of unſatisfiedneſſe, do ſhun the duty and information too; they will be found, but to mock God, and Authority; to whoſe Juſtice and Wiſedom therefore, I muſt leave them.

Gods tells his people when he joyns himſelf to them, Hoſ 2 20.Hos 2:20I will marry thee to my ſelf in Righteouſneſſe and Judgement,

How in Judgement? Becauſe God conſiders what he does, when he takes a people or perſon to himſelf; not that God chuſeth for any wealth or worth in the Creature: Faith foreſeen or Works foreſeen; but that finding it (on the contrary) poor and beggerly, and undone, and foreſeeing what it is like to prove, p. 70crooked and froward, unteachable and untractable; he ſits down (to ſpeak after the manner of men) and conſiders, what courſe to take, and what it is like to coſt him, to make them ſuch a people, as he may delight in; and then conſulting with his treaſures, and finding he hath wherewith all to bear their charges, and to bring about his own ends; he reſolves to take them, and marry them to himſelf, whatſoever it coſt him.

The reſult of ſuch a confultation you may read, dropt from Gods own Pen,

And I ſaid, How ſhall I put thee among the children, and give thee … aſant Land, a goodly Heritage, the Hoſts of Nations, Jer…. 3.19. Here is Gods wiſe deliberation upon the matter: How … I put thee, &c? That is, how ſhall I do this, but I muſt do it to mine own diſhonour? for I ſee before hand what thou wilt prove; thou wilt be the ſame that ever thou waſt; as Idolatrous, as adulterous, as unſtable, as backſliding as ever, &c. It is not a …leaſant Land, a goodly Heritage, that will make thee better. Well, after ſome pauſe, God was reſolved what to do: And I ſaid, (hear his reſolution) Thou ſhalt call me my Father, and ſhalt not turn away from me: That is, as if he had ſaid, I will take this courſe with thee. I will firſt give thee, the heart of a childe, thou ſhall call me, my Father; and then I will give thee the inheritance of a childe, (a goodly heritage, &c.) and when I have done, I will not leave thee to thy ſelf, but I will knit thee to my ſelf by an indiſſoluble union. Iſai 59.21.Isa 59:21I will put my ſpirit into thee, &c. And thou ſhalt not turn away from me,

There is Gods wife Reſolution; He reſolves to do all himſelf, and then he is ſure it will not fail his expectation; he undertakes it. Thou ſhall call me my father, and ſhall not turn away from me.

Thus God when he marrieth his people to himſelf, doth it in Judgement.

Now therefore, Eph 5.1.Eph 5:1Be ye followers of God as dear children; And ſince you come now about the Counter-part of the ſame work; namely, to joy or marry your ſelves to God, do it in Judgement. Conſider well what you do; And among other things, ſince you are ſo poor, and nothing in your ſelves as you have ſeen in the openining of this precious Scripture, (Jerem. 3.19.) p. 71Bethink your ſelves where you will have ſtrength and ſufficiency, to make good this great and ſolemn engagement with your God. But of this, more hereafter.

I proceed to the ſecond qualification or direction.

Secondly, The ſecond Qualification. Holy fear.See that you come to this ſervice with a Reverentiall frame of Spirit, with that Holy fear and awe, upon your hearts, as becomes the greatneſſe and holineſſe of that God, and that Ordinance, with whom you have to do; remembring that you are this day to ſwear before God, by God, to God: either of which, ſingly conſidered, might juſtly make us fear and tremble; How much more may this threefold cord, bow, and binde our hearts down in an humble, and holy proſternation?

It is ſaid of Jacob, he ſware by the fear of his father Iſaac. Gen. 31.53.Gen 31:53Jacob in his Oath chuſeth this title of Fear, to give unto God, to ſhew with what fear he came, but to ſwear by this God; what ſhould we do, when (as I ſay) we come to ſwear by him, and to him? Surely, when he is ſo eſpecially the object of our Oath, he ſhould then eſpecially be the object of our fear.

The conſideration of that infinite diſtance between God and us, may wonderfully advantage us towards the getting of our hearts into this holy poſture.

Great is that diſtance, that is between a King and a Begger; and yet, there is but creature and creature; greater is that diſtance between Heaven and Earth; and yet theſe, but creature and creature; and yet greater is the diſtance between an Angel and a Worm; and yet ſtill, there is but creature and creature. But now the diſtance that is between God and us, is infinitely wider; For behold, There is the Mighty, Almighty Creator, Iſai. 40.15. Pſa. 62.9.Isa 40:15Ps 62:9Before whom all the Nations are but as a drop of a bucket, and the ſmall duſt of the ballance; and the poor nothing-creature vanity, and altogether lighter then vanity. And yet, this is not all; yea, this is the ſhorteſt meaſure of that diſtance, whereof we ſpeak; The diſtance of Creator and Creature; loe it is found between God and the Angels in Heaven, and the Spirits of juſt men made terfect; in reſpect whereof, the Pſalmiſt ſaith of God, Pſa. 113.6.Ps 113:6He humbleth himſelf to behold the things that are in Heaven: It is a p. 72condeſcention for that infinitely glorious Being, who dwells in Himſelf, and is a undantly ſatisfied in the beholding of his own uncomprehenſi…le Excellencies, to vouchſafe to look out of himſelf, and behold the things that are in Heav…n; the beſt of thoſe glorious Inhabitants that ſtand round about his Throne; Who therefore, Revel. 4.8.9, 10, 11.Rev 4:8Rev 4:9Rev 4:10Rev 4:11conſcious of that infinite diſtance wherein they ſtand, make their addreſſes with the greateſt ſelf abaſements, Covering their faces, and caſting themſelves down upon thoſe heavenly pavements. But behold upon us, poor wretches, that dwell here below, in theſe houſes of Clay, There is found that which widens this diſtance beyond all expreſſion or apprehenſion; Sin, ſet us farther beneath a Worm, then a Worm is …eneath an Angel: I had almoſt ſaid (bear with the expreſſion, I uſe it, becauſe no other expreſſion can reach it.) Sin ſets us as much beneath our Creatureſhip, as our Creatureſhip ſets us beneath the Creator. Surely, there is more of God to be ſeen in the worſt of a Creature, then there is of a Creature to be ſeen in the beſt of ſin; There is nothing vile and baſe enough under Heaven, to make a ſimile of ſin.

And now therefore, if it be ſuch a condeſcention for the great God to behold the things that are in Heaven; how infinite condeſcention is it, to behold the ſinfull things that are on Earth! And if ſinleſſe Saints, and ſpotleſſe Angels, do tender their ſervices, which yet are as ſpotleſſe, as their perſons, with ſuch Reverentiall dep…rtment; what abhorrency, and ſelf annihilation, can be ſufficient to accompany our approaches to this God of Holineſſe, in ſuch high and holy engagements, in whom, when God looks out of himſelf, he can behold nothing, beſides our Creatureſhip, (of our own) but that which his ſoul hates.

Heb. 12.29. Let us therefore have grace, whereby we may ſerve God acceptably (in this ſo excellent an Ordinance) with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a conſuming fire.

The acceptable ſerving of God, is with reverence and godly fear. The Lord teach us to bring fear, that ſo we may finde acceptation.

Again in the third place, The third Qualification, Sincerity.To that end, labour to approve your ſelves to God in this ſervice, in the uprightneſſe, and ſincerity of your hearts.

p. 73The want of this, God layes oft to the charge of the …, as in other duties, ſo eſpecially in this which is now before us. They lied to him with their tongues, For, Pſal. 78.36, 37.Ps 78:36Ps 78:37their heart was not … with him; neither were they ſtedfaſt in his Covenant. And this ſtood between them and their acceptance; God tells the Prophet Ezekiel as much: Son of man, Ezek 14.3.Ezek 14:3theſe men have ſet up their Idols in their hearts, and put the ſtumbling block of their … before their face; ſhould I be inquired of at all by them?

They come with their hearts full of their Luſts; ſo many Luſts, ſo many Idols; and for this God refuſeth to be inquired of by them; Should I be enquired of, is as much as, I will not be inquired of, &c. It is a denyall with diſdain; ſhould I? Or if they be ſo impudent to enquire, he will not anſwer; or if he give them an anſwer, it ſhall be a cold one; he will give them their anſwer at the door, better none, Verſ 4. and 7.I will anſwer them according to the multitude of their Idols: i. e. According to the merit of their Idolatry: Calvin. ſuper hunc lo…um. Afferant materiam ſuae damnatio…is, &c. Pſal 66.18.Ps 66:18they bring the matter of their own damnation with them, and they ſhall carry away nothing elſe from me, but the anſwer or obſignation of that damnation.

Oh it is a dangerous thing to bring the love of any ſin with us to the Ordinances of God; If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer; and ſo may we ſay to our own ſouls, if I regard iniquity, the Lord will not accept my perſon, he will not regard my Covenant. If God ſee any thing lie neerer our hearts then himſelf, he will ſcorn us, and our ſervices.

If therefore you would be accepted, out with your Idols; Gen. 35.2.Gen 35:2caſt …ut the love of ſin out of your hearts; and be upright with your God in this holy undertaking. It is the main Qualification in the Text; They ſhall enquire the way to Sion with their faces … i. e. In ſincerity, with uprightneſſe of Spirit, with the full ſet and bent of their ſouls: As it is ſaid of Chriſt, when he went t… his Paſſion, Luk, 9.51He ſtedfaſtly ſet his face to go up to Jeruſalem. He went with all his heart to be crucified; with a ſtrong … ſpirit. Beloved, we are not going to crucifying work, (…, it be to crucifie the fleſh with the affections and luſts) but to …arriage-work; to joyn our ſelves to the Lord in an everlaſting Covenant, &c. Let us do it with our faces Sion-ward; yea, let us ſtedfaſtly ſet our faces, Reformation-ward, and Heaven-ward, and p. 74God-ward, and Chriſt-ward, with whom we enter Covenant this day.

A man may enquire the way to Sion with his face toward Babylon; a people or perſon may enter Covenant with God, with their hearts, Rome-ward, and Earth-ward, and Sin-ward, and Hell-ward. Gen. 27 12.Gen 27:12Friends look to your hearts. Peradventure (ſaid Jacob) my father will feel me, and I ſhall ſeem to him as one that m…ks, and I ſhall bring a curſe upon me, and not a bleſſing.

Without all peradventure, may we ſay, Our father will feel us; for he ſ…archeth all hearts, and underſtandeth the imaginations of the thoughts. If we be found as they that mock, ſhewing much love with our mouthes, while our hearts are far from him, we ſhall bring a curſe upon our ſelves; yea, and upon the Kingdoms alſo, and not a bleſſing.

It is reported to the honour of Judah in the day of their Covenanting with their God; 2 Chro. 15.55.2 Chr 15:55They had ſworn with all their heart, and with their whole deſire. And their ſucceſſe was anſwerable to their ſincerity; For ſo it follows, And the Lord was found of them, and gave them reſt round about.

Oh that this might be our honour and happineſſe in this day of our lifting up our hands to the moſt high God, that God might not ſee in us a double heart, an heart, and an heart, as the Hebrew expreſſeth it: i. e. One heart for God, and another for our Idols; one heart for Chriſt, and another for Antichriſt, &c. But he might ſee us a ſingle-upright-hearted people, without baſe mixtures and compoſition (for he loves truth (i. e. ſincerity) in the inward parts) that he finding ſuch ſincerity as he looks for; we alſo might finde ſuch ſucceſſe, as we look for; Safety and deliverance to both the Nations; yea, That both in reſpect of our ſincerity and ſucceſſe, that might be made good upon us, that is ſpoken to the eternall honour of that good King Hezekiah. 2 Chron. 31. laſt.2 Chr 31And in every work he began in the ſervice of the houſe of God, and in the Law, and in the Commandments to ſeek his God; He did it with all his heart and prospered. Ʋniverſall ſincerity is accompanied with univerſall prosperity; in all he did, he was upright, and in all he did he prospered.

Brethren, what ever you want, be ſure you want not ſincerity; let God ſee you fully ſet in your hearts, to take all from p. 75ſin, and to give all to Jeſus Chriſt; Me thinks I hear God ſaying unto us, According to your uprightneſſe, ſo be it unto you.

In the fourth place, The fourth Qualification, of direction, make God, our End. Hoſ. 7.14. Zech 7.5.Hos 7:14Zech 7:5If you would be accepted by God in this holy ſervice, labour to make God your End. It is your pattern in the Text, They ſhall go and ſeek the Lord; It was not now Howling upon their beds for Corne and Wine, as formerly; of which, God ſayes, They cryed not unto me. i. e. They did not make God the End of their Prayers; as elſewhere God tells them.

When yee faſted and mourned in the fifth and ſeventh monethmonth; even thoſe ſeventy yeers, did ye faſt to me, even unto me? In ſeventy yeers they kept ſeven ſcore faſts in Babylon; and yet amongſt them all, they kept not one day unto God; for though the duty lookt upon God, they that did the duty, did not look upon God; that is, they did not ſet up God as their chief End, in Faſting and Praying: They mourned not ſo much for their ſin, as for their Captivity; or, if for their ſin, they mourned for it not ſo much as Gods diſhonour, as the cauſe of their Captivity; they were not troubled ſo much, that they had by their ſins walkt contrary to God, Levit. 26.40.Lev 26:40as that God by his judgements had walked contrary to them: They faſted and prayed rather to get off their chains, then to get off their ſins; to get rid of the bondage of the Babylonians, then to get rid of the ſervitude of their own baſe Luſts.

But now (bleſſed be God) it was otherwiſe: The children of Iſrael ſhall come, they, and the children of Judah, together; To what end? They ſhall ſeek the Lord, i. e. They ſhall ſeek God, for himſelf, and not onelyonly for themſelves; going and weeping; why? Not ſo much, that he hath offended them, as that they have offended him; for their ſins more then for their puniſhments; ſo it is more diſtinctly reported. Jere. 3.21Jer 3:21A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping, and ſupplications of the children of Iſrael; becauſe they have perverted their way, and have forſaken the Lord their God. They had forgotten God before, not onelyonly in their ſins, but in their duties; They cryed not to me; they faſted not to me; not at all unto me, &c. But now they remember the Lord their God; they ſeek his face; they labour to attone him; yea, they ſeek him to be their Lord, as well as their Saviour; to govern them, as well as to deliver them; they ask the way to Sion; they require, as p. 76well (and more) how they ſhould ſerve him, as that he ſhould fa…e them.

Th… Lord is our Judge; … 33.22.the Lord is our Lawgiver; the Lord is our … will ſave us.

Beloved Chriſtians, let us write after this Copy, and in this great buſineſſe we have in hand let us ſeek God, and ſeek … as a … in of holineſſe, as well as a fountain of happy…. Ta…e we heed of thoſe baſe, low, dunghilly ends, which prevail d…p…th. …, to enter into Covenant with the God of the Hebrews, Shall not their Cattle and ſubſtance be ….

L…t th… two Nations, and every ſoul in both the Nations, that … hand to the moſt high God, in this holy League and Covenant, take heed of, and abhorre ſuch unworthy thoughts if they ſhould be crowding in upon this ſervice, and …ay unto them, as on…e Chriſt to Peter; Get thee behinde me Satan, that … not of the things that be of God, but of the things that be of m…n. You may remember how it fared with Hamor, and his ſon Sech…m, and their people, to whom they propounded theſe …aſe ends. God did not onelyonly diſappoint them of their …ds, but d…ſtroy them, for them; Their ayms were to get the Hebrews ſubſtance and cattle, but they loſt their own, with their lives to boot; Gen. 34.2…, 27, 28, 29.Gen 34:2Gen 34:27Gen 34:28Gen 34:29For it came to paſſe on the third day, when they w…re …or…, two of the ſons of Jacob, Simeon, and Levi, came upon the Citie, …oldly, and ſlew all the males, &c. And the ſons of Jacob … upon the ſlain, and ſpoil…d the Citie; they took their Sheep, and their Oxen, and all their Wealth.

A moſt horrid and bloody, Gen. 4….5, 6, 7Gen 4:5Gen 4:6Gen 4:7treachery, and cruelty, in them, which ſtands as a Brand of infamy upon their foreheads to this day; but a moſt juſt and righteous cenſure from God, and a caution to all ſucceeding generations of proſtituting heavenly and holy Ordinances to earthly and ſenſuall ends. Oh let it be our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come, to the end that we may not tempt God, 1 Cor 10.1 Cor 10as they alſo tempted; for if God ſo much abhorred, and ſo ſeverely puniſht theſe worldly respects in the men of the world; if God was ſo angry with poor purblind H…then, who had no other light for their guide, but the glimmering light of Nature; how, will his anger not onelyonly kindl…, p. 77but flame in the avenging of ſuch baſeneſſe upon Chriſtians, a people of his own, who have the glorious light of the Gospel of … Chriſt, to diſcover to them higher and heavenlier Ends and References? ſo that ſuch a Kingdom, People, or Perſon, th…t ſhould date to bring ſuch baſe carnall Ends, to ſo ſpirituall and divine a contract, ſhould be made a Monument of the wrath and vengeance of divine Juſtice; and while they propound to themſelves, ſafety, or riches, or greatneſſe, from ſuch an excellent Ordinance, God makes it by a ſtrange, but a righteous hand, an occaſion of miſery and ruine to them, and their poſterity to many generations.

Chriſtians, labour to ſet up God in this day and duty, wherein you engage your ſelves ſo nigh unto him; and if you would have heavenly bleſſings, ſee that you propound and purſu… heavenly Ends and Ayms; Leſt, while you come to make a Covenant with God, you commit Idolatry againſt him; whatſoever we make our ultimate and higheſt end, we make our God: If therefore you cannot make God your ſole, your onelyonly End; yet be ſure you make him your choiceſt, your chiefeſt End; keep God in his own place; and let all ſelf-respects whatſoever vail to his Glory, according to that great Rule, 1 Cor. 10.31.1 Cor 10:31Whether you eat or drink, or what ever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Fifthly, To do this buſineſſe to Acceptation, Fifthly, with cheerfulneſſe. 2 Cor. 9.7.2 Cor 9:7we muſt do it cheerfully, as God loves a cheerfull giver; ſo he loves a cheerfull hearer, a cheerfull Petitioner, and a cheerfull Covenanter; and you have it in the Text to, Come let us; There is their readineſſe and cheerfulneſſe to the work; as it was that for which the Apoſtle doth commend his Ma…donians in another ſervice.

This they did not as we hoped, 2 Cor 8.5.2 Cor 8:5but firſt gave themſelves to the Lord; So theſe, they give themſelves to God, of their own accord, Come let us.

Oh that the Miniſters of the Goſpel might have occaſion to make the ſame boaſt of you, concerning this ſolemn Ordinance before you, that they might ſay and rejoyce, that you were a people, that gave your ſelves to the Lord, and unto the work of Reformation, not by a Parliamentary fear, or by our Miniſteriall compulſions; but above our hopes, and beyond our expectations; of your own accord.

p. 78See what a wonder not onelyonly of cheerfulneſſe, but of joy and triumph is recorded of the Jews in King Aſas time, in their taking of the Covenant.

They ſware unto the Lord with a loud voice, 2 Chro. 25.14.2 Chr 25:14and with ſhouting, and with Trumpets, and with Cornets. And all Judah rejoyced at the Oath, for they had ſworn with all their hearts, &c.

There was indeed a ſevere mul…t, a capitall cenſure inacted, againſt thoſe that ſhould refuſe, and reject this Ordinance.

They ſhould be put to death, Verſ. 13.whether great or ſmall, whether man or woman.

A very grievous cenſure; but it ſeems there was neither need, nor uſe of it; For all Judah rejoyced at the Oath; The people lookt upon this ſervice, not as their preſſure, but as their priviledge; and therefore came to it, not with contentedneſſe onelyonly, but an holy triumph, and ſo ſaved the Maſtigrate and themſelves, the labour, and charges, of executing that ſentence on Delinquents.

Oh, that this may be your wiſedom and honour; That what ever penalty the Honourable Parliaments of either Nation, ſhall in their wiſedom think fit to proportion to the grievous ſin of rebelling againſt this Covenant of the Lord. (And it ſeems by the inſtance before, That whatſoever penalty they ſhall ordain leſſe then death, will not be juſtice onelyonly, but Moderation) I ſay, whatever it ſhall be, it may be rendered uſeleſſe and invalid by the forwardneſſe and rejoycings of an obedient people.

That all England (as well as Scotland) would rejoyce at the Oath, and ſwear with all their hearts, &c.

For certainly it will not be ſo much our duty as our Prerogative, as I have ſhewed you before, to enter into Covenant with God and his people.

It is the day of Gods power, Pſal. 120.3.Ps 120:3the Lord make you a willing people.

And as a teſtimony of this willingneſſe and joy, imitate the people here in the Text, and ſtirre up one another, and provoke one another to this holy ſervice. Let us joyn our ſelves to the Lord, &c. They expreſſe their charitie, as well as their joy; They would not go to Sion alone; They call as many as they meet, with them; Come let us joyn our ſelves to the Lord.

p. 79Oh that this might be your temper! It is the very Character of the Evangelicall Church; both as Iſaiah and Micah have deſcribed it, Their words be the ſame.

Many people ſhall go and ſay, Come yee, Iſai. 2.3. Micah 4.2.Isa 2:3Mic 4:2and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord.

Oh that while Nentralls and Malignants do diſcourage one another, and ſet off one another, and embitter one anothers ſpirits; God and his Miniſters might finde you encouraging each other, and provoking one another, and labouring to oyl one anothers ſpirits, to this (as other) Gospel dutie and prerogative; God could not chuſe, but be much pleaſed with ſuch a ſight.

I might have made this a diſtinct Qualification, but for brevity ſake, I couch it under this head. I come to the laſt.

If you would be Accepted, Sixth and laſt Qualification Faith in reference.Bring faith with you to this ſervice: And that in a fourfold Reference,

To God.

To The Ordinance.

To Our ſelves.

To Jeſus Chriſt.

Firſt, In reference unto God; For, 1. To God. Heb. 11.6.Heb 11:6He that will come to God (in any Ordinance) muſt believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him.

There is nothing God takes better at his peoples hand, then when they come with their hearts as full of good thoughts of God, as ever they can hold, ſuch as

Loe this is our God, we have waited for him, Iſai. 25.9.Isa 25:9and he will ſave us; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoyce in his ſalvation.

He will ſave, we will be glad; i. e. God will undoubtedly give us occaſion of gladneſſe, and triumph in his praiſes. Oh ſweet and bleſſed confidence of divine goodneſſe! How well doth this become the children of ſuch a Father, who hath ſtiled himſelf the Father of mercies.

Good thoughts of God, do mightily pleaſe, and even engage God to ſhew mercy to his people. Heb. 4.15.Heb 4:15Let us therefore come with boldneſſe to the throne of grace; even in this Ordinance alſo, That p. 80we may obtain mercy, and finde grace to help us in this time of our need.

Secondly, 222. To the Ordinance.Let us bring faith in reference to the Duty; As we are to believe well of God, ſo we are to beleeve well of the Duty, that it is an Ordinance wherein God will be ſanctified, and, … of them that ſeek him. It is not enough, that we ſeek him in his Ordinance, but that we beleeve it to be his Ordinance, … faith, Rom. 14.12.Rom 14:12is ſin; he ſpeaks not of a faith, that doth juſtifie the perſon; but of a faith, that doth juſtifie the performance; that is, a …, that the work whatſoever it is, is ſuch as the word will bear me out in it, ſuch as God himſelf doth approv…; To do doubtfully, is to do ſinfully; an … God.333. In reference … Ives.

Thirdly, Bring … in reference to your own perſons, beleev… that God will accept of them in this Ordinance; whatever your ſucceſſ… ſhall be in regard of the Kingdom, yet you ſhall find … in regard of your perſons; Iſa. 64.5.Isa 64:5ſo the Church.

Thou meeteſt him that rejoyceth, and worketh righteouſneſſe, thoſe that remember thee in thy wayes.

When a people or perſon can ſay, as the Church in another place.Iſa 26.8.Isa 26:8

In the way of thy Judgements have we waited for thee, O Lord, the deſire of our ſoul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee. God will not ſtay till they come unto him, but he will … them half way; thou me…teſt him, &c. like the father of the Prodigall, while they are yet half way, he will ſee, and run, and m…et, and fall upon their neck; and while they weep at his feet, tears of contrition; he will weep over their necks, the tears of compaſſion: Oh ſtirre up your ſelves, and engage your faith to beleeve, and expect a gratious entertainment; if God …e… you coming in the integrity and uprightneſſe of your hearts, to enter into Covenant with God, to take him as your God, and to give up your ſelves, to be his peopl…, to take away all from ſin, and to give all to J…ſus Chriſt; be will certainly take it well at your hands, and ſay unto you, Come my peopl…, and welcome, I … you ſhall in my people, 444 In reference to Jeſus Chriſt.which that you may not miſſe of:

In the fourth place, Come believingly in reference to Jeſus p. 81Chriſt; Be ſure you bring a Chriſt with you; Eph. 1.6Eph 1:6for he hath made … in the beloved. Come without a Chriſt, and go without acceptance.

The day of Attonement among the Jews, foreign.was called dies Cippu…m the day of Expiation; and the word Cippurim, is derived from an Hebrew Root, that ſignifies to Cover; and ſo the day of Attonement, was as much as to ſay, The day of covering; the covering of nakedneſſe, as Revel. 3.18. Revel. 3.18. Pſa. 32.1.Rev 3:18Ps 32:1and the covering of ſin, as Pſal. 32.1. Bleſſed is the man whoſe tranſgr…ſſion is forgiven, and whoſe ſin is covered; In which very name of the day, the ground or reaſon is held forth, why it was called a day of Atton…ment…; ſc. Becauſe it was a day of conering; wherein Chriſt was typified, who is the covering of the Saints; the l…ng white Robes of his Righteouſneſſe, covering both their … and performances; ſo that the na…edneſſe of neither, doth appear in the eyes of his Father; Num 23.21.Num 23:21He hath beheld no iniquity in …; neither hath ſeen perverſeneſſe in Iſrael: Why? Not becauſe there was no iniquity in Jacob, or perverſeneſſe in Iſrael (for there was hardly any thing elſe;) but becauſe their iniquity and perverſen…ſſ… was hid from his eyes, being covered with the Mantle of his Sonnes Righteouſneſſe, the Meſſiah which he had promiſe…, and they ſo much looked for.

Let us therefore in this ſervice, as in all, Rom. 13.14.Rom 13:14Put on the Lord Jeſus; That as Jacob in the Garments of his …lder brother Eſau, ſo we in the G…rments of our elder brother Jeſus, may finde acceptance, and obtain the bleſſing.

And thus much be ſpoken concerning the firſt Branch of this third Quaere, How to acceptation.How to perpetuitie?

I come now to the ſecond branch of it, and that is,

Anſw. How to perpetuitie?

Or, How may we perform this ſervice, Directions.ſo that it may be an … Covenant that may never be forgotten?

To that end, take theſe few brief Directions, and I have done.

1G… ſoul affliction for former Covenantv…olations.Firſt, Labour to come to this ſervice with much ſoul-affliction, for former violations of the Covenant, either in refuſing, or p…ph…ing, or breaking thereof: The foundations muſt be laid low, where we would build for many Generations. In what p. 82deep ſorrows had you need to lay the foundations of this Covenant, which you would have ſtand to eternity, that it may be an everlaſting Covenant, &c.

This you have in the Text; They ſhall ſeek the Lord going and weeping; weeping in the ſence of their former rebellions and …peſtacies, whereby they forfeited their faith, and brake their Covenant with the Lord their God; and it was no ordinary fl…ght buſineſſe they made of it:

A voice was heard upon the high places, …. 3.22.weeping and ſupplication, &c.

They were not a few ſil…nt tears: no, they lift up their …oices and wept, as it was ſaid of Eſau, &c. They cryed ſo lowd, that they were heard a great way off. A voice was heard upon the Mountains; Zech 12.11, 22.Zech 12:11Zech 12:22and it was as bitter as it was lowd; A great mourning, as the mourning of Hadedrimmon in the valley of Megidde, when all Judah, 2 Chron. 35.2…, ….2 Chr 35:2Jeruſalem, Jeremiah the Prophet, and all the …, bewailed the death of their good King Joſiah, with a grievous Lamentation, and made it an Ordinance for ever, &c.

Oh that as we have their ſervice in hand, ſo we had their hands and their hearts, to manage it with Rivers of tears, for our former vileneſſe; that we could weep this day together, and afterward apart, …. 12.….as it is propheſied, Every family apart, and our …; yea, and every foul apart, that we have dealt ſo … with ſo good a God; ſo unfaithfully with ſo faithfull a God; That we could put our Mouth…s in the dust, and ſmite upon our …gh, and be aſhamed and confounded, for all the Wickedneſſe we have committed againſt God and his Covenant, in any, or all th…ſe wayes.

Such a Poſture God will ſee us in, before he will ſhew us the way to Sion; before he will reveal to us the Mod…ll and Plattor… of Reformation; for ſo was his charge to Ezekiel.

If they be aſham…d of all that they have done, ….ſhew them the formes of the houſe, and the faſhion thereof, and the goings out thereof, and the comings in thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the Ordinances thereof, and all the forms thereof, and all the Laws thereof, and write it in their ſight, &c.

Surely, This bleſſed Propheſie hath an eye upon our times, for this is one of thoſe dayes, as I told you before, wherein God p. 83will make good theſe gratious words unto his people; and God hath called together his Ezekiels, his Miniſters, to ſhew the Houſe. i. e. Verſ. 1.The forme and pattern of the Evangelicall Houſe or Church, unto the Houſe of England and Scotland; Shew the Houſe to the Houſe of Iſrael, that they may be aſhamed; That is, ſhew them the outſide thereof, ſhew them that there is ſuch a Houſe, which they never yet beheld with their eyes, that they may be humbled and aſhamed of their former Idolatries, &c. And thus do our Exekiels tell us there is a way of Goſpel Government, of ſuch beauty and excellency, as our eyes never yet beheld, nor the eyes of our forefathers; To the end that we may be aſhamed of all our former Idolatries and Superſtitions, our monſtrous mixtures of Popery and will-worſhip in the Ordinances of Chriſt; and that we have not ſooner enquired after the minde of Chriſt, how he will be worſhipt in his Houſe: But now, unleſſe we be aſhamed; i. e. Deeply and throughly humbled, for all that we have done unworthy of Chriſt and his Worſhip, and the Covenant of our God; we ſhall never ſee the inſide, that is, the Laws and the Ordinances, and the Forms of this Houſe, (which are both various and curious (for ſo the variety and repetition of the words imply.) The Prophets are not to reveal theſe unto us, unleſſe we be aſhamed, God will either withdraw them from us, or which is worſe, withdraw himſelf from them; ſo that our eyes ſhall never behold the Lord in the beauty of Holyneſſe; we ſhall not be admitted to ſee the beauty and glory of ſuch a Reformation as our ſouls long for.

And as God will ſee us in this poſture before he reveal to us the Modell and Platforme of Reformation; ſo alſo till we be in ſuch a poſture of deep Humiliation, for our former abominations. Shall we never be ſtedfaſt and faithfull in the Covenant of God: Till our hearts be throughly broken for Covenantbreach, we will not paſſe much for breaking Covenant, upon every freſh temptation.

Yea, till that time we be humbled, not for a day onelyonly, and ſo forth: But unleſſe we labour to maintain an habituall frame of goodly ſorrow upon our hearts; for our Covenant-violations, ſhall we ever be to purpoſe conſcientious of our Covenant. A ſad remembrance of old ſins, is a ſpeciall means to prevent new, p. 84when every ſolemn remembrance of former vileneſſe, can fetch te…s from our eyes, and blood from our hearts, and fill our faces with an holy ſh…, the ſoul will be holily ſhie of the like a…ominations, and of all occaſions and tendences thereunto.

R…m moring mine affliction and my miſery, …am. 3.…9, 20.the Wormewood, and the Gall.

My ſoul hath the… ſtill in remembrance, and is humbled within me.

When old ſins coſt dear, new ſins will not finde an caſie entertainment; when old ſins are new …fflictions, when the remembrance of them is as Wormewood and Gall, the ſoul will not eaſily be bewitcht to drink a new draught of that poyſoned Cup any more.

Chriſtian beleeve me, or thou mayeſt finde it by experience too true, when thou haſt forgot old ſins, or canſt remember them without new affliction of ſoul, thou art neer a fall; Look to thy ſelf, and cry to God, for preventing grace. There will be great hopes we ſhall be faithfull in our n…w Covenant, when we come with a godly ſence and ſorrow for our abuſe of old, and la…our to maintain it upon our ſpirits.

But ſo much for the firſt direction; I come to the ſecond.

Secondly, …. Direction. See old ſcores croſt.If you would have this Covenant to be a perpetuall Covenant, Labour to ſee old ſcores croſt; do not onelyonly mourn for thy Co…enant-unfaithfulneſſe; but labour to get thy pardon written and ſealed to thee in the blood of Covenant. There i… vertue enough in the blood of the Covenant to expiate the guilt of thy ſins againſt the Covenant.

I will …rinkle cl…an water upon you, Ezek 36.….Ezek 36…nd you ſhall be clean from all your filthyneſſe, and from all your Idols, will … leanſe you.

Their ſins of Idolatry, were ſins eſpecially, againſt their Covenant; Idolatry being the violation of the marriage knot, between God and a people; yet even from them doth God promiſe to cleanſe them, upon their repentance and converſion, The blood of the Covenant, compared to water for the cleaning vertue thereof, ſhould cleanſe them for their Covenant de… ments.

The blood of Jeſus Chriſt cleanſeth us from all ſin.2 John ….7.

p. 85Thou haſt played th… Harlot with many Lovers, Jer. 3.1.Jer 3:1yet return again to me, ſaith the Lord.

It is a mighty encouragement to renew our Covenants with God. That he is ſo ready to pardon the Breach of ol…; and …e ſence of this pardon is a mighty engagement and ſtrengthning, to keep our N…w-Covenants. Oh for God to ſay to a poor ſoul, B… of good cheer thy ſins be forgiven thee; Matth. 9.2 Iſai 44.22. … 31.33.Matt 9:2Isa 44:22Isa 44:31Isa 44:33And I have blotted out thy ſins as a cloud, and thy tranſgreſſions as a thick cloud; All thy unkindneſſes, and unfaithfulneſſes, thy treacherous dealings againſt the Covenant, &c. ſhall be forgotten; they ſhall do thee no harme, &c. This will mightily ſtrengthen the hands, and fortifie the heart, and even make it impenetrable and impregna…le againſt all the ſollicitations, and importuni…i…s of old temptations; See a notable inſtance of this, Hoſ. 14.4.

I will … their back-ſlidings, I will love them freely, for mine anger is turned away from him.

I will be as the dew to Iſrael, &c.….

His branches ſhall ſpread, &c.….

They that dwell under his ſhaddow ſhall return, &c.….

What follows theſe gratious promiſes? Why,

Ephraim ſhall ſay, What have I to do any mor… with Idols?

He that before was ſo unſeparably joyned to Idols, Ch…p. 4.17 … 31.18that he could not be divorced from them, Ephraim is joyned to Idol. All the blows that God gave him, (though God ſhould have beaten him to peices (as he himſelf afterward confeſs'd) could not beat him off from his Idols; in ſo much, that God at length gave him over, as an hopeleſſe child.

Ephraim is joyned to Idols, let him alone.

Yet no ſooner doth this Ephraim hear of a pardon, and of the love of God to him; but the bonds between him, and his Idols are diſſolved, and away he thruſts them with indignation; Ephraim ſhall ſay, what have I do do with Idols? Or as the Prophet Iſaiah expreſſeth it.

Y…e ſhall d…file the covering of the graven Images of ſilver, Iſai 30.22Isa 30:22and … of thy m…lten Images of Gold; Thou ſh…lt caſt th…m away as a m…ſtrous cloth; thou ſhalt ſay unto it get thee hence.

And thus it is with a people or a perſon, R…m. …5. Iſa, 51.8.when once God … abroad his Law in their hearts, and makes them hear joy … p. 86gladneſſe, in ſpeaking, or ſealing, a pardon upon their ſouls; they that before were joyned to their Idols, drunkenneſſe, uncleanneſſe, covetuouſneſſe, pride, wayes of falſe worſhip, old Superſtitious Cuſtomes, and Ceremonies, and the like; So that there was no parting of them; or thoſe who had long been grapling and conflicting with their ſtrong corruptions, and old temptations, and in thoſe conflicts had received many a foil, and got many a fall to the wounding of their conſciences, and cutting deep gaſh…s upon their ſouls; now they ſtand up with a kinde of omnipotence upon them, no temptation is able to ſtand before them; They ſay to their Idols, whether ſinfull company, or ſinfull cuſtomes, Get ye hence, and what have I to do any more with Id…ls? What have I to do, with ſuch, and ſuch, baſe company? What have I to do with ſuch baſe filfthy Luſts? I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine. Chriſt is mine, and I am his.

The reaſon of it is, Luk. 4.4… Can. 8.6. Revel. 12.11. Act. 20.24 1 Tim. 1.….13.Luke 4:4Rev 12:11Acts 20:241 Tim 1Becauſe, pardon begets love; ſhe loved much, becauſe much was forgiven her; and love begets ſtrength: For l…ve is as ſtrong as death; yea, ſtronger then ſin or death; they loved not their lives to the death; And I count not my life dear, ſayes Paul. When once the man had taſted of the free-grace of God in the pardon of his ſins, who before was a blaſphemer and a perſecutor, and injurious; he could finde in his heart, not onelyonly to lay down a lust, but to lay down his life to for Jeſus Chriſt. For whoſe ſake (ſaith he) I have ſuffered the loſſe of all things; Phil. 5.8.And I count not my life dear, ſo that I might finiſh my courſe with joy, and the Miniſtry which I have received from the Lord Jeſus, to testifie the Goſpel of the grace of God.

My beloved Chriſtians, If you would be faithfull in the Covenant of God, into which you are now entring, ſue out your pardon for what is paſt; yea, entreat the Lord, not onelyonly to give a pardon, but to ſpeak a pardon, and ſeal a pardon upon your hearts; and never give the Lord reſt, till the Lord have given reſt to your fouls.

The joy of the Lord is your ſtrength.…. 8.3 …ection. Self diſtruct.

Thirdly, If you would make an unchangeable Covenant, with an unchangeable God, come furniſht with, and maintain p. 87upon your hearts, an …bundant meaſure of ſelf-diſtruſt; Labour to be throughly convinct of your own nothingneſſe and diſability. 1 Sam. 2.19. Je…. 2.19. Jere. 10.23.1 Sam 2:19Jer 10:23By his own ſtrength ſhall no man prevail. Surely, Thine own treachery may informe thee, and thine own back-ſlidings may convince thee, to confeſſe with Jeremiah. Oh Lord I know (I know it by ſad experience) the way of man is not in himſelf: It is not in man that walketh to direct his ſteps.

Staupitius confeſt to Luther, Ego pl… … quam millies devovi.That he thought in his very conſcience he had above a thouſand times renewed his Covenant with God, and as many times broken it: A ſad confeſſion, and yet, how many among us may take up the like …amentation!

Be convinct of it, I beſeech you, and maintain the ſence of this conviction upon your ſpirits. Say oft within your ſelf, I am nothing, worſe then nothing, This treacherous heart of mine will betray me into the breach of my Covenant, if the Lord have me to my ſelf, I ſhall one day fall by the hand of my corruptions.

He that walks tremblingly, walks ſafely.

In the next place, Be often renewing your Reſolutions.444. Direction. Oft ren…w reſolutions. Acts 13.23.Acts 13:23

It was the Exhortation of that good man to the New-Converts at Antioch (where they were firſt called Chriſtians,) That they ſhould cleave unto the Lord with full purpoſe of heart. This Covenant I have ſhewed you, is the Ordinance whereby you cleave unto the Lord, the joyning Ordinance. Oh do it with full purpoſe of heart, and be often putting on freſh and frequent reſolutions, not to ſuffer every baſe temptation of Satan, every deceitfull, or malignant ſollicitation of the world; every fooliſh, and carnall ſuggeſtion of the fleſh, to bribe and ſeduce you from that fidelitie which you ſwear this day to Jeſus Chriſt and the Kingdoms.

A well grounded reſolution is half the work, and the better half to; for he that hath well reſolved, hath conquered his will; and he that hath conquered his will, hath overcome the greateſt difficulty; No ſuch difficulty in ſpirituall things, as to prevail with ones own heart. With theſe cords therefore, of well bottomed reſolutions, be oft binding your ſelves to your Covenant, as once Ʋliſſes did himſelf to his Maſt, that you may p. 88not be bewitcht by any Syrenian ſong of the fleſh, world, or the …, to violate your holy Covenant, and drown your ſelves in a ſet of perdition.

And to that end it would not be altogether uſeleſſe to fix you. Covenant in ſome place of your Houſes, or Bed-Chamber, where it be may ofteneſt in your eye, to admoniſh you of your Religious and Solemn engagement, under which you have brought your own ſouls.

The Jews had their Phylacteries, N…m. 15.18.or borders upon their Gar…s which they did wear alſo upon their heads, and upon their …; which though they abuſed afterward, not onelyonly to pride, making them broader then their firſt ſize or pattern, in oſtentation and boaſting of their holineſſe, which our Saviour condemns in the Scribes and Phariſees; Matth. 23.5.Matt 23:5and to Superſtition, for they uſed them as Superſtitious helps in prayer, which they coloured under … derivation of the word in the Hebrew **Denv…ng foreign which ſignifies to pray; whereas it is derived truely from foreign which ſignifies to aff… …r …w…. Iſa 49:16Isa 49:16; yet God indulged them this Ceremony, as …n h…lp for their memories, to put them in remembrance to keep the Law of the Lord.

And God himſelf ſeems to uſe this Art of Memory, as it were, when comforting his people, he tels them, Behold, I have eng…aven thee upon the Palms of my hands, and thy Walls are continually before me.

I muſt confeſſe the nature of man is very prone to abuſe and pervert ſuch naturall helps to Idolatry and Superſtition. This inſtance of the Jews, wretchedly improving their Phylacteries to Superſtitious purpoſes, their Id…lizing of the Brazen S…rpent; and thereby of a Cure, turning of it into a Plague, a ſnare; with the like, are ſufficient teſtimonies.

And we ſee how the Papiſts have abuſed and adulterated the lawfull uſe of naturall Mediums, to the unlawfull uſe of artificiall Mediums of their own inventions; Images and …, firſt to help their Memories and ſtirre up their devotions in their Prayers, and then to pray unto them, as Mediums of divine Worſhip.

The more Cautions had Chriſtians need be in the uſe of thoſe Mediums which either God hath ordained by ſpeciall command for the help of our memories, and ſtirring up of our … as the … El…ments in the Sacraments; or ſuch naturall p. 89advantages, which Morall equity allows us for the help of our underſtandings, and memories in ſpirituall concernments; ſuch is this, we are now ſpeaking of; it being the ſame, with the uſe of Books and Tables, &c.

Tertullian tells us of a Superſtitious cuſtome among the ancient Chriſtians, That they were wont to ſet up Images over their doors and Chimneys, to keep Witches when they came into their Houſes from bewitching their children; and ſo by a little …inde of Witch-craft, prevented Witch-craft. But ſurely to ſet up this Covenant where we might often ſee and read, what engagements we have laid upon our ſouls, (and I could heartily wiſh Chriſtians Would do it at leſt once a week) it will be an innocent and warrantable Spell, to render the Witchery of the Fleſh, World, and Divel, fruitleſſe and in effectuall upon our ſpirits, while the ſoul may ſay with David, Thy vows are upon me, O God, I will render praiſe unto thee.Pſ. 56.12.Ps 56:12

But fifthly, Conſider often and ſeriouſly, Fifth means, Prayer. 1 Pet 1.51 Pet 1:5who it is that muſt uphold your Reſolutions; even he that upholds Heaven and Earth: no leſſe power will do it, For you are kept by the power of God through Faith unto Salvation.

It is God that firſt gives the reſolution, and then muſt uphold and bring it into act; It is God that worketh in you, Phi. 2.13.both to will, and to do of his good pleaſure; and therefore labour I beſeech you to do theſe two things.

Firſt, Put all your reſolutions into the hands of prayer: 111. Pra….David was a man of an excellent ſpirit, full of holy Reſolves.

I will walk in mine integrity. Pſal 26.11. Pſal 119.8. …ſal …4. Pſal. 139.21, 22.Ps 26:11Ps 119:8Ps 139:21Ps 139:22And

I will keep thy Teſtimonies. And again,

I have ſworn, and will performe it, That I will keep thy righteous judgements. And yet again,

Do I not hate them Lord that hate thee, &c. I hate them with a perfect h…tre…, &c.

A thouſand ſuch ſweet reſolutions doth that precious ſerv…nt of God breath out all along the Pſalms; and yet ſo jealous … man is of himſelf, That he never truſts himſelf with … reſolutions; and therefore ſhall you finde him alwayes cl…pp…ng a Petition upon a reſolution, as in the quoted places.

p. 90I will walk in mine integrity, Redeem me, and be mercifull unto me.

I will keep thy Teſtimoni…s, Oh forſake me not utterly. q. d. Thou … me fall fearfully, ſuffer me not to fall finally.

And ſo when he had ſaid, I have ſworn and will not repent, &c. Ver. 107.He preſently adds (within a word or two) Quicken me, O Lord, … to thy word; And again, Accept I beſeech thee, of the … rings of my mouth, Ver. 108.O Lord, and teach me thy judgements. God muſt teach him (as to mak…; ſo) to make good the … will offerings of his mouth; i. e. His promiſes and …ow…. And ſo when he had made that appeal to God, Do I not hate them that hate th…e, Lord, &c. Ʋt ſup: He preſently betakes himſelf to his Prayers, Search me, O God, and know my heart, try m…, Pſal 129 23, 24Ps 129:23Ps 129:24and know my thoughts, and ſee if there be any wicked way in …, and lead me in the way everlaſting. Mark I pray, Search me, try me, know my heart, know my thoughts, ſee whether th…re be any wicked way, lead m…, &c. He will neither truſt himſelf, for what he…ts, nor for what he ſhall be; Try me, he dares not truſt his own tryall; Lead me, he dares not truſt his own Reſolutions: S…ch a ſweet holy jealouſie of himſelf … he creath forth with all his heavenly purpoſes and reſ… lations.

Oh, … you that would make an Everlaſting Covenant with … holy David, upon every holy Reſolution, clap an … ſay, I will reform my life; Oh redeem me, and … I will ſet up Chriſt in my heart, I will labour … him in my life; Oh forſake m… not utterly, Lord …, and am utterly purpoſed in all …, to amend my life, and to go before …, &c. O Lord teach me …, O Lord, according to thy Word.

… are upon me, That I will according to my place and … to preſerve Reformation in Scotland, to procure … England; That I will in like manner endeavour … Popery and Prelacy, &c. To preſerve the Rights … Parliaments, &c. Diſcover Incendiaries; En… between the two Kingdoms; … that enter into this League and Covenant, That I p. 91will never make defection to the contrary part, or to give my ſelf to a deteſtable indifferency or neutrality, &c. And this Covenant I have made in the preſence of Almighty God, the ſearcher of all hearts, with a true intention to perform the ſame, as I ſhall anſwer at that great day, &c. But now adde with David, Search me, O God, and know my heart, try me, and know my thoughts, and ſee if there be any way of wickedneſſe in me, and lead me in the way everlaſting.

In a word, put your Covenant into frequently renewed Reſolutions: Reſolutions into Prayer, and Prayer, and all into the hands of God: It is God that muſt gird thee with ſtrength, to perform all thy vows. This the cloſe of this bleſſed Covenant, into which we enter this day, doth teach us.

Humblie beſeeching the Lord to ſtrengthen us by his ſpirit; for this end, and to bleſſe our deſires and proceedings, &c. And the Covenant in the Text, was ſurely inlaid with Prayer, while they engage themſelves to ſeek the Lord; ſc. Not onelyonly to ſhew them the way to Sion, but to give them ſtrength to walk in that way.

Let it be your wiſedome and piety (my Brethren) to imitate both; Oh pray, and be much in Prayer, and be often in prayer, pray daily over the Covenant; as you this day lift up your hands to ſwear to the moſt high God in this Covenant, ſo lift up your hands, every day to pray to that God for grace to keep this Covenant. Let ſence of ſelf-inſufficiency, keep open the ſluce of Prayer, That that may let freſh ſtreams of ſtrength, every day into your ſouls, to make good your vows; when you be careleſſe to pray over the Covenant, you will be careleſſe to keep the Covenant; when you ceaſe to pray, you will ceaſe to pay; If you will be watchfull in praying over your vows, Prayer will make you watchfull in paying your vows; If you will be faithfull in crying to God, God will be faithfull in hearing and h…lping, Pſal. 50.15. Pray therefore, pray over every good purpoſe and reſolution of heart towards the Covenant of God, which conſcience ſhall ſuggeſt, or the Spirit of God ſhall breath into your boſoms, at this preſent, or any time hereafter; as David once prayed over that good fram of Spirit, which he obſerved in his people; what time they off red ſo willingly and p. 92liberally to the preparing for the Houſe of God; 2 Chr 29 ….2 Chr 29Oh, God of Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob … Fathers, keep this for ever, in the imagination of the thoughts of my heart, and prepare my heart unto thee.

To every command God is pleaſed to adde a promiſe; ſo that what is a command in one place, is a promiſe in another, Ex. gr. Circum… … ſores hin… your heart, Deut. 10.1…. …Deut 10:1it is a command in Deut. 1….16. But in the 30. Chapter, verſ. 6. There it is a promiſe, … God will … thine heart, and the heart of thy …. Lord. Again, mak… you a new heart, ſo ſaith the word of command; A … will I give you; ſo ſpeaks the Word of Promiſe, Ch. 36.26. Once more, Little children abide in him, th… is the command, 1 Joh. 2.28. Which in the immediate Verſe …, is a … pr…mi…. You ſhall abide in him. Divers more ſuch Inſtances I could give you; and why thus? Surely, the … teacheth us our Dutie, the Promiſe, our weakneſſe, and … to perform that luty. The Command finds us work; the … findes us ſtre…th: The command is to keep us from …; the promi… to keep us from being diſcouraged, &c. W…ll, … God, and as he couples a command and a …, ſo let us couple a Reſolution and a Petition. As … ſeconds and backs his command with his promiſe, ſo let us ſecond, and back our promiſes with our Prayers; the on… in ſence of our duty, the other in ſence of our weakneſſe; by the one, to bring our hearts up to God; by the other, to bring God down to our hearts: Reſolve and Petition, Promiſe and Pr…y; …And the Lord prepare your heart to pray, and cauſe his …r to ….

Secondly, Since God onelyonly muſt uphold your deſires, W… continually, as in his preſence; S…ilitie is onelyonly to be found in the prefence of God; So faire we live an unchangeable life, as we walk and live in the preſence of an unchangeable God. The …aints … Heaven know no viciſſitudes, or changes in their holy fran…e and temper of ſpirit, becauſe they are perfected in the … holding of his face, With whom is no variableneſſe, nor …. And ſo farre, as the Saints on Earth can … in their preſence; ſo farre the preſence of God will keep them; Iſa. …… the Lord alwayes before me; and becauſe he p. 93is …t my right hand; therefore I ſhall not be moved, ſung David of …mſelf, liberally, and in the perſon of Chriſt, typically: The pri…ledge was made good to both, ſo far as either made good the Dutie. David according to his degree, and proportion of grace, … God before him, placed him on his right hand; and ſo long as he could keep Gods preſence; the preſence of God kept him; it kept him from ſin, I have kept my ſelf from my iniquitie, Pſ. 18 13Ps 18:13how ſo? Why, I was upright before him, in the former part of the ſame Verſe. So long as he walkt before God, in Gods preſence; ſo long he walkt upright, and kept himſelf from his iniquitie; or rather Gods preſence kept him: And as it kept him from ſin, ſo it kept him from fear alſo; Pſa 23.4.Ps 23:4Though I walk through the valley of the ſhadow of death, I will not fear; Mark what he ſaith, Though he walk not ſtep; and walk through, not ſtep croſſe; and through, not a dark Entry, or a Church-yard in the night time, but a Valley, a large, long, vaſt, place; How many miles long I know not; And this not a Valley of darkneſſe onelyonly, but of death, where he ſhould ſee nothing but viſions of death, and not bare death, but the ſhadow of death; the ſhadow is the dark part of the thing; ſo that the ſhadow of death, is the dark…ſt ſide of death: Death in its moſt hideous and horrid repreſentations; and yet behold, when he comes out at the farther end, and a man would have thought to have found him all in a cold ſweat, his hair ſtanding upright, his eyes ſet in his head, and the man beſide himſelf, &c. Behold I ſay, he doth not ſo much as change colour, his hand ſhakes not, his heart fails not, as he went in, he comes out; and though he ſhould go back again the ſame way, he tells you, I will not fear. How comes this to paſſe, how comes the man to be ſo undaunted? Why, he will tell you in the very ſame Verſe, ſpeaking to God, For thou art with me. Gods preſence kept him from fear, in the midſt of death and horror. Thus it was I ſay with David, while he could keep God in his preſence, he was unmoveable, impregnable; You might as ſoon have ſtirred a Rock, as ſtirred him, I ſhall not be moved; Indeed ſo long as he was upon the Rock, he was as unmoveable, as the Rock it ſelf; But alas, ſometime he loſt the ſight of his God, and then he was like other men; Thou didſt hide thy face from me, Pſa. 30 7.Ps 30:7and I was troubled. When God hid his face from him, or he hid his eyes from p. 94God; 1 Sam. 29 1.1 Sam 29:1then how eaſi…ly is he moved? Fear breaks in, I ſhall one day fall by the hand of Saul. Sin breaks in, yea, one ſin upon the heels of another; the adulterous act upon the adulterous look, and murder upon adultery, as you know in that ſad buſineſſe of Ʋriah the Hittit; once off from his Rock, and he is as weak as duſt, not able to ſtand before the leaſt temptation of ſin or fear; Pſa. 61 2.Ps 61:2and therefore, as ſoon as he comes to himſelf again, he cryes, Oh lead me to the Rock, that is higher then I; To my Rock Lord, to my Rock.

But now, The Lord Jeſus, the Antitype of David here in this Pſalm, becauſe he made good this (Dutie ſhall I call it?) For in him dwelt the fulneſſe of the Godhead, G…l 2.9.bodilie; to him therefore was this priviledge made good perfectly in the higheſt degree; for though he had temptations that never man had, and was to do that which never man did; and to ſuffer that which never man ſuffered; the contradiction of ſinners; the rage of Hell; and the wrath of God: Yet, Becauſe he ſet the Lord alwayes at his right hand; yea, indeed was alwayes at the right hand of God; therefore he was not moved, but overcame even by ſuffering.

Beloved you ſee where ſtabilitie in Covenant is to be had; even in the preſence of God, labour I beſeech you, to walk in his preſence, and to ſet him alwayes at your right hand; Behold, it ſhall keep you, ſo that you ſhall not be moved, or if you be moved, you ſhall not be removed; if you ſtumble, you ſhall not fall; or if you fall, you ſhall not fall away; you ſhall riſe again.

There is a double advantage in it.

Firſt, It will keep your hearts in awe; He that ſets God in his preſence, dares not ſin in his preſence: God ſees, will make the heart ſay. How ſhall I do this great evill, and ſin againſt God?

Secondly, Pſ 16.12.Ps 16:12There is Joy in it; In thy preſence is fulneſſe of joy; it is true in its proportion of grace, as well as of glory; and joy will ſtrengthen and ſtabliſh, as I ſhewed you before, The joy of the Lord is your ſtrength. Pſal 91. ….10.Ps 91As long as the childe is in its fathers eye, and the father in its eye, it is ſecure. Becauſe thou haſt made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the m…ſt high, thy habitation, there ſhall no evill befall thee, &c. It will hold as well in the evils of ſin, as in the evils of puniſhment: Well, p. 95the Lord make you know theſe precious truths in an experimentall manner.

I have h…ld you too long; but the buſineſſe requires it. Remember I beſeech you, It is God that muſt uphold your deſires and reſolutions; And therefore,

1. Be much in Prayer, and

2. Set your ſelves in the preſence of God, He lives unchangea…le, that lives in the unchangeable God.

In the ſixth and laſt place, Sixth and laſt direction; Look up to Chriſt.If thou wouldeſt make an everlaſting Covenant with God that ſhall never be forgotten, Look up to Jeſus Chriſt, go to Jeſus Chriſt, he muſt holy, and he muſt ſtrengthen, and he muſt keep thee, or elſe thou wilt never be able to keep thy Covenant; hear him elſe

Without me yee can do nothing.Joh. 15 5John 15:5

And as Chriſt ſpeaks thus on the negative; ſo you may hear the Apoſtle ſpeaking by bleſſed experience on the affirmative; I can do all things through Jeſus Chriſt, which ſtrengthneth me: Phil. 4 12Phil 4:12Obſerve I pray,

Without me yee can do nothing.

Through Chriſt I can do all things.

Nothing, All things; There is a good deal of difference between two men; take one without Chriſt, and be his parts never ſo excellent, his reſolutions never ſo ſtrong, his engagements never ſo ſacred, He can do nothing, unleſſe it be to break his Covenants and Vows, as Sampſon brake his Cords like threds ſcorcht with the fire; and take the other with a Chriſt ſtanding by him, and be he in himſelf never ſo weak and mean, unlearned and unguifted, loe, as if he were clothed with omnip…eatie, He can do all things; he can ſubdue ſuch corruptions, conquer ſuch temptations, perform ſuch Duties, and in ſuch a manner, do ſuch things, ſuffer ſuch things (and in all theſe keep his Covenant with God) as to other men, and to himſelf before, were ſo many impoſſibilities: He could not before; now he can. Nothing before, All things now. All things fit for an unglorified Saint to do; All things God expects from him; All things in a Goſpel ſence; All things comparatively to other men, and to himſelf, when he was another man: See I beſeech you, how without p. 96a Chriſt, and through a Chriſt, makes one man differ from an…er; yea, and from himſelf, as much as can and cannot; All things and nothing; Impetencie and omnipotencie, Without me you can do nothing. Through Chriſt I can do all things.

If therefore you would make a Covenant with Eternitie to …, Study Chriſt more then ever, Labour to know nothing but Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified. And therein theſe two things.

1. Intereſt in Chriſt.

2. Influence from Chriſt.

Firſt, 111 Go to … …ſt. Joh. 15.4.John 15:4Labour to get intereſt in Chriſt. Intereſt is the ground of Influence; Ʋnion the Fountain or Spring of Communion; ſo Chriſt. As the branch cannot bear fruit of it ſelf, except it abide in the Vice, no more can y…, except yee abide in me. There you have the truth, and the … of it; No fruit from Chriſt, without being and abiding in Chriſt; There is truth: Illuſtrated and … by the Vine and the B…anel; There the ſimile, which is proſecuted and enlarged by our Saviour in the 5, 6, 7 Verſes.

And as all Communi… … from Ʋnion, ſo look what the Ʋnion is, ſuch is the Communion; Chriſt was filled with the fulneſſe of God, … 16. … 17.23. …ol 2 9.becauſe united to God; The Saints receive of the fulneſſe of Chriſt, becauſe united to Chriſt. I in them, and thou …, onelyonly here is the difference. Chriſts Ʋnion with his Father was P…nall, Infinite, and Subſtantiall; And therefore the … were anſwerable, Joh. 3 34.John 3:34For God gave not the ſpirit by … unto him, &c. But the Saints Ʋnion with Chriſt being of an in…i…ur natur…; their Communications alſo are proportionable; yet ſuch as ſerve poor Creatures to all bleſſed … purpoſes.

And therefore with Paul; … 9.Labour to be found In Chriſt, That ſo, on may … the power of his Reſurrection, and … his Sufferings; All the Power and Vertue that is in Jeſus Chriſt, it is onelyonly for th…m that are in him, as the Branch in the R…, as the Members in the B…dy.

Chriſt is c…l…d th… … God, … God.Iſal. 49.8. I will … Covenant of the People. i. e. As Calvin well expounds it, …, the ſurety or undertaker of the Covenant, of that ſecond new Covenant, between God and his People, p. 97not the Jews onelyonly, but the Gentiles alſo: A ſuretie on both ſides, The ſuretie of Gods Covenant to them, 2 Cor. 1.20.2 Cor 1:20for all the promiſes of God are in him, yea, and in him Amen, i. e. He ſees them all made good to the heirs of promiſe; and Chriſt again is the ſuretie of their Covenant unto God; for he undertakes to make good all their Covenant, and Vows, and Promiſes unto God.Joh. 17.12. Gal. 2.30.John 17:12Gal 2:30

Thoſe that thou gaveſt me, I have kept, ſaith Chriſt.

And I live (ſaith Paul) yet not I but Chriſt liveth in me.

So that it is Chriſt who makes the Covenant good on both ſides, as Gods to his people, ſo his peoples to God; And ſo it follows in that place of Iſaiah, I have given thee for a Covenant to the people, to eſtabliſh the earth; Eſtabliſhment muſt come from Chriſt, the undertaker; the ſuretie of the Covenant; as he paid the Debt for the time paſt, ſo he muſt ſee the Articles of the Covenant kept for the time to come. For want of ſuch an undertaker or ſuretie, the firſt Covenant miſcarried; It was between God and the Creature without a Mediator; and ſo the Creature changing, the Covenant was diſſolved; but the ſecond, Pſal. 19.19.Ps 19:19God meant ſhould not miſcarry, and therefore puts it into ſure hands; I have laid help upon one that is mighty, ſpeaking of Chriſt; And I will give thee for a Covenant to the People: God hath furniſht Chriſt wherewith all, to be a ſuretie; to make good his Covenant to his People, and their Covenant to him.

But now he hath this ſtock of All-ſufficiencie for none but theſe that are his Members, he actually undertakes for none but thoſe that are actually in him; Theſe that thou haſt given me, I have kept. He keeps none but them whom the father hath given him; given him ſo, as to be in them, and they in him.

I in them, ſo John 17.23. and they in me, ſo Chap. 15.5.

Well, if thou wouldſt be unchangeable in thy Covenant, get intereſt in Chriſt who is the Covenant; The unchangeable Covenant; The Amen, the faithfull and true witneſſe; Revel. 3.14. H…b. 13 8 Phil. 3 9.Rev 3:14Phil 3:9Yeſterday and to day, and the ſame for ever; Get intereſt, Count all things loſſe and dung, that thou maiſt win Chriſt, and be found in Chriſt.

Yea, do not onelyonly labour to get intereſt, but prove thy intereſt; take not up a matter of ſo infinite concernment upon truſt; all that thou doeſt Covenant to God, and that God doth Covenant to thee, depends upon it; and therefore, Work it out p. 96duplicate page p. 97duplicate page p. 98with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.13 2 Pet. 1.…0.Phil 2:132 Pet 1and give all diligence to make it ſure unto thy ſoul: Study evidences, and be content with none but ſuch as will bear weight in the ballance of the Sanctuary; ſuch as the Word will ſecure; ſuch, as to which the Word will bear witneſſe, that they are inconſiſtent with any Chriſtleſſe man, or woman whatſoever; And pray with unweariable ſuppliceations that God will not onelyonly give thee intereſt, but cleer thy intereſt, and ſeal up intereſt upon thy ſoul and thee, to the day of Redemption.

And then ſecondly, 222 Go to Chriſt for influence.Studie influence, when once in Chriſt, then haſt thou right and liberty to draw vertue from Chriſt: For behold, All the fulneſſe that dwels in Chriſt is thin; all that life and ſtrength and grace, and redemption, that is held forth in the promiſe, it is all laid up in Chriſt, as in a Magazine; and by vertue of thy intereſt in, and union with the Lord Jeſus, it is all become thin…. Hence you hear the believing ſoul making her boaſt of Chriſt as (before) for righteouſneſſe, Iſa. 45.24Isa 45:24ſo alſo for ſtrength. In the Lord I have righteouſneſſe and ſtrength, as righteouſneſſe for acceptance, ſo ſtrength alſo for performance of ſuch duties, as God in his Covenant doth require and expect at the beleevers hands: I have no ſtrength of mine own, but in Chriſt I have enough; In the Lord I have righteouſneſſe and ſtrength. Chriſt is the Lord-keeper, or Lord high Steward, or Lord-Treaſurer; to receive in and lay out, **Pſal. 68.18. …e received, …phe 48 beg…e gifts, &c.Ps 68:18for and to all that are in Covenant with the Father.

And this is one main Branch of Gods Covenant with the Redeemer, that he give out to the Heirs of promiſe, wherewithall to enable them to keep their Covenant with God; ſo that they never depart from him.

As for me, Iſa. 59.25.Isa 59:25this is my Covenant with them, ſaith the Lord, My ſpirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, ſhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeed, nor out of the mouth of thy Seeds ſeed, ſaith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever.

They be the words of God the Father to the Redeemer, concerning all his Spirituall Seed; The Redeemer ſhall come to Sion, Verſ 24. And that ſpirit, and theſe words of life and grace, which were upon the Redeemer muſt be propagated to all his p. 99believing Seed; by vertue whereof, their Covenant with God, ſhall in its proportion be like Gods Covenant with them (for indeed the one is but the counterpart of the other) unchangeable, everlaſting.

I will make an everlaſting Covenant with them, Jer. 32 40Jer 32:40that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, and they ſhall not depart away from me.

Now therefore my Brethren, ſince there is enough in Chriſt, ſtudy how to draw it out: Indeed it will require a great deal of holy skill to do it; It requires wiſedom to draw out the excellencies of a man: Counſell in the heart of a man is deep, Prov. 20.3.Prov 20:3but a man of underſtanding will draw it out: It is a fine art to be able to peirce a man, that is like a Veſſell full of Wine, and ſet him a running; but to draw out influence and vertue from the Lord Jeſus is one of the moſt ſecret hidden Myſteries in the life of a Chriſtian; indeed we may complain, John 4.John 4The Well is deep and we have nothing to draw withall; But labour to get your Bucket of faith, that you may be able to draw water out of this Well of Salvation; Iſa. 12.Isa 12Labour by vitall acts of a powerfull faith; ſet on work in Mediation and Prayer, to draw vertue and influence from Jeſus Chriſt; the Mouth of Prayer, and the breathings of Faith from an heart ſoakt and ſteept in holy Meditations, applyed to Jeſus Chriſt, will certainly (though perhaps inſenſibly) draw vertue from him. Behold, Faith drew vertue from Chriſt by a touch of his Garments; ſhall it not much more draw out that rich and precious influence, by applying of him in the promiſes, and in his Offices unto our ſouls?

Conſider oh Chriſtian who ever thou art, even thou that art in Chriſt, conſider, God hath not truſted thee with grace enough before hand, for one monethmonth, no, not for a week, a day; Nay, thou haſt not grace enough before hand for the performance of the next duty, or the conquering of the next temptation; nor for the expediting thy ſelf out of the next difficulty; And why ſo? But that thou mayſt learn to live by continuall dependance upon Jeſus Chriſt, as Paul did, Gal. 2.20Gal 2:20The life that I now live in the fleſh, I live it by the faith of the Son of God. Paul lived by freſh influence drawn from Chriſt by faith, every day and hour: ſtudy that life, it is very Myſterious, but exceeding precious. p. 100Had we our ſtock before hand, we ſhould quickly ſpend all, and prove bankrupts: 1 Cor. 1.36.1 Cor 1:36God hath laid up all our treaſure of Wiſedom, Righteouſneſſe, Sanctification and Redemption in Jeſus Chriſt, and will have us live from hand to mouth, that ſo we might be ſafe, and Gods free grace be exalted: Rom. 12.16.Rom 12:16It is of faith, that it might be by grace, to the end your promiſe might be ſure to all the ſeed.

Wherefore holy Brethren, partakers of this heavenly calling, look up to Jeſus Chriſt, who is the Covenant of his Father, and your Covenant; loe he calls you.

Look unto me, Iſai. 48.22Isa 48:22and be yee ſaved all the ends of the earth. Surely, they are worthy to periſh, who will not beſtow a look upon Salvation: Oh look humbly, and look beleevingly, and look continually; look for Intereſt, look for Influence, look for Righteouſneſſe, look for Strength; and let Jeſus Chriſt be All in All to thy ſoul: thou wilt never be any thing, nor do any thing in Chriſtianity, till thou comeſt to live in and upon Jeſus Chriſt, and him onelyonly: Humbly entreat the Lord, and give him no reſt; That he will make a Covenant with thee in Chriſt, which ſhall keep thee, and then thou wilt be able to keep thy Covenant; Look up to Chriſt for Covenant-grace, to keep Covenant-engagement, and ſo ſhalt thou do this ſervice (in a Goſpel-ſence) to Acceptation, to Perpetuitie.

I have now done with theſe three Quaeres; What? Why? How?

How to

Acceptation.

Perpetuitie.

I know much more might be added, but the work to which we are to addreſſe our ſelves, will take up much time; the Lord ſet home what hath been ſpoken.

OnelyOnly give me leave to tell you thus much in a word, for the cloſe of all; As this Covenant prospers with us, ſo we are like to prosper under it; The welfare of the Kingdom and of thy ſoul, is bound up now in this Covenant; For I remember what God ſpeaks of the Kingdom of Iſrael, brought into Covenant now with the King of Babylon, to ſerve him, and to be his Vaſſals; …. 17.13, 14. Verſ. 16.17.That by keeping Covenant it ſhould ſtand; and the breaking of that Covenant was the breaking of Zedekiah and his whole Family, and Kingdom. Now was Covenant-breach or fid…litie p. 101the foundation of ſtabiliti… or ruine to that Kingdom, which was ſtruck, but with a dying man; how much more is the riſe or fall of this Kingdom; yea, of theſe two Kingdom, bound up in the obſervation or forfeiture of this Covenant, which we make this day with the living God? You that wiſh well to the Kingdoms, that would not ſee the downfall and ruine thereof; be from henceforth more conſcientious of your Covenant, then ever heretofore; for ſurely, upon the ſucceſſe of this Covenant, we ſtand or fall; as we deal with the Covenant, God will deal with us; if we ſteight the Covenant, God will ſleight us; if we have mean thoughts of the Covenant, God will have mean thoughts of us; if we forget the Covenant, God will forget us; if we break the Covenant, we may look that God ſhall break theſe two Nations, and break us all to pieces; if we reject it, God will reject us; if we regard our Covenant, God will regard his Covenant, and regard us too; if we remember the Covenant, God will remember his, and remember us; if we keep the Covenant, the Covenant will keep us, and our poſteritie for ever.

Oh that this Conſideration might be a Motive to whet on that Exhortation of the Apoſtle; Let him that ſtole, Epheſ. 4.28.Eph 4:28ſteal no more; And ſo let him that was drunk be drunk no more; he that was uncl…an, let him be unclean no more; they that were worldly, proud, ſecure, careleſſe of receiving Chriſt in their hearts, and of walking worthy of him in their lives, be ſo no more; he that hath been Malignant or Neutrall, let him be ſo no more: For I proteſt againſt every man, that after the ſtriking of this ſo ſolemn and ſacred a Covenant with the moſt high God, ſhall dare knowingly and willingly to perſiſt in any one of theſe mentioned abominations, or any other; he is an enemy to Jeſus Chriſt; a Traytor to the Kingdoms; a State-murderer, and a deſtroyer of himſelf, and his poſteritie; and at his hands (if they miſcarry) God will require the blood of all theſe: But there are a people of whom, and to whom, I hear God ſpeaking gracious words. Surely they are my people, children that will not lie, Iſa. 63.8.Isa 63:8My people, mine by Covenant; I have brought them into the bo…d of the Covenant; I have made my Covenant with them, and they have made their Covenant with me: and they be children that will not lie; I know they will deal no more as a lying and treacherous p. 102generation with me, but will be a faithfull people in their Covenant; and I will be a faithfull God unto them; I will be their Saviour, th y will ſerve me, and I will ſave them.

Now the Lord make us ſuch a people unto him, children that will not li…; and he be ſuch a God to us; He be our Saviour, a Saviour to both Kingdoms, and every ſoul that makes this Covenan…; to ſave us from ſin, and to ſave us from d…ſtruction; to ſave us from our exemies without, and to ſave us from our enemies within; to ſave us from the divell, and to ſave us from the world, and to ſave us from our ſelves; to ſave us from the luſts of men, and to ſave us from our own luſts; to ſave us, and to ſave our poſterity; to ſave us from Rome, and ſave us from Hell; to ſave us from wrath preſent, and from wrath to come; to ſave us heer, and to ſave us hereafter; to ſave us to himſelf in grace, and to ſave us with himſelf, in glory, to all Eternitie, for Chriſts ſake, Amen, and Amen.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Case, The Quarrel of the Covenant (1644)