The first Sermon Preached at Laurence Church, on the Fast-day, Septem. 27. 1643.

THis Chapter contains a gradation of sins, and a gradation of punishments; higher degrees of plagues, threatning to overtake higher degrees of Sin. And if you will not yet for all this hearken unto me, then will I punish you seven times more for your sins; four times repeated over in this Chapter.

The words read, they are the top, or rather the sum of both, [...] violation, the top or sum of all the evils of sin men­tioned in this Chapter, and the sword with it's concomitants, the top or sum of all the evils of punishment threatned.

And so you have the division of the words before I thought of it: scil.

• The peoples sins.
• Gods judgements.

Their sin, the abuse and violation of Covenant, Gods Judge­ment, the Sword, &c.

In the one they walk contrary to God, in the other God walks contrary to them: From whence observe;

Doct. Covenant violation is matter of a high Quarrell be­tween God and a people, which God threatens to avenge with the sword.

You see there are two Branches in this Doctrine.

I. Covenant abuse is matter of an high Quarrell between God and a people.

II. God threatens to avenge this Quarrell with the Sword.

1. For the first, That Covenant-violation is matter of high Quarrell between God and a people: Quarrell you finde in the Text, and high you finde it in the s [...]ituation of the Text: This standing as I shewed you at a top of the gradation of the sins here specified, or being the summa totalis of them all; Abuse of Covenant.

It is this first Branch I shall chiefly pursue; The second I shall but touch upon, as time and occasion will serve.

In the managing therefore of the first Branch, I shall endea­vour these three things.

1. I shall shew you what Covenant abuse or violation is, or wherein it doth consist.

2. I shall lay you down some demonstrations to prove the [...], namely, That it is sc.

3. I will lay you down the Grounds, which shall give you an account of the [...], namely, how it comes to passe, that Covenant-violation amounts to such a High Quarrell between God and a people.

Cove­nant vio­lation, consists.For the first; 1. In wil­full neg­lect. Covenant abuse, or violation; consists in these three things.

1. In a contemptuous Wilfull neglect and refusall of it, when God doth graciously invite a people or person to come into Covenant with him; so it is reported of those wicked Ephra­mites, Manassites, and Zebulunites, that when Hez [...]kiah sent a gracious Message unto them, to invite them to turn again unto the Lord, from whom they were departed by a grievous back­sliding, and to keep the feast of the Passeover, (which was the seale of the Covenant) they added this aggravation to all [Page 3]their former Rebellions, they refused the Message, 2 Chro. 30.9, 10 and laughed the Messengers to scorne, and mocked them.

2. It doth consist in an undue manner of taking of it, 2. In an undue manner of taking it; as 1. Rashly. 2 Rot­tenly. Psal. 78.36, 37. and that in divers respects:

First, When people take it rashly in opposition unto Judge­ment, one of the qualifications required to an Oath, Jerem. 4.2. Of which more hereafter.

Secondly, When they take it rottenly in opposition to since­rity, as it is complained of the Israelites. They did flatter him with their mouth, and they lyed unto him with their tongues, For their heart was not upright with him, &c. When men come with their Idols in their hearts, and put the stumbling block of their in­iquity before their face; that is, When they come to these, or the like solemne duties with the love of any one sin upon their hearts, this is to play the Hypocrite with God, and to prophane his Covenant.

3. 3. Unhal­lowedly. When men come unhallowedly to this duety with unpre­pared hearts, and unsanctified affections, not labouring to get their hearts into an holy Ordinance frame.

4. When they come Inordinately, with base, low, 4. Inor­dinately. carnall and self-ish ends, as those Sechemites did in the Gen. 34. v. 22, 23. who were perswaded to be circumcised (which was the Rom 4.10. signe and scale of the Covenant of God with his people) upon carnall hopes and expectations of increasing their substance, and enriching themselves by this means. Vers. 22. Onely herein will the men consent unto us, for to dwell with us to be one people. If e­very Male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised. Vers. 23. Shall not their Cattell and their substance, and every Beast of theirs be ours. This God reproves in his own people, Ezek. 33.31. With their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousnesse.

A Covenant in the mouth, but covetousnesse in the heart; their own base earthly covetous ends they brought with them to the holy things of God. 3. It con­sists in gracelesse breaking of the Cove­nant.

Thirdly. Covenant violation doth consist in a gracelesse and carelesse breaking of it; either by making a wicked Apostasie from it, or rising up in a cursed rebellion against it. A Wicked­nesse complained of all a long the Scriptures, 1 Kings 19.14. [Page 4] The children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant, thrown down th [...]e Altar, &c. Psal. 78.10. They kept not the Covenant of God, and refused to walke in his Law. Vers. 37. Neither were they stedfast in his Covenant. Jere. 11.10. The house of Israel, and the house of Juda have broken my Covenant which I made with their Fathers. Isai. 24.5. They have transgressed the Law, changed the Ordinance, broken the everlasting Covenant. It were easie to multiply more Instances, but these may serve; And thus much for the first Quaere: scil. Wherein Covenant-Violation doth consist.

2. Demon­strations to prove the Do­ctrine. 1. The Saints be­way [...]ing t [...]s sin. The second thing that I undertook, is to give you some Demonstrations, To shew, That Covenant-Violation is matter of a high Quarrell between God and a People; which will appear if we consider.

First, That the discerning servants of God in Scripture, such as have been acquainted with God, and have seen into the na­ture of sin, have bewailed this sin with their most brinish tears, and deepest groans, and agonies of spirit. It is enough to break ones heart, to read with what heart-breaking-sighes, those holy men of God, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel, have bewailed this sin, lying in the dust at Gods feet. Ezra 9.6. O my God, I am ashamed, and [...]lush to list up my sace to thee wy God, &c. So cryes Ezra, &c. And again, Vers. 13. After all this is come upon us, for our evill deads, for our great trespasse; seeing that thou our God hath punished [...] lesse, then our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; should we again break thy Command­ments, Vers. 15. O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous, for we remain, yet escaped as it is this day: Behold, we are before thee in our trespasses, for we cannot stand before thee, because of this. Nehemiah is very Patheticall in the confession of this sin, all along the ninth Chapter of that Book, weeping out this godly sorrow, as it were with tears of blood. Daniel is covered with confusion of face, when he bewailed this sin of Covenant-Violation in the ninth Chapter of his Prophesie. O Lord, righ­teousnesse belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, Ver. 7. And again, O Lord, to me belongs confusion of face, to our Kings, to our Princes, &c. Vers. 8. It is breach of Covenant he bewails [Page 5]with so much confusion of face and brokennesse of heart in that Chapter.

Secondly, Covenant-violation is a sin, Censu­red in and by the very Heathen. highly censured in the very poor pur-blind, Heathen: It stands as an Infamy, and a Brand upon them in that Catalogue of their sins, Rom. 1.31. Covenant-breakers: Yea, it was a sin, that as blind as they were, they were able by the very light of nature, to discover in the People of God, and could give it as the accompt of that ruine and disolation which befell them, demanding of one another as they passed by the ruines of Jerusalem, Jerem. 22. Vers. 8. Where­ [...]or [...]ath the Lord done thus unto this great City, then shall they answer, Vers. 9. Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord their God.

Thirdly, It may appear to be a Quarrell of a high nature, 3. The fearfull judge­ments, where­with it is threat­ned. if we consider the grievous judgements wherewith the Lord hath threatned and avenged this sin, as here in the text; The Sword with a black Regiment of other dreadfull judgements, following; Vers. 25. I will send the pestilence among you, and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy. Vers. 26. I will break the staff of your bread, &c. And yee shall eat, and not be satisfied. And upon the persisting in this sinne; Behold, seven times more evills pursuing of them. Vers 29. You shall eat the flesh of your sonnes, and the flesh of your daughters shall yee cat. Vers. 30. I will cast your Carcasses upon the Carcasses of your Idols, and my soul shall abhorre you. Vers. 31. I will make your Cities wast, and bring your Sanctuaries unto desolation, &c. Vers 32. I will bring the Land into desolation, Vers. 33. I will scatter you among the Heathen, and will draw out a sword after you, &c. Isa. 30.18. My Brethren, God is a God of Judgement, and doth all his works in weight and measure. Nehemiah acknowledged it in his confession, Nehem. 9.33. Howbeit thou art just in all that is come upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wicked­ly: Yea, holy Ezra hath a strain higher then this, in his confessi­on. Ezra 9 13. Our God hath punished us lesse then our iniqui­ties do deserve. Behold, these great and fearfull judgements, and curses, pursuing this sin of Covenant-violation, and yet so farre from exceeding, that they fall short of the merit of it; Our God hath punished us, lesse then our sins deserved. Of what a high [Page 6]nature (think ye) is this quarrell, when so many tall judge­ments, like so many Anakims though standing upon the Shoul­der one of another, cannot reach it?

Fourthly, 4 The care of Gods people after their re­covery, to make up this breach It may appear from hence, in as much, as alwayes upon the recovery and deliverance of the people of God, from their Captivity, and other Judgements: you shall finde their Governours and Prophets, Sollicitous and active in the first place, to attone God by taking up this quarrell, and controversie, between him and his people; as in all the former Instances of E [...]ra, Nehemiah, and Daniel, they knew that as long as this breach lay open, there was no safety; floods of wrath and vengeance, might break in upon them at unaware; and there­fore they labour in the first place to repair this breach, giving us thereby to understand, That Violation of Covenant is a quarrell of such an high nature, as there is no safe sleeping under it, no not for a night.

Fifthly, God ac­counts it his honor to keep his Cove­nant. Among all the excellencies and perfections that are in God. God seems to take high delight and contentment in this, and therefore doth often delight and admire himself for it. Deut. 7.9. The Lord thy God, he is God, the faithfull God, which keepeth Covenant and Mercy. Psal. 89 28. My Covenant shall standfast. Vers. 34. My Cevenant will I not break, &c. And as he glori [...]s in it himself; for he calleth upon his people to glorifie him in this his Excellency. Jerem. 9.24. Let him that glory th [...]glory in this, That he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise, loving kindenesse, judgement, and righteousnesse in the earth. The righteousnesse of God is especi­ally seen in keeping Covenant with his people, and in this, he calls them to glory. And so they do, It is one of the high and glorious titles that Daniel ascribes to God in his Prayers: Dan. 9.4 O Lord, the great and dreadfull God, keeping Covenant, and Mercy, &c. Psal. 105 8. He hath remembred his Covenant for ever. Psal. 111 5. He will ever be mindfull of his Covenant. It is the Name, for which he is so dreadfull in his praises, Vers. 9. He hath commanded h [...]s Covenant for ever, holy, and reverend is his Name. Now surely, That Excellency which God doth so admire and magnifie in himself; the contrary thereof, his soul doth most of all, hate, or abhorre, in a people, or person; we [Page 7]see it in our own experience, That vice we most of all hate in our children or servants, the contrary vertue whereof, doth most of all please and delight us in our selves.

Sixthly and Lastly, God ac­c [...]unts this an high fa­vour to bring his people into Co­venant with him, for 1. It is a promise. 2 It is e­stablished by an Oath. God speaks of bringing his people into Covenant with him, as one of the highest Prerogatives and choicest priviledges he can honour them withall, to that purpose you may observe.

1. That it stands in the midst of a Catalogue of promises, E [...]k. 20.37. I will bring you into the Bond of the Covenant: And you know with what titles of honour the Apostle hath en­abled the promises? Exceeding great and precious promises.

2. That it fals under the Sanction not of a promise onely, but of an oath also. Isai. 45.23. I have sworne by my self; the word is gone out of my mouth, in righteousnesse, and shall not return: That unto me every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall swear? An oath it is the Seal of the Covenant; and this honour God hath challenged to himself by an irrevecable Oath. I have sworne, &c. That to me every tongue shall swear. Now as it was the honour of the Priesthood of Christ, above the Priests under the Law; That whereas they were made Priests by the word onely of command; Christ was made a Priest by the word of Oath, by him that said unto him. Heb. 7.21. The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck. So it is the high honour and dignity of this duty and prerogative of the people of God; That whereas others are conferred upon them, onely by the word of promise: This is established by the word of Oath, by him that said, I have swerne by my self, that to me every tongue shall swear. And by this you may take the measure of this sin, since by how much the more high and glorious the service and priviledge is; of so much the more vile and hatefull an aggravation must the pro­phanation of it needs be. And this last demonstration may serve in generall as a bottome and foundation of the next ac­count I am to make: scil.

The [...]. Crounds and Rea­sons of the Do­ctrine..

Of the truth in hand; which is,

The third thing I undertook; Namely,

The Grounds and Reasons of the Doctrine, how it comes to [Page 8]passe, That Covenant-violation is a matter of so High a quarrell between God and his People.

The first whereof is taken from the nature of such a Cove­nant, 1. The Nature of a Co­venant. A divine Ordi­nance. Deut 6.13. Chap. 10.20. as is here spoken of.

First, That it is an Ordinance of God, a part of Divine worship, having the stamp and impression of divine authority upon it; Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cl [...]ave, and swear by his Name; From which Scriptures it appears not onely to be an Ordinance of Gods appointing but one of the most speciall and solemne; In as much as [...]oth here, and in other Scriptures it stands for the whole duety of man towards God in the first Table.

The Ordinance whereby we specially are said to cl [...]ave to God, Thou shalt cleave to him and swear by his Name; We cleave to him by swearing to him. Isai. 56 6. The sonnes of the stranger that joyn themselves to the Lord. How? It follows, And take hold of my Covenant.

The Covenant is the joyning Ordinance, The joyn­ning Or­dinance. It strikes the main stroke between God and a People.

In h [...]aring the word, we learn our Duty.

In Prayer we call in for helpe, for divine assistance;

But the Covenant, that comes and bindes the bargain. Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord, by a perpetuall Covenant. Jere. 50.5.

Yea, The ex­ [...]nall [...] ca [...] [...] very [...] If we consider the very externall Ceremonies used about this duty, it will appear a very solemn Ordinance? Whether between man, and man, or between God and man.

When Abrahams servant swea [...] to his Master, to take a wise unto his son [...]anc. He must put his hand under his Masters th [...]. A Type that the Messias must come out of Abrahams loynes: Ge [...]. 24 7. G [...] 47. [...]. So did Joseph when he swear to Jacob, &c. When God made a Covenant with Abraham; God commands him to take an Heiser of three years old, a she Goat, and a Ram, and [...] 9.10. When he hath done, God [...] betwixt the p [...]ices, for a Ratification of the Cove­nant, [...] 17 Abraham when he takes an Oath, Lifts up his [...] th [...] must high God.

These and the like Post [...]s used about this service, carry a [Page 9]great deal of reverence and solemnity in the very face of them; and this solemnity even of the outward Ceremony, God useth as an aggravation of Covenant-violation. God layeth it close unto the charge of Zedeziah. That he brake his Covenant with the King of Babylon.

Ezek. 17.18. When loe he had given his hand.

And to the Princes and People of Juda, that they transgressed the Covenant,

Jerem. 34.18. When they had cut the Galfe in twain, and passed between the parts thereof.

And Vers. 19, 20. for this he threatens to give them into the hands of their Enemies.

And if the externall solemnitie adde so much aggravation to this sinne, then how much more doth that inward beauty and glory of it, heap up guilt upon their heads that are found to be prophaners and violators of so solemn an Ordinance.

A second Aggravation of this sin, ariseth from the Mattor of the Covenant.

Covenants betwixt man and man, are in things appertaining to man; The Covenant betwixt God and man, is in things ap­pertaining unto God; which as it doth exceedingly heighten the duty, so it doth highly aggravate the violation. It was the honour of the Priests under the Law, above other men, That they were ordained for men in things appertaining unto God, Heb. 5.2. And it was the honour of Christ above all other Priests, that his Priesthood was imployed about matters of an higher nature, then the Priesthood of the sonnes of Aaron.

Heb. 8.6. He hath obtained a more excellent Ministry, by how much also he is the Mediatour of a better Covenant, which was established upon better promises.

Now consider then I beseech you, how excellent that Cove­nant must be above all others; the matter whereof gave excel­lency to the very Priesthood of Christ himself, and lifted it up a­bove all other Priesthoods: For as the Apostle reasons concer­ning Abraham and Melchisedeck. That Melchisideck was greater then Abraham, because he blessed him.

Heb 7.7. For without question, the lesser is blessed of the better.

So may I in some sence argue the excellency of this Cove­nant above the Priesthood of Christ, in as much as this Covenant gives excellency to this Priesthood. ‘— He hath obtained a more excellent Priesthood, by how much he is Mediator of a better Covenant.’

And certainly the excellency of the matter is a transcendent aggravation of the violation of the Covenant, for men to trissle and prevaricate in things of such high concernment, in things so immediately appertaining to God, must needs be a businesse of an higher provocation, then the sonnes of men do ordinarily dream of. The Apostle reasons strongly and dread­fully in this very case: ‘ Heb. 10.28, 29. He that despised Moses Law, died without mercy; Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought wor­thy, who hath counted the blood of the Covenant, an unholy thing, &c.’

The Covenant and the blood of it; the priviledge and the pur­chase, are both trampled under feet in some degree or other, by Covenant-prophanation.

Thirdly, A third reason, why Covenant-prophanation is mat­ter of so high a quarrell, is taken from the Forme of it, which is, an Oath, an Oath on both sides. The Creature swears by God, and God swears by himself: This is the Forme or Seal of Cove­nants, between men and men. So Jacob when he made a Cove­nant with his Uncle Laban, sware by the fear of his father Isaac. Gen. 31.53. i. e. That is Objective!

By the God whom his father Isaac f [...]ared.

So Jonathan and David sware mutually by the name of God.

The Oath of the Lord was betwixt them.

So Z [...]dekiah took an Oath of fealty and subjection unto Neb [...] ­chadnezzar, King of Babylon, In the name of the God of Israel; for which cause, Ezck. 17.13. & 19. God calls it, My Oath, and my Covenant.

And hence it is, That God so severely threatens the violation of that Covenant, with inevitable destruction upon Zedekiah.

The King of Babylons Oath because Zed [...]kiah sware to him; and Gods Oath, because he sware by him: And see how divine Justice avengeth the quarrell of this Covenant.

Zed [...]kiah sware to Nebuchadnezzar, and did not keep his Oath; But for this, God swears the death of Zedekiah, and will be sure to keep his Oath.

This Accession of an Oath to the Covenant, a people or person swearing, By the most high God, and calling so holy and dreadfull a Majestie to Witnesse, must needs wonderfully heighten the sin, and aggravate the quarrell; by this means, Covenant Breach, becometh a double sin; a sin twisted of two sins (and those, no small ones, neither) of lying and swearing: Jere. 23.10. The lye being the prophanation of the truth of God, and the Oath the prophanation of the God of trueth; sins for which (take them singly) a Land doth often mourn; Hos. 4.2. Of how much higher provo­cation are they, when they meet, yea, when they meet, and are met into one, communicating their malignity one unto ano­ther, and thereby bigning, and aggravating one another: The Lye making the Oath greater, and the Oath making the Lye greater; and out of both there ariseth an aliquod tertium, a third sin of a monstrous nature; namely, perjury, which is a blasphemy against the Truth of God, and against the God of Truth, while His Sacred Name is sworne by, and himself cald in, to witnesse to a Lye, and so that sin, or sins, which in reference to the Law of God, is disobedience; in reference to love of God, inviting, pardoning, healing, is rebellion; in reference to our promise, is treachery; is now at last in reference to the Oath, aggravated into perjury and blasphemy.

This is much, but this is not all.

Reason. 4 Consider the Parties entring this Oath, and you will finde a fourth, and yet a strong ground and reason, The par­ties swea­ring. why Covenant-violation is so high a quarrell; The parties striking this Cove­nant which are God and his People, and this doth exceedingly ag­gravate the sin: since by how much the parties interested in the Covenant, are more high and honourable, by so much the more solemne and venerable is a Covenant esteemed.

So Covenants entred into, between Kings, and Kings, and be­tween Kingdoms & Kingdoms, are accounted more solemn and [Page 12]sacred then those that are past between private persons: What is it then think ye, when a Kingdom, yea Kingdoms, on one side and the great Almighty God on the other side, swear mutually one to another.

And the more Sacred the Covenant, the more prophane the Violation.

Oh, for a People to swear, not onely By God, but to God, and yet dally or prevaricate, this must needs be a mockery of an high provocation. If God so threaten the breach of Oaths, wherein he was but witnesse, how impatient will he be of those forseitures, wherein he is both Witnesse, and Partie? A People or Person, swearing By God, to God?

Reas. 5 And yet once more consider the End of a Covenant be­tween God and a People, 1. End of a Cove­nant. and you will see more matter of pro­vocation in the prophanation of it.

Now the end is twofold,

• Primarie or Essentiall.
• Secondarie or Consequentiall.

The Primarie or Essentiall End is to knita sure indissoluble knot, Jer 50.5. between God and his people. Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant, &c. Let us joyn.

A Covenant is the joyning Ordinance, the Marriage knot, as it were, wherein God and a People are made one; for as in Mar­riage, 1 Cor 6.16, 17. two, saith he, shall be one flesh; so in a Covenant, he that is joyned to the Lord, is one spirit.

Those be high and glorious expressions which our Saviour useth in that heavenly Prayer, John 17.21, 22, 23.

That they may be all one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, That the world may know that thou hast sent me.

And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, That they may be one, even as we are one; I in thee, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one.

All one, and one in us, and one as we are one, and made per­fect in one. These be expressions and priviledges of unspeakable worth and excellency; and these are the fruits of a Covenant, rightly struck between God and a People, when both sides do [Page 13]it with all their heart, and with all their soul; as God himself renders it, more then once or twice in Scripture.

I will be their God, and they shall be my People; Jere. [...]4.7. c. 31 33. c. 30.22. c. 32.38.

i. e. I will be to them what they can expect from a God, and they shall be to me, what I expect from a People: All I am, and have, shall be for their good; And all they are, or have, shall be for my glory; and so the Spouse triumphs.

This is the first and main end of a Covenant. 2. End.

And the second is like unto it; which is, to put an end to all strife.

Heb. 6.16. An Oath for confirmation is an end of all strife.

i. e. If here be any doubts, or haesitations, or diffidence on either side; an Oath by the swearing party, is, or should be, the removeall of that doubt, or distrust whatsoever; It should (I say) be so managed and entertained, as that it should put the matter out of question; to make all sure? Whether it be in matters of fact, de praeterito, for the time past, or engagements, de futuro, for the time to come; so it is between God and man.

Man swears to God, to secure God as it were, that there shall [...]e no more tergiversations, or treacherous dealings, as in times past. Let us joyn in a perpetuall Covenant that shall never be forgotten. q. d. Other Covenants have been forgotten, this shall never; we will backslide no more, break Covenant no more; or rather a People or Person swear to God to secure themselves against themselves to prevent, and shut the dore, a­gainst all future sollicitations, importunities and Temptations whatsoever; That when any of their old Lovers should come and bespeck their affections, they may be able to put them all by, that there might be no possibility of yeelding or heark­ning to the voyce of this Charmer, charm he never so wisely; while the soul may answer them all, as sometime Jepthah did his daughter (though with more warrant, and lesse trouble of minde.)

And with David. Psal. 119.106. I have sworn, and will performe it (I will be as good as my word, though I die for it) That I will keep thy righteous judgements.

And again, ‘ Thy vows are upon me, O God, I will render praise unto thee.’

I am not mine own to dispose of; I have given my heart, and my loves, and my self unto another; and I do not repent of what I have done, if it were to do again, I would do it, and were I worth a thousand times more, then I am, he to whom I have sworn, should have it all.

And so on the other side, God swears to his People, That ( [...]s I may so say) he may leave himself no possibility of recanting or recalling his word, Heb. 6.13. Vers. 16. if he had a minde to it. The Ap [...]stles expression hints such a kinde of supposition; God, when he could swear by no greater, swore by himself: Why? That by two immutable things; sc. His Word, and his Oath, in which it was impossible for God to lye. Impossible for him to lye; A very strange expression; As if God would lock up himself under an Oath from all possibility of lying or recalling the word out of his mouth, he would not trust himselfe (as if the Apostle should say) with making a bare promise, but claps an oath upon it also, that so if be would, yet he could not go back. This seems to be implyed in this expression, out the truth is, though we need such bolts and locks to keep us from starting, God doth not; he hath as much and more mind to keep his word, then we have that he should: But for our sakes, for our sakes altogether, is this written, because of the unbelief of our bearts, to secure our unbeleeving objecting spirits, against all fear and jealousie, of so much, as a p [...]ssibility of going b [...]k from his word, or failing of his promise, and so indeed it is after expressed. ‘ Vers. 18. That by two immutable things, by which it was impossible for God to lye, we might have a strong Consolation, &c.’ To strengthen our weak hands, and feeble knees, and drooping spirits in the expectations and belief of the undoubted accom­plishment of all his promises.

Now then (Beloved Christians) this being the end of Co­venants and Oaths mutually between God and his People; [Page 15] sc. To Ʋnite, and Secure the one to the other; when a People or Person, haffle, or break with God after all this, the end of the Covenant is frustrated and defrauded; The bands are broken, the security dissolved; all falls in sunder, as a bundle of Arrows, when the bond is cut, and then in comes fears, doubts, and jealousies; which oft do no small mischief in the soul, while they even take a poor People, or Person Captive, and spoil them of their precious treasure, that they can hardly reco­ver their former comforts, or confidence again, in a long time; These breaches do so wound their spirits, and shrink up their sinews (I speak of the People of God themselves) that with their Father Jacob, they go halting (peradventure) to their very Graves.

And now look upon the Covenant under all these Aspects and Notions

• Of Nature.
• Of Matter.
• Of Forme.
• Of Parties.
• Of End.

And then you will easily be able to give an account; Why Covenant-Violation should be a matter of so high a quarrell, be­tween God and a People, in all the three kindes of it.

• Contemptuous refusing.
• Gracelesse prophaning.
• Perfidious deceiving.

Not onely of the Covenant of God, but of the God of the Covenant; A People of Person mocking God, and deluding themselves, breaking with God; and doing what they can to make God break with them, and to break them all to peeces.

1. De facto, To shew, How God hath made good this threat­ning, in the dispensations of his providence and Justice, by overtaking this sin of Covenant-Prophanation, with this judge­ment of the sword, and its concomitants.

2. De jure, To vindicate and assert Gods Justice in these dispensations of his, by shewing the equity and righteousnesse of such proceedings.

But both these are done, if not so fully as might be, yet sufficiently already: The Instances given of the sin, in the very same places for the most part holding forth also examples of the Judgment; besides so many other Instances in Scripture, so known, That who ever is not a stranger to his Bible, may turn to them with a wet finger.

And the Demonstrations and Reasons, that set forth unto you the greatnesse of the sin, the highnesse of the quarrell, do upon the very first view, Vindicate, and Justifie the Equity of Gods proceedings in avenging this sin and quarrell with so grievous a judgement, as the sword; And since the servants of God, who have well weighed both in the ballance of the Sanctuary, have acknowledged not onely the sin to have equalled the Judgement; [Thou art just O Lord in all that is come upon us.] Nehe. 9. Ez [...]a 9. But infinitely to have weighed it down; our God hath punisht us lesse, then our iniquities deserve.

This therefore shall suffice for the second Branch of this Doctrine; and so we will improve the time that might be spent in the further proof, and enlargement thereof, in making Use of what hath been delivered already in that Doctrine.

The Second Sermon Preached at Milk-street, upon Saturday Evening, September 30. For the preparation to the COVENANT.
The second Ʋse; Exhortation.

SInce Covenant-violation is a matter of so high a Quarrell; as for the avenging whereof, God sends a Sword upon a Church or Nation; for which, it is more then probable, the Sword is upon us at this prefent, A nos 7.4. it having almost de­voured Ireland already, and eaten up a great part of England also; Let us engage our Counsell, and all the Interest we have in Heaven and Earth, for the taking up of this Controversie; Let us consider what we have to do, what way there is yet left us, for the Reconciling of this Quarrell; else we, and our Families, are all but the children of death, and destru­ction: This Sword that is drawn, and devoured so much Chri­stian Protestant flesh, already, will, it is to be feared, go quite through the Land, and in the pursuite of this Quarrell, cut off the remnant, till our Land be desolate, and our Cities waste, [Page 28]and England be made as Sodome and Gomorrah, in the day of the fierce anger of Jehovah.

Somewhat I have spoken already in the former Use, to this purpose. Jerem. 3.13. viz. To acknowledge our iniquites that we have trans­gressed against the Lord our God.

To get our hearts broken, for breaking the Covenant; to lay it so to heart, that God may not lay it to our charge, &c. But this looks backward.

Somewhat must be done de futuro; For time to come: That may not onely compose the Quarrell, but lay a sure foundation of an After Peace between God and the Kingdom. And for that purpose, a Means lies before us; an Opportunity is held forth unto us by the hand of Divine Wisdom, and goodnesse, of known use and successe among the People of God in former times; which is yet to me a gratious intimation, and a farther argument of hope from Heaven, that God hath not sworn against us in his wrath, nor sealed us up a People devoted to destruction, but hath yet a minde to enter into terms of peace and reconcilia­tion with us, to receive us into Grace and Favour, to become our God, and to own us for his People; if yet, we will go forth to meet him, and accept of such honourable termes as shall be propounded to us. And that is by renewing our Covenant with him; yea, by entring into a more full and firme Covenant then ever heretofore: For as the Quarrell was raised about the Cove­nant, so it must be a Covenant more solid and substantiall, that must compose the Quarrell, as I shall shew you hereafter, and that is the service and the priviledge that lies before us; the work of the next day. So that me thinks I hear this Use of Exhortation, which now I would commend unto you, speak­ing unto us in that Language.

Jere. Jer. 50.5. 50.5. Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpe­tuall Covenant, that shall not be forgotten.

It is the voyce of the Children of Israel, and the Children of Judah, returning out of Captivity.

Vers. 4. The children of Israel shall come, they, and the children of Judah together; Seeking the Lord, whom they had lost, and enquiring the way to Sion, from whence their Idolatry, and Adulteries had cast them out; themselves become now like the [Page 29]Doves of the Valley, mourning and weeping, because they had perverted their way, and forgotten the Lord their God.

Vers. 4.5. Going, and weeping; they shall go and seek the Lord their God; they shall ask the way to Sion, with their faces thitherward.

And if you enquire when this should be? The fourth Verse tells you, In those dayes.

And if you ask again, what dayes those are? Interpreters will tell us of a threefold day, wherein this Prophesie or Pro­mise is to be fulfilled; A three­fold day of mak­ing good the Pro­phefie. 1. The li­terall day

• That is, The Literall or Inchoative Day.
• That is, The Evangelicall or Spirituall Day.
• That is, The Ʋniversall or Perfect Day.

First, There is a literall or inthoative day, here prophefied of, and that is already past; past long since: Namely, in that day wherein the seventy yeers of the Babylonian Captivity ex­pired; then was this Prophesie, or Promise begun, in part to be accomplished: At what time the Captivity of Judah, and divers of Israel with them, upon their return out of Babylon, Ezra 8.21. kept a folemn Fast at the River Ahava, to afflict their souls before their God, There may you see them going and weeping;

To seek of him aright way for them, and their little ones; There you have them, Seeking the Lord, and enquiring the way to Sion, with their faces thitherward.

And when they came home, you may hear some of their No­bles and Priests, calling upon them to enter into Covenant; so Shechoniah spake unto Ezra, the Princes, and the People; Ezra 10.2, 3. We have sinned against the Lord, &c. Yet now there is hope in Israel, toucerning this thing. Now therefore, let us make a Covenant with our God.

And so you may finde the Levites calling the people to con­fesse their sins with weeping and supplications in a day of humili­ation, and at the end of it, to Write, and Swear, and Seal, Nehe. 9.4, 5. a Covenant with the Lord their God.

This was the first day wherein this Prophesie began to be fulfill'd in the very letter thereof.

The second day is the Evangelicall day, 2 Day, [...]nge [...]. wherein this Pro­mise is fulfilled in a [...] or Spirituall sence; Namely, when the elect of God, of what Nation or Language soever, (being all called the Israel [...] G [...], Isal. 44.5. as is Prophesied, One shall say I am the Lor [...] is, and [...] shall call him [...] by the name of Jacob, &c. and [...] by the Name of Israel.)

I say, when these in their severall Generations and successi­ons shall turn to the Lord their God, either from their Gentilisme and Pag [...], as in their first conversion to Christianity; (as [...] o [...]serves after the Resurrection of Christ, and Mission of the holy [...]host. A [...] exinde univer [...]s nationes ex verag [...]e [...] humani [...] gent [...]s ad Dominum Deum, & ad Dominum [...]us c [...]us. From that day foreward you might behold po [...]r Creatures of all Nations and Languages, creeping out of their dark hol [...] and corners of blindnesse and Idolatry, and betaking them to God and his S [...]n Jesus Christ, as to their Law-giver and Saviour;) or else turning from Antichristian superstition, and false wayes of worship, as in the after, and more full conversion of Churches or Persons; purging themselves more and more, from the corruptions and mixtures of Popery and Superstitions, according to the degree of light and con­viction, which should break out upon them, and asking the way to Sion; i. e. The pure way of Gospel Worship, according to the fuller and cleerer Manifestations and Revelations of the minde of Christ in the Gospel.

This was fulfilled in Luth [...]s time, and in all those after Separations which any of the Churches have made from Rome, and from those Reliques, and remains of Superstition and will­worship, wherewith themselves, and the Ordinances of Jesus Christ have been defiled.

The third day wherein this Prophesie or Promise is to be made good, 3 Day, Univer­fall. is that Ʋniversall day, wherein both Jow and Gentile shall convert unto the Lord. That Day of the Restitution of all things, as some good Devin [...]s conceive, When ten men out [...] all Lan [...] [...] the Nations, shall take hold of the skirt of him that is Jew; saying, [...] will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you, Z [...]ch. 8.23. And to what purpose is more fully [Page 31]exprest in the former Verses (answering the Prophesie in the Text.)

Vers. 20. Thus saith the Lord of Hoasts, it shall yet come to passe, that there shall come people, and the Inhabitants of many Cities.

Vers. 21. And the Inhabitants of one Citie, shall go to another; saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the Lord, and to seek the Lord of Hosts; I will go also.

Vers. 22. Yea, many people, and strong Nations, shall come to seek the Lord of Hosts in Jerusalem, and pray before the Lord.

This I call the Ʋniversall day, because, as you see there shall be such an abundance of confluence of Citi [...]s, and People, and Nations, combining together in an holy League and Covenant, to seek the Lord.

And a Perfect day; because, the minde and will of the Lord shall be fully revealed and manifested to the Saints, concerning the way of Worship and Government in the Churches. The New Jerusalem; i. e. The perfect, exact, Ezek 43.11, 12, 13. Reve. 21.10, 11. Isa 30.26 and punctuall Modell o [...] the Government of Christ in the Churches, shall then be let [...]own from Heaven.

The light of the Moon, being then to be as the light of the Su [...], and [...] light of the Sun sevenfold, as the light of seven dayes, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the breach of his people, and [...] of their wound.

By what hath been spoken, you may perceive under which of these dayes we are: Past indeed the first, but not yet arrived at the third day; and therefore under the second day, that [...] ­ [...]angelicall [...]ay; yet so, as if all the three dayes were m [...]t toge­ther in ours, while it seems to me, that we are upon the daw­ [...]ing of the third day: and this Prophesie falling so pat, and full upon our times, as if we were not got beyond the Literall; a little variance will do it.

The children of Israel, and the children of Judah?

Scotland and England, newly coming out of Babylon, Antichristian Babyl [...]n, Papall Tyranny and Ʋsurpations, (in one degree or other) Going and weeping in the dayes of their solemn Humiliations, bewailing their Back-slidings and Rebelli­ons, [Page 32]to seek the Lord their God, to seek pardon and reconciliation, to seek his face and favour, not onely in the continuance, but in the more full and sweet influentiall manifestations of his presence among them; and to that end asking the way to Sion, with their faces thitherward; that is, Enquiring after the pure way of Gospel worship, with full purpose of heart; that when God shall reveal his minde to them, they will conforme themselves to his minde, as according to that blessed Prophesie and Promise, Isal. 2.3. He will teach us of his wayes, and we will walk in his paths, &c.

And that they may make all sure, That they may secure God and themselves against all future Apostacies and black-flidings, calling one upon another, and ecchoing back one to another.

Come let us joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Cove­nant, that may not be forgotten.

You see by this time, I have changed my Text, though not my project; to which purpose, I shall remember that in the handling of these words, I must not manage my discourse, as if I were to make a new entire Sermon upon the Text, but onely to improve the happy advantages it holds forth, for the pursuite and driving on of my present Ʋse of Exhortation.

To this end therefore from these words, I will propound and endeavour to satisfie these three Quaeres.

• 1. What?
• 2. Why?
• 3. How?

1. What the duty is, to which they mutually stirre up one another.

2. Why? or upon what considerations?

3. How, or in what manner this service is to be per­formed?

And in all these you shall see what proportion the Text holds with the Times. The duty in our Text, with the duty in our Hands, pressing them on still in an Exhortatory way.

For the first. sc. What the duty is?

Answ. You see that in the Text, is to joyn themselves to the Lord, by a solemn Covenant; and so is that which we have [Page 33]now in our hands, to joyn our selves to the Lord by a Covenant; how farre they correspond will appear in the sequell.

This is the first and main End of a Covenant between God and his People, as I have shewed you, To joyn themselves to the Lord. The sons of the stranger, that joyn themselves to the Lord, Isa 56.6. &c. And take held of his Covenant.

This I say is the first and main end of the Covenant in the Text: The second is subordinate unto it; namely, to Enquire th [...] way to Sion. i. e. To inquire the way and manner, how God would be worshipt; that they might dish [...]nour and pre­voke him no more, by their Idolatries, and Superstitions, which had been brought in upon the Ordinances of God, by the means of Apostate Kings, and Priests, and Prophets, as in Jeroboams and Ahabs reigns, &c. And for which they had been carryed into Captivity.

And such is the Covenant that lies before us, in the first place, as I say, to joyn our selves to the Lord, to be knit unsepa­parably unto him, that he may be our God, and we may be his People.

And in the next place, as subservient hereunto, to ask the way to Sion; to enquire and search by all holy means, sanctified to that purpose, what is that pure way of Gospel worship; That we and ou [...] children, after us, may worship the God of spirits, the [...]od of truth, in spirit and in truth; in spirit, Joh 4. [...]3. opposed to car­ [...]all w [...]y [...]s of will-worship and inventions of men; and in truth, opposed to false hypocriticall shews and pretences, since the Father seeks for such to worship him.

Now, That this is the main scope and aym of this Cove­nant before us, will appear if you read and ponder it with due considerations; I will therefore read it to you distinctly, this Evening, besides the reading of it again to morrow, when you come to take it; and when I have read it, I will answer the main, and most materiall objections, which seem to make it inconsist [...]nt with these blessed ends and purposes.

Attend diligently while I read it to you.

THis Brethren is the Covenant before us; to which God and his Parliament do invite us this day; wherein the Ends propounded, lye fair to every impartiall eye.

The first Article in this Covenant binding us to the Refor­m [...]tion of Religion; and the [...]st Article to the Reformation of our Lives.

In both, we joyn our sil [...]s to the Lord, and swear to ask and receive from his Lips, the Law of this Reformation; Read them else again, and consider.

And trudy, this is a why, as well as a what (that I may a little prevent my self.) A [...]otive of the first Magnitude. Oh for a People or Person to be joy [...] unto the Lord; to be made one with the most high God of Heaven and Earth, before whom, [Page 39]and to whom we swear, is a priviledge of unspeakable worth and excellency!

Se [...]meth it (said David once to Sauls servants) a small thing to your eyes, to be son in law to a King, seeing I am a poor man? 1 Sam 18.23.

Seemeth it, may I say, a small thing to you for poor crea­tures to be joyned, and married as it were to the great GOD, the living God; who are so much worse then nothing, by how much sin is worse then vanity; yea, to be one with him, as Christ saith in that heavenly Prayer of his; John 1 [...].21, 22, 23. As he and his Father is one, That they may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one, with us. And again, That they may be one, even as we are one. Yea, perfect in one; not indeed, in the perfection of that unitie, but in unitie of that perfection, not made perfect in a perfection of equality, but of conformity.

This is the fruit of a right managed Covenant; and the greatest honour that poor mortality is capable of. Moses stands admiring of it, Deut 32.33. You may read the place at your leisure.

But against this blessed Service and Trueth, are there muste­red, and led up an whole Regiment of O [...]j [...]ctions, under the conduct of the father of lies; though some of them may seem to have some shadow of truth; and therefore so much the more carefully to be examined.

I shall deal onely with some of the chief Commanders of them, if they be conquered, the rest will vanish of their own accord.

The 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 [Page 68]and 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 4.2 we 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 5.1 Ponder 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. Gods soul hates for a Sacrifice, the [Page 69] lame 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.

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 5 and 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. I 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, [Page 70] crooked 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. I 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. Be 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.) [Page 71]Bethink 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. Jacob 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. Before 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. He humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven: It is a [Page 72]condescention 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. conscious 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.

The 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. their 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. these 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. they 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. cast [...]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, 9.51 He 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 [Page 74] God-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. Friends 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. They 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. And 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 [Page 75]sin, 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. If 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 moneth; 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. as 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 onely 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. 3.21 A 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 onely 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 [Page 76]well (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 onely 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. For 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, 7 treachery, 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. as 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 onely kindl [...], [Page 77]but 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 onely 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. Whether 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. we 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. but 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.

See what a wonder not onely 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. and 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 onely, 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 onely, 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. the 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.

Oh 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. and 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. He 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. and 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. Let us therefore come with boldnesse to the throne of grace; even in this Ordinance also, That [Page 80]we may obtain mercy, and finde grace to help us in this time of our need.

Secondly, 2. 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. is 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. 3. 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. so 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.

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, 4 In re­ference to Jesus Christ. which that you may not misse of:

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

The day of Attonement among the Jews, [...]. 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. and 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. He 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. Put 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.

1 G [...] 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 [Page 82]deep 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. and 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 [...], [...]. Jerusalem, 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 [Page 83]will 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 onely, 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, [Page 84]when 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 onely 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. [...]. [...]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.

Thou hast played th [...] Harlot with many Lovers, Jer. 3.1. yet 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. And 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 [...] 31.18 that 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 30.22 and [...] 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 [...] [Page 86]gladnesse, 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. Because, 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 onely 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 onely 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 [Page 87]upon 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. By 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. 4. Dire­ction. Oft re­n [...]w reso­lutions. 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 [Page 88]not 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 onely 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. and to Superstition, for they used them as Superstitious helps in prayer, which they coloured under [...] derivation of the word in the Hebrew Den­v [...]ng [...] which signifies to pray; whereas it is deri­ved true­ly from [...] which signifies to aff [...] [...]r [...]w [...]. Isa 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 [Page 89]advantages, 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.

But fifthly, Consider often and seriously, Fifth means, Prayer. 1 Pet 1.5 who 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: 1. 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. And

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.

I 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, 24 and 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 [Page 91]will 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 onely 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 [Page 92] liberally to the preparing for the House of God; 2 Chr 29 [...]. Oh, 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 [...]. [...] it 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 onely must uphold your desires, W [...] continually, as in his presence; S [...]ilitie is onely 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 [Page 93]is [...]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 13 how 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. Though 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 onely, 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. and I was troubled. When God hid his face from him, or he hid his eyes from [Page 94] God; 1 Sam. 29 1. then 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. and 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. There 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. As 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, [Page 95]the 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 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 12 Observe 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 [Page 96]a 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, 1 Go to [...] [...]st. Joh. 15.4. Labour 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 [...], onely here is the difference. Christs Ʋnion with his Father was P [...]nall, Infinite, and Substantiall; And therefore the [...] were answerable, Joh. 3 34. For 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 onely 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, [Page 97]not the Jews onely, but the Gentiles also: A suretie on both sides, The suretie of Gods Covenant to them, 2 Cor. 1.20. for 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.

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. God 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. Yesterday 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 onely 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 [Page 96] [...] [Page 97] [...] [Page 98]with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.13 2 Pet. 1. [...]0. and 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 onely give thee interest, but cleer thy interest, and seal up interest upon thy soul and thee, to the day of Re­demption.

And then secondly, 2 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. 45.24 so 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. for 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. this 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 [Page 99] believing 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 40 that 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. but 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. The 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. Labour 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 moneth, 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. 2.20 The 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. [Page 100]Had we our stock before hand, we should quickly spend all, and prove bankrupts: 1 Cor. 1.36. God 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. It 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. 48.22 and 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 onely: 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.

Onely 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 [Page 101]the 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. steal 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. My 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 [Page 102]generation 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.